Divinity by Michelle L. Johnson

in, he stopped doing anything else. I caught him staring at you through the kitchen doors, right in the way of the other servers. It’s a bloody shame, though; he was a good waiter until you got here.”
    “I want you to make sure Phillipe is with you when you let Clyde go. I don’t trust him.” Julia glanced over her shoulder at the front door of the restaurant. “Not even a little bit.”
    “Will do, Boss.”
    Alex smiled when Julia put her phone back into her purse. “Feel better?”
    “A little. I’ll feel better when he’s gone.” She shivered.
    Alex walked Julia out to her car. He opened the door for her, but placed himself between her and the driver’s seat and took her hand. His eyes searched hers. “I want you to know how much I love you. I want you to know that it’s safe to talk to me about anything.”
    Julia smiled, hoping she kept her guilt from showing. He obviously knew she was keeping something from him. She leaned forward and gave Alex a kiss, her moist lips pressing against his tenderly. When she backed away, she looked up at him. “I do know, Alex. I do. Thank you for finding me, and helping me, and always being here for me. I don’t know that I would have made it through this past year without you.”
    “Of course you would have, sweetheart. You have more strength than you give yourself credit for. So…” he paused, and was suddenly awkward. “I was wondering…”
    Her eyebrows rose, amused and thankful that he was changing the subject. “What I am doing for the rest of the day?”
    “Something like that,” he said, smiling sheepishly.
    “You,” she said, flipping her long hair back over her shoulder. “Hop in.”
    “Okay. Where are we going?” he asked, stepping out of her way and heading for the other side of the car.
    “Definitely my place. I don’t think we need your mother to be an audience for this.”
    As Julia pulled out of the parking lot and turned onto the highway, she caught a glimpse of the restaurant doors in her rearview mirror. Clyde was standing there, arms crossed, puffing on a cigarette, his eyes glued to Julia’s car.

    By the time they reached Julia’s townhouse, all thoughts of Clyde were gone. Alex kept one hand on her leg for the length of the drive, trailing a finger lightly along her inner thigh and sending electric pulses quivering through her body. Every time she opened her mouth to speak, her words dried up, and Alex smiled, moving his finger higher.
    When they reached the door, they tumbled inside, pulling off each other’s clothes and leaving a trail all the way to the bedroom. Julia pushed him backwards onto the soft down duvet and lowered herself onto him, her warm flesh pressing against him. Her hungry eyes searched his.
    “Make love to me,” she said, her voice breathy and full of desire.
    Alex had a hand on each of her arms, and gently rolled her over onto her back as he pressed his body on top of hers. His eyes twinkled with a teasing spark as he leaned in, kissing his way up her neck to her ear, his hot breath electrifying her. “Now?”
    He ran his tongue back down her neck, trailing over the soft flesh above her breasts. Julia ran her fingers through his hair, her breath coming short and fast.
    “Now,” she pleaded.

    They reached the peak of their passion together, both of them crying out as they rocked together. At last, Alex fell off her, gasping. His skin glistened, and his right hand fell into her left. They lay there, spent, basking in the afterglow while they caught their breath. Julia had never felt more connected to Alex. Tears trickled from the corners of her eyes.
    The peaceful moment splintered when Julia’s cell phone rang.
    “Whatever it is, I’m sure it can wait,” she said, her voice thick. She shivered and curled up beside him, laying one hand on his chest, waiting for the phone to stop ringing. She pressed her warm cheek against his shoulder and smiled. “If you keep loving me like that, I won’t be able