Sarah peeked at Jareth over the top of her coffee cup. Even after all this time, she couldn't get over how absolutely gorgeous he was.
They sat in sinfully comfortable chairs on her front porch as the sun rose, and she watched the look of wonder transform his face.
"You never get tired of seeing the sunrise, do you?" she asked him quietly.
Looking thoughtful, he answered slowly, "No, I do not. I think it has something to do with the fact that there really is no sun underground." He smiled a slightly mocking smile, the only form of that expression she'd ever seen cross his face, and settled back into his chair once more. "Before I met you, I'd never taken the time to watch the sun rise. I was always here just long enough to take the child, and I left as soon as I could."
"I do recall that." She said, grimacing.
"Now Sarah, are you still holding that against me?" He drawled, amused. "You have told me a hundred times that you realize it was your fault for wishing him away in the first place, and that I was merely doing my job."
Grinning, she shook her head stubbornly. This was one of her favorite arguments, and she reveled in the fact that he played along. "Oh really? And who was it that set out to seduce a little girl so he could keep her helpless baby brother? Don't you think for a moment that I have forgotten those outrageous clothes you wore…or the pretty promises you made." A trace of sad regret seeped into that last statement without her being aware of it.
Jareth shook his head slightly, wondering how long they were going to play this game. They were friends, good ones, but he'd wanted so much more from her for such a long time. She just refused to see it when it was thrust in her face! Infuriating!!
Well not this time, he vowed. It had been long enough. "Sarah," he spoke quietly, but fiercely. "I made no promise that I wouldn't have kept." He snorted. "In fact, I'd still be more than happy to keep them!"
She looked up, disbelief plain on her expressive features. "You're kidding. You have to be."
He merely quirked an eyebrow and took her face in his hands. "I do not have to be anything other than Jareth, Goblin King. And I am not kidding." With that, he kissed her softly, but with some of the heat he'd been feeling for what felt like most of his very long life.
Breathless, she peered at him for a moment before a sunny smile graced her face. "Well then, maybe we should retire to the bedroom for awhile. I seem to remember some unspoken promises that I would very much like to capitalize on."
Grinning mischievously, he led her into her room, and when he laid her onto her bed, there was no sound but a pleased sigh from her, and a surprised groan from him. He had apparently been laboring under one hell of a misconception. "Not that I mind," he thought to himself. He gasped in pleasant surprise when she did something to absolutely prove the conclusion he'd just come to. "No, I don't mind one little bit."
Lying in Jareth's (Jareth's!!!!!) arms, Sarah smiled and sighed happily.
"I take it I met your expectations of me?"
That so-sexy accent was stronger than usual, and she felt a little shiver of warm excitement sweep through her. "Oh dear, whatever gave you that impression?" She laughed and rolled her eyes when he sat up abruptly and looked as if he would protest. "You exceeded them if you must know, you vain creature." She reached up and lightly stroked his face, marveling over the intimacy of a mere touch.
He lay back down, satisfied with her answer. Wrapping his arms around her, he buried his face in her neck and murmured, "It will be nice to have a queen in the Underground once more."
Sitting up in a rush and covering herself with the sheet, Sarah screeched, "What?? What do you mean a queen? When did I agree to this, and why didn't anyone tell me about it?"
Rising, considerably more calmly than she had, he peered at her from confused and sleepy eyes. "Did you expect that I was merely toying with you, Sarah? That I wanted nothing more than a physical relationship with you?"
She opened her mouth to speak, and then shut it with a snap. She'd long since learned that her first response was usually not the correct one when dealing with Jareth, and she didn't really want to lose all that they'd gained. So, instead of making some snappy retort, she thought about his question and carefully considered her answer. "I..I don't know. I don't think I really thought about it. Knowing you as I do, I suppose I should have realized you would broach the idea eventually, but I certainly didn't expect it to be right after our first time." She looked around her bedroom helplessly. "Jareth, I've worked so hard to get the few things I have, the things I can truly call mine, and I don't know that I'm ready to give them up!"
Twining fingers in her hair, he pulled her toward him. "Sarah, I don't expect you to give up your entire life on the spot. Silly woman." He shook his head and bent to kiss her softly. "Let us sleep." He laid a finger on her lips when it looked like she would protest. "I promise you we will speak of it more tomorrow. For now, dear Sarah, I am tired and would like to sleep as I have dreamed of sleeping for many years now…in your arms."
Mollified by his promise, and more than flattered by his words, she kissed him back (with considerable heat) and lay back on the bed; letting the sheet fall from her body. Reaching out to stroke his thigh she smiled into his eyes.
"Mmmm, you torture me." Like lightening, he moved to place his mouth over one of her nipples and groaned into her skin as she yelped and arched her back. Pulling back just a fraction of an inch, he breathed against her skin, sending goose bumps all over her body. "Perhaps I am not all that tired."
The only response she was capable of making was to claw his back as his mouth once more descended upon her.