Page 30 of Beauty Of Her

Zoe winced slightly at her blown identity but recovered, squaring her shoulders. Sara offered a handless wave as the sleeves of her navy hoodie were too long. “Hi,” said Zoe and Sara.

“Good, good.” Julia swallowed. “I want everyone to behave for Amelia. If I hear anything otherwise, Brett and I will return to New York.”

My heart fluttered, hearing how Julia included me in this threat.

The girls nodded obediently, and Julia turned to Amelia. “Thank you so much for doing this.”

Amelia smiled warmly. “Of course, Jules. You deserve a break.”

“Yeah, I second that,” I added, feeling strangely protective of Julia and wanting to ensure she knew it. Julia peered at me with a light in her eyes, making my heart swell.

“Great.” Julia clapped her hands together. “Okay, hugs?” I watched as Julia hugged her girls tightly and then turned to Amelia. "See you guys soon," she said, her tone laced with excitement and anxiety.

"Have fun in Florida," Amelia replied, giving her friend a tight hug before letting go. “And you better take care of her.” Amelia pointed to my forehead.

“Yeah, be a good friend,” said Zoe, staring me down.

“It was really nice to meet you,” Sara added, her eyes genuinely meaning her words. I liked this kid.

Two minutes later, Julia and I piled into my car, and I floored it out of the driveway. We drove silently for the first few minutes before Julia’s hand landed on mine, and instantly, a warmth spread in my body.

“So, tell me. How hard was Zoe on you?”

I snorted. “Don’t worry. And she wasn’t hard on me at all. Just a typical kid, that’s all.”

“Whatever you say.” Julia flicked off an imaginary piece of dust from her jeans. “I can’t tell if Zoe has been in a bad mood since the divorce or she’s just worried about me if that makes sense. She’s very guarded.”

“Seriously, your girls are great. You’re very lucky.”

Her hand squeezed my fingers, and a smile spread across her beautiful mouth. “Thank you.”

“No, thank you for inviting me. It’s all I’ve been looking forward to all week.” My thumb rubbed and traced lazy circles on the side of Julia’s hand, and I watched as she bit her lower plump lip out of the corner of my eye.

“Yeah, it’s nice to escape to warmer weather.”

Here was my turn to have some fun. “I haven’t been thinking about the weather. All I’ve been thinking about is you.”

“Oh yeah? And what about me?” Her posture straightened.

“First, I’m going to take you out for a fantastic meal, make you laugh, and show you a great time.”

“Okay, so far so good. Then what?”

I flashed a devilish grin, making Julia shift. “And then I’m going to fuck your brains out.”

Julia’s eyes widened at my brazen words, but I could see the heat rising in her cheeks, coloring them red. “Is that so?” she murmured, her tone a mix of amusement and desire.

“Mhm,” I hummed, raising my hand to cup her cheek. “I’m going to make you feel good.”

She leaned into my touch, her eyes fluttering closed. “You already do.”

And that was it. Julia’s response answered my question about what it was about her that kept me wanting more. We could talk. She was one step ahead of me with her answers. Whether it was me keeping up with her or a constant chase to be an equal to her, it was a challenge I was ready to find out.

We landed in Miami around four in the afternoon, and when the heat bathed my face, I welcomed the change. Something about the shift from New York's cooling autumn air to Florida’s jungle aura always sent a tingle down my spine. Growing up, my family always took their trips to Florida, no matter what time of year or the occasion. When I was married to Peter, we had come to Miami three times, and each time, he complained every damn day we were here.

Peering over to Brett, who stared out the window, taking in the Biscayne Bay as we approached Miami Beach, I had never felt so calm in the presence of another man. Once in the cab, Brett rested his hand on my knee like it was his natural place, and I craved his touch. Whether it was the lingering buzz of the strong cocktails I indulged in on the flight or the weight of Brett’s fingers toying with my exposed skin under my ripped jeans, an unspoken bliss was seeping into my body.

He turned his head, facing me and smiling. “Beautiful view.”

---