SERBIA. Near the end of week with "nothing to do but…"
Gibbs jogged the last twenty meters down the dirt road leading to the farmhouse. The late afternoon sun felt good on the back of his sweat-soaked shirt as he finished an easy three-mile run. Living the past few days cut off from NCIS and the rest of the world had been admittedly fantastic.
Being "incommunicado" was one thing, but as he slowed to a walk and came around the rear of the house his eyes landed on the other reason this Serbian hiatus was so welcome.
Jenny lay sprawled on her back on a blanket in the grass, clad in skimpy shorts and a green tank top that was riding up in all the right places. She had declined his offer of a partner jog, instead deciding to work on her tan.
She raised her eyebrows as he stood over her, blocking the sun from her face.
"Looking good, Marine. Now drop and give me twenty."
Gibbs smirked and quickly knocked her bent leg to the side and, before she could protest, settled in between her legs in push-up position with his hands planted on either side of her head.
He lowered himself down, nose nearly touching hers.
"One."
Jenny laughed. "Get outta here. You're all sweaty and gross!"
He raised himself up, but dropped to her again, pressing his face into her neck.
"Two. And you like me sweaty."
She snorted and reached into his damp hair, tugging at it as she spoke.
"I do like this long hair. More for me to grab on to."
She pulled at his hair again and pushed him off her with her other hand. He flopped onto his back next to her.
"Decker called while you were running- our vacation is nearly over. He'll be arriving in town soon and wants us to meet him at the inn for dinner to give us our new orders."
Gibbs turned his head towards her and grunted his acknowledgment before standing up and extending his hand down to her to pull her up as well.
Running her hands down his sides, she found the hem of his t-shirt and pulled it up over his head.
He moved in to kiss her and she muttered against his mouth, "Time for a shower. You probably need extra time to get your hair done up before dinner."
After steaks and summer vegetables for dinner at the inn, Will demanded they sit outside at a nearby bar for a few drinks:
"You guys have been on vacation for a whole week, I only get this one night before we head to Prague tomorrow night. We're getting drunk."
After a shot and a beer to get things rolling, Jenny suggested a drinking game. Taking turns trying to bounce a quarter into a low glass, a successful attempt forced the other two to take a shot of bourbon.
To her delight, Jenny proved the most adept at the game on this night. Decker was soon holding his hands up in surrender, laughing deeply.
"What the hell Shepherd, you're a ringer! Gibbs and I didn't have a chance." He dropped his head to the table with a thud.
She winked at him and stole a glance at Jethro, who was leaning comfortably back in his chair. She had actually never seen Gibbs inebriated, and was intensely curious about what kind of drunk he would be. She highly doubted he would turn suddenly happy-go-lucky, but she hoped the alcohol wouldn't turn him into a deeper brooder than he already was.
His dark eyes stared at her. "Not surprised. She's got great hands."
Her mouth fell open at his brazen innuendo, which earned her a slow smirk from him. She glanced at Decker, whose head was buried in his arms at the table- he appeared not to have heard Jethro's comment.
Gibbs leaned forward and picked up his beer. Jenny couldn't help but watch his tanned throat as he drained his glass and dropped it to the table. He had forgone his usual white t-shirt under his black polo, leaving her fighting the impulse to lean forward and press her lips to the skin exposed by the open buttons at his throat.
Before she could even collect herself to make a comeback, she felt Jethro's hand trail up her bare calf and slide momentarily under her skirt before coming to rest on her knee.
She shot another glance at Will, who still appeared oblivious. When she looked back at Gibbs she found him smiling again.
Jenny addressed Decker, "Alright Deck, time to hit the hay. Literally, for you, we only have one bed and a couch at the farmhouse so you're sleeping in the barn."
Decker lifted his head from his arms, shaking it in disagreement.
"Nahhh, I got a room at the inn. I leave on an early train and I didn't want any part of interrupting you two love birds."
Gibbs pulled his hand from Jenny's knee under the table and leaned over to slap the back of Decker's head.
"Whoa! I may be drunk but I'm a trained investigator. With eyeballs."
Jenny laughed and Decker continued,
"Don't worry about it, I won't tell anyone. I'll just live silently in my jealousy, Gibbs. I only hope I get so lucky on my next partner assignment."
Gibbs slapped the back of his head again in response.
They left Will at the door to the inn, and turned to walk the fifteen minutes to the farmhouse in the twilight. Jethro slung his arm around Jenny's shoulders and she drew hers around his waist.
Gibbs pressed kiss to her temple and another to the top of her ear before whispering,
"You're beautiful."
Jenny smiled up at him and squeezed his waist.
"You're being very friendly. I should get you drunk more often. I was worried you would turn out to be a sullen drinker but looks like I've got a glassy-eyed romantic on my hands. I bet I could get just about anything I wanted out of you right now."
His only response was another kiss to her forehead.
She bumped him with her hip and demanded playfully,
"C'mon Jethro, tell me your secrets!"
He gave her a hint of a smile.
"Alright. I'm in love with you."
Jenny stopped walking. She had blurted out her own "I love you" in Paris a few weeks ago, and he reciprocated with that infuriating but oh-so-Jethro response of "that'll be the day."
But here in the darkness on this wooded road in Serbia, he told her he loved her. Not just loved her, but he was "in love" with her- something about the extra intensity of that phrase took her breath away.
Jethro's arm had fallen from her shoulder when she stopped walking, and he turned and stood regarding her with his hands casually shoved in his pockets.
She reached for him, arms wrapping around his neck as she kissed him deeply. In the very back of her mind she couldn't ignore the complications that loomed, but in this moment she couldn't bother to pay attention to anything but feel of his chest pressed against hers and the thought that she wouldn't mind kissing him like this forever.
When they drew apart she pulled his arm back around her shoulder and they resumed their walk.
"Serbia. Who knew it would be such a memorable vacation destination?"