Chapter 11 #2
“My desire for you is slowly making the hatred go away, and it’s scaring me how much I want you.
Whenever I see you, I want to tear your clothes off, and I feel like I can barely breathe when you smile at me.
” Julian draws a sharp breath, and I step closer.
“It’s scaring me how all the things I used to hate about you are becoming the things I like.
I want you, Julian. So much that it hurts, and that fucking scares me. ”
I let the air caged in my lungs free as I open my eyes, and Julian’s—so wide now that it’s almost comical—reveal shock. That and the quiet hopefulness that makes me its prisoner.
“I get scared too, Aiden,” he whispers, somehow admitting this truth as easily as the rest. “This whole thing is scary. Especially with the way I’m starting to feel about you.”
My body sways towards him, wanting so much. “And how do you feel about me?”
Julian rolls his eyes, but his smile still grows for me. “I think the fact that I wanted to kiss you says enough.”
“Wanted?” I ask, before I can think better of it.
“Want,” he corrects boldly while his hands slip from mine to settle on my waist. “I want to kiss you. I want to do a lot of things, and it’s all terrifying because I want to do them with you.
But that doesn’t change the fact that I want them.
” His voice steadies with enough courage for both of us.
“I’m sorry if I pushed you too far. If you’re not ready—”
“I’m ready,” I dismiss before he dares to finish.
Julian’s cheeks heat a little as he nods. “Then the next time you feel scared or nervous, remember I’m in the same boat,” he says with a pointed look. “We’re in this together, which means we can talk about it.”
In this together. I can’t remember the last time I was in anything with anyone.
And talk? The only person I really talked to about anything serious was Emitt, and even then, I was careful.
I didn’t think Julian was any better with his friends, but he made being open with each other sound so easy and nice.
“I’ll try,” I say, and I mean it. “I can try.”
“I can work with that,” he agrees, leaning in as my thumb brushes his jaw.
“But for us to talk about it, you can’t run off like Cinderella.”
Julian groans, trying to step back, but I crowd his space. “Or at least leave a shoe behind when you do. That’s a fair ask.”
“Goddess, I hate you,” he swears, despite his blooming smile. His attention burns me in the best way. “I can’t believe I’m starting to like an idiot like you.”
I open my mouth, a retort at the ready, but Julian wraps a hand around my neck and pulls me in before I can say a word.
The world comes to a stop, then becomes nothing at all, as Julian’s lips press against mine. It’s like something goes off inside of me, like I’m struck by lightning, because as he kisses me, electricity races straight into my heart.
My eyes fall shut and Julian surges closer, sliding his fingers into my hair and those soft lips across mine, already claiming me like I’d been aching to claim him.
It’s enough to break my restraint. I grab his waist, kissing him back with all the need I’ve kept locked inside, except I don’t bother holding back.
Julian moans for me and my knees nearly buckle.
Our lips move in sync, briefly learning, just slightly tentative, before moulding together as if we’ve done this before, as if he’s been living in the same dreams as me.
I slide my tongue over the seam of his lips, and Julian lets a pleasured hum escape before one of his hands falls to tug me in by my hips.
He brazenly grinds me against him, and I get lost in the pleasure of the friction and Julian being the one to give it to me.
I shudder and groan before I sink my teeth into his bottom lip, demanding entrance to the mouth that was quickly becoming my undoing.
Julian gives it, letting me deepen the kiss that’s already turning my brain to mush. Our tongues clash, greedy, fighting for dominance until we’re both groaning. I just need him to stop trying to control this when we both know how he likes it.
“Julian,” I growl against his lips, my canines nipping the tender flesh as we break for air.
“Aiden,” he returns, pheromones spiking with mine.
Neither willing to submit, the kiss turns rough. Nips turn into bites, hands become bruising, but we don’t stop. We pull at each other, each of us determined to have control of the other.
I growl, but Julian just returns it as his tongue slides over mine. I press against him, barely standing with how good it feels, but I want him as mine more. Only, Julian offers no sign of giving in, not until I slide my hands down to his firm ass and squeeze.
Julian moans loudly into my mouth as he presses onto his toes. His entire body trembles in my arms before he melts into me. I take control, dominating the kiss and every inch of him. My hands stay glued to his ass, kneading as I rock him against me, basking in every little sound he makes for me.
He’s fucking perfect, and I want to swallow him whole. But since I can’t, I take him in pieces. Licking, kissing, biting, and making him entirely mine.
I only tear away when I have to, when the lack of air forces me to.
“Goddess,” he rasps, chest heaving against mine.
“My, my,” I tease. “Did you just call her name in vain, Julian?”
I earn a half-chuckle before he slumps against me, nuzzling me lazily.
I open my eyes and smile proudly when I see what I’d done to my mate. Julian’s flushed, more than I’ve ever seen him, and as he looks at me, a small smile creeps onto his face and his cheeks heat, turning him perfectly pink.
“You have to stop doing that,” I groan as my lips find his jaw. I kiss him softly before making my way down his neck.
“Doing what?” he mumbles, his fingers tightening in my hair when I suck at the spot where I already know I’ll eventually leave my mark.
“Being so damn adorable.”
Julian glares at me, but with those swollen lips it’s more of a pout, so all I see is an invitation for another kiss. I lean in, but he drags me back by my hair.
“I am not adorable,” he hisses, disgust dripping off the word. It’s cute.
I smile, nodding placatingly before I give his ass another firm squeeze. He moans, his expression crumbling as he drops his head back against mine.
“Yeah, not adorable,” I agree. I pass my nose over him only to scowl when his scent evades me. “Let’s go home. You need to bathe.”
He jerks upright so quickly he almost cracks my chin. “What the hell does that mean?”
“It means that you masked your scent, and it’s driving me crazy,” I say as I step back but take his hand so we’re not apart. “We need to get whatever you masked yourself with off, now.”
“Oh,” he says, letting me drag him forward until we’re side by side. “Okay.”
I smile at the joy in his eyes before I tug him in, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. He leans into the touch like he’s starved for it, making himself comfortable before he snakes his arm around my waist in return.
“I’m warning you now, Jewels. You’ve just opened up a door you’re going to wish stayed shut.”
Julian grins my way, his eyes glowing. “I regret nothing.”