Julian

 

 

I take her in my arms not caring that there are others mere feet away watching us. I kiss her tenderly, softly even though I want more. I'll take more, later when we're alone.

"You said you had plans." She looks past me to where the chef and server are standing in wait. "You said they were unbreakable."

When I said that this afternoon I believed it was true. I was in panic mode and frustrated to hell and back that I had to deal with Isadora.

Once Maya stormed out of my office, clarity set in. I'd let her walk away believing that something on this earth was more important than celebrating with her.

"I want to explain all of that to you, Maya." I kiss her again. "I fucked up when you came to see me. I should have told you then that I was dealing with Isadora and the takeover of another hotel. "

Hearing my ex-girlfriend's name stiffens Maya's shoulders. "I have a confession."

I want her to be comfortable, so I unbutton her coat and help her slide it off. She's dressed impeccably in a simple little black dress.

I turn toward the chef and server. "We'll need a few minutes."

They nod in unison and walk toward the kitchen, but not before the server places the tray on the dining room table. I'm paying them both a small fortune so their time tonight belongs to me. If I keep them here until the stroke of midnight, neither will complain.

"Can we sit?" Maya moves toward one of the dining room chairs, but I stop her mid-step to steer her toward the leather sofa that faces the wall of windows.

She lowers herself onto it, and I do the same, taking a seat right next to her. "Confess, Maya."

Her eyes search my face before she reaches up to run a finger over my jaw. "You're beautiful. Do people ever say that to you?"

They do. Years ago, a magazine coined me as the sexiest man alive, twice. I laughed it off at the time. It made me uncomfortable and challenged my view of myself. I know I'm attractive. I hear it often, but with Maya I know she sees deeper within.

"Not as often as people say it to you."

That brings a squeak of laughter from her. "Somehow I doubt that's true."

"I'm excited for you," I say it because it's been something I've wanted to share with her since this afternoon. "Selling the Warton apartment is a big deal. It's a huge step forward for your career."

She kisses me, parting my lips with the tip of her tongue. I moan when her teeth scratch my bottom lip.

"You're making it hard for me not to take you home with me right now, Maya."

As she pulls back, her blue eyes lock on mine. "The second time I came to your office today I was wearing only my panties and bra."

My cock swells instantly. "When we were talking, you were wearing next to nothing under your coat?"

"Just the panties and bra I have on under this dress."

I'm tempted to rip the dress apart to get my eyes on what I missed out on earlier. I was too wrapped up in the potential deal to notice.

Fuck.

"Jesus, Maya." I run my hand over her knee. "You're driving me crazy here."
"I lied to you." She rests her forehead against mine. "Technically, it wasn't a lie, but it feels like a lie to me."

As long as what she feels for me isn't a lie, I can deal with anything else.

"Explain what you mean." I cup her chin in my hand. "What feels like a lie, Maya?"

She lifts her hand to her forehead and rubs. "I saw Isadora at your office. I heard you make plans with her and then I tried to make plans at the same time. I wanted to see which one of us you'd choose."

 

***

 

I gulp down both glasses of champagne from the tray before I move to sit next to her again.

Her confession about Isadora took me to my feet. I was angry, embarrassed, frustrated and so aroused that I could have fucked her on the sofa with the chef and server looking on. I wouldn't have cared if all of the city would have seen my driving my dick into her.

"I should have said something." She drags her hands through her hair. "I heard her call you darling. I heard you tell her that you wanted to see her at seven. I was mad, Julian. I was so fucking mad at you."

Christ, I need to fuck her.

"You believed that I was meeting her for what reason, Maya? A date? A prelude to a night together?" I keep my tone neutral.

She shrugs. "I have no idea. I was blind with rage at that moment."

I replay the events of the afternoon in my mind. "Isadora left a good fifteen minutes before we spoke. Were you waiting for me that entire time?"

She nods. "When I first arrived your assistant said you were in an important meeting. I told her I'd wait. She went for a break, and when she came back, that's when I told her to call you."

"She's aware that if you ever need to see me or speak to me, that I'm available," I say under my breath.

She turns to look right at me. "I didn't tell her who I was until she called you."

"I hate games, Maya." I drop my gaze to the floor. "I'm sorry that you had to witness that exchange between Isadora and me, but you were wrong in not confronting me on the spot."

Her bottom lip quivers. "She called you darling. You made plans to see her."

"So you hatched a plan to test me?" I feel my jaw tick.

She folds her arms in front of her. "Yes, and you failed that test."

I shake my head slightly. She's infuriating and I'm still hard as stone. "I'd argue that you can't fail a test that you're not aware you're taking. I didn't have all the facts, Maya."

"You had all the facts you needed to make a choice." She rubs her temples. "It doesn't matter now. You obviously canceled your plans with her to do this for me."

I won't lie to her. I can't. "I saw Isadora an hour ago."

"Where?" she spits the question about between clenched teeth.

I move closer to her but she backs away, her hands flying in the air to ward me off.

"Where did you see her?" she hisses the words out this time.

"In the bar downstairs."

Her gaze floats over my shoulder before she levels her eyes on mine. "Did you bring her up here?"
I love the jealousy. It's stirring my need for her even more. I want her this possessive, this willing to fight for me but I know what this is doing to her inside. "You know that I didn't. You know I wouldn't fuck her again. Don't think with your head, Maya. Feel with your heart."

She swallows. "Why didn't you choose me at your office? Why did you choose her?"

"I chose business." I lean back on the sofa. "I had a deal hinging on Isadora's involvement. She had to be there to make it happen. What you saw at my office was an agreement to meet to discuss the acquisition of another hotel chain. The owner of that hotel would only agree to move forward with Isadora on board. He was in my office as well."

"Once I spoke to you and gave it a moment of thought, I knew I had to see you tonight," I go on," I called Isadora and the other hotel chain's owner and met them downstairs to finalize the deal."

"I didn't know."

"You were hurt in the past, Maya, but I'm not him." I exhale harshly. "I'm working very hard to get Isadora out of the business, but until that happens, I need to see her from time-to-time and meet with her."

"I hate her," she says with a laugh.

I lean toward her. "There's nothing personal going on between us anymore. Trust me on that and promise me no more games."

"No more games," she says quietly. "I promise."