A Lily Among Thorns

𝙲𝙷𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝚃𝙷𝚁𝙴𝙴

✞ J U L I A N W E S T B R O O K ✞

Julian looks at his watch before ringing the doorbell. After a moment, the door opens slowly and Julian puts on a smile for the woman in front of him. She doesn't reciprocate. "I promised you I'd make it," he says anyway.

"Yeah..." The woman glances inside her home before looking back at Julian. "Nearly three in the morning, but you're here."

Julian's smile drops seeing the damage he's caused. He always thought she was gorgeous, especially now with a bare face and sandy brown tresses flowing down her back, and to see her stern-faced, and even a little disappointed, makes him realize just how deep their relationship had gotten in such a short period of time.

He lifts the greasy bag in his hand. "Can I explain over some food?"

"The best you could do was McDonald's?"

He shrugs. "It was the only place open this late."

She opens her door wider and Julian walks in. "Plus, I got you nuggets, so don't be too mad at me, Demi," he says. He watches her grin despite her rolling her eyes and his smile reappears.

They go to her kitchen and Julian places their food out. He can feel Demi's eyes on him, longing to question him. She sits in the chair across from him and after a quiet moment of eating, she finally asks, "So what's the reason for standing me up tonight, Julian?"

His ears tune in to the sweet sound of her saying his name. He didn't know what, but something about her voice lit a tempting fire within him.

He looks at her. "I had to be a good Samaritan."

"Oh, really?" she challenges. He nods. "Did you have to pull a woman out of a burning house?"

"Close. I had to pull her out of a running car."

Demi raises an eyebrow and runs her eyes up and down Julian. "Are you lying?"

He turns his attention back to his food. "I don't lie," he says seriously.

"You sure? Because this was only our third date. I don't wanna make you feel like you're stuck with me. If you're not into me, that's fine, it's not a big deal," she shrugs.

Julian shakes his head. "Nah, I like you. I just didn't think to call cus everything happened so quickly. The girl ended up getting airlifted and everything. It wouldn't have felt right to leave her." He pauses, looking up from his burger. "And, uh, sorry for making you a third wheel with Nyomi and Treyvon."

Demi's lips spread into a sarcastic smile. "Yeah, it was very awkward, thanks."

Julian grins. "Was it really? Usually it's pretty lowkey with those two."

She rolls her eyes and shakes her head. "Let me tell you something." She gets closer and Julian finds himself desiring her more than ever. His eyes move down her body and he glances down at her cleavage in her low-cut shirt, trying to move past them, before her voice calls him back to her eyes.

"Julian."

His blood feels like fire as it rushes through him. "Yes?"

"I'm pretty sure they went off to go have sex in the bathroom at one point."

The intense desire recedes in an instant and Demi laughs loudly. "I'm kidding! Why did you make that face?!" she asks through her laughter.

With space increasing between the two, Julian regains his senses. He chuckles softly and looks everywhere but at Demi to prevent any further temptation. "I-I made that face because that's my sister, I don't wanna picture that. But I'd be lying if I said I'm surprised," he says.