As I walk to Julian’s office, my best friend rushes toward me. “Melissa is here. I saw her asking for Kristoff around, so I called the professor to see how you were doing. Did she see you? Are you alright?”
Unlike her tense demeanor, I’m fuming inside but try to remain calm.
“Yes, and she completely humiliated me. But Julian arrived, so I’ll wait for him in his office.”
Her shoulder loosens. “Thank God.”
“Thank you, but I’ll talk to you later, okay?”
“Sure.” She hugs me. “Follow your heart.”
I press her against me. “I’ll see you at home.”
She lets me go, and I go to Julian’s office. I’m curious about what he told Melissa or Kristoff, but I’ve never seen him so enraged as he was back there. It’s as if I only realized what he meant when he said he cared about me.
But it doesn’t have to come to that. I only wanted to distance myself from Kristoff for the time being. He was my friend before he became my boyfriend. Even though he betrayed me, I still appreciate what he did for me. He supported me in furthering my musical skills.
The door was unlocked when I arrived at Professor Sebastian’s office, so I just walked in. My attention is drawn immediately to the piano. Whenever I see the instrument, I just want to play it. Yet, in the back of my mind, I picture Julian sitting there, playing my song.
He rearranged and played it in the practice room a few weeks ago. In my mind, he’s dressed in a black shirt. I love seeing him in black because it brings out his sharp features more.
My stomach clenches pleasantly at the thought. I’m actually more excited to see Julian now, and the annoyance I felt earlier has subsided.
I sit in front of the piano and place my fingers on the key while I wait for him. I played my song, which I had yet to name, in Julian’s style. I recall the notes he added, and it feels good to play them. It’s my composition, but it feels like the music I share with him. His style’s magical transition brings the piece to life. I’m enjoying the octaves, and my runs are improving as if I invented the instrument.
Right now, I’m letting myself go. I want to let go of my rage and regret. This is probably how a breakup feels. I find Kristoff’s explanation difficult to accept. How could he deceive me right in front of my face? What is the truth behind everything he told me? He shattered a piece of me I had entrusted to him.
When I’m playing an arpeggio, my pinky finger hits the wrong key, which throws me off and makes me angry again. The sound of the creaking door, however, causes me to halt. Julian finally enters and shuts the door behind him. His eyes always find me, and I’ve only just noticed how handsome he is. He’s dressed in an all-black suit, shirt, trousers, and sleek leather shoes.
A long silence falls over us for a moment. He’s by the door, and I’m by the piano.
His hands form a fist. “Did she hurt you?” he asks sternly.
It’s as if I’ve died and then felt the rush of life and bliss flooding back through me. My heartbeat quickens at the thought of finally being alone with him.
I jump to my feet and run over to him. He catches me with open arms as I dangle my body on his and wrap my legs around his waist.
I press my face against his neck. I adore this sensation. It’s almost as if I can rely on him and not worry about anything else.
“Answer me. Did she hurt you?” he asks quietly.
“Not physically, at least. You prevented that.”
A wild groan escapes his chest, yet his gestures stay gentle as he strokes my back. “Tell me what occurred.”
I shake my head like a child again. “Please, not right now.” I exhale, but I refuse to cry. I’ve been through a lot worse. I just want to feel Julian right now.
“I won’t let Melissa come near you again. You’ll tell me when something like this happens again, okay?”
I doubt our paths will ever meet this way again. I had already ended my relationship with her son. However, in rare circumstances...
“Answer me,” he insists.
“Yes. I’ll tell you.”
“Good.” He smells me as he kisses the side of my neck. “Anya, baby. I like how your body feels right now, but,” he pushes me down a little, making me gasp, and his hard-on pokes in the center of my inner thighs, “I don’t think I can handle myself properly here. We’re still in my office, and you don’t want me bending you over that desk.”
I feel my cheeks turning rosy. “I probably want that,” I say bluntly, yet I get back on my feet.
He wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me back to him. “My precious temptress.”
“Well, you already started it.”
His brows furrow. “Are you sure?”
“What if I am?” I fiddle with the button on his black shirt and glide my palm on his chest flirtatiously. “What if I want to be bent over?”
He stifles an inward growl, and darkness settles over his handsome features. He steps back behind his desk and releases me. “Be careful of what you wish for.”
I sigh to calm my pulsing nerves. What did I just say?
He takes his phone from the desk and places it against his ear. “Fred, bring Blanche here. I’m leaving with Ms. Scott,” he says simply before hanging up the phone.
“Blanche?”
“Yes, you have ridden her a couple of times.”
Oh, the white car. He named his car Blanche?
“Where are we going?”
“My penthouse for dinner, and so we can talk.” He takes his coat out of his hat rack and puts it on.
His place. Dinner. Talk.
I swallow. What if he really bends me over?
I squirm inside and feel the dampness in my panties, so I squeeze my thighs together. Am I actually looking forward to it?
“Are we going to ride together?”
“You’ll go with Noir.”
Oh. I guess that’s the black one. I completely understand that we still can’t ride in the same car. I don’t want the rest of the school to see me in the same car as him.
I texted Lora that I’d be with Julian but couldn’t tell her when I’d be back. She replied, ‘hurray!’ along with a thumbs-up emoji.
I smile at her text, and Julian, arching an eyebrow, notices me giggling at myself.
“I was just texting Lora. I told her I’d be with her tonight.”
“Why are you explaining?”
“I just do. It became a habit, I suppose. It was just to make sure Kristoff didn’t think I was texting someone else whenever I was laughing about a message. He used to think I was.”
He frowns. “I’m definitely the jealous type, but I’m not Kristoff.”
“Hey, I, um... I broke up with him.”
“Oh?”
“Formally speaking, yes, but I believe things between him and me ended when he left for Los Angeles with Lora’s sister and lied to me about it.”
Julian walks over to my side and gently pinches my chin. “Can you tell me everything later?”
“I will. I’m just guilty. I came to you, and we kissed. We are no longer in the friendship zone, but this happened before I broke up with Kristoff. He had no idea about us either. What do you think he’ll say once he finds out? He looked up at you.”
“Can I ask you a question?”
“Yeah.”
“Are you sure you want me?”
I smile as I dig my teeth into my lower lip. “I do.”
He gently traces his fingers across my lips, releasing them. “When did you realize you did?”
I giggle. “I told you it was when I met you in high school.” I even had a few wet dreams about him.
He smiles brightly, his eyes glimmering. “That’s right. We met first. Simply put, we got our timeline all screwed up. Would that make you feel any better?”
I return his smile. He’s right. I met him first, much as Kristoff first met Lora’s twin.
“Yes, it would.”
“Good. Let’s get you out of here before I try to make your provocation come true.” He moves in close, then crushes his lips against mine, giving me a deep, luscious kiss that convinces me I want more of him.