“That I’ll get bored?” I can’t stop the angry undercurrent in my voice.
“It’s not a you thing.”
“It sounds like a me thing. It sounds like you’re saying I only want what I shouldn’t have. That I’m only interested in you because I could die any time. Is that what you think of me?”
“No!”
“Then what? That I’m just in it for sex? Once the sex isn’t hot or entertaining, I’ll just dip out and replace you?”
“Julia.” Gio gently lays me back down but doesn’t tell me to calm down, which keeps me from going full ‘active volcano’ on him. “I’m just nervous. This is new. Everything between us has happened while the hit has been in place. I just need some ... reassurance.”
“Really?”
“Really. I know that I’ve liked you for ... too long to admit to without embarrassing myself and I’m not complaining about what we have going on, but with things coming to a close soon, I just want to know that we are still going to exist afterward.”
“I was a dumbass for not seeing what was right in front of me for so long, Gio,” I whisper, letting my finger follow his jaw. “I’m not going to be able to let you go now. Ilikeyou too much now. The sex is great and it helps, but I wouldn’t be having sex with you if I didn’t like you.”
He keeps watching me.
“I especially wouldn’t be laughing in bed with you, cuddling you, getting jealous over someone drooling over you if I didn’t like you,” I soothe him.
Gio takes a slow breath. “I feel ridiculous now.”
“It’s cute.”
Gio snorts and sits up. “You’ve called me back plenty.”
“And it’s true. Even when you’re a grown-up. You mean a lot to me, Gio, as a friend and more.” I follow him and pull him back to me. “We could fuck all these worries away.”
“Tempting.” He nods to me. “But I’d rather just be with you, listen to you, actually have a full conversation with words instead of ...”
“Instead of using our tongues for making out or oral or-”
He covers my mouth and chuckles. “Yes. Instead of that. Delightful as it is.”
“Shame. Closing off the option.”
7
GIO
Juliana tells me all about her plans to be an art middleman. I love the plan, I love how excited and passionate she gets when she talks. She gets mildly vicious when she thinks of the buyers criticizing the artists, but says that’s why she’d be very happy to be in the middle and protect them from that.
Once she finishes, she settles against me. “So ... yeah.”
“Who will your first client be?”
“I know Patricia has some pieces of art already and Konstantin says he knows some people who would be interested in purchasing art.” She hums.
“You know what we could do?”
“Other than you accepting that I can and will destroy you in a proper pillow fight?”
“I was thinking we could set up an obstacle course for Charlie and Nolan.” I motion to the dogs. Although, Nolan is now between my feet which is something new.
They’re both fast asleep and Juliana chuckles. “They’d be confused. I have wanted to get them a ball pit kind of thing. I think they’d love it.”
“It would be a mess.”