Always There - Part 2 || Greta Van Fleet

Chapter 233: If Nothing Happens

The next morning I woke up to the feeling of gentle kisses making their way across my bare back, eventually venturing up to my neck where the sound of Jake's quiet laughter finally forced my eyes open.

"Good morning." He whispered, his lips finally meeting mine in a tired kiss. I couldn't help but smile, my heart jumping at the feeling of him, waking me up quicker than the strongest cup of coffee.

"Good morning." I sighed, wrapping my arms around his neck, pulling him in closer. He sluggishly crawled over me and proceeded to cover my face in his soft kisses, making me want nothing more than for time to stand still, just for a moment, just so I could fully enjoy this. Because this was all that young Jaime had ever dreamt about, and she deserved to finally relish in it completely.

"Someone's in a good mood." I giggled, squeezing him tighter. His laughter echoed in my ear as his lips moved back down to my neck.
"Why wouldn't I be?" He sighed, finally propping himself up, staring down at me with dazed eyes, tired, but still so adoring. I don't know what I would do if there was ever a day he didn't look at me like this.

"We should go get them." I whispered, gently running my fingers through his hair, slowly tracing down his bare back. He groaned, hiding his face in my neck as he giggled to himself.
"Do we have to?" He asked. "This is so nice."
"I know, but.. would you want me to just leave you in the hospital?" He smirked up at me.
"You wouldn't leave me." He said softly. I bit down on my lip, holding my stare on him.

He was right.
I wouldn't.
But I wouldn't leave Josh either.

"Come on. I'm sure my mom is only gonna be okay with this for so long. It's only a matter of time before she comes looking for us." I said, playfully pushing him off of me. He rolled his eyes.
"Fine, fine.." He sighed, stretching his arms above his head. I watched him as he forced himself out of bed, rummaging around the room for his clothes that one by one, became scattered across the floor.

How easily they seemed to fall from our bodies when we were together.

He peeked over at me as he got dressed, catching my staring, to which I quickly looked away.
"You can look all you want." He giggled. "It's all yours." My body instantly felt like it was on fire.
"Oh, stop." I laughed, playfully rolling my eyes. He finally pulled his shirt over his head, coming back over and sitting down on the edge of the bed.

"You know, Jaime, just because you're not mine doesn't mean I'm not your's." He said, reaching over, gently combing the hair out of my eyes. I leaned into him, allowing his hand to now caress my face, to which he returned the embrace, gently brushing his thumb against my cheek.

"Can we talk about that?" He finally asked. I sighed, leaning into a gentle kiss.
"Not yet." I sighed. He nodded, biting down on his lip.
"Why not?"
"Because I'm not ready for that." I muttered. He held his stare on me.
"But.. you're ready for this?" He asked, motioning back towards my bed.

I didn't know what to say. It was just different. Being like this with him was one thing, but once things got serious was when everything started to go wrong, so I guess I was just scared of taking that leap with him again so soon. Especially when it felt like things were going well.

"It's just that.. you know.. if the roles were reversed you wouldn't be okay with that." He said softly, now avoiding my eyes, one of his hands finding their way into mine. And he was right. We were so much more than this, and I knew that. We knew that. I just.. needed time.

"Jake, I just-"
"And look.. I know you were just engaged, and you need time. I understand that. But.. I'm not just some guy. We're either together now, or we'll be together how many weeks down the line, either way. We're not starting over, we're.. we're just doing what we should have done this entire time. It's different, and.. I know what you said.. about wanting a family so your mom could-"
"Jake." I said, quick to stop him, already feeling myself starting to get worked up. His face dropped.

"I've been thinking about that and.. well, she.. she seems to be doing better, and.. with the movie coming up, I just.. maybe it was for the best that nothing happened. Maybe I should take this time for me, and then.. you can focus on the band and-"
"The band isn't happening, Jaime. And you know it. I appreciate you pretending like it will, but.. it's not. And.. maybe I've accepted that, but.. I want this.. more than that now."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Our entire lives, that was the only thing Jake had ever lived for, and now suddenly he was ready to give it all up. And I just couldn't let him.

"How about this.." I finally said, moving closer to him. His eyes instantly lit up as they moved down to my lips. I couldn't help but smile, shaking my head before leaning into a quick kiss, to which he returned a matching lovestruck grin.
"Please.. while I'm working on my movie, promise me that you'll just try. And.. if nothing happens, then.. okay." He held his stare on me for a moment, giving me a questioning look.

"Okay?" He asked. I nodded.
"Then.. okay."
"W-what.. do you mean by.. okay?" I sighed, pulling him back into another long kiss.
"If nothing happens with your band by the time I'm finished with my movie.. then.. okay." I said, hinting at it as much as I possibly could without spelling it out for him.
"You.. you mean it?" He asked, his smile growing. I nodded.
"I mean it. But.. let's give each other this time because.. you know, once we decide this-"
"I know." He said happily, pulling me back into a passionate kiss, unable to contain his smile.

"But.. you have to promise me.. you're going to try." He nodded, kissing me again.
"I promise."
"Because.. one day.. I'd love for them to be standing in the wings with me, watching you.. be great."
"Them?" He joked, flashing me a toothy grin. I play fully shoved him.
"Oh, stop." I laughed. "You know what I mean." He nodded, giggling to himself before pulling me back into another series of deep kisses, each lingering that much longer than the next before he eventually crawled back over me, bathing me in such affection that it became almost impossible to expect either of us to want to wait.

"I am so excited to see you bring our love story to life." He sighed, and it felt like my heart had melted in my chest.
"So am I." I said, wrapping my arms around his neck, pulling him in closer. "I can't wait for you to see how I see you. Like.. how you write songs, this.. is finally my way to show how much you mean to me."
"You know, if you keep talking to me like that, we're not gonna be waiting very long." He laughed, covering my face in gentle kisses again.

"I think what we need to do is get your brother from the hospital." I laughed, playfully pushing him away. I heard him sigh, begrudgingly climbing back over me.
"Alright, but you're gonna have to get dressed first." He smirked, collecting my clothes from the floor, tossing them into my dirty hamper before going into my dresser and picking me out clean ones.

I watched as he went drawer by drawer, seemingly already familiar with the set up before going over to my closet and pulling another one of his t-shirts off a hanger, placing my new outfit in front of me.

"I'll head downstairs and make us some coffee." He said, leaning over, kissing the top of my head. "You get ready and I'll meet you down there."