Beckett leaned in and paused, hovering inches from Julian’s lips. He felt compelled to promise, “I won’t hurt you.”
“I can’t promise the same.” Julian lifted on his tiptoes at the same time Beckett leaned in. A soft moan left Julian’s throat as their lips touched. Fireworks exploded inside Beckett’s head as electricity sizzled around them. He opened, sliding his tongue forward, meeting Julian’s as tingles rippled throughout his body, setting his nerve endings on fire. Julian tasted like the sweetest nectar, everything Beckett had imagined and more. He was hooked. He’d never get enough.
He tightened his arm around the man and brought Julian up flush against his chest. Julian was made to be right there against him.
Julian.
His Julian.
Beckett’s world shifted under his feet. He moved his hands up to Julian’s head, his fingers sliding in the short strands at the base of his skull. Their mouths worked together in a sweet sampling of tongues. Julian’s hand at Beckett’s bicep relaxed and caressed its way around to Beckett’s back as Julian fought for control of the kiss, which he gladly relinquished. They fit perfectly together, just like Beckett knew they would.
He never wanted this to end. Beckett eased Julian back against the car, his hand tightening in Julian’s hair, angling him as Beckett sank deeper inside that delicious goodness. His heart slammed against his chest. Where their bodies pressed together, the thump of Julian’s heart drummed wildly, acknowledging for Beckett that the experience wasn’t one-sided. He couldn’t seem to let Julian go as he worshipped the man’s mouth. He could kiss Julian like that forever and die a happy man. They would be explosive together; Beckett would make sure they were.
He’d found his reason. All the pain and confusion, the decision to come out and be out, everything he’d feared he’d lose from life was all made better as his tongue slid languidly against Julian’s before Julian pulled away, gasping for breath. Beckett tried to follow. He didn’t want to be done, but Julian’s ragged breath puffed against his face, dancing over his skin in all the right ways. Somehow Julian was even more gorgeous with thoroughly kissed lips and a flush coloring his face.
“That was really nice,” Beckett murmured, wanting Julian to lean back again, offer his mouth for another kiss.
Instead, Julian’s eyelids closed, and he grinned before blowing out a deep breath. He tucked his lip sweetly between his teeth. “Hush. Don’t say another word.” Julian’s palm came to Beckett’s chest and patted him, then caressed over Beckett’s heart. “I’ve got to go. I’m going home.”
Great. Beckett could ride along too.
The hand at his chest became unexpectedly forceful. Julian pushed Beckett back a couple of steps. Far enough away that Beckett lost hold of Julian, and his hands dropped away. Julian opened the car door, shooed Woofer to the passenger side, and dropped down into the seat. The door shut on Beckett, and the engine came to life. Beckett was helpless to do anything more than watch Julian leave.
Beckett never liked for things to come too easy for him. He thrived with a challenge. But, damn, it was hard to watch Julian leave. He stood in the parking lot until the taillights vanished. The grin that broke out across his face spoke to another side of his thoughts. He’d spent the entire evening with Julian. He’d kissed him, and Julian had kissed him back.
Oh fuck, he was in deep.
A silly smile spread across his face as he kicked at the gravel then started back for the hotel as he reached for his cell phone to text Thane. He didn’t want anything to do with Thane’s plotting. He refused to mess up what he’d shared with Julian.
Chapter 11
“Self-defense classes?” Julian couldn’t have been more stunned. What the hell did that even mean? In fact… “How the fuck would that have helped anything? I was drugged.” He almost dropped the landline receiver in its cradle without an answer out of nothing more than sheer exasperation. Thane’s mother hen qualities had surged to the forefront again. The constant reminders of the attack made everything harder to get past.
Woofer’s big, dark caring eyes stopped Julian from hanging up on Thane. How could a silly dog make Julian try to be a more compassionate, understanding man?
A dog.
Ridiculous.
He wasn’t even an animal person. Julian did Julian.
So why had he brought the dog with him into the office again today?
Since Julian was being so honest with himself, were Woofer’s big chocolate eyes motivating him to be a better person? Or rather Beckett’s intense dark gaze pushing him not to hang up on his overly protective helicopter friend?
Julian’s heart danced wildly against his ribcage as he thought about Beckett. His excitement caused him more concern than the flashbacks. Julian arched a single brow while scolding himself for his wayward thoughts and refocused on the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the club. He had to get a hold of this infatuation before he did something crazy, like give Beckett a chance.