Page 26 of Heartless Pucker in Love

Rubbing the back of my neck, I looked everywhere but at him. I was never good with this kind of thing. “I don’t go around kissing clients…”

He lifted a brow. “I’d hope not. But I get special preference because we’re frenemies right?” He grinned a boyish grin that tempted me to smile back.

Instead, I groaned and rubbed my eyes. “One, please stop calling us frenemies. Two, what we did was...stupid. Wrong. Let’s just forget about it. I mean, it meant nothing.” Swallowing, I chanced a look at him, my face still burning.

He blinked, averted his gaze, then rocked back on his heels. “Yeah,” he muttered. “Nothing. Just a little kiss among frenemies.” A smile lifted one corner for his lips. “I’m not going to stop calling us that. You get these cute little lines of disapproval above your nose when I do. It amuses me.”

I rolled my eyes. And of course, he was back to messing with me. The heat of our insane kiss...mistake, dissipated. “Whatever. Can you not tell anyone about this?”

He scoffed, his demeanor changing. His expression went from teasing smirk to angry lines. “Right because I run to share every kiss with the media. What do you take me for, April?”

My mouth opened and closed. “I just…” Why was he so upset? “That’s not what I meant.”

Julian huffed. “Yeah, okay. I’m going to go.”

I followed him to the door. “Julian…”

“See you in a few hours.” He lifted his good hand in a sort of wave but kept walking. I watched, a little surprised by his obvious irritation. When he disappeared, I closed my door and sagged against it as I tried to catch my breath. Did all of that really happen? It was surreal. Julian came in here all remorseful and hot. I forgave him for a stupid incident in our past and kissed him.

Pushing myself in front of the door, I trudged to the bedroom. “Why, April? Why?” I threw myself face down on the bed and growled into the mattress. I’d never been so forward with a guy before. I kissed Julian first. Who am I? He always brought out a different side of me, and I couldn’t determine whether that was a good thing or not.

13

JULIAN

“Huh.” That was my only response to something Monica said. I actually wasn’t sure what she had said.

“So...you’re still going ahead with the photo shoot then?”

I grunted again.

“I’d like actual words please.” She snapped her fingers, and my eyes snapped back to my laptop screen. “Utilize your basic vocabulary, Julian.” Monica’s brows were furrowed, and her eyes narrowed. She always wore that pissed expression when I didn’t give her my full attention.

I didn’t have my earbuds in so April could hear everything. Her head was down, and her hair was partially hiding her face. She glanced up at me when Monica snapped and raised her brows. She had a way of looking at me that projected concern mixed with curiosity. Although, I guess that’s how she looked at everyone. April was always concerned about everyone and everything.

“For the love of God, Julian! Pay attention, will you? You’re like a child with ADD right now.”

My eyes snapped away from April and back to Monica’s scowling face. “Huh?”

My manager groaned. “Okay, clearly you're not in the headspace to discuss business. How about you get your shit together and call me back in a few?”

I sat taller. “Yeah, I’ll do that.” Even then, my eyes traveled right back to April perched on a chair. Monica heaved a long sigh that resonated with annoyance. My lips twitched. “Relax, Mon. I’ll call you back, I promise.”

I ended the video call and sighed.

April studied me and nibbled her lower lip. I wish she wouldn’t do that, draw attention to her lips. That was the reason why I could barely focus on anything but her. That kiss we shared this morning had rattled me to the core. It wasn’t supposed to be that incredible. I’d been half-shocked, half-amused when she kissed me first. I was also a little confused. When she told me her reason for doing it, I’d mostly been messing around when I said I should give her what I owed her. A goddamn kiss. But then something happened between us and it left me in shambles hormonally and mentally.

Kissing April had been like coming back to life after being dead for years. I felt everything. I’d never been the person to make a big deal out of a kiss because I never felt so much. Kissing had never been all that special. However, the strange series of sensations that rocked my body, even my mind when my mouth was crushed against April’s, was fascinating. I got chills and tingles. My heart raced and electricity zinged through my veins exciting all my nerve endings. I got all the feels and that worried me a little. I didn’t get feels. That was something teenage girls went through when they got their first kiss.

“Julian…”

I blinked and April came back into focus. She was sitting taller beside her medical bag. She tended to my wounds just before Monica called and waited patiently until I was done.

“Hm?”

“You’ve been staring at me. No, you’ve been glaring.”

My jaw clenched. So I was. Maybe I was trying to figure out if she’d put some kind of spell on me with that kiss. Or maybe it wasn’t just the kiss, maybe it was her. My attraction kept growing day after day in her company. My brows dipped as I studied her. She wore tight jeans and another of those ridiculous t-shirts. This one had a puppy with its tongue out, holding a bouquet. I wanted to roll my eyes but I couldn’t because she still looked good.

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