Harlequin Desire January 2021--Box Set 1 of 2 by Maisey Yates (inspirational books .TXT) 📗

eyes of a millionaire movie star. It was well lit and clean. The frosted glass and gold accents did very little to elevate the plain design. “I’m sure you’ve lived in much nicer places.”

“I have.” He looked at her for a bit as if gauging if he should say more. Those quiet eyes always got to her. “But I’ve also lived in my car, so make what you want out of that.”

Nina clutched the pair of bolster pillows to her chest. Why was she still struggling to see Julian as an ordinary person? She kept tripping over the same low wire. He was not an action hero or a movie star. He was just a guy who didn’t hesitate to help lift a friend’s couch off the curb.

He and the driver tried out different ways to fit the couch into the elevator until they got it right. On the ride up, he asked if Laetitia was a good friend of hers.

“Good enough,” she said. “We binged an entire season of Riverside Rescue on this.” Nina patted the couch standing upright between them. “That makes it worth saving, don’t you think?”

Julian looked doubtful. “That’s one opinion.”

They reached the third floor. After some maneuvering, he and the driver moved the couch into the hall. She led them to Laetitia’s door then swiveled around to give Julian a pointed look. “There’s probably going to be some drama. I’ll handle it.”

“Whatever you say.”

He backed away and leaned against the wall. Nina knocked on the apartment door. It wasn’t locked and swung open. Ted looked up from a pile of boxes stacked like a pyramid where the couch should have been.

“Laetitia called,” he said flatly. “Sorry for your wasted effort, but you’re not bringing that thing in here. It’s my couch. I bought it. I tossed it out. There’s no law against it.”

Judge Judy would have laughed that argument out of small claims court. “It was a gift, Ted.”

“Mind your own business,” Ted said. “And shut the door on your way out.”

Nina was prepared for a little bit of back-and-forth, but not this stonewalling. At a loss, she turned to Julian. She hated to be the girl who got her boyfriend to fight her battles, but Julian wasn’t her boyfriend, so it didn’t count. He responded to her silent plea with a wink. “Guess we’ll do it my way.”

She nodded and went to stand next to the driver, who, to his credit, had not lost his professional composure. Julian didn’t move. He stayed as he was, leaning against the wall, and called out to Ted, “How do you want to do this?”

Gone were the accent and any gentlemanly manners. He’d transformed into his on-screen persona. Nina hated to admit it, but it was hot.

“Hey, Nina!” Ted said, waving a duct tape dispenser. “Where’d you get this impersonator? Vegas?”

Julian pushed off the wall and crowded the doorway. “I’m bringing in this couch. It would be a mistake to try to stop me. And if it lands on the curb again, I’ll know. We won’t be far.” He turned to Nina. “Where’s your apartment?”

“Ted knows,” Nina said. “I’m down the hall. Apartment 3D.”

Julian slipped out of character, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. “Three D? Really? Will we need special glasses?”

The man was a child! “Ha-ha! Three D! So funny! Could you wrap this up, please?”

He turned to Ted and resumed his admonishment. “Look. If I have to carry this couch, or anything else, back up here, you and I will have a problem.”

Ted’s reaction was staggered. He pinned a blank stare on Julian, puffed out his chest, rolled his hands into fists and stretched to his full height. It was comical to watch. Julian could snap the stockbroker in two, but Nina knew he wouldn’t.

“Are we going to have a problem, Ted?” Julian asked.

Ted deflated. “To hell with it. I don’t care.”

“Good man.”

* * *

After Laetitia’s couch was back in its place and the driver well compensated, Nina welcomed Julian to her apartment. She liked her place. It was small, a studio, but it didn’t lack character. The wood parquet floors were beautiful. The living area was bright thanks to tall windows with immediate views of the tops of oak trees and a row of redbrick buildings farther down the street. Julian walked around in circles, commenting on framed photographs and book collections. Nina did not need 3D glasses to see him in all his complexity. He was a beautiful man, but he was more than that. He was smart, funny, generous, insightful and fair. He was tender, gentle, understanding… She saw him, and he was beautiful.

“Goldie, what are you overthinking now?”

He came to stand before her, hands low on his hips. Apparently, he didn’t need special glasses to see her, either.

“I’m thinking this feels just right.”

Julian wrapped her in his arms. It was everything and it was not enough. Nina needed to feel his skin against hers. She stepped back, unbuckled her jeans and shimmied to better push the stiff denim over her hips.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“We’re home,” she said. “Time to slip into something more comfortable.”

* * *

Journal Entry

“May I taste?”

I nod, because the words won’t come. He presses me against the door and hunches low. I readily hook a knee over his shoulder, but when his tongue meets my tender skin, I’m not prepared for the rush… I have to tug at his hair to keep from crying out.

We haven’t made it to the bed.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Cozy in her bed, limbs intertwined, Julian and Nina got back to work. Nina seemed giddy to be reunited with her laptop. She had hugged it to her chest and spun around like Maria in the opening credits of The Sound of Music. And now she leaned on his shoulder as they scrolled through actor profiles, looking to round out the cast. Julian was partial to a French actor, Vincent Gabriel, winner of a César and a BAFTA, to play the role of Luke’s