The Allure of Julian Lefray (The Allure #1)(73)

“I leave tomorrow.”

WHAT?

Calm down, asshole. It’s only a few days.

It’s nothing.

“I wish you weren’t leaving tomorrow.”

You were supposed to calm down before you spoke…

She furrowed her brows and crossed her arms tighter. Her green eyes, usually clear and inviting, were warning me to relax.

“I’m sorry,” she said, though she didn’t sound like she actually was. “I didn’t think it’d be that big of a deal.”

Shit. Shit. Shit. I was fucking all this up. It wasn’t a big deal.

I stepped closer and reached for her hands; she kept them wrapped around her waist until I pried them away and clutched them tightly.

“What if I got us some takeout and came to your place to help you pack?” I asked.

I didn’t care if I sounded desperate. I was a little desperate, and what did it matter as long as Dean wasn’t around to hear me sound like a sad sap?

Her face softened. “Chinese?”

I smiled. “Whatever you want.”

She nodded. “Okay, but I seriously have to pack. I leave at 6:00 in the morning and haven’t even printed out my ticket.”

I held up my hands as a sign of innocence.

She arched her brow and I smiled. She knew me better than that.

“All right, I’ll be honest. I had plans to take advantage of you once you were in a wonton-induced haze, but now, I promise I’ll keep my hands to myself.”





Chapter Forty-Three





What Jo Wore



Post #1270: Welcome!

Comments: 1,340 Likes: 23,009



Hello to all my new followers! Many of you found me from the Marc Jacobs show, but I’d like to invite you to relax and stay a while. I hope you’ll find that my blog is full of great advice for the beauty obsessed on a budget. You can check out my past beauty guides, fashion posts, and hair style guides in the archives section of the site.

Once you’re done with that, I just posted a new video on YouTube highlighting a few of my favorite homemade lip stains. I’m a MAJOR fan of lip stains! They have the same dramatic effect of lipstick without the mess. Not to mention, I’ve learned from experience that they withstand even the hottest make-out sessions. More on that later though ;)

For now, check out my video below.



Until tomorrow,

XOJO



…



Josephine





I told myself I couldn’t miss Julian while I was in Texas because we weren’t really dating, but my brain wouldn’t listen. We’d had sex eleven times. (Twelve if I counted the time he went down on me on my couch. That had been an out of body experience. Mouth-finger coordination was one of his fortes.) On top of that, he’d taken me out for exactly three frozen yogurts and five pre-coitus meals. What the hell were we doing if it wasn’t dating? I refused to think of it as friends with benefits—I have a vibrator for that. His name is Larry and he’s much lower maintenance than Julian.

I was nervous about my trip to Texas, not only because I was leaving things with Julian a tad up in the air, but also because in the last few months, there’d only been a handful of days that we hadn’t seen each other. A week straight would be a new test—one I knew I wouldn’t easily pass.

I stared out at the bus terminal through my tiny window and wished I could fast-forward seven days ahead. I wished that instead of sitting on the bus, waiting to start my journey to Texas, I was already back and about to meet up with Julian for some steamy reunion sex. (Because, duh, that’s gonna be awesome.)

“Lady, is this seat taken?”

I glanced over my shoulder to find an older woman wearing a yellow muumuu and clutching a giant fabric bag that reminded me of my grandmother’s old curtains. She reeked of cigarette smoke and what I could only assume was the faint stench of cat pee.

Oh no. Nononono. This isn’t happening.

I glanced around the bus to see if there were still vacant seats. There were plenty, at least ten or twelve near the back, yet she wanted to sit right beside me.

What was I going to do? Lie? I had two days of traveling on the bus with her. She’d clearly find out if I lied and then I’d have to suffer her death stares for the rest of the ride. No thanks. I didn’t want to be found dead on the side of some highway.

I nodded and smiled timidly, ensuring that my carryon bag was tucked between my legs so she’d have plenty of room. She took the seat beside me and I held my breath, wondering just how long I could get away with breathing through my mouth.

“I brought a tuna sandwich for lunch,” she said. “They never stop enough and my doctor says I have to watch my blood sugar like a hawk.”

I swear my eye twitched as I tried to keep from saying something obviously rude in reply. She didn’t notice my silence and kept right on talking. There were fifteen minutes of people filing onto the bus and her sentences just kept on coming.

“I have disc issues in my neck, so I like to rest my head on my neighbor so that I can get some good shuteye. Don’t worry though, you can do the same to me, I don’t mind.”

Awesome.

“If I pass gas while I’m asleep just nudge me awake. I think I let this sandwich sit out a little too long this morning.”