Insufferable Proximity (50 page)

“Not on my watch, come-on.” he instructed her as he headed towards the small shop.

The tiny shop was designed to look like an abstract trip to the beach, from the turquoise blue walls with the decorative metal fish artfully displayed, to the row of brightly-colored flip-flops attached to the bottom of the wall. The ceiling was a detailed fluorescent yellow sun and a gritty-looking, sand colored rug covered the floor. Julian sat down the armload of bags he had been carrying and walked over to the sales woman.

“I want that suit in the window.” he said and the woman nodded.

“Good choice, it’s one of most popular suits this season and it’s the last one.” she smiled leading them to the window.

“Before you even go through all that trouble and strip the mannequin, do you know what size is it?”

“Yes, all our display suits are a size Small.”

“Forget it.” Heaven scoffed, “it will never fit.”

“We’ll make it fit.” Julian raised his brow, excited by the thought of forcing the suit up her round hips.

“How? That’s not even possible.”

“It’s quite stretchy.” the sales clerk added.

“I want it.” he told the woman who turned and quickly removed the suit from the display before the couple changed their mind.

“Julian, I’m telling you one false move and my breasts are definitely popping out of that thing, look how dainty those straps are, I‘ll be lucky if I can wear it ten minutes before the suit is ruined beyond repair.”

“Damn, now I wish I could buy two of those tops, so I could watch your breasts pop out twice.” he grinned as he kissed her lips.

“Here you go sir.” the woman handed him the suit then turned to Heaven. “Is there anything else you’re interested in seeing? We have a lot of different styles.”

“Get what you want.” Julian told her.

“We have a dressing room if you’d like to try anything on.” the saleswoman said trying to be helpful. Heaven could see perversities eternal-light shining in Julian’s eyes and knew she was not getting out of this store without trying on at least one suit for him.

“Show me your red suits.” Heaven said and the woman led her over to a few of their brand new designs.

“And something white with thin material.” Julian said his voyeuristic tendencies out of control in the shop’s intimate setting.

“We have quite a few white suits, but only a few red.”

“One of each.” Julian said with a seriousness that forced a smile on the woman’s face and caused Heaven to roll her eyes.

“I am only trying one on and then we are leaving, Julie.”

“Two.”

“One.” she crossed her arms over her chest defiantly and he knew she would not budge.

“Then you’ll just have to do it when we get back to the house.” he said and she could not stop the corner of her mouth from darting up.

“Maybe.” she whispered as she walked toward the dressing room. She quickly slid out of her sundress and shimmied into the bikini before going back out to show Julian. “Well?” she asked him, her hands on her hips.

“Damn.” he said, feeling his erection increase, putting him in a painful situation as he walked over to her. He quickly yanked the tags off the suit and handed them to the sales woman before bending to whisper in Heaven’s ear. “You got about three minutes to throw on your dress and get out here before I come in there with you.”

“Don’t you dare.” she said through clenched teeth.

“Hurry up and I won’t,” she turned to walk to the dressing room and he grabbed her arm, “leave the bikini on underneath.”

Heaven got dressed in record time, and then the two of them walked back to the car. Julian was obviously excited to get home and begin the bikini fashion show, so anxious that he found himself trying to carefully-speed on the road back to his house.

When they walked back in the house Julian had no more then sat the bags down on the kitchen counter before he was all over her, his hands everywhere.

“I want you to model each suit for me.” he kissed a trail up her neck to plant small kisses over her ear.

“We have to put this stuff away before it goes bad.”

“I’ll tell you what, why don’t you take off that dress, then lose the bikini top and you can just sit up on the counter looking pretty while I put everything away.”

“No, how about I stayed clothed, help you put the food away and then make us an amazing meal.”

“Fine, but you’re cooking topless.”

“Cooking topless is dangerous, that is one of the last places I want sharp utensils and hot food near.” she explained before she slid off her dress, revealing the scandalous bikini and Julian found himself dumbstruck once again.

After a while, Julian found himself relaxing at the kitchen table with a beer, happy to watch her cook. She was a natural in the kitchen and had the entire house enveloped in a mix of delicious scents in less than an hour. He felt a peace inside of him that he had never felt before and just being around her was proving to be as stimulating as foreplay. Even watching her do the mundane tasks like cooking or cleaning had become too much for him to bear and he found himself craving for her. Sure he knew he could force her to do as he wanted, considering they still had a few more days left in the contract, but he was beginning to prefer that she come to him willingly.

“Do you like cabbage?” she asked as she finished preparing the ham and then slid it into the oven.

“I’ll eat pretty much anything.” he answered and she scoffed, normally she would have a snide remark to a comment like that and was overly surprised to find herself stimulated by his words instead. “Do you like cabbage?”

“Yeah, I love it,” she cut up the small slice of ham she left out to fry with the cabbage. “Especially with ham.”

“How the hell did you learn to cook on this level? I know you didn’t have the time to take a cooking class, you graduated from law school too early for any extracurricular activities.”

“My aunt Coco taught me, she is a chef. She went to culinary school and would have graduated top of her class if she didn’t quit.”

“Why did she quit?”

“Oh my dearest mother called her begging and crying to come back to help her with the brothel.” she shook her head, “My mom is horrible with figures, only my aunt can figure that out.”

They continued to talk, both so deep in conversation, they lost track of time. To Julian’s surprise the food was ready so he helped Heaven take the ham out of the oven while she set the table. He stood there, excited beyond measure to start eating, the mouthwatering smells were too powerful for him to withstand so he took a small sample bite as he set the food in the middle of the table.

“I saw that.” Heaven said as she prepared his plate, realizing he would be full from sampling if she didn‘t hurry up with his food.

They sat at the table, continuing their in-depth conversation as they enjoyed their meal. Julian ate so much he felt a dull ache begin in his belly and had to unbutton his khaki cargo shorts.

“You are a real life super hero,” he spoke as he shifted in the chair, his belly too full. “You cook food that is literally addictive, you are the master of the courtroom and you’re equally perfect in bed.”

“Master of the courtroom?” she smiled appreciating the compliment.

“You know you are.” he played with a lock of her hair.

“I know, but I like to hear you say It.” she leaned over and kissed his cheek before rising from the table, “And now for dessert,” she said walking over to the countertop, “your favorite and mine, chocolate chip cookies.”

Julian’s belly was so full, he was sure he could feel the stretch marks forming on his stomach lining, but there was no chance he would deny himself a cookie. Besides, there was more than one way to entertain oneself with a warm cookie and he could tell by the look in Heavens eye that she was thinking the same.

***

Heaven was wearing a tiny peach sundress that Julian had bought for her from the bikini shop and was tempting Julian beyond reason. He knew that she wore the matching peach bikini underneath and he could not wait until she slipped it off. They walked hand in hand down the beach, the warm white sand slipping between their toes as they neared the water.

“Tell me this isn’t one of the most beautiful beaches you’ve seen.”

“I don‘t think I‘ve ever seen anything this beautiful.” she walked to the edge of the sand, stepping back when the water washed over her toes. Despite the panic that beaches normally brought to her, she still felt the overwhelming urge to run deep into the clear turquoise waters.

“Come on lets go in.” he took her hand but she yanked it back immediately.

“No way.” she said taking another step back.

“You’re kidding me Heaven, it’s the beach.” he shook his head in wonderment.

“Yeah, but this is Hawaii and there’s tiger sharks in that there water, sir.” she grinned.

“They don’t swim close to shore.”

“Wow, I’m so glad I decided to go to the beach with the shark whisperer.” she said sarcastically and Julian picked her up and started to walk into the water. “No!” she cried, kicking her legs.

“You better stay still or a shark might notice all that splashing and come eat you.” he chuckled when her body went perfectly still, he walked out until the water came to his calf.

“Please, put me down!”

“Alright.” he said and tried to stand her in the water but she latched onto him like a scared cat before he managed to set her down.

“Shit!” she whispered, afraid to move, scanning the water to make sure she saw no fins.

“If a shark comes close I promise I will jump in front of you.”

“Yeah right,” she said still unable to move, “you’d dangle me as bait, before sprinting to the shore.”

“Come on let’s take a step further.”

“No way!” she whined and was going to stomp her foot but quickly change her mind.

“Do you trust me?” he asked extending his hand.

“Of course not.” she raised her chin then after a second, she grabbed his hand. He took her out to where the water reached her thighs and when he felt her body begin to tremble, he stopped. “Alright, I want to get out now.”

“How’s the water feel?” he asked.

“Magnificent, but I’m ready to go back to land now.” she said and gasped deeply when he splashed water at her. She jumped back as if he had doused her with lava then glared at him through murderous eyes and was ready to smack him. Instead, she turned around to walk away and he grabbed the back of her bikini, pulling her to him before picking her up and walking towards the shore. Once they were safely back on the bone colored sand, she turned back to look at the water longingly, wishing she was not so nervous. “Maybe we can just sit here, at the edge of the water.”

“Alright.” he said and sat down next to her.

“The water really is beautiful.”

“One day you and I are going on an extended boat ride.” he pulled her closer to him.

“Maybe.” she said and he was happy that she would even consider it. They sat there talking and she was ready to go back inside when she saw the greatest sight ever seen. Way out in the middle of the water. “Oh my god!” she said as she hastily stood up. Her eyes grew wide as she watched the whale breech the surface of the water. “It’s a Humpback!” she jumped up and down excitedly, clapping her hands.

“Me and my grandfather used to come here during whale season just to watch them.” he said watching her as she walk blindly into the water, too entranced by the magnificent beast to be fearful.

“Do you have your phone?” she asked and he nodded as he went over to their pile of shoes and grabbed his cell phone then handed it to her.

“My friend Jade is obsessed with whales,” she said stepping deeper into the water as she snapped a few pictures, “she is going to die when she sees this! “Every time they get a new whale at the aquarium, she freaks out and pickets outside.”

“Next time we come why don’t you bring her?” he suggested and she watched as the whale went back under the water, filling her with disappointment. Then realizing she had ventured out deeper in the water then she had intended, she changed direction and quickly walked back to the shore.

“The contract will be over as soon after we get back.” she said, trying not to show the sadness that she felt. “Actually it will be over first thing in the morning.”

“There’s a six hour time difference, so it doesn’t count until we leave and travel time doesn’t count either.” he explained and even though it made no damn sense, she nodded in agreement.

“That sounds fair.” she shrugged, “Either way once we get back to New York, it’s over, so bringing Jade seems farfetched doesn’t it?”

“No, we don’t need a contract to take a random trip to Hawaii together as friends.”

“But we’re not friends, we never were.” she took his hand, lacing her fingers through his as they walked back to the house. “We went from rivalry to sex by contract with absolutely no middle ground, besides I don‘t think friends have obligatory sex.”

“Smart friends do.”  He grinned, kissing her hand but she stopped walking and looked at him.

“Be realistic Julian, do you honestly think when the contract is over you’ll still want to be friends when I refuse to have sex with you.”