Page 33 of You. Me. Us.

As the recording ended, Julius pocketed his phone, a satisfied smile on his lips. “The key is to observe, to study, and to allow yourself to be inspired by the world around you.”

“Thank you,” she whispered, her hand finding his once more. “For believing in me, for pushing me to be better. I’m still pissed at you, but it’s lessening.”

Julius smiled, his thumb brushing over her knuckles. “Always. You have a gift, and I’ll do everything in my power to help you share it with the world. But is that why I haven’t seen you all week?”

She nodded, not even bothering to hide her flush. “If I was around you, I knew I’d forgive you.”

His hand enveloped hers, his fingers intertwining with hers as he pulled her close until their bodies almost touched as he gazed down at her. His lips hovered just above hers, knowing the warmth of his breath brushing against her skin. “And how’s that forgiveness coming?” His voice was low and husky.

The small space between them was heated. Charged.

The charged energy between them was palpable, crackling in the air like electricity from a storm. He heard the sharp intake of breath as she stared into his eyes nearly bringing him to his knees.

“How did you manage to get a recording of the Vice President?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Julius chuckled, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Let’s just say her teenage daughter has a bit of a crush on me,” he revealed, leaning in closer. “The VP agreed to do the recording in exchange for a few minutes of my time with her daughter.”

Hillary couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re unbelievable,” she whispered. “But be careful, Julius. If you keep this up, I might just start breaking all my dating rules for you.”

His eyebrows shot up, a playful smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. “And what might those rules be, Miss Mitchell?” he asked, his voice low and alluring.

For a second it seemed she might but off, but she held his gaze. “No more than one date a week in the beginning,” she began, ticking off the rules on her fingers. “And absolutely no sex until we’re exclusive.”

“Smart rules,” Ethan chimed in, appearing behind them with a knowing grin. “Keeps things from getting too complicated too fast. Especially with this one.”

Hillary jumped, likely startled by his sudden presence. Even Julius had forgotten they weren’t alone. Ethan’s words irritated him, but his friend wasn’t wrong. Sticking around for multiple dates hadn’t often been his thing.

Ethan clapped Julius on the shoulder, his eyes sparkling with mirth. “A bunch of us are heading out for drinks to celebrate the announcements. You two should join us.” he looked at Hillary, almost boxing Julius out. “You have to come with us.”

“Thank you for the invitation, Ethan,” she said, her voice warm but firm. “But I actually have plans with my family tonight. They’ve been so supportive, and I really want to celebrate with them first.”

Ethan nodded, understanding in his eyes. “Of course, family comes first. We’ll have plenty of time to celebrate together in the coming months.” He winked at her before turning to Julius. “What about you, Julius? You coming?”

Julius glanced at Hillary, his brow furrowing slightly. He didn’t want to leave her side, not when they had barely seen each other all week. But he would have months with her, and her family deserved this moment.

“You should go,” Hillary encouraged, squeezing his hand. “Have fun with the cast. We’ll have our own celebration soon enough.” Her eyes sparkled with promise, and Julius’s heart skipped a beat.

“Are you sure?” he asked, searching her face for any hint of hesitation. “I don’t mind skipping drinks if you want company.”

She shook her head, a soft smile playing on her lips. “I’m sure. Go, enjoy yourself. Just don’t have too much fun without me.” Her tone was playful, but there was an undercurrent ofsomething more, a hint of the growing connection between them.

Julius sighed, relenting. “All right, if you insist.” He turned to Ethan, who was watching their exchange with a knowing grin. “Count me in for drinks.”

As Ethan led the way out of the studio, Julius reached into his bag, pulling out a small, elegantly wrapped package. “Before I forget,” he said, pressing it into Hillary’s hands. “I got you something. To celebrate.”

Hillary’s eyes widened, her fingers trembling slightly as she carefully unwrapped the gift. Inside was a stunning silver bracelet, delicate and intricately designed. Each link was shaped like a tiny star, catching the light and sparkling like a miniature galaxy.

“Julius,” she breathed, her voice thick with emotion. “It’s beautiful. You didn’t have to.”

He silenced her with a gentle finger against her lips. “I wanted to. You deserve to be celebrated, Hillary. Not just for this role, but for everything you are. Then there’s this,” he rushed to the table and took the two frames off the table, spinning them so she could see.”

“Oh, Julius! Is this my article?”

He nodded, thrilled at the way her voice rose an octave and her eyes lit up.

“You’re going to need to be a lot less charming if we’re going to have even footing in this relationship.”

He chuckled, pressing his lips to hers. “I promise you, we are even.”

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