Page 54 of Only If You Dare

Chapter Seventeen

Julian

Dubai’s dark blue atmosphere was ideal for a romantic setting. I hadn’t noticed the starry skyline on my last visit, although this particular visit was nothing like any trip I’d made in my lifetime. I reached down and linked our fingers together. Whenever we were side by side, the need to connect with her in some way remained significant. I stepped into the grains of sand but Desiree halted, and I turned to her.

“I need to take my shoes off,” she said.

My eyes roamed down to her bare legs, and spiked heels, and my manhood bobbed against my zipper. A part of me felt like Desiree was teasing me, wearing a similar ensemble as her earlier one, but looking like a mysterious vixen in the same notion.

“Here, let me help you,” I said. I found myself wanting to help Desiree with everything; the desire for her to want and need me becoming stronger by the day. I still couldn’t understand this emotion, but I wasn’t willing to dismiss it without finding out why my heart pounded so fiercely when I was around her, or why I wanted to be her provider, lover, and friend.

“It’s okay,” she said. “I can get it.”

Desiree leaned into me for support as she reached down to remove the high heels. She scooped the shoes up, and they hung off of her fingertips while she moved into the sand with me.

“Wow, this sand is so cool.”

We began our walk down the beach. “It’s like this in the desert, too,” I said.

Her brows rose. “Really?”

I gave her a half grin. “At night, the temperature drops, and where it’s scorching hot during the day, you would need a light jacket or sweater at night.”

“Are we going to the desert?”

“Tomorrow, we’re shooting a scene on camelback.”

“When you say we, you mean, you and me?”

I stopped walking to stare at her. “Yes and a few others.” I watched her closely. “Is there something wrong?”

“I don’t want to mess up your photoshoot.” She sighed. “Have you seen the other’s we’ve taken today?”

“Bella, you absolutely have no idea how beautiful you are, do you?”

Her face heated and she dropped her head which I lifted just as quickly.

“Listen to me,” my hands slipped to hold her face in my palms. “The pictures will be perfect. I’ve been through the frames, and if it makes you feel better, I’ll show you a few. But trust me when I say, you’re the star of the show.”

Another flush of heat fell over her skin, and her cheeks darkened.

“I would need to see them to believe that,” she said.

I dropped my hands. “So you don’t trust my judgment, then.”

“No, no, it’s not that.”

I watched her intently as she scrambled for the right words to say.

“I’ve never been photogenic. So it’s an insecurity within myself. Has nothing at all to do with your judgment.

“How can I get you to trust me?”

Desiree watched me carefully. “I don’t know,” she said. “When it comes to men, I’m not quick to let my guard down.” She stammered. “I mean, it’s no offense to you…”

I reached out and wiggled her nose. “It’s cool,” I said deciding to calm her. “Tell me about it.”

My question seemed to fluster her even more.

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