"Babies aren't problems, Julie, adults are."
"I know, but… the circumstances. Are those going to be a problem?"
Shrugging, he shook his head. "They're not ideal, but I think they're workable. You haven't answered me yet."
"I am sure," she told him, feeling her pulse speed up as she verified it. "I think that we could be good together. The only obstacle that I see that could be a problem is the obvious one, I just don't want that to be an issue."
He shook his head slightly. "Then we'll do what we can to not let it be an issue."
For that moment, Julie just enjoyed the lovely feeling of being embraced in Aaron's arms and she sighed happily.
"It won't be easy," he warned again.
"Aaron?"
"Yes?" he answered.
"Stop talking," she whispered with a tiny smile. "You're ruining my moment."
He smiled a little wryly and pulled her closer, asking, "What would you rather I do?"
"Well," she began with false gravity, "there are so many options. You could find the cure to cancer, kiss me, talk about the stock market, kiss me, tell me about these tables you bought for this restaurant I didn't know about, kiss me, gossip about the wedding, kiss me, compliment me on my dress—”
Chuckling, he said, "Julie, stop talking."
Glancing up at him through her lashes she said a little playfully, "Why, am I ruining your moment?"
He shook his head wordlessly, giving her that same look of admiration from their moment on the dance floor, and Julie felt warmed again. Her heartbeat quickened in her chest, and she could actually feel warmth radiating through every inch on her body. She felt somehow lighter as he continued to look at her. Then, she felt like reality was suspended as Aaron finally leaned in, closing the last few inches of distance between them.
His lips met hers and she had the strangest rush—like all the blood in her body just flew to her head, giving her a slightly light-headed feeling as she kissed him back. Seeming to sense her unsteadiness, Aaron's embrace tightened protectively around her, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers instinctively tangling in his hair.
Seemingly without thought, he backed her against the wall and she let out a low murmur as she felt his tongue gently nudge between her lips. She opened her mouth to accommodate him, and savored the taste of him as his tongue swept into her mouth, crushing what little sense of balance she had left. Julie finally gave in, just depending on him to hold her up as she allowed herself to be carried away by her senses, indulging in every sensation.
Finally, caught up in the daze his kiss seemed to induce, she broke away long enough to take a gulp of air and say, "Room."
"Hm?" he murmured, bending his head to kiss the sensitive skin of her neck.
She hissed, closing her eyes and absently pulling him closer. "Let's go upstairs."
In a very un-male-like response, he froze, his lips hovering just above the base of her neck.
Julie frowned then, realizing his pause was way too long. "Aaron?"
He straightened then, looking at her a little apologetically. "At the risk of making myself sound like an ass right now… I want to clarify that I don't want to do anything beyond kissing tonight."
Feeling strangely insulted, she pulled back. "Oh. Okay."
"And you may not have even meant that," he added quickly, "I just wanted to put it out there."
"Right," she said, trying not to sound awkward and defensive.
"You're mad at me now. You really don't like the whole gentleman thing, do you?"
Shaking her head, she said, "I'm not mad."
But in direct contrast from what she said, she did attempt to move away from him in a subtle way.
"Look, it's just… It's not that I would not love to take you upstairs right now and do so many unspeakable things to you… it's just that I've been drinking all day, and I don't want it to seem like… that in any way influences…"