Hi everyone,
This will be my last post of 2020 because I won't be able to post a chapter next week.
I wanted to wish you all Happy Holidays and please take care of yourselves and your loved ones.
See you all in 2021 :D
Chap.8 – Magnum
Magnum was starting to worry about Juliet. She had gone upstairs to take a bath almost an hour ago and she still hadn't come back down. Dinner had been ready for 30 minutes, but he didn't want to eat without her.
Besides, she had been so upset earlier that he had a bad feeling about her being alone in the bathroom. He went upstairs and knocked softly on the bathroom door.
He waited for an answer, but it never came. He knocked harder, calling her name but still, he got nothing but silence.
Finally, he decided to go inside, worried about her after their fight and the fact that she had been crying.
What he saw in front of him twisted his heart. She had fallen asleep in the bath, her head lolled to the side against the white porcelain of the tub.
Almost all of the bubbles had dissolved and he diverted his eyes from her naked body, concentrating instead on the slack features of her face that was relaxed in slumber.
He kneeled next to the tub and brushed away a few curls that had escaped the tiny bun she tied behind her head. He could still see the wet tracks her tears had left behind on her cheeks and his heart broke at the thought that he was responsible for her emotional turmoil.
She couldn't stay in the tub or she would catch a cold. He dipped his fingers into the water and it was cold indeed. He needed to wake her up but was slightly scared about how she would react when she found him bending over her while she was naked in the tub.
His personal preoccupations were not important as her wellbeing, so he went to retrieve his bathrobe, which was far more convenient for her to slip on than just a towel, and kneeled next to the tub again.
« Wake up, Baby, » he spoke softly as he stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers.
He watched as her eyelids fluttered as if they weighed a ton. He smiled affectionately so as not to frighten her.
"Let's get you to bed, shall we?"
She nodded as her eyes closed again.
"You're gonna have to help me here, Love," he chuckled.
She took a deep breath as she gathered all the courage needed to stand up, and with the help of Magnum, she stepped on the rug next to the tub. She wrapped her arms around her chest, maybe in modesty or to keep the last of her warmth, before he placed his hands at her hips to turn her around until she had her back to him.
Her eyes were still closed and she swayed slightly on her feet so Magnum put his bathrobe on her shoulders quickly.
"You can slip your arms in the sleeves." he told her and she obeyed him.
She leaned back limply against him as he circled her waist to tie the knot of his bathrobe on her belly. He brushed a kiss on the side of her neck before bending his knees and wrapping his arms around her back and knees so he could carry her to bed.
She buried her cold nose into his neck while he closed the distance between the bathroom and their bed before he deposited her gently on the soft mattress. He covered her with the sheet so she would warm up and stay cozy before pressing his lips gently on her cheek. She had already fallen back asleep as he heard her deep breaths.
He didn't want to leave her yet, which was quite irrational since she was out cold, but he sat in one of the armchairs at the foot of the bed and watched her sleep under the small glow casted by the bedside table lamp.
She looked so peaceful now, a far cry from the anguished state she was in not a couple of hours ago.
So much happened today; he didn't even know where to begin.
Maybe he could start with how the day began, with Juliet almost fully on top of him and trailing her fingers all over his chest. He could really get used to waking up that way. It felt so good to touch her and be touched by her without the pretense of their cover.
If his phone hadn't rung they probably would have gone all the way. She seemed so responsive to his touch and judging by the sounds she made, she must have wanted him too, right?
He knew he wanted her, but that wasn't new to him.
However, what had happened today created a whole new array of feelings inside of him; something deep that tugged at his heart as he laid his eyes on her, something he had only felt once before.
She said she hated him.
How could she hate him when he loved her so much?
Even though he knew she had said it because she needed to push him away after what she went through all day, it still hurt. He hoped he would never hear those words coming out of her ever again.
He now knew how scared she must have been when she heard those gunshots. He would have felt the same if the roles had been reversed. He acted like a jackass, not taking her worries into account before they went into that warehouse. They were partners. They were supposed to have each other's backs just like she had his when she went inside in spite of her hesitation.
He had a lot of amends to do to make up for his behavior at the warehouse and hoped he managed to make her feel better when they came home.
He couldn't hold his smile back as he watched her; she was so beautiful with her delicate features. He knew he couldn't do it because she needed the rest, but he wanted to wake her up so she could talk to him with her sexy accent, especially in that gravelly voice she had when she was still half asleep.
All of his senses craved her: he longed to lie next to her and look at her, smell her scent, hear her soft breaths, feel her warmth seep into his skin, and taste her sweet skin.
He wanted her in every way, as his lover, his best friend, and his wife. But how do you tell your wife you're in love with her?
He knew she wasn't feeling the same way as he did so he would give her space and not hover, hoping someday she might. He got up from his seat, went to the nightstand and turned off the light before going downstairs.
When he woke up the next day, he was lying on the couch and Juliet was stroking his arm gently.
« Hey, » she greeted him softly. « Why did you sleep here? »
He sat up and she handed him a steaming cup of fragrant coffee.
« Thanks, » he said as he wrapped his fingers around the hot mug. « I didn't know if you wanted me to sleep next to you after what happened last night. »
She sighed as she sat next to him, so close that their legs were touching, and he noticed she was still wearing his bathrobe, meaning she was probably not wearing anything underneath. He gulped a sip of strong coffee, trying to find anything to distract him from that thought.
« It's still your bed, Magnum. You're allowed to sleep in it. »
« I also needed some time and space to think about some things. »
« Like what? » She asked him.
"I'm sorry for going inside that warehouse without taking your reservations into account. I didn't mean to scare you."
"I know you didn't. I just have to accept the fact that we're doing a dangerous job and it will always be risky."
"I promise you I'll be more careful and less reckless from now on."
They sipped their beverages in silence until she leaned her head on his shoulder.
"Thanks for last night."
He pressed a kiss against her hair.
« Anytime, Love. »
They kept staring in front of them while drinking their coffee, not really sure how to go on from there.
XXXXX
Thomas sipped his beer straight from the bottle before putting it back on the table when his eyes zeroed in on Juliet, who was all the way across the bar ordering her cocktail. They were spending the evening at La Mariana with their friends since they hadn't seen them in a while.
It was as if she sensed his gaze on her because she lifted her head and met his eyes. A smile stretched his lips on their own accord and she responded with an affectionate one of her own. His heart beat wildly in his chest and he took a few seconds to let his gaze travel down her body and to the gorgeous dress wrapped around it. It was light pink and if someone asked him about his favorite color, he never wanted to hear about Tiger Blue again; not when this tight, shimmery fabric was enhancing her curves so well.
A month had gone by since their morning groping session and the fight about him being reckless; a month since he discovered his true feeling for the amazing woman that was his wife. Things were still quite awkward between them and he could tell she was holding herself back, always shying away from him unless they were in public. That didn't stop them from waking up tangled up in each other every morning; they just didn't have a repeat of that wonderful morning that he kept thinking about. The bartender caught her attention with her drink which broke their eye connection when she retrieved it.
He turned towards TC and Jin on his right when the sound of their conversation finally registered to his ears. They both gave him a knowing look when he tried to participate but had no idea what they were talking about.
Maybe he hadn't been that subtle about staring at Higgins.
"What?" He asked them.
"You don't get your fill of Higgins at home? That's disgusting to throw your lusty looks at the bar for everyone to see, you know," Jin huffed.
Thomas chuckled.
"Are you jealous, Jin? What happened to the last supermodel?"
"She had a photoshoot on the mainland," he mumbled before taking a sip of his beer.
Magnum played along since it suited him just fine that Jin believed in his and Higgins' marriage. The less people who knew, the better. Even though the Asian man had known about the whole marriage for a visa plan since the beginning, that didn't mean he had to know everything was fake.
"Oh, that's too bad. Maybe she'll be back soon."
His gaze went back to the bar to see where Juliet was since she still hadn't come back to their table. What caught his eye made him do a double take; the bartender was leaning on the bar so much that Magnum thought he would climb over it in order to talk to his wife.
She was smiling politely while she answered the man but her body language showed him that she wasn't really on board with the flirting that the bartender was clearly engaged in.
Thomas turned back to his friends, knowing Juliet would never flirt back with that sleazy bartender. He was met with TC's understanding look and Jin's smirk.
"What?" He asked for the second time of the night.
"Nothing, I guess I'm not the only one who's jealous after all," Jin teased him.
Thomas scoffed.
"I'm not jealous! Nothing's going on over there. They're just talking."
"Yeah, right. It always starts like that you know, just a 'talk'," Jin said, air-quoting the word "talk".
"Don't start projecting your own issues on my marriage please," he told Jin, but he couldn't stop himself from throwing another look towards the bar where the situation was essentially the same as before.
Jin must have sensed the slightest doubt settling in his brain because he slid next to Magnum and started throwing oil on the warm embers that were beginning to heat up his temper.
"Well, Higgins is a very independent woman. You know that as soon as her visa issue is resolved, you'll be kicked to the curb."
Jin's sickly sweet voice in his ear made Magnum's blood boil, probably because it was hitting right at home and addressing his deepest fear: Juliet not needing him anymore and finding another man that she could fall in love with.
« Oh, you thought that whatever has been happening between you two in that guesthouse was going to turn into a real marriage? That's real cute, Magnum, » Jin laughed.
"Don't listen to him, TM. You know he's just trying to get a rise out of you."
TC tried to reassure him but it wasn't working, he was already thinking about the worst-case scenarios.
"Maybe she's already on the look-out," Jin continued.
Thomas knew Higgins wasn't doing anything wrong right now but something in her behavior towards him suddenly clicked with Jin's words which worried him even more. Ever since they made a step closer to maybe become more, physically and emotionally, she had been slowly pulling away from him. He felt like she was the sand he was desperately trying to keep inside his closed fist and was helpless as he watched grains of sands escape between his fingers. One day, he would wake up and his hand would be empty while she went to live a life without him.
He felt so foolish, believing she might fall in love with him if he gave her enough space and time. How could he be enough for her? She was so smart and sophisticated while he was a man-child who couldn't take anything seriously.
The hurt inside in his chest morphed into anger.
How dare she mock the feelings he had for her? After everything that had transpired between them a month ago, all the touching, yelling, and the hugging. He wasn't immune to all of it.
He was acting like a good soldier for her. He hadn't flirted with a single woman, trying to keep up the charade of this prank marriage and here she was, flaunting her pick up methods in front of him. It was taking quite a toll on him, this forced celibacy. He hadn't jerked off this much since he had been a teenager.
He wanted to go stand between them and make her finally notice him, make her see he was right there, waiting for her to open her eyes.
His jittery legs kept bouncing up and down under the table, as if they had a mind of their own and couldn't stand to stay still as they wanted to rush towards her.
"Don't do it, Thomas," TC warned him but he was too deep inside his head and his own false ideas to hear him.
He couldn't take it anymore and rose quickly to march towards her and lover boy up at the bar. He had no idea what he was going to do once he got up there, but he sure couldn't let this scene go on. He needed to prevent the sand from leaving his fist completely because he couldn't live without it anymore. She noticed Magnum approaching and turned to him with a smile, but it soon vanished when she saw his determined expression.
He didn't think, he just acted.
He grabbed the back of her head and wrapped his other arm around her waist to prevent her from leaving before he pressed his mouth firmly against hers. She gasped in surprise at the force he used to kiss her, and he took advantage of that to slip his tongue into her mouth. He still wasn't sure if he would get slapped for what he was doing, no need to add that to the charges against him.
He dreaded that moment in his head, but he finally let her go and when their eyes met he knew he was in big trouble. She apologized quickly to the bartender for their hurried departure, grabbed his hand, and dragged him all the way across the room towards the exit leading to the patio.
On their way, they walked by their table and Thomas saw TC shake his head in dismay and Jin smirk while sliding his index finger across his throat to show him he was a dead man. A wave of anger traveled his whole body, anger he felt at Higgins for treating him like a child on the verge of being scolded, at that imp for leading him on, and at himself for listening to his bullshit. He didn't resist the urge to lift his middle finger at the Asian man, showing him all the resentment he felt towards him.
As soon as they stepped outside, Juliet released his hand and turned to him, fuming.
"What the hell is wrong with you?"
"What? We're not supposed to pack up on the PDA in public?" He asked in a smug tone, unsure about that tactic when she seemed this pissed off.
"We certainly never mentioned anything about forced PDA, Magnum! You're lucky I didn't slap you right there!"
He sighed and deflated because she was right; he had forced himself on her and the thought made his stomach clench uncomfortably. His hurt feelings weren't an excuse to disregard her consent and kiss her against her will.
"I'm sorry, Higgy. I guess I let Jin get into my head and it made me act like a caveman."
"I thought you knew better than to listen to Jin, but it doesn't change the fact that just because I'm wearing this…" She lifted her hand to show him her rings, " That doesn't mean that I belong to you. You have no claim over me."
She seemed a bit less angry but he could tell she was still annoyed. Her words certainly didn't assuage his earlier doubts about her willingness to divorce him as soon as she could.
"I apologize again. Will you forgive me?" He asked anyways.
He knew she held all the power here and it was difficult for him to accept it but he guessed his love for her had made him weak.
She took a deep breath.
"I'm going home for the night. Give me an hour to cool down before you come home, and maybe we can talk in the morning."
He nodded. It would also allow him to get over this wave of anger before they talked about tonight's events.
"Can you give me the keys please? I'm sure one of your buddies can drive you home later."
He slid his hand in his pants pocket and fished out the Ferrari's key before handing them to her.
"I'll probably be asleep when you come home, so I'll talk to you tomorrow."
And with that she was gone.
He went back inside to throw a punch to Jin's face, but unfortunately TC prevented him from doing so.
When he got home, he quietly took off his clothes in the walk-in closet before stepping into the bedroom. He could see her sleeping form in their bed and he slid onto the mattress next to her, careful not to wake her up.
She turned on her side to face him and he discovered she wasn't asleep.
"Sorry if I woke you up," he whispered.
"I wasn't sleeping," she told him in the same soft tone.
"Do you want to talk now?" He asked her as he rolled on his side too so they could face each other.
He hoped the darkness around them would help them be honest with each other without fearing judgement from the other.
"We might as well," she sighed. "We wouldn't want our resentment to grow bigger than it is, would we?"
"I guess not."
"I'm not mad at what you did, Magnum. Not really at least, so you can let go of the kicked puppy expression."
"Well, you may not blame me, but I blame myself. I was way out of line. I swear I've never reacted that way before. It was like my brain stopped functioning and I acted on pure impulse when I saw you flirting with that guy. I just saw red."
"I was not flirting with him! I was just being polite and making conversation. I didn't know you were the jealous type."
"I'm not, usually. But the thought of you getting close to another man while I can't say anything about it is bothering me," he admitted.
"I'm not getting close to anybody Magnum."
"That, I'm aware of," he said bitterly.
"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked indignantly.
He sat up in bed, feeling like they were getting in the midst of their most important unspoken issue. He was tired of being the one with all the feelings towards her while she always kept him at an arm's length. If she didn't feel anything towards him he would rather know now than hope for her to reciprocate his love in vain. He might feel bad about what he did at the bar, but that didn't mean his feelings were invalid.
« You know what I mean, Juliet. We can put our heads in the sand all we want but we've actually grown a lot closer lately and we can continue to get even closer if you stopped fighting it. »
« You're delusional, Magnum. There's nothing between us; except maybe a physical attraction that is exacerbated by sexual frustration on your part. »
He scoffed, she was truly doing everything she could to downplay what had happened between them.
« The sexual tension, that you claim is only felt by me, led us to grope each other like lustful teenagers the other day. And you seemed pretty on board with what was happening. You know very well that we would have continued if it weren't for my phone interrupting us. »
"What happened that morning was a mistake and it will never happen again," she said adamantly.
Magnum got up from the bed, fed up about circling around what they felt for each other, before he turned towards her.
"I think you're just a coward who is scared of facing your own feelings. Maybe it's time for you to be honest with me; and yourself," he accused her harshly.
With that, he left the bedroom and went to sleep downstairs, not feeling like being near her right now.