Chapter 10
Chris
This was a terrible idea. How was I going to pretend that I was dating Julia in front of both of our families? We’d made no secret of the fact that we hated each other all these years.
Then again, maybe hate was too strong of a word.
I didn’t hate Julia, not really. She annoyed the shit out of me.
She was so stereotypically femme for one thing.
Such a Pollyanna for another. I mean, what did she have to smile about all the time?
And we had absolutely nothing in common. Well, other than mind-blowing sex.
I’d never had sex like that before. It was fun. Intense. A little kinky. The instant we’d touched each other it was like someone had released the hold on my libido that I didn’t even know I’d been keeping. She was like a drug. The more I touched her, the more I wanted of her.
But that was last night. We were in some forced proximity work-induced haze.
In the clear light of day – well, the gray light of a Seattle day – we could both control ourselves.
In fact, we’d probably gotten that inconvenient attraction right out of our systems last night. Things would be fine between us now.
Well, fine if I ignored that little currents of electricity that seemed to buzz up my arm from us holding hands.
And fine if I ignored the way that after a night of nonstop sex Julia’s hair was this huge poufy mess of curls that I wanted to wrap around my fist while I kissed her until she melted against me.
“Oh there you are.” Mrs. Montego looked up from her phone, her eyes fixing on the way we were holding hands. “It seems I’m not the only one who’s surprised by this relationship you two have.”
I knew without asking that her chastising look meant she’d already been talking to my mother. Damn it.
“It’s new, Mom,” Julia said.
“Very new,” I added.
“We wanted to make sure it was going to work out before we talked about it,” Julia added.
“It certainly looked like things were working out fine when I walked into your bedroom this morning, young lady.”
Julia’s cheeks turned pink, but she didn’t respond. She pulled away from my hand to head to the coffee pot and I immediately felt bereft. It just pissed me off.
I watched as she removed the coffee pot to hold a cup under the stream of coffee, not wanting to wait for the entire pot to be done.
She repeated the motion with two more cups, handing one to me and one to her mother.
We sat across the small kitchen table from Mrs. Montego, both of us waiting for the inquisition that we knew was coming.
“So, how did this happen?” she finally asked. “You two have been at each other’s throats since you were in kindergarten. I thought you hated each other.”
“We were assigned to work on a project together,” Julia said. “And well, one thing led to another, and we realized that there’s an attraction there now.”
That was good. Sticking close to the truth was always the best plan.
“Well, we all look forward to hearing about it over dinner tonight.”
“What?” Julia and I spoke in unison, then turned to look at each other before facing her mother again.
“You’re coming to dinner at our house. Your parents will be there too. It’ll be just like old times, except you two won’t be glaring at each other the whole time.”
“I wouldn’t bet on that,” Julia mumbled just loud enough for me to hear.
“I’m just so happy.” Mrs. Montego leaned forward in her chair, her eyes shiny like she was trying not to cry. “When you two get married Phoebe and I will be sisters, just like we always dreamed of.”
“Whoa Mom, hold on there. Just because Chris and I are… hanging out doesn’t mean we’re going to get married.”
“Well, not right away of course,” her mother said.
“These things take a while to plan. Now I know we were going to brunch Julia but since you’re busy with your girlfriend, I’m just going to head to the market and pick up some groceries for dinner tonight.
I want to make something special to celebrate. ”
She jumped up with a spryness that was surprising for someone her age, then pulled each of us into a tight hug before hurrying out the door. The front door closed behind her and Julia and I both sat in complete silence for a couple of minutes, shellshocked.
“I really need to change those locks,” she finally mumbled.
“Does she come over like that often?” I asked.
“Well, she grew up here, so I think she feels entitled to even though it’s technically mine now.” Julia sighed again. “I’m going to need some pancakes after that. Do you want some pancakes?”
“Do you have bacon?”
“Of course,” her tone implying that it was a stupid question.
“I’ll help.”
We worked together to whip up our breakfast, then worked out a plan for finishing the grant application as we ate. With the tension finally dissipated between us, we were able to easily resolve the eligibility questions we’d been fighting about yesterday.
“I’ll send you the participant selection plan, and you can send me the training benchmarks,” Julia summarized. “Then I’ll compile everything and send it to you by tomorrow afternoon so we can do a last review together on Monday morning before sending it to Gina, does that sound okay?”
“Sounds good.”
After we finished breakfast and divvied up the rest of the tasks for the grant application, I went downstairs to gather my stuff while Julia put the dishes in the dishwasher.
I stood awkwardly in the kitchen doorway, wondering if I should hug her or something.
Now that the glow of all those orgasms had faded, I didn’t quite know how to act around her.
Julia moved past me, her breezy personality back, and headed towards the door.
“Well, I guess I’ll see you tonight at my parents’ house for the grand inquisition.”
Okay then, I could take a hint. She was ready for me to leave.
“Should we go over there together?” I asked. “It might look weird if we come separately.”
“Oh yeah, you’re right.”
“I can’t hear that enough from you,” I deadpanned.
“Haha. Okay, why don’t you come here at six and we’ll drive over together?”
“Sounds good. Then we can figure out anything else we need to iron out in our story.”
She sighed. “I hate lying, but I also hate the fact that anytime I see my mother anymore there’s a good chance she’s dragging some unsuspecting lesbian out for me to meet.
I’ll bet you anything she had someone waiting at the restaurant, that’s probably why she was so insistent that she should pick me up this morning.
She was afraid I’d see her latest victim and bolt. ”
I knocked my shoulder against hers. “Well, at least you’ll have a little reprieve while we’re fake dating.”
‘Yeah. That’ll be nice. Thanks for helping me out.”
“You’re helping me out too, don’t worry.”
I spent the rest of the day trying and failing to focus on the work I needed to do for our grant application.
I kept finding myself staring into space, reliving the best parts of my night with Julia.
It took a while, since every part was the best part.
I’d never been so instantly compatible with someone sexually.
We were instantly in sync, no awkward fumbling.
Julia was way more enthusiastic and adventurous in bed than I ever would have expected.
She gave as good as she got and seemed up for anything.
It had been a long time since I’d felt like I had a true partner during sex, someone who didn’t wait for me to do all the work or determine what positions or activities we were going to do.
Instead we sort of fed off each other, taking turns being in control or making decisions.
It was liberating. And scary as hell. Also confusing. I needed some help.
Chris: I need to tell you guys something.
Marlee: This better be good. I’m riding the exercise bike at the gym and trying not to drop dead of boredom.
April: What’s up?
Chris: I slept with Julia.
April: You owe me ten bucks Marlee.
Marlee: No way, you said they’d have sex within the first three days of working together.
April: Yeah but you said it would be a month. It’s been less than two weeks.
Marlee: So we both lose. Or we both win, depending how you look at it.
Chris: You idiots bet on me having sex with Julia?
April: Of course, we knew it would happen once you were stuck together. It was inevitable. All those long meetings and pending deadlines were bound to make you two lose control.
Marlee: How was it?
Chris: Good.
Marlee: Good? That’s it? Did she just lay there or something?
Chris: Really good. The best. If I’m being totally honest, it was the best sex of my life. Every time.
April: Now we’re getting somewhere.
Marlee: So why are you upset?
Chris: Why do you think I’m upset?
Marlee: I can read between the lines.
Chris: Well, we don’t really like each other. We don’t have a lot in common. And she’s not really my type.
Marlee: All that means nothing and you know it.
Chris: Something else happened.
April: Besides the incredible orgasm?
Chris: That was multiple orgasms thank you very much. But then we were so exhausted that we fell asleep and spent the night together without meaning to.
April: Awkward morning after?
Chris: Worse. Her mom walked into Julia’s bedroom and found us spooning. Naked.
Marlee: She lives with her mother? At our age?
Chris: No but her mom has a key and doesn’t mind using it.
April: Well, that’s awkward. When’s the wedding? Do we get to be bridesmaids?
Chris: I know you think you’re joking but we decided to tell our parents we had sex because we’re dating.
April: Protecting her virtue?
Marlee: Why?
Chris: To get them all off of our asses for a while.
Even though my mom isn’t ambushing me with lesbians like Julia’s is, she’s still bugging me all the time about when am I going to get serious about someone.
If they think we’re in a relationship, we’ll have some peace from the nagging and matchmaking.
April: Or maybe you’re doing it because you both secretly wish it was true.
Chris: Anyway, now Julia and I are having dinner with her parents and mine tonight so they can grill us about our relationship and where it’s going.
Marlee: You two are living out some sapphic Hallmark movie, aren’t you? This is gonna be fun to watch.