Page 32 of Roses, Pearls, and Hot Summer Nights
“Okay.” He winced. “I hate that you don’t have a phone. Go into your room and lock your door. She’ll sleep off her crazy. You’re not a bitch, and I hope you know that. Ihatethat you don’t have a phone. I know I just said that, but you do have a computer, right?” He quickly rattled off his email address. “In an emergency, send me a message. I’ll come.”
I shook my head. “You can’t possibly wait up checking your email. Go to bed. I’ll be fine. There’s no lock, but … she’ll lose interest, I think, once you leave.”
Julian leaned over and kissed me square on the lips. Heat sizzled from the point of contact, frying my ability to think and capturing my breath. I started to melt when his lips lingered, teasing me into response. My body heated up, butterflies fluttering through my stomach, and my cheeks probably glowed red as cherries.
“Good night,” he said, easing back as I blinked and tried to find my balance.
“I think you just gave me my first real kiss. Well, yesterday was sort of that, I guess.” I covered my lips with my fingertips, regretting my stupid honesty and sudden blabbermouth.
He kissed me again, and I forgot my embarrassment before he lifted his head again, lost in the fire of him. “I wish I waited, so it could have been mine, too. Goodnight.”
I blinked at him, confused, wondering why he would wish such a thing. I stood frozen and watched as he exited around the corner of my apartment. Eventually, I heard the front doorclose. I waited, wondering if she would come down my hallway to continue her attack. She didn’t. Eventually, I let out a jagged breath. When I sucked in another slow breath, I reminded myself I would be okay … probably.
Back in my bedroom, I closed the door and tried not to regret the lack of lock. Turning to my computer, I published thePoor Relationepisode I’d planned for the day. After changing my clothes in a completely zoned out state, I climbed into bed.
It was Saturday tomorrow, which meant I wouldn’t see their grandmother. I started thinking of her as Granny, but I knew I shouldn’t think of her in such familiar terms. She wasn’t my Granny; she was theirs. I needed to remember that, and their shoes.Dina.She wanted me to call her Dina.D in her journal.
Jeremy wants to make plans.I didn’t know what kind, but something about the possibilities of them fascinated me.Probably it won’t happen, though. I should resign myself in advance to being alone tomorrow, which was the norm anyway. I reminded myself of how normal, in fact, even as I rubbed away the tears that wouldn’t stop streaming down my cheeks.
I woke in a daze.After a shower, I could almost forget how the best day ever ended with such an awful scene with my aunt. Because the rest of the dayhadbeen the best … ever. My lips curled into a grin just remembering it. I spun in a circle, dancing a little since no one could see me. Unlike the night before, I didn’t mind the idea of a day alone, so I pulled on old jeans and a cropped t-shirt with hearts. The shirt wasn’t my usual style, but their grandmother liked it, and the fabric felt so soft against my fingertips. My damp hair might be spiraling out, more frizzy than normal, but it didn’t really matter. Part of my bra strapplayed peekaboo on my shoulder, since the cut of the shirt slouched, but it wasn’t like anyone would mistake it for flirtation in my own room.
Somehow, just thinking of flirtation brought back memories of the feel of Julian’s kiss, so I pressed my fingertips against my lips. Heat suffused my cheeks as I admitted to myself if Barrett wanted to kiss me, I would let him. Jeremy would also work. My smile grew.Oh boy.It might be messed up, but I liked all of them, which had to be wrong in some way.Maybe I should just tell them, again, to stay away from me?
As I stared at the egg shelf in the refrigerator, it didn’t offer any answers, so I tapped my fingertips against the door. A noise caught my attention.What is that?I looked around, absolutely baffled before I realized it was the front door. My aunt wasn’t around, likely still in bed. My uncle never made an appearance on a weekend morning, and it wasn’t like we often had visitors. I peeked through the keyhole, curious who might be there.
Jeremy looked even more handsome than I remembered. My heart rate kicked up, and I opened the door quickly, my mouth falling open in shock before I managed, “You’re here.”
“We have plans, remember? I couldn’t reach you, so I just came over. I would’ve just knocked every ten minutes until someone let me in so I could get to you. I can be … persistent. Come on. Let’s get out of here.”
I glanced down at my outfit. “Is this okay or should I change?”
His grin spread, going slightly predatory again. “You should never change.”
“Funny.” Despite my dry response, a slight giggle escaped me. “Seriously, though, should I change my clothes?”
“Just grab shoes. You look great.”
I didn’t, but if he didn’t mind, I wouldn’t bother with pretense. I turned to close the door. “Do you want to come inside while I grab my shoes? Or maybe you shouldn’t.”
“Oh, I should.” He followed me inside, staying close behind me all the way to my room. My laptop sat open after my work onPoor Relation,so I quickly closed it and slid it into the drawer of my bedside table. He didn’t seem to notice, turning around slowly to take in my space.
“It smells like you here. Warm, and so, so sweet. I think I could spend hours just inhaling your scent.”
I slid my feet into my shoes as quickly as possible. “You smell good, too, but listen …” I needed to be honest with him before things got out of control and we found ourselves with a problem. “Julian kissed me last night—twice. Maybe we shouldn’t go out. I don’t want to cause issues between brothers.”
He shook his head, his smile somehow not at all the shocked expression I expected. “I know it’s not fair for me to ask you to trust me, but I promise, it’s fine if he kissed you. He didn’t tell us, and honestly, I’m not surprised. Still, you can kiss him yesterday and date me today. I promise.”
“Is this … going to blow up in my face?” I bluntly put the question out there, hoping he would be honest in return. “I’m not strong, not really. I can’t take another explosion in my life.”
Jeremy put his hand out to cup my cheek. “You are stronger than you realize, I can tell. But, no, I promise, this won’t blow up in your face. When it comes to us, we don’t ever intend for anything bad to happen to you, Alatheia.”
10
Jeremy still held my hand as we walked together toward the park, his fingers warm against mine. I would pretend to be blasé about his touch, but I could almost feel the thrum of his pulse, the warmth of him, pulsing through that contact and pulling me closer. Making me want more.
He tilted his head back, glancing up at the clear blue sky dotted with cotton candy clouds. “Barrett said you liked Central Park. I like it, too. We all do. I mean, who doesn’t? I almost came over at six this morning. Seriously, I couldn’t sleep, thinking of you there with that woman.”
I sighed, finding his concern sweet if ill-placed. “She’s actually way better than my last aunt. Look, can we not talk about them? It’s a terrible topic.”
