"You smell different today."

"What?"

"Yesterday you smelled like peaches. Today it's…" John leaned closer and inhaled. "Vanilla." Inhaled again. "Vanilla and some kind of fruit."

"It's raspberry." You smiled as he shifted back. "I like to change up my shower gels every now and then."

"Why?"

"Variety is the spice of life, John." Warmth spread through you as you took a generous sip of the scotch he had handed you. "It's the only spice I get, so I like to have fun with it."

"You're not supposed to get all your spice from shower gels, you know."

"Where do you suppose I get it, then? I haven't made it past a first date in a long time." The scotch was passed back after another sip; its warmth, though welcome, was loosening your lips a little too much. "Men seem to be incapable of kissing properly." You finished with a mutter.

"Hey now, don't lump us all together. How did they mess up the kissing?"

You held up your hand, ticking points off with your fingers. "The first one missed my mouth; I ended up with a cheekful of tongue. The second licked my nose. The third came in so hard and fast our teeth hit. The fourth, our lips hadn't even touched before he was all hands."

He didn't bother smothering his laugh. "What, no number five?"

"I don't care for a number five. Kissing is overrated."

After a brief moment of thought, John moved to sit beside you. "I'll be number five."

"What? You what?"

"Kissing is not overrated. I'm going to show you." His hands slowly moved up your body; along your thighs, past your waist, and around to your back. One hand stayed, firmly pressing your body against his, while the other moved up to card through your hair. He tasted of scotch, his touch strong and gentle all at once, and you had certainly never felt anything like it before.

"Oh, dear."

He moved back immediately, eyebrow raised as he frowned at you. "'Oh, dear'?"

You raised a hand to your lips. "No one's ever kissed me like that. You were right."

"Lovely. What about?"

"Well I can't go back to shower gels now."

"You don't have to."

"I don't? I thought you were just proving a point - not that I didn't appreciate it."

"I was at first, but no one else has felt like you before." He moved in and just stayed close to you, cheek to cheek, his hand tangled in your hair as he breathed you in. "We should have done this a long time ago."

It had been so long since you had been held like this, had been so content with staying in the moment, that you wished you could stay like this forever. "It wouldn't have been the same if we had. We know now, though, so we should do it a lot."

"Well, you know what they say." The little smile he gave you could only be described as devious. "Practice makes perfect. I think we could do better."