Chapter Eight

Julian 

Julian closed the door to his hotel room and leaned against it for a long moment, letting out a slow breath. The day had been something to say the least, productive, quite exhausting but also enjoyable. This was his first business trip and he felt really important. He kicked off his shoes, loosened his shirt and walked over to the large window overlooking Long Island Sound. 

The moonlight dances on the dark water, calm.. 

he felt calm, a smile playing along his lips.

He replayed the day like a film reel he couldn’t pause.

First the awkward car ride with Ethan, him all quiet and stealing glances at Julian. Julian had caught him more than once, then the meeting itself. Julian had desperately wanted to impress the distributors and his Boss. He had managed to contribute without tripping over his words which felt like a personal victory. And dinner…

Dinner with Mr Richard Harrington and of course Ethan and the other guy whose name he had forgotten.

Julian groaned and covered his face with a pillow for a second before peeking out again, a reluctant grin forming.

Richard had been charming, dangerously so. He had the kind of polished and suave demeanor that came with money and confidence. He had refilled Julian’s glass like it was an ancient sacred ritual, laughed at his comments a little too loudly and invited him over for dinner whenever he was back at the city, in front of his Boss. 

Dangerously charming.

Julian rolled onto his side propping his hand on his hand "Let's be honest for a second,” he said aloud to the empty room. “Option A: Keep pining after my emotionally unavailable, reputation-obsessed boss who looks at me like he wants to devour me and then is immediately irritated he wants to do so or Option B: Go on a nice, normal date with charming distributor Richard who probably has a yacht, a wine cellar, and probably came out of the closet ages ago. 

He snorted, the sound turning into a genuine laugh that shook his shoulders. “Yeah. Because what my life needs right now is another powerful man with secrets. Brilliant plan, Julian.

The absurdity of it all made him laugh harder. Here he was, a broke writer who had been one eviction notice away from disaster, seriously considering “moving on” from his boss by flirting with a man who likely had a calendar full of charity galas and a closet full of custom suits.

Still, the thought lingered longer than it should have. Richard had been nice. Safe. The kind of man who might take him to a proper restaurant without worrying about paparazzi or boardroom repercussions. No ironclad contracts. No reputation on the line. Just… normal.

Julian sighed and sat up, running a hand through his messy hair. “Normal. Right. Because my life has been so normal lately.”

A soft knock on the door pulled him out of his ridiculous internal monologue.

Julian’s heart skipped. He walked over and opened the door.

Ethan stood there, jacket off, tie loosened, looking unfairly composed for the late hour. His gray eyes were a little darker than usual, the effects of the wine from dinner still visible in the slight flush on his cheeks. “I wanted to go over one final section before tomorrow’s follow-up calls,” he said, voice low and a touch rough. “May I come in?”

Julian stepped aside. “Of course.”

The room felt noticeably smaller with both of them inside. They sat at the small desk, reviewing the manuscript. Their shoulders brushed occasionally as they leaned over the screen. Julian was acutely aware of every detail,the subtle scent of Ethan’s cologne, the way his voice lowered naturally when reading passages with  intimate conversations, the focused intensity in his gray eyes.

He is so masculine thought Julain. 

His eyes devoured this man from head to toe, taking his time at those large forearms, without a single thought in his head, reaching for one—their fingers brushed while Ethan pushed his shirt back  on the same arm. The contact lingered a fraction longer than necessary. Neither pulled away immediately.

Julian cleared his throat. “I think that covers the main points. I’ll make the adjustments tonight.”

Ethan nodded, but he didn’t stand immediately. His gaze lingered on Julian’s face.

Julian could sense the subtle pull between them — not overt, not desperate, just a quiet, magnetic awareness that had existed since that first night.

“You can take up Richard’s request for dinner, I don’t mind. I was out of line to respond for you. You’re capable of making decisions for yourself while you’re working with me” Ethan said quietly, his voice carrying a sharp edge that hadn’t been there earlier.

Julian raised an eyebrow, surprised by the shift.

“I’ll keep that in mind next time,” he muttered.

Ethan’s jaw tightened. The wine had loosened something in him. His gray eyes darkened with a mix of something and frustration. “Next time. Of course. You guys  can flirt openly in public without a second thought. No reputation to protect. No empire on the line. People like him and you can simply… enjoy themselves. While some people have to calculate every glance, every word and and…”

The admission hung in the air, raw and unexpected. Julian’s breath caught. This was the most honest Ethan had been since the leak.

“Ethan…” Julian started softly.

Ethan leaned in slightly, the wine making his movements less precise.

Their faces were close now, breaths mingling. Julian could see the conflict in those gray eyes, desire sparring with ruthless self-control. For a heartbeat, it felt like Ethan might close the distance. Julian’s heart hammered. He could almost taste the kiss that hovered between them.

Then Ethan pulled back abruptly, as if burned. He stood up so fast the chair scraped against the floor.

“This is not happening. Get some rest, Mr. Hayes. We have an early start tomorrow.” Ethan said, voice rough and final.

He turned and walked to the door without another word, closing it firmly behind him.

Julian stood frozen in the middle of the room, chest heaving. The almost-kiss lingered in the air like smoke. His body was humming with unresolved want, but his mind was spinning.

Julian ran a hand through his hair, letting out a shaky breath. He changed into the spare clothes he had brought and lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling for what felt like hours. The wine still warmed his veins, but the heat in his body had nothing to do with alcohol anymore.

Ethan was fighting himself.

Julian closed his eyes, trying to push the memory away. He had a job to do. A contract to fulfill. A life to rebuild.

But as sleep finally began to pull him under, one thought refused to fade:

The line between them was getting thinner with every passing day.

And neither of them seemed able to stop it from fraying.