Chapter 125
Nora's POV
I whipped around to find Julian standing a few feet behind me, his expression curious and faintly amused.
"Shh!" I hissed, gesturing frantically toward the cabin. I hurried over to him, shoved the phone into my jacket pocket, then grabbed his arm and started pulling him away.
Julian didn't resist, but he glanced over my shoulder toward the porch. His lips twitched. "I already saw."
"Then stop looking," I muttered, still tugging him backward.
He let me push him along for a few steps before he dug in his heels, forcing me to stop. I stumbled slightly, my hands landing on his chest to steady myself.
We were standing close now. Too close. I could feel the warmth radiating from him, could hear the steady rhythm of his breathing.
I gave him another shove, harder this time, trying to create more distance between us and the cabin. But I misjudged my own strength—or maybe the beer misjudged it for me. Julian stepped back easily, but I stumbled forward, my balance betraying me.
His back hit the trunk of a pine tree with a soft thud. I crashed into him, my palms flat against his chest, my face inches from his.
For a moment, neither of us moved.
Then Julian's arm came up, his hand settling firmly on my waist to steady me. His other hand braced against the tree, caging me in without quite touching me.
He leaned down, his voice low and teasing. "What's this? Trying to copy what they were doing?"
Heat flooded my face. "No! I was just—"
Before I could finish, his hand slid up to cup my jaw, tilting my face toward his.
And then he kissed me.
The kiss started soft, tentative, like he was giving me a chance to pull away.
But the alcohol loosened whatever restraint I had left. My hands, which had been pressed flat against his chest to steady myself, curled into the fabric of his shirt instead. I kissed him back, my lips parting slightly, and the world tilted.
Julian's other hand tightened on my waist, pulling me closer until there was no space left between us. The tree bark pressed into his back, and I could feel the hard planes of his chest beneath my palms, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat accelerating under my touch.
Heat flooded through me, sharp and electric. I felt dizzy, weightless, like I was falling and being caught at the same time.
His thumb traced the line of my jaw, then down the side of my neck, and I shivered despite the warmth radiating from him. My breathing turned shallow, ragged, and I had to break away for air, gasping softly against his mouth.
Julian didn't let me go far. His forehead came to rest against mine, his breath coming hard and uneven. His eyes were half-lidded, darkened by something I couldn't quite name, searching my face. Then he stilled.
"You're drunk," he said, his voice rough and low, like gravel scraped across silk.
I blinked up at him, my thoughts moving sluggishly through the pleasant haze in my head. "I'm... fine."
"Nora." He said my name like a warning, his hand sliding from my hair to cup the back of my neck. "You smell like a brewery."
I wanted to argue, but the words tangled on my tongue. My knees felt weak, and I wasn't sure if it was from the alcohol or from him. Probably both.
Julian exhaled sharply, his jaw clenching. He looked like he was fighting some internal battle, his thumb brushing absently against the pulse point in my neck. Then, slowly, reluctantly, he eased back, creating just enough space between us that I could breathe without drowning in him.
"Come on," he murmured, his voice still strained. "Let me take you back to your room."
Before I could protest, he bent down and scooped me up, one arm beneath my knees and the other supporting my back. I let out a small, startled sound, my hands instinctively clutching at his shoulders.
"I can walk," I said, though my words lacked conviction.
"Sure you can." His tone was dry, but there was a gentleness in the way he adjusted his hold, making sure I was secure against his chest.
I gave up arguing and let my head rest against his shoulder.
"Julian," I said quietly.
"Mm?"
"I like you."
The words slipped out before I could stop them, soft and unguarded. I felt him go still for half a second, his arms tightening around me.
"Me too," he said, and there was something different in his voice this time — something raw and unsteady.
He just kept walking, his hold on me firm and protective, like he was afraid I might disappear if he let go.
---
When we reached my room, Julian set me down gently, his hands lingering on my waist to make sure I was steady. I leaned against the doorframe and looked up at him.
He was watching me with an intensity that made my stomach flip, his gaze dark and unreadable.
Then he spoke, his voice low and deliberate. "Can I come in?"
I blinked, my alcohol-fogged brain taking a moment to process the question. Come in? My eyes flicked past him to the cabin door, then back to his face. The implication of what he was asking settled over me slowly, like cold water trickling down my spine.
I shook my head, the movement slow and deliberate. "No... there's only one bed."
Julian's mouth curved into a faint smile, and he reached out to pinch my cheek lightly.
"Then I'll sleep on the floor," he said, his tone teasing but his gaze serious. "How about that?"
I stared at him, my thoughts moving sluggishly through the haze. For a moment, I actually considered it. But then I remembered the warmth of his body against mine, the taste of his kiss still lingering on my lips.
If he came inside, I wasn't sure I'd have the willpower to keep him on the floor.
"No," I said again, softer this time but firm. "You can't."
Julian studied me for a long moment, then sighed and stepped back, his hand dropping from my face. "All right. I'll find somewhere else."
Relief and regret tangled together in my chest. I fumbled for the door handle, pushing it open just enough to slip inside, but then I hesitated. My hand shot out, catching the sleeve of his shirt.
He turned back, his eyebrows lifting in question.
"Tomorrow morning," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "Let's watch the sunrise together. Okay?"
His expression softened, and he reached down to cover my hand with his. "Five o'clock. East side of the beach. Don't be late."
I nodded, a small smile tugging at my lips. "Goodnight, Julian."
"Goodnight, Nora."
I slipped inside and closed the door, leaning back against it as I listened to his footsteps fade into the distance.