Less than Perfect

28. Live {part one}

She shivered as she remembered the events from the night before. She and Jules on the couch, tangled in each other's arms, thoroughly enjoying each other's company instead of the movie they'd planned on watching—a classic "movie night" that turned into much more. A night filled with tender caresses, soft kisses, warm embraces, and precious declarations of their love for one another. A night she'd never forget. One she'd always cherish for the beauty and promise its memory withheld.

A small, barely noticeable smile crept up her face. "Last night was perfect," she said shakily, quivering under the heat of is touch. "I really needed it."

"I hoped you'd say that." He pulled her face in his hand, caressed it tenderly, requesting that she'd look into his eyes. When she did, his warm, bright emeralds peered deep into her soul. "How'd you sleep?" He narrowed his brows in the slightest. "Sorry I left so early this morning. Duty called."

"I slept well," she told him, and for the first time in a long time, she meant it. "I always sleep sounder when you're around. And don't worry about this morning—I understand." She smiled sweetly at him, brought her face closer to his, taunting him. "You do still have a job to keep."

"If only I didn't need to," he murmured, curling a lock of her hair around his finger. "We could have a lot of fun together with that free time." A wild grin spread across his face. "I'd be perfectly all right with ditching work right now. . ." His words trailed off as he brushed his lips over hers, just the feather of a touch.

"Jules," she breathed, clutching his shirt in her fragile hands desperately. Her heart missed a beat when he flicked his tongue across her upper lip teasingly. "You can't ditch. . ." She struggled to find the right words, too overwhelmed by the sensations clouding her body. "You're not going to skip out on work today, Julian Rane. I—I won't let you. . ."

Her words were lost in his mouth as he crushed his lips possessively against hers and lifted her off her feet, basking her in the comfort of his warmth. She made a small sound in the back of her throat, melting into his body. He explored her mouth deeply, fully, and in an instant Skye found herself depending solely on him, counting on his strength to hold her.

And when he eventually began to pull his lips away from hers, after many long, beautiful moments, she found herself trapped in a fuzzy haze that his eager kiss had created. She closed her eyes for a moment, tried to calm her erratic breathing, and nuzzled her face in his neck, treasuring the feel of his body so close and so comfortable against hers.

She groaned quietly when she felt him setting her down, left to rely on her own two feet again, and grabbed a hold of his arms to keep herself from falling. Until that moment, she hadn't even realized her crutches had fallen to the floor. And right when she was about to bend over and pick them up, Jules leaned over and snatched them up for her, holding them out towards her.

She beamed at him then, allowing her arms to fall into place atop the crutches, and let out a breath she'd been unaware of holding. Gingerly, her fingers traveled to her dry, bruised lips, thrumming still with the energy left from his hungry kisses. She couldn't help but ache for more—there had to be more. She wasn't ready for him to be done yet.

"Don't worry, baby," he said slowly. His glazed eyes sparkled with satisfaction, and his lips were curled into a goofy, lopsided grin. Her heart leapt at the sight. "I'm not actually going to ditch." He chuckled, and his warm hands cupped themselves around hers. "I do have a surprise for later though. After my shift." He lowered his head towards hers, his lips brushing her ear as he added, "You'll love it."

"I—" She shook her head, discarded her frazzled train of thought. "I'm not worried," she said eventually, around a sigh. "At least . . . not anymore." Grinning at the thought of another one of his surprises, she turned his face around so that it was right in front of her and kissed him, slowly, softly, teasing him with more. "You changed my mind."