X

Jess blinked. Rory was comfortably warm beneath him and her nails were scratching lightly across his scalp as she hand-combed his hair back from his face.

Realizing he was still inside her, Jess drew out, Rory hissing slightly at the sharp sensation. He started to lift himself off of her, but reconsidered when he looked down into her eyes. Perfectly content.

Jess nuzzled his face up her neck, kissing all over it until Rory started to laugh.

"So how was that?" he murmured by her ear.

Rory turned her head and reached to stroke Jess's jaw as she looked into his calm brown eyes. Slowly, she brought her mouth to his, kissing him with enough pressure to make Jess want to get right back in the sack—or on the couch—with her.

He moaned.

"Haven't had it that good in a while, huh?" His raised his eyebrows, hoping for a compliment, but feeling oddly nervous.

Rory's gaze flickered away from him shyly before returning as she took her courage in hand.

"Haven't had it that good ever."

Jess's lips parted, ready to no doubt crow in triumph, but Rory wasn't done.

"I think I might have given it to you even better than you did to me though."

Jess's eyebrows pulled together. "How's that?"

"Well… I mean, I didn't pass out."

"What?" Jess looked incredulous. "I passed out?"

"Uh huh."

"No." He was shaking his head now. "When?"

"Ummm… how many options do you think there are?"

"No."

"Oh yes. Trust me. I think you give me a run for body density by the way. I appreciate the physique a lot more when it's not collapsed unconsciously on top of me." Rory ran a hand up Jess's muscular arm thoughtfully.

"I passed out?"

Rory started laughing and couldn't control herself.

"Yes!"

"No way."

"You did!"

"Really?"

"Yep."

"I couldn't have."

"Honestly, it was like this weird Spanish movie I saw one time where the guy just drops dead as soon as he finishes."

Jess jerked his head back and looked at her in horror.

Rory backpedalled. "Except much less morbid, of course."

"Wow. Well, sorry." Jess ran a hand through his hair.

"Why are you apologizing? I take it as a compliment."

"It was probably conscious me going to give subconscious me a high-five for finally getting here with you."

Rory nodded. "I like that. A little bit creepy, but overall I'm flattered. Though I would prefer if you remained conscious next time because it was also momentarily terrifying." She smiled at him.

Jess sighed. "I'll do my best. And, wait. Next time?"

"Mhmm."

Jess started to get cocky now. "So it was really that good?" He raised an eyebrow at her.

Rory leaned up to kiss him then dropped back. "Yes. I was starting to think I'd lost that loving feeling."

Jess shook his head in disappointment. "I hate it when you do that." He ran a hand over her hair that was trailing all over the cushion beneath her head.

"What do you think now?"

"About what?"

"Moving in. Together."

"I thought we were going to talk about that."

"We are talking. I say, 'Do you want to?' and you say 'Yes.' Trust me, I'm an editor."

Jess nodded at her seriously. "I do know and thoroughly respect that."

Rory shrugged. "Well then. Probe deeply into the recesses of your artistic intuition and tell me that those—" She paused to count on her fingers. "—five words are not enough to constitute a talk."

"As far as dialogue goes…"

"Who are you, George R. R. Martin? The rest of us peasants use a little thing called minimalism."

Jess narrowed his eyes at her. "Never in my life have I heard you speak in a way that could be considered minimalistic."

Rory raised her eyebrows. "Well, consider the fact that for much of our acquaintance you've either been gone or unconscious."

"Ouch. You don't fight fair, you know that?"

She smiled. "I have no idea what you mean."

"I mean I'd like to move in with you."

Rory threw her arms around his neck.

"In exchange…"

She pulled back.

"Trust me, your body will know devotion the likes of which has not been seen since Victor Frankenstein built himself a monster."

Jess looked disturbed. "You are so macabre this evening."

"The theme is unintentional."

"That's what scares me. But that's not what I was going to say."

Rory put her palm to the side of his face apologetically. "Please continue."

"In exchange, I get to keep you here for the rest of the night."

"Luke and my mom are still planning to do the official wedding tomorrow."

"I'll have you back in time." Jess kissed her cheek. "I'll take you right back to your window."

"The one that separates dreams from waking?" Rory smiled her old smile at him, forever thrilled by the knowledge that his ability to catch an allusion was on par with her own.

"It doesn't separate anything now. I'm going to keep you straight on 'til morning."

"And then?" Rory breathed deeply, surrounded by his warmth.

"And then we'll walk back through our town as the sun rises." Jess lowered his mouth to hers.

References in this chapter:

Top Gun directed by Tony Scott

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley