The Future of Our Past (The Remembrance Trilogy) (18 page)

I felt the blood begin to pump around my body and my skin lit on fire.

He knew she was not here alone and she didn’t want his attention, yet he was hitting on her with no regard for any of it.

“Ellie, I need to go take care of Julia. I’m sorry,” I said softly. “Excuse me.”

Her gaze followed mine to the table. Julia’s annoyance when the man sat next to her was obvious. Her scowl increased when he scooted closer, her exasperation evident by the hand she ran through her hair. When I approached, a look of relief flooded her delicate features.

“Come on, little lady, loosen up. Maybe you need a real man.” He didn’t sound drunk but my palms began to sweat as I clenched my fists at my sides.

Julia stood up when I reached her and I wrapped my arm around her in time to hear her response.

“As you can see, I have one. But, thanks for the drink.” She tried to brush him off without needing my help, but I seriously wanted to punch him in the face. I smirked as his expression changed from eagerness to anger when her hand came up to rest on my stomach. He reached for her arm, trying to pry her from me.

Oh Fuck, no! He did not just touch her.

“I recommend that you remove your hands from her.
Immediately
.” My face tightened and my voice lowered so as not to make a scene, but it was more like a growl. I was more furious than I could ever remember feeling in my life.

Julia pushed him away and he stumbled back a little but soon regained his balance and came back toward her.

“Look, asshole,” she said, “I don’t want you to die, so listen to me very carefully. You don’t have one damn thing that I’m interested in. Ryan is being very calm right now but I suggest you leave us alone before you piss him off.”

“Ryan? Are you her fucking husband?” He looked at me pointedly. He was shorter than me, heavier and out of shape. I’d be able to lay him out without much effort if needed.

“Yes,” I answered without hesitation. Julia’s arm tightened around the back of my waist.

“Well, you’ve got great taste, man.” I relaxed a little when it seemed like he was going to back off. It was too much to hope for. “Too bad that she ain’t,” he continued and took a hold of her arm again. “Come for a dance, baby,”

Julia recoiled back from him again as I held her and the rage boiled up inside my chest. I’d had enough.

I growled fiercely and reached for the hand on her arm twisting his fingers backward until he winced.

“Listen, you sorry fuck. Take your hands off of her
now
or I swear to
God
, I’ll break every one of your fucking fingers. Now, I strongly suggest you move along if you
ever
plan on jerking off again. Got me?”

I waited for him to nod and then let go of his hand, flinging it away from me. He moved away clutching his hand and I wrapped both arms around Julia, glaring at him over her head. She giggled into my chest. I smiled with her when I saw him finally slink back to the bar.

“Dickhead! I swear, I can’t take you anywhere,” I laughed against the top of Julia’s head and rubbed her back with both hands.

“Oh, my God! That was hilarious…but sorta hot, too. I think I like this side of you.” She nuzzled my neck.

We sat back at the table and I lifted the drink Julia had ordered in salute to the asshole at the bar, before I downed it. “Thanks for the drink,” I said and hoped to hell he could read my lips. Julia was laughing so hard she had tears in her eyes.

“Holy shit,” she gasped for breath between fits of laughter.

I reached for Julia’s chair and scooted her closer so I could hold her hand and rest my arm across her lap under the table. Whenever she was near, I had to be touching her in some way.

Ellie was shaking her head and laughing with us. “Wow, Ryan! I think that guy just pissed his pants.”

The band was on a break, so Harris came over, shook my hand and leaned down to kiss Julia on the cheek.

Casually slinging an arm around Ellie’s waist, he spoke. “Remind me never to make you mad, Ryan. That was classic.”

“I had to save that poor schmuck from Julia. She was ready to kick his ass.” I smirked and she elbowed me in the ribs. “Hey,” I protested.

“Yeah. She’s badass, for sure,” Harris teased and Julia rolled her eyes.

“Have you figured out a way to accelerate your years at Harvard yet, Ryan? I figure if anyone can do it, it’s you.” His eyes followed my movements holding Julia and he raised an eyebrow at me.

Now that Julia and I were together, it would be even more important to me to finish as quickly as possible.

“Yeah, a little. I considered asking my dad to bribe the dean,” I joked, “but you can’t rush med school. It is what it is.”

“Have you decided yet what you want to specialize in?” Ellie interjected.

Julia was resting her head on my shoulder and held my hand under the table, reminding me how badly I wanted to get her home. It felt so natural being with her, like we’d always been together. No one ever belonged together as much as we did. It settled over me like warm honey. She belonged with me and I was wrecked for the rest of my life.
Gone.

Julia nudged me and brought me out of my reverie. “Ellie asked you a question, hon.”

“Um, either some sort of surgery or trauma.”

“Trauma? Ewww,” Ellie retorted. “Wouldn’t that be gross, Ryan? You mean people from accidents, right?”

“Anything that is an emergency, really, Ellie. Someone has to do it, right? Plus, I’d have a regular shift at a hospital and I wouldn’t be on-call all of the time, which might come in handy at some point.” I let my middle finger scratch the inside of Julia’s palm under the table and she squeezed my hand in response. “I don’t know for sure yet, though. I’m going to talk to my dad and try to get some time in ER before I make a decision.”

“What about Aaron? Has he decided, babe?” Julia questioned. “Seems to me that he’d pick something like that, too.”

“He’s more interested in Internal Medicine and wants a regular practice. I think he’s planning on popping the question soon.” Julia’s eyes widened. “Don’t say anything to Jen, you guys. Aaron will have my ass if she finds out before he gets around to it.”

I leaned into Harris so I could speak in a low tone. “Thanks for letting Ellie stay with you, man. I really appreciate the time alone with Julia.”

Harris looked at me knowingly and nodded slyly. “Yeah. Did you finally seal that deal, dude? Seeing the two of you, I’d say that you two are definitely on another level now.”

“Yes, and it feels great. It’s been a long time coming.”

“Congratulations.” He patted me on the back before the girls’ chattering together interrupted us.

We chatted with them until Harris’ break ended. Julia spoke to Ellie while I finished my drink and waited impatiently for a sign that I could take her home as soon as possible.

I watched my girl approach and my hands settled on her hips as she stopped between my legs. Her arms slid around my neck and I pulled her in tight.

“Take me to bed,” she whispered suggestively in my ear before her mouth trailed along my cheek to my mouth and we kissed passionately. I sucked her lower lip into my mouth and tasted her like she was the sweetest ambrosia.
Wine and sweetness. So, so good.

I lifted my mouth from hers reluctantly, but was anxious to be behind closed doors with her.

“Jesus, you taste amazing. Let’s get out of here.”

Julia nodded. “Yeah.”

I wrapped my arm around her waist and led her toward the coat check to get our coats before we could leave. We passed the man who’d accosted her and he turned his back to us.
Thank God
. I just wanted to get out of there and avoid another confrontation with the loser.

We didn’t speak on the walk through the parking lot or on the drive back to her apartment. With my hand in hers and her head on my shoulder, the air was charged with anticipation and silent communication that we were both anxious to be alone together, to have our mouths and bodies meshing for hours on end.

The minute we pushed through the door of her apartment, I threw the keys on the entryway table, pulled her to me and latched on to her mouth, pushing her clothing aside in heated fury.

We were frantic. The closeness of the evening, the sexiness of holding and touching her for hours, all the while wanting to take her down and have her had driven me to the breaking point. The sexual tension was finally more than I could bear.

I lifted her up and her legs wrapped around my waist as I pressed her back against the closed door. My pelvis pushed into hers and her heat made my breath hitch. My erection throbbed, aching for friction, my need for her vibrated through my entire body. Feeling her desire, made my blood sing. The little mewling sounds she made in her throat excited me even more, my dick so full and hard it was almost painful.

I’ll never get enough of this woman.

My heart was pounding, all the while kissing her over and over again, devouring, and sucking her tongue into my mouth. Her hands clasped in my hair as one of mine clasped around her breast and I kneaded the perfect mound, feeling her hardened nipple press into my palm through the thin fabric of her shirt. I wanted it off, no barriers between us, her skin on mine. She was moaning in need of her own and it drove me to distraction.

“Julia, God…You’re so hot. The sounds you make drive me insane. You’re mine. Always mine.”

Her hands groped at the front of my shirt, but our mouths kept returning to each other again and again, distracting her from the task.

“Uhhhhh…Ryan…I want to feel you.”

“Fucking rip it off of me if you want. I don’t care.” I pressed into her, establishing the rhythm that we both needed as I held her against the door. She moaned into my mouth before the buttons on my white shirt went flying, the fabric giving way as she pulled the shirt open over my chest and her warm hands splayed out on my skin.

I lifted her off the door and carried her toward the bedroom, one of my hands twisting in her hair and pulling her head to one side so I could bury my mouth in the curve of her neck as my tongue traced a trail up her neck to her ear. “How did I live without touching you like this? I must have been insane.”

“Ryan…I want you…now…” It was music to my ears, reinforced by the pounding of her pulse beneath my lips, and how she writhed against me. The smell of her skin and perfume was intoxicating, making conscious thought almost impossible.

I lowered her to the bed and followed her down, my hands finally free to lift the white shirt from her body. I slid my hands underneath and pushed it upwards over her ribs. She sat up slightly and raised her arms, allowing me to remove it completely before leaning back, watching me as I slowly worked the snap and zipper of her jeans before sliding them down her shapely legs.

How many times had I dreamed of doing this very thing after a night out with her?

My chest constricted at the look in her eyes. They were darker, to the point of being black, and her hair was in disarray against the pillows. The site before me was my undoing. Julia lay still as I gazed upon her perfect form, clad now only in white lace bra and matching string bikini panties. Her skin was so creamy and translucent, her hips and breasts softly swelling in perfect proportion, her legs long, her gorgeous face full of longing. I struggled to breathe and my heart pounded so fast I felt it would fly from me.

“You’re gorgeous. I could spend hours just looking at you.”

“You’re the beautiful one…” she breathed and reached for me. “But I need more than just looking, Ryan. Touch me.” Her arms ran up my chest as I leaned over her and she pushed my shirt off of my shoulders, kneading my flesh and scratching her nails down my arms. I felt my body start shaking and I quickly stood up to shed the rest of my clothes. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her face as she watched me, her eyes falling to my erection, so rigid and ready for her. The want in her eyes was the sexiest thing I’d ever seen.

I moved to sit on the bed and pulled her into a sitting position, pushing the straps of her bra down, kissing the flesh on her shoulders, finishing the job by unhooking the back and throwing the beautiful lingerie aside.

I cupped her cheek and kissed her mouth lightly, pressing a series of kisses all over her face and she moaned, her tongue coming out to graze mine, pulling me in. I gave in to both of us and kissed her deeply, pressing her back on the bed and following her down. Her hands skimmed down my body and closed around my length, making me gasp.

“Julia…” I breathed against her mouth. “I’ve never wanted anyone so much in my life.”

“I’m yours, Ryan.” She closed her eyes and kissed me passionately as her hands excited me beyond imagination. It was all I could do not to push her down and plunge into her. My hands traced down her body and she shivered, arching her back and causing her mouth to pull slightly from mine. “All yours,” she whispered again.

My hands pushed the delicate lace panties down her legs before sliding back up to touch her in her most private place. Her moist heat welcomed my fingers. I wanted her so damn much it caused my mouth to go dry, but sex was still new to her and I didn’t want to move too fast.