Letters to Julian (A Cupid Inc Novella) (9 page)

Ridley stopped at the end of the aisle near the New Releases display, a contented smile stretching his lips as he watched Julian stack books and organize the clutter at the front counter. “I don’t remember putting you on the payroll.”

With a brilliant smile that melted Ridley’s heart, Julian looked up from his task and shrugged. “Well, you should. This place is a mess.”
Hurdling the counter, he bounded over to Ridley, bouncing up on his toes to kiss his cheek. “Did you sleep well?”

“Like the dead,” Ridley confirmed. “What time is it?” In his hurry to find Julian, he hadn’t even looked at the clock.

“Almost noon.”

“What?” Damn, he couldn’t believe he’d been so irresponsible. “You should have woke me.”

“Relax, sweetheart.” Julian laughed as he smoothed the wrinkles from Ridley’s shirt. “I have it under control, and Bridget was a big help. You needed the rest.”

“That she
-devil never helps anyone. She exists merely to punish me for some perceived wrongdoing in another life.” He didn’t bother to keep his voice down as he spoke, so when Bridget came stomping into the main room, he greeted her with a bright smile. “Hello there, pet. Nice weather we’re having.”

“Yes, cloudy with a chance of assholes, just how I like my day.”

Julian turned away and coughed, but not before Ridley saw the smile that stretched across his face. “You two fight like siblings,” he said when he’d gotten control of himself.

“He started it,” Bridget accused, jabbing her finger at Ridley’s face. “You hear how he talks about me. These are horrid working conditions. I demand a raise.”

“Or I could sack you,” Ridley countered, knowing full well he’d never fire the girl. She might drive him insane and make him want to pull his hair out, but he’d grown rather fond of her quirky nature.

“You could.” She grinned back, all sugary sweet with
the barest hint of mischief. “Bet you won’t.”

“Okay,” Julian said loudly, stepping between them as he interrupted. “You two play nice before I put you in the time out corner.” He shooed Bridget away, laughing when she stuck her tongue out as
she flounced back to her station. “She’s something else, huh?”

“And you are amazing.”
Julian commanded his full attention, and Ridley had already forgotten the troublemaking fox shifter. Not everyone got the chance to fall in love with their best friend, and Ridley only regretted that he hadn’t realized what he’d had right in front of him all along. “Have you eaten?”

“No,” Julian pouted. “Since I’ve now missed dinner
and
breakfast, though, I think you should feed me.”

After his big epiphany and resulting confession, Ridley had expected things to be different. He’d been prepared for all of those changes that came with a relationship, but
he’d still been nervous about screwing up again. There was no lover from his past who’d broken his heart and left him jaded, no tragic tale of lost love. He didn’t have daddy issues, or problems with any of his other family, for that matter. In fact, until Julian had come along, he’d led a pretty boring, routine life.

So, yes, he’d expected falling in love to change everything, but in actually, it had changed nothing. Julian was still Julian, sweet, excitable, honest to a fault, and forever hungry. His smile still lit up the entire room, and they’d always argue about his eating habits. Ridley imagined there would be bumps in the road, but the first a
nd biggest step hadn’t been nearly as scary as he’d anticipated.

“As easy as breathing,” he whispered, cupping the side of Julian’s face as he bent to place a tender kiss on his lover’s lips. “Do you trust me?”

“I always have,” Julian answered. “You just didn’t trust yourself.”

“
Fair enough.” He’d work on that, but he probably wouldn’t ever understand how someone like Julian had chosen him. “Okay, love, let’s get you something to eat.” He owed Julian a proper date, but he didn’t have time to plan anything elaborate before lunch.

“Okay. Where are we going?”

“You’re going to let me choose?”

“Ridley.” Sighing in clear frustration, Julian placed both hands on Ridley’s chest and dipped his head to press a kiss right over his heart. “You don’t get it do you? I’d follow you anywhere. No more running, though.” An impish gleam flashed in his eyes. “Then I’d have to chase you, and I really hate exercise.”

Looping his arm around Julian’s neck, Ridley pulled him closer with a chuckle and kissed the top of his head. “You are bloody lazy, Julian Haell, but I promise not to make you chase me.”

“Good. Now feed me.”

“A bloomin’ one track mind, you have.” Honestly, he found it cute, but he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to tease. “Fine, fine, get your jacket, and I’ll take you to Gloria’s.”

“
The place with those little fudge brownie cheesecake things?” Julian’s eyes lit up like the Las Vegas strip. “Deal. Maybe afterward, we can go to the Central Park Zoo.”

“The zoo?”
Ridley tilted his head to the side. “Why are we going to the zoo?”

“You saw how hard it was for me to produce that single rose last night. It shouldn’t be that way.” Sucking his bottom lip between his teeth, Julian snorted as he buttoned his jacket and wrapped his scarf around his neck. “I really need to be
outside with nature for at least a few minutes every day to recharge. If I don’t start fueling my magic, I’m going to lose it.”

“The zoo, it is.” Ridley
nodded, silently promising himself to encourage Julian to visit the park more often. He fully understood the fear of losing that spark of magic, and he’d do whatever he could to keep that from happening to the elf. “You need a keeper, Julian Haell, I swear it.”

With their relationship just getting started,
Ridley didn’t want to move too fast, but the guy needed more than a few trees in the middle of the city. When things weren’t so new, maybe he’d convince Julian to spend a weekend with him in a cabin upstate. 

“Are you offering to be my keeper?
” Julian batted his lashes playfully.

“My application is in the post.”
 

“If it comes with brownies and hot chocolate, you’re hired.”

Laughing at Julian’s enthusiasm, Ridley retrieved his own jacket and met his lover at the front door. While technically not their first date, it was the first time they’d be going out as a couple. Butterflies fluttered in Ridley’s stomach, but in a good, this-is-it, kind of way, like finally announcing a big secret he’d been dying to share. No one would know the difference by just looking at them, but Ridley knew, Julian knew, and nothing else matter.

No, nothing had changed, and yet,
somehow, he realized nothing would ever be the same.

They didn’t hold hands or touch in any way as they walked down the block, but Ridley didn’t need those things to feel close to Julian. As always, they talked about everything and nothing, and he laughed as Julian retold some of the finer points of his date with Harris.

“I can’t believe you froze the spoon to his mouth. That was epic.”

“Maybe it will teach him to hold his tongue.”

“I doubt it. Guys like that never learn.” Coming to a stop just before they arrived at the café, Julian pulled a small, white card from his pocket and tapped it against his palm. “Cupid Inc,” he whispered, “where love finds you. You know, I thought it was a load of crap while I was on that date. I mean, I had absolutely nothing in common with Harris, but I think I get it now.”

“How is that, love?”

Dropping the card into a nearby receptacle, Julian moved closer to Ridley, tugging playfully on the zipper of his jacket. “While it didn’t work out with Harris, the date, and I guess Cupid Inc by association, brought me and you together, and I’d say that’s pretty magical.”

Ridley hadn’t thought of
it like that, but in a strange way, he supposed it made sense. He’d been falling for Julian from the first time they’d met, and he hadn’t even been looking for love. It had found him. “I’m not perfect, and I’m going to mess up. There are going to be times you’ll want to pull your bloody hair out, but I’m not going anywhere, Julian. I’m here for as long as you’ll have me.”

“You know we’re immortal, right? Forever is a pretty long time.”

“I’ll take my chances,” he teased, brushing Julian’s hair back to kiss his forehead. “Let’s get you inside before you freeze your bits and pieces off.” Ridley started walking, but he didn’t realize Julian hadn’t followed until the guy called his name. “Yes, love?”

“I’m not perfect either, and I know I’ll drive you crazy sometimes. Just…”

“I know.” Once he’d owned up to his feelings, saying the words out loud had been the next logical step. If Julian needed more time, Ridley could give him that. He knew how Julian felt about him, could see it in his eyes every time they looked at each other. “I know, Julian.”

“I love you,” he blurted, and he swayed a little as the blood drained from his face. “I’ve never said that to anyone but family,” he explained. “I do, though, I love you, Ridley. Don’t make me regret it.”

Ridley stared at Julian for a long time before reaching into the inside pocket of his jacket and extracting a folded slip of blue paper. “I wrote this a couple of weeks after I met you. I was going to put it into one of your books, but well, here.”

Taking the note in a trembling hand, Julian opened it and glanced between the paper and Ridley several times. “You are my adventure,” he whispered thickly, tears gathering in his eyes as he read the single sentence aloud. “I—” Julian swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing with the constriction of his throat. “
You wrote this right after you met me?”

Ridley nodded, his own eyes itching with the threat of tears. “I told you, Julian, I’ve always loved
you. I just didn’t know it yet.”

~ THE END ~

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

www.zaynemichaels.com
 

Zayne Michaels is a small-town girl who grew up and ran off to the big city. She currently resides in the Midwest where she spends her days dreaming up dark, sexy adventures in between soccer games and the never-ending pile of laundry. 

Zayne’s fascination with old and discarded treasures has always been a source of inspiration for her tales. From antique clocks to old, dilapidated houses, her imagination turns to the what-ifs and what-used-to-bes. 

Maybe this love for the abandoned is why she is a firm advocate of second chances, or perhaps she's just a little crazy. Whatever the reason, Zayne believes everyone chooses their own path, creates their own destiny, and is the author of their own story.

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