Once a Doormat, Now Untouchable

Sydney stayed in the bathroom far longer than necessary, splashing cool water on her face and willing her heartbeat to steady. Even behind the closed door, she could hear the muffled voices outside—Julian speaking calmly to his friends, Bruce’s loud laugh, Raymond’s quieter remarks, and Caleb’s familiar baritone that sent her nerves into a tailspin.

She pressed her palms to her heated cheeks.

What had she done?

What had he done?

Julian had kissed her like a man deprived of air—again and again—utterly unconcerned that his friends were standing right outside his door. Worse, he had mocked her panic as if it amused him.

She closed her eyes, breath trembling.

She had to get herself under control before facing them.

When the voices briefly drifted farther away—likely the men moving into the living room—Sydney finally cracked open the bathroom door and peered out. The hallway was empty. She slipped out silently, intending to leave, but the moment she turned toward the entrance, she froze.

Julian was leaning against the wall.

One ankle crossed over the other, arms folded loosely over his chest, his expression unreadable. The faint smear of her lipstick still clung to the corner of his mouth.

been

stomach tightened. “Move,”

to her eyes. “You plan to walk out there looking like

hitched.

pushed off the wall and stepped toward her. She instinctively backed

lifted—slow, deliberate. His thumb brushed the corner of her mouth, wiping a tiny streak of his own lipstick from her skin.

Her pulse stuttered.

snatched his wrist and

of his mouth curved—not quite a smile, more like a challenge. “You didn’t seem to mind

Her throat tightened. “That was a

his

Her breath trembled. “Julian—stop.”

breath grazed her ear. “You can tell me it meant nothing. You can even

jerked away as if burned. “You’re

trembling,” he

respond, a knock echoed from the