AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Come on, Mom, you’ve even said you hated being an only child growing up.”
I can see how uncomfortable Juliette is, or maybe it’s guilt for making Chloe an only child when she clearly didn’t enjoy it herself growing up.
“So tell me about this amazing new comic book you’re reading,” I say, changing the subject.
“Oh my gosh,” Chloe says, dropping her fork, “let me go grab it.” She takes off running up the stairs.
“Thank you,” Juliette says softly to me.
“For the record, this is actually the second time she’s brought up that topic. She mentioned it that morning I made pancakes.”
“Oh,” she fidgets with the fork in her hand, “and what did you say?”
“I just mentioned that I liked having a brother myself growing up.”
“He-Man and the Power Sword!”Chloe says, suddenly appearing from around the corner with the comic book raised above her head.
“No way!” I say, reaching for it. “I loved this one when I was a kid.”
“You’ve read it?”
“You bet I have. Probably a dozen or more times along with the rest of theHe-Mancomics.”
“Which one is your favorite?”
I flip through the book, smiling when I remember how Zane would get me copies and let me read them in his room while he worked on his car stereo.
“The Vengeance of Skeletor,”I say in my most menacing voice. “Did you know there was an animated show calledHe-Man and the Masters of the Universe?”
“Are you serious?” It’s like her little head is about to explode, and it makes Juliette smile.
“Oh yeah, check this out. Your mind is about to be blown,” I say, pulling out my phone and showing her some clips from YouTube.
“Mom can we pleeeeease watch this tonight?”
“Yeah, but you have to finish your dinner and take a shower first. You have school in the morning, so probably only two episodes, okay?”
“Okay.” She jumps back into her chair, scarfing down the rest of her dinner before taking her plate to the sink. “I’m going to take a shower and come back down to watch it,” she says as she rounds the corner and darts back upstairs.
We finish dinner and I stand, grabbing a couple plates to take over to the sink.
“Are you and your brother still close?”
“No, unfortunately.” I wash off the plates, placing them in the dishwasher.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”
I shrug. “Nothing to be sorry about. Life happens.”
“Thanks for joining us for dinner.” She reaches over, placing her hand on my forearm. I look down at her slender fingers resting on my skin. I reach my own hand out, placing it over hers. I tangle our fingers together, pulling her toward me so my lips find hers.
Her tongue still tastes like the white wine she was drinking. It’s like each new time we kiss, it feels different, deeper than before. Like this connection that I know we’re both ignoring is determined to make itself known. I know we only have a couple minutes before Chloe comes back downstairs, but that doesn’t stop me. I grab Juliette around the waist and lift her onto the counter, stepping between her parted thighs and running my hand up her back to tangle in her hair.
She leans in to kiss me, but just as her lips graze mine, I yank her hair backward. I run my lips up her neck to her chin, letting them linger over her lips as her eyes stare desperately into mine.
“I’m in control,” I say quietly, half to her, half to myself, trying to remind myself that I’m not falling for this woman. It’s just lust. Her phone rings, ruining the moment. I release her hair and help her down off the counter.
“Hey, Brett, what’s up?” She steps around me, leaning against the counter. “Yeah, we are supposed to have Talia, the HR witness, in on Tuesday to be deposed. She confirmed with me both times that she’ll be there, but she did insist on having her own representation present.” She nods while she listens. “Honestly, I don’t think there are many more strings they can pull on this one. No judge is going to hear her testimony and say they aren’t culpable. They knowingly let these people work in a toxic environment and then lied to cover their asses, all while bullying their insurance company into denying their claims. Their ship is sunk as far as I’m concerned.” She laughs, talking a few more minutes before hanging up the phone.
