Chapter 107: Expected Visit

Ricardo

Despite the restlessness that had been eating away at me since Sunday, I couldn’t make it to the office the next morning to welcome Júlia. Early in the day, I had to rush out to deal with a problem at one of Alcântara’s construction sites downtown—a shipment of materials that didn’t meet specifications. I asked Esmeralda, the HR manager, to take charge of receiving her and guiding her through the onboarding process.

All day long, I ran back and forth, taking calls, fixing issues, handling suppliers. Still, even amid the chaos, I couldn’t stop thinking about Júlia. I wanted to know how her first day was going—if she’d been received well, if she felt comfortable in the new environment. And, mostly, what she thought about the other proposal I’d made.

But I decided to keep my word and wait. I had promised her that work and personal matters wouldn’t mix, and I intended to keep that promise—at least as far as I was capable of doing so.

When I finally got home, it was already past eight. I was exhausted, covered in dust, every muscle aching. All I wanted was a shower and my bed.

After a long shower, I threw on a pair of blue flannel pajama pants and a white T-shirt, then collapsed on the couch, ready to forget the world. But hunger had other plans. My stomach began to protest, and I was just about to get up to fix something when the intercom rang.

“Good evening, Mr. Ricardo,” the doorman’s voice came through the speaker. “Miss Júlia is here and would like to come up.”

For a second, I thought I’d misheard. Júlia. At my building.

“Let her up,” I said, trying to hide the grin spreading across my face.

A few minutes later, the doorbell rang, and I opened the door.

“Hey, Júlia,” I greeted her, feeling my mood lift instantly.

She looked even more stunning than I remembered. She wore fitted jeans that highlighted her curves and a simple white blouse that contrasted perfectly with her warm skin and honey-colored eyes.

“Hi, Ricardo,” she replied, a little hesitant before stepping inside. “I... thought it’d be better to talk in person. I know I should’ve waited for you to call me, but I don’t like leaving things unresolved, and...”

She said it all in one breath, barely pausing, and I had to fight the urge to smile. Júlia was irresistible when she was nervous.

“There’s absolutely no problem with your visit,” I assured her, closing the door behind her. “Have you had dinner yet?”

She hesitated. Her eyes dropped to the floor before meeting mine again, as if she were debating whether to admit the truth or lie.

“I... I’m not hungry,” she said, though not very convincingly.

I smirked, crossing my arms.

“Of course you are,” I teased lightly. “And, to be honest, so am I. Any pizza preference?”

She gave me that familiar mix of resistance and curiosity—and in that moment, I knew that no matter how hard I tried to stay in control, Júlia would always find a way to unbalance me.

“I said I’m not hungry,” she repeated, as if trying to convince herself more than me.

She was still standing in the middle of the living room, tense, shifting her weight from one foot to the other—ready to bolt at any second. And truth be told, I didn’t want her to go anywhere.

“Then sit down for a bit,” I said, calm but firm.

She hesitated for a moment before sitting on the couch, clearly uncomfortable. I ordered two pizzas—one house special and one chicken—just to make sure she’d eat something, even if she insisted she wouldn’t. By the time I hung up, she was still fidgeting, hands clasped in her lap, eyes scanning the room like she was mapping out an escape route.

I walked over and sat beside her. Slowly, I took her hand—her skin was cool to the touch.

“Come here,” I murmured, gently pulling her into my lap.

She didn’t resist. Maybe she was tired of resisting. Maybe, deep down, she wanted to be there as much as I wanted her to be.

“I’m guessing you came here to give me an answer to my proposal,” I said, twirling a strand of her hair between my fingers.

Her scent was the same as that night in Brotas—that sweet, soft fragrance that had haunted me ever since, stirring memories I’d rather keep buried.

“The answer is... no,” she said, her voice trembling, barely a whisper.

I smiled, unable to take it seriously. Her “no” didn’t sound final—it sounded conflicted, uncertain.

“That’s a shame,” I murmured, brushing my lips against her neck, feeling her shiver.

I let my mouth trail along the curve of her shoulder, tugging her blouse slightly aside. Her scent, her warm skin, the quick rhythm of her breathing—everything about her contradicted her words.

When I reached her lips again, they were already parted, waiting for me. The kiss happened as if it had always been meant to. Intense. Urgent. Filled with everything she tried to deny.

“Are you sure?” I asked hoarsely, barely pulling away from her mouth.

“I thought that... maybe...” she began, but before she could finish, she was the one who pulled me back into another kiss—deeper this time. Truer.

I responded in kind until I finally forced myself to stop. I needed to hear her say it.

“What were you thinking, Júlia?” I asked, holding her by the hair so she’d look at me. Her eyes were wide and bright, revealing the storm inside her.

“I don’t want to date you while you’re still in love with someone else,” she said firmly. “But... I think we can see each other sometimes. Something casual.”

For a few seconds, silence filled the room. The air felt heavier. I studied her face, every line of it, and when she looked away, I tilted her chin back toward me.

“So that’s it?” I asked quietly. “I’m not boyfriend material, just someone to see sometimes?”

My tone came out harsher than I’d intended, and I saw the shock flash across her face.

“I didn’t mean it like that!” she said quickly, jumping to her feet.

“But that’s how it sounded,” I shot back, standing too.

“Do you deny that you’re still in love with Alicia?” she countered, her voice tinged with anger—and pain.

I stared at her for a few seconds before replying, evenly:

“And are you in love with me?”

She flinched slightly at the question and turned her back to me, which only made me more curious. Júlia struck me as the kind of person who always had an answer for everything—except when the truth was too close for comfort.