I woke up disoriented, aching, and exhausted.
Why was I so tired?
I tried to lift my head, but a gentle hand on my shoulder stopped me.
“What is it, baby? What do you need?”
I knew that voice.
I frowned in the dim light.
Why was Julian in my room?
There was a low chuckle. “I’m not in your room, Tally. You’re in mine.”
I tried to focus on the walls. I recognized the pictures from the other morning when I sat up all night making sure Julian was okay. Now, I was the one lying in his bed, my head on his lap. I felt his light touch running through my hair, gentle and even. I cleared my throat.
“I’m thirsty,” I rasped out.
“Okay.” He slid his hand under me, helping me to sit up. For a moment, the room spun, then it righted itself and Julian came into view. His beard was thicker, and he was bare-chested. His eyes were dark with worry, his brow furrowed as he studied me. He held a glass to my lips, and I sipped at the cold water gratefully.
“I need, ah, I need…” I trailed off and indicated the door to the washroom. Julian stood, holding out his hands, and he helped me from the bed. I swayed a little, then everything fell into place, and I shuffled to the washroom, Julian close behind me.
At the door, I paused, still confused and not sure what had happened.
“I’ve got it from here,” I rasped.
He lifted his eyebrows. “I’ll wait right here, then.”
“I need some privacy.”
“When you can walk on your own, know where you are, and can recite the alphabet backward, you get your privacy. Until then, I’m standing right here.”
I blinked, unsure how to respond. He indicated the door. “I’ll close it, but I’m not leaving. You are too unsteady.”
He was right, so I gave in and went inside. As I passed the vanity, I looked at my reflection, stopping in horror. There were bruises on my neck—distinct fingerprints. When I pulled up the sleeves of the T-shirt I was wearing, seeing more bruises, a sob burst from my throat, and in an instant, the door flung open and Julian strode in. He saw me, his expression immediately softening. He stood behind me, wrapping his hands around my waist and pulling me close to his chest, his warmth and nearness welcome.
“They’ll fade, Tally,” he assured me, not offering mindless platitudes or telling me it was okay. “And he won’t get near you again. No one will hurt you again.”
“My head hurts,” I whispered.
“I’m not surprised. You hit that brick wall really hard. But it will ease as well. Tomorrow will be better.”
I hung my head, unsure how to respond.
“I’ll be outside. Call me when you’re finished.”
I nodded.
When he left, I looked up again, noting my bloodshot eyes and the scratches on my hands. I used the toilet, washed my face and hands, and brushed my teeth with a fresh toothbrush I assumed Julian had left for me. I ran my fingers through my hair, the jumbled mass of curls too much to try to fix, and I headed for the door. Julian was there, and I walked past him, then stopped, unsure where to go.
He strode to the bed and lifted the light blanket. “Back to sleep.”
“I should go home and rest and stop taking up your time.”
He lifted one eyebrow, waiting.
“I can’t stay here.”
He tugged on my hand, his touch gentle. “You can and you are.”
I sat on the edge of the bed, and he sighed. Then he sat on the chair next to it and handed me some pills and more water.
“I’ll rub more cream into your bruises, and you can go back to sleep.”
“You kept waking me all night.”
“Yes. Sofia wanted to make sure there were no hidden problems with your concussion. You can sleep now, and I won’t bother you.”
“What about you? You must be tired.”
He smiled, running a finger over my cheek, tucking a curl behind my ear. “I’ll nap on the sofa.”
“No. You take the bed, and I’ll go to the sofa.”
He scrubbed his face. “Are you always this stubborn?”
“Yes.”
“I’m not leaving you alone. You rest better when I’m close.”
“Then stay here with me.”
He didn’t say anything. Not while he rubbed cream into my skin, his touch gentle. Not while he watched me take the pills, his gaze intense. Not a word passed his lips as he lifted the covers and let me slide in, then lay beside me once he made sure I was comfortable.
When I shifted, he lifted his arm, letting me rest my head on his chest, his heartbeat a soothing rhythm under my ear. He wrapped his other arm around me, a low sigh leaving his mouth.
“Sleep, Tally. I’m right here. I’ve got you.”
And I did what he asked.
Julian was gone when I woke up. I could tell he hadn’t been awake long since the space beside me still held his heat. I slowly sat up, testing my body. I hurt, but it wasn’t as bad as it had been. My head was clearer, although the pain in the back was still there. I used the washroom, ignoring my reflection as I brushed my teeth, then headed toward the living room. Julian was on the sofa, a cup of coffee in hand, staring out the window. He was still bare-chested, his sweats riding low on his hips as he stood.
“Hey,” he greeted me. “How are you feeling?”
I cleared my throat. “Ah, yeah, a little better, I think.” I ran a hand over my messy head, grimacing when my fingers touched the back. “What time is it?”
“Around three.”
“Wow.” I looked around. “Can you tell me where my clothes are?”
“In the laundry. You can have another shower if you want. I’ll give you a fresh shirt to wear.”
“I don’t think I can walk home in just a shirt.”
He frowned. “Who said you were going home?”
I swallowed. “Obviously, I have to go home, Julian. I haven’t done any errands or shopping. I need to get ready for work tomorrow…” At the incredulous look on his face, I stopped talking.
“What?”
He set down his coffee and walked over to me. He stood close. Closer than he’d ever been. He lifted his hand, running his fingers through my curls. “The only place you’re going, Tally, is back to my bed. You can shower, have something to eat, and get more rest. You need it to heal.”
“I’ll do that once I’m home.”
“You aren’t leaving.”
“I can’t go to work in your shirt either, Julian.”
“Well, I would be fine with it, but I can understand your reticence,” he teased.
I frowned. “I’m serious.”
“So am I. You’re staying here. You’re not going to work tomorrow—in fact, I’ve closed the office for the day.”
“But—”
He cut me off. “Do you really think after what you went through last night I’m going to let you out of my sight? Jesus, Tally, the sight of you…of that asshole hurting you?” He ran a hand through his hair. “It fucking killed me that he touched you. That he hurt you.”
“You stopped him,” I whispered.
“I got the most horrible feeling in my chest while I was sitting at the bar. Like you needed me and I had to find you,” he confessed.
“I kept thinking about you. Begging you in my mind to come find me,” I told him.
With a groan, he pressed his forehead to mine. “I felt your panic. I wish I’d come sooner.”
“You saved me.”
He pulled back, cupping my face. His eyes were a maelstrom of emotion. “I can’t stand to see you in pain, baby. It rips my guts out knowing if I had been five minutes later—”
It was my turn to cut him off. “But you weren’t. You got there.”
He groaned low in his throat, resting his forehead to mine once again. “I want to be the one who is always there, Tally.”
His words were spoken in a low, rough voice, as if they hurt him to admit. As if they had been torn from somewhere deep inside and he had no idea how to cope with them being spoken.
“Julian,” I whispered. “What are you saying?”
“I feel something for you,” he admitted. “I have from the moment you stepped into my office. I keep fighting it.”
“Because I work for you?”
“That, plus, I’m older. And other things.”
“So, we don’t have a chance?”
He straightened, his eyes meeting mine. “You want a chance? Is that what you’re telling me?”
“I feel something for you too.”
Our eyes locked, the strong draw I had to him pulling at me. His hands were still on my face, his fingers moving restlessly on my skin.
“There are a lot of reasons I should walk away,” he muttered.
“Are there any not to?”
His mouth covered mine.
“Yes.”
JULIAN
Her mouth. Her sweet, I-want-to-see-her-smile mouth was perfect underneath mine. Soft, responsive, giving. I wrapped her close in my arms, careful not to press on her bruises. She melded to me, her pliant body fitting against me as if made to go there. I stroked along her tongue, the taste of mint and the sweetness that was Tally igniting all my senses. She whimpered and shivered, both in pleasure, sliding her arms around my waist and holding me tight.
I couldn’t resist her any longer. The idea of her leaving today was unacceptable. The thought that I might have lost her before she even knew how I was feeling made me desperate. I couldn’t risk her going. I needed her here where I could watch over her. No one could protect her the way I could, and right now, she was too vulnerable on her own.
I pulled back, dropping kisses to her cheeks, nose, and forehead, then taking her mouth again. I only meant to keep the kiss brief, but as soon as our lips touched, all bets were off. I slanted my mouth over hers, pulling her higher up my chest, deepening the kiss. She stroked the skin on my back in gentle passes. I grunted in approval, slipping my hand into her hair, feeling the tangle of curls, silky and rich, as I wrapped my hand around them. Time lost meaning as we drowned in the sensations and taste of each other.
One moment, we were standing. The next, I had her sitting on the counter, me between her splayed legs, as I tongue-fucked her mouth. The warmth of her center surrounded my cock, even with the layers of material separating us. She was a temptation I could no longer resist. There was no other word for her. Hotter, wetter, deeper—our kisses continued. Her injuries faded away, my worries evaporated, and nothing else mattered but this intense connection.
Until I tugged on her hair, and she stiffened. Realizing what I had done, I broke away, my breathing fast.
“Tally,” I whispered. “Baby, I’m sorry. I got carried away. I forgot about your head.”
She met my gaze, her blue eyes wide. The dull sheen of pain was gone, replaced by the brightness of passion. Her lips were swollen from mine, her cheeks flushed. Her harsh breathing matched mine.
I touched her cheek. “Are you all right?”
She smiled. Real. Wide. Lovely.
“Other than the fact that you stopped, yes.”
“I hurt you.”
“It’s fine now.” She leaned closer, pressing her hands into my back, inviting me to meet her halfway. “Where were we?”
It wasn’t an invitation I wanted to resist.
So, I didn’t.
Later, we were on the sofa, cups of coffee in our hands. She sat with her back against the armrest, her legs draped over my lap. I studied her, noting her occasional grimace, but other than that, she seemed all right.
“Stop looking at me as if I’m an experiment.”
I chuckled. “Hardly that. I was a little, ah, handsy. I’m just making sure you’re okay.”
“I like your sort of handsy. It was last night’s kind I object to.”
There was something in her voice, a trace of bitterness that caught my ears.
“You’ve been subjected to that before?” I asked, keeping my voice steady.
She didn’t say anything for a moment, then nodded.
“Can you tell me?”
“Not now.”
She’d been through a lot, so I tamped down my curiosity.
“All right.”
“It’s pretty personal.”
“So was my tongue down your throat, but we managed that well.”
A smile tugged on her lips, and she huffed a laugh.
“I suppose we did.” She took a sip of coffee before asking the question that had hung in the air since I’d pulled away from her.
“What’s happening here, Julian?”
I paused before I answered. She had every right to ask that question. I only wished I knew the answer.
“I don’t know.”
“Bullshit.”
I blinked at her vehemence.
“I’m sorry?”
“I hate being lied to. More than anything. Don’t tell me you don’t know what’s going on here. You kissed me. You must have some vague notion of an idea in that sexy head of yours.”
“Vague, yes,” I agreed.
“Then say it.”
I slapped my hands on my knees. She wanted honesty? She was going to get it.
“I’m your boss, older than you, not looking for a relationship, yet I can’t stop thinking about you. Wanting you. And after last night, needing to protect you. I shouldn’t have hired you because I was attracted to you the second you burst in the door, all flushed and pretty. I went against my own instincts and did it anyway. I was basically fucked then and even more so now because I can’t seem to stay away from you. All I think about is having you. When you’re close, I feel this odd sense of…peace. You calm me, and I’m selfish enough to want more of it. More of you.” I drew in some much-needed oxygen. “I don’t understand it, but that’s it in a nutshell.”
She blinked. Looked away, then back at me. “You think I’m pretty?”
It was my turn to blink. “That’s all you got out of that?”
“No. I got it all, just clarifying.”
“Yes, I think you’re beautiful. Sexy. Adorable when you’re rearranging your desk or taping my Post-it notes into place. All of it.”
“Hmm. Was that so hard to admit?”
I started to laugh. This woman was crazy. Yet, as with everything else about her, I liked it. I leaned forward and kissed her nose. “Surprisingly, no.”
“So, you think this is a relationship?”
I rubbed a hand through my hair. “I don’t generally go around kissing women who work for me, so yes, I believe it’s something.”
“What about women you rescue?” she asked quietly.
I thought about the countless women Hidden Justice had helped. Would continue to help long after I was gone. Tally didn’t know about them, though. She couldn’t. It was too dangerous. She was just teasing me. I knew she was talking about herself.
“You are the single check mark in both those categories,” I said.
“Ah,” was all she replied.
“I work a lot. I get called to events, meetings, even out of town. I’m used to living alone, only thinking about myself—not answering to anyone. I’m not sure what sort of partner I would be. Relationships and I aren’t exactly friends.”
“Wow, you make it sound so fun. Irresistible, even.”
I chuckled. “Just laying it on the line.” I shifted closer. “But I’d like to try with you, Tally. I’m breaking every rule. Every single one of them, but I don’t care. If you feel the same attraction I do, then tell me, and we’ll figure it out.”
“I don’t kiss men who are my boss either. In fact, I can’t recall the last time I kissed anyone.”
“So, you’re interested?”
She slid her hand into mine. “Yes, I am. I think you’re incredible. Smart, caring, sexy. And how you looked after me last night?” She smiled again. “I can’t thank you enough for saving me. Taking care of me. You made me feel as if I mattered.”
“You do matter. You matter to me.” I paused. “And you have to stay here—at least for a while. I need to look after you.”
“Does that include kisses?”
I touched her cheek. “Yes.”
“You sleeping with me, holding me?”
I shifted closer. “Yes.”
“Ordering pizza from that guy? The good stuff?”
I laughed. I would order anything if she kept smiling and would eat. “Yes.”
“Well then, you get your wish.”
I kissed her, just because I could, then stood. “Pizza coming up.”
After she nibbled on some pizza, she looked tired, and I insisted she lie down. She fell asleep quickly, and I did a little work, concentrating on some budget stuff I had been ignoring. I hated that part of the job, but it had to be done. An odd sound met my ears, and I swung myself in the direction of the noise. I hurried to the bedroom, not surprised to find Tally in the throes of a nightmare. I climbed in beside her, gently pulling her back to me and hushing her.
“Shh, baby, it’s okay. I’m right here. You’re safe. So safe with me.”
She relaxed and seemed to drift back into sleep. I knew I should get up. Go work. Leave her alone. But I liked how she felt in my arms. The way she relaxed and curled her figure to align with mine. I stayed where I was, offering the warmth and protection of my body, not really wanting to move away, even though I knew I should. I relaxed, the sound of her breathing soothing. I hadn’t slept much either last night, and I was tired.
I would just rest for a few moments.
I woke to the shadows of the evening. Tally’s back was pressed against my chest, my arms around her. One of my hands was holding her breast, the nipple a taut peak in my palm. My face was buried in her neck, the skin soft under my mouth. My other hand was splayed on her stomach, two fingers pushed under her waistband. My cock was hard. Aching. Pressed against her. She had one leg bent, accommodating me. She whimpered, lifting her hand and grabbing the back of my neck. How we ended up tangled this way, I had no idea. I groaned at the feel of her, even though I knew I had to stop—no matter how good it felt.
“Tally, baby…”
She moaned low in her throat as my fingers flexed, teasing her nipple.
“Julian,” she whispered.
“We have to stop. I can’t. You’re hurt. We can’t—” The rest of my words were cut off with another groan as she undulated against me.
“Please,” she whispered. “Make it go away. Make me feel good, Julian.”
Of its own accord, my hand slid into the boxers she was wearing, finding her heat, the slickness warm and welcoming on my fingers. Imagining how it would feel on my cock made me curse. She lifted her leg higher, opening herself wider for my hand. I stroked and teased, touching and learning. I licked and kissed at her neck, tugged on her earlobe, my body a tight coil of desire.
“Please,” she repeated. “Make me yours.”
I gave in. The loose boxers slid off her in a second. I yanked down my sweats, barely breaking contact with her.
“Condom,” I murmured.
“On birth control. Clean,” she replied.
I slid my cock through her wetness. Groaned at the heat. Hitched her leg higher and notched myself at her entrance, ever aware of her injuries. Inch by glorious inch, I sank into her, slowly and carefully, until I was fully engulfed. Surrounded by her. She cried out as I slid my hand to her clit, stroking it lightly. I was desperate to move, frantic to thrust, to claim, but I knew I had to be gentle. I held her against me, rocking into her, pumping in and out in a slow, deep, steady rhythm, intent only on giving her pleasure. She whimpered and gasped my name. Clutched my hand that played with her breast. Pushed back against me. She turned her head, and we shared sloppy, uncontrolled kisses as I began to move and rock faster. She was tight and wet, her muscles clutching and pulsating. I touched her clit with more pressure. Buried my face in her neck as my orgasm began to build. Higher. Hotter. Faster. I wrapped my arm around her tighter, holding her close, and gave in to the sensation. Burning, twisting, rolling through my body like a wildfire out of control. She cried out, tightening around me, sending me into another spiral of ecstasy. We moved together until we were spent. Sated. Our bodies pressed together as if one, our breathing matching with long exhales. I kissed her neck.
“Okay, baby? Did I hurt you?”
“The opposite,” she replied. “That was incredible.”
“I didn’t plan—”
She cut me off. “I know. Now stop ruining the moment and just hold me.”
I nipped on her lobe playfully. “I’m still inside you.”
“And what are you going to do about that?”
I laughed. “Another challenge, Ms. Wells?”
“You up to it?”
I nudged her. “What do you think?”
She wiggled her ass against me. “I guess we’ll find out.”
I pressed her flush to me. “Yes. Yes, you will.”