Chapter 6

six

. . .

The low beats and the talking faded to a distant hum as Hillary processed the words Julius uttered. Electric tension crackled between their bodies, and somehow, Julius found a way to lean in closer, his magnetic presence drawing her in like a moth to a flame.

Hillary’s heart raced, pounding against her ribcage as if trying to burst free at any moment. The heat of his breath caressed her skin, while the scent of his cologne enveloped her senses. Unconsciously, her tongue slipped out and she wet her lips, her mind racing to make sense of his words.

Were they a promise or a threat?

Julius’s hand gently cupped her cheek, his thumb tracing the delicate curve of her jaw. Hillary leaned into his touch, her skin tingling at the contact. His eyes searched hers, a silent question hanging between them.

“Hillary...” he whispered, his voice low and husky.

She swallowed hard, her voice barely audible. “Yes?”

“I don’t think I can resist you any longer.”

Before Hillary could respond, Julius leaned down, closing the remaining distance. His lips captured hers in a kiss that was anything but hesitant. Her mind went utterly blank as he took control in a way only someone like him could.

Her eyes closed as Julius’s strong arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her tightly against his chiseled body. His lips were velvety and insistent, his tongue quickly inviting itself to explore every crevice of her mouth with a hunger she had never experienced.

She couldn’t resist melting into his embrace, her fingers tangling in his dark, tousled hair. Waves of want crashed over her, drowning out all doubts and insecurities. In that moment, there was nothing else but the fire that burned within her, ignited by Julius’s touch.

Their bodies pressed together like two pieces of a puzzle finally fitting perfectly. She reveled in the feeling of his hard muscles beneath her hands, daring to explore every inch of him as if he weren’t a virtual god compared to her.

As the kiss deepened, Hillary knew she fell harder under Julius’s spell, willingly surrendering to the intensity of their connection.

His hand slid up her back, leaving trails of goosebumps in its wake as his fingers traced her skin.

A soft moan escaped her lips, muffled by the loudness of the party. Every part of her was aware of Julius and the way his hands now trailed up her back to settle on the base of her head as he weaved his hands into her hair.

When they finally broke apart, she was breathless. Her hands slipped from his hair before the rest of the world came back in. Her eyes fluttered open to meet Julius’s gaze. In the depths of his blue irises, she saw a reflection of her own desire, a hunger that could not be sated by a single kiss.

Julius’s right hand moved to cup her cheek, his thumb gently caressing her flushed skin. “As much as I’d love to continue this,” he murmured, his voice low and husky, “we both have a busy day tomorrow. I should probably take you home before I...” He trailed off, his eyes flickering down to her lips, the unspoken implication hanging in the air.

Hillary’s mind swirled with a heady mix of desire and responsibility even as her body seemed to continue to press against his, begging more the unspoken promise. She couldn’t deny the temptation to throw caution to the wind and lose herself in Julius’s arms here or anywhere else. The promise of “something else” lingered tantalizingly close, a siren’s call she wanted to answer.

She also couldn’t risk jeopardizing her career, not when she had worked so hard to prove herself to Olivia and the rest of the magazine staff. Tomorrow was only the second day of Comic Con, and she needed to be at the top of her game. She had to impress Olivia with her dedication and professionalism, no matter how much her body ached for Julius’s touch.

“You’re right,” Hillary said softly, her fingers playing with the collar of his shirt. “I don’t want this to be it, but I know we both have responsibilities.” She looked up at him through her lashes, and she dared to let a coy smile tug at her lips. “Rain check on that ‘something else’?”

Julius snicked, his eyes sparkling with mirth and barely restrained longing. “Definitely. I’ll be holding you to that, Miss Mitchell.” He leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead, the tender gesture a stark contrast to the heat that still simmered between them. “And since you texted me, I don’t want to wait and see if you’ll find yourself texting me. I’ll ensure it happens.” He kissed her quickly again. “Admittedly, that was a torture I’m not used to experiencing.”

Hillary closed her eyes, savoring the moment and committing every sensation to memory. The warmth of his lips against her skin, the scent of his cologne enveloping her, the way her heart fluttered in her chest—these were the details she would cling to in the coming days, a secret treasure she could revisit whenever the doubts crept in.

“I guess I did you a favor.” She patted his chest, feeling a comfortableness with him that was crazy. “I reminded you what normal was like.”

With a deep breath, Hillary pulled away from Julius’s embrace, steeling herself for what she needed to do next. She couldn’t let him see where she lived, couldn’t bear the thought of him pitying her or thinking she needed saving. “I should go,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t want you to think I need a hero, Julius. I can take myself home.”

Before he could respond, Hillary leaned in and pressed a feather-light kiss to his lips, a fleeting touch that was over almost before it began. Then, with a whirl, she turned and rushed down the stairs, her footsteps echoing in the narrow stairwell. She didn’t dare look back, afraid that if she did, her resolve would crumble if he hadn’t followed her.

The sound of footsteps after hers told her he did, so she kept her gaze forward. She might be impressive enough, but if he saw her in her normal life, maybe he wouldn’t be interested.

“Hillary,” he called, his steps stopping for a moment.

“Not tonight. My place is not fit for visitors.” She called without turning around, her feet hitting the bottom step.

As she stepped out into the cool night air, Hillary wrapped her arms around herself, trying to hold on to the warmth of Julius’s touch. The streets were oddly quiet, the only sound was the distant rumble of traffic and the occasional siren. She walked briskly, her mind racing with thoughts of the evening’s events.

“Get it together, Hillary,” she muttered to herself, shaking her head as if to clear it. “You can’t let one night with a charming man derail everything you’ve worked for.”

But even as she said the words, Hillary couldn’t deny the way Julius made her feel. In just a few short hours, he had seen past her carefully constructed walls, past the shy exterior and the self-doubt, and had found the real Hillary beneath. He had made her feel beautiful, desirable, and, most importantly, worthy of attention.

Rounding the corner, she took the steps two at a time down to the subway when a realization hit her like a bolt of lightning. Even if she never saw Julius again, even if tonight was all they would ever have, he had given her a gift she would cherish forever. In one magical night, he had given her the confidence to believe in herself, to chase her dreams without fear of failure.

She smiled as the train magically pulled up as if timed just for her needing it. She felt lighter than usual.

Tomorrow, she would face the challenges of Comic Con with her head held high, secure in the knowledge that she was capable of anything she set her mind to. And if she ever doubted herself again, she would remember this night, and the man who had shown her just how extraordinary she was for being just an ordinary, nervous, reporter.