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“I thought you were trying to seduce me,” Julien teased.

  “I can if you want me to.”

  “I’d love to see what you try,” he said, a wicked grin on his face. She adored that face, adored those eyes that shone so bright with desire.

  “Let’s see, when we were last alone together in a bedroom, I believe I was...”

  She came up on her knees and unbuttoned her blouse. Julien reached out and helped pull her shirt down her arms. She threw it onto the floor with a flourish. Julien knelt in front of her and kissed the tops of her breasts. She forced herself to do nothing as he kissed her neck and chest. They shouldn’t rush things. This night could be Julien’s first time. He’d spent his teen years fighting for his life. Why not show him exactly how much light had been waiting for him at the end of that tunnel?

  “You’re really okay, now?” Remi asked, as Julien wrapped his arms around her back and pulled her even closer. They faced each other on their knees, her breasts pressing against his chest. She could feel his heart pounding.

  “I’m fine. You’re not going to hurt me, I promise.”

  “Good,” she said and pushed him down onto his back. He laughed as she straddled him again. But the laughter stopped the moment she unhooked her bra and took it off. She took him by his wrists and brought his hands to her breasts.

  “Oh my God,” he said, holding her breasts, squeezing and cupping them. “I’ve missed them so much.”

  Remi laughed but the laugh abruptly turned to a gasp when Julien pinched her nipples. A shock of pleasure bolted through her from her breasts to her back and all the way down her spine. Her nipples hardened as Julien teased them and gently tugged them. She closed her eyes and did nothing but let Julien touch her. She felt his erection pressing against her, even through his jeans.

  “Your turn,” she said breathlessly. “I don’t want to be the only shirtless person in the room.”

  “Okay, but...”

  She shook her head. “No butts yet. Just your shirt.”

  Remi sat back so Julien could roll up. He sighed heavily before pulling his shirt off over his head.

  “It’s not as bad as it looks,” he said, lying on his back again.

  Remi gazed down at his chest. He was thin, yes. Thin but muscular. He’d clearly taken getting into shape very seriously after his recovery. He had a taut stomach, sinewy biceps, a broad chest, and...

  “No,” she said. “It’s not bad at all.”

  She reached out and touched the raised four-inch scar on the right-hand side of his upper chest. It was smooth and bright pink, much like Julien’s face at the moment.

  “They put this thing in your chest—a MediPort,” he explained. “It’s how the drugs are delivered.”

  “Then I’m glad you have the scar. It saved your life.”

  “The day they took it out was the best day of my life. Until today.”

  Remi’s fingers fluttered. When had she ever desired someone this much?

  “It’s hideous I know,” Julien said, wincing slightly.

  “It’s not bad at all.”

  “Good. You can keep staring at it. It’ll give me an excuse to stare at you.”

  Remi put her hands on either side of his shoulders and lay on top of him. When her bare breasts touched his naked chest, he inhaled sharply.

  “You okay?” she asked.

  “I’m so happy I’m not dead right now, I could cry,” he said. “Am I dead? Is this heaven? Can you get erections in heaven?”

  “Wouldn’t be heaven otherwise.” Remi stretched out on her back so Julien could have total access to her chest. They kissed again as he ran his hand over both her breasts, gently touching, squeezing, holding, caressing. He lightly pinched her nipples between his thumb and forefinger. His touch gave her breathtaking amounts of pleasure. As he touched her, she slid her hand up and down his arm, relishing the ridges of muscle he’d worked so hard for after recovering.

  Remi threw her leg over Julien’s hip to bring his body even closer to hers.

  He closed his eyes tight as if he were in pain.

  “I am seriously turned on right now,” he said. “Sorry.”

  “Don’t say you’re sorry. Do you want to stop or keep going?”

  “Keep going. Definitely.”

  “Are you saying that because you mean it or because you’re turned on?”

  “Both is my answer,” he said. “If that’s the right answer.”

  “There is no right or wrong answer. It’s whatever you want,” she said, running her hand through his hair again and stroking the side of his face.

  “I want you.” Julien took her chin in his hand and caressed her bottom lip with his thumb. “I want you so much it hurts. But...”

  “I know,” she said. “If our families find out about this, we’re dead.”

  “Very dead. And me and death were on speaking terms not that long ago. I know death. They’ll kill us.”

  “Whatever our parents are up to, they need the press to think both families hate each other.” Remi knew this public rivalry was making them all a fortune.

  “And they do hate each other,” Julien said. “They just love money more.”

  “So what do we do?” Remi asked, aching at the thought of walking away from Julien so soon after finding him. “We can’t just pretend I’m not a Montgomery and you’re not a Brite.”

  “Maybe we can for one night,” he said. “You’re just Remi. I’m just Julien. No last names.”

  Remi grinned at him. Not a bad idea. Whatever they did tonight was no one’s business but theirs. Why should it matter what their last names were? She had only one more question.

  “Okay, Just-Julien, now what do you want to do?”

  Chapter Five

  Carpe Noctem

  “Maybe we should follow the doctor’s orders,” Julien said with a sly smile.

  “Doctor’s orders?” Remi asked.

  Julien pulled the paper out of his pocket that had been taped to the door. He unfolded it and showed it to her. It was a prescription pad for Dr. Salena Kar—Oncologist. And the good Dr. Kar had prescribed a very special medicine for Julien.

  “SEX,” it read in all caps. The one and only word on it.

  “Well, she is the doctor,” Remi said.

  Julien threw the note in the air and wrapped both arms around Remi. He pressed Remi onto the bed, and lightly gripped her wrists. He kissed her from her neck to her breasts and drew a nipple into his mouth and sucked it gently.

  “That is such a good idea, Just-Julien,” she sighed with relief, his choice made. He wanted her as much as she wanted him. “Whoever you are.”

  “I’m nobody,” he whispered against her skin. “I’m just a random guy you met in Paris.”

  “I was here for a vacation,” she said as he kissed his way across her chest to her other nipple. “I work my ass off.”

  “You needed a vacation,” Julien said. “And I need your ass.” He playfully cupped her bottom and squeezed.

  “I did. And while on vacation I saw a gorgeous younger man walking down the street.”

  “How gorgeous?”

  “Beyond gorgeous. Striking. Not normal gorgeous. Different.”

  “Different? Are you talking about me or Merrick?”

  “In this fantasy I’ve never met Merrick, which is why it’s the best fantasy I’ve ever had.”

  Julien laughed before taking her nipple into his mouth again. She moaned as the heat seeped into her skin and sent delicious shivers all the way to the pit of her stomach. Her clitoris was swelling. She couldn’t stop her hips from moving against Julien.

  “So what else about this guy?” Julien asked as he palmed her breast.

  “I’m not sure. I feel like I’ve known him all my life. Usually I don’t jump into bed this fast with a guy, but he seems special. And not just because of the aforementioned striking-ness.”

  “Is that a word?”

  “It is now. But I think maybe this is something...I don’t know.”