Author's Notes: We did it! With this story, we have reached 500 stories listed under JJ/Hotch! Congratulations to all of the writers, reviewers, and readers that have made this happen! Thanks to Meeja for pointing out that we were at 499 and encouraging me to make it 500!
Special thanks toKricket Williams for the prompts of "Long lines, someone with a tickle in their throat that is annoying everyone, and an unexpected kiss." I threw in a little Morgan/Garcia for you!
MY FAVORITE WAY TO SHOP
"How did you rope me into this?" Hotch grumbled, glancing at the never-ending line in front of them.
"Because I batted my pretty eyelashes and you were powerless against my womanly wiles," JJ replied, smiling widely at him. She looked quickly away when he froze, afraid that she had gone too far with her flirting. "Um, because I promised to wrap all of Jack's gifts for you if you went shopping with me."
Hotch swallowed hard, trying to find the voice he lost when JJ's teasing hit a little too close to home. When she flashed those beautiful baby blues, he would give her the world. He swept his hand at the line. "So, all of this is for a video game?"
JJ nodded. "Not just a video game; the coolest, most awesomest video game in the entire world!"
"'Coolest, most awesomest video game'?"
"That's a direct quote from Henry," she replied, thinking about how excited the seven-year-old would be on Christmas morning to receive it. "I've been on this waiting list for over four months."
Hotch frowned. "Really? I didn't think it would be that hard to get. I mean, it's just a video game."
JJ patted his cheek. "Aren't you just precious?"
"JJ, you don't understand," Hotch continued. "Jack-"
"-really wants the video game, too," she finished. Hotch nodded. "And you haven't picked it up anywhere." Again, he nodded, worry lines forming on forehead. "I had a feeling that would happen so I put down an order for two."
Hotch breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you. I don't know what I'd do without you." He panicked when she blushed and looked away from him. "I mean, Jack would just be so disappointed opening the clothes that I got him."
JJ put her hand on his arm. "It's my pleasure, Hotch, really." Her eyes widened as his head slowly lowered to hers. He pulled away suddenly when the man behind him cleared his throat. JJ bit back a sigh of disappointment. "I really wish I had a cough drop to give him. He's been doing that for the last hour."
"Has he?" Hotch replied, innocently, even though it had been getting on his nerves as well. He turned forward when the line moved several feet.
"You don't fool me, Aaron Hotchner," JJ whispered in his ear, causing him to jump, "I saw you flinched every time he did that strangled cough."
Hotch felt a blush creep up his neck as her vanilla scent enveloped his senses. "Look, we almost to the front of the line."
JJ forced her eyes away from him. "So, we are. Do you want to hit the bike store on Fifth next? I'm sure you haven't gotten that bike that Jack wanted yet either."
"I... haven't," he admitted. "How did you know that?"
"I know you," JJ replied, simply. She cringed when the man behind them loudly grunted from his throat. "I swear, if he doesn't stop that..."
"Aren't you suppose to be the chipper one?" Hotch asked.
She raised an eyebrow. "Me? Chipper? That's Garcia's job."
Hotch made a noise of agreement. "She's been really chipper lately. Any idea why that is?"
"Because her and Morgan have been boinking like rabbits lately."
"What?!" Hotch shouted, drawing the stares of those around them, including the man with the tickle in his throat, who shoot them a disapproving look.
JJ glared back at him. "Really? After-"
Hotch grabbed her shoulders to bring her attention to him. "I guess that explains Morgan's good mood, too. I'm going to pretend I don't know anything and live in my blissful world."
"Lucky you," JJ mumbled. "I have to hear every detail about their sex life. It's torture, especially since I'm not getting any."
"JJ!" Hotch admonished when the stares returned.
She shrugged. Her eyes glistened as she found a way to distress both Hotch and the guy behind them. "Well, I'm not. Are you?"
Hotch paled. "I don't really think I should be talking about this with you."
"Why not? We're friends." She grinned. "Lately, I think you're my best friend. Do you know that we've spent almost every weekend together for the last ten months or so?"
"I didn't." His heart sank when he thought about the implications of that. "I didn't mean to crimp your style, Jayge. If you need us to spend less time at your place so that you can have a social life, we'll understand."
JJ frowned. "That's not what I'm saying at all. I like having you and Jack over. Henry and I spend just as much time at your place as you do at mine. And in case you haven't noticed, I'm at your house even when I don't have Henry."
Hotch felt the blood flow back into this heart. "Good. I like spending time with you, too."
"Speaking of spending time together, I was wondering what you guys were doing for Christmas."
"Jessica is spending the holidays in Michigan with her husband's family so it's just Jack and me this year. We're going to Dave's Christmas Eve party, but we're on our own for Christmas Day."
JJ took a deep breath. "Would you like to spend it with Henry and me? Will can't take him until New Year's so it's just the two of us, too. I was thinking we could stay over at your place after Dave's party so that the boys could open gifts together."
Hotch nodded, enthusiastically. "That sounds like a wonderful idea."
"Good. We can work out the details over lunch." She hitched her breath when Hotch drew close to her. She groaned when the man behind them began to cough in earnest causing Hotch to step back. "You have got to be kidding me."
"Relax, JJ," Hotch soothed. "We're almost at the end."
She sighed, having had enough of being interrupted. "No, I have had to listen to-"
Hotch cut her off abruptly by covering her lips with his own. He nipped, sucked, and licked her mouth, leaving her dizzy with desire. He broke the kiss with a heave. "I-"
"We have to move forward," JJ told him, her arms wrapped around his neck.
"Huh?"
She chuckled, jerking her head. "The line. We need to move forward."
Hotch squeezed her waist. "Right." He kept his hands on her as he stepped forward. Hotch kissed her again, ignoring the tuts coming from behind them.
"I have to say, Hotch," JJ played with the hair on the back of his neck when they came up for air. "This is my favorite way to do Christmas shopping."
"Mine, too," he growled, sending tingles down her spine. "I think we should spend the rest of the holiday shopping this way."
"Definitely."
THE END