Breathless By Jill Updated 7-8-01 Boston, on a hot summer morning in 1978 “I cannot believe I let you drag me here, Julian, it’s positively mind-numbing. I could be out shopping…” Julian smirked at his wife’s whining. “I’ll take you shopping, dear. But now, we have a very important meeting with my attorney.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her up beside him. “Now, smile pretty.” Groaning, Ivy trotted along next to him. “I still don’t see why I have to be here.” “He’s reading my will, darling,” Julian explained whimsically. “You’ll know what you’d get if you murdered me.” Ivy stopped dead in her tracks, pulling him to a stop as well. “Is there something wrong with you?” “Ivy,” Julian attempted to stifle her. “My God, Julian, are you dying?” she cried out. “Ivy--“ he tried again. She wailed, “I don’t know what I’d do if you were. I’d go absolutely mad--“ “Ivy!” he yelled, shaking her thin body. Startled, Ivy stepped back, her eyes wide. “What?” she whispered. “Ivy, I’m not dying. It’s standard procedure to keep my will up to date. You know how fast my monetary worth changes.” Ivy sighed, relief filling her. “Oh, thank God.” “You mean what you said? You’d go mad if something happened to me?” Ivy grinned, batting her eyelashes. “The nights would be a lot lonelier.” Smiling back, he put his arm around her waist, pulling her up to his body. He gently kissed her. She giggled, slowly forcing him against the wall, and began passionately returning his kiss. Julian tried to push her away, “Not…” --she broke him off with a kiss-- “out…” --kiss-- “here, Ivy…” --kiss. He finally gained control over her, holding her at an arm’s length. He sighed, looking her beautiful body over. “Oh, all right, here.” She grinned and kissed him again. “Mr. and Mrs. Crane,” a dumpy, flustered-looking man in a gray suit greeted. “Good morning,” Ivy said, carefully wiping lipstick off of Julian’s cheek. They walked together into the man’s office. “Good morning, Mr. Dawson,” Julian said as they sat down behind a paper-stack-covered desk. “This piece,” Julian sighed, staring at the desk, “is magnificent. Where did you find it?” “Oh,” Dawson chuckled, “it’s an antique, a Louis XIV-era copycat. I inherited it from a client.” “Must be worth a fortune…” Julian trailed. “Oh, yes! It is an antique you know. The poor old man that--“ “Ahem,” Ivy cleared her throat. “As interesting as that desk is, we have plans for this afternoon.” “Oh, yes of course! The will!” Ivy found his enthusiasm amusing, but her place had never been in offices. She glanced over at Julian, gaping, as the attorney began to read the will. Hundreds of thousands of dollars left to various causes and organizations. Millions to Ethan, to the other children they’d have. A great sum of money to her. She knew the Cranes were rich…but this was unbelievable! Suddenly there was a knock at the door. Mr. Dawson called for the caller to enter. “Oh, sorry to interrupt,” the young man, wearing a suit much like the attorney’s, smiled nervously, “But we have a slight problem.” The attorney groaned. “Excuse me for a moment, I’ll just be out in the hallway.” Julian nodded. Dawson and the paralegal exited quickly and could be heard galloping down the hall toward the main office. “Well, darling, what do you suggest we do to occupy ourselves until Mr. Dawson returns?” Ivy asked, grinning. “Hmm…” Julian sighed, then stood abruptly and began pushing piles of paper off the desk. “Give you any ideas?” Ivy began to laugh, but he silenced her with a series of passionate kisses, which she returned more than gladly. Still in a lip-lock, Julian continued clearing a spot on the desk. “You’re beautiful, you know that?” he whispered fervently, laying her down on the antique desk. He peeled her pale sea foam jacket off her body, followed by her white blouse. “I want you.” “Can we do this?” Ivy asked, unbuttoning his shirt. “Why don’t we ask Mr. Dawson?” Julian chuckled. Before long, their clothing was scattered around the room, some pieces hanging from lamps, others simply strewn on the floor. Lips locked, seemingly permanently, Julian and Ivy were nearly naked, lying there on his attorney’s desk. Well, doing a bit more than lying there. “You’re so…much better…than--“ Ivy had almost said Sam. “Than whom?” “Everyone else,” she whispered. “You’re…inflating my ego…dangerous,” he breathed in reply. Panting heavily, Julian looked around the office. “We’ve certainly made a mess, haven’t we?” Ivy laughed, gasping just like him. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” “Shall we clean it up, or make an escape?” Ivy picked up her skirt. “I think we should get dressed first.” She tossed him his jacket. “Good idea, darling.” Just then, Dawson returned to his office. Ivy’s eyes were wide with anticipation. Dawson’s were wide with embarrassment. “Just, uh, coming back to tell you…meeting will be running longer than…than I expected. I think…I think…I think,” he stammered. “Ah, we’ll come back another time,” Julian put him out of his misery. “Thank you, Mr. Dawson.” The man nodded quickly and ran off. As soon as he was out of earshot, Ivy began to laugh uncontrollably, and clamped her hand over her mouth. “Find this funny, dear?” Julian smirked, handing her the blouse. “Do you still want to go shopping?” “I’m rather tired,” Ivy grinned, “I think we should just head back to the hotel.” Back to Fanfiction Back to JUVY is Groovy