Page 3 of Back to Me

He glances up from his feet and darts his eyes across the street. “You shouldn’t be walking out here by yourself. It’s not safe.”

Turning my head, I look up at him. “I can take care of myself. How do I know you aren’t dangerous?”

He shrugs. “You don’t.” Keeping our pace, he reaches his arm across his body, holding his hand out to me. “I’m Julian.”

I stop walking and stare up at him in disbelief. “Telling me your name doesn’t change the fact you’re a stranger. I have no idea who you are.”

Withdrawing his hand, he sticks it back into his pocket. “Give me a chance to get to know you. Come on, one drink.”

“No.” I continue walking to where my car is parked along the street, not caring whether he’s following me or not.

“I’m thirty-one years old, originally from Baton Rouge, and I hate cats.”

Stopping, I turn around on my heel, holding back the burning pain growing on the bottom of my foot. “What?”

He smirks. “I’m telling you a bit about myself.” Pulling his hand out of his pocket, he begins listing things on his fingers. “I’m an only child. I’m competitive with everything in life. I hate losing.”

I take a few steps forward, closing the gap between us a little more so we aren’t standing so far apart. Dropping my gaze, I ask, “Do you feel like you’re losing right now with me?”

“Yes,” he laughs under his breath. “And it’s driving me crazy.”

Staring into his green eyes, I think about Graham, how I know I’ll never be his, and this is what always happens.

I run into a man who I think can give me all the things I want out of life, only to find myself naked in his bed later, disappointed once again.

Julian grins, displaying his perfectly pristine, straight teeth. “It may be driving me crazy, but I don’t give up easily.”

A small giggle erupts from my chest. “I see that.”

“I promise, one drink, then we can go our separate ways. Nothing more.”

I consider him once more, knowing I’ve heard that same line one too many times. It’s never one drink, and we never part ways—at least, not until the next day.

Holding out my hand, I look up at Julian. “Sara Andrews, I’m twenty-seven years old, I’m an artist who works for a much more successful artist, and I love cats.”

He cocks one eyebrow. “You love cats, huh?”

Keeping my hand stretched out between us, he firmly grabs it and slowly shakes it.

“Yep,” I say. “Take it or leave it.”

With a smirk, he says, “Oh, I’ll take it.”

Feeling nervous, I realize we’re standing in front of my car. Somehow, the walk didn’t feel as long on the way back as it did when I was running to make it to Graham.

“Where did you want to grab a drink?” I ask, unlocking my car and opening the door.

Julian remains standing on the sidewalk on the other side of my car. “There’s actually a great bar around the corner. We can walk there from here.”

I narrow my eyes. “Didn’t you say it wasn’t safe to be walking out here?”

“Alone. It isn’t safe to walk alone. Come on.” He jerks back his shoulder, urging me to join him on the sidewalk. “It really isn’t far.”

***

Julian places a freshly made mojito in front of me. Leaning forward, I wrap my lips around the black straw and take one long sip. With nearly a quarter of it already gone, I relax against my barstool and sigh.

“After the night I’ve had, I really needed this.”

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