Part 29 ( Juliet )

Mia and I stroll past rows of designer displays, the scent of expensive leather and overpriced perfume lingering in the air. She's rambling about some event she got invited to, something about networking and God-awful cocktails, but I barely register half of it.

My mind is elsewhere.

On last night. On this morning.

On her.

I exhale, adjusting my sunglasses as we pass a store I'd usually stop in. I don't. I just keep walking.

Mia notices. Of course, she notices.

She slows her pace slightly, side-eyeing me. "Alright, what's up? You're quiet. I don't like it."

I don't respond immediately. I could brush it off, change the subject, keep this to myself. But for some reason, I don't want to.

So I say it. Plain and simple.

"I slept with Ellie."

Mia stops walking.

Dead in her tracks.

I don't, though. I keep moving, slowly, waiting for her to catch up.

She does, practically jogging to fall into step with me again. "I'm sorry, what?"

I glance at her. "You heard me."

Mia stares at me like I just told her the sky turned green. "You—you slept with her?"

"Yes."

"Yesterday?"

"Yes."

Mia blinks rapidly, like she needs a second to process. Then she shakes her head. "No way. No way, you—wait—" She gasps dramatically, grabbing my arm. "What about bella?"

She broke up with Bella."

Mia stops again.

Dead.

"What?" she says, voice quieter this time.

I glance at her, nodding. "She broke up with her. Today."

Mia shakes her head, like she doesn't believe me. "No way."

I exhale. "Way."

She blinks. "Like—for real?"

"Yes, Mia. For real."

Mia stares at me, mouth slightly open, then lets out a long breath. "Holy shit."

I nod.

She shakes her head again. "Holy shit."

I huff a quiet laugh. "Are you going to say anything else, or—"

Mia grabs my wrist again, pulling me to the side, away from the passing crowd. "Juliet." She looks me dead in the eye. "Do you understand what this means?"

I purse my lips, tilting my head slightly. "Enlighten me."

Mia scoffs. "It means you might—possibly—have a shot at whatever the hell this is again."

I exhale slowly, glancing away for a moment.

Mia watches me, her gaze searching. Then, softer, "You want that, don't you?"

I shoot her a look, but my silence is answer enough.

Mia's jaw drops. "Oh my God."

I sigh.

"Oh my God," she repeats, practically vibrating. "You had mind-blowing, life-ruining sex with Ellie, and then she broke up with bella? How good was that sex?"

I press my lips together, adjusting the strap of my purse on my shoulder.

Mia makes a strangled noise. "Juliet."

I say, voice sharper. "It happened. That's all."

Mia makes a face. "Yeah, sure. Just sex. Nothing more." She smirks. "That's why you've been all moody and broody since you picked me up?"

I exhale, willing myself to stay patient. "That's not—"

"Oh my God, you liked it," she gasps, cutting me off, eyes widening.

I shoot her another glare.

Mia grins, squeezing my arm. "No, no, wait—this is incredible. Miss I-Don't-Do-Feelings, actually enjoyed sleeping with her ex."

I roll my shoulders, forcing my expression neutral. "Are you done?"

"No," Mia says immediately. "Because I need you to say it. Say it, Juliet. Say you liked it."

I shake her off, stepping toward a store entrance. "I need a coffee."

Mia follows, relentless. "I will buy you five coffees if you just admit it."

I sigh, rubbing my temple. "I'm not admitting anything."

Mia hums, clearly enjoying herself. "Alright, fine. Be stubborn."

Mia grins, but before she can dig further.

I adjust my sunglasses again, clearing my throat. "I need that coffee."

Mia sighs, but she doesn't push. Not yet.

-

The coffee is strong, bitter, exactly what I need. I take a slow sip, letting the warmth settle as Mia happily drowns hers in sugar and cream.

She leans against the counter, watching me over the rim of her cup. "So," she starts, tone entirely too smug, "are we gonna talk about it, or are we pretending you didn't just drop a nuclear bomb on me?"

I exhale through my nose. "We're not pretending. I told you what happened."

Mia makes a face. "You barely told me anything. You gave me the headline and left out the entire article."

I take another sip, ignoring her.

She sighs dramatically. "Fine. Keep your secrets. But just so you know, you're avoiding, Jules."

I roll my shoulders, keeping my expression even. "I'm not avoiding. We have an entire mall to get through."

Mia gasps, feigning shock. "You want to continue shopping?" She presses a hand over her heart. "Now I know you're in a crisis."

I scoff, turning toward the store entrance. "I will leave you here."

Mia cackles, falling into step beside me as we move back into the heart of the shopping district.

- Later That Night

By the time I step into my penthouse, the city skyline glows through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting soft light across my polished floors. The shopping bags in my hand are heavier than expected, not just because I actually indulged in retail therapy today, but because my thoughts are heavier too.

I set the bags down near the entrance, slipping off my heels and stretching my sore feet. The silence is immediate, wrapping around me as I make my way to the kitchen.

A glass of wine sounds nice.

I pour myself one, taking a slow sip before heading toward the windows, overlooking the city below.

It's quiet up here. Always has been. Always will be.

I exhale, rolling my shoulders, but even as I try to relax, my mind drifts back to earlier.

I press my lips together, my grip tightening slightly around the glass.

I take another slow sip of wine, my gaze lingering over the city.

I'm not sure what happens next.

But I do know one thing

I'm not ready to let this go just yet.

So i do what i do best.

I text Ellie.

My thumb hovers over the screen before I finally type out a message.

Me: Are you still awake?

I hit send before I can overthink it.

Not even thirty seconds pass before my phone vibrates.

Ellie: For you? Always.

I scoff, rolling my eyes, but there's a traitorous curl at the corner of my lips.

I type back.

Me: Don't be insufferable.

Ellie: I wasn't. That was me being sweet.

Me: You should try harder then.

Ellie: Oh? So you do want me to be sweet to you?

I inhale slowly, staring at the message, before responding.

Me: Not if you're going to make it weird.

Ellie: Define weird.

Me: What you're doing right now.

Ellie leaves me on read for a few seconds before another message comes through.

Ellie: Are you thinking about me?

I exhale, leaning against the glass window, watching the city stretch out beneath me.

Me: Don't flatter yourself.

Ellie: Too late. I'm already picturing you pacing your penthouse, debating whether or not texting me was a mistake.

I scoff. Damn you, Crawford. I was pacing earlier.

I sip my wine, taking my time before typing back.

Me: And what if I was?

The bubbles start but stop.

Huh.

But then another message pops up.

Ellie: Want me to come over?

I pause.

The idea of her walking through my door again, standing in my space, so close I could reach out and touch her, is almost too much.

Me: You think I'd just let you in?

Ellie: Please. You'd be at the door before I even knocked.

I narrow my eyes at my phone, annoyed that she knows me too well.

Me: You really think you're that irresistible, don't you?

Ellie: You tell me. Who texted who first?

I clench my jaw, pressing my phone to my chest for a second before sighing and typing back.

Me: Annoying as always, Ellie.

Ellie: You're avoiding the question.

I huff a quiet laugh, shaking my head.

She's impossible.

I set my glass down, my fingers hesitating over the screen.

Then, i start typing.

Me: I'll leave my door unlocked.

For a second, there's nothing. No reply.

Ellie: I knew you couldn't resist me.

I don't respond.

I just take another sip of wine, heart pounding in my chest.

I set my phone down, exhaling slowly as I swirl the wine in my glass.

I glance at the clock. Not much time has passed since Ellie's last text, but it feels like it has.

I shake my head, rolling my shoulders as I turn away from the window. This is ridiculous.

I need a distraction.

I grab the remote off the coffee table, sinking onto the couch as I flip through channels without much thought. Nothing catches my interest, but I settle on something anyway, some random crime drama, the kind where the detectives always have perfect hair and the murder cases get solved in under an hour.

I should be focusing on the show.

But my mind keeps drifting.

I glance at the door before I can stop myself.

Any minute now.

The thought sends a slow, warm shiver down my spine.

I sink further into the couch, taking another sip of wine.

She'll be here soon.

And when she walks through that door?

I have no idea what's going to happen next.

-

Fifteen minutes.

It's only been fifteen minutes, but it feels longer. Like my entire body is waiting for something, anticipating her arrival in a way I refuse to dwell on.

I take another sip of wine, willing my heart to calm the hell down.

It doesn't.

The door flies open.

Ellie steps inside like she owns the place, her presence filling the room immediately. She's dressed casually, sweats, a hoodie, her hair still damp from what I assume was a post-practice shower. She looks good, like she always does, and it's infuriating.

I tilt my head, unimpressed. "Sure, come in."

Ellie shrugs, the corner of her mouth twitching. "You told me you left the door unlocked. I figured that meant enter freely."

I roll my eyes, taking another sip of my wine. "Ever heard of knocking?"

Ellie grins. "If you didn't want me barging in, then lock the door next time."

I scoff but don't argue. Because she's right.

Ellie toes off her sneakers near the entrance, her eyes scanning the living room before landing on the TV. "What are we watching?"

I exhale, leaning back into the couch. "Some crime drama. I wasn't really paying attention."

Ellie smirks. "Thinking about me instead?"

I hum, swirling the wine in my glass. "More like regretting my decision to text you."

Ellie lets out a low chuckle, wandering toward the couch. "Liar."

I don't react, just sip my wine as she drops onto the opposite end of the couch. She doesn't touch me, she doesn't even brush against me, but she's close. Close enough that I can feel the warmth radiating off her.

Ellie leans her head against the back of the couch, sighing. "You know, I was expecting something more exciting. A reason you wanted me here." She turns her head toward me, eyes alight with mischief. "Are we gonna sit here and pretend you don't have ulterior motives?"

I tilt my chin slightly, watching her. "You think I have ulterior motives?"

Ellie smirks. "You texted me first, Baldwin."

I lift a shoulder in a slow shrug. "Maybe I was bored."

Ellie hums, clearly entertained. "Right. Because you just randomly decided you wanted my company."

I sip my wine. "Stranger things have happened."

Ellie chuckles, stretching her arms over the back of the couch. She looks ridiculously comfortable, like she belongs here. "So, are we watching this trash show, or are you gonna let me pick something?"

I lift a brow. "You think I trust your taste?"

Ellie gasps, pressing a hand to her chest. "Wow. That's hurtful."

I smirk. "It's factual."

Ellie shakes her head, grinning. "Fine, your choice. I won't complain."

I set my wine down, reaching for the remote. "We'll see about that."

I flip through a few options, then settle on something easy, Sydney white, something entertaining enough to fill the silence but not too distracting.

Ellie watches as the movie begins, a small smirk tugging at her lips. "You really called me over for a movie night?"

I lift my glass, taking a slow sip. "Would you rather I called you over for something else?"

Ellie exhales a quiet laugh, shaking her head. "Just seems unlikely."

I turn my head slightly, meeting her gaze. "And if I did call just for that?"

Ellie leans back into the couch. "Well," she murmurs, "then I'd say you finally came to your senses."

I roll my eyes, but my lips twitch.

I don't respond.

Instead, I shift slightly, getting more comfortable as the movie plays on.

And Ellie?

She stays right where she is.

Not touching, but still close.

-

Halfway through the movie, I realize I haven't processed a single scene.

It's not that the movie isn't entertaining, it's that I can't focus.

Not when Ellie's thigh is pressed against mine.

At some point, without either of us acknowledging it, we got closer. My shoulder rests against hers, our legs touching. The warmth of her burns through the thin material of my silk lounge pants, sending slow, deliberate shivers up my spine.

It's distracting.

Ellie shifts slightly, her thigh pressing more firmly against mine, and I swallow hard. I should create distance. I should lean away, reclaim my space, stop whatever this is before it becomes something else entirely.

But I don't.

I turn my head slightly, just enough to glance at her from the corner of my eye. She's not watching the movie either.

She's watching me.

Her gaze flicks to my lips, then back up to my eyes, slow, calculated, like she's waiting for me to do something.

So I do.

I lean in, just enough, my breath grazing her neck. My fingers twitch slightly before I let them move, skimming over her thigh, just the faintest touch, just enough to make her notice.

Ellie exhales slowly, tilting her head slightly, like she's giving me permission.

My lips brush the soft skin of her neck.

Then, so faintly I almost don't hear it, she sighs.

I press my lips against her throat, trailing a slow, teasing kiss along the curve of it. Her skin is warm, impossibly soft beneath my mouth. I take my time, letting my lips linger, my tongue barely flicking out to taste.

Ellie inhales sharply through her nose.

I smirk against her skin.

I go lower, my mouth dragging along the line of her pulse, feeling the way it jumps beneath my touch.

Then, Ellie moves.

Her hand slides over my thigh, fingers pressing just enough to send a spark through me. My breath catches, but I don't stop. I nip at her skin, just lightly, just enough to pull a reaction from her.

Ellie hums, low and deep, her fingers tightening slightly. "Just a movie, huh?"

I press another kiss just below her jaw.

Ellie exhales a short laugh, but it's laced with something else, something heavier. "Mhm." Her hand drifts up, skimming along my hip, deliberate, teasing. "You keep kissing me like that, and things will escalate."

I hum against her skin, my lips ghosting over the edge of her jaw. "To what?"

She turns her head, her nose brushing against mine, her lips so close to my own.

Her hand tightens on my thigh. "Stop teasing me. You know what." she murmurs, her voice lower now, rougher.

I inhale, my fingers moving up her arm, my touch feather-light, tracing the edge of her hoodie before curling around the back of her neck.

I tilt my head slightly, brushing my lips against hers, not quite a kiss, just a taste, just a slow, agonizing tease.

Ellie's breath stutters, her fingers digging into my thigh.

I smirk. "What's wrong, sweetheart?" I whisper. "Getting impatient?"

Ellie exhales a slow, shuddering breath. "You have no idea."

Her lips crash against mine, urgent, hot, desperate.

I gasp softly against her mouth, but I don't hesitate. I kiss her back just as fiercely, my fingers tangling in her hair, pulling her closer.

Ellie groans, low in her throat, her hand sliding further up my thigh, gripping the fabric of my pants, tight.

The movie is long forgotten.

All I can think about is her. Her lips move against mine, her fingers press into my skin, she kisses me like she's been starving for this.

She tilts her head, deepening the kiss, her tongue brushing against mine.

I pull her closer, shifting onto her lap, my hands sliding beneath her hoodie, feeling the warmth of her skin beneath my palms.

Ellie groans against my mouth, her fingers tightening their grip on my waist, pulling me flush against her.

I press my forehead against hers, catching my breath.

Ellie smirks, her thumb brushing just beneath my ribs, teasing. "I thought we were watching a movie."

I exhale a quiet laugh, shaking my head. "Shut up, Crawford."

She grins. "Make me."

So I do.

I kiss her again, harder this time, dragging my fingers through her hair, tugging just enough to pull another low groan from her throat.

The air between us is thick, charged with something that feels impossible to pull away from. Ellie kisses me like she needs to, like she's been waiting for this just as much as I have. Her hands grip my waist, firm and sure, pulling me closer as I sink into her touch.

My knees pressing into the couch on either side of her. Her fingers tightening just slightly against my hips.

God, she's warm.

She tilts her head, deepening the kiss, her hands sliding up my back, my sides, touching just enough to make me want more. My fingers find the hem of her hoodie, slipping beneath, aching to feel her, to pull her even closer.

I start to tug it upward-

"Wait."

Ellie's voice is quiet but firm, her grip tightening just enough to still my movements.

I freeze, my breath still caught in my throat, my lips inches from hers. "What?"

She exhales slowly, steadying herself, her hands smoothing over my sides, keeping me close, but not letting me go further.

"I want to do this the right way, Juliet," she murmurs, her voice softer now, careful. "I don't want to rush this. I don't want to mess this up."

Something in my chest tightens. "Mess what up?"

Ellie swallows, her gaze locked onto mine, open in a way that makes my stomach flip. "Us," she says simply. "I want you back." She shifts slightly, one hand coming up to cup the side of my face, her thumb tracing over my cheek in a way that makes my breath stutter.

"I think it's pretty clear that i like you." she continues, her voice steady, certain. "A lot. And I want to move forward with that, I want to do this right this time."

I stare at her, my pulse hammering in my throat. I should have something to say, something sharp, something to protect myself.

But I don't.

Because the way she's looking at me, the honesty, the certainty, the quiet intensity behind her words.

I don't move. I just sit there, still straddling her lap, feeling the warmth of her hands on my waist, the steady rise and fall of her chest beneath me.

She's looking at me like she means every single word. Like she's not just saying it in the heat of the moment.

Like she's already decided.

I wet my lips, my fingers still curled loosely in the fabric of her hoodie. "Ellie..."

She shakes her head slightly, like she knows what I'm about to say. "I know," she murmurs. "I know it's complicated. I know we're not just going to snap back into whatever we were before." Her hands tighten slightly on my hips, grounding, steady. "But I want to try."

The weight of those words settles between us.

Try.

Something about the way she says it makes my stomach twist.

Because it's not a demand. Not some grand, sweeping promise of forever.

It's real.

I let out a slow breath, forcing myself to look at her, to really look at her. There's no hesitation in her eyes. No doubt.

"I don't know if we can go back." I admit quietly.

Ellie exhales softly, her fingers brushing over my waist. "Then let's figure it out together."

I press my lips together, still gripping her hoodie. I want to believe her. I do.

But part of me, the part that's spent years building walls, the part that knows how easily things can fall apart, won't let me answer just yet.

Ellie doesn't push. She just watches me, waiting.

I don't know how long we sit there like that, me on her lap, her hands warm against my skin, the heat between us shifting.

Finally, I let out a breath, my fingers loosening against the fabric of her hoodie. "Okay." I say softly.

Ellie's brows lift slightly, as if she wasn't expecting me to actually say it.

I huff a quiet laugh, shaking my head. "I said okay, Crawford. Don't make me regret it."

Her lips curl into a slow, lopsided grin. "Wouldn't dream of it."

I roll my eyes, but my hands stay on her shoulders, my body still pressed against hers.

Ellie tilts her head slightly. "So, does this mean you're done trying to take my clothes off?"

I narrow my eyes. "Don't push your luck."

Ellie chuckles, and just like that, the tension shifts again. The weight in my chest lifts, just slightly, just enough to breathe.

We stay like that for a moment longer, neither of us moving, neither of us pulling away.

I watch her for a moment longer.

Then, just as easily as she pulled me into this moment, I lean in and press a quick, fleeting peck against her lips.

Ellie barely has a second to react before I'm standing up, smoothing my hands down my silk pajama pants like nothing just happened.

I glance down at her, tilting my head. "Way to ruin the mood."

Ellie throws her head back with a loud laugh, the kind that makes her entire body shake. It's so effortless, so genuinely her that I just... stare.

For a second, I forget why I was supposed to be playing this cool.

She's still laughing as she stands, stretching slightly, her hoodie riding up just enough to reveal a hint of toned abs beneath. I pretend not to notice.

Ellie exhales, running a hand through her hair. "Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow, then."

But before she can take a step toward the door, I stop her.

"Stay the night." I say, casually, like it's not a big deal.

Ellie pauses, turning to look at me, amusement flickering in her expression. "Oh?"

I smirk, crossing my arms. "I promise I won't do anything."

Ellie lifts a brow, tilting her head. "That's a pretty bold promise."

I step closer, just enough to invade her space, just enough for my voice to drop into something softer, something teasing. "You don't trust me, Crawford?"

Ellie exhales a quiet laugh, shaking her head. "Not even a little."

I grin, reaching for her wrist, tugging her toward the hallway. "Then I guess you'll have to take the risk."

Ellie doesn't hesitate.

She just smirks, lets me pull her along, and murmurs, "Lead the way."