Julie closed her eyes and leaned into Nick's hug. He felt so comfortable to her; it was like her body was made to fit next to his. His embrace was tight and he smelled so good, Julie could feel herself melting further into his embrace. She closed her eyes and got lost in his hug.
The front door opening caught both Nick and Julie by surprise and they pulled away as quickly as they could, but it was too late. Jeff stood gaping at the two of them as if he'd just caught them in bed, naked. “What the...?” He started to question before he dropped the the flowers he'd been holding and flew at Nick.
“Jeff, stop,” Julie pleaded with him, pulling his arm trying to get him away from Nick. He was so enraged; Julie would never be able to get him away, so she tried Nick. “Nick, please stop.”
Her begging fell on deaf ears and she could only watch helplessly as Jeff threw punches at Nick that he seemed to avoid with ease. Nick's punches, on the other hand, found their mark every time.
Finally, unable to take it anymore, Julie threw herself between Nick and Jeff. “Stop!” she yelled at both of them, thanking God they both stopped before a fist collided with her. She shoved Nick away and tried to pull Jeff to her.
“Let me help you,” she tried to get him to move towards the kitchen, “at least let me explain.”
Jeff glared at her, “I don't know what has gotten into you. Two days ago you were perfectly normal. Yesterday you seemed detached, different somehow. Today, I find you in the arms of another man. Maybe I proposed to soon.”
“You aren't even going to let me explain?” Julie spat back in his direction. Suddenly the five years she'd been gone became all too apparent. She had changed in the last five years, she was older now and he was still the same twenty-three year old man she'd fallen in love with when she was twenty-two. The thrill of the proposal had worn off, now more than ever, Julie regretted her acceptance.
“What explanation can you give? That hug looked pretty cozy.” Jeff threw up his hands.
Julie realized at that point it would never really work out with Jeff, not after everything. Not after Kevin, not after meeting him and Nick. “Jeff, maybe this isn't meant to be,” She said approaching him removing her ring. She grabbed his hand, forced it to lay flat and placed the ring in the palm of his hand. Closing his hand around the ring, she leaned in and kissed him good-bye. “I will always love you, but I know I'm not the right person for you.”
Jeff stood staring at her for a few more minutes before turning and walking out the door. He stopped at the door and turned around. “I knew you were too good to be true.” With those words, he walked out the door.
Julie collapsed on the couch and dropped her head into her hands. She knew she'd done the right thing, she really wasn't the same person Jeff had been in love with two days ago. She felt a soft touch on the top of her head, she looked up to see Nick standing there watching her.
“You really did do what was best,” He said, pulling her up to face him. He cupped her head with both of his hands and looked her straight in the eyes. “He would never understand the things you've seen and done, not like...me,” He did not give her a chance to respond, he pulled her close pressing his lips to hers.
Julie felt herself responding, returning his kiss. Her body moved closer to him, her arms pulling him closer to her. Her entire body yearned to be touched by him and he acted as if his entire being needed to posses her or perish. She pushed him away and led him down the hall to her bedroom, closing the door.
Both of their kisses now became more frenzied. Nick walked backwards, pulling Julie with him, towards the bed. Julie's fingers busied themselves grasping at Nick's shirt. They broke apart briefly so that she could pull his shirt over his head. She pushed him onto the bed and sat straddling him as his hands explored her body under her shirt. It wasn't long before her shirt was on the floor, accompanied by all the remaining clothes between the two of them.
Nick moved so he was now over her. She saw him fumbling with something, realizing he was putting on a condom. 'Thank god', she thought. Moments later Julie's breath caught as she felt him enter her. It wasn't her first time, but with five years of celibacy behind her it might as well have been. It wasn't long before the initial discomfort was replaced with the feelings of pleasure. She heard Nick's groans then felt him collapse on top of her.
“Yes,” he muttered to himself and rolled off of her. He kissed her collarbone down her chest, flicking his tongue on her nipple before wrapping his arms around her and holding her tightly. “That was great,” he sighed.
“It was,” she lied. She was only starting to enjoy it and he was done. She soon forgot her disappointment as Nick snuggled closer to her. She nestled closer and closed her eyes. She must have fallen asleep there, in his arms, since the next thing she remembered was the phone ringing. Nick was breathing softly next to her, she didn't want to wake him so she let the voice mail answer.
After a few more moments lying there she was hit with a realization. “Shit,” she cursed under her breath. At that moment she knew it was her mother that had been calling. She and Jeff were supposed to meet her for dinner. Slowly she tried to move Nick's arm from on top of her. She could feel him stirring, tightening his grip on her. She sighed and decided her mother could wait, though she would get an earful later, she was enjoying Nick's warmth too much to end it so soon.
“Hey there,” she heard his voice whisper in her ear.
“Hi,” She turned to face him smiling.
“I want you to know, I never do that,” he kissed the top of her head.
Julie pondered that for a moment, something in how he said that didn't make sense. Wasn't he the one that produced the condom? “What? The one with the way with women?”
“What are you talking about?” He laughed.
“It's what you told me the first time we met.” She ran her fingers through his hair.
“When was that again? Remind me.” He kissed the nape of her neck, running his fingers lightly over the skin on her arm.
'Poor guy, must travel through time so much he's forgotten,' she thought to herself. “1960. I pissed Kevin off and he left the hotel room, you arrived a few minutes later after he called you. You were a bit aggressive then, I'm glad it's not how you really are.” She leaned towards him and kissed him.
“Oh yes, I remember that now,” he smiled and lay watching her. “Tell me about some of your jumps.”
Julie sat up and look back towards Nick. “Why does it matter? I am here now, with you now.” She stood and pulled her underwear on, quickly throwing her shirt over her head.
“I just want to know what you've been through. If you couldn't tell Julie, I like you and I want to know more about you.” He'd edged closer to the end of the bed, taking her hand in his.
“There were the many times I was almost put to death, those I don't really care to relive.”
“Then tell me about the experiences you had that you enjoyed. What about your first jump, was that a good or bad memory?” He asked, his eyes twinkling.
Julie shrugged and moved to grab her pants. “There was one jump that a band of gypsies took me in. I didn't speak a word of their language but they kept me fed and clothed. I think I was being negotiated into marriage shortly before I jumped.” She laughed. “They were fairly patient with me learning their laws and ways.” She smiled into her shoulder.
“Was that your first jump?” Nick asked now leaning on his hand, elbow propped up on bed. Julie admired his chest and wondered when he had the time to work out with searching for a rogue volunteer and possibly other displaced persons. She laughed at herself 'when did he have time.' She shook her head in response to his question.
“I did jump into the late 1980's once too. I mainly stayed in the shadows during that jump. Wouldn't want to jeopardize my own birth by doing something stupid. I remember walking by a music store hearing New Kids on the Block and remembering my mother tell me how much I loved to dance to their songs when I was three.” Her mother, Julie sobered and grabbed the phone off the side table.
“Excuse me for a minute, I need to call my mother,” Julie said as she started to punch in the numbers.
“Okay, I'll miss you when you're gone.” He said as he rolled back over sighing.
Julie was about to punch in the last digit of her mother's number, her finger hovered over the number. She realized this was going to be a difficult call and she would need to hurry. Nick would need her help to track down Charles and Brian, to help capture the rogue volunteer. She couldn't help the nagging feeling of guilt she had when she thought about what just happened with Nick, she'd only just ended it with Jeff and was already screwing some other guy.
