A woman in lust stands in front of the mirror. The signs are there. Dampened silk panties. Dilated green eyes. Swollen lips. A mind filled with only indecent thoughts. The unbearable longing for Julian so desperate, it almost hurts.

Taking a deep breath, I exhale a few times like a woman in labor.

Just friends.

Just dinner.

I hang the Stella McCartney dress on the back of the door and take off the Jimmy Choo shoes. Thirty minutes, I remind myself. In all the years I have been with Andrew, he has never made reservations for a hotel, restaurant, or anything else for that matter.

Although I had showered earlier in the day, I jump into the shower again, but rather than do my usual routine of staying in for an outrageous amount of time, I quickly wash my hair, scrub my body, and apply more almond body oil before getting out.

My hair is usually dried naturally, but I want to look sexy tonight. A short shower allows me to spend more time on my appearance. I grab the styling gel that promises to add volume to my hair. I’m going for the Brigitte Bardot look tonight. Tonight’s makeup calls for the works: foundation, powder, eye shadow, eyeliner, blush, and light gloss.

I continue to celebrate my birthday, and I’m celebrating it with a childhood friend. An insanely sexy, handsome, smart, childhood friend. Searching for underwear, the matching set from Agent Provocateur I bought a few weeks ago catches my eye. It was untouched as I recall, and I need to justify spending that much money. The lingerie set is racy, and as I slip on the new Stella McCartney dress over the set, and my new Jimmy Choo shoes on, I feel like a seductress. My blown-out hair is down, slightly touching below my shoulders. Patti would be proud. My neck, stripped of any jewelry, bears a hint of the scent of my new Creed perfume. After I am done, I stare at the full-length mirror and must admit that not only do I feel sexy, but I also look hot.

I remain planted in front of my mirror, nervous. I desperately want something more than dinner tonight.

My thoughts are interrupted by a knock on my door.

“Come in,” I tell the man I want to sleep with.

Julian opens the door and slowly closes it behind him. I can’t speak. I can’t think. The man before me is devastatingly gorgeous. I gape as he stands there, absolutely perfect.

“Lina.”

I tilt my head, and when our eyes meet, I swear, I’ve never ever wanted someone as much as I want him.

All. Of. Him.

“Lina, you,” he says after a long pause. “You are stunning.”

My manners fail me, and all I can do is ogle him. All I can think about is undressing him.

Touching him.

Tasting him.

A slow grin forms on his face. Finally breaking me out of my reverie, in a tone that sets me on fire, Julian admits, “I fantasized about you last night.”

Whaaaat?

My eyes pop out.

His candid confession surprises me. I bite my lower lip, unable to do anything.

Did I hear him correctly?

“I fantasized about you last night,” he repeats, waiting for my reaction. “How does that make you feel?”

Insanely happy!

I fantasize about you every minute of every day.

I masturbate to only thoughts of you.

And although all these thoughts invade me all at once, I’m unable to respond to the man I desperately want. I turn my back slightly with my head bowed down.

Come on, Lina! He just admitted to fantasizing about you, and you don’t have a comeback?

He actually fantasized about me.

Was it a rated PG kind of fantasy or was it an XXX fantasy? God, I hope it was the latter. I want him to think of me as a woman he can do anything with.

Make me beg.

Carnal images assault me. Me straddling him, his cock buried deep inside me as he licks my neck. Julian forcefully grabbing my hips from behind, fucking me, pulling my hair as I scream out his name. My heart beats rapidly. It takes everything in me not to jump his bones. My salacious thoughts are interrupted when the sound of his footsteps closes in.

Calm down, Lina.

Calm. The. Fuck. Down.

From a few inches behind me, his right hand finds a restful place on my hip. Dear God, I am wet. The other slowly caresses my left hand. I can feel the rise and fall of his chest. Leaning forward, he brushes his mouth against my earlobe. “It was a wonderful fantasy. I apologize if I have made you uncomfortable. But I had to tell you. I’ll try my best to be a gentleman tonight. But I don’t know how much longer I can be good around you.”

I don’t want a gentleman tonight.

I want a beast to ravage me.

I turn around, and our faces are so close I’m surprised we’re not kissing. My breathing picks up when I realize he might kiss me … again.

His mouth is half-open.

Mine is as well.

Taking in one another, our locked eyes are interrupted by my phone.

We both glance at the annoying gadget that sits on my bed. My bed. Right there. Suddenly, I imagine Julian’s naked body waiting for me. Jennifer Lopez’s “Ain’t Your Mama” ring tone is again loud and clear. Yet he and I are unable to move. Pursing his luscious lips, his eyes remain focused on my bed.

Julian, are your thoughts as sordid as mine?

I take in the handsome man before me and admire him from his head down to … the massive erection straining against his jeans.

My lips slightly part. My eyes are heavy. My body feels like it’s no longer mine when it’s so close to surrendering. My fingers twitch, determined to undress the man before me. I want to see all of him.

“Ain’t Your Mama” continues to play, finally disrupting this moment.

I sigh. “I should get that.” I turn around and reach for the phone. Julian remains standing in the same place I left him−this time adjusting his jeans. His darkened crystalline eyes are now focused on me. His gaze travels up and down my body, making it difficult for me to do anything.

Fumbling with my phone like an idiot, I finally answer the call.

“What took you so long?” Patti asks from the other line, completely unaware that she just interrupted a possible moment with my crush.

“Uh.” Julian’s erection is still on my mind.

“Oh, my Gawd, you’re still at your place?”

“Yes … we’re on our way … to … to dinner,” I falter, my fingers still twitching.

“Uh-huh, I bet, and you’re the dessert, aren’t you? Ooh, he can help you with the toys!” Hysterical laughter on the other end of the line is disturbingly loud. Julian can hear her. I turn around and there it is−a smile so wide it meets his gorgeous eyes. He places a fist against his mouth, trying to hold back his own laughter.

“Patti, I … I have to go. I’ll call you later tonight.”

“Did you see the several packs of condoms? Those studded condoms are the best. Use. Them.” Her laughter is out of control. “Don’t you dare call me tonight. Just call me tomorrow, if you’re not wrapped up and tied up. Ooh, you might have a Christian Grey on your hands. And remember the golden rule: if he doesn’t eat pussy, he shouldn’t get pussy!” she screams, ending our call in a fit of giggles.

Shifting slightly, I bump into Julian as he raises an eyebrow. I close my eyes and his familiar scent, one that surrounds me all day, teases me. It is the scent I smell at night when I have my fingers inside me, thinking only of him. Obviously, I am not the only one taking in scents when he leans over and smells my hair.

“God, you smell divine. Like you always do.”

Taking a deep breath, all I want to do is push him to the bed, straddle him, and …

If we don’t leave my bedroom soon, we’ll end up doing things that my body has been craving.

I want him.

I want him inside me.

I want to feel every inch of him.

I want to feel his large hands … his beautiful mouth…

I want to hear him … call out my name …

Reality hits me.

Julian is a friend. Although he has admitted his attraction toward me, and let’s not forget his massive hard-on, he is a ... friend.

His previous text, ‘You’re not ready,’ taunts me.

“We should go, Julian,” I tell him as I slowly back away, my eyes still focused on that erection of his.

He nods without a verbal response. With my trembling hand locked with his, the man I desperately want leads me out of my bedroom.