Chapter 13
13
I learned from my mistake. I wasn't going to get my hopes up again. He did enough damage when I gave him a chance, so I wasn't going to repeal my mistake. I was fine on my own. Five months had already passed. I could last for the remaining ones on my own. Julian wasn't the only man in my life who disappointed me. I was disappointed before by the man I once considered my father, and my ex boyfriend abandoned me when I needed him the most. Not only that, but he was also dating my stepsister whom he knew had made care, but the pain Chester once caused me made me erase any traces of love I had for him in my heart. I could feel his presence in my room the mamem he walked inside, I was just too tired to react. I felt him resting my body against his chest and how he kissed my head. I felt him stroking my hair and rubbing n land.
1 heard his phone call with Rose, but I was ermain
the worry
in his voice was attributed to my hallucinations. He couldn't have been that worried. He had to care about me if he was that worried and Judian did not care about me, I wasn't an idiot. I knew that he wanted to get rid of me. He probably felt obligated to help me out because I walked downstairs after taking a shower and found him in the living room. He was getting the food out of the bags, so I walked over to help him.
OUL
"No, sit down. You shouldn't be doing anything. He dopped me,
"I'm just a bit sick. I wasn't in a fatal accident," I smi
"A little bit? Your temperature was almost 106 degrees, and you consider this a little bit sick?" Oh.. Was I that feverish! "I was one step away from taking you to the hospital, but Mum told me to wait"
"Good, because I despise hospitals," I mumbled, sining down on the couch,
"Well, we all hate hospitals, but why do you hate them that much?" he asked, giving me a spoon.
"Mum died there," I whispered, not looking at him. Silence filled the room. I didn't have anything to say to him, but when I lifted my eyes and they landed on him. I noticed how his face was full of curiosity. "What do you want to ask, Julian?"
"How old were you when you lost her?" he asked cautiously. Did he expect me to break down? Well, internally, I was bleeding, but I learned how to put on a mask a long time ago.
*Ten and Jeffrey married Maggie when I wasn't even twelve. He took the from the place I called home and moved in to a new house because Maggic didn't want to live in the same place as his late wil" I gave him more than what he had asked for Again, silence took over, but I could tell that he wanted to say a lot of things.
Thank you for the food," I mumbled, standing up. I wanted to stay in my room. Being around Julian was the healthiest thing to do. "You barely ate, he commented
"I don't think my stomach can take any more food but thank you. The food was amazing. I turned to walk away, but be called my name.
"Tim sorry" he apologized. Honestly, his apology was quite confusing. What was he apologizing for? Speaking out the truth?
"There's nothing to apologize for, Julian. You shouldn't apologize for expressing how you truly feel
"I shouldn't have talked to you like that," he insisted, but I shrugged.
"Let's just forget it"
gave him a small smile before heading to my room.
When I thought about what he said, I realized that he didn't say anything wrong. He spoke nothing but the truth. There was nothing between us and neither of us was supposed to fall for the other. He didn't make love to me. He had sex with me. There was a huge differenc to keep my walls up high no matter what, What the hell are you doing here looked up and saw an angry Julian at my desk. I glanced around and saw how everybody was looking at us. "Am I fired or something?" I frowned. Did I commit a terrible mistake!
"No" But you're sick. You shouldn't be here. You should be in bed, he said. Why was he acting like a caring husband now? Was that an act!
"I'm fine. I checked my temperature before coming and it was normal," I said, but it seemed like he wasn't having it.
"Go home, Emily," he said, but I shook my head and looked back at the file I was revising, but he closed it, making me glare at him. "Go home," he repeated slowly
12:37 PM cr
"Quick question because I'm very confused. In which capacity are you talking to me! Husband or GEO?"
"Husband-It sounded more like a question,
"Great, then I don't have to listen to you. I shrugged.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!
"Then CEO "he exclaimed, making the colleague next to me laugh. "Please, go home. You were basically dead yesterday.".
I sighed and stared at him for a couple of seconds before standing up. I enflected the two files I was supposed to revise and reached for my bag.
"Where are you taking those files?" he asked me,
"I will revise them at home." I said, but he wasn't fond of my answer as he took them from me. "They're important for the report you requested. I must finish revising them today."
He looked around and once he spotted my boss, he walked over to him, I looked down in embarrassment. Everybody was looking at us.
"Must be good to be married to the CEO Brimey commented with a smirk.
"I'm surely not enjoying the show, Britney," I said, before following my husband.
"Mr. Andrews, I promise I can finish them today 1 said, trying to stop Julian from dumping my responsibilities over somebody else.
"Mrs. Kensington, you have already finished other people's work before. I believe it won't be a hassle if they help you out once. From what I'm sering, you're still sick." Of course, he'd side with my husband. "Thanks," Julian said, handing my boss the files, before looking at me. "Go straight home, drink something hot, and do not leave the bed or the couch." I was astonished by his attitude. What was wrong with himb
I didn't do everything he said. I did go home, but I ended up cooking him a nice meal because I felt bad that he had to take care of me last night. I. took a long nap at first and the moment I woke up. I started preparing everything-
I decided to make him, cream soup, Hungarian Chicken Paprikash and sauteed vegetables. I put on some music and started working right away.
As I was cooking, my mind kept thinking
about his actions today. Why did Julian Kensington have to be confusing! I didn't know if he liked me or not. I didn't know what he wanted from me. This past month had been nothing but a whirlwind of emotions. I preferred the version that used to ignore my existence. At Having him taking care of me was something but having him kissing my forehead and stroking my hair was something else.
While cooking. Sparks Fly started playing, making me smile. I had always loved that song.
"Drop everything now, meet me in the pouring rain, kiss me on the sidewalk, and take away the pain. Cause I see sparks fly whenever you smile," 1 sang loudly while using the spatula like a microphone. I jumped back upon twirling around and finding Julian watching me a "What are you doing here?" I asked, feeling the heat rising to my cheeks.
"I live here." he said as a matter of fact.
"I know! I mean you're here early." I pointed out.
*1 finished everything, so I thought I should just go home," he said. "Now, if I remember correctly, I told you to go home and rest, not go home and cook." He approached me and I gave him a cheeky smile
"I'm just cooking for me. I shrugged
"So, nothing for me?" He acted hurt as he placed his hand over his heart. No, he shouldn't be that playful with me. He shouldn't act like that. He didn't get to make me desire more from him, then suddenly shut me out.
"I'm kidding." I said, stepping away from him. There had to be a barrier between us. "This meal is for you. It's my way of thanking you for taking care of me when I was sick. I acted like I was checking on the chicken even though I knew that it wasn't done yet. "What's wrong! You were singing and grinning a minute ago and now your face is dull. Did I do something!" I turned to look at him.
"You can't keep doing that, Julian" I sighed. He gave me a questioning look, not knowing what I was talking about, "You can't just act nicely whenever you want, then switch to being mean whenever you feel the need to shut
me out, I would rather have the mean version of you, than this confusing one." There was nothing wrong with speaking my true feelings or what I wanted.
"I'm as confused as you are and I don't know what you're doing to me," he admined.
"I'm not doing anything. I'm minding my own business. I'm trying to push myself until these two years are over, so we can go our own ways.
That's the thing. Emily. You're not intentionally doing anything, but everything you do intrigues me and makes me
want to get to know you more. I know that we're going to end things sooner or later, but this isn't enough to push me away."1 didn't know what to tell him. I opened my mouth to say anything, but nothing came out.
"And I want to kiss you and I want to feel your body against me again. He surely knew how to make me speechless. "Okay, just hear me out. Let's make a deal
"What deal"" Lasked in a low voice
"Let's be friends with benefits." His voice got lower at the end. My eyes widened at the suggestion. He was basically my husband, but he was offering me a friendship with benefits. If anybody heard this conversation, they would think that we were out of our minds, but I und "And what if one of us falls for the other?" I asked. That was expected to happen. I wasn't made of steel 1 had feelings and I needed to protect my heart
"We can set some rules to prevent that," he suggested.
"I will tell you what Maybe we can discuss this over dinner," I said, turning around to turn off the stove,
"Okay"
That dinner was about to be super interesting.