1948 / Philadelphia

[keptherwaiting]

"So, where do we go from here?"

"I could use a walk."

"I'd like that, ma'am."

The rain seemed to be coming down harder now than it had been. The roads flooded, cars spraying the water this way and that. But Alice seemed capable of missing each and every little wave that was sent their way, pulling them aside before it so much as formed.

The drops were loud against Alice's umbrella, which Jasper took from her to hold above their heads, but it could be the rapid beating of his heart, if possible. His palm might be sweaty in her grip, even through the glove on her hand, if it could be.

She'd said he makes her nervous. She makes him nervous too.

"Have you been in Philadelphia long?" he asks.

Comments

[betagainstme]

“Well that doesn’t matter—you’re not getting rid of me so easily. Afraid you’re stuck with me now.” Alice pulls back to beam at him happily.

[keptherwaiting]

"You may be the first someone in a real long time for who wants to willingly be around me," he says, meeting her grin with one of his own. "I'm not easy to be with. More ornery than a mule is an understatement."

[betagainstme]

She giggles, her fingers poking at his side. “I’m not lookin’ for easy.”

Alice leans forward and kisses him again. “I’m lookin’ for you.”

[keptherwaiting]

He's laughing as she kisses him again.

"You're adorable," he says into the little space between them before kissing her again, the corner of her mouth.

"And fascinating."

Another kiss.

"Irresistible."

[betagainstme]

His laugh is...like nothing she's heard before.

It makes her dizzy with happiness, his kisses only making her dizzier. She wants to spend every day of the rest of her nonlife knowing and learning him, being with him. Her life isn't complete, without him in it.

Her hand tugs on his shirt, pulling him even closer to kiss him properly. "You keep sayin' nice things about me, Mr. Jasper, you're definitely not gonna get rid of me," she whispers against his lips, chasing them to kiss again. "'s a weakness of mine. Compliments."

[keptherwaiting]

"That right?" he murmurs, allowing himself to be kissed and to kiss her in return.

Seeing as he has no desire to get rid of her any time soon:

"You are captivating, you know? You lit up that diner. I had the best sit in the house with you across from me."

[betagainstme]

"Well," she smiles. "We did have quite a show with those fireworks."

Another kiss, this one on his cheek. Her lipstick smudges red on his face, and upon closer inspection, it's smudged around his mouth too. She giggles, thumbing at his lips to clean them.

"And enjoyed some fireworks of our own, hm?"

[keptherwaiting]

All her hard work at trying to clean him up is wasted when he leans in to kiss her again.

"They were great fireworks," he agrees in a murmur.

[betagainstme]

"So," Alice whispers, pushing him back, her palm flat on his chest, with a little smirk. "Without goin' too far, wanna see some more fireworks?"

She looks like she might burst out laughing at her own stupid pick-up line, but she's pressing him back still, with the barest pressure, so she can lean over him.

[keptherwaiting]

Jasper too is trying not to laugh. He is also failing at trying. He has to press his lips together to keep from making a sound.

He is also incredibly turned on, too.

Her tiny smirk, her hand on his chest, her leaning over him like that -

He willingly goes where she wants him and swallows down the laughter.

"What are you thinking?"

[betagainstme]

"Oh, maybe some more kissin'," She grins, laying next to him, partly on him, mostly on the bed.

She's giving him plenty of opportunity to back out, if he wants, and be good.




But she's kissing him again, her hand at his jaw, thumb stroking his chin, so he might not want to.

[keptherwaiting]

Jasper should slow things down again, he should perhaps put some distance between them, maybe end the night now by leaving.

And yet -



"Whatever you want, darlin'," he murmurs, his arm looping around her to drag her closer, mostly on him, partly on the bed.

[betagainstme]

She learns the shape of his lips really well. The curve of his jaw, the apples of his cheeks. The scars on his neck. What his hands feel like at her waist, unhurried, taking their time. She's true to her word--just a bit of kissing--her hands never straying from his arms, neck, shoulders.

At some point, she rolls them over, so he's settled against her, his body a wonderful weight against hers, her knees drawn on either side of his hips, her hands in his hair as he kisses her into the mattress.

Time passes--minutes? Hours? She's unsure, dazed, like she's coming out of a dream. A soft, hazy feeling hangs over them, the radio playing softly in the background, rain pattering against the window, the curtains still drawn to show them the night sky and the lights of Philadelphia.

Jasper lays next to her, his head pillowed on his arm, red lipstick smudged all over his face. She can feel it smudged on hers too, and it makes her smile at the ceiling. All they did was kiss.

But they kissed a lot.

She rolls to her side, curling up next to Jasper, watching his profile before tugging on the collar of his shirt and laughing. Lipstick there too. "Whoops."

[keptherwaiting]

Jasper doesn't mind the lipstick, laughing with her as he too rolls to his side to face her.

"You've got it everywhere," he says, reaching over to swipe his thumb across only one of many smears near her lips.

He's never spent so long just kissing someone before. It's left him feeling a little more exposed than sex ever has. Especially every time her lips found a new scar on his neck to trace.

He's a little shy now as he runs his thumb across her lips.

"I think the lipstick is everywhere but your lips now."

[betagainstme]

"Well, it's like a map," she murmurs, her fingers moving to trace over a lipstick-smeared scar at his neck. "Places I learned tonight."

Alice's fingers rise back up to smooth out his shirt, watching him, pursing her lips against his thumb. "I'll forgo the lipstick next time."

[keptherwaiting]

Her fingers on his neck evokes a shiver.

"Not on my account, I hope," he murmurs, managing to keep his voice steady. "I don't mind the lipstick. The red's quite a look on you."

[betagainstme]

"We'll see how easily it comes off your skin."


She scoots forward, the tiniest amount, to close the distance between them, placing another lingering kiss on his lips.

[keptherwaiting]

Jasper holds her close for an even longer kiss.

"It'll come off."

He does not know this for sure.

He just really likes the red lipstick on her.

[betagainstme]

It cements and sticks. The possibility.

"Alright," she whispers, a smile blossoming against his lips. "I won't get rid of it yet."

[keptherwaiting]

"Good," he murmurs against her lips, his hands slide lower, past her hips, curving to her behind to pull her even closer to him. "Está muy caliente."

[betagainstme]

"Ohh," she sighs against his mouth, her hand curling tight around his bicep. "You're going to get me in trouble."

With him. With herself. It's all getting foggy again.

[keptherwaiting]

He's brushing his lips along her jaw, nipping at her ear, hips moving gently against hers.

"Do you want me to stop?"

She only has to say.

"Whatever you want," he reminds her.

[betagainstme]

"No," she whispers, biting down on her lip as his mouth trails along her jaw. She exhales heavily against his temple. "Just don't want you to think you're takin' advantage."

[keptherwaiting]

He stills, pausing long enough in his desire for her to catch her breath, hopefully clear her head of the fog as best she can.

"Am I?"

He really needs to know what she thinks about all this before he goes any further.

[betagainstme]

"--no," she blinks up at him, her gold eyes wide as she takes him in. "No, you're not."

Alice tugs him down, kissing him again, her teeth catching at his bottom lip, pressing herself against him tighter--

"I don't think I've done this before," she mutters, pulling back again. Her eyes are still wide, but it's not with worry or fear, just nerves. "I mean, that's probably obvious, with the fact you were my first kiss for at least twenty-eight years, right? I'm ruining this aren't I?"