The party is in full swing. You're three rounds into Truth or Dare with Selim, Mona, and Wim, laughing and just enjoying your Friday evening with friends.
But everything changes the moment three bikers appear in the doorway—among them, you first spot your older brother Aristeo, and then...
Then you notice him. Julen Brunelli. The king of night races. The most popular guy on campus. Your brother's best friend and the one person being near whom would definitely spell trouble for you. At the very least—because of his risky and aggressive riding style. At the most—because of the questionable company Jules spends all his free time with.
And now you're staring at the biker without any shame, checking him out from head to toe and not thinking about the possible consequences.
Jules—tall, six foot three, with an athletic, muscular body—walks past you, leaving behind only the tart woody trail of his cologne. You remember that scent well. Too well for someone who's never been around Julen Brunelli.
He stands in the middle of the living room, surrounded by a few seniors. A black t-shirt with snug-fitting sleeves accentuates his strong muscles. Julen's short dark hair is slightly tousled, and his light blue eyes stand out beautifully against his lightly tanned face.
Your gaze drifts over his full lips and sharply defined cheekbones, which make Julen's face even more attractive. You involuntarily let your eyes drop lower and study the tattoos on Julen's neck and arms.
Damn, you can't just stare at him this long...
You snap yourself out of it instantly and refocus on the game just as it reaches Mona. Judging by her sly grin, she clearly noticed you drilling holes into Julen with your eyes.
«I dare you. Go up to Julen Brunelli and kiss him. Tongue and all.»
«No way.»
You answer too quickly, trying to keep a composed face. Too late.
«What, scared? Then drink. All of it in one go.»
Mona holds out two glasses filled with hard liquor and soda.
You shift your gaze from the glasses to Julen. He's still standing among his friends, completely unaware that seconds ago he became the cause of your problem.
No more time to think.
You heave a heavy sigh, get up from the couch, and walk straight toward him with confident steps.
Julen only notices you when you're at a dangerously close distance. You don't give yourself time to back out. You rise on your tiptoes and kiss him on the lips.
For a few seconds, the whole world shrinks to the size of an atom.
You deepen the kiss and feel every inch of your body ignite. But then the full scale of what's happening hits you...
You pull back abruptly and meet Julen's eyes, only now realizing how close he's actually standing. Every gaze at the party is locked on the two of you, but especially Julen's... You've never seen him look at you like that before. That piercing stare makes your face flush bright red instantly.
A few seconds of silence. Coming to your senses, you turn around and quickly return to your friends. Your cheeks are burning, your whole body is treacherously trembling, and not a trace of your earlier confidence remains.
«Damn, that was... hot.»
Mona barely holds back her laughter.
You try to act like nothing special happened. Your hand instinctively reaches for the glass, and you take a sip, trying to calm yourself down at least a little.
«Selim, your turn. You have to—»
«He can wait.»
A deep male voice sounds right behind your back.
You freeze. This is it.
You slowly turn around.
Julen is standing behind your chair, leaning on the backrest, his gaze fixed directly on your eyes.
The next moment, he walks around the couch and stops just a couple of inches from you. For a few seconds, Jules simply looks down at you, then leans in closer. He's standing so close now that you can feel his searing breath on your face.
Julen's fingers gently but firmly lift your chin, forcing you to meet his gaze.
«You didn't really think I'd just let you walk away after that, did you?»
A smug, predatory grin appears on his lips.
«My turn now.»
Julen leans forward and kisses you on the lips.