Read Stay for Free Online

he hasn’t bothered to officially introduce himself to me. My comment brings a big smile to his face, and he concedes he skipped that step.
    “My bad, Alexa. I’m Julian Bauer. It’s very nice to ‘officially’ meet you. I guess our run-in in the stairwell doesn’t count as up-close and personal then?” Julian is pretending to act all proper and polite and extends his hand as a means of introduction. I look down at his hand and reach out and put my hand in his. His large hand is soft and strong and completely envelops mine. The second we touch, a jolt of electricity shoots through me. His touch really is like an electric shock to my system. It’s the third time we have touched, and each time I’ve gotten the chills up and down my body. I look up at Julian after we touch, and it’s totally obvious he feels it too. His playful demeanor completely changes, just like it did in the stairwell. His gaze is burning. I’m practically rendered speechless, but I manage to push a few word s out.
    “Well, Julian Bauer. I’m Alexa Reed, and it is nice to ‘officially’ meet you.”
    Thank goodness Luke walks up when he does and sets my drink down in front of me. He looks at Julian, then at me, and back at Julian again. He has a smile on his face, but I know it’s the bullshit one he flashes when he’s not happy. He knows something is going down here.
    “There you go, Lex. You should stop after this one. Don’t want you to be hung over tomorrow and ruin our whole day.”
    Seriously? How embarrassing. I can’t believe he just said that, and I’m not sure what the hell he’s talking about because we don’t have plans tomorrow because I’m working. I don’t want to make a scene, so I settle for rolling my eyes at him. I’m ready for him to walk away so I can finish my conversation with Julian. But he just stands there like he has nothing else to do. I shrug my shoulders at Julian as if to say I have no idea what Luke is up to.
    I guess Julian decides he’s had enough of this little pissing match. As he turns to walk away, he looks me dead in the eyes. That smoldering look is still there.
    “Just let me know … A-lex-a.” He’s talking about the kiss.
    Fuck. This guy is trouble with a capi tal T.
    I swing my head around to look at Luke, and he’s standing there with that same fake smile plastered on his face.
    “Don’t go there, Lex. Nothing good will come o f it.”
    I know he’s just looking out for me, so I lean in and give him a hug. “I’m good, Luke. Really. Just having some fun.”
    “Julian Bauer is not someone to play games with, Lexie. Please try to remember that.”
    “Go to work, Luke. There are girls dying of thirst over there who need you.” I nod toward the other end of the bar where a few college girls are trying to get his attention. Luke finally walks away, and I turn to leave to go find my friends. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Julian standing off in the shadows, and although it is dark, I swear he’s staring right at me.
    I go back downstairs to the club and find my friends dancing. I pull them off the dance floor to tell them what just happened upstairs. I’m feeling all giddy like a teenage girl with a crush on the captain of the football team. It’s sort of ridiculous. I’m a twenty-five-year-old woman who has been flirted with before. Maybe not like that though. I tell them verbatim what Julian said and explain how Luke got all possessive. They’re excited for me and don’t seem at all concerned that Julian is the big, bad wolf Luke is making him out to be. They encourage me to flirt with as many guys as I want to—especially ridiculously hot ones like Julian Bauer. Shannon starts to give me an earful on how I need to explain to Luke that he’s not my boyfriend or my dad. My girlfriends are good friends with Luke too but have, on more than one occasion, questioned me about what his feelings toward me really are. I remind them, for the millionth time, Luke and I are