Diamonds Are Not Forever

CHAPTER FOURTY-ONE

CHAPTER FOURTY-ONE
Elliot

I was spent, my breath stolen from my chest as I lay flat out on the bed, stark naked and dripping in sweat.
Juliette was still coming down from her own orgasm too, removing her glasses and crawling up the bed so she could lay out on top of the comforter beside me. I turned on my side so I could take her in better. She did the same, so we were face to face.
"So that happened." She marveled; her cheeks flushed from our efforts.
"Yeah, it did."
Despite my lapse in self-control, I couldn't bring myself to regret it.
Regardless of everything, something about Juliette called out to my libido in a soft and punishing voice.
She pushed her fringe out of her face, her eyelids fluttering as she ran her gaze to my chest. Her brows appeared to furrow at the sight, her fingers reaching out to trace the smattering of chest hair that resided there.
I swooped her hand up quickly, bringing her fingertips to my lips and planting a soft kiss on the end of them before placing them back down on the pillow.
"What, no cuddling?" she mused.
I knew she was joking, but the words still gripped my throat with fear.
Sex I could do, it was well within my arena of expertise, all that other relationship stuff was off the cards.
Juliette was quick to pick up on my hesitance, clearing her throat and rolling over onto her back.
"I was kidding Elliot."
I let the silence stretch between us, because for once, I was lost for what to say next.
After a minute or two of heavy breathing and stillness, Juliette's eyes suddenly went round in her head.
"I err-I haven't asked..." Her cheeks flushed deeper as she sat up beside me, pulling the blanket from the bottom of the bed over her body so her nakedness was concealed from me. Her hair had come loose from its fastening, locks of messy copper hair cascaded over her shoulders, tickling her soft ivory skin.
"Do you-are you-"
"Spit it out, you're killing me." My tone was harsher than I had intended, but it did the trick.
Juliette awkwardly scratched her forearm, avoiding looking at me head on as she spoke. "I know I'm on the pill, but that doesn't protect me from...other things."
A sadistic grin formed on my face, enjoying her discomfort a little too much. "Other things?"
"Yeah you know..."
"No," I leaned up on my elbow, brining my free hand to my chin in faux thought. "Please enlighten me."
She pulled the pillow from behind her, throwing it in my direction with as much force as she could manage using one hand, the other holding the blanket tightly around her breasts.
I caught it before it even reached my orbit, laughing and placing it back down on the bed as I continued my teasing. "We've had sex three times, and you're only asking about STI's now?"
She flashed me a warning look.
"I'm clean, I get tested regularly." I informed her.
She settled back against the headboard, her face a little softer. "Good."
"What about you?" I'd asked, more curious now.
The deep snort that came from her startled me, "You're safe, don't worry."
"What does that mean?"
Juliette's hand found the base of her throat, mindlessly tugging on the gold locket that rested between the swell of her breasts. She seemed hesitant to continue, but eventually did.
"It means, I'm clean too." She murmured.
"When did you last get checked?"
Her jaw tightened, "Two years ago." She ground out, her mortification evident.
I tried to remain passive, but curiosity and a spike of concern laced its way through me as I sat up fully on the bed. "And, pray tell, when was the last time you had sex before me?"
She let out a long breath.
"Two years ago..."
I couldn't hold back my surprise. "You haven't had sex in two years?!"
"Shhh!" She brought her finger to her lips, "Ashley and Frankie are only down the hall, they'll hear you."
I didn't give a fuck, but I dropped my voice anyway. "Two years." I repeated, perplexed.
How had she avoided it for so long, had it been from lack of willing partners or her avoiding the act all together?
Something told me it must be the latter. Having had Juliette beneath me in bed, having felt every inch of her, I couldn't imagine a man who would be able to resist.
I hadn't been able to.
Juliette looked mortified, chewing on her bottom lip as she picked at the threads of the blanket.
"How many people have you slept with?" It was a personal question, one I didn't need the answer to in order to continue with our arrangement (with the new terms of casual sex), but there was a gnawing in my brain that made me desperate to know.
Juliette mulled over her answer for what felt like an eternity, had it been that many guys?
"Including you?"
She was killing me.
"Yes Juliette, including me."
She brought her finger to her lips and traced the curve where my own lips had been, they were swollen and begging to be kissed again. But I was too invested in her answer to acknowledge the semi that was working its way back up my dick from the sight of her still half naked.
Instead, I pulled the quilt from underneath me and climbed under, hoping she hadn't noticed my obvious arousal.
"Including you, I've slept with three people."
No fucking way.
I blanched, my tongue feeling heavy in my mouth from her admission.
She was practically still a virgin compared to me, not that I'd kept a count of the many women I'd slept with in my 26 years on earth, there weren't notches on my bedpost or anything.
Juliette brought her palms to her face, hiding herself from me. "I know, its pathetic."
"No, not at all." My voice was distant, still trying to process how she had managed to avoid having sex for such a long time. I needed to know more.
"Were the other two over long periods of time?"
I pulled at her hands, willing her to look at me.
She dropped them down to her lap but still didn't make direct eye contact, a crimson blush rising up he neck.
That was a no then.
"You have to tell me about the other guys that broke your obvious dedication to celibacy. I feel like we need to start a club or something." I tried for light-hearted, but I was sure she could hear the disbelief in my voice.
She rolled her eyes at me, "An 'I shagged Juliette St. James' Club?"
I laughed a throaty laugh and nodded.
"Well," She began, turning so her body was facing me on the bed. "I lost my virginity when I was 17, to my childhood sweetheart in Ireland on a family visit."
She batted her eyelashes, her face softening at a fond memory that swelled in her eyes. Clearly this guy had meant a lot to her, a swell of irrational jealousy rose in my stomach before I batted it down with both hands.
"And the other one?" I queried.
The dreamy look fled from her face, her nose crinkling up in distaste.
"The less said about him, the better."
"Understood."
I wanted to push further, but I could tell she didn't want to dwell on it anymore. Instead, I reached for my phone on the bed side table, making my typing on the screen comically overdramatic to catch her attention.
It worked, she tilted her chin up and looked down the bridge of her nose at me. "What are you doing?"
"Making a note to find these guys contact details." I quipped, typing nonsense into the notes app. "I'm thinking we could meet every other Thursday and exchange notes."
She snatched the phone from my hand and threw it down the other end of the bed, chuckling the whole time.
"Go on then, Mr Stud. When did you last have sex before me?"
I smirked at her, "Mr Stud?"
"Stop avoiding the question."
"Okay."
I adjusted myself on the bed, fluffing the pillow behind my back for better support. I was in good shape, but the rough fucking was already causing my muscles to ache. 
"Before we slept together the first time, I'd had sex three weeks before that."
"Wow. Active one aren't you." She sniffed.
I didn't tell her that the three weeks in between had been the driest spell I'd had since boarding school.
Juliette eased into the conversation, carefully getting under the quilt so we were both tucked up in bed. "Dare I ask who it was with, or do you not remember?"
I scoffed. How could I forget, it had been my biggest mistake to date.
"Maya, I slept with Maya."
Juliette's eyes went wide, "Your ex from the gallery?"
"The very one."
It had been a stupid drunk mistake , which coincidentally, so had Juliette.
But Juliette was goodness and light, Maya was cold and cruel.
"Had you been broken up long before you met me?" I could sense the hesitation in Juliette's words, but curiosity had gotten the best of her.
My shoulders tensed up automatically, "We broke up the night Millie left for New York, our hook up after that had been the result of work stress, copious amounts of alcohol and some really fucking bad decision making on my part."
Truman & Sons were in the early stages of taking over Hugo Talls & Co, I was working all the hours under the sun to make it a seamless transition for the company, Maya had been the wrong person in the right place at the worst time.
The encounter had been empty, nothing like my night with Juliette the night I took her back to my apartment and fucked her senseless in my bathroom.
I could tell Juliette's mind was working overtime, reading into every word and filling in as many gaps as possible with her overactive imagination.
She settled her head down on her pillow, nestling into the soft bedding.
"I can see the fascination, with Maya." She breathed. "She's definitely the apotome of the male gaze."
The sad thing was, there wasn't a hint of malice in Juliette's words, she genuinely meant them.
I lifted the quilt up a fraction and shifted under it, so we were back to our original position of facing each other in bed.
"Maya Austen-Smith is a cold hearted bitch." I stated matter-of-factly.
Juliette winced at my words, but didn't say anything else on the subject.
Instead, we chatted about work and the necklace she was creating for the Gala, until we both eventually fell asleep.


Ashley was particularly frosty with me at breakfast the next morning, shooting me daggers across the coffee table as Juliette helped herself to a croissant on one of the open plates piled high on the kitchen table.
I was too pleased to care, that Juliette had seemingly gotten over some of her anxiety about eating in front of people, watching closely as she broke off a fingerful of the flaky pastry and popping it in her mouth.
Millie was sat on the stool beside her, chatting her ear off about fashion and all the other girly bullshit she was into.
Frankie was by the stove, frying up bacon and eggs, one ear on the conversation as he flipped an egg with a wooden spatula.
The parents had decided to take breakfast in the conservatory, leaving us kids to our devices in the too big country style kitchen.
Millie clapped her hands together, demanding attention. "We need to book in a shopping trip ladies, the Gala is fast approaching and we need to make sure we are looking flawless."
Ashley's face brightened a fraction, an appreciated break from her scowl she had reserved for me since she'd eyed me come in the kitchen behind Juliette earlier.
"Its black tie right?" She quizzed, "I'm thinking a ball gown, nothing less will do."
Millie nodded enthusiastically. "Nobody held back last year, the outfits were incredible, we have to make sure we top it!"
"Is it really that fancy?" Juliette's voice rang with dread, her forehead creasing as she raised her eyebrows at no one in particular.
Frankie chirped up, plating up his efforts on a brass serving platter and placing it in the centre of the table. "It's a pretty lavish affair, our parents know how to throw a party."
"I can book us all an appointment at La Vechas to check out some of their gowns." Millie looked from Juliette to me hopefully.
I rolled my eyes at her and took a sip of coffee. "Juliette can get a dress from wherever she likes."
Juliette sunk further into her seat as Millie squealed girlishly.
"I scrub up well in a tux." Frankie quipped, taking his place next to Ashley and helping himself to a hefty portion of breakfast.
He shoved a few rashers of bacon in his mouth as he continued to speak, pointing his fork in my direction. "Better than this one, all the girls say so."
Ashley jabbed my brother roughly in his ribs with her elbow, "What girls?"
I smirked into my coffee cup, liking Ashley a little more than I had before.
Frankie didn't flounder, quickly chewing his food and swallowing before flashing Juliette a wolfish grin.
"Juliette is a girl, and she think's I'm better looking than Elliot. Don't you Jewel?"
Juliette flushed a lovely shade of pink in response, the whisper of a smile on her lips as she mindlessly swiveled on her stool.
Millie spoke for her, scoffing at Frankie. "Of course she doesn't. Elliot is her boyfriend."
Frankie gave me a shameless smirk, up to his usual tricks of trying to get a rise out of me. I didn't bite, just crossed my arms over my chest and tipped my chin up, daring him to continue.
He did, just as I'd expected him to, despite the audience of his girlfriend.
"I saw Jewel outside the club first, if you recall dear brother. I also danced with her first, she was quick to tell me I was the better brother that night, not that I blame her."
But she came home with me, I silently replied. My flaring nostrils and darkening look in my brothers direction doing the talking for me.
Ashley huffed, resting her chin on her fist as she rolled her eyes at Frankie. He didn't notice, doubling down on his attempt to wind me up by flirting with Juliette.
"You can say I'm the best looking Jewel, my brother is used to hearing it by now."
Juliette's blush intensified, all eyes on her as she stuttered through her response. "You're both so different, it's hard to say."
"Thanks, sweetheart." I hummed in her ear, mildly annoyed but mostly enjoying the goosebumps that appeared on her skin as my breath touched her face.
"That's not a denial." Frankie grinned, earning a narrow-eyed glare from the blonde haired she-devil next to him.
"Don't be a dickhead Crankie." Millie warned automatically, inspecting her nails closely.
"Yeah," I hummed, "don't be a dickhead Crankie. Your girlfriend looks like she's going to punch you in the throat if you carry on pratting about."
Frankie offered Ashley an apologetic smile, throwing his arm around her shoulders so he could pull her close to his side. "Sorry gorgeous, you know you're my number one girl."
Vomit.
Ashley feigned annoyance, until she couldn't resist my brothers charm. She eventually relaxed into his embrace, stealing a piece of bacon from his plate and crunching down on it with a softer expression.
After breakfast had been eaten and we had packed up our bags, my parents waved us off by the doorway. Millie made herself busy, mostly consumed by her phone and Aunt Amelia prattling on about how she needed to spend more time at home after being away for so long.
I knew that well, being chastised for not indulging in family time. The weekend had been a rarity.
I was the last at the door, shaking my fathers hand and giving him the obligatory niceties. My mother pulled me into a hug, squeezing tightly as she watched Juliette linger in the hallway over my shoulder.
"She's a brilliant girl, Elliot. You've found yourself a keeper in that one."
Guilt smarted my gut as I stepped back from her embrace, awkwardly scratching the back of my neck.
"She's great." I agreed, because it was true.
My mother straightened my collar, her eyes cloudy and emotional. "I liked having you here this weekend, I liked seeing you with her. You deserve to be happy."
I bit down the rising bile in my throat, "Yeah well, we've had a great weekend."
She extended an arm out to Juliette, beaconing her into her embrace. "Thank you so much for staying the weekend Jewel, it has been a pleasure having you here."
Juliette accepted the kiss on the cheek with a beaming smile, "Thank you Lillian, the pleasure has been all mine."
My mother released Juliette from her overbearing grip, positioning her next to me so she could step back and take us both in together. With a deep and sated sigh, she looped arms with my father.
"Don't be strangers, both of you." She warned, the true meaning of her words unhidden in her tone.
Spend more time with your mother, was what she was really saying to me.
I nodded, placing my hand on the small of Juliette's back, because it felt like the right thing to do.
"Thanks again, we will meet up for coffee when you are next in the City."
This pleased my mother to no end, waving us off at the door as we stepped out into a gust of wind that knocked my arm back from Juliette, breaking the contact.
"We deserve Oscars, that was the performance of my life." Juliette laughed, sliding into my car with the most grace I'd ever seen her exhibit.
"Yeah." I breathed, pulling the car door shut behind me, her words causing my guilt for lying to my family to bloom into something darker and more unexplainable.
Disappointment.