Chasing Julia (Rhode Island Romance #2)

by Sophia Renny

  The beat of the music was fast, but Tony’s steps were much slower. As their bodies swayed, he tucked one leg in between hers and shifted in a way that had his taut thigh pressing against the apex of her legs. She gave a little gasp, unable to prevent her hips from undulating in a way that had him rubbing her right…there.

  His groan was rough, fraught with need. “God, Julia. I’ve missed you,” he said against her ear. He brushed his mouth across her temple.

  “It’s only been a week.”

  “Too long.”

  “A week isn’t enough time. You didn’t give me time.”

  What sounded like a growl rumbled from his chest. He drew his head back so he could look her in the eye. “This isn’t the place to talk. Let’s get out of here.”

  “I can’t leave Hannah.”

  He released her. “Stay here,” he ordered. “I’ll tell her where we’ll be. There’s a garden area just outside the door over there. We’ll come back for her and leave together, okay?”

  She nodded.

  He pressed a finger to her lower lip, his hooded eyes lingering there for a moment. “I’ll be right back.”

  She watched him weave through the crowd, admiring his height and the breadth of his shoulders. He made every guy in the immediate vicinity look like an immature frat boy.

  He was back within five minutes. He took her hand and led her towards a side door. “Hannah’s hanging out with a group of other ladies. She says she’s fine.”

  Her body was still thrumming with the pounding bass of the music as she and Tony stepped outside. She gave her head a shake, trying to clear it. The air was slightly humid due to the gushing water fountains nearby. She breathed it in, trying to regain her equilibrium as Tony led her to a shadowed corner away from a group of revelers mingling near the outdoor bar.

  “You look a little glassy-eyed,” he said grimly when he turned to face her. He cupped her face in his hands, tipping it back as his gleaming eyes scanned her features. “Just how much have you had to drink tonight?”

  “I had some wine with dinner. A couple cocktails. I’m fine, really. It’s just the loud music still buzzing in my ears.”

  He grazed his thumbs gently across her cheekbones. “I didn’t think this was your kind of thing. The club scene.”

  She arched one eyebrow. “Why? Because I’m too much of a princess? Mommy and Daddy’s perfect girl?”

  Curiosity flickered in his expression. “Is that how you see yourself?”

  “Don’t you? You called me a princess once and not in a nice way.”

  “Did I?” He traced her lips with one index finger. “I’m sorry.”

  She shrugged one shoulder.

  “I don’t think of you as a princess,” he murmured. “Or perfect. Perfect is boring. I like it that you don’t mind getting your hands dirty crabbing with me. I like it that you drink beer right from the bottle and belly laugh during a funny movie. I like the way you can get snippety with me. I like it when you push back.” He dipped his finger between her parted lips and slowly brushed the tip across the ridges of her lower teeth. “I don’t like it when you run away from me. I don’t like it when I hear that you came out here to explore your options.” Derision entered his voice on those last words.

  She took his finger between her teeth and bit down.

  He yanked his hand away. “Ow! What was that for?”

  “I don’t like it when you tell me you’ll give me time to think and then you show up here like some he-man bully just one week later.”

  His mouth quirked. “He-man bully?”

  “That’s right.” She slammed her hands on her hips. “And who told you I was coming here anyway?”

  “Audrey. She overheard you making plans with Hannah.” He scowled. “What did you mean by exploring your options?”

  Julia rolled her eyes. “That snoop.”

  “She cares. They all recognized how I felt about you months ago.”

  “And she and her girlfriends have been conspiring ever since, I bet. That whole party of hers was just a way to get us working in close proximity, wasn’t it.”

  “Possibly. I told her to back off, Jules. I don’t need any help getting my girl.”

  Oddly, she found the arrogant tone of his voice very sexy. He was so sure of himself when it came to expressing his feelings for her. She envied his self-confidence.

  It finally struck her in a deeper way what he’d done. He’d flown across the country for her. Yes, maybe it was a bit controlling and overbearing. He’d never been that way with her before that night in Audrey’s office. But she sensed the concern and uncertainty behind his words and actions. He was sure of himself, but he wasn’t sure of her.

  Something softened inside of her. “When Audrey heard me talking about ‘exploring my options’, I was talking about my agenda for this weekend. Going to the spa, sitting by the pool, you know? That’s all it meant.”

  His features relaxed a little. “I see. And what about us? How much time do you need to realize that you love me and that we’re meant to be together?”

  She couldn’t help but smile at his persistence. Seeing her smile, he stepped close and captured her face in his hands once more. “Have you had enough time?”

  “You move too fast.” There wasn’t any censure in her voice, only bewilderment mixed with wonder. Was this really happening? Was she about to step off the ledge and let go of some of her doubts and insecurities?

  He dropped a swift kiss on her forehead and then leaned his head back to look at her. There was something in his warm, piercing gaze that shot straight into her heart. “I hadn’t planned to move this fast, baby. I was going to take it slow, ease you into the possibility of us. But when I held you in my arms the other night, I couldn’t wait a second longer.” His raspy voice grabbed her low, right between her legs. “The thing is, when you find the person you love, the one you want to spend the rest of your life with, why wait? This is real, Julia. I will never leave you. Do you believe me?”

  “Yes,” she whispered.

  Pure relief and joy washed over his face. “Say it again,” he breathed.

  “Yes. I believe you.”

  All her senses and emotions were magnified as he lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her tenderly. “Say it again,” he whispered against her lips.

  “Yes.”

  With a stifled groan he covered her mouth with his, his kiss hungry and exploring. He wrapped one arm around her waist, sweeping her against him as he bent over her. He cupped her head with his other hand, his long fingers pressing against her scalp.

  She clung to him, her palms against his face, drawing him closer, inviting him to take all that he wanted. A shudder ran through him when she sucked his tongue into her mouth and teased it with her own.

  She lost all sense of place and time, completely absorbed in his taste and touch. So this is what it meant when someone said their heart felt like it was about to burst. That’s the only way she could describe what was happening to her.

  When he gradually pulled away from her, his chest was rising and falling with the jagged tempo of his breathing. His eyes gleamed down into hers. “I love you.”

  She swallowed. “I love you, too.”

  He smiled the most beautiful smile she’d ever seen. Something clutched at her heart that felt like fear. “I’m still scared,” she confessed.

  “I know, baby.”

  “What if I’m right? What if this is just physical attraction on my part? What if you’re just my rebound guy?”

  His arms tightened around her. “Remember when I told you there’d come a day when you’d just have to trust me. No questions asked?”

  She nodded.

  “Trust this, Julia. Trust us. That’s all I ask.”

  She took a deep breath. “Okay.”

  He kissed her again.

  They were interrupted by a loud teasing laugh several minutes later. “Geez, you two. Get a room!”

  Tony kept his arms looped around Julia�
��s waist as they both turned their heads towards Hannah who was standing a few feet away.

  She was swaying on her four-inch heels. “The music has stopped. The party’s over.” Her words were a little slurred.

  Tony glanced at his watch. “It’s just after four a.m.”

  “Wow,” Julia breathed. “Time flies…”

  He smiled at her. “I think your friend is a little drunk.”

  “Looks that way.”

  “Why don’t we all go get something to eat? Get her sobered up before I take you back to the hotel.”

  She smiled at his thoughtfulness. “Where are you staying?”

  “I’m at the Four Seasons, too.” A fire blazed in his half-hooded gaze, matching the desire sizzling through her veins.

  “Hmm,” was all she said, but she didn’t conceal the anticipation in her voice.

  His eyes held impatience and promise. “Let’s go.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Two p.m. the same day

  “Good afternoon, wife. Sleep well?”

  Julia blinked. “Huh?”

  Tony’s toffee-colored eyes were warm with concern as they traveled over her face. “How do you feel?”

  “Horrible.” Her skull was pounding. She carefully rubbed her eyes, feeling remnants of mascara lurking in the corners. “What are you doing here?” she asked groggily.

  A shadow fell across his features. He cocked his head to one side, observing her more closely. “You don’t remember?”

  “Remember what?”

  He frowned. “This morning. Our wedding?”

  She felt a knot in her chest. “Our wedding?”

  The little dog wriggling against Tony’s bare chest gave an impatient yip as if ordering Julia to get with the program.

  Tony patted its head. “Shush, Max.” There was a trace of impatience beneath the disbelief in his voice as he narrowed his eyes on Julia. “Are you teasing me, Julia? Are you saying that you seriously don’t remember marrying me at nine o’clock this morning?”

  Her stomach roiled. She clapped her hand over her mouth, tossed the bedcovers aside and lurched out of bed. She raced to the bathroom on shaky legs and fell to her knees in front of the toilet just in time.

  There wasn’t anything left in her stomach, and she was doing the dry heaves when she felt a hand holding back her hair and a cool, damp cloth placed against the back of her neck.

  “Christ, baby. I had no idea champagne would affect you like this.”

  She couldn’t look at him. She swiped the back of her hand across her damp mouth. She flushed the toilet. Oh, God, he’d now seen her at her absolute worst. “I’m not a champagne kind of girl. One glass is all I can tolerate.”

  “Then why did you insist I order a bottle with our brunch?” His tone was flabbergasted, not accusatory.

  “I did?”

  He rubbed her back. He sighed deeply. “You really don’t remember… This is crazy.”

  She was suddenly very aware of her naked butt cheeks on display and the way her bustier was pushing her breasts practically to her chin. She sat on her haunches and crossed her arms across her chest. “What the hell am I wearing?”

  He chuckled softly. “That was Hannah’s idea. You said you liked it. I like it, too.”

  She folded her arms tighter. “I guess from the fact that I’m still wearing it that we didn’t have sex?”

  His hand stilled on her back. “No. We didn’t. You crashed on me after our champagne brunch in bed.” His fingers trailed gently across her naked skin above the bustier line. “Believe me, you’ll remember when I’ve had sex with you, baby.” He pressed a kiss between her shoulder blades.

  She stiffened, very aware of how grimy she looked and felt. “I want to take a shower.”

  “Good idea. I’ll order some lunch. I want you to take some aspirin, but you need to eat something first.”

  “I don’t think I can.”

  He gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze before moving towards the doorway. “You will.”

  As soon as he closed the door behind him, she rose to her feet and hobbled over to the sink. Her toiletry bag was hanging from a hook. She must’ve moved her things out of the room she’d been sharing with Hannah.

  Why didn’t she remember?

  She brushed her teeth three times and swallowed a cup of mouthwash. She looked at her reflection in the mirror. Agh. Her raccoon eyes were bloodshot, her hair was sticking up all over, and she had a pillow case crease on her right cheek. She looked horrid.

  She was married?

  She fumbled with the fastenings of the bustier, carelessly ripping the lace material as she tugged it and the thong off and threw them in the corner. She wouldn’t be wearing that uncomfortable, ridiculous getup again. And she’d said she liked it? More likely Hannah had said it looked fabulous.

  “Really, Hannah?” Julia muttered.

  She stepped into the glassed-in shower and turned the knob, setting the water to a tepid temperature that she hoped would help clear her foggy head.

  What had happened?

  She remembered leaving the MGM. Tony had hailed a taxi. They’d gone to some twenty-four hour diner off the strip. Tony had ordered bacon and eggs and toast for her and Hannah and steak and eggs for himself.

  Okay, those were pretty vivid details. Maybe if she started with the little things the rest would come back to her.

  Hannah had been a little more lucid after they’d finished eating. Tony had made her drink a couple cups of coffee. Then Hannah started prying into their relationship. Were Julia and Tony an official couple now? And Julia, ever honest and open with her best friend, had confessed that she loved Tony.

  Hannah had let out a loud whoop, drawing the attention of the other diners. She’d flagged down their waitress and had ordered mimosas to celebrate. Even Tony had had one. Julia remembered being happy, relaxed…nervous but also filled with growing anticipation.

  Yes, she remembered feeling slightly nervous about going back to the hotel too soon. She wanted to sleep with Tony. But the less confident part of her was thinking about all the other women he’d been with. How would she compare? She hoped he wasn’t expecting a sex goddess in bed. She’d never exactly considered herself to be wild and uninhibited in the sack.

  So, she hadn’t put up a fuss when Hannah insisted they all go into the small casino attached to the diner and test their luck at the slot machines.

  “This has been your lucky day, Tony,” Hannah had cajoled. “Let’s see if it continues!”

  Julia remembered asking Tony for a twenty. She remembered winning, the sound of bells, lights flashing. She remembered throwing her arms around Tony’s neck and pressing little kisses all over his face.

  “Let’s get out of here,” he’d murmured against her neck, his voice dark and sexy and promising sweet, delicious sin.

  And it was all fuzzy after that.

  When she emerged from the bathroom a while later, wrapped in one of the hotel bathrobes, Tony was sitting at the table by the window. He’d thrown on a pair of dark blue cargo shorts, but his chest was bare. He lifted a silver dome off the plate in front of him. “I ordered fruit, yogurt and some dry toast. Okay?”

  “That’ll work.”

  She tugged the lapels of the bathrobe tighter across her chest as she slid into the chair across from him. She was very aware of her nudity beneath the robe. She felt his intense eyes on her as she pretended interest in the view of the strip. It was almost the same view as the one from her and Hannah’s room.

  She swiveled her face to his. “Where’s Hannah?”

  He gave a dry shake of his head. “Still sleeping it off, I imagine. That girl is one crazy chick.”

  Julia looked around the room. “Where’s the dog?”

  “Max is taking a nap in the closet.”

  She looked at Tony askance. “You put him in the closet?”

  He shrugged. “The concierge gave me a pet carrier to put him in and some other supplies. Good thing this is a pe
t-friendly hotel.” An amused smile tugged at his mouth. “You were planning on sneaking him in under your wedding dress and pretending you were a shotgun bride.”

  Her eyebrows shot up. “I had a wedding dress?” How could she not remember that? “Where is it?”

  “It was a rental. I had to pay extra because you wanted to wear it back to the hotel so I could carry you over the threshold in it. I had to have it returned by one o’clock or get charged triple.” Seeing her dismay, he reached across the table and squeezed her hand. “Don’t worry. Hannah took pictures. You can see them later.”

  Julia brought her free hand to her head. “Oh, God. I need a drink.”

  He released her hand, picked up a spoon and wrapped her fingers around it. “No more drinks for you except for water. Eat some yogurt.”

  She concentrated on eating the yogurt, her thoughts and emotions churning inside of her.

  Tony’s calm voice brought her gaze back to his. “We only had one mimosa at the diner,” he said consideringly. “You weren’t drunk when we got married, Julia. Your eyes were clear and wide-open when you said your vows to me.” He shook his head. “It must’ve been afterwards. After we rescued Max and dealt with all that. It was eleven o’clock by the time we got back here. We were both starving. You insisted on ordering that bottle of champagne to celebrate. And you didn’t eat much, now that I think about it. I was way too distracted by the lovely image of you sitting next to me in bed to pay attention.”

  “I don’t know why I did that or why you let me. The stuff goes right to my head.”

  His smile was tender. “Now I know why. You were nervous about our wedding night—or wedding morning in this case. You probably thought it would relax you. We finished breakfast. I had an amazing time removing your dress and your silk stockings. I was kissing you when all the sudden you passed out on me. That was that.”

  She felt her bottom lip wobble. “I don’t remember,” she whispered. And, to her dismay, a big fat tear rolled down her cheek.

  Seconds later, she was on Tony’s lap, cuddled close. “You’ll remember, sweetheart. Once the alcohol clears, you’ll remember everything. I know you will.”