"So how does dinner sound?" Joe was watching Jess. She was watching her home get smaller and smaller as they drove away.
"Huh? Oh, yea. Sure." Joe could tell something was bothering her.
"Jess, are you okay?"
"Oh, sorry. I just feel unsure about leaving my family right now." She gave Joe a reassuring smile, but he didn't buy into it.
"Are you sure that is all?"
"Yeah. Did you say something about dinner?"
"Oh, Jess." Joe laughed to himself. "I think I've got some stuff at home. We can make something together then."
"Sounds great!"
She had never been to Joe's flat before, since he rarely had visitors. He lived right across the street from the club where Jess had her first experience of playing football for a team. Joe parked then gestured for Jess to follow him. He walked through a gate and continued around the back of the building. He paused, just in front of stairs leading up to the first floor, long enough for Jess to take hold of his extended hand. Together they climbed the steps leading to Joes private entrance.
Once inside, Jess could see why Joe didn't have people over. The flat was one room serving as living room, bedroom, and kitchen. The area was just big enough for one person to live comfortably. Jess took a seat on the bed, which also served as a sofa, while Joe gathered the ingredients and utensils needed for dinner.
Together they cooked, in between sips of wine. After dinner, they both relaxed on the bed.
"So, tell me how your classes ended up." Jess knew Joe was more interested in the football, but figured he was only trying to be polite.
"They ended rather well, thanks. But you don't really care, do you?" Jess was teasing him, and he loved it.
"Of course I care." Joe looked into her eyes. "Well, at least I care enough so that you can still play."
"So the truth comes out, then." Jess's smile faded into a look of fear. "Oh no!"
"What is it, Jess?"
"We forgot about Jules! I said I would call her, and I didn't." Jess jumped up off of the bed and started gathering her things together. "We have to call her, Joe."
"Jess, relax. I'm sure she will understand."
"No. We have to call her. You don't understand."
Joe walked over to Jess and held her at arms length from him. "Jess, what are you talking about?"
Jess inhaled sharply. "Back in California, Jules and I had a few fights we didn't tell anyone about. It all started when she left for a party one night while I was studying. Jules said she was going to call me to give me directions when she got there, but she never did. Then, she ha the nerve to accuse me of standing her up at the party because I didn't show up. Well, we didn't talk for a while. After that, we promised we would do our best to keep our promises, and tonight, I broke the promise."
"Jess, I'm sure Jules will understand." Joe gave her a hug and held her for a few minutes. "But I don't mind if you want to ring her and get together tonight."
"Hello?"
"Hello Mrs. Paxton. This is Jess, is Jules there?"
"Oh, hello Jess. Yes, let me get her for you." She put the phone down. "Julia! Jesminder is on the line for you!" She picked up the phone. "So, Jess, how are you sweetie?"
"I'm doing well. I'm glad to be home."
"Oh, that's nice…well, here she is. Take care, love."
"Hello?"
"Hey Jules."
"I thought you had forgotten me."
"I'm really sorry. Joe and I made dinner and we lost track of time. Jules, I didn't mean to…"
"I know. It's okay. So, what are you guys doing?"
"Actually, how would you like to go to Mel's to meet up with some of the team?"
"Oh that sounds terrific! What time?"
Jess turned to speak to Joe. "Baby, what time did Mel say?"
"9:00."
Jess returned to the phone. "How about we pick you up at quarter to 9?"
"I'll be ready. And Jess, no worries!"
Jess hung up the phone. "So, Joe." She walked up to him, slowly, and wrapped her arms around his slim body. He was in the process of changing his clothes, and had no shirt on. She loved his skin, it was soft and delicate for a man. She kissed his neck and worked her way too his left shoulder. She then kissed his left nipple, then his right, and returned her gaze to his eyes. Tonight is the night, she thought to herself.
Joe's mind was moving a mile a minute. He still couldn't imagine how he got such a great person to share his life with. She was beautiful, smart, just great all around. Just thinking about her sent a shiver up his back. He was getting aroused, and he realized Jess was aware of his current state. She pressed herself closer to him, while pressing her lips to his.
Jess loved the idea that being close to Joe could bring his body to life, even though she was a little embarrassed. She could feel his girth pressing against her. She wanted to stop and take him in, but was too afraid she might offend him in some way. Instead, she kissed him harder, forcing him to lie on his bed. She let her hands search him. He too let his hands search her body, but they stopped on her breasts.
"Wait, Jess." Joe sat up, forcing Jess to sit up also. "What are we doing?"
"What do you mean, Joe?"
"Well, we've got to meet Jules in fifteen minutes. Besides, are we really ready to, you know, uh…"
"Joe. Are you asking me if we are ready to have sex?" He tried to answer her but she stopped him. "Shhhh. Because if that is what you are asking me, I think you already know my answer. God, Joe, do you know what it's been like for me? Watching everyone at school with the one they love, and then there's me. I can't be with the bloke I love."
"How do you think I feel, Jess?" Joe took a second take, and realized what Jess had said. She said she loves you, Joes mind said. "You said you love me…" he stated blatantly.
"I did, didn't I?" Jess could hardly believe she let that slip. "Joe, I love you."
"Jess," he leaned closer to her and whispered into her ear, "I love you, too." Joe felt a relief leave his shoulders. He had been holding those three words in since he returned from his last visit in March. One look at the clock brought him back to reality. "Oh, we've got to get moving."
"Right…hey Joe, how about we pick up later tonight where we left off?"
"Promise."
Hand in hand, they left to get Jules and head over to meet the Harriers.
"Huh? Oh, yea. Sure." Joe could tell something was bothering her.
"Jess, are you okay?"
"Oh, sorry. I just feel unsure about leaving my family right now." She gave Joe a reassuring smile, but he didn't buy into it.
"Are you sure that is all?"
"Yeah. Did you say something about dinner?"
"Oh, Jess." Joe laughed to himself. "I think I've got some stuff at home. We can make something together then."
"Sounds great!"
She had never been to Joe's flat before, since he rarely had visitors. He lived right across the street from the club where Jess had her first experience of playing football for a team. Joe parked then gestured for Jess to follow him. He walked through a gate and continued around the back of the building. He paused, just in front of stairs leading up to the first floor, long enough for Jess to take hold of his extended hand. Together they climbed the steps leading to Joes private entrance.
Once inside, Jess could see why Joe didn't have people over. The flat was one room serving as living room, bedroom, and kitchen. The area was just big enough for one person to live comfortably. Jess took a seat on the bed, which also served as a sofa, while Joe gathered the ingredients and utensils needed for dinner.
Together they cooked, in between sips of wine. After dinner, they both relaxed on the bed.
"So, tell me how your classes ended up." Jess knew Joe was more interested in the football, but figured he was only trying to be polite.
"They ended rather well, thanks. But you don't really care, do you?" Jess was teasing him, and he loved it.
"Of course I care." Joe looked into her eyes. "Well, at least I care enough so that you can still play."
"So the truth comes out, then." Jess's smile faded into a look of fear. "Oh no!"
"What is it, Jess?"
"We forgot about Jules! I said I would call her, and I didn't." Jess jumped up off of the bed and started gathering her things together. "We have to call her, Joe."
"Jess, relax. I'm sure she will understand."
"No. We have to call her. You don't understand."
Joe walked over to Jess and held her at arms length from him. "Jess, what are you talking about?"
Jess inhaled sharply. "Back in California, Jules and I had a few fights we didn't tell anyone about. It all started when she left for a party one night while I was studying. Jules said she was going to call me to give me directions when she got there, but she never did. Then, she ha the nerve to accuse me of standing her up at the party because I didn't show up. Well, we didn't talk for a while. After that, we promised we would do our best to keep our promises, and tonight, I broke the promise."
"Jess, I'm sure Jules will understand." Joe gave her a hug and held her for a few minutes. "But I don't mind if you want to ring her and get together tonight."
"Hello?"
"Hello Mrs. Paxton. This is Jess, is Jules there?"
"Oh, hello Jess. Yes, let me get her for you." She put the phone down. "Julia! Jesminder is on the line for you!" She picked up the phone. "So, Jess, how are you sweetie?"
"I'm doing well. I'm glad to be home."
"Oh, that's nice…well, here she is. Take care, love."
"Hello?"
"Hey Jules."
"I thought you had forgotten me."
"I'm really sorry. Joe and I made dinner and we lost track of time. Jules, I didn't mean to…"
"I know. It's okay. So, what are you guys doing?"
"Actually, how would you like to go to Mel's to meet up with some of the team?"
"Oh that sounds terrific! What time?"
Jess turned to speak to Joe. "Baby, what time did Mel say?"
"9:00."
Jess returned to the phone. "How about we pick you up at quarter to 9?"
"I'll be ready. And Jess, no worries!"
Jess hung up the phone. "So, Joe." She walked up to him, slowly, and wrapped her arms around his slim body. He was in the process of changing his clothes, and had no shirt on. She loved his skin, it was soft and delicate for a man. She kissed his neck and worked her way too his left shoulder. She then kissed his left nipple, then his right, and returned her gaze to his eyes. Tonight is the night, she thought to herself.
Joe's mind was moving a mile a minute. He still couldn't imagine how he got such a great person to share his life with. She was beautiful, smart, just great all around. Just thinking about her sent a shiver up his back. He was getting aroused, and he realized Jess was aware of his current state. She pressed herself closer to him, while pressing her lips to his.
Jess loved the idea that being close to Joe could bring his body to life, even though she was a little embarrassed. She could feel his girth pressing against her. She wanted to stop and take him in, but was too afraid she might offend him in some way. Instead, she kissed him harder, forcing him to lie on his bed. She let her hands search him. He too let his hands search her body, but they stopped on her breasts.
"Wait, Jess." Joe sat up, forcing Jess to sit up also. "What are we doing?"
"What do you mean, Joe?"
"Well, we've got to meet Jules in fifteen minutes. Besides, are we really ready to, you know, uh…"
"Joe. Are you asking me if we are ready to have sex?" He tried to answer her but she stopped him. "Shhhh. Because if that is what you are asking me, I think you already know my answer. God, Joe, do you know what it's been like for me? Watching everyone at school with the one they love, and then there's me. I can't be with the bloke I love."
"How do you think I feel, Jess?" Joe took a second take, and realized what Jess had said. She said she loves you, Joes mind said. "You said you love me…" he stated blatantly.
"I did, didn't I?" Jess could hardly believe she let that slip. "Joe, I love you."
"Jess," he leaned closer to her and whispered into her ear, "I love you, too." Joe felt a relief leave his shoulders. He had been holding those three words in since he returned from his last visit in March. One look at the clock brought him back to reality. "Oh, we've got to get moving."
"Right…hey Joe, how about we pick up later tonight where we left off?"
"Promise."
Hand in hand, they left to get Jules and head over to meet the Harriers.