Out of options.
I couldn’t fucking think straight when she was glaring at me with so much hatred. I despised not being in control, so I did the only thing I could in this situation.
I unbuckled my belt.
Preparing for more of her bullshit.
Chapter TWELVE
—Autumn—
“What are you doing?” I questioned, caught off guard.
He unbuttoned his pants. “I’m getting ready for you.”
“Excuse me?” I jerked back. “Have you lost your mind? Do you actually think I’m going to have sex with you right now?”
There was a knock on the door.
“Come in,” he called out.
“Mr. Locke,” Erin greeted, walking in with a garment bag in her arms. “Here is the suit you requested.”
He nodded, unbuttoning his shirt.
I was grateful she’d interrupted us when she did, giving me a chance to calm down and see some sort of reason. What I didn’t expect was Julian’s tense body catching my attention. From his chiseled physique to every sleek muscle on his chest, arms, and back. His abs contracted, highlighting his six-pack and the V right above his happy trail.
The man was almost thirty-five-years-old and looked better than he did when he was twenty-four. His back muscles flexed as he removed the dress shirt he was wearing to the black one Erin was taking out of the garment bag.
In the matter of a few seconds, I went from wanting to rip him to shreds, to watching him undress like he was my very own private peep show.
Erin just stood there, unmoving, and I couldn’t help but feel bothered that she didn’t leave the room. Simply waiting for him to take off his suit to hand him the one he was going to wear.
How often did she see him naked?
When he started taking off his slacks, my body moved in autopilot, snatching the garment bag from her hands.
“I got it from here, Erin. You can go.”
She nodded and left, and as soon as I turned around, Julian was grinning at me like a fucking fool. I never wanted to slap the smirk off his face more than I did at that moment.
“I don’t like green on women, but jealousy suits you, kid.”
“I’m not jealous.”
“No?”
“Not at all.”
“Care to elaborate on what that was then?”
“It’s unprofessional for you to change in front of her.”
“But not unprofessional for me to change in front of you?”
“No. I’ve already seen you naked.” My reply didn’t make any sense, but it was the only one I had.
“So has Erin.”
My jaw clenched, and he chuckled noticing it.
“Professionally, of course.” With that, he grabbed the garment bag out of my hand, beginning to undress again.
Since he was busy, I regarded him with fascination, trying to pretend like I wasn’t. Mentally chastising myself that I was falling for his antics. It wasn’t until he dropped his pants that my gaze flew to where I had no business looking.
Jesus.
It looked better than I remembered. His briefs perfectly hugged the curves of his cock, and my mind reminisced on what it felt like in my mouth and inside of me. My legs swayed, trembling a little. Thinking about all the times he’d stroked it in front of me while he was going down on me.
Wetness pooled in between my legs.
“Sweetheart, why don’t you just bend over since you’re staring right at him?”
I. Stopped. Breathing.
My lust-filled gaze shot to his amused expression, immediately washing away all the desire I was feeling for him. However, his dick decided to make an appearance, jutting up and standing at attention. Once again inciting the lust to course through my core at a speed I could no longer control or deny.
“What did you think was going to happen when you’re staring at my cock like you want to be fucked?”
I ripped the garment bag from his grasp and presented my back to him. I ignored his question and perfect dick as I walked to the corner of the room where there was a rack of clothing, and discarded his suit on the couch.
“I need to get dressed if I’m going to make your photoshoot. They’re waiting on me, and I don’t make a habit of being late to anything I commit to.”
“Oh. You commit to things? I wasn’t aware that you were capable of committing. Anyway…” I continued as if he hadn’t said a word. “Your photoshoot isn’t in a suit, Mr. Locke. You’ve been on hundreds of magazine covers wearing a suit. My stylist personally coordinated your outfits. I’m just getting it for you.”
After I faced him, he took one look at the Levi’s jeans, white t-shirt, black cowboy hat, and boots in my hands and argued, “I’m not wearing that.”
“Yes, you are.” Making my way back to him, I set his clothes on the couch, ordering, “Now get dressed.”
“Autumn, I won’t repeat myself.”
“Great.” I nodded. “Because I don’t want to hear your mouth anymore.”
There was another knock at the door. “Mr. Locke, are you ready?” a voice asked through the door.
I answered, “He’ll be out in five minutes.”
We were having a power struggle of who would win.
Me or him?
I should have known better…
He always won everything.
Especially when it concerned me.
—Julian—
Further drilling her point, she added, “This is what I meant by the world seeing the real you. This is what you used to wear, so this is what you’ll wear today.” She smiled, playing coy. “Okay?”
I took a deep breath, silently counting to three. “What did I tell you last night, kid? I don’t like to be taken by surprise, so the real question is, do I punish you now or later?”
She grabbed another vase, aiming it at me, and I cocked my head to the side, daring her to do it. She thought about it for a second before biting her lip and setting the vase back on the table.
“Good girl.”
“Touch me, and I’ll scream.”
“You already did that.” Using the situation to my advantage, I bartered, “If I wear that outfit for you, then you have to be in some of the photos with me.”
“Fuck. No.”
I walked toward my garment bag.
“Ugh!” She stomped her heel. “Why are you always this much of an asshole? Why can’t you just do what you’re told? You’re worse than a child.”
I stared at her, waiting.
“Fine. Alright? I’ll take some stupid pictures.”
“Great.” I got dressed while she called her stylist, telling her she needed a few pieces for the shoot.
I couldn’t believe I was doing this for her. I hadn’t dressed like this since I’d left Texas. I didn’t even own a pair of jeans, let alone a fucking t-shirt. Once I was ready, I stared at the man in the full-length mirror, not recognizing who was staring back at me. It was as if there was a stranger in my reflection, one I hadn’t seen in over a decade.
The knock on the door yanked my mind back to the present, and for the next two hours, I shot photo after photo after photo.