Landon
1
THE PLANE SHUDDERS VIOLENTLY, another wave of turbulence rocking all of its inhabitants. Susie clutches the armrest nestled between us with a disturbed sigh.
“It’ll be fine,” I reassure her, patting her hand with mine.
Her grip on the plastic doesn’t loosen as she shakes her head. “Or wedie. Fuck. I don’t know why I’m doing this.”
“Because we love Julie?” I offer, stifling my laugh.
Susie finally smiles, giving me a weary look. “I guess I havehimto blame then.”
I settle back into my seat, letting the bumps and jolts lull me into a state of dissociation.
We’re finally on our way to see Julian, who left us a few months ago to work for some well-off family in Oregon. I haven’t been separated from him for this long in so many years that I doubt I ever truly have been. Excitement is coursing through me so vividly that I have to shift in my seat, attempting to expel some of this energy.
In such a long period of time, he has to have missed me, right? I find it so hard to believe that he hasn’t been sitting around remembering the way it felt to be next to each other, touchingeach other, confiding in one another. During this time, has he come to his senses?
Before he left, Julian and I had been off and on seeing each other. Ever since that day when we were fifteen and Julian gave in to his urge to kiss me—with my assistance, but stillhisdesire, thank you—we’ve been joined at the hip. Forever touching and talking.
Or, we were. The situation got a bit precarious when I opened my big mouth and told him I was in love with him. How was I supposed to keep it a secret when he was panting beneath me, spread out so prettily?!
And ever since then, though we still hooked up occasionally, Julian has been a bit… distant. Surely with all this time and space, he’s realized we’re meant to be, that he loves me. If my own emotions are anything to go by, he’s losing his mind, becauseIcertainly am.
Mind you, I’m no saint. With an endless stream of income and startling good looks, I find myself surrounded by people who want in my pants or to party with me. So no, I’m no stranger to having a good time. But ever since I told him I loved him—and he rejected me—I’ve been a bit… abstinent?
Luckily, planning my reunion with Julian and dealing with Susie’s crazy personality have kept me busy enough to cope with the lack of sex. Such as Susie losing her shit when I offered to cover the bills for our little condo in Cali, or while I was planning what my monologue was going to be once I saw Julian’s beautiful face.
That man is acatch. All dark and brooding when you first lay your eyes on him, then instantly vibrant and alive once herecognizes a familiar face. Plus, he’s resilient. Being raised the way he was has hardened him and made him empathetic.
We are the perfect pair: equally balanced in bed and loyal to a fault. If he hasn’t seen this by now, I don’t knowwhatto make of it.
The plane touches down, rain clouds covering the dark sky above us.
“Finally,” Susie mutters, finally releasing her hold on the armrest.
“Told you we’d make it,” I joke.
All through deboarding, finding our rental car, and beginning the brief drive into Port Orford—the small port town Julian now occupies—I’m basically vibrating. I’m so close to him; I’m literally minutes from having him in my arms again. Right where he belongs.
“Listen,” Susie starts, her tone placating but stern.
“Enough,” I interrupt, unwilling to hear her spew about my leaving Julian alone for the hundredth time.
Susie is a big supporter of ournotbeing together, and though it doesn’t make me resent her in any way, it does annoy me. She just doesn’t understand. But one day, she will. And so will Julie.
I’m so not used to being told no, to not getting my way. I’m not saying I’ve used my gift of coercion to force someone to get into bed with me or toloveme, but I’ve also never been faced with the choice. Most people are more than willing to do both of those things with a simple smile thrown in their direction.
As if my body took notes from my gift the day I was born, I’ve just been kind of irresistible to the everyday population.
But in all other aspects of life? Such as getting out of traffic tickets, having my food made how I like it—even if the restaurant doesn’t offer substitutions—and convincing a grown man not to punch me as he catches me fucking his boyfriend?
My gift comes in handy.
Not that I’ve everknowinglyfucked a taken man; Andrew didn’t tell me he wasn’t single.
And then there’s Julie, who turned from me when I confessed. Who stopped writhing beneath me and tensed up, squeezing me like a vice as his eyes filled with tears. Julian reacted as if I had just told him his worst fear had come to life.
