The Compromise

James woke Sunday morning feeling sweaty, his thin t-shirt was drenched and his pillow was soaked with his sweat. He needed a shower. He reached over and found the spot next to him still occupied by Jessica and he sighed contentedly. She was fast asleep having stayed up later than him entertaining the other guys who held vigil in his living room when they brought him home from camp the day before. He rolled out of bed and tiptoed over to the bathroom glancing over his shoulder to see that Jess did not move. He was glad she stayed, and since he felt a bit better he wanted to show her his gratitude for dropping everything to be by his side.

Thankfully the team gave him the day off to recover with the hopes that he will feel up to skating around on Monday. He had a feeling that request wouldn't be a difficult one to fill. Since he knew he had the day to relax without stress and he had Jess all to himself he wanted to take full advantage of the day.

Glancing at the iHome dock he saw it was not even 7 am. He chuckled to himself and decided a nice hot shower and a shave will pass some time.

Jess turned over when she knew James was in the shower and slipped out of bed. She woke when he did, but pretended to still be asleep. She was unable to resist his pleas to stay in his room the previous night when she said she would sleep in the guest room. It felt natural to be lying next to him again.

She walked into his bathroom and watched him spraying water on his face and running his fingers through his hair. He had lost a bit of weight, she could tell, but he still had a defined muscular back, legs, and arms. She felt a pull in the pit of her stomach as she instinctively removed her night shorts and tank and walked towards the glass door. Without hesitation she pulled the door open and much to James' surprise reached for his body wash and sponge to help wash him. She had a sudden desire to run her fingers along his bare skin and even though they had agreed to wait to be together intimately again, she just couldn't. It appeared to her that James felt the same way when he reached for her shaking hands and crashed his lips to hers.

He lifted her legs around his waist and used the shower wall as added support without breaking their kiss. Water sprayed on his back as he continued to attack her soft, sultry lips.

"I really did come in here just to scrub your back," Jess said as she leaned her head to the side to allow for James to trail kisses along her neck and collar bone. He pressed his lips to her jaw and smiled.

"Could have fooled me." James lifted his head and stared at Jess. He didn't let go of her legs. They never lost eye contact. "You were the one who came in here all sexy and naked and disrupted my shower."

"I couldn't help it. You looked like you needed help. I mean being sick and all." James kissed her again.

"I need you Jess, please," he begged. Her only response was to kiss him back with as much desperation as his voice claimed. She needed him too and no matter how slow they intended on being with reconnecting, she knew she couldn't resist him.

Taking the kiss as a sign that she wanted him just as badly he put her feet back on the floor and twisted around to turn off the shower. She waited for him to turn back around and when he did he picked her up bridal style and walked out of the bathroom.

He walked to the side of the bed that Jess slept on and gently laid her down. He climbed on top of her and resumed the attack on her neck he had started in the shower. Her soft moans enticed him and he could feel himself growing harder. He sucked a nipple into his mouth and was rewarded with a gentle tug of his wet hair. He rolled her nipple around his tongue as he grabbed her other breast with his hand. When she moaned his name his hand instinctively drifted down between her legs to find that she was slick from being so turned on by him. He carefully forced her legs open further to welcome his hips and before he could push inside of her she flipped him to his back.

He liked how she took control and was happy to watch as she straddled his waist and push his dick inside of her. Tighter than ever and completely ready for him.

"Liking the view Jimmy?" Jess asked seductively. She rocked her hips back and forth and he swore he slipped in deeper.

"Ugh, loving it baby." James closed his eyes and willed himself to calm down. Her slow movements were going to push him over the edge faster than he wanted. He needed to savor this because he wasn't sure when he would experience this again. In an attempt to make it last he sat up and kissed her. Her hands went right to the back of his neck as he ran his own up and down the curve of her hips and thighs. The angle in which he was penetrating her made her feel even tighter and instead of rocking they stayed still to enjoy their union. Soft kisses, murmurs of love, hand caresses heightened their need for one another.

James finally laid Jessica down on her back and continued to thrust in and out of her. Before they were rough and wanted to gain some sort of dominance over each other. It was almost a game in how rough they could be, but this morning James wanted Jessica to feel loved and cherished. His movements were slow, like hers were, and his concentration was on making her pleasure to last. By taking control he could go in a direction that wouldn't allow him to come too fast. He wanted her release more than his own.

"James," Jess said, breathless.

He didn't his movements when she spoke his name, "Yes?"

"I'm so close baby," she moaned and he continued thrusting into her. He reached between them and found her pleasure point and applied pressure as he continued moving in and out of her. Her release was rapidly approaching and he wanted to feel her shudder around him.

Jess came with a loud sigh and a strong hold on his shoulders. Her orgasm set off his own and after three more thrusts James joined in her bliss coming deep inside her.

Jess spoke first, "Oh god, that was amazing." She was out of breath and still had his softening dick inside of her. He kissed her collar bone and shook his head in agreement.

"Let's do it again," James said enthusiastically. Jess laughed and asked if they could recover first before lapsing back into it. He begrudgingly obliged and cradled her body against his own.

"You know, you're probably going to get sick now." Jess snickered at his observation.

"Will you come to Wheeling and nurse me back to health?" She looked at him with big doe eyes.

"Will I be rewarded like you were just now?" James asked slyly.

"Eh, yeah I guess so."

"Deal." And James took Jess's hand and shook it as though they just agreed to terms of a very important contract. He then started tickling her naked sides and found her squealing and trying to squirm away.

"James! Stop!" Jess shouted between giggles and her own attempts to tickle back. It was then that she caught sight of his tattoo again. He noticed her looking at it.

"You really think its sexy?" James asked shyly.

"More than you know," Jess nodded to emphasize her point.

"I thought you didn't like tattoos?"

"I did too, but for some reason it is just perfect. The placement, the design of it. I don't know how to describe it. What made you do it?" Jess asked curiously.

"Birthday present from my brothers. We all did it. They don't all look the same, but it's in the same spot," James explained as he studied the tattoo himself. When he looked back at Jessica he noticed her face had fallen and she was almost in tears.

"Hey, what's the matter?" James asked, terrified of the answer.

"Your birthday," Jessica whispered. James was quickly relieved that she was only sad because she missed his 24th birthday.

"Hey, it's okay."

"It's the first one I've missed."

"Yeah well I missed and messed up our entire plans for our two year anniversary, so let's just say we are even."

James making light of the situation didn't calm Jessica down. Instead she let her tears fall as she buried her face in his chest.

"I take back everything I said about wanting to go slow and just date. I don't think I can be just a casual dater, not with you," she mumbled against his skin.

"I hate to tell you this, but I think our entire conversation was null and void the minute you walked into my bathroom this morning and stripped down," James laughed, "you think I didn't see you, but I did."

Jess leaned up on her elbow and studied James' face. "But we have to communicate. I can't let things bottle up like I did before. I started having irrational thoughts about you and it got the best of me."

"I am one hundred percent behind us sharing more. Let's start right now." Jess nodded. "What are you doing about Pitt?"

"I dropped out. I think one reason I got so wound up over everything was because of those classes. I don't think psychology and me are suited well. I am getting my secondary education degree through the college in Wheeling."

"So you really are tied down to Wheeling now, huh?" Jess feared he would make that connection.

"Just because we are back together James doesn't mean I am dropping everything and moving back here."

"I wouldn't dream of asking you to!" James exclaimed. He didn't want her to get the impression that he expected her leave what she established on her own to be potentially miserable again.

"You know, with me living there and you here we really will be dating rather than in some serious relationship," Jess observed.

"Yeah, but just dating each other, right?"

"I don't know, your Russian friend seemed pretty cute. Oh and I can help him with his English!" Jess laughed.

"Stay away from Geno. He's a womanizer."

"How can that be, he barely speaks our language!" Jess exclaimed.

"I don't know. Just don't go near him. You're mine."

"Hey, hey, hey! I don't belong to you."

"I didn't mean it, like..wait a minute." James fumbled with his words and his frustration showed on his face.

"I'm kidding! You are so cute when you stumble over your words." Jess circled her arms around James' neck. "You're the only penguin I want to date." With that she sealed their lips with a kiss.

Notes