Almost Without

"My legs... they're so... sore!" Juliet breathed as she collapsed onto a couch that had been pushed against one of the walls of the dance club. She rubbed the back of her hand across her forehead, wiping away the perspiration that had collected there before taking the cup Romeo was offering her.

He took his place next to her on the love seat. "They should be. You gave a lot of those girls a run for their money and they've been dancing for awhile. Must be that beginner's luck," He bumped her shoulder with his playfully as he chuckled. Her flushed cheeks were now burning even brighter with his compliment of her dancing skills. "Here, let me help." He scooted from his spot closer to her and reached for the leg furthest away from him. As soon as his hand touched her skin her body tensed even more than it all ready was, but she gave no protest so he continued. He moved his fingers gently but purposefully over her flesh, trying to release that tension from her muscles.

Juliet couldn't help but be unbearably aware of his nearness. She dared to glance down at him and a shiver sent its way up her spine. She quickly looked away, shifting her body just a bit, and took a sip of her water. "So, where did you learn to dance?" She asked, trying to take her mind off the fact that he was still leaning over her lap.

"My mom used to live in Brazil. There she learned to dance and took it as her profession. But, she came back to America with my dad and had to find a different job to help put food on the table. My father isn't much of a dancer so when I was younger she used to practice with me, showing me how to salsa, tango, everything she knew.

"You two sound really close."

Romeo smiled as thoughts of his mother in all her beauty and grace danced through his mind. "Yeah, we were."

"Were?" Juliet questioned, wondering how such a healthy and loving relationship could deteriorate.

"She died a few years back." He answered, never ceasing the circles he was now working into her other leg.

"I'm sorry." She said regretfully. She touched his hand softly, causing him to look up into her thoughtful brown eyes. Her face wasn't far from his, only mere inches away. His gaze moved to her lips, tracing their fullness into memory. He leaned in closer until she could feel his hot breath on hers. She closed her eyes, waiting for him, but he never came. She felt the breeze of him pulling away as he stood up sweep by her, sending yet another chill through her, this time down her spine. She opened her eyes again, which reflected the confusion and disappointment she was feeling.

"It's late. We'd better get you home."

She pushed herself off the couch and made sure the skirt of her dress was straight. "Yeah,"

When they pulled into the driveway of her house, Juliet didn't wait for him to open her door as was customary for them. Instead she got out on her own and made her way up the steps onto the porch where she waited for him. The ride had been in silence. Almost agonizingly so. Neither one of them knew nor had anything to say so they remained quiet, keeping their thoughts and emotions to themselves which was a lot easier than talking.

Another awkward silence came over them once he reached her. It looked as though he couldn't make up his mind about what to say for he kept opening and then shutting his mouth at a loss for words. Juliet was about to take the lead and say goodbye for the evening when he closed the unusual distance between them and placed a small peck on her cheek.

"Goodnight." He whispered before leaving her with nothing but his fleeing back as he headed rather quickly towards his car.

"'Night." She brought her hand to rest on the spot where his lips had barely brushed against her skin and watched with a slight pout as he drove off before turning in for the night.

Clink...clink...clank!

Juliet stirred from her sleep as the object clinked again. She sat up, her hair mussed from a restless sleep and her eyes still half shut. Groggy being a nice description of her, she looked out the window where the sound was coming from. Dark eyes widened as she realized who was outside. Flinging the covers aside, she walked to the window and flung that open as well.

"I changed my mind." Romeo said a little breathlessly after he had clambered up to meet her, clinging onto the sill.

Juliet stared blankly at him, sleep trying to hold onto her consciousness. "What? Changed your mind about wh-" His lips closed upon hers, drowning out the question.

Her eyes remained shut, her stomach fluttering when he pulled away slower than what she thought was possible. "You kiss by the book." She whispered, quoting the play from which there names came.

Her breath tickled his lips and he smiled. "Give me my sin again." He leaned forward and captured her lips again. It was a kiss sweeter then she could ever have imagined and she relished in it, wanting to savor its taste forever.