A/N: This comes with a =) for molly2012 as it contains one of her favorite parts of the story and a special HAPPY BIRTHDAY shout-out to JPNCIS. Thanks so much for your faithful R&R. :o)
Work kept them late the following Friday, too late to make the hour-long drive to the cabin after an exhausting week. However, they had Monday off in observance of the Christmas holiday, so they still had extra time to spend there. When Gibbs swung by Ziva's place early on Saturday morning, she hopped into his truck with an extra bounce to her step and announced they had to make a stop on their way out of town.
When he just raised an eyebrow at her command, she blushed a little and added, "Please."
He just smiled that smile of his and followed her directions. They pulled up in front of a small shop not far from her apartment and climbed out of the truck. As they entered, bells jingled pleasantly overhead and an elderly man stepped out from behind the counter.
"Shalom, Ziva. I see you have come for your –"
"Package," Ziva broke in before he could say more, wanting it to be a surprise. "Yes, we have, Mr. Markowitz. Thank you for letting me keep it here this week."
"No problem, my dear. And who is your friend?" The shopkeeper eyed Gibbs from behind round spectacles with a gaze that was at once shrewd and friendly.
Before Ziva could speak, Gibbs held out a hand. "Jethro Gibbs."
"Nice to meet you, Jethro Gibbs," the other man said with a firm handshake. "Alan Markowitz."
Gibbs nodded in greeting and looked around the shop. It appeared to have a hodgepodge of items, yet managed to be inviting and intriguing.
Murmuring that he'd just get his nephew Matthew to help bring out her purchase, Mr. Markowitz disappeared into the back.
Gibbs looked at Ziva curiously, trying to stare her into giving up her secret, but it didn't work. He was shaking his head at her with a twitch of his lips when a young man came wheeling out a cart holding a long, cylindrical package wrapped in dark heavy plastic. He pushed it outside so Gibbs and Ziva could load it into the back of the truck. They secured it with bungee cords that Jethro kept in the vehicle and Matthew produced a red plastic flag that he pinned to the end of the item where it stuck out over the top of the tailgate.
After they thanked the man for his help, Gibbs and Ziva continued their journey to the cabin. His best guess was that a rug or carpet of some kind was under that plastic, but Ziva refused to divulge any information.
He did, however, get her to open up about stumbling across the shop her first weekend in the States while out for a walk getting the lay of the land of her new neighborhood, and making a friend in Mr. Markowitz. They had initially connected over their common Jewish heritage, though their histories were very different. Mr. Markowitz's family had emigrated from Hungary to the United States in 1938 when he was just two years old. Even though he had never traveled to the country of Ziva's birth, they each still felt like a welcome connection to Israel for the other. And, Ziva admitted to Gibbs, it was nice to have someone with whom to speak Hebrew.
He smiled to himself at the easy way she had with some people, collecting them into her circle, while with others she was as well-protected as a "porcuswine" - as she'd referred to Tony, once upon a mixed-up idiom.
After arriving and taking their overnight bags into the dwelling they'd built together, they unloaded the heavy, bulky package. Ziva led the way and guided them into laying it on the floor of the cabin near the fireplace.
"Go ahead – open it," Ziva said at last, almost bouncing from nerves and excitement.
Gibbs pulled out his knife and sliced open the plastic. Once he'd done that, he pulled the protective covering away to reveal the thickest, softest, fluffiest rug he'd ever felt.
Ziva watched him nervously, before blurting out, "Merry Christmas."
Jethro paused and looked up at her. Today was Christmas Eve, but it had been just another day to him for so long that he hadn't even really thought about it.
And he sure hadn't gotten her anything.
Even though he was pretty sure Hanukkah began tomorrow. Or the next day. Or something like that.
"Didn't realize we were exchanging presents, Ziver."
"We are not," she informed him. He looked up at her with his brows raised. "I am giving you one."
He looked at her.
"If you prefer, you can think of it as a gift for the cabin," she pointed out, hoping he didn't think she'd overstepped her place or hate what she'd chosen.
He looked at her for a second longer, then gave her a full smile that had her heart singing.
"Well – aren't ya gonna help me roll it out?" he asked.
With a happy grin she did just that, unable to stop her hands from running through the light beige softness that resembled faux fur, but did not bring to mind an animal.
He passed his own hand over it, enjoying the feel – and it was all he could do not to tumble down onto her when she stretched out on it with a happy sigh and closed her eyes.
"I saw this in Mr. Markowitz's shop and I knew it would be perfect right here," she breathed out. Then she turned her head and looked at him. "Yes?"
It looked perfect, all right – especially with her on top of it … though his mind stripped her naked in a heartbeat.
And then it looked even more perfect.
He forced a swallow.
"Perfect," he echoed huskily in agreement.
She beamed.
"I am glad you like it."
They threw away the plastic and set about doing some of the work they had planned for this weekend. Late afternoon, they decided to run to the market in the nearest town to pick up steaks and potatoes to fix in the fireplace. The grocery was more like a General Store and was the place they frequented when they needed to buy something when they were up here.
Elmer and Betsy Daniels ran the store and greeted Ziva and Gibbs by name and with pleasure. After a little small talk, the agents made their way around the store picking up what they needed. As they neared the door after checking out, the Daniels' grandson popped up from behind a large barrel that held dill pickles.
It was a good thing Ziva had seen him squirrel away back there while they were shopping, or she might have tackled him to the ground in surprise.
"Hello, Benjamin," Ziva offered with a friendly smile. "And what are you up to?"
Both Gibbs and Ziva enjoyed chatting with the bright, mischievous boy who was being raised by his grandparents.
"Collecting tolls," he announced authoritatively.
"Tolls? What kind of tolls?" Ziva asked, playing along.
"The kind that will make the door open so you can get out," he informed them.
Ziva raised both eyebrows and risked a glance at her companion who was trying not to chuckle out loud.
"And how much is this toll?" Ziva inquired with good-natured suspicion.
"Well," Benjamin drawled. "You have a choice."
The devilish glee in his eyes told Ziva she might not like either choice, but she continued to play along.
"All right – out with it. What is the cost?"
"Five bucks … or you kiss under this." All but cackling, Benjamin pointed a walking stick toward the ceiling where a sprig of mistletoe hung right over their heads.
Ziva's eyes froze on the greenery as her mind's eye played out the fantasy of kissing Jethro right here and now as she'd dreamed of doing too many times to count. Gibbs glanced up, then down at the boy.
"You drive a hard bargain, son," he told him.
"I know," Benjamin said, grinning.
Ziva started to fumble in her pocket for some money while trying unsuccessfully to wrench her mind off the idea of kissing Gibbs and ignoring the fact that she could feel him staring at her thoughtfully.
"Ziver," Gibbs said softly, putting just enough command in it to freeze her hand and lift her head.
"Yes, Gibbs?" she whispered.
"Save your money. I got this."
Holding her gaze, he slowly bent his head toward hers, giving her plenty of time to back away if she wanted.
She didn't.
He lightly brushed his lips over hers, then made a second pass that was a soft press of his mouth against hers. She caught his lips and returned the kiss, not daring to breathe for fear that she'd wake up and find she was dreaming.
Slowly, Gibbs lifted his head and when Ziva finally opened her eyes, she found him smiling at her.
"Okay, you paid your toll. You can go through now," Benjamin announced, slightly dejected that he hadn't made five dollars.
So far, all the regular customers had paid up because they knew the boy was carrying out every money-making scheme he could think of to save enough for a new bike – though he assumed they handed over the money because kissing was just … ewwww.
The sound of his voice brought them out of their trance.
With a distracted smile for the boy, the couple exited the store.
Suddenly, Ziva put down her packages and pushed Gibbs up against the building and captured his mouth in a hot, fierce, territorial kiss that threatened to knock his socks off. After a moment of being frozen in surprise, Jethro let go of his own packages and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her back just as passionately. It was like a dam had burst and for a few wild, wonderful moments, they were swept away from all the reasons that made this complicated.
When they finally came up for air, Ziva slid her hands down to his chest from where they'd somehow ended up wrapped around his neck.
"Stay right there," she ordered him in a breathy command.
He gave a slight nod, barely able to stand on his own two feet let alone contemplate doing something other than what she'd directed.
Ziva slipped back into the store and called for Benjamin. When he appeared, she pulled a five dollar bill from her pocket and squatted down in front of him. She handed it to him with a wink.
"But you paid your toll," he pointed out honestly, gripping the money like he was afraid she'd take it back.
"Yes, but I believe in this case we still owe you," she said with a twinkle in her eye.
Benjamin just looked confused, but his grandmother looked on from the counter with a knowing gleam in her own eyes.
Ziva tapped the young man on the nose and stood.
"Wait!" he requested before she could leave.
He ran off and came running back with something tucked behind his back.
With that mischievous look on his face that she adored, he announced, "For ten bucks, you can have your own."
And he held out another sprig of mistletoe.
Ziva threw back her head and laughed delightedly.
"I like the way you think," she told him. "It is a deal."
After they exchanged money for greenery, Ziva impulsively hugged the young man and stepped back out onto the porch of the store to find Jethro exactly where she'd left him.
Tucking her purchase unobtrusively into her coat pocket, she stepped tantalizingly close and brushed her nose across his cheek, thrilled with the way he struggled to swallow.
"You have been a very good listener," she purred. "I believe you deserve a reward."
"Yeah?" he managed. "What kind?"
Ziva stretched up on tip-toe and scraped her teeth along his lower lip.
"That is for me to know and you to find out," she informed him seductively.
With a wink she picked up her packages and led them to his truck.
He'd never driven faster up the mountain lane that led to his cabin.
TBC ... ;)