Disclaimer: Don't Own, Don't Sue! ;D
Merry Christmas Danielle!
A bit late, but I got stuck and then had way too much fun writing this one. Even if it gets a bit crazy near the end. xD
Baby, It's Cold Outside
Jess was unsure of how she'd gotten herself into this mess.
Perhaps it had been her insistence to personally deliver Becker's Christmas card, despite Abby and Connor's warnings of the snow.
Or maybe it was her inability to think clearly when around Becker.
Her visit to deliver Becker's Christmas card resulted in him inviting her into his home, which led to an unexpected Christmas Eve dinner and her mobile dying.
This felt almost like a dream come true for Jess; being invited into Becker's home, having dinner with him, one on one time. It was as if she'd died and gone to heaven.
Jess walked into the living room holding her glass of wine.
Becker had a really nice flat; it was even decorated for Christmas. Not that Jess was expecting otherwise, just that Becker didn't seem the decorative type.
"This is really cool, Becker." Jess complimented as she wandered over to the Christmas tree.
"Thanks," Becker noted with a slight smile, setting his glass of wine on the mantle above the fireplace.
"Bit chilly in here." He stated as he bent down to add two more logs to the fire, noticing Jess watching him.
Jess took another sip of her wine before it occurred to her that she no clue what the time was.
"What time is it?" She inquired.
"Quarter after eight." Becker answered, checking his watch as he stood.
Jess nearly choked on her wine.
"Quarter after eight?" She questioned disbelievingly.
Becker nodded.
"Oh my God, I've got to be going." Jess said in a hurry, setting her wine down next to Becker's on the mantle.
"Jess—"
"Really, have to go. I can't believe how late it is." She rambled, cutting Becker off as she put her knit hat on.
"It's cold outside," Becker stated.
"This evening had been—" Jess smiled. "So very nice."
"Well, I was kind of hoping that you'd drop in." He admitted.
Jess blushed, holding out her hand to shake Becker's as a goodbye.
"Your hands are just like ice."
"Abby will start to worry and Connor will be pacing the floor." Jess explained.
A loud crack from the fireplace interrupted the exchange.
"Listen to the fireplace." Becker muttered quietly; though Jess was unsure if the comment was directed toward her or to himself.
"I really ought to be heading home." Jess spoke again.
Something in Becker's eyes seemed to convince her otherwise. That and the fact that he was still holding her hands, warming them.
"Maybe just a half a drink more." She relented.
"Put some records on while I pour?"
"Records?" Jess asked puzzled, stepping back into the living room. "Don't you mean cds?"
"No," Becker replied as he poked his head out of the kitchen. "Records."
He pointed over to a display case where a stockpile of records and a retro record player sat.
"It plays cds, cassette tapes, records, and you can listen to the radio." Becker explained, approaching her with their glasses and a bottle of wine.
About half an hour later, while a Dean Martin record played in the background and a majority of the wine bottle had gone, Jess began to worry about the snow and heading home again.
She set her glass down, and headed for the coat rack again.
What would the neighbors think? Her neighbors or Becker's.
Why was she even thinking about what they would think?
She shook her head before walking back over to where she set her wine down to finish it.
"I really must go." She reiterated to Becker.
"It's bad out there." Becker replied.
"Look, not a person or car to be had out there." He pointed out the window.
Jess found herself staring into Becker's eyes.
"I wish I knew how, to break this spell." She whispered, more so to herself in a sing-song voice.
"I'll take your hat, your hair looks nice." Becker reached up again carefully pulled off her knit hat, so as not to mess up her hair.
"I ought to say 'no, no, no sir.'" Jess spoke, trying to see reason through the wine.
"Mind if I move in closer?" Becker asked as he stepped forward, hugging Jess.
"I'll at least say that I tried." Jess mumbled.
Getting later and later, Jess forced herself to think.
"I've got to go." She pushed away from the embrace.
"Baby, it's cold outside." They said to each other in unison.
The name had not bothered either much as Jess again took a step in the direction of the door.
"I must go, simple as that." She stated.
"You'll freeze out there, Jess."
"So, lend me a coat."
Becker dashed over to the door and opened it to reveal snow covering a third of the way up the doorway.
"It's up to your knees out there." He noted.
"My delayed return will look suspicious." She continued as Becker closed the door to cut off the cold air.
Becker tried to deter his eyes from Jess's lips and thoughts of wanting to kiss her.
"Never seen such a blizzard before." He cleared his throat stepping away from the door.
Jess approached Becker and took his hand, holding it.
"I've got to get home."
"But it's bad out there." He replied, gently squeezing her hand.
"I can take you home tomorrow morning, if it's better outside."
Maybe the wine was getting to both of them, but Jess could not shake the idea of how nice it would be spending the night with Becker.
"There's bound to be talk tomorrow." Jess concedes as she let Becker guide her over to the couch in front of the fireplace.
"Think of what it'd do to me if you got pneumonia and died." He pondered aloud as he sat down; Jess kicking her shoes off and curling up next to him.
"At least there will be plenty implied." Jess yawned, still worried about what and if anyone would say about tonight.
"I wouldn't worry." Becker soothed as he pulled a blanket from the back of the couch and covered Jess.
"It's cold outside." He muttered; kissing her head, as the record reached the end of the final song, while they remained on the couch asleep in front of the fire; snowbound.
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