Page 17 of Beauty Of Her

“Get out. We’re both August birthdays and the same zodiac signs.”

“Yup. We’re Leos.” Julia nodded, smiling, and caught me staring. How could I fucking not? She was walking sex.

“How did you celebrate your birthday?” I casually laced my fingers through hers, bringing her hand to my mouth.

At first, she watched what I was doing before nervous giggles escaped through her lips. “Nothing, really. I had dinner with my best friend, Amelia, and my daughters.”

I listened intently, my fingers playing with Julia's, and my eyes locked on hers. The energy between us was electric, and I couldn't resist the urge to inch closer. Our faces were inches apart, and her warm breath tickled my chin. Julia's eyes seemed to be searching mine for something, and I couldn't help but feel vulnerable under her gaze.

“What about you?” Julia asked, her breath hitching. “What did you do for your birthday?”

I winced because I wouldn’t lie about this. Rubbing the back of my neck, I braced myself. “Ah, you’re not going to like this.” I sank into the couch, the cool fabric stinging my hot skin. “My friends took me to a strip club.”

Julia dropped her chin and served me a set of sexy chocolate eyes. “You’re kidding me.”

“Nope.” I shook my head. “I know you won’t believe me when I say this, but strip clubs are not my thing.”

Julia straightened, ready to challenge. “There’s nothing wrong if you wanted to go to a strip club.”

I swallowed hard, the atmosphere suddenly thick and heavy. “It’s just not my scene anymore.”

“Anymore?” Julia repeated, quirking an eyebrow as she leaned back into the sofa.

“Yeah, I mean… I used to go a lot when I was younger.” The nervous leg shake had officially commenced.

Julia studied me for a moment before a sly smile crossed her lips. “You’re still very young.” And then her eyes dropped to my chest, reaching out to play with my tie. “You look good dressed up.”

I swallowed, my throat clicking, and a flutter rippled. “Then I’ll make it a point to dress up more often.”

“Oh yeah? Why is that?” Julia cradled her face and dropped my tie.

“Well, I’d really like to get to know you. And I don’t think tonight will be enough time.” I was careful with my next move and placed our intertwined hands on her knee. Instantly, her body stiffened, but I didn’t pull away. “How long have you been divorced?”

“Um, let me think.” Julia tipped her head toward the ceiling, feigning thinking about the timeline. “I have officially been divorced, according to the state of New York, for three years. But I’ve been apart from my ex for five years.” Her eyes darted about the quiet room, landing everywhere but me. “Five glorious years.” We both laughed, cooling the slight tension over her past.

I saw how her past still held a tight grip on her, but I wanted to free her from those chains. So, I leaned in closer, breaking the uncomfortable silence. "What about relationships? Dating anyone else after your divorce?"

Julia inhaled, releasing it slowly. "No, not really. It's been hard to trust again after that experience." The wariness in her voice only made me want to prove myself to her even more.

"I understand that," I said softly, running my thumb over the back of her hand.

“What about you? Any relationships?” Julia lifted her eyes to lock on mine.

“No, not really.” I reconsidered. “I mean, there was kind of one years ago. But when I think about it now, it really wasn’t anything serious.” I swallowed.

“Why didn’t it work out?” Julia reclined on the cushions, finally relaxing.

And why didn’t Libby and I work out? I considered my answer, knowing this kind of response had one shot only. I wouldn’t lie either, but it was how I articulated the reason that mattered most. “We weren’t the right fit.” I shrugged nonchalantly, trying to downplay the breakup's impact on me. “But honestly, it was probably for the best. I wasn’t happy.” I popped my shoulders.

Julia’s eyes softened as she looked at me. “Okay, so you’ve never been in a serious relationship.”

Without thinking, I leaned in and brushed my lips against hers softly. It was as if everything else faded into the background, and all that mattered was the fire burning between us. Her lips parted slightly, allowing me to deepen the kiss, and before I knew it, we were wrapped up in each other’s arms.

As we pulled apart to catch our breath, Julia’s voice came out in a soft whisper. “I don’t know where this is going between us, but right now…it feels good.”

I nodded in agreement, my heart thudding so loudly I was sure she could hear it. “It does feel good.”

Suddenly, her piercing ringtone erupted from the coffee table, and she jumped up to answer it. “Hold on.” Julia picked up the phone. “Hello?”

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