by Colbie Kay
“It sounds like you are heading in the right direction, Poppy. I’m proud of you.”
I glance up at the clock. “My hour is up. I’ll see you next week.” I exit her office feeling better than I have in years.
As I’m running onto my porch, trying not to get too wet from the pouring rain, I notice something sitting in front of the door. I pick it up and see a bunch of little fairy lights shining in the mason jar. A smile lights up my face as tears sting my eyes. Opening the card, it reads,
Don’t ever give up on your wishes.
Love, J.
My head darts in the direction of his house. With the jar in hand and me no longer caring about the rain that’s pelting down, I rush over and find Julien’s door wide open. My eyes search for him through the rain and find him leaning against the frame with his arms crossed over his bare chiseled chest. It’s like he was waiting for me. Swallowing hard, I lick my lips and hold the jar out. “Why would you leave this?”
“Because the one thing you never gave up on as a child was that story your grandpa told you,” He shouts over a loud crash of thunder.
“We aren’t kids anymore, Julien. Wishes don’t come true. I learned that a while ago. Like I told you last night, it was some stupid story my grandpa told me. Why can’t you leave me alone? You come back here after fifteen years thinking…what? That’ll we’ll pick up where we left off? It doesn’t work that way, and my life was fine before you came back. But now...now, you’re...”
He runs down his steps until we are mere inches apart. The rain drenching him too. I stare up at him, the words I planned on saying are gone as his blue eyes search mine.
“Now I’m what, P?” His hands reach up swiping wet strands of hair away from my face before cupping my cheeks. “I’m what?” He repeats.
“You’re…You…I…” Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes. “You’ve messed everything up.”
“I like messy. I don’t want to pick up where we left off, P.”
My gaze darts to him instantly. “Then what do you want?” I practically beg. I’m desperate to know, to get answers, to understand him.
“I want to get to know who you are now.” He gives me that sexy grin.
I bite down on my bottom lip to hide my smile. “Why? You may not even like me.”
He nods and laughs. “You’re right. I know for a fact I’m not going to like you—”
I interrupt him by trying to push away from him, but he doesn’t release me. “Julien Pierce, I think you may be the most infuriating man—”
It’s his turn to cut me off. His hands move from my cheeks down to my waist as he tugs me against him, his blue eyes blazing. “I’m not going to like you, Poppy Montgomery, because I’m going to love you. I’m going to love you more than I did at eight, more than I did at fourteen, and more than I did in between then and now. I have always loved you, and I’m going to love you until I take my last breath.”
I’m speechless. For the first time in my life, I’m speechless. I stand there in his arms gaping at him, blinking for a moment before the words come unwavering, “I love you too, J!” I clutch the mason jar tighter in my grasp as I take a jump into the unknown. “I have always loved you too.” His lips slam against mine. With our mouths pressed together, I mumble, “Shane broke up with me.”
“I can’t say I’m sorry about that.” I feel his lips lift.
“Me either.”
Keeping a tight grip on the jar, I lift my arms and wrap them around his neck. I feel his rough calloused hands on my thighs, and before I know what’s happening, he lifts me into the air. My legs automatically snake around his waist as he marches us into his house without breaking our hungry kiss.
The door shuts behind us, and Julien sets me back on my feet. "We need to get out of these wet clothes."
I put the jar down on a table that’s beside his door. "I think you're right." Turning away from him, I begin strolling through his house. When I come to the door I think I want, I glance over my shoulder. "Bathroom?" I question.
He nods, and his Adam's apple moves as he swallows hard. Opening the door, I don't take the time to see all the work he's done. I go to the walk-in shower and turn the hot water on. Spinning on my heel, I face him. Our eyes connect, and I see something in his I never have before. His mirror mine. Lust, craving, desire. He leans against the doorframe, his gaze never leaving mine.
Slowly, I pull my top over my head, allowing the drenched material to fall to the floor. I run my finger along the cup of my bra and down until I'm at the waistband of my jeans. Undoing them, I push them down my legs and kick my feet out of them.
"Poppy." Julien's tone turns rough and gravely, almost warning like.
I wrap my hands behind my back to unhook my bra. "Don't you think we've waited long enough for this moment?" It falls to the ground with the rest of my soaking wet clothes.
"Abso-fucking-lutly." He quickly steps over to me, his arm snaking around my waist to brings us flesh to flesh. My nipples harden against his cold skin. "You're so damn beautiful." His lips smash against mine. We devour each other and race to free ourselves of any remaining barrier of clothing.
He walks me backward into the shower until my body hits the cold tile wall. One of his hands lifts mine, and our fingers intertwined above our heads. My other hand goes to his back, my nails digging into his skin. His mouth moves to my neck, peppering kisses along the crook and up to my ear. "Are you sure, P?"
"Yes!" I cry out.
He bows to wrap his hands around my thighs, lifting me up against the wall, and using one hand, he presses his cock against my opening.
"Ahhh." I release a satisfied moan.
He slowly pushes into me, and there's a slight sting from his size, but it feels amazing.
He begins a steady rhythm of delivered strokes. Releasing my mouth and pulling back slightly, our eyes lock. "I love you," He mouths.
I don't need to hear the words, I feel it in every thrust, every touch, every kiss. "I love you too." I mimic him and bring my lips to his once again.
Neither of us tries to rush or hurry. Neither of us cares that the water is becoming frigid. I savor every second, every minute we are connected as one. This was always meant to be. This was always our fate. We are home.
Julien's calculated strokes push my impending release, closer and closer. My core heats as the blissful wave begins to take over.
"You're going to come, I can feel you tightening around me. Come with me, P," He growls into my neck as his movements become jerky and uneven.
"Julien!" I scream out his name as he grunts mine.
He doesn't break our connection right away, but when he does, I feel empty.
He reaches for his body wash and pours some in his hand. "You don't even know how long I've dreamt about this moment."
I laugh. "Yes, I do."
"What happens now, P?" He asks as he washes my body.
"I don't know."
His thumb touches the bottom of my chin, and he lifts until my eyes can meet his. "I can't be without you ever again."
"Julien," I quietly mewl his name.
"I'm serious, Poppy. You remember when I wished for you to kiss me?" He rinses me off before washing himself.
"Of course." My brows knit in confusion, unsure of where he’s going with this.
"I lied. That wasn't my wish."
"What was your wish then?"
"That someday you would marry me."
I gasp.
T he sun beams through the bedroom window right onto my face, waking me out of a deep sleep. Looking down, I smile when I realize last night wasn’t a dream. Poppy’s head is lying on my chest, her leg is tangled with mine, and her soft naked body is pressed against me.
A knock on the door pulls me away from my blissful thoughts. Who would be knocking on my door at–I peek at the clock–ten in the morning? Damn, I haven’t slept in this late since…actually, I can’t remember ever sleeping this late.
Unhooking her leg from
mine, I carefully work my way out of bed and pull on my boxer briefs before stumbling into the living room. I yank the door open and am taken aback seeing Mitch and Courtney standing there with cameras behind them. Shit!
I glance over my shoulder in the direction of the bedroom. If Poppy sees this, she’s going to think I lied. I just got her, I can’t let this ruin us before we even have a chance to begin. Glaring at them, I snarl, “What are you doing here? And why the hell did you bring her?”
He rolls his eyes. “You didn’t really think you could hide out forever, did you?” Mitch chuckles and pushes me out of the way. “Go, get dressed. I’m taking you back to Nashville,” he orders. Didn’t I fire him?
“Mitch,” I growl in warning.
“I missed you so much, Honey Bunny!” Courtney’s arms wrap around my neck. I don’t touch her except to push her away from me.
My eyes shift to the cameramen. “You aren’t coming in here.” I whirl around to Mitch and shut the door quietly. I lower my voice so I don’t disturb Poppy. “You two need to leave. Now!”
Mitch steps closer, his tone eerily calm. “Get your shit together, JP. We leave in an hour, and you better be on that plane.”
Poppy storms out of the bedroom and past us without a word.
“Poppy, wait!” I yell for her, but she doesn’t stop.
“You’re cheating on me?” Courtney squeals as her hands fly at my face.
Poppy spins to face us while I’m batting at Courtney’s hands. “Courtney,” Poppy says her name, and Courtney finally stops trying to attack me.
“What?” She replies haughtily, stepping closer to Poppy.
“One more thing before I go.” I don’t miss the way Poppy’s hand curls into a fist, and in the next instant, it flies into Courtney’s nose. Blood sprays out.
“Ahhhh! You, Bitch!” Courtney holds her nose and whimpers.
Poppy shakes out her hand. “Go and buy yourself a new nose because you’re gonna need it, Honey Bunny.” With those words, Poppy slams the front door closed.
After the initial shock of Poppy punching Courtney, I tell her, “We were never in a relationship! It was all fake!” I push Mitch up against the wall with my hand around his neck. “I fired you, remember? You better hope on your life I didn’t just lose the woman who walked out of here.” Letting him go, I race out of my house and over to Poppy’s. The cameramen follow, but I turn my angry eyes on them. “Leave now!” They, of course, don’t listen because Mitch is paying them, and I’m not wasting any more time with these people. I begin banging on Poppy’s door until she flings it open.
I close the door, and my back hits the wood as my breaths come out ragged and harsh. He’s leaving again. He got me where he wanted, I opened up to him, let him in against my better judgment, and he’s leaving all over again. I feel shattered and completely broken once more. This is why I play it safe. I can’t get hurt if I do. My hand stings from punching that twit, but I couldn’t help it. “Honey Bunny” and “OMG! You’re cheating on me!” pushed me over the edge. Pssh, she’s so fake, I can’t stand it.
“Poppy,” Julien yells my name as he pounds on my front door.
Angrily, I wipe away the tears and stand. Taking a deep breath, I steel myself for the blow he’s about to deliver and open the door.
“Poppy, thank God! I’m sorry.” He steps closer and pulls me into his arms. I try to fight, to free myself from him, but his hold on me is too strong. “Damn it, P, stop! I’m not leaving.”
My struggles cease, and I blink a few times before pulling back. My eyes narrow in uncertainty, and I am studying his face. “You’re not?”
He grins. “No. The only way I’m ever leaving again is if you’re by my side. You’re kinda stuck with me now.”
Beaming happily, I shake my head. “I wanna be stuck.” I laugh while crying and probably look crazy. “I’m sorry. I assumed you would leave.”
“You have nothing to apologize for.” His lips smash against mine. “I can’t believe you punched her.” He laughs, and I join in.
“She had it coming.”
“I wanna show you something. Will you go somewhere with me?”
I nod.
“Good. Let’s go. We need to get to the plane before they do.”
My mouth flops open and closed like a fish. “Wait, plane?”
“Yeah.” He pulls me along with him. “Um, Julien, you don’t have any pants on.” I giggle at the sight of him in only his boxer briefs for everyone to see.
“Shit!” He tugs me through the cameramen and over to his house. We aren’t even there for five minutes before we’re in his truck and speeding away. Thank goodness Courtney and that guy were gone, but I wish they would have taken the rest of their posse. Maybe they had to rush to the hospital? I snicker at the thought.
“What are you laughing about?” Julien questions while keeping his eyes on the road.
“The image of Courtney rushing into the hospital with a broken nose.”
“Poppy Montgomery, you’re evil.” Julien grins.
“Don’t mess with my man,” I joke, my voice tough and hard before I laugh again.
His brow cocks. “Your man…I like the sound of that.” He reaches over, taking my hand in his.
I SWALLOW HARD. “So, this is your plane? Like your own private plane?” I stare out the window. All the green below us is really beautiful from way up here. “I’ve never been on a plane before.”
Julien’s hand tightens on my thigh. “I want to give you the world, Poppy Montgomery.”
My gaze locks with his. “I don’t need the world, Julien Pierce, all I need is you.”
His other hand reaches up, his fingers running through my hair as he grabs a fistful. “You’ve always had me, P.”
I lean in close and press my lips to his in a chaste kiss. “How did you end up in Nashville?”
He sighs and leans his head back against the seat. “After we left Wishing, we moved to California. Shit got worse between my parents, and finally, after my mom found out Dad was cheating with his assistant, she decided to leave. I wished so Goddamn hard that we would come back to Kansas since I hadn’t started my freshman year yet, but Mom kept driving until she settled on Nashville. After the divorce was finalized, I had to fly to California and spend my summers with my dad until I turned eighteen. He married the assistant, and last I knew, they were happy with a couple of kids.”
“And your mom? How is she?”
Julien shrugs his shoulder. “I don’t know. She kicked me out when I was eighteen. After that, I got into some trouble and spent some time in jail. When I was released, I tried to call, but her phone was disconnected, and the apartment was abandoned.”
My eyes widen. “She kicked you out? You went to jail? What the hell did you do, Julien? You’re like a hardened criminal.” I wink playfully. “Should I be worried about this plane ride?”
“Shut up.” He bumps my shoulder with his. “When we were young, I used you as an escape. When I didn’t have you anymore, I fell into the wrong crowd and started smoking weed. Weed was my escape, and when Mom found my stash, we had an argument, and I left. I was driving around with a guy I thought was my friend. The moment we were pulled over though, he blamed it all on me.”
I stare out the window once again. “I used to smoke a lot with Ashley. After Serenity, I didn’t know how to deal with everything, and before I found my therapist, it helped me. I know all about wanting to escape.”
“Bad girl, Poppy.” We both chuckle. “Do you still smoke?”
“Occasionally, but not often. Ashley settled down a lot when she married Billy. I guess we grew up and became adults with jobs and stuff.” I give him a cheeky smile. “Why? You wanna smoke?”
He bursts out laughing. “No. I had enough of that shit.”
I guffaw also at his response. “Well, you aren’t supposed to get caught.”
“Huh, I didn’t know that.” He smirks.
WE EXIT the plane on a private landing strip, and th
ere’s already a car waiting for us. Julien opens the back door for me and slides into the seat next to me. “Where to, Mr. Pierce?”
“Mr. Pierce?” My eyes widen at Julien, and I have to hold back my laughter. I’m so out of my element here. This is a whole side of Julien I don’t know, and I’m kind of nervous.
Julien rattles off an address, and after driving through the busy Nashville streets, we stop at an apartment building. He leans over and points to a window. “That was the apartment we lived in.” The building doesn’t appear to be in bad shape, but it’s definitely not in a rich neighborhood.
After the apartment, he takes me to see where he was living couch to couch, to the jail where he was locked up, to the shelters, and to the places where he would panhandle, trying to get enough change to eat, one of which is where Mitch found him. I’m baffled by all that he went through and how his life was turned upside down. I would have never imagined Julien went through half of what he did.
At the last location, we pull into a gated community with houses I could only dream of living in. I gawk out of my window at how big and beautiful they are. The driver pulls into a driveway where Julien opens the door. He steps out and helps me to do the same. Following him between huge pillars, we arrive at a set of double doors that he unlocks.
“This is your house?” My mouth drops open as I take in the double staircase and vaulted ceiling, the marble floors, and pristine decor.
He nods. “It’s mine.”
I spin in circles, trying to take it all in. “It’s beautiful.”
“I need to grab something real quick. I’ll give you a tour later.”
“Okay.” I’m still gaping as I hear his heavy footfalls quickly disappear. A few minutes later, he returns with a guitar.
“C’mon.” He takes my hand in his free one, pulling me back to the waiting car and gives the driver another address. Off we go.