Chapter Twenty-two

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Although I hadn't really been dating many people or for a long time, I had grown to associate being with men with alcohol. Most of the times that Malachi and I had been together we had shared a bottle of wine or had some beers but seeing as Julian didn't drink we didn't have any of that. He offered me a glass of water but I wasn't that thirsty so I declined and he just invited me to sit down on his sofa. His place was nice, it was very simple but not in a bare way, more in a minimalist/industrial way. It was clear that there was thought put into decorating his space and he even had a few live plants dotted around the place. I liked that. It showed that he looked after things. 

We decided to watch a movie and order some sushi. I was shocked because I didn't even know we could get sushi delivered and also because I'd never tried sushi before. I actually didn't even want to try it, the thought of raw fish didn't seem that appeasing to me and having it as takeout seemed worse but Julian reassured me that it was fine and that he ordered it all the time so I trusted him. And it was a good thing I did because after getting over the initial textures, flavours and coldness I enjoyed it. 

"I told you you'd like it," he said nodding at me with a warm smile. "It's good to try new things babe."

He hadn't called me babe before so it caught me off guard but I liked it. He said it softly with such a nice smile on his face that I couldn't help but blush. He was such a sweet guy, even when he wanted me to try the sushi he still made a whole separate order for me just in case I didn't like the food which I thought was very considerate. 

"I'm not gonna lie, I was definitely not expecting myself to like it."

"Well I guess you could say that I've changed your life. Before me, you couldn't try new things and now you're all cultured and adventurous."

I giggled and he chuckled along with me and that felt nice, us laughing together and enjoying each others company. He was so sweet! I didn't feel nervous around him, if anything I felt incredibly comfortable. I liked how he was a bit cheesy and so open with how much he liked me and wanted to spend time with me. That wasn't something that I allowed myself to become accustomed with when I was with Dane because the fear of him wanting to spend all his time with another 'fun' girl loomed over me. And Malachi had ghosted me so even then I was kept guessing, but Julian in the short time that I had known him was consistent and I liked the security that that gave me. It sounds ridiculous, but it helped me feel like I could be my true self around him. When we watched the movie, we spoke to each other the whole way through and when it got emotional, I wasn't afraid to get soppy because he wasn't either.

It was almost strange how at ease I felt around him but I was grateful for it and when he leaned in to kiss me, I let him. He was very soft and gentle and even though in the back of my mind I was thinking about how much of my makeup would have transferred onto his face, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I expected it to stop there. Julian hadn't made a move past that stage before and although I could feel my heart racing and a familiar tingle between my legs I was certain that we weren't going to have sex. That was until his hand found itself to my neck and he took grip. Nothing too hard or obnoxious, in fact it almost felt like he was massaging me. It felt so good that a moan escaped from my lips which prompted him to slide his hand under my t-shirt and massage my breasts before unclipped my bra and began to kiss and suck on my nipples. The kisses slowly lowered down my stomach until he reached the waistband of my leggings. 

"Take it off," he demanded removing his one t-shirt in one swift movement. The voice was gruff and deep which was thrilling but what really got me was his sudden change of demeanour. Suddenly, the kind of nerdy and soft guy turned into a dominant man. I did as he asked and he got on his knees and began to very passionately eat me out. It took my by surprised, I quite literally lost my breath and when the pleasure got too much and I closed my legs he demanded that I opened them because he wasn't finished. And when he was finished he flipped me on all fours and entered, groaning and spanking me as he did.

I had had good sex. Dane and I had had good sex. Malachi and I had had amazing sex but sex with Julian was on a whole different level. It felt passionate but racy. It was intense and when he spanked and bit me, I felt such a beautiful pain that turned me on more than I had been in a very long time. When we were done, he got us both some water and I followed him to his very neat bedroom and into his large but cold bed. He pulled me close and kissed the back of my head. I asked him if he was a bit kinky and he chuckled and said no words.

"You are aren't you?" I persisted.

"It's late," he replied softly. "And I'm fucking worn out."

Within moments he began to snore lightly and I fell asleep not long after. In the morning, I woke up to Julian rubbing his eyes and a faint car alarm going off that progressively got louder the more conscious I became. Julian rolled over, untangling his body from mine and checked the time on his phone. From the grey light coming from the windows, it was still dusk so it was an odd time for a car alarm to be going off.

"Is that your car?" I whispered. 

"I think so?" he replied with his eyes still half closed, getting up as the alarm blared. "Probably a fucking electrical fault or something,"

I groaned and he put on some shorts and a hoodie and went outside to investigate. I didn't expect him to be gone long but when he didn't return after five minutes I worried so I quite cheekily wrapped myself in his robe that was hanging from the door and went downstairs. I found Julian outside on his phone, talking to what sounded like his insurance company. Even from the door I could see the damage, his whole rear windscreen was shattered and there was glass everywhere. When I attempted to walk closer, Julian shook his head at me and pointed at the glass on the floor.

"It's okay babe," he said surprisingly calmly. "I'll be inside in a bit."

It was so strange. Julian did not live in an area where you'd have expected these types of things to happen. I had expected him to have a fancy apartment in the city like Malachi but Julian lived in a full sized house on a nice suburban estate. The type where you moved to settle down and have a family in. The type where German 4x4s and designer puppies were common place. There was no litter or graffiti or pissy smelling alleyways. Instead there were artistically trimmed hedged and freshly mowed lawns. It was a safe area. No other car was touched, in fact my car parked just a metre away was untouched.

"Crazy," Julian sighed when he walked back in. He didn't seem angry, in fact he seemed quite calm.

"Did someone literally just smash your screen?"

"Looks like it," he replied with a shrug. "They threw a massive slab through it."

"What a prick! Why would someone do something like that? At this time as well?!"

He shook his head. "Fuck knows and fuck knows why they chose my car as well."

"Maybe because it's new?"

He shook his head again. 

"Why aren't you more pissed off? If this was me I'd probably be having a panic attack right now."

He shrugged. "It is annoying obviously but it's done now isn't it? And I've got insurance so they'll fix it and then theres not much more I can do. I can have a fit or whatever but it's not going to be of much help."

"True."

"And besides, you're safe and I'm safe so thats the most important thing."

"Don't you feel like you need to get your anger out?"

"I'm not angry," he replied smiling.

"Yeah but how?"

"Life happens," he replied softly. "Can we go back to bed before the car guy comes? I'm exhausted."

And just like that, the excitement or panic that was brewing inside me dissipated. I was impressed by his calmness and maturity. I found myself wanting to emulate him , to worry less about things to to take unfavourable things in my stride. I felt it again, the feeling I had felt before with him. The feeling when you start noticing all the little things about that person that makes you crush on them. I had felt that way about Julian before and that day, the feelings were confirmed.

I actually liked him.

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