Title: Jack's Lucky Night
Author: Su Freund
E-mail: See bio
Website: www ficwithfins com (insert . instead of spaces in the address)
Category: Romance, with a small amount of angst, drama, and sexual situations
Content Level: Age 13+ There is an Adult Only version of this story on my site so if you want to read that, access the address above and look for the direct link in the What's New section on the main index page
Content Warnings: Sexual situations with a bit of mild language thrown in. The Jack/Sam element of story is very brief. It is definitely a Jack/Other fic. You have been warned!
Pairings: Jack/Sam, Jack/Other
Season: 8
Spoilers: Affinity
Summary: At Carter's engagement celebration, Jack meets another woman
Sequel/Series Info: None
Status: Complete
Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Stargate (II) Productions, Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author. This story may not be posted elsewhere without the consent of the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. Copyright © 2006 Su Freund
Author's Note: 1. This story results from a personal challenge to me on the Jackfic Yahoo Group, where I was dared to write a Jack/Other fic. How could I refuse such a challenge? Particularly because at least one of the people involved thought that hell would freeze over before I would write such a fic! So, I guess thanks are due to both Sheryl and Flatkatsi for the original inspiration. That is, if I should be grateful at all for them distracting my muse:-)
2. The story also meets the requirements of fic Challenge 28 on the As the Stargate Turns Yahoo Group (issued on 18 Feb), to write a drabble or fic using the line "stress is when you wake up screaming and then realise you haven't fallen asleep yet" and/or the word 'antenna'. This uses both.
3. As with my other challenge fics, this story has not been beta read, so I hope I haven't made too many blunders.
Jack's Lucky NightJack O'Neill had a very active libido. He was a man's man but did alright with women too. More than alright, actually. He'd never needed to go without female company, or sex. Gruff as he might seem, he could charm the pants off almost any women if he set his mind to it, and he was planning to do exactly that tonight. Right now, Jack was feeling lonesome and horny and was on the prowl.
He probably didn't need to prowl that far. There were many attractive women in the bar he was currently frequenting. Carter was looking happy and smiley, hanging onto Pete Shannahan's arm, and that only made him more determined to find someone to take his mind off their recent engagement.
To be honest, although the fact that she'd started going out with Pete, and their subsequent engagement, pissed him off a little, Jack had never expected anything to actually happen between the two of them, so he was vaguely happy that she'd got a life at last and found someone to settle down with. Nevertheless, he couldn't help but feel a spark of envy for Shannahan. Lucky bastard!
Although Jack hankered after her - more than that if he were truthful with himself, which he all too often tried not to be – he believed that there was no way in hell he and Carter were suited and he hadn't exactly been a saint, waiting faithfully in the wings for Samantha Carter.
There'd been a quite a few women in his life since Sara had left. Not during the marriage, as Jack was more or less a one-woman man, and not immediately after they'd parted, as he'd been too hurt at first. Nevertheless, quite a few. Not right now, though, and he needed sex, if nothing else. More than that would be good, but sex would do for starters.
So, he was most definitely on the prowl, and stood slightly apart from his crowd of colleagues, friends and acquaintances, eyeing the local talent.
"Can I buy you a drink?"
The husky, sexy voice interrupted his musings and Jack turned to face the woman who had spoken, eyebrows rising towards the heavens with pleasant surprise. The woman asking him that question was hot! How had he missed this one? He figured his usually acute antenna must be malfunctioning right now. It was probably down to all this nonsense with Carter and Shannahan: messing with his game.
Jack quickly searched her face, looking her over and considering his response. She didn't look like a slut. Indeed, she was beautiful, and dressed demurely rather than to kill, without too much make up or any of the other signs he might have expected from a woman who was trying to pick him up.
Tall and lean, her long dark, but perfectly coiffed, hair framed a delicate, porcelain face that was decorated with a hint of blusher, lipstick and mascara, and he detected some flawlessly applied, and barely perceptible, eye shadow that accentuated her large dark eyes. Those eyes were very dark indeed, almost black; soulful windows to what might be a very interesting soul.
She wore a black suit with a short, but not too short, skirt, which he believed was probably an expensive designer label. Its faultless fit, and luxurious fabric, highlighted her attractively curvaceous body. Jack suspected that she was athletic and muscular beneath that alluring clothing.
Under the suit, she appeared to be wearing nothing but a small cream camisole top and he idly wondered if he was going to get the opportunity to see and feel the flesh below later on, deducing that this might be her intention. The notion was titillating in the extreme. He imagined softly caressing that soft, pale skin, kissing those luscious red lips, stripping her slowly and making love to her all night long, or as often as he was able. She seemed the kind of woman who might make him very able indeed, and more than willing.
The woman was young, a lot younger than the kind of person he'd anticipated might be interested in him, and that flattered his ego. Perfect. Jack fervently wished that this wasn't too good to be true.
'Seek and ye shall find, Jack, my boy!' he thought to himself. 'And you didn't even have to make any effort, you lucky son of a gun.'
"You surely can," he responded with a grin.
They walked towards the bar together, Jack placing his hand in the small of her back to guide her through the crowd. She looked up at him, smiling, and Jack almost gasped aloud. That was quite some smile, lighting her face, if not the whole room. A woman with a great smile could get Jack O'Neill to do almost anything.
"You probably think I'm a bit forward…" she started.
"I don't mind forward. Actually, I'm flattered," he admitted disarmingly.
"I just… I've been watching you for a while and, well, I like what I saw. I don't always pick strange men up in bars."
"Bet you say that to all the guys," he joked and she released a small, almost perfectly formed laugh from deep in her throat. Sexy laugh, sexy woman. He was a made man!
"Of course I do," she replied, smiling, "When I see a man I like, I don't believe in being backwards in coming forwards." Almost cautiously, she reached for his hand, and gave it a gentle squeeze, immediately letting go again. Jack felt shivers go down his spine at her touch.
"I like that in a woman," he commented. "Not sure what you saw that you liked, but I'm not objecting to you liking it."
"You have a great smile, and wonderful eyes," she said, honestly, as they reached the bar. "What are you having?" Briefly, she turned her attention away from Jack and towards the barman.
"Budweiser?" Jack replied and she asked for the beer and a scotch on the rocks for herself, immediately turning back to give Jack her full attention after she'd placed the order.
"I'm probably a total moron for pointing this out, but aren't you a little too young for me?" Jack asked.
"You think age matters?"
"Not if you don't."
"I don't. You're a very handsome man and the silver hair looks good on you."
"Sweet! You're very frank."
"It's in my nature."
"I like that."
"Good, then we ought to get along just fine. I'm Catherine, by the way."
"Jack."
"I'm very pleased to make your acquaintance, Jack."
"Likewise." He took her hand, briefly raising it to his lips to kiss her knuckles. "You are… stunningly beautiful."
"Thank you Jack," she said, and he liked the fact that she accepted the compliment gracefully, without any hint of demur; rightly in his opinion, because it was true and he was pretty sure he can't have been the first man to tell her so. "Shall we try to find seats?"
"Absolutely."
This time, he lightly grasped the top of her arm to guide her through the room and, as they walked, he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. Someone was watching. He turned to see Carter's eyes boring into his back, a look of surprise and, perhaps, chagrin, in her face.
'Screw you, Carter, you've made your choice,' he thought, although the idea that she might be jealous kind of thrilled him a little, but not as much as the women standing right by his side.
They found a small, empty table right at the furthest end of the room, well away from the engagement celebrations. This pleased Jack because what was happening between Catherine and him was nobody's business but theirs.
"Sorry for dragging you away from your party, Jack," Catherine said as they sat down, eyeing the friends she'd watched him talking to earlier over the other side of the bar.
"I'm not."
"Me neither, actually." She smiled brightly, and eyed him attentively. "What's the party in aid of?"
"A colleague's engagement."
"The attractive blonde?" Catherine had noticed that the blonde woman seemed to be the centre of attention so surmised, correctly, that the get together was linked to her.
"Yeah, the attractive blonde," he replied, keeping his voice level and trying to give nothing much away.
"You work together?"
"I'm her boss."
"Doing what?"
"Air Force."
"Wow, I always loved flyboys!" she exclaimed with a grin.
"General Jack O'Neill at your service, ma'am," he grinned back.
"General? I'm impressed. I caught the big fish. Where are you stationed?"
"Cheyenne Mountain."
"NORAD?"
"Kinda. We're… an offshoot," he smiled thinly. This is where she stopped being impressed and started thinking he was a boring desk jockey.
"Doing what?" she asked curiously and Jack frowned, thinking that Deep Space Radar Telemetry sounded very dull. It was getting way too old. They had to start thinking about a different cover. He determined to give that some consideration.
"A little bit of this and a little bit of that," he replied, hoping it sounded enigmatic enough to keep her interested.
"In other words, you can't tell me?"
"Um, not really," he replied, regretfully. Telling folks you saved the universe for a living would sound quite impressive but was a bit of a no, no.
"Fair enough. You must be career military, right?"
"Right. I figure I was born for the Air Force."
"You love your job. That's great."
"It has its moments."
"You must have seen some action in your time."
"Sure, but don't go painting me a hero in your head, okay?"
"Okay. I'll try to think of you as plain old Jack, the fabulously good looking guy I just picked up in a bar."
Jack laughed, moving closer to Catherine and taking hold of her hand, once more kissing it softly. As he let go, she stopped him from drawing away by placing her hand over the top of his, grasping it lightly by moving her thumb under his palm.
"That suits me fine," he replied.
"So you're the modest type, huh? Married? Kids? I guess I really ought to ask." Her eyes glistened with amusement as she spoke and Jack wondered if she really cared whether he was married or not.
"Divorced. No kids," he said.
Jack didn't mind admitting to the existence of Sara, but no way was he revealing anything about Charlie to someone who was almost a total stranger. Even most of his friends knew very little about that part of his life and, if they did, it wasn't because he had chosen for them to know. As she opened her mouth, no doubt to mutter some platitude or another, he quickly interrupted.
"It was all a very long time ago. Catherine. Nice name. Used to know a Catherine. That was a long time ago too."
"You don't like talking about yourself much, do you flyboy? Strong silent type? I like that."
"If that's the way you want to picture me, that's okay," Jack remarked, his shy grin merely serving to peak her interest all the more. "So, what about you? Tell me a little bit about you."
She picked up her glass and took a sip, eying him over its rim. Jack took the opportunity to drink some of his beer, direct from the bottle as usual, keeping her eyes locked onto his. Catherine thought that sexy. She found herself thinking that the man was very cute, with a quaint kind of charm that was pleasing to her. It was what had attracted her to him in the first place, especially the smile.
Catherine was not a man eater and had spoken truthfully when she told him that she didn't make a habit of picking up men in bars, although this certainly wouldn't be the first time, or the last. Asking a man to have a drink with her, or out on a date, or even to bed, held no fear for her, and there was something about this man, indefinable perhaps, but it was there.
Whatever that something was made her sexually attracted to him. She wasn't the type to go leaping into bed with just any man and, before she took that step, she wanted to get to know him a little better. Sexual attraction alone simply was not enough.
"Single," she replied, "although I lived with a guy for a couple of years but it didn't work out. I'm a tutor at Colorado Springs Community College. Art."
"Really? Does that mean later on you're going to invite me over to see your etchings?" Jack retorted good-humouredly and she smiled, enjoying the huge and cheeky smirk that appeared on his face as he ribbed her. She liked a man with a sense of humour. That might be the clincher for what they could end up doing together later that night.
"Maybe," she said. "I'd like to get to know you better first."
"I don't blame you, although I'm not a mad axe murderer, I swear!" he raised one hand in the air and held the other over his heart as if taking an oath.
"Shucks!" she kidded, feigning disappointment.
"I might be a teeny bit crazy, though."
"Flyboys generally are," she agreed, amiably. "I can handle the odd bit of craziness here and there."
As the night wore on, the couple continued to down a few, although not too many, drinks, convivially exchanging banter, and discovering they shared a similar sense of humour, a love of opera and classical music and, to Jack's delight, ice hockey and The Simpson's.
Each was enjoying the other's company enormously and they gradually edged closer together, increasingly intimate in their body language and conversation. Jack had his arm around her shoulder, and Catherine was stroking his forearm sensually. When a small cough interrupted them, Jack looked up, startled.
"Daniel! Hey buddy!" he greeted, smiling inanely, feeling happier than he had done for a while. Even one of Doctor Daniel Jackson's classically ill-timed interruptions was not going to spoil his evening.
"Jack, um…" Daniel said looking slightly uncomfortable at intruding. Jack guessed the poor guy had drawn the short straw, which seemed to be his lot in life. "Some of us are going for pizza. We were thinking you might want to come."
"Carter and T?"
"Yeah, they're coming."
"Well, I'm a little busy right now, Daniel."
"Um, I can see that, Jack. I'm sure, um… you could come too if you like," he said looking at Catherine.
"Do you want us to go with them Jack?" she asked.
Considering it briefly, Jack dismissed the idea almost immediately. There were way more important things than pizza to consider and he was enjoying himself alone with Catherine far too much to go sharing her company with the others.
"I think I'll take a rain check on that," he said. "I guess I'd better come say goodnight to Carter. It's her party. Excuse me for a few moments Catherine?"
She nodded, smiling, and Jack walked over to briefly re-join the others.
"Jack, it's Sam's engagement party, for Christ's sake," Daniel commented en route.
"So what? Daniel, don't look at me like that. I have my own life, you know."
"B-b-but…"
"No buts, or even ifs. There's more to life than pizza and engagement parties."
"She certainly is an attractive woman."
"You betchya!"
When he told Carter he wasn't going with them, she tried to suppress a look of disappointment, and hurt feelings, but the expression on his face stopped her protestations stone dead. She was hardly in a position to object if Jack had managed to find himself a woman. After all, this was her engagement party, although Pete clinging to her all night like an over eager schoolboy was not exactly endearing Sam to him right now.
She realised that she was jealous and knew that she had no right to be thinking like that, and shouldn't even be contemplating it on this night of all nights.
"I'll make it up to you, Carter, I promise," Jack said and she smiled somewhat wanly.
"Yes sir. Have a good time."
"Oh, I fully intend to. You too. See you on Monday."
"Yes sir."
Obligations fulfilled, he hastily returned to Catherine, a big smile plastered all over his face.
"I feel a little guilty pulling you away from your friends," she said as he sat down, returning to his previous position with his arm around her.
"Ack! Don't! I see them everyday, for crying out loud. I'd much rather be with you."
"I'm pleased about that."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
Pulling back from their embrace a little, he captured her eyes in his own as if seeking something. If he was then he found it, because his face ventured closer to hers until their noses met. Then Jack tilted his head slightly to one side and touched his lips gently to hers.
Catherine raised her hand to his face, stroking his cheek and, duly encouraged, Jack grasped the back of her head and sought entrance to her mouth with his tongue. She parted her lips to let him probe inside and, whilst he did, his hand smoothed her neck enticingly. Their kiss deepened when she clashed her tongue against his, delving into his mouth and, when they finally released each other, she sighed longingly.
"That was real good Jack. I think we ought to be leaving," she said candidly, "Come back to see my etchings?" she giggled and grinned teasingly, "My place is only a few blocks from here."
"Love to," he answered, kissing her cheek with great affection, and more than hopeful anticipation of what was to come.
Catherine's apartment might have been called eclectic. One large room was crammed with various works of art and artist's materials, and was a mess, while the rest was a diverse mixture of styles ranging from ethnic chaos to minimalist chic. She was a woman with expensive tastes for objects that went way beyond the clothing she wore. Jack was intrigued and thrilled.
"This place is massive," he commented.
"Yeah, I'm lucky."
"The Community College must pay better than I thought."
"Not really, but I inherited some money. It helps."
"I'm sure it does. An interesting place you have here."
"Like it?"
He nodded appreciation, with a smile. "That must have cost you a fortune," he said, whistling through his teeth at a large painting that was the centrepiece of her living room.
"What makes you think so?"
"It is by someone famous, isn't it?" he grinned, "Although I can't quite… place it but… it's amazing." Catherine laughed.
"Yes it is by someone famous, Jack. I have a few original works in this place that aren't my own."
"Wow! That must have been a pile of money you inherited."
"Um… I guess. A lot of the art was inherited too."
"What, you're related to Getty?"
Giggling, she replied, "Something like that."
"And you think you're the one who caught the big fish?" She grinned and, for the first time that night, he thought she looked a little bit bashful and self-conscious.
"I don't really like to talk about that," she said.
"Okay. Won't say another word. Except, why the hell are you here in Colorado Springs, teaching art at the Community College, for crying out loud?"
"Because that's what I enjoy doing."
"In the Springs?"
"I like it here, and you meet the most superior kind of flyboy," she joked, and Jack laughed, pulling her towards him for a kiss.
"So, what about your own art?" he asked when they stopped canoodling.
"Follow me," she replied, taking his hand and leading him back into what was obviously her studio, which he had only seen briefly on her whirlwind guided tour.
Jack looked around for a while, studying her art thoughtfully. Catherine liked that he seemed genuinely interested, and impressed too.
"Nice!" he exclaimed eventually, with a devilish grin on his face.
"Nice? That's it?" she said, smirking.
"Well, I'm no expert, Catherine. Military tactics and history is more my line. But I like it."
"And the apartment?"
"Impressive."
"I don't bring that many men up here."
"Even more impressive," he responded with a shy smile, "I'm honoured."
"Yes, you are."
"I noticed you seem to have a huge music collection in your living room," he remarked.
"Want to take a look?"
"And be even more impressed? Sure."
Hand in hand, they returned to the living room and Jack looked through her collection, making suitable amazed noises as he explored.
"What a terrible hostess I am. Drink?" she asked, approaching him from behind and smoothing her hand along his back.
"I, um, I think I've had enough liquid refreshment for the moment, thanks."
"So are you game for a different kind of refreshment, Jack?"
He turned around, grasping her behind the shoulders, while she gently grabbed his ass and pulled him closer.
"What kind of refreshment did you have in mind?" he asked with an innocent look on his face.
"I think you know exactly what I have in mind, General O'Neill, so stop trying to look so innocent. I can see that smirk lurking in your eyes."
Jack was thinking that this really was turning out to be his lucky night. As he had hoped, this beautiful and sexy woman wanted to have sex with him. She was asking if he was game? She had to be kidding, right?
"I'll try almost anything once," he replied, leaning in to nibble her ear.
"More than once if at all possible," she countered, biting into his neck.
"You might be able to tempt me."
Catherine placed her hands at either side of his face and kissed him wholeheartedly, following that by nipping along his jaw line with her teeth, and then down his neck to his shoulders.
"Seems you know exactly what you want, Catherine. Going to drag me into the bedroom?"
"No, Jack, I want you to take the lead. I want you to seduce me." He arched his eyebrows in surprise at those words. "I have this feeling that you might be good at it. My turn later."
"Really? I hope I can live up to that expectation."
"I'd be surprised if you didn't."
"No pressure, then?" he replied, laughing lightly.
"Come on, Jack, I'm betting that you know you're good."
"Well… I've been told I'm pretty good."
"Then show me," she said, smiling seductively.
So he did. Their first round of lovemaking was quite a serious affair. Staring into her eyes, Jack started by softly caressing her face and neck with the tips of his fingers, following that with his lips and tongue. Meanwhile, he removed her jacket, briefly turning to place it tidily on a chair, and stood regarding her.
He'd been right that she didn't have much on under the jacket, merely a skimpy camisole top, and a bra, both of which he wordlessly made short work of.
"Bedroom," he whispered, taking her hand and leading her there. Before urging her onto the bed, she slipped off her shoes and he removed her skirt, just as carefully placing that on a chair close to the bed. Still fully clothed himself, he encouraged her to sit down on the bed and crouched by its side to divest her of her stockings and pants. She was now naked and he stood up to admire her.
"Beautiful, Catherine," he commented before crouching again, hopeful that his weak knees would not betray him, slowly moving his hands over her body.
"Jack, I want to see you naked too," she said, standing again and pulling him up, and then gradually undoing the buttons on his shirt and jeans. Just as he had done with her, Catherine's fingers probed his chest, and then his back, and she finally removed all clothing from his torso and sprayed it with small kisses and flicks of her tongue.
A silent signal passed between them and they parted so that Jack could take off his boots and the rest of his clothes, until he stood in front of her as naked as she was. Catherine looked him over, smiling.
"Nice!" she said appreciatively.
"Getting a little wizened with age, I guess," Jack responded and she laughed in that throaty manner that was so attractive.
"Fishing for compliments, Jack? You obviously keep yourself fit. You have a good firm body. I like it."
As if to demonstrate, she smoothed a hand over the muscles of his arms and, taking the hint, Jack started to seduce her, taking his time, wanting to please her. He was in total control, of himself and her, and his ability to do that stunned her. God, had she picked the right man to scratch her itch for good sex! She had seen that potential within him in the bar earlier and was pleased that she'd been right. He had caught her attention early on in the evening and, as she watched him, there was something about the way he moved that had made her believe it.
When she had discovered that she also liked him, and his company, that had clinched the deal. Catherine never just went for a man for mere sex; there had to be something more and, with Jack, there was. Actually a whole lot more. He was clearly a man with hidden depths and she wanted to explore them very much indeed.
Their lovemaking was slow but intense and, almost immediately afterwards, he rolled her into his arms, kissing her forehead, and they lay in each other's arms silently for a long time as they recovered
"Why me, Catherine?" he asked curiously after a while, "There were a lot of guys in that bar."
"God, I don't even think you realise quite how attractive and sexy you really are, or are you fishing for compliments again?"
"I'll take 'em if you're giving 'em," he replied with a mischievous grin.
"Don't bullshit me, Jack. You must have had plenty of women coming after you."
"I'm not saying that I haven't. I never really got why, though. I just go along with it."
"Then just go along with it now."
"Sheesh! I'm never gonna find out why I have such animal magnetism," he joked, and Catherine tittered appreciatively.
"Sex appeal is just one of those things you can't explain, Jack. You are one hell of a good-looking man."
"Thanks."
"Your wife must have been crazy to let you go."
"I was the crazy one back then. Still am."
"Were you happy with her?"
"Yeah. If it hadn't been for… I don't really want to go into all of that, Catherine."
"Just answer me one thing; what was her name?"
"Sara."
"And you loved her a lot?"
"That's two things."
"Okay, I'll shut up now."
"Yes, I loved her. She left me. Satisfied?"
"I'll have to be."
"I'm not too big on personal disclosures," he admitted.
"That's okay. Neither am I, really, but I get a little curious from time to time about any man in my life."
"You seem to be a very open and honest person to me," he replied, squeezing her gently. Before she spoke, Catherine responded by raising her fingers to his face and softly caressing his cheek, following by planting a brief kiss on his lips.
"There are some things I don't like to talk about," she said.
"Like your family, for instance?"
"Exactly."
"I won't ask if you don't."
"You've got yourself a deal, flyboy!"
They grinned idiotically at each other and then cuddled silently for a while, dozing in fits and starts. Later, Catherine raised her eyes to Jack's, finding him awake, and she caressed his chest, kissing it lightly, before saying anything.
"Jack, I think it's my turn to take control now," she whispered.
"Oh?" his mouth turned upwards into a big grin, "Well, I'm willing. Let's just hope I'm able."
"I'd bet that you will be. I'm going to give you a massage. Turn onto your front."
"Yes ma'am," he said, obeying, and she straddled his lower back and started to massage his neck and shoulders, and then down his back and spine.
"Mmmm… are you sure you don't do this professionally?" he asked, contentedly.
"What are you implying, flyboy?"
"I-I didn't mean… oh, crap! I don't think I meant it the way you took it. It just feels real good, that's all. Sometimes I'm not so great at the communicating thing, Catherine. It's a huge character defect."
Continuing her massage, she replied, "That must be a bit awkward for a General."
"Oh, giving orders, that I can do, it's the personal stuff I'm not so great at."
"You seem to have been doing okay to me."
"Good. Don't say I never warned ya. And don't stop, that's… mmmmm."
"Mmmmm seems to cover it fine, Jack," she said, leaning over to kiss along his back and shoulders and then shifting her legs down to sit astride the back of his thighs and running her fingers down his spine, before she started to massage further down his back. "Your work must be stressful," she commented, "this should help relieve it."
"What, you figure the mind-blowing sex we had earlier wasn't enough?"
Catherine tittered, "You can never get enough stress relief," she replied with her tongue firmly in her cheek.
"I am so not stressed. Believe me when I tell you that real stress is when you wake up screaming and then realise you haven't fallen asleep yet," he replied in a jocular manner, although Catherine was astute enough to comprehend that he used his wit as a shield.
She found that aspect of him fascinating. It made her want to dig deeper into the man behind the mask but, for now, it was important to keep things between them light-hearted. After all, they were all but strangers, and strangers don't reveal their inner most feelings to each other, however open they might be. Catherine was a very frank and open person, and even she had secrets she wouldn't wish to reveal to Jack O'Neill. On the other hand, he was the kind of man that kept much hidden, the very reverse of open. To Catherine, that was appealing and surprisingly scintillating.
"I'll take your word for it," she answered in a bright tone, and leaned over to kiss his chest, her hair falling onto his bare skin.
"That tickles," he commented delightedly.
"As long as it's not a bad tickle, then it's meant to."
"It's a great tickle," he said with something akin to a giggle. She smiled, enjoying his boyish reaction.
"So, Jack, let's have some fun."
He tried to turn his head to see her but she started to tickle him with the light touch of her fingers, lifting herself up so that he could move.
"So you're gonna get rough, huh?" he joked, "Two can play at that game you know!"
Jack turned onto his back and they played a tickling game for a while, ending up rolling around chasing each other all over the bed and laughing hysterically. He fell off the side of the bed, laughing his ass off, but hit his head, smack, on her nightstand.
"Ow! Crap!"
"Jack? You okay?"
"I've been worse, but it hurts," he whined.
Catherine helped him back onto the bed and started to smother his head with kisses.
"I'll kiss it all better for you," she said.
"That's nice."
Jack was enjoying their playfulness enormously; totally different to the serious lovemaking session earlier, but it was lovemaking, nonetheless. Catherine took control, making the sex fun, but was a hard task master and when they finally finished, and she lay down beside him, Jack was content, but exhausted.
"Jeez, woman, you'll kill me, but man will I enjoy it!" Jack remarked teasingly, still catching his breath. Kissing her dampened hair, he returned her embrace, settling happily in her arms.
Neither of them slept that much. Catherine kept Jack busy and he was delighted that she wanted him so much, and that he was able to keep pace with her. That ability had as much to do with her skill as it did with his. She seemed to be a free spirit and that was appealing. He didn't meet many women like that in his line of work. And she was adventurously playful. The bed wasn't the only part of her apartment that witnessed them in action together that night.
Long dark hair tickled his face as Jack woke up next morning, and he smiled, remembering the great time he'd had the night before. Catherine was beautiful, sexy, and good company, and the sex had been awesome; the best he'd had in quite some time. He had needed her and she had wanted him. What could be better than that? This morning he was as sore as hell, but it was way more than worth the discomfort.
Slowly opening an eye, he glanced to see if she was awake and she smiled.
"Hi," she said simply.
"Hi," Jack replied, shifting onto one elbow and looking at her. "Whoa! How come you get to look so ravishing in the morning and I get to look like shit?"
"You don't look like shit, flyboy. Actually, you look pretty damned good. I could eat you for breakfast."
Jack laughed, responding with "Please do," and waggling his eyebrows suggestively. Ruffling her hair playfully, he excused himself to go to the bathroom and realised he was uncertain as to where to go from here with Catherine. He wanted to see her again, if she was willing, but he wasn't sure that she would be.
If she weren't then he would chalk it up as one of the best one-night stands he'd ever had in his life. If she was, she could be one of the best things to have happened to him for a long time. Jack had no illusions that it would be a lasting relationship, but it could be a lot of fun. Life's too short, right? Live it while you can.
"Who's Sam?" Catherine asked when he returned from the bathroom and Jack froze, feeling foolish standing in the middle of her bedroom naked.
"What?" he croaked.
"You called out that name in the night while you were asleep."
"I did? Oh crap!" He looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry, Catherine." Hurriedly, he reached for his boxers, sitting on the end of the bed to put them on, but Catherine moved quickly to intercept him, grasping his arm.
"What are you doing?" she asked, "Don't go, Jack."
"I thought… It's not exactly the done thing to cry out another woman's name while you are in bed with someone else, is it? Don't you find that just a little insulting? I didn't mean…"
"So it is a woman? Jack, I'm not pissed with you. Please stay. Who is she?" she asked again calmly, and Jack looked at her with surprise.
"You really want me to stay?"
"I like you, Jack, a lot. I enjoy your company and you are damned great in bed. So what if you have some issues? Don't we all? You gonna tell me who she is?"
Jack sighed deeply, flattered by her words and grateful that she wanted him to stay, but deeply humiliated by his blunder.
"Sh-she's the woman whose engagement party I was at last night."
"The attractive blonde? Oh!"
"Yeah, oh."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be. It would never work between us. Besides, it's against regulations."
"Did you let me pick you up to make her jealous?" she asked in her usual open manner.
There was no trace of negativity in her voice. It was simply a question. Jack really liked that. Catherine didn't seem to have any hidden agendas, and not much in the way of hang-ups either, although he was sure he would find something if he looked hard enough. Everyone has something, don't they?
"No. Jeez, you're a beautiful, intelligent and interesting woman, and I like you a lot too. Life's too short not to live it, isn't it?"
"We're certainly agreed there, flyboy. Come back to bed. I want more sex."
"You really think I'm good at it?"
"Fantastic. The best lay I ever had. Don't look at me like that; I'm perfectly serious. I don't bullshit about stuff like that. What's the point?" Jack grinned a response and kissed her.
"You're pretty hot yourself," he said. "Does this mean this is more than just a one night stand?"
"I'd like it to be more than that. Would you?"
"Yeahsureyabetchya. I'd like that a lot."
Jack was smirking smugly as he got back into the bed with Catherine. This was just going to be so great!
The End