Happy Wednesday! We are officially half-way through this fic. Writing has been outlet for me (specially lately) and I just so thankful I get to bring you on this journey with me. Enjoy.
Jay
I must have just dozed off on my couch when I'm startled awake by a loud noise. Disoriented, I try to place the sound until I hear it again. It is someone knocking on my door. I grab my phone off the side table and see two missed calls from Hailey, plus a few text messages. I check the time and it's almost five in the afternoon.
I slowly pull myself into a sitting position, looking (and feeling) like a zombie rising. My head feels heavy as if my brain is rattling and I'm experiencing a good deal of pain, my whole chest is sore. Each breath I take shoots a searing hot stab to my left side. I had forgotten that healing from a rib fracture is paradoxically harder than healing from a gunshot wound. On the bright side, the cut on my leg is healing okay.
Another knock. Louder. More insistent.
"Coming, coming," I say.
I drag the throw off me, and the air hits me as if it's a solid sheet of ice. Although I'm drenched in sweat, my body's shivering cold.
I stand too quickly, which makes me slightly dizzy. I put out a hand to steady myself and nearly knock a lamp off the side table.
"Shit!" I mutter under my breath.
"Jay?" I hear Hailey's voice calling from the other side of the door. "Everything okay?"
"Yes, I'm coming..."
When I finally open the door, I am greeted with my favorite smile.
"Hey, you," she says, and her voice and easy smile instantly make me feel better. She looks tired – work must have been brutal. She wraps me in a hug, and I unintentionally flinch away from her grip – the ache in my chest making me grit my teeth tightly. She immediately snatches her arms back.
"Oh God, Jay. I'm so sorry. Did I hurt you?"
"I'm good," I manage to choke out. "Just sore."
"I called you, but you didn't pick up. Sent a few messages too."
"I fell asleep on the couch," I explain.
She takes a few steps inside, her eyes searching my face, her smile turning down into a worried frown. She brushes her hand over my forehead, then tentatively lays her palms against my cheek. "Jesus, you're burning up," she says, with concern in her voice.
"Um, thanks?" I tease, trying to play it off.
"No, well in that sense too. But you're like hot, hot. As in you have a fever." She touches my forehead again with the back of her hand, and then her own to compare. She then touches the sides of my neck and then my forehead again. "Yup, you've got a fever, bud."
"I was asleep. I'm probably just warm from that," I say.
"No, you're definitely running a fever."
I can feel it now, the heat that made me sluggish, foggy, and achy all day. That explains why I just napped for nearly four hours in the middle of the day.
"Is the cut on your leg infected?" she asks, snapping my attention back.
"I don't think so," I tell her honestly, but she's looking at me from under her frown, still searching my face. "Hailey, I'm fine," I reassure her. "Just tired."
"Jay," she says, in her I-don't-believe-you-for-a-second voice. "You're not fine. You have a fever. That's usually the first sign that something is wrong."
"I'll be okay. I only need some rest," I say, and she arches an eyebrow. "What? I swear I don't feel that bad."
"Well, you don't look too good," she says. "How about a shower? It would help bring your fever down."
"Sure," I agree. I do feel sweaty and gross.
She smiles up at me and I lean over to give her a quick kiss before shuffling towards the bathroom.
"Think you can manage?" she asks.
"What, you want to join me?" I ask, waggling my eyebrows. "I'm definitely gonna need help scrubbing my back," I add.
"You're enjoying this a little too much now."
She smiles, a quick quirk of her lips. My heart twists. I know that smile – shy, cute, suggestive. My skin feels like it's on fire and I wonder momentarily how much it has to do with the fever, and how much it has to do with the girl smiling in front of me. My guess is it has more to do with Hailey – she's known to give me the best kind of fevers.
"The offer stands," I say.
"Maybe next time," she tosses over her shoulder before she heads to the kitchen.
"I will hold you to it," I call back and proceed to the bathroom.
I keep the water temperature slightly chilled, and it is almost unbearable when it hits my hot skin. Still, I stand directly underneath the shower watching the water fall. After a few minutes, it feels good, and I start to feel slightly better. Then, I towel off, pull on a pair of clean boxers, and head back to the bedroom.
Hailey is there fussing with my bedsheets. When she sees me, she pulls the comforter back and says, "Get in and save the puppy face."
"Do I really do that?" I laugh.
"Like you really don't know. Why do you think people can't ever say no to you?"
"You say no to me all the time," I argue. "I think you may have inflicted permanent damage," I tell her, feigning hurt.
She rolls her eyes. "Well, I do it for your own good. Now get your butt in bed," she says and I obey her like a puppy.
She touches my forehead. "You feel slightly cooler."
"I do feel better," I say, and she smiles sweetly at me, which always gets me.
"I'll bring you some water. Where's the Tylenol?"
"Pantry, top shelf, but I really think I—"
"Nope. You're staying in bed and you're taking some painkillers. Be back in a minute."
Beautiful and stubborn. A potent combination.
I watch her leave and when she returns, I paste on a grateful smile on my face. She passes me a glass of water and a couple of pills. "Thank you," I say, looking at her over the rim of the glass. "Even if you are being bossy."
She rolls her eyes and the corners of her mouth tug with a stifled smile. "If it gets you into bed, then I'll do what I have to."
I smile, sure Hailey didn't mean to sound so suggestive, but once the words are out the air in the room seems thicker, hotter, as if a seductive wind blew through the open door. She looks at me with heat rising in her cheeks.
She clears her throat. "Can I take a look at your leg?" she asks, obviously changing the subject.
I nod. "Uh, yeah."
She pulls the blankets off, exposing my bandaged calf. She gently pulls the dressing back, being careful to not hurt me. Luckily, it looks clean enough, and there's no redness about it, so hopefully, there's no inflammation.
"It looks okay," she says. "But I'll give Will a call just to see what he thinks." She places her hand on my cheek and adds, "In the meantime, try to get some rest."
I close my eyes, feeling a tug towards sleepiness. Moments later I feel Hailey leans into me and carefully lay her head in the hollow between my neck and shoulder. I feel a slight sting, but I lay still for her because I know what she is doing. She is listening to my heartbeat. It is something she did when I would come home drunk out of my mind – her way of making sure I didn't die in my sleep. I've never told her, but feeling her weight on my chest kept me from giving up.
"I'm not going anywhere, Hailey," I remind her.
"I know."
Then her hand strokes my hair in a slow calming rhythm, and I'm out like a light again.
x
I wake up a few hours later instantly missing the weight of her head on me. I feel somewhat disoriented, and it takes me a moment to realize that it's night now. I reach beside me and am slightly dismayed to find the bed empty.
I walk out of my room and sigh in relief at seeing her, looking like she'd slip off the page of a magazine right onto my couch. Even with the dark half-moons beneath her eyes and slightly tousled hair, she is the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen. She's dressed in one of my shorts and a t-shirt and seeing her in my clothes tugs at a familiar heartstring.
I notice she has a report on her lap, scrutinizing it with a confounded expression on her face, nose scrunched up in the cute way that distracts me for a moment. In some ways, it still seems surreal that she's back in my life. I'll never get over the fact that she still wants me, just as much as I want her.
I stand just watching her for a few minutes until she notices me.
"Hey, you're up." With a timid smile, she adds, "I hope you don't mind that I sort of raided your closet."
"I don't. You always look better in my clothes anyways."
The edges of her lips curve in that sweet smile she sometimes tries to suppress, and she looks so incredibly beautiful right now that it is hard for me not to stare.
"How are you feeling?"
"Still sore, but better," I say and point at the files on her lap. "Whatcha got there?"
"Old homicide reports. We caught a new case and I thought I saw a pattern."
"A pattern?"
She shifts position and the neckline of her (my) shirt falls over her shoulder, exposing a sliver of smooth skin. I try not to stare, but my eyes keep revisiting the view.
"Well, I can tell there's a connection between the murders."
"What kind of connection," I ask, taking a seat on the opposite end of the couch. I want to pull her legs on my lap like I've done so many times before, but I don't take the chance. There's too much on the line. Hailey wants to take things slow, so I will do exactly that.
She sighs. "I can't say at the moment, but in all likelihood, they were done by the same offender."
"You're thinking a retaliation angle?" I ask.
"Maybe. If we can connect these two murders, then we'll know more." She closes the files with a sigh and inches closer to me, laying the back of her hand against my forehead. "Looks like your fever broke. I made some –" her statement ends unexpectedly in a yawn. "Soup. I think you should try to eat something."
"Thank you, but maybe later," I say and grin when she catches me staring. But as cute as she looks wearing my clothes on my couch, I think she needs to rest properly on a bed. I don't want her to go home, so I offer mine. "Maybe you should get some shut-eye," I suggest. "You can take the bed. I will hang out here."
She shakes her head. "No, I am good. I took a nap, too."
She tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear and she smiles sheepishly at me. The combination of the two is almost my undoing. Without thinking, I close the last few inches between us. My head tilting, lips hovering breathless, waiting to see if she backs away. When she doesn't, I take the gesture as an invitation to seal my lips to hers.
Warm, soft lips press against mine. Her mouth is sweet and hungry, and when she sighs against my lips, I'm a goner.
"I'm not even going to try to pretend that I don't want to keep kissing you," I say as we pull apart to breathe.
She blushes and gasps in enough air to have her lips curve up in a smile. "I'd like that."
A stupid grin takes over my face as our lips meet again. My resolve melts faster than a snowball thrown into hell and I ease her back on the couch, ignoring the growing pain in my chest. I can't get enough of her mouth on mine, her breath, her smell, her taste. But the more we kiss, the more my ribs protest the shift in position.
"Now, I can't pretend you're not in pain," she says against my lips.
"Worth it," I tell her and try to smile, but my face feels tight, and I think my smile is coming out looking a little more on the grimace side of things, which earns me a soft laugh.
She gently pushes me up, bracing her hands against my shoulders, until I'm sitting again, back against the couch. But she inches closer, swinging her legs over mine, straddling me. She runs a soothing hand against my sore chest.
"This better?"
She stares into my eyes, and I know she is searching for any evidence of pain. And she will probably find it, but I'm not about to let a little ache derail the moment.
"This is good," I say.
I snake my arm around her, lean in, and our lips meet again. She gives me that happy hum of contentment she always does when she knows she's stealing all the air from my lungs, though I'd gladly drown like this. We kiss. We kiss and kiss, slow and fast, urgent and leisurely until our lips feel tender and swollen. And still, I want to keep going because the measure of time when I'm with her is nonexistent.
"You're only getting to first base," she says with this determined look on her face and I can't help but smile. "I don't want to be the reason your ribs don't heal properly."
"Okay, first base," I say, before nipping her bottom lip with my teeth.
She then brushes her nose against mine and amends her statement, "Second base, tops."
"This is perfect," I say and we kiss again. Once. Twice. A third time for good measure. "Thank you for being here."
"I've got your six, partner," she says simply.
I brush the hair out of her eyes and run my finger along the edge of her cheek. I don't deserve this stolen moment, but I'll take it.
"I've missed this," I tell her.
"Me too."
I peck her gently on her lips again, feeling my body (and hers) relax. I try just sipping at her sweetness, and it is very difficult to not want more. I'm want to keep this light – keep us in this sweet spot to savor and fully enjoy one another without any added pressure.
"What's on your mind?" she asks.
I look into her eyes, indulging in the sight of her achingly sweet smile. "Will you tell me something?"
She narrows her gaze, a small happy grin hovering over her kiss-swollen lips. "What?"
"Are you still on the fence about us?" I ask.
"Not in the way you're thinking," she answers, tunneling her fingers through my hair. "I'm scared of having my heart broken again."
I hold her waist a little tighter and gently shake my head. "I'm not going anywhere. You can't get rid of me, Hailey. I'm here, I'm with you, and there's nothing that will get in the way of that, kay?"
She nods.
I capture her mouth, gently kissing her bottom lip, running my tongue lightly over it, and then greedily possessing it once again. Hailey is not someone whom I can enjoy sparsely, in measured doses. But in the back of my mind I know I should take this slow. I'm aware that I still have a lot to prove to her. And I'll spend the rest of my days assuring her that I'll never break her heart again.
Slowly easing the pressure of my mouth on hers, I break the kiss and lean my forehead against hers. "I'm really glad you're back."
"I'm happy to be home."
She plants a kiss just below my ear, a kiss that is soft and hard at the same time. I grab her waist to bring her even closer, kissing her hair and then the tip of her nose, and when she tips her head up, I kiss her lips again, but she pulls back and sighs.
"How about some soup now?" she asks.
"Sure," I relent.
We have dinner, talking about everything and nothing. This is one of those mundane moments in life I know I will remember, so – and it will sound cheesy, but – I want to bottle it up to keep for always, I want to take it out and relive it. Because today feels like the beginning of the rest of our lives.
Afterward, we are both drained. I still don't want her to go, so I ask, "Stay?" and she nods, her easy smile making my insides warm. Just the thought of spending the night with her next to me makes me feel euphoric.
"I will sleep better knowing you're okay," she adds, timidly.
We lay in bed and I settle myself behind her, curving my body around hers and draping one arm around her waist. Hailey sighs, relaxing into me. I start to drift off after a few minutes, my whole body wrung out and still achy. But my eyes drift shut as I breathe her scent deep and fall into the sleep of the satisfied and loved.
x
The next morning, I wake up and am very contented to feel Hailey's body tucked at my side, warm and soft and cast to slumber. Her left leg is between mine (where it belongs) and her left arm is draped haphazardly across my stomach. Her hair is fanned in a beautiful mess over the pillow and her mouth is parted ever so slightly.
I have missed waking up like this, and right now I want her more than anything.
Early morning was my favorite love-making time. It was always languorous and unhurried and genuine and Hailey was open to everything I had to offer. In the past, I would have gathered her to me, trailed kisses from her collarbone up to the spot behind her ear, and made sweet love to her. Just thinking about it, recalling her quiet moans and sexy sleepy protests, makes my blood travels south.
I get up and go to the bathroom to cool off before doing anything stupid. When I come back, I crawl over to her, and despite the searing pain in my chest, I pull her into my arms, her snug body bringing me immediate comfort. She groans a little and rolls over, grinning lazily at me. Oh, how I missed sleepy Hailey.
"Good morning," I say and lean in, kissing her gently on the forehead.
"Mmm," she murmurs, then says, "Morning," around a yawn.
"Did you sleep okay?"
She nods, "You?"
"Really good," I say, unable to wipe the unabashed smile off my face.
Her hand touches my forehead. "How are you feeling today?"
"A little sore, still," I say and smile, as to not worry her. "I'm glad you stayed the night."
"Me too," she says and I lean in and give her a long, slow, deep kiss that quickens the burning inside of me. All the blood that hadn't already rushed south, takes a trip in that direction.
"And I'd really like to stay, but I've gotta get to work," she adds.
"I know."
Our breaths mingle and our lips touch again because I really can't help myself. I'm greedy with her. I want what she is giving me and more. How is it possible to want someone like this all the time?
"Maybe I don't have to get up right this minute," she offers, eyebrow raised.
I smile and cup her face in my hand. "I think I can spare a few minutes, too."
Gently, I kiss her again and again, without haste. Just slow, languid, deliberate kisses. And she offers her lips willingly, nearly driving me wild. Only when I feel my boxers growing more uncomfortable, do I pull away, leaning my cheek against her forehead, filling my lungs with air.
"You're going to be late," I say, inhaling her delicious scent and placing a light kiss on the crown of her head.
She lets out a sigh and begins tracing her fingers lightly over the bruises on my chest. "You're going to be okay here all day? I doubt I'll be able to leave early today. The superintendent is all over this case."
"I'll be fine. I'll miss you though."
A small, shy smile appears on her face, followed by a blush. "I can come back, but it will probably be really late."
"I'm good with that," I say because I will have her at any time. "But I just want to remind you that you've agreed to go on a second date with me and this," I motion between us, "Was not a date."
"Okay," she says with a chuckle. "You taking me to another fancy restaurant?"
I shrug. "I don't know. Maybe. It will be a surprise."
A laugh bubbles up her throat. "A surprise?"
I peck her lips and place my forehead to hers. "Just give me a couple days and I will be good as new."
She nods and starts to slowly extricate herself, moving away from my arms. "I will hold you to it."
I watch her go to the bathroom and I stay in bed, feeling the pulsating ache in my chest. But the pain is overshadowed by the joy I'm feeling. Having Hailey here makes me forget about everything else. It's always been like this with her. And I'm hoping for a lifetime of this.
Thank you for reading. Reviews/comments always welcomed. I'm also on Tumblr - upsteadshipcrew, hit me up there too. Next week things between Jay and Hailey get steamy. See you then!