Danger Zone

Chapter 27: "Alive and Kicking"

Jules had grabbed her pillow and was on the way to her couch when Tom blocked the door. "Where are you going?" he asked with a sassy grin.
"Uhm ..."
"Do you really think I traveled all the way to see you just to sleep alone here?" He looked at her, his heart overflowing with love. "You know it, and I know it."
"What?" Jules replied with a grin, playing stupid to spice it up a bit. Of course she knew, but she wanted him to say those words. Those three words that were hanging between them. She threw the pillow back on the bed.
"That we're head over heels in love and have been for some time already." He moved closer to her.
"Is that so?"
Tom wrapped her in his arms. "I love you, Jules. More than words can say."
"I love you, too."
They were looking at each other, not saying anything for a moment, until Jules broke the silence and quietly said, "Why don't we continue what we started a little while ago?"
"What did we start?" He decided to play the game as well.
"You know damn well what I mean ..." she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
"This?" He leaned in, and the moment their lips touched, Jules knew that whatever she had been looking for in all those years since Soccer Dude was right here, kissing her. She couldn't get enough of him and his love. "God, Tom ..." she muttered. "I ...just love you so much!" A single tear suddenly rolled down her cheek.
"Why are you crying?" he asked, wiping the tear away.
"Because I ...am overwhelmed. Happy. And so madly in love with you." She lost herself in his green eyes. "More, please ..."
"As many as you want."
Their kisses were hot and burning and full of love, passion and desire. Jules was clinging onto him for dear life, as Tom's kisses literally took her breath away. "My Gawd", she muttered, while his lips traveled up and down on her neck.
"I love you, babe", he mumbled back, looking for a good spot to give her a hickey. "And I need to mark my territory!"
Jules giggled. "You're such an idiot, Tom!"
"Hrmh", he purred, still looking for the perfect spot. He paused for a moment and looked into her eyes. "Well, honey, we got some catching up to do when it comes to ..." He kissed her again, so full of passion that Jules almost fainted. His right hand meanwhile had found its way underneath her shirt to caress her skin, while his left hand had latched onto her butt. "You have such a lovely ass", he purred again.
"Tom ...please!" she begged. If she had ever had an ounce of resistance left, it was gone by now. "Rest in peace, Julesy", she moaned.
"In as much?" He looked at her, biting his lower lip.
"Because of what you're doing to me", she croaked. "Not that I am complaining, though!"

Later, when they were snuggled up in bed, Jules sighed deeply. Tom looked at her. "What's up, hm?"
"You know, you're the first man in a little over a decade, so I was just concerned that ..."
"Babe, don't you worry about anything. That first kiss a while ago when I visited you for the first time already was amazing." He smiled at her and caressed her lovingly. "What matters is that we're finally together, and you're here, in my arms."
"I missed lying in your arms and feeling your heartbeat and your warmth next to me", she confessed. "And most of all, I missed you!" She kissed him again. "Ich liebe dich."
"I love you, too."
Not much later, they fell asleep, happily in love and knowing that they also had found some kind of peace in each other's arms.

Jules woke up before Tom did. She watched him sleeping, how his lips that had kissed her so  passionately and soft at the same time were slightly parted. The steady rise and fall of his chest while he was breathing. She smiled and gently traced his jawline with her forefinger. Nora had been right all the time – she had been ready for The Fall. Screw Rule Number One. After all those years, Jules had found love again, at a time when she had least expected it. And just as she wanted to carefully kiss the tip of Tom's nose, he woke up.

"Good morning, dream lover", she greeted him, looking into his eyes lovingly.
"Good morning, my love", he replied and pulled her into a tight hug. "I love you so much", he whispered into her hair.
"I love you, too", she said and kissed him.
"I am really glad that you give me a chance to rectify my mistake. I honestly thought I had lost you for good."
Jules looked at him. "It wasn't nice, that's for sure. But the most important thing is that I fell asleep and woke up again in the arms of the man I love."
"And it feels good to have you in my arms again, close to me", he replied. He paused for a moment. "I don't want to live without you ever again."