Chapter 17: You're So Bad

"Not here."

Claire was thoroughly captivated by this point, but she'd never been one for backseat encounters. She looped her arms around his neck and murmured the words against his ear, soft and certain.

Julian pulled back, taking in her flushed face, and smiled, low and wicked. "Okay."

He helped her straighten her dress, walked her to the passenger seat, and slid behind the wheel.

Claire settled back, glancing around the interior with mild curiosity.

The car smelled faintly of lavender, every surface finished in something clearly expensive.

This wasn't just any luxury car.

She caught sight of the emblem on the steering wheel and went momentarily still.

A limited-edition Bugatti Veyron. Worth somewhere north of fifty million.

Who exactly is this man?

Clearly someone with serious money behind him.

She'd thought landing someone like Lucas wealthy, gorgeous, powerful had already been an enormous stroke of luck.

And now, somehow, she'd caught someone who matched him on every front.

Guess my luck's been on a real streak since the divorce, she thought, glancing sideways at his profile with open appreciation.

The drive didn't take long. Before she knew it, they'd arrived at his place sleek, modern, unmistakably expensive.

Julian led her inside, and the rest of the night unfolded exactly the way both of them wanted, unhurried and thoroughly enjoyed by both parties.

Later, tangled in the sheets, Claire looked up at him, her face still warm, pulse still racing pleasantly.

Julian caught her staring and grinned. "Enjoying yourself?"

Claire tipped his chin up with two fingers and smiled right back.

"You're pretty good at this, Julian. Would've been a shame to miss out."

She pushed herself up, leaning in close, hands braced against his chest.

She caught his mouth again, kissing him with clear intent.

Julian laughed against her lips, catching on fast, matching her energy without hesitation.

He wasn't content to stop at kissing for long his mouth trailed down along the line of her neck, teasing, unhurried.

She arched into it, a soft laugh escaping her.

His brow furrowed slightly in concentration, focused entirely on her.

She pressed a light, teasing kiss to his mouth in response, grinning.

"Julian. Hey Ash..."

He smiled, wicked and pleased with himself. "This, was it?"

Claire gave his chest a playful kick with one bare foot.

"You're relentless, you know that."

"So mean to me."

She pouted, eyes glittering with mock offense, though the effect was ruined by how clearly amused she was.

He laughed, that devilish smile spreading wider.

"Baby, that's rich, coming from you."

His voice dropped low, rough, entirely too charming for his own good.

That voice, that face, that unbothered grin it was almost unfair how easily he got under her skin.

The night stretched on, playful and intense in equal measure, neither of them in any hurry to slow down.

Comparing him to Lucas afterward, lying there catching her breath, Claire settled on this:

Lucas was a wolf commanding, intense, impossible to look away from.

Julian was something slyer. A fox. Charming, wicked, always one step ahead.

Both of them, dangerously good-looking. Both of them, exactly the kind of trouble a woman could get addicted to.

Lucas, she knew, ran an empire CEO of Kane Holdings, old money, real power.

Julian's background, though that was still a mystery. And judging by that car alone, it wasn't going to turn out to be an ordinary one.