Chapter 10 Romeo and Juliet

Alan looked at his messy office, his dismantled library and cringed. The days he'd spent categorizing and sorting all his prized books had been disheveled and disorganized in a matter of moments. Would Jasmine notice he'd undone some of the work they had finished the other day? Alan hoped not as he removed a few books remaining from his lower shelf and carried them across the room. Since he had painstakingly placed those on the shelf originally, maybe she wouldn't realize they'd been unplaced. But regardless of his sabotage, the office will be finished today.

The slight knock on the door told him Jasmine had come down. He opened the door and Jasmine threw him a smile that made her eyes sparkle. Though now that he thought about it, all her smiles made her eyes sparkle.

"Come in." He motioned for her to enter and stepped back to allow her to do so. "I'm not sure we can finish the office today, but we can try."

"If we work a little faster, I imagine we might."

The look she gave him left him doubt as to whom she thought was slowing the process. Choosing to remain silent instead of attempting to deny the truth, he followed her into his office. Her focus landed on the shelf he just emptied, before she sighed. Not only was the girl punctual, but apparently she was also observant.

"You know, Alan, this would go much more quickly if you didn't undo what we've already done."

"Whatever do you mean?" Immediately turning his back so she couldn't watch his face. For some reason, he was convinced she'd know his lie if she saw his eyes.

"I'm sure those books were already put away before we retire for the evening."

He shrugged, then walked to the pile of books he'd carted across the room. He carried them back and set them on the floor by the bookcase. "You're eyes might be deceiving you. It was already late even before we exited this room  yesterday evening."

Kneeling, he began placing each book on the shelf, reading every spine as though he couldn't decide where exactly it should go. The quiet room was too conducive to working. He'd notice Jasmine often stopped her tasks when she answers questions involving her. "So, how did you know the Lucifer Morningstar?"

She stopped digging through the crate on his desk and looked off to think. He grinned to himself at his own genius.

"It was a mere coincidence that I come to know him." She returned to digging.

"Forgive me for saying so, but I would think he somewhat fancies you."

"Why, Alan, are you jealous?"

"No." He answered quickly, feeling a bit foolish when the twinkle in her eye told him she's been teasing. "But you must admit," he said, moving a book a few inches to the left, "Lucifer is a handsome man."

"I suppose." She picked up a paperweight and set it on his desk before she stopped to elaborate. "Yes, Lucifer is without a doubt a handsome man quip with his odd charms that made women go weak on the knees," she trailed off before mumbling, "but he is not you."

"I'm sorry what was that?"

"Nothing." Jasmine replied. Time to change the subject she mused.

"How's Julia by the way?"

"She's a lovely child." Alan answered, then moved another one his books. "Sometimes," he added, "I don't know what to do with her."

Jasmine stopped sorting the items in Alan's desk drawer and raised her eyes on him. He sat on the floor near the bookcase, staring off in some unknown thought or maybe a memory, a black book forgotten on his hand. She felt the need to bring him back. "You just love her." She said, because it was the advice she had at the moment. He lifted his eyes to hers before he looked away quickly. "There's no doubt about that."

Their discussion became much less personal after that. And as a result, the office was finished. All books properly lay on the shelf, crates emptied. Jasmine sighed with pleasure when the last item, a picture of Julia, was placed on the mantel. "Done, at last."

Alan grunted. "How's the sound of Chinese for dinner?"

Jasmine glanced toward the window. The sun was setting and by the time their food arrives, it would no doubt be dark. "Chinese is fine."

Jasmine turned toward Alan, her face donned with a beautiful smile, and his mouth suddenly went dry. He briefly wondered how she haven't had any suitors at the moment. Her gaze dropped to the floor, and the pink tinge on her cheeks told him he was staring. He hadn't mean to. Wouldn't have, in fact, if she hadn't looked so damned radiant.

"I'll prepare the plates," he blurted. Trying to fill the embarrassing silence. "I haven't had the chance to.. um... you know thank you for helping me organize my office. And as you notice I'm not very good at it." He turned and headed to the kitchen, hoping she'd followed. Her light laughter behind him confirmed that she had. "I think you may be good at it, just not very fast."

He smiled. Because he knew she couldn't see him, and because he couldn't stop it anyway, and led her into the kitchen. In there, Jasmine began pulling the needed utensils for their dinner. Being as tiny as she was, she could only pull out a few at a time. Alan ordered our heroine to wait for him in the office/library indicating she needs rest more than he should; reluctantly, Jasmine obliged.

If it weren't for the need of money for her schooling and such, Jasmine would gladly work for Alan without any payment than the joy of being with him 24/7. Here she sat in the middle of hundreds of leather-bound, embossed volumes, many of which she haven't read, with the exception of the one currently clenched to her breasts.

Romeo and Juliet.

With golden lettering on a tooled-leather cover, she wouldn't be surprised if it were autographed by Shakespeare himself. Flipping open the book, she rushed immediately to her favorite scene. The first kiss of Romeo and Juliet always made her mind swim and her heart raced.

"What are you reading?" Alan stepped into the room, surprising Jasmine with his sudden question.

"Oh! I, um..." she gestured to the pile of books they sorted earlier. "I found this when going through the stack and I—" Alan interrupted her. "It's alright Jassy, you're welcome to read anything in my library." She set the book on his desk and before she could respond, he moves toward her and eyed the book she'd been reading.

"Romeo and Juliet?"

She immediately regretted not closing the book. She regretted even more when he began reading. "'If I profane with my unworthiest hand, this holy shrine, the gentle sin is this: My lips two blushing pilgrims, ready stand, to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.'"

Jasmine's face heated. Alan stood closely to her, her oversized sweatshirt brushed against his pants leg. And he was talking about kisses. Not just any kisses. Romeo's kisses. It's not even doing her any good if he's reciting Romeo's line with that sinfully baritone voice of his.

"Come now, Jasmine. Something tells me you know Juliet's next line." He sounded playful, teasing her about her knowledge on the scene.

She swallowed, determined not to make more than this than what it was. A challenge. That's all. Little did he know this was her favorite scene, and she knew it by heart. "'Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much, which mannerly devotion shows in this. For saints have hands that pilgrim's do touch, and palm to palm is holy palmer's kiss.'" She raised her open hand, palm, toward him in a manner she'd imagined the actors doing onstage.

She was expecting his surprise with her knowledge of the scene. She wasn't expecting him to place his palm against hers, and the warmth of his hand threatened to upstage Shakespeare when he said, "'Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?'"

Heart pounding in her ears, she fought to ignore his touch and focus on her lines. "'Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer.'"

The book longed forgotten on the only available chair in the room.

Without taking his gaze from hers he continued to recite the rest of Romeo's lines. "'O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do.'" Slowly, he moved his fingers until they threaded between hers, and her brain went haywired. "'They pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair.'"

"'Saints do not move''', she said her voice barely a whisper, her breathing becoming labored, "'though grant for prayers' sake.'"

"'Then moved not, while my prayer's effect I take.'" His mouth gaze dropped to her mouth. "'Thus from my lips,'" he whispered, leaning to within an inch of her mouth, "'by yours, my sin is purged.'"

She felt his breath as his words brushed across her lips as softly as a butterfly's wings.

"Food Delivery!"

Alan and Jasmine both aware and surprised at their current situation. They stood in silence, staring at each other with widened eyes.

"We'll be right there!" Alan answered stepping back so quickly he bumped into the desk. Jasmine made her way to the dining area with woobly legs, Alan followed, their dinner in his hands. Staring at the door, unable to speak until Alan finally said, "You're quite an actress," then smiled as though what had happened hadn't happened. "Maybe you miss your calling."

Attempting a smile of her own, Jasmine replied, "Acting alongside you brought the inner actress in me." Before she busied herself to their awaiting supper, which Jasmine devoured with blazing speed afterwards excusing herself to do her "pre-schooling obligations" in her room.

Jasmine allowed herself to relax as soon as her room's door closed behind her. She had her hands gripping her chest, panting heavily. She fell on her bed face-first, the Romeo and Juliet scene kept replaying on her foggy head... before she knew it, it was already three in the morning! So much for her night sleep.

Jasmine you knackered shufflebutt excused of a fan girl!

She scolded herself.

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