James woke up naked, still feeling tired.

He felt a pang of guilt when he realized that the person laying next to him was not just some random girl who he'd have to shoo away later. Nope, the mess of blonde hair, the exposed shoulder blades, the bronzed shoulders were all Olivia's.

He felt sickeningly guilty about this, but couldn't deny how good it felt to have his arms around her, without anything in between them. Her skin was warm and her breathing, steady. If he looked down, he could see the scars on her arms.

Some seemed fresher than others.

He had to wonder if she had heeded the terms of their agreement. He hadn't even thought of that when he handed her a sword . . .

At least, she seemed to have gotten better, if not healed completely. The various bruises and scrapes on her body had begun to fade. He remembered running his hands over them last night, then his lips . . . god, why couldn't he get something right for once? He had promised himself this wouldn't happen.

He didn't want to move, though. It was very rare that he fell asleep holding a women. Usually, when they were done, he kicked them out and and drank himself to sleep. Olivia was a whole different kind of affair. She was her own kind of intoxication, after the fact.

Even Heather, he could remember kicking out of his bed.

"Mmh . . . morning." Her sleepy voice pulled James out of his thoughts.

He looked her over as she turned to face him, recalling last night in vivid detail when he saw her exposed body. As complex as Olivia was, moments like these made her seem innocent. Pure. She looked at him with such a trusting face that it broke James' heart.

You don't want to trust me, doll. I don't deserve that.

"Morning," he replied.

There was a hint of a smile on her face, pushing the corners of her lips up as James allowed his hands to roam her body. He couldn't get enough of her, as much as he'd promised himself he would abstain from her.

"...What time is it?"

He glanced at the clock. "Five forty." Sighing, James pulled away. "I have to get up."

"No you don't," she said in a soft, borderline seductive voice that she seemed to employ rather subconsciously while running her index finger up and down the crevice in the fold of his thigh. This girl was the devil.

"Sorry." He offered a weak smile. What exactly was he supposed to do? He couldn't remember the last time he was in this position. If he had it his way, he would've dropped everything and held her for as long as she stayed with him. But that wasn't going to happen.

She sat up and leaned over him, her naked torso warming his. "What's ten more minutes?"

"Could be my life."

"Mm, fine." She mumbled, letting go of him.

He planted a kiss on her neck, hoping she could see how he felt about her. "See you soon."

"Mhm." She turned back over, closing her eyes.

Olivia didn't seem all that fazed by this.

That was okay with James. He was fazed enough for the two of them. 

XXX

APLFM is #27 in Adventure :D Celebratory update!