by Pratt, Lulu
“So, how have you been?” I heard the vapid words leave my mouth. So desperate for a connection, my brain settled for something verbal.
“Fine. Thanks,” she answered quickly, almost too quickly. “Take a deep breath, please,” she softly commanded and I did as instructed. When I exhaled, she pressed into my back using her forearms, digging deep into my sore muscles. Another groan escaped me.
“I like what you’ve done to the place. I know this was your vision,” I complimented her, instantly regretting I said that at a time when I wouldn’t be able to witness the smile it brought to her face.
“Thanks,” she answered so curtly I doubted there even was a smile accompanying the answer.
“So, what’s been going on? Anything changed since last Christmas?” I asked, nearly begging for a conversation. She was too close to be so far away. I had been thinking about our night together every day for the last year and I didn’t want months of dreams to be wiped out with a few ill-chosen words.
“Jude, just focus on your breathing. Listen to the music and relax your body.”
It wasn’t a command, but it was much more than a suggestion. As always, I did what she wanted, forcing myself to focus on her touch. With my silence brought focus for Holly, and she began to massage my body in ways that left me feeling brand new.
She was good at what she did, and while I expected nothing less, I was impressed with her technique. At one point, her hands slid down my sides, and I felt the blood rush, my cock pressing firmly against the massage table.
“Would you like me to massage your chest?” Holly asked.
Of course I wanted her to massage my chest. I wanted her hands all over me. But my manhood was so needy it hurt, and if her hands touched my abs, I would need more restraint than I had.
“No, that’s fine,” I tried to sound casual, swallowing my desire.
“Okay, well, you can get dressed then,” her voice was soft, but warmer than before.
“Thanks, that was amazing,” I sighed, lifting my upper body off the massage table as I stretched my back.
“I’ll see you at the front desk.” Holly rushed the words out almost as fast as she left me alone in the dimly lit room. I watched the door for an extra second before moving to get dressed, already eager to see her again.
Chapter Three
HOLLY
“OH GREAT, you’re back. I wanted to run over to the hotel really quick,” my mother said as I made my way behind the spa receptionist desk.
“It’s fine. I’ve got it here,” I forced the words, sure my brain was seconds from shutting down.
Watching my mom walk to the hotel section, I fanned myself with both hands, sucking in a deep breath. Jude was even more handsome than I remembered, and then his body was so strong and muscular. The sounds he made when I pressed into him were enough to make me to clench my abdomen muscles.
Jude was the last man to touch my body, and after having such a difficult birth, I hadn’t even had the desire to meet anyone. My libido had been nonexistent with all I had on my plate with work and taking care of Chris. But my appointment with Jude brought back my femininity and with a vengeance.
It was exhilarating and scary all at the same time. My body had changed so much — I wasn’t sure what it was even capable of anymore, and remembering how rough Jude was brought a bout of anxiety tumbling through my belly in the best way. It was strange to be turned on and scared by the same thing.
I heard footsteps and I looked up to see Jude, walking up to me in all of his big city glory. His suit was out of a Hollywood movie, and he walked with an air of confidence about him that made you believe he was a star. It was something so different about him than anyone else you would see in Savannah. The world had changed him, in a better way.
“Feeling all good?” I asked, trying to sound as cheery and offhanded as I would with any other guest.
“You’re amazing. That was incredible.” He reached for his neck with his hand, and I felt a tiny desire, wishing it was my body he was kneading with his strong hand.
“Great! Well, you already paid online, right?” I looked to the paperwork, asking a question I knew the answer to as I intentionally tried to rush him out of the spa.
“Yeah, everything should be covered, but if it’s not, you know where to find me,” Jude joked and I glanced up just in time to see that smile of his. God, he was gorgeous, his dark blond hair catching every gleam of sunlight peering into the spa.
“I guess I do,” I smiled, nodding my head.
“So, how have you been?” he asked, leaning against the counter in a subtle protest. Jude wasn’t going to be rushed out, and so I relaxed my shoulders, looking into his eyes as I had since I was a child.
The blue there was always breathtaking, but the shade of Jude’s eyes altered with his emotions. There was a darkness that came whenever he was angry. I’d seen it when he and Dylan would get into disagreements. Watching it fade was my favorite, as his eyebrows relaxed and his lips returned to their full state.
Now, there was a brighter gleam, but I wasn’t sure what it meant. Maybe Jude had grown so much in his new life that I couldn’t read him in the way I thought I mastered as a teenager. As my brother’s best friend, it was almost inevitable that I crush on Jude, but my feelings were always much deeper than an adolescent crush.
Jude had always welcomed me into their social circle. He was funny and generous, but even then I felt like an outsider. I would beg my brother to hang out with him, and it always led to me proving my uncoolness.
Whether it was my breaking my leg at the skatepark after begging to join Dylan on a weekend trip with his friends, or being the last one through the back door at the movie theatre, caught by mall security as we snuck into an R-rated movie. I was never as smart or athletic or charismatic as my brother.
Hanging out with him was an honor as a child, one I always seemed to mess up. When I spent the night with Jude, it was just like any other time I’d stepped into Dylan’s world. One night, one time and I wind up pregnant.
“I’ve been good,” I said, watching his reaction closely. He nodded after a brief pause, searching my eyes.
“I can’t believe I haven’t talked to you in so long.”
It was a sentence that said everything the words did not. Jude wasn’t catching up like an old high-school classmate you run into at the market. He was talking about our night. The night. He wanted to address the elephant in the room, but I wasn’t ready.
“Yeah, it’s been a while,” I answered, sighing as I faced the conversation I’d been avoiding for months.
I’d been so preoccupied with the business, the Christmas season and raising Chris, I’d temporarily forgot all about – or pushed away the memory of – Jude’s annual trip, the same trip I used to plan my year around. He could never know how much I’d thought of him, and how crushed I was to see he had left in the middle of the night after our evening together.
“We need to go to dinner,” he said as if the idea just crossed his mind.
“Do we?” I asked sounding more suspicious than I meant to, but I could already feel my heart beating more quickly.
“Yes. There’s too much to talk about and I can see your mind is racing with work. I want all your attention. How’s tonight?” he asked so casually, like we had come to the decision together.
“Uh, tonight? What time? I think I need to get Chris after work,” I recalled my schedule, looking to the air as I visualized my to-list written in my planner.
“Who’s Chris?”
His tone was casual, but his words stopped my heart. Lost in my own thoughts, it never even occurred to me I was discussing Chris, his son, right in front of him. It was a truth I wanted to avoid as long as possible, but I guess now was as good a time as any to tell him what he was sure to find out on his own.
“My son. Chris is my son.” The words felt strange for the first time.
First shock swirled in his eyes, and then they darkened with an emotion I could
n’t quite read. My stomach dropped as I wondered if it was disappointment that flashed across his face.
“Son?” he huffed the word like a pull of a cigarette, his eyes bulging with disbelief.
“Yes, I’m now a mom, and he’s just… adorable,” I could hear the love in my tone and knew it resonated in my face when Jude’s eyes lightened up. His lips curved into a small smile and then he nodded slowly.
“I can only imagine, with a mother as beautiful as you,” Jude finally found his resolve, appearing as calm and collected as usual although I knew he had to be beyond shocked. “When did you become a mom?”
“Chris is two months old,” I didn’t say that he was turning three months in a matter of days.
I was only grateful I didn’t see suspicion in his eyes, which meant he probably wasn’t counting the months to put our night together with Chris’ birth or asking further questions.
“There you are!” My mother arrived in the nick of time. “Jude, I was just telling Dylan you were here. I thought you might have left already.” My mom announced herself, her voice more cheery than usual.
It was bizarre how kind she was to Jude, all the while despising his parents. The feud had never affected us, but there were always whispers about Dylan and Jude remaining so close. Thankfully, whenever I saw his parents in town, they were nothing but kind to me.
“I’m going to go right over there when I leave here,” Jude assured her.
“It’s just so great to see you. Are you here for the annual two-week trip?”
“Yes, ma’am. You know I have to spend the holidays here in Georgia. I’m here early and going back after Christmas this year as I have business I must attend to. It just wouldn’t be right any other way,” Jude smiled, sharing the same story he had been reciting every year since moving to New York.
“That is so nice. Well, make sure you stop by again. You know Lou would love to see you,” my mom smiled at the mention of my father.
“Hey Mom, do you think you could watch Chris tonight?” I asked.
“Oh sure. I can keep him for the rest of the day, actually,” she nodded as she glanced at her watch. My mom was always looking for an excuse to clock out of work and clock into grandma hours.
“Okay, go ahead. I’ll call you later,” I said, and my mother was out the door quicker than I could think of asking anything I’d need to know about the spa.
“She seems happy to be a grandma,” Jude smiled.
“You can’t even imagine. She’s all about him,” I giggled, shaking my head as I thought of how much my parents fawned over my sweet boy.
There was no way I would have survived without the help of my family, and maybe because Jude was around and my hormones were raging, but I began to feel emotional all of a sudden.
“I’m sure I can’t. My mom has constant baby fever. Every conversation ends with her asking for grandchildren,” he chuckled and I forced a smile to hide the shock I was sure was written on my face.
“So, we’re on for tonight, right?” Jude confirmed.
“Oh, right. My mom can take Chris, so I guess I’ll see you later?” I asked.
“Should I pick you up from here?”
“Jude, you don’t have to pick me up. I can meet you,” I said, feeling spoiled. There was no reason for him to play the gentleman act. We’d known each other most of our lives. I was fine meeting him halfway.
“I want to.” There was no joke in his words, and so I swallowed slowly, realizing that Jude wanted what I had thought was impossible. Was he asking me out on an official date?
“Is this a date?” The words fell from my lips before I could stop them, leading to a hoarse chuckle from Jude that made my pelvic muscles tighten.
“Yes, I want to take you on a date. Can I pick you up from here?” he asked, raising his thick eyebrows with his question.
“No, no. I’ll be… You can just come to my place,” I suggested after thinking of Jude seeing where I live. He was used to me staying with my parents. It would be the first time he was home and I had a private space.
“You have your own place?” The realization seemed to strike him at the same speed.
“Yes, well, me and Chris,” I corrected, smiling at the thought.
“Well, of course,” Jude smiled.
“I’ll text you the address,” I rushed the words.
It was an awkward and tense exchange for people as familiar as us, but the unspoken words were so loud it was nearly impossible to have a regular conversation. Things were just too strange, but in a weird way it felt exciting and adventurous, the way dancing at the school dance gave you an adrenaline rush in the sixth grade.
“I’ll pick you up at seven,” Jude finally announced, moving behind the reception desk to say his official goodbye.
When his arms wrapped around me, my eyelids melted closed, surrounded by his warm embrace. His cheek brushed against mine and I could feel the smoothness of his freshly shaved skin. Smelling of rosewood and mint, I released a soft moan when he squeezed my body.
“I missed you,” he whispered before kissing my cheek and I feared for my balance, my knees growing unsteady.
“I’ll see you tonight.” I stepped back, ending the embrace before I got even more overwhelmed than I was.
There was a youthful bounce in my step for the rest of the day as I prepared for an evening with Jude, unsure of what he would have to ask or say about the changes in my life. He had his own life up in New York, and I didn’t want to ruin that with the truth about Chris. I only wished that I could last two weeks keeping a secret that would change everything and flip our worlds upside down.
Chapter Four
JUDE
NO AMOUNT of improvements could ever change the feeling of Savannah Serenity and Spa to me. Walking through the same hallway I used to run through as a child brought back memories having spent half my life at the businesses of my parents and Dylan and Holly’s parents.
Dylan was more like my brother when our parents were thick as thieves. We spent every school break together and our families rarely vacationed without the other. Before things fell apart with the adults, the hotel was like a second home and the smells brought old memories flooding back.
My mind was racing after the conversation with Holly. She had agreed to dinner, something I had planned to ask her for months, but there was still something between us. She was upset that I hadn’t contacted her more often after leaving, and it was a reasonable feeling. I thought she would see I tried to do something special and reach out to me.
When she didn’t so much as text, I figured she wanted to keep it on a ‘what happens in Savannah stays in Savannah’ type of unspoken agreement. My mind was processing all the possible ways I could tell all this to Holly over dinner when Dylan came charging in my direction.
“I thought you got in tomorrow!” His words were as forceful as the bear hug he gripped me in.
“You suck at schedules, dude,” I huffed. In all our years of friendship, I’d known Dylan would always forget what I told him or forget to tell me things. Sharing my itinerary was always a waste of time because he was the worst with managing information.
“Just don’t ask me to pick you up from the airport and you’re all good,” he joked, hinting at the time a few years back when he’d forgotten all about our arrangement, leaving me stranded at the airport.
“Don’t remind me of that day!” I laughed as we embraced once more.
“Let’s get a brew,” Dylan suggested, already leading the way to the hotel bar.
“Hey, Roy. I’m going to have a drink with my friend, but find me later. I have a project for you with the suite,” he spoke to an older man in stride, turning to end the conversation without slowing his pace. The man nodded his understanding and Dylan looked back to me.
“How was your flight?”
He was a businessman much more than I remembered. Dylan had always been the class clown, the one everyone thought would be immature forever. Here he was, running a b
usiness just as his father had, and I realized how much had changed in the year since I last visited.
“It was great. No delays, smooth sailing,” I recalled as we walked through a set of French doors that led into a space that was relaxing and inviting.
“Wow. This is nice. When did all this happen?” I asked as my eyes wandered from one style detail to the next. The crown molding had been restored, and there was stained glass in the windows, making the winter day seem bright. The hotel was always a nice place, but it was never anything as regal as what they had achieved now.
“It’s sweet, right?” Dylan asked with pride in his eyes. Running his fingers through his short brown hair, he gave me the rundown on all the updates and new strategies they were trying.
As the only person involved in a major industry, my family looked to me as a guru when it came to business, and Dylan was like my brother. He took me to two leather seats in front of the fire, another improvement that impressed me. Over a Heineken he told me about their plans for expansion.
It was ambitious, but according to Dylan necessary. Holly had created such a buzz, finding placements in both local and national ad campaigns, that the hotel was sometimes booked for months in advance, often funneling business to surrounding hotels for a small finder’s fee.
“That’s incredible!” I said when he finished the breakdown of the business. I wasn’t trying to be nice, as I would most of the time with meager business ideas I heard about in Savannah. There was always someone who thought their grandma’s recipe was a lottery ticket and I’d nod and listen along while mentally rolling my eyes.
But this wasn’t that. My childhood best friend had successfully vamped a business up to the caliber of the big city. He could use some financial advice, and I knew just where to find him more funding if he said the word.
“You know, it’s Holly. I give her a hard time, but my sis is a genius. All of this was her vision, and it’s been paying off well,” he smiled, and a pang of guilt flashed through my stomach.