They woke up early and kissed each other good morning. They had not shifted from their position, and she loved waking up in his arms, feeling his warm breath on her bare skin and their hearts beating almost in sync.
He watched her get off him and the sofa and seeing her naked in front of him, made him want to make love to her again. She took his hand and helped him up, then led him up the flight of stairs, into the master bedroom and then into the bathroom.
With the hot water streaming over their bodies, he stood, his hands on the tiled sides of the shower, holding himself steadily as she knelt before him, pleasuring him like he had pleasured her the night before. Knowing he wouldn't be able to hold out much longer, he pulled her up, placed her hands on the shower wall and took her from behind, his body fitting in against her every curve perfectly. It was as if their bodies had been molded for one another.
When they headed for the bedroom, he noticed the picture frame on her nightstand as she dressed.
She noticed. "It was taken in South Carolina a year before the attacks."
Standing next to her was a teenager with the same traits as her.
"That's my brother Jeremy," she said joining Conrad in front of the picture frame.
"Where is he now?"
"Virginia."
Before he could add anything, she headed for the door. "I'm hungry, let's have breakfast."
He nodded, dressed, and then headed downstairs.
He kissed her neck as she prepared them omelets.
"How about we call in sick?" he said his hands on her hips.
"Mmm. Sounds very tempting, but I've got two surgeries today and you have patients."
He grimaced. "And I'm pulling a double shift which means I won't be able to see you tonight."
She turned and gave him an amused smile. "Well then, I guess we'll have to make up for lost time as soon as we can. In the meantime, I'll let you use your vivid imagination to keep you from getting impatient."
"My imagination?" He smirked. "You have no idea what wonderful things my imagination wants to do to you right now!"
"I can be very patient. You know what they say, 'good things come to those who wait'."
"I'll make it worth your while."
She planted a tantalizing kiss on his lips before taking the skillet with the omelets and placing them on the plates.
"Who do you have surgery with?" he asked finishing a mouthful of eggs.
"One with Randolph and the other with Al."
Without meaning to, his facial expression changed, and she noticed.
"It's work and I think I was pretty clear last night where I stand with Al and with you."
He immediately regretted not having been the master of his face. She was right, there was nothing going on between her and Al and he had no right to put her in that position, where she needed to justify things. She had surrendered herself entirely to him the night before, not to Al.
"You're right, I'm sorry. It's just that I know how Al can be and he's not one to give up easily."
"You let me worry about Al."
He nodded, he indeed preferred thinking about her. Yet he knew one way to keep Al away and that was to let him know that they had slept together, but maybe coming out in the open that early on wasn't the best of things. He didn't know how she envisioned things to unfold between them. He knew what he wanted, he only hoped that it was the same for her.
"I'd offer to drive you, but I think it's best if we keep our distances at work for a while," he said protectively as he finished his orange juice and stood.
She stood as well and placed the dirty dishes in the dishwasher.
"It'll be hard, but I think you're right."
He headed for the living room and put his leather jacket on then met up with her near the door.
He took her in his arms and kissed her. "Maybe I'll whisk you away in a supply closet when you least expect it."
She laughed and he broke their embrace. She watched as he opened the door, walked over to his car, and drove off.
Still with the door open, she grabbed her things and locked the door behind her before getting in her car and driving off.
By noon she had assisted Randolph on his liver cancer patient surgery and hadn't seen Conrad. She walked out of the scrub room after Randolph and stopped outside in the corridor, leaning against the wall. She found herself longing to see him and feel his touch on her. As she was no longer focusing on the surgery, she let her mind stray to their amazing lovemaking from the night before and let herself get lost in her thoughts.
Al stopped walking as he noticed her. She had a smile on her face and seemed elsewhere. He contemplated her. She was beautiful and he would have given anything to go back to the night they had met, change the course of time and his unforgiveable action that had led to their separation. He had been with other women since her but none of them had ever come close.
He walked over to her, curious as to what brought on her current mood. "Hey Jules."
She snapped out of her daze and looked at him. "Hey Al."
"You seem happy today."
She cocked her head to the side. "Why? I don't look happy the other days?" she said jokingly.
"No, you do, but I don't know today it seems a bit different."
She shrugged dismissing his comment. "Well, nothing's changed."
He said nothing and looked at his watch.
"It's almost noon and our surgery is not for another hour, you want to grab a bite to eat?"
What she wanted was to find Conrad but to keep Al's suspicion, that something about her was different, under wraps she nodded.
"Good idea."
He smiled and they headed for the elevator and waited for it to reach their floor. When the elevator opened, her heart skipped a beat as her eyes landed on Conrad standing inside it next to Devon.
Both she and Al greeted them casually and took place inside. As Al let her enter first, she strategically placed herself next to Conrad. Al posted himself to her right.
The smell of her honey body wash, emanating from him, filled her nostrils and she enjoyed what it brought back to her mind. As the elevator rode down, the conversation was minimal between the four of them. Just before reaching the lobby, she felt Conrad's fingers graze hers, sending butterflies flittering in her stomach. Neither one of them removed their eyes from the elevator door and when it opened, he very naturally brought his hand back to his side. It was subtle and discreet but more than meaningful.
They let her exit first and Devon and Conrad walked slowly behind her and Al.
"So? What did you do last night?" Devon asked Conrad.
Conrad removed his eyes from Julia's curves, that he had been watching as she walked. Curves he knew he would never get tired of watching or touching.
"I watched a soccer game, then went to bed. You?"
"Irving dragged me to the bar, and we sang a few songs before heading home."
Conrad laughed as he took a platter off the pile. "It's always dangerous when you get dragged by Irving."
"True," replied Devon as they moved forward picking out their lunches. "Yet, I believe he didn't go home alone."
"Really?"
"I think there's something going on between him and Jessica."
"Good for them, I think they'd make a cute couple," said Conrad as he took a tuna sandwich.
Devon took an egg salad sandwich and placed it on the platter. "What about you? When are you putting an end to your celibacy and chastity?"
Upon hearing Devon's question, Julia who stood a few people ahead in the beeline, lifted and turned her head in their direction curiously.
"When I find the right one."
Devon laughed. "I'm not asking you to get married, but at least, you know, have a good time and fool around."
"The only person I want to have a good time with or fool around with is someone who will be worth it and special."
Pretending to reach out for a bottle of water he turned his head and noticed that Julia was looking at him. He smiled at her, and she quickly broke the eye contact upon hearing Al call to her from the cash register. She met up with him, paid for her lunch and followed him to a table near the window.
As they ate, they talked about the patient and upcoming surgery, then about Al's vacation time that was coming up.
"Where are you going?" she asked as she swallowed the last bite of her tuna sandwich.
"Dominican Republic for ten days. I booked a beautiful Oceanfront villa at a 5-star resort."
"Nice life," she said jokingly.
He laughed then got serious. "Come with me."
It wasn't so much his statement that had gotten her attention but more the way Conrad's face, sitting at the table behind them, jerked up and eyes narrowed.
Seeing she wasn't responding; Al started his argument to win her over. "Come on Jules, imagine 10 days of sun, private beach, amazing food and all the activities you can possibly imagine."
"I can't get away for that long and you know it. I still have a lot to do to get the criteria met to put in Chastain's application to become a level three trauma hospital."
He was about to protest when she gave him an apologetic look.
"Besides, you and I both know it's a bad idea."
"I don't think it's a bad idea. I've changed Jules, I'm not the same man I was back then."
She gave him a soft smile. "I don't doubt that you've changed Al, but sometimes the cracks run too deep, and you can't fix them."
He sighed. If only he could prove to her that he regretted what he had done. If only she would give him a second chance, he would show her how much he loved her and wanted her back in his life.
Her beeper went off and she lifted it from her pocket.
"I need to go see a patient. I'll meet you in the scrub room."
He nodded and leaned back in his chair miserably. She stood, picked up her platter, and headed for the trolley.
She stepped out of the elevator on the 4th floor and headed toward the patient ward when her hand was delicately grasped, and she was pulled inside the on-call room.
Conrad shut the door behind them and locked it out of precaution. He playfully pinned her against the wall and kissed her passionately.
He placed his forehead against hers and looked intensely in her eyes. "I've been waiting all morning to do that."
She smiled and caressed the back of his neck. "Me too."
His fingers caressed her cheek, and she closed her eyes.
"I have to go see a patient."
He pulled back and shook his head.
"I'm the patient," he said.
"Oh, you're my patient."
He put a grin on his face. "I love technology."
She laughed. "You don't say."
He pulled his scrub shirt over his head, and she bit her lower lip as she stared at his muscular chest.
"I have a surgery."
He looked at his watch. "In thirty minutes. That leaves me twenty minutes to make love to you."
At first, she seemed to hesitate but when she took off her scrub shirt, all doubt dissipated from his mind. They kissed and continued to undress as they headed for the cot.
She stared through the window of the scrub room as she washed her hands, arms, and elbows. Even if she was there physically, her thoughts were still in the on-call room with Conrad. Their lovemaking had been intense and trying to contain their vocalizations had been exciting.
Al placed himself at the sink next to hers and started to open the package containing the nail brush/scrub sponge and nail pick.
"How is your patient?"
"Better. He was a bit agitated, but I managed to calm him down."
If she could have, she would have laughed at her disguised comment, but she couldn't without Al questioning her. When she was done scrubbing, she headed for the OR and waited for him to join her on a thyroidectomy.
When the day was over, she passed through the ER to get to the parking lot. Conrad and Irving were busy with a patient, much to her disappointment. She passed in front of the nurse's station and wished everyone a good night.
Upon hearing her voice, Conrad looked over. "Goodnight Julia," he said before returning his attention to the patient.