Page 181 of Alive At Night

But I was also so deeply in love with him.

* * *

I could feelJulian’s bright eyes on me while I delivered the closing arguments to the courtroom. And when I finished, I caught his beaming expression from across the gallery. And after the jury deliberated and announced the verdict, he was the first person by my side.

We won. We did it. We got justice for Gabriel and Jude, the other little boy affected by the clinic’s medical malpractice. It felt liberating and settling.

Julian didn’t say much when we were still at the courthouse. I could tell he wanted to, but he was playing the role of supportive colleague—not boyfriend. It took us a few months to navigate that, to figure out how to work together while being so utterly obsessed with each other, but we’d finally found a balance.

Julian was a professional through and through.

But as soon as we were alone…

“Fuck, I’m so turned on.”

Julian rammed his head back against his seat as he got behind the wheel. He didn’t move to turn on the car, didn’t check his rearview mirrors for pedestrians crossing the street, didn’t do anything but squeeze his eyes shut.

“I’m regretting my life decisions,” he mumbled before I could ask him what he was doing—besides trying to rein in his obvious arousal.

“Why’s that?” I beamed; I couldn’t help it. I loved toying with Julian, and I loved that we’d won the case. It was just too much goodness all at once.

Julian opened his eyes again. They darted to me, dark and wanting. “I have to wait three hours before I can fuck you in that hot little dress you just strutted around the courtroom in.”

“Why that long?”

“Because that’s how long it will take to get to your surprise.”

“I think this will be good for you,” I said with a smirk. Although secretly, I wished we were going home before heading straight out of town. Because I didn’t exactly want to wait, either. Julian looked too damn good in that suit.

“Good for me?” he scoffed.

“I miss watching you work for it a little bit, you know?” I crossed one leg over the other leisurely, making sure a bit of skin was showing. “I make it far too easy for you to get what you want.”

Julian’s eyes narrowed as they flicked over me. “That’s because you want the same fucking thing, Juniper.”

Julian’s voice was low, a warning I couldn’t help but be intrigued by. Maybe it was the adrenaline of winning the case, but power drugged my veins. I could easily get swept away in it.

When I didn’t say anything in response, Julian cocked a brow.

“You’re fucking drenched between those beautiful thighs.” His throat worked as he swallowed. “You know it, and I know it.”

“Maybe I am.” I shrugged. “Maybe I’m not.”

“Oh, Juni,” he murmured, and the sudden amusement in his voice felt like velvet on my senses. “You’re good. But I’m better.”

“What is that supposed—”

Julian interrupted my question by pressing Play on his phone, and the sensual voice of one of my favorite fictional characters began filtering through the car speakers.

“The glow of the fire illuminated her expression as she spread out for me on the blanket, letting me see every inch of her naked body. The winter wind howled outside the chalet, but I barely heard it. All I could hear was the rush of blood in my ears as I bent down and—”

I snatched the dial and twisted the volume down, feeling my cheeks flush.

“What?” Julian peeked over while maneuvering out of our parking spot with only one hand. “The memories too much for you to handle?”

Goddamn him.

The heat dispersed throughout my body as I thought about that day in the office when Julian had placed my headphones on my ears and bent me over his desk.

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