Juliet didn't get out of bed when her alarm went off. She wasn't a morning person on a good day, but today she couldn't help but lie there thinking about the exhausting day before. With the morning also came the realization of how she had completely broken down in front of James. She felt a little embarrassed for letting him see her this way. Not only that, but she felt stupid for crying about the memories the Hydra brought back when it was he that should really be upset.
As she lie there thinking about the events she couldn't help but recall the way he tried to help and comfort her. She now realized how many times they had touched yesterday. When he had grabbed her hand, it had shocked her because she wasn't sure what he was doing at first. And when he enveloped her in his arms she had been too freaked out to register how good it felt to be held. She hadn't been touched in so long. She could still remember the way his hands felt on her back last night: soothing and gentle, yet strong. Yesterday it had comforted her to feel him there, but this morning the memory was turning her on. She might have carried on with the fantasy forming in her mind, but the smell of bacon interrupted her thoughts. Not having a rational explanation for such a smell she climbed out of bed to investigate.
Rounding the corner stealthily, she found James standing at the stove cooking in his uniform. She was about to run back to her room to change out of her shorts and t-shirt or at least put on a bra, but he saw her before she could retreat.
"Mornin' sunshine!"
Her mind went blank as she stared at him with her mouth half open.
"I got your coffee right here!," he said cheerfully (knowing full well she wasn't a morning person).
"What are you doing home?," she asked sounding a little more irritable than she intended to.
"Well how's that for thanks? Remember, I got that extra hour in the morning now? First time I've actually had the opportunity to use it."
She stood there in her bare feet, hugging her chest and trying to process everything. Yesterday he was comforting her and now he was making her breakfast. If she was turned on before, she might as well have been on fire now. To be fair, he had made her breakfast plenty of times, but it wasn't like this. It had been for everyone and she had been fully dressed. In fact, she had all but been fired from the kitchen after she burnt one too many meals. All the guys were much better at it and had taken pity on her lack of domestic talent. James found it amusing that the woman could apparently impregnant male mice, but could not focus long enough to listen out for a food timer. Thus, she found herself with a lot of prepared meals and most of the cleaning duties instead.
"Earth to Juliet," he said waving his hand.
She snapped out of her thoughts and replied, "What?"
"I said did you want toast with your eggs and bacon?"
He smiled at her seeming inability to wake up this morning. He thought she looked a little wild with her blond hair more tousled than usual and her piercing blue eyes wide with confusion. Her clothes, or lack of them didn't go unnoticed either. He tried not to ogle her, but it was damn near impossible. Her legs looked longer than usual in the skimpy shorts and the curve of her breasts in the very thin t-shirt was too much to take. Thank God for the extra room in his jumpsuit. He walked forward handing in her the cup of coffee. His close proximity didn't do anything to help her mental state, but she finally remembered how to speak.
"Sure," she smiled, taking the cup of coffee from his hands.
"Alrighty then, comin' right up!"
She sat down and watched as he busied himself with the final preparation. When he finally set their plates down and slumped into the chair across from her she bit her lip to keep from grinning at him.
"Thanks."
"No problemo! I just thought you might need a little pick me up after yesterday."
They ate in silence. Occasionally he glanced up, trying to assess whether she seemed in better spirits today. She seemed to be lost in thought, but he detected a faint smile. Maybe this was a good sign. What he would have never guessed is that she was mainly trying hard to stop looking at his mouth and imagining his hands on her body. Finally she took a deep breath to clear her thoughts.
"So, are you going back there today?"
"I'm not sure. Just have to wait and see what Horace decides I guess."
"Well, just be careful."
"Yeah, yeah."
"I mean it. You saw how ruthless the Hostiles are…how he is."
She didn't have to say his name. He remembered the young Charles Widemore in their last encounter with the "other Others". She was right. Anyone who was willing to kill his own to keep them quiet or let a woman's hand be chopped off as a warning was a cold-blooded bastard. They had him drugged yesterday, but he could only imagine that he had become much worse with age.
"I will," he promised her.
For the first time during their meal they made eye contact. It wasn't awkward as they both feared. Instead, they both found comfort in each other's gaze and so held it for far too long.
"I should get going," he said, breaking the spell.
She nodded and stood to collect their empty dishes. He watched her from behind before walking over to set his mug in the sink. She flinched when she felt him next to her; resisting the urge to lean into him. When he started to leave she turned and called back to him.
"Thank you James…for breakfast…and for everything."
He shoved his hands in his pockets, tilted his head, and smiled with his dimples on full display.
"Well, you're welcome."
"I'll see you later," she whispered, a little too sultry sounding.
Before turning to leave, he made no attempt to hide his eyes as he worked them up from her feet, to her legs, to her body, and finally to her eyes.
"Alright. Later."
With that he turned on his heels, leaving her standing with a wet rag in her hand. She finally came to her senses when it started dripping all over her feet. She let out another huff of exasperation. She wasn't sure what just happened, but she was pretty sure she needed a cold shower.
