The Allure of Julian Lefray

  “With a splash of almond milk, please.”

  “Yes. Two cups of coffee, and could you bring some almond milk on the side? That will be all. Thank you.”

  He dropped the phone back onto the receiver and I stared down at my laptop as I typed in my password.

  Out of the corner of my eye I caught his bare feet and smiled. He’d styled his hair, shaved, and put on business attire, but apparently wearing shoes was asking too much.

  “I figured if I’m going to force you to work in a hotel room, the least I can do is feed you,” he said, grabbing his laptop from his desk and joining me in the suite’s living room. There were two small couches that faced each other and a modern armchair that looked about as comfortable as a rock. He picked the couch across from me and met my eye.

  “Will this do?” he asked, his tone a bit more vulnerable than I was used to.

  Sure the situation was unorthodox and I’d just seen my boss in nothing but a towel, but nothing with Julian seemed awkward or strained. Working across from him and joking about whether he employed any ladies of the night seemed like normal water cooler talk.

  I smiled up at him. “Perfect,” I said, looking to see if my laptop was finished booting up yet. It needed another few minutes.

  “Now tell me how your boys’ night went before you make me get to work.”

  He glanced up at me. “Oh! That reminds me.”

  I tilted my head and waited for him to continue.

  “I have an unusual request,” he said with a nervous smile.

  “Oh?” I asked, my interest already piqued.

  His stare met mine and he hesitated for a moment as if determining whether or not he wanted to continue.

  “How do you feel about ribbon cuttings?”

  Chapter Eleven

  Julian

  In truth, I already knew that my feelings for Josephine weren’t 100% platonic; the memory of her figure in that red gown from the gala had ensured that. She had curves and grace, such a classically beautiful face that over the last week, I found myself trying to memorize every detail. Despite all of that, she was also down to earth and humble, a contradiction that made me wonder if she knew her effect on men or if she’d somehow skated through life without yet realizing it.

  I told myself I noticed these details and thought about her beauty not because I wanted to sleep with her, but because she and I had become friends. Besides Lorena and Dean, Josephine was my only friend in New York. Plus, after only a week of working with her, I was fairly certain that out of everyone, I enjoyed her company most of all.

  She was smart and witty, different than the women I’d surrounded myself with in Boston. My life there was cold, a boring routine I’d tried to think of as something more. I hadn’t realized it at the time, but there was definitely an emptiness in my life there. Yes, I’d achieved quite a lot: I had an investment portfolio that guaranteed I didn’t need to work another day in my life, three cars, and a house in the most expensive part of the city, but then I thought of Josephine’s smile, and everything I’d built before just seemed…hollow.

  How?

  How could she have done that to me so quickly?

  “Jesus! It’s like the zombie apocalypse over there by the bar,” Josephine said from behind me as she rounded our cocktail table, balancing four drinks in her hands. I reached out to help her, but she had a delicate balance going.

  “I recommend nursing your drink for as long as possible. The chances of getting another one are slim to none.”

  After we’d arrived at Provisions, Josephine and I had decided to divide and conquer. I’d found the table Dean had promised us and she’d headed to the bar to grab our drinks.

  I eyed the tequila shots she set down beside our sangria.

  “Shots?” I asked with a smirk.

  Josephine smiled up at me and it felt like a punch to my gut. She was so fucking beautiful. Her dress was short and black, the straps barely there and the neckline verging on dangerous territory for me. When she’d climbed into the car earlier I’d fought the urge to maul her. Thankfully the driver had been there to keep the peace.

  “And sangria! I figured since you have some Spanish blood, you’d approve,” she said with a wink.

  I smiled. “My grandfather was from Spain.”

  Her eyes lit up. “So that’s where you get your whole ‘Latin lover’ look from. I was wondering,” she said, waving up and down my body. “You could totally be in a soap opera.”

  I laughed. “Thanks?”

  “That’s a good thing! Seriously, every girl likes that look.”

  I wondered if “every girl” included her. Instead of asking, I licked the patch of skin between my pointer finger and thumb and then sprinkled some salt over it. Josephine did the same, but before she could reach for her shot, I grabbed her hand and held it in front of my mouth.

  Her eyes widened as she stared up at me.

  “Is this how you Spaniards do it?” she asked, a slow smile peeling across her lips.

  I could feel her arm shaking against my hand and instead of answering, I bent forward and licked the salt off her skin. Her nostrils flared as she watched me and then a moment later she realized she was supposed to follow suit. She leaned forward and licked along the inside of my hand. She might as well have been giving me a blow job by the way my dick stirred in my pants. Her lips were just as soft as I’d imagined them to be and I had to resist the urge to pull her mouth to mine.

  I released her hand, we reached for our shots, and we downed them in one go. The lime slices followed and I laughed as Josephine’s features contorted from the burn of the alcohol.

  “Jesus, that was strong!” she said, reaching for her sangria. I watched her lips wrap around the brim of the glass just before hearing my name from across the bar.

  “Julian!” a voice called from behind me. “I’ve been looking all over for you man.”

  I glanced to my right to see Dean approach our cocktail table, eyeing Josephine with curiosity. There was another guy with him, a friend I didn’t recognize.

  “What’s up Dean? You just missed the tequila shot,” I said, holding up the empty shot glass.

  He smiled. “There will be plenty more, I’m sure,” he replied, letting his gaze fall on Josephine and then back to me with a question lingering in his stare.

  “You must be Julian’s new employee,” he said, stepping forward and extending a hand. “I’m Dean, and this is my friend, Lucas.”

  I nodded to the newcomer and then glanced back at Josephine. Her pale green eyes lit up and an unfamiliar shot of jealousy wound through me as their hands touched.

  “Dean as in Dean Harper?” she asked. “This is your restaurant?”

  Dean smiled, obviously pleased that a beautiful woman knew of him. I resisted the urge to burst his bubble. I explained who you were on the way over.

  “How do you like the place so far?” he asked, stepping another foot closer. My fist clenched under the table.

  “It’s amazing,” she said, waving her hand over her head. “The courtyard is beautiful.”

  Dean caught my eye and quirked his brow. I shrugged. We’d just communicated an essay’s worth of content in the matter of a second.

  “Let me show you around. There’s another courtyard up front that I bet you’ll love,” Dean said, extending his elbow for her to take. “Although—you’re not on the clock right now, are you?”

  My mouth opened, but no words came out. What was I going to do? Forbid her to go with him?

  She glanced over at me from beneath her lashes, a silent request lingering between us. My eyebrows rose as I took a sip of my drink. By all means, let Dean sweep you off your feet.

  They strolled away together and I resisted the urge to sneak a glance at her walking away in her little black dress. I already had the image burned into my memory anyway. Her waist was tiny and her curves were impossible to forget. Fuck.

  “So is that your friend?” Lucas asked, filling the spot where Jos
ephine had just been sitting. I didn’t really feel like explaining myself to a stranger, but it was better than sitting alone.

  I nodded and took another sip. Josephine had advised me to nurse the drink, but there was no way that was possible now.

  “She’s gorgeous,” he said, waiting for me to contradict him.

  I narrowed my eyes and stared at Lucas. “She’s my assistant.”

  He laughed and nodded. “Of course. Of course.”

  I ignored him and downed the rest of my drink.

  “Do you think you could put in a good word for me?” he asked with a crooked smile. “Y’know, if Dean doesn’t end up going for her?”

  I scooted my chair back from the table and ignored him. I’d rather wait for Josephine at the bar than deal with the rest of that conversation.

  I found Josephine and Dean over in the courtyard, talking beneath a canopy of trees. He was pointing out various features of the restaurant, waving his hand around to the trees and the fountains beneath them. She had a smile perched on her lips as she listened to him talk and for a while I kept my distance, watching them together. She’d tied her hair up at the base of her neck, revealing the slope of her back in her black dress. I couldn’t see them, but I’d learned earlier in the week that she had freckles sprinkled across both of her shoulders. They were faint, hardly there at all unless you looked closely. They’d be almost impossible to see in the dim light of the courtyard, but I knew I’d be able to find them if I got closer.

  I wasn’t sure where to compartmentalize that desire. It wasn’t as if I’d never worked with a beautiful woman before. I’d had plenty of experience with tempting women throughout college and my early years working in investment firms. So why was I leaning against the arch of the courtyard, studying Josephine from a distance instead of wandering through the party, looking for a beautiful woman to take home for the night?

  Josephine peered over her shoulder, scanning the crowd until her gaze fell on me. My gut clenched as her smile spread even wider.

  She waved me closer with her hand and I resisted at first. My body warned me to keep my distance from her. That yearning in my chest? The tight twist of my gut when she was focused on me?

  Those symptoms held all the makings of my demise if I wasn’t careful.

  Chapter Twelve

  What Jo Wore

  Post #1254: Apartment Reveal!

  Comments: 66 Likes: 789

  Hello you beautiful people! Many of you have asked for an apartment reveal ever since I moved to New York a few weeks ago. I’ve been mulling over whether or not I wanted to do one because well…I’ll be honest. My life in New York is not quite as glamorous as most of you probably believe. I don’t even let the takeout guy in.

  The rent here is insane (no really, I could sell all of my organs and still not come close to making next month’s rent), but I think it’s important for you all to see the honest side of my life. 98% of the time, I’m not standing in front of some adorable street mural wearing a cute outfit, posing for the camera.

  My life is filled with bugs, tiny closets, Ramen Noodle dinners, and wacko neighbors. So, in an effort to be transparent, I’ve uploaded a few photos of my apartment.

  Yes, the kitchen and bathroom and living room are essentially all combined, but as you can see, I’ve tried my best to decorate it as best as possible.

  Let me know what you think!

  Until tomorrow,

  XOJO

  …

  Josephine

  About once or twice a month, the voice inside my head convinces me that I need to get off my lazy bum and do some form of exercise. It turns out that Nike shorts and leggings were originally intended for cardio, not Ubering to the cupcake shop.

  It was during one of these half-assed attempts at working out that I stumbled upon a rental space that would be perfect for the new Lorena Lefray headquarters. I’d been walking along, trying to decide if I’d burned enough calories for a donut yet, when I saw it. The storefront had sidewalk access, and when I pressed my face to the glass, it looked like the space went on for miles. We’d have plenty of room to set up a clothing shop for Lorena’s designs in the front and then build out offices in the back for her team.

  I kept my face pressed to the glass as I dialed Julian’s number.

  “Hello?” a sleepy Julian murmured into the phone. I glanced down to read the time. Oops. It was 6:45 AM on a Sunday and we’d been up late the night before at Dean’s opening.

  “Oh god, sorry to wake you. I didn’t realize how early it is.”

  He groaned.

  “But, now you’re awake anyway. Get dressed and meet me at the address I’m about to text you.”

  He groaned again, louder this time, and then I heard something hitting wood.

  “6:45? Do you realize I only went to sleep four hours ago?”

  “Four hours ago?” I contested.

  We’d both stayed at Provisions until closing and then Julian had hailed a cab for me. I’d assumed he had headed back to his hotel after that, but apparently he hadn’t called it a night when I had.

  “What exactly did you do after I left in the cab? It was already really late.”

  Oh god.

  I knew the answer to that question. Dumb, dumb, dumb. There was definitely a girl lying next to him in bed, probably sliding down his body at this very moment. Oh, gross.

  “Wait. Don’t answer that. That’s a breach of privacy. Just wake the girl up, get her some coffee, and get your butt down here. I found a good property I want you to look at.”

  I heard him shuffling around his hotel room through the phone. Cabinets opened and closed and then I heard the distant sound of his bathroom sink.

  “There’s no girl. Dean wanted to go to this diner for some food after you left.”

  I scrunched my brows. “But we ate at Provisions. You had a giant burger and then wolfed down half of my fries too.”

  “Yeah, but Dean and I were both hungry again by the time the restaurant closed. Don’t you have guy friends? You should know that we require constant feeding.”

  I mulled over the question. I had Lily, and sometimes she had a mouth like a sailor. That was pretty much it.

  “Nope. Just you,” I answered.

  Silence hung between us for a beat too long and I wondered if maybe I’d done something wrong by calling him my friend. Weren’t we friends? Or did he only see me as his employee? I mean he’d licked salt off my hand the night before. Clearly, we weren’t just acquaintances.

  “Just give me a second to shower and then I’ll meet you at there.”

  “Okay.” I smiled.

  “You owe me breakfast though,” he added with a grumpy tone.

  I laughed. “Fine.”

  I hung up, texted him the address, and then realized I was standing there, smiling down at my phone. Weirdo.

  It wouldn’t take him long to get to the building, but I still had some time to kill before he arrived. I wandered around the block in search of a street vendor serving hot pretzels, but the area was all but deserted. People were sleeping in and enjoying their Sunday morning. Meanwhile, I was walking around with a grumbling stomach and a yearning for warm dough.

  I looped back around to the building and plopped down on the sidewalk, using the brick wall as a back support.

  The city was quiet, leaving me far too much freedom with my thoughts. Usually I loved sleeping in on the weekends, but I’d woken up early with excitement settled in the pit of my stomach. Thoughts of Julian had lingered in the back of my mind as I’d fought to fall back asleep. I’d enjoyed hanging out with him and his friends the night before. I had no clue what Dean thought of me, but I thought he was really nice, and freaking gorgeous. He and Julian made quite the pair. Dean was a bit intimidating, with his own set of striking features to contend with. His dirty blond hair was cropped short, framing his sharp features and dark brown eyes. He was successful and driven. He’d given me a tour of his restaurant and I’d hung on to every wor
d.

  I wondered if Dean and Julian were best friends because they were both excruciatingly good-looking or if it was just a happy coincidence.

  Speaking of best friends… I stared down at my cell phone and pulled up my text conversation with Lily.

  Josephine: Are you awake?

  I hadn’t talked to her in two days and I knew she was probably going stir crazy back in Texas. Or maybe I was the one going stir crazy without her?

  Josephine: Wake up. Wake up.

  She wasn’t texting me back, the whore. Then, finally, my phone buzzed in my hand.

  Lily: Are you kidding me?! Are. You. Kidding. Me? You’re an hour ahead of me and it’s ungodly early, even for NYC!!

  Josephine: Lil, I was just watching the sunrise over the Hudson and it reminded me of how beautiful you are.

  Lily: Enough with your false flattery, Slutilda. If you keep texting me, I will straight up kill you. LET ME SLEEP.

  Josephine: Last night was fun.

  Lily: Last night? It still IS night. Don’t care. Don’t care. ZZZZZzzzzzzz…

  I rolled my eyes.

  Lily: Fine… Did you bang your boss or are you guys still pretending to be friends?

  I narrowed my eyes at her text message. I hadn’t told her much about Julian. I mean, I’d had her google him so she knew what I was forced to sit across from every day, but I hadn’t told her that I had an itty bitty crush on him. Really, it was just a silly schoolgirl thing. I had no intentions of acting on it.

  Josephine: There’s no pretending. We ARE friends.

  Lily: All right, then I’m going back to sleep.

  “Waking the whole city up?” a voice asked from the corner of the street. “Y’know some people actually enjoy sleeping in.”

  I glanced up to find Julian strolling toward me with two cups of coffee, one clutched in each hand. Friends. Yup, just friends all right. He was dressed down in Nikes, workout shorts, and an old college t-shirt. I smiled at the sight; I’d won the bet with myself (the one where I’d put a million dollars on the fact that Julian would look sexy in anything).