13. Julian
“Huh.” That was my only response to something Monica said. I actually wasn’t sure what she had said.
“So...you’re still going ahead with the photo shoot then?”
I grunted again.
“I’d like actual words please.” She snapped her fingers, and my eyes snapped back to my laptop screen. “Utilize your basic vocabulary, Julian.” Monica’s brows were furrowed, and her eyes narrowed. She always wore that pissed expression when I didn’t give her my full attention.
I didn’t have my earbuds in so April could hear everything. Her head was down, and her hair was partially hiding her face. She glanced up at me when Monica snapped and raised her brows. She had a way of looking at me that projected concern mixed with curiosity. Although, I guess that’s how she looked at everyone. April was always concerned about everyone and everything.
“For the love of God, Julian! Pay attention, will you? You’re like a child with ADD right now.”
My eyes snapped away from April and back to Monica’s scowling face. “Huh?”
My manager groaned. “Okay, clearly you”re not in the headspace to discuss business. How about you get your shit together and call me back in a few?”
I sat taller. “Yeah, I’ll do that.” Even then, my eyes traveled right back to April perched on a chair. Monica heaved a long sigh that resonated with annoyance. My lips twitched. “Relax, Mon. I’ll call you back, I promise.”
I ended the video call and sighed.
April studied me and nibbled her lower lip. I wish she wouldn’t do that, draw attention to her lips. That was the reason why I could barely focus on anything but her. That kiss we shared this morning had rattled me to the core. It wasn’t supposed to be that incredible. I’d been half-shocked, half-amused when she kissed me first. I was also a little confused. When she told me her reason for doing it, I’d mostly been messing around when I said I should give her what I owed her. A goddamn kiss. But then something happened between us and it left me in shambles hormonally and mentally.
Kissing April had been like coming back to life after being dead for years. I felt everything. I’d never been the person to make a big deal out of a kiss because I never felt so much. Kissing had never been all that special. However, the strange series of sensations that rocked my body, even my mind when my mouth was crushed against April’s, was fascinating. I got chills and tingles. My heart raced and electricity zinged through my veins exciting all my nerve endings. I got all the feels and that worried me a little. I didn’t get feels. That was something teenage girls went through when they got their first kiss.
“Julian…”
I blinked and April came back into focus. She was sitting taller beside her medical bag. She tended to my wounds just before Monica called and waited patiently until I was done.
“Hm?”
“You’ve been staring at me. No, you’ve been glaring.”
My jaw clenched. So I was. Maybe I was trying to figure out if she’d put some kind of spell on me with that kiss. Or maybe it wasn’t just the kiss, maybe it was her. My attraction kept growing day after day in her company. My brows dipped as I studied her. She wore tight jeans and another of those ridiculous t-shirts. This one had a puppy with its tongue out, holding a bouquet. I wanted to roll my eyes but I couldn’t because she still looked good.
“Stop it,” she hissed.
“What?”
“Staring.” Now she was glowering at me. “What is wrong with you?”
“Just trying to figure out how you could possibly look sexy in that ridiculous t-shirt,” I grumbled.
Her gasp echoed and she tugged at the shirt. “Asshole.”
“I complimented you.”
“And insulted my shirt in the same breath,” she hissed.
I did, didn’t I?
Huffing, she stood up. “What’s your problem? You’ve been giving me dirty looks all morning and you barely paid attention to your manager.” Hands on her hips, she sank her teeth into her bottom lip. “Is this about what I said this morning after…” Her cheeks reddened. “When I ask you not to tell anyone that we kissed. You seemed upset.”
My mood darkened and I felt my scowl deepen. “Not everything is about you, April,” I snapped.
Her brows shot up, and I immediately felt foolish for snapping. Of course, it was about her. We kissed, and she was ashamed of it. She had hurt my feelings. Not many women had that power and I was pissed at her for it. Taking a deep breath, I muttered. “I’m sorry. I’m just in a sour mood.”
“Yeah, I got that.” Seeming to look right through me, she sighed and walked over to me. I sat taller in my chair and swallowed as she neared. I was a lot taller so even sitting, we were almost eye to eye. “When I said not to tell anyone it was because I was ashamed of my behavior. You hired me, Julian. Shoving my tongue down your throat isn’t a part of my nursing duties.”
Gazing at her I felt stupid. Admittedly, I did jump to conclusions about what she meant.
She rested a hand on my shoulder. “Not once did I even think you’d...exploit me. We’ve had our moments over the years, but I know you have a shred of decency somewhere.”
“A shred? Gee, thanks.” Laughter shone in her eyes and I felt my lips twitching, threatening to smile at her. Since we were back on teasing terms, I nodded. “Of course, shoving your tongue down my throat can be added to your list of duties. Haven’t you ever heard of sexual healing?” I grinned. “Maybe that’s what I need.”
She snorted, dropping her hand and gave me that, oh Julian, you’re such an idiot look. “If I believed you were actually serious, I’d tell you to keep it in your pants.”
My amusement faded when I realized that she really thought I was joking. I did want to get into April’s pants, and I was seriously disturbed by that desire. “Yeah, that’s me, always joking around,” I murmured, my eyes skating away from her.
“So, we’re good now?” she asked.
“When have things ever been good between us, April?” I mimicked her words from this morning with a smile.
Her lips lifted at the corners. “You know what I mean.”
“We’re fine, Flower Child.”
She sucked her teeth and huffed.
“I’ll never stop calling you that.”
“Whatever,” she grumbled. “I’m going to head back to my room for a while.” Giving me a glare that was slightly less intense than usual, she grabbed her medical bag and walked out.
I guess that was our version of a truce.
* * *
“What are you so focused on?”
I glanced at April from my laptop screen. To my pleasant surprise, she got up and threw herself down in the seat beside me. I chuckled.
“What?” Big green eyes filled with confusion stared back at me.
Grinning, I shook my head. “You must be bored.
Her brows drew together. “How do you figure?”
“Because you’re talking to me. You even came closer.”
As if just realizing that she had moved closer, she blinked and shifted, leaning away from me. My laughter filled the jet’s cabin. We were back in the air, flying from LA to New York.
“Shut up,” she huffed. “Alright, I am bored. I’m not used to going so long without talking to somebody. I mean, I have five sisters. Privacy and silence was never a thing growing up.”
“I can imagine.”
She smiled. “It’s Friday night. If I was home, I’d be at one of my sisters’ places, or we’d all be at mine. We get together every Friday night to eat, drink and have girl talk. I love it.”
I was taken aback by her sharing. “Hmm. Five Bennet sisters in one room. Sounds like something I’d want to be in the middle of.” I wiggled my eyebrows.
She nudged my shoulder with hers. “Don’t make this weird.”
My lips spread into a huge stupid grin. “Don’t expect me to feel guilty. You Bennets are super-hot.”
“Julian.”
“Okay, okay, I’ll stop.”
April blinked. “All of us?”
“I thought you wanted me to stop.”
“Yeah…but I mean...even me?”
The cabin went quiet. Especially you was what I wanted to say. I always knew I had a little something for April back in the day but it was easily hidden. No big deal. Now that something had grown to epic proportions and I couldn’t fully understand why. Two weeks in her constant company, and I developed the hots for her so much so that even when I caught a whiff of her perfume, I got a hard-on. It was ridiculous. She was just so...April. My gaze dropped to take in her bohemian-style dress that gave me an enticing peep of cleavage. She wore big, dangling daisy earrings and her full lips were painted in her signature pink. She was the hottest little hippie I’d ever met.
“Sure. You’re included in the hot category.” Her eyes widened and I frowned. “You’re surprised? Why?”
April stared at me for so long I started to shift uneasily in my seat. Finally, she said, “In the ninth grade, I caught you looking at me in class and asked what you were staring at.”
My brows dipped. “What did I say?”
“Not to get too excited. I was a peculiar creature and not your type.”
I racked my brain for that memory but got nothing. I bet I said that to throw her off because I was checking her out and was embarrassed when I got caught. Yeah, she was a peculiar girl but that wasn’t a bad thing. That was her appeal. Scratching my chin, I sighed. “I was fourteen. Stupid boys say stupid things. I can’t believe you remember that.”
She shrugged. “Certain things stick with a girl.”
Feeling uncomfortable with the direction of our conversation, I cleared my throat and diverted. I didn”t want to be reminded of what an ass I was to her in school. “So, it must have been nice to have four sisters around. One big party at home, I bet.”
“Not so much.” Her eyes skated away from mine, but I caught a hint of sadness in them. She gazed out the window. “Things got pretty rough after my dad left. He disappeared when I was seven.”
I studied her profile. The entire town knew that Henry Bennet skipped out on his wife. At the time, I’d been too young to give it a second thought. I can only imagine what something like that does to a seven-year-old.
She turned to me with a sad smile. “Do you remember when we met? The first day of kindergarten?”
I grinned. That I remembered. She’d been sobbing and I held her hand. My dad always told me to treat girls kindly so I’d thought nothing of it. “Yeah.”
“I wasn’t crying because I was scared about starting school. I was terrified because things at home weren’t so great between my parents. Then two years later, he vanished. After that things got worse. Mom went completely mental and developed a whole vendetta against the male population. She tried to pull all of us into her war against men.” She chuckled, but I heard her pain. “I was taught that men were the worst, and I should stay away. I hated it because I couldn’t even date like everyone else when I was a teenager. I was terrified to even say yes to you about prom, and I was even more scared to have you pick me up at home. But I’d been so excited about finally going out with a guy that I threw caution to the wind and risked my mom’s wrath.”
I continued to stare, feeling horrible. I fucked up the one night that she was so excited about. Eighteen-year-old me deserved a hard kick in the ass. I’d never be able to make it up to her as much as I wanted to.
I closed my laptop, with the contract of yet another endorsement deal on the screen, and put it aside. “Your mother’s view on men aside, what are your views?”
She turned me, her brows elevated as if she was surprised by the question. Hell, I wasn’t even sure why I was interested.
She did that thing where she pouted and then pulled her lower lip between her teeth. It drove me crazy because every time she did it, I ached to kiss her. “I have to admit, I’m not eager to get involved in a relationship.”
That was a shocker. April belonged in one of those fairytale romances where her Prince Charming cherished her and gave her everything she wanted. “That’s a surprise. Why is that?”
Her lashes lowered to conceal her eyes. “Mom might have been crazy, but sometimes I fear she was onto something. The whole relationship thing might not be worth the trouble or the heartache.”
That made me wonder if April had ever gotten her heartbroken, but I was afraid to ask. Maybe that was too personal.
She turned to me. “See? We have something in common.”
I grunted. “What makes you think I’m not a long-term, settling down kind of guy?”
She lifted her brow at me and I gave her a sheepish grin. Okay, so being seen with one model or actress after the next in quick succession made me look bad.
April laughed softly and pulled her feet up on the seat. I got a glimpse of her pink toenails. God, even her toes were cute. I really need to stop checking her out. We hadn’t discussed that mind-blowing kiss we shared, but I assumed she didn’t want me to touch her again.
“How did we even get here? I don”t know why I told you about my parents.”
Stroking my chin, I grinned. “Well, maybe because you’ve realized that I’m not the asshole you thought I was, and I’m pretty easy to talk to. I’m a nice guy, April. Surprise.”
Her laughter filled the cabin again. It was a nice sound. I gazed at her as subtly as I could. Her entire face lit up when she laughed.
“Okay, fine. You’re not all that bad, Grayson.” She glanced at my laptop. “Did I disrupt something important? You should get back to it.”
“Nothing important.” If legal contracts from companies could be considered unimportant. Screw multi-million dollar endorsement deals. I liked talking to April more. “This is nice. I don’t get this much, just chatting with…a friend.”
“So we’re friends now?”
I shrugged. “We haven’t argued for the entire day. We’re like besties now.”
Rolling her eyes, she shifted and tucked her feet under her skirt before reclining her seat. “Right. It’s hard to believe you don’t have anyone to talk to. You’re always at parties with famous people.”
“Has someone been stalking me on social media?” I teased.
“No.”Her cheeks turned to the prettiest shade of pink. “It’s hard not to see stuff.”
“Uh-huh,” I said, reclining my seat a little. Our heads were close and our hands were almost touching. It was almost like we were lying together. I felt comfortable. Maybe it was because I knew her. We pretty much grew up together. That had to be the reason why I felt at ease with her. Although deep down, I knew it was something else. “I have plenty of acquaintances, April, but not true friends whom I can share personal things with. The circles I move in don’t have those kinds of genuine friends. Sure, I laugh and have a good time with fellow athletes and celebrities but none of them know the real me.”
“Who’s the real you, Julian?”
I turned toward her and smiled. “Stick around, maybe you’ll find out.”
Her eyes narrowed as they locked with mine. They were filled with curiosity, shining with a hint of uncertainty. We were having an intimate moment, and we were both dressed. This was new to me. All my intimate moments with women consisted of us naked, doing the horizontal mambo, which meant nothing to me on an emotional level. I didn’t know exactly what was happening between us—how we went from disliking each other and bickering all the time to confiding in each other—but...I didn’t hate it.