To her horror she felt tears prickling the corners of her eyes. She fought them back vainly and nodded at him so he would know she was pleased. But Julian noticed the tears and was justifiably concerned.

"Jenny? What is it?"

She shook her head, not trusting herself to speak. Julian didn't press the issue; he simply rolled onto his side, taking her with him. He pulled her back against him and held her tight, resting his chin on top of her head.

Jenny screwed her eyes shut tightly and held onto Julian with a grip that bordered on bruising in its strength. She couldn't help but feel like a fool. One minute she was in the throes of ecstasy and the next she was reduced to a quivering mass of emotions. She sniffed back a sob and laughed instead at the predicament facing her. Julian's hold on Jenny tensed in reaction to her laugh. He tilted his head toward her and kissed the top of her head.

"What was that?" he asked.

"I was just thinking of how quickly I killed the mood and found it to be sad and pathetic but slightly amusing nonetheless."

His tone was serious when he responded.

"It's probably for the best…" he trailed off but his tone indicated he really didn't think it was for the best that the mood died. "I should thank you. I told you I didn't want our relationship to be too much for you and before I know it I'm on the brink of…"

He broke off and shook his head ruefully. His chin grazed against the top of Jenny's head and she closed her eyes and leaned further into him.

"You weren't on the brink of anything I didn't want to be on too." Jenny insisted.

Damn her insecurities! If she had just trusted in her feelings instead of insisting on mucking up the works with some emotional garbage she would most likely be basking in the afterglow right now instead of debating the wisdom of their relationship…again.

"I shouldn't have let things get that far. You're in a vulnerable place right now and I took advantage of it when I knew better. You're still reeling from your break-up and you need comfort, not sex."

Jenny pried herself loose from Julian's arms and scooted backward so she could face him fully. There was no trace of a smile to be found on Jenny's face. Her jaw was set and her lips were pursed in a tight line.

"Listen to me, Julian. You may think you know what I need but you don't. What I need is you. What I want is you. I came here knowing full well what was going to happen. I came here wanting it to happen, with a plan for making it happen. So don't give me some guilt-ridden speech about my impaired judgment because it's a load of crap."

His eyes were wide and his mouth hung open in surprise. He was rendered speechless. Jenny took a moment to commit his expression to memory before continuing. It wasn't often that Julian was caught off-guard and the look on his face would be worth recalling for a few laughs later.

"I will concede that what you said makes sense. I am still reeling from the break-up and I do need comfort, and I am getting it from you, my family, and my friends. But I also need some things that only you can give me. I need to feel wanted, I need to feel desirable, and I need to feel sexy and worthwhile. I need to be reassured that what I left behind pales in comparison to what I've gained."

Julian's eyes were fixated on her face but he looked as if he didn't really see her. His attention was clearly elsewhere. He found himself tempted beyond belief to accept her words and forget the nagging of his conscience. The ache between his legs reminded him that he was excited by her words in another way. The way Jenny said what she needed from him came off as an arousing challenge. He longed to tip her back onto the mattress and show her exactly how desirable he found her.

Reason warred with desire in a battle Jenny could clearly see raging within him. His breathing was unsteady and his eyes had begun to skim over her features and up and down the length of her body. Her body reacted to the heat in his gaze. Her skin tingled with anticipation and her senses hummed with awareness of his body's desire for her.

"Well perhaps I can lay some of those fears to rest." His voice was a seductive growl.

She cocked her head to the side and considered him, a teasing grin stretched across her lips.

"Oh? And which ones do you think you can help with?"

In response her reached out and grasped her forearms, pulling her close to him. His fingertips slid up her arms and he kept his gaze constant.

"You are beautiful, and desirable, and so sexy that my hands itch with a constant need to feel your skin. My mouth craves no other sustenance than your kiss. My eyes could not wish for a more breathtaking sight to gaze upon than you. My body longs to become one with yours."

Jenny could actually feel her mouth begin to water from the impact of his words.

"You are wanted. I want you, Jenny. Do you want to feel how much I want you?" He laid her head down on his chest.

"Do you hear how my heart beats, Jenny? It's calling out for you."

"Oh Julian."

She raised herself off of him and leaned in for a kiss, winding her arms around his neck and molding herself to his length. His tongue teased her lips open and dipped in to taste her more fully, sending shivers down Jenny's spine.

He brushed her hair off her neck and broke the contact between their lips, bending to kiss the exposed skin of her collarbone.

She rocked her hips against his instinctively and he groaned loudly, moving his hands to her hips to still her movements. His lips broke free and he twisted his head to the side.

"Not like this." He sounded winded.

"What's wrong with this?" She took advantage of his head position to move her mouth to his neck, mimicking his earlier movements. It was his turn to arch into her, his hands kneading the flesh at her hips.

"Oh god, Jenny. You set me on fire."

"I'm glad." She whispered the words against his skin. He suddenly grabbed her wrists and used his weight to reverse their positions, pushing Jenny until she lay back onto the bed. He pinned her with both his weight and his stare.

"I have to stop us and I'll tell you why, all right?" He waited for her reluctant nod before he continued. "When we make love for the first time it's going to be explosive."

Hearing the words sounded so sexy to her. Her lips parted slightly in a small smile. Jenny briefly wondered if guys realized that they really didn't have to work very hard to turn on most women. All they needed to do was get properly verbal and a woman's keen imagination filled in the blanks and got her fired up in the space of a heartbeat or less.

Julian interpreted her gaze and returned the grin.

"Oh yes, Jenny. It's when, not if. I become more convinced of that fact every time I see you."

He stopped speaking but Jenny sensed that he still had something on his mind. But he was looking at her lips and she couldn't help but smile as she noticed his distraction.

"Julian? Was there something else you wanted to say?" she teased.

His stare shifted up to her eyes and he smiled at her, completely unashamed at being caught staring so blatantly. He lifted his hand to her face and cupped her cheek and she leaned into it and closed her eyes, only to feel him move his fingers over to trace her jaw line and then her neck. He traced the edge of her collarbone and then he slowly pulled his hand down to her abdomen, passing between her breasts as he did so. She gasped and arched off her knees into his touch.

"Yes Jenny, I have more to say. But right now I just have to taste your smile."

His hand went around her neck and his fingers buried themselves in her hair and she was pulled forward to seal his lips with her own.

Talk about properly verbal! Jenny was surprised how that simple statement set her blood boiling. Not that his hands hadn't already lit the flame. He broke away abruptly and pinned her to the bed again.

"I am going to take all night and all day to taste you, tease you, and touch you until you forget everything but you and me and the feelings between us. I don't want to be your first, Jenny. I want to be your only."

She waited for him to say something, anything that made sense. Well, sense in terms of causing her to reconsider their present course of action.

"But I don't want it to happen here, Jenny. I want it to be completely perfect and completely real. I don't want you asleep during it. I want you to be a willing and enthusiastic participant."

She rolled her eyes.

"Are you saying I'm not one now?" Her eyes dared him to answer.

He looked heavenward as if asking for guidance in how to proceed. When he did it was with a tone one would use on someone who was rather dense.

"Of course I'm not saying that, Jenny. Your response to me pleases me immensely and you know it."

"But you think this isn't real, is that it?" she asked.

"No, not exactly."

"This has something to do with what you said before, right? About how you think this isn't just a dream. What did you mean by that? Am I really not dreaming? Are you not dead, but alive somewhere?"

She continued rambling without letting him get a word in edgewise.

"You're telling me you want to wait until you can find a way to appear in the same room I'm in when I'm awake. Have you done it? Have you found a way to make yourself visible to me?"

"I want you to wake up and go home and go back to sleep."

She started to protest but he raised his hand to stop the flow of words before they started.

"That nurse is going to be checking on you if she isn't already in the room with you and I don't want you to be caught moaning or anything else that would be embarrassing. You can be home and asleep pretty quickly, right?"

Jenny curled her lip in disgust even as she acknowledged the truth in his words. If she went home and back to bed she would have many more hours to be with him, even sleeping through the night and all day tomorrow when she skipped school like she planned to.

"Oh I'll be asleep again quickly, all right. Even if it means shooting myself with a tranquilizer gun."

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Disclaimer: Don't sue me. I don't own any clothes another human being would admit to coveting and my bank account has lots of zeroes, in all the wrong places. I don't own the FG characters.

Author's Note: Well boy oh boy did the last chapter bring out the reviewers in droves! Thank you all so much! If you guys are looking for great stories take at look at some of your fellow reviewers, why don't you? CeredwenFlame and ArchAngelPixxi are well worth a look, for instance. And a nice thank you goes out to all those who read but couldn't review. Sorry I can't thank you all personally but I haven't passed the Psychic Friends test to know who you are yet. On to those who don't require supernatural powers to thank:

Cat—You are so good to me, reviewing with such nice things to say! You are appreciated! Forget Mr. Bloom, I'd take *any* guy who resembled Julian in the slightest!

CeredwenFlame—I hope you have not given up on your stories? Give people some time and they will respond. I'm plugging you! Thanks for taking time out from your writing to read and review!

Rashel Jordan—Your review kept me smiling for days and continues to have that effect on me anytime I read it. I wouldn't stone you, so no need to worry. I'm glad you liked this chapter enough to review. I hope that means I'm on the right track.

evilspoofauthor2Cassi—Hey I hope you had a great time in Mexico! I didn't update beyond this chapter since you were gone so go ahead and knock me upside the head, I deserve it. Sorry about the cliffhanger, this one wasn't much better, was it?

Beanie—Glad I surprised you by having the action continue. I like keeping you guys on your toes every now and again. Thanks for making the effort to read and review! Sorry my update wasn't all that speedy!

Kristen Michelle—So how have you been? Sorry that I keep writing in such a way that you're left with an ambiguous feeling as to who Jenny should be with but I'm trying to keep her within character if I can. I'm always so glad to hear from you, as you know, and this time means just as much!

Amber Evans Potter—I love that you put in the physical movements, I can imagine someone doing them and it cracks me up! Thanks so much for your enthusiasm for this chapter, it makes me want to hit the old keyboard again!

Skyfire—I'm so glad you didn't think this was sleazy…I was walking a fine line, I assure you. Glad to see that at least you don't think I crossed it. Have I told you I love your name? Well I do. It lends itself to some very evocative imagery. Thank you for your encouragement!

Calli—Thanks so much for your kind words and specific suggestions…I took them to heart and made a conscious effort to incorporate them. I hope I did better but it might take me a few chapters to get everything flowing smoothly!

Francesca—With praise like that how can I help but try harder and harder to please! Flattery will get you everywhere! I am finishing the next chapter and look forward to putting it up much sooner than this chapter. Thank you so much for your terrific praise! It made me glad that I was a writer!

Forest Elfin—Dear lord you crack me up! Thank you so much for bringing a smile to my face on a day when I really needed it.

ArchAngel pixxistixx4me—Sorry that FF.net was acting up…I had a problem with review boxes myself that I found to be very frustrating! Yes, I'm afraid that I have Julian portrayed as inhuman…because I do not know of a man alive who would ever act like him unless he was being paid a hefty sum of money. Am I killing the romantic dreams of those who read this fic? I hope not! Thanks so much for writing, as always. I can always count on you to say something that makes me think, smile, laugh out loud, blush, or all of the above at once! You're such a wonderful reviewer!

Venus Smurf—I am always smiling when I see your name in my review box and this time is no different. Yes, I think Tom and Dee are a good match. I'm focusing so much on Jenny and Julian because it seems to be what a lot of people want and plus, that's where the story is for me right now. Take care of yourself and I'll be checking out Roommate and everything else you're written time and time again while you're on sabbatical, so to speak!

Venus Smurf—Yeah, I couldn't help it. I think it's so sexy when a guy wants to please his woman and I thought Julian was definitely the type of guy who could pull off asking for it. Yes, Julian's worth it. Definitely. Absolutely.

Kyia-Kenobi—You're so sweet! Thanks so much for reading and reviewing, especially considering you're not even all the way through! I really appreciate it and hope you enjoy the rest of the story!

Billy Bob Biff Bob the neon yak*ArchAngel pixxistixx4me in disguise* —you are so funny sometimes! So why do you have a large Tinky-Winky poster? Does he inspire you? I shudder to think of the possibilities. I'm glad that Easter will be up soon…it sounds intriguing, to say the least! Glad you finally found the song you wanted for Book Three. I have to play it again to remind myself what it sounds like but I think I'm going to agree with you. So what about a song that typifies each character? That's a nice long quest! Let me know!