PARADISE LOST | JJ Maybank VS Rafe Cameron

THREE

T H R E E

THE CAR RIDE WAS AS AWKWARD AS SHE EXPECTED IT TO BE. Topper drove, Sarah called shotgun; which left Juliette and Rafe to sit in the back with the middle seat completely vacant between them. Topper hasn't said a word, focused on driving to the boneyard as Sarah chattered animatedly on the little things Juliette missed out on. The latter would hum out a reply absentmindedly to keep the girl talking.

"And so I told her I'd take a look at her boat, but she used to have a thing for Topper, and she told me to forget about it," Sarah rambled on from the front.

"Mhmm, right," Juliette said, looking up at the rear view mirror and accidentally locking gazes with Rafe as she swiftly averted her eyes.

He shifted in his seat next to her, slouching a bit despite the stiffness of his body as though he was also hyper-aware of every single move she was making. He grew much taller than the last time she'd seen him — he was probably an inch or two over six feet now. Khaki shorts and a grey polo shirt adorned him, Juliette has always liked grey on him because it brought out the color of his eyes. His hair was still a bit wet which meant he'd just got out of a shower, and he smelled good — really good. She wondered what cologne he had on.

She dared a peek at him. To see his face again because she couldn't get enough of him.

His eyes stared straight ahead in front of him, his lips were full, his throat bobbed as though nervous about something, and a muscle feathered his jaw.

Juliette's heart skipped a beat.

Suddenly, Rafe glanced over at her — he blinked once in surprise to find her already looking at him. She didn't look away as he kept his gaze at her as though expecting her to do something.

"Julie?" Sarah asked from up front, and Juliette realized that she'd been asking her a question. "What do you think?"

"Oh!" Juliette stammered to come up with a response. "Well, you know, I mean, I think that, you know — "

"She thinks that's a great idea, Sarah," Rafe's deep, mellifluous voice cut in smoothly as she snapped her eyes over to him. There was that grin of his playing on his lips — the one that looked a bit like a smirk as well.

"What idea?" Juliette mouthed over at him.

Rafe was trying to contain the smile threatening to widen on his face as he watched her for a moment with what looked like fondness. He only ever looked at her with such affection, it amazed Sarah and Wheezie to no end as to how much of a jerk he can sometimes be to everyone else.

"A trip to the docks tomorrow morning to ride out the Druthers before sunrise sounds okay to me — I'm in." Rafe watched the relief draw out on Juliette's features, and he swallowed in attempt to ease the ache on his heart.

"I guess I'm in," Topper threw in as he grinned at the way Sarah beamed excitedly at him.

"Why don't we take the Benjamin?" Juliette suggested. She could feel Rafe staring at her, and she knew his hand was itching to reach over and take hers. Just as he did whenever she said that name.

     "The Benjamin?" Topper repeated inquisitively, meeting her eyes briefly in the rear view mirror.

     "Yeah, my boat."

     He pulled into the side of the road to park the car. They could see the boneyard a little further ahead already begin to be packed with people dancing and drinking under the still-bright sun.