Chapter Forty Eight

Aaron, laid on the sofa, his eyes alternately squeezed shut and open and staring at the image on his phone screen. The one thing that was constant was the sound, Julia's whimpers and moans travelling reluctantly from her mouth to his ear...and then through his body like a bolt of electricity. They might be opposite sides of the country, almost three thousand miles apart, but it felt like he was there, lying next to her. He couldn't feel her, but the touches, the sounds, the emotions. It was all real. SO real.

She was following his command, running that finger vibrator all over her chest, and it was having intense results. On both of them. Julia was moaning in his ear, and he could hear the low hum of said vibrator too. It was all far too fucking intense.

He didn't know how far to push her, but then he wasn't sure who long he'd survive this himself. AS he closed his eyes and talked her through all that he wanted, his hand was surrounding himself and it was almost poetic and choreographer as they hit their peak together.

Puffing as he tried to regain control of his body he knew he needed to reach out to her, he couldn't let her feel bad about this.

"Shit, Jules. You made me lose control like a bloody teenager. You OK?" When a moan was her only response, he couldn't believe the reaction of his body. "I'll take that as a yes. It sounded pretty amazing."

He wished he could see her as she replied, "so did you!"

There was that hint of sassiness that he hadn't seen since they'd started this. He wanted her to be relaxed, to fully accept everything that was happening.

"Yep, I'm not too big headed to admit that I saw stars."

That made her chuckle, "and that's a good thing."

"A fucking GREAT thing. Wow...."

"I know, that silver thing...." He could hear confidence in her voice, which turned him, on, but she also sounded exhausted, "there's plenty of time to try it again. Are you curled up in bed? Duvet on?"

"Yup, I'm very tired."

So was he, "deservedly so. GO to sleep now, OK? I'll be awake and texting you all day tomorrow. OK?"

Julia yawned, "really? You're behind us, time...."

He laughed at her inability to structure a sentence, "and if I want to get home this weekend then I have to get my arse into gear. Before you complain, I have loved this phone call, I have MORE than loved talking to you," he dropped his voice to a whisper, "and the rest, of course."

"I'm glad...." she offered drowsily in her satiated state.

He was still smiling at that, it was a great thought, "sleep well, and maybe tomorrow you can investigate the other box?"

With a huff she hung up and that made him laugh.

True to his word, Aaron messaged her frequently, he was funny, flirty but always friendly. And she felt far more relaxed about everything that had happened the last few days after that. Work was hectic, and the weekend approached with Aaron telling her there was no chance of him making it back, which made her sad, which was as confusing as anything.

Thursday she spent the evening mainly in the bath, talking to Abi on the phone. And Friday she was speaking at Columbia History Department to a lecture theatre filled with post grad history students. She'd never minded speaking to large groups, but had never one it as much as she had since being in the States, and she was beginning to really enjoy it. That day was no different. And post grad students were some of the way towards sharing her passion, so there were always lots of relevant and interesting questions. She was yet to be truly flummoxed, but she had to think outside the box. There was nothing like being mentally challenged.

"So what you doing tonight?" Taylor asked as they gathered their things as the lecture theatre emptied.

"Early night, again? I don't know."

Taylor rolled her eyes, "I was joking! Lets do sushi and sake. It doesn't have to be a late night..and I know this great place that has opened just a few blocks away."

It sounded perfect, so she nodded and scurried out into the sunshine after Taylor.

The place she stopped at was quaint, paper lanterns adorning the facade of the shop, and small bamboo cubicles gave a kitsch true Japanese feel.

Taylor was as open to eating food as she was, so they ordered a bit of everything, one of things she loved about New York City was the different eclectic fusions of cultures that made up the restaurant scene. She loved the restaurants of London, but this was a whole different flavour, and she liked that.

"So," Taylor paused looking at Julia as they both chewed on a piece of California roll. "You said you spoke to Jerome?"

Julia nodded, she'd confessed in the week, but they hadn't had chance to talk about it until now. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have, but he was..." she laughed. "He was being Jerome, all aloof, all cool. So I asked him to stop fucking you around, basically."

She gasped, biting her bottom lip, "shit! What did he say?"

Julia snatched another piece of tuna sashimi and chewed on it thoughtfully, "well, firstly he acted like he didn't know what I was on about, and I felt really bad. But I was leaving anyway...then he followed me outside."

Taylor was hanging on her every word. "He did?"

Julia nodded, "he apologised....was sorry for how things had got."

"He admitted to it?"

Again she nodded, "yup. Then he said it was difficult." Taylor's face dropped, so she added, "he said that he thought his friends and family would give you both a hard time."

That made her mouth fall open, "what?"

Julia shrugged, "in my opinion, and it is only that, but he made out that it was a race and a class thing."

Taylor looked horrified, "what because I'm white?"

"And posh." She sighed, "even though you aren't."

Taylor looked like she might cry, "I'm not living below the poverty line, but I'm not rich." She ran a hand through her hair, "I haven't even had a date with him, we're hardly going to be at the meet the family stage for a long time. If it even works out."

"I explained that, and I asked him whether it was HIM that had the problem, as if he was happy with you, surely that would be more important to his friends."

Taylor shook her head, "I've got to let this go, it's driving me insane!"

"He hasn't said a word?"

Shaking her head, Taylor swiped at her eye, then shook her head, "no. He just avoids being alone with me. I can't keep getting upset over him."

Julia placed a hand over hers, and sighed, "I wish there was an easy answer. But I am hardly an expert in dating. Maybe moving on is the best, before things get too difficult."

That made her laugh, "maybe we need a few more girly nights on the town."

Julia nodded at that, "I've only officially got another two and a half months here. There is SO much I haven't seen."

Taylor paled, "you can't leave. I've got so used to you being around."

"But I'm employed by the museum in London. I have to go back when this ends."

"Would you stay? If you could?"

Julia thought about that for a long moment, other than Abi she was happier than she had been in a long time, if her best friend was there, then her life would be complete. But then she knew if she had Abi there, then she'd have done as she always did, and hide behind her. She was a new person leaving New York and she'd always be grateful for that. But would she stay? Julia let herself think about Aaron. She'd love to spend more time with him, but then he knew that she was here for a specific time frame, and she couldn't suddenly increase that.

But it was more than that. She LOVED it in New York.

"I love it here, there's very little I miss from home."

Taylor refilled their sake thimbles and raised hers, "well let's drink to investigating that option!"

She chinked glasses with her, then drank. As she lowered her cup, she raised an eyebrow in question.

Taylor chuckled, "my uncle is an immigration lawyer...and I'm his FAVOURITE niece. Let me ask him a few Q's!"

They finished the meal with Julia really contemplating that chance. What would happen if she stayed?

"I love this place!"

Taylor's arms was wrapped through hers, and the other girl was tight up beside her. That was something that she would have avoided in the past, she was never great with contact....from anyone other than her best friend. And Abi knew exactly how to read her reaction. Since their conversation over sushi, Taylor had dragged her to several bars and consumed more alcohol than it appeared she could handle. Now she was morose and it seemed that the situation with Jerome was really getting her down.

The only option was to get out more often, so they had agreed to that as they moved on to the third bar. Taylor guzzled most of the bottle of Prosecco that they purchased, and as they emerged out into the fresh air of the rooftop bar, Taylor staggered.

"Shit, how much have me drunk?"

Julia laughed, "well YOU have drunk a lot more than me. The night is still young...."

Taylor squinted at her watch, "just after ten....this is a poor performance from me."

Wrapping an arm around her friend, Julia chuckled, "come on, let's call this a night. I'll see you home."

Julia had never been to Taylor's home, and she walked across Sixth and Fifth Avenue to her Upper Eastside home. At the door, she gave a watery smile.

"Thanks, you may have only been here a few months, but you are a great friend....and a truly good person."

It was alcohol and emotion talking, but for Julia it just cemented her place in the City that little bit more. Another sign, that this was the first place where she'd succeeded on her own.

As she headed to the underground station, she realised once again how much she had relied on her best friend. For years she'd done everything, broken ice, helped her make decisions, supported her. She gave so little back.

It was the middle of the night back home, she couldn't phone her friend. There was a time when she knew Abi's work rota in detail. But time and distance had influenced that.

Instead of calling, she pulled out her phone and sent her a message.

I NEVER tell you how amazing you are, how I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you. I love you Abi Taylor, more than I ever let you know.

She hadn't reached the station and her phone was ringing.

"Are you OK? Julia?"

Julia chuckled, "I am now you're on the phone..." Suddenly she processed her friends concern. "You though I wasn't?"

Abi sighed, "I am on a night shift and I get the most ridiculously emotional message from my bestie. I want to sob at what she says, but then I wonder WHY she's saying it."

Groaning, Julia plonked on a wall, "oh mate. Anything but. I've just seen my colleague home drunk, and she's made me realise that this is the first time in my life that I've had to do things alone, make my own way. Everywhere else, every other part of my life, you've been there, holding my hand, hugging me, geeing me along. I'd never be here without you."

Abi sounded choked as she spoke, "does that mean that I have curtailed you? Have I restricted you?"

Julia laughed, "oh my God, no. You are my saviour. Being here...this was me running away...you know that, but it's worked out much differently than I expected. But don't think that it's because you're not here. Knowing you are at the end of the phone, that's what has made this possible. Please, don't think this is anything but a half drunk 'I love you' phone call."

"Damn you, Julia. I am exhausted from a lack of sleep, and you throw all this love at me? I'm an emotional wreck."

"Well you work too hard. You need a nice break away with that hunky hubby to be of yours."

That made her friend sigh, "we're going to Italy, Amalfi coast in two weeks. You're right, I need a break."

"Dare I mention the 'W' word?"

"Finally coming together, date, venue and clothing sorted. Just desperate for you to come home and help me out, less than eleven weeks, hey?"

As she agreed enthusiastically, for the first time Julia realised that her heart and life weren't one hundred percent stuck back in Britain, or London.

The apartment was dark, and lonely when she returned. The dogs were asleep in their room and were excited to see her. She let them out into the small garden for a sniff, pee and leg stretch, then she changed into pyjamas and switched on the TV. A cheesy romcom was on an obscure channel, so she settled down to be charmed by Hugh Grant. But it didn't enthral her.

So, as she had every other night of the week, she led the dogs up the stairs to Aaron's bed, and curled up inhaling his scent from his pillow.

There was a noise. She opened her eyes, heart pounding as she heard the two dogs scrabble around, claws scraping on the wooden floors. As she made to move, fear sending her into fight mode, two arms encircled her, and that scent was back. Overwhelming her.

She couldn't make anyone out in the dark, but the person towering over her didn't scare her.

"I couldn't stay away," Aaron breathed as he collapsed beside her.