Julianna watched the way he was amused by her. Now that she was looking at him, she was finding it difficult to stop. A soft expression on his features that she was being drawn into. Something in his eyes, something in his smile. She didn’t know. She just knew she liked it.
The best stuff, he’d said. The idea that he could have been talking about her drew forth another giggle.
She leaned back when he reached for her, about an inch, because she didn’t know the path of his hand. People didn’t touch her hair. They would comment on it and admire it from a distance, but it was too thick, too unruly for anyone to want to risk putting their hands on it. That didn’t stop him. She was blushing as he attempted to situate that curl behind her ear as she had, just as unsuccessfully on first pass. When his fingers curved around the edge of her ear her mind went blank, the rest of the room fell away around her. The kitchen could have caught on fire at that very moment and she would have been too lost to notice.
The repeated motion of his fingers trying to command her hair almost felt like petting. She wanted to lean into it. Close her eyes and encourage the continuation of that soft touch paired with his positive attention. Instead, she watched him until he pulled away and directed her attention to the motorcycle parked outside. “Nine would be better,” she admitted. The shop closed at seven and she wanted to have time to get ready afterwards.
“I’m not uncomfortable,” she half-lied, only because she had never been on a motorcycle and couldn’t know for sure. The idea didn’t immediately put her off, so she assumed she would be fine. Lips parted as she almost suggested that she would text him her address, but all at once she remembered the excessive penthouse apartment that would be difficult to explain on a coffee shop owner’s salary.
It wasn’t that she didn’t plan on telling him that she was married. She just didn’t plan on doing it right now.
“We can still meet here,” she suggested and that lock of hair broke free from her ear. “I live downtown,” she explained vaguely. “And the traffic is ridiculous. Easier that way.”
Elliot smiled at Eden when she appeared next to Maeve, he’d not noticed her primping behind the blonde, but was clearly pleased to see her now. Tidy rows of teeth on full display as he put on his best and most charming smile. He quickly looked her over, still finding her crazy attractive even in the boring Dolce uniform. He went to greet her, but was cut off by her claims that his sister was talking to a stranger she met on the street.
Brow furrowed in concern, smile fading as his lips pressed into a line. “She did?” he questioned, but not really for confirmation. He turned at Eden’s wild pointing to also witness the display. Elliot continued frowning. He was quickly swept up in the same drama as everyone else: his very married sister entertaining flirtations from her very-not husband.
Maeve pulled away when Eden nudged her. “I did my best!” she exhaled. Louder than she had intended, because she was very finished with feeling like she was somehow in charge of another adult woman. Elliot laughed when Eden pushed him and the combining sounds were enough to finally capture Julianna’s attention.
She blinked out of her almost trance-like reverie and turned her head to the trio standing near the pastries. She cocked her head at them, before frowning at them. Not because she suspected them of gossiping about her, but because two of them were supposed to be working she presumed. “I have to go,” she explained, turning to look at Owen once more. “I’ll text you,” she offered with a smile before pushing back the chair and standing, joining up with the group and trying to snap the girls into something resembling order before she greeted her brother.
The best stuff, he’d said. The idea that he could have been talking about her drew forth another giggle.
She leaned back when he reached for her, about an inch, because she didn’t know the path of his hand. People didn’t touch her hair. They would comment on it and admire it from a distance, but it was too thick, too unruly for anyone to want to risk putting their hands on it. That didn’t stop him. She was blushing as he attempted to situate that curl behind her ear as she had, just as unsuccessfully on first pass. When his fingers curved around the edge of her ear her mind went blank, the rest of the room fell away around her. The kitchen could have caught on fire at that very moment and she would have been too lost to notice.
The repeated motion of his fingers trying to command her hair almost felt like petting. She wanted to lean into it. Close her eyes and encourage the continuation of that soft touch paired with his positive attention. Instead, she watched him until he pulled away and directed her attention to the motorcycle parked outside. “Nine would be better,” she admitted. The shop closed at seven and she wanted to have time to get ready afterwards.
“I’m not uncomfortable,” she half-lied, only because she had never been on a motorcycle and couldn’t know for sure. The idea didn’t immediately put her off, so she assumed she would be fine. Lips parted as she almost suggested that she would text him her address, but all at once she remembered the excessive penthouse apartment that would be difficult to explain on a coffee shop owner’s salary.
It wasn’t that she didn’t plan on telling him that she was married. She just didn’t plan on doing it right now.
“We can still meet here,” she suggested and that lock of hair broke free from her ear. “I live downtown,” she explained vaguely. “And the traffic is ridiculous. Easier that way.”
Elliot smiled at Eden when she appeared next to Maeve, he’d not noticed her primping behind the blonde, but was clearly pleased to see her now. Tidy rows of teeth on full display as he put on his best and most charming smile. He quickly looked her over, still finding her crazy attractive even in the boring Dolce uniform. He went to greet her, but was cut off by her claims that his sister was talking to a stranger she met on the street.
Brow furrowed in concern, smile fading as his lips pressed into a line. “She did?” he questioned, but not really for confirmation. He turned at Eden’s wild pointing to also witness the display. Elliot continued frowning. He was quickly swept up in the same drama as everyone else: his very married sister entertaining flirtations from her very-not husband.
Maeve pulled away when Eden nudged her. “I did my best!” she exhaled. Louder than she had intended, because she was very finished with feeling like she was somehow in charge of another adult woman. Elliot laughed when Eden pushed him and the combining sounds were enough to finally capture Julianna’s attention.
She blinked out of her almost trance-like reverie and turned her head to the trio standing near the pastries. She cocked her head at them, before frowning at them. Not because she suspected them of gossiping about her, but because two of them were supposed to be working she presumed. “I have to go,” she explained, turning to look at Owen once more. “I’ll text you,” she offered with a smile before pushing back the chair and standing, joining up with the group and trying to snap the girls into something resembling order before she greeted her brother.
I fear no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) I want no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true) and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant and whatever a sun will always sing is you.
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Variations on a Theme [Closed] - by megs - 04-16-2017, 01:38 PM
RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - by megs - 04-16-2017, 01:45 PM
RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - by saronym - 04-16-2017, 03:06 PM
RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - by megs - 04-16-2017, 03:27 PM
RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - by saronym - 04-16-2017, 04:10 PM
RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - by megs - 04-16-2017, 07:17 PM
RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - by saronym - 04-16-2017, 09:07 PM
RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - by megs - 04-16-2017, 09:56 PM
RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - by saronym - 04-16-2017, 10:45 PM
RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - by megs - 04-17-2017, 10:01 AM
RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - by saronym - 04-17-2017, 11:15 AM
RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - by megs - 04-17-2017, 11:54 AM
RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - by saronym - 04-17-2017, 12:46 PM
RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - by megs - 04-17-2017, 01:17 PM
RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - by saronym - 04-17-2017, 02:05 PM
RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - by megs - 04-17-2017, 02:53 PM
RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - by saronym - 04-17-2017, 07:15 PM
RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - by megs - 04-17-2017, 08:43 PM
RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - by saronym - 04-20-2017, 11:21 PM
RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - by megs - 04-21-2017, 04:37 PM
RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - by saronym - 04-23-2017, 02:50 PM
RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - by megs - 05-07-2017, 05:14 PM
RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - by saronym - 05-13-2017, 09:26 PM
RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - by megs - 05-15-2017, 01:48 PM
RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - by saronym - 05-16-2017, 12:44 AM
RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - by megs - 05-21-2017, 12:54 PM
RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - by saronym - 05-24-2017, 12:10 AM
RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - by megs - 05-29-2017, 04:50 PM
RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - by saronym - 05-30-2017, 07:51 PM
RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - by megs - 06-24-2017, 09:38 PM
RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - by saronym - 06-28-2017, 07:39 PM
RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - by megs - 07-31-2017, 11:09 PM
RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - by saronym - 08-29-2017, 12:16 PM
RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - by megs - 09-29-2017, 07:04 PM
RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - by saronym - 12-01-2017, 01:17 AM
RE: Variations on a Theme [Closed] - by megs - 08-04-2019, 12:06 PM