Furthest Thing

It took everything in Juliana not to turn the television off, or at the very least, change the channel to something that was friendlier to her stomach. It was like a train wreck that she couldn't force herself to look away from. She watched as the puck found the back of the net time and time again. Halfway through the third period, she poured herself a large glass of red wine and begged for the minutes to run off the game clock at lightening speed. It was torture; she couldn't imagine how the players felt. Juliana wasn't much of a hockey fan but she could tell when a team wasn't on their game.

The Penguins hadn't been doing so hot and things weren't looking good going into playoffs in just a few weeks. The play was inconsistent and it was really beginning to wear on Sidney. Juliana was sure that the young man's face was already forming wrinkles due to the stress he was constantly under. She watched with sad eyes as he waited until the very last player trickled off the ice before he followed behind, a sour look on his face. With a sigh, she finally turned off the television, cutting off the post game show. As the screen went black, she downed the rest of her wine and then poured another glass full.

Sidney frowned as the last reporter wandered out of the Penguins' dressing room. He stood from his stall and peeled off his underarmor, eager to wash his woes away in the steamy showers. His body ached; he'd pushed extra hard in the third period, full of hope that his team could make a comeback. Still, despite his avid effort, they fell short, leaving him dissatisfied and sore.

The muscles in his calves burned as he climbed into his car and turned the key in the ignition. He promptly pulled onto the Pittsburgh street, disregarding the throngs of fans who awaited patiently for autographs. Sidney wasn't in the mood to deal with flustered girls or men who were just looking to criticize him on his game. There was only one person tang Sidney wanted to see and she sure as hell didn't want his signature on a piece of paper.

In the passenger's seat sat his duffle bag, which carried the stench of sweat that had been attempted to be masked with expensive cologne. He slid his phone out of the side pocket as he waited at a stop light.

'I'm coming over. The words were the same when Juliana read them the second time over. She wasn't surprised as it wasn't uncommon for Sidney to stop over for a glass of wine after a game that didn't go the way he was hoping.

Juliana calmed Sidney in a way that he'd never experienced before. Her comforting smile was so captivating; it had a way to accomplish the impossible. The moment Sidney set his eyes on the woman, every worry melted away. He could lose his mind in her.

It didn't take long for a knock to echo through Juliana's living room. Sidney didn't wait for her to answer, instead he welcomed himself in. He didn't waste any time and pulled Juliana's significantly smaller body against his. Her arms looped around him, allowing his face to nuzzle into the warm skin of her neck. He closed his eyes, feeling the bliss tickle at his brain as her thick hair created a curtain around his cheek. Sidney felt his mind wander away in that moment, getting high on the delicious scent of her fading perfume. With a kiss to his temple, she wiggled out of his grasp and made her way to the kitchen.

Sidney breathed in, loosening his tie before taking it off entirely. He shrugged off his blazer and kicked off his shoes. Juliana watched from the kitchen as his fingers worked the top two buttons of his white dress shirt, exposing his tender skin.

Just as he sunk into the plush couch, Juliana delivered a bottled beer to his hand. He thanked her, pulling her down next to him and held her against his side. Her body melted into his as the hand behind her back found the remote and turned the television on.

His being visually hardened as the highlights from the hockey game and Juliana regretted not changing the channel earlier. Sidney's fierce brown eyes trailed the television, attempting to spot where he'd gone wrong as a tiny version of him swiftly sakes across the ice.

"I think it's the defense," Juliana commented quietly, her fingers tracing shapes on his thigh. Sidney pursed his lips, not taking his eyes from the screen as another goal was scored on Fleury.

"It's everything," he replied without hesitation, venom coating his voice. Juliana winced slightly but recovered quickly, ignoring his tone.

Juliana knew that Sidney took these things far too personally. The young man carried the weight of a city on his shoulders and barely ever missed a stride. If his team wasn't playing their best, Sidney took full blame, even though in most cases, he was flawless.

Juliana let a sigh creep past her parted lips and knelt beside Sidney. He finally adverted his gaze from the highlight reel to look at her. After sending him a small smile, her hands pressed against his chest and gently massaged the tense muscles under his thin shirt.

Sidney's eyes fluttered shut, his head falling onto the cushion. He loved the feeling of her hands on him, even more so now that his entire body throbbed in pain after an intense game. Without realizing he was doing it, his hands firmly grasped Juliana's hips and tugged her into his lap as her hands worked their way up to rub his neck. Every ounce of frustration dripped from Sidney's weary bones.

"Juliana," he murmured hotly, his fingers digging deeper into her flesh. Soon, he felt her soft lips come in contact with his cheek for a delicate kiss. He turned his head slyly, raising his hand to the back of her head to pull her lips close to him before he feverishly connected them to his.

Sidney longed to find himself stripping Juliana of her clothes. His body begged for hers in the worst kind of way. After all this time of their makeshift relationship, Sidney still had yet to just have one taste of her. He craved the feel of Juliana's bare skin against his; something that he had only been imaging for quite sometime now.

His rough hands trailed up her back, pushing the fabric of her shirt up as his wandering fingers tickled her spine. The air escaped from her lungs as he abruptly broke their kiss and reattached his lips to her neck, nipping at the sensitive skin as he did so.

Juliana felt a desperation deep inside her as she clutched onto his shoulders. Her body went rigid as Sidney sucked at her collarbone, sending a wave of pleasure cascading over her. She felt like she was soaring high in the clouds as Sidney pulled her impossibly close to him.

That's when Juliana came to her senses. She backed away, leaving Sidney's awaiting lips cold and lonely. Her eyes were full of regret and sadness as she looked deep into his hungry eyes. The lust was overwhelming; Juliana almost second guessed her decision.

"I'm sorry," she said softly. Sidney groaned, feeling spiteful as she willingly left him in the state that she'd done a handful of times already. "I'm not ready, Sid," she finished sadly. He let out a sigh as his face softened and wrapped his arms around her middle, forcing her into his chest. She relaxed against him, laying her cheek against him.

There was nothing more that Juliana wanted than to give herself fully to Sidney. But what would happened after? Would he continue to come around or would he leave her high and dry? Juliana wasn't willing to take the chance.