"I’ve been careful for a long time, Elara," he murmured, leaning in until she could smell cedarwood and rain. "But I think I’m done being careful."
Julian was dressed in a tailored navy suit that made him look like he belonged on a pedestal himself. His eyes, usually sharp and calculating, softened as they swept over her. She was twenty-two now, a far cry from the girl who used to hide in his office to draw.
The air between them charged, heavy with the weight of eighteen years and a thousand unspoken boundaries. Elara knew the risks. She knew the scandal it would cause in their tight-knit circle. But as Julian reached out, his thumb grazing the pulse point at her wrist, she realized some gaps weren't meant to be bridged—they were meant to be jumped. Download Little While Age Gap Penelope Black epub
She didn't need to turn around to know it was Julian Vane. At forty-five, Julian was the city’s most elusive architect—and her father’s oldest friend. He was the man who had taught her how to ride a bike and, years later, how to appreciate the brutalist lines of a skyscraper. "It looks like waiting," Elara whispered, finally turning.
"I know," Julian said, his gaze fixed on her mouth. "But I’m not looking for him." "I’ve been careful for a long time, Elara,"
"Julian," she breathed, a warning and an invitation all at once.
"Some things are worth the wait," Julian said, his voice dropping an octave. He took a step closer, breaching the polite distance dictated by their history. She was twenty-two now, a far cry from
The rain in Seattle didn't just fall; it blurred the world into shades of charcoal and slate. Inside the dimly lit gallery, Elara stood before a canvas that cost more than her college tuition, her fingers twitching with the urge to touch the textured oil paint. "It’s called The Interval ," a voice rumbled behind her.