Paper Thin (Jim Halpert/The Office Fanfiction)

Chapter Twelve

My eyes open to a sleeping Jim. His mouth is wide open, drool trailing down onto the pillow. I stifle a laugh. He's going to be so hungover.

I grab a glass of orange juice and some ibuprofen from the kitchen and set them on the side table next to Jim's snoring body. Then I walk back to my kitchen and pour myself an iced coffee, staring at the floor. A cheesy grin creeps onto my face. That guy in there? He loves me.

Jim sleeps in until around noon. From the living room, I hear his sleepy groan of pain and the sound of him gulping down the orange juice. I get up and stand in the doorway, gazing at the back of his head as he takes the ibuprofen.

"Hey, you," I say. It comes out low and seductive. Jim jumps a little, then turns around. His eyes are wide.

"What the hell happened last night?" he asks, rubbing the back of his neck. His hair looks like a tornado blew through it and he's still shirtless. I watch in awe as he stretches, flexing the muscles in his shoulders.

"Let's just say that the Dundies were pretty wild this year," I say, sitting on the edge of the bed. Jim rubs his forehead. Suddenly, his eyes widen, remembering the events of last night.

"Shit," he says, laughing. He moves to sit next to me. "I'm sorry, Rach." His face is red with laughter.

I start laughing too. "It's okay, you're cute when you're drunk," I say, nudging his shoulder with mine. "Why did you get so hammered? It's very unlike you."

His face turns serious. "I thought you were going to break up with me. You didn't wait for me after work and you didn't show up to the Dundies," he says. He avoids my gaze, picking at one of his fingernails.

"I'm not going to, Jim," I say.

"Really?" he whispers. He pulls me in for a warm hug. I giggle into his neck and wrap my arms around his bare stomach.

"Yes, you're still my girlfriend," I say, bursting with laughter. He looks at me, eyes wide. He's cringing hard. He groans, laughing a little, and takes me back into a hug. He is clearly is starting to remember the events of last night, so maybe it's safe to talk about what he said. "So, you love me, huh?" I ask him, still locked in his embrace. He tenses and releases me, looking me dead in the eye.

"What?" he asks. Shit. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe he doesn't actually love me and he just said so in his drunken stupor.

"Last night you told me that you love me. I'm sorry, I...I shouldn't have mentioned it," I stutter looking down.

"Damn it. I was waiting for a special moment to tell you for the first time. Was I at least sweet about it?" he asks, chuckling.

I brighten at his words. "You were very sweet about it," I say.

His face is serious as he presses my lips with his. He gives me a long, lingering kiss that leaves my head spinning.

He rests his forehead on mine and whispers," I do love you. I've loved you this whole time."

"I love you too, Jim," I say without hesitation. He kisses me again, smiling against my lips. I wrap my arms around his neck, reveling in his sweet kiss.

I make Jim lunch, ham and cheese of course, and I tell him about my talk with Pam. I tell him that she knows everything and that she's going to help protect us. He nods as if he was expecting this. He wipes his mouth with a napkin and says, "Thank God for Pam Beesly."

I nod. Without her, I might not have Jim anymore. I would have let my own worries and fears get in the way and I probably would have broken up with him last night. Instead here I am, watching Jim devour his sandwich. His hair sticks up in all directions. I follow the lines of his ab muscles with my eyes and my breath catches when I see his v-dip peeking out from the waistband of his boxers.