Page 3 of Scrubbing In
Making a face, I say, “It was the least I could do after almost taking you down and hurting your ankle.” I remove my hand from her smooth but swollen skin, reaching out to shake her hand. “I’m Julian, by the way.”
Tentatively placing her hand in mine, she replies, “Leena.”
“Leena,” I repeat quietly. Her name on my lips feels like a reverently whispered prayer, the foundation of my soul feels the shift like moving tectonic plates.
CHAPTER THREE
Leena
My hand is engulfedin his much larger palm, the combination of his touch and my name repeated in that gravelly whisper sends a shock of electricity racing up my arm. I’m unable to look away from Julian’s eyes, and it leaves me feeling unsettled by the instant connection that seems to blaze between us.
Oh my god, it’s justphysical attraction, that’s all it is. Get a damn grip, Leena!
Instant connections only happen in movies and books, not real life. It has to be the adrenaline rush of everything that happened so quickly. One minute we seemed to be sharing flirty glances, and then his body was pressed up against my back as he fell into me. The pain in my ankle had been almost nonexistent in that initial moment as I was engulfed in the heat and strength of his much larger body.
Wanting to hide my reaction to this man, I pull my hand from his and look down at my injured ankle.
My cheeks are on fire, but thankfully we’re interrupted as a barista approaches the table with my drink. As she inquires how I am, Julian pulls up another chair and sits across from me.
“Anything for you, sir?” she asks him.
“Just a black coffee, please. Medium roast,” he responds while barely taking his eyes off me.
When I had first turned around to see why the lady in front of me was not paying attention to the moving line, dark blue, almost gray eyes stared back at me, drawing me in. Sitting here now with the sunlight streaming in from the large front windows, the blue of his perfectly tailored suit makes his eyes appear more blue. The pattern of his irises reminds me of blooming flower petals.
Breathless, I’m transfixed by him.
He slips a tan leather bag off his broad shoulder, placing it on the floor beside him. The crisp white shirt unbuttoned at his neck gapes open and shifts with the movement, accentuating his tanned skin and emphasizing the flexing muscles. My lips part involuntarily as I remember the feel of his firm chest and strong thighs cradling my body when he had been pressed up against my back as he fell into me.
Dropping my eyes from the intense gaze he has sharply focused on me, I hope my hair will conceal the flush heating my cheeks and neck. I’ve never reacted to someone this way before, much less a complete stranger.
My head is a mess. Every time I allow my eyes to skim over him, I notice another thing about him that makes it harder to look away. He sits so calm and composed, I can’t help but wonder if Julian is as affected by our encounter as I am.
“You seemed to be waiting for someone earlier. Will they be upset to find you sitting with a stranger?” His deep voice rumbles a little cockily with a smirk, breaking the charged silence.
Openly staring, I appraise his other features freely now. Strong brows over his captivating eyes, a sharp nose, full lips, straight white teeth, and a square jaw covered in a neatly trimmed beard. But it’s his smile, with a single dimple madeprominent by the grin, that tells me he knows he is hot and has been on the receiving end of many appreciative glances.
“A friend was supposed to meet me, but her girls are sick. She had just texted right before you so rudely bumped into me.” The cheeky response surprises me, but I continue. “You could have just introduced yourself instead of going to such extremes to get my attention.”
He barks out a laugh. “I was getting to it! You just seemed distracted though, so I was waiting to see if a boyfriend might be meeting you.”
Placing my elbow on the table, I rest my chin on my palm. “Is that your way of asking if I’m single?” I challenge.
Leaning in, Julian rumbles, “Sorta, yeah. Are you?”
The deep timber of his voice makes me clench my thighs against the sudden ache in my core.
Tilting my head to the side, I purse my lips as I look at the man across from me. The smile on his face falters when I don’t immediately answer. I’m about to speak when a cup is placed on the table in front of Julian.
He lifts his hand, a credit card held between two fingers. I’ve been so trapped in the snare of eyes, I didn’t even see him retrieve the card.
Never breaking eye contact, he tells her, “For both drinks.” I open my mouth to tell him that’s unnecessary, but he cuts me off. “The least I can do is pay for your drink. Especially after Iso rudelybumped into you.”
“Thank you,” I say quietly.
“My pleasure.” He narrows his eyes with laser focus and unashamedly returns to his early question. “So? You didn’t answer me. Are you single?”
Being the recipient of his undivided attention is a heady sensation. “Yes,” I reply in a breathless whisper.
