The Allure of Julian Lefray (The Allure #1)(85)

My voice shook as I spoke. “I think you and I should be more than friends.”

My heart leapt in my chest. There. I said it.

“Mhm,” he hummed.

I smiled.

“And I think you should take me on a date to a restaurant and we’ll order an appetizer and dessert. No, two desserts.”

He laughed. “I agree, but why should we do that?”

I kept my eyes closed, focusing on the feel of his lips against my cheek, the grip of his hands on my arm. I knew what game he was playing. I knew he was calling my bluff and I wasn’t ready to give in just yet.

“Because you’re very funny,” I whispered.

“And?” he asked, peeling away the layers of my resolve.

“And you’re very nice for taking care of me while I was drunk.”

“And?”

“You’ve got a cute butt.”

I could feel his smile against my cheek.

“Jo…”

“And I love you.”

He leaned back and stared into my eyes. A triumphant smile coated his lips and I resisted the urge to kiss it off.

“I love you too,” he said.

Warmth spread through me as I held his gaze.

“Is that why you came to Texas?” I asked.

He glanced to the side, gathering his thoughts before catching my gaze once again.

“It seems silly now, but Dean scared the shit out of me after you left. I thought you were pulling away, and then I got the call from Elizabeth about the Vogue position. I assumed you hadn’t told me about it because you wanted to let me down easy.”

I flinched back. Vogue? He knew about Vogue?

“Elizabeth contacted me for a reference,” he explained.

“She did?” I asked.

“Yes,” he said, leaning back to get a better look at me. “I told her she would have to discuss your recommendation with Lorena, since I obviously might be biased, but I also told her that you’ve been a wonderful employee. Dependable, organized, and hardworking. I told her that she was crazy if she didn’t hire you.”

My eyes widened in shock. “You didn’t. Did you?”

He smiled and his gaze fell to my lips. “Of course I did. It’s the truth.”

“What’d she say?” I asked, alarm bells ringing in my head.

“She said that she’d notify you about the position first thing upon your return to New York, but that if I spoke with you first, I was allowed to congratulate you first.”

I covered my mouth in shock. “Julian! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!”

He laughed and shook his head. “It looks like I won’t be your boss anymore.”

I stared down at his chest, contemplating his words. I’d landed the job at Vogue. I would be working at Vogue. Vogue would be my employer.

No matter what way I spun it, it didn’t sound right.

How was that possible?

And why was I a tiny bit sad about it?

I liked my job working for Lorena Lefray Designs. I loved being with Julian all day, every day.

“Jo?”

“Yes?” I asked, keeping my gaze on his chest.

“This is a good thing.”

I bit my bottom lip and collected my thoughts.

“I know that. I do. I want the job, it’s just…the reason I didn’t tell you about the position earlier was because I wasn’t sure I wanted it. I really like working with you and if I leave…”

“We’ll still see each other every day,” he said.

I flicked my gaze up to him and smiled.

“Because you and I are dating,” he said. “Together. In love.”

I smiled and let his words sink in.

“You know what that means?” I asked. “We’re going to go out on dates, and I’m going to leave a toothbrush at your house, and we’re going to bicker about dumb stuff like where we want to eat, and then we’ll throw in the towel, order pizza, and have sex on the couch.”

He smirked. “I have to say that sounds pretty nice actually.”

“You know what else it means?” I said.

“What?”

“You definitely have to share half of that donut with me now.”





Chapter Fifty-Two


Josephine





I lugged my backpack through my parents’ house, confused about how I was somehow leaving Texas with fifty extra pounds of luggage. I’d taken a trip to Sally’s Thrift Shop the day before and had left with a pair of kickass cowboy boots for $5, but they weren’t that heavy. It was probably the five boxes of homemade cookies my mom had insisted I take back to New York with me. Twist my arm, why don’t you?

“Josie? Are you headed out?” my mom asked, popping her head out of the kitchen.

I glanced up from my bag to see her scanning over me, worry clouding her gaze. We’d had a long chat about my choice to get plastered the other night. I’d assured her that I wasn’t a crazy alcoholic, and she’d forced me to promise that I would be honest with her if I ever did have a problem. I’d all but promised to provide her with weekly blood screenings just to ensure her that I was okay. Even still, I knew she wasn’t wholeheartedly convinced that I should be going back to New York.