by Suzan Battah
Afterwards, they lay together, Julia resting comfortably against the back of the lounge with him pressed against her. Chris was partly covering her body, as he played with her hair by fanning it between his fingers. She liked his mellow mood after all the intense energy.
She decided that quizzing him about his family might be a good idea. She was so curious, he had never revealed much of his life to her.
“Tell me about your family?” She ran her hands down his chest, waiting.
“Hmmm,” he murmured low. “You’ve met my brother Ben and I have a sister, Charlotte, who lives in Paris. My mother, Claire, is in Los Angeles.” Chris shifted, settling his arm behind his head. “You wouldn’t think we’re a close family, but we are. I also have a much younger brother, Dylan, from my father’s second marriage. You’ll love him. He spends a fair bit of time with me when his mother lets him. Dylan is always elusive, on the run with his mother.”
She sat up on her elbow to look over at him, her hand resting on his chest. “Why don’t you like your condo?”
Chris’ frown furrowed his brow and she traced his cheek until he relaxed again. She could see him contemplating whether or not to answer her question. She wondered about that in him, the deep intensity there. Something deep within him that he didn’t want to share.
Finally he muttered, “My parents gave me the condo as a gift for achieving good grades in college. That was the same day they signed their divorce papers.” He was trying to cover his face under his palm, hiding the emotion behind his revelation, but it tensed the muscles of his face.
Sudden understanding fell into place for her. “That would have been hard on you.”
“It wasn’t easy. I had no idea. I was such an idiot. For so long, I got used to them always being apart. I didn’t see it coming.” He shifted and fell silent. “That will never happen to me.”
“So you don’t stay at your condo at all?” Julia asked gently, rubbing her leg over his calf to ease his tension.
He shook his head. “Rarely. Ben has been after my place for ages.” After a moment, he added triumphantly, “Forget about what I said. Finish the renovations and then Ben can have it. I’m serious, just keep going and it’ll be his when you’re done.”
He was so proud of himself for coming with that idea. His eyes lit up, the corner of his mouth turning up in a cheeky grin. She couldn’t help but grin as well, planting a soft kiss on his lips. “And that’s it? The penthouse at the Augustine will be your home?”
Chris ran his hand down her back, resting his palms on the curve of her bottom. “Basically, you could say that.”
“Why, Chris? Don’t you want your own private sanctuary, a place to call your own?” She sucked in a breath when he leaned down to kiss the sensitive curve of her neck.
He contemplated what she said for a few minutes, his brow creased as he continued to skim his hand over her curves. “No, you’re right. I’ll have to find a new place as soon as we get back,” he finished evasively.
Frustrated, Julia knew she wouldn’t get much more out of him. Chris was not one to tell her much. “So, what was the email about?”
Chris glanced up at her, beneath his lashes. She could see his unease, but he refused to let it show in any other way. “It was nothing. You’ve got a good eye for design. Maybe you’ve got some tips on getting a new place, so we could go looking together.”
“Sure,” she muttered, annoyed he had avoided her question.
“I’m going to get some clothes on,” he said, sitting up. “We’ll head down to the markets and eat from the stalls there. I’m starving. You make me hungry, woman. Will you be alright walking?”
“Yeah, it’ll be slow, but I want to see the markets… Christophe?” She stopped him before he could disappear up the stairs. “You own this place, don’t you?”
He chuckled, a cocky grin on his face. “What makes you think that?”
“The bathroom gave it away.” Actually, it wasn’t just the bathroom that gave it away for Julia, but the entire house. It all seemed “Chris” to her. “And next door too?”
He raised a brow. “It’s that obvious?”
“This place has been designed for you, very cosmopolitan, masculine, and it screams your personality. You can’t fool this designer. Resort cabin, my butt. I wonder what next door looks like.”
“Actually, next door is Ben’s place.” Chris laughed. “Well, it’s a gorgeous butt, Jules. And I notice you always use my full name when you want to rattle me.”
Then he disappeared up the stairs.
She slipped back into her shorts and tank top, glad for the time away to get to know Chris better. She glanced over at his laptop with the disturbing email. For a second, she was tempted to open it back up and read the email. No, she wouldn’t dare break the trust between them.
When he returned downstairs, he was wearing a pair of army cut-offs with a black t-shirt splattered with multi-colors. She loved the way he dressed.
“Ready?” He headed for the screen door, turning back to stop and wait. Julia lifted herself up off the couch with her crutches and joined him.
They headed off for the markets. It wasn’t far at all and the bustle of the market was lively. The exotic smells and spices tantalized the senses. They took their time, inspecting each individual stall. Julia loved the markets. She was perusing unusual items of one stall, completely absorbed in the statues and collectables.
“I’m going to get us some fried plantain, it’s good stuff. Don’t go anywhere.” Chris headed off toward the food stall.
“Oh!” Julia cried out, finding the perfect ornament.
The old woman sitting down under the tarp of the stall smiled a toothless grin. The statue was unique, made of metal and wood. The two figures were embraced in a dance pose and Julia fell in love with the disproportionate figures in an odd way. The heads were out of balance, the legs were exaggerated in length, but the sensual dancer embrace was what Julia loved about the statue.
Chris joined her a few moments later when Julia was trying to communicate with the woman in Spanish. He handed Julia a piping hot fried plantain, while giving the statue an odd look.
“What’s that?” He frowned at the statue Julia was holding in her hand.
“Don’t look at it like that, Chris. It’s two dancers together, can’t you see?” Julia turned the statue so Chris could see the two figures embracing better.
Chris shook his head, squinting at the statue while taking a bite into his snack. He pressed his lips together, his eyes wide. “It’s ugly, Jules.”
Julia scowled at him, looking back at the woman with a shake of her head. “He doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” Then she threw up her hands, frustrated. “I forgot she doesn’t understand English or Spanish.”
Chris shrugged with a wry grin, saying something to the woman in French. The old woman’s toothy smile lit up her withered face, responding to Chris in French also. Julia stared at Chris in awe. He was definitely useful at the oddest times.
“Five bucks, Julia. But if you ask me…”
“Does she have any others? Ask her, please.” Julia cut him off and waited expectantly. “Of dancers!”
Chris grudgingly did as she requested, mumbling something along the lines of having two ugly statues. Julia was excited when the woman pulled out a similar statue of children dancing. Chris groaned, but she ignored it, and as she went to get some money from her handbag, Chris beat her to it and gave the old woman a twenty-dollar bill. The woman called out her thanks in French as they headed off with the two statues wrapped neatly in a bag.
Julia hugged him close to her as they headed back, leaning up to give him a kiss on the cheek, she whispered in French. “Merci, Christophe.”
Chris pulled her close, warmth in his eyes. “I’ll buy a thousand ugly statues for you any day, for that kind of thanks.”
“Chris!” She complained at his reference to her statues, but he just laughed.
She told herself that they
were having so much fun, and she hadn’t felt so free in a long time. There were no strings, she could just enjoy his company. This weekend could be a time of discovery about each other. She’d already learned that Chris was very affectionate, but he would give her space to relax, not clinging to her every moment.
Their last night on the island came by too soon. He insisted she soak in a bubble bath for an hour at least. She dressed in her boxer shorts and a t-shirt and wondered what he had been doing for the last hour or so while she had been enjoying her soak in the bath.
“Chris?” Julia called out his name as she came down the stairs, stopping when she saw him standing at the open doorway.
Behind him was a beautifully arranged setting on the verandah overlooking the beach. The small round table was covered in a crisp white sheet with two silver domes. Six bamboo lights glowed amber along the beach, with a large square red carpet laid flat on the sand.
“Surprise!” He held up his hands, leaning against the open screen door.
“Oh my.” Julia covered her mouth, shocked.
Chris was dressed in white pants and a black shirt, looking immaculate and gorgeous as usual. Julia looked down at herself, mortified that she had put on her pajamas and clumsily spun around to climb the stairs to change.
Chris was quick to stop her at the foot of the stairs, wrapping his arms around her waist. He pressed her body up against his, obviously guessing why she was rushing back up the stairs. “You look absolutely, without question, so beautiful. Now, my sexy woman, let’s have dinner.”
Julia felt her heart trip and fall with a thud. She stamped the feeling down, but couldn’t deny the warmth enveloping her. They sat down for dinner. The food was delicious and rich with flavors she had never tried before.
“Julia, will you dance with me?” Chris requested after they had both finished their meals and were content.
“There’s no music and I can’t dance anymore.”
“Of course you can. We don’t need music.”
Chris wouldn’t take no for an answer. He was seducing her at every turn. He took her hand and they walked down onto the red carpet. Julia’s heart was beating wildly, she couldn’t get the silly smile off her face. The soft breeze flowed over them. He pulled her into his embrace. They moved in gentle rhythm in each other’s arms, content.
***
All too soon, they were on their way back to Miami. Time had flown by so quickly. She wished they could stay longer. She sensed that he was withholding something of himself. Maybe if he spent enough time with her, he would come to trust her and confide what was troubling him. She hoped so.
Julia didn’t want to fly back to normality when she could stay on the island with Chris, making love. She liked him, maybe too much. Everything about him, even his annoying habit of not answering her straight away, appealed to her. It kept him a little mysterious.
Does that mean I’m falling in love? No, no, I don’t believe in love. There’s nothing wrong with being mad about the Augustine Boy. I’m just having fun.
A serious relationship was definitely not on her agenda. Now her life motto was to expand her business and have fun with new experiences. Falling in love was on her list of “don’t try again unless you’re willing to take a fall again.” And she wasn’t willing.
But somehow, Chris was like the last tempting chocolate in a box. It was very rare to find a good one left and impossible to resist.
Oh, my God, I’ve got to slow this down. I always love eating the last chocolate. They’re too good.
He’s too good.
Chapter Twelve
As soon as they arrived back in Miami, their busy lives took over. They barely got a chance to see each other, having dinner only once during the week. It was sexually frustrating as well. Their time on the island meant they had both gotten quickly addicted to their passion.
As time went on, Chris was getting irritable with so little time for romance. He demanded his brother take over some of the Augustine responsibilities, trying his hardest to free some time to spend with Julia.
Julia, on the other hand, was trying to do more work since her accident. This annoyed Chris for the most part. He understood her need to be involved in her business. When it came down to it, he still refused to let her oversee the Augustine project. So their schedules conflicted. They got to spend a few hours together midweek just before Chris had to fly out to Los Angeles for an Augustine board meeting for a couple of days.
“Come with me,” he had insisted over the phone before he left.
Julia regretted being unable to go. “I can’t. Andreena’s wedding is getting closer and she needs me.”
He was disappointed but understanding. Still, after their incredible time away on the island, she needed to see Chris more. She missed him these last weeks, more than she liked to admit. Just hearing his voice over the phone wasn’t enough. She needed to see him and touch him. She was too addicted to him and couldn’t wait to see him again. As it was, Chris occupied her thoughts day and night.
She was planning to go and see Chris Friday afternoon. He had arrived back into Miami that morning and sent a message for her to meet him. Then she remembered she had committed to attending Andreena and Cole’s celebration. She even thought about sneaking away to spend the time with Chris and telling everyone later that she forgot about the party. But she knew if she missed that, the family would be on her back. And anyway, she couldn’t do that to her cousin and her best friend.
So Friday afternoon, Julia hopped in a cab, heading toward Cole and Andreena’s house, but just before she got there, she instructed the driver to make a quick detour to the Augustine to see Chris first.
“I couldn’t resist seeing you,” she said, walking into the Augustine penthouse.
“I’m glad you stopped by. Sorry, I’m a bit jetlagged,” he confessed as he lounged back on the couch. “I’ll come over if you wait for me to rest a bit. But I’m not sure your family will get much out of my visit.”
She looked at him with a questioning frown. “You want to come over?”
Chris looked a bit confused for a second and then his eyes widened. “You don’t want me to come?”
Julia could feel her face burn. She had been so busy and hadn’t been keen on revealing the extent of her relationship with Chris to her family. The lump in her throat was thick, she couldn’t open her mouth to speak.
“What’s the matter?” Chris was giving her a shrewd look.
“Nothing,” she muttered.
He stood up, looking angry as he ran his hand through his hair. “What’s going on?”
She didn’t know how to explain the reason behind her reluctance to admit she was seeing him in more than just a professional way. They were just having fun, so it shouldn’t feel so serious all of a sudden.
When he didn’t reply, she demanded, “What’s wrong?”
Shaking his head, he looked down at her, mimicking her response. “Nothing.”
There was now a tension between them that wasn’t there before.
“Forget it. I’m not going anyway,” he muttered abruptly, heading for the kitchen.
“Chris? I just want to keep things private, between us. It’s not like they don’t know about us. I just don’t talk about it.”
“I figured that,” he muttered dryly. “Why are you looking so guilty?”
“I’m not. I just wasn’t expecting you to show up in my life. I’m having a lot of fun. But if I say we went away together, they’ll assume we’re, you know, serious. They’ll want to know how serious. They’re very protective. We know we’re seeing each other. Do we have to tell everyone?”
“Is that all we’re doing?” he teased her. “I was pretty sure we were doing a lot more than seeing.”
She tried to let go of his hand, but he held on tight.
“I’m sorry. Don’t be embarrassed. We’re not doing anything wrong.”
He popped open a bottle of water from the fridge, taking a long gulp. He was so tens
e.
“We don’t need to say anything.” He might not realize it, but he’d hit it right on the spot. She had to admit she felt guilty being with him. She knew it wasn’t wrong, but she still felt guilty.
Inclining his head, he agreed to her terms. He started to strip out of his shirt while heading toward the bedroom.
When his shirt cleared his head, she noticed a splattering of bruises and scrapes all down his back. She felt a sudden panic that something bad had happened. He hadn’t told her he was hurt.
“What happened to your back? Were you in a fight?”
Chris stopped in the doorway of the bedroom, glancing over his shoulder. “No, nothing happened.”
She followed him into the bedroom. “Don’t, please don’t do that.”
He was sitting on the edge of the bed, pulling off his shoes and socks. “Do what Julia - lie? Isn’t that what you want? All this pretending, it’s not me. So in reality, I don’t have to tell you everything. Isn’t that what we’re doing now?”
Julia approached him, her limp more pronounced without her crutches, left behind in the living area. When she stood in front of him, she touched his brow smoothing out the lines. He wrapped an arm around her waist, guiding her around his knee, down onto his lap. She skimmed her hand down his arm.
“You mean a lot to me,” she whispered. “I haven’t been with anyone in a long time. Everything feels so new. So if it’s important for you to meet my family, then you are welcome. I’m just warning you… I’m not good at this whole relationship thing.”
He lay her back down onto the bed, his hands curving over her leg, her hip to her abdomen. She sucked in a breath when he pressed his lips to her stomach, she could feel the heat through her blouse.
“You mean a lot to me too. I can’t understand this fear you have, but I’ll never hurt you.” He pressed a kiss against her neck. “Never hurt you.”
They held each other close sharing soft kisses, feathering touches. When her fingers skimmed over his shoulder, he winced pulling away.
