A/N: Hi. I'm back, hopefully for quite a while. I know this isn't one of my WIP stories- for that I apologize, but to get back into the groove, I needed to write a one-shot. Another pre-series/pre-Paris story, because I love them so. :) Loosely follows 'Poker Face'.
Disclaimer: I do not own a thing, sadly.
William Decker's promotion party was at six o'clock that evening, and a certain redhead had declared that they were both going.
He didn't remember agreeing to such a thing.
They were to leave for Marseilles in less than two days, and there were Ops and plans and things to go over before they left. They didn't have the time to go to a party.
But one bat of her thick eyelashes over those emerald green eyes, and he was in over his head so far he couldn't say no. So he was walking up to her front door, dressed in an casual black t-shirt and loose jeans. He knocked on the thick front door, boredom drumming behind his eyes as he waited for her.
She opened the door and he had to work hard to keep his jaw off of the floor.
Dressed in a green floral sundress, the v-neck dipped low enough to let his imagination run wild, and the skirt ended high enough that her legs looked miles long. Paired with a pair of high green sandals and her hair loose around her shoulders, she looked incredible.
He nearly drew blood biting his tongue, and he had to swallow heavily before speaking. Before he could embarass himself by complimenting her, she opened her mouth.
"I'm going to take your stunned silence as your opinion on how I look," she said, one of her eyebrows raised as a smirk grew on her face. "I take it you like my dress?"
"Haven't decided yet," he replied, but his mind contradicted his words.
He'd sure as hell like to see it on the floor, that was for sure.
"Well, if we want to arrive fashionably late, we should leave now," Jenny said, reaching behind her and grabbing a small green clutch and a thin, white, short-sleeved sweater, closing the door behind her, pulling out a key to lock it.
"I still don't understand why we're going, Jen," Jethro replied, a step behind her as they headed down her front path, his eyes watching her ass as she walked. "We leave for France in two days. There's stuff we need to know."
"Jethro, I spent the first thirteen years of my life in Paris," Jenny said, spinning around to look at him as she leaned back against his car, her hands clasped behind her back. "I studied the language for years and am completely fluent. I know the entire country's landscape incredibly well, and I can act like a native when needed. What else do I need to know?"
"The Op?" Jethro asked, but he was impressed, not that he was willing to show her that.
"It's an 8 hour plane ride- I'll read as we fly," she answered with an eye roll, pushing off of the car and heading around to the passenger side. "Any other questions, Boss?"
The use of his title- one she hadn't used in weeks, not since that poker game at Burley's house, was almost odd to hear. But the lilting tease in her voice showed she was joking, and he merely glared lightly, but his lips were twitching too much for it to be deemed as deadly.
The ride was quick- Jenny fiddled with the radio stations, and he had to smack her hand away when she tried to keep it on the country station. She eventually settled on a rock station, and his eyebrow rose at her choice.
"What, you think a girl can't like rock?" she asked, her lips curving into a smirk that made his knees quake. "I happen to have a very ecclectic music taste, if you must know."
"I didn't say anything," he replied, shaking his head as he parked in Decker's driveway.
"Oh, Stan's already here. Excellent," Jenny said, and Jethro couldn't help but turn slightly green at her observation. Her next words, however, made the jealousy vanish. "He owes me a hundred bucks that I'd like to collect before we leave."
He stepped out of the car with a laugh, shaking his head as they headed to the front door.
When Will opened the door, music was blasting, and it was clear the the liquor was flowing freely.
"Gibbs, Jenny- glad you could make it!" he said, beer in hand, and a few buttons undone from his Hawaiian shirt. "Alcohol's in the kitchen, along with some food, music's in the living room. Feel free to use a bedroom- just don't leave any stains."
"Will, you're incredibly drunk," Jenny said as she rolled her eyes, kissing his cheek lightly. "What are we going to do without you on our team?"
"Cry," Will replied simply, before grinning widely. "You and Gibbs will be fine- besides, you'll be in the City of Love together for the next few months, right?"
"Deck, leave it be," Gibbs replied, but his voice wasn't as harsh as usual. "Burley'll be fine with the new guy."
"Pacci? That's his name, right?" Will said, a slight slur in his voice.
"Will, go party before you pass out," Jenny said, nudging him slightly. He grinned, before stumbling slightly as he made his way to a brunette woman who easily went into his arms. "He is going to be so hung over tomorrow."
"He's an idiot," Gibbs said, but his headshake was fond.
"I'm going to find Stan- want a beer?" Jenny asked, and he nodded, watching her walk away.
He had absolutely no idea how he was going to be in Europe with her for months at a time when he could barely look at her without wanting to jump her.
Jenny put her hundred dollars in her purse and then grabbed two beers- one for her and the other for Gibbs, heading out into the living room. A steady beat pounded over the stereo system- a rather nice stereo system, she guessed- and she found Gibbs in a corner, looking uncomfortable.
"Here," she yelled over the music, handing him the alcohol, which he accepted happily. They drank silently for a few minutes before she set her now-empty bottle down on a nearby table, grabbed his empty bottle, and took his hand.
Jethro knew he was done for when she started to pull him towards the dance floor, where it was a mass of people, all squished together. She dragged him right to the center, his hand still clasped tightly in his. Turning, she swayed her hips, while he still stood rigidly.
"Loosen up!" she said in his ear, her body dangerously close to his, her hands running over his chest and arms, trying to get him to relax. They were doing the opposite- though now he was rigid with sexual tension. "Come on, Jethro. Just dance!"
Slowly, her movements loosened him from his stiff stance- his hands found her hips and their rhythm was their own. People pressed against them, but he only had eyes for the incredibly sexy redhead in his arms. A blonde man came over and attempted to pry Jenny from his grasp, but she wasn't having any of it. A quick shot to the kidneys had him off of her, and then she leaned up against him, her lips brushing his ear.
"Think we could get away with Will's offer?" she asked, and his heartrate quickened even more. But if he was going to bed Jenny Shepard, it was going to be the right way. Not in William Decker's bedroom, in the middle of the party.
It was going to be on his terms, he'd make sure of it.
"We'd never live it down," he replied simply, his hands resting just a little too low on her back. "Too many people."
"Wanna get out of here?"
Her next words sent all the blood south, but he fought against it.
"Let's dance," he replied, and although confusion shadowed her face, she nodded. He spun her around, and her back pressed against his chest. Her hair smelled intoxicating; like strawberries and coconuts and walnuts. He breathed deeply, ingraining the scent in his brain.
He didn't dance- but with the partner he'd never forget, he didn't mind it all that much.