Inseparable: A New Adult Erotic Romance (14 page)

"That was so different than the last time. It didn’t shoot as far, but still so interesting to watch. I want to see you do that again in person. It really turns me on, believe it or not."

"Show me," he whispered. Julie slid her fingers into her sweats and pulled one out covered in glistening moisture. "Oh, that is so hot." Julie grinned and put her finger in her mouth. "Damn." He looked like he was going to drool.

"Too bad I can’t do the same with yours. You wasted all that yummy you goo."

His face turned red again as he glanced around the room. Then he lifted up his shirt to pull a long stroke on his softening member, spilling the last few drops onto his fingers. "Like this?" He raised his fingers to his mouth and licked them clean.

"Oh, baby, I have such plans for you when you get home." Julie was almost panting. "I want you so bad, in so many different ways, you have no idea."

"Then I believe we understand each other." He had a huge grin. "I miss you. Seeing you brings it all back fresh. My chest hurts when I look at you."

"There is so much going on right now. I want to tell you everything, but it isn’t fair with you so far away. I’m going to wait until you get here to tell you, but don’t worry, everything will be fine." A devilish grin spread across her face. "By the way, Bonnie slipped today and confirmed her client is Sophie, so the plan is underway. And before you say anything, yes, I am being careful."

"I’ve been worried about you. You think you’ve seen how crazy she can get, but you really haven’t. I’m surprised she never left scars on me, seriously. Like knives and broken glass, crazy. You have to be careful."

"She isn’t even in town. Besides, I have a sneaking suspicion that Bonnie is going to claim that she did the murals herself. The contract she made me sign when we finished today basically said she owns everything I produce, but it was written in a funny legal way. It seemed to say I was allowing her to claim that she did my work. That would be the best, wouldn’t it? Sophie will never suspect anything because she will assume her friend painted it!"

"Yeah, but she will eventually figure it out, Julie. Please tell me you are being subtle, like we discussed?"

"I showed you the sketches. It will be fine, I promise. I bet the girls end up pointing it out to her."

"I would pay anything to be a fly on the wall at that moment."

"Are you two naked or anything?" Polly said through the closed bedroom door.

"We’re dressed, come on in. Jack, this is Polly Makutsi. Polly, this is my boyfriend, Jack Brousard."

"I’m sorry, would you say that again?" Jack leaned closer to the screen.

"I said her name is Polly Makutsi." Julie said a little louder.

"No, the other part," Jack said with a grin.

"This is my boyfriend, Jack Brousard?" Julie asked.

"One more time?" Jack said, chuckling a little.

"He hears you just fine." Polly walked to stand behind Julie, bending down next to her to smile at the camera. "He’s enjoying you saying that he is your boyfriend."

"I like you already, Polly," Jack said with a broad smile.

"I have a feeling I’m going to like you as well. Let me hook up my computer to the television so you can chat with us on the couch. Is that tea I smell?"

"Yes, I’ll get it."

Julie watched as Polly hooked her laptop to the television, adjusting the camera to focus on the whole room. "So, Jack, tell me about your childhood."

"Why my childhood?"

"I think it lets you learn the most about a person in the shortest amount of time. For example, I was born here in the States, but spent my first few years in Botswana. It taught me to appreciate my life in ways that I would never have learned if I grew up here. Tell me a story about your childhood." Julie was smiling as she came to the couch, handing the steaming mug of tea to Polly.

"Well, I’m the youngest of four brothers and three sisters. I grew up in southern Louisiana and spent my free time giggin’ frogs, laying out trotlines, and hunting nutria in the swamps around my home. I have an enormous extended family. Even though I’m going through a hard time right now, they have rallied around me to help me get through this. Oh, and Julie, my Mom wants to meet you."

"What?!" Julie nearly spilled her tea. "What did you tell your mother about me?"

He grinned. "You first! What did you tell your mother about me?"

"That you have a giant dick and made me cum so hard I passed out."

"Seriously?" He said nervously and Polly looked at her with her mouth open.

"Hell no! You just tell me what you told your mother!"

Jack chuckled again. "It was late when I got there Sunday, but she made a big pot of Community Coffee and asked me to tell her everything. So I told her about what happened, what Sophie had done, but when I finished she was smiling at me, which seemed odd. I asked her why, and she said I had lost my despair somewhere. Then she pressed me about whom I had met." Jack laughed nervously. "As I spoke, she got all weepy and grabbed my hands. After I finished talking about you, she said that I had finally found my light."

Polly just watched the two of them, sipping her tea and taking it all in. Julie had covered her mouth with her hands. "What happened then?"

"Well, she prayed for a while, holding my hands and asking God to protect us all. Then she said she wanted to meet you and let me go to bed."

"Jack, I don’t even know what to say."

"Nothing to say yet. She knows I’ve got to get through the divorce, I’m still fighting for my kids, I need to get a job in Houston again to be close to them and you. She just wants to meet the person who is caring for her boy. It’s a Mom thing." He wiped his eyes.

"OK, I’ve decided," Polly said, interrupting their moment.

"What?" Julie asked.

"I like him," Polly said. "He loves his Mama and his kids. Can’t fake that." She addressed Jack. "You and I need to meet in person, Jack. I have so many embarrassing stories about Julie to share..."

"Shut up! Jack, don’t believe a word she says."

"Especially the first time she tried to shave her pubes and used menthol shaving..."

"SHUT UP!" Julie yelled, pushing Polly off the couch, making them all laugh.

"Some of the crew is starting to turn in, so I’ll drop off and let you girls enjoy your slumber party." Jack cupped his hands around his mouth and whispered, "Julie, take pictures!"

"What did you tell him we were going to do?" Polly asked in mock outrage.

"I didn’t tell him the truth." Julie chuckled, then whispered to Jack, "Don’t worry, I will!"

Jack waved goodbye and hung up the call. "He is good looking," Polly said as she got up to get the tea pot, pouring herself some more tea.

"Yes." Julie said, sipping her tea with a thoughtful look on her face.

"When does he get back?"

"Next Monday. One more week."

"What do you think he is going to do when you tell him?"

She sighed and thought for a moment more. "I don’t know. He has been under a lot of stress with the divorce and the custody fight. I hope I can find the right time, prepare him a little. What do you think of him?"

"I’ll admit he made a good first impression on me. I will reserve my judgment until I see how he treats you, though." She sipped her tea. "How are you feeling now?"

"Better. Seeing him helped. I’m sure half of my problem is just stress."

"It’s the other half I’m more worried about. So tell me what’s been going on."

Julie poured it all out, unable to stop herself from gushing about their time together, even telling the parts that made her weep when she spoke. Polly listened patiently, asking questions at times, but mostly just holding her hand. Julie got through it all, and the two of them sat in silence for a while.

"As long as I’ve known you, you’ve been the cool queen. You’ve been able to be with people and keep the sex separate from your emotions somehow. You even helped me get comfortable enough to make my first time with Bobby great, and I didn’t even know you had done it already. I don’t know how he’s been able to get under your skin like this, but I’d say Jack’s mom has a point." Julie looked up when she stopped. "You seem like you found your light, too. You glowed when you looked at him. You’ve never done anything like this before, and it’s not just the baby."

"It’s a little scary when I’m not with him. I keep thinking that something is going to happen, that I’ve made a huge mistake. But then..." Julie trailed off.

"Yeah, just be careful. You’ve really only just met him, no matter how it feels."

"I know. I tell myself that a hundred times a day, but when I forget I smile again." Julie smiled sadly. "I’m exhausted, and I have a long day tomorrow. I know I’m a paint-flecked mess, but can I shower in the morning?"

"Sure, no problem, let’s go to bed. And don’t hog the covers this time."

***

T
he next morning Julie and Bonnie arrived at the same time. As they walked through the house, Julie marveled again at its size and decor. If the home was beautiful or elegant, she might bring herself to feel less intimidated. The best word she could think of to describe the house was sharp. It had angles and colors that seemed the opposite of comfort and home. She worried again about what kind of lives the girls would have in this kind of environment.

"How long do you think it will take to finish the details?" Bonnie asked.

"I’m guessing about six hours to get the paint on. I may need to let some of it dry before I can put the final touches on. Still looking at about eight hours. I want to do the sky first and then the tree. I’ll save the characters and little details for last."

"Do you mind if I help with the tree? I’ve studied your sketch and the style you’ve used. I think I can do it."

Julie considered the offer and nodded with a smile. "Sure, why not."

They worked steadily, making good progress throughout the day. Julie didn’t know if it was the children’s vitamins or getting to see Jack, but the paint fumes didn’t seem to bother her as much. As she finished the final touches she stood back to take a fresh look at the murals, smiling to herself.

"This came out so wonderfully. You are really gifted you know," Bonnie said as she came back with the clean brushes, rollers and pans. She started putting them back into the plastic shopping bags to carry them out. Julie sighed happily. Bonnie said, "I hope this is the beginning of a long relationship."

Julie turned to her with a stern expression. "Bonnie, you are very sweet, but..."

"Work relationship, of course." Bonnie cut her off, her face reddening.

"OK. I’m very grateful for your help. I was able to do more than I’d even hoped. Thank you."

"You’re welcome. I’d forgotten how much fun being creative could be. This was the best two days I’ve had in a long time."

Julie looked at her to see if she was serious. "Really?"

"You are still so young, your whole life ahead of you. When you get to be my age, life tends to be more about what you have to do and what you are still able to do. I miss being able to just do what I want to do."

Julie sighed. "Your vision is off, Bonnie. I never get to do what I want to do. You’ve got some kind of idealized version of me in your head, but my real life mostly sucks. My only family is my Mom, whom I have to take care of more than the other way around. I’ve got no money, no education, no career. My car is always dying, and all the work I’ve done here barely gets me out of the hole I’m in today, with another hole waiting right around the corner." Julie felt a rant coming on and shut her mouth before she started in earnest.

"I know that. I was poor once, too. I was abandoned into foster care when I was old enough to watch it happening, and powerless to do anything about it. I hated everyone and everything for years. A kind woman took me in when I was older and showed me that being different wasn’t the same as being wrong. This was her business, once upon a time. When she passed, I swore I’d never forget what she’d done for me. I’d love to help you the same way she helped me."

Julie started to say something, but Bonnie interrupted, "Please just let me finish before I lose my nerve. I’m sure your boyfriend is wonderful, but I’m not talking about today. I’m talking about tomorrow, or next month, or next year. A day may come when you find yourself remembering my offer to help you. Please just say you’ll consider calling me. I’d just like to be your friend."

Julie could see her struggling with her emotions as she said it. It forced her to reconsider the way she thought of Bonnie. Up until now it had been easy to dismiss her as a creepy, pushy old woman. Then Julie caught a glimpse of her loneliness, her forced bravado, her fatigue at keeping a positive attitude in the face of her loss, and it made her feel a little ashamed.

"Bonnie, I appreciate your offer more than you know. I can also appreciate how scary it can be to put yourself out there with someone new, not knowing how it will be taken. I understand, and I will keep your offer in mind, I promise."

"Thank you for that." She pinched her lips in a tight smile and took a deep breath. "Let’s get cleaned up and I’ll let you get out of here while I put the room back together."

Julie found herself relaxing around Bonnie as they cleaned and straightened the room. She stayed longer than she planned to help get the furniture back in order, Bonnie’s chatter was no longer the irritation it had been before. Julie used her phone to get some snaps of the room to share with Jack. When Bonnie saw her, she pulled out a large 35mm camera from under the last drop cloth with a grin.

"I have the small, hand-held diffuser if you want to use it." Julie nodded, taking the large camera with a smile. It was different from the one she had used in the apartment and took a moment for her to find the various controls. After a few minutes, she got the settings similar to those she had used before and began to snap wide shots of the whole room. Bonnie moved around with her, holding the light so it bounced off the ceilings or walls. They discussed which close shots to get of the details. Julie adjusted the settings and began to shoot with Bonnie offering helpful suggestions of angles to try.