Page 45 of Julien (Confessions 2)

“Don’t lie to me,” Priest said. “What happened last night?”

Julien brought a hand up to circle Priest’s wrist, and then he stroked his thumb over the pulse point, closed his eyes, and whispered, “She found me.”

No other words needed to be spoken. Those three told the entire story and confirmed what Priest had suspected. “The nightmares started again.”

Julien didn’t open his eyes, merely nodded, and Priest released his face so he could slip his fingers around to the back of Julien’s neck and tug him across the console, resting their foreheads against one another.

“I’m here,” Priest said, as a shiver racked Julien’s body. “I’ve got you.”

One of Julien’s hands came up to curl around the lapel of Priest’s jacket, and as he held on, Priest shifted and put his lips to his cheek.

“Let’s get out of here,” he said, wanting to get Julien somewhere they could talk a little more. “You need some rest, and—”

“Non. I—” Julien paused, and when Priest went to move away, he tightened his grip on his jacket. “I don’t want to sleep. I don’t want to see her. Not again. Not yet. I want to forget…”

“Okay,” Priest said, and reached for the death grip Julien had on him, gently prying his fingers free. “That’s okay. We won’t go home. We’ll go somewhere else.”

Priest reached across Julien for his belt and buckled him in, and once he was back on his side of the car, he said, “In fact, I have the perfect place we can go.”

“THE POPPED CHERRY?” Julien said around fifteen minutes later, as he and Priest walked up a narrow side street where they’d managed to find a parking spot. The wind was whipping up a storm tonight, and as the clouds hurried across the sky, they picked up their pace heading toward the main door.

Priest held his hand out, and Julien automatically took it, moving into his side. “Yes. I realized we haven’t actually been here before—together.”

Julien nodded as they reached the entrance, and noticed the busy Friday night crowd inside. “You’re right.”

Priest pulled open the door and stood to the side as the muffled sound of music and chatter drifted out onto the sidewalk. “And what better way to forget than to distract yourself watching our princess in action?”

“You know,” Julien said, as he stopped in front of Priest, and then he leaned in and kissed him, “I can’t think of one. Merci. This is parfait. Exactly what I needed. You, him, and a drink.”

Priest let go of the door and kissed Julien back a little harder. “I told you. Now let’s go and find him.”

When Priest added a wink, Julien felt his knees weaken at the flirtatious move. It was rare that Priest got like that, but when he did, he was—if it were possible—even harder to ignore.

The heavy door to the bar swung shut behind them, blocking the cold air, and as they stood in the entryway, Julien scanned the busy floor below.

There were people everywhere. Standing at tables, sitting in booths, and crowded around the bar. The music was a nice, steady beat distorting one conversation from the next, and as Julien unbuttoned his coat, Priest helped him out of it and then leaned down to say in his ear, “He’s over behind the bar.”

Julien’s eyes drifted past the people perched on barstools, and those standing in between to order, and when they zeroed in on the sexy bartender shaking a cocktail mixer, Julien took a moment to enjoy the man they’d come to see.

Robbie had on a burgundy button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a fitted vest that showed off his trim waist, and he was all neatly tucked in and professional looking. But when you paired that with his kohl-rimmed eyes, slicked-up lips, and the leather band that was wound around his right wrist a couple of times? He looked mouthwatering, and Julien decided that Robbie was the perfect distraction for any night of the week—but especially tonight.

He would happily lose himself in his men and alcohol—the serious and suited one beside him and the sexed-up little minx behind that bar.

“Take me to him,” Julien said, as he took his coat from Priest.

As Priest walked them through the crowd, Julien kept his eyes on Robbie as he moved from customer to customer. His blue eyes were sparkling, his lips smiling, and his pure joy for life radiated out of him.

With the ease of one who knew he was charismatic, Robbie flirted his way down the bar with both the women and the men, and that grin he aimed at all of them made Julien want to grab Robbie and kiss him until he was moaning.

Priest maneuvered them toward the end of the bar away from Robbie so as to not distract him, and then he turned to Julien and said, “Let me see if I can get us a couple of seats.”

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