CHAPTER 14: I WANT TO SWIM IN YOU

"Glutenfree and vegan diet?" sarcasticly read Mercutio over Romeo's shoulders.

Two weeks had passed since Juliet's fainting and Romeo had taken all matters in his hands. The daily food delivered to her was now specifically free of gluten and dairy and his continious search had led him to conclude the best diet for Juliet: a vegan and glutenfree one, all plant'based and free of any animal's protein to stay true to her feelings.

He had forgot to close his internet page with his latest research and Mercutio was having a field day. His friend was back from his travel –both for the Montague family and for his royal uncle- and he seemed unsettled. He was prowling the town like a tiger in cage and he had been on Romeo's back since he's been back.

Romeo snapped shut his computer and muttered "Out of my chair, douche bag" Mercution simply laughed and challenged him with a smirk. "Make me"

Romeo rolled his eyes and chose to ignore his best friend. Hhe took a few files on his desk and went out his office once more, appostrophing Lola and his collaborators.

After delegating the work, he conscented to face Mercutio again who was still waiting for him, feet on the desk. "Im thinking about my musculation diet, stupid man. I've changed for more weight lifting'" Romeo muttered: this has been his excuse so far. Mercutio laughed and dropped the subject.

"Come on, it's 8 pm. Enough work, crazy ass. Let's go get drunk".

Romeo smirked but worked hald an hour more before agreeing to put it to rest. When the two friends left the office building, Benvolio was waiting for them in front of it. "Dude! Where's your bike?" Romeo groaned "Still in reparation. I can't believe it will be another week without my baby!" "That's what you get for driving drunk!"

Romeo smiled, imagining his friends reaction if they knew the real reason behind his bike's damages.

The three friends were cheering and noisily making their way till their favourite piazza when a flash of blonde hair turned every head.

Tybalt.

The look on his face told them he was also aware of their presence and how he felt about it.

Feral, Mercutio ran toward the blonde Capulet before anyone could do anything. But before, the bald royal could draw his gun from his waist, Tybal got pulled back and Mercutio stilled. Paris was standing next to the guy, smirking.

He did a "get away" gesture to his cousin whose jaw clung even more. Tybalt was mocking him and Romeo started to understand: lately, Paris was using the clans' rivalities to his own profit and he couldn't help but follow Mercutio's hate on this one: he never forgot what Juliet told him, how he treated her and almost forced her to do. And he wanted her, which was inexcusable.

"Let the matter drop, my friend…" preached Benvolio. "Better to act like the best men in here…"

Mercutio roared and kicked violently at a can on the ground. "The best intentions lead us to Hell" he spatted and Romeo couldn't help but agree: the situation is Verona was escalting and it would soon come to an awful end.

"Again!" Romeo smirked when Juliet fell on her arse. For the last two weeks he had been training her: he wanted her to have the basic self-defence moves ingrained in her so she would never suffer Paris, Tybalt or even her father's wrath.

So far, she was doing good but he couldn't help but push her a bit at the end of every lesson. Her parents had suspiciously didn't order her back to her house since two weeks but as it allowed them easier access to each others they refused to worry or acknowledge it.

So, for the last ten days, Romeo was meeting his friends for drinks and fun and then, quietly, met her in the abandonned Grimladi Flower park and training her. Her new diet was being good on her, she had put on a little weight and she seemed to glow: every punch she knew how to land, every kick she placed seemed to mentally heal her. And that was hot.

Her skin was glistening in the dark and her uneven breath was making her breasts shake. Seeing her this powerful made inevitably Romeo hard. She was a bit angered at herslelf because she hadn't see him move and once again she was down. She was berating herself which is why she was so surprised when he suddenly jumped on her and pushed her back to the ground.

Their lips touched but they didn't kiss. Romeo's forehead pressed against Juliet's and when she blinked her eyelashes to look at him, she saw his eyes remaining closed. Smiling, she shut her own eyes and relaxed against him, simply feeling. This was usually how every séance ended.

His mouth-watering breath on her face, her brain forgot how to communicate with words, thought all wanting, loving, floating… "How do you feel?" asked Romeo, his voice so hot-soft on Juliet's lips, making them tingle. "Fine…" she whispered back, moving against him innocently.

"I want to touch you… Touch your skin, so bad" he answered, in a groan. Juliet's eyes bunched closed: it felt so primal, like he was starving. It was needy and provocative… It was her call and she could stop things now or just go with the feelings that were consumming her whole being. "Please…" she silently agreed. Romeo took a deep breath and planted his two hands firmly on both sides of her stomach, his nose running down hers. He brushed his lips and nose down her cheek, around the corner of her open and breathing lips, over her chin. Juliet's head fell back, her spine curved up. She could hear tiny noises escaping her…

Romeo was going crazy with those noises, in between a sob and a moan and he smiled a devious curl. He shifted on his knees and continue to glide his nose against her neck, breathing her amazing scent in. Every milimeters of her skin started to burn and she gripped his sleeves, breathing faster. "Touch, touch, touch…" she didn't even know she was talking.

Romeo couldn't help his own groans and moans to escape him and he kissed the spot his nose had been teasing before, on her collar bone, right above her breast. Juliet's pulse skyrocked and Romeo grabbed her wrist, enjoying the beat of her blood pulsing under her skin.

He kissed her stomach, sliding one hand under her back to push her up and she bite on her lips suddenly. "It's ok, Juliet." He whispered-kissed around her belly button. "You don't have to be quiet, I want to hear you, baby love…". Juliet's lips opened again and the same drive-crazy sound escaped her. "Romeo…"

"Baby beautiful…" he whispered in reponse, kissing lower. "So beautiful baby…" he continue, lost in her skin. "My girl… My fucking girl. I love you so much, Jules baby" he pleaded. At his words of love, Juliet's body flew toward his and she felts his soft fingers under the edge of her jeans, soft-popping the buttons.

She freezed when she realized what he was doing, her insecurities blinding her again. "It's ok, it's ok…I just want to see you. Let me see you". Letting his strong voice wash over her, Juliet stopped struggling and let him shimmy her pants down her legs carefully, keeping her eyes clamped shut. "Thank you, baby. Pretty girl, good girl, thank you, thank you…". He tickled touched her thighs and behind her knees, squeezing her calves so so gently. He was worshipping her and she couldn't help but pants.

Things like this kept happening lately, every time they were seeing each other, the want and longing took hold of them and they were getting closer to the point of non return everytime.

"What… What's that noise?" she tentatively asked when he suckled softly on her stomach. Romeo frowned, a buzzing sound reached his ears. He shrugged and got back to what he was doing. She tried to push him away "Romeo, stop… Stop, your phone…Your phone is ringing."

He didn't care. Nothing was more important than being where he was, with her. Pulling away abruptly, Romeo plucked his phone from his back pocket, pratically jerking the battery out and tossed both pieces across from them. "No, you stop." He warned., meeting her eyes. He wasn't angry, he never was angry at her; his voice stayed low but he was damned serious? He grabbed her hips and pulled her closer. "None of that shit matter, Jules. Be with me here"

Juliet swallowed hard and held onto his hands. "Okay… Okay". He looked down at her intentionally submissive posture, and his eyes quickly sought her mouth. "I love you…" she whispered in his ear and he felt baptised and reborn.

And suddenly, the words he had kept inside him, the plan he had been thinking for so long, all of it escaped him in one sentence:

"Marry me. Juliet, please… Marry me"

Juliet stilled and her grey eyes were enormous. "What… What did you say?".

Romeo helped her to sit and carefully pulled back her pants around her, holding her face. He smiled and pressed a dangerous kiss on her lips. "Listen to me. They're taking our home from us, they wanna kill us and they might. But when I look in your eyes, I don't feel angry or deprived. I feel like the luckiest human on the planet. You're pure, you're true and you're real and right now that seems like the most important thing. I wanna be with you… forever. And if forever may only be a few hours, then we'll take those few hours… and we'll live a few lifetimes. Juliet Capulet, will you marry me?"

Juliet's hand grabbed his and she was shaking. "Are you serious? Are you really asking me to marry you? Do you know what this means?"

Romeo shook his head "Don't rationalize this, baby. Don't think. Just feel. What do you feel?" Juliet's eyes filled with tears and she held his wrists which were holding her face: "I'm feeling… yes! A thousand times yes!"

Romeo bruisily kissed her and then furiously kissed around her face "The light of the day will never destroy our dreams again… And our families will never be able to separate us and no one will ever hurt you" "How will you do this?"

"By showing you with my actions that I am worthy of trust. And by doing this."

Romeo stood in front of her and clasped her face in his hands, bringing his mouth inches from hers. She closed her eyes and held her breath, waiting for their lips to meet.

But they didn't.

Warm air from between Romeo's curled and parted lips floated across her mouth. Her tongue peeked out, slowly wetting her lower lip in anticipation. The feel of his breath across the wetness caused a shiver to shoot down her spine.

"You're trembling," he whispered, pushing more warm breath across her mouth.

Juliet felt herself blush against his hands, the warmth traveling across her face and down her neck.

"I can feel you flushing, your skin blossoming in heat and color."

He stroked her eyebrows, and she opened her eyes, staring into large, dark-green pools.

"Your pupils are dilated." He smiled against her mouth, barely grazing her lips. "And I can hear your breathing speed. You know what that means." His lips curved into a seductive smile. "I can tell when you're aroused, like now. I can see it in your eyes. I can feel it on your skin. I can — sense it." Romeo traced a single finger across her eyebrows to relax them. "Please don't be embarrassed. I'm not. It's tantalizing and very erotic."

She closed her eyes and inhaled his scent — EGOISTE by Chanel and peppermint and blessed Romeo. He chuckled. "I think you're telling me that you enjoy my cologne." He leaned down so that her nose was able to skim his neck. The scent of EGOISTE was stronger there.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm building, Juliet. Now tell me what you want. You're flushed, your heart is beating rapidly, and I can hear your breathing acceler-ate. What do you desire?" He cupped her face in his hands again and brought his mouth close to hers. Close, but still not touching.

"I want to kiss," she breathed.

He smiled. "I want to kiss too."

She waited. And still he would not move.

"Juliet," he blew across her lips.

She opened her eyes.

"Take what you want."

She inhaled sharply.

"If you don't initiate on occasion, I'll conclude that you don't want me. That I'm being demanding. After a night like tonight, with the decision we just took, the only person doing the demanding should be you." Romeo's eyes were wide and dark, and they pierced her.

She didn't need another invitation. Surprising both of them, she wrapped her arms around his neck and tugged him down, toward her. When their lips met, his hands trailed down to her lower back, and he imagined caressing her naked flesh. She teased his bottom lip and drew it into her mouth, copying an act he'd performed with her before. She was less skilled, but he was no less pleased.

Her unhurried ardor enticed him, and within a moment, he felt his skin heat and his heart race. For as his tongue expertly explored her mouth, he wished nothing more than to part her modest knees with one of his own and press himself against her. And push her into the ground again to fraternize…

He pulled away, placing his hands on her bare forearms. "I have to stop." He leaned his forehead against hers and exhaled deeply. "I'm sorry."

He pressed his lips to her forehead. "Never apologize for acting on your desires. You're beautiful and sensual. And very, very arousing. I can enjoy you without becoming more intimate, but I can't kiss you again. Not right now. Not until we're married."

He beamed at the sound of this. "God, I love how this sounds… You're gonna be my wife!" Juliet laughed and held onto his hands while he helped her up. "We're really doing this?" "Yep!" He was giddy with joy. Marriage had never ever been on his mind before Juliet. But the last 4 months had been his happiest and he only ever wanted an eternity of feeling this way. "How are we gonna do?" Romeo smiled. "I'll talk to Laurence tomorrow. I want this done the sooner we can. Paris is getting too close and I don't like the plans your parents have for him and you."

He pressed a kiss on her temple and reached down for his phone. Pluging back the battery, while keeping his arms around his love, he frowned when he saw 15 missed calls from Benvolio, from Balthazar and Mercutio. "Holy shit…"

The Capulets had taken their sweet time. After Juliet's warning, Romeo had put a lot of vigilante around his family's possession but nothing had happened. Lately the surveillance had lowered, the guys getting tired of keeping watch all night for nothing.

And so the red bastards had waited for their turns. And tonight, they had striked. The fire could be seen from outside the city.

After listening to the messages, Romeo had blanched. He had taken hold of Juliet's wrists and with no explaination had rushed them down the hills of the Grimaldi Park and he had started to run at a crazy pace toward his father's office buildings. He didn't stop to think that he was pulling Juliet behind him in full Montague territory, his mind crazy with worry for his dad. Tybalt had put fire to a building that held most Montague's real estate possessions… but also housed families with kids.

Juliet screamed when she saw the flames and this put Romeo back in his mind. "Baby! You cannot stay here! Run! Run to Angelica and don't let anyone see you!"

She was scared out of her mind "Who did this? Oh my god, is it my family?"

Romeo strongly took her face in his hands and powerfully kissed her. "I need to go there and find out what happened. I need to see my father… But this doesn't change anything for us. Ok? Do you understand? We are what's important. You are important. You, baby girl. You're my final piece. Now, run. I'll call you later, I promise". A piece of the building collapsed with the fire and they jumped back. "Ok, baby. Run"

With a last kiss, Juliet took off and didn't stop until she had reached Angelica's place. The Nurse had heard the fire alarms and the alerts, her hands were wrung together with stress. She envelopped Juliet in a hug, the young woman crying and shaking. "Everything ok?" "I don't know if I should feel wonderful or scared, Angelica".

Romeo was facing the most terrible sight ever. He was surrounded by Montague and the firemen were struggling to put the fire away… He was choking and no one could tell him where his father was, or Ben and Mercutio or even if there were some victims… He suddenly heard Ascanio's voice and rushed to his dad who was furiously giving order.

"We couldn't save anything."

"Thank God you are fine! Are you unharmed?" Romeo ran to him and tried to hug his father who furiously pushed him back and almost slapped him.

He fixed him with cold fury: "You are back. Where were you this night?" Romeo looked away, uneasuy. "Answer!" The figures of Mercutio and Benvolio appeared. They came to stand next to him but their faces were so closed, Romeo instantly knew he was in more trouble with his friends. "I am sorry I wasn't here." Ascanio laughed a sad laugh and turned his back to his son. "I'm disgusted with you right now…"

Mercutio didn't leave him be. "You can't say anything else?"

Romeo fought his emotions and asked back "What happened?" Mercutio grew furious and pushed his best friend back violently "It was them!"

Benvolio was crying, silently. He couldn't meet his cousin's eyes. Ascanio came back and muttered "The truce is over. I don't care what the prince says!"

Romeo paled. He suddenly felt terrified… Like this action would have consequences he couldn't even fanthom. "It can't be, father. He will punish them for what they-" Ascanio shouted "Don't speak like a fool! Can't you see he is on their side?"

Benvolio opened his mouth for the first time : "When will you open your eyes?" Romeo turned to him and harshly answered :"They are already open!" Mercutio growled "I think you keep them closed on purpose. Just now that you should get your claws out and make them pay!"

He turned toward the Montague's clan and gave orders : "Take everything away! Clean everything!"

"Your best friend is acting more like a Montague than you, lately." Ascanio left, Mercutio following him. Romeo turned to his cousin… but Benvolio simply shrugged and went away.

Romeo looked everywhere and suddenly saw Laurence. The friar was tending to the wounded and Romeo realized that some people were actually dying. He collapsed on his knees. Laurence came to him, softly caressing his head…

"Killed in cold blood…And no one will get punishment for this." He muttered. He couldn't believe the way the situation had escalated in only a couple of weeks. Laurence sat next to him, sighing. "I know…" "I'm so lost, Laurence. Tell me what to do. Should I go out there and…"

The friar interrupted him "Please, Romeo. Stop with this revenge. Enough."

The young dark haired man nodded. He was waiting for the opportunity: "But you have to give me your help in exchange. And you know what I mean. I won't wait for the only beautiful thing in my life to be destroyed."

Laurence took a deep breath and looked forward.

"And don't you think that what you want to do will just make everything harder?" Romeo though deep about it "If I can change, the others can change too… And if our love won't bring peace I don't know what to hope anymore."

Laurence sighed and got up. He simply said "Alright. I will marry you." Romeo smiled. "Tomorrow at 5pm. And we will announce it at Ascencion, during mass, in front of the bishop and the prince."

Romeo got up and held his old friend in a long embrace. The religious man had tears in his eyes while he clunched to the man he had grown to love like a son: "Romeo... maybe you are right. It's our only chance to stop this war.".

Juliet was turning in her bedroom, in Capulet's castle. Her father had eventually send a car to get her at Angelica's and to bring her back. She now understood why her family had kept her away…

She faced her window, looking at the fire licking the sky and she cried. Her father, Tybalt and Paris were getting drunk downstairs, celebrating what seemed to be a massacre. Isabella had barely acknowledge her presence before sending her in her bedroom and Juliet didn't fight. She wanted to be the farest away from those people.

The battered phone in her hand quietly buzzed and she opened her balcony, being careful to close the windows behind her. "Yes…" she whispered in the phone.

Romeo breathed deeply. "Oh baby girl… Are you alright? Are you safe?"

"I'm back at the mansion, so I'm safe. But I'm not sure I'm alright… Romeo… Were there any…" she couldn't bring herself to finish her sentence. "Yes. But baby… It will soon be over. I swear."

Juliet breathed deeply. "Ok. When?" Romeo smiled "Tomorrow. At 5 pm. At Laurence's church… Can you manage to get there?"

"I'll find a way." "Baby, I need to go but… " "I know. I love you too". The phone beeped, signaling the time allowed was up and silence separated them.

Juliet clutched the phone to her and felt a big smile take place on her face. She turned back inside, face to face with Angelica. "What then? Good news or bad news?" asked the Nurse.

"Both. I've never seen such a day, beautiful and awful at the same time."

Juliet proceeded to tell her nurse about everything that happened tonight and everything that will happen tomorrow.