I take a seat on his freshly made bed and glance around nervously. The room smells like him-like chocolate body paint that’s crying out to be worn.
His eyes meet mine in the mirror. “Unfortunately, I have a very busy week and will need you to do a few extra hours, if that’s okay.” He hesitates. “Of course, you will be financially compensated.”
“Sure,” I mutter. God, I wish we had these naked bathroom meetings every morning. This is definitely a sight for the spank bank.
I’ve never actually seen a man with a body this good.
He’s chiseled, muscular, and so, so masculine.
“I won’t be home tonight as I have to go out if that’s all right, but I won’t be home too late,” he says, snapping me out of my little fluffy white towel fantasy.
“Sure.”
I roll my lips to stop my tongue from hanging out while I watch him.
Honestly, this is next level perving. I wish I could take a photo for Emerson. She wouldn’t believe what I’m seeing right here.
That’s if I could frigging tell Emerson. Ugh.
Julian turns toward me and my eyes drop to his broad chest and the scattering of dark hair that dusts it. I can see every muscle in his stomach.
Drop the towel, drop the towel, drop the towel.
“… need from me,” he finishes.
“Huh?” Shit. I forgot he was talking, and my eyes snap up to meet his. “Sorry. What did you say?”
He smiles a knowing smile. Damn it. I totally just got busted drooling over him. “I said… Is that all you need from me?”
“Erm.” My eyes drop down to his crotch, and then back up to his face. “That’s all I need from you, sir.”
He chuckles as he washes the razor under the hot water, his eyes ablaze with naughtiness.
Something’s different about him today. What is it?
“You seem to be especially mischievous today, Mr. Masters?” I smirk.
He smiles as he continues to shave. “Perhaps it’s the company I’m keeping.”
I smile as I walk out of the room. “You’d better concentrate or you’ll cut your pretty face.”
“It’s handsome, not pretty,” he calls after me, and I smile to myself as I walk down the stairs.
He’s certainly right about that one.
I’m fuming. A big, bubbling cauldron of anger is about to blow over within me.
This serves me right. I knew something like this was about to happen, and now I can’t even tell Emerson what’s really going on.
“Why are we here again?” Emerson asks.
I narrow my eyes as I look at the restaurant across the road from us. “We’re
spying,” I mutter quietly.
Hank looks over as he licks his ice cream. “On who?”
It’s 9:30 p. m. and I’m in an ice cream shop with Emerson and Hank-Emerson’s flatmate.
He’s an odd looking fellow as well as a raging virgin, but I really like him. We met when he came out with us on Saturday night and it is Em’s-and my-new mission to get him laid.
“Julian has a date tonight,” I tell them moodily.
Emerson screws up her face. “So?”
“So… I want to see who this Bernadette is, with her stupid toffee voice?”
“You like him now?” She rolls her eyes. “You are actually admitting it?”
“No. This is…” I try to think of a suitable answer. “I’m just checking on him for the sake of the kids.”
Hank smirks as he licks his ice cream.
“That’s a deplorable lie and you know it,” Emerson grumbles. “Did he tell you he had a date?”
“No, the girl-woman, whatever she is-rang and left a message with me, asking me to tell him she had changed the arrangements. Apparently, his phone was switched off and she couldn’t reach him.” I sigh disgusted.
Emerson frowns as she looks across the street. “What did he say when you gave him the message?”
“He seemed uncomfortable.”
She smirks at me.
“What?” I snap.
“I love it when I know something others think I don’t know.”
I smile and tap my ice cream to hers. “Same here.”
I turn my attention to Hank. “Tell me about the concert.” He went to a dance concert at the weekend and we set him some tasks.
Hank smiles proudly.
“He did it. Hank kissed a girl.” Emerson smiles.
“You did?” I can’t hide my excitement. “This is great. Did you get to second base?”
“No.” He screws up his face because it sounds so foreign to him.
The doors of the restaurant open, and we all slide down in our seats. “Here they come,” Emerson whispers.
Mr. Masters is wearing a navy suit, and he holds the door open for the woman and as she walks through. He takes her hand in his.
My mouth falls open. “Are you kidding me?” The girl he is with is blonde, beautiful, and she’s wearing a red dress.
“What?” Emerson whispers. “Why are we whispering? He can’t hear us. She’s pretty. I’m impressed.” She raises her eyebrow in surprise.
“She’s young!” I snap. “Is he frigging kidding?”
“She’s in her late twenties, I’d say,” Emerson tells me. “That’s not too young. What seems to be the problem?” Steam feels like it’s shooting from my hot ears. “What would a young bombshell want with a middle-aged man like that?”
Emerson rolls her eyes. “Funny you should ask that. I do wonder myself.”
Hank snickers. “Touché.”
“She’s just after his money,” I grumble.
Emerson raises her eyebrow. “Remind me again; why we are spying on him?”
“Because he’s a fucking idiot,” I snap way too loudly.
We sit in silence as we watch them walk around the corner, hand in hand.
Emerson’s eyes hold mine. “Tell me.”
“Tell you what?”
“What’s going on?”
I hesitate for a moment. I’ll just tell her a snippet and warm her up to the idea. “I’m really attracted to him. Every time we’re in the room together the sexual chemistry is off the charts.”
Emerson’s eyes widen, filled with horror. “Will you stop it?”
“What?” I shrug. “We came on this holiday to explore ourselves. I want to explore him.” I sigh. “He’s fucking gorgeous.”
“So what if he’s gorgeous? This is a bad idea. Do not engage in any sexual relations with that man or you are going to end up being Monica Lewinsky.”
I giggle. “Slight exaggeration.”
“Who is Monica Lewinsky?” Hank frowns.
Emerson and I both shake our heads. “Long story.” I sigh.
“If he wasn’t your boss I would say go for it, but he is your boss. If you want to explore this, fine, but find another job first.” I point at her. “That’s a really good idea.”
“I didn’t mean you should leave.” She frowns. “I meant don’t do it.”
I lick my ice cream, annoyed with my friend. Emerson doesn’t need to know all my business anyway.
I’m sick to fucking death of doing what everyone else expects of me.
If I want him, I’ll have him.
“And, of course, there’s now the small matter of his girlfriend.” Emerson sighs. “He’s not even on the market for you to have.”
I roll my eyes, annoyed by her fact-finding. I can’t believe he’s got a girlfriend.
He’s now just another fucking asshole notch to add to my bedpost.
Julian
I open the car door for Bernadette and watch as she slides into her seat before I walk around and get in beside her.
Her eyes flicker over to me, and she rubs my thigh. “Let’s go back to my place. The kids are with their father.”
I take her hand in mine to stop it from exploring, and I pull out into the traffic. “I can’t tonight.”
Her face falls. “Why not?”
Here we go. I knew this was coming.
“I’ve got things on tomorrow. I need to get home.” “What’s going on with you? I haven’t seen you for two weeks and now you don’t even want to come back to my place when we finally get to see each other.”
“Nothing is going on with me.”
“Are you seeing someone else?”
I roll my eyes. “If I am, it doesn’t matter because we, Bernadette, are not exclusive. You’ve known that all along.”
She stays silent and I find myself glancing between her and the road. “What?” I ask, cutting through the silence.
“You’ve stopped putting any effort in.” She folds her arms across her chest.
“Because you put enough effort in for the both of us. Don’t start this shit now, I’m not in the fucking mood,” I groan.
“Not in the fucking mood?” she hisses, clearly pissed off. “You know I’m monogamous to you. You know you’re the only man I see. Don’t treat me like a fool.”
I bite my bottom lip, forcing my eyes to stay on the road.