It had always been one of the most difficult things for AJ to do — to keep his feelings for Kita at bay in order to save their friendship. He wouldn’t give up her in his life for anything else, but the chance to be something more again, maybe this time for eternity… it almost felt within reach when she made promises like that. Saying she would happily put up with him as long as he’d allow. For as long as he was living and breathing (and in the afterlife in all honesty), that was what he yearned for. Kita was, without a doubt, his other half. AJ’s eyes were soft and full of adoration as he gazed down at her, the corner of his mouth curling into a charming smile. “Trust me, I didn’t pay those girls any mind either. I might as well have had ‘Property of Nikita Devereaux’ on my uniform. And just so you know, you can’t make a promise like that unless you intend to keep it. Because I would let you put up with me forever if you wanted.”
Their conversations, as always had him on a rollercoaster — but in the best way. He was on a high; both laughter and love sprinkled in with their more serious, heartfelt moments. AJ had everything when with Kita; the complete package. And though the idea of her kicking some old lady’s ass just for him was beyond amusing, AJ couldn’t stop thinking about that promise. Did she mean it as just friends? That didn’t seem like a platonic pact. He tried his best to keep it in the back of his mind; to focus on how damn adorable she was even while making threats. That smile of hers took his breath away every time. “Of course you will, babe. You have always been the fiercest, strongest, most courageous woman I know. Fifty years or so isn’t going to change that.” ‘I just hope I’ll get to be by your side,’ he wanted to add.
“Teasing? Me? Why, I’d never do such a thing.” Not even AJ could say that with a straight face, his dimples popping as a crackle of laughter fell in suit. Of course, his mind went where it probably shouldn’t — back to many times that he had indeed teased her. In a way that he probably shouldn’t have on his mind while at someone else’s wedding. However, it certainly wasn’t one-sided. Kita and only Kita knew just how to rile him up in more ways than one. “Not teasing this time though,” AJ promised, his eyes searching Kita’s for any sign of waver. “Keep tempting me like that and I’m going to pull us off this dance floor and back to the car to test that theory.” Although a grin still teased at his lips, AJ was far from joking. If he thought Kita was serious, he wouldn’t hesitate one bit. After all, they’d have a lot of fun in a lot of places.
There wasn’t even an ounce of a doubt, but every now and again a little reassurance, AJ needed. Even when she wasn’t around, he strove to be the kind of man Kita could be proud of. The kind of man that she’d want to come home to someday. The kind of many that she would want to marry. It might have been weird and even a little desperate to fantasize about those kinds of things, since they weren’t even together, but that was AJ’s dream. Some yearned for a new career, or to travel far away, but not AJ. All he wanted was Kita — to have a future together, and a family. That beautiful grin was enough to knock AJ out of that little reverie, and he mirrored the expression as she nudged her nose with his. It would be so easy to lean in just half an inch to cover her mouth with his, but AJ settled for squeezing her hips in notice of the way they swayed more enticingly to the beat of the song.
AJ was desperately close to breaking. Every motion of her mesmerizing form in his embrace — each sweet smile and tease of her lower lip with her tongue — it tested him. He tried to behave, knowing it probably was not an appropriate venue to let his hands wander her body too much, but Kita was pushing him very close to throwing all caution away. Only she could make his blood pump so fast he could feel it and hear it in his ears. For a moment as their chests met he wondered if that was Kita’s heartbeat, or his. He couldn’t tell anymore, which, was kind of ironic; since she completed his heart. Succumbing, AJ told Kita the truth, about how he’d never forgotten their history together. Hearing that she reciprocated, brought another ray of hope. “I’m glad you didn’t forget it,” he murmured back tenderly, despite how on fire his body felt. The tension was bubbling over, his instincts betraying him with each reaction. Kita’s slender fingers in his hair drew a hum from AJ; reminding him of other times she’d clenched his hair. Sometimes lovingly and domestic. Others… hot and on the cusp of climax.
Mind already muddled with memories and their current proximity, any bit of control AJ had melted away at her words. How seductively they were spoken — the lust in her voice. The wantonness in her eyes. It was all too much. It was those fluttery kisses along his chiseled jawline though that caused him to snap. Her soft, delicious lips made AJ’s eyes flutter closed as he drank in her scent and basked in the familiar sensations. Emboldened, his hands wandered exactly where they had wanted to be since the song began, giving a teasing squeeze to her ass as his eyes opened. His palms would have lingered there if not for the other wedding guests dancing alongside them. Heavy lidded — a longing in his ocean stare, AJ’s gaze transfixed on Kita’s again. “If your plan was to make me show you here and now, it’s working.” AJ warned, a lazy smirk dancing on his lips. Gently he drew her face to his by the chin and closed the distance. Instead of kissing her though, AJ’s teeth lightly nipped at Kita’s lower lip, giving a slow, taunting suck. “Keep it up and I won’t be able to stop myself,” he practically growled against her mouth, then pressed a featherlight kiss to her throbbing lips. “Unless you’d rather get outta here.”
Kita meant every word that fell from her lips, no matter how much they might’ve sounded like they dripped in honey, it didn’t make them any less true when it came to AJ. He was, and forever would be, the only person she’d ever love. She knew that, and she’d come to terms with that years ago, fully accepting the fact that her ex and best friend would be her soul mate from now until eternity. Was that cheesy? Over-rated? Unrealistic? To anyone else on the outside looking, it probably was, but Kita didn’t care in the slightest what anyone else thought. AJ had her heart wholly, and no one else had ever had had that hold over her, even the failed and quick attempts at relationships after him. No one stood a chance with Kita thanks to the detective. She was totally, hopelessly, and completely devoted to him...whether she’d planned on it or not. And his words didn’t help. “I almost made you a patch like that, but I didn’t want to seem too possessive.” She winked playfully, before her dark gaze grew more serious. “Austin James, I’d happily put up with you forever.”
These conversations of theirs meant everything to her. The way just talking with AJ could transport her to a completely different universe, all to themselves....it was the best thing in the world to her, and those compliments of his? They managed to only deepen the pink in her cheeks. “I swear A, I’m gonna keep you around just so I can prove you wrong about that. But thank you.” She chuckled, head shaking slightly in amusement.
Dark hues rolled at the teasing comment, the woman giving a playful tug to his hair in response. “That’s one of the biggest lies I’ve ever heard you tell.” She laughed, grinning at him. god did he know how to make her feel a million things at once, make her laugh all the while turning her on...it was insane yet not surprising he was still able to do both so flawlessly. When he searched her gaze, Kita held her eyes on his, showing she was just as serious about this as he might be. Leaning in, her lips brushed a featherlight kiss against the corner of his mouth as she spoke “Then I suppose I’m going to have to keep tempting you” she murmured, pulling back a little. Expression was flirty, but showing that if her tone was teasing...it was because she did want to tempt him to pull her back to his car. Was it bad that she wanted him, her ex? That she was absolutely craving him at this point? And not just on a physical level?
Kita had traveled the world, she’d had adventures in her life, she had her fair share of bar stories...but everything seemed to pale to the idea and imagery of a life with AJ. The same life she’d dreamed about all through high school, and even before that. When she’d just been a middle school kid who’d had a crush on her friend, and then actually started dating him. She still wanted that with him, whether that was foolish of her or not didn’t matter to her, she still found herself wondering some days what it would be like. Amazing, that was the best word to always describe it, amazing.
Moving her hips against AJ’s was the only thing keeping Kita from fully losing herself in his grip. Being this close to him, his hands low on her hips, the two of them shamelessly flirting and reminiscing about their past flings...it was all so intoxicating and exhilarating at the same time. She always fell more in love with him whenever they spent time together, it just wasn’t as evident and real as it was in the moment. She could feel her heart beating faster, her pulse racing, her gaze fading out everything and everyone except AJ. “How could I? Everything about you, and everything you do AJ is pretty damn unforgettable.” Kita returned softly, fingers slowly combing through his hair as her hips continued to shamelessly grind against AJ’s hips at this point.
She was almost shaking as she kissed along his jaw, so badly wanting to finally kiss him on the lips after all these years. Kita was dying to, she hadn’t ever hungered for someone like she did for him. But in that moment, she knew exactly what everyone meant. A soft moan escaped the woman’s lips when AJ’s lips grabbed her ass, heart skipping a beat at the direction in which this dance had turned. Wide mocha eyes met ocean colored ones, her own soft smirk tugging her lips to mirror his at AJ’s words. “Possibly...” Her pulse quickened as he moved her head, stomach dropping and twisting at the suck to her lip as another moan escaped her. oh god she was in trouble. “And what’s wrong with that?” Kita returned, this time it was her turn to growl lowly, hot breath against his lips. “god please let’s get out of here.” She managed, before she pressed a quick and searing kiss to his lips. That featherlight kiss wouldn’t be enough to get her through the door after over a decade.
