Chapter 13

“Thank you,” I finally say with a soft smile.

I continue to give Julian directions as we near my apartment. When he finally pulls into the complex parking lot, he parks in front of my building.

“I’ll walk you to your door,” he says, hopping out of the car.

I shoot him a shy smile as we make our way up the steps to my apartment door. We stand awkwardly for a few heartbeats, neither of us seemingly wanting to say goodbye. I glance at the time on my phone. It isn’t all that late. And I’ve had a wonderful time with him so far. Would it be weird to invite him inside?

“Do you want to see my apartment?” I finally blurt out.

He smiles. “See where Nora Bennett spends her evenings? I’d love to.”

I laugh, unlocking my door and stepping over the threshold. I flip the lights on, stepping aside so Julian can enter and then closing the door behind him.

He walks farther in, looking around. The apartment is small. The main room constitutes as a living room and kitchen space with nice, large windows over the couch on the far wall. My bedroom and bathroom are off to the right through two doors.

Julian quickly zeroes in on a painting on the wall. He approaches it, glancing over his shoulder at me. “You did this.” It isn’t really a question, more of a statement.

“How’d you know?” I laugh.

“It’s like your other ones at the foundation,” he says, turning back to it. “You use similar colors. Similar … ways of expressing things.”

I walk up beside him, looking at the painting as well. “I did it in college. It’s of the fields by my parents’ house where I grew up.”

Julian cocks his head. “It’s beautiful.”

I can feel myself blushing, and I hope he doesn’t notice. “Thank you.”

We stand like that, side by side, our arms barely touching, for a few heavy minutes, silence hanging around us. I keep glancing sideways at him. At the sharp edges of his jawline, the five o’clock shadow on his skin, at his hands in the pockets of his dress pants.

I feel that familiar longing I’d felt at the wedding. The desire for his hands to be all over me. To do what they’d done only a few nights ago.

Julian turns to me as if feeling the air change between us. His eyes search mine—for what, I don’t know. Is he thinking the same thing I am? And as the tension between us grows—torn between right and wrong, desire and need—I do the only thing I can think of.

I span the distance between us, grab the collar of his shirt, and I kiss him.

He freezes, and for a split second I think I’ve made a terrible mistake. That I’ve misread the situation. That I’ve ruined everything.

But then his hands grip my upper arms, and he kisses me back. Hard. Desperate. As if he’s suffocating and I’m the only air in the room.

We stumble backward, nearly tripping over each other until my back hits the wall. I throw my arms around his neck, pulling him closer to me. His tongue swirls against mine as our kiss deepens.

His hands roam up, over my shoulders, my neck, and into my hair. His touch is gentle, sweet.

I breathe in the scent of him—cologne, sweat, and purely Julian.

Then he pulls back, his gaze meeting mine, our faces inches apart, breathing heavily. There’s a question in those deep blue eyes.

“Nora,” he breathes. “I want to make sure you’re okay with everything.”

I nod, staring up at him. “I’m … not ready for sex, but—I had to kiss you,” I whisper.

He nods. “We won’t do anything until you want to,” he declares. “What we did at the wedding—were you okay with that?” He searches my gaze genuinely.

I nod. I was.

He smiles, leaning down to plant a soft kiss right below my ear. “Let me make you feel good, Nora,” he whispers, his breath hot against my neck.

I sigh.

“Can I make you feel good?” he asks.

“Yes,” I breathe.

Still pressing kisses down my neck, he reaches up to gently unbutton my blouse. In a few moments, he’s sliding it off my shoulders, revealing a pink bralette. His hands skim up my arms, across my shoulders, stopping at the strap of my bra. He seems hesitant. Worried, almost. As if afraid he might break me.

I look up at him. “Touch me,” I whisper.

His breath hitches in his throat, his eyes alight with desire. He slowly slides the strap of my bra off my shoulder, then reaches around to unclasp it in the back. It falls to the floor.

His hands slide across my arms to cup my breasts, and I sigh.

He draws a soft finger down my neck and chest, then over my breasts, making low circles on each one, ending with a soft pinch of my nipples.

I gasp quietly at the sensation. He leans down, his breath hot against my chest, taking a nipple into his mouth and running his tongue softly over the bud. I arch my back into him, squeezing my eyes shut in pleasure. His hand finds my other breast, massaging it gently.

Fuck, I’m so wet. I’m imagining him plunging deep inside of me, filling my aching pussy. I want him so badly. I’ve never wanted someone so badly. I actually want Julian to fuck me.

He continues to flick my nipple with his tongue, causing me to moan and writhe in pleasure. It’s almost torture.

He lifts his head and shoots me a devilish smile. I’m panting from the sensations, my chest rising and falling, my nipples hardened into tight, erect buds.

I reach up to grasp the back of his neck and pull him down into a kiss. He devours me, kneading my breasts as he kisses me deeply. I moan into his mouth.

Suddenly, he hooks his hands under my thighs, hoisting me up, my legs wrapped around his waist. I squeal in surprise as he carries me over to the couch, depositing me gently onto it and crawling over top of me.

Julian trails kisses up my bare stomach, across my breasts, and to my neck.

I dig my nails into his back, pulling him closer. His lips pressed against my ear, he murmurs, “I want to taste you, Nora.” He leans back just enough to meet my gaze. “But only if you want me to.”

My breath hitches in my throat, nerves dancing in my belly. While everything we’ve done so far isn’t completely new to me, and I’ve had guys touch me pretty much everywhere, I’ve never actually had a man go down on me.

But I know the answer before I even have to think about it. And my body is giving me away. I nod. “I want you to,” I admit.

And there I am, completely and utterly naked in front of Julian Mercer. He spends a moment taking me in, devouring every inch of me with his eyes.

He runs a hand up my thigh, squeezing gently. “Fuck,” he murmurs. “You’re perfect.”

I feel myself reddening—both at his compliment and his perusal.

He leans down to press a soft kiss to my bare stomach, kissing lower and lower. Then he parts my legs, settling between them and kissing from my knee up my inner thigh. My breath quickens in anticipation. I can barely believe what’s happening. Julian Mercer is between my legs.

A quick jolt of self-consciousness shoots through me. I’ve exposed my most intimate part of my body to him, and his face is barely inches away from it. But as he continues to kiss and caress my flesh, I find myself melting into the couch cushions below me.

He looks up, and his gaze meets mine as he lowers his face, pressing a soft kiss to my center. Then he licks slowly along my slit.

My mouth opens in a shocked and pleasured gasp.

He reaches my clit, slowly flicking his tongue back and forth across my bud. I grit my teeth, holding back a cry.

He speeds up, his fingers digging into the flesh of my thighs, holding me open. I pant in desperation, bucking my hips.

I reach down to grasp his hair, running my fingers along his scalp.

He sucks gently on my bud, and I cry out in ecstasy. “Oh god,” I whine, my fingers leaving Julian’s hair to grip the couch cushions beneath me. “Julian,” I breathe.

He raises his head, his finger immediately taking the spot his tongue had been occupying. “Do you feel good, Nora?” he asks.

I nod desperately, the pleasure building inside of me.

Julian reaches up with his free hand to caress one of my heaving breasts, teasing my nipple. I bite my lip, moaning.

“I wanna make you come so bad,” he murmurs, his gaze trailing my naked body. “Are you gonna come for me?”

“I—I think so,” I stutter.

“Good.”

I’m panting, crying out desperately. I feel the pleasure building and building. And finally, my orgasm crashes through me. I cry out, my legs shaking as wave after wave of my climax rushes through me.