his bloody blood diamond of a car. Have you seen that thing?”
Rob’s facial features had hardened before he sighed. “That’s not a bad idea. Guy needs someone to put him on the straight and narrow. Just make sure he doesn’t call her in his drunken state. Go on and ask him.”
“All right,” Julian said. He nodded at his father before crossing the dance floor to where Max sat by himself at a table. “You ‘right?” he asked once he took a seat next to Max.
“No point in lying. I’m fucking miserable around hundreds of happy people.”
“You’ll be okay. She never deserved you anyway. Listen…” Julian began to say.
“Yeah?”
“Would it be okay if I stayed at your place for a while?”
Max’s eyebrows had furrowed before he smirked. “My apartment’s quiet as fuck. Having your loud and annoying ass might make things around here more interesting.”
Julian grinned. He now also had Max to keep him in Melbourne for a little while longer.
Long enough to make me hers again.
Arms wrapped around her, Stevie smiled instantly at the sense of security she felt. For a moment, he held her, and she loved the peace that settled between them. Her eyes fluttered, and she sighed. Next thing she knew, she was being lifted; a giggle escaped her, and then she was dunked into the cold waters of Karon Beach.
The ocean washed over her and she opened her eyes under the water to see small fish flawlessly move before her. Then she stood up and wiped her face. Stevie huffed out and gawked at the grin on his face. Her nostrils flared as she pointed her finger at him.
“I can’t believe you just dunked me!”
Julian let out a chuckle before pulling her into his chest. “Lighten up, Stephanie. You were giggling. You loved it!”
Stevie pushed off his hard chest and put distance between them. The cold water didn’t extinguish the heat she felt from his touch.
“I was not!”
“You were! Now, come here,” he said as he took another step and wrapped his arms around her waist. That twinkle in his beautiful eyes always had her unravelling. She was powerless when it came to him.
“Wrap your arms around my neck,” he instructed in a whisper.
Doing so caused her nose to touch Julian’s and she glanced down at his lips.
“Close your eyes for a moment.”
Her eyes met his. Julian gave her a smile that sent her heart racing and aching all at the same time.
“Julian,” she breathed out and tightened her arms around him.
“Shh, one more memory for the vault,” he whispered before his lips found hers. Soft but with enough pressure to make her sigh. Delicate but passionate. He kissed her as no one had ever kissed her before. His lips made her head think of the ending while making her heart yearn for the possibilities. Stevie kissed him back, trying to make this moment between them last forever. She softly bit his bottom lip and felt his groan vibrate against her mouth.
Julian pulled back and looked down at her with a smile and a softness in his eyes. “Vault’s not quite full yet. I need more memories with you, Stephanie.”
The sun had started to set by the time dinner was finished and people had moved over to the dance floor. Her maid of honour speech had both Stevie and Clara in tears. When she was at the bar, she took a bottle of champagne, looked around to make sure no one would spot her missing, and slipped out of the doors. In the hallway, she took off her heels and walked towards the club doors. Ignoring the golf carts, Stevie slowly went up the path to the course and continued up the hills until she made it to the ninth hole, a fair distance from the wedding reception.
She took in the sparkling lake as she sat down and dropped her heels next to her. Stevie then uncapped the bottle she had swiped and held it in her hand, staring at it.
“This can’t be happening,” she muttered, shaking her head.
The rim of the bottle had touched her lips before she threw back a mouthful of champagne, ignoring the awful taste of it. Champagne wasn’t her kind of drink—tequila, now that was her alcohol.
“I haven’t worked this hard for it all to come to this,” she said, fighting back the burning sensation in her chest.
Flashes of London appeared before her, making it hard for her to breathe. London had meant to be her escape. Instead, her darkest demons