Stepbrother Bad Boy's Baby Boxed Set(22)

Julian looked around and pointed uptown. "Figure I'd catch the El train. There's a shopping mall I wanted to check out. If you're right with talking to Kimberly, I can maybe give her a call and check out Edgewater or something too."

I nodded and set my bag down, shifting from side to side. "Okay. Well uhm, be careful on the El, all right? You're a pretty big guy, but this is Chicago."

There were so many things I wanted to say, like how much I didn't really want to go, I wanted to stay in town and spend more time with Julian. Part of me wanted to tell him about how he'd been a constant presence in my fantasies for almost a week, and how I'd almost cut the end of my index finger off at work while thinking about him. But most of me wanted to wrap my arms around him and hold him close, and more importantly have him hold me. Instead, the bus approached, and I picked up my bag. "Well, here it is. I'll call you when I get to New York, okay?"

"That sounds good. Be careful, and cook your ass off, Krystal. Show them what Aksoy DNA means," Julian said intensely, looking into my eyes again. He stepped back, and I got on the bus, watching him out the window until the bus turned the corner, and I was on my way to the airport.



* * *



Julian



I was rooted to the spot as I watched Krystal disappear around the corner, and it took me a good two or three minutes after the bus left before I realized I was standing in the middle of the sidewalk like some sort of idiot. Shaking my head, I turned towards the El train station. I didn't really need to go shopping, honestly. I mean, yeah I had two pairs of socks, but I had spent so much of the time since coming to Chicago indoors that I was barefoot most of the time. Still, the idea of finding a gym to get a lift in was pretty attractive. Krystal's building had a fitness facility, but for a guy like me who counted his lifts in the number of big 45 pound plates I could put on the bar, it wasn't enough. I needed a place I could sling some heavy ass iron. First though, I needed to get some clothes.

Climbing on the El, I remembered a shopping mall in the North Side that Krystal had taken me to, it had a Dick's Sporting Goods. Not quite the same as ordering stuff online, but I needed a new belt since I'd left my weightlifting belt in L.A. like a total dumbass. Mostly I needed some shorts, a few t-shirts, the aforementioned socks, and a pair of Chuck Taylors. Nothing better for lifting than a pair of Chucks, in my opinion.

About two hours later I was decked out. The clerk, a skinny little guy who a month ago I would have tried to punk out, looked at my shoulders and chest in admiration. "Wow man, you getting ready to hit it hard, aren't you?"

"That obvious?" I asked, an unfamiliar smile coming to my face. "Yeah, planning on finding a new gym. New gym, new gear, know what I mean?"

"Yeah. Good luck," he said, bagging my purchases. "You need anything else?"

"Nah, I'm cool. Have a good one, dude."

Walking out into the mall, I realized that for the first time in years, I felt mostly at peace. Even with the situation with Krystal tearing inside my gut, I felt happier than I'd been since my teenage years. It was actually pretty f*cking awesome, if you know what I mean. I pulled out my cell phone, and pulled up Kimberly's number. I had programmed it in from the memory on Krystal's home phone, but hadn't had a reason to call her yet. Well, here goes nothing.

The phone rang a few times, and just when I thought it was going to kick over to an answering machine, she picked up. "Hello Julian."

"Kimberly? How'd you know it was me?" I asked, surprised. "I mean, I've never called you from this phone before."

"Krystal gave me your number after the last time you called. I thought as long as you were in town, it'd be a good idea to have it." It was one of those surprising things about her that I was still getting used to about my stepsister and her best friend. They always seemed to be one step ahead in terms of planning and were always keeping me off guard. "What can I do for you? Did you lock yourself out of the apartment?"

"No, not yet," I said with a laugh. "Although I'm not surprised you'd expect that. No, I was talking with Krystal before she left for the airport, and she said you might be able to help me out. I'm looking for a place I can get a good weight training session in, and she said you used to date a football player. She thought you might know."

Kimberly was silent for a moment, which I had come to understand was her way of thinking. "Yeah. You looking to head North or South for the gym?"

"Doesn't matter to me. If it's a good place I don't really care."

"Okay, two places come to mind. First is over by Wrigley Field, about two or three blocks away, called Quads Gym. It's the place my ex-ex-ex-he-was-a-total-*-of-a-boyfriend went to. It's used by a famous old powerlifter, guy named Ed Coan. Down on West 35th is a place called Lance's Gym. Where are you right now?"

"I'm closer to Quads. I decided to do some shopping at Riverpoint Center. By the way, you want me to pick up anything for you? Krystal said you like getting over to Costco when you can."

I heard the thaw and surprise in Kimberly's voice as she replied. She still was suspicious of me, but seemed to be accepting me more, kind of. "Thanks, but no, I'm good. Just went by on Saturday. Anything else?"

"Nope, not right at the moment. Thanks Kimberly. Actually, one other thing. Uhm, I really don't know how to cook, and ordering another pizza for myself is kind of stupid. Now, I'm not sure how to ask this without it sounding like I'm hitting on you which I'm totally not, but would you maybe like to get some dinner tonight or something?"