The Project

"Yes, you are," she said admiringly. She pinched his upper arm and was pleasantly surprised at how muscular it felt.

Steven ignored her behavior and held out a hand to help her up. "Come on, let's get you in a taxi," he said awkwardly.

Julia stood up and was relieved to discover she didn't feel dizzy at all. "I would rather walk," she insisted. "It would help clear my head." He looked concerned but then nodded.

She put on her jacket and they walked down the brightly-lit main streets and soon the crowds and music faded. The stiff breeze and the exertion of walking up the hill towards Kelburn did make Julia feel more alert. Steven stopped at the top of the steps. "Look," he said softly. Julia turned around and saw the panorama of city lights below. The hillsides on the other side of the bay were also draped with lights, like a distant Christmas tree.

"It's pretty, isn't it," she said. "I'm glad I didn't move to Sydney." The wind was a lot strong at the top of the hill, and her hair whipped around her face. She shivered. The jacket wasn't really warm enough. Steven noticed and took her hand. "Hey, you're freezing," he exclaimed. "Come here."

He pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her in the darkness. Julia gratefully rested her cold cheek on his chest. He was so warm and smelled so good. The beating of his heart was hypnotic in its intensity. Eventually her alcohol-impaired brain became aware of something. She was pressed tightly against him and through their clothes she could feel unmistakable evidence of his arousal.

Suddenly, she wasn't hugging a friend anymore, but a man. A funny, sweet, desirable man. So what if he was too young for her, and she was technically his superior at work. At that moment she wanted him more than she'd ever wanted anything.

Steven released her and stepped back. "We had better get you home," he said awkwardly. Feeling the chill of the night air again, Julia had to agree it was a sensible suggestion. She needed time to figure out how to seduce him, anyway. He was so shy that she might scare him away if she came on too strong.

When they got to her house she asked him in for a coffee. She didn't really give him the opportunity to refuse, but at least she was polite about it. Julia turned on her espresso machine and filled two cups. The device was the best two thousand dollars she ever spent, and provided perfect café-quality coffee time after time.