16. Chapter 16
sixteen
J ulian’s pleasure and satisfaction were embodied by his home. The only person who he’d welcomed inside had been Rich, and that had been just after he’d moved in. Rich had needed firewood and had used the bathroom. Nobody else had visited.
I can't get into more trouble if I show everything off, right? And it’ll get us chatting about something else.
“Yeah, I’ll show you around.”
After pointing out the modifications to the living area— the flooring, walls, trim—kitchen and bathroom— just more flooring again— he led her upstairs.
It was by far the roughest room. It sorely lacked headspace because of the A-frame shape of the cabin— with two slanting walls centered over his unmade bed, the head of which was crowned with a white portal window.
The carpets were worn out, and someone had spilled candle wax on the stained, olive green shag.
The last owner had thought it appropriate to brush the raw wood walls with a deep red matte paint.
He had a side table and a lamp, but no other furniture besides the bed.
Most of his clothes were folded downstairs in the bathroom linen closet.
A few days’ worth of items were strewn across the floor.
“Sorry. I wasn’t expecting company. Didn’t get out of bed until you came over.”
“I like the Christmasy vibes.”
“Genuinely or ironically?”
“I mean… is that what you like? Maybe this is what sold you on the cabin? I don’t know. Maybe you painted it?”
He laughed. “No, I hate it.”
Annie laughed, and he was pleased the tension was waning.
Their eyes met. They both lingered as he waited for her to look away. He couldn’t stop himself, and she didn’t cease looking at him, either. You’re being rude.
“I have a cat,” he blurted.
She blinked. “A cat? Where?”
Julian nodded. He gestured with another nod to the bed. “He hides all day. Either under here, or under the dining room table when he has the place all to himself on days I’m gone.”
“He’s under the bed?”
“He about killed himself getting under it when you knocked.”
Annie crouched before she got down on her stomach. “I see him.” She clucked her tongue and made kissing noises. Her arm extended under the bed. “He seems interested.”
Julian raised an eyebrow. He wasn’t hopeful, but he did feel bad that Kitty’s home was more scary than comforting and relaxing. Getting the cat to be social honestly hadn’t been at the top of Julian’s list. He’d assumed it was a lost cause.
Annie made more kissing noises. “C’mere, kitty-kitty. It’s okay. Just wanna sniff? You’re a handsomes boy...”
“Did I tell you his name?” Julian asked, unsure.
“No. What is it?”
“Kitty.”
Annie thought for a second then laughed. “Nice. So ‘kitty-kitty’ is something he’d recognize.”
Julian crouched on the back of his heels. “Any luck? ”
“Maybe. Why’s he get so scared? You don’t seem like a monster.”
“I would hope I don’t seem that way.” Julian shrugged.
"He was fine when I brought him home. Let me pet him and everything.
But I shattered a plate on accident while he was eating in the kitchen.
Didn't lay a hand on him but he looked like I’d punted him across the room like a football, and that's kinda that. "
"Do you know anything about his past?"
"Just picked him up from the shelter so I’d have some company. He’s five, they said. They told me Kitty was a quiet cat. Previous owners surrendered him, then took off." Julian carefully got down on his stomach beside Annie.
When Kitty saw him, one paw in the air as he crawled towards Annie, he froze, irises jumping and enlarging.
“Shouldn’t have done that,” Julian muttered, feeling bad for ruining Annie’s efforts. Kitty continued to stare at him in suspicion.
“No, no... l-let’s give it a try. Stay there,” Annie whispered. She clucked her tongue and kissed at Kitty again. “Kitty-kitty-kitty... It’s okay. Big ol’ scary Julian isn’t goin’ to hurt ya. He wants to love on ya.”
Kitty’s eyes lingered on Julian for a few more seconds before he twitched his whiskers and focused on Annie’s hand again. He put his paw down on the ground, before he bobbed his head, sniffed the air.
“Here Kitty-kitty-kitty. Yeah, that’s it...”
Julian was amazed. He watched Kitty crawl on his belly towards Annie’s hand.
“C’mon. Yeah, you’re a super cutie…” Annie drawled in an upbeat baby talk tone. “C’mon, you know you wanna sniff it ...”
Kitty hesitated, his eyes looking at Julian again before his attention returned to Annie. Cautiously, he crawled a few more steps before his nose connected with Annie’s fingers.
“G’boy...” She let him sniff before she slowly waggled her fingers, inviting him to run his cheeks on her hand. She scritched his chin and the cat closed his eyes in bliss.
Julian was dumbfounded. It stung that the cat was so afraid of him, but it was promising that anybody, a completely new stranger no less, was able to interact with Kitty.
“Do you ever give him treats?”
Julian shook his head. “I figured it was a waste. He acts like he’s venturing into no man’s land when he comes down for food.”
“Maybe we can get him some? I need groceries... Want to come with? I need to work tomorrow, but the day after?”
Spending more time with Annie sounded nice, and he suspected she could use some company. Again, Julian knew he was in a hard spot. It wasn’t impossible to drive with one hand, but it wouldn’t be comfortable with his stick shift.
Annie pulled her arm out from under the bed and rolled her eyes. “Just say yes, Julian. I’m going into town anyways.”
Julian remembered something. “You have to let me buy you a new coat. After I ruined yours, and all.”
“Deal.” She beamed at him. Her eyes stayed on his face. The look in Annie’s eyes then turned dreamy.
God I want to kiss her... Julian swallowed. He wanted to slip his hand around the side of her neck and feel the warmth of her mouth on his. A tingle ran up his spine.
I need to kiss her or this feeling is going to crush me...
Annie’s body at once softened and stiffened with electricity as she lay on her stomach beside Julian.
Her heart did crazy things; he held her gaze, and his eyes scanned her face.
Surely, taking in the rose pink tone rising in her cheeks.
He swallowed hard, Adam’s apple jumping a few times in his lean throat.
Fleeing out the door had been her sole focus minutes before; now, a feeling whispered in the back of her mind.
Kiss him.
“Yass!” Serene Hallowbrew piped up. “He wants you!”
That doesn’t mean I should return his feelings, she thought back.
Serene smirked and raised an eyebrow. “Doesn’t change the fact that you want it.”
Blushing, Annie turned her face away in embarrassment– right as Julian leaned forward.
When his lips came down on her cheek, she gasped and snapped her head back to face him. Their noses were inches apart. Julian’s face went cherry red.
“S-sorry... I meant... I hope I didn’t-”
“It’s okay.” She looked down at the floor before looking back at him. “I promise I won’t move again.”
“Ah,” he said. He licked his lips, hesitated for a second to see if she would pull away, and leaned towards her.
This time, he didn’t miss his mark.
The first kiss was gentle, almost like testing the waters. He pressed his mouth to hers a second time, more firmly, and caught her lower lip between his.
Annie sucked in a sharp breath.
Her body trembled and her senses spun.
She kissed him back, placing a hand gently on his chest. Kissing another person had never satisfied her like this before.
His warm breath heated the skin of her cheek and the tip of her nose.
She rolled to the side and he followed. When he tucked his good hand behind her ear, cupping her neck, she let out an involuntary, “Mmmm...”
Heaving out a husky breath, Julian stopped and swallowed thickly. “I had to do that.”
Annie nodded, mute with bliss. Her hand slid down the front of his shirt to rest on the carpet. His hand dropped from her neck, too, and he caressed the top of her hand softly.
The simple touch left her insides begging for more.
But it’s a terrible idea... She hated flings, and surely a long distance relationship was impossible.
Disappointment, both in herself and for the circumstances, filled her with grief.
The bitter pill just barely slid down her throat, coaxed by a dose of reality for good measure.
Forcing that primal part of her mind to be responsible, to not lead him on, she cleared her throat. Her voice soft as velvet, she said, “I should get back to my cabin.” She added appreciatively, “I’m glad I came over to help. And then some.” Her lips parted in an apologetic smile.
A flicker of disappointment passed through Julian’s eyes before he nodded in agreement. “It was the highlight for both of us, I think.”
I agree… though there can’t be more of this…
Writing the remainder of the night was high on Annie’s priority list. Julian walked her to the door. The sun was fading behind the pine trees that surrounded the rustic little neighborhood.
“When were you thinkin’ about going into town?” he asked.
Annie grabbed her things again. “Ten in the morning? Not tomorrow. The day after.”
Julian nodded. “Perfect. ”
“And if you need me, can I give you my number?” Annie offered. She hated the idea of leaving Julian to fend for himself tomorrow, but her assignments were important, and he’d clearly decided that he didn’t need her in that way.
And it’s probably best to take a step back, to cool off , she told herself, even though her heart rebelled at this, seemingly brought back to life after getting a taste of what Julian potentially had to offer.
They added his number to her list of contacts on her phone. She promised she’d text later so he could save her to his contacts list.
“Have a good night,” she said, and stepped towards him.
“You, too.”
Allowing for a hug before she left, she was rewarded by the warmth of his arms and a firm little upper back rub.
His skin smelled pleasant, inviting. It was a brief hug, but even before she waved goodbye, she knew that her heart would wait on the sidelines for the next time he folded his arms around her.
I can only hope things won’t get more complicated. Neither of us need to be playing a game of chicken with our hearts right now.