Page 66 of Scrubbing In
Blushing, I take another drink of water. “I’m down bad for him, too.”
“I thought for sure my text would have him showing up, ready to haul you off caveman style.”
Quinn thought it would be funny to mess with Julian. After sending him a text, she and Charlie took bets to see how long he’d be able to stay away. At one point when we were dancing, I was sure I had seen him sitting at the bar. But when I looked back, he wasn’t there.
I may be completely obsessed with my boyfriend. There was a part of me that secretly hoped he had shown up because I miss him. Right now, thinking about the way he looked at me before we left, I’m especially wishing it was him I saw at the bar. If his eyes could have incinerated my clothes, they would have burst into flames.
Gaahhh!It’s too bad Quinn is staying at the condo, otherwise I would be heading there when we leave.
“No way!” Quinn’s shriek pulls me from my naughty fantasy. Looking at her phone, she pouts, “Charlie, you called it. You said one hour, and there he is at the bar now.”
A breath hitches in my throat at her words, and our eyes all follow where she is pointing—to Julian at the bar.
My skin prickles and I can feel his intense stare as if he’s running his palms over my exposed body. Julian’s normally neat hair is rumpled, a sexy lock of hair hanging over his forehead. The gray T-shirt he was wearing earlier clings to his chest and biceps when he plunks a glass down on the bar. Heat floods my body, and my cheeks ache at how wide I’m smiling.
He came! I knew I’d seen him, but I couldn’t believe it was actually him in the shining, tipsy bubble I’d been dancing in tonight with my girls.
“And he’s not alone.” Quinn trails off so softly I wouldn’t have heard her had I not been standing right next to her. That’s when I notice Jace patting Julian’s shoulder and gesturing in our direction. Quickly looking over, our eyes lock. His face breaks out in that beautiful smile he gets whenever he comes home after work. Then it fades, and he looks apologetic.
My feet carry me toward him, clumsily dodging and weaving through the packed bodies on the dance floor. The bass vibrates through the floor in time with my heart’s exciting drumming. Finally breaking free of the crowd, my eyes meet Julian’s as he escapes the cluster of people packed around the bar, a relieved smile gracing his lips.
I can’t help myself as I squeal and jump in his arms, sure that he will catch me—much like he has safely held my heart. “Baby, you came!”
Peppering kisses on his neck and cheek, his laughter reverberates through his chest to mine with how tightly we cling to each other. Turning his head, he captures my lips in a fierce kiss, messy tongues and nipping teeth and lip sucking.
In my inebriated state, I don’t care that we are in public and anyone could see us together. It may be a little sloppy, but he returns my kiss with enthusiasm.
Laughing, I let my head fall back as I stare at him. “How long have you been here? I thought I saw you earlier.”
He starts to lower me back to the ground, but I refuse to let him put me down. Holding tighter, I wrap my legs around his waist.
Growling, he makes sure my dress doesn’t ride up, flashing everyone my ass. “Pretty girl, I’m going to have to turn this ass red if anyone but me sees what's under your dress.”
Giggling, I whisper in his ear, “Aww, keep talking dirty to me!”
I feel his body stiffen against me. A growl rumbles through his chest. Then he’s burrowing his face into my neck. “If I talk dirty to you, we’ll have to leave right now,” his deep voice says in my ear.
His words and warm breath dance across my neck. A shot of arousal sizzles straight between my legs. With a lazy finger trailing along the scruff of his jaw, I look at him through my lashes and say, “I bet there’s a dark hallway around here somewhere.” He shivers at the contact.
Julian squeezes his eyes shut, the tendons in his neck standing in stark relief. “You have no idea what you do to me, do you?”
My arms hold him tighter, pressing my breasts to his firm chest. “I think I have a pretty good idea,” I purr in his ear.
When I open my eyes, my gaze locks with his roommate's. Jace is watching us with an arched eyebrow and an amused grin. Scrunching my nose and closing one eye, I call over Julian's shoulder, “Hi, Jace!”
Julian tightens his grip on my ass, and there’s an edge to his voice when he says, “Do not be using another man's name right now, Aleena.”
A giggle ripples through me, but at this point it's too late because Jace closes the distance between us. “Hey, Pint-size.”
Pretending to frown at him, I wag my finger as Julian maneuvers us back to the girls.
When we reach the table, I reluctantly unwind my legs and drop my feet to the floor. Turning to the group, I announce, “I’m not going crazy. I totally saw him earlier, but when I looked back he was gone.”
Quinn holds up a hand, demanding, “Wait! When did you get here?”
“About half an hour ago,” he replies sheepishly. It’s freaking adorable.
Spinning to Charlie, she gloats. “I guess I was right after all! You buy the next round.”
