Love me 'Til it Hurts

Chapter 12 - Contemplating!

A Few Days Later...
Michelangelo Art Gallery...
Callum Downey...

For the past few days, I have had nothing but Jeremy's voice in my head.

"I think you should know that I am in love with your girlfriend. And as much as I can see you are a good guy, I do plan on making her mine," normally I am not the type of man who gets jealous, for me it is a useless emotion that absolutely no one benefits from, but there is something about Juliette that makes me feel like I am simply no longer in control of my own faculties.

I am also not a stupid man. I know that Jeremy and Juliette have a history together. I know that what is between them is strong, it sucks the damn air out of any room that they are in together. I would have to be utterly stupid not to see and feel that. If I were a better man; I would step aside. I would set her free to pursue what is very clearly still pulling at both Jeremy and my girl.

Yet the way he had come at me, the almost arrogant way he has just assumed that it was only a matter of time before she would succumb to him, it raised my hackles. It pissed me off. And I think that is the reason I am digging my feet in even though I know it is futile.

The moment that Jeremy walked back into her life - Juliette and I had a time limit. I am not even sure that she is fully aware of that fact. From the way she acts around me, the way she kisses me and touches me I would say she doesn't have a fucking clue. For as smart as she is, it is as if she is determined to be stubborn about this. I mean it isn't like I can't understand that fact - Jeremy had hurt her. I think that may be part of the reason that I am digging my heels in harder than I normally would too.

I really like Juliette and given normal circumstances, I truly believe that we could have had something mind blowing and life changing but as it stood, I knew that she was only ever meant to be mine for a short period of time. However, that didn't mean that what I felt for her should be trivialised in any shape or form. No, I know that there is a part of me that has been forever changed because of this woman and I do not want to see her get hurt all over again. You see, when she talks, I listen and from everything that she has ever said to me, she doesn't believe that she could survive Jeremy hurting her all over again and it is that knowledge that keeps her guarded around him. It is what keeps her at my side. For now. I like to think that she can sense that I would never do anything to hurt her. I would in fact cherish her if she were truly mine.

As it stood though - she wasn't mine. Not truly. Not the way I was hers. And a part of me is utterly devastated by that little fact.

Glancing up at her as she talked with Mrs. Carmichael about showcasing some of her art in this very gallery. Dressed in a black and grey pinstripe pencil skirt that hugged the true shape of her hourglass figure; a pinched waistline and full round hips filled out the skirt in a way that was more alluring than I know how to cope with, the zipper ran from the waistline of the skirt down to her mid-thigh, those impossibly high red soled stilettos added a subtle flash of colour that broke up the conventional outfit. A white shirt that was tucked into the high waistline of the skirt, drawing attention to her ample chest that was held in place - high and pert - by the red lace bra that peaked through the white of the shirt - it was a bold move, especially for what was essentially a job interview, but it was simply Juliette's style and she never censored herself for anyone. It was one of the things that I loved the most about her.

Did I just say love?

Fuck. I love her. Now what the Hell am I supposed to do with that?

Given what I know; it would be the smart move to walk away right? To save my heart anymore pain than what I know is already coming. Yet as my eyes trail up the sinful shape of her body, into the long iron straight silken curtain of white-blonde hair that framed in the most beautiful face I have ever seen - fully plump, cherry-red painted lips curled into the single most blinding smile I have ever witnessed. A small nose that sat perfectly on her completely flawless face. Black rimmed glasses sat on the bridge of her nose and high-lighted the depth of her midnight-blue eyes - you know the colour I meant the colour of twilight in the sky that isn't encumbered with stars or clouds. Beautifully shaped and perfectly maintained eye-brows completed her look of innocent appeal. I was so screwed.