She got out to exchange sides with him again. But as they crossed paths at the trunk, Julian grabbed her for a hot kiss that made her dizzy. He took her hands in his and held them tightly against his lean hips as he nibbled her lips.
Goodness, a woman could get used to this. Really, really used to it.
Julian pulled back. "Want to take me home and let me nibble on other things?"
Yes, she did, which was why she didn't dare. In fact, she was so delirious from that one kiss that she couldn't even speak.
Julian smiled at the dazed, hungry look on her face. She stared at his lips as if she were still tasting them. In that moment, he wanted her more than he ever had before. Most of all, he wanted to take the band from her ponytail and let her hair spill over his chest.
How he wished they were back at her house where he could peel the short set from her and listen to her sweet murmurs of pleasure as he…
"The car," she said, blinking her eyes as if awaking from a dream. "We were getting into the car."
Julian kissed her lightly on the cheek.
After they both got in, and were buckled up, Grace looked sideways at him. "You know, it seems to me there are two things in New Orleans that you have yet to experience."
"Number one, I have yet to take you on a-"
"Would you stop!"
He cleared his throat. "Okay, what's your list?"
" Bourbon Street and modern music. One of which I can take care of right now." Grace switched on the radio.
She laughed as she recognized "Hot Blooded" by Foreigner. How apropos, given her passenger.
Julian listened, but didn't appear impressed.
Grace changed the station.
Julian frowned at her actions. "What did you do?"
"I changed to another station. All you have to do is press these buttons."
He toyed with it for several minutes until he found a station playing "Love Hurts" by Nazareth. "Your music is interesting."
"Does it make you miss your own?"
"Since most of the music I heard was pipers and drummers leading us into battle, no. I think I can appreciate this."
"Appreciate what?" she asked flippantly. "The music or the fact that love hurts?"
The humor fled his face. "Since I've never known love, I wouldn't know whether or not it hurts. But I can't imagine how being loved could possibly hurt as much as not."
Her chest tightened at his words.
"So," she asked, wanting to change the subject, "what do you plan to do as soon as you get home?"
"I don't know."
"You'll probably go kick Scipio's butt, right?"
He laughed at that. "I would like to." "Why? What did he ever do to you?" "He got in my way."
Okay, not what she expected to hear. "You don't like anyone to get in your way, do you?" "Do you?" She thought about it. "I guess not."
By the time they reached Bourbon Street, the Sunday afternoon crowd was swarming. Grace fanned her face as she fought the oppressive heat.
She looked up at Julian who even sweated attractively. His damp hair hung in becoming curls around his face, and with those sunglasses on… ooo, baby!
Of course, the look was helped by the white T-shirt that emphasized the breadth of his shoulders, and his lean, flat six-pack of abs. As she trailed her gaze over the button-fly jeans, she wished she had opted for a baggier pair.
But then given his confident, seductive walk, she doubted if even baggy jeans could hide such raw, overt sexiness.
Julian paused as they passed by a strip club. To his credit, he didn't gape at the scantily clad women in the window, but Grace sensed his shock plainly enough.
Staring at Julian as if she'd like to devour him, the exotic dancer bit her full bottom lip, then ran her tongue around her lips suggestively as she groped at her breasts. She crooked her finger for him.
Julian turned away.
"Never seen anything like it, have you?" Grace asked, trying to mask her discomfort at the woman's actions and relief at Julian's reaction.
" Rome," he said plainly.
She laughed. "They weren't that decadent, were they?"
"You'd be amazed. At least no one's having an orgy on the…" He broke off as he walked past a couple making out on the corner. "Never mind."
Grace laughed.
"Ooo, baby," a prostitute called to Julian as they passed another club. "Come inside, and I'll do you for free."
He shook his head without breaking his stride.
Grace grabbed his hand and pulled him to a stop. "Were women like this before the curse?"
He nodded. "It's the reason Kyrian was my only friend. The men around me couldn't stand the attention I received, and women followed me everywhere I went, trying to shove their hands under my armor."