His Summer Fixation

Chapter Two

Julian must’ve heard the click of the sliding doors, because the moment I stepped foot into the backyard he tilted his head in my direction, his eyes dancing with mischief. The playful smirk on his face was yet another indication that he was totally aware of his actions.

I stood there uncertainly, mulling over my options. Julian knew that I had been sitting there previously, and I ventured that he wanted to see how I’d react. I could ask him to find another seat elsewhere, but that would imply that I owned the chair next to Gemma’s, which I didn’t.

There was also the option of simply telling him to fuck off, but I wondered if that was how Julian wanted me to react. Then I found myself wondering why I even cared so much about Julian’s expectations. I didn’t even know the guy.

If there was one thing I did know about Julian, it was that he was really, really, attractive. But that really didn’t excuse the fact that he was possibly a dick.

It was Gemma who took matters into her own hands before I could get the better of my social anxiety.

“Julian, you’re sitting in Annie’s seat. Move.”

Julian continued to watch me, a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

“You’ll have to haul me out if you want this chair back,” he challenged, extending one long arm towards me.

I rolled my eyes and grabbed his hand, highly aware of the warmth that surged through my arm. I gave a half-hearted tug; to nobody’s surprise, Julian didn’t budge.

I released my hold, fully expecting Julian to do the same. Instead, his grip remained firm, resistant.

“You know what? I’ll just go and sit on Gemma’s lap.”

“It’s all yours, Annie,” Gemma responded in mock seduction.

“Come on, Park,” Daniel insisted from the seat across. “Don’t you have to lift serious stuff at your job?”

Out of jest, I grasped Julian’s hand again and tugged with all my might, channeling all my weight into my feet. Without warning, Julian stood up—and I lost my footing. I’m pretty sure I would’ve gone sailing backwards if Julian hadn’t grabbed my shoulders. Instead, I snapped forward like an elastic band, my vision temporarily disoriented.

“Drunk in Love” blared through the speakers; how the hell did this shit happen rapped Beyonce, and I wondered the same thing.

Julian’s face was close to mine as he gazed down at me, his blue eyes full of mirth. “Are you okay?” He asked, his tone a combination of playfulness and concern.

“You did that on purpose,” I accused. He didn’t refute that.

“I’m sorry,” he said, his tone light.

I said nothing as I bypassed him for the empty seat.

“I think we all underestimated your size, Annie,” Gemma commented, a playful look on her pretty face.

“Looks like we know who’ll be carrying me upstairs when I decide to pass out tonight,” Daniel jokingly remarked. “Even better, you can carry him home if he passes out.” Daniel was referring to Julian.

I tilted my head up to glare at Julian, ready for a biting remark, but he wasn’t where I had ditched him. When I turned to look at Gemma, there he was, crouching in the space between her seat and mine’s. The sudden closeness between us threw me off guard, and I blinked in surprise, my verbal comeback lost.

“You’re not getting this seat back,” I responded. Julian chuckled.

“I think you’ve more than earned your right to this lounger,” he said, smiling gently. “Just say that you forgive me.”