Page 75 of Julien (Confessions 2)

Julien tore his eyes away from the hottie up ahead and eyed her suspiciously. “Did you plan that?”

“What? A sexy guy to walk by and eye you like he’s starving and you’re a piece of prime rib?” She shook her head and couldn’t stop the bubble of laughter that spilled out when she realized victory was right there within her grasp. “Non. But it totally worked in my favor, didn’t it?”

Julien looked at Ezra. “I hate that I’m so weak. But he was pretty.”

“Hey, I’m sucker for a pretty face too,” Ezra said. “I’m not going to win anything with her in that dress tonight.”

As Jacquelyn led the way toward the bouncer, she laughed merrily and said, “Nope, you won’t.” Then she turned that smile up at Mr. Big and Burly, and Julien wasn’t surprised at all when he lost his stern expression and smiled right back at her—Jacquelyn had that effect on people. “Ezra Hamon and Jacquelyn and Julien Thornton.”

As the bouncer checked his clipboard, Julien reached out and flicked one of her curls over her shoulders. “Thank you for the gift, petite poulette. Now are you going to let me get drunk enough to chase that blond guy down?”

Jacquelyn nodded and drew a cross over the top of her heart. “Yes, yes. I’ll behave myself. Promis.”

“You’re good to go,” the bouncer said.

Jacquelyn held her hand out to be stamped and Ezra did the same, and once Julien was through and they were let past the rope, the doors opened and Julien glanced down at his hand.

Shh…was written on a finger that covered a set of lips, and he had to wonder just what kinds of secrets were hidden behind that door.

JULIEN SHOOK HIS head, and as the room started to spin, he put a hand on the ground to steady himself.

“Jules?”

Robbie… Julien thought, recognizing his voice in an instant, and then the curtain was opened up a little and he turned to seek him out. But when he focused on the face beside him, all he saw was Jacquelyn staring back at him.

“Do you remember the song that was playing that night, Jules? The last song I heard before you made me leave? I do.”

Julien blinked, trying to clear his head, trying to focus on Robbie.

But it was no use. He was far away now.

In another time. Another place.

And nothing was going to set him free.

Not the alcohol. Not sleep.

And certainly not himself.

TWO HOURS AND way too many drinks later, Julien was on the dance floor with the music and alcohol buzzing through him.

Adam—wait, no, Aaron? Oh, he couldn’t remember—wrapped his arms around Julien’s waist and grabbed hold of his ass, and Julien was happy to discover that the body under that tight red shirt he’d checked out earlier was even better up close.

Jacquelyn and Ezra were somewhere close by, making sure to keep an eye on him as he tossed back yet another shot, and as the alcohol burned a nice, warm path down his throat, Julien tipped his head back and ground his cock up against Aaron—oui, it’s definitely Aaron.

“You’re so fucking hot,” Aaron said as the song switched, and when he flicked Julien’s earlobe with the tip of his tongue, Julien shut his eyes and groaned.

Merde, it’d been a while since he’d gotten laid. Well, two weeks, at least. His last boyfriend—Brian—had ended things, deciding that he didn’t want to date someone who still lived at home and worked late nights every weekend. But that was the life of an apprentice chef, especially one fresh out of culinary school hoping to make a name for himself—so Julien had decided to hell with relationships; it was time to check out the single life.

Julien put his lips against Aaron’s neck, and as he kissed his way up it, Aaron angled his head to the side and Julien used his tongue to taste the light sheen of sweat on his skin.

“Mmm,” Aaron hummed, as Julien pulled him even closer, rolling his hips against him.

“Dieu, you feel fucking good.”

“Shit,” Aaron said as he pulled back and looked at Julien’s face, his lips wet and swollen. “Was that French?”

“Oui,” Julien said, and went to pull him back against him. But Aaron put a hand on his chest and ran it down his front until he was massaging Julien’s cock. “Putain.”

Aaron moved in close until his hand was trapped between their bodies, and then placed his lips on Julien’s cheek. “Will you take me home?”

Home…? Julien blinked, the alcohol fogging his mind. He supposed he could take Aaron back to their place. Their parents were in France at the moment for vacation, but…

“Take me back to your place,” Aaron said in his ear. “I want to feel this inside me.”

And fuck, Julien wanted to put it inside him.

He looked around, searching out Jacquelyn, and when he spotted her off to the side of the dance floor, he looked back at Aaron and took his hand in his. “Okay, let’s go.”

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