Title: Persuasion

Rating: R/NC17

Summary: It took some gentle persuasion, but they both agreed to keep their affair a secret for a little while.

A/N: A rewrite of a very old story, that was lost (I believe. It could be out there somewhere). I also found it on an old USB stick. It was a slightly dirty story, and what can I say... I feel slightly dirty.

Chapter Two

Elizabeth took to watching Jack out of the corner of her eye. She couldn't face him after what she said to him. Words seem to be lost between them, never to be found again. But she would still sneak peeks at him, whether he was helping his men on the deck or simply looking out into the sea.

Jack was working now, his shirt off because it was too hot. His muscles rippled as he, all by himself, grabbed and pulled on a rope. A net came out of the ocean, Jack was catching fish so his crew could eat. He grabbed a knife he had in the belt of his pants, and heaved the net on board. He began cutting the rope off the net.

As other crew members moved forward with barrels to collect the fish flopping around on the deck, Jack stepped back. He wiped the sweat from his brow and looked up, seeing Elizabeth staring at him.

Something about the sight of Jack working made Elizabeth feel- wonderful, but guilty at the same time. She found herself daydreaming about Jack. Jack reaching over and holding her hand, Jack surprising her with flowers, Jack above her... her hands slowly running along those muscles, as he gently kissed her...

Jack furrowed his brow and awkwardly waved at Elizabeth, which made her jump and snap out her rather adult reverie. She blushed so hard and so fast that she felt light-headed. Elizabeth quickly pushed off the railing she was leaning on and went into the first mate's cabin, which Gibbs had loaned to her while she stayed on the ship. It came in handy now, as she was going to use it to hide from Jack.

Sadly, that plan did not work for her. When she walked away so quickly, Jack got curious and went after her. He opened the door almost right after she closed it and walked inside, closing it with a soft click behind him.

Elizabeth was washing her face with a wash cloth, the water from the fabric dripping down the back of her neck.

"Everything alright in here?" He asked.

Shocked to hear his voice, Elizabeth dropped the washcloth on the floor and turned around, slipping on said washcloth and falling painfully to the ground. Jack winced in sympathy and ran over to help her up. Once straightened up, she pulled herself out of his arms and, angry and embarrased, turned away from him with tears in her eyes.

"What are you need, Jack?" She hissed, wiping the tears off her face. Elizabeth pressed a hand to her forehead and turned around. Then she saw him shirtless again. "Why aren't you wearing a shirt?!"

Elizabeth fought the urge to touch him as he moved closer. Suddenly, he grabbed her and gave her a hug. She automatically knew what he was doing- grossing her out by wiping his sweat off on her. Elizabeth screamed and broke free of his grip, but she couldn't help but smile.

"You are disgusting!"

"Ah, but you are such a good towel..." Jack joked and went to go grab Elizabeth again. She ducked away from his hands and rushed to the other side of the room. Jack smiled and chased after her, glad that he made her laugh again. "Fear not, fair maiden! I am only a hard-working man, wearing the sweat of... hard... work." Jack finished lamely, finally grabbing her and pulling her in again.

"You are a disgusting man." Elizabeth smiled and looked into his eyes. That did it.

Jack couldn't hold it in anymore. His lips crashed down onto hers, his arms gently encircling her waist. Elizabeth was shocked for the first few seconds, but melted into his touch, kissing him back. After a few light kisses, their kisses began to deepen, began to feel much more hunger.

Jack ran her hand down her up her back, feeling with satisfaction Elizabeth accepting him. He felt Elizabeth groan against his lips and press herself against him. He was beginning to feel the passion between them grow, he knew it, and being near her was so tempting.

Jack picked her up off the ground, and besides fighting him, Elizabeth wrapped her legs around his waist, holding her in place. He made his way over to her bed, and gently sat her down on it. Elizabeth laid back, allowing Jack to join her on the bed. Elizabeth began planting kisses on Jack's neck, raking her fingernails on his chest, feeling his heat above her.

Jack was giving in to the sensations Elizabeth was making him feel, and then his eyes snapped open. He abruptly pulled away and staggered back, nearly falling off the bed in his haste to end this. Elizabeth opened her mouth to protest, but stopped when she saw the look of shock on Jack's face.

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to make you feel better." Jack stood up and rubbed the back of his neck.

"I do feel better."

Jack took a deep breath and closed his eyes. It occured to him that Elizabeth might be a virgin, and while she seemed mature enough, and very... sexual... it would be a big step for her. And he was not ready for her to take that step. Plus, there was the some guilt he felt for putting her in this situation.

So he reached out, and without saying anything, touched her shoulder. Elizabeth looked up at him and understood. She felt a rush of gratitude.

"It's alright, Jack." She smiled. "I don't blame you for anything."

Jack gave her a smile and made his way to the door, opening it and stepping back out into the bright world.

(J)(E)(J)(E)

Elizabeth finally came out of her room when it was time for dinner. Actually, the crew had already eaten dinner, but Elizabeth always went after they were done, so that she didn't have to endure their gross eating habits and crude jokes. Jack always left a plate for her anyway, because he knew that she would come down.

But tonight, there were two plates rather than one sitting out tonight, and she wondered who it belonged to. Her question was answered when hands appeared next to her, grabbing the plate. Elizabeth didn't need to look up to see who it was, the bejeweled fingers already told her. It was Jack- and he just silently grabbed his plate and walked over to a rickety table, sitting down to begin eating- thankfully, with a fork.

Elizabeth grabbed her plate and sat down across the table from him. Jack and her ate in silence, until Elizabeth couldn't stand it anymore- not only was he not talking to her, he was not looking at her, and that made her mad.

"What's the matter, Jack?" She asked, her voice telling him that she was annoyed.

"Nothing." He said, waving his fork in the air as to dismiss the subject. He still wasn't looking at her, he was intent to have a staring match with his potatoes.

"Then look at me." She said, dropping her fork noisily on the table, folding her hands and placing them underneath her chin.

"I can't." He said simply.

"Why not?"

"Because I am going to kiss you if I do." He answered truthfully, stabbing his potatoes in frustration. "And it is something that can't happen just yet."

She said it very softly, but Jack could still hear her. "What is stopping you?"

Jack got up from his table so fast that it knocked down the chair. Elizabeth stood up and wrapped her arms around Jack's neck immediately, kissing him with the same passion as before. He grabbed her hips, pulling her more close, when she broke the kiss and looked into his eyes.

"How about this- we keep this light? No commitments?" She asked, and wondered why she said that. But Jack nodded his head in agreement.

"Only a sex thing." He breathed out huskily, and grabbed her hand. He pulled her out of the galley and right up the stairs to his cabin.

"This way no one gets hurt." Elizabeth continued, making sure the door was locked. "We can just have this, know it happened, and move on."

"Right." Jack placed his hands on her hips and cocked his head to kiss her. "No guilt. No repercussions."

Elizabeth wrapped her arms around his neck. They meet again, kissing deeply for a few moments. Jack moved on to tease her neck, reaching up to unbutton her blouse. He savored it- with every button gone, another inch of Elizabeth's beautiful body appeared for him. He pulled her blouse away from her body, revealing her breasts. Then he began to kiss them lightly, nipping her, tasting her, making her feel free.

"Captain! You in here?" Gibbs' voice rang out.

Jack and Elizabeth stopped cold. Jack hesitantly picked up his head from Elizabeth's chest, and Elizabeth quickly buttoned up her shirt.

"Right here, Gibbs." Jack made sure everything was back in order before unlocking and opening his door. "What do you need?"

Gibbs went to speak, but noticed that both of them were flushed and both of their lips swollen- but he wouldn't press the matter. It wasn't his place, anyway.

"Sir, do we have a heading?" Gibbs asked, watching Jack and Elizabeth step apart. Elizabeth made her way quickly towards the door.

"Not yet, mate." Jack grabbed the compass and handed it over to his first mate. "Why don't you see if you could take a crack at it? I'll be out in a little while."

Gibbs nodded and walked away. Jack turned back to Elizabeth, both of them feeling uncomfortable.

"Maybe... maybe that was a good thing." Elizabeth said, smoothing down her shirt. "Gibbs interuppting us."

"Yeah... maybe." Then the crushing guilt over what he had just been about to do came over him.

Jack followed Elizabeth back out onto the deck, thinking about William.