Home is Not a Place

Four Cups of Coffee - To Go

Rachel and Julien stumbled together into his beautiful penthouse apartment locked in a passionate kiss after another excellent afternoon date. The food was simply divine, as was the wine which left her slightly buzzed and extremely turned on. Julien always treated her to the best culinary experiences in the best spots in the city - and she had to admit the sex that usually followed was pretty great too.

They undressed each other on their way to his bedroom and fell together onto his bed, Rachel sandwiched between his amazing body and the lushest sheets her bare skin had ever touched. It didn't take very long either for his skillful moves to push her over the edge for the first time that day, and she loudly made that fact known to him.

His home was pretty much a haven for her like that, where she could let loose and not worry about the rest of the world for a few hours, responsibilities and troubles be damned. Ever since her arrival in Paris, she had mostly only been able to foster the mom version of herself - or the professional, during business hours. Now, she was finally getting the chance to reconnect with the woman Rachel, and it was a kind of freedom she hadn't realized she missed that badly.

Julien repositioned himself above her and whispered sweet nothings in her ear, in French nonetheless, which aroused Rachel even more. Soon enough she was writhing beneath him again, another powerful wave of pleasure crashing over her. After he found his own release, he collapsed next to her and mumbled a few words she couldn't quite understand but didn't bother to ask.

Both took their time to regain their breaths while staring at the ceiling. A few silent minutes later, Julien turned his stubbled face to look at her and she did the same.

"You are so beautiful." He whispered and she smiled. "I'll be right back."

He placed a quick kiss on her temple and left the bedroom.

Rachel watched him go and after he disappeared in the corridor, she let her eyes wander around the rest of the room. White walls, white linen, antique furniture, and few but carefully curated décor pieces. Exactly the type of thing she knew she could never have - or at least not anytime soon - because Emma's little sticky hands were always dropping things and leaving stains everywhere.

She involuntarily chuckled at the thought. This didn't make her crave what she couldn't really have, no. It just made her miss her little girl, so she looked around the room for her cellphone to see if there were any messages from Morgan about her.

"Emma is asking if she can have hummus for dinner - you're all out. All good here, just woke up from her nap." Said a message from fifteen minutes ago.

Rachel smiled and began to dress herself. By the time Julien came back, still au naturel and holding two glasses of port, she was already fully dressed and ready to leave.

"You're not staying for dessert?" He asked and she didn't catch any hint of true disappointment in his tone. It was really just a question.

"I want to spend the rest of the day with Emma." She explained simply.

"Oh, OK."

He didn't press her, he never did. Both always seemed pretty content with this arrangement - great meal over some uncomplicated conversation followed by fantastic sex, then parting ways so each could do their thing and spend the night in their own beds. For the past month or so, however, as the novelty of it all began to fade, Rachel started waiting for that longing sensation to come, the day she would not want to leave. When she would want to come over and see him even if just to talk, or simply be around each other in perfect silence.

But this day never came.

Yes, this was all a lot of fun. And on her 30th birthday, Rachel had decided she wouldn't settle for just that anymore.