Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 57085 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 285(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57085 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 285(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
He shoos me toward my bedroom. My bottom lip trembles as I enter the room and hear the lock clicking behind me.
Helplessly, I sit down on my bed. What just happened?
Papa has always been strict when it comes to talking to the maids, but he’s never reacted quite so severely. It’s a painful reminder of the party where I met Julian, the mysterious servant. He was really upset then, too.
My hands shake as I get out of my clothes and into a silk nightie. I remove my makeup and tie my hair up, knowing that tomorrow, a grueling day is ahead of me.
I’m ready to climb into bed when I hear the small sound of something hitting my window. I try to ignore it for a while, but the sound grows more and more insistent. Finally, I put down the silver brush I’ve been running through my hair and step to the French doors of my balcony, parting the curtains and looking down.
There’s a figure down there, shrouded in darkness. At first, I think it’s a guard, but then he steps into the light streaming through the window. My palm flies up to cover my mouth as I realize who the mystery visitor is.
It’s the boy from the party a few days ago, Julian. My heartrate speeds up. A thousand thoughts race through my mind. That my father will kill me if he finds out Julian was here. And the knowledge that Julian, a boy who barely knows me, went to the effort to find me again. But why?
I open the doors of the balcony and narrow my eyes at him.
“What are you doing here?” I call out softly.
He shrugs, a roguish grin on his face. “I don’t know. Wanted to see you again. Can I come up?”
“Up?” I glance around, already panicking. “No, of course not!”
“Please?” I can tell he’s turning on the charm that almost worked on me yesterday, and it’s freaking working.
“Ugh, fine.”
I watch nervously as he climbs the ivy-covered lattice. Easily, Julian swings himself over the balcony rail and my heart pounds as we come face to face once again.
I wrap my arms protectively around my body, realizing just how exposed I am.
“Why are you here?” I ask again.
“I wanted to see if you’d changed your mind,” he smirks in that cocky way of his. “Your father seemed pretty upset we’d been talking. But I don’t think it bothered you that much, did it?”
“I…” I swallow my words. “It’s not appropriate for us to be around one another. You’re a servant. My father wouldn’t want me seen with you.”
“No one sees us now though,” Julian mutters, taking a step forward and making me frantically stumble back. “Relax, I’m not going to hurt you. I just… I wanted to make sure of something.” “What’s that?” “This.”
Before I get the chance to react, he cups my face with one hand and pulls me in for a kiss.
I want to resist, but then I feel sparks flying between us and my body igniting as our lips connect in a passionate kiss.
My first kiss, ever.
I’ve been so protected my whole life, I never experienced this before, but I’d never tell Julian that. I can tell he kisses just like he speaks – in a cocky, confident way that makes him seem like a different person than he really is.
A mere servant.
My father’s words replay in my head while Julian deepens our kiss. He punished me so severely just for helping Ana. If he knew I was making out with a boy he didn’t approve of, he’d be even more pissed. But there’s nothing I can do about that – Julian’s kiss is making my knees weak, and the last thing I want to do is stop this.
His arm snakes around my waist and I give into his kiss even more. The sparks flying between us are electric, making me shiver in the cool air coming through from the balcony.
“Fuck,” Julian mutters once we finally break apart. “That was…”
He sounds out of breath, something I’m experiencing too. I groan and rub my eyes.
“We weren’t supposed to do that. If my father finds out… he could have you killed, Julian.”
“I’m not worried,” he smirks with that easy confidence he has. “I want to do it again.”
Vehemently, I shake my head. There’s no way I’m kissing him again, or letting him kiss me.
“If my father finds out –”
“He won’t,” Julian shrugs carelessly. “No one has to find out. Don’t tell me you didn’t feel what I felt just now.”
I shake my head, but I’m unable to deny it. The kiss was special.
“You don’t want to see me again?” Julian asks. His eyes sparkle with amusement and he raises his brows at me. “I don’t have to come by again, if you don’t want that. It would be a shame, since we just found out how fucking good it feels to kiss like that… But if you don’t want that anymore, I can take the hint.”