Body Guard

Julie:

I tried to pinpoint what I was seeing cross his face, but it was just flashes, all changing before I could figure them out. But that was how it had always been. He could read me like a book and I only sometimes got the cliff notes.

I smiled at his joke but it quickly faded with his question. Why did I kiss him? It was everything and nothing at all, I didn't have a reason. I bit my lip and shrugged with my arms still around him. "Because I wanted to," I said, simply, hoping it was enough.

"Because you wanted to." I repeated softly. I wanted to ask why she would want to kiss me, but that was one of those retorical questions. I knew the answers. She'd all but said why she'd want too over the years, more since the first telling kiss.

There were things it seemed we needed to talk about. Questions that actually needed answers. But that could wait for another time. With a softening gaze I raised one hand up to gently brush my thumb over her cheek. I still didn't know what to think, what to do about it all. But I knew I couldn't run like I had before. A wry smile came over me as I realized that not being able to run was both a figurative thing but also a very literal one. With my legs still recovering and her arms around my neck fleeing was an impossible physical task.

Rather than explaining why I was smiling I leaned forward, crossing the distance between our lips. Twice she'd led the kiss, now I wanted my turn. I kept it brief, pulling away with a shy grin. "We should get back to the party. I need to sit down."

Julie:

When I saw him lean towards me, I felt my eyes widen a little in shock before fluttering closed when his lips touched mine again. He kept it brief, even though the last thing I wanted was brief at the moment.

I had half expected him to let me down easy, explain that it wasn't gonna happen and send me on my way with a pat on my little naive head. I smiled at him and used my thumb to wipe some red lipstick off the corner of his mouth. "Okay, lets get you to a chair then," I said, letting my arms drop and turning around to head back for the hallway. "Lets not get caught, I'm not actually that super confident we wouldn't get kicked out for being back here."

Going to go sit down wasn't just an excuse for a chance to figure this all out. As we started moving I realized that my body ached right now from being on my feet for so long. I let out a weak chuckle at her words, shooting her a brief look of chastisement before we slipped free of the hallway. I couldn't quite tell if we were caught, but no one called us out on it.

Pain aside when we reached a table that was free of people I pulled out her seat on habit, waiting to help her in like I had done numerous times in the past. I let my eyes roam the crowd of people until she was sitting and then I took my own seat with a sigh. "I'm really glad I don't have to stand for the entire party anymore..."

Julie:

I could tell on the walk back to the party that he was in pain, but he never said it. When he pulled out my chair, I thanked him and sat down and watched while he did the same.

I winced a little at the reminder of how bad his working conditions were and glanced up at Greg, who was still standing, just like he was expected to. I noticed now that he was much closer to the entrance of the kitchen than he had been before we went back there and I realized that he would have followed me if he saw me leave. I blushed a little at the thought, but I didn't think he was the type to eavesdrop.

"Did you bring your pills with you?" I asked, reaching over to grab one of the glasses of water that were set up at each plate setting and pushed it towards him.

"Hm? Yeah. I brought some." Nodding in thanks for the water I pulled my pill bottle out of my pocket and downed a pair of pills with the entire glass of water. Slipping the bottle back into my pocket I sighed softly then pointed a finger at her. "No getting me drunk now. That did not go well last night."

With the joke in the air I let out content sigh and got comfortable on the chair. "So how are you doing?" I asked after a moment. "Less panicked and pissed off than I figured I'd find you."

Julie:

I rolled my eyes at his joke and shook my head. "I didn't invite you to drink, you decided that on your own," I told him with a smile. "It's not my fault you're a light weight," I shrugged and took a sip from my own glass of water.

I looked at him over the top of my glass and shrugged again. "I think you maybe distracted me. I was panicking and mad until I saw you," I rolled my eyes with a smirk and looked out to the dance floor again where people were dancing to a more upbeat song. "You know, you don't really play fair." I told him you.

"I'm a light weight?" I raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Wait until I'm off my pain meds. Then we'll see who the light weight is." I nodded at her answer then, crossing my arms for a moment as I watched her look out towards the dance floor. "I don't play fair?"

I tried to think about what I'd done to earn that kind of comment. Several ideas sprang to mind. Going back even to our childhood together. There was a lot I'd done that wasn't really fair...

Julie:
I smiled at the table cloth and shook my head. "No, you don't play fair," I repeated. I turned to look at him and kept the soft, amused smile on my face. "You walk in here, first of all. Looking like that, with that tie on..." I shrugged and picked at the cloth napkin on the table. "It's just not fair. I couldn't really be anything other than happy if I tried," I told him.

Snorting I shook my head, "I'm at fault for looking like this? What about you huh? That smile, in that dress? Please. We aren't on equal grounds here. You've got the edge."

I was pleased though, that I was able to help. Maybe there was hope for her after all. The conversation wasn't quite the distraction or help I needed however. My thoughts lingered on the kiss. What it meant. What I felt over it.

Julie:
I laughed at his response but shook my head in disagreement. "This is just a dress, you look like that all the time." I told him. It was true. Sure, he was wearing a suit now and it was slightly fancier than his normal clothes, but he still looked like him. I looked like I was playing dress up, especially considering my usual look of sweats and a messy bun.

I leaned over to him and lowered my voice in a whisper. "You can just ask Heather Sussman, who hasn't stopped staring since you sat down," I told him. I didn't look away from him to check, but I knew it was true. She had always been to these kinds of events and I was familiar with her, but I tended not to interact with her that much. That didn't stop her from sometimes trying to get Cody to stop doing his job to dance with her or flirt with her.

I raised an eyebrow. "I look like hell most days. Sweaty, pained, and I'm out of shape." I had been in really good shape, but between the hospital trip, and my inability to work out currently I'd been unable to maintain it. I wasn't really out of shape, but I wasn't as strong as I used to be.

Her comment had me raise an eyebrow. I took a moment before surreptitiously glancing around. I was good at keeping it covert, long hours of being a body guard helped. I noticed Heather across the room, eyeing the pair of us through narrowed eyes. I returned my gaze to Jules and rolled my eyes. "She is staring. But if you think that you aren't attractive then you are being ridiculous. You've had a prince come court you for a time, and believe me he wasn't doing it just for the politics."

Julie:
I laughed and shook my head at his assessment but didn't argue any further. It had been a while since I had thought about Ben, but all he reminded me of was faking it. I had to fake it every time I was around him because I knew there was someone I wanted more.

"Well you aren't working this time. She might come up and actually insist on dancing with you," I warned him.

"Ah, but see I have an excuse. I'm disabled, can't stand for long periods of time." Reaching inside my vest I pulled out a little card labeling me as disabled. "Shame that I need to rest for a while." My eyes danced with amusement. Slipping it back into my suit I shook my head. "Besides I'm here with you. And unless you plan on dancing with other people I won't be."

Julie:
I shook my head with a smile on my face. "Nope. I plan on annoying you with my presence for the rest of the night and probably even after we leave here and go home," I told him jokingly.

The people on the dance floor were starting to take their seats as the food started coming out. I wasn't all the interesting in the plate that was put in front of me. It was either chicken or duck, but it had the weirdest looking sauce on it.

I picked at the potatoes on the side and washed it down with my water.

I dug into the food, feeling rather ravenous after skipping lunch. The duck breast was perfectly cooked but the sauce was a little odd. Too sweet for my tastes. As we ate I ran over the order of the night based purely on experience. Several hours of dancing and mingling first, dinner, a couple speeches, and then people either left for other parties, home, or lingered to dance and drink the night away.

I had no interest in lingering or going out more, but that wasn't a choice I was going to make. Jules had been wonderful in even coming out on her own, I wasn't about to push her into going somewhere else she wasn't as familiar with.

Julie:
Since I wasn't eating most of the food, I spent my time glancing up at Cody who seemed like he was, at least for the most part, enjoying his food. Without giving myself a chance to think it through, I balanced a pea on my fork and flicked it at him.

I snorted when it hit his cheek and quickly covered my mouth as the old women across the table looked up at the noise.

With dinner winding down, I knew all I had left to endure was the speeches that used to bore me to tears when I was a child and then I could go home.

I paused mid bite and slowly looked up at her after I was pelted by a pea. My eyes narrowed at her and I slowly put down the fork full of food and lace my fingers together. "If I didn't fear ruining that beautiful dress you are wearing I'd put my whole plate into revenge."

I had to get revenge at some point. Childish as it might be I wasn't above a food fight, but I needed something equal to a flicked pea.

Julie:
I still had my hand covering my mouth and I kept it there as I dissolved into giggles. The old women looked up at me again and I could tell she was disapproving, but I didn't care.

As the waiters started collecting empty plates, the speeches started. I scooted my chair closer so I could talk to him without being rude. "Those are fighting words," I joked in a whisper.

Leaning over I murmured softly, "I might not be able to walk very well but I can still pin you down and tickle you to death." Settling back with a small grin I let the scene play out in my head. I wasn't really sure I could do it to be honest. Quick movements were beyond me, and Jules was a known runner when it came to things like that.

Julie:
I felt my face heat up at his words. The thought of him pinning me anywhere made my heart beat stutter and the blood feel hot in my veins. Granted, the tickling part wasn't my favorite activity, which he knew. "It was just a pea...count yourself lucky. I had that whole duck on my plate." I threatened back.

I glanced over, noting the red on her face. "That's true." I agreed softly. "So I need to think of revenge equal to a pea..." I drummed my fingers on my leg for a moment. "I might be able to come up with a few ideas."

Julie:
I smirked at this line of conversation and mockingly leaned in closer like I was waiting for a secret. “Let me in on these ideas. The speeches are going to bore me death,” I whispered back.

I crossed my arms and leaned towards her as well. Slipping a hand sneakily I teased at her side with a few probing fingers instead of answering right away. Puling my hand back I rattled off a few ideas, "Classic popcorn throwing. Could leave something in your bed. If I was willing to ruin the dress, could spill something on you. I'm sure you'll change eventually though so that is still on the table."

Julie:
I gasped when his hand made contact with my side and I must have let out a little noise that was too loud for the current environment because the old women across the table gave me another look. I turned to glare at Cody and shook my head. "You will put nothing in my bed," I warned him, pointing a finger in his direction.