A/N: Hey all, sorry this is a little bit late. I've had this ready for the contest for a few days but just got to a stable internet connection! M/ish for body descriptions.
Nick sat jittering with nerves and the fuel of Absinthe swirling in his veins. He started to rant, he rambled "Fun dinner, fun. Everything's fun at the cabin. Do you guys wanna pick my brain? Do you wanna know what I'm thinking about? I like dogs more than cats. I like chipmunks more than squirrels. I believe in UFO's. I once had a bass teacher when I was younger, he played standing bass, he had a very weird smell and I still think about it. His name was Mr. Hillton…" Nick paused momentarily, he heard the words coming out of his mouth but he couldn't hold them in. "I don't care that you tried to kiss Sam because I have feelings for Jess." Nick drew out the word feelings and hissed out Jess' name. He giggled and then his face fell straight.
Everyone else at the table looked stone-faced. Angie got up abruptly and clambered up the stairs. She dragged her small bag back down the stairs to make a swift and explosive exit. Sam sat dumbfounded at the table. "Jess," he said. Jess stared between Nick and Sam. Her friend looked nauseous and embarrassed.
"I'm sorry Sam, but I really think we need to talk through this."
Sam nodded his head. He stood and stared Jess hard in the eyes. "Why don't you give me a call if you want to get that 'real' with me" he spat. "Have a good weekend you two."
Jess jumped up and chased him to the door, "Wait, Sam! I didn't mean for you to leave! Nick just needs me!" She shouted behind him as he threw open the door. "Also you're our ride!" She screeched as the SUV pulled out of the gravel path. Jess sighed full of horror. She returned to the kitchen to find Nick hiding behind the couch.
"Nick what are you doing?" Jess asked.
"Fire's bad Jess!" Nick shouted. She shook her head and sighed again. She wondered whether an alcohol so full of illusions could reveal the truth.
"I think you need a shower or something Nick," Jess rubbed his back and pulled him up.
"YES!" He exclaimed like it was his idea. "That will put out the fire! It's burning me!" Nick started to sob hysterically as Jess pulled him up the stairs. She started the shower but because there was no electricity it was ice cold. Nick jumped in before she could warn him about the temperature or help him undress. Nick screamed and jumped out again in an instant, crumpling to the floor.
Jess slumped down next to him. Nick's eyes seemed clearer but he was shivering. "Maybe we should get you out of those clothes," Jess sympathetically suggested.
Nick looked at her with sad, dark eyes. "You're right Jess, you're always right." Jess brought the blankets from downstairs and turned to let Nick change. She blushed as she caught a glimpse of his moist, hairy chest through the door. Nick came out in nothing but the blankets and relaxed onto his bed. "I'm sorry I got us stuck out here," Nick looked down at his lap shy and dejected.
Jess walked over and sat beside him. She asked, "Do you remember what you said?" She shifted her big blue eyes to her hands. She fiddled with them nervously waiting for an answer.
Nick pulled one hand out of the blanket and softly slipped it between hers. "Yes," he replied, voice shaking.
Jess bit her lip. "Say it again," she asked, locking eyes with him. A spark struck between them and Nick smiled easily.
"Jessica, I have feelings for you. I'm not sure what they mean but I know they're more than friendship." Nick swallowed nervously but held Jess' gaze.
Jess smiled slightly at the corner of her lips. She began to shake from the chill. "Maybe we should head downstairs to the fire?" She said, "Unless you're still all cavemen 'fire bad'," She grunted and nudged him playfully. Nick nodded and stood to leave. "I'll be down in a minute," Jess said, gesturing for Nick to leave. Jess stripped naked and ran quickly downstairs. When she reached Nick in front of the fire she paused, waiting for him to open the blanket. He stared open-mouthed at Jess, her pale skin porcelain in the firelight. She looked like some goddess, aglow. Her body was just as he remembered, soft, with small but perky breasts and hips that curved out pleasantly. When he opened the blanket, Jess took a moment to stare at him as well. She admired his hairy chest and cute tummy pooch and the curves that lined his hips leading down to his penis. They both smiled awkwardly as Jess became raveled in the blankets with him. Jess began to stammer, "I did this because body heat is the best way to keep warm. Your clothes were soaked and we don't want you to get hypothermia."
Nick groaned and rolled his eyes, "Jess! Don't do that."
"Do what?" Jess asked blushing.
"Act like this is about some scientific fact, like you're teaching me something. You can't avoid this forever."
Jess pulled back from Nick in their cocoon, "I'm not avoiding anything," She scoffed. "Besides, you're the one who always avoids their feelings."
Nick looked seriously into Jess' beautiful eyes, "I told you both drunk AND sober, how do you feel?"
Jess open and closed her mouth but couldn't speak, she just stared into the face of her friend, her very close friend. She thought back through their friendship. She remembered the night on the beach when he'd told her how much he cared and the night they spent huddled together to avoid the coyote. All those gestures like protecting her from Remy and insulting her failed imitation of a shot girl rang of a false rivalry between the two. Even shaking her ass at him after he got back together with Caroline indicated something more akin to love expressed through jealousy and competition. "Nick, I don't know, we've always just been us. I care about you a lot and I don't want to screw that up with sex." They both chuckled and blushed as their naked limbs slowly entwined further within their shared heat.
"But you do want that?" Nick asked, he slowly let his hand run up the inside of her thigh and lightly rested it on her hip.
Jess' breathe caught in her throat and she reciprocated his touch, resting her hand across his belly button. Jess bit her lip again and whispered "Yes."
All of a sudden, the blankets exploded in a flurry of tangled bodies. They passionately kissed, pressing themselves together, skin on skin. Jess held Nick back, "What if this only works here?" Jess asked, fear tingeing her voice.
"You mean like Cabin Fever?" He asked. Jess nodded. "Well there's no one else I'd rather be trapped with." Nick kissed her tenderly, as his hands roamed her body, breasts, thighs, hips, up her back. Jess lightly moaned and laid back. Nick covered them with the blanket as they shared the most intimate love-making either had ever experienced. The fire extinguished as they made love but they fell asleep in the blanket with just each other to keep warm.