CHAPTER 6: ALONE WITH MR. KING

Julia

The look on his face told me he meant every word. If I told another lie, he was going to kiss me. As much as I wanted that, I couldn’t let it happen. So, I turned my gaze away from him, looking out the window. He started the car and drove us home. The moment we arrived, I got out without waiting for him to open the door for me. After all, in my twenty years of marriage to Gilbert, he’d never done that, so it didn’t matter to me. I was used to doing things myself.

I glanced over my shoulder and saw him packing up the boutique shopping bags and following me. I reached for the door handle, but it was locked. That could only mean one thing—Justin and Olivia weren’t home. I bent down, retrieved the key from under the footmat, and unlocked the door. My heart raced as I walked inside. Michael and I were alone, and he knew it.

I hurried up the stairs, hearing his footsteps close behind me as he carried the shopping bags he had bought for me. He placed them neatly on the bed, all of them. Then, he turned to look at me. I crossed my arms and avoided his gaze.

“Julia, we need to talk.”

I turned, meeting his intense stare. “We have nothing to talk about. Thank you for all the expensive stuff, Michael. I appreciate it,” I said, pausing before correcting myself. “Thank you for all this, Mr. King. But you and I have nothing to discuss. If you don’t mind, would you please leave my room?”

His eyes locked onto mine coldly. “So, that’s how you want to play it?”

I folded my arms, showing him that I stood my ground.

He stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

For a moment, I felt relieved. At least it seemed over—at least for him. But my small victory didn’t last long.

A knock rapped on my door, followed by his voice. “Julia, open up.”

“Please go away, Mr. King,” I echoed, trying to maintain control.

“If you don’t open the door, Julia, I’ll keep yelling your name until you do,” he threatened.

I sighed and hastily opened the door. I gasped as the door swung wide, revealing him holding a pair of black panties and dangling them in front of me.

“Remember this?” he asked, his cold gaze piercing mine.

“Is there a reason I should?” I pretended, acting as though I didn’t recognize them. But my mind quickly flashed back to that night. The night we had sex. I had been in such a hurry to leave before he woke up that I’d forgotten to take my panties with me. And now, he’d been holding onto them all this time.

“Okay, since you don’t recognize them,” Michael said, “I’ll just hold onto them until Olivia and Justin get home. Maybe they’ll have a sharper memory of their mother’s belongings than you do.” He turned, about to walk away.

“Wait!” I blurted. “Fine. I’ll stop pretending. We had mind-blowing, great sex. But that’s all it was—a one-night stand. It doesn’t have to be anything more. So let’s just act like it never happened.”

“That’s the thing, Julia,” he said, frustrated. “I can’t pretend it never happened. I’ve been trying to find you for the past twelve months.”

“It’s been a year, Michael. Just move on from that night.”

“And you? Have you moved on from it? Because I think about you every day, Julia. I’ve tried, but it’s impossible to get you out of my head. You’re like a mystery I can’t shake,” he said, his piercing gaze locked on mine.

He grabbed me before I could respond. His hands wrapped around my waist and pulled me against his hard chest. My heart pounded as his eyes drifted down to my lips, and I felt that familiar rush of desire. His eyes met mine, and I knew he could see it—the longing I’d tried so hard to hide. I’d wanted him since that night, but I felt ashamed. How could I have had a one-night stand with someone young enough to be my son?

His lips brushed mine. “Don’t,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “You’re Justin’s friend… his best friend.”

“I know that,” he muttered, his lips tracing circles against mine. “But I want you, Julia.”

“We can’t always have what we want, now, can we?” I replied, even though I wanted him to kiss me again.

“Not me. I always get what I want, Julia. And right now, I want you,” he said, his voice deep with need. “I want you.” Then his lips crashed into mine, our tongues mingling, and I could feel my knees weakening. My head spun as the kiss deepened. I wanted him so badly. I’d longed for him since that night.

But I found the strength to pull away. “Michael, you can’t keep kissing me. I’m your best friend’s mother. We need to forget what happened and stay away from each other.”

“I don’t want to, Julia. And I don’t think you really do, either.”

I turned away, moving to my dressing table. My hands trembled as I brushed my hair back and removed my earrings. “Look, Michael, this will never work. You’re my children’s best friend. I’m… I’m older than you. I could be your mother’s age.”

“No way. She doesn't look half as beautiful as you do.” I saw him in the mirror, walking up behind me, stopping just inches away. His breath was hot against my skin. “And you’re not my mother, Julia,” he whispered.

His hands reached for my zipper, pulling it down slowly, just like he did that night. My chest was bare now, my skin tingling where his hands grazed my back. I felt myself melt under his touch, my walls crumbling.

Before I knew it, his hands unclasped my bra, and I gasped, knowing exactly where this was headed.

He slowly slid my dress and bra down my body, letting them fall to the floor. I stepped out of the pile, and his eyes roamed over me, devouring every inch as they moved from my head to my toes. He looked back up at me, his gaze filled with raw desire.

“I missed you, Julia. You’re too damn beautiful,” he murmured, his arms wrapping around my waist again. If only Gilbert could see how much another man admired me. But I couldn’t think about him now.

I could feel the heat of the moment overtaking me. It was either now or never: stop him now, or go with the flow. But how could I stop him when I wanted him so badly? I was a grown woman, and he was a grown man. This could just be about sex—no strings, no feelings. Just one more time. I convinced myself as his mouth traveled across my skin, his tongue tracing a path that ignited every nerve in my body.

He lifted me effortlessly, placing me on top of the dresser, his lips still exploring every inch of my skin. My body trembled under his touch, and I couldn’t hold back any longer. My hands fumbled with his shirt, trying to pull it off, and he gave me that seductive smile—one that sent heat rushing through me.

He saw the hunger in my eyes, and he helped me, pulling off his shirt.

With him, I was a completely different woman.

I planted kisses along his neck and chest before our lips collided again, more desperate this time. His hands moved to unbuckle his belt, letting it fall to the floor.

I didn’t care about anything else. I just wanted him. His hands took my panties off, and I was ready to feel him inside me again.

I closed my eyes, ready to lose myself in the moment. Then, I heard Olivia’s voice echo.

“Mom?”

I gasped with panic. Michael and I froze as we stared at each other, wondering if we had been caught.