life he wants me to live.
Move on, he said.
He made it seem like such an easy task.
It’s a broken scene, and as much as I try to reminisce, all I can see is Julian’s face.
***
It was just before ten when Charlie and I woke up. Already showered, I throw on a pair of yoga pants and my favorite retro tank with a Guns ‘n Roses logo on it. My hair has grown, so I pull it up into a ponytail and slip into my sneakers. I figure today’s a new day, and I should start my workout regime. That is until I find some leftover Dunkin Donuts in the kitchen.
Maybe tomorrow.
The doorbell rings just as I’m about to grab a second donut. With Charlie in the shower, I am assuming Lex is ready to use his manners and apologize for his bitch-fit last night. I open the door to be met with Julian standing on the porch. Oh crap. My body has mentally thrown itself at him, smothering him until he can’t breathe, but in reality, I’m standing here not moving a single limb.
“Can I come inside, or would you like me to go make friends with the lady across the street?”
That nosy Mrs. Randle from across the street is peeking through her lace curtains. It isn’t like I have men here, but then again, between Lex, Eric, Tristan, and Rocky, perhaps her twisted mind will think I run a burlesque house.
I motion for him to come in. “Charlie is still here. Is that okay?”
He nods and smiles reassuringly. Maybe I’m more nervous than him.
I grab his arm and pull him toward the kitchen when Charlie’s footsteps bustle down the stairway. “Wow, Adriana, how good is that strawberry body wash. I should recommend it to a lady in my gym who has the stinkiest vag—” She halts at the bottom of the stairs, keeping her expression to no more than a faint smile.
“Was going upstairs to get you, but—”
She interrupts me, smiling warmly at both of us. “No. Hey, it’s okay. Hi, Julian.”
“Hi, yourself.” He grins back at her.
Oh, this is awkward.
“So, how you been?” Charlie asks politely.
“Great, and you?”
“Yeah, good.”
We all fall into a digestive silence until I open my mouth. “Okay, this is awkward. And I mean more awkward than the scene in America Pie where Jim is caught humping the pie.”
Julian and Charlie laugh in unison, breaking the tension in the room.
I realize the only person making this awkward is me. I wrap my arms around his waist and snuggle my head into his chest. He smells like aftershave—sweet, cool, and sensual. Dressed in a white polo and navy dress shorts, his tan looks nice and even. I missed him.
“Oh, shucks, you two.” Charlie beams. “No awkwardness from me, okay? And I reiterate… me.”
“Thank you, Charlie. It means a lot to us,” Julian says.
“I know you got my back. So, are you going straight home?” I ask.
She nods. “Yep. Hopefully, the beast has sobered up and not trashed our house.”
“Call me later, okay?” I let go of Julian to hug Charlie.
She squeezes me tightly and whispers in my ear. “I think this will work out.”
I smile at the sentiment, letting go of her. She steps forward and makes an effort to hug Julian. At first, he seems conflicted, but I see his body relax.
“It was nice seeing you again. Take good care of my girl, okay?” She pulls away and says goodbye, exiting through the back door.
Relief washes over me, and I immediately feel like a weight is lifted off my shoulders. Okay, maybe only one weight. My hands entwine with his as I lead him up the stairs to my bedroom. I said I was uncomfortable having him here, but my body needs him more than ever. He is quick to discourage me, but I hush him, closing the door behind me. Inside the room, my drapes are wide open with the sun filtering through. I tug on his shirt, pulling his body in flush with mine. His eyes are boring into me, filled with hunger and thirst, the same strong emotions which consume me. He tilts his head moving in, brushing his lips softly against mine. It travels directly to where it intended to go, the fire of passion ignites in just one kiss. My mouth moves back to his, nibbling his bottom lip with a gentle tug. His moans are trapped in our kisses, urging me to take a few steps backward until we’ve