Her face seems to crumble as she grapples with the idea. “Eric, t-this doesn’t make sense… Why would you…”
Before I can stop, my hands brush her cheek. The touch sizzles and brings back memories of the past. God, how I wanted her.
I pull back. “I gave him extra hoping he’d forget about you. He swore he’d leave you alone.”
“Why would you pay so much?”
I lift my shoulders. “I have the money. You don’t.”
There’s a long silence. Her chest rises rapidly, and she chews her lips so hard I’m afraid they might bleed. “Did it put you in a bind?”
“My parents never check my accounts.” Hopefully.
“Not funny, but I went back today and paid for the rest of the month. No wonder he didn’t have someone waiting for me. Because of you.”
She pauses, her throat moving as she swallows. “I hate that you think . . . that you believe . . .” She dips her head. “I don’t do drugs, Eric. I hardly even drink these days.”
Oh.
Then . . .
“I-I don’t know what to say. I don’t want to discuss the reasons why I owed him, but thank you, and I’ll pay you back like I was with him.”
“You don’t have to worry—”
A wry smile appears as she cuts me off. “I do. I’m a proud person and that money is yours. I’ll return it bit by bit, just not as much as I was giving him, if that’s okay?”
“Sure. Anything.”
“Congratulations, you’re now a loan shark.”
“No interest needed on your loan.”
“I pawned my mom’s ring—the one you returned—to help cover the cost this month.”
Remorse hits. “I should have told you—”
“No, no, don’t worry, please. I can’t complain. I’m okay and it was bound to happen. I’ve been giving him so much that I’m behind on everything.”
She moves around in the small space between us and her scent washes over me. She smells like lemons and sugar. Citrusy. Fresh.
She gazes up at me, her eyes searching mine. “What you did was . . . crazy.”
It was.
A song blares as the door opens, and one of the girls appears and sticks her head out. She’s the brunette from earlier and she’s wearing what I think is a bird outfit. “You’re up, honey.” She glances at me and smiles. “Hiya, handsome. I’m Marcia.”
“Hi.”
She shakes the feathers attached to her bottom. “We’ve got a four girl peacock show coming next. You wanna watch?”
“They tossed me out,” I say dryly.
Julia rolls her eyes and tries to push her back inside. “Stop flirting with him.”
Marcia winks at me, then nudges her head at Julia. “She’s my favorite. Mess her up and I’ll come after you with my pitchfork.”
I huff out a laugh as she prisses away.
Julia looks back at me, a sheepish expression on her face. “Sorry. Stripping isn’t all bad. I’ve made friends with some sweet girls.”
“I see.” I don’t really. I’m sure Marcia is fine, but Julia needs to get out of this environment.
She gives me a long look, then takes my hand and laces our fingers together.
Tingles race up my arm.
My body flares to sexual awareness.
And I’m sucked back to prep school.
Us in class, the sound of her voice, her lips against mine in the drama room, the gym, the yearbook room. Her cream as I fingered her. Her small cries when she came.
That afternoon in the Aston Martin when we put the top down and drove out to the lake—that was the best.
I took her panties off with my teeth. I kissed every inch of her. I sucked her clit until she screamed my name.
I recall her breathy gasps, the desperate way she kissed me when I broke through her innocence.
Stop.
Helping her isn’t about the connection we once shared.
It’s about me wanting to help, maybe repent for dumping her afterwards.
“I don’t know what to say except thank you. A million times. It was brave and really stupid . . .” She tries to hide it, but I see a glimmer of wetness in her eyes.
“Julia?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m sorry for prep school. You were a virgin, and I should have known you’d get hurt. I didn’t want attachments. It wasn’t me, I mean, it was, but I was different then. I had issues. I still do, but . . .” I’m babbling.
She blinks rapidly. “Okay.”