Page 109 of Scandalous Contract

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

STEFANIE

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ISTOOD THERE FOR Amoment, frozen, gazing around the living room. Whenever the plastic crinkled, I looked in that direction. I know I wasn’t imagining things. When I hugged that bear, I heard Julian’s voice.

My eyes drifted to the bear, and the little heart it was holding that read:Hug Me. I reached out and squeezed the heart. Julian’s voice filled the room again. I smiled. No, this man didn’t send me a Messenger Bear, or whatever they called these things.

I pulled the bear over to the couch, plastic rustling loudly. I sat down and positioned the stuffed animal in front of me. I squeezed the heart again. The deep rumble of Julian’s voice filled the room.

I’d known I wasn’t going crazy. He’d sent me a Messenger Bear. This was a first for me, and I couldn’t lie, I loved it. Excitement hummed through my veins. Now it was time to see how many recordings were in this thing. I didn’t squeeze the heart this time. I pulled the bear close and hugged it.

JULIAN:Here’s something for you to hold on to and sleep beside until I’m next to you again.

I gasped, breath catching in my throat. Releasing it, I laughed.Cocky much!Was he so sure he was going to sleep next to me again? I hugged the bear again.

JULIAN:I miss you. Do you miss me, Ms. Adams?

The way he said my name made my heart flutter. I released the bear. Was I blushing? I wasn’t blushing. Was I? I hugged the teddy again.

JULIAN:I’ve got a serious question to ask you. Don’t hug me again unless you’re ready to answer the question.

Releasing the bear, I stared at it. A serious question? Was I ready to answer a serious question? I didn’t know. I had to hear what the question was first. My hand hovered near the heart. My pulse picked up, loud in my ears. My fingers trembled slightly as I reached out and hugged it one more time. Julian’s deep voice wrapped around me.

JULIAN:Can I have you, sweet Stefanie?

The breath I didn’t know I’d been holding left me in a soft gasp. My stomach did this slow, traitorous somersault. Heat flared across my face and crept down my neck. My eyes fluttered shut for a second, as if I could physically block the intensity of what he’d just asked.

Can I have you?

My hands loosened around the bear as I pulled back, stunned. That question... it hit different. I sat there, frozen, staring at the stuffed animal. This man just asked if he could have me. I should be offended by that. I mean...have me?

That sounded like he wanted to possess me, own me, or something. No, he couldn’t have me. So why the hell was a smile creeping across my face?Ugh!Was I really smiling? I fell back onto the couch and stared at the ceiling.

Yes, I was smiling like a teenager with her first crush. It was embarrassing. But I was alone, so I had no reason to be embarrassed. I sat up and faced the bear. I smiled at it.

“Can you have me?” I whispered.

The answer was no. It had to be no. But damn it, my body... damn traitorous body... it wanted to be had. Luckily, my mind was in control and knew better. My smile faded as I stared at my latest gift from Julian.

“Can you have me?” I asked softly. “I wish... but I don’t think that would be wise. I’m ten years older than you, and I have a daughter who would throw a fit if she knew I was dating you. Plus, her roommate is your sister, and that just feels weird. Then there’s the... other stuff that would only complicate things more.”

I exhaled, leaning forward, forearms resting on my knees. “Being with you... it’d be good. I know it would. I do miss you. And I’ll admit, the sex was the best I’d ever had. But I don’t think I’m brave enough to withstand the opinions of others. There was a time when I had to stand tall and put on a brave front to protect myself and my daughter. I don’t know if I could go through something like that again. And that would be too much of a strain on a relationship. So, no Julian. You can’t have me. I’m not brave enough to weather the storm that would come.”

I touched the bear’s paw, ran my fingers over the soft fur.

“But I want to be,” I whispered, tears forming in my eyes. I blinked them back. “God knows I want to be brave for you.”

“Don’t cry, sweet Stefanie. I can be brave enough for both of us.”

My hand stilled on the bear. I hadn’t pressed the heart this time. Did the paw make the bear talk, too? I was just about to press the paw when the bear spoke again.

“There’s no need to worry about the opinions of others. All you need to do is follow your heart.”