When it happened it came in the form of a soft bounce. She opened her eyes to find Julian's face mere inches away.
"What in the? Where are we?"
"In your bedroom."
Casting a glance around confirmed that it was with the small, make that very large, exception of her bed. It was not her bed. Her bed was neither this soft nor this huge. It was big enough for a couple of...wait a minute! Her bed? She was in bed? With Julian?
He was enjoying her reactions immensely. He merely rolled onto his back when she gave a shriek and scuttled out of arm's reach, her back up against the head board.
"What are we doing here?"
"Visiting my dream. One of my favorites, actually."
"You dream about being in bed with me?" She covered her face with her hands as she realized that she had, indeed, said that out loud. "Oh lord."
"This is not exactly how it goes, usually. For one thing I don't find myself wearing this ensemble when I'm here."
"I'll bet," Jenny retorted, peeking through her fingers to see what he was talking about.
He was wearing a navy satin pajama set. The shirt only had the middle two buttons done up so she could easily see his chest and waist. She went back to hiding behind her hands, trying to conceal the heat that rose in her cheeks from his appearance. He looked like temptation personified.
"You have marvelous taste. I wonder why there are two buttons still buttoned?" He looked at her as if he were merely curious, just a random topic to pass the time. She answered without looking at him and definitely without thinking.
"Probably so I could finish undressing you."
When Julian didn't answer immediately save for a strange choking sound Jenny fervently wished for a hole in the ground to appear and swallow her whole.
"I can't believe I just said that." She whispered, more to herself than to Julian. She dropped her hands long enough to grab a pillow and slam her face into it. When a few more seconds had passed she stole a glance at where Julian had been laying, hoping against hope that he had vanished. He had his eyes closed and he was mouthing something.
"What are you doing?" she asked, her embarrassment momentarily forgotten.
"Counting to one hundred."
Did she hear him right? He was counting?
"Why?"
"I'm hoping it'll help."
"Help? Help what?"
"Help it pass."
What was he talking about? Was he sick? Jenny felt very confused.
"Continuing on with my stupid line of questioning help what pass, exactly? I mean besides time." She smiled at her own wit.
He cocked his head at her and opened his eyes.
"You really don't know?"
Now Jenny was moving from confused into annoyed.
"Does it look like I know?"
He leaned up on his elbow and looked at her.
"What you said…"
"Oh lord," she interrupted, feeling every bit as foolish as she had when she had made the thoughtless comment.
"No, Jenny, you don't understand," he seemed to be searching for the right words, "It's just, god, sometimes you make me feel like all I can breathe is you. And imagining that you would ever want me, feel any semblance of the desire I feel for you, it's one of my favorite dreams. But to hear you say something like that, and then to get the immediate visual, I feel like I'm drowning in my desire for you. I'm counting to get my heart back to normal and to keep my hands to myself a little bit longer."
Wow.
For a moment no other thoughts could penetrate the haze his words created in her mind. And as a thought came to her she realized that she was probably going to die as a result of being too curious. But she felt like she'd opened Pandora's box and there was no going back, no matter what. She debated a few seconds more, contemplating how wicked the thought she was considering voicing was.
"How does this dream usually go?" she asked, brave enough to say it but not to look at him while doing so.
He contemplated her for a moment, wondering what she would think if he really did tell her the truth about the dream. Would she wake herself up with fright? But then that part of him that was more devil than man reminded him just what his dream was, and how much better it would be with her as a participant. And that part was the one that chose to go ahead and tell, if not show her, just what he wanted to do with her.
"Well," he voice came out a little husky, a natural side effect of keeping his desire in check, "I appear because you've been calling my name out in your sleep."
"I have?" she lifted her head to watch him as he spoke.
"Mm-hmm. And you deny calling me, you insist you were dreaming."
"Let me guess. You don't buy it," she said, smiling.
"On the contrary. I ask you what you were dreaming about and you blush and refuse to answer."
"I'm sure," she stated, rolling her eyes a little.
"But the way you're speaking I can't really hear you from where I am so I move closer."
"Naturally."
"Now then for some reason you decide you want to move farther away from me."
"I can't imagine why," Jenny said, her tone heavy with sarcasm.
"But I don't let you go anywhere."
"Why am I not surprised?" When he took a moment too long to speak Jenny found herself wanting to know the next part.
"So then what?" she was caught up in the story.
It was of course the moment Julian had counted on. With a sense of deja-vu he leaned up and over and grasped both of her ankles, yanking her down onto her back. Caught off guard Jenny threw the pillow she had been holding over her head and found herself pinned by Julian's arms on either side of her.
"And then I see how quickly I can get you to do it again."
He lowered his head but her question stopped his descent.
"Do what?"
He gave her a wolf-hungry smile.
"Call out my name."
"Oh Julian," was all she was able to get out before he crushed her lips with his own.
Jenny knew she had a lot of growing up still left to do but she never imagined she would ever feel a desire as potent as this coursing through her veins.
"God what must this be like for real?" she thought to herself before surrendering to her impulses. She reached up and slipped her hands inside Julian's shirt, splaying her fingers over the taut muscles of his stomach. His quick intake of breath caused her to stop her exploration and open her eyes.
"No, don't stop, please," Julain said as he moved to her jawline, "you can touch me anywhere you want."
"A little impatient, are we?"
"I need your hands on me. God I think I'm becoming addicted to your touch."
She moved her mouth to his neck and kissed him, delighting in the way he growled when she did so. She slipped her arms around him and gently raked her nails on his shoulder blades as she nibbled just below his ear.
"Jenny," her name was a moan and she found she rather liked taking the lead. Her moment was short-lived, however.
"Enough!" Julian cried out in a voice hoarse with desire. When Jenny looked at him he captured her lips in a kiss that left her clinging to him.
"Now it's my turn," Julian informed her, locking his gaze onto hers.
"Wh-what do you mean?" Jenny replied, more than a little breathless.
"Turnabout's fair play. You've had your fun, now it's my turn. I'm going to make you burn for me, Jenny."
"Jenny?" a faint voice penetrated the dreamscape.
Julian let out a shout of frustration as he rolled away from Jenny.
"What is it?" Jenny asked,
"It's time to wake up, Jenny," Julian answered, "someone's calling you."
And just like that she woke up. But she was groggy and a little disoriented, not to mention more than a little worked up. So when she saw her room and the figure in her doorway she thought for a moment she was still asleep.
"Julian?" she called out in a low voice, laced with no small amount of hope.
"No it's me, Tom."
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Disclaimer: So I've moved the AN to the bottom, wanting to get on with the story ASAP. I take comfort in the knowledge that while I own nothing in the way of the LJS universe, chances are neither do you. I feel a little closer to you now. (sniff)
AN: So am I a bad, bad girl? I hope not. Is it hot in here, or is it just Julian? Whoo! Have to stop there and recollect the puddle of mushy goo that is my brain. Anyway.I need help! Specifically, I need feedback to let me know if I've turned up the heat too much or not enough. Thanks for reading, even if you don't review I still really appreciate it.