Bent Page 7

  The vibration of Micah's cell phone interrupted the answer Julia was about to give him. After the short call, he grabbed her hand and raced to the truck. He explained that the call was from Joel. They spent some extra time at the campsite this morning and they hit a deer about twenty miles south of town. Joel wanted Micah to pick up the three boys and their gear while he waited on the tow truck. Julia offered to call Annie for a ride home. Micah told her it wasn't necessary but he understood if she didn't want to go with. He was relieved when she said she'd go with if it's what he wanted.

  The truck roared to life once Micah got outside of town. He tried to maintain his cool with Julia sitting next to him. Inside, he was fighting an anxiety attack because this was the first time something happened with Caleb when he wasn't there. From what Joel told him, the car was totaled. Micah reminded himself that Joel said no one was hurt and Caleb would roll his eyes if he knew Micah was freaking out about the situation.

  Julia reached across the console and placed her hand on Micah's thigh. "Hey, no point getting us killed on the way there." Her words were critical but her voice soft. He eased off the accelerator and nodded in agreement. That small gesture made him relax. She was still the one person who could calm him with nothing more than a touch.

  "By the way..." Julia stopped, but Micah could tell this time it was to make sure he was hearing what she was going to say rather than to avoid saying something she wasn't ready to say.

  He glanced at her, not wanting to take his eyes off the road. "Yeah?"

  "No, I don't regret yesterday. But we do need to get my car running again."

  Micah's laugh was throaty, "Come on, is that really what your big 'but ...' was about at lunch?"

  Julia gasped, "Watch it with the big butt comments." She had managed to do what she did best so much of the time. She had taken Micah's mind out of the dark recesses of worry and made him laugh. Then, her face turned serious, "No, that wasn't what that was about. I'm just a little scared that we're falling into old habits too fast. There's a lot we haven't worked through. If we're honest, we don't know each other anymore."

  "I know what I need to know for now," he stated with total surety. "We'll work the rest out later." He pulled her hand to his mouth and softly kissed her knuckles. "And in case I don't say it later, it means a lot to me that you're here with me now."

  Julia sighed, "There's nowhere else I'd rather be."

  When they got to where Joel Bryant told Micah they'd hit the deer, Julia gasped. It was an understatement to say the car was totaled. The buck hit the front quarter panel on the driver's side and hit again near the back window as Joel drove under it. It was amazing to know that no one was cut when the back windows shattered.

  "Hey, they're fine," Micah reassured her. He laughed at the notion that she was upset over the accident when she'd never met anyone involved and the group was sitting on the other side of the ditch playing cards as if it was the normal place to congregate on a Sunday afternoon.

  "I know, but that's not good," she said, unsure of what she should do next. She followed Micah to the group and Joel excused himself to take a call.

  Micah rattled off all of the boys names and playfully kicked the sleeping bags they were using as chairs. "Come on guys, get everything into the truck." He turned to Julia, "I swear, they look goofy and smell a little, but they won't bite."

  Caleb and his friends transferred all of the camping gear into the bed of Caleb's truck and immediately started bickering about who was going to sit where.

  "It's my dad's truck. I'm not riding bitch," Caleb blurted without thinking. His head immediately whipped to see if Micah heard his declaration. The look on Micah's face told him he was busted and they would be talking about it later. "Sorry, Dad."

  "Just get in the truck." He rolled his eyes at how much his son was changing. Micah tried not to be hard on him, remembering what it was like to be a twelve year old boy, but there were lines he wouldn't allow his son to cross.

  Julia laughed, "Like father, like son?"

  "Yeah, something like that," Micah chuckled. It was surreal having Caleb and Julia here together. He liked that she seemed comfortable with the situation.

  Julia leaned against the tailgate of the truck while Micah checked in with Joel one last time before leaving. As the men stood on the shoulder of the road talking, she noticed Joel glancing over Micah's shoulder at her. When Micah saw where his friend's attention was focused, he waved Julia over to join them.

  "Julia, this is Joel Bryant. Joel, this is Julia Sanders." She saw Micah flinch after he said her last name, "Sorry, I guess it's Wilson now."

  Joel laughed at the awkward moment in front of him, "Wilson Sanders, huh? I think Julia's a much more suitable name than Wilson."

  "Well, I figured that if I'm going to make a name for myself, might as well make it one that will stick out," Julia shrugged, thankful that Joel was able to pull them out of an uncomfortable moment. "Julia Wilson, formerly Sanders. Nice to meet you."

  "Same. Hope the next time will be better circumstances." Joel looked back at his Mazda and shook his head, "Well, why don't you get those boys back to town before they start eating one another. Amy's insisting that you're coming over for dinner tonight for doing this, just so you're ready for her when you get to the house."

  Micah nodded, "Sounds good, man. No fights here."

  Julia saw Joel's eyes flitting from her to Micah and back as if he was trying to figure out what their relationship was. "Hey, Julia, I'm sure she'd love to meet you too. It's not often Micah has a woman around to keep him in line," he laughed, punching Micah in the shoulder. "Sorry man, I mean it's up to you of course, but we'd love to get to know her."

  Joel's invitation created a bit of an awkward moment. She expected Micah to jump in and correct his assumption that they were a couple but he let it slide. She could understand not saying anything to their group of friends since it would only lead to a hard time about how they should be back together, but why not correct someone who didn't know their history?

  There was no point in trying to carry on a conversation as Micah drove back to Brooklyn. The boys in the backseat were recapping everything they'd done on their overnight trip. From the number of stories they had to share, Julia would have thought they were camping for a week instead of one night. The good thing was that all of the boys were so caught up in telling Micah about the trip that she was invisible. She closed the eyes and listened to the banter.

  Amy Bryant was waiting in the driveway when Micah turned into the newest subdivision in town. The boys barely acknowledged her existence before running into the two-story monstrosity of a house, undoubtedly to get back to the comforts of modern technology.

  Julia felt like she was under a microscope as Amy looked her up and down, forming her first impression of the woman Micah had chosen to spend time with. She was getting sick of the feeling that everyone was trying to decide if she was good enough for Micah. She'd been more than enough for him at one point and she wasn't the one who screwed that up. Of course, if Julia couldn't stand up for herself to say those words to her friends, she knew she'd never say them to the perfectly put-together woman standing in front of her. Julia figured she had to be quite the sight in torn jeans, old t-shirt and paint-splattered Keds.

  "So, Micah, did Joel extend an invitation for dinner?" Everything about Amy Bryant was a little too polished. She seemed like she would be more at home living in Brentwood, Tennessee than Brooklyn, and that was a stretch. Julia had some very good friends from Brentwood who didn't seem to be nearly as pretentious as she found Amy in their first meeting. How did a woman like that wind up married to someone as pleasant as Joel?

  Micah nodded, "He invited Julia to join us too," he responded, pulling Julia close to his side. It was obvious he wanted there to be no mistake that Julia held some significance in his life. What that was was the big question.

  Amy tried, and failed, to hide the astonished look that swept over her face, "Of course...it's ni
ce to meet you, Julia." The woman's handshake was limp. Julia reminded herself to be kind to Micah's friends and stopped her eyes when she felt them rolling into the back of her head.

  Calling every ounce of city charm she'd adopted while she and Josh had moved around the country, Julia smiled smugly, "Likewise."

  The trio chatted as they unloaded the truck and Amy told Micah that dinner would be served at six before offering to let Caleb stay at their house so Micah could catch up on the work he'd been hoping to finish for the weekend. Micah thanked her as he hopped into the truck.

  Julia closed her eyes while Micah drove her home. Three days ago, she was on the Interstate, driving through Illinois, wondering how she was going to get used to having no one to answer to and no one to come home to. Since she drove through town on Thursday night, the hours leading to Friday morning were the only hours she'd spent alone.

  "You know I'm not going to get the rest of the porch replaced today, right?" he asked as they pulled into the driveway. "The tenant at this place is a real witch about me starting work early in the morning, so I was behind from the moment I started."

  Julia's chest heaved with a restrained laugh, "I'll talk to her about it."

  Since there was no way to pull up the floor of the porch and replace it before they had to leave for dinner, Julia helped Micah clear space in the garage for the cut lumber and his tools. Once everything was organized, they stood in the driveway while both tried to figure out what was next. When neither of them spoke, Julia reached for Micah's hand and led him into the house. There was no game plan, no expectations.

  The air around them crackled with anticipation as they silently walked to the living room. She sat on the couch and invited him to sit next to her. Micah removed his boots and pulled her from her seat. Once he was laying on the couch, he pulled Julia to him and she sank in-between him and the back of the couch. They fell asleep in each other's arms, legs intertwined.

  Some time later, she felt Micah stir beneath her. Without hesitation, she brushed his jaw with her lips. A low groan fell from Micah's mouth as she trailed kisses from the edge of his goatee to the tender hollow below his ear. She pulled her head back to take in the serene look on his face as he laid with his eyes closed.

  Micah sighed again, pulling Julia onto his chest as he shifted to his back. The full body contact sent shockwaves straight to Julia's core. It had been years since such simple movements caused this type of reaction within her. She brushed the hair from Micah's face and continued to deliver feather-light kisses across his forehead, then one to the tip of his nose. Her breath caught when she saw the longing in Micah's eyes.

  The moment she brought her lips to his, the passion exploded. He gently bit her lower lip before sliding the tip of his tongue to meet hers. When she didn't resist, he allowed his tongue to explore more, tenderly sweeping around hers before he felt her gently sucking his tongue deeper into her mouth.

  Micah's calloused hands reached under Julia's shirt, caressing her sides. Her back arched as she felt his thumbs slide over the top of her cotton bra.

  "You're going to have to tell me when it's too much," Micah groaned through staggered breaths. "I've waited so long to touch you again, I won't be the one to say no."

  As he placed gentle kisses at the corners of her mouth, Julia whispered, "I'm not saying no either."

  She tugged at the hem of his t-shirt needing to feel his bare skin against hers. Micah shifted their bodies so he could sit up without breaking their embrace. Before leaning back on the couch, he slid his hands up her back to unclasp her bra. Julia leaned back as he slid the straps from her shoulders allowing him to take in the sight of her swollen breasts.

  Micah kissed and nipped his way down Julia's neck to her chest until he slowly took one taut nipple into his mouth. She moaned as his tongue teased his way around the sensitive tip. Her panties were drenched in anticipation. There would be time for taking it slow later. Right now, she needed him.

  Julia hurriedly worked on the stud on Micah's jeans, "Do you still carry one... in your... wallet?" she whispered between deep kisses. Micah nodded in confirmation and Julia reached under him.

  Micah sat on the couch with Julia straddled across his lap. "Baby, not here..." she swallowed hard at his words.

  "I swear, I'll kill you if you stop now," Julia warned. She was past the point of no return.

  Pulling away from her, Micah pointed to the front of the house. "No... curtains..." he said as he pulled Julia from the couch as he stood. With her legs wrapped around his waist, Micah carried Julia to her bed.

  By the time they reached Julia's queen size sleigh bed, clothes were flying across the room. Micah stepped out of his jeans and navy cotton boxers. Julia held her breath as she took in the full sight before her eyes. He was everything she remembered and so much more. Gently, he slid her loose-fitting jeans down her hips and allowed them to pool on the floor with his own.

  "Are you sure this is okay?" There was a hint of fear swirling with the raw passion in his eyes.

  Julia nodded almost imperceptibly as she drew him to her. The frenzied pace from the couch was replaced by tender moments savoring every kiss and caress. When Micah eased himself inside her, they both shuddered at the sensation. For a moment, they were completely still, absorbing the depth of what they were feeling. Julia arched her hips, coaxing Micah to make love to her. "I need you," she whispered.

  "I've always needed you," Micah responded as he brought his mouth to her neck. Their bodies swayed gently into one another, neither willing to rush the time they had together.

  She moaned softly against his mouth as he rocked into her until she felt the world shattering around her. Moments later, Micah thrust deep into her core and followed her over the edge. He braced himself above her, shaking from the explosive climax. Twice, he started to say something and twice he stopped himself.

  Micah rolled off Julia and pulled her against his chest, "Was this the day you had planned?" He pulled the hair away from her neck and placed a single kiss on her earlobe.

  Chapter Seven

  The first half of the week fell into an easy routine. Without Micah banging around the front of the house, Julia was able to sleep until nine or later, enjoy coffee on the porch swing while she checked her email and shuffle into her home office around ten. By mid-afternoon, all of her work for clients was complete and she grew restless in the quiet house.

  Luckily, Tom at the diner was typically sitting in the office playing solitaire after the lunch rush and welcomed her company. The first two days she visited with Tom, she noticed Caleb sitting in a corner booth when she left the office. When he was there again on Wednesday, she turned and knocked on the hollow door. "Hey, got a second?"

  "Yeah, what's up?" Tom didn't look up from the computer screen.

  She hesitated, knowing she was breaking one of Tom's cardinal rules by asking him about someone else's life. "I don't get it." Julia shifted her weight from one foot to the other. "Does Caleb come here after school every day?"

  Tom folded his glasses and set them on the desk. He waved for Julia to take a seat. She did because even though she was now a grown woman, she knew that when he told you to sit, you sat. "Why the sudden interest in the boy?"

  Why was she so interested? It was a good question, one she didn't have the answer to. A big part of it was that she felt they were tied by the bond of having crappy moms, but would that be enough if he wasn't Micah's son? "It just seems strange that he's here every day after school. Why doesn't he just go home?"

  Tom pinched the bridge of his nose like he did when he didn't want to get into a conversation. She couldn't blame him since she had no right to pry. "He got into some trouble over the summer. He worked off what he owed me, but then he asked if he could keep coming in. Personally, I think he doesn't like being stuck out on the farm with Mrs. Turner." He put his glasses back on and turned back to the computer. The conversation was over. "Oh, and Julia, please be careful."

  Julia pulled the
keys out of her patchwork hobo bag and started for the door. She detoured towards the corner booth where Caleb was engrossed in the latest book in the Hunger Games series. He flashed a half-smile in Julia's direction and then went back to reading.

  She couldn't imagine anything that would make sitting in a stuffy diner more appealing than relaxing at home. Against her better judgment, Julia approached the table. "Hey, I was thinking about calling your dad and inviting the two of you over for dinner tonight."

  The boy's eyes narrowed as he closed the book in front of him. "Why?"

  There was a bitterness in his voice that threw Julia off for a minute. It was a good question, why was she inviting them to dinner at her place? When she and Micah talked Sunday night, they'd decided to slow things down a bit. He didn't want to rush into anything that could hurt Caleb and Micah wanted her to know she could trust him again. So why was she once again throwing caution to the wind, this time by inviting his impressionable, perceptive son to come home with her? "I figured it has to suck sitting around here waiting for him to get off work and, unless things have changed since we were all kids, your dad sucks in the kitchen."

  She knew that Micah wasn't bad in the kitchen, he simply lacked in the creativity department. There were plenty of nights after her mom left when Micah came to make dinner for Adam when their dad was working late. Maybe this was a sort of payback. He had taken care of her brother, now she was going to take care of his son.

  "He's not that bad," he said defensively. In front of her eyes, it seemed the boy who she figured for a misunderstood sweetheart was turning into a moody tween.

  "So, are we going or not?" Julia asked pointing to the door.

  "Sure, whatever."

  Caleb packed his books and they walked to Julia's car. The unlikely pair stopped by the grocery store to pick up the ingredients for lasagna. When she had realized she had nothing in the house that would feed more than just herself, Julia had offered to make whatever Caleb wanted. Before her mom had flaked out on them, Julia remembered how much she liked the nights she got to plan the dinner menu. She wanted to give that to Caleb now. With everything they needed for the lasagna, garlic bread, a salad and dessert packed into the car, they headed home.