***
Pam found Eva like a homing pigeon on a mission. She was talking so fast, Eva suspected it was Pig Latin or Wasted English. Eva rolled her eyes, knowing it was the latter, and she couldn’t understand a fucking word.
‘O.M.H…er, oh I mean…Totally O.M…Oh, my God, G.’
‘WHAT?’ Eva shook her head. ‘How many have you had?’
‘shwhashfy lfjhfhouhghu…’
‘Okay, seriously? What? Pam. Jesus.’
Pam’s knees gave way a little and Eva found herself catching her under the armpits and struggling to keep her upright. Mr. Thomas was staring over at them from the comfort of a wicker recliner to the left of the bar. Despite her current weight lifting situation, Eva found her mind automatically checking that there was an outdoor heater, or three, dotted around him, and more cushions than thirty sheep could stuff. She passed Pam’s lifeless body to some unsuspecting colleagues and pulled herself together. If all went well, she could be out of there in an hour. By the time she turned her attention back to Mr. Thomas, he was deep in conversation with someone.
Eva had grown immune to expensive suits. They were day-to-day now. But something about his suit caught her attention in a sea of similar. The dark navy with the understated grey pinstripe drew her admiration like a moth to a flame. Its finely tailored seams highlighted his finely tailored frame. The span of his broad shoulders, crisp sky blue collar, and chestnut hair were mouthwatering good. Whoever Mr. Hot-From-The-Back was, he was good friends with her boss. Eva watched as Mr. Thomas joined Mr. Suit at the bar, and they knocked back shots like they were in competition with each other.
Eva mingled with the clients. She shook hands more times than she could count, and she had air kissed the cheeks of so many that her mouth was actually dry. Her shoes were attempting to severe her baby toe, and she desperately wanted to check her phone to see if Shelly had landed. But despite all distractions, she found her attention drawn back to the suit at the bar. She knew it wasn’t him, but his body was beautifully familiar. She almost hoped he’d never turn around, so she could keep on pretending it was.
Chapter 8
‘I’d say good morning, but judging from the stench of booze in here, I think goodnight is a more correct observation.’
Holy fucking shit—was he really here? Or was she so dehydrated that she was hallucinating? Her tongue felt like she’d stayed up all night licking the carpet and her brain felt like a really tiny sadist was parading around inside her head in nine-inch heels. Ouch, the fuck.
She quickly ran her fingers through her hair like an oversized comb and licked her dried lips. Julian laughed at her efforts. Cocky bastard. It was definitely him; an illusion would have been more polite.
She took a moment to study his beautiful face as he sat on the edge of her bed. His left foot rested on his right knee as he stared back. He looked comfortable. Confident. He looked like Julian. FUCK!
‘What time is it?’ Eva asked eventually.
‘Early. Not even five am yet.’
‘Shit…have you been here all night? Did you sleep?’
Julian shook his head. ‘I’m not tired.’
Memories of last night flooded Eva’s brain like a tsunami of embarrassment.
‘Oh, God. Did I really sing ‘I Will Survive’ while standing on my boss’s table?
Julian laughed. ‘Yes. And you only know the words to the chorus, but that didn’t stop you.’
‘Oh, God.’ Eva massaged her aching temples gently with her fingertips. ‘Oh, God. Oh, God.’
‘Relax. Thomas was gone long before you tried to ride the bar like a bucking bronco.’
Eva’s hands shot down by her sides and she eyed Julian up. She couldn’t tell if he was serious or not. She had no memory past midnight, and she wouldn’t embarrass herself further by asking him to elaborate with details. In the midst of her mortification, she barely noticed that Julian was on first name terms with her boss. A luxury some of the most senior partners were denied.
‘Jesus. What was I thinking? I’m so getting fired for this.’
‘I doubt it. Best damn party I’ve attended in years. If anything, you deserve a promotion.’
‘You have to say that.’
‘No, I don’t.’
‘Yes. You. DO! It’s your fault that I got that drunk.’
Julian laughed. ‘My arse! How is it possibly my fault that you can’t hold your drink?’
‘I wouldn’t have drank that much if I hadn’t seen you.’
Julian licked his lips and shot her the most seductive smirk. ‘I’m going to take that as a compliment.’
‘You would.’ Eva wrinkled her nose and shook her head, immediately catching each side of her head to steady herself as the hangover from hell pierced her brain.
‘Hurt?’ Julian said pointing to her head.
‘Like you wouldn’t believe. I’m so embarrassed. I hope no one really noticed how drunk I was.’
‘I think everyone else was just about as pissed as you were. They’ll all be feeling as shit as you today.’
‘You weren’t.’
Julian smiled. Eva’s heart fluttered. Fuck, he was even hotter than she remembered. She missed him so much that it was almost a physical pain. And now that he was here, back in her life—for a little while, at least—all she could think of was trying not to puke on him.
‘What do you remember about last night?’
‘I was at the airpo…’ Eva stopped. Shelly? She’d completely forgotten about Shelly. Seeing Julian had thrown her thoughts all over the place. She hadn’t even found her in the sea of people at the party. In fact, she didn’t even know if Shelly had shown up or not. After obsessively checking her phone for the first half of the party, she hadn’t even glanced at the screen once after she saw Julian.
‘Shelly is fine,’ Julian interrupted her thoughts. ‘She’s staying on the floor below. Probably sleeping off a hangover worse than yours. A free bar is like the eighth deadly sin to us Irish.’
Eva sighed, relieved. She’d have some grovelling to Shelly to do, but at least it wasn’t as bad as she thought. She looked around the room. She wasn’t in her apartment. This was some posh hotel, obviously compliments of Julian. Suddenly, her hangover felt much worse. The first time she’d seen him in six months, and she was a mess that he had to rescue. She wanted to pull the covers over her head and wake up to discover it was all a dream.
‘You were pretty pissed last night. I didn’t think you’d make it across town without throwing up or passing out, so I brought you here. It’s only a couple of blocks from The Stadford.’
‘Erm, thanks. I think.’
Eva licked her dry lips. Her mouth felt like someone had shaken a bottle of bubble bath, left the cap off, and shoved it in her face.
‘Here.’ Julian passed her a bottle of sparkling water from the mini bar.
Eva smiled and reached for it, gasping as the sheet fell from around her to reveal her naked breasts. She quickly grabbed the corner and recovered her dignity.
Julian shook his head. ‘It’s nothing I haven’t seen before, remember.’
How could she possibly forget? Blushing as she thought about it.
‘Where are my…how did I get…I need some…’
‘Clothes?’ Julian was laughing as he pointed to three or four porcelain steps that led out of the bedroom into another equally massive-looking room.
Eva’s clothes were scattered like stepping stones across the floor. Starting at the steps and leading back toward the bed. Her head hurt more than ever.
‘Did we?’
Julian looked at her blankly. He was making this difficult on purpose, she could tell.
‘Did we, you know? Did we?’
‘What, fuck?’
Eva pulled a face. ‘Well, I was going to say make love, but yeah.’
Julian raised an eyebrow and ran his tongue across his bottom lip.
Tiny goosebumps lined Eva’s spine. Oh, God, he was delicious. She wanted h
im.
‘No,’ Julian said.
It wasn’t the answer Eva was expecting. She didn’t know what to say next.
‘Don’t look so surprised, Evangeline. I don’t fuck semi-conscious women.’
Eva blushed, hating that she gave him an opportunity to be smug. ‘Well, I don’t sleep with cocky bastards.’
‘On the contrary, Miss Andrews. This cocky bastard…’ Julian tapped his chest with his fingertips, ‘has had the pleasure of your pussy many times.’
Eva’s blushing turned to burning.
‘But I like my women to be able to stand up when they throw themselves at me.’
‘Women? Plural, Julian? Still fucking your way around Dublin, then?’
Julian didn’t reply. Unrealistic as it was, Eva hoped he’d confess that he hadn’t been able to touch another woman for the last six months.
‘I thought as much,’ Eva said hiding her emotion.
‘Now, now, Evangeline. Don’t get all high and mighty with me. If your display last night was anything to go by, it seems New York has turned you from a sex kitten into a fucking horny tiger.’
‘Excuse me?’ Eva squealed. What display? Part of her didn’t even want to know. The other part suspected he was bullshitting her.
‘I’m not complaining. I quite enjoyed your little striptease. And I definitely got off when you laid back on my piano and spread your legs. The view was certainly worth getting jet lag for.’
Eva’s eyes raced to the piano. Oh, Christ, she hadn’t. She remembered her first thought when he turned around at the bar and she realised it was him—the feeling of his tongue against her clit. But had she really acted on it?
‘And what, the gentleman that you are fought off my advances, tucked me into bed, and watched over me like a guardian angel while I slept?’
‘Something like that, yeah. Well, if a gentleman watches your naked body while you sleep, pumps his cock until he can barely hold back his come, and waits for you to sober up so he can taste the sweet wet of your aching pussy, then a gentleman I am.’
Eva shook her head. This conversation was all too familiar. And even though between her legs was aching so much she wanted to throw her head back and gasp, she asked Julian to pass her clothes to her instead.
‘I think you misread the situation,’ Eva said as she pulled on her blouse.
‘Am I misreading the situation now?’
‘Situation? There is no situation now.’
‘I’m not the one breathing like I’m about to explode.’
‘Well, maybe it’s hard to get dressed with you still here.’
Julian laughed. ‘Bollocks. That’s really the best you could come up with?’
Eva closed her eyes for a second. Her whole body was spinning, and she was in no mood for one of Julian’s little tests. ‘Fuck off.’
‘Okay.’ Julian stood up and stepped away slowly.
‘What? Where are you going?’
‘I’m fucking off.’
Eva caught the tail of his jacket and tugged hard until he turned around. ‘Stay. Please.’
Julian smiled and sat back down. Eva fell back against her pillow and sighed. She had no idea what was going on, what she was doing, or why he was even there. All she knew was seeing him was blowing her mind.
Content that he wasn’t going to disappear the minute she let go of him, she reached for the bottle of sparkling water Julian had rested on the bedside locker. She knocked back the now lukewarm contents in one continuous gulp, relieved to feel a little more human again.
‘Why are you here?’ she asked bluntly.
‘Why not?’
‘Julian, I’m serious. I don’t hear from you for months. Then, out of nowhere, I get a Christmas card.’
‘Well, it’s Christmas. Isn’t sending cards what people do?’
‘Yeah, normal people. People who call or text every so often. You just wiped me clean out of your life.’
‘That’s not true.’
‘So you thought about me?’
Julian didn’t reply. Eva shook her head. It was hard remembering what it felt like to want to make love to him and kick him in the balls all at the same time.
‘Please? Just tell me. Why did you come? Did you come to see me, or are you here on work and just felt sorry for my drunk ass last night?’
‘What difference does it make? I’m here now.’
‘Jesus, Julian. It makes a huge difference. It makes a difference to me.’
Julian walked to the desk at the foot of the bed and picked up the phone. ‘Coffee, please. For two.’
He turned back toward the bed and smiled. ‘You’ll feel better when you get some caffeine into you.’
‘I’d feel better if you answered my question. No more games, Julian. Just tell me. Why have you come?’
‘Always games, baby. Just sometimes, there’s no winner.’
‘No,’ Eva said, spinning around and flopping her belly against the mattress. She pulled the pillow over her head and rocked from side to side. ‘No. Just no. Okay? No more fucking games. Let’s just have a conversation like normal people. Can you do that?’
Julian walked to the edge of the bed. Eva turned back around to face him.
‘Game over?’ Julian held out his hand.
Eva shook it.
‘Truce,’ Julian said, clasping his fingers around hers and looking into her eyes.
‘Truce,’ Eva echoed.
Julian smiled and a thousand tiny horses galloped through Eva’s body. No, no, no, she warned herself. Close your eyes again if you have to, but please don’t let looking at him remind you of how much you love him.
Eva nodded and pulled her lips to the side while raising an eyebrow. It was very a-la-Julian, and she wanted him to notice. Play it cool.
‘Can we be friends?’ Julian asked, almost sounding nervous—almost.
‘Friends with benefits?’
Julian’s lips pulled into a round O shape and his eyes sparkled. ‘What in the hell has this American soil business done to you?’
Eva blushed, instantly regretting her lame attempt at a joke.
‘Whatever it is, I fucking love it,’ Julian said.
Chapter 9
Eva scrambled to the edge of the bed. Julian wrapped his arms around her waist, his hands grasping her naked ass cheeks as he pulled her onto her knees in front of him. She sighed as his warm lips met hers. She parted her lips and his tongue slid softly against her bottom lip, slowly daring to go a little deeper into her mouth, until she could taste the heat and softness of his tongue as it slowly massaged hers. She couldn’t hold in her tiny whimpers as the familiarity of his kiss sent shivers pulsing through her body. She could feel the heat of silky wet readying between her legs.
Her lips still locked against his, she reached for his shoulders and slid his jacket away from his body. She fumbled with his shirt buttons, pulling away from his lips to dot soft kisses as she opened each button. She tossed his shirt to the side and her hands ravaged his firm torso. Her imagination hadn’t done him justice over the last six months. He was more delicious than she remembered.
Julian’s hands reached behind her head, his fingers chasing through her messy hair. His thumbs traced a gentle line just below her ear and down her neck. Pleasure rippled under her skin in response to his delicate touch. She pushed her chest against his. The silk of her blouse clung to her breasts, and her nipples hardened as the material teased her. She wanted to feel his skin.
He ran his index finger from her chin slowly down the centre of her neck and she tossed her head back like a reflex to his gentle touch. His fingers found the top button on her blouse and stopped. He twisted the button slowly from side to side between his thumb and finger, but he didn’t open it. He was teasing her, she knew. She was sorry she’d put her blouse back on. Waiting to feel him was agony. Her pussy ached and her breath quickened so much she thought she might pass out.
She reached for her button, but Julian caught her wrists and forc
ed her hands back by her side. ‘Tut, tut. Don’t rush this.’
She wasn’t. She’d waited six months to feel him. Six months of touching herself at night while she thought of him. It was like the world’s longest ever foreplay and she was so hot and so ready to come now. She wasn’t taking no for an answer. She unbuckled his belt, forced open his trousers, and pulled his cock free before he had time to interrupt. But he didn’t even try to stop her as she’d anticipated. Instead, he bent down and pressed his lips onto hers once more. Different this time—hard, rough, and hungry. His tongue was deep inside her mouth, exploring her taste, drinking her in. He groaned and stood upright again. His granite cock waited for her touch.
His fingers slid under her chin and he tilted her chin up until her eyes met his. ‘I want to watch you do this. Don’t look away from me.’
Eva nodded. Her eyes stayed fixed on his as she guided his cock into her mouth. He exhaled slowly and deeply as his eyes burned into her soul. His deep groans told her just how he liked it. Deep and soft. Her tongue massaging his swollen shaft. His shoulders rounded and his chest rose and fell quickly with each rushed breath. She slurped his pulsing cock as far back in her throat as she could. Every satisfied moan reminded her of how much she loved him. How much she adored when he allowed himself to be vulnerable. How much she’d missed him. She flicked her tongue across his ridge and she could feel him on the edge. She could feel him about to… Stop.
‘Fuck it, Julian. Why did you stop?’
He pushed away from her just a fraction, the desperate hunger for pleasure still written on his face. He didn’t answer; he just shook his head. And then she remembered how it hurt when he broke her heart. How he never really let her in. How she fell so head over heels in love with him when he never gave her the same space in his heart. He was just as amazing as he had been in her dreams, and he was just as controlling as she’d tried to forget. She couldn’t survive if he broke her heart again. She just couldn’t. She pulled away from him and gathered up her remaining clothes from the floor.
‘I can’t do this, Julian. I’m sorry.’
‘You can’t give me a blow job? You were doing a pretty good job up to a minute ago.’
Change of Harte (Harte, #2) (Harte Series) Page 5