six...

Julie’s laughter flutters through her living-room. I get up and walk towards her. She’s in the kitchen, baking something. Brownies?

I love her laugh. It’s carefree, a different entity from her normally serious personality. I watch her break an egg and mix it in with batter in a glass bowl. She licks some of the mixture with her hands and looks up at me. Her emerald eyes appear content. So easily pleased. Sometimes I wonder at her innocence.

She offers the bowl to me but I refuse. I don’t like getting my hands dirty. I look at her profile while she’s washing the bowl.

Julie is attractive. She isn’t dating anyone right now but I know she has had some serious boyfriends. I also know that she has been in love at least once. They were engaged but it didn’t work out. She doesn’t like to talk about it so I’m uncertain of the details.

She gets enough attention from men. But always the wrong types. What could she do to attract the men she wants? Attract me? No, I’m not attracted to Julie for other reasons.

She’s probably a lot of fun in bed. I’m surprised at the direction of my own thoughts. Not that I fantasize about Julie often, but, just for a second, the image of her laughing naked flashes across my mind.

I always kiss Julie on the forehead; never on the lips. I could if I wanted. Kiss her. Or rip her clothes off. Probably. I can tell when a girl is attracted to me.

I know some guys who’d like to take her out. But she doesn’t seem interested. We spend a lot of time together; see each other often during the week and sometimes on the weekends too. I suppose my presence probably discourages the guys from coming too close. Oh well. I suppose that’s her problem. She doesn’t seem interested in anyone, anyway.

“Do I have something on my face?” She has finished washing the dishes and is looking at me. Her dark hair is disheveled.

“No, why?”

“You are staring at me,” she says.

“I was just thinking about something.”

She looks delicious. Just like that…the jeans torn at the knee, her tight Yale t-shirt, no makeup, hair a mess.

***

“That’s not very flattering,” I tell Julie. We are in her living room and she’s getting dressed to go to the party. Richard is having another party tonight and I’m bringing Julie along. I haven’t told her whose party it is, though. I don’t want to risk anything. “Wear something with cleavage.” She’s got nice breasts. I don’t know why she doesn’t show them off.

Julie goes to her bedroom and emerges with a navy blue velvet dress. I feel a slight erection. The dress is cut above her thighs. All I can do is stare at her legs. I try to think of Richard’s wife instead. Julie is almost like a sister. I shouldn’t have these thoughts about her.