I know I said Edmund was showing up soon, but since you asked for more M I thought I'd push that drama back a chapter and write something super fluffy (and naughty) first. (As if I really needed to be asked, pff! ;D) Enjoy!

Rachel shambled into her kitchen the next morning, so desperate for coffee she could already smell it. She realized, when she looked up and saw Juliet at the kitchen table, that she really could smell the coffee, because it had already been made. Juliet looked up from whatever medical journal she was reading and smiled brightly.

"Morning." she said. "I got up early and went to the bakery."

Rachel stared, confused, as her sister looked back down at the magazine. There were muffins on the table in front of her.

"Juliet." she mumbled.

Juliet looked up. "Hm?"

"...What the hell are you doing here?!" Rachel asked her, her voice rising in pitch as the words tumbled out.

"I-" Juliet started and stopped, a little shocked by her sister's reaction to her presence. "I wanted to be here, in case -"

"In case I died of cancer overnight?" Rachel joked, though she was still indignant.

"Rachel!" Juliet scolded her. "That's not funny."

"I told you not to worry about me, Jules! Didn't I say it was okay for you to spend the night there?"

"Yes! But I came home anyway, okay? If I'd stayed I would have been worrying about you, and that wouldn't have been fair for any of us."

Rachel sighed, shuffling in her slippers to stand in front of Juliet. She lowered to a crouch, placing her hands on Juliet's knee and looking up into her eyes. "Juliet."

Juliet looked back at her ruefully. "What?"

"I know you're scared." said Rachel. "I think you're more scared than I am this time around. But you know what's going to make going through this a whole lot easier?"

"What." Juliet asked, playing along. The corners of her mouth were turning up already.

"Knowing that you've got this really hot guy that's going to make you really happy and distract you from all the bullshit that's going on in your life."

"Rachel," Juliet said, her voice failing her as a lump grew in her throat. "You're not bullshit."

Rachel grinned and bit her lip to keep from laughing. "I was referring to your asshole ex-husband and the cancer. But thanks." They both laughed, and Rachel moved to the chair across from Juliet. "I'm serious, though. I'm not gonna put my life on hold just because my stupid tumors are back, and I'm sure as shit not gonna let you put your life on hold either. You already did that once for me."

"I'm going to take care of you this time too." Juliet assured her.

"I know. So don't make me feel worse about it by denying yourself a potential relationship with James."

"Well, when you put it that way..." Juliet said sarcastically.

"You need someone to lean on too, Jules."

"Nope," Juliet disagreed playfully. "I'm an independent woman."

"Uh huh." Rachel replied, skeptical not because she didn't think Juliet could handle life alone, but because she didn't think she should have to. "So did you run out on him after dinner or did you stay and have a little fun?"

Juliet's smile turned coy. "I had fun." she said lightly. Then her smile turned downright evil. "I had a lot of fun."

"Go on..." said Rachel, reaching for a muffin from the plate in the center of the table.

"Well, we started watching a movie while we ate." Juliet pulled a leg up underneath her, getting comfy for confession time. "Then we were talking a little, and then he just kind of...looked at me."

"Uh huh..." Rachel said slowly, implying she knew there would be much more to it.

"Yeah." Juliet said emphatically, confirming as much. "So I said, 'What?' as if I didn't know exactly what he was thinking. And then - he told me he'd been wanting to kiss me since I walked in the door."

"Oh, I can't wait to meet this guy." said Rachel as she grinned.

"Rachel, you don't understand. When he looks at me..."

"You don't even need to say it, I can see it in your eyes!" said Rachel, and they laughed again.

Later that day Miles was sitting in the living room, shoving his feet into his sneakers, when he heard a knock on the door. "Yo! Jimbo!" he shouted. James came walking from the bedroom area to open the door, giving Miles a pointed look on his way. "I know, I know." said Miles. "I've already got my shoes on."

"Yer the best pardner in the whole wide world." James said as he reached for the door handle, his wide smile as exaggerated as his accent.

"Yep, I know." Miles agreed.

James couldn't wait any longer; he swung the door open, and he got the same happy feeling he felt the last time he'd opened the door to let her inside. She smiled when she saw him, and the feeling got even sweeter. It seemed the woman that he and Miles had for months referred to as 'that blonde chick in the morgue' had become his girlfriend overnight.

"Hey." she said, her smile deepening the longer she looked at him. His lips curved up too, and he moved back to let her in. She stepped inside, smiling Miles' way when she saw him. "Hey, Miles." she said warmly.

"How's it goin', Burke?"

"Good." Juliet answered honestly, looking at James when she said it. Miles caught the looks they gave each other. He knew they were just waiting until he was gone. With any other couple it would have bugged the shit out of him and made him roll his eyes, but even Miles had to admit they made a cute pair. It warmed his cold, black heart to see a good guy like James bag himself such a great girl. And it had all been his doing, he liked to think.

"How's Rachel?" James asked, fully aware that Miles was purposely taking a long time getting his gym bag and keys just to mess with them.

"She's great." said Juliet, smiling to herself as if she were debating saying something in mixed company. "She chewed me out this morning. For coming home last night."

"Well, this sister a' yours sounds very wise." said James. They smiled at each other, an awkward silence growing afterward. They both turned to Miles, who was now just standing around, watching.

"Well, " he said slowly. "I'd love to stay and chat, but I made plans to go to the gym."

"Sounds great." said James, holding the door open for him. "See ya later!"

Miles walked outside, turning as the door started to swing shut. "Hey, maybe later we can all go to-"

James smiled as his friend was interrupted by the door slamming in his face, already on his way to Juliet. She grinned as he swooped in to kiss her, wrapping her arms around his neck in return for the hands that held her waist.

"Mmm," James groaned against her lips. "I missed you last night." he said when they parted. "How long can you stay?"

"I don't have any plans..." said Juliet, giving him little kisses all over his face. James turned his eyes up to heaven, thanking a few deities as Juliet's kisses wandered down the side of his neck.

"No plans, you sure about that?" said James, gently pulling her back up to kiss her mouth. She loved the way he held her. The gentle command he had of her body was something she was very willing to give him. He followed a similar trail down her neck, until his tongue found that special spot just below her ear, the spot that made her entire body tingle at once. Juliet bit her lip and whimpered, and he tongued it harder.

"Oh god," she moaned. "Naked. Now."

"I could get addicted to you." James murmured.

Juliet smiled. She felt the words touch her skin, his lips and his breath brushing her neck as he said them. "You aren't already?" she teased him. He chuckled, raising his head so he could look at her. They'd just spent the past few hours getting passionately reaquainted, and it was time for some serious lounging in bed. Their legs and arms were all tangled together, and they were rubbing every stretch of soft, warm skin on each other's bodies.

"I guess I'm just playin' hard to get." James replied as he lowered his head to give her neck a few more lazy, sloppy kisses.

"Mmm, if this is you playing hard to get," said Juliet, as she ran her hand over his bare chest, as bare as the rest of him. "I can't wait 'til you finally admit you want me." Her hands crept lower, down his stomach, but before she could really reach for him he took hold of her wrist and raised her hand to his mouth.

"You're gonna wear me out." he joked, giving her palm a feather soft kiss. "And I mean that as a compliment."

Juliet smiled at his comment, and at the feeling of his lips on her palm, and she almost apologized. "I guess I'm just trying to make up for lost time." she teased back. James was moving, shifting his body to lay on top of hers, and starting with her mouth he began a long, slow trail of kisses down her body. She felt her heart rate increase, and she felt a brand new rush between her legs when she realized where he was headed. Just because he was, for the moment, spent didn't mean he couldn't keep giving her pleasure. She made a quiet sound deep in her throat when he kissed her there. She couldn't make sense of it, she'd never been with a man so generous in bed. Past lovers hadn't been bad, but none had been so passionate about making sure she came any time she even hinted at a desire to do so.

"Tell me how you want it." she heard him say. Juliet let out a shaky sigh. She looked down her body and watched his tongue come out from between his lips to press against her. She was still soft, still wet, still primed for contact from the hours they'd already spent fucking. It already felt so good, she wasn't sure what more she would have him do. He took his tongue back just long enough to repeat his request for direction. "Tell me what you want." he said, kiss followed by lick followed by kiss.

"Mm..." came Juliet's barely stifled moan. He kept running his tongue over her most sensitive spot, and she wanted him to stay there. "Suck on it." she whispered, cheeks flushing when she heard the words coming from her own mouth. He responded, attaching his mouth to her and applying a soft suction. It was all about the slow build for him, she knew that now. He seemed to enjoy starting small, warming her up until she begged him for more. She cried out, a tiny moan, and her legs fell further apart. She felt the beginning of a quick orgasm swelling inside of her, but when her moaning intensified James rightly took it as a warning and took his mouth away. He blew on her softly, causing her to whimper at the sweet torture of denial and delayed pleasure. He smiled at the sound of her heavy breathing, and he blew on her every few seconds until she was calm again. He put his mouth on her again, sucking at her until she was moaning his name along with god's. Just when her body began to tense, he pulled the same trick a second time, blowing a cool stream of air at the spot that was going to make her mind explode whenever he decided it was time. Her blood was pumping hard now. There was no calming her this time, she kept moaning even without contact, and when James started to suck on her again she wanted it so bad she put her legs around his neck and squeezed. He sucked harder and harder, sliding his tongue against her at the same time, and he knew the next time he lifted his head it would be after giving her a very intense orgasm. She began to thrust her hips toward him, though they barely moved because he had such a strong hold on her. Moan for me he thought, since he couldn't say it out loud. Good god, she made sexy sounds when she was close. They were almost as sexy as the sounds she made when she was coming. She was starting to make those sounds now, they were already so pleasing and familiar to him, and James didn't let up for a second. Her thighs pressed against the sides of his face, and she moaned as she rode him from below. Just when he thought she might be done, she grabbed the hair at the back of his head, holding him even tighter to her, and her body began to shudder violently. The moans she let loose then made it sound like she had a demon inside her trying to get out. It went on for a while, the pitch of her whines and whimpers rising the longer it lasted. The shuddering slowed and stopped, and she rolled her hips toward his face as the waves of pleasure grew further apart. Gradually, the moaning subsided, and the tight grip she had on his hair loosened. Then the legs that had grown so tense relaxed, freeing his face so he could take a breath.

"Oh my god." she breathed as he crawled back up and flopped down next to her. He could see her eyes were still squeezed shut, and her brow still furrowed as the intensity of her climax was still fading. "Oh my god." she said again. "I don't think I've ever come that hard."

James licked his lips, grinning as he wiped his face with one hand. She had an adorably pained expression on her face, one she kept as she slowly turned over and curled up against his body. "Mm." she moaned softly, readjusting to life back on Earth. He smiled at her, sweeping her hair behind her shoulder and rubbing her back. "Ohhh, god." she breathed gratefully. "Just give me a minute..."

James chuckled once. "For what?"

"Hmm," Juliet said lazily, her mouth curving into a smile. She tilted her head upward, and gave his shoulder a short lick and a soft bite at the same time. "I'm going to return the favor." she said, her innocent tone betrayed by her words. She lifted her pretty eyes up to look into his, to gauge his reaction. The look in her eyes, the confidence with which she gazed at him, made the last remnants of that spent feeling disappear from James completely.

Her fingertips still buzzed with as much pleasure as the tips of her toes. She got another little rush when James took hold of her hand and guided it past his abs so she could feel how hard she made him. She wrapped her hand around him and moaned, lips parting in anticipation. She felt him jump in her hands, and it made her smile a little in response.

"What did you just think about?" she asked him. His hand caressed her face, and he ran this thumb along her lower lip.

"I was thinking about how those moans are gonna sound when your mouth's wrapped around my -"

Juliet suddenly squeezed and stroked him hard, causing him to cut himself off with a loud, almost pained groan. He stared at her lips as they formed a wicked smile, and she whispered "Just think about how they'll sound when I swallow."

"Ohh, lord..." James groaned at her dirty talk. "Why didn't I ask you out sooner..."

After that promise was fulfilled they took a shower together, the relative innocence of cleaning each other's bodies after getting each other so hot and sticky making it a romantic one. Feelings began to intensify when Juliet allowed James to wash her hair. Intimacy like that didn't usually come so soon, but it felt natural so they didn't waste time questioning it. Instead they savored it, the fear of getting too close too soon replaced by caring, just a step away from love. The deep massage that Juliet's scalp received from James fingertips reached all the way to her heart, and he felt the same penetration of his soul when Juliet again returned the favor, giggling when she accidentally got shampoo in his eyes.

It's too soon, they kept trying to tell themselves, but the argument was only being made out of habit and it refused to stick. It felt too good, taking turns rubbing soap on each other and then watching the suds disappear under the hot water. They made out until their lips felt bruised, and they stood holding each other under the water until they started to prune. Then James smoothed Juliet's wet hair away from her face, and asked her if she was hungry. Right on cue, Juliet's stomach growled loudly.

"Starving." she said, laughing. James shut the water off and stepped out, grabbing towels for them both.

"How 'bout I order us some Chinese?" he offered. "There's a place around the corner that delivers, you won't even have to get dressed. We can sit and eat 'til we can't even move."

"Mmm," Juliet moaned with a different kind of lust, the kind a stomach felt for food, as she dried herself off. "I can barely move already." she admitted. "But I want dumplings. I'd kill for some dumplings. And chicken chow mein. And something with sesame. Or something spicy?"

The intensity of her hunger put a smile on James' face. It almost matched her hunger for sex. "I'll get you one of everything on the menu if it means you'll stick around."

"You've got me all day, Ford." Juliet promised easily.

"Yeah," said James, his smile deepening. "But the day's almost over. You gonna spend the night?"

His dimples still got to her, and it physically hurt to turn him down. "I'm taking Rachel to the hospital again tomorrow morning." she explained. "More tests."

"Understood." he said with a nod, adding lightly "But one of these nights, Burke..."

"Soon." she said, smiling and wrapping herself in her towel. "I promise."