Nineteen Hundred Ch. 03

(The Project)

Monday after class, Tony walked Julie to her car, planning for their group project. There was a cold drizzle falling. By the time they arrived at her car, they were still talking.

"Get in. I don't want to stand here getting wet," she told Tony. Tony went to the other side of the car as she unlocked the door for him and sat down inside. "So, is your place okay, or do you want to reserve a break-out room in the library?" she asked.

"I'm good with my place. Just so you know, though, I have a roommate," he told her.

"Yeh, I know...I think you'd better ask him if it's okay though," she replied.

"Naw, I'm sure he'll be fine. Besides, he works weird hours. He may not be there when you're there, but I'll ask him," he told Julie.

"Okay, so, Wednesday after work, same time as class?" she asked.

"You don't want to go home first and change; or do whatever you do?" he responded.

"No, it's out of the way. I'd be double-tracking in rush hour traffic...unless you want to make it later, then I can go to the library and wait," she said.

"No, six is fine. I can make that work," he agreed.

"You mean eighteen hundred?" she asked.

"Huh?", Tony asked, then started to laugh. "Sure, eighteen hundred Wednesdays."

They then sat there in awkward silence as the drizzle fell outside. The tension inside the car thickened pretty quickly. Then Tony looked at Julie. She looked at him in silence briefly and leaned over the center console to kiss him. He hesitated with confusion on his face.

"Dammit, Tony, just kiss me, please?" she softly begged.

Tony sighed as he thought. "Fuck it, okay," he responded, as he leaned over to meet her lips. He kissed her prepared for nothing more than a peck. When he pulled back, she grabbed his sweatshirt, then opened her mouth as she kissed him more sensually. Tony exhaled deeply as they began to kiss passionately, yet his mind wasn't sure what was happening. She kept kissing him for at least half a minute, then released him.

"What's going on?" he quietly asked. "I'm trying to be respectful to your marriage," he added.

Julie chuckled as she acknowledged Tony's concerns for her marriage. "Tony, it's okay. Jake and I have talked about your visit. We're over it," she said, followed by more awkward silence in the car.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have kissed you. I guess I just wanted to somehow break the ice...you know, like get back to normal or something. The way we were before you came over that night...if that makes any sense?" she told him.

"No, not really. Before I went to your house, we never kissed. But okay, consider us back to normal, if you want. I don't mind. I'll be chill," he replied.

"Look, Tony; yes, I put you down as my group partner. I like you; I really do. Just know that I'm totally in love with Jake. I love my kids," she said before Tony interrupted.

"What are you getting at? Just say it."

"I don't know...I guess I'm saying...I don't know," she paused, looking at him. "Let's just take things one day at a time. I don't want to be a tease to you. I'm not saying I'm going to sleep with you again...I mean...honestly, I just don't know what's going to happen," she sighed. "But, despite the other night, let's be friends and classmates. Is that okay?" she explained.

"Girl, you're trippin'. Don't worry about it," he said trying to calm her down. "Whatever happens between us from now on, just happens. You're a fine looking, hot, married-ass white woman and I totally appreciated the other night. But I don't want a relationship with you. I don't want to ruin your marriage. Let's just take this slowly, like you said. I'm fine with that," he reassured her.

Julie stared at him for a few seconds; the silence was deafening.

Tony looked back. "What?"

"Really?"

"What?"

"A fine looking, hot-ass married white woman?" she repeated.

He looked at her in silence for a few seconds. "Naw, I said you're a fine looking, hot, married-ass white woman," he corrected, staring at her.

She stared back, pursing her lips, trying not to laugh. Slowly, she started to smile, bursting into laughter; breaking the tension in the car.

"Okay, see you tomorrow night at class," she told him. Tony started to exit her car. "Hey...no kiss?" she asked.

Tony put his foot back in the car and shut the door with some amount of irritation. "Julie, you just told me we were back to normal...like before I came over. Friends don't kiss good-bye," he huffed, looking at her.

"Dang, Tony; sorry. Just thought you'd want a good-bye kiss from fine looking, hot, married-ass white woman," she said with a blank stare, blinking once.

He looked at her. "Girl, you are a something ELSE," shaking his head while quietly laughing. He then opened his door and left. She chuckled as she watched him walk away, then pulled out of her spot.

Julie arrived home and, as usual, completed her nightly, after class routine with the kids. She was changing in the bedroom when Jake walked in.

"Did you and Tony get paired up together for the project?" he asked.

"Yes. We talked after class and it's probably best we meet at his apartment on Wednesdays. It's easier for me to be there at six, so I don't have to fight traffic on Commerce," she told him.

"Anything else about him tonight?" he asked.

Julie took a deep breath. "We talked in my car because of the rain. I don't know why, but I kissed him," she confided.

"You what?" Jake asked intently.

"Yeh, I know. I don't know why. Nerves I guess," she admitted. "Anyway, we had a short talk. I told him I didn't want a relationship. I told him how much I loved you and the kids. He said he didn't want a relationship either and we just kind of agreed we'd remain friends and group buddies and whatever happens, happens," she admitted, looking Jake in the eyes.

"Wait. Whatever happens, happens?" Jake asked.

"Yeh, well, whatever happens between him and me, I'll be 100% honest," she told her husband, followed with a short kiss.

"Hold on. Soooo, you're not saying nothing will happened between you two?"

"Jake, honestly, I don't know if anything will ever happen again with Tony. I'm just saying we agreed to be friends, you know, like before he came over," she answered.

"You know what, Julie?" he asked.

"What, babe?"

"I believe you. I appreciate your honesty," he remarked. "But, are you sure the only thing that happened tonight was a kiss?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I'm just saying," he commented.

"Just saying WHAT, Jake?" she said with dab of concern in her voice.

"Well, from what I saw the other night, you made a meal out of his cock. Just thought you'd want to go back for seconds," he smirked.

Julie inhaled and glared at Jake for a few seconds, then exhaled. "Well, to be honest, the thought has crossed my mind," she teased with a wink and headed to make sure the kids were ready for bed.

Jake grabbed her arm as she passed him. "Remember; pics. I want pics," he told her with a slight grin.

"Oh, yeh, how could I forget?" rolling her eyes.

The next night at class, Tony and Julie engaged in their usual back and forth banter. There were no expectations or tensions between them. Julie was happy they seemed to be back on track. After class, they made sure everything was still cosher for Tony's place the next night and parted for the evening.

The next morning, Julie was busy getting the kids ready for school. She had packed her bookbag with a change of clothes and tennis shoes so she wouldn't have to wear her work clothes at Tony's.

Jake came up behind her in the kitchen and slid his hand between her legs, rubbing her pussy. Startled, Julie quickly moved away, "Jake, the kids,", she whispered.

"They didn't see anything," he reassured her, then kissed her deeply. "I love you."

"I love you, too." She replied. "Why the sudden affection?" she added.

"Because, I have a feeling you and Tony may want to be "friends", like before, but I'm a man. I know how men think. You guys have fucked. Don't think he won't try to fuck you again," he cautioned.

"Oh, Jake, seriously?" she responded inquisitively.

"Julie, trust me. I love you with all my heart. We've talked about this. You've done your research. You know where I stand. I'm okay if you hook-up with him. Just don't be surprised if things happen between you tonight, even though he agreed to be "friends" again," Jake warned.

She looked at him, "Okay, I'll keep that in mind and be ready...I guess."

Julie didn't really think much about going to Tony's while at work. However, she was bothered that Jake didn't seem too bothered "if" she and Tony fooled around tonight. Jake would be "okay if she hooked-up with Tony" tonight. Julie wanted everything behind her. Jake seemed to want her to keep fooling around and it bothered her.

She finished around 5:20pm and headed to Tony's. Traffic was already bad, but she had plenty of time. Besides, it was Tony's, not school. No big deal if she was late.

She arrived at his complex fairly quickly, despite the traffic and looked at her phone for his apartment number. She looked around the complex from her car until she found his building number and parked. She texted him stating she was outside. A minute later, he replied telling her to come up.

Julie grabbed her bookbag and went into the breezeway, then up the stairs to the second floor. She saw him waiting for her as she topped the stairs, just a short distance away, wearing a sweatshirt and sweats.

"Hey, girl," he smiled.

"Hey, Tony,", she smiled back as she approached him.

Tony kissed her on the cheek as he greeted her.

"Um, wow, what was that?", she smiled in curiosity.

"I'm just glad to see you, girl. Been a long time."

"You just saw me last night at class."

"Yeh, well, it's been like twenty-one hours since then," Tony remarked. Julie rolled her eyes as he showed her the door to his apartment.

"Um, you said Monday night in my car that friends don't kiss good-bye, so why did you kiss me?" Julie enquired.

"That was a hello kiss, not a good-bye kiss. Shit, girl. Don't you know the difference?"

"Oh my God. You're impossible," she quietly told him.

Tony ushered her inside, Julie leading the way. "I brought a change of clothes. Do you mind if I change somewhere?" she asked.

"The kitchen's right around the corner," Tony pointed.

"Really?" she stared at him.

"What?"

"Really?" again, looking at him.

"You said somewhere; shit." He paused, looking at her.

Julie continued to stare at him in silence.

"Fine. My bedroom is to the left or you can use the bathroom in the same hallway as my bedroom door," he pointed.

"The bathroom is fine," Julie said as she headed down the hallway. She entered the bathroom and thought to herself, "Oh, hell no," and went into Tony's bedroom. Tony's bedroom was nearly immaculate; a far cry from the bathroom in the hall. He had his own bathroom and Julie snooped just a bit. It too, was spotless. She quickly changed out of her work clothes.

She returned to the dining table next to the kitchen where Tony was sitting with his laptop.

"Girl...shit," he said staring at her.

"What?" She stopped; looking at him.

"Really? You're going to come pretending to be "friends", yet you change into a sports bra-looking-top, thin outer top and yoga pants?"

"Do I make you feel uncomfortable?"

He stared at her breasts, then his eyes moved to her crotch where just a slight, but definite camel toe appeared.

"Dammit, Tony, I'm sorry. I didn't realize what I was packing, I guess. I'll put my other clothes back on," she signed.

"No! No, no, no, no, no, no," Tony demanded. "I'll get over it. Please, come set up your laptop and have a seat."

"Are you sure?"

"Just do it; don't worry. You'll be fine, shit."

"I'm not worried about me," she said under her breath.

Julie took out her things and set up her laptop, sitting down next to Tony.

She was about to school Tony on the cleanliness of the main bathroom when they heard the front door open. From around the corner came a booming voice, "Yo, Tony. When's your hot blonde married bitch get here?"

Julie's jaw dropped as she looked at Tony. Tony put his head back, both hands covering his face in total embarrassment. Tony's roommate walked around the corner and immediately did an about face after seeing Julie sitting there. Silence filled the air as Julie stared at Tony, her mouth still open in disbelief.

A few seconds later, a man appeared from the entry way. "Ma'am, I'm so sorry. I...I didn't mean it the way it probably sounded to you," he said. "I didn't know you were here."

Julie looked disapprovingly at him; red-faced, "Obviously."

"Oh, shit," Tony sighed.

Julie folded her arms across her chest and cocked her head. "Um, and in just what way did you mean that?"

He stuttered and mumbled, trying to somehow alleviate the embarrassment hovering over the kitchen/dining area.

Julie was not going to let this pass. She wanted an answer. "I'm waiting," she said sternly.

"Fuck, Tony, help me out, bro," he said.

"Don't look at me, dude," Tony countered.

Julie looked at Tony. "No, really Tony, help him out. How did he know...what was it you said?"...looking at his roommate, "a hot blonde married bitch?...was coming over?" Julie asked with a touch of anger in her voice; looking at Tony, her arms still crossed in front of her.

More silence, as she stared; alternating between the two.

"I...I'm sorry, Julie", Tony began to speak.

"Don't!" she snapped.

More silence.

"I was going to tell you before we were interrupted that the bathroom in the hallway is disgusting. I didn't even want change in it. I thought you were a marine? Did you forget how to keep your area clean?" she grilled.

She looked at Tony's roommate. "Were you ever in the military?" she asked harshly.

"Air Force", he replied.

She rolled her eyes. "That explains it."

She then pointed her finger at Tony's face and flipped her wrist in the direction of his bedroom and stood. "Now!" she demanded loudly.

She looked at his roommate. "And you...I suggest you begin cleaning that bathroom pronto. I can't believe how appallingly revolting it is," pausing briefly. "If you knew some 'hot blonde married bitch' was coming over, don't you think you'd have the decency to clean?" She glared at him and paused briefly again. "You can start by cleaning the dried piss off the toilet. Picking up the trash, cleaning the sink and mirror are good second choices. Lord only knows what's growing in that shower."

She followed Tony to his bedroom and slammed the door behind her. She glared at him, hands on her hips, for what seemed like hours to Tony. "Tell me. What does he know?" She waited for an answer. Tony didn't speak. "Does he know we had sex?" she stared; waiting.

Julie's temper was red hot; her body trembling as she stared at Tony. "Tony, what the fuck?" trying to be quiet. "Does he know my husband was there?" His silence and the look on his face told her what she needed to know. She continued staring, breathing heavily, "I figured as much; shit, Tony."

She stood there thinking. Tony remained silent. "Well, okay. I guess we all know what went on between us now," she said, throwing up her hands. "Shame on me for being surprised."

"Julie, I'm so sorry. I really didn't think I'd ever see you again other than class. I was surprised that we ended up together on this project," Tony said sincerely. "I'm totally embarrassed. I completely understand you're upset and you have every right to be. I hope you can somehow forgive me; please."

She looked him in the eyes. "Did you tell him I sucked your cock? Did you tell him that...that...that you fucked me doggie... " Tony interrupted.

"Julie, stop. Please," Tony said. "Yes, he knows we had sex. He knows Jake was there. He probably knows you gave me head only because that's what people do during sex, but I didn't tell him specifics; honest," Tony confessed.

She stared at him silently; hands still on her hips. Her eyes watered. Finally, she took a deep breath and exhaled noticeably. "Okay; okay. No secrets now. Let's just get back to work," she said. "Give me a minute to compose myself. I'll be out there shortly."

Tony left his bedroom, leaving Julie to gather herself. After a few minutes, she opened his bedroom door and was immediately hit by the scent of pine-smelling cleaner. Tony was taking a small bag of trash out of the bathroom. His roommate was standing over the sink, scrubbing.

Julie stopped and leaned a shoulder against the door, taking in the sight of Tony's yet-to-be-identified roommate busily trying to clean the bathroom before she returned. He then sprayed the mirror with glass cleaner, removing the toothpaste splatter.

"You missed some," Julie softly said.

Tony's roommate jumped; not knowing she was standing in the door. He turned to face her. "Oh, um, hi. Um, I'm sorry," he said.

"Your parents named you Sorry?" Julie asked, trying to ease the tension.

"Um, no. I'm Derrick...I mean, ma'am, I'm really sorry for what happened."

"I know you are. I'm over it; you didn't know I was here. Let it go; really. I'm Julie," she smiled. "Good job on the bathroom, by the way."

Julie started to walk away, then stopped and pulled Derrick close so she could whisper in his ear. "Um, Derrick, do me a favor. I'm not that much older than you. As much as I admire your manners, if you call me ma'am again, I'll slap the shit out of you." She let go of him.

"Yes ma'am...No! I mean okay...um, um..." trying to remember Julie's name.

"Julie. My name is Julie. Unless you want to call me 'hot married blonde bitch'; but I strongly don't recommend that, either," she said.

She found Tony sitting with his elbows on the table, his laptop open, but he was in a daze. She knew he was hurting; still embarrassed.

"Hey, get over it," she said as she approached the table.

His eyes met hers as he sat back in his chair. Then he stood to face her as she rounded the table towards her chair. "I disrespected you by talking about you...well, us...you know what I mean," he softly said. "Again, I'm really sorry," as he wrapped her up in a sincere hug.

"Whoa, Tony; it's okay. I'm already over it. It is what it is, really, it's done."

"Oh, shit, girl, well in that case," he moved a hand down her back over her ass and started caressing a cheek.

She pulled away, looking at him. "Um, ahem, friends, remember?"

"Sorry, couldn't help it."

"Don't bullshit me, Tony."

They sat down and began to get to work on their project. Around 7:30ish, Derrick stated he was leaving for a few hours. He looked at Julie, embarrassed, and said he was sorry again. She laughed and reassured him everything was cool.

Derrick left, closing the door. They heard his key lock the door.

"So, is that code for 'do what you want'?" Julie asked.

"What do you mean?" Tony quizzed.

"Well, you heard him. It's almost like he made it a point to make sure we knew that he'd be gone for 'a few hours'...as if something was going to happen between us."

"No. Are you trippin' or something? We don't have any codes or shit, girl."

"Okay, just checking," she smirked, as if she believed Tony was telling the truth.

They worked on their project for another hour or so.

"Are you at a stopping point?" Tony asked. "It's closing in on twenty-one hundred."

"Oh my God, I lost track of time. Yeh, I need to get home soon."

They organized the work they'd done. Tony agreed to bring it to class next week so they'd have it, if needed. Julie packed her backpack and made sure she had everything. She helped him clean the glasses they used for their sodas.

While standing at the sink, Tony came up behind her and put his arms around her, holding her tightly.