Disclaimer: I don't own any of these folks except Lauren.
Author' Note: The character, Lauren, was not named after Lauren Holly, its just a coincidence I chose that name for her. This story is complete, I just can't type anymore tonight. I will post the second and last chapter tomorrow night. I hope you enjoy it.
YOU DESERVE TO BE HAPPY
Chapter One
As the mid-summer Sunday was coming to an end Jethro Gibbs steered his sailboat toward his slip at the Potomac Marina. He had been on the water since early morning and was sorry to see the day coming to an end. Gibbs had found nothing better than a day of sailing to help him deal with the stress and heartache that seemed a constant presence in his life the past year. Easing the boat to the dock Gibbs saw Pete, a marina dock hand, standing ready to catch a line and tie off the boat.
"Hey Pete, thanks for the hand."
"No problem Gibbs. Got a message for you. DiNozzo just called and said you need to call him right away."
"Thanks."
As Gibbs pulled out his cell phone and called his Senior Field Agent, Pete secured the boat fore and aft.
"DiNozzo, whataya got?"
"Hey, Boss, dead sailor. Metro found him in his car in Rock Creek Park and called us when they found his ID."
"Okay. You and McGee get down there and get started. Tell Ziva to swing by here and pick me up. And call Ducky."
"Gotcha Boss. We're on it."
Gibbs sighed. A bad end to a perfect day he thought. "Pete, I've got to go to work. Can you wash her down for me?"
"Sure thing. I'll lock her up when I'm through. Don't worry, she'll be ready for you whenever you get back."
"Thanks Pete." Gibbs went below to change and get his gear bag, gun and badge. When he came topside he noticed a woman on the dock. A very pretty woman he thought. Tall, great legs, nice shape and strawberry blond hair pulled back in a thick braid. She was wearing shorts, a tank top and boat shoes suggesting this wasn't her first time on a dock. She seemed to be paying particular attention to Gibbs' boat. Gibbs stepped off the boat so he could see Ziva when she drove up.
"Does she handle as good as she looks?" the woman asked as Gibbs walked towards her.
"Well, she handles very nicely. She can take a good wind but likes a light breeze too." Jethro looked more closely at the woman and noticed a few freckles and really nice blue eyes.
"She's custom built isn't she?"
"Yes as a matter of fact she is. How did you know?" Gibbs was beginning to hope Ziva got lost on her way to get him.
"Oh, I just know a little bit about boats. Not much. Was she built around here?"
Gibbs laughed, "Yeah about 15 miles from here. In my basement as a matter of fact." He didn't usually talk about the boat and he wasn't sure what prompted him to tell this stranger he had built her himself. The look of surprise and appreciation on her face was well worth it though.
"Wow, you surprised me with that. I'm Lauren by the way. She's a real beauty."
"Thank you. I'm Jethro. I'm sorry but I have to go to work or I would give you a closer look--at the boat I mean."
Lauren chuckled at his double meaning and said, "I'd love to have a closer look Jethro. I'll be around here for a while so maybe another day. I'm staying on the cabin cruiser four slips down on the other side."
Jethro saw Ziva drive up to the gate so he said, "There's my ride. Nice meeting you Lauren. I'll look you up next time I'm out." With that Gibbs was gone up the ramp and out the gate.
As Lauren watched him go she thought, what an interesting man and very handsome too. Maybe the next few weeks wouldn't be as boring as she had feared they would be. Of course with my luck he's a serial killer or a nut case she mused.
As they drove to the scene, Ziva filled Gibbs in on what little info they had on the victim then asked, "How was the sailing? Is the boat meeting your expectations?"
"The sailing was great and Kelly handles very well. Very smooth. I'm happy with her overall. You should come with me sometime and I'll let you try her out." Gibbs had already taken Abby and Ducky out earlier this summer but Ziva and Tony had not been sailing with him yet. There was very little chance McGee would ever set foot on the Kelly as he got seasick just going on the dock.
"Yes, I would like to do that before the summer is over. Oh, here we are, looks like Ducky and Palmer just got here too."
Gibbs and Ziva joined the rest of the team and processed the scene. Ducky and Palmer loaded the body and soon they were all headed to the Navy Yard. The rest of the evening and well into the night was spent collecting info on the victim and processing the evidence from the scene. Luckily a witness had been located and by Monday night a suspect was in custody. Without too much resistance the suspect confessed and Tuesday morning the case was closed. Unfortunately that quick closure meant the team was available for an arson case on Tuesday afternoon. That was followed by a home invasion incident on Thursday night. By Saturday morning the team was exhausted and Gibbs told them to head home for the weekend. Their leads on the home invasion were not panning out so he told them they would start over on Monday.
It was unusual for Gibbs to give his team time off in the middle of the case. They certainly didn't complain though. They each realized that in the past few months since Director Shepard had been killed things had changed at least a little bit where Gibbs was concerned. He was still driven and still addicted to coffee but also just a little bit easier on them and on himself. They still worked ridiculous hours and had the best close rate in the agency but it wasn't work 100 of the time now. Maybe 96 but that 4 difference was huge to the team. Gibbs never talked to any of them about what happened to the director but they all understood what he had lost. They were all very glad he had finished the boat and was actually sailing her because that really seemed to improve his mood. When Gibbs went sailing on the weekend their week usually went much better.
On Sunday morning Gibbs filled a thermos with coffee and packed a cooler with beer and sandwiches for the afternoon. He headed to the marina early so he could get out on the water before the crowds got there. As he drove his mind wandered back to the day he finally got the Kelly in the water. Jenny was there with him. She was actually the first person onboard once the boat was in the water. They hadn't sailed that day but they toasted the "launching" with bourbon and Chinese take out. Jenny told him how proud she was of him for the job he did on the boat and how beautiful it was. Jethro promised to take her sailing as soon as she got back form California where she was going the next day. Before they left the boat that night Jethro took Jenny in her arms and kissed her. He told her they had some things to talk about when she got home and she agreed. Of course Jenny never came home from California so Jethro was sailing alone most days. He considered getting rid of the boat but in the end he couldn't. He had promised Jenny he was keeping this one and sailing her and since he had never broken a promise to Jenny….
It had been six months since Jenny died and Jethro was slowly making peace with all that had happened. He still had a passion for his work but he spent more time sailing and relaxing than he had in years. He actually turned his phone off sometimes and let DiNozzo take the lead on cases. He had spent a month with Mike in Mexico but he wasn't ready to retire yet.
Gibbs parked his truck, unloaded his cooler and bag and headed to the boat. As he promised Pete had washed down the deck, cleaned up and locked up for him. Gibbs had stowed the gear and was making ready to cast off when he saw the woman from last week walking down the dock with several bags of groceries. Thinking hard to remember her name, Gibbs stepped off the boat and went to lend a hand.
"Good morning, Lauren, isn't it. Can I give you a hand?"
"Oh yes, thank you, Jethro and good morning to you. Getting an early start I see."
Jethro took a couple of bags from her and followed her to her boat. "Yeah well I like to get out before the amateurs get here and clog up the water. So, this is yours huh, very impressive."
Lauren laughed and said, "Yes, she's impressive alright but she's not mine. She belongs to my sister and her husband. They bought her in Newport and we were on our way to Ft. Lauderdale when there was an emergency with their business and they had to fly home immediately. So, I'm here with the boat until they get the situation resolved and can come back to resume the trip. I don't mind really, there are worse places to be stranded I'm sure."
Setting the bags on the counter Gibbs asked, "So you don't have to be back to work or your family somewhere?' He wondered why he was hoping she said no to both of those things.
"My sister and brother-in-law are my only family and I am a writer so I can work from anywhere." Lauren realized they were standing very close to each other even though the galley was plenty spacious. She was surprised at how comfortable that felt to her.
Jethro also realized he was standing very close to Lauren but he made no move to back away. He was too busy taking note of her very blue eyes, her smooth, tanned skin and damn, her reddish blond hair. It seemed like they stood there for a long time but it was really just a moment.
Finally Jethro asked, "Would you like to join me today? I was planning to be out all day but if you needed to be back for any reason we could come in early."
"Yes, I'd love to go. I don't have anything else planned so all day would be great. Can I bring anything, snacks or whatever?"
"I have beer, water and sandwiches so whatever you'd like bring it along."
"Great. I'll be there in what, 20 minutes be okay?'
Sure, I'll see you in twenty."
Jethro left her to put away the groceries and get ready. Twenty minutes later Lauren was casting off the lines as Jethro steered Kelly away from the dock. It was a perfect day to be on the water; sunny and warm with just enough breeze to make sailing a pleasure. Even though most of Lauren's boating experience was not on sailboats she could see that Jethro was an expert sailor. He handled the Kelly with ease. He told her to make herself at home and look around so she did. After stowing the snacks she brought she came topside to find Jethro had shed his shirt and shoes. She could tell he was clearly in his element on the water.
"Did you do all the work yourself?" she asked admiring the boat and its owner at the same time.
"All the wood construction. I had the engine installed by a friend but mostly I built her." There was pride in his voice but no hint of boasting.
"Well as I said before she's a beauty. How long did it take you?"
"The better part of three years. I had a lot of distractions," Jethro replied with what Lauren thought was just a touch of sadness.
Deciding to change the subject Lauren said, "I brought some killer cinnamon rolls. Can I get you one and a refill on your coffee?"
"Thanks that sounds good. There should be some paper plates and stuff in a cabinet next to the sink. Just look around for what you need."
Lauren retuned with two cinnamon rolls, coffee for Jethro and a bottle of water for herself.
"Wow, this is delicious. I don't think I should know where you got these" Jethro said between bites.
"I know they are really sinful but a weakness of mine. I hate to think how many miles it takes to run one of these things off! But I believe life is meant to be enjoyed and for me that includes cinnamon rolls"
Jethro finished off his roll and took a long drink of coffee. He watched Lauren put away the plates and settle in a deck chair applying sunblock.
"Here, let me put some on your back" he offered.
"Thanks."
"Tell me what do you enjoy in life besides sinful pastries?"
Lauren laughed, "I love finishing a story ahead of deadline and I never tire of the beach".
So far so good Jethro thought as he finished applying sunscreen to her back. He could tell she worked out; her muscles were firm and toned. Very nice package he concluded.
"Let me return the favor." Lauren took the lotion and rubbed a generous amount on Jethro's back and shoulders. Oh boy, she thought this could get dangerous. Great body, muscular but trim and very fit as well as handsome. And he's got great hands Lauren thought to herself. "Tell me Jethro, besides sailing what do you enjoy in life?" When Jethro didn't answer for a long minute, Lauren began to think she had asked a wrong question. "I'm sorry, Jethro, it's the writer in me, I…"
"No, it's okay. I just had to really give that some thought. The truth is I haven't enjoyed much about life lately. This boat and sailing her are about the only things I can say I have enjoyed for a long time." As he said this Jethro was gazing out across the water almost talking to himself. He brought his attention back to Lauren and said, "Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to put a damper on the day. I'm very much enjoying today so that's all that matters, right?'
"Right", Lauren smiled at him and relaxed back in her chair with her feet up on the deck rail.
The next couple of hours passed with little conversation except for occasional comments about nothing very important. Neither seemed to mind the quiet In fact they were both very comfortable with no talking. Lauren was enjoying the beautiful day and wondering to herself why she was so at ease with this man she didn't really know. She certainly found him attractive, great body, beautiful gray hair cut short, and stunning blue eyes that seemed to have magnetic powers. He is certainly a gentleman and has apparently had his share of life's troubles.
As Jethro maneuvered the Kelly around the sound he found himself enjoying the scenery on the boat as much as the scenery on the water. Being a man of few words he was comfortable with little conversation and he really appreciated a woman who seemed to feel the same way. Jethro had told himself after Jenny died that he was not going to get involved with another woman. His track record with relationships was such a disaster he didn't think he could survive another failure or worse the death of another person he loved. She won't be here long anyway he told himself so she'll just be a friend and sailing companion. Besides he reasoned, she is stranded in my city and it's just good manners to be friendly.
With all that circulating in his head, Gibbs failed to notice Lauren was looking at him and had apparently asked him a question. "I'm sorry did you say something?"
"I just wondered if you wanted something to eat or drink. I'm going below for a beer if you don't mind."
"Of course, help yourself. I could eat a sandwich. Why don't I drop anchor and we can have lunch below and get out of the sun for a while. You look like you are getting a little burned."
"I think you're right. I should put my shirt on—you should too I'd say."
They went below and Lauren arranged the plates and a salad she had brought while Gibbs got out sandwiches and beer. Jethro decided he had to know more about this woman he was feeling so comfortable with so he asked, "What sort of writing do you do?"
"I write feature stories for magazines and some large newspapers. I've actually written a couple of stories about people sailing around the world. The stories focus on the person much more that on the actual sailing though. I've always been fascinated by people who overcome obstacles and succeed so most of my stories follow that sort of theme. Kind of a long answer to a simple question I guess."
"No, not really. I can't imagine enjoying writing enough to make it your career. Paperwork – report writing – is my least favorite part of my job."
"What sort of work do you do Jethro?"
"I'm a Federal Agent, I work for NCIS, Naval Criminal Investigative Service."
"I imagine that is interesting and stressful at the same time. Maybe the kind of job you hesitate to say you like even if you do just because of what you encounter."
"Yes exactly." Most people didn't ever get that Jethro realized. This lady was pushing al the right buttons he thought to himself. "So are you working on a story now?"
"I just finished an article for a travel magazine last week. Not very challenging but it pays well. I don't' have anything in the works at the moment."
Jethro took a couple of bites of sandwich while he considered what he wanted to say next. He wasn't sure he wanted to make the suggestion that was on his mind. After all he didn't really know Lauren and he didn't know if she would be interested or do the kind of story he was thinking about. Finally he decided to trust his very reliable gut. He had a good leeling about this woman.
"Listen if you want to write about people overcoming obstacles and succeeding I could introduce you to some Marine friends of mine. I think you would find their stories interesting. They are at Bethesda and their story should be told by someone."
"Jethro are you serious? I was thinking about that kind of story but I don't know anyone who could make it happen for me."
"Well now you do."
"My god Jethro, I would be honored to tell your Marines' stories. Thank you!" Lauren reached across the small table and gave Gibbs' hand a squeeze as their eyes locked.
Jethro let himself enjoy the contact for a moment before he stood up. "You're welcome. We'll work out the details later. Now, let's clean this up and go see what kind of a sailor you are."
They sailed away the rest of the afternoon with Jethro teaching Lauren some basics of handling the boat. She was a quick study and they enjoyed the rest of the day together. They laughed and talked about nothing in particular. Lauren told Jethro about some of her travels and some of the interesting people she had met. As was his habit Jethro shared little about himself or his work. He told her a bit about his team especially McGee and all the fallout from his book. Lauren vowed to find a copy and read it as soon as she could.
As the day was winding down and they headed for the marina they fell into a comfortable silence. Lauren decided to stop questioning her attraction to Jethro and just relax and go with her feelings. She reminded herself that she was a good judge of character and that Jethro was after all, a Federal agent so he probably wasn't a serial killer of a nut case. Besides she had an idea she wasn't going to have much luck ignoring her growing attraction for this quiet, very decent man.
As he sailed toward the marina Jethro stole several long looks at Lauren. The voice in his head was telling him to be careful and remember how much it hurts when a relationship gets screwed up and he's left alone, again. The problem was that his gut was telling Jethro he could trust this woman, that she wouldn't betray him. He always trusted his gut but this time he just wasn't sure. He mind also kept going back to Jenny and time he let slip away from them. So, he did what he had done for years, he locked away his emotions and ignored the little voice that was trying to tell him it was okay to be happy.
As they were getting ready to leave the boat Jethro told Lauren he would make some calls in the morning and get her the necessary clearances for the hospital. They walked to Lauren's boat and she went to get Jethro her business card so he would have her contact information.
"My cell number and email are both on here. Use whichever is easiest to let me know what I need to do." They were standing very close to each other; Lauren reached out and took Jethro's hands in hers. "Thank you for today, Jethro, I had a wonderful time. And thank you for arranging the interviews for me." She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek as she squeezed his hands.
Jethro held onto her hands and said, "you're welcome, I really had a good time today too. I'll call you tomorrow about the interviews." He really wanted to kiss her but instead he looked at her for a long moment, squeezed her hands and said again, "I'll call you tomorrow." With that he let her hands drop and walked away.
Lauren stood and watched Jethro walk toward the parking lot. She was disappointed she didn't get a kiss but not entirely surprised. She had noticed during the past couple of hours that Jethro seemed to be withdrawing. It wasn't anything dramatic or rude but she could tell he was shutting down somehow. She had turned to go back to her boat when she heard footsteps approaching so she turned around. Jethro walked up to her and said, "I forgot to give you my card. Just in case you need to get in touch with me or if I don't call you tomorrow you could call and remind me." It all came out in a sort of a rush.
Lauren reached for the card he held out to her and Jethro caught her wrist, pulled her to him and gave her a slow, deep kiss. When he finally broke off the kiss Jethro gave Lauren a smile and said, "I've gotta go. I'll call you."
Lauren stood on the dock and watched Jethro leave. Now that's more like it she thought. She was a little confused but in a good way. Jethro drove home feeling pretty good himself. He was glad he had decided to follow his gut feeling instead of listening to the little voice telling him to be careful. I'll be careful he thought but that doesn't mean I cant' be open to possibilities.
Jethro got work early in Monday so by the time his team arrived he was well into the investigation of the home invasion from last week. He sent McGee down to work with Abby on the evidence they had collected. He sent Tony and Ziva back to the scene and he went to re-interview the victims. By noon when they met back at the office they all had at least a scrap of new information to work with. At 3:00 Jethro announced he was going for coffee. The case was finally coming together and it looked like they were making good progress. He called his friend at Bethesda and arranged for Lauren to get a pass to the hospital. Then he called the Marines he wanted her to talk to and asked them if they were okay with it. They all said yes so he called Lauren next.
"Hi it's Jethro. How ya doing?"
"Hi, I'm good, how's your day going?"
"Actually pretty well. I talked to my friend at Bethesda and he will have a pass waiting for you tomorrow if you want to get started then. I can give you a ride."
"Oh, tomorrow will be fine. Thank you for doing all this for me."
"You're welcome but you might want to wait to thank me until you meet the guys. Let me give you a number to call – ready?—555-4500. Ask for Brian and he will get you all set up. Just call me later and let me know what time you want to be there."
"Okay, is any time better or worse for you?"
"No, anytime will be fine. I gotta go, call me later, okay?"
"I will. Thanks again."
Gibbs took his coffee and headed back to the office. By 5:00 they had identified their suspects and McGee was running down addresses. Gibbs was reaching for his gun so they could go after the suspects when his phone rang. Without looking to see who the caller was he answered, "Yeah, Gibbs", in his usual gruff voice.
"It's Lauren. Am I calling at a bad time?"
"Oh sorry, Hi. No not a bad time. What did you get set up?"
"11:00 tomorrow morning. Is that okay for you."
"Sure that's fine. I'll pick you up by 10:30."
"Okay, thanks. I'll see you in the morning. Bye Jethro."
"Bye."
Gibbs closed his phone and looked up to find, McGee, Tony and Ziva all looking at him. Without acknowledging their curiosity he barked, "Grab your gear" and headed to the elevator. Two hours later they were back with their suspects in tow. Two hours after that the suspects were being taken away by MP's for booking. Finally at 10:00 Gibbs sent his team home telling them their reports could be finished in the morning. They were surprised by this but didn't question it. They were gone practically by the time Gibbs stopped talking.
Jethro thought about calling Lauren but decided it was too late. Besides he didn't really have a reason to call. He realized he just liked talking to her; hearing her voice. The sound of her voice was so smooth is seemed to flow over him like warm water. Somehow, he found it calming and sexy at the same time. I guess I'll just have to wait until tomorrow he thought as he got up to leave. On his way home Jethro admitted to himself he was pretty interested in Lauren and looking forward to seeing her tomorrow. He found this disturbing since he had only known her for a few days so he decided not to think about it anymore.
The next morning at 10:00 Gibbs announced he was going for coffee and would probably be gone a couple of hours. He told his team they could reach him on his cell and left the office.
"Something's going on with the bossman. Ziva, what is it, do you know?"
"How would I know, Tony, you are the Senior Field Agent."
"McGeek, can you do your snoop thingy on his phone and find out who called him yesterday? Whoever it was made him smile and that's not easy to do you know."
"Tony, I'm not going to hack into the boss's phone, no way, no."
"Maybe he's met a woman. I'll bet that's it. Anyone want in on this action?"
"NO," both Ziva and McGee answered.
Gibbs arrived at the marina 15 minutes early but Lauren was ready. She was sitting on the aft deck finishing a cup of coffee. Jethro stood behind her on the dock admiring how pretty her hair looked. She had it pulled back and up and held in place with an antique looking clasp. Just enough of her neck was exposed to give Jethro some interesting ideas. Even from where he was standing Jethro could smell her perfume; whatever it was he liked it.
Without turning around, Lauren asked, "Are you coming aboard or are you just looking?"
"Well I was coming aboard but I am enjoying just looking too" Jethro replied with is famous smirk firmly in place.
Lauren laughed and said, "I'll just get my bag and I'm ready to go. And by the way, good morning Jethro," she added as she took his hand and stepped onto the dock.
Jethro surprised her and himself when he leaned into Lauren and kissed her. "Good morning to you too" he said when he finally gave her some breathing room. He still had hold of her hand so he just kept is firmly in his grasp as they walked to the car. Since Lauren didn't really know what to think after that kiss—that very good kiss—she corrected herself, she decided to just enjoy the ride. She was not a woman who needed a lot of chatter and since Jethro obviously didn't either they were happy with neither of them talking. When they got to Bethesda Jethro parked and they walked toward the entrance.
"I'll wait while you get your pass and then I'll take you down and introduce you to the guys."
"You don't have to do that Jethro. Don't you have to be at work?"
"They'll call if they need me. Besides, you really shouldn't meet these guys alone the first time."
Lauren thought she detected just a hint of conspiracy in his voice and she wondered what she'd gotten herself into. I'll find out soon enough she thought as they made their way to the elevators and down to the meeting room where the interviews had been arranged. Jethro pushed open the door and ushered Lauren into a large room where she was greeted by six Marines in various stages of physical trauma. It took her just a moment to get her bearings and while she was doing that the Marines greeted Jethro enthusiastically.
"Oooh Gunny, where did you find this lady and what in the world is she doing with the likes of you?"
"Hey, Gunny good to see you."
"You can go now Gunny, we got this covered."
Jethro took the ribbing in stride and greeted each of the young men with a handshake or a hug. "Alright you guys. This is Lauren Fuller, the writer I told you about."
Each of the Marines greeted Lauren and introduced themselves. There were the most polite young men Lauren had ever met. She began to relax and decided this was going to be a very good idea after all. When the introductions were complete Jethro said, "I gotta go back to work. You guys better treat Lauren right or I'll be back and take you all out you hear me?' The Marines laughed and Lauren knew she was in good hands.
"Call me when you're finished today and I'll come rescue, er, I mean pick you up."
"Okay, thanks, I'll see you later." She thought about saying she could get a cab but something in Jethro's tone of voice let her know that wasn't an option.
At 4:30 Gibbs' phone rang and the next thing the team knew he was leaving and telling them they could go home. In the elevator, Ziva and Tony agreed something was going on and it was a good thing because their boss was in a good mood and they were leaving early.
"I just hope she's not a redhead" Tony sighed.
Jethro pulled up to the hospital and saw Lauren waiting outside with the Marines. They were laughing and it was obvious the meeting had been a success. They liked her which meant they would be more likely to trust her and tell her their stories honestly and fully. At least that was Jethro's experience and what he hoped would happen. As he watched Lauren interact with these young men each missing at least one limb, he realized he had been right to trust her. He felt himself barely able to hear that little voice that tried to tell him to be careful. It was being taken over by a voice that said trust your instincts, let yourself be happy.
Lauren saw Jethro drive up so she said her goodbyes and met Jethro at the car. As she got into the car Jethro said, "Looks like you and guys got along pretty well. Everything go okay?"
"Oh my god, Jethro, they are wonderful. We got along very well and I love them already. Even if I didn't write about them I'm so glad you introduced me to them. Aside
from the obvious reasons they're here they are just great guys. Funny and smart and so committed to each other; and very fond of you I might add. I had a great day!"
Jethro looked at her all flushed with excitement and he knew he was a goner. It was just a matter of time he told himself before he would be lost in this woman. He promised himself right then he would take it slowly and enjoy the trip but he knew in his heart where he hoped the journey would end. Now he just had to make sure Lauren wanted to come along.
"Sounds like I better hire a chaperone for you" Jethro said with a laugh. "I'm glad it worked out so well. Are you hungry? I thought we might grab an early dinner."
"Yes, I am hungry now that you mention it. Dinner would be nice."
Jethro drive to a small cafe he liked On the way he asked Lauren to tell him about her meeting and she was more than happy to do so. She told him about her ideas for the story and how helpful and enthused the Marines were about it.
"Do you think you will have any trouble finding someone interested in publishing your articles or story or whatever?"
"Funny you should ask that because you know I haven't really even thought about it. I'm not sure what exactly I'm going to do with this. The guys and I are going to talk about it more tomorrow. I'm thinking there might be more here than just a magazine article. I don't know yet. A lot if it depends on what the men want to do. And what their families are comfortable with. We'll jut see how it plays out. No matter what happens, I'm glad I met them."
They arrived at the café where the owner greeted Jethro by name and seated them at a quiet table in the back. "I eat here a lot, " Jethro explained as they looked over the menu. He let Lauren order first then told the waitress he would have his usual which the young lady seemed to know before he spoke. "Maybe I eat here too often" he said with a laugh.
Lauren looked across the table at Jethro and marveled again at how comfortable she was with him. She was finding this man more and more attractive every time she was with him. Lauren being a hand holder and hugger by nature was having a hard time keeping her hands to herself and she finally decided to stop fighting it. She reached across the table and took Jethro's hand and asked, "So how was your day? Catch any bad guys?" She didn't let go of his hand and was pleased that he didn't seem to mind. In fact he started rubbing his thumb back and forth on the back of her had which she found very distracting in a pleasant sort of way.
"As a matter of fact we did catch some bad guys yesterday but so far today has been quiet. I just have some paperwork to finish up tonight. I'm really glad you had such a good day." This last part was said so softly that Lauren almost didn't hear it. Jethro was finding it harder to concentrate the longer he held her hand and looked into her so, so blue eyes. Just breathing normally was becoming a challenge.
Luckily the waitress arrived with their food. Lauren reluctantly took her hand back so she could eat even though that seemed like such an unimportant thing to do right now. They ate in a companionable silence, Jethro paid the bill and they went out to the car. The atmosphere in the car on the way to the marina was so charged that sparks were almost flying. When he parked the car neither of them made a move to get out right away. They just sat there like two teenagers who didn't know how to end their date.
Finally, Lauren looked over at Jethro and said, "Okay, uhmm, thanks for the ride and dinner and just what the hell is going on with us Jethro?"
Jethro turned to her smiling and replied, "You're welcome and I don't know for sure. What do you think is going on?"
"All I know is I am very attracted to you Jethro and I am having a very hard time keeping my hands to myself. We barely know each other and yet I feel completely at ease when I'm with you. I find myself thinking about you a lot and when I'm with you I have trouble thinking about anything else. I was perfectly content with my life until you came along." When she said that last part she gave Jethro a light punch on the arm.
Jethro laughed, caught her wrist and pulled her to him. With his mouth barely touching her left ear Jethro whispered, "I couldn't have said it better myself. And by the way, you are not required to keep your hands to yourself." Jethro then kissed his way lightly down her jaw until he finally captured her mouth in a needy, passionate kiss. Lauren responded by running her hand up the back of his neck into his hair to hold him against her mouth. When he ran his tongue over her lips she quickly granted him entrance and he deepened the kiss. Only when they couldn't go without air any longer did they back off just enough to catch their breath.
"Lauren, I…"
"Wait Jethro, before you say anything could we just try that again?"
"Sure." Jethro gladly took possession of her mouth as she moved as close to him as the console would allow. Jethro tangled his hands in her hair and pulled her into the kiss as their tongues danced together. Again, only the need for oxygen caused them to break off the kiss.
This time they sat and looked at each other for a long moment before Jethro spoke. "What I was going to say before I was so nicely interrupted was that I am very interested in your Lauren but I need to take this slowly. Your are not a person I can take lightly and the last thing I want to do is hurt you or myself for that matter."
Lauren brushed her fingertips over Jethro's mouth before kissing him so softly he barely felt it. Then, holding his left hand in both of hers she said, "I appreciate you not taking me or us lightly, Jethro. I certainly don't want to be hurt but I also don't ever want to hurt you. Why don't we just take it slowly and see where we go. I'm going to be pretty busy for the next few weeks at least with interviews and all that for the article. And you're busy with your work as well. I want to continue to see you when we can manage it of course. There's no rush is there? We can take our time and get to know each other before we get too carried away. Fair enough?"
"Just as long as you promise to go sailing with me this weekend."
"I can't think of anything I'd rather do. Now, I need to get busy organizing my notes and you have paperwork waiting for you. I'm taking a cab in the morning but if you can pick me up about 5:00 I'll fix you dinner."
"I'll be there." Jethro started to open his door but Lauren's hand on his arm stopped him.
"Don't get out. I'll be fine." She leaned in and gave him a quick kiss and then she was out of the car and on her way to her boat. At the gate she turned and waved at him smiling.
Jethro went back to the office and did paperwork for a couple of hours before he finally went home. He felt good about his life for the first time in along time. He was determined not to get ahead of himself where Lauren was concerned. On the other hand, he knew from bitter experience that life had its own timetable. There were no guaranteed tomorrows so he was not going to let too much time pass before he made a decision one way or another about Lauren.
The next day Jethro picked Lauren up at the hospital and they went to her boat for dinner. While Lauren started fixing dinner, Jethro walked down to check on the Kelly. Finding everything in order he returned to Lauren's as she was setting the table.
"Can I help with anything?" Jethro asked as he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Yes as a matter of fact you can", Lauren turned to face him and continued, "you can kiss me, that would be very helpful."
"My pleasure." Jethro brushed some loose hair back and with his hands framing her face he began a slow, tender kiss that seemed to melt Lauren from the inside out. Lauren wrapped her arms around him and held on for dear life as he slowly deepened the kiss until they were both moaning with pleasure.
Lauren finally had to pull back. Laughing she teased, "That was extremely helpful Jethro, but if we don't stop dinner will be ruined."
"Are you really hungry?" Jethro asked has Lauren gently pushed him away.
"Yes, and we're taking things slowly remember?"
"Oh yeah I seem to remember something like that."
"You better, it was your idea. Now let's eat."
After dinner they sat on the deck holding hands, kissing and talking about their day. Naturally Lauren did most of the talking and Jethro did most of the kissing.
Summoning his courage, Jethro asked very quietly, "How long do you think you'll be here Lauren?" He had been remembering that when they first met she had said she'd be there for a few weeks. Well, three weeks were gone and he was realizing she could be leaving any time.
"Oh my gosh, I forgot to tell you my sister called today. I was so busy telling you about the interviews I forgot. Their business situation is going to take some time to deal with so they have postponed coming for the boat indefinitely. They arranged wit the marina for a month to month lease on the slip but they probably won't come until late fall at least. She asked if I wanted to stay here to keep an eye on things and of course I said yes. So, the answer to your question Jethro is I'll be here indefinitely but at least a couple more months."
Jethro grinned with relief. "That is very good news. I'm sorry for their trouble but very glad you're staying. Just then Jethro's phone rang. Flipping it open he growled, "Yeah, Gibbs."
"Hey sorry to bother you boss but we've got a dead Marine at Quantico."
"Alright, I'll meet you there. Get Ducky." Turning back to Lauren, he said, "I'm sorry I've gotta go to work. Do you need a ride tomorrow?"
"No, I've rented a car since I'm going to be here a while."
"Okay, well I'll see you Saturday at least right?"
"Yes, sailing on Saturday. Now go Jethro. I'll see you."
Jethro took time for one more kiss and then he was gone.
The rest of the week was all work and no pleasure for Gibbs and his team. The case was messy and complicated and took its toll on each of them. By late Friday night Gibbs felt like they had it pretty much cleared so he sent everyone home for the weekend. By the time he got home it was much too late to call Lauren so he had a stiff drink and fell into bed hoping she would still want to go sailing with him in the morning. Just before three days of non-stop work and very little sleep claimed him, Jethro realized he had not called Lauren all week. He would definitely have to talk to her about what happens when he's on a case. His last conscious thought was, "I hope she's more understanding than my ex-wives."
TBC