“Take me to the jungle, Tarzan.” God, did I just say that?

Leo’s shoulders dropped slightly, and I heard a quiet chuckle as he shook his head. Then he turned to face me. After a few quiet seconds of what felt like him studying me again, he spoke. “Come on, then, Jane of the Jungle.” The pain in his eyes had dissipated and the joy that gave me was confronting.

“Jules of the Jungle,” I corrected.

“Jules,” he repeated, reverently, as he moved past me and started to walk slowly towards the back of the house.

I followed, admiring his broad shoulders and powerful physique. My eyes travelled south down his back and over his backside. I scolded myself for the dirty thoughts I had of my manicured fingernails digging in, pulling him deeper. Further south. His calves were a finely tuned mass of muscle I longed to see put to work again at the next fight night. In my lust-driven perusal of his body, I almost bumped right into it.

He didn’t turn around—he was just standing motionless in the doorway to what I realised was the kitchen. The tension I’d seen in the lounge room had returned tenfold. There seemed to be a mild tremor starting in his hands now balled into fists. What the hell was going on? I wondered.

Gingerly, I took a step closer to him and lightly touched his shoulder, hoping to help a situation I couldn’t comprehend. In what felt like an instinctual move of a seasoned fighter, he whipped around and grabbed my hand, his strength crushing me. I cried out in pain both from the shock of being so easily overpowered as well as the sensation that he’d really done me some damage. When he dropped my hand, I fell to my knees, cradling my throbbing hand. I looked up at into crazed, wide eyes. When they met mine, he seemed to snap out of his stupor.

“Oh my God, Jules. What have I done?” He crouched down in front of me and cautiously held both my hands in his. His touch was so gentle it was hard to believe he was the same man who’d just turned on me. “I’m so sorry.”

I managed to fight back the threatening tears as the throbbing subsided. “It’s fine. Honestly, I’m fine.” I pulled away, but he took hold of my non-damaged hand and helped me up, not letting go.

“God, Jules. I could’ve broken your hand. I’m so sorry.” His eyes were filled with fear and self-loathing.

“You’ll have to try harder than that to break me. I think my self-defence needs some work.” I tried to lighten the mood again, but it didn’t work this time.

His eyes darkened. He dropped my hand and ran his through his hair. “You shouldn’t need self-defence around me.”

“Look, Leo. You clearly don’t want anyone in here for whatever reason, and that is your choice. You told me that when we were upstairs and kindly offered me a tour of the garden. I shouldn’t have been so nosy coming in here without permission. Your body language is screaming loud and clear that you don’t want me here, so let’s just go outside and forget about all this. Okay?”

“I’ll never forget hurting you. Never.” He reached for my hurt hand and brought it to his lips, kissing it lightly. “Never, ever.”

“I think I need to see the garden now,” I croaked, not even sure if I could still find my voice. Leo’s lips touching my skin had sent my whole body into a spin. What would it be like if they kissed my lips? There was something really dangerous about this man—dangerous, exciting, sexy and liberating. But I wouldn’t actually cheat, and something told me Leo wouldn’t either. He had a quiet integrity about him that made him even more attractive. When I was with Leo, I felt like I was in the presence of a real man—the kind of man I wanted to be with. Knowing that was impossible hurt more than the physical pain Leo had caused only minutes earlier.

I was in big trouble, and for the first time in my life, I wanted to ruffle some feathers. I wasn’t looking for the path of least resistance. I should’ve been running away from the man who was making me question all my choices so violently. I should’ve been running from that house that made me feel so alive. Instead, I stepped out into the garden, the cool air making me shiver, and I allowed myself to imagine it was mine. He was mine.

Leo loosened up a bit once we were outside, but he would occasionally throw me a glance, riddled with angst. I wished he could just forget what had happened inside. I knew he was physically dominant and capable of hurting me far greater, but I also believed it was a one-off and had something to do with being in that house. I knew he was mortified and his overreaction to my touch was based on something in his past. I didn’t for a second blame him or feel threatened. Perhaps I was naïve, given the fact I barely knew him. Perhaps it was the masochist in me who revelled in danger. Perhaps it was the connection I felt to him every time he looked in my eyes and I felt like I was being seen for the first time. Perhaps I was losing my mind in the heady combination of everything the last few days had thrown at me.

A million thoughts flooded my brain. I knew I had to leave that house, that garden and that man, and I had to leave soon. I couldn’t organise all my thoughts, and I felt panic-stricken. Overcome by what felt like a supercharged shot of adrenaline, I bent over and put my hands on my knees, trying to draw air into my lungs. My heart was fluttering too fast, as if I’d had too much caffeine. My palms felt sweaty and I couldn’t swallow past the choking lump in my throat. The garden looked foreign and my mind couldn’t reconcile what I was doing there. I was losing control.

Chapter Thirteen

Leo

“Juliette. Are you okay?”

I had walked ahead of her into the garden, eager to get out of that damned house, eager to escape. I’d hurt her. Regardless of my primal desire to protect her, I had turned on her in an instant and crushed her perfect little hand. I stood there staring at the overgrown hedges and the tangled mess of wisteria and wondered if she would really forgive me—if I would forgive myself. I turned around to see her bent over, struggling to draw breath, and immediately rushed to help her.

“I. Can’t. Breathe.” She could barely get the words out.

“You can get through this, Jules.” I’d seen panic attacks many times and I knew what to do.

“I. Just. Want. To. Breathe.”

“Relax. Just listen to my voice, okay? I’m going to count to ten.”

As I counted, I could see her breathing slow down and her body uncoil. God, she was so beautiful. She was strong and brave one minute then a vulnerable, hot mess the next. Apologising one minute then throwing sass the next. I’d never known a girl with so many layers of beauty and torment, but it felt like my soul had recognised its mate in Juliette’s.

“I think it’s time I went home. I shouldn’t have come here.” Her whisper snapped me out of my thoughts.

I’d convinced her to sit down in the shade under the large magnolia tree for ten minutes to ensure her breathing had completely returned to normal. We didn’t speak in that time. We just sat in silence.

“I’ll drive you home in your car. I can get the train back for my car tomorrow. I don’t think you should drive.”

She contemplated my offer for a few seconds before nodding her acceptance. Another hour with her was the added bonus to my peace of mind.

I drove Juliette home to her apartment in the city. We barely spoke, but for some reason I knew her thoughts were as loud as mine. I parked the car and walked her to the lift in the lobby, feeling like it was the end of a first date when you don’t quite know what to do. She pressed the call button on the lift then bit her lip, unable to look me in the eye. I wanted to bite her lip and I wanted her to invite me up. But I also wanted her to be single. She had enough shit going on in her life and quite frankly, so did I.