Where Promises Must Glide

07 - Juliette / Theo

"You are quite trusting, Juliette," I heard from the edge of the door. Theo was back, a duffel bag slung over his arms, leaning against the door frame like he did when I first met him. It should not be hot for someone to stand a certain way, but it's like everything this man does is a turn on.

But I am not attracted to him.

"And why would you say that?" I question, folding the last of the blankets. My mother stayed in the guest room, so i had to change the sheets and everything—not expecting occupancy this quickly.

He snickered, which forced me to turn, wanting to watch his lips curls in to a smirk as he stared at me. My cheeked flamed. "You let a random stranger stay the night in your house," he laughs.

"You're not a stranger," I simply reply. "You are my neighbor, we have met before which would not classify us as strangers." A smile replaces my embarrassed look.

His eyes stay still on mine, a subtle sparkle of coffee brown in his eyes. "So meeting someone once classifies them as being a friend?" He says, crossing his arms over his broad chest. Fuck, to know what it feels like to have my hand run down his chest, feeling every crevice it has. To explore it with my tongue, trailing kisses—

Fucking hell.

It is not ok to imagine stuff like that on someone whose name you just learned not even twenty minutes ago.

"I would not classify us as friends," I spit out not realizing the words that are escaping my lips, walking a little closer to him unknowingly.

With one swift movement, he banished the space between us, and was hovering over me. I had to look up slightly to be able to look into his eyes which turned dark. "Then what are we, Juliette?" He practically growled. I never thought I'd love the way someone would say my name.

"We. . ." I stutter or my words.

"Speak up, darling," he purrs. My stomach was doing summersaults with the way he was talking to me. A shiver was sent through my whole body. He had a deep voice in one to many octaves too low. It felt stereotypical for him to have such a deep voice, but I wasn't going to argue.

"We are neighbors-" I choke out finally forming the sentence. He smiled once, approving my volume and sentence, before walking around me, grabbing the duffle bag off the floor, then going to the bed. His actions were so swift, always intentional like he knew what he was doing with every sway of his body.

He walked back over to me, giving us a bit more room than before. "Good night, Juliette, and thank you for the room." I nodded, knowing my voice would betray me and every word that would fumble out of my mouth would not be good—because that smile was the most intoxicating drug, one I'd like to never stop taking.

I closed the door to his room, leaving a crack so I could say; "if you need anything, I am the room right next to yours."

>>><<<
Theo:

I woke up in probably the most comfortable bed I've
ever slept on. When my eyes opened, the sun wasn't even out yet. Usually, this was the time I would go for a run in the morning, eat breakfast, work on new designs and campaign for my social media, then go head to work extra early.

My routines and schedules were something I took to pride, staying on top of it as much as possible—another amazing perk of growing up in a military family. Thankfully, I brought my notebook so that was one routine I could stick to.

Checking the time, it was only 4 am, which meant I had a lot of extra time to doodle and work on my stuff. I posted sketches on my social media for people to use to get tattooed, hoping to get enough followers and recognition to open my own studio.