The Exchange

Chapter 17- Midnight Masterchefs

It was quiet upstairs in the house, quiet downstairs too, and quiet on the winding roads outside. The night was dark and the sky was cloudy which covered the stars and golden moon, only allowing infrequent glimpses.

A gust of wind, rushed past Sasha and Julien's stumbling bodies as they trudged unsteadily towards the house. Julien had his arm wrapped around Sasha, drawing her close and sheltering her from the cold. Nuzzling into him further, her head light and fuzzy, Sasha quietly prayed that he couldn't feel how rapidly her heart was beating.

She hiccuped causing Julien to chuckle and envelop her tighter to his chest.

Earlier that evening at the pub, Julien had shown himself to be a generous drinker. They'd begun with simple rum concoctions before getting more adventurous and picking random cocktails from the drinks menu. The ridiculous names had made them fall about in fits of laughter; the sexy monkey, golden showers, screaming orgasm and of course the classic porn star martini. And now, like anyone would be, they were both incredibly drunk.

Although her intoxicated daze was making Sasha's head spin and the ground beneath her swirl, she couldn't remember a time she'd been happier. She was on cloud 9; safe and snug under Julien's arm with a blissful feeling flowing through her veins.

Arriving the front door, and this time successfully turning the key in the lock, the couple fell into the house. Attempting to suppress their giggles, Julien began to fumble blindly about for the light switch.

"Wait" Sasha whispered, tugging his shirt to gain his attention, "I don't want to wake anyone up. Let's go to the other room".

As they reached the kitchen Julien unhooked his arm from around Sasha's shoulders, and she felt the cool air surround her body with the absence of his touch. She looked down at the floor pouting her lips.

Julien came to a sudden halt, causing Sasha to walk straight into his broad back. Whisking around he caught her waist in his arms, pulling her frame towards him, before she could hurtle to the ground. She peered up at him still startled by the collision. It didn't help that the alcohol had removed any sense of balance.

Sasha's cheeks felt hot, and her mouth dry. The air around her had become heavily infused with Julien's sweet, honey smell. It was intoxicating.

Julien studied her face with amused eyes. The room was still dark around them, making the embrace even more intimate. Sasha stared back as her heart skipped a beat in her chest. This boy literally swept her off of her feet.

And there was that smile again. That Mona Lisa smile that she couldn't decode no matter how hard she tried. She parted her lips, exhaling gently, which instantly drew Julien's focus to them. Sasha's knees buckled as he brought a finger to her mouth, gently tracing the outline.

"Je pense toujours à toi" he murmured, his voice husky.

Mesmerized, Sasha's breathing became shallow. She could have died right then and there in his arms. Although she didn't understand what he'd said it sounded gruff and passionate and made her spine tingle.

'He's just drunk' Sasha told herself, already overthinking the situation, 'We're drunk and we won't be able to remember this tomorrow'.

Julien made no move, simply searched her face accompanied by his thumb stroking the pulse in her neck. The adrenaline flooding through her body was almost enough to make her feel sober again.

"Shall we turn the light on?" Sasha asked shakily, breaking the silence. Julien held her gaze a moment longer before releasing her from his grip.

The light flickered on as he flipped the switch, the brightness burning Sasha's eyes.