I narrowed my eyes at his answer and Julian laughed, pulling me closer to him and then closing his eyes. “I’m leaving tomorrow, Aud, and my flight’s right before lunch. I’d ask you to drive me to the airport but you’re a busy woman so I’ll make do with sleeping in the same bed as you so please stop grilling me about why I’m suddenly leaving for Irving.”
“Is that what you were talking about on the phone earlier?”
“One of the things,” he murmured, his voice thick with sleep, “Everett wouldn’t stop asking me about the trip he’s planning for him and his girlfriend.”
“And Everett is…?” Julian talked about his brothers all the time but I usually lost track. I mostly remembered Milo since I’d met him and his daughter, Violet. But as for the other two, I usually mix them up. “Is he the photographer that got back with his ex?”
Julian chuckled. “No. Everett’s the forensic scientist that finally landed himself a girlfriend.”
“You make it sound like he’s a loser when it comes to girls.”
He laughed even harder. “Oh, if only you knew. But you know what, rather than asking about my brothers, I’ll have you meet them when everything settles down.”
“You think they’ll like me?”
“I think they’ll love you,” Julian was quiet after he said that and my heart fluttered, wondering if he was going to add more to that but Julian didn’t say anything else, instead, he kissed me on the shoulder and then whispered, “so can we please go to sleep, love?”
I let out a soft sigh and nodded my head, turning to face him and then snuggling closer as he wrapped his arms around me and I finally allowed myself to close my eyes and let sleep lull me. For some reason, it was always easier for me to fall asleep when Julian slept right next to me and when I was snuggled in his arms.
Maybe it’s easier because it’s with someone slowly stealing your heart.
By the time morning came, I was alone in bed but I could hear Julian downstairs. It seemed to be a usual thing that went on between the two of us whenever he spent the night with me. Every morning, he would cook breakfast for the both of us- it was a liberal breakfast spread too- and leave once we’re both done, leaving me with the dishes although I didn’t mind since he did make the effort to cook for me.
I quickly brushed my teeth, put on underwear and then wore one of the shirts that Julian left that I washed the other day. His scent lingered in his shirt and I couldn’t help but smile as I happily went down the stairs. Julian was in the kitchen, only in his boxers and apron and sometimes it made me wonder if he did that on purpose to tease me.
“Good morning,” Julian greeted me as he stirred the pan that had scrambled eggs in it. He knew I liked fluffy and creamy scrambled eggs and he did a great job making sure that I got what I wanted, “and good morning to my shirt too. I’ve been looking for that for nearly a week.”
I smiled at him sheepishly as I sat on the counter stool, leaning closely in the counter to peek at what he’s cooking. “What’s for breakfast?”
“Nutella French toast,” Julian replied casually as he gently added powdered sugar on a heavenly looking French toast and then added the scrambled eggs to the side and slid it to me with a grin. “You’re welcome.”
“I’m going to be fat before the month ends,” I complained but attacked the food the moment Julian sat next to me with his own plate. For a while, it was quiet between the two of us as we ate our food and I glanced at Julian slightly, remembering how confident he was in getting a yes from me after going on two dates with him.
Julian suddenly stood up, before I could even finish my food although his plate was clean. “I should go.”
My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “I haven’t finished my food yet.”
His eyes darted at the nearly empty plate and rolled his eyes as he tugged at the shirt and pulled me closer, pressing his lips on my forehead. “My flight’s in three hours and I hadn’t packed anything nor have I gotten Max the pennyboard that I promised I’d buy him. Leo texted me earlier to remind me and I think I should really duck out even if I don’t want to.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “You’re a good uncle, you know that?”
“I’ll be a good daddy too,” he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and I blinked, unsure of how I was meant to respond to that when Julian laughed and pulled me in a bigger hug, resting his head on my shoulder. “You okay with this?”
I pulled away from him, confused. “With what?”
He spread his arms wide and shrugged. “Sometimes I’m going to leave for tours and you’ll have work and sometimes we’ll only talk and sometimes we won’t. I may be a rockstar but I’m human too, Audrey. Sometimes it’ll be boring even when it’s with me.”
I stared at him and he stared back at me in earnest. Julian was far from the man I painted him to be, the idea of a villain in a story that I created in my mind who evidently turned out to be my hero. I knew what he was trying to say and there were this feeling inside of me that I knew needed to be acknowledged but I hadn’t fully assessed them nor had the courage to do so.
But instead of replying, I placed a hand on his cheek and gently patted his face and then lowered my hand to his and held it in mine as I pulled him to the front door. “You’re going to be late, Jules.”
Julian refused to budge and I turned back to look at him. “I’m not dressed yet.”
I closed my eyes and laughed as Julian chuckled and then let go of my hand and climbed up the stairs to change while I decided to finish my food and begin to wash the dishes that we had used. Before I could finish, Julian was climbing down the stairs and wearing the clothes he wore last night. I met him at the front door and he looked at me pouting.
“I’m going to miss you.”
I made a face. “Don’t do that.”
Julian chuckled as he opened the front door and I was ready to wave at him and say goodbye when he suddenly turned back around, pulled the edge of the shirt that I was wearing and smashed his lips against mine, pulling me out of the house and pressing me against the wall outside. I moaned into his mouth and my hands were laid flat on his chest.
His taste was intoxicating and when he pulled away, I felt dizzy with desire but Julian restrained me when I tried to kiss him again. “That’s meant to be a goodbye kiss so you’ll crave more of me while I’m gone.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “I guess I’m not going to wish you goodbye.”
He laughed and kissed me softly on the cheek before leaving, jogging to his car and I watched as he zoomed away before disappearing back inside my house to get ready for work.
Maybe it wouldn’t be too bad if we made this real. Maybe we could work out.
For the rest of the day, I buried myself with work and tried to ignore the thought that I wouldn’t be able to see Julian tonight. I’d gotten so used to spending my days with him after I became his assistant that it made me feel as if my day wasn’t complete if we didn’t get to see each other which was honestly not the kind of thing that I expected I would ever feel.
He sent me a text before lunch that he was already in the airport and was waiting for his flight and that he’d send a text after he landed. It was cute, to be honest, how he seemed to think that I needed to know all of these things when technically, there wasn’t anything too serious going on between us. But then again, I didn’t think that this unofficial period would last very long.