Page 3 of Only If You Dare

Chapter Two

“Shall we get started?” Julian asked.

He held his hand out, again, pulling me close. The warmth of his palms trod across my skin, and I suppressed a tremor.

“I’ll show you to my desk.” My voice dropped, and instead of sounding like a professional journalist, I sounded like a smitten kitten. Mortified at the sound, I shut my lips tight and fought to calm my racing heart.

“I thought maybe we could discuss the specifics over lunch,” he drawled.

“Lunch?”

That tantalizing smile of his was back. “Yes, lunch. Unless of course, you have other plans?”

“She doesn’t have any plans,” Fredrick interjected.

I whipped around. “Yes I do.”

Fredrick shook his head. “No, you don’t.”

It was matter of fact. I pursed my lips together. As much as I wanted to put up a fight just to show Fredrick that he could kiss my whole ass, I stole another glance at Julian and thought better of it. Turning back to him I said, “I guess I don’t.”

He pulled his bottom lip between his teeth and offered a sexy grin. “After you.”

I took one step to make sure my balance was in order before strutting off. I opened the door and stepped out colliding with Santana. She looked to be on pins and needles as she fidgeted with her fingers.

“How’d it go? It was really quiet I couldn’t hear anything.”

Julian moved behind me, and I could feel his towering height against my back. I closed my eyes briefly and held a moan in check. Santana brightened at the sight of him, and she took a step back.

“I, um, didn’t get a chance to tell him.”

Her brows banged together. “What happened?”

“I’ve got another assignment.”

She didn’t respond right away, probably deciding that this was a conversation for a later time since we were standing in the boss’s doorway.

“We’ll talk about it at lunch,” Santana said.

I held my hand out to her. “About that…”

God this is the last place I needed to be. I glanced around the large Hilton Hotel suite admiring the elegance of its interior. Sitting in a luxurious leather Barcelona chair, I pulled my leg up crossing it over my thigh and settled into the comfort of the soft material. Bringing my focus back to Julian, my limb bounced as I waited for him to answer my question.

His dark gray eyes stilled as he followed the spring of my leg, and I hoped I was making him as uncomfortable as he made me. I had many talks with myself on the drive over, once I found out lunch would be in his suite, my belly tossed. Suddenly, I was as warm as an oven. But, I managed not to stare at his smooth-shaven face no matter how bad his enticing mouth beckoned me to.

Straightening a bit in my seat, I reverted to my question. “I’ll take that as a no.”

Finally, his gaze left my legs and came back to my face; but not without riding the swell of my thighs, breasts, and lips first. I made it a point not to squirm at the ripple of chills crawling up my skin.

“No, it’s not a coincidence that I’m in Houston. Mr. Walls has been on my radar for a few years now, wanting to get first dibs on a spread.”

Mr. Walls being my boss, Fredrick Walls the third. “So, what made you finally give in?”

His fingers coiled together and sat in a fist on top of the table as he leaned in. “Let’s just say, I’ve been given a little motivation to help Mr. Walls out.”

I wanted to question him further, but didn’t want to push the bounds of the professional space we were working in. He offered no more explanation, so I didn’t press him about his sudden appearance in my city.

“Is there a problem, Ms. Stevens?”

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