Page 16 of Seize the Night

“You’re a virgin?” she asked, utterly astounded.

“I asked you not to ask.” Julien crossed his arms over his chest and laughed nervously.

“I’m sorry.”

“Does it really bother you?”

“I’m just shocked,” Remi said, looking at Julien in a new light.

“Shocked?”

“You’re beautiful, Julien. I thought that the second I saw you four years ago. I thought that the second I saw you again tonight. And now you’re blushing and you’re even sexier than you were four seconds before.”

“Let’s go talk in my room. There’s something I need to tell you. And show you.”

“Your naked body?”

“That too.”

They left his office and paused in the now empty living room.

“Wonder where Merrick and Salena went?” Julien whispered.

“It’s Merrick. Five bucks says they’re in her bedroom.”

“Salena’s really picky about the guys she dates.”

“It’s Merrick. Trust me, this isn’t about dating.”

Julien took her hand and they crept past a closed door. They heard a voice from within.

“So how old are you?” they heard Merrick saying.

“Thirty-three. You?” Salena asked.

“Thirty-six. You put us together and you get sixty-nine.”

‘You’re very good at math.”

“Who was doing math?” Merrick asked.

“Mystery solved,” Julien whispered and rolled his eyes. He looked so cute with his amused disgust that Remi had to stop herself from grabbing his face and kissing him again. “Let’s go.”

They quickly reached his room at the end of his hall. He pushed the door open and ripped a small folded piece of paper off the door. He glanced at the note, smiled, and shoved it into his pocket. As soon as they were in the room with the door locked behind them, Julien pulled her to him. Remi raised her hand and covered his mouth.

“No kissing. You talk to me first,” she said.

“My man’t malk wiff your mand on my mouth.”

“What?” she asked, pulling her hand back.

“I can’t talk with your hand on my mouth,” Julien said.

“Okay, you talk. I’ll be sitting at a safe distance and listening.” Remi picked up a chair and sat it five feet from the bed where Julien now sat. She was impressed by his bedroom. The walls were an elegant jade green and the bedframe an antique brass. The walls were lined with beautiful, if bizarre art, and every surface was spotlessly clean.

“Your room is really clean,” she said. “That’s not natural.”

“Salena hired a housekeeper. Was not my idea. I’m not that spoiled.”

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