Page 110 of Love Sick

Three dots appear and disappear three times before his text comes through.

Julian:How’d you know I wear red bras

Me:Wild guess

Julian:You are so hot Grace

My body flushes, heat collecting in intimate places.

Julian:Do you know what I would do to you if you’d let me?

“Oh my god.” Electricity comes to life in my skin. “What do I even say to that?”

Tell him to describe it.

What? No!

This horny hag in my mind is a bitch.

Me:You’re making me blush, Julian

Me:Please don’t send a dick pic

Julian:haha

Julian:No. I know what my girl likes.

He sends a picture of my flashcards, and I collapse onto the bed in laughter.

JANUARY, YEAR 2

The cold January evening should deter me from a short dress, but I’m impractical and want Julian to see my legs. It has long sleeves, and I’ll be indoors the whole night anyway. Who cares?

I book it upstairs and butterflies with barbed wings become trapped in my nerves, struggling to free themselves. This month, Julian is on nights at Vincent and I’m on days at TUMC, so we’ve barely seen each other since the new year started.

I was hoping for alone time, but Alesha insisted on Group Therapy, so I told Julian I’d come early. The door swings open seconds after my knock, and he gifts me the no-smile, the darkness of his eyes twinkling. Stars in the black of night.

Drawn toward him, my attention latches on and doesn’t let go. The door closes behind me, and he takes hold of my chin, lifting it up.

“Hi, there,” he says before brushing a light kiss over my lips, stirring my pulse.

“Hi.” Stupid breathy voice.

He takes my hand and pulls me into the kitchen. The accoutrements of Unicorn Blood litter his countertops.

“That’s a lot of limes,” I say.

He smiles. “We drink a lot.”

I chuckle as he grabs a lime, slicing it in half. Fingering the bottle of Patrón Silver, I tap my sparkly gold nails against the glass. “Have you ever thought of using a citrus vodka with it?”

He lifts an eyebrow at me. “What?”

“I mean—”

“Experiment on your own time, Rose.” He grins.

My playful, feigned outrage has him laughing. I hop on the counter beside his workstation.

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