Broken Wings

Part Fifty Three...teething problems

She nodded, praying that tears didn't appear at her eyes, he kept reminding her that this was him helping her, that this was all about her recovering, healing. It was a job, of sorts.

"But you change the baseline."

That made him laugh, and she was glad that her emotions weren't as obvious as she feared, "not change, as much as upgrade. Once we smash down a barrier....it ain't going back up."

There was that fake gangster voice again, "OK."

At that his lips found hers, teasing, tasting, heating her up from the inside.. As he devoured every cell in her body, her earlier fears disappeared.

Watching Julia slink down the wrought iron staircase from his bedroom in just one of his t-shirt made him hard as hell, but then just thinking about her seemed to have that effect. He couldn't believe how much he missed her. Then her anger when she'd woken had almost unsettled him. He hated that she doubted herself so much, that she couldn't see how beautiful she was, how any man would desire her, inside and out. No matter what he did, she still seemed stuck in the past, with her self doubt and lack or worth.

He'd promised Tom that they'd visit him and his wife Adele later, they had a house in up state New York, with a huge deck, a pool and the best barbecue. He didn't get there very often, but suddenly he wanted to share it with Julia, introduce her to the only people he really classed as friends. He just wasn't sure if that was the right thing to do.

He'd had a shitty few days, and the thought of getting out of the city really appealed, like it had on the last few weekends. Another thing that was hugely out of character for him.

Smiling at Julia, as she sashayed across the lounge to him, he held up a mug, "coffee?"

Pausing, she rested a hip against the wall opposite him, "I've been known to respond well to it."

Grinning he handed it to her, "so...."

That caught her attention, her eyebrow lifting as she sipped at her drink, "so?"

"Tom....my legal eagle...he has invited us out of town, to his home."

He saw her throat move as she gulped nervously, "I'm not sure...."

Reaching across, he tugged her, pulling her between his thighs. She squealed as her coffee sloshed in the mug, but he slid the mug onto the counter behind him.

"We can go as friends, it doesn't have to be more than that. I just want you to meet them, Tom and Adele...they're the only real friends I have here." He ran his hands up her arms, "I want you to come with me."

She hesitated for a moment, and he sighed, "just think about it. We should leave soon, to get there in time to use their pool."

It was hard, to turn and walk away from her, when he wanted to kiss her, MAKE her want to come with him, but he couldn't. It had to be her decision.

He'd barely taken two steps when her quiet voice asked, "pool?"

He didn't care that a material item piqued her interest, as he turned back to her, a beaming smile on his face, all he could think about was frolicking in the water, with Julia....hopefully in a bikini.

As they were driving along the highway, breaking out of the city traffic, Julia's phone rang. A video call, from her bestie.

Grinning she connected the call, wailing "Abiiiiiiiiiiii!" And her friend's face popped up on her screen.

"Girlfriend, you have become the Scarlet Pimpernel. My shifts, your exotic lifestyle...."