~Juliet’s Point of View~
“Harder! Really punch it,” Dante shouted, as he danced around.
He got me into kickboxing and I had to admit, it was empowering and hot as hell. Learning some self-defense, burning calories and an excuse to touch a hot as sin guy I’ve been drooling for months? Check, check, check. All boxes are full!
I really thought I could never fantasize about someone after Jude, I mean who could possibly compare. Dante Dixon, that’s fucking who. This guy was exactly who I would always lust over but never have a chance in hell with actually dating.
He’d let his hair grow out this past month and just shaved it a bit underneath like Jude does. Now he had a messy carmel colored shaggy mess and when he sweats … oh fuck its hot. Illegal.
“I want to ask you something, for real … for real on the real,” I said, taking off my gloves.
He laughed, flashing his perfect white smile. For weeks now he’d become a good friend, someone I confided in about all my fat girl issues. Okay my mental issues, who knows.
“What’s up cookie,” he said, falling onto a bench.
The cookie thing, ugh! It never goes away.
“I think you should take me out on a date. Doesn’t have to be a real date, we can know we’re only friends but to the public it will appear real. I want you to see how people look at me, treat me as different,” I said, putting my sweaty hands on my hips.
When you look like Dante, you never notice the stares, the eyes bugging out when a larger person walks in the room. He’s way too polite to admit he ever has thoughts about someone’s appearance in a negative way but come on, all the beautiful people do it. They make fun of fat people or people they deem as ugly, beneath them. Hell there are mean girls on social media that make a living out of tearing others down.
“Yeah all right. I am curious about your little social experiment. I’ll even pick you up, how about that,” he offered.
I lit up and bounced my head around. Jada hadn’t lost a lot of her baby weight as she’d expected so we went shopping yesterday for her to get a couple things in a larger size and me in a smaller one. I fit comfortably into a size ten dress and I couldn’t even believe it. Even in new jeans my ass was smoking hot.
I told Dante I didn’t even care how much weight I’d lost, I felt better than I had in years. I could even get on the floor to play with the baby and get up without nearly dying.
We were going to enter the maintenance phase of my workouts and I couldn’t believe I’d lost this much in just two months. I didn’t fully cut back on my diet though, that part I struggled with and well his diet plan was too scary.
No taste, no flavor? No thanks.
“It’s a date! I’ll text you my address, how about tomorrow at 7,” I said, wondering if he’d really sacrifice his Saturday night for me.
He gave me a fist bump and nodded. Holy crap, I had a real date with Dante. Sort of. I would tell everyone it was, since it was supposed to be.
I’d been cruising around a few dating websites lately, even did have a couple of dates. They were absolutely horrible and one I even snuck out of halfway through dinner. Here I was worried about whether guys would like me, it didn’t really occur to me that my standards had drastically changed.
I mean, I shagged Mr. Feisty himself … and he had sent me flowers for fuck’s sake.
I was walking back to the shop when my phone beeped. I glanced down at the screen to see a reminder, time for my yearly exam at the lady doctor. Monday morning, first thing. Just great, my favorite time of the year. Actually this was good timing in a way. I needed to get off the pill and onto some better type of birth control. Things were just too crazy and I had actually just hired myself an assistant because we’re so damn busy.
The free publicity we got from Feisty boosted our business to another level. Now in addition to staying mobbed, businesses were calling for baked goods and catering all the time. I was dealing with so much from vendors and keeping inventory straight that social media was getting left behind, and we couldn’t have that. I even ended up hiring an accountant to take over payroll since forgetting that could be realllllly bad.
My new assistant was a kid named Taylor, fresh out of college. He had amazing ideas and was just as much of an asshole as me when it came to our few haters. I went to the gay bar with him and had a blast last weekend. He was also trying to help me have some decent fashion sense, but I still could really care less. I liked what I liked, whether it was “in” or not.
We just clicked right away and he was very dependable. He ran anything major past me but in the last couple weeks I let him pretty much take the reins of all the online stuff. It was a pretty cush job and easy but just time consuming. We were also now selling merchandise, everything from t-shirts to aprons and even shipping some baked goods around the country. So Taylor handled all that stuff.
Cross Roads was now just about everything we’d dreamed it would be outside of becoming a chain … and life was just good.
The next day I got to the shop, excited as hell for my date tonight. The lunch rush was in full swing and when I strolled in a giant waft hit me like a ton of bricks, nearly knocking me over. It went right to my gut and my gut said, no … no thanks.
I quickly held my hand over my mouth as I ran, not even making it to the bathroom. I blew chunks all over the main dishwasher’s sink and suddenly everyone stopped.
“Oh girl are you okay, something you ate,” Nolan said, rubbing my back.
I threw my head back as I ran the water and cupped some in my hand.
“What the actual fuck is that stench,” I snapped, to anyone around.
“Oh uhm Jakob has a seafood trio for the special today,” Nolan said, handing me a towel.
Christ, is it bad? Did it go bad?
“Why does it smell so god awful, did it spoil,” I said, sipping some water and then spitting it out.
“I ate it, I’m fine. Smelled good to me,” Patrick said, shaking his head. Nolan backed him up, saying the same.
Oh god it’s just horrendous. There’s no way I can stay here and smell that shit. I got myself cleaned up and everyone went back to not noticing me like usual. I made my way back to my office where Taylor immediately began hitting me with questions.
“You look like shit. Oh god it’s not like a stomach bug or something,” he said, jumping back.
“I seriously think that fish is bad. Don’t you smell it,” I questioned.
“Jakob wasn’t too sure about the shrimp linguine so I tried that, was decent,” he said, shrugging.
“I was going to help at the counter but there’s no way. Trade me for a couple hours,” I begged, pathetically.
Taylor rarely liked to deal with the public the same as me, but I was keenly aware of his weakness. His crush, that he didn’t have a chance in hell at getting anywhere with but it was fun to tease him.
“Nolan working today,” he asked, his eyes going toward the door.
He liked to come in the back so he rarely had to see anything out front. I nodded and played with a loose strand of hair. He cleared his throat and tried to act cool.
“I could take some orders for a bit if it helps you out,” he said, brushing nothing off his shirt and wandering out.
I knew he liked his eye candy, but Nolan was straight as they came. Oh well, works for me.
RING RING RING RING
Without paying attention I grabbed the phone and leaned back in my chair. They transferred me all the business calls, and there were always a ton. People want us to sponsor their little league teams, donate to food banks, etc.
“Cross Roads,” I said, spraying some Febreeze to help with the fishy stench that wafted in when Taylor opened my door. I made a face.
“Juliet,” a voice said, not in a question but more as a statement.
“When I feel like it,” I blurted out, waving the mist of scent around. I was finally content that the foul mess had dissipated.
“It’s Jude, I’ve … tried to get a hold of you for a couple months now,” he said.
My eyes grew wide and I sat up, abruptly. My pussy followed suit, practically standing up straight with attention Just hearing him say my name … ohh fuck what was THIS feeling?
“Jude. Oh uhm, sorry I just thought it was for the best. The flowers were really beautiful though I should have at least thanked you so I’m sorry for that,” I said, not sure what else to say.
“Why couldn’t you just call and tell me to leave you alone? I mean I get that I should have gotten the hint but I just couldn’t. Look uhm, I’m going to be out that way next weekend, playing a show with Lukas for his solo tour. Can I see you,” he asked, hopeful.
See me. He wants … to see me. My body immediately fell forward and face planted onto my desk in a sea of unopened mail.
“Juliet? You still there,” he asked, when I didn’t answer.
I immediately sat back up, surely my face turned tomato red. Every hair on my body stood on edge, I was 99% sure my uterus was fluttering. My thighs were certainly shaking thinking about his inked hands on my body.
“I’m uhm, kinda seeing someone,” I said, then instantly smacked myself in the forehead.
I mean I do have a date in just a few hours … a fake date.
“Oh, well damn. Okay well, can you keep my number in case anything changes? I just really can’t stop thinking about our night together. It was … unlike anything I’ve ever felt. You were just so beautiful and responsive to me, I felt like there was more there. I guess maybe it’s one sided though,” he said, and he sounded disappointed.
I shot to my feet and began pacing. I was suddenly very hot, the room was too small.
Jude fucking Stone. On the phone, PINING FOR ME? Is that what’s happening here?
“Well I’m extremely flattered. It certainly was an incredible night but it was just that, one night. I wasn’t even supposed to be there, it was just uhm, I don’t know,” I said, exhaling hard and covering the phone. I don’t need him thinking I’m Stay Puft over here blowing out air like a fatty who just ran laps.
“Two people that the universe put together for a reason. I believe that. But I can’t … make you believe that I guess if your mind's made up,” he said, again sounding let down. Aww fuck.
My sharp tongue had a million things to say, a million things to point out as to why this was a bad idea. But I couldn’t insult him, I just couldn’t. He wanted me to come over into his dark room again, some secret rendezvous. Away from the cameras, away from anyone he knows. Like I thought before … fit to be in his bed, nowhere else. Just some vagina for the night.
My mind was not going to let him just use me for sex. Another X on his list. Maybe he had a list for girls he actually slept with more than once. I bit my lip and scolded myself. Who was I kidding?
USE ME!
My heart was on the fence but likely persuaded, my body … all fucking in. But I could hardly just change my tune on a dime and seem desperate.
“I’ll be at the same hotel and uhm, if you’d want to come to the show I could get you backstage just say the word. Corey said you missed the show last time. The whole band has kind of been teasing me about finding you, maybe I wanna prove them wrong. I’d love to be able to show you off, prove you’re that you’re real,” he said, and I could tell his mood shifted.
I fell back in my chair, completely and utterly speechless.
“I don’t know to say,” I nearly whispered, but also laughed a bit.
“Well the offer is there beautiful, I’d really love to see you. It may be wishful thinking but I’m doing a some shows in the south with him just as a guest. I could easily come back, we could actually get to know each other maybe, you could show me your town,” he said, definitely more upbeat.
Was this guy for real??
In just one short phone call he was completely flipping my insides out and my entire view of him. But the nagging part of my brain … also known as Jada just reminded me that nothing could really come of this long term. Just me getting my hopes up for nothing.
The memory of him definitely won out, and I asked him for his number and scribbled it on an envelope.
“Hope to hear from you Juliet, hope to see you, have a good weekend beautiful,” he said, and I mumbled something that sounded like, “you too.”
Just then the door flew open and Taylor stormed in, huffing.
“There’s my good pen! Can’t do a thing without it--” he stopped abruptly and looked at me as I dropped the phone.
Our eyes met and I gulped. Guilt was likely all over my face.
“It’s a man. Spill it,” he said, jumping onto my desk.
What's Juliet going to do? How can she resist!
~Juliet’s Point of View~“I feel like a whore,” I said, as Taylor finished my make-up. I looked down at this skimpy as hell dress and couldn’t believe it even fit me.“You need some whoring in your life,” he said, nodding.He wasn't wrong, so no arguments there. I spent my early years in a long term relationship and missed out on the whoring college experience. Not that I’m complaining, Marcus and I fucked like rabbits and it was great but Jude was literally only the sixth man I’d slept with and at 29 that seemed pathetic.“So the trainer huh,? You better not turn him down if the mood is right,” he said, slapping my bare knee.He went back to applying some eye shadow and I groaned. I told him it was a fake date but he insisted I make the most of it, do whatever I could to sneak in a kiss or some type of action.“Why would I try so hard to get something from someone who’s not interested when I can have a sure thing with the legend himself in just a short week’s time,” I said, making a c
~Juliet’s Point of View~After a lot of back and forth and trying to calm my vagina down, we settled on a cute little bistro with outside seating where we could people watch. Turns out Dante was damn good at reading people and actually crazy funny. By the end of the night I was practically mesmerized with his eyes, his smile and his laugh.While we had gotten some looks, especially from women, it wasn’t as bad as I thought. At one point some chick a few tables over was making eyes at my date so he leaned in and kissed my cheek in a very sensual way. If there was any doubt I was his date she was getting the message now.He never made me feel less than, he never made me feel awkward or like he didn’t want to be out with me. I actually ordered a full meal and ate most of it, not just picking at salad like most women around us were doing. My appetite had increased since I started working out but since I wasn't cutting out what I wanted I was working on portion sizes. Was I seriously in lo
~Jude’s Point of View~ I don’t know why the hell I let Trey talk me into the strip club, except that it’s Saturday night and I’ve never sat at home alone most nights, let alone on the weekend. Some girl that looked half my age was jiggling her very fake glitter covered tits in my face. She was pretty but not what I’d call beautiful. My cock couldn’t even be bothered, he didn’t stir a bit. I had to admit the inevitable, Juliet had ruined me. Seven amazing fucking hours was all I had with her, but it’s totally changed my life. There’s so much I want to say to her, but I need to do it in person. I need more from her, but how can I get it? She probably thinks I’m a womanizing asshole … and okay maybe I have been. People change, I’ve certainly changed many things about my life. But I’m not being a monk for fuck’s sake, if I don’t get laid soon I’m seriously going to blow. I stuffed a $100 bill in the stripper’s g-string and took a long pull of my beer, waving her off. “Dude, she’d t
~Juliet’s Point of View~ Am I really just sitting here and casually talking to Jude Stone on the phone in the middle of the night? Seems that way. He was actually really easy to talk to, and fuck how could I not want to hear that gruff and sexy voice? It just did things to me, and I found my hands roaming my body the entire conversation. I had to imagine he was doing the same. “I didn’t get in shape to please anyone else but I think being with you gave me the confidence to feel like dating again. I haven’t in so long I’m too busy with work. I felt … empowered with you and I do like being curvy and softer. I certainly don’t want to be a toothpick but I wanted to chase more of the confidence feeling that you planted I guess,” I said, completely blushing. He made some kind of low grunt and for a moment I thought he dropped the phone but he cleared his throat and acted like he was trying to recover. “How old are you? Am I allowed to ask,” he said, almost like he wasn’t sure I’d answer.
~Juliet’s Point of View~There’s nothing more official than an ultrasound picture, I thought as I stared at it. Right now it’s just a blurb, with a heartbeat.A heartbeat.I still just could not even wrap my head around the fact that there was a baby in my gut, I didn’t feel it, feel any different. But now that I did know, that I’d seen it … it was real. Really real.My mind told me I needed to immediately do a thousand things. Find my own place, make a nursery, start a college fund. Oh fucking hell, a college fund.To top it all off I was due to see Dante in a few hours and the idea of prancing around in front of him carrying another man’s baby was the biggest kick in the crotch I could imagine. My first reaction was to absolutely cancel but he’d take it personally, no matter what excuse I gave. He didn’t know I’d been with Jude, didn’t know anything about it. He knew I’d had a couple bad Tinder dates, I never elaborated if any of them ended in sex. But he’d take that personally too
~Jude’s Point of View~ Last night I texted Juliet to let her know I’d be at the hotel early, hours before rehearsal even. It was obvious I hoped to see her before the show, but I wasn’t sure how she’d feel. I could only put the ball in her court and wait as I’d already been doing all this time. I was getting so much shit from the band about her, if not for Corey vouching that she absolutely was beautiful and real they’d all think I’d made her up. I was so close to getting her back in my arms I just couldn’t stand it. She’d been a bit standoffish these last couple of days and it was all I could do to not take it personally. I really knew nothing about her day to day, her family. I wanted to, we just weren’t there yet. After laying around most of the afternoon I had a light early dinner in Slade’s room. Two of the tour security guards were with us, they were both in the army for many years and then went to work for Slade’s security business. Gavin and Otis, both stand up guys but no
~Juliet’s Point of View~ My mind raced with a million thoughts. Whatever the hell I thought Jude might say, it wasn’t that. His guilt was obvious, and he didn’t look away or seem malicious in how he dropped the big bomb. The bottom line is … my body is my responsibility, and I’ve never seen it as anything else. If men could take birth control they’d feel the same… in theory. I looked out the window and laughed. I finally turned and he was literally right there. “When you think about all the weird little things that had to happen for us to meet and for us to be standing here right now, it’s pretty fucking crazy. Your guys could have ordered food from anywhere. Jada could have delivered the food, not me. The baby could have been born a couple of hours later. You could have been in the bathroom or looking at your phone when I was walking down the hall. I could have gone into Corey’s room when he invited me in,” I said, making weird gestures with my hands. He growled … like audibly g
~Jude’s Point of View~ It had been years since I had a specific female standing backstage watching me. Someone here just for me, because of me. Someone who would be waiting to go home with me and that just switched me on more than I’d ever felt. Throw in the baby she was growing that would have my talent and her beauty, I couldn’t stand it. When I asked Lukas to change the line up and add a song he didn’t even question me. He was all for it. As the first set came to an end the band cleared off, but someone brought out two stools and the crowd went nuts. Lukas and I were going to wing it, but we used to do shit like this all the time, before our stupid A&R guy got in our faces about sticking to his program. We agreed that he could go fuck his program and were stoked to tell the guys. This was our music, our art and our story. We were going to tell it how we saw fit. “This is uhm, an oldie but a song that has a deep place in our hearts. I’m not really sure why we ever stopped playing