Only Us (Justin Fields)

|43| The Heart Muscle

Jillian

With classes about to start I wanted to get back into a routine. And one thing about me is when I hone in on a skill I like to periodically do that so I don't lose it. This summer I picked up piano and guess who has an electric piano now? Last semester I took that nutrition and cooking class and I wanted to continue working on those skills.

Justin also wanted to continue learning about food and cooking and baking. Or maybe he wanted an excuse to come bother me, that's my theory anyways. So after his practice he showers and skips over to my place. He lets himself in and right to the kitchen.

"Hello Lilly" he smiles like a little kid.

"Hi Justin. How was your day" I wonder.

"Long" he sighs. "Lots of film, lots of practice. Then more film and more practice. My brain hurts" he pouts.

"Well you can rest that big brain of yours. I have dinner in the oven and I'm working on dessert now" I insist.

"Oooh what's that" he says walking to the side of the island I was on.

"It's going to be vegan brownies" I explain.

"I wanna try" he claims about to stick his hand into the bowl.

"Don't you dare" I warn. It was just cocoa powder right now, I can't imagine it would be any good.

But before I can get another word out Justin's hand dives right into the bowl. I try to pull it out before he made contact but he had the quickest hands I've seen on a person. With my hand on his wrist trying to hold it back he leans over to lick the food off his finger.

Not even a second later he is spitting it out all over my floor coughing every so often. "Oh Justin" I laugh as he uses his free hand to try and claw the food out of his mouth.

"Nasty nasty NASTY" he pouts and I just roll my eyes.

"That's what you get" I tease as playfully hit his shoulder.

I let go of his wrist in defeat before getting him some ice water. As soon as I hand it to him he drinks nearly the whole thing.

"Are you good now" I ask.

"Never let me do that again" he warns before going back to his water.

"What" I gasp. "What am I going to do to stop you" I question. Because I already tried, obviously it didn't work.

"Honestly with you, it wouldn't take much" he claims.

"What does that mean" I raise my eyebrow.

"You almost got me when you grabbed me earlier. If you had my other wrist too I probably would've given in" he claims.

"Oh" I smirk.

"No! Do not look at me like that" he accuses.

"Like what" I ask innocently as I move in closer to him.

"You're a mean mean woman you know that" he asks backing up. I corner him against the counter and he finally stops.

"I'm not going to do anything to you" I assure him. "It's just funny to see you all flustered."

"I'm not flustered" he tries. But that look on his face let me know he was lying.

"Mhmm" I smile before backing away.

I turn to go finish the food but before I make it back to the island I feel a pair of hands around my waist. Suddenly I was moving backwards and being lifted off the ground. The scent of woodsy shower gel fills my nose instantly calming me. I try to hide the laughter but it pours right out of me.

"Justin put me down" I giggle.

"You must pay for your transgressions" he claims.

"I did nothing wrong" I defend.

"I beg to differ" he argues.

Finally I give up fighting and go limp in his arms. This threw him off a little and he nearly drops me. But before I hit the floor he stops me. After a second he softly rests me on the ground as he hovers over me. I turn over to smile up at him, he has a look on his face I wasn't familiar with. His eyes soft, narrow. But his stare still intense. I could see every muscle in his arms as they hold him up. A hand on either side of my head. I wanted to look away but I couldn't. He caught me and he wasn't gong to let me go.

"Just-" I start but stop when I realized this moment was not one of words. So instead I use my hand, I reach up a rest it on his chest. I could feel his heart pounding, like it was trying to get out. I've never been like this with someone before, but I can't imagine his heart beating like this is normally.

I could feel his muscles too, how defined they were. I imagine they would be with what he eats and how he works out. But I didn't know this is what they felt like.

"I like your heartbeat" I say softly as he smiles. He just shakes his head before letting off a scoff.

"What does that even mean" he asks.

"It's strong. Like you. Your heart is a muscle too you know? There isn't much you can do to strengthen it. Can't work it out, eat proteins and make it harder. But the strength of a heart is measured by how it beats. And yours is strong" I explain.

My fingers spread across his chest as his heart rate slows. Still pounding pretty hard, but at a lower pace. He frees one of his hand to remove a stray curl from my face.

"You do get me flustered" he confesses as my eyes go big. "But I like it. Not a lot makes me nervous but sometimes you make me feel like I'm going insane."

"I can't imagine that being a good thing" I insist.

"But it is. Because you make me feel this way, only you. And it makes me feel like I can fly. I swear it" he claims.

"There is no way I can make you feel like that" I try. Me? Make him happy? I'm not sold.

My hand moves from his chest to his neck. From his neck to his face. I feel how warm his cheeks were and he just smiles.

"You are everything I love about this life" he claims.

And with that I quickly let go of his face. I scoot back before sitting up so I don't hit his head. I'm sure I looked like I just saw a ghost but I feel like I have to be dead and in heaven to hear words like that.

"I didn't mean to startle you" he insists as he too sits up.

"It's-it's okay. I just wasn't expecting that" I confess.

"I'm sorry for saying that so unexpectedly. But I'm not sorry for what I said, I meant it" he claims.

"I know, that's what's so scary" I whisper.

He stands up before reaching out his hand. Without hesitation I place my hand in his. "Should we finish the brownies" he asks like nothing even happened.

"Yeah" I nod.

Like I can focus on anything right now.