Chapter 35
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
Julian
And eat, I did!
When we are finally sated, we leave the comforting den of Leena’s room to venture into the kitchen for sustenance. The unexpected jealousy that had roared through my veins has lulled, but I fear the possessiveness will be a steady thrum that I’ll have to learn to rein in.
Leena is mine. While she may be less sure of us, it doesn’t make it any less true.
I know she’s in deep with me, but she hasn’t given me her whole heart.
She is the kind of woman you pursue and prove to that she is everything, every single day.
I’m not in this just to know I won her over.
No, I’m in this to make her happy and fulfilled.
I want to make her wishes and dreams come true.
I want to be her partner, day in and day out, to share it all with her.
Now that we are together, even if it's in secret—I hope just at the hospital and with those we work with—it has become my mission to make her feel safe and secure enough to trust me with her heart, to trust I will treasure the gift it is.
We are sitting at the kitchen table, eating while facing the windows that look out over a pool and small lake beyond, when Charlie waltzes in.
She throws a smirk our way as she takes out a yogurt from the fridge. Pulling a drawer open, she looks at us through her lashes and eyes the plates in front of us. “Refueling?”
Coughing, I uncomfortably look everywhere but at Charlie.
Suddenly, I am acutely aware that I’m shirtless.
Not because I’m embarrassed to be with Leena, but I work with Charlie almost every day I’m on duty.
Minus a few conversations, we have maintained a professional boundary.
My girl and her being best friends—and living together—blows that to smithereens.
Rubbing my back soothingly and kissing my cheek, I expect Leena to ignore the teasing. But, she once again surprises me. “Got to keep his strength up.” I bark out a laugh at her reply.
Lost in the twinkle in her eyes and enjoying her playfulness, I find it hard to pull my gaze from her. Charlie’s hushed laughter leaves no doubt my expression is nothing short of besotted.
Eyes twinkling with mirth, she shoves a heaping spoon in her mouth, then waves the spoon between Leena and me. “Well, this is going to take some getting used to, seeing my best friend so happy and dick-drunk.”
“Dick-drunk?” I mouth the words with a shake of my head.
Charlie is hilarious, saying whatever she thinks.
Honestly, she’s pretty cool, so I’m not mad about it.
And she’s right—this will take some getting used to.
I’ve developed friendships with other surgeons and some anesthesia providers, but never really any scrub techs or nurses beyond what we share while scrubbed in together.
Coming to stand beside Leena, Charlie grabs her hand, holding Leena’s sandwich to her mouth, “We’re a packaged deal, Ortho Bro.” Then she takes an exaggeratedly huge bite.
“Hey, I’m refueling, too!” She glances at her sandwich and then looks back up at Charlie with brimming eyes and trembling lips.
Alarmed, I sit up straight, ready to . . . I have no idea what I’m ready to do.
Face-palming Leena as a tear spills over her lower lashes, Charlie squawks.
“No, Mama! You're not allowed to make yourself cry!” Head downcast, Leena wipes the tear with her thumb. Charlie turns her back to us and shouts over my girl’s sniffles, “Nope, not looking at you. I’m not falling for it, Leena! ”
My confused gaze bounces between both women, bewildered by the exchanges. I’m even more puzzled as Leena laughs and goes back to eating with a shrug.
“Did she stop?”
Elbow on the table, I rest my temple on my fist, and ask with a shake of my head, “What the hell just happened?”
Spinning around, Charlie points an accusing finger at Leena. “She uses her crying on demand as a weapon against me! Only ever me. It’s not fair. Don’t let her fool you—those were nowhere close to real tears, Julian.”
“You were eating my food,” Leena pouts as she looks at her sandwich with utter devotion.
Disgruntled at the smarting of jealousy over food, I rub my eyes and grumble under my breath. I’m seriously fucked up over her.
“A packaged deal, huh? I’m not sure I’ll survive the two of you.”
Leena leans in close enough to whisper in my ear, “You may not survive me, if you don’t recoup all the calories you’ve burned in the last eighteen hours.” Her whispered breath flutters along my neck, and her teeth nipping my earlobe sends a shiver down my spine.
Head popping up, I shove the remaining bite of my sandwich into my mouth and chug the water in my glass. “I’m feeling replenished and invigorated,” I announce with a clap.
Sliding her plate in Charlie’s direction, Leena hops up from her chair and grabs my hand with a waggle of her brows.
I follow after her like a panting puppy, as if an invisible string connects her hand to my neck.
If she wants me to bark for her, I will, but I can’t promise I won’t hump her leg or mark my territory, laying claim to her.
Cocooning ourselves away for the rest of the day, we don’t just satiate our bodies’ hunger for each other, we spend hours talking.
I am obsessed with learning every inch of her body and consumed with knowing everything I can about her, not sure if discovering as much as possible will ever explain her undeniable magnetism I’m powerless to resist. I absorb every detail she shares, hoarding each nugget away like a dragon does with gold and precious gems. It’s like now that she’s crossed the line that had been holding her back from letting herself fall into us, she’s eager to share every little bit of herself with me. And I love it.
We wandered out to the kitchen for a snack a little while ago, but she saw me looking around, taking in her space, and tugged me along to give me a quick tour.
Now, glancing down at the table in what is a formal dining room, I take in the puzzle she is currently working on.
My lip quirks at this tidbit. “You said you weren’t big on going out.
This is what you do in your spare time?” I ask as I pick up a puzzle piece and grin wider when I’m able to slot it into place on the first try.
“Yeah, I’d much prefer staying in to read or do a puzzle. Sometimes my sister and Sylvie will come over, and we’ll put the kids to bed, and work on a puzzle and just talk.” She shuffles through pieces as she speaks.
“This seems like a pretty big house for just you and Charlie,” I muse out loud.
Her head pops up, and I can’t take my eyes off her soft smile as she takes in the room and dim light from the kitchen beyond.
“This house belonged to my grandparents. While Matteo and Mina wanted to spend all their time at the restaurant, I’d come here whenever I could.
” Cupping her nape, I sweep my thumb up the column of her neck as she talks.
“Grandpa passed when I was in middle school, and I started spending even more time here with my grandma. When she passed away, I couldn’t bear the thought of selling this house.
My dad knew I wasn’t planning on going into the family business, so he and my mom offered me the house instead of the share of the restaurant they had been planning on.
My mom was an only child and seemed happy that I loved it so much, too.
I’ve been updating it ever since I finished school and started working. ”
“Wow.” Awed, I take it all in with fresh eyes.
I can see her nurturing and natural tendencies to be a caretaker in how she talks about her family and Charlie, reflected in the love and attention she has poured into this place.
“You’ve made yourself a beautiful home, baby,” I whisper, placing a gentle kiss to the crown of her head.
We spent the rest of Sunday evening and Monday locked away in Leena’s room, coming out occasionally for easy-to-consume snacks because we absolutely needed to refuel. However, Leena has now decided we need real sustenance.
Rolling away from me and out of bed, she throws my clothes at me.
“Doctor, you may be used to going long periods of time without a proper meal after so many years of med school and residency. But I’m starving”—she draws out the word with the most adorable pout—“and about to wither away in here.” Then she’s hopping around from foot to foot, struggling into her own clothes before she prances from the room.
When I make it out a few moments later, she is already pushing things around in the refrigerator. Snaking my arms around her, I nuzzle her neck. “I could survive only on your sweet pussy.”
“I guess I’ll come back later . . .”
Both of us turn to see Charlie backing out of the kitchen with a huge grin on her face.
“I’m about to cook dinner. Aren’t you hungry?” my girl calls after her.
“Starving!” she says, before turning around with a hard stare. “Call me when it’s ready. And keep it sanitary in here, please.”
“Charlie!” Leena admonishes. “I’m sorry about her.”
Grinning, I begin chopping up vegetables for a salad while she prepares salmon and rice. “Why? I thought you two were a packaged deal?”
“We are. But I don’t want to scare you away,” she says jokingly, but turns her eyes away from me.
“Pretty girl,” I say, stopping what I’m doing until she looks at me from the stove.
“I’m not going anywhere. The friendship you two share is one unlike any I’ve seen before.
Having a friend who cares for you the way she does only proves how amazing you are, which is definitely worth any sort of teasing Charlie sends my way. ”
“Okay.” She says it quietly but with a satisfied tilt to her lips.