Never Be the Same

by A. Aubry

  Jameson practically sighed with relief, “I’m happy to hear it. Now buckle up, we will be taking off shortly.”

  Even when he was being sweet, he had his bossy side.

  “Time to get up, Bri,” Jameson whispered, his lips brushing against my forehead.

  Forcing my eyes to open, I looked up at Jameson in the soft light. His naked torso drew my attention and I swallowed hard. My hand reached out and before I could stop myself, my fingers traced one of his wounds that was healing. I felt Jameson shift closer to me and his hand grasp mine gently. Slowly, I shifted my gaze up to his eyes. The amount of love that I saw in Jameson’s eyes every time that he looked at me made my heart skip a beat. Gavin never looked at me the way that Jameson did.

  “I’m not ready to get out of this bed with you,” I sighed, curving my body around his.

  For the first few hours of our flight, Jameson let me excitedly babble about everything that we should do and see while we were in Barcelona. When I went on a school trip to Spain many years ago, I saw so many things that I have always wanted to go back and experience once again. Four hours into our eight our flight to refuel in London, and after an amazingly delicious meal for having it on an airplane, Jameson could see that I was slowly starting to nod off. We both did have a full day before boarding the flight and work had really been taking it out of me. One of our other surgical assistants was on her honeymoon for the last week. So, like the good worker that I was, I had been picking up the slack that came about from her absence.

  As per usual, the second that Jameson and I got into a bedroom type setting, we were all over each other like white on rice. There was something about the idea of being alone that drove us to always needing to be close. I wasn’t complaining though, no matter how tired I was, there would always be enough energy for the closeness that I loved to share with Jameson. We made love, several times, before we finally passed out. But now, lying here completely naked under the silky sheets of the king size bed in the back of the plane, I didn’t want to move from the spot that I had been sharing with Jameson.

  “We can come back here as soon as we take off from London. I promise.” His lips covered mine, the only type of reassurance that I ever needed anymore that he would keep his promises.

  I thought about it for a second and reluctantly agreed to get dressed once again. Leaving my bra and panties off, I slipped my sundress over my head. Jameson followed my lead and went commando, fastening his designer jeans at the waist and covering his torso with his t-shirt. We took hands and returned back to the main cabin of the plane. Taking the seats that we had vacated earlier, Jameson had requested a few glasses of water from Marie. She happily went and fetched us our drinks. Before she returned to wherever it was that she disappeared to, Jeremy had come over the intercom and said that we were going to be starting our final descent into London.

  My attention quickly turned from the chilly glass of water that I was taking a welcome sip of, to the window on my right. Thanks to the time difference between Chicago and Europe, it was morning in London when we had finally arrived. I watched out the window as the buildings became larger and the cars that were driving around the busy streets in the morning commute started to come into focus rather than looking like little dots on the roadways. As soon as we landed, the dreary color of the skies took me back to my first and only time that I was in London. Like this trip, it was just a layover stop to our final destination. Maybe one day Jameson and I could take a trip to London to see the sights that I had always wanted to see there.

  Refueling took much less time than I expected it to. Then again, I was distracted with the way that Jameson was tugging on my earlobe and biting at my neck. Sometimes we were worse than lustful high schoolers in our intimacy. With a quick word from Marie, we were soon launching back into the air. The second that Jeremy said that we were able to move about the cabin until our descent into Barcelona in two hours, Jameson dismissed Marie’s questions about needing anything and dragged me back to the bedroom. Our clothes were off in a flash and our lips connected so quickly that I was amazed no one split a lip or chipped a tooth. A few more rounds of sex and sleep pulled me back under to its world. Flying private was far better than flying commercial, especially when you were addicted to all things Jameson Barnes.

  We were forced to wake up again too soon but this time, we were finally going to get off of the plane. I squealed with excitement once we were fully clothed and back to our seats, descending into Barcelona. It was hard to believe that it was already after ten in the morning when we touched down. I should have been much more tired than I was, but the skies were bright blue and the clouds were fluffy which made my energy level spike. It was a beautiful day in Barcelona and I was more than ready to spend the time with Jameson. A car waited for us on the tarmac as we said our quick goodbyes and thank you’s to Jeremy and Marie. Once we were finally in the smooth leather seats in the back of the town car, Jameson turned to me.

  “So, what is it that you want to do first? Check into the hotel? Grab something to eat? Go see a sight or two?”

  My face lit up as I thought about exactly what I wanted to do, “Can we go to Park Güell? That way we can stretch our legs but also get to have a great view of the city?”

  Jameson leaned in close, “We can do whatever you want.”

  “Park Güell, please.” I closed the distance between our lips.

  As my tongue tried to sneak past his lips to deepen the kiss, Jameson quickly paused to let the driver know exactly where we were going. The car took off and our kiss resumed. Kissing in a completely different country with Jameson? Check.

  “Isn’t this view one of the best you’ve ever seen?” I asked Jameson as we stood on an elevated point looking over Park Güell.

  “It sure is,” he whispered into my ear as his arms snaked around my waist.

  I giggled at his hot breath on my ear, the heat tickling my skin, “If you are referring to me, then you need to really look at this view because it is one of my favorites.”

  Jameson playfully sighed and kissed my cheek before looking at the view with me, “You are right. It is pretty spectacular.”

  “Just wait until I take you to the Jardins del Mirador,” I smiled and ran my hands up and down his arms.

  “God, you sound so sexy when you speak Spanish.”

  “Gracias, mi amor.”

  “If you don’t stop now, I’ll end up breaking a few laws here in good ole Barcelona.”

  Turning around in his arms, my hands rested on his biceps as my lips found his. As much as I really did want him, I was in no mood to break any laws and get kicked out of one of my favorite countries in the world. I pulled back from our kiss in hopes that we wouldn’t get too carried away. It was a family friendly park, and I was in no mood for parents to give us the stink eye for showing a little affection. Then again, we were in Europe and it wasn’t as frowned upon I guess you could say.

  I nodded my head in the direction of the long mosaic bench that I had sat on with my classmates many years before. Jameson grinned and led us over to a completely open section of the bench. We sat down, the cool tile sent a small shiver through me as I felt the cold through the fabric of my dress.

  “Holy shit, this is the most comfortable bench that I have ever sat on!” Jameson exclaimed as he leaned back and spread an arm out behind me.

  “I know!” I agreed, “It’s rumored that this bump around the back allows for a good posture that makes it more comfortable.”

  “I need one of these benches in my backyard.”

  I laughed, “In order to get it, you’d have to resurrect Gaudí.”

  “Who the hell is that?” Jameson’s brows furrowed and he looked far younger than his twenty-nine years.

  “Only one of the best Spanish architects to ever grace this planet!” I said a little too excitedly.

  “He made this bench?”

  “He designed it and oversaw the work to make it along with other things that can be found in t
he park. His most notable work is what we are also going to see while we are here…La Sagrada Familia.”

  “What does La Sagrada Familia even mean?” The way he stumbled over the Spanish pronunciations of some words made me smile.

  “Literally translated…the sacred family. You’ll see why when we go visit it.”

  Jameson studied my face before moving his arm from resting on the back of the bench behind me to resting it around my shoulders. The way he looked at me made me blush, just feeling his eyes on me always caused that reaction. When his lips turned into a smirk, I wished I could have read his mind.

  “What’s so funny?” I asked.

  “Not funny. Adorable. And you are. I have never seen someone come alive so much talking about something or even being somewhere. I’ve taken my fair share of trips around the world and I’m not going to lie…I have taken a girl or two with me in my time. Yet, none of them ever reacted the way that you are.”

  “This is my element. I’ve studied art history on multiple occasions in high school and in college. My dream is to travel as much as I possibly can. To immerse myself in the cultures of the places that I have studied. There’s so much history here and while there is a lot of history in the United States…we live there, we can see that anytime. This…traveling to cities that are literally oceans away…it makes me feel things that I can’t even begin to explain.”

  Jameson leaned forward and brushed his lips lightly against mine, “I want to take you anywhere that you want to go.”

  Our eyes connected and my heart skipped a beat, “Right now, this is where I want to be.”

  “In Barcelona?”

  “No, with you.”

  That was the gods honest truth. It would never matter where in the world that I was with Jameson, as long as I was with him. Our lips found each other once again. Who cared if people looked down on us for showing some public displays of affection? Maybe they should find the kind of love that I was experiencing for the first time in my life.

  Chapter Thirteen

  One of the most amazing smells in the world aroused me from however deep of a sleep I was in. My eyes opened, my body finally used to the time change of Europe, and I felt my smile fall at seeing Jameson’s side of the bed empty. Holding the crisp white sheet against my naked body, I leaned over the side of the bed and picked up Jameson’s button up shirt that he had worn to our dinner the night before. It had been almost too much fun taking that shirt off last night when we got back to our hotel room after just a little more Sangria than was possibly healthy. I slipped on his shirt, fastening a few of the buttons before going in search of my boyfriend.

  I followed the smell of what had to be our breakfast. On Saturday, we had accidently slept through breakfast because of how hard the jetlag had hit us. But today was a new day and it smelt as though Jameson had found the room service menu. My assumptions were confirmed when I found Jameson in the living area of the large suite that he had booked for our stay. The table was nearly overflowing with all types of covered plates and my stomach gave a loud rumble. It must have been loud enough to hear from where he was standing, because Jameson soon turned around with a wide smile on his face.

  In a few long strides, Jameson was in front of me and taking me into his arms, “Happy Birthday my beautiful Briella.”

  My cheeks must have flushed as least three shades of pink, “Thank you, Jay.”

  “You’re most welcome. Now, I have ordered a large spread this morning because I didn’t know exactly what the birthday girl would like for her birthday breakfast.”

  “Let’s see what you’ve got,” I grinned before kissing his lips quickly.

  My body wanted me to keep the kiss going for just a little bit longer, but my stomach’s growling had other plans. Jameson’s hand found mine and our fingers laced together as he led me over to the table where our covered plates were waiting. He pulled out my chair for me and I took my seat before watching him take his across from me.

  “Okay, for drinks we have the obvious water, coffee, and juices. I wasn’t sure what you’d be in the mood for after all of that wine last night.”

  The fact that I didn’t feel hung over was a major blessing. Normally, my go to drink would have been juice. The fruitiness of the wine from last night was making me lean more towards coffee this morning.

  “I think I will have some of that coffee, please,” I smiled as I pointed towards the coffee cups that sat on the room service cart next to the table.

  “Perfect,” Jameson agreed and poured us each a cup. He handed mine off to me and I took in the smell of the espresso.

  “For food, I got us some fruit but I figured we could indulge in our sweet tooth a little and got us some other things to try,” Jameson’s face lit up as he lifted off the covers on the plates and put them on the cart.

  Now I knew exactly where that delicious smell came from. Pastries of all kinds loaded the plates that sat in front of us. Ensaimadas, otherwise known as sweet bread, were similar to funnel cakes in America. There were at least three plates of them, one with the bread covered simply in powdered sugar, one with the bread covered in strawberries with powdered sugar, and the last one covered with blueberries and powdered sugar. If you wanted a sugar high, this was definitely going to be your go to. Torrijas, a Spanish bread pudding, had the look and feel of French toast. Yet another sugary pastry for the mornings. On the last plate that sat next to the plate of fruit that Jameson had said he ordered, sat a plateful of churros. Many of us in America eat that pastry as a dessert but it is known as a breakfast food in Spain.

  “This is amazing, Jameson. I don’t know if we’ll be able to eat this all though,” I chuckled as I broke off a piece of ensaimada with strawberries and powdered sugar and popped it in my mouth.

  It took everything in me not to moan at the flavors that were erupting on my tastebuds. The last time that I was in Spain, we were staying at lower end hotels and hostels where our breakfast was a croissant and a beverage. In Europe, they didn’t believe that breakfast was where you ate your largest and ‘best meal of the day’. Normally a croissant and a coffee were what most people had for breakfast on a daily basis.

  We dug in and made a rather large dent in the amount of food that we had lying in front of us. Sometimes the conversation between Jameson and myself flowed so easily that I forgot what I was doing. That was exactly how I ended up eating nearly a whole bag of potato chips one night while we were at his apartment after a long day at work. We were talking, I was distracted, and my body just kept allowing my hand to go into the bag for more chips. Before I knew it, I was reaching further into the bag than I intended.

  “So, baby, what would you like to do today?” Jameson asked as he wiped some sugar from his mouth with a napkin.

  “Well, we are leaving tonight. So, I figured we could do something a little more laid back. There’s a farmer’s market on La Rambla on Sundays. Does that sound like something that might interest you?”

  “Bri, it’s your birthday so we can do whatever you’d like. Farmer’s markets do sound interesting though. I haven’t been to once since I was little.”

  I stood up from my chair, brushing a little powdered sugar off of Jameson’s shirt that covered my body. Making my way over to where he sat across the table, I leaned down and kissed his lips.

  “I do have one idea of something that I want to start my day with,” I whispered before kissing him again.

  Jameson pushed his chair away from the table and stood up in a flourish. Taking me into his arms, he carried me back to the bedroom. He playfully tossed me onto the bed before crawling up on top of me. Our lips connected as he quickly undid the buttons on the shirt I had worn to breakfast. My hands ran down his bare torso to the waistband of his sleeping pants. Eagerly, I pushed them down. There had never been a moment where I was happier that Jameson chose to go commando. This was turning out to be one of the best birthdays that I had ever had.

  “Smile!” Jameson encouraged as he held his pho
ne still.

  I held up the soft white baby bunny that we were petting and smiled wide at him. After a session or two of pure lovemaking, Jameson and I packed up our belongings and checked out of our hotel. Now we were visiting the farmer’s market on the famous La Rambla before his driver would pick us up to take us back to the airport. The last few days had been a blur of touristy locations to revisit.

  Seeing La Sagrada Familia and traveling up the towers to get an amazing view of the city was only one of the highlights that we had done yesterday. We even got some good pictures of how great it looked from up there. There may have even been a few of us kissing in what was actually a church. Oh well, neither of us was struck by lightning, so God must have approved. One of the last locations that we visited yesterday was Jardins del Mirador. Where we stopped to take pictures had a great view of the Mediterranean Sea along with the rest of the city on the coast. Jameson may or may not have even persuaded me to get a little intimate in a hidden alcove that was completely vacant of any other people. When it came to him, I was more adventurous than ever.

  “That is a great picture,” he smiled as he kneeled down next to where I sat on the ground and showed it to me.

  “That’s only because I have the cutest company in it,” I grinned while I continued to pet the small bunny in my hands.

  “Would you like to buy it and take it back with us?”

  My eyes got wide, “Jay, as much as I’d love that, I couldn’t possibly take care of a bunny. My hours at the hospital are all over the place and they require a lot of attention. I think I’d be better off with a cat because they are pretty self-dependent.”

  I eased the bunny back into its cage where it had its siblings waiting for her. Closing up the side, Jameson helped me up and I dusted off my pink shorts before taking his hand once again and continuing onto other stalls. Wandering by the stalls, we came up to man and woman who were selling granizado. It was a snack that is similar to a shaved ice because it is made up of crushed ice and mixed with fruit juices or flavored syrups. Seeing as it was technically summertime and the sun was starting to get high up in the sky, I excitedly tugged Jameson over to the stall and looked at the menu.