A/N: I've recently started seeing this boy who has a little bit of scruff, something I'm not used to when we kiss. Thought this would be a fun chapter... set when Jim and Mel were just married ;) xx Mariah

Ages:

Jim - 26
Melinda - 22

Melinda sighed, pulling the covers up to her chin as she stared listlessly out the window. Gray early morning light filtered through the curtains, a foggy haze settling over the room and her mind. She was restless but tired. She hadn't slept all night. She missed Jim.

He was working a double shift, while she was at home. It was nearing two in the morning, so she knew there was still a few hours of time before he'd be home, but the bed didn't feel right without him. She didn't feel right without him.

This was the longest they'd gone without having sex, too. She was pretty sure that was a large part of the reason why she was having trouble sleeping. Aside from the regular nightmares, her ghost was giving her right now, her body felt like it was strung tight, a dull ache buzzing persistently between her legs whenever she thought of him.

She hadn't been able to touch herself, though, to relieve the pressure building inside her. Not the way Jim can.

She closed her eyes to the thought and for the next couple of minutes, her mine floated somewhere between wakefulness and oblivion. Finally, she kicked the covers off her in frustration and gave in. She needed relief, she needed sleep, and mostly she needed her husband.

Slipping her hand into her shorts, she slid her fingers through her folds until she alighted upon her center and inhaled sharply. Then she closed her eyes and began rubbing idle circles over it, the feeling adequate but incomparable to Jim's touch. Still, it was enough, and she moaned softly, flexing her knees as her fingers moved quicker, more purposefully, the sensation budding pleasantly between her thighs.

She startled when the door opened suddenly, not expecting anyone to be home and freezing when Jim appeared in the doorway. His eyes widened at the sight, his bag falling to the floor with a thud. "Whoa," he said dumbly, finally rousing her from her stunned stupor, and she jerked her hand out of her shorts with a gasp, struggling to pull the covers up.

"Jim!" she cried, the sound of her voice pulling a smile on his face.

He stepped farther into the room. "Well, don't stop now," he said lowly, shutting the door behind him.

She was too mortified to hear the promise in his voice. "What are you doing back already? I thought you were supposed to be on until six," she choked out, hiding under the comforter.

He was still smiling in amusement as he approached the bed. "I was, but the pace slowed down. I was only scheduled until two, but a few cases came in and my superiors wanted me to stay. So, when Josh let me go, I took the offer. I wanted to get back to you. I missed you. Did you miss me? It looks like you did," he teased, kneeling on the foot of the bed.

She finally softened, her body already trembling at the physical proximity of his. "I did," she whimpered quietly as he crawled over her, covering her body with his.

He smiled down at her, his blue eyes darkening, and he lowered his face to hers, their mouths touching fleetingly. "Well, you don't have to anymore; I'm here," he murmured, and she surged against him in a desperate kiss.

"Good, because I can't do this without you." She whispered, finally seeing the scruff on his jaw as he leaned in closer. "You haven't shaved yet..."

"Ah, yeah, sorry. Been too busy," he explained apologetically, leaning down to peck her lips. But she grabbed his face, preventing him from pulling back. He just stared at her in confusion as her hands cupped his cheeks, her thumbs smoothing over his beard. "I can go shave if it bothers you."

"It's soft," she said like she was awed.

He chuckled softly. "Yeah, I guess so."

She didn't let him go, her gaze raking over his face, his mouth, his chin. Then she smiled at him. "I like it."

He raised an eyebrow, his own mouth curling at the corners. "Yeah?"

Melinda nodded. "I thought it would be prickly or something," she murmured, bringing her mouth to his again. This time, she lingered, moving her lips carefully, tilting her head experimentally. When he felt her tongue graze his bottom lip, he granted her access; she wrapped her arms around his neck suddenly, pressing her body flush to his as she kissed him desperately, her tongue stroking his urgently. She moaned quietly into his mouth, and he groaned in the back of his throat.

He wasn't even sure how he ended up pressed against the bed, but when she finally pulled away minutes later, she was panting heavily against his mouth, her hands curled in his shirt. He just stared at her, dazed. "What was that for?" he asked, laughing in disbelief.

She just shook her head. "I don't know. I missed you. And you look so hot with this scruff. I didn't know it was possible to be even more attracted to you," she whispered, stroking his jaw, scraping her nails over the hair.

He grinned. "So I should keep it then?" She nodded, smiling at him.

"It feels nice against my face," she mused, but then she frowned pensively as she thought. "I wonder how it would feel between my thighs…"

Jim quickly pounced, rolling her underneath him before she could even finish the thought, abruptly hoisting her legs over his shoulders. She yelped in surprise as he slid her shorts down and licked his lips.

"Let's find out, shall we?"