It should have been obvious, but it wasn’t. Not until we were pulling into his very modern castle. It barely even looked like one, more like a mansion.
“It kind of looks like Buckingham Palace.” My gaze swept over the estate and landscape.
“It was actually inspired by it. Come.”
I followed him inside, of course gawking at every little thing. More paintings but there were also photographs of the family. It was noticeably more modern than the castle in Crellesia.
“We can eat in the dining room and then do whatever we’d like.” Julian smiled slowly, and from the way he was watching me, I swore he was going to tear the clothes off me. I guess it was a good thing I’d brought a change of clothes.
“May I take that, sir?”
I jumped when a gentleman sidled up next to me. “What?”
“Your bag?”
“Oh.” I chuckled. “Sorry, thanks.” I handed it over and followed Julian into the dining room.
“Is this where you planned our dinner to be originally?”
“No, but after seeing you at the door, I changed that immediately.”
I snickered as I sat in the seat he held out for me. “I feel bad springing this on your staff.”
“Don’t.” That was all he said—not, “Don’t worry,” just simply, “Don’t.”
“Uh, okay, then.”
They brought out the food, and my stomach rumbled embarrassingly.
“Best eat up, Wynn. You’re gonna need your strength.”
Sweet Jesus, this man is going to kill me.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Julian
Everything about Wynn Cartermesmerized me. Why? I’d never been enraptured by another person before. Killing was a need, a way to extinguish the itch that burrowed underneath my skin. Anytime I was with Wynn, I didn’t get that feeling. What I wanted to do was bury myself so deep inside him, we became one.
After dinner, while I wanted to drag him to my bedroom and ravish him, I offered him a drink in the living area. One side of the room was all windows; you could see nothing but the ocean for miles. I’d known somehow that Wynn would love it, and judging by his gasp when we entered, I was proved right.
“Oh, wow. Julian, this is…” He chuckled in excitement. “I have no words.” He gravitated to the windows and while he watched the waves, I watched him.
If someone had asked me what it was about Wynn that lured me in, I wouldn’t have been able to answer them. The moment I’d seen him at Penny’s, sitting at that table, it was as if I were plugged into something that gave me life, calmness, purpose.
I moved toward the bar, intending to pour us each a drink, but I realized I wanted to drink him in much more. I dimmed the lights so there was no glare on the glass and Wynn could see perfectly. With his attention on the sea, I came up behind him, not touching just yet. I closed my eyes and quietly inhaled his scent: citrus and a hint of coconut. Whether from sunscreen or not, I couldn’t be sure, but it was neither of those fragrances that gripped me; it was what lay beneath. Wynn’s natural bouquet.
I slid my arm across his waist and he jolted, obviously not realizing I had moved so close, but immediately relaxed against my chest as I pulled him to me. My other hand slid up his arm, along his shoulder, pausing once I reached his chest.
“Mmm,” I hummed into his neck.
“Julian,” he whispered, and I loved how he said my name.
“I want to do bad things to you, Wynn.”
His hands came up, each covering one of my hands. “Maybe I want that.”
He went to turn, but I stopped him. “Enjoy the view, Wynn.” Slowly I began unbuttoning his shirt, glad he wasn’t wearing anything underneath. I skimmed over his skin until the shirt was falling to the floor. Then, with one hand, I began unzipping his pants while I wrapped the other lightly around his neck.
