Star-Crossed(118)

Not having normal periods puts me at risk.”

“For what?”

Jules winced. “Cancer.”

That word hit Romeo in the gut like a two-by-four, and he was a silent for a moment before he said, “You shouldn’t fuck around with shit like that, Juliet.”

“I told ya, I made the dang appointment.”

“Which you’re gonna miss unless you go home. I should’ve never—” Jules put her hand to his mouth, cutting off his words. “I don’t wanna talk ’bout my periods anymore. It ain’t exactly sexy, Romeo.”

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Romeo pulled her hand aside. “I don’t give a shit if you don’t think it’s sexy. We need to discuss—”

Jules leaned over and pressed her lips to his. It was a blunt, no-nonsense kiss that served no other purpose than to shut him up, and it made Romeo laugh, which in turn made her laugh.

Problem solved, she pulled back after a moment and took another sip of sweet tea before she added, “And it ain’t like Mercy’s got the only lady doctors ’round.” Romeo laughed harder. “Lady doctors?”

“Wyatt calls ’em that.” Jules giggled. “Poor fella, stuck with me for a twin. He’s been hearing ’bout hormones and period problems since he was fourteen. He’s got to have some defense mechanism against all of it.”

“I think he has hormone problems,” Romeo said with a frown. “He was definitely menstruating yesterday.”

Jules cracked up. She fell down on the bed and put her cup on the nightstand, still laughing so hard her whole frame shook. There was something about her laughter that was incredibly endearing. Romeo knew this trip would have been very different without her. Before, it had felt like he was losing everything; now it felt more like starting over. There was so much about leaving that was painful, but he had things to appreciate too.

He leaned over, pushed her hair aside, and kissed her neck. Jules hummed beneath him as she rolled over onto her stomach and tilted her head to the side invitingly. He licked, sucked, and bit harder than he usually would. It didn’t matter if he marked her now, and that was turning him on like crazy.

He pulled away from her long enough to tug at the neck of his T-shirt. He pulled it over his head and tossed it aside before he fell over her again. He pushed his hips against her thigh, letting her feel the outline of his cock through his jeans as he breathed into her ear. “You wanna fuck?”



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“Yeah,” Jules moaned, her hand in her hair, holding it up to give him better access.

Romeo reached into his pocket, searching for his wallet and coming up empty.

“Shit, I left my wallet in the car after I paid for the food.”

“Forget the condoms.” Jules writhed against the bed, pushing her ass back invitingly. “What’s the worst that could happen?”

“Juliet—” He paused, trying to think of an answer that wouldn’t put her on edge when it was a sensitive subject. Her hand snaked back while he thought. Her fingers dug into his thigh, pulling him tighter against her in a way that made her needs blatant, and he fought against the rush. “Come on, baby. Lemme go.”

“I’m thirty-four,” Jules reminded him. “And I love you. Ain’t no one else in this world I’d rather make a baby with, Romeo.”

They were on the run. Jules was supposed to go home in a few days. This was all about more time and—

“You’re really not going home, are you?”

Jules sighed. “I dunno.”

“Juliet,” Romeo said more firmly as he leaned down to meet her eyes. “I thought we stopped lying to each other. Are you going home or not?”

“Probably not.” Jules closed her eyes as if the admission was painful.

“Even if you never see your brother again?” Romeo couldn’t help but ask.

Jules was silent for several heartbeats before she whispered in a choked voice, “I think so.”

“And your practice?”

“Alaine can have it.”

There were other things to consider. Always looking over their shoulders for Frankie. Romeo knew what it was like to constantly be moving and raising kids while

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living on the edge. There was a lot more shit to discuss, but all he could wrap his mind around was Jules being willing to give up everything to be with him.

He should go back down to the car and grab the fucking condoms, but he couldn’t pull himself away from her long enough to do it. He went back to kissing her neck. He slid his hands under her shirt, pushed the material up to her rib cage and then higher until Jules tugged it over her head to toss it aside.

She wasn’t wearing a bra. All he saw was the long, beautiful curve of her back. He touched her smooth skin reverently, savoring the feel of it beneath his fingers. With his heart nearly bursting from the white-hot rush of love and affection, he trailed his lips down the curve of her spine. He loved the taste of her, salty and sweet. He wanted to spend all day enjoying it. There was something freeing about the two of them being so far away from their families. It made Romeo feel dangerously invincible, like nothing could hurt them now that they were alone and hidden.