The Allure of Julian Lefray (The Allure #1)(39)

Truthfully, I hadn’t wanted to go to the fundraiser, especially not with a date handpicked by my mother. In the beginning, I’d set my heels in about the event, but then I spoke with Lorena and she planted the first seed of guilt in my mind.

I hadn’t seen or spoken to my mother in months. I’d moved back to the city without even telling her and now she knew I was here and didn’t care enough to see her. My mother had a nasty streak to her, but it didn’t make me sleep any better at night, knowing there were ways I could have tried harder.

So, I leaned forward and tied my bow tie, resolved to attend her fundraiser for at least a few minutes. It wouldn’t kill me.

By the time I left the hotel, my mood hadn’t shifted in the slightest. I was annoyed to have to spend a night schmoozing with fundraiser guests I didn’t care about, all the while knowing Josephine wouldn’t be present.

Given the choice, I would have invited her as my date for the event, but I knew it wasn’t a good idea. I wasn’t out to piss my mother off just for the sake of it, and I owed it to Josephine to give her some space.

In the span of a few weeks we’d gone from strangers, to coworkers, to friends, and then I’d gone and pushed too far, too fast and fucked it up.

What happened on Dean’s boat was the result of every repressed thought I’d had for the last few weeks, every time I caught myself watching Jo work, every time I thought of what she’d look like splayed out across my bed.

I’d been selfish to kiss her when I was drunk. To Josephine, it seemed like I was playing with her life, like it was all a game. I hadn’t kissed her for my amusement. I’d kissed her because I damn well wanted to and now I had to consider the real implications of falling for my employee.

I laced up my shoes, pulling the strings tight as I tried to decide how best to handle the situation with Josephine. My phone buzzed on my desk in the other room, but I didn’t bother checking it until I was walking out the door a few minutes later.

I called for the elevator and swiped my finger across the screen, surprised to find a text from Josephine.



Josephine: I forgot to tell you that I ordered flowers for Priscilla.



I bristled at the thought. Why the fuck had she done that?



Julian: You didn’t have to do that.



The elevator arrived and the doors swept open as my phone vibrated again in my hand.



Josephine: Your mom asked me to…I didn’t want you to get in trouble.



I punched in the button for the first floor, surprised that it didn’t pop out of the display panel from the amount of force I used. I’d never have the audacity to ask Josephine to help me prepare for a date with another woman. Yet, there she was, buying my fucking date flowers. I clenched my hand into a fist, trying to quell the rage building toward my mother and her need to overstep her bounds at every turn. I watched the lights on the elevator panel, trying to decide how I could explain everything to Josephine without making her uncomfortable again.



Julian: I wish you were coming with me.



Good, asshole. That’s definitely a text you should send to your employee.

I knew I was in the wrong, and yet I couldn’t ease off the idea of being with Josephine, really being with her. I’d have given anything to have her on my arm at the fundraiser. Instead, I had Priscilla.

I had to hand it to my mom, she knew how to make a point.

I’d grown up in the same circle as Priscilla. We’d dated briefly at the beginning of college and it had taken me all of one week to realize how hollow she was inside. The hairspray and the makeup and the perfume could only go so far. There was no substance there, nothing to draw me closer, nothing to make me want to lean in and listen, just to be sure I’d heard every word she’d uttered.



Josephine: Obviously.



I smiled.



Julian: Prove it then.

Josephine: Julian. STOP. Every time you flirt with me, I’m going to make you put $5 in a jar.

Julian: I’ve got money to spend.

Josephine: You’re right. Let’s scrap the jar idea. Perhaps a shock collar would be more effective?



I shuddered at the thought.



Julian: Point taken.

Julian: Have any plans for the night?



I imagined her out at a bar, sitting by herself, playing with a cocktail napkin while she waited for a man to approach her. He would. She’d sit there for a minute tops before some lucky bastard stole her time for the night. I stared down at my phone while she typed, hoping she’d reply with something boring that involved footed pajamas.



Josephine: Nah, all my orgies fell through.



I laughed and shook my head.



Julian: Multiple?

Josephine: Booked ’em straight from 8:00 PM - 8:00 AM.

Julian: How does one prepare for a twelve-hour block of orgies?

Josephine: 3-day juice cleanse…maybe some carbo-loading the night before. The usual.



I laughed out loud in the lobby of the hotel, not even bothering to watch where I was going as I continued to text.



Julian: Wouldn’t the juice cleanse and the carbo-loading counteract one another?

Josephine: You’re going to be late to your fundraiser. I’ll talk to you later.