Modern Girl's Guide to One-Night Stands
Page 23
“Hmmm,” she hummed, and snaked a hand under the t-shirt he’d worn to bed last night. “You don’t have to worry about that. I've got things at the hospital covered. I talked to the nurse last night. If something changed they would have called, and the doctor isn’t going to be in until ten.”
He grabbed her hand, amazed at himself for having the willpower to stop. “Then let’s take the morning to regroup before we get to the hospital. There are tons of things we need to arrange. I can call—”
She kissed him, and pulled her hand away. Using her nail to trace a line down his chest, she continued, “I can do all that later. The fact that you’re here for me will make the next few days bearable. I can handle the rest. Right now we have a few hours before I have to be back. I need you.”
Her wandering hand was joined by the other and before he knew what she intended to do, Julia was straddling him.
“Just help me feel good for a little bit before I have to face everything again.”
Simon wasn’t about to let her down, not with that kind of plea. He flipped Julia on her back and kissed her, determined to take his time and say with his body all of the words he still hadn’t been able to tell her aloud. Moving slowly, dragging out the pleasure. He didn't want to fuck or screw. He wanted to make love with the woman who was fast stealing his heart.
After they were both satisfied and breathless, Simon pulled Julia into his side, relishing the feel of her naked body pressed against him, and just lay there. This was it. This was what he wanted from her now, and for years to come. Now he just needed to convince her.
His cell rang, breaking the spell. Reluctantly, he disentangled himself and answered the phone.
“I hope you fixed things,” Megan said in lieu of a greeting. “Julia doesn’t need your kind of drama right now. I’m not above kicking your ass.”
“I think we’re good.” Simon glanced back at Julia, her gloriously nude figure rising out of the bed. As far as he was concerned, they were more than good. "Are you still flying back today?”
“I’m at the airport now. My plane leaves in a half hour. How’s she doing?”
“She’s dealing, but I have a feeling things are going to be rough the next few days. She’s going to need all the help she can get." He looked back to the bathroom. He could hear the shower running. Julia would be fine, and he was going to make sure she had everything she needed to make it through. “Call us when you land. I have a few things I need to take care of before we head back to the hospital.”
Julia was quiet on the ride to the hospital. She became more and more withdrawn the closer they got. Between her grief and her general anxiety over being at hospitals, Simon knew she was doing all she could to keep it together. He knew all that, but he still found her silence unnerving.
“Megan called this morning. She’s on her way home,” he said, hoping to draw her out of her pensive mood. “I’m sure we’ll see her sometime tonight.”
“She didn’t need to change her plans,” Julia said to the window, and seemed to withdraw further.
Well, crap. He thought for sure Megan would cheer her up. But then he remembered how insistent she was after her knife accident that Megan not make a big deal out of her fear. Maybe she was feeling overwhelmed by all the attention. As they pulled into the hospital parking lot, Simon tried a different direction. “I made some calls while you were in the shower. My assistant, Rachelle, is calling some funeral homes. She should have a list put together by tomorrow.”
“You called your assistant for that?” she asked, frowning.
“Of course I did. She’s happy to help.” Simon picked up her hand and pressed a soft kiss onto the knuckles. “We’ll do what we can to make this easy on you.”
Simon parked the car and grabbed her laptop bag, determined to keep the pressure off. She just needed to be out of the spotlight, was all. He’d make sure that he took care of as much as she’d let him.
“Simon, what’s going on?” she asked before they reached the front of the hospital.
“What do you mean?”
“What I mean is, why are you doing this? I hardly know you.” She held up a hand to ward off his justifiable protests, determined to have her say. “I didn't mean there’s nothing between us, but this is too much. You changed your schedule, called in Megan, and even your assistant is helping out. You don’t have to do this. You don't need to play knight in shining armor to keep seeing me. I thought after this morning you understood. I can take care of this myself. I always have.”
Simon pulled her off the walkway, toward a small grouping of benches, and glared at her. Julia had a feeling this conversation wasn’t going to go well, but ever since they left the hospital last night, she couldn’t find her bearings. She didn't know what he was trying to prove, and with every declaration of caring she freaked out a little more.
“Fuck, Julia. Is that what you were doing this morning? Trying to let me know that you’d still sleep with me even if I wasn’t involved?"
“No. Well, yes,” she admitted, dropping to the bench. The sting of tears burned the back of her eyes and she covered her face. This was going all wrong and for the life of her, she couldn’t figure out how to explain what she was feeling. “I really like you, Simon. A lot. I want to give us a chance. But I come with baggage, truckloads of it, and I can’t change that. I don’t expect anyone to deal with all of this.” She waved in the direction of the hospital, desperate for him to understand. “Let alone a guy I’ve just started seeing. There are enough issues for us to deal with. I don’t want my mom’s death—” Julia choked on the word, and she couldn’t hold back the tears. “I don’t want her death to be the thing that breaks us. Especially when I can deal with it myself.”
He slumped down on the bench beside her and buried his hands in his hair, pulling at the ends, the low hum of frustration vibrating from him now. Julia wanted to touch him, but instead she waited, fearing that she might have pushed him away for good.
With a huge sigh, Simon turned her to look at him. “I know you can handle it yourself, sweetheart. I’m constantly amazed by your strength. But just because you can, doesn’t mean you have to. I want you to have options, that’s all. We just want to help you. That’s what you do for a friend. That’s what you do for people you love. Don't be scared, and don’t push me away. I’m here for you.”
She looked away, unable to meet those intense amber eyes for a second longer. Love? He couldn’t possibly mean he was in love with her. Her mind was reeling. Love? Julia didn't even know how she felt. Was she in love with Simon? Was that why she was pushing him away? The answer was easy. Her heart already knew, and it scared the shit out of her.
After several minutes went by, Simon broke the silence. “You’re thinking awfully hard over there. Tell me what’s going on in that head of yours."
Julia looked around the courtyard, watching people hurry in and out of the hospital. This was one of her favorite spots at the hospital. She’d spent many afternoons sitting on this very bench, alone and watching as life moved around her while her mother was up in one of those rooms. But being here with Simon was different. She didn’t feel so disconnected.
“Remember when we first met and you asked me how I could tell so much about people by just looking at them? When I was a teenager, I spent most of my time at various hospital facilities, either recovering from the accident, or visiting my mom. It was suffocating inside those walls, so I spent as much time as I could in little alcoves like this watching people go by, imagining what their lives were like outside this hospital. Watching them helped me feel connected, so I didn’t feel so alone.”
“Sweetheart, you don’t have to be alone.”
“Like them.” She waved him off and pointed to a couple just exiting.
There was a man pushing a woman in a wheelchair. He carefully took a bundled baby out of her arms and went over to the waiting minivan.
“I’d bet that’s their first child. You can tell by the nervous way he’s ho
lding him. And that orderly—did you see the way he smiled at the nurse? The way she blushed when she walked by? They are in a relationship they are trying to keep secret.”
“That’s interesting, but what do they have to do with what we’re talking about?”
“It’s easy to see things when you’re on the outside. You can pick up on little clues. But when I’m this close, I can’t tell. I couldn’t see what was going on with Luke until I’d stepped back. I don’t want to make that same mistake.”
“You don’t have to keep your distance to know how you feel. Let me in.”
“It’s hard for me. I’ve never had anyone to depend on. I thought I could rely on Luke, but that didn’t work out great for me. I lost myself for a long time. And now, I’m afraid the second I start relying on someone else for anything, I’ll be weak. I won’t be able to do it by myself.”
“You just haven’t had the right people in your life. Megan and I may not have had much support from our father over the years, but we did have each other, and we had our friends. I’m sorry that you didn’t have anyone like that in your life. Relying on other people doesn’t make you weak. If anything, having people in your life to support you makes you stronger.”
What he was talking about was exactly what she’d always wanted in her life. What she’d been missing since the accident. And for the first time she dared to believe it was possible. Turning back to Simon, Julia smiled reassuringly. "That night at the bar, when I saw you with Matt and Peter, I could tell that you were close friends. The way you laughed and interacted. You looked at ease being around them. I think that’s what caught my eye first.”
“And now? What do you see when you look at me now?”
“I see a man who’s dependable. One who’s good to his family and friends.” She touched his cheek, enjoying the bristle of his unshaved skin. How could she have ever doubted his intentions.? “I see a man who I can lean on when things are tough. Who will be supportive without crushing me or leaving me. I see someone who deserves my love.”
“Well it’s about time, because I’ve felt that way for a while now.”
“So when you said you would help someone you love, you really meant love love?”
“For someone so observant, you sure miss a lot. After these last few days, how could you not realize that I’m completely in love with you? Hell, I’m not sure I didn't fall in love with you that first night, months ago.”
Looking up at Simon she could see the truth in his eyes, and the last bit of her hesitation fell away. Leaning in, she closed her eyes and kissed him. It was the most tender kiss they’d ever shared.
“Are you okay?” Simon asked, nodding toward the hospital. “We can sit here for a minute before going in.”
“No. I had all day yesterday to process. I can’t change the fact she’s gone. I’ll miss her. Hell, I’ve missed her every day since the accident. She was beautiful and graceful. And from what I hear, quite the accomplished dancer before she had me. She's the reason I started dancing myself.”
This was the first time Julia could remember talking about what Mom was like before the accident. It was just too hard to remember life before, when all she could see was what had become of their lives. But it felt right talking to Simon about it.
“When I was little—I mean, barely old enough to walk—she’d take me to the studio and I’d watch her practice, doing my own version of pirouettes and leaps in the corner. She’d always stop and clap and tell me what a great dancer I was. I wanted to be just like her when I grew up.”
“Your mother sounds like a beautiful person. I wish I could have met her,” Simon said and pulled her into his side.
“She probably wouldn’t have liked you,” Julia said with a weak smile.
“I’m that bad, huh?”
Julia’s smile widened and she wiped the last of her tears with the back of her hand. “No, Mom wouldn’t have liked you. She would have loved you."
Despite all the tragedy and loss in her life, Julia knew that her mother and father had loved her deeply, and only wanted her to grow up happy and loved.
“I think I’m ready now,” she said, feeling a little lighter.
“I don’t care what the nurse says, I’m staying with you.” Pulling Julia up to her feet again, Simon lowered his mouth to hers again.
“Thank you, Simon,” she said as they headed toward the entrance, and much to her surprise, there wasn’t a ball of dread in the pit of her stomach on entering the lobby.
Chapter Twenty Two
Final Tip: It’s Not For Everyone—Don’t feel bad if you give a one-night stand the old college try but find out it’s just not your thing. The great thing about being a Modern Girl is you have choices.
“We’re going to be late,” Julia said as Simon continued to rub the orange-scented soap over her skin in long, sensual strokes. He'd supposedly come into the shower with her to speed things up, but the second he stepped in, Simon’s hands started to roam.
“We still have two hours before the gallery opens.” Simon pressed his stiffening cock into her backside and she groaned.
They didn’t have time, even if he was fast. Julia stepped away and rinsed off under the spray. Handing him the washcloth, she shot him a lopsided grin. “You’re going to have to do your own back. If I don’t get my hair dried, we’ll never make it.”
“You’re the artist. You can be fashionably late,” he argued.
“You’re right, I’m the artist. How would it look if I show up a half hour late to my own showing?”
“It would look like your time is in high demand,” he said.
“Not a chance,” Julia said with a saucy shake of her ass. “I have to get ready.”
Simon growled and stalked after her. With a squeal she ran, and he chased her into the bedroom. He caught her around the waist and they tumbled naked and wet onto the bed.
But he was right. Despite the impromptu quickie, they made it to the gallery with just seconds to spare. She might not have had as much time to get ready, but Simon managed to distract her from the growing storm of butterflies in her belly.
“Have I told how sexy you look tonight?” Simon whispered in her ear as they approached the gallery.
Julia had opted for a simple black dress with a peekaboo back, and through the straps the hint of her tattoo was framed like a work of art itself. It was daring and completely out of her comfort zone, but it felt right for the occasion. Julia fidgeted with her dress again and Simon placed a hand over hers.
“It’s going to be fine,” he assured her. “Everyone's going to love your work.”
“I don’t know. Maybe. I’m not sure about the stuff I added.”
He hadn’t seen all the pieces she was including in the show, and she really hoped she hadn’t overreached her own talent. The last-minute additions were inspired by Simon and were extremely personal. And then there was the memorial for her mother. Several of the photos were from before the accident, after Julia got her first camera. They weren’t professional, but together they told a story.
He squeezed her hand, trying to lend support, and they walked into the gallery. The first photo that greeted them was an extra-large print of the moon on the lake’s surface with the crane framed in the reflection.
“It’s stunning,” he said.
But before she could reply, Julia was nearly tackled by a screaming Megan.
“I knew you could do it,” Megan said, squeezing Julia.
A tall, waiflike woman glided up beside Megan and smiled. “I think tonight is going to be a success. I’ve already had several offers during the private viewing.”
“I can’t believe it. Thank you again, Naomi.”
“Your work speaks for itself. I’m expecting to make a good commission off tonight's sales, so I should be thanking you. Go mingle. I’ll do a formal introduction later."
Megan pulled Julia to the other side of the room and she looked back apologetically. Simon took the hint. Megan wanted some personal ti
me with Julia. And that was fine. Simon wanted to explore.
He gave most of the photos a cursory glance, having seen a lot of the work already. But she’d been pretty cagey about her studio work and the shots she took at the Harper estate. He was dying to see them.
It was odd walking around and seeing the lake through her eyes. Sights he’d seen all his life were fresh and mysterious. Even the people he’d known since childhood seemed different in her portraits. He walked down the aisle, admiring her work. An overwhelming sense of pride hit him.
His girl was made of sterner stuff than most. This last month had been hard on her, but Julia didn’t fall apart. She moved forward, even while dealing with all the pain and trauma of her past.
Simon rounded the corner, heading for the back of the gallery, and caught sight of her mysterious studio photos. There were a series of eight photos featuring women dressed in ballet outfits, right down to the tutus and pointe shoes, trussed up like old-world marionettes.
The photos told a story, starting with a porcelain-faced ballerina in perfect on-pointe stance. The photos slowly told a story of slow deterioration, with the final photo showing the marionette dirty and broken, completely detached from its strings, crumpled on the floor.
While they’d never discussed this series, Simon felt like he was witnessing a photographic documentation of Julia’s own decline after her accident. He turned away from the series, determined to find her, to tell her that she wasn't broken, but he stopped dead at the sight before him.
There at the end of the aisle was Julia in all her stunning glory, completely nude.
Like the photo on her website, her features were obscured. The best parts were artfully masked with wisps of gossamer that seemed suspended on a light summer breeze. But he’d recognize those curves anywhere. Not to mention the tattoo.