--CONTENT GOES HERE (static)--

Ivy greeted Julian with open arms. Shocked, to say the least, was Julian, but he never let it show. He, instead, embraced Ivy back. Nervousness…anxiousness is what took over his body when Ivy pulled from him and kiss his lips.

Would she feel that he wasn’t responding the same? Could she smell Eve’s scent that still lingered on him, even after his many showers? He knew HE couldn’t shake off her scent…her exploring hands…her sweet and ardent kisses…

“DADDY!” Abigail yelled as she came in through the front.

“Oh,” Julian turned and knelt down to a running Abby, “My little girl!” he hugged her and picked her up, “Did you just get off from school?”

She pulled her face from his shoulder and nodded. Abby laid her head on his shoulder once more, her face facing his neck, and hugged her arms around his neck tighter.

“I missed you, Daddy!”

“Aww, I missed you too, sweetheart,” his hands softly caressed her small back.

Julian now heard his daughter sniff.

“Honey, do you have a cold?” he asked, concerned.

“Daddy, you…smell different,” Abby continued to sniff, “You smell…”

Julian’s eyes widened!

“Smell? Do I smell bad?” he laughed, trying to turn the awkward situation into an amusing one.

“No,” she shook her head, “It’s different, but good,” she smiled again.

Julian closed his eyes, and sighed mentally…
---

That evening, the three of them shared a nice dinner together. Instead of silence filling the room, laughter and chatter of the happy family did. Julian also took delight in the closer relationship between Ivy and their daughter.

And that evening, in their bedroom, Ivy demanded something from Julian…something that he wasn’t willing or in the mood to partake in, but, guiltily, he gave in.

Julian was lying on his back, on the carpeted floor of their room, as Ivy was riding him, very slowly. His eyes stared up and watched her face; watched as she took pleasure in their love making. With eyes closed, Ivy never noticed Julian’s wandering eyes. Everywhere he looked, all he saw was Eve’s naked body. He closed his eyes, and there she was sitting upon him.

Feeling her husband harder and more enthused inside of her, Ivy began screaming out his name…

“YES, LINUS! OH,” she panted, “OH!” she gasped, “Ohhh,” her hips gave a final thrust against his and she leaned down and met his lips with hers for a brief moment and then rested her face in the crook of his neck.

He opened his eyes. Julian blinked; blinked harder the next time, but no, it hadn’t been a nightmare, it was reality…he was here at home in his bedroom, with his wife…not Eve Johnson…Dr. Eve Johnson…
---

After months of shunning thoughts of Eve out of his head, Julian was now feeling himself; feeling his normal self. The husband Ivy had always known, the loving father to his beautiful daughter…just the wonderful and caring and devoted family man Harmony knew.

A year passed, and Ivy was out on the patio talking with Julian, when the maid brought a sealed envelope to Ivy.

“What is this?” Ivy looked it over as Julian also stared in wonder, “I never expected anything…honey, do you know what this is?”

Julian shook his head. He looked to the side, hoping and praying it wasn’t what he thought it was.

No…no, Eve wouldn’t do that. She confessed that what they had done was wrong, and that she had never done that before. He believed her, so Julian now sighed in relief. This mysterious letter wasn’t from Eve, claiming that they had had a one-night stand while he was away on business months ago. One-night stand? He laughed…it was more like a night of passion.

Julian never noticed Ivy’s curious eyes upon him, for he was in a daze and smiling away.

“Honey? What’s so funny?” she smiled.

“Huh, what?” Julian shook himself out of his reverie, “Nothing, Ivy, dear, what—what was that, uh, letter?” he asked.

“Ohh, nothing,” she rolled her eyes, “Just an invitation to my high school class reunion…” she shrugged, “I don’t even know if I’m going to attend.”

“Ohh, honey, how bad can it be? You know we had fun when we attended mine a couple of years ago…”

“Yes, I suppose you’re right,” she sighed, “Oh! Maybe E.J. will be there too!”

E.J. That was Ivy’s best friend back in high school. Julian always heard about her, but had never met her. Maybe he would get the chance in two months.
---

Two months had gone by and it was the week of the reunion, and E.J. was supposed to stay at the Crane’s for the time being…

“Yes! Yes! I’m coming!” Julian shouted as he ran down the stairs to the front door, “Where are those damn servants?” he mumbled as his hand grabbed a hold of the knob and turned it, “Yes, can I hel—” Julian’s mouth became very dry, too dry to even finish his sentence.

Eve had been ringing the bell for the longest time and wondered if anyone was at home at the time, so she turned her back to the door to see if anyone was outside, but when she heard the knob, she turned her head back towards the door just in time…just in time to come face to face with Julian…Julian Crane, the man that caused her to lose herself; that caused her to feel a love she had never known…

“Eve!” he smiled, “How are you?” he asked, then shook his head, “What are you doing here?” he asked in wonder.

“I…I—I,” Eve stammered.

Ivy then came from behind Julian and screamed excitedly.

“EJ!” Ivy pushed her husband aside and wrapped her arms around Eve.

Eve just stared at Julian over her best friend’s shoulder.

E.J.?

He guessed that E.J. must’ve stood for Eve Johnson.

“You made it! I’m so happy! We’re going to have so much fun getting to know each other again and everything…” she escorted Eve inside, “Linus, honey, grab E.J.’s bags would you?”

Linus? Eve looked back.

“Yes, dear,” Julian said and picked up Eve’s suitcases.

Julian then handed the two suitcases to one of the maids and commanded her to take them up to their guest’s room. She nodded and went on her way. He turned back towards the two women who were getting to know each other. Eve met his stare, and Ivy noticed…

“Ohh, forgive me,” she rolled her eyes, “I’m sorry, dear, but I haven’t introduced the two of you,” she turned to Julian and waved for him to join them, “Come here, Linus, meet my very best friend, E.J….Dr. Eve Johnson.”

Julian walked slowly towards them, never taking his eyes off of Eve.

“Honey, this is E.J….E.J., this is my husband, Linus,” she paused, “Julian,” she shrugged, “I call him ‘Linus’.” She giggled.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, E.J….Eve,” he whispered huskily as his hand closed around hers.

Shivers and chills were sent up their spines as they touched, for the touch was all too familiar. He remember kissing that same hand after she had curiously explored him below the waist that night, and she remember his soft hand caressing her and bringing her to the brink of ecstasy.

“Yes, yes it is, Julian,” she let out with a familiarity that Ivy failed to notice.

“Well, since you two met,” Ivy broke their hands apart and escorted Eve to the living area where she sat her down on the extravagant sofa.

Julian stayed behind in the doorway and leaned against the frame as he continued to watch his wife, her best friend…his one-time lover. How the hell were they going to get through the rest of this week? How was he going to fight the temptation to stay away from Eve? God, he couldn’t stop looking at her, without thinking lustful thoughts about her…it wasn’t just lust, was it?

And damn, what should happen if Ivy ever found out. She would never forgive him for being unfaithful…and not only was it to another woman, but the woman was her own best friend. His eyes picked up from staring at the floor and met Eve’s once again.

What had she been thinking, he wondered, since she learned that Ivy was married to the man she had made love to a year ago.

Both of Julian and Eve’s glances were interrupted as Abigail ran down the stairs and screamed for her daddy. She wrapped her arms around his legs. Eve now looked down to the little girl, who admiringly, stared up into her father’s loving eyes.

“Abby, honey,” Ivy called.

The little girl turned to look at her mother and saw the unfamiliar stranger sitting beside her. She walked around her father’s legs and peeked her head around her father’s thigh to look back at Eve.

Eve clearly saw both Julian and Ivy in this little girl. Abby had her mother’s eyes, while she had her father’s facial features and hair color…

“Honey, don’t be scared…this is one of my good friends from school,” she smiled, “Now come on over here and say ‘hello’.”

Abigail shook her head as she grabbed on tightly to Julian’s leg.

“That’s okay, Ivy,” Eve said, “If a child doesn’t want to greet someone, you’re not supposed to make them,” she said as a matter of fact, “Psychology,” Eve shrugged and smiled.

Ivy smiled back at her friend, and then laughed when she turned to her daughter.

Julian laughed and tried to pry her off, but the doorbell interrupted his attempts to free himself of Abby. Julian limped to the door, as Abby giggled while he carried her along with him.

“Yes?” he said laughingly as he opened the door.

“I’m sorry, I am at the right house…‘Crane’s,’ right?” the woman holding a child asked.

“Yes, yes it is, may I help you?”

“Oh, good, well, my daughter was to be arriving here and I was just taking care of my grandbaby for a short while, and she instructed me to bring little J.J. over,” Tanya cooed at the baby.

“‘J.J.’?” Julian asked.

“Yes, J.J.,” Tanya looked down at her grandson, “It’s short for ‘Julian Johnson’,” she smiled up at the man that answered the door, “Is she here; is Eve here?” she smiled as she tried to peek around Julian.

Julian’s smile faded as his mouth opened wide.

What did this woman just say? What did she call the infant she was holding?

“Excuse me, sir, are you okay?”

“Uh, uh, yes, come in, come in…” Julian stuttered.

Eve jumped out of her seat when she saw her mother with her baby…her and Julian’s baby! She could clearly see the confused look upon his face.