L.A. Fire (25 page)

 
I chuckled. “Yeah, but only behind your back. Never to your face.”

 
When we pulled up in front of the apartment building, my eyes flicked to
Angela, sitting on our third floor balcony, smoking a cigarette. As we made our
way toward the front door, she waved down at us, and I noticed she was wearing
a really slinky, low cut black tank top.

 
“Hey Exhibitionist!” Lisa yelled. “Cover up, will you? The whole neighborhood
can see your boobs.”

 
Angela took a dramatic drag of her cigarette, and then grinned at Lisa. “If
you’ve got it, flaunt it,” she yelled, then shimmied her boobs.

 
Lisa let out a long laugh, and yelled “Slut!”

 
Angela smirked at her. “Watch it, bitch, or I’ll lock you out of the
apartment.”

 
Lisa cackled. “I’d rather sleep in the hall anyway. Your couch has had more
action than the VIP room at a strip club. The floor outside will be cleaner.”

 
Angela squinted her eyes in an exaggerated way, muttered “Bitch,” and flicked
her cigarette down at Lisa, the red embers scattering around her feet.

 
“Nice comeback, Ange,” Lisa said, stamping out the cigarette.

 
Angela shrugged and said, “Take that as a warning. I always resort to violence
when I’m at a loss for words.”

 
Lisa shook her head in fake exasperation. “Psycho bitch. I’m sleeping in your
bed tonight, Ser.”

 
When we walked through the door of the apartment, Angela attacked Lisa. “Missed
you,” they both said at the same time and laughed. Angela bounded over to the
fridge, and pulled out another bottle of Dom Perignon. My mouth drooped open.

 
“I’ve got to go to work,” she said. “But I’ve had this chilling for the two of
you. Enjoy it while you catch up.”

 
“Ange,” I said, my tone serious. “This is too much. That’s two bottles of the
stuff in as many weeks. We can’t accept this.”

 
Angela rolled her eyes. “It’s the least I can do for being such a pain in the
ass of a roommate.”

 
I started to speak again, but she cut me off. “I scored a case of the stuff at
work. It’s really no big deal.”

 
I relaxed, and she noticed it and smiled. “Anyway,” she said, “I have to finish
getting ready for work. And you two have some hardcore drinking to get to. I’ll
see you in the morning.”

 
Lisa snorted. “You mean in the afternoon.”

 
Angela swatted her, then grinned. “I warned you about the violence thing,” she
said, and then disappeared into her room.

 
When Lisa and I were settled on the balcony, enjoying the balmy California
breeze, the livid red sunset, and our exquisite bottle of bubbly, she looked at
me conspiratorially and said, “I have some news.”

 
I leaned forward eagerly. “Spill it.”

 
She took another sip of her Dom Perignon, then pulled out a pack of Benson and
Hedges.

 
“Are you still smoking?” I asked.

 
“Only when I drink,” she said. “Kinda like you,” she added. “Want one? For old
times’ sake?”

 
I smiled in a guilty way, then put out my palm. We both lit up. Lisa took a
long drag, and her face taking on a faraway look. Then she turned to me, her
eyes sparkling, and the corner of her mouth quirking up. “I met a boy,” she
said.

 
“A boy?” I echoed.

 
“Well, actually, more like a man.” I took a drag of my cigarette, and urged her
with my eyes to go on.

 
She took a long sip of her bubbly, and adjusted her chair so that she was
facing me. “You have my full attention,” I said.

 
She nodded. “We met at a bar in Harlem, just around the corner from my
apartment. I was wasted. I was heading for the washroom, but he blocked my way.
I kept trying to get around him, but he stood in my path.”

 
I smirked at her, thinking of Julian. “Aggressive,” I said, leaning back in my
chair. “Sounds like a promising start,” I added, my tone dripping sarcasm.

 
Angela bit her lip and nodded. “That’s exactly what I thought. I told him to
get the fuck out of my way, and he said he would, as long as I let him buy me a
drink. I came back from the washroom, and he found me.” Lisa paused, taking
another long drag. She watched the smoke rise, curl, then dissipate before she
went on. “The thing is, he wasn’t a jerk at all. Just the kind of guy who goes
hard after what he wants.”

 
I ashed my cigarette, then looked at the glowing tip. “I know the kind of guy
you’re talking about.”

 
“Anyway,” she added, “The bottom line is, he’s drop dead gorgeous, a Harvard
graduate, and he’s working as an investment banker on Wall Street.”

 
I started laughing. “That’s the kind of man the old Lisa would have labeled as
a jerk-off, and stayed far, far away from.”

 
“I know, right? Anyway, he’s hot as hell, and super smart. But not just number
crunching smart. He’s also into art, movies, and books.”

 
“And, let me guess, a stallion in bed?”

 
She smiled softly and said, “We’re actually taking it slow. Just getting to
know each other first. But I’ve seen his cock, and it definitely looks like it
would be an amazing ride.”

 
I threw my head back and laughed. That was my Lisa. Straight talking and
hilarious. “God, I’ve missed you,” I said, giving her hand a little squeeze.

 
She tapped her cigarette into the ashtray, then cautiously swept my face with
her eyes, something she always did when she was going to ask me a serious
question. “So how’s it going with Julian?”

 
I reached for the bottle of Dom and refilled our glasses. “I don’t know,” I
said in an undertone. “We’re in a tricky spot right now.”

 
“How so?”

 
I let out a long sigh. “I’ve totally fallen for him, Lise. And he gets me. He’s
so attentive. So good at reading people. He understands my issues, and is
willing to work with them. But, I don’t know. I don’t want to fuck up my
career. End up as arm candy, you know?”

 
Lisa started chewing on her lip. “You mean you don’t want to end up like your
mom. The accessory on the arm of a powerful man.”

 
I nodded. “Exactly. Also, he’s so dominant. And don’t get me wrong, I love the
way he takes charge in bed, but I’m scared of getting swept up into his world
and losing myself.”

 
Lisa looked confused. “But I thought you said he gets you? If he understands
your issues, Ser, then he understands that you can’t just live in his shadow.
It sounds like you’re saying he sees who you are, and validates you. Or am I
reading the situation wrong?”

 
I thought about what she said for a moment. He did seem to be in tune with
where I was at emotionally. And never once had he tried to force me into a role
that I wasn’t willing to take. “I think he does validate me,” I said. “Maybe
I’m just scared. Scared that I’ll take on a role that doesn’t fit, that
cripples me somehow, and I’ll get stuck.”

 
Lisa took another drag of her cigarette, and looked at me intently. “If he’s as
perceptive and validating as you’ve said he is, he won’t let you hide. Won’t
let you get stuck in a role. He’ll keep relentlessly trying to learn more and
more about you, draw you out, so he can truly connect with you on several
levels.”

 
I felt a flicker of recognition as Lisa spoke those words. That’s exactly what
Julian had been trying to do from day one. Connect with the real me. It was one
of the reasons I found him both so alluring and so terrifying at the same time.
“Maybe you’re right,” I said. “Maybe I won’t fall into my old patterns this
time. Maybe I can finally be me in this relationship.”

 
Lisa’s gaze became calm and steady. “I’ll tell you what. Why don’t you let me
meet him? You know, feel him out. I’m pretty good at figuring out what makes
people tick.”

 
I shot her a grateful smile. “He invited us both to come by his beach house
tomorrow. But only if you feel like it. I don’t want to force this on you.”

 
Lisa chuckled and said, “Spend the day at his beach house? Yeah, that really sound
like hell, Sarah. I don’t know how I’ll survive that.”

 
I wrinkled my nose at her, and she laughed in response. “It’s settled then,”
she said. “A beach date with Julian McGregor. This should prove to be very
interesting.”

***

 
When Lisa and I pulled up behind Julian’s house in my blue Mini Cooper, she
whistled. “Nice house,” she said. “Do you know who built it? There’s definitely
a Richard Neutra influence.” On top of everything else, Lisa was an
architecture nut. I didn’t know a lot about Los Angeles houses, but I knew of
Richard Neutra. He was a hugely influential architect from the 1930s, who
helped pioneer architectural modernism in Los Angeles. In his designs, there
was always a blurred boundary between the house and the environment.

 
“I see what you mean,” I said. “The way the house is made of steel and blue
glass, it blends in with the ocean and the sky.”

 
“Exactly,” Lisa said, getting out of the car and grabbing her beach bag. We were
both wearing sundresses pulled over our bikini’s, flip-flops, and aviator
sunglasses, so we were all set for the beach. Lisa had ditched her prescription
glasses for contacts. When we rounded the house to reach the front entrance,
the door opened before we were even up the stairs. “Hello ladies,” said Julian.

 
His hair was ruffled, and he was wearing only swim trunks, leaving his hard,
muscular chest bare for my eyes to roam hungrily over. Even though I’d been
intimate with him several times now, I was still blown away each time by his
utter and complete hotness. He truly was a god. Before we reached Julian’s
earshot, Lisa whispered. “Oh my god. I’m going to faint. He’s that hot.”

 
“You must be Lisa,” Julian said, reaching out his hand. She took it, and gave
it a firm shake.

 
“Julian,” she said matter-of-factly, her tone even. I didn’t know how she did
it. Just the sight of him always had me weak at the knees.

 
His eyes softened when he looked at me, and he leaned in to give me a light
kiss on the cheek. Just that small gesture, that slight physical contact, was
enough to send a small shiver rippling through me.

 
“Can I offer either of you a drink?” he asked.

 
Lisa shook her head. “Maybe later. I’m itching to get to the beach.”

 
“Fair enough,” he said. He disappeared into his front hall, and reemerged
wearing sunglasses, and carrying a towel and two surfboards. He saw my
surprised expression, and smiled in response. “You promised to kick my ass on a
surfboard. I’m holding you to it,” he said, locking up, then gesturing for us
to follow him down to the beach.

 
The sand was dotted with people in bathing suits of every color. Kids were busy
building sandcastles, chasing each other on the beach, or splashing each other
in the surf. Tan bodies were lying on beach towels, eyes closed, basking in the
sun. As soon as we hit the beach, Lisa, who was fair skinned, set herself up
under a sun shade, and started covering herself in sun block. When we’d settled
in, two guys and a girl came over and asked if wanted to play volleyball.

 
“I’m in,” said Julian. “Ladies?”

 
Lisa and I looked at each other. “I think we’ll sit this one out,” I said.

 
He shrugged, and joined the players on the court. From where Lisa and I were sitting,
we had perfect front row seats. The moment they started to play, Julian was
killing it on the court, diving for the ball, spiking, all of his muscles
rippling. Lisa stared at him in awe, and said, “You know, that kind of hotness
might just be worth losing a job over.”