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Grayson: Anything can be a date if you kiss at the end.
I stare at my screen, contemplating blocking my twin.
MJ: I don’t think that’s true…
Grayson: What sad dating lives y’all must have.
Maverick: I’m worried on behalf of all the women you date if your only requirement is that you kiss at the end.
Grayson: You don’t have to worry. The women I date are always happy ;)
I’m about to respond when I hear Juliette cooing to Murphy outside. My stomach twists. Why did I agree to this? I run a hand through my hair again. There’s no lying to myself about my attraction to her, but I know that I’m not ready for a relationship. Juliette deserves lifelong commitment, someone to protect her and cherish her. I haven’t had what could be classified as a serious relationship in years. Not to mention the fact that she’s keeping secrets, I’m sure of it. I made myself a promise when I left the agency that I wouldn’t trust as easily as I did before. The bitter taste of betrayal still lingers in the back of my throat.
Adrian: There haven’t been and won’t be any dates. No more talk about my dating life.
I silence the group chat and tuck my phone into my pocket as a knock sounds at the door. I need to get it together. Juliette is too observant for her own good and the last thing I need is for her to notice something she shouldn’t.
I open my door and all of the air is sucked out of my body–along with any common sense. Juliette isstunning. Desire smothers the logical part of my brain with alarming ease. A dress made of burgundy crushed velvet clings to her body, fanning out from the waist and stopping at a spot that my eyes keep returning to. Her legs are lengthened by the heeled boots she’s wearing and covered by sheer black tights that still reveal the creamy skin beneath.
“Adrian?” My name draws my attention to the lips that said it, the ones wet with some kind of gloss and stained a color that reminds me of mulled wine. Would they taste the way they look? Heat flares in my chest and climbs up my neck. I have to clear my throat twice before I manage to form words.
“You’re early,” I rasp out, trying to save my delay. “I wasn’t expecting you yet.”
She looks at me like she doesn’t quite believe me, one of her brows raising slightly over her expressive jade eyes.
“I’m a little antsy,” she explains with a nervous laugh.
“That’s understandable.” I pause, finally noticing the bag she’s carrying and Murphy by her side. “Come in, you can get him settled and then be on your way.”
She brushes past me, the scent of cinnamon and vanilla following her, tempting me further.
“He’s pretty low maintenance,” she says, setting the tote bag on my kitchen counter.
She moves around with a familiarity that feels too intimate. It reminds me of her last night, her in her oversized sweatshirt, snuggling on my couch and running her fingertips over my arm. The playful glint in her eyes after the raw vulnerability she shared just moments before almost broke me. I was tempted to draw her into my lap and kiss her until she forgot about any ridiculous singles’ event.
“His food is in this bag, he’ll need to have dinner in an hour or so. His collar and leash are in there too if you want to take him on a walk. Otherwise, you can just let him walk around my backyard area. He shouldn’t run off, he’s well-behaved.”
I nod, pretending that I haven’t been imagining kissing her.
“Do you want to exchange numbers?” I ask. “In case there’s an emergency for either of us.”
“Sure, that would be great,” she says with a smile and pulls out her phone.
She rattles off her phone number and for a reason I can’t–or maybe don’t want to–name, I enter her into my phone asJules. I send her a text in response so she has my number. I think she’s the only woman I’m not related to in my contact list.
“I should probably get going. I don’t know what the parking is going to be like in the city.”
A faint smile stretches my lips when she calls Atlantathe city. I haven’t started calling it that yet, but it’s entirely too adorable when she does. I force my face into something more neutral. I shouldn’t be thinking of her as adorable or beautiful oranything.
“Okay, text me when you get there so I know you’re safe.” The words come out without thinking. I’d tell MJ the same thing, even my brothers if I thought they were going somewhere potentially unsafe.
Juliette gives me a warm smile. “Thanks for all this, Sunshine. I’ll text you.”
She tells Murphy bye as if he were a person and not a dog, then heads for the door.
“Have fun,” I say to her back, then cringe.What is wrong with me?Something about this whole situation has me floundering.
“Thanks, I hope I do,” she says, laughter hiding in her tone. Quiet settles over the cottage once she’s gone.
