unwanted

chapter nine

unpaved

Jess started out positioning the logs for Julian to chop, but that didn't last long before she found a nice shade to sit in.

"You were joking with Adrian, right?"

"You've never had to ask me that before."

She laid down and ran her fingers through the grass. "I know but you've never acted that jealous before."

He paused in his swing to look back at her. After a moment, he frowned and went back to work. "I guess I was."

He chose another log and sat it up. "Not because he's a guy, I know better than that. I've been taking care of you for so long, I guess I'm jealous that he can ease you with a touch. I wish I could do that."

"You do. Every moment of every day. I don't know what I'd do without you, Julian."

"I know that, babe. I want you to hang out with him as much as you can before we must go. We'd stay forever if I thought he was the solution but he's just a Band-Aid."

"I know."

He chopped some more before he turned back to look at her. "We are getting married. That's the only way we can make sure that they don't separate us."

"Okay."

He dropped the ax where he'd dropped his shirt earlier. He grinned and made his way towards her.

Grinning, she watched what he considered his sexy walk. When he crawled on top of her, she winkled her nose at how sweaty he was.

He looked down at her with all the love he's always had.

"I've missed that smile, baby."

She touched his cheek. "I've missed yours too."

"Let's make a deal. You stop looking at me like you're not sure how to act around me anymore and I won't wear your ass out. You're still you and I'm still me. We're still Jess and Julian. Nothing has changed between us."

"Promise?"

"Promise." He fitted his body to hers and his voice turned husky. "I know what you need, Jess. I always know what you need."

She shrieked as he jumped up and threw her over his shoulder.

"And what you need is a bath."

"Only because you rubbed up all over me. Aren't you worried about the old bird if you don't finish your chores?"

"Nope. No way you'd let her hurt me."

"You're damn straight. Well, unless I had to save myself."

When he laughed, she swatted his ass. Then just because it was right there in front of her face, she decided to play with it a little. "Damn Julian, your ass is getting tight. I could bounce a quarter off this thing."

"It's from carting your ass all around. Have you noticed the guns?"

"How could I not? You never have a shirt on anymore."

"You're welcome for it too, baby."

Hearing kids playing, she tried to look ahead of them, but he gave her backside another whack, cup, and feel.

"And you say you don't like my new size a______."

He took a running dive off a short pier and came up laughing a good distance away from her.