Page 90 of Barefoot Dreams
I intend to ignore him and maybe take Julie into the breakroom for some privacy, but she pulls away slightly, her expression shy and her cheeks covered in a pretty, rosy hue of a flush. She bites her lower lip and quietly says, “Hi.”
“Hi, little J.” I smile, giving her another peck before setting her down on her feet but not stepping away. I need that contact with her. Need it.
“I brought you coffee.” Julie gestures to the cup in her hand. “I wasn’t sure if you wanted any, and you don’t have to drink it, you know. Just because we are dating—we are dating, right? That wasn’t just my dream?—you don’t have to drink the stuff I make. I know it’s not really to your liking, but you used to come in a lot, so I thought—”
I stop her cute rambling with a kiss, and she relaxes in my arms. “First of all, we are most definitely dating, or else I’m not waking up from this dream.” I kiss her again. “And I love yourcoffee, little J,” I tell her honestly, and she gets this hopeful look in her eyes that gets interrupted by a snort from the rude spectators on the sidelines.
“Don’t you have somewhere else to be?” I glare at Luke who is grinning wide.
“Nope.” He pops thep. “He likes it, is an understatement,” Luke turns toward Julie. “This ostrich here”—he points at me—“used to make one of us go get him a coffee from your shop every damn day.”
Well, hell, I didn’t know I had it in me to blush at thirty-four, but when Julie looks at me with her mouth slightly parted and those big, green eyes blinking wildly, do I ever. I feel the heat creep up my neck and over my whole body and no glare in a world is enough to burn my so-called best friend on the spot right now.
“Sweet daisies.” Julie gasps, still blinking. “I did have an order for at least one cherry vanilla mushroom coffee every day. That was you?”
“Um…” There’s no stopping my hand as it reaches for the back of my neck. “Yeah, that was me.” The chickenshit idiot who lost three precious months because of his own stupidity.
Well…I lost a lot more than that but that’s beside the point right now. And it’s too painful to think of what-ifs. They never help.
“And the croissants?”
“Also me.”
“Why didn’t you just come in?”
“Because he’s in an idiot,” Luke supplies, and I’ve finally had enough of him. I grab Julie’s hand, leading her out of the station.
“Because I’m an idiot,” I repeat Luke’s statement.
“Told ya!” he hollers.
“Jesus,” I groan. “Go get a life and stop stalking mine.”
His booming laughter carries out but then he finally leaves us alone.
Julie giggles softly, nibbling on her lip. “I missed you. I-I couldn’t sleep alone. One night with you and I can’t sleep alone. It’s not normal, right? We just started dating, it shouldn’t be like this…all-consuming?”
The warmth that spreads through my chest should be illegal. “I missed you too, Birdy. So much. And since when are you worried about normal?” I crouch, our eyes on the same level as I take her face in my hands and brush my lips against hers smiling ones. Gently. Sweetly. Like I have all the time in the world to do just that. As much as I want.
Because now, I do.
“I couldn’t sleep without you either,” I whisper against her lips, gently rubbing my cheek against hers. “The small nap I was able to sneak in was a complete waste, because as soon as I closed my eyes, I saw you and started counting the minutes until the end of my shift.” I kiss her again. “We will figure it all out, Birdy. Together. But nothing about this”—I motion between us—“feels not normal. In fact, it feels like it was always meant to be,” I tell her and give in to the kiss.
Her lips parting for me in a silent answer as she trusts me with her heart. And just like that the sweetness turns into scorching heat with each brush of our tongues. Our bodies gravitate toward each other, mindlessly, seeking more.
That connection Julie just mentioned is like a live wire between us. Something each of us has craved and longed for, for so long. And now even a second away from her felt like a lifetime.
I couldn’t care any less what’s normal, I just want her. Always and forever. I want her in my bed every night. I want her in my arms each night. I want her handmade, eclectic clothes in my closet. I want her ridiculous number of plants littering every corner of my home. And I want it all now.
My hands trail from her face to her neck, holding her just at the right angle, then to her maddening curves and I have half a mind to push her up against the wall and take this further. To flip that little dress up and trace her wet pussy, dragging my finger though her needy clit and make her weep for me.
Julie must sense the need in my touch and kiss because she lets out a small moan as she winds her arms around me, pulling me even closer, until my hard cock digs into her stomach, and we shamelessly grind into each other. In broad daylight, in the middle of the most gossipy town known to human kind.
But ask me if I care at this moment?
I lower my hands to the curve of her ass, and grabbing a handful of it I tug her even closer until the heat of her needy pussy can be felt over all the layers in between us. Julie grows slack in my arms, fully trusting me with her body, and in that moment something wet drips down my shoulder. The sensation makes me wince.
Julie’s eyes fly open, and she releases a breathless. “Oh crap. I’m so sorry. I forgot I was holding the cup. And then you…and then I…and then…yeah.” She finally breathes out a heavy whoosh of air.
