AN: My first attempt at a little smut to make the filler worthwhile! Hope you enjoy.

Tara POV

The next morning I heard a light knock at the front door as I finished brushing my teeth. I opened it and saw Adam leaning against the door frame, his overgrown hair falling in his light brown eyes. It had been in a super short military cut when he first came back to Charming but now it had grown into that untamable in-between phase. I couldn't help by stare.

"Good morning," he said with a smile, quite possibly his sexiest feature.

"Good morning yourself. Did you eat?" I asked.

Adam cleared his throat a little awkwardly. "Ma hasn't really been grocery shopping lately."

"Oh, well. Shit. I've got some cereal. There's probably some bagels around here too."

"You don't have to do that, T. I'm good."

"Are you sure? Cuz it's really not a big deal. They're just bagels" I told him with a small smile. I know he didn't want to take charity from anyone, but I was pretty sure a bowl of cereal and pastries didn't really count.

"It's cool. I'll just grab something out of the vending machine," he said as he followed me into the living room.

"I'm almost ready," I told him. "Just need to get my shit together."

"No rush. It's still early. I was just trying to get out of the house and since I didn't get to talk to you last night…." He didn't finish, but he didn't need to. He sat down on the couch. "Do what you gotta do. I'll be here."

I looked at him for a moment and he just stared back.

"What?" he asked, an uncertain smile playing across his lips.

Without a thought, I walked over to him and straddled his lap, wrapping my arms around his neck.

"You're pretty cute, you know. Has anyone ever told you that?" I asked him.

His hands moved to rest lightly on my hips.

"I might've heard it once or twice, but not from anyone as good looking as you," he answered playfully.

I gently rocked my hips into him, bringing my body closer to his.

"Flattery, huh? I like it," I smiled as I brought my lips to his.

His grip on my waist tightened and I pressed closer to him, leaving no space between us. His lips pressed harder against mine, a hunger to them. I reached my fingers up, running them against the gentle stubble of his grown out hair. I could feel my breath getting heavier as a slow burn crept through my body. I broke contact with his mouth and moved to his neck, first kissing then gently biting. I felt him grow against me and, in an instant; he gripped my ass and flipped me on to my back on the couch, careful to keep his full weight off of me.

I kissed him deep as his hand came up to cup my breast, firm and rough. I wrapped my legs around his waist and he pressed himself harder against me. I bucked to meet him, grabbing at the edge of his t-shirt to remove it.

He pulled his face back just enough to look me in the eye. "Are you sure we have time?" he asked.

I tightened my grip around his waist. "I don't care. I want you. Now." We'd fooled around in his car a few times, but we hadn't really had a chance to be alone. And I wanted him to show me just how much he wanted me.

With no other words he pulled his shirt over his head and then focused on removing mine. His lips trailed down my neck before he sank his teeth into my collar bone, causing me to arch into him in response. He pulled down my bra straps, caressing my shoulders gently with his thumb before reaching behind me and undoing the clasp. One hand reached roughly for one breast while his mouth found the other. I rocked my hips into him again, feeling him bulging beneath his jeans and desperately wanting to unleash him. His hands found the button on my jeans but he may as well have ripped them off. I fumbled for his belt and slowly unzipped him, pushing his boxers down just enough to release him, breathing heavy as his mouth found mine again.

Heat rushed over me as my hand found his manhood and gripped him ever so gently. A groan escaped his lips as he pulled back just enough to remove the lace panties I had on. In the brief moment of separation, I spit into my hand and found him again, gently rubbing his length stroke by stroke. He groaned again as his thumb found my soft nub, pressing gentle circles against it. His fingers pressed inside me and back out, bringing juices back to my tip to push me further toward the brink. My whole body was tense and I couldn't wait anymore. I slowly guided him against me and he paused just briefly enough to put a condom on before edging inside me. He pushed further into me and I pressed my hips to take him in. I loathed the barrier the condom created but I'd only ever been with one person without one and Adam and I just weren't there yet.

He moved against me and I met him with each stride, each thrust more forceful than the last. I was so close to the edge when he froze; spent with his own orgasm before I could finish. The ache between my legs grew, unsatisfied. He thrust a final time against me but it wasn't enough for me to join him. For a moment we laid as we were, trying to catch our breath. He lifted his head and kissed my cheek before pulling out.

A dissatisfied sigh escaped me, but as far as he knew it was one of complete ecstasy.

"Bathroom's down the hall to the left." I told him. "I'm going to clean up really quick." I stood up, gathered my clothes and headed to my room to grab a new pair of underwear. Adam wasn't bad in the sack, I just hoped that next time he'd be able to hang on long enough for me to finish. It was probably my fault anyway for cutting the foreplay short.

I got dressed and turned back toward the living room only to find Adam standing in my doorway, watching me with a smile.

"You're pretty beautiful, T, you know that?"

I smiled, slightly embarrassed at the compliment.

"You're not so bad yourself," I told him, deflecting.

He grabbed my hand and laced his fingers through mine, glancing at the clock.

"You ready to head out?" he asked.

I took a look around my room, scooped up Jax' Biology book from the floor and shoved it into my bag.

"I think so," I replied with a smile. He opened the front door and I paused. "Hang on, I'll be right there," I told him as I dashed to the kitchen and retrieved a bagel for him. He shook his head but didn't argue. He devoured it before we even got to the car.

XOXOXOX

We drove toward the school and seemed to hit every damn light in town. Not that that was saying much, but it still made us arrive late. I heard the first bell ring as we pulled into the parking lot but I wasn't too concerned. The adrenaline from earlier hadn't quite worn off and I wasn't ready to rush away from him just yet.

We walked the halls to my locker and the tardy bell rang but we both still kept our pace. I'd made an extra effort to be on my best behavior with my teachers so far this year; I figured one tardy wouldn't hurt. We rounded the corner through the now empty hallway and I noticed someone leaning against my locker.

Jax.

Adam looked down at me and I raised my eyebrows back at him in surprise as we made our way toward Jax.

"Hey, sorry. I didn't really think you'd need your book already," I told him, certain there was no other real explanation for him standing here.

Confusion crossed Jax's face before he realized what I'd said.

"What? No. I don't care about the book," he laughed inconsequentially. "You can keep that shit for all I care."

Adam looked at me quizzically. I guess I hadn't mentioned Jax had agreed to let me borrow his book.

"Later," I told him, feeling it wasn't worth the energy right now.

I looked to Jax, then to Adam, them back to Jax. "Sooooo, what's up?" I asked a little concerned.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" Jax asked.

Again, I looked back at Adam, then back to Jax.

"Um, yeah sure. I have a few minutes before Mrs. Timberland will throw a fit. What's up?"

Jax' steel hard eyes darted from mine to Adam's.

"Think I could talk to your girl alone for a minute?" he phrased it as a question but his pointed tone made it clear it really wasn't.

A strange look passed over Adam's face as he looked between me and Jax. I squeezed his hand in reassurance, though I wasn't quite sure what I was reassuring him about.

"Yeah, sure man," Adam said slowly. "I gotta get over to the other building anyway. I'll catch you at lunch," he said to me before leaning down to give me a small peck which, for the first time since we'd started dating, felt more like marking his territory than a show of affection. He squeezed my hand one last time before he walked away.

Jax was still leaning against the lockers, his blue eyes boring into me. To this day it was still a struggle fighting the pull they seemed to have on me. There was an unyielding magnetism about him that, had we not been through so much already, I'd have been a slave to. Fortunately or unfortunately, the pain had seared deeply enough that the scarring helped me keep my wits about me now.

"What did you say to Opie?" he asked a strange note of tension in his voice.

I paused, trying to make sure I'd heard him right.

"Um, what did he tell you?" I asked hesitantly. Not really sure where this conversation was going.

He didn't say anything but the way his eyes drilled into mine, I knew Opie must've told him everything I said; surprise, surprise.

The intensity with which he was staring at me made me nervous and I instinctively broke his gaze, quickly shoving my bag into my locker before slamming it shut with more force than I'd intended.

He didn't so much as shift his weight from the lockers.

"Jax, come on. What do you want to know? I need to get to class" I informed him as I checked the clock in the hallway, noting that the window of Mrs. Timberland's grace period was growing smaller and smaller.

"Class." he rolled his eyes sardonically.

"Well, if you want to talk, at least walk with me."

He pushed off the lockers in assent and we walked wordlessly down the hall.

"So," he paused. "What did you say to Opie?" he asked again.

I sighed. "Something tells me you already know what I said to him, Jax. Otherwise you wouldn't have been waiting for me the second I got to campus." I paused. "You know, you could've just called and asked me if it was so important it couldn't wait."

That seemed to throw him for a second.

"I, uh…. I guess I could've called" he conceded. "I just haven't called in…. well... I just didn't think about it I guess."

I pressed my lips together and nodded my head, still not really sure where this conversation was going.

He reached out and lightly grabbed my elbow, effectively stopping me in my tracks.

"Can we just talk? Like really talk for a minute?" There was a pleading intonation to his voice that I hadn't really heard before.

I tried. I tried my damndest not to let his baby blues suck me in. But the vulnerability that pooled in them was so genuine, so out of character for him that I could literally feel my heart expanding in my chest in response.

Feeling my apathetic exterior crumble, I relented. I knew I shouldn't let him affect me so, but the momentary glimpse behind the veil had me reflexively dropping any and all pretenses. My mind knew that things weren't the same, but the compulsion to have a real conversation with him again was something I couldn't compartmentalize and tuck away.

I sighed, knowing my stupid heart was winning a battle it shouldn't be.

He started walking toward the breeze way but I stopped him. Everywhere seemed too public for whatever walls were about to be let down. If a teacher saw us, we'd definitely get detention. If a student saw us, there was no telling what kind of crazy rumors that would start and I didn't want Adam getting the wrong idea.

"Let's go to the park" I suggested. Schertz Park was directly across from the school but had enough trees that no one would really see us unless they were looking. It seemed safe enough. Teachers wouldn't come searching for us and, on the off chance Adam did catch wind that I had skipped class to talk with Jax, at least the park seemed unassuming enough.