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"And why do you think that?"
"I couldn't fake the..." She clears her throat, her voice a mere whisper. "The attraction."
I nearly laugh. "Really? But you're so responsive to me."
Her jaw drops slightly, but before she can conjure up some lie, I cup her jaw with one hand, my fingers threading through the hair on her nape. And then she's like putty. Shoulders drooping, thighs parting, I turn her head to face me, angling upwards, not a hint of protest on her tempting lips.
Juliana stares up at me, pupils blown wide, as they flicker from my left and right and to and from my mouth. When her tongue sweeps across her bottom lip, I draw near. She hesitates for a moment, but with one brush of my thumb across her jaw, those eyelids flutter shut.
And she's all mine.
Closer... and closer... until my lips graze hers, ever-so lightly, like the stroke of a feather. I breathe in her scent, an alluring aroma of roses and cherry, as her breath thunders against my mouth, minty, erratic, and needy, before I—
I pull away.
For several heartbeats, she sits there, frozen in anticipation, eyes closed and lips parted softly. But when she finally does look, her eyebrows pinch. She blinks, as a wave of embarrassment turns her cheeks beat red. Snatching her legs together, she shimmies her dress back to the appropriate length, her head downcast as she fumbles for her words.
With a dark chuckle, I come up behind her, close to her ear once again, freezing her all the same.
"Why don't you think on it?"
SEVEN
JULIANA
I did think on it.
Every hour. Minute. Second. Every waking moment, for the past two days. His fingers grazing against my shoulder. His touch down my back, on my jaw, applying pressure at the nape of my neck. The way he tilted my chin upwards, his gaze consuming mine. And the kiss we almost—
Almost nothing! a voice roars in my conscious. That was all an act. Testing the waters of this hypothetical scenario, it reminds me, for perhaps the fifteenth time. Hayden Kingston doesn't have that kind of power over you.
Right... That's right. For the past forty-eight hours, I didn't think about that... little rehearsal Hayden and I had. But of the lengths I'm willing to go to further my career. Even right now, as I grind a batch of coffee beans for the lady in red's latte, I can't shake the thoughts of my brother's best friend's fake dating proposition. Although, I already made up my mind last night. A decision I know I'll regret.
Slipping into autopilot, I pour the grounds into the portafilter, before securing the metallic handle into the espresso machine. With one press of a button, it whirrs to life, the familiar sound usually fading into the background. But now, the grinder is somehow jarring, disturbing my brain like a shaken beehive, buzzing conspiracies around in my headspace.
Maybe this really is an elaborate prank, one he's ultra committed to. Being a billionaire's son, I'm sure he's got time to kill. All his friends must be in on it, too. They've probably been laughing their asses off since the moment I texted him last night, agreeing to such madness. Which would explain why he didn't text me for two straight days. He doesn't actually need this; his father's not really threatening his trust fund...
The machine quiets, and a green light flashes with a beep. I snatch the paper cup now filled with espresso, labeled Heather, then pour steamed milk from a pitcher. My wrist sways from side to side with precision before bringing a line up the middle, forming a perfect, frothy tulip.
Maybe I just imagined it all.
I swipe a towel around the rim, cleaning up spillage.
Maybe I didn't really go on a date with Hayden.
Armed with a flawless latte, I make for the pickup counter...
Yes. The whole thing was a fever dream. I didn't really—
My toe catches on something hard. I gasp as my world tumbles down, down, down. "Oof!" I smack against the ground, and brown liquid darts across the checkered tile.
Before I can register what happened, Mei's glittery sneakers stop a hair's breadth from my nose. "Shit, are you okay?"
"Yeah," I croak out. "I'm fine." Rising to my hands and knees, I discover a brown pool dripping down my front. Luckily, my apron took the brunt of it, or I would've been seriously burned.
An annoyed sigh sounds from over the counter. "Oh, that's just great." Fully aware of who I'll see, I lift my head to a pair of arms looming over the counter, folded across a studious red blazer.
Once Mei helps me to my feet, I note the crowd of customers gathered behind the woman. Humiliation scorches my cheeks as Heather taps her heel, eyeing Mei. "Is she new or something? I have a meeting in fifteen minutes."
