Cole was right. Under any other circumstances, her feminine sensibilities would be screaming in outrage. Damons public marking would be seen by many to be degrading, like Serena was some nameless, faceless object of his lust.
But all Julie could think was how beautiful and poignant the scene before her was. How sexy it was for this man to proclaim publicly that he loved this woman. Damon didnt know it yet, but hed just gained a staunch ally in Julie. Never again would she question whether he was right for Serena.
"I should go," she said. "I dont want Serena to see me. It might make her uncomfortable. I feel like an intruder here, like I snuck over a no trespassing sign to watch a sunrise on a private beach. "
"I know what you mean. The first time I saw Serena was here, Damon asked me to prepare her. Touching her . . . "
"You touched her?" Julie asked sharply.
He raised an eyebrow. "Yes, much like I touched you. Does that bother you?"
She shook her head. "No, it just seems you have the worst job. Look but dont touch, or rather, dont touch too much. Tell me, is that all you do here? Prepare women to be another mans pleasure for the evening?"
Cole looked startled by her question. A rueful awareness settled into his eyes. "This isnt my job. I mean, I dont draw a salary here. Im not comfortable with that thought. Damon trusts me. I was honored by his request to ready Serena, and then you. "
"So you do have your share of women here," she drawled.
Slowly he shook his head. "No, I wouldnt say that either. Im rather discerning, or so Id like to think. I see a lot of beautiful women. Beautiful, willing women. "
"Then whats the problem?" she asked softly. "Why do you have the look of a man whos very much alone?"
His smile looked more like a grimace. "Why do you have the look of a woman whos very much alone after a night with the sexual attentions of two men?"
"Touché. Ill take that as my cue to mind my own business," she said with a grin.
He wrinkled his nose. "I apologize if thats the way you took it. I get rather defensive when I feel Im cornered. "
"Dont we all?" She looked back to where Damon was carefully untying Serena. The rest of the room was slowly going their own way again. "I need to go. Thanks, Cole. For everything. I mean that. Tonight was . . . eye-opening. "
He reached down for her hand and squeezed. "Youre welcome. It was my pleasure. Are you sure you wont be back? Even to see me?"
She smiled a little sadly. "Last week I would have not only taken you up on that offer, but I would have taken you into one of these rooms and done my best to make you forget every other woman youve ever had or hope to have in the future. "
"And why not now?" he asked with a sparkle of amusement.
She glanced back one more time to where Damon and Serena stood. "Because now I want someone to look at me the way he looks at her. " She looked back at Cole whose wry look told her he understood exactly what she was saying. "You want me. You find me attractive, but youll never look at me that way and we both know it. "
"Does it make any difference for me to tell you that if I could look at any woman that way, Id want it to be you?"
She laid her palm against his cheek. "Youre very sweet, Cole. And youll look at her that way. One day. "
He caught her hand when she would have pulled it away and kissed her open palm. "It was truly my pleasure to look after you these two nights, Julie. If there is ever anything you want or need, you have only to contact me. Ill see to it you get it. "
She rose up on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. "Good night, Cole. "
Not looking back, she hurried toward the stairs, feeling his intense gaze the entire way.
Chapter 20
Julie hugged her arms around her middle as she hurried down the stairs. A chill that had nothing to do with the actual temperature had settled into her bones. After leaving the warmth of the common room, every other place just seemed cold. Amazing how love could make you feel the actual rays of sunshine.
She walked down the hallway with the doorway ahead her only objective. She could hear the buzz of conversation, laughter mingling with the clinking of glasses, but she wasnt in the mood to be social. She just wanted to go home.
Ahead a door opened, and she prepared herself to be assaulted by a couple in the throes of passion. Instead she found herself nearly run over by Nathan Tucker and Micah Hudson.
She halted, unsure of who was more surprised, her or them. A guilty look flashed across Nathans face about the time she caught his scent. Sure she was mistaken, she inhaled sharply. He didnt smell like Nathan normally did, and she was all but an expert on what the man smelled like. No, he didnt smell like Nathan. He smelled like her mystery lover. Her gentle lover. Which would explain the guilt flashing in those green eyes.
And that could only mean that Micah was her more impatient lover.
"You disguised your scent. You actually changed your smell!"
She babbled like a fool, but she honestly couldnt come up with anything else. She was too freaking stunned.
Nathan held out his hands in a placating manner. "Julie, listen to me, please. "
His eyes were soft, his mouth turned down in an expression of regret. Micah wore a grimace that plainly said hed rather be anywhere but here. Well, join the club. That made two of them.
She laughed. Maybe it wasnt the most sensible action, but she was too wrung out to be all cool and collected and in control.
"Well done. I mean, wow. Changing your scent. That took a hell of a lot of forethought. I would have never even considered that. That would explain why you never let me touch you. I guess this is where I say touché and that were even, right?"
"No, were not damn well even," Nathan growled. "Thats not what this was about. Or at least, its not now. "
She raised an eyebrow. "Come on, Nathan, be straight with me at least. You cant tell me you didnt want a little payback for what I did at my salon. "
He huffed, his face reddening with either embarrassment or anger, she wasnt sure which.
"Yeah, I did want payback, but more than that, I didnt want strange men fucking you. Damn it, Julie, what the hell were you thinking? You were just setting yourself up to be hurt or raped or God knows what else. "
"So you fucked me to save me from these men?" she drawled out. "Really, how self-sacrificing of you, Nathan. " She slid her gaze to Micah who leaned against the wall, hands shoved into his pockets. "Whats your excuse, Hudson?"
"Do I need an excuse to fuck a beautiful woman?" he asked lazily.
"No, I guess you dont," she said quietly. "If you two will excuse me, its been a long day, and Id really like to get home. "
"Julie, dont go," Nathan said as he reached for her hand. "You and I need to talk. "