Old Flames Revisited

Julie took a deep breath, as if steeling herself to take a vault of faith. She began to tell him about her adventures in Paris, about the intricate details of gothic edifices, the dateless beauty of the Louvre, the vibrant energy of the city that no way slept. She spoke of her peregrination to Spain, the stirring armature of Barcelona, the ancient prodigies of Madrid. She spoke of her time in Italy, the towering marble puppets, the cobblestone streets and the scent of late roasted meat that filled the air.

She spoke with passion, her voice taking on a new energy, as if her recollections were coming alive before her. Den listened carefully, his eyes no way leaving hers as if he was seeing her for the first time.

"You are a different woman now, Julie." Den said when she had finished her story. "You've bloomed.And You've found your own path." He said with a wide smile on his handsome features.

Julie smiled, a flicker of warmth returning to her heart. "And you've become the man you were always meant to be." she replied, her voice filled with admiration.

As they stood there, lost in discussion, a tall and handsome young man approached them. Den, noticing the questioning look on Julie's face, turned towards him.

"Oh, This is my younger brother, Sebastian." he introduced.

Sebastian, with his piercing blue eyes and a smile that framed on his face extended his hand towards Julie. "It's nice to meet you, Julie. Den's told me so much about you." He held her hand a little longer than necessary, his eyes moping on her face.

A shiver ran down Julie's spine as Sebastian's hand brushed against hers. She knew that look. It was the same look Den had given her when they first met. A look filled with a attractive intensity that could be both intoxicating and unsettling.

"Sebastian." Den intruded, his voice harsh and authoritative. "We were just about to leave." He said.

Sebastian, his smile fading slightly glanced at Den with a flicker of annoyance crossing his face. He knew that Den was trying to part Julie from him.

"Alright, alright." he conceded, his voice laced with pure annoyance. "I will see you later, bro." He hissed.

Den turned to Julie, a reassuring smile on his face. "It was nice seeing you." he said, his voice slightly audible above the roar of the city outdoors as they walked out.

"You too, Den." Julie replied, her heart pounding in her chest. The unanticipated meeting, the shared memories and the moping passions. There were all too much for her to handle.

Den's hand brushed against hers as he led her away from Sebastian, an implied understanding passing between them. They walked in silence for a while with the city lights reflecting in their eyes.

"I should go." Julie said, her voice reluctant. "I've a lot to do tomorrow."

"I know." Den replied, his eyes searching hers. "But I can not let you go without asking if you'd like to have dinner."

Julie dithered, her heart torn between her desire to be with him and her fear of getting hurt again.

"I....I do not know." she stammered.

Den's smile returned, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "How about a drink then? To catch up. You know, old times sake?" He asked.

Julie felt a surge of excitement washing over her, a dangerous blend of expectation and apprehension. With a deep breath, she decided to take a chance.

"Alright." she said, her voice slightly audible. "A drink it is."

They spent the next few hours in a dimly lit bar, lost in discussion with their laugh filling the air. Den was fascinating, funny, and perceptive. He spoke of his company, his intentions and his dreams. Julie listened, charmed by his passion and his drive.

As the night wore on, the drinks flowed freely, and their discussion flowed into a familiar meter. They talked about their lives, their dreams, their expedients. They disregarded about their past, the laugh pigmented with a bittersweet melancholy.

And then, as if it were ineluctable, their fingers brushed, their eyes met, and they were pulled back into the world they had once shared, a world where their history and their present intertwined in a dizzying cotillion of feelings.

It was a night of revived passions, a night of stolen kisses, a night where old injuries were temporarily forgotten. They ended up in a near hotel, their bodies entwining in a passionate grasp, their pain forgotten and their future uncertain.

The next morning, Julie woke up first. She lay in bed, the sheets tangled around her legs, her head aching dully with the events of the previous night replaying in her mind. She had given in to the appeal of his charm and the comfort of his familiar touch. She had allowed her passions and the remnants of a love that had once burned so brightly to cloud her judgment.

A surge of guilt washed over her. She had promised herself she wouldn't be involved with Den again. She had learned her lesson. He had betrayed her once, shattered her heart and left her feeling lost and alone.

She scolded herself quietly, her voice echoing in the quiet room. She had allowed her passions to get the better of her, to pull her back into a dangerous whirlpool of feelings.

She slipped out of bed, her movements quiet and deliberate, and dressed snappily with her mind racing. She could not stay. She had to leave.

Den was still asleep, his face peaceful and his hair tousled on the pillow. He looked young and nearly vulnerable, a stark discrepancy to the confident and important CEO she had seen on stage just that evening. She dithered, a surge of tenderheartedness washing over her.

But she knew she had to be strong. She could not afford to get lost in him again.

She left a note on the bedside table, her handwriting shaky, her heart heavy. "I had a awful time last night. But I can not do this again. I am not the same woman I was. Goodbye, Den...."