Page 16 of Taboo

“Are you sure you don’t want any dinner?”

She shook her head. “You’ve put together the snacks. We’re fine with that.”

“And you don’t want me to stay?”

“We’re sure. We’re going to sit here and watch the sun set and then pass out I’m sure.”

The older woman smiled. “Well, then, I’m off. I’ll be back in the morning.”

“Have a nice night, Marta.”

She joined David on the lanai.

“You should be drinking something fruity,” David said, shaking his head.

“You’re drinking a martini. That’s hardly fruity.”

He scoffed at her as she took the seat next to his. As she had told Marta, he had situated them so that they could watch the sunset.

“So, please tell me about last night because I’m definitely dying to know about whatever went on.”

David had become her best friend over the last year. He was a couple years younger than her, and as her friends seemed to fade away under the scandal that Gregor fabricated, she found herself more and more dependent on David. He had stood by her side when the worst of the rumors hit.

“Well, I did what you told me to do.”

“I have told you so many things, including that you should wear your hair natural.”

This was a familiar argument between the two of them. The natural curls were too wild for her image, or so one of their handlers had told her when she was in her teens. Proper misses didn’t have out of control hair.

“About getting, you know.”

He chuckled. “I can’t believe you can’t use the word shag in reference to yourself.”

Even though she should be used to his outrageous comments, her face still flushed. “It’s just not something I usually share with people.”

“Well, with Gregor I understand.”

She said nothing since David was right. Gregor had been boring. She’d had no experience when they went to bed, but even an untried virgin that she was, she had known there was no spark. He was beyond tedious. As Alek had proven to her, Gregor had been a selfish bastard.

“Soooooo?”

She chuckled. “I met a guy.”

“Oh my God, just tell me. You are worse than Nic.”

David and Nic had become thick as thieves in the last year. He was still in awe of her ability to handle all things from the Wulf family, and she could be mean, especially if you threatened anyone in the family.

“Okay, so, he walked up to me when I was standing at the entrance of the bar.”

“And you were wearing that vintage black dress.”

She nodded.

“And? I swear to god, if you don’t tell me, I will call your mother and tell her you came out to me.”

Julienne rolled her eyes. Her mother wouldn’t be upset. She’d just start throwing women at Julienne.

“Okay, he was...” She closed her eyes and sighed. How did she describe a man who did the things he did to her? He didn’t even know her last name or who she was. But somehow, they’d been in tune with each other.