by Ella Frank
When he was done, and back to facing Julien, Robbie drank in the sight of him leaning up against the counter with his legs crossed at the ankles. Dressed in a white tank and a pair of those sexy black yoga pants that sat low on his waist and flared wide at the ankle, Julien’s body made Robbie’s fingers itch to touch.
“How would you like to come and spend the day at the restaurant with me?” Julien asked, and Robbie’s eyes flew up to find Julien’s twinkling at him.
“Are you kidding right now?”
“Non. With the opening coming up, I’m going to be there all day, and I thought you might like to see the kitchen this time around—and maybe learn a little cooking from a professional.” Julien added a wink, and Robbie close to swooned at his feet.
“That would literally be one of my biggest fantasies come to life.”
Julien put his glass down on the counter, and then walked Robbie back until he hit the sink. “Do you know what one of my biggest fantasies is?”
Robbie swallowed as Julien slipped a finger into the knot at the waist of his robe and tugged on it, loosening the tie. “No, but I really hope you’re going to tell me.”
Julien’s full lips curved into a smile that made the dimple on his right cheek appear, and it was so damn sexy that Robbie’s cock stiffened in an instant.
“I’m going to do better than that,” Julien said as he parted the robe so it was now hanging off Robbie’s shoulders, revealing his very naked and aroused body. “I’m going to show you.”
Robbie’s breath came out in a shaky rush as Julien maneuvered one of his legs between Robbie’s thighs, and Robbie reached for his arms to steady himself. “Fuck.”
Julien shifted his leg slightly and pressed it up against Robbie’s aching balls. “Putain.”
“Huh?” was all Robbie managed, as he told his body to slow the hell down and enjoy this—enjoy Julien.
“One of my biggest fantasies is to hear the language I love roll off your sweet tongue,” Julien said, and then he leaned in to brush his lips over Robbie’s jaw. “And one of my favorite things to do and say in any language is…fuck—putain.”
“Putain,” Robbie said, as Julien nipped at his ear. “I’m not going to survive this, am I?”
Julien chuckled and took a step back, then he ran his eyes down to Robbie’s erection. “I’m sure you will. But if not, Priest and I will make sure you enjoy your final moments. After all, the French don’t call an orgasm la petite mort—the little death—for nothing. Do they?”
Robbie sighed, thinking about all the things he wanted Julien and Priest to do to him, and that had him reaching for his cock. As he stroked himself right there in the kitchen, Julien groaned.
“Dieu, tu es beau.”
Robbie scraped his teeth over his bottom lip as he continued to work himself, unashamed of his nudity or his actions. “What did you just say?”
“Hmm?” Julien said, but his attention was now focused on what Robbie was doing, not saying.
“What did you just say?” Robbie repeated. “You’re supposed to be teaching me.”
Julien raised those green eyes back to his then, and when they collided with Robbie’s, his breath caught.
Julien’s eyes were dark now, like glittering gems, as he said, “God, you’re beautiful.”
The awe in Julien’s voice was as evident in English as it had been in French, and when he moved back up to Robbie and took his face between his hands, he whispered, “So beautiful. I’m not sure that I deserve you.”
As Julien leaned in to take Robbie’s mouth, Robbie halted him with a palm on his chest, confused by that last sentence.
What does he mean by that? Those words were so sad, so unexpected given what they were doing, and as Robbie ran his eyes over Julien’s face, he said, “Why would you think that?”
This close, it was easy to spot the torment that flashed into Julien’s eyes before he plastered a smile on his mouth and shook his head. “It was just a comment, that’s all. I should’ve phrased it differently, perhaps.”
Robbie studied Julien closely, not believing that for a second. But when Julien moved away and held a hand out to him, Robbie knew the subject was over for now, and he needed to let it go.
“Why don’t we go and get ready, d’accord?”
Robbie retied his—well, Priest’s—robe, and then slipped his hand into Julien’s. “All right. But Jules?” Robbie said, the nickname he’d started to use now rolling off his tongue easily. “When you’re ready, I’d like to know what just happened here. I know there’s more to it than the wrong choice of words. You speak English as well as I do.”
Julien brought Robbie’s hand up to his lips, and as he kissed the back of it, he nodded.
“Okay, then,” Robbie said. “I don’t know about you, but I need to go and shower. Because hello, I am not setting foot in your restaurant—open or not—looking like a hot mess.”
PRIEST HELD HIS hand out as the doors to one of the elevators up to Mitchell & Madison began to slide shut, and as it stopped midway and reopened, the dozen or so people inside glared out at him, no doubt pissed that he’d held their morning up by less than a minute.
Unaffected by their obvious annoyance, Priest walked inside and up the middle of the crowd to the back, where he spotted Logan Mitchell, standing with a briefcase in his hand and a coffee in the other.
Great. Logan was the last person Priest wanted to deal with this morning, even though he’d used him as an excuse to leave the house today.
The main reason he’d decided to come into work was because he wanted to get upstairs and see if he could find out any more information on Jimmy’s rumored release. He also wanted to call Henri back, and he’d wanted to do that in private to not alarm Julien with whatever he found out. Julien was already dealing with enough with Jacquelyn’s anniversary approaching, and Priest’s screwed-up family was the last thing he needed to be thinking about.
Really, this was all such horrid fucking timing.
“Mitchell,” Priest said, as he took the spot beside Logan and the doors began to shut.
“Priest.” Logan inclined his head, and then took a sip of his coffee.
As the elevator began its ascent, the tension between the two of them was palpable and frustrating. Even after Robbie had tried to smooth things over the day before, things still felt awkward, and Priest told himself yet again, This is why I keep my private life private.
“Look,” Logan finally said, as the elevator stopped at one of the floors and someone got off. “About yesterday.”
Kill me now, Priest thought, but turned to look at Logan. “Forget it. You apologized. It’s done. I’ve forgotten about it.”
Logan’s brilliant blue eyes studied him from behind his dark hipster frames. “That’s not what I was going to say.”
“Okay,” Priest said, deciding that if Logan wanted to elaborate, then he would.
“I know we agreed to put everything behind us and be civil,” Logan said, as the elevator started up again.
“We did,” Priest agreed as he silently willed the ride up to their office to be over already.
“And I plan to hold true to that,” Logan said at the next stop, as everyone except them and a lady up ahead got out.
“I’m glad to hear it.” Priest then stood there offering no more conversation until the elevator finally reached their destination. He stepped out on the management floor of Mitchell & Madison and said, “Well, if that’s all?” and was close to running to his office when he felt a hand on his arm and turned to see a frown now on Logan’s handsome face.
“I wasn’t finished.”
When Priest merely stared at him, Logan let go of his arm and continued. “I’ll hold true to my apology. I was out of line and handled things with much less decorum than I should have. But one thing I won’t apologize for is looking out for Robbie.”
Priest cocked his head to the side, studying Logan’s features as they faced off. His stare was direct, his resolve set, and
Priest couldn’t fault him for feeling protective over Robbie, but it was time something was cleared up—Robbie was now his to protect. Not Logan’s.
“I’m going to say this once, and only because I respect you as both a colleague and a friend,” Priest said, and took the step he needed so that he was close enough to Logan to be able to lower his voice and still be heard. “Julien and I are dating Robert, and he is more than aware of what it is we want from him. Just as we are aware of what he wants from us. I don’t plan to explain our relationship to you beyond that. But just so there’s no mistake in how I feel, I will tell you this. That bright, beautiful boy you once knew? He’s grown into a man that I find utterly captivating, and he is ours to protect now. Mine and Julien’s. You need to stand down, Logan. Be his friend—be our friend. But stop making assumptions about something you know nothing about.”
Logan sized him up, but then his lips twitched and he said, “You know, I think that’s the most you’ve ever said at one time. Robbie is clearly rubbing off on you.” Logan paused for a second, and when he realized what he’d said, he added, “I meant talking-wise, not—”
“I know,” Priest said, and shook his head. He gestured to the hallway that led to their offices at the back of the floor. “I’m going to go and get to work. Let me know when you have some free time today and I’ll bring you up to speed.”
“Okay. Will do,” Logan said as Priest started to walk off. “And Priest?”
Priest stopped and looked over his shoulder to where Logan remained in the center of the lobby staring at him.
“Message received. Friends?”
Friends? Priest didn’t do friends, but he knew Robbie would want this, so he inclined his head and then turned and walked off to his office. He’d deal with Logan later. Right now, he had a phone call to make.
Chapter Three
CONFESSION
Sometimes the best way to forget
the past is to lose yourself in the present.
But even then, the past often has a
way of finding you.
THE SECOND TIME Robbie stepped through the revolving door of JULIEN was a much different experience than the first.
For one, it was daylight, and with the shutters open and the sunlight pouring inside, the main dining room had a much different ambience than it had that first night. With greenery now nestled into the alcoves of the interior columns, and the beautiful scrolling artwork on the walls, the place had a very European café feel to it, and Robbie thought it was just divine.
The next reason was less about the restaurant and more about, well, himself. Because come on, Robbie thought, the sexy-as-sin owner is my boyfriend. Mine. That’s right, bitches. Julien Thornton somehow belongs to me. Not even he could’ve made that shit up. But it was real, all right, and that was made crystal clear when Julien took his hand and said, “Viens avec moi. Come with me.”
Anytime or anyplace, handsome—just say the words, Robbie thought, pleased that for the moment Julien seemed happy once again. Whatever had been troubling him this morning at the condo was now forgotten as he prepared to show off his pride and joy.
“Viens avec moi,” Robbie repeated, and Julien smiled and nodded before he headed off through the empty tables, tugging Robbie along behind him.
“Where is everyone?” Robbie asked. He’d expected to see the staff, or at least the contractors, since Julien was closing in on the restaurant’s opening in a few weeks.
“They’re coming in at ten today,” Julien said as they came to a stop in front of the stainless-steel doors that led to the kitchen, and then he pulled Robbie in close to nip at his lower lip. “But I thought you and I could heat things up until then.”
Heat things up? Robbie was pretty sure if things got any hotter, he might melt on the spot. Julien looked hot as hell in his cream cowl-neck sweater and pair of blue-grey pants, as he maneuvered their clasped hands behind Robbie’s back and brought their bodies in flush against one another.
“Embrasse-moi, princesse.”
Okay, that sounded super sexy, Robbie thought, as his breathing came a little faster. “What’s that mean?”
“Kiss me, princess,” Julien whispered.
“Ohhh.” Robbie grinned. “I see what’s happening here. You’re teaching me all the naughty things first. I like your style.”
Julien chuckled. “Of course you do, troublemaker. But non, I’m just starting with the things I want to hear you say the most.”
“If you think for a second I’m going to complain about that, or the way you’re restraining me, you’re about to be disappointed. I happen to like both…very much.”
Julien tightened his grip around Robbie’s wrist. “Is that so?”
“Uh-huh. But let me see if I’ve got this right,” Robbie said. “Embrasse-moi…Jules.”
The sound that left Julien’s throat was one Robbie felt as much as he heard. It was a rumbling groan of pure pleasure, and then Julien was walking him back to the opposite wall, where he pinned their hands on either side of Robbie’s head.
Julien then lowered his mouth down over the top of Robbie’s, and sweet mother of God, it was heaven. Julien kissed with, like, his entire body. At least, that was how it felt. It started with his hands holding Robbie exactly where he wanted him, whether it was cradling his face, gripping his hair—or like now, Robbie thought, as Julien’s thumbs grazed over the pulse points at his wrists.
Then that sensual mouth joined in on the action. Biting, licking, and sucking until, oh shit, Julien took Robbie’s face between his hands and held him steady as he slipped his tongue between Robbie’s lips and devoured him.
Robbie wrapped his arms around Julien’s waist and smoothed his palms down to his ass to haul him even closer. He’d already been stopped once this morning when it came to getting off with his sexy Frenchman, and he’d be damned if he let Julien out of his grasp again today—not until he got what he wanted.
Grinding all over the muscled body pressing him up against the wall, Robbie moaned as Julien’s lips left his and started to kiss a path along his jaw and down his neck.
“If we don’t stop soon…” Julien said, but didn’t finish his thought. Instead, he raised his head and once again took Robbie’s lips in a smoldering kiss.
Robbie wound a leg up around Julien’s thigh and thrust his erection against the rock-hard one he could feel pressing against him. “Oh God. Don’t stop. Please don’t stop this time, Jules.”
“Non?” Julien whispered against Robbie’s mouth, and Robbie shook his head. “Then tell me what you want, princesse.”
Robbie flexed his fingers, digging them into the round curves of Julien’s ass, and when Julien rocked his hips forward, Robbie knew exactly what he wanted—he wanted to come—and he wanted it right now with the man licking a wicked-hot path up his neck.
“I— Ahh,” Robbie said, but got distracted as he continued to rub himself off against Julien. God, he feels amazing. Like. Holy shit amazing. Then Julien raised his head and Robbie got a look at those full, swollen lips he’d been fantasizing about for years, and he remembered a phrase that Julien had taught him long ago, unbeknownst to himself. “I want you to suces ma queue.”
Julien stilled against him, but then those lips of his slanted into a roguish grin that was so hot, Robbie thought he might lose his ability to function.
Julien shifted slightly and lowered his hands down to the button of Robbie’s jeans. As he unfastened them, Julien kept his eyes locked with Robbie’s and said, “And where did you learn that phrase?”
Robbie let out an excited gasp when Julien yanked his jeans open and cool air hit his fevered skin. “From you. You said it once on the show and I, well, Googled it.”
A provocative chuckle left Julien’s throat, and the sound raced down Robbie’s spine to his balls. “I’m glad you did, because I’m about to reward you for being so…studious.” Julien then slipped his hand inside Robbie’s tiny thong. “Stand still, princesse, and let me suck your co
ck.”
JULIEN TOOK ROBBIE’S mouth in a blistering kiss as he wrapped his fingers around the erect shaft he found inside Robbie’s jeans. A needy moan left Robbie as he thrust forward, shoving his dick through Julien’s fist, and Dieu, Julien wanted to see what he was holding—he wanted to taste it, too.
He removed his mouth from Robbie’s oh-so-tempting one, and when Robbie whimpered, Julien brought a hand up and traced his thumb over Robbie’s slick lips. “You asked me for something. Don’t you want me to give it to you?”
Robbie sucked in a breath and nodded as Julien went down to his knees and took Robbie’s jeans with him. When he was eye level with Robbie’s cock, Julien raised his gaze to find Robbie leaning back against the wall with wild eyes aimed down.
Robbie should’ve looked ridiculous, all things considered. But with his slim hips jutting forward in nothing more than a flimsy scrap of material, and his puffy jacket open but still on over his tight blue shirt, he looked like some kind of fashion model with his perfectly styled hair, smoky kohl eyes, and that glossy, tempting mouth.
The only thing that gives him away as the greedy sex kitten he is, Julien thought, is this.
Julien reached out and slipped his fingers into the elastic of Robbie’s black thong, and then tugged it down until Robbie’s cock sprang free, dripping in eager anticipation. Julien leaned forward and flicked his tongue over the swollen head, and Robbie reached out to grab at his hair.
“Fuck, Jules.”
Julien aimed his eyes up at Robbie and shook his head. “Uh-uh, that’s not what I taught you.”
Robbie’s body trembled as Julien circled the base of his cock, and then he said, “Putain, Jules.”
“Very good.” Julien tickled the underside of Robbie’s shaft with the tip of his tongue.