The Allure of Julian Lefray (The Allure #1)(71)

By the time we’d all settled down to work, I had too many conflicting thoughts swirling around my head to actually focus. I couldn’t even decide what should take top priority: the fact that Vogue had emailed me about a job or the fact that I wanted to jump Julian’s bones at that very moment.

I glanced over my shoulder and snuck a peek at Julian. He was firing away on his keyboard with his brows subtly tugged together, a sign of concentration. I loved watching him while he worked. He hit enter on whatever he was typing, leaned back on the couch, and caught my stare.

An earthquake would have taken a backseat to that stare. My heart leapt in my chest as a slow, seductive smile spread across his lips. The breath of my lungs, the beat of my heart, the basic ability to pull my gaze away from him—they were all under his control. The connection between us was stronger than any willpower I could have mustered.

“Julian, what’s the website for the architecture firm we’re meeting with this afternoon?” Lorena asked, interrupting our moment.

Oh right, maybe stop eye-fucking Julian while his sister is around.

I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and turned back to good ol’ Central Park.

Concentrate. Open your email. Pretend to type something. It can be gibberish, just stop sitting there like you’re frozen.

I’d managed to get through half an email when Lorena stood to use the restroom a few minutes later. My fingers froze over my computer keys as I processed that she’d be gone for a few minutes. There was absolutely no way I would let the opportunity slip by me. The second the door to the bathroom locked into place, I pushed off my chair and ran to Julian as quietly as possible. He shoved his laptop aside, stood, and reached for my face. He cupped my cheeks in his palms as our lips met.

That kiss.

That kiss was a sucker punch to my gut. That kiss was Julian laying claim to my soul. I was on the fringe of insanity, swept up in the feel of him. I was wholeheartedly convinced that we could have a quickie while Lorena was in the bathroom, and then I heard the toilet flush.

Julian and I flew apart like we’d just been caught red-handed. My heart hammered in my chest as I glanced to the bathroom and then back to Julian. His devilish smile didn’t help matters. I laughed and shook my head, giving myself another foot of distance between us.

Damn. Would it kill Lorena to take her time? Get comfortable in there. Read a book!

“I’m going to ask her to grab us lunch,” Julian said, running his hand down the length of my arm before tucking it away in his pocket.

I tilted my head. “Why?”

“Because I want fifteen minutes alone with you before the meeting with the architecture firm this afternoon,” he said, bending to steal one last kiss before the bathroom door opened.

Alrighty then.

“Are you guys okay?” Lorena asked with a skeptical tone. When she’d gone into the bathroom, we’d been sitting down and working quietly. Now, we were standing together in the center of the room, panting as if we’d just finished a triathlon.

“Yeah,” I nodded. “Julian and I are doing our work yoga.”

What?

She arched a brow. “What’s that?”

I laughed as if she was crazy, my brain working overtime to come up with an answer. “Oh. Uh, you just pause every hour on the hour and do five minutes of stretching.” I turned to Julian. “Go ahead, Julian. Show her your downward dog.”





Chapter Forty-One


Josephine

I stared at my open laptop in front of me, wondering how I’d managed to sit at my kitchen counter for an hour and not type a single word. I had three blog posts to write for the coming week, a Greyhound ticket to purchase, a giant check to deposit in my account, and a hundred or so emails to respond to, one of which was from Vogue.

I’d yet to tell Julian that I was heading home to Texas for a few days. It wasn’t because I was purposely keeping things from him, we just hadn’t had a moment alone to talk where we weren’t attacking one another. Since Saturday, I’d had interview request after interview request from blogs and news channels wanting the inside scoop about the “Cinderella of New York Fashion Week”. It was all a bit surreal, but with each passing day my social media followers continued to double. I was supposed to have had dinner with Julian the night before, but I’d had to cancel last minute to do an interview with People Magazine. It was just a short piece, not the front page or anything, but still! I couldn’t very well turn down People Magazine. I knew the timing of everything was terrible. Julian and I had finally decided to sleep together, and the very next day, my life had exploded into chaos.

I reached for my phone, knowing I’d have a better chance of getting everything out if I texted him. I drafted a short and sweet message and hit send before I got distracted by another incoming email. My inbox was currently hovering at around 132 unread messages, all from important people, all vying for my attention.

Josephine: Hey, my dad is turning 60 next week, so I have to head home to Texas to celebrate with him. It won’t be for long.

Julian: What? When do you leave?

I glanced at my calendar hanging on the front of my fridge.

Josephine: Three days.

How had the days crept up on me?

Julian: Way to give a guy some warning…

Josephine: Are you mad?

Julian: No. Why would I be? I just wish your dad lived in New York.