Sorry for taking so long to get to this, I feel like this story is my older neglected child! There's still a lot of life left in this one, I hope you enjoy. PLEASE review, it only takes a minute, all this writing is very time consuming and as much as I enjoy it it's really the reviews that spur me on to continue!
It was Sunday afternoon and Jessica lay sprawled on her bed, her body covered by that of her boyfriend, Nick. The room was bright with sunlight and the loft was silent. Sighing contently, she watched the regular rise and fall of Nick's chest, his head resting on her stomach, just below her breasts.
They hadn't left her room all day; a rare day where neither had to work was too good an opportunity to pass up. In the month since they had gotten back from Chicago, Nick seemed to have taken more and more shifts at the bar. They still hadn't appointed a new manager and finding time to, well, you know, wasn't always easy.
He began to rouse from his slumber, his prickly stubble scratching her soft skin as he turned his face to meet hers. "Good afternoon handsome," she said as his eyes slowly opened. He smiled at her words.
"Hmmmm, how long was I out?" he asked he let out a yawn.
"Almost an hour," she replied. "It was nice watching you sleep, you look so peaceful." He shifted up the bed so his head was on the pillow next to hers.
"Sorry, I'm just so tired with all the extra shifts lately," he apologised.
"Shhh, don't apologise. I need you well rested," she said, shuffling closer to him and wrapping her arm around him.
"Is that so?" he replied, slipping his arm around her neck, "Why ever would that be?" In response, she pressed her body against his and started to kiss him, at first slow and tender, gradually intensifying as their hands began to roam across the expanse of skin.
Still, after the few months they had been in a relationship, he was amazed by this woman. His head still did not understand what she saw in him but his heart knew he loved her more than he had ever thought possible before. The feel of her body in his arms sent a surge of pleasure through his veins; he could hear her breathing roughen as his kisses wound their way across her skin, teasingly licking and biting his way, attempting to explore as much of her as possible.
She lay back, hair fanned out across the pillow, her body reacting to his touch; twisting, rippling, writhing. Her hands reached backwards and grabbed the headboard behind her, digging in her fingers as his attention moved to the sensitive area between her legs.
The intimacy between them was complete; they were so relaxed and comfortable with each other that both struggled to remember a time when it had not been like this. The tension of earlier in their relationship had been replaced with passion, closeness and intensity.
Finally Jessica took hold of his arms and pulled him closer to her, he wrapped his arms around her and smothered her in yet more passionate kisses. She giggled, "C'mon baby, let's get this train moving."
Smiling, he moved to sit beside her and reached for a condom and then he tapped his lap. She raised her eyebrows, before swinging her leg over his. Flicking her hair over to her back, she rested her hands on his shoulders, lowering her hips as he guided himself inside her. Her eyes flickered closed briefly as the feeling of fullness and satisfaction surged through her body. Slowly, she began to raise and lower her hips in a smooth rhythm, their locked gaze never faltering. Wordlessly his hands moved to her waist, gripping it tightly, as he watched her head roll back in pleasure. Her curls brushed over his fingertips as he felt himself fall deeper into the depths of passion. Looking into her eyes, he watched her pupils dilate as the fluttering feeling inside her increased. She took his hand from her waist and placed his index finger into her mouth and slowly began to suckle, spiralling her tongue around it.
Lost in the moment, he pulled her body quickly towards him and laid his forehead against hers and began to lift his own body eagerly up towards hers, increasing the pace until he could go no faster. She began to pant and moan softly, not breaking gaze with him for a second until the shudders of pleasure ripped through her and she gripped her arms tightly around him whispering, "I love you." Her words caught his own swell of pleasure and he echoed her sentiment as his fingers slipped into her hair and his tension broke, his hands tightening around her dark locks.
Slowly, they had slipped back down the bed and lying intertwined, had eventually fallen into a peaceful slumber.
The next day was the start of school for Jessica. She had spent most of the summer tutoring in summer school but now she was finally starting her new school properly and meeting her new class. She had been a little nervous; based on her prior experience with the students at this school, but Nick had reassured her, made her lunch and packed her off to school with a kiss on the forehead.
Nick was working at the bar that evening; Jessica was going to come by after work so she could fill him in on the ins and outs of her new class. He watched the clock anxiously as he served the slow trickle of customers who frequented Clyde's on a weeknight. Soon it was 7 O'clock and he frowned, wondering what was taking so long.
Finally, she had entered the bar looking radiant and laughing as she rounded the corner, he smiled. But the smile was short lived when he saw she was not alone. What the? With her was a tall, dark haired, impeccably dressed man, with an annoying handsome face and his hand resting on Jess's shoulder. Nick felt his body tighten.
"Nick, hey! Sorry I'm late. This is David, he's new at the school too and he's new to LA so I took him for dinner and then brought him here. I hope you don't mind, he doesn't know anyone yet," Jessica said as they reached the bar and took a seat on two of the high stools that encircled it. David reached his hand out across the bar and Nick threw the towel in his hand over his shoulder as he shook it.
"David," he said nodding his head.
"Nick," he replied, "Nice to meet you, Jess has told me a lot about you." Nick looked at Jess and she smiled.
"All good things I hope?" he asked as he laid a paper napkin in front of both of them.
"Of course," Jess replied, reaching over and placing a warm kiss on his lips. Nick relaxed a little.
"What can I get you?" Nick asked. David asked for a beer and Jess had a vodka soda. As Nick worked he continued. "So how was your first day?"
She sighed, "Hectic, those kids are crazy. But it's so great teaching kids again. I think David had a shock though, it's his first teaching job." Nick eyed him; he looked a little old to be starting teaching.
"Well it's certainly different from law work!" he said with a laugh. Nick gave Jess a questioning look.
"Oh, David used to be a lawyer, he worked for the UN – can you believe it?" Jess explained. Nick's heart dropped a little once more.
"No I can't, but that's amazing," he answered as he placed their drinks in front of them.
David shook his head, "It's more impressive than it sounds, really."
"So what made you become a teacher?" Nick asked.
"I guess I wanted to do something that made a real difference, I can't really explain it. I wanted to move back west, my mom lives in Colorado, so it seemed like the time to make a change and so far, so good," he smiled as he looked at Jess. "Can you excuse me for a moment?" he asked. They both nodded and he headed off towards the bathroom.
Jess leaned forward over the bar, "So, what do you think? Nice guy, huh?"
"Yeah Jess, he's great," Nick replied dryly as he began to place clean glasses on the shelf behind him.
"Miller, what's up? You're a terrible liar; I can see your sweat back starting already." He slowly turned around to face her.
"Jess, he's fine. Great. Swell guy." Jess pushed out her bottom lip in a pout. "What does it matter what I think? I don't have to work with him."
"Well I think he's a nice guy and I want to help him settle in. Plus, the principle has asked me to mentor him so we're probably going to spend a lot of time together for the next few months. And, on top of that, I care what my boyfriend thinks," she smiled at Nick.
"I'm sorry Jess, he seems nice. I'll try and make an effort, I'm just tired is all," he said.
"Then I think another day in bed is on the cards soon," she said seductively.
"Can't argue with you there!" he replied and they both let out a small laugh.
"I'm back," David said sliding back onto his seat. "So Nick, Jess told me you were training to be a lawyer?"
"Yep," Nick answered, "I was three semesters from graduation."
"Wow, that close?" David asked in amazement.
"I realized it wasn't for me, I didn't want to spend my life working for someone else." He lifted up his hands, "How ironic."
"Being a lawyer isn't all it's cracked up to be, there's long hours and you never really clock off. Teaching is not that different actually," he looked at Jess and she nodded, "I envy the freedom you have working here."
"Well, I always said this was temporary and five years later…" his voice trailed off and he smiled.
"Sometimes you just need to find yourself Nick, and sometimes that takes a bit longer than you'd like." Nick smiled and nodded, maybe this guy wasn't so bad after all.
In between customers the three talked easily until the end of Nick's shift. They all said goodbye and Nick walked with Jess to her car and they got in for the ride home.
"So?" she asked as she fastened her seatbelt.
"I'm warming to him," he said reluctantly as he turned the key in the engine. Jess put on a small self-satisfied smile as they started the journey back to the loft.
Nick was working every evening that week and he saw little of Jess as a result- he got home so late he would crawl into bed beside her and wrap his body around hers before they both drifted into a heavy slumber. It was a different kind of relationship to the one they were used to, but in some ways deeper and more meaningful.
By Friday Jessica was exhausted from her first week of full time teaching in months, but she had agreed with David to spend a few hours going over planning and schemes of work to prepare him for the next week. That morning she had woken up and brushed her hand over Nick's forehead to rouse him, "Nick, baby, wake up," he yawned a little and squinted until her face came into focus.
"Jess," he had smiled and tried to pull her closer to him.
"Hey, calm down, I've got to go get ready. Remember I can't come to the bar to see you later, I'm working late with David, and he's coming over to the loft." Nick's mood fell when he remembered this detail.
"Yeah, that's fine, I'll see you when I get home," he finally replied before reaching up to give her a soft kiss. She smiled and slipped off the bed and out of the room as a small cloud gathered in Nick's mind.
It was 10.30 as Nick pulled up back at the loft. He'd bribed Big Bob to finish his shift, promising to buy him lunch for a week, so he could spend a precious extra few hours with Jess. As he stepped into the apartment, he heard her laughter echoing about the large expanse of space. He looked around; the dining table was covered in papers, files and books but Jess and David were sat on the couch, the TV playing in the background, each with a glass of red wine in hand. They both had their elbows lying on the back of the couch; Jess had her back to the door and couldn't see him. He closed the door quietly behind him and placed his keys on the table beside it. He stood and listened for a second.
"Jess, I want to thank you for all your help this week, I don't think I'd have made it through without you," he said, reaching his arm out and touching her elbow.
"That's so sweet! But it's nothing, really, I remember what it's like when you are new, everything can be overwhelming," they each took a drink. Nick began to feel a little shifty listening in on their conversation.
"Still, I'm so used to the cut throat world of law; it's great to meet such nice people. I think you're great Jess," Jess felt herself blushing at his words and dipped her head.
"Well, if it's any consolation I think you escaped the world of law with your morals intact! Surely that's an achievement," he nodded in reply.
Nick felt he should make his presence known and cleared his throat loudly as he walked into the living area. They both looked up, Jess swivelling her head around to see him. "Nick, I didn't hear you come in, you're early," she cried.
"Yeah, I swapped a shift," he said quietly. David stood up uncomfortably and looked from Nick to Jess.
"Hey, I'd better be going, I can't believe the time, I guess we just got carried away," he walked over to the kitchen and placed his glass in the sink. "Jess, thanks for everything." She got up and went to the table to help him gather his papers and Nick collected a beer from the cooler and sat back down on the sofa, in the place she had vacated, and started flicking through the channels.
Finally, Jess walked him to the door, "Night Nick, Jess –see you Monday," Jess nodded in reply before closing the door behind him. She wandered back over to the sofa and sat down; sliding her legs under her and picking her still half full glass of wine back up. They sat silently for a few minutes and watched the TV screen, each sipping their drinks. Eventually, he spoke, "That was awfully cosy there Jess." She turned to look at him.
"What do you mean?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.
"What I said, you two were looking pretty happy together. I thought he would have left hours ago," he sighed and took a long draw from his bottle, eyes not leaving the TV.
"Well he's a very interesting guy; after we finished working he was telling me about his life in New York. Do you have a problem with that?" she asked.
"Me? Nope," he said, still refusing to meet her glance.
"Nick, look at me," she begged, he ignored her. Finally, she picked up the remote and flicked off the TV screen. Slowly, he turned to face her. "What the hell is wrong?" Nick was silent. "Stop being so childish Nick, have I done something to upset you?"
"It's just," he began, "Seeing you with him and he's so…"
"Don't you trust me? Haven't we already been thought this?" she asked, her voice rising slightly as she spoke. His face softened and he moved closer to her, placing his beer on the table in front of him.
"Jess, of course I do, I know you'd never… But guys like that make me feel like all my decisions have been bad ones. All my choices wrong. He's this successful guy who has lived this exciting life and I'm a law school dropout bartender who is 31 and still has no idea what he really wants to do." He gave her a small smile and she moved herself into his lap and placed her arms around his neck.
"Nick, I love you for who you are. You are a great guy, caring, sensitive, funny, sexy… I know you still think you are lost in some ways but I'm here, beside you and I'm going to help you figure things out in their own time. Right now, I'm enjoying the ride. I think you are amazing, I just wish you realized what you had going for you," she looked into his eyes.
"You're too good for me Jess, I don't deserve you."
"Yes you do Miller," she replied, kissing his nose and making him smile, "And to make up for your grumpiness I now command you to take me to bed and have your wicked way with me."
"Yes ma'am," he replied, picking her up and walking towards his room, still bewildered at what she really saw in him and a nagging doubt still playing at the back of his mind.