When Lauren woke up there was no one in the bed beside her.
She felt somewhat disappointed. She'd thought that she would have been woken by a mouth on her skin, at least. Perhaps clichΓ©s weren't all they were made out to be. She dragged her legs over the rumpled sheets and made her way to the kitchen.
A small sigh of relief escaped her when she saw Jack standing at the coffeemaker in his boxers, a cup lifted to his lips.
"Good morning sleepyhead," he grinned. He held the cup out to her and Lauren smiled meekly.
"I haven't brushed my teeth." Jack held the cup lower and looked at her. He crooked a brow and then leaned in and kissed her.
"All right go then," he smacked her butt as she walked by, blushing furiously.
Lauren swilled the water in her mouth and spat out the dirty liquid. As she rinsed her mouth she looked up in the bathroom mirror to see Jack walking up behind her. He came close to her and pressed the length of his body against her back. Snaking an arm around her stomach he drew her closer and nibbled the lobe of her ear.
"Were you disappointed that I wasn't in bed when you woke up, mm?"
Lauren watched his roguish grin spread on his face in the mirror. She smiled a small smile and nudged him.
"No. Not at all,"
Jack moved his dark-haired head along her neck.
"Really? Mmm. I must say that I find it hard to believe, Lauren," he spread the fingers on the hand that was on her stomach and she inhaled at the touch of his skin against hers. "I bet if I touched you now you'd be wet," he whispered.
Lauren shuddered and bit her lip. She tilted her head to look back at him and lifted her lips for a kiss.
The phone rang loudly through the apartment.
Jack jerked in shock and Lauren clutched at him. He turned and went to the living room to answer it. Lauren followed him hesitantly.
"I told you, I'm out," Jack's brows were low on his forehead and his jaw was taut. Lauren hadn't seen him this upset in a while. "I won't do it. And don't ever contact me again." He paused to listen to the caller and then burst, "Do what you will! I don't ever fucking give in." He slammed the phone down on the receiver.
Lauren tensed when he turned to her, the lines in his body tight and his face turned into a scowl. She flinched when he reached out suddenly for her and a hint of sadness flashed in his eyes.
"I.." He dropped the hand that he'd raised to Lauren and relaxed his jaw.
Lauren took his hand in hers and drew it up to her cheek. She laid it against her skin and looked into Jack's eyes. He looked back at her, a soulfulness in his face that she had never seen before. Lauren pressed her lips gently against the sides of his fingers and in the crooks of his palm. Jack opened his fist and caressed her face tenderly.
In wordless unison they came together and their lips met in a gentle embrace. Jack drew her closer with one arm and she reached one slender hand to graze his neck and the sides of his face. There was no heat in their kiss, just silent giving, the motion of their lips over the other a slow learning of each other. When they pulled apart Lauren was the first to speak.
"Well.. since I'm staying with you for a month, you have to come up with something to entertain me with. I won't be content just staying in you know."
A flash of relief at Lauren's lack of questioning about the phone call flitted across Jack's face and he smiled slowly.
"Of course not. Get dressed. We have places to go."
---------------------------------------
"Where're we going?" Lauren peered out of the car window. "I didn't know you drive."
Jack scoffed. "Don't know I drive?" He looked in the side and rear mirrors and turned into a carpark by a small storefront. "I've been driving since I was 13."
Lauren raised her eyebrows but said nothing. She let Jack take her hand and they entered a tiny shop with an awning done up in pastel hues and pictures of cupcakes.
"Ice cream? Isn't it a little early for ice cream?" Lauren gaped at the colourful tubs laid out in the glass counters.
"It's never too early for ice cream," Jack declared, slinging an arm casually around her shoulder. He pulled her close and whispered, "And it's never too early for sex, either,"
Lauren blushed.
"So, what do you want, my lady," Jack gestured grandly at the array of chilled confectionery. Lauren laughed.
"Chocolate, I guess?"
"Chocolate? Chocolate is so boring," he scrunched up his nose. "You take a seat and I'll order for us."
Lauren slid into a cosy booth at the back of the store.
When Jack returned it was with a large glass dish with colourful scoops of icecream, a sinful slathering of chocolate syrup, generous sprinklings of nuts and hundreds and thousands on top.
Lauren let her mouth fall open.
"I can't-"