Forsaking All Others Page 10

  Julianna smirked as she stepped back to allow him entry into her home.

  “I did.”

  He took her face in his, scrutinizing her features. He remained silent, but his eyes continued to search hers. “Tell me what’s really wrong.”

  Julianna hoped he didn’t notice her inner turmoil as she fought to maintain a neutral expression. She grinned, the gesture feeling forced before she focused her gaze on her feet.

  “I told you. I didn’t feel like being alone.”

  “And what else?”

  She looked up to meet his eyes, which she knew were scrutinizing her face once again.

  “I don’t understand.”

  “You do.” He folded his arms across his chest and waited. “Something’s wrong. Maybe you don’t want to tell me right now, but something is wrong.”

  He finished with a knowing look before he reached into the paper bag.

  “I brought breakfast.”

  Julianna nodded as she peered into the bag, enticed by the aroma of bacon and pancakes.

  He walked off towards the kitchen in search of plates. Julianna finally relaxed into her couch as she watched his retreating form, feeling at peace with Evan’s presence in her home. He returned soon after. She motioned for them to sit on the couch. They ate in a comfortable silence. Her phone lit up, its vibration echoing loudly into her living room, which caused her to jump out of her seat. Evan remained silent, but he kept his eyes on her as she glanced at her phone.

  No caller ID.

  She knew it was him again. He couldn’t or wouldn’t leave her alone. Wordlessly, she silenced the phone and sat down on the couch once more. Evan was still watching her but said nothing. He finally shook his head slowly and looked at her, his eyes filled with concern.

  “I asked you before, but now you’re going to tell me. What’s going on?”

  Julianna fiddled with her fingers, didn’t even know where to begin.

  “Something is going on.” A sad smile crossed her face. “I don’t know where to start.”

  “Then just start.”

  She reached for the throw she kept on the couch. She took her time adjusting the plush material around her body before she looked at him. As she’d expected, his eyes locked with hers, their depths probing.

  “Remember that guy at the bar?”

  Evan nodded.

  “Well, he’s my ex-husband—Devon is his name. When you saw me and my sister at the bar, it was when he found out I had filed for divorce. Needless to say, he was pissed.”

  She watched an array of emotions cross Evan’s face, most of which she couldn’t place. He then nodded in understanding. She took a deep breath before she continued.

  “Well, we’re divorced, but that doesn’t mean that he left me alone. At first, he would call me constantly and harass me, but then I changed my number. Now, I get these random calls at all hours of the night, and I know it’s him. I don’t know what he’s trying to gain, but he…scares me.”

  A chill ran through her body and she pulled the blanket closer. This was the first time she had admitted to the level of her fear of her situation. A few beats of silence passed before Evan spoke.

  “Ex-husband?”

  That was all that he said as she nodded with a sigh.

  “Yeah. We had our problems—obviously, but things have worsened considerably since we’ve divorced. It’s like his brain can’t grasp that it’s over. I don’t get it.”

  “He ever hit you?”

  His voice was blunt and apologetic. His eyes, however, were gentle.

  “He’s come close.” Saying it to her sister was bad enough. To him, shame was like a fist around her neck.

  How could I have allowed this to go on for so long?

  He reached for her and she melted into him, burying her face in his shirt. His scent filled her nostrils. She sighed.

  “Does he know where you live?”

  Julianna shook her head. “No…well, I’m pretty sure he doesn’t. Well, I don’t know. I hope not.”

  “Julianna.”

  She waited for him to say more, but he instead pressed a soft kiss to her temple as he leaned back into the couch and pulled her close. She was becoming lulled by the gentle rise and fall of his chest when he spoke again.

  “Just be careful. Anytime you need me, I’ll be here.”

  He fell silent once again, and Julianna turned her head to stare up at him. Their eyes locked, and he stared down at her. Her lips parted as he tilted her face up to his. She moved forward, her lips eager for his. He dipped his head, a slow grin spreading across his face before he finally claimed her mouth, his lips urgent, hungry. His hand held the back of her head as his lips moved against hers, his pace slow. Deliberate. Goosebumps rose on her skin. He took his time, his mouth moving slowly, yet possessively over hers, sampling, branding, staking his claim with every movement of his lips. Julianna placed her hand on his chest; he reached up and covered it with his much larger one. He finally drew back, placing an affectionate peck on her forehead before he reclined in the couch once more. Although he remained silent, he pulled her close as she snuggled up against his side. They lay in a comfortable silence, both in the deep recesses of their own minds. She reached out and took his hand in hers. He gave a gentle squeeze.

  “Stay.”

  He stroked his thumb across her knuckles. “I’ll stay.”

  “Thanks.”

  He adjusted his body on the couch and rested her head on his chest. “Mmm.”

  Warmth flooded her body at the contact.

  Evan made her feel safe. Secure. No one would harm her as long as she was with him. Plus, there was something about him that caused her heart to rapidly beat. A smile to break out on her face at the mere thought of him. Although she wanted to take things slowly, she couldn’t help but wonder if she was already falling for him. They remained that way for a while until Julianna eventually fell asleep. As her eyes closed, she felt him brush a soft kiss across her temple, causing a smile to drift across her face.

  26

  Evan lay in the silence, enjoying the feel of Julianna’s warm body against his as she slept. With every movement of his body, she would readjust and snuggle closer to him, often murmuring something unintelligible in her sleep. He watched her, the movements endearing her to him.

  I need to be careful with this one.

  Although his brain warned him to do otherwise, he still pulled her closer to his body, securing her place next to him on the couch. A light shiver ran through him as he continued to brood. He enjoyed the time he was spending with her, but she was rapidly becoming something…more. She was weaving her way into his life in her quiet, shy way.

  Julianna meant more to him than he thought.

  Evan cursed under his breath as he roughly ran his hand over his face. He’d be lying to himself if he said he didn’t want more with Julianna. Something he hadn’t wanted for a long time—and it wasn’t just what was in between her thighs…though, he wanted that, too.

  Fuck.

  He made himself more comfortable, praying for sleep to come, and his mind continued to turn the Julianna situation over in his head.

  So, that man had been her ex-husband. There was something about Devon that unsettled him, unleashed a primal sense of foreboding within him. He couldn’t quite place his finger on it, but he knew men like him. There was always something more.

  It also unsettled him that Devon was still bothering Julianna. She needed to be careful. If his gut feeling was right, she had every reason to be afraid of this man. However, only time would tell the extent he’d be willing to go to prove his point…whatever it was. A soft sigh escaped him once again. Evan settled into the couch to make himself more comfortable so he could finally get some sleep. He didn’t have a good feeling about any of this, and his gut was never wrong. His mouth formed into a grim line. No matter how much he had prayed for his gut to be wrong in the past, it never had been. And it was telling him that there was more to this ex-husband
than met the eye. He glanced down at Julianna’s sleeping form and tenderly moved a tendril of hair out of her face. He prayed that, for once, he was wrong.

  Julianna squirmed in her seat next to Evan as he drove. He had taken her out on a beautiful dinner at a new restaurant she had offhandedly mentioned wanting to try earlier that evening, and now, she was sitting in his car as he drove them to some unknown destination.

  That was Evan.

  She still couldn’t figure out how he could remain so mysterious, yet transparent at the same time. It was clear from their time together that he was the type who was used to keeping to himself. He didn’t seem like the type to allow many people into his personal life. She stared out of the window, awed by the beauty of the still night.

  The moon was full and shone brightly in the clear sky, casting its soft illumination on the world below. The car came to a stop. She crossed her legs and glanced over at Evan as he parked the car, his jaw set in a determined line. There was no denying the chemistry between them, but Evan seemed to be holding back. It was always there when he stared at her, this tense, potent energy as if threatening to spill forth, but he always restrained himself.

  His shoulder-length brown hair was pulled back from his face, accentuating his strong, scruff-covered jawline. It was just enough scruff to add a bit of ruggedness that Julianna felt drawn to. His dark lashes kissed his cheek sand stood out against his lightly tanned skin. It was then that he turned to look at her, his deep blue eyes unsettling. He reminded her of a work of art, like a chiseled perfection made of the finest stone.

  “You ready?”

  They were parked in front of a lake. The moon cast an ethereal glow on the water, illuminated by lights from the businesses far on the other side.

  “I like to come here sometimes to clear my head. Walk with me?”

  Julianna accepted Evan’s outstretched hand after he retrieved a blanket from the back seat. They walked in a comfortable silence before they came to stop a few feet from the lake. A soft breeze rustled Julianna’s dress as Evan opened the blanket onto the grass.

  He sat and reached up for her, and she readily settled into his lap as if it were the most normal thing in the world. His strong arms encircled her as she leaned against his chest and inhaled him. She smiled as he pressed a kiss against her temple. Julianna welcomed the contentment brought by the warmth of his body against hers.

  “Julianna.” Evan’s voice tingled her ear. Her name sounded brand new.

  “Hmm?” she asked as she turned to him.

  She was being lulled by his warmth and the gentle rise and fall of his chest.

  “I want to know more about you.”

  “Like?”

  “Anything. Just tell me.”

  He was staring at her intently, his eyes searching hers. A charged silence passed between them before Julianna ducked her head with a smile. Evan unnerved her, and she wasn’t sure if she knew how to delve into those feelings or what they meant yet.

  “Well,” she began softly, “As you know, I have a sister, Danicah, and we were born in New York. She’s four years older than I am. She looked out for me growing up. Kind of like the female version of Hudson.”

  From their time together, she had come to learn that he was close to his older brother, Hudson. The amount of love and respect that he held for his brother was evident every time Evan spoke about him. Evan grinned. His eyes continued to bore into hers as he waited for her to continue.

  “We were left on our own early on; our dad died in an accident when I was a baby, and our mom passed away from cancer when I was eight. So, it left the two of us to fend for ourselves. We grew up in foster care, since there wasn’t any family—at least that we knew of, that could or would take us in. It was hard, but, we made it. We’re really close because of that.”

  Julianna paused and stared out onto the water. She felt Evan’s grip tighten slightly, and she relaxed.

  “We worked hard for everything we ever got out of life. We never had much, but we made it work. Danicah is a physical therapist, and I got my MBA. I’ve told you about my organic skin and haircare business.” She beamed. It was one of the things in her life she was the most proud of. She was even prouder as it was her same “pathetic little business,” as Devon had called it, that was supporting her.

  Intrigued, Evan raised a brow, but remained silent. Julianna quelled the throbbing between her thighs at the gesture and cleared her throat.

  “Yeah. I’ve had more time now to really focus on my products, so business has really taken off.”

  “Hmmm.”

  They remained in a comfortable silence before she nudged Evan in the side. “So?”

  “So.”

  Julianna giggled and shook her head.

  “What about you, Evan? Tell me a little more about you.”

  Evan licked his lips and hid a coy grin. Julianna watched the movement, wondering if he even knew how provocative the simple gesture seemed.

  He knew.

  “What about me? I thought women liked a man of mystery.”

  He laughed as Julianna playfully nudged him once again.

  “Okay, okay.” He cleared his throat and pulled her closer. His arm absently went up to rub her bare arm, and Julianna shivered in response.

  “Hudson and I were born in Norway. We lived there until I was ten and he was thirteen. Life was normal for us until our parents died in…an accident. After that, we were supposed to be placed in foster care, but we found a way out by joining a military academy in the United States. Once we made it made it to the States, we never looked back. As you know, we together with our own security firm, and we’re pretty much inseparable. We’ve been through a lot together.”

  “Norway, huh? Wow.”

  Evan nodded.

  “You hide your accent well. That is, if you had one.”

  “I did. I had to.”

  “Are you hiding a head of blond hair as well?” Julianna joked as she fingered his dark locks.

  Evan chuckled. “No, no blond. You’d be surprised how many people question me being Norwegian because I’m not blond.”

  “Hmm.”

  Julianna studied Evan’s face. Although he had willingly shared this information with her, she also got the vibe that there were many more layers to Evan and his story. He was staring down at her with eyes that were still guarded yet soft. His hand went to cup her cheek, and he tilted her face up to his. Julianna’s heart quickened as his lips came closer to hers.

  “That’ll do for now, Julianna. But know I’ll be wanting more. I plan to know everything about you. And you me.”

  Evan brought his face even closer to hers. She already expected the warmth of his lips, and her breath quickened. Electricity coursed from her chest down to her clit.

  Evan finally closed the distance between their mouths and brushed his lips across hers. Julianna gasped from intensity of the moment and moaned as Evan eased his tongue into her mouth. His tongue slowly undulated against hers, taking his time exploring the contours of her lips.

  After receiving his fill, he turned his attention to trailing kisses along the side of her neck and up to her ear, which he flicked with his tongue. A guttural moan escaped her lips. She widened her hips and straddled him, shivering as Evan ran his hands up her thighs. Another soft, breathy groan escaped her lips as she pressed up against his hardened dick straining against the fabric of his jeans. Evan’s hands again went to her thighs, and he hastily pushed the thin material of her dress out of the way in search of her bare skin. He traced a single finger along her inner thigh, his touch feather-light, watching her intently as he allowed his finger to trail closer and closer to her core.

  Julianna whimpered and closed her eyes, already anticipating, needing, Evan’s fingers on her clit. Instead, he nudged her back until she was lying flat on the blanket. He claimed her lips once again and hovered over her, his eyes probing into hers. He pushed her dress up higher and was slowly easing her panties down her thighs when Julia
nna shot up.

  “Shit.” That was all Evan said as he moved away, his chest heaving. He shook his head as he moved even farther away. “That was too much too soon.”

  Julianna remained silent as she watched him fight for control as he turned away. “Evan…”

  Julianna allowed her voice to trail off as she sat back on her heels. She enjoyed what Evan was doing to her, but a part of her was still...reluctant. Afraid. She’d been down this road before. Just not with this much passion. Although her clit was throbbing for him, she still hesitated. She suppressed a frustrated groan. After a few beats of silence, she tried again.

  “The truth is, I’ve never felt this way before.”

  Evan immediately looked up, confusion creasing his handsome features. “What do you mean by that?”

  “This.” She gestured between them. “I’ve never felt this much passion before.”

  “And that scares you.”

  Julianna opened her mouth to protest but didn’t respond as Evan’s eyes challenged hers. He knew. She lowered her head and busied herself with readjusting her clothing.

  Evan sat quietly on the grass as he waited for her to finish, his expression dark and brooding. He remained silent even after they went back to the car; his silence was deafening as he drove, which allowed Julianna time to delve into her own thoughts. He spoke only once he parked his car next to hers.

  “I want all of you, Julianna. Not just sexually, but in every way possible. I have the hardest time controlling myself with you. I am also having a very hard time concentrating on anything else but you. I get that you would like to take things more slowly, and I intend to respect that. However, I’ve already decided that I want to be in your life…if you’ll have me.”

  A delicious shiver ran down Julianna’s spine in response to Evan’s direct nature. She remained silent for a short while as she pondered his words. She wanted to be with him—and everything that came with it. He made her feel so much to the point where she struggled to wade through the whirlpool of emotions he allowed her to feel. This scared her as much as it enticed her. She didn’t know what all of this meant.