Page 28 of The Marriage Compromise
"Please," he replied, his voice slightly deeper than it had been a moment before.
The kitchen was a chef's dream—all gleaming surfaces and professional-grade appliances. I opened three wrong cabinets before finding the coffee mugs, all of them matching, all of them probably costing more than my textbooks.
As I waited for the coffee to brew, I became aware of Julian's presence behind me. He hadn't made a sound coming in, but I could feel him watching me, the weight of his gaze like a physical touch on the back of my neck.
I turned, coffee mug in hand, and nearly fumbled it when I saw the naked hunger in his eyes. My fingers tightened reflexively around the ceramic, saving it from a shattering demise on the marble floor.
"Sugar?" I asked, my voice embarrassingly husky.
"No," Julian replied, his eyes never leaving mine. "Black is fine."
I poured the coffee with hands that weren't quite steady, all too conscious of how Julian's gaze followed the movement of my arms, my hands, lingering on the ring that marked me as his.
When I handed him the mug, our fingers brushed—the touch brief but electric, sending a jolt of awareness through me that made my breath catch.
"Thank you," he said, and I knew he wasn't talking about the coffee.
I spent the rest of the afternoon moving around the penthouse, trying to familiarize myself with my new home while acutely aware of Julian's presence.
He worked on his tablet, made phone calls, reviewed documents—all the normal activities of a CEO working from home. Except there was nothing normal about the way his eyes found me every time I entered a room, the way his gaze lingered when I reached for something on a high shelf, stretching the fabric of my new shirt across my back.
At one point, I passed him in the hallway leading to the study, the space narrow enough that I had to press my back against the wall to let his wheelchair by. As he passed, his arm brushed against my thigh, and I could have sworn the contact was deliberate. The heat of that touch lingered long after he'd moved on.
I caught my reflection in one of the many mirrors that adorned the penthouse walls. The blue shirt brought out the color in my eyes, just as the saleswoman had promised. The charcoal slacks fit perfectly, accentuating my lean frame in a way my usual jeans never did. For once, I looked like I belonged in this world of wealth and privilege.
No wonder Julian couldn't keep his eyes off me.
Keep staring like that and we'll never leave the bedroom, I thought to myself, a little thrill running through me at the idea.
As evening fell, the staff arrived to prepare dinner. Mrs. Chen moved efficiently through the penthouse, straightening things that already looked perfect to me.
The chef worked quietly in the kitchen, the delicious smells making my stomach growl. Julian's assistant Natalie dropped off some documents, her professional demeanor never slipping, though I caught the curious glance she threw my way before leaving.
And then, as quickly as they'd arrived, they were gone.
The penthouse fell silent, the only sound the soft hum of the climate control system and the distant city noises far below. The lighting automatically dimmed to a warm glow that transformed the modern space into something more intimate.
I found Julian in his study, still working on his tablet despite the late hour. The blue light from the screen illuminated his face, highlighting the strong line of his jaw, the intensity of his concentration.
He looked up as I entered, and the hunger I'd been seeing all day flared hotter in his eyes.
"Staff's gone," I said, leaning against the doorframe.
Julian set his tablet aside, his full attention now on me. "So they are."
The air between us thickened with possibility. All day, we'd been circling each other, building tension with looks and almost-touches. Now, with the penthouse empty and the night stretching before us, there was nothing to stop that tension from igniting.
"Just us now," I said, my voice dropping lower as I held his gaze.
Julian's lips curved into a smile that was equal parts promise and challenge. "Just us."
I pushed off from the doorframe with deliberate slowness, watching Julian's eyes track my movement like a predator—except I wasn't prey. No, I was the hunter now, and he was exactly where I wanted him.
The soft carpet muffled my footsteps as I crossed the study, maintaining eye contact with every step. Julian's fingers tightened slightly on the armrests of his wheelchair, the only sign that my approach affected him as much as his stares had been affecting me all day.
"You've been watching me," I said, stopping directly in front of him.
Julian didn't bother denying it. "You're worth watching."