Page 8 of Sins & Secrets

I pull my hand away from her and suck in a breath. “It’s fine,” I whisper, grabbing my clutch.

Sue’s quick to sit forward and say, “Don’t go. It wasn’t?—”

“Just headed to the powder room,” I blurt out. “I just need to freshen up,” I tell them with a tight smile, standing up and tugging down my dress.

“Do you want company?” Kat asks, already sliding out behind me.

“I just need a minute,” I say and shake my head, giving her pleading eyes. I love them. They only want what’s best for me. But don’t they know how hard this is? How much it took just to come out here.

I can handle this. I just need something although I’m not sure what that something is. A breath of fresh air, maybe. Or a drink of water or something stronger. I don’t know what, but I know I need at least a minute to myself to figure it out.

MASON

The anxious feeling deep in my gut won’t quit. It only gets more intense as Julia walks behind me, politely maneuvering her small frame amid the crowd of people. Watching her from my periphery, I listen to the rhythmic sound of her heels and watch how her hips sway gently.

She doesn’t notice me, which is by design, but still it aggravates me. She passes so close behind me on her way to the restrooms that I catch a hint of her sweet scent. No doubt it’s perfume, a gentle floral mixed with citrus of some sort but as it fills my lungs, I can’t help but grip the bar top tighter to keep myself from following her.

Ever since I caught a glimpse of her, I haven’t been able to move or get her out of my head. For months, I haven’t thought twice about her. Each time her picture swept into my head, I pushed it away.

But she’s here now, so close that I could touch her.

I can’t approach her, though. How fucked up would that be?

I can’t cross that line. She doesn’t know a damn bit of the truth.

I down the remainder of my whiskey and slide the empty glass forward, pissed off and frustrated.

As I stand abruptly, the stool slides backward and bumps into someone. I turn to look over my shoulder while reaching into my back pocket for my wallet. “Sorry,” I say without thinking only to find myself staring directly at Julia.

Her eyes still aren’t on me as she waves off my apology, looking at the bottles lining the back of the bar before finally resting her gorgeous blue eyes on me. This close to her I can see they’re pale blue with flecks of silver speckled throughout. They’re beautiful.

She shakes her head just slightly, making her hair fall off her shoulder and exposing more of her bare skin. “It’s fine.” Her voice is soft as she walks forward without missing a beat, stepping up to the bar on my right, coming closer. Like a lamb heading into the lion’s den, teasing and taunting unknowingly.

She’s so close to me, so damn alluring. The black lacy dress clings to her curves. Her hips are seductive and I can just imagine how they’d feel to hold as I took her from behind. I can feel the bartender’s eyes flicker to me questioningly as Julia orders, but I can’t take my gaze off Julia.

I swallow thickly, leaning my forearms against the bar and attempting to act casual, getting that much closer to her.

She doesn’t know anything about how we’re linked and she doesn’t have to. She’ll never know the truth and this is my chance to learn more about who the pretty face in the picture is.

“Julia, right?” My heart pounds, questioning why the hell would I admit that I know anything at all about her. I don’t intend to lie to her, though. Nothing but lies of omission. I’ve heard her name in social circles. Her family is well known so I doubt she’ll be surprised that I recognize her.

“Jules,” she corrects me warmly, now looking at me differently than she did a moment ago. She seems to do a doubletake and a hint of playfulness sparkles in her eyes. It’s as if I’m suddenly what she’s been looking for. Or maybewhoshe’s been waiting for.

“Ah, Jules.” I tap my fingers on the bar and glance away for a moment.What the fuck am I doing?This isn’t just playing with fire, this is worse. It’s asking to be burned and shoving my fists into the coals.

Patricia sets two shots of what look like chilled tequila in front of Jules. I watch with interest as she throws the first one back without thinking twice. Her slender fingers slip around the second one, ready to down it as well.

The pain comes off her in waves. She’s drowning it in alcohol. She’s good at hiding her emotions on the surface, but her actions speak so much louder than words.

“For a moment I thought you got two so you could share with me,” I say teasingly with a smirk, more to keep her from drinking it than the desire to have it for myself.

She licks her lips and smiles. “You want it?”

Goddamn, does she know how she’s coming off right now? She’s already testing me, because just hearing those words slip between her lips has my dick straining against my zipper.Yes, I fucking want it.She’s forbidden. The one woman in this city I should stay far away from.

“If you’re offering,” I answer her with a flirtatiousness I don’t recognize. She blushes and tucks her hair back behind her ear. As she pulls her eyes away from me, she catches a glimpse of something across the room that rips the happiness from her in an instant.

I throw back the shot but keep my eyes on her. The cold liquid burns. I was right about it being tequila. It’s strong too. Stronger than I expected and it takes the breath from me, making my chest feel tight, but then it relaxes me all the way down.

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