Page 21 of You. Me. Us.

“No, it sounds like you didn’t.” Every fiber in her being itched with the need to ask him to embellish, but he dealt with reporters all the time, this wasn’t the time.

“That swing,” he pointed to a child’s play set easily two hundred yards away. “That swing set was where I had my first kiss.”

“No,” she teased, following him closer to it.

“Yes, very cliche. I was seven, I think. Katie Donnely. She punched me in the eye right after.”

“Oh,” she held back a laugh. “I suppose you learned no means no early on.”

“Aye, and to just ask if I can’t tell from the signals.”

With each story, Hillary found herself falling a little more under his spell, drawn in by the vulnerability he showed her.

Finally, they reached a secluded corner of the garden, a hidden alcove surrounded by towering hedges. In the centerstood a stone bench, worn smooth by time and the elements, but still a vibrant gray.

“This was my favorite spot as a kid,” Julius said, leading her over to the bench. “Whenever things got too crazy, I’d come here to think, to dream. It always made me feel like anything was possible.”

He sat down, patting the space beside him in invitation. Hillary joined him, acutely aware of the way their thighs brushed together, the heat of his body seeping into hers.

“I can see why,” she murmured, her gaze tracing the delicate petals of a nearby rose. “It’s like a whole other world, hidden away from everything else.”

Julius nodded, his eyes never leaving her face. “That’s why I wanted to bring you here. To show you a part of myself that no one else gets to see.”

Hillary’s breath caught in her throat at the intensity of his gaze, the unspoken emotion that passed between them. Slowly, as if drawn by an invisible force, they leaned toward each other, their lips meeting in a soft, tentative kiss.

It was like nothing Hillary had ever experienced before—a rush of sensation that left her dizzy and breathless, clinging to Julius as if he were the only solid thing in a world that had suddenly tilted on its axis.

When they pulled apart, Julius rested his forehead against hers, his fingers tangling in her hair. “I’ve wanted to do that since the moment you came out of that office building,” he whispered, his voice rough with emotion. “Not counting the entire weekend, too.”

Hillary smiled, her heart soaring with joy and disbelief. “Me too,” she admitted, her own voice barely more than a sigh. “I just never thought...”

“That I could feel the same way?” he finished for her, his lips quirking up in a rueful smile. “Hillary, from the moment I metyou, I knew there was something special about you. Something that drew me in like a moth to a flame.”

She ducked her head, feeling a blush rising in her cheeks. “I’m nothing special,” she mumbled, the old insecurities rearing their ugly heads.

But Julius wasn’t having it. He tipped her chin up with a gentle finger, forcing her to meet his gaze. “You are, it seems like I’ll just have to help you see that,” he said fiercely, his eyes blazing with conviction.

The warmth of his body and his scent of sandalwood and spice comforted her, even in the midst of overwhelming emotions. She couldn’t find the words to express how it meant that he was interested in her, so she simply nodded and nuzzled her face into his neck, breathing him in. In that moment, she knew she never wanted to let go.

“Think you’re up for more of a tour?”

She wasn’t certain why her heart dropped that he didn’t try to kiss her again, but she shouldn’t just wait for him to make the moves, not after proof. Though, she was curious what else he had planned.

nine

. . .

Julius led Hillaryup the stone steps to the front door of the sprawling estate, watching her eyes widen as she took in the grandeur of his childhood home. He couldn’t quite read her expression. Was it awe, or something else? he’d wanted to show her he wasn’t just the actor from the big screen, but maybe the house was too much. She’d seemed on edge ever since they arrived, and he wasn’t sure why. Maybe showing her where he came from would help put her at ease.

He unlocked the door and held it open for her. “Well, this is it. Home sweet home, or at least when I was a kid. The rest of our little trip down memory lane will be focused on the inside. And I promise, I don’t expect you to give me the same tour.”

Hillary hesitated on the threshold, glancing around nervously as if unsure whether to proceed. A pang of worry flashed across his mind. Was bringing her here a mistake? Did she think he could be dangerous?

He laughed lightly, trying to break the tension. “Don’t worry, it’s just us, and I assure you I’m not a threat. My parents don’t live here anymore. They retired to a villa in Italy and left me this old place. Guess they figured I needed somewhere to escape thecraziness of Hollywood now and then. Now it’s mostly an Airbnb rental.”

Her tense shoulders sagged a bit as she stepped over the threshold. A small grin tugged at the corners of her lips before disappearing.

“It’s beautiful,” she said softly, her voice echoing in the cavernous foyer. “I can see why you’d want to get away here.”

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