A/N: Alright, I know it's been a while, and I am so sorry! I've been working on this chapter for about a month now, but being back at school and a few family issues have been eating up all my time, so I just now got a chance to finish it. But I promise you, I have not forgotten about this fic! There are about ten chapters left, so stick around! Now, without further ado, here's the next chapter! Read, review, and enjoy!

Chapter Thirteen

Julie snuck out of bed the next morning. Tim knew it as soon as he woke up. He couldn't feel her warmth, or the soft curves of her body pressed against him. He loved her curves. He knew she thought of herself as too soft and too curvy, but it made her different from him, and running his hands along her body was one of his favorite things to do.

He opened his eyes, glanced around her bedroom. He barely recognized it as the same room they'd decorated not a week ago. Sitting up, he ran a hand over his face and through his hair. Maybe she was just in the bathroom, or making breakfast in the kitchen, or getting ready in one of the other bedrooms. Even as he thought this, he knew it wasn't true. She wasn't elsewhere in the house. She was just gone.

She was running, like he knew she would eventually. She was scared of what had happened between them. He wasn't an idiot, he knew that the night before, they hadn't simply had sex. They'd made love, and she felt for him just as deeply as he felt for her. He stood, buck naked, deciding what he needed to do. He knew she loved him, and there was no way in hell he was going to let her run from what they had. Love was too important of a thing to run away from. And he was outright turning into a woman.

He needed to go find his woman. He didn't know when he started referring to Julie as his, but in his mind, she was his and his alone. No one else would ever feel for her the way he felt for her. He was sure of that, deep down in his gut. And he was going to make her see that, one way or another. He looked around the room,searching for his clothes, before he remembered that they were littered all around the house. They'd been focused on nothing other than getting each other naked the night before.

He already had morning wood, he couldn't afford to think about the night before. He was half hard now, but remembering anything about the way Julie felt against him or the way she tasted and he would be hard as a rock in less than a second. But damn, had it felt right to be buried inside her. It felt right to be with her at all, but in that instant, when he'd finally slid home, he knew he was home. She was his home, and he was quickly realizing that Dillon wouldn't be enough without her.

But before he could convince her of that, he had to convince her that the sexual chemistry between the two of them was too potent to ignore. He would make her see that even if it was just sex and it was just for now, they were good together. Standing up, filled with a new determination, he strode out of the bedroom to find his clothing. He was ready to go out and drag her back to bed like a caveman, but he knew that wasn't the best tactic. First, he needed to shower and brush his teeth. There was no way she'd give him the time of day if he came after her still smelling like her skin. Not that he truly minded it, but he knew she would. And he'd have to be sneakier than just flinging her over his shoulder and bringing her home and back to bed.

He made his way to the bathroom, intent on taking a shower and deep in his thoughts. He stepped into the shower and allowed the water to wash away his doubts. She had to return his feelings, because what happened last night had changed them, and they couldn't go back. She wouldn't be able to deny the magnitude of their night together. It had rocked his world, and when confronted, she would have to admit it had rocked hers also. A smirk in place on his face, he closed his eyes and continued imagining the reaction she'd have when he found her.

Julie buried her nose in her book as she sipped coffee at her favorite cafe in town. She didn't go to town often, but she knew she couldn't stick around after what had happened between her and Tim the night before. It had been, undoubtedly the best night of her life. After the sex, they'd laid in bed together, just talking. Not about anything in particular, just talking about whatever struck their fancy. He hadn't particularly opened up to her, but then, she didn't entirely expect him to do that at any point.

One thing was for certain, though. She couldn't afford to put her feelings on the line, so she could never, ever sleep with Tim Riggins again. Her heart just couldn't take it. And her head wouldn't be able to separate her feelings from reality. And the reality was, he just wasn't that into her. Sex aside, he just didn't feel the same way. At some point she'd have to accept that.

She tossed down her book. She couldn't read when there were so many more important things on her mind. Like how to completely avoid Tim for another month. Like how to get her life back together in New York after finding out it was all meaningless when she got to Dillon. Like how to balance her family with her life. Like how to stop running from what she was feeling.

Except that was all she ever did. She ran from her feelings and here she was, backed into a corner by her feelings. She'd run to a Tim-shaped wall and she didn't know how to get away, only that she'd need to keep running or she'd never be able to feel 'd probably already ruined her for all other men. He'd definitely already ruined her for sex with other men.

He was a god in bed, and he had a Herculean body. Nothing could ever compare, and add to that that sex with him had been the fulfillment of her every wish since she'd been seventeen, she was completely fucked. But not literally. At least by him, anyway. And thanks to him, likely no one else ever again. She knew she was being dramatic, but at that point, it was exactly how she felt. Love isn't rational, she reasoned.

"How did I know you'd be here?" She jumped in her chair, turning to face the one person in the world she did not want to face at that moment.

"That's a very good question. What are you doing here?" She did not want to deal with him right now. Or really ever again. Or her heart would be broken.

"Another good question. Tell me, what is the etiquette for a guy who wakes up to an empty bed, when all he wanted was to feel the warmth of a woman next to him?" Despite her clear annoyance, he pulled out the chair opposite her and took a seat. Seeing no other option, she decided to play along.

"I'd recommend he pay the most money possible to buy one who'll spend the night. That tends to be your style, right?" Fed up with the realization that not only was he not looking for anything long term, but she wasn't even the type of woman he was attracted to, she pushed away from the table and began to stride away in aggravation.

"Julie, wait!" She heard his footsteps behind her as his long stride ate up the distance between them in half the time she'd created it. She stopped, wanting to yell at him, yet soaking up the feeling of him chasing her. He was chasing her. It was a heady feeling. Until his tall, hard body pressed against the back of hers. "You forgot your book."

He held one hand in front of her face, dangling the book she had been reading. Dazed, she reached up to grab it, but he pulled it back at the last second. Mouth dropping open, she turned to face him, only to find him smirking down at her with that look on his face he always got when he knew he'd won. "You forgot something else, too."

Before she could protest, he dragged her into the alley between the cafe and her favorite little boutique and had her pushed against the wall. "You forgot this," he said, and sealed his mouth over hers. And all her protests melted into the back of her mind. Why did she want to fight this again? He shifted closer, his solid body flush against the front of hers. His mouth moved over hers, enticing and teasing her tongue to come out and play with his.

She opened her mouth to meet him when a loud sound from the street outside brought her back to reality. And she shoved him away. "We can't do this, Tim."

"Why the hell not?" He didn't back away, didn't move his hands from her body. She was stuck, and she supposed that was the way he wanted it until they figured this out. Standing as close as he was and towering over her the way he did, she was forced to look up at him to speak. Deciding to make the best of the situation, she tilted her chin up in determination.

"Because I'm going back to New York, and face it, this was nothing more than sex to you." She shook her head. "I can't do casual sex, Tim. I just don't work that way."

"Are you sure? See, your mouth says no, but the rest of you says you're just fine with casual sex." He pressed even closer, and she bit down on her lower lip to keep a gasp of pleasure from escaping her mouth and proving him right. Though judging by his smile, her bite had done just that. "Really, what's keeping you from having some fun with me for the summer?"

The fact that I'm in love with you? She couldn't tell him that, but the thought came unbidden in her brain. "What makes you want to have fun with me for the summer?"

"Well for one, have you looked in the mirror recently? You're pretty gorgeous. And I like spending time with you. I like being friends with you." He nudged the side of her face with his nose. "Don't you like being friends with me?"

"You know as well as I do that we can't go back to being just friends after last night." She barely repressed a shiver at the heat of his breath on her skin.

"Good, let's not go back."

"Not go back to being friends?"

"Not go back to being just friends," he clarified. "Let's be more than friends."

"And by that you mean…"

"Friends… with benefits. Not the type of friends with benefits where all we do is hook up. Friends who sleep together every night. No strings attached, no one gets upset when you go back to New York in a few weeks." He made it sound so easy, so… appealing. "There's just one catch."

Her gaze shot back up to his, eyes narrowed. "Of course there's a catch. There's always a catch with you."

"I want us to be exclusive. I don't care that we wouldn't be in a bona fide relationship, if you're sleepin' with me, you're sleepin' only with me." She dared glance back up into his eyes and saw the sincerity there. He was being honest. He wanted her and only her. His gaze broke down her defenses, and she couldn't deny him any longer.

"We're friends. With some benefits. And we're exclusive. You don't get to sleep around, either." Julie held her breath, waiting for Tim to agree or disagree to the terms she'd just reiterated.

He grinned, those adorable dimples shaping his cheeks. "Yes, ma'am." And with that, he set his mouth to hers again.

Tim was high on life as he plundered Julie's mouth with his. While a casual relationship wasn't what he was after in the long run, he'd already managed to get her to come around to his point of view once, he could convince her to admit her feelings to him. He'd just need to work on her a little more. He separated his mouth from hers, breathing heavily as he glanced around. He wanted somewhere private, right now.

He spotted a public bathroom at the other end of the alleyway and dragged Julie behind him as he strode over. He couldn't wait to have at her beautiful body again. She was gorgeous inside and out, with a body as sexy as sin and a soul as incredible and loving as he'd ever known. But at the moment, all he cared about was feeling her hot and wet around him as he helped them both to the best pleasure they'd known.

Locking the door, Tim spun around to hoist her up onto the sink countertop and wrap her in his arms again. She was so soft all over, and he loved running his hands up and down her body. She'd worn a plain tank top that hugged her curves and a pair of jeans that fit her like a second skin, much to his delight. He tugged her closer to him, hooking his elbows under her knees to bring them closer together.

She pulled back to breathe, but lost it again when he trailed sucking kisses down her jaw and neck. "Tim… we're in a public restroom," she heaved between pants of pleasure. "Anyone could walk in."

"That just makes it all the more fun." He grinned at her again before returning to his task. She groaned, tilting her head back and giving him more access to her neck. He doubted she did it on purpose, but he loved her innocence. She'd never had public sex before. Something about being that first for her was incredibly enticing to him. As were her completely unrehearsed movements and noises.

She wasn't doing anything to turn him on, she was purely reacting, and that was extremely sexy to him. She was uninhibited and he never wanted it to stop. He'd mouthed his way down the slender column of her neck and reached for the hem of her tank top, intent on exposing more of that lovely skin of hers. The material cleared her head, leaving her clad in a cute polka-dotted bra. He grinned at that. She wasn't the type for overt lace or satin, nor was she boring enough for plain cotton. The polka dots were fitting.

"I like your bra," he whispered, running a finger along its edge and feeling her quiver. "But I think I like you better out of it." He flicked one strap off her shoulder, then the other, and nudged the cups out of the way to take a nipple deep into his mouth. She'd been breathing shallowly his whole journey down to her breasts, but now a loud gasp escaped her mouth and she arched into his suctioning kiss.

"Tim, shit, that feels good." She tugged at his hair, simultaneously trying to move things along and keep him there because it felt so incredible.

He grinned and lifted his head away from her amazing breasts for a moment. "Jules, sweetheart, you gotta be quieter."

"You're torturing me!" He smirked again at that and dropped a light kiss on her mouth.

"I love torturing you. Want more?"

"I want you to get on with it!" Her frustration was so endearing. Not to mention it inflated his ego to the max. He drove the woman he loved crazy in bed. Or in this case, on top of the sink. There was no better feeling than that.

His thoughts dropped away when he felt her small hands tug at the button at the waistband of his jeans. Not wanting to waste any more time, he reached down and helped her draw his zipper down over his erection, also ensuring she didn't damage him in some way. Her inexperience may have been sensual earlier, but he didn't want to risk injury because she didn't know how to properly treat his zipper.

Tim's jeans pooled on the floor, and he immediately got to work on Julie's. He popped the button and pulled down the zipper tab, but before he worked the pants down her legs, he ran one finger up the center of her panties, finding them soaked through. Her essence was thick through the fabric. Knowing she was already ready for him drove him more nuts than he already was. He pulled the thick fabric down her legs and then grabbed the waistband of her panties, drawing them away from her drenched core.

Rather than instantly closing her legs to hide herself from him like he expected, she let her legs fall open even more on either side of her body, exposing herself fully to him. He groaned. "God, Jules, you're amazing."

"Don't make me wait anymore," she pleaded, and he didn't plan to, because he couldn't deny himself any longer either. He tugged at the elastic on his boxer briefs, easing them down his legs and allowing his rock solid erection to bounce free. He bent over to retrieve a condom when her voice stopped him. "I'm on the pill. You don't need to wear a condom."

The idea of being inside her with nothing in the way drove him to the point of no return. He slanted his mouth over hers again and quickly reached down to sink two and then three fingers deep inside her. She squirmed against him, clearly impatient for something bigger than his fingers to fill her up. Even though he was driven hard by lust, he smirked as he withdrew his fingers and sucked them clean in his mouth.

"You taste delicious." She shuddered at the words and grabbed his hips to bring him right up against her, his cock nestled up in her wet folds. Finally ready to get the show on the road, he dropped one hand down to adjust himself against her, and then drove deep inside with one solid thrust.

She tossed her head back, her mouth open but no noise coming out. He dropped his forward, letting it rest against her collarbone as he began thrusting earnestly in and out of her body. She clung to him as he sped up and then slowed down, keeping her body on edge as they made love once again. And it was making love. He'd never had sex like he'd had with her before. And she was so sensitive, it barely took her any time at all to come apart in his arms. He continued to thrust away as her orgasm subsided, and a few moments after her final internal contraction, he came inside her as well, relaxing against her afterward.

Their breathing heavy, they stayed locked together in the bathroom for another fifteen minutes, recovering and enjoying each other's company.