Julian held out a cup of water.
Statler got up as she took a long drink. “I’ll go see if they have anything you can eat at the nurse’s station.” He stretched, then walked to the door. “I’ll, uh, give you two a few minutes to, um, talk.”
The minute he was out the door, Julian was up and onto the bed with her. She sighed happily, placed her cup on the overbed table that was off to the side, then scootched over to give him room as he propped himself up on one elbow, looking down at her.
“I like this,” she said with a giggle.
He gazed into her eyes, but didn’t return her humor. His face was serious.
“I likeyou,” he told her, as if he had to get that out. “I like you alot, Petula.”
He fidgeted, his fingers playing with the blankets at her hip. “And this might be jumping the gun, but after what happened, and the fact that I could have lost you… I need to say this.”
Petula thought she knew what was coming, and instead of being alarmed, her insides warmed.
It might simply be the heated blanket they had over her, but she didn’t think so.
Julian started again. “We haven’t been seeing each other, officially, for very long,” he told her hesitatingly, “but I’ve known you for a couple months and I know how I feel, and… I’ve never met anyone who gets to me like you do.” He cleared his throat, looking a little embarrassed.
Petula lifted a hand and stroked his cheek, urging him silently to continue.
He cleared his throat. “I’ve never been in love before, but watching my parents and my brothers, I think I know what it looks like. And although I’m not going to say it yet, not until we’re both sure, I think I’m headed that way with you.”
Wow.
After that lovely speech, Petula wasn’t going to beat around the bush. She leaned up and rubbed her face gently against his scruffy chin. “I feel the same way, Julian, and you’re right. It’s kind of strange how quickly we’ve gotten so close, because…” She decided to get sassy. “…you know we’ve barely even kissed.”
“Wait. You call what we’ve done,barelykissing?” he squawked, his mouth dropping open.
She did. They’d had several wild, make-out sessions, but every time, Julian had kept his hands to himself. She was determined to tease him about that, right now.
Petula tapped on her bottom lip as if thinking. “Well, yes,” she spit out impishly. “Now, if you’d employeda few other parts of your body…”
She eeped as Julian wound his arm around her waist.
“Fine. I’m ready if you are,” he growled, almost as a dare.
She certainly wasn’t going to pass that up.
“I’m ready, Julian.” She nodded. “I have been since our first date.”
CHAPTER 21
Julian was just aboutto lose his mind.
Petula had spent the night in the hospital, with him on one side and Statler on the other, and now it was taking a ridiculous amount of time for her paperwork to be completed so they could get her the hell out of here.
Unfortunately, it had been a no-brainer that Petula would be going back to the house she shared with Statler. If Julian already owned his home, he would have insisted she stay with him. But it was piss-poor timing. The papers wouldn’t be signed until tomorrow. Even then, Julian’s new digs would only have a bed and a couple dressers for furniture… Oh, and thanks to Petula, a lot of the small, necessary stuff to move in. But if he were going to offer his place up as a safe haven for her in the long run, he’d need a lot more, including a state-of-the-art security system.
Statler already had a really good one. Another plus for Petula staying there. In addition to that, each of his crew would be taking turns doing nightly perimeter security
Julian was going to have to up his game to lure Petula away fromthatkind of dedicated surveillance.
But he was determined.
He’d get on all those house-particulars, right away. His brothers would help with the security system, and he had no doubt Ellen Sothard, heading up the pack of the younger, married Sothard women, would have his house full of furniture in no time.
Of course…Petula would need to have a say in that, since he hoped she’d be staying, long term. He’d have to make sure no interior purchases were made before they were all thoroughly vetted through her.
