Page 95 of The Charmer

I couldn't believe I was standing here in this bus station with Julian LeBlanc whispering sweet nothings in my ear. Well, hot nothings, but still.

The bus came just then, and passengers disembarked.

"I need to go." Then, because I liked to tease him, I rose on my toes and pressed my lips to his. No tongue, just a quick, chaste kiss. Even so, Julian growled. I felt like the most powerful woman on the planet.

"You did that on purpose," he said when I pulled back.

I turned around quickly and glanced at him over my shoulder as I went up the bus stairs. "Of course I did."

Chapter Twenty-Three

Georgie

On Saturday evening at 7:00 p.m. on the dot, I turned the sign to Closed and then hurried to the back. Everyone had already left, and I had twenty minutes to get ready before Julian was picking me up for our dinner. It was a good thing he'd told me that I had to put on warm clothes so I wasn't tempted to forgo comfort for sexiness. I did have super-sexy lingerie underneath my jeans and sweater, though. My sweater was hanging off one shoulder, but it was wool, so I was certain that it would keep me warm enough. I also had an office-style suit jacket that I could put on in case it became too chilly.

Since I couldn't wash my hair at the store, I couldn't really style it the way I wanted, so I just ran my hands through it before brushing it. My curls were loose, and I liked the way they fell over my shoulders. I applied minimal makeup, only foundation and some blush. My pièce de résistance lately had been the perfume. I loved it so much, and I couldn't explain it. I'd never been a big fan of fragrances—I typically bought one and had it for years because I kept forgetting to use it—but if I continued at this rate, I’d run out of this one soon.

Even though I thought I’d changed quickly, I must have procrastinated a lot, because there was knock at the front door before I'd even finished putting on my blush. Julian was already here.

I took one last look at myself, put my small makeup set in my bag, and hurried toward the front door. I forgot that I'd locked it, too, as I'd only meant to turn the sign around.

I immediately unlocked it, seeing my man, and said, "We can go. I'm ready."

Julian took a step back, looking me up and down. "Nah, we have a few minutes. Let's go inside first."

"Why?" I asked, baffled.

"Because I need to kiss you."

"Oh, in that case, by all means, come in." I gestured for him to step inside the store.

The next second, he grabbed my hand, leading me to the back room.

"You know, with the lights off, no one can see us from the street, I think." I couldn't be totally sure.

"It’s better in the back."

His voice was completely uneven, making my entire body tingle. We didn't make it too far before he plastered me against the back wall and immediately covered my mouth. I sighed against him. The kiss was deep and so damn desperate that it only fueled my own desire more.

I felt his hand at the waistband of my jeans and then moving farther up, onto my bare skin. I hiked a leg up him on instinct. He grabbed it, pressing my thigh into him. Groaning, he trailed his mouth down my neck, inhaling deeply at the nook where I'd applied my perfume.

"Georgie..."

He skimmed his fingers farther and farther up my torso until they brushed my bra. Then, just as abruptly, he let them drop and straightened up.

"Why did you stop?"

"That's the only way."

It was too dark back here for me to see his expression and determine what he meant by that. But from the way he sounded, I felt that he was very close to tearing off my clothes.

He grabbed one hand, interlacing our fingers. I liked that a lot. It felt more intimate than kissing, somehow.

"Let's go. Dinner is waiting for us."

"You're right."

I thought he might try to kiss me again or something, but nope, he just led me to the front door.