Danger Zone

Chapter 18: "Rain"

Nora surprise-visited Jules the next day. "Ta-daaaaa!"
Jules hushed her immediately: "Shhhh!"
"What is it?" Nora asked, although her senses were already tingling.
"Tom's here", Jules whispered.
"What do you mean – Tom's here?"
"He's fucking asleep in my bedroom." She gave her friend an amused look. "And before you ask – my ass stayed on the couch."
Despite her best effort to stay hush, Nora started to giggle. "Oh COME ON!"

And just as Jules was rolling her eyes, the door opened, and out came Tom: bare feet, hair standing in all directions, and just wearing boxers and carrying a shirt in his hand. "Morning Ladies!" he said, flashed a grin and disappeared in the bathroom.

"I'm waiting!" Nora said, tapping her foot.
"What for?" Jules answered.
"I mean ... is there something you forgot to tell me? You got this hunk parked in your bedroom, and you want to tell ME that there's nothing going on between the two of you?"
"That's what I am telling you."
"Yeah RIGHT!"

Only a couple of seconds later, Tom returned and saw how Nora held Jules in a tight embrace. "Just for the record, Mister – this is MY wifey, and if you DARE steal her away from me, it's so ON!" Nora declared.
Tom looked at the two girls slightly confused, and for a split second really thought that ... "You ladies aren't lesbians, are you?"
Jules giggled: "Nope, but as I've told you, we're super-close, we've been through thick and thin and then some, and I wouldn't be me without Nora." Nora slightly nudged her, which served as the cue, and although she had no real reason to, she disappeared into the bathroom. She knew exactly what her best friend was going to do ...

"Okay, Tom, hear me out – I know a grand deal about your religion, and I only ask for one thing: don't reel Jules in."
"How do you know?"
"I've actually worked with people who high tailed out of it, and please don't try any shit on my girl. I swear to the Heavens, I'll come after you with an axe if I hear only as much as a murmur of it."
Tom looked at Nora: "Trust me on this, please – I won't. Just because it works for me, it doesn't mean it works for everyone. It's up to Jules, and as stubborn as she is ..." He didn't dare mention that especially after the pandemic had hit, he had started to question a lot about his "faith". But he wasn't ready to cut ties just yet.
"Good. Because I call dibs on her, you know?" She made a short pause. "You can do whatever you want with her, ask her out to fancy dinners, kiss her in the pouring rain, or make love to her, for all I care, but if I hear that you try to reel her in ..."
And as if on cue, Jules waltzed out of the bathroom again: "Claimed your territory?" she said with a sassy grin to her best friend.

Nora saw the looks Tom and Jules exchanged all the time as well as their little interactions and smiled inwardly. It was more than obvious to her that her best friend and Tom were in love, although Jules was still downplaying it. In addition, she caught how Jules reached for and caressed his hand or how Tom tickled her tenderly. You absolute lovebirds! Those little moments of affection made Nora happy. Happy for Jules, especially. She deserved someone in her life again.

"Nora, darling, I do trust that you won't blab about my guest?"
"Of course I won't! Your secret is safe with me." She looked at the two lovebirds: "How long are you going to stay?"
"Just a couple of days. But I've been dying to see Jules again, and when some issues on set occurred, I knew what I had to do."
"I am damn glad you came", Jules whispered and kept caressing him.
Tom sighed and wished Jules would never stop with the caresses and tickles. Whatever it was between them, it felt good. Very good. He returned the affections, pulled her even closer and held her tight. "This is also why we say that whatever happens, happens", he told Nora. "I know Jules needs time, and I am willing to give her that time."
Jules lovingly nudged him. "But that doesn't mean we're not dating, in a way."
"Of course not! You two have been at it from the moment you met!" Nora hooted. "The second she gave you her private number, I knew that there was something cooking, and now look at you lovebirds!"
"Are we really that obvious?" Tom chuckled – which earned him a playful slap.

When Jules went to the bathroom for a bit, Nora looked at Tom: "One question?"
"Go ahead!"
"Do you love her?"
Tom smiled. "Fact is that Jules and I do have feelings for each other and very likely are in love as well. It's complicated, though." He looked at Nora. "How much do you know about us?"
"As much as Julesy tells me."
"So you know about South Africa, too? That I almost kissed her?"
"Yep. Why didn't you?"
"Something was holding me back at the very last moment. I think it would've been too early, too. Although I ..." He bit his lower lip.
Nora nodded and said: "Just one more thing, Tom: I don't know how you won her heart, but this is the first time in a little over ten years that she's about to fall seriously in love again, if she isn't in love with you already. Don't ruin it."
In that moment, Jules returned: "Are you flirting with my man?" she deadass asked Nora and plonked down next to Tom again. She immediately reached for his hand again, while he could barely suppress a giggle.
"Are we being jealous, Julesy?" Nora fired back.
"No, but what is mine, is mine!"
Tom let go of her hand and wrapped her in his arms instead. "Sorry, but Jules is right!"
To Nora, that statement was almost as good as them confessing that they were indeed in love.

Later, when Jules saw her off, Nora looked at her best friend and said: "Do you still want to tell me that you guys aren't head over heels?"
Jules sighed. "To be honest – yes, we both know it's a lot more serious than we expected. It's also complicated, but ..."
"For God's sake, Jules! You are about to land yourself a drop dead gorgeous man. No 'ifs', 'buts' or what-the-fuck-ever. What is it that is holding you back?"
"That final hurdle I still have to clear."
Nora looked at her, puzzled.
"I just don't know if what I feel for him is really love. I haven't felt that way in ages, he shows up and KA-BOOM!" She paused for a second. "He's making my break my very own rule. THAT one."
"Julesy, screw that rule. I've seen how you are fondling each other, those little caresses, the way you look at each other, and it's obvious how much you want each other. Not in a sexual way, but definitely in an emotional one."
Jules knew that she couldn't keep it a secret much longer: "Nora, it was ... me who initiated that."
"Initiated what?"
"Holding hands, for example."
Nora looked at her in surprise. "Wow. I know you say you aren't, but ...honey, you're in love."

"Sorry for letting you wait a bit", Jules said to him when she was back.
He immediately put an arm around her and pulled her close. "Nah, all good. I cannot chain you to me, so..."
Jules looked into Tom's eyes. "And now you also had the pleasure of getting to meet Nora in her entire glory." She grinned. "I swear, if it weren't for her crazy ass, I'd have much less fun. And just to warn you – she has a tendency to pop up here whenever she pleases. It's some kind of contract with her that I signed after the burnout. She just wants to make sure I am okay. That's why she has the spare key to my loft."
He smiled at her. "That's perfectly fine with me. I am glad that there's someone to watch over you when I am not around." Well, it's love. Definitely. 
"Tom ...what is this with us? Why can't we just ...?" ...get that kiss over and done with? She hid her face behind her hands. "I ..."
"Shhhhh", he said and rubbed her back. "Take your time, love. I know you've been terribly hurt."
She nodded. "Yeah ..." She looked up again, moist-eyed. "And here you are and piece me back together."
"Do I?" he whispered.
Jules didn't say anything. Just planted a tender kiss on his cheek – and as she did so, she felt butterflies and a pleasant tingle all over her body.
"...gosh!" Tom muttered when her lips fleetingly touched his skin. A warm current was flowing through him. For a split second, he wanted to return the kiss, on her lips, tongue and all. But he knew that it could ruin the moment they just enjoyed. So he did the next best thing he could think of: he moved her hand in front of his mouth and let his lips wander around while carefully nibbling at her fingers.
"Tom ..." she mumbled almost inaudibly, while her eyes were wet with her tears. "I'm ..."
"Sorry", he said.
"Don't be."
He let go of her hand and caressed her cheek. "If we ever had a chance to call this one off, it's too late now. Way too late."
"But before we go any further – are we really going to give this a try?"
"Aren't we way past that already?" he replied with a grin. "You know that, and I know that."

"Your love's coming down like
Rain, wash away my sorrow
Take away my pain
Your love's coming down like rain"