Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 123877 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 619(@200wpm)___ 496(@250wpm)___ 413(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 123877 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 619(@200wpm)___ 496(@250wpm)___ 413(@300wpm)
“He wants to talk to you,” Julian whispered.
It took Luke a second to finish before he reached for the phone, never looking up from the screen. “Hey,” Luke said.
No matter how hard Julian tried, he couldn’t contain the laughter that welled inside him as he left the office, knowing Thane’s head just exploded. Julian lived for giving Thane shit. He glanced down at his watch, making a mental note of his daily calendar. He had scheduled an impromptu counseling session to discuss two things. First, Beckett and this attachment Julian was beginning to feel for the man. Second, the ease with which Julian had handled last night’s flashback.
Those were Julian’s discussion topics. His counselor wanted to do a deep dive into the new details he’d learned about his abduction. Something resonated within Julian. He sensed the time crept closer for all the scattered memories to connect. He should probably ask about some coping techniques to help get him through what he learned when the pieces finally came crashing together.
The abduction felt personal. Julian’s eyes narrowed as he stared down at the polished concrete while he headed out the door. He forced a sigh through his lips. What if his abductor was someone he knew? Someone still in his life today? How would all that go down?
Julian shook the anxiety-building thought from his head and focused on the good in his life. After the counseling appointment, he planned to head straight to the airport to pick up Beckett.
In an attempt to calm his frazzled nerves and make sense of the conflicting feelings surrounding him, Julian had gotten himself good and drunk last night. He rationalized that whatever was happening between him and Beckett was always going to be this way. This morning, between loads of Advil and hearty gulps of water to help hydrate his depleted body, his world with Beckett in the lead role had shifted forward once again.
He and Beckett both knew the score.
Julian had let himself be distracted all day long. Everything reminded him of the man. Reservations’ new chocolate fountain had brought Beckett’s brown stare to mind. The salty sea breeze between the restaurant and the hotel had Julian reminiscing about the handhold they had shared while walking along the beach with Beckett’s laughter filling the night. He loved Beckett’s laugh. Julian mentally prepared ways to make Beckett laugh.
He felt good actually. He was excited and couldn’t wait for Beckett to arrive.
Beckett stood in front of the airport bathroom mirror, quickly working his fingers through his short strands, trying to make his hair look the best he could. He tapped away the seconds with his booted foot as he checked his teeth for anything lingering then did a breath test with the palm of his hand. The mints he’d been chopping on while leaving the plane had done their job. He leaned in closer to the mirror and slapped his cheeks, trying to lose some of the tired lurking under his eyes. His dry skin from his time spent in the sun and wind made the fatigue appear even more pronounced.
It was dusk outside. Julian wouldn’t be able to see him well anyway. Beckett grabbed the leather duffle bag at his feet and tossed the strap over his shoulder as he started out of the bathroom, taking long strides toward the exit. His heart drummed with anticipation as the sliding glass doors opened on his approach. This over-the-top excitement about seeing Julian was hard to contain.
Beckett came to an abrupt halt just outside the double doors, scanning down the length of the waiting cars. He’d chosen to fly commercial in hopes of getting some shut eye on the flight, but the excitement of seeing Julian had ruined his chances at sleep. His heart picked up a beat, fluttering wildly when he saw Julian’s beautiful smiling face and waving arms as he tried to garner his attention. Julian was double-parked, so Beckett jogged the few steps in Julian’s direction.
Only now did Beckett allow himself to admit that last night had been hard on him. Worry had soured his mood all day, fear about having overstepped in a way that might push Julian away. He hadn’t known what to expect when arriving tonight, but there Julian was, rounding the trunk, acting just as excited to get to him as he was to get to Julian.
As Beckett took the step off the curb, Julian came for him with open arms. Beckett barely had time to drop the bag to the pavement before Julian launched himself at Beckett. Julian wrapped his long arms around Beckett’s neck as he leaped forward. Then he wrapped his legs tightly around Beckett’s waist, locking them together. Julian’s sweet lips found his as he pushed his tongue inside Beckett’s mouth.
Oh man, was he all in. Beckett gripped Julian’s thighs, pulling him snuggly against his body while sliding his tongue over Julian’s. What a fucking greeting. The passion radiating from the kiss blew Beckett’s mind. He was so lost the whistle piercing the air around them barely affected him as he kissed the shit out of Julian.