Chapter 13

I pause by the living room couch while Julia keeps walking. It takes her a little while to notice I'm no longer behind her, but when she does, she stops and turns around. As she's walking back towards me, her fingers glide along the table I built with my bare hands, like she"s appreciating something unique to only me.

A "damn" escapes me as I drink her in. She"s stunning, standing there, an unexpected visitor that's made me rethink what being alone looks like.

Our gazes lock, and the world tilts. It"s just us, two almost strangers holding a silent conversation.

"Ry?" she whispers.

"Jules." With only a few long strides, I close the distance between us but hold back from pulling her to me yet.

"Your table," she starts, still caressing the surface. "It"s beautiful."

"Built it with you in mind," I confess, my voice low, hoping the words don"t scare her off.

"Me?" Surprise flickers in her eyes, pulling a smile from my lips.

"Every curve, every finish." I step closer, our bodies almost touching. "I thought of you. I thought of you when I didn't even know you. I thought of a woman that I'd like to share a meal with sitting at this very table, the one who I'd like to come home to after a long day's work."

"Ryan..." she pants out.

"Jules," I reply, my own voice raspy.

For a heartbeat, I let myself imagine it all—waking up to her every morning, sharing quiet cups of coffee while watching the sun come up, laughing together by firelight under the stars.

But then reality sets in, and I remember who I am. The secret billionaire with walls built so high they touch the clouds. Walls erected to protect not just my fortune but my heart.

"Hello," Julia says softly, her voice barely above a whisper, pulling me back from my thoughts.

"Hey," I manage to choke out. My throat suddenly dry.

She moves, just a fraction closer, and it"s all I can do not to close the gap, to not pull her into my arms and never let go. It"s a dance we"re doing, Julia and I, one where every step, every breath, every heartbeat counts.

"Your workshop," she murmurs, changing the subject but not the tension that sizzles between us. "I"ve seen your creations... Ryan, you"re an artist."

"Thanks." It"s all I can say without spilling everything else that"s on my tongue—the fears, the hopes, the longing.

"Is this what truly makes you happy now?" Her gaze sweeps over the table again, and then back to me.

"Yep. This is me now. Wood and silence."

"Wood, silence, and me?" Her words are playful, but her eyes are serious.

"Wood, silence, and you," I confirm, daring to believe that this could be our beginning.

I nod and reach out, my hand moving of its own accord up to her face. Then I brush my fingertips softly against her cheek. Her skin is cool and smooth, a stark contrast to the calloused roughness of my hands.

"Julia," I breathe out as a storm rages in my mind. I'm torn between the man who values his solitude and the one who craves to break down his walls for this woman.

"Ryan," she responds, a hint of a tremble in her tone, and her eyes flutter closed.

She and I have done this dance of passion once before, but tonight is so much more. It"s a moment of vulnerability, of trust, and I feel the weight of it in my soul.

"Ryan," she says again, and that simple utterance of my name from her lips is both a question and an answer.

"Jules," I respond, my voice hoarse with emotion, "I—" Words fail me.

Her eyes, bright and earnest, search mine. There"s a fierceness in them, a determination. This is a woman who knows what she wants, who chases down her goals with tenacity. But right now, she"s not chasing success or dollar signs; she"s chasing something far more elusive—connection, perhaps, or maybe even love.

In one fluid motion, I lift her up onto the table and spread her legs with my own to step between them as the skirt to her dress hikes up to her thighs.

Her arms tighten around my waist, pulling me closer. There"s an urgency in her grip, a silent plea for more. I groan softly, feeling the heat of her body against mine.

"Jules," I say, my voice hoarse with desire, "you"re playing with fire."

"Then let"s burn together," she replies, her eyes sparkling with a blend of mischief and passion. I can"t help but chuckle at her boldness.

I stand tall right in front of her, watching, admiring. The tension coils within me, tight and urgent.

"Beautiful," I whisper, not sure if I"m talking about her or the moment itself.

She smiles, her eyes a challenge, her body a promise. "I need you, Ryan."

My hands find her waist, pulling her flush against me as our lips crash together. Her taste is intoxicating.

Her fingers run through my hair, and she gently tugs at it, sending sparks down my spine. I deepen the kiss, exploring the warmth of her mouth. She arches into me, pressing impossibly closer with our clothes still on.

"More," she gasps, nails digging into my shoulders, leaving trails of fire in their wake.

"Yes ma'am," I growl, feeling the last of my restraint slip away.