Page 45 of Hate On

After a moment, they both started to laugh and Julianna broke away from him, retreating farther back into her condo. “Come on in,” she said, sweeping her arm to welcome him inside.

He took a few steps away, looking around curiously.

As he did so, she took him in, greedy for the sight of him.

It had only been a few hours since she’d seen him, but that hadn’t been enough. That he’d been so cool, ignoring her, definitely hadn’t helped.

“I’m glad you came over,” she said softly.

He glanced over his shoulder at her and shrugged. “I was having a hard time staying away. You’ve gotten under my skin, Julianna.”

“You’ve gotten under mine, too.” Lowering her lashes, she studied him from underneath them and added, “But you haven’t told me you missed me yet.”

“Didn’t I just do that?” He closed the distance between them and reached up, cupping her cheek in his hand.

She turned her face into his touch, resisting the urge to rub against him. Meeting his eyes, she said, “Did you?”

“I told you I was having a hard time staying away. Why do you think that is?”

A smile flirted with her lips as she studied him. “I don’t know. You tell me.”

“You don’t know how to give an inch, do you?” He fisted her hair in his hand, tugging her head back for a quick kiss. “I think maybe I did miss you. Quite a bit, to be honest.”

She sighed and tucked her head against his shoulder. “Good. I’d hate to be the only one.”

His arms came around her and they stood there like that, enjoying each other’s company for a long moment. “How did this happen?” she asked softly.

“I’m still trying to figure that out.” He slid one hand up her back, then down. “It doesn’t really make sense, does it?”

“Not everything in life does.” She tipped her head back to study him. “Why does this have to?”

“It doesn’t. Not right now at least.” Those clever fingers skimmed the flesh of her spine once more, then he broke away. “I’ve got something for you.”

“Ohhh…do you?” She wagged her brows at him.

He laughed. “Deviant. Not that.” He pulled back, letting her go as he reached into his pocket. “This has been in my family for years. My grandmother left it to me when she died. I want you to have it.”

He pulled a box of ivory velvet from his pocket and placed it in her hands. Heart racing, she said, “Your grandmother…Roman…”

“Open it,” he urged.

She did and the sight of what was inside made her breath catch.

Even if Julianna hadn’t been in the line of work she was in, she would have recognized the exquisite craftsmanship of the piece of jewelry lying on a bed of silk. The locket was old, early nineteen-hundreds if she had to guess, oval-shaped and made of rose gold. A stylizedMwas centered in the middle, surrounded by leaves of gold. “It’s lovely, Roman.” Her gaze swept up to his. “Are…why are you giving this to me?”

“Because I want you to have it.” His eyes held her gaze. There were unspoken word playing on his face, things that hit her right in the heart. “Will you take it?”

Some part of her whispered,You’re crazy…this is too soon.

But the rest of her was almost giddy.

“Yes!”

He reached for the box and she turned it over to him, turning around and lifting her hair to bare her neck. “Will you help me?”

In response, he placed the chain around her neck, his fingers brushing against her skin as he fastened it. When he was done, he stood behind her, his hands on her shoulders. Tremors of sensation rocked her and she would have sworn she felt imprints branded into her skin where his hands were. “Turn around,” he whispered against her ear. “Let me see.”

She turned then, looking up at him.