AllFreeNovel
Share Us
2
During the next few days, I thought of nothing except for the mysterious Juliet and the phone number burning a hole in my pocket. I had yet to program it into my phone—the temptation was too strong—so I simply carried the slip of paper with me every day, toying with it during my lunch breaks and debating on whether or not I really wanted to go through with it.
It’d be more precise to say I was debating whether I could handle going through with it. I knew I wanted to, but that didn’t necessarily mean I should.
Layla didn’t make it any easier to decide. She pestered me every day with a text or a phone call, inquiring whether I had called her yet and mocking me when I admitted that I hadn’t.
Damn woman was going to be the death of me. It was almost shocking how easily my brother was able to put up with her. I’d seen them together countless times and to witness his passive expression as she ranted and raved and raised hell for all those around her was truly astounding.
Though if she had been telling the truth about the spankings, I guess I now understood the sly smiles I sometimes caught him giving her during those moments.
But I really wish I didn’t.
I finished my work a little earlier than usual that Friday, which left me sitting alone in my office with the partially worn slip of paper between my fingertips.
Mason and Layla were flying up to New York for the weekend, meaning my usual Sunday plans were shot. I tried to get excited about the two full days I’d have entirely to myself, but I couldn’t manage to do it. Having all that time alone with nothing to do just felt... wrong. Empty.
It took asking a girl for her phone number for the first time in almost a decade for me to realize just how lonely I really was.
“Fuck,” I groaned. My elbow thudded against my desk and I leaned my forehead on my hand for a moment before smoothing back my hair and letting out a long sigh.
The truth of it was—I was tired of being alone. What Sarah did tore me up, but something about Juliet called to me.
I had no idea if I could survive another heartbreak. As I dug my cell out of my jacket and typed in Juliet’s number, I realized I was willing to find out.
* * *
Our brief conversationarranging the date was as painfully awkward as our first conversation had been. Even so, she seemed happy to hear from me and—dare I even think it—excited enough to admit that she was free that night.
I wasn’t happy about the short notice. That gave me three hours to get showered and dressed, figure out where the hell to take her, and to freak the fuck out a little. I ended up doing the final bit on the drive to the address she texted me and I was damn certain that she’d be able to see how frazzled I was when she opened the door.
I checked my appearance in the mirror before I got out of the car, frowning at the sight. Would people mistake me for her father? I had definitely aged during my marriage—even more so after the divorce. Insecurity wasn’t something I had much of, but this nagging feeling was too strong to ignore.
I growled and shoved the visor back up, irritated at myself. I forced myself to imagine that I was back in my twenties or early thirties, hoping that it’d give me back some of my usual confidence.
I may have aged since then, but I was still aware that I looked damn good for a man of forty-two. Juliet wouldn’t have agreed to a date with me if she hadn’t thought so.
Unless she’s after the same thing Sarah was, I thought as I rang the doorbell.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” I muttered, trying and failing to shove the thought away. If there was one thing that would ruin the date, it’d be comparing her to my ex-wife and indulging in my paranoia all night. I couldn’t do it. I had to—
The door swung open and my mouth went dry, my negative thoughts disintegrating in an instant.
Her dark brown hair was curled and while she wore very little makeup, her lips were painted a pale pink. The simple black dress she wore wasn’t revealing, but it was just tight enough on her curves to make me desperate to see more. Her legs were visible and led down to reveal her sexy heels. She was fairly tall for a woman already, and the extra inches must have put her just over six feet tall. It was a rare treat for me not to have to arch the hell out of my neck while looking down at a woman.
She was so damn beautiful.
“Hi,” she said nervously while I stared at her like a fucking creep.
I cleared my throat and offered her an uneasy smile, hoping I hadn’t already given her a weird vibe.
“Hey.”
She made a slight gesture with her hand and I jolted—stepping back to give her room to step out onto the porch.
“Sorry about that. I, uh... I get in the way a lot.”
“I can see that,” she said with a playful tone. “But it’s okay.”
