Chapter 24: Toying with Two Unsuspecting Men?

Claire, blissfully unaware she'd stirred up a full-blown jealousy crisis, kept chatting easily with Ethan through the rest of her session.

Julian gritted his teeth through the entire thing, waiting it out until she finally wrapped up.

She said her goodbyes to Ethan, shot Julian a look at his obviously sour expression, and walked toward the exit without waiting for him.

Julian's background was clearly not ordinary wealthy, gorgeous, and dangerously well put-together in every sense.

But to her, he was exactly the same as Lucas. Another catch. Nothing more.

Whether he got jealous watching her talk to other men wasn't really her concern.

If you're going to play the field, she reminded herself, you can't start catching feelings for the fish.

Still, she hadn't expected him to actually show up at her gym.

Guess I made more of an impression than I planned on.

The second she stepped outside, a strong hand caught her arm.

Julian scooped her up and carried her straight into the elevator, jaw tight.

"Julian. What are you doing?"

"You can put me down, I have legs."

Next to his six-foot frame, Claire looked almost delicate in comparison, and her attempts to squirm free didn't accomplish much.

A wicked smile crossed his face as he hit the button for the next floor down.

Jealousy still simmering, he leaned in and kissed her deep, insistent, thoroughly distracting.

Claire melted into it after only a token protest, her hands curling into his shirt.

Once they reached the parking level, he carried her out to the Bugatti, tucked her into the passenger seat, and drove them straight to his place nearby.

The moment they were through the door, he set her down on the sofa, tugging impatiently at her clothes.

"Have fun with that guy back there?"

He tossed her sweatshirt aside and tipped her chin up, his eyes dark with a mix of frustration and something closer to real hurt.

Claire's pulse jumped at the look on his face.

This is exactly the same expression Lucas gave me, she thought.

Is he actually falling for me too?

She let a slow, teasing smile spread across her face, meeting his eyes without flinching. "Are you jealous, Julian?"

He seemed almost thrown by how unbothered she was he'd been stewing the entire drive over, and she was just... amused.

That only irritated him further. He tightened his grip on her jaw, voice low.

"I gave you my first time. And you go flirt with someone else the very next chance you get."

"How exactly am I supposed to take that?"

There was real frustration in his voice, laced with something almost wounded like a man watching something he'd only just found slip through his fingers.

His eyes, usually so composed and unreadable, looked genuinely stung.

Claire studied him this gorgeous, wild, larger-than-life man looking, for once, completely thrown off balance.

This doesn't track at all, she thought. Him, sulking? Over me?

Wait.

He said his first time too?

A little chill ran down her spine, guilt creeping in behind it.

How did I manage to land two devastatingly hot, completely inexperienced men within the same week?

Watching him still simmering, she started to feel genuinely bad.

"Julian. Wait hold on a second."

Her voice came out softer now, her expression turning serious as she looked up at him.

He paused, but only for a moment before continuing, clearly not ready to let it go that easily.

"You think you get to just call a timeout?"

"You had your fun with him. Now it's my turn to make sure you remember exactly who you came home with."

Claire frowned slightly, realizing she'd genuinely managed to entangle herself with two very possessive, very determined men.

"So what you expect me to be accountable to you now?" she asked, only half-joking.

His voice dropped, rough and certain. "Wouldn't hurt for you to work for it a little."

"Claire. You're mine now. Stay away from other men."

"Or you'll find out exactly how difficult I can make things."

Claire: ...

Oh, this is bad. Genuinely bad.

Now I've got two ridiculously stubborn men convinced they've claimed me. If I want to keep fishing, I'm going to have to get a lot better at being discreet.

Julian, misreading her silence as agreement, pressed further.

"From now on, you answer when I call."

"If I ask where you are, you tell me. Immediately. Understood?"

Claire blinked at him, momentarily stunned by the sheer confidence of the demand.

Why is he like this?

Is he seriously planning to just... attach himself to me indefinitely?

Taking her silence as agreement, Julian relaxed slightly, apparently satisfied.

"Why so quiet all of a sudden?" He leaned down, his voice dropping into something warmer, more coaxing.

Claire, caught somewhere between amusement and genuine affection despite herself, finally exhaled.

"Fine. Sure."

I'll worry about the details later, she told herself. What's he really going to do if I don't check in?

Watching how thoroughly wrapped up in her he already was, she doubted he'd ever actually follow through on any of it.

Another one hooked, she thought, not without satisfaction. Guess my pond just got a little more crowded.

Seeing her go quiet and pliant, Julian's irritation faded into something more playful. He leaned in again, voice dipping low. "Don't tell me you don't want this."

Claire felt her resolve slipping fast.

"Mm," she murmured, only half paying attention to her own response anymore.

"Say my name properly, and I'll make it worth your while."

This man is impossible, she thought. Completely, thoroughly impossible.

Still, she couldn't help the flush creeping up her neck. "You're such a pain, Julian." She looped her arms around his neck, leaning into him with a soft laugh.

He was already fully done pretending to be mad.

Still, he wasn't about to let her off that easy not after the stunt she'd pulled at the gym.

"Not going to say it?"

"Guess you'll just have to wait, then."

His voice dropped to something low and warm, teasing her patience thin.

Claire laughed despite herself. "Fine. Fine Julian."

"There. Happy now?"

"Very," he murmured against her ear, pulling her closer.

Whatever frustration he'd been nursing all evening had long since burned away, replaced by something far softer.

"There's my girl," he said, pulling her down onto the sofa with him, all traces of anger gone.