The Allure of Julian Lefray (The Allure #1)(19)

He laughed and nodded. “Of course. Of course.”

I ignored him and downed the rest of my drink.

“Do you think you could put in a good word for me?” he asked with a crooked smile. “Y’know, if Dean doesn’t end up going for her?”

I scooted my chair back from the table and ignored him. I’d rather wait for Josephine at the bar than deal with the rest of that conversation.

I found Josephine and Dean over in the courtyard, talking beneath a canopy of trees. He was pointing out various features of the restaurant, waving his hand around to the trees and the fountains beneath them. She had a smile perched on her lips as she listened to him talk and for a while I kept my distance, watching them together. She’d tied her hair up at the base of her neck, revealing the slope of her back in her black dress. I couldn’t see them, but I’d learned earlier in the week that she had freckles sprinkled across both of her shoulders. They were faint, hardly there at all unless you looked closely. They’d be almost impossible to see in the dim light of the courtyard, but I knew I’d be able to find them if I got closer.

I wasn’t sure where to compartmentalize that desire. It wasn’t as if I’d never worked with a beautiful woman before. I’d had plenty of experience with tempting women throughout college and my early years working in investment firms. So why was I leaning against the arch of the courtyard, studying Josephine from a distance instead of wandering through the party, looking for a beautiful woman to take home for the night?

Josephine peered over her shoulder, scanning the crowd until her gaze fell on me. My gut clenched as her smile spread even wider.

She waved me closer with her hand and I resisted at first. My body warned me to keep my distance from her. That yearning in my chest? The tight twist of my gut when she was focused on me?

Those symptoms held all the makings of my demise if I wasn’t careful.





Chapter Twelve


What Jo Wore



Post #1254: Apartment Reveal!

Comments: 66 Likes: 789



Hello you beautiful people! Many of you have asked for an apartment reveal ever since I moved to New York a few weeks ago. I’ve been mulling over whether or not I wanted to do one because well…I’ll be honest. My life in New York is not quite as glamorous as most of you probably believe. I don’t even let the takeout guy in.

The rent here is insane (no really, I could sell all of my organs and still not come close to making next month’s rent), but I think it’s important for you all to see the honest side of my life. 98% of the time, I’m not standing in front of some adorable street mural wearing a cute outfit, posing for the camera.

My life is filled with bugs, tiny closets, Ramen Noodle dinners, and wacko neighbors. So, in an effort to be transparent, I’ve uploaded a few photos of my apartment.

Yes, the kitchen and bathroom and living room are essentially all combined, but as you can see, I’ve tried my best to decorate it as best as possible.

Let me know what you think!



Until tomorrow,

XOJO



…



Josephine





About once or twice a month, the voice inside my head convinces me that I need to get off my lazy bum and do some form of exercise. It turns out that Nike shorts and leggings were originally intended for cardio, not Ubering to the cupcake shop.

It was during one of these half-assed attempts at working out that I stumbled upon a rental space that would be perfect for the new Lorena Lefray headquarters. I’d been walking along, trying to decide if I’d burned enough calories for a donut yet, when I saw it. The storefront had sidewalk access, and when I pressed my face to the glass, it looked like the space went on for miles. We’d have plenty of room to set up a clothing shop for Lorena’s designs in the front and then build out offices in the back for her team.

I kept my face pressed to the glass as I dialed Julian’s number.

“Hello?” a sleepy Julian murmured into the phone. I glanced down to read the time. Oops. It was 6:45 AM on a Sunday and we’d been up late the night before at Dean’s opening.

“Oh god, sorry to wake you. I didn’t realize how early it is.”

He groaned.

“But, now you’re awake anyway. Get dressed and meet me at the address I’m about to text you.”

He groaned again, louder this time, and then I heard something hitting wood.

“6:45? Do you realize I only went to sleep four hours ago?”

“Four hours ago?” I contested.

We’d both stayed at Provisions until closing and then Julian had hailed a cab for me. I’d assumed he had headed back to his hotel after that, but apparently he hadn’t called it a night when I had.

“What exactly did you do after I left in the cab? It was already really late.”

Oh god.

I knew the answer to that question. Dumb, dumb, dumb. There was definitely a girl lying next to him in bed, probably sliding down his body at this very moment. Oh, gross.

“Wait. Don’t answer that. That’s a breach of privacy. Just wake the girl up, get her some coffee, and get your butt down here. I found a good property I want you to look at.”

I heard him shuffling around his hotel room through the phone. Cabinets opened and closed and then I heard the distant sound of his bathroom sink.