Chapter 4

Jenny was in her fifth outfit of the evening, she'd tried on dresses and skirts, but she just didn't feel comfortable so she settled for a simple pair of black jeans, dark green jumper and a signature pair of black stilettos.

She huffed and swept her red hair out of her face, it had been months since she'd last been on a date and almost two years since she'd ended her last 'serious' relationship, she liked Jethro a lot and didn't want this to just be a onetime date or two dates, she barely knew him, yet she just wanted more.

The grandfather clock chimed from the entryway below her bedroom telling her that it was seven, which meant Jethro would be there any minute, she turned to her mirror to check her make-up and decided that her hair looked fine naturally resting around her shoulders, either way she didn't have time to do anything with it.

Her phone then began to ring from its place in her b ag on her bed, she dug around and quickly found it "Shepard" she answered without looking at the caller I.D.

"Hi Jen, it's Jethro" came his familiar masculine voice.

"Oh Hi, everything okay?" she asked him, her heart sinking at the thought of him cancelling, even more at the thought that something was wrong with him.

"Yeah, I'm outside" he explained.

Jenny let out a small smile of relief before looking out of her bedroom window, down beside the pavement, Gibbs leant casually against the bonnet of his dodge charger, his phone in one hand and with the other he casually waved at her and gave her a cheeky grin.

The redhead couldn't help but return the smile "I'll be down in a moment" she almost told him seductively before walking away from the window and grabbing her jacket off of the back of her chair and grabbing her bag.

Moments later she walked out of the front door, onto the dark street before carefully crossing the road to be beside Gibbs "You look beautiful" complemented her, taking in the image of her out of the white apron and in a comfortable pair of black jeans, a jumper that brought out the green in her eyes, the high heels that made her slim legs go on and on, but her hair was the icing on the cake, it was like flames rolled down her back and made her look more beautiful than ever.

"You don't look so bad yourself" Jenny said as her eyes roamed over Gibbs, in his grey jacket and trousers, red t-shirt with the top of his white polo shirt showing around the neck. "Should we go?" she asked him with just the right amount of sass before she climbed into his car, not giving him the opportunity to open the door for her.

Gibbs chuckled to himself, he liked women who were independent, who could boss him around, she was definitely his type of girl.

…..

Hours later, their date was coming to a close, two tumblers of bourbon and two orders of steak au poive with asparagus later and the couple were talking, laughing, very much relaxed in each other's company.

"Okay so you were a marine sniper and wound up at NCIS?" Jenny clarified what Gibbs had told her about himself.

"Semper-Fi" Gibbs growled before reaching out to the down the rest of the bourbon in his glass.

Jenny smiled at his words, he looked like a marine and it wasn't just the hair cut, it was his demeanour, how he walked, talked but then there was something else about him, like a pain in his eyes, something dark eating his soul.

"Why did you join NCIS?" She asked him after a moment.

"It's personal" was Gibbs' only reply, Jenny noticed the pain creep up again, this time his defences, she decided not to push, she herself had her own ghosts that she wasn't ready to tell, maybe if things went good, somewhere down the road but not now, not here, so the redhead just nodded as their waitress came over with the bill.

After a silent stare down over who would pay, one that Gibbs won saying "I'll let you pay next time" as they approached her front door half an hour after leaving the restaurant.

And she replied as she tried to unlock her front door, "Who say's we're going to have a second date?"

"Gut feeling" Gibbs whispered in to her ear sending a shiver down her spine and her heart swell with how much they were so in sync, already thinking of going on a second date.

"Mmm" Jenny nodded after a moment as she leant against her front door "You'll have to ask me out on another date then" she shrugged her shoulders.

Gibbs chuckled at her "Maybe I will" he replied cheekily.

"I would ask if you'd like to come in for coffee but we both have work tomorrow" Jenny sighed as she brushed off some none existent dirt off of Gibbs' shoulder.

His blue eyes met her green for just a moment, both of their heart rates increased as they unconsciously took steps towards one another, their lips met in an almost awkward first kiss but they soon became comfortable with each other, Gibbs hands went to her waist while her hands gripped at his t-shirt because she needed to cling to him somehow.

After a couple of moments both parted, panting for breath but had bright smiles on their face, Gibbs rested his forehead against hers, their eyes still looking deep into each other's, both seeing the lust and desire they had for them.

"I should go" Gibbs told her, Jenny didn't answer she just nodded, letting him kiss her lazily on the lips before walking away.

He barely got an arm's length away before Jenny pulled him back "Are you coming for coffee tomorrow?" she asked him after a moment.

"Semper-fi" Gibbs growled at the redhead making her roll her eyes before she let go of his muscular arm and watched him disappear into the night.

….

The next morning Jenny was in the coffee shop, just like she always was, only today everything seemed brighter, the sun seemed to be out, everyone seemed happy, Jenny had a noticeable spring in her step.

Sal came in like he did every morning as he approached the counter Jenny knew exactly what he was going to say to her, he did every morning. "You changed your mind about me taking you out?" he asked, hope filling his veins.

"Nope" Jenny told him as she scrubbed the counter in front of her.

"I've got tickets to the big football game on Sunday" Sal grinned at the redhead, wiggling his eyebrows as he showed her the tickets in his hand.

The redhead finally looked at him, "I'm sorry Sal, I'm seeing someone" she admitted.

"Let me know when you're done with him" Sal muttered under his breath.

"Will do but what can I get you in the mean time?" Jenny asked him.

Sal sighed "Usual black coffee and a piece of Apple pie if you've got it" he ordered then noticed Cynthia coming over to Jenny " Cynthia, you wanna come to the game with me on Sunday?" he asked.

Cynthia smiled but shook her head "Not this time Sal sorry" she said before handing the greasy haired man his order of coffee and pie that he had every morning.

Once the man had walked away to his usual seat Cynthia turned to her best friend "So you're seeing someone?" she asked, her hands on her hips, upset her friend hadn't told her.

Jenny blushed slightly "Yes I am" she nodded slowly.

"So who is he?" Cynthia almost demanded to know.

"Just a guy that I met" the redhead said vaguely as she continued to wash counters and cups that were in the sink.

"Does he have a name?" the dark haired women asked.

"Yes"

"Will you tell me what it is?" Cynthia almost whined.

"Maybe one day I will" Jenny grinned evilly at the women before turning around to serve customers.

Half an hour later and Jenny saw Gibbs walking down the road, on the way to the coffee shop, She smiled and began to get slightly excited about seeing him, but then she noticed the look of annoyance on his face then there was a blond women who was practically running after him.

Her heart sunk, had he been leader her on? Did he have a girlfriend already? Was it all just lies after lies? She began to fill sick and had to grip the counter to keep her standing.

The bell above the door rung and she heard two sets of footprints that stopped in front of the counter. Jenny took a deep breath then looked up and found Gibbs was looking at the floor while the blond women was glaring at the redhead.

"Hi, what can I get you?" she asked trying to sound as cheerful as possible.

"I'll have a caramel macchiato" the blond gave Jenny a sickly sweet smile.

"Coming up" Jenny told her before turning to Gibbs "You're usual Jamaican blend Jethro?" she almost spoke through gritted teeth.

"Uh huh" Gibbs nodded, finally finding the courage to look at Jenny.

"I'll get us a table" The tall blond walked passed Gibbs touching his shoulder lightly.

Once she was out of earshot Gibbs turned to the redhead "It's not what you think" he assured her but Jenny didn't reply "I'm working a case with her, nothing more I swear" he added.

Jenny looked up from the drink she was making "It's fine" Jenny told him with a smile then shrugged her shoulders "I mean dinner was fun and I had a great time but you don't have to….." Jenny began to ramble but Gibbs cut her off by kissing her.

The redhead was too shocked that he'd kissed her in the middle of the packed coffee shop to return the kiss "Are you free tomorrow?" Gibbs asked her.

She was still too shocked to talk, so Cynthia came up next to Jenny and answered for her "her shift ends at five" Cynthia told Gibbs.

"I'll meet you here at five then" Gibbs nodded before taking the drinks that Cynthia offered him over to where the blond, coronel Hollis Mann sat waiting.

"Do you go around kissing all the girls in coffee shops?" she asked him.

Gibbs shook his head "Nope, just that one" he said as he looked at Jenny who wore the same stupid grin as he did.