Billionaires in New York Boxed Set: Billionaires in the City Books 1-3 Laura Burton (books to read this summer .TXT) 📖

what? If we walk around looking like this, it’ll draw attention.” Julie pulled out the clasp in her hair and shook her head. A cascade of blonde waves fell to her shoulders and Harry stared––his mouth suddenly dry–– transfixed. After a moment, he was struck with an idea and pulled his jacket off. Excited, he jogged up to the servers.

“Hi there,” he said in a friendly manner. The female looked at him with wide eyes and her lips formed a thin line as if she was trying not to squeal. Though Harry couldn’t be sure whether it was out of fear or excitement. He turned to the short male who had a mop of blond hair almost entirely covering his eyes.

“Do you think I could swap my jacket with yours?” Harry asked, he glanced at Julie as she caught up with him and looked baffled by the question.

“This is my uniform, sir. I’ll be in trouble if I go back in without it.”

Harry pulled out a handful of cash and stuffed it in his hand. The brunette gasped and jumped back as the male held the money in his hands like it was going to explode.

“This is more than I make in a week,” he said in a reverent tone. He shakily pocketed the money and removed his jacket.

“Then I suggest you tell your boss you got sick and take this lovely lady out on a date.” Harry grinned as they exchanged jackets. The brunette bent over laughing. The man shook the hair out of his eyes revealing a look of horror on his face.

“She’s my sister, sir,” he said. Movement in Harry’s peripheral vision had him turn to see Julie with her hands covering her mouth and shoulders shaking.

“Oh, right,” Harry said awkwardly. He thought he was doing so well playing Mr. Smooth. Then the facade came crashing down as he looked from Julie to the brother and sister and swallowed.

“Well, thanks. Is there anything else I can do for you, sir?”

Harry smiled and shook his head. Julie waved them off as the servers returned to the building. Once the door swung shut behind them, her smile disappeared, and she placed a hand on Harry’s arm. Her eyes glowed a deep shade of yellow, as if reflecting the streetlights.

“Now we’re alone, I have something to tell you,” Julie said turning serious. Her brows furrowed as she looked at him. Harry tried to remain casual, but the urgency in her voice had him feeling nervous.

“Harry, I think I know who is orchestrating the threats and why.”

Chapter Twenty-One

A Bump in the Night

Harry didn’t believe Julie. She could see it in his eyes. She reprimanded herself for blurting out this sensitive information. Maybe she could have worded it better?

“It’s Ebony. Your ex-fiancé is the perpetrator.”

Yes, she realized she sounded like a character from a detective show. Julie was surprised she even came up with the word “perpetrator” at all. Words were not her forte, fabric was. But the pressing need to divulge this new discovery had been brewing from the moment she left the bathroom. The way Harry’s eyes turned guarded, and his rolled his lips inward, then his jaw clamped shut had her convinced he thought she was making it all up.

As if I would lie about this.

“What makes you think that?” he finally asked, sounding far too diplomatic and calm. In her imagination, she saw him march back into the event, his strong arms swinging back and forth, and the veins in his neck bulging as he scanned the room for Ebony intent on bringing justice to all.

It was a nice fantasy….

Julie recounted the conversation she had with Ebony in the bathroom. Harry turned thoughtful, rubbing his chin as Julie paced and threw her hands in the air.

“And then,” she stopped pacing and pointed at him dramatically, “she said ‘one last warning, back off or I will destroy you.’ Do you remember the way the first note was worded?”

Harry’s brows twitched and his nostrils flared; he did the last thing Julie thought he would do under such circumstances.—he fist-pumped the air and kissed Julie so hard she almost lost her balance. His big hands were on her back again, pulling her toward him, creating a sense of security. It was as if his hands belonged there. For a few blissful moments, she forgot about Ebony, the threats, and even the fact they were standing in a deserted parking lot in the middle of London. If a savvy paparazzi thought to sneak around the back, they would have gotten some juicy pictures for the front cover of any magazine. In that moment, Julie didn’t care. Harry’s lips touched every inch of her face and neck, as his hands pulled her to his body. Julie was on fire. Her arms tingled, every touch magnified by the heat. Her heart pounded so fast she could hear it beating in her eardrums. She moaned. He moaned back. They circled on the spot, as if dancing again, as hands roamed and their passion took them to another realm.

When they broke apart, they were gasping like fish out of water. Julie’s chest burned from the lack of oxygen. Who knew kissing could be so beautiful, and also so deadly? She never understood the term “kill them with a kiss.” Now she did. All Harry would have to do was keep his lips planted on hers, moaning into it, and she would have been like a lamb at the slaughter.

It would be a beautiful way to die.

Julie pressed her fingers to her throbbing lips and grinned as her breathing returned to normal.

“What was that for?” she asked. Harry took her hand, pressed his lips to her knuckles, and held it to his heart.

“I’ve wanted to kiss you all day.” He wrapped the server’s jacket around her shoulders and planted a chaste kiss on her forehead. “Come on, let’s go for a walk. We can discuss this mess later. Okay?”

Julie nodded, figuring he needed time to