Page 10 of Our Unexpected Beginning
Her heart picked up as Graham closed the gap and pressed his chest against hers. He towered over her by nearly a foot, his broad shoulders shielding them from prying eyes.
Her fingers tightened in his shirt, pulling him closer. His earthy scent mixed with the metallic air of the shop.
Pressing her lips tight, she muffled the moan that threatened to give herself away. Julia’s hands fisted in Graham’s work shirt, tugging him closer and squeezing her breasts between them.
“No, Jules.” Graham placed one hand on the wall behind her. He threaded the other in her hair, tugging her head up to meet his stare. “Now I get why Wes says that Melody makes his palm itch.”
Graham didn’t allow her to reply, slanting his mouth over hers. His tongue ran over her bottom lip before sucking it between his teeth.
Her fingers scratched at the fabric between them, gripping his forearm and shoulder. Julia lifted her foot and wrapped it around Graham’s calf.
Julia’s pulse trumped through her ears. The kiss intensified, and Graham slipped his fingers up her thigh.
A loud wolf whistle broke them apart. Julia pressed her face against his chest, hiding her flushed cheeks.
“I’m going to kill Chuck,” Graham muttered, his fingers rubbing the nape of her neck, soothing her nerves. He turned his head and yelled with a laugh. “I’m leavin’! I’ll finish the Smithfield car in the morning.”
“Get your distracted ass outta here before one of these guys cuts their hand off trying to get an eyeful of ya’ girl!”
Julia wanted to melt through the floor. To have the ability to transform into another object. Poof, she’d become a fly or a bat and get the fuck out.
“Damnit.” She nudged Graham away and straightened her dress. She pulled her cardigan back over her shoulders.
“I thought you liked the crowd?”
“It’s not that simple and for your information.” She snapped at him, smacking his arm half playfully. “This is the wrong audience.” There was consent and rules when at the club. Contracted laws were put into place that kept everyone civilized.
“Okay, let’s get out of here.”
“Wait.” Julia grabbed his arm and looked up at him with wide eyes. “My car?”
Betty might be just a junk car to anyone, but it wasn’t to her. It was her eighteenth birthday present from Aunt Elaine.
It might have been to make up for the unforgivable fiasco of Julia’s sixteenth that involved being humiliated in front of the entire student body and being carted off in handcuffs for grand theft auto.
Julia should have questioned the gift of the car when she asked about registration and insurance when hermother tried to explain away the crookedly printed ‘at home’ copy.
It wasn’t the first lesson she’d learned about dealing with her mother. A woman who barely had time for her, even less since her brother’s passing.
“Jake’s bringing it by and I’ll look at it in the morning. Thank you for not throwing the stick shift,” he teased lightheartedly. “I wouldn’t want you to wait for me to order parts.”
“I don’t get pa–”
“To save us both the argument of you not letting me take care of it because I genuinely want to.” Graham moved to his workbench and began putting his tools away. “I’ll post-date the work order and it’ll add to the payment plan you already have for the last bit of work we did.”
The nerve he had to be charming. It wasn’t something she was used to, she was used to ulterior motives. But the way he smiled at her, Graham was learning how to read her.
Julia narrowed her eyes and pointed at him. “I’d like to state for the record that your proposal has been accepted under duress.”
“I don’t think we’re in a court of law, Ms. Sinclair.” Graham closed his work cabinet and nodded his head at Julia. He grabbed her hand, lacing his fingers with hers.
She quietly walked behind him through the garage between the workbenches and the Jeep he was workingon when she came in. He pulled her past the office and stock room.
Once they passed the doors to the makeshift locker room, Julia didn’t have time to react as Graham grabbed her by the waist and continued their previously interrupted kiss.
Julia’s arms wrapped around Graham’s neck. Leaning in to kiss him, she rolled her hips against the denim of his jeans. His grip tightened and he lifted her off the ground.
Julia sighed and tangled her fingers in his hair, dropping the baseball cap to the floor and slipping deeper into his kiss.
