Page 75 of The Light Within

Cinn scowled at Julien. “Obviously.” He then recounted his curtain experience to Julien, whose shock radiated from him in palpable waves when he learned who their stalker met. When he’d finished, Cinn waited for Julien to explode, predicting a stream of curses from him alongside Eleanor’s name. Instead, Julien silently grappled with his frustration,eyes darkening before he dropped his gaze to fiddle with the cuff of his coat.

“So you didn’t get a good look at that guy?”

“No. It kind of sounded like he had an American accent? Not like Elliot’s, though.”

“That doesn’t narrow it down. Americans constantly invade Auri. Come on.” Julien nodded downwards. “Let’s see what’s there.”

When they flung open the narrow door by the stage stairs, Cinn braced, ready for a hidden room filled with suspicious equipment that would surely reveal the full extent of Eleanor’s operation.

Nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

Deflating like a balloon, Cinn dragged his feet into the starkly bare, cramped space beneath the stage. “Well,” he said. “This was fun.”

The door clicked shut, Julien plunging them into darkness except for a shred of light seeping through the crack.

“Now,” Julien said, crowding into Cinn’s space. “I don’t knowyourdefinition of fun,mon amour.”

Back hitting the wall, the warmth of Julien’s body pressed into Cinn. His hand sought the shape of Julien’s face. “You know, you’ve really messed up my whole solo covert-operation thing I had going on. I was just about to track down that guy and give him a taste of his own medicine.”

Under the knuckles Cinn was gliding over his face, Julien’s cheek twitched. “Oui?What would that involve?”

Cinn reached underneath Julien’s heavy coat, found both his suspenders, and yanked them. He leaned forward, teeth seeking Julien’s ear. A surprised, appreciative sound rumbled out of Julien, and Cinn smiled against his hair. Catching Julien off guard was no easy feat. Cinn scraped his teeth over the shell of Julien’s ear, and whispered, “Roughing himup a little,” attempting a seductive purr and succeeding, if the firm bulge now pressing into Cinn’s thigh was anything to go by.

“Rough you say? How rough?”

A sudden yank of Cinn’s hair made him gasp, his body arching instinctively closer to Julien. He pulled Cinn’s hair again, the sharp tingle of pain making him shiver. “Because I might need to do something about that. There’s only one person you’re allowed to beroughing up.”

Cinn opened his mouth to ask Julien what he was going to do about it, but only managed the first word before Julien’s mouth claimed his in a fierce kiss. The intensity of it stole his breath, knocked their conversation out of his head. Julien’s hands roamed possessively over his waist, his thighs, his ass.

Then Julien pulled back, his hands moving to Cinn’s shoulders, gripping them tightly, holding him in place against the wall.

Cinn’s eyes had adjusted to the dark; the determined set of Julien’s jaw did not escape him.

“Come with me to Paris,” Julien said in a rush. “I know we’ve only just got back from London, but I need to go to that church. Talk to Father Gérard. It’s our only lead. Who knows what Eleanor is playing at, but we need answers, and quickly. And I know you won’t want to fly again, so I thought we could take Maz, and drive all the way. We’ll need her to drive to the church anyhow. It’s an hour outside the city.” Julien took a breath, eyes flashing as he reached to squeeze Cinn’s hand. “It’ll just be us this time. We won’t stay at my father’s, of course, so don’t worry about that. We’ll get a nice hotel, over looking the Seine.”

It took Cinn the entire length of Julien’s rambling to notice the subtle undertone of anxiety in Julien’s voice. He was trying to persuade Cinn. He thought there was a chance Cinn would say no.

As if Cinn would deny him anything.

“Julien,” Cinn said, when he seemed poised to continue. “You had me atcome with me.”

If Julien heard him, he couldn’t tell.

“Or maybe even theHôtel de Crillon, overlooking thePlace de la Concorde. But then again—”

“Julien!” Cinn pressed his palm over Julien’s mouth. “You had me atcome with me,” he repeated, forcefully hammering each word home.

Julien removed his hand. “You didn’t give me a chance to get to the fun bit yet.”

“What?” Cinn shook his head.

Julien’s hands squeezed tightly on his shoulders.

“I want to take you on a date.”

Heart racing, a warm glow spread through Cinn. Though Julien looked far too proud of the suggestion for Cinn’s liking.

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