The Deal

28- The Past

"Stop," Neil mumbled as he pushed her hands away. When she did it again, he turned to her with a frown on his face. JJ smiled innocently before leaning up to kiss him. "Go to sleep, you're not well."

"I'm perfectly fine. Now can you cheer up so I can your smile?"

"No."

"No to the smile or no to cheering up?"

"Both." JJ sighed. Neil looked at her once more before turning his attention back to his phone. "Go to sleep."

"Okay." JJ turned around and pulled the blanket to her chin with a smile, knowing that he would eventually cuddle up to her. After ten minutes, when his episode had ended, he turned to JJ who was lying down with her back to him. He put his phone on charge before sliding down and resting his head on the pillow.

"Cara?" She didn't answer. With a sigh he shuffled closer to her and gently placed a hand on her waist. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I just got upset that you weren't taking care of yourself. You're not well and you wouldn't rest and take your medicine. But all you did was play with Lara."

"She was right, you know? Your daughter." Neil sighed when he saw her turn around to face him.

"About what? Raising her pocket money? No way, the girl does absolutely nothing."

"About you being jealous." Neil scoffed whilst JJ giggled. She shuffled closer to him and leaned in to kiss him. "It's true. Just say you're jealous I didn't spare you a glance."

"No I'm not."

"Yes you are."

"No."

"Yes. And before you say anything, it's completely fine."

Neil paused as he stared at her smile. "We are never gonna admit this to her though. But she's stealing you away from me. We already don't get to spend much time together and you spend so much time doing hair. Like how does that even take hours?"

JJ smiled as she rest a hand on his cheek. "You know, she's not really my type. You got nothing to be jealous of."

"I want you all to myself. I wanna give you everything."

"Are you crazy? You already give me everything. Did you not hear all the wonderful things I said about you in front of your friends? I meant every word, Neil."

"I'm sorry. I know it's the same thing that keeps coming up and...can I tell you something?"

She looked at his face and frowned when he saw the sad look in his eyes. "You can tell me anything." He sighed as he looked down. 

"I was this big shot ladies man when I was in uni. Slept around, had my fair share of women. But every time I tried to cut it out and try something serious something would always go wrong. I got cheated on. Twice. And I genuinely gave it a shot for both those relationships. I gave them my all and spent time with them like I should have and was romantic, you name it. But after the second time I just remember feeling so worthless you know? Like my best was never good enough. I'm not saying I was perfect but it just...I had time then. I had freedom and I also had a great body, just saying, and that still wasn't good enough. Now that I got less to give you..." Neil sighed, not knowing what to say next. JJ frowned as she put a hand on his cheek. Her fingers slowly grazed his ear. 

"Do you really think I'm going to cheat on you?"

"No of course not. I just feel like someone is going to offer you something I can't."

"Like what?"

"Their undivided attention. Weekends away. Date night every night."

"Well." She leaned in and kissed him. "Undivided attention is why I wait for Mondays. I work most weekends. And date night every night? Unnecessarily expensive and you always gotta think of something new." Neil frowned as he looked at her.