We're Just Friends Read online

  Julianna tried to stand up, but it was clear that she’d had a little too much to drink. She threw her hands out and poked her lip out. "Oh yeah, and graceful too."

  I smiled, sliding off my swing and bending down in front of her. She glanced down at me nervously as I slipped her heels off and stood up, putting out my hand. There was a moment of suspicion in her eyes, but she eventually took my hand and pulled herself up. I wrapped my arm around her waist, and she laid her head on my shoulder as we walked through the park. Unlike the city parks in San Diego, which never seemed to be empty, all I could hear was our footsteps and crickets.

  I tried to get her to tell me more about her ex, but all she said was that he’d cheated and ruined her life. As a man with a history of being a womanizer, I was in no place to criticize her ex-husband. As her best friend, though, it made me want to punch him.

  We talked about some of the parties we attended back in high school, the teachers we did and didn’t like, and the popular girls who’d made her life a living hell.

  “Thank you for sticking up for me,” she said.

  I remembered that day in the diner. I walked in after school, and there she was, just sitting, minding her own business doing homework, while a bunch of girls hurled insults at her. I told them to knock it off and to leave her alone. Maybe it was because I’d been popular myself, but they actually heeded my advice. From then on, it was just the two of us. She became the best friend I never thought I'd find.

  Now, it was starting to get chilly, and I had to make a decision. I could offer to drive Julianna home or to my brother’s mansion. I hoped she chose my brother's place, both because I wanted to be around her and because it was obvious she needed a friend.

  “Why don’t you come back to Richard’s house,” I said as we walked back down to the bar.

  It was nearly one in the morning by that point, and crowds of people were standing outside the eateries and bars that lined Main Street. Some of them were smoking, others were just waiting for a ride, and a few women were flirting with the street cops. “Richard’s letting me stay in his guest house, so there’s room for both of us.”

  I removed my hand from her back and stroked her hair as she leaned her body even further into me. “That sounds like a plan.”

  I immediately thought of her lying naked in my bed, her full breasts staring back at me as I trailed kissed down her neck. If all went well, I told myself, then I owed Hillard a round of drinks. He always gave me the courage to go after what I wanted. And I had wanted Julianna for a very long time.

  I hailed the cab sitting on the corner and helped her inside. "456 Truman Circle."

  Once we were on the road, Julianna seemed to cheer up a little bit. "That was a lot of fun. To go back to where we had spent so much time together."

  I smiled. "That it was. And don't think because you're having a personal crisis, I'm ever going to let you live down that awesome fall you had."

  She punched my arm. "Man, at least give me some reprieve time." I pursed my lips. "One week, and then it’s to the tabloids I go."

  She snorted. "Please, the only thing they'll care about is you."

  "Yeah, I hate that."

  She glanced up at me with a look of pity and laid her head back down on my shoulder. When we turned onto the drive, her eyes went wide. “Whoa. Your brother is loaded. Then again, so are you. Although you’ll always be Jakey to me, Mr. Moneybags.”

  She leaned over and poked her finger into my stomach, then began to rub her hand up and down my six-pack abs. I knew it was the alcohol talking. We locked eyes for a moment, neither one of us knowing what to do or say next. It was definitely a boundary that hadn’t been crossed before in our friendship.

  Once again, she leaned on me for support as we walked up to the mansion, and I felt my groin swell as the wind blew her perfume in my direction. We went inside, finding Richard passed out on the couch. Both of us laughed a little bit at his slumped over body, just snoring away as the TV blared the news.

  I gave her a quick tour of the place, showing her all of the guest bedrooms, bathrooms, two kitchens, and an indoor pool.

  “Quite a big place for a single guy,” she said.

  “Our father was the one who made him buy it. You remember my dad, right?” I had introduced her to my parents shortly after we became good friends.

  They always thought she would have made a good girlfriend.

  “Of course I do,” she said, taking off her heels and plopping down onto a couch in Richard’s second living room. “He really pushed you guys hard, didn’t he?”

  I nodded and pulled out a bottle of champagne from the mini-fridge, pouring some for both of us. Julianna downed hers in one gulp.

  “I guess we’re not toasting,” I laughed, gulping mine down too.

  She giggled and held her flute out for a refill, which I happily obliged. “It’s a shame Richard and Annie didn’t hit it off.”

  “Probably for the best. Richard’s not the kind of guy a woman dates if you know what I mean.”

  She stared into her flute, and I wondered if she thought the same about me. Not that I was looking for a relationship, of course.

  Julianna shrugged. “Annie loves being single anyway. She’s always complaining about how men are nothing but cheating bastards. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have needs, though. You know?”

  She looked at me and then at my pants, which by now did little to hide my obvious erection. I quickly grabbed a throw pillow and covered it up.

  “Sorry,” I whispered.

  “Don’t be.” Julianna scooted closer to me on the sofa, and the next thing I knew, we were kissing.

  It wasn't just a quick peck, but a full-on make-out session. Our breathing intensified as I ran my fingers through her hair, biting her lip as she pulled away from me. Truth be told, I would have been just as happy kissing her all night long.

  “Julianna,” I moaned and went to untie her dress.

  She put her hands up to stop me. “What about your brother?”

  Richard could sleep through an earthquake, but I understood her concern. I didn’t want to take a chance of him waking up and walking in on us. I grabbed her hand and walked her out to the guest house. As soon as the door shut, we were all over each other.

  It was no use making our way upstairs into the bedroom. Instead, we toppled onto the couch, her curvaceous body landing on top of me. My hands quickly untied her wrap dress, revealing a black lace bra and matching G-string. After admiring her amazing body for a second, she changed my attention by reaching down and unzipping my pants.

  Her long, red nails slid inside of my boxers and began to stroke me. The more she stroked, the faster I pulled at our clothing. Then I felt like I couldn't wait another second, and suddenly, we were finally completely naked. Our clothes were strewn everywhere, but my attention was solely on her. I pushed my body up against hers until she was on her back, her breasts staring up at me just as I’d pictured it happening.

  Julianna looked down at my cock as I held it against her moist pussy. Then biting her lip, she gazed into my eyes. I wanted so badly to have all of her that instant, but I respected her too much to be so crude. Reaching up she wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me toward her, pressing her lips to mine. Her thighs spread apart, welcoming me in. I gently rubbed my fingers down her skin and over her pink mound, feeling her wetness. She gasped into my mouth and lifted her hips, beckoning for me. I stopped and reached for my slacks. Pulling a condom from my pocket, I opened it with my teeth and slid it on before moving back over top of her.

  Finally, I lowered my hips and slid my throbbing cock inside her. Our bodies immediately began to move against each other with one purpose.

  In that moment, I knew Julianna was better than any woman I had ever been with. Her hair smelled like flowers in the spring and her satin skin was flawless. And most of all, she didn’t hold back her need for me. Any barrier about us going this far for the first time was melting away. I was there to
service her. She made no qualms about that. And I was ready — living for it, drinking in each moment as her body shook with each of her orgasms, crashing over her like a wave and falling away.

  I didn’t care that anyone who walked by could see us, thanks to the floor-to-ceiling windows. Out there in the country of River Valley, it was quiet and peaceful. It wasn’t like bringing women back to my penthouse in San Diego, where the buildings were so close you had to keep your blinds shut.

  At that very moment, it was just the two of us on top of that hill, having what we both desperately wanted and needed.

  My thrusts became faster and deeper, and I watched as her breasts bounced up and down. She moaned, lifting up on her elbows. Julianna pushed me back and, with a bit of a drunken waver, climbed on top of me. I wasn't exactly sober either, and as my leg slipped from the couch, we both slid down onto the floor.

  Then we began to laugh, feeling the heat of the fire against our skin. I leaned up and kissed her again, pulling her back into my arms. She lowered herself, taking me in, leaning her head back in ecstasy as I rubbed my palms over her breasts and caressed her pink nipples between my fingers and thumbs until she moaned with delight. I filled her until I had nothing left, every inch I had was inside her. It felt as if we were made for each other — together at last.

  Julianna twisted and turned her hips with passion as my hands explored every bit of the soft flesh on her sides and back. She whimpered in delight as she came hard, gripping her fingers into my chest. But just as before, the need still flared in her eyes. I turned her, scooting my back against the couch. Gripping her by the ass, I moved her forward and back, feeling my own release coming. The friction between our bodies and the intensity of our gaze made everything that much more erotic.

  As my cock began to swell to the point of almost exploding, Julianna’s hips undulated faster, tipping us over the edge of ecstasy one last time. The sound of her moans, and the pulsing of her body were too much — lifting me higher and higher.

  I released, gripping Julianna tightly against me as our bodies simultaneously writhed and shuttered. We held each other in our arms — no space between us as our bodies began to recover until I lost track of time. Then very slowly, she pulled her head up and hovered just inches from my face. I clasped her cheeks in my hands and pulled her in, kissing her deeply.

  Unlike the other women I’d hooked up with, I wasn’t eager for her to go home. In fact, I was so happy when she just let herself fall asleep on the rug and in my arms, that I didn't move a muscle until I knew she was completely out. Gently, I reached over and pulled out my cellphone to text Hillard.

  “I owe you one. Best ever… You’ll never guess what I just did? ” was all I wrote.

  9

  Julianna

  The sun woke me up around eight in the morning, and the light seemed so much brighter than usual. I sat up and immediately felt the pressure in my head.

  “Why did I drink so much?"

  I closed my eyes and thought about the night before. Even though I had consumed a bit too much alcohol, it certainly had no effect on my memory. How could I forget kissing my high school best friend, getting wildly forward and buck naked, and then feeling him inside of me?

  I looked to my left, finding Jake's clothes in a pile. My heart immediately began to race, realizing that I had spent the night at his place. Even though I told Heather she could crash if it got too late, I definitely didn’t plan on staying out all night. I just hoped that Caley wouldn’t ask where I had slept when I got home.

  I jumped up, taking a moment to keep the room from spinning. I found my bra, panties, and dress neatly folded on the couch. Throwing them on, I could hear Jake downstairs, and my heart skipped a beat.

  I crept carefully down the steps, stopping at the bottom as Jake turned around in his robe, a smile on his face.

  “Good morning,” he said.

  Oh god, he's so freaking hot. Stop it, Julianna, not the time.

  A part of me, a huge part of me wanted to jump him right there on the stairs. I knew that I had to control myself. I looked around for my purse. “I have to go."

  “What? I thought we could have breakfast.” His voice sounded disappointed, which only pulled at my heartstrings further.

  I was expecting him to usher me out of the guest house. After all, this was Jake Truman. Had it not been for Caley and the babysitter, I definitely would have stayed and had breakfast. “It’s my daughter, I’m sorry. But thank you for last night!”

  I kissed him on the lips and walked outside, instantly realizing that I was without a car.

  “At least let me drive you home.”

  I spun around, finding him pulling a black t-shirt over his six-pack abs, the same ones I’d been so intimate with the night before. I smiled politely, digging for my phone. "No, that's really okay. I'll take a cab."

  He didn't fight me, but I could see the confusion pulling at his brow. I was in panic mode at that point. Jake nodded and sat down on the stoop. I could only sit there in silence as I waited for the cab, staring up at the sky, over at the shrubbery, and pretty much anywhere else I could look to avoid his eyes. When the cab started down the drive, I saw him get up and move toward me, but I was already walking away, heading to meet the taxi. I got inside and clutched my purse to my chest, glancing over at him as he waved.

  I took the cab ride in complete, mortified, walk of shame terror. I was a mom, and a hometown girl, not one of Jake's women. I had let myself get caught up in the moment…and the alcohol. My heartbeat quickly again as we pulled up to the house. I paid the cab driver and straightened myself up before walking into the house.

  “Caley,” I said, taking my shoes off.

  “In here, Mommy!”

  I made my way into the kitchen, where I found Annie and Caley eating pancakes at the table. I kissed her cheeks extra hard and then looked up at Annie.

  “I came here as soon as I left the bar last night,” she said with a wide smile.

  “Oh,” was all I could say.

  I poured myself a cup of coffee and then sat down across from Annie.

  “Mommy, can I play outside?” I nodded and watched as Caley climbed down, running to the back door and throwing it open.

  When she exited through and closed the door behind her, I let out a deep breath. I was just glad Caley hadn't asked me where I had been. She was just happy that I was back.

  “Thank you so much,” I said to Annie as soon as the backdoor shut. “Oh my God, what a night.”

  “What exactly happened after I left? I know you had sex, so tell me everything." Annie blinked at me, giving me no opportunity to even attempt to lie.

  I told her everything, unloading like a dump truck. I told her about the walk, my confession, and then the copious amounts of drunken sex we had on a bearskin rug. It was like telling her a story from someone else's life.

  “Wait, how much is a lot?” Annie's eyes widened, and I burst out laughing at her excitement, but immediately put a hand to my head.

  She gave me some Advil from her purse, which I washed down with the rest of my coffee. “Let me preface this by saying that I haven’t had sex in, like, a year.”

  I went into vivid details about how it started in Richard’s mansion and then ended up in the guest house, where we had sex on a bearskin rug in front of the fireplace. I told her how I had three orgasms, and that the last one was the best because that’s when he climaxed too.

  “Did I not tell you that you needed a night out?” Annie shook her head, smiling.

  Maybe it was her sibling intuition or the fact that I had just come home in the same clothes I went out in, but she knew that I’d needed to release all of that pent-up frustration. “I cannot let that happen again, Annie. You know what he’s like.”

  She shrugged, and we sat in silence for a few minutes, both of us thinking about the last article we read about him. He definitely had a roaming eye, which meant that I was likely to get hurt, yet again.

  Annie
put her hands down on the table and looked at me seriously. “Just have fun. Remember that he lives in San Diego, and you’re in River Valley. It’s not like anything serious is going to happen. And besides, do you really want a serious relationship right now?”

  Even though I knew she was right, and she had a point that I should just have fun with it, I secretly did want a serious relationship with Jake. I just couldn’t tell Annie because I knew she’d get protective of me. Not wanting to show my emotions, I turned the conversation back to sex. “It was the best sex, Annie. And I mean the best.”

  “Better than what’s his face from college?” I rolled my eyes, and we laughed even harder.

  I didn’t even remember his name, but that one-night stand in college was nothing compared to Jake. “That guy was good but fails in comparison to Jake. And no man has ever given me three orgasms. Hell, I’ve never given myself that many!”

  Her mouth fell open when I admitted to masturbating.

  I twisted my lips and lifted an eyebrow. “Don’t act like you don’t do it, too.”

  Annie laughed a little bit. “All I’m saying is you’re both single, and clearly, you’re both really horny. I don’t know how you pulled off three orgasms, though.”

  "You think I should see him again?”

  Annie walked to the sink to wash some dishes and make more coffee. I hated that I was asking her about what I should do because I was a grownup and should be able to make that decision on my own.

  Annie shrugged and looked over her shoulder at me. “As long as you know that you’re not in it for the long haul, then I don’t see what the problem is. He does seem like a fun guy. And I know I made some comments about him being a playboy and all, but you look so relaxed and happy. I think this is good for you.”

  I looked up at Caley, playing in the backyard. Even though sex with Jake did make me incredibly happy, I knew that I needed something more meaningful. Something like what I once had with Caley's dad. I wanted a man to share my life with, and emotionally I knew that I wasn’t prepared to be strung along on a fling.