Page 16 of Beauty Of Her

“I brought burgers.” I held up the bag with a goofy grin.

Julia laughed. “Perfect. I’m starving. Come on in.” She motioned us inside.

I followed her into the living room, feeling slightly intimidated by the grandeur of everything around me. There were expensive-looking paintings on the walls, intricate rugs covering the floors, and even a chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

“Wow.” I pointed to one of the paintings. “Are these originals?”

“I wish. They’re just prints. It’s the frames that make them look expensive.” Julia shrugged. “Everything in this house isn’t what it seems.” Her light laugh ignited something in my chest. A spark.

“You like to decorate?” I smacked my hands together, absorbing the bountiful decor. Still, somehow, Julia managed to tie in the space to make this place a home. It wasn’t tacky or distasteful, but each figurine, knickknack, had a purpose. On the other side of the room sat a snow globe collection on a wooden table under a bay window. The globes were like a magnet and drew me in. Julia watched a few feet away as I tested each piece, and the fake snow settled.

“I started the collection after my ex and I split.” Julia leaned against the denim-wallpapered wall and crossed her arms. “The girls love them. Each month, I try to add at least one more.”

I placed a cityscape globe gently back onto the table, smiling. “It sounds very special.”

“It is.” Julia pushed off the wall, taking a few steps closer. “Would you like anything to drink?”

“Um, sure. I’ll take a water.” I ran my hand through my hair, messing it up a tad.

“Just water? That’s boring.” Julia scrunched her face.

I studied her complexion, wondering how could someone look so perfect. Clearly, everyone had imperfections. I wanted to learn what they were because something in my gut told me whatever faults I may find would only push Julia higher in my mind. “Fine. How about a water with lemon?”

“I don’t have any lemons,” Julia smirked.

“Oh. How boring.” I raised an eyebrow. “I’ll just take an iced water then.”

“Here, make yourself at home. I’ll put those burgers in the kitchen.” She took the hamburgers, leaving me. “I’ll be right back with your water on the rocks.”

I collapsed onto the plush couch, sinking into cushion heaven. It was like sitting on a cloud. My eyes followed Julia as she walked out of the room. Her hips swayed with every step, throttling my pulse into overdrive.

I tried to shake off the rush and took a deep breath to calm down. Just then, Julia reemerged, holding two iced glasses of water, the cubes clinking together. She handed me the glass and sat next to me, her thigh touching mine, making my cock twitch. The spark was on fire.

"So, how was your day?" she asked, taking a sip of her own drink, a simple iced tea.

"It was good." I downed half the glass. "Busy at work as usual."

"I can tell." Julia chuckled, gesturing to my suit. "You look like you just came from a fancy gala."

“A gala? You sound like my grandma.”

“Maybe it’s because I’m so old.” Julia rolled her eyes.

I considered what I was about to ask, but I figured I’d address it for Julia’s sake. To me, it was just a detail and nothing more. “How old are you?”

Julia nearly choked on her drink. “Wow. Haven’t you ever been warned to never ask a woman her age?” She wiped a droplet of iced tea from her lip, and disappointment shot through me, wishing it had been my tongue to lick it away.

“I don’t listen to warnings.” My eyes locked with her dark orbs. “Do you want to know my age?”

Julia glanced at me for a split second, almost too quickly. “I don’t know. Do you want to tell me?”

“I’m twenty-seven. I just turned it a month ago.”

“Oh.” The word fell from Julia’s lips.

“Is that a bad thing?” I shifted, suddenly fighting a wall of discomfort.

“No.” She paused, and her eyes dropped to her open palms. “I’m thirty-seven. It was my birthday three weeks ago.”

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