There are tourists milling around, taking photos outside stores, squealing when they see any form of tarot readers, or mention of ghosts. The magic in the air makes me smile. There’s a certain energy that seems to hang over the streets of the French Quarter.
Julian slides his hand in mine, his fingers tangling with my own, when he suddenly pulls me into a corridor where a young man is inviting us on a ghost tour. Julian’s questioning gaze lands on me, and I nod enthusiastically.
We’re booked and ready. We don’t wait long and, with three other couples, we’re led down small cobbled streets with stories that send shivers down my spine. The buildings we venture between are dark, foreboding, and the feeling of being watched takes ahold of me.
The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end when Julian leans in and whispers, “Are you afraid yet?” I look up to see him smiling, but even though I’m enjoying spending time with him, something’s been off about him since this morning. I can’t put my finger on it, so I nod, trying to push away any doubts that seem to spring up.
“It’s definitely eerie,” I tell him in a hushed tone, causing him to chuckle. We follow along until, suddenly, I’m pulled away from the crowd and I’m pinned between Julian and the cool brick wall. “What are you doing?”
“I’m kissing my girl,” he tells me before his mouth steals mine, and his warmth envelopes me. I know we have a long night ahead of us, since he’s asked me to stay the night.
Even though his tongue duels with mine, he’s holding back. I can feel it. His hands grip my hips, and Julian pulls away to look at me. His gaze locks on mine and, in the dark, I notice the trepidation in his eyes. I can’t tell if it’s me, or us, but I know something’s on his mind. All I can do is hope he tells me what it is.
I’m not a fan of secrets, especially when we’re getting to know each other so well. And deep down, I tell myself I’m imagining things. But then again, my gut has never been wrong.Chapter 20JulianTaking Nea to dinner with Eli and Kate has me on edge. I don’t know why. Perhaps it’s the constant nagging in the back of my mind that they may not like her, but it makes no sense. I’ve found her to be someone who seems to have people gravitate toward her. I think it’s more what’s racing through my mind that’s bothering me. I got a call this morning that I need to talk to her about, but I want to do the dinner first before I fuck this all up.
When we arrive, I pull into the drive and kill the engine.
“I’m nervous. I know I’ve met them before, but I just feel anxious. What if they don’t like me?” Nea wrings her hands in her lap, and I can tell she’s really worried about Eli and Kate liking her. They’re my friends, but when they see how happy she makes me, I know they’ll only love her as much as I do. Each day, I find myself falling deeper under her spell. I haven’t told her how I feel yet, but deep down, I know that this girl will tenderly hold my heart in her hands if I gave it to her.
“They will like you, Nea. Don’t worry about it,” I tell her. Leaning in, I cup her face in my hands, pulling her closer to press my lips to hers. The softness of Nea is everything I need and crave daily. Even though I’ve only known her for a couple of weeks, this feels like so much more.
The door slides open when I buzz the bell, and Kate smiles at us as she greets me first. “Hey Julian. It’s so good to see you.” She turns her attention to Nea and pulls her in for a hug as she says, “It’s so nice of you to come. And we can get to know each other outside of you having to work.”
“Thank you for having me,” Nea says, and I can tell her nerves have eased slightly because her shoulders seem to go slack. We’re led through the entrance and into the living room. “Your home is exquisite.” Nea’s gaze trails over the furnishings and architecture with a grin on her face.
Just then, Eli saunters in, shakes my hand, and gives Nea a hug. “Good to see you both. Kate’s been prepping dinner all afternoon, so I hope you’re hungry,” he tells us.
“Man, I could eat for three right now,” I tell him, chuckling when Kate laughs out loud. She’s known me for a while, so nothing I say is ever a shock to her anymore. When we first met, I thought she wouldn’t accept my sense of humor, but she did, and we get along so well.