Page 17 of Taboo

“That good?”

She opened her eyes. “I think he might have ruined me for all other men.”

David shook his head. “Did you get his number?”

She snorted. “I don’t even know his last name. But he was in one of the massive suites. I could find out.”

Her family owned the hotel and there was a good chance that she could dig and find out his name. But this was perfect. She had wanted a one-night stand, and she’d gotten one.

She frowned down at her drink, not really enjoying it. Would she ever enjoy whiskey again? Would she always associate it with Alek?

“What’s that look for?”

She glanced over at David and shook her head. “Nothing. I just didn’t expect to get so attached to a one-night stand. I mean, that’s what it’s supposed to be about, right? Just one night. A few orgasms, and then goodbye.”

He stared at her. “Come on. Out with it.”

“Out with what?”

“How many orgasms?’

She sighed. “I lost count.”

He chuckled. “I would definitely at least consider finding him. He sounds like King of the Orgasms, and you need to make sure to keep that on hand.”

“I told you, I don’t even know his last name.”

He slipped his glasses down on his nose, then stared at her over the top of them. “You could find out. Your family owns the hotel.”

That was true, but she worried that maybe he’d freak out if she tracked him down. It was for one night. And one morning. Even thinking about him sent a rush of tingles racing over her nerve endings leaving her hot and her nipples hard. It was embarrassing that even now she wanted him. It had been just a few hours since she had touched him, and she knew if he were here, there was a good chance she would jump at the chance to shag him again.

She closed her eyes and fought a shiver. The man had been so commanding in bed, so overwhelming in the best ways. Since she was such a Type A, many men were intimidated by her, but Alek hadn’t been. In fact, he seemed to enjoy breaking down all of her defenses. And for once, she trusted a man to do just that.

That was the embarrassing part of this whole thing. She didn’t know him at all, but there had been this need to just let loose. Was it because she would never see him again? Maybe that was it. The anonymity of the experience was part of the reason she could let go. As a woman who had lived most of her life in front of the very nasty camera, it was difficult to trust, especially when your best mates were whispering to the paps. He didn’t know her last name. She didn’t know his. That’s why it worked.

And no matter how much she wanted it to be otherwise, that was the way it had to stay.

Two days later, Julienne was ready to start working with the Johnson family. Right now, she was standing around waiting for the rest of her meeting partners to arrive. Nerves danced over her skin as she tried to keep herself calm about it all. She had done things like this before, but it had been a long time since she had to have face-to-face meetings. Too many assholes thought she was open for a good time with just anyone. She wasn’t usually needed on site, so she had stayed close to home. But now, she was in Hawaii and getting ready to help this family redo their resort.

She walked to the large floor to ceiling windows that looked out over the beach. God, how did anyone work here? Since arriving a couple of days ago, she found herself mesmerized by the ocean waves rolling into shore. The Johnsons owned the resort her family had invested in and planned on completely refurbishing. It had been her hope that her mother would pick her to do the design, but it wasn’t always a given. One thing, the family had to agree. And then her mother didn’t always pick Julienne. As much privilege as they had, Lillian Wulf made her children work for everything. She hadn’t been born with money and even though their father had been, Julienne knew he had agreed with her mother.

Just thinking about her father brought a frown to her lips, along with a sigh.

“Is everything okay, Ms. Wulf?” Robert Johnson asked. She glanced at the patriarch of the family and shook her head.

“Please, call me Julienne. And there’s nothing wrong at all. Just thinking about my father.”

“He was a good man?”

She nodded and smiled. “I think so, but don’t all little girls?”

His responding smile made her blink. Two very cute dimples and a ton of straight, white teeth seemed familiar, but she pushed aside the déjà vu. She hadn’t met him at the wedding. She’d been too busy running around dealing with the ceremony and reception and making sure Nic didn’t throw up on anyone. But there was something there she recognized.

“True.Ohanais very important.”

She nodded as more people filed into the conference room. Most of them were family members, but she knew from the information David had compiled, many of their employees had been with them for a long period of time.

“We’re waiting for my grandson. He’s going to be taking over in a few months.”

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