Always There || Greta Van Fleet

Chapter 106: Later

The next morning, I lied within the first few minutes of peace, not yet opening my eyes, feeling Jake's arm tightly wrapped around me before remembering.. today was his last day here.

I scooted back against him, holding on tight, intertwining our fingers, appreciating every second for as long as I could, knowing that come tomorrow morning, I would be all alone.

It wasn't long before I felt him sigh, his grip getting tighter. I rolled over to face him, cuddling closer.
"Hi.." He whispered, his lips curling into a smile. Wrapping my arms around him, I tangled my fingers in his hair, pulling him in, gently kissing his forehead.
"Good morning." I said. "How'd you sleep?" He giggled to himself, squeezing me tighter.
"Better than I'm gonna sleep these next few months." I could only imagine how it was going to be, having to live out of a van.

"You still have one more night." I said. He finally opened his eyes, pushing himself back up.
"Can you.. stay again tonight?" He asked. I couldn't help but smile, feeling my cheeks burn.
"I'm lucky I was allowed to stay last night."
"But.. I leave tomorrow morning." He muttered.
"I'll see what she says. But.. you should probably start getting packed." He nodded, rubbing his eyes as he looked around.

"I don't even know where to start."
"I know, it must be hard looking so good in everything." I joked. He playfully rolled his eyes as he forced himself out of bed, stretching his arms above his head, making his way over to his empty suitcase.

"What do you want?" He asked, now digging through his dresser.
"What do you mean?" He smirked back at me.
"I mean.. what do you want. Come take your pick." I bit down on my lip, trying to contain my smile.
"I have enough of your clothes, you're not gonna have anything left." My heart jumped at the sound of his laughter as he continued to dig.

"You look good in your jackets, you should bring those." I added. His smile grew as he went over to his closet and began flipping through them. I crawled over to him, now sitting on the edge of the bed.

"You know.. this is where you kissed me." I said softly, feeling my face get hot. He stopped, peeking back at me. I felt my heart beat faster as he made his way over to me.
"And this is where I'm gonna kiss you.. over.. and over.. and over." He giggling, pulling me into a series of kisses. "Though.. I think we've had more first kisses than most."
"I'm so glad you jumped."
"Me too."
"Now.. finish getting ready." I laughed, playfully pushing him away. He rolled his eyes again, pulling me into one more kiss before going back over to his closet.

"Oh.. I almost forgot." He said. I could hear the smile in his voice as he reached up, grabbing something from the top shelf. I watched as he made his way over, holding it behind his back before sitting down next to me, gently placing it on my lap.
"What's this?"
"Just open it." He said cheerfully, nudging it closer.
"You don't have to keep getting me gifts."
"Jaime.." He groaned. I sighed, pulling out the tissue paper one by one until I saw a small vinyl at the bottom of the bag.

"W-what.. what's this?" I asked, carefully taking it out of the bag, inspecting it closely. My heart jumped.
"The song.. from the wedding. Where did you-"
"I searched for it after you fell asleep." He said, moving in closer. "I just.. I love our 'things' and when I'm gone-"
"Please don't talk about when you're gone."
"Sorry." He sighed. "But.. I want you to have pieces of me, pieces of us, that way it's like.. I never left."

I couldn't believe how thoughtful he was. Never in my life had I ever seen this Jake, and now he was all mine. I was so lucky.

Placing it back in the bag, I reached over, pulling him into a passionate kiss. His lips, curling into a smile as he gently caressed my face, kissing me back.
"I love you, Jaime."
"And.. I love you, but.. you have to stop with the gifts, you're making me look bad." He flashed me a toothy grin, pulling me back into another long kiss.
"I don't need anything from you, Jaime. I just want to spoil you."
"You spoil me enough."
"Oh, it's never going to be enough." He laughed, climbing over me. I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him back into another long kiss.

"Thank you.. for everything, though. Not having you here is going to be hard enough, but.. all of this.. it's perfect." He rolled over next to me, wrapping his arm around me, pulling me up against him.
"You know there's still time to come with-"
"Jake.."
"Okay, okay.. you can't blame me for trying though."
"Please don't think I don't want to, I just-"
"It's okay. I understand. I'm just.. a little selfish." He laughed, gently tangling his fingers in my hair, pulling me in, kissing my forehead.

I couldn't help but feel bad, the more he did for me, knowing that I hadn't done nearly enough for him. And that wasn't fair. After everything, he deserved the world just as much.

"How about this.." I said, sitting back up. "You finish packing, and.. I'll run home for a little while, to make sure Mom is okay and that she has everything she needs, and.. if it's okay with her.. maybe I can stay again tonight. I'm sure she'll understand." His smile grew into an excited grin.

"Okay." He said, pulling me back in. "And then.. you can check and make sure I have everything I need." I shook my head, trying to contain my laughter.
"What are you gonna do on the road when I'm not there?" I asked. He shrugged, smirking back at me.
"Struggle." I rolled my eyes, kissing him again before finally pushing myself out of his bed, searching around the room for my pants.

"They're over there." He laughed, motioning towards the door. I felt my cheeks burn, making my way over, quickly sliding them back on.
"And.. maybe tonight we could-"
"You're lucky no one heard us last night." I muttered. "I don't want to push our luck." He bit down on his lip, his cheeks burning bright red.
"No one heard anything." He said, reaching back out for me. I grabbed his hand, letting him pull me back onto his lap. His hands slowly moved down to my waist, pulling me in closer.

"And we're gonna keep it that way." I laughed, leaning into a gentle kiss. He reached back up, gently caressing my neck, kissing me back harder. I felt my heart beat faster as I slowly moved my hands up his chest, wrapping my arms around his neck.
"So I really have to go from the past two nights to just.. nothing?" He joked. I nodded.
"I don't like it any more than you do." He pulled me into another passionate kiss, carefully positioning himself over me again.

"Jake.." I laughed, feeling his lips down to my neck.
"I just think.. while we have time.." He sighed, his kisses getting harder. I clung to his shirt, feeling my heart beat faster as his hands moved down to my pants again. I nodded, pulling his shirt over his head as he slid off my pants again, tossing them back onto the floor.

It was embarrassing how little convincing I needed when it came to him, but after the last few nights, I just couldn't resist him. I had never felt anything like that before, and after all these years of waiting, now he was all I wanted.

He reached over for his end table, going into the drawer when I heard him groan.
"W-what?" I asked, grabbing onto his the waistband of his pants.
"I'm.. I'm out." He muttered.
"Y-you're.. out?" He nodded, his eyes getting wide.
"Oh.." I sighed. He bit down on his lip, holding his stare on me.
"I.. I mean.. we could be carefu-"
"No, Jake." I laughed, pulling him into another kiss, now accepting that nothing was going to happen. He rolled back over, flashing me a wide grin.
"Okay." He sighed, propping his head up onto his hand.

"And what if something happened?" I asked, feeling my face get hot at just the thought of something happening with him. He was quiet for a moment, now avoiding my eyes as he reached over for my hand, gently intertwining our fingers.
"Would it really be the end of the world if something did happen?" My heart jumped.
"With you leaving, yes. It would be." I joked. He nodded.
"But.. if I wasn't?" I felt my heart beating faster.

Were we really having this conversation?

"S-sorry." He said. "I was just.. just thinking out loud. It wouldn't be ideal, I know. I just.. I don't know." I leaned in, gently kissing him again.
"It wouldn't be the end of the world." I sighed. "Not with you, but.. how about you give me some time?" He nodded, giggling to himself.

"Deal." He pulled me into another kiss. "How about.. while you're gone.. I run up to the store, and.. then later-" I nodded, pushing myself back out of his bed, grabbing my pants and sliding them back on. Going back over to him, I reached over, holding his face in my hands, pulling him into a passionate kiss.

"Later."