Dinner at La Scala was perfect. Since it was early, there were few people in the restaurant. Most of them were probably theater goers like Jonathan and Jennifer. The couple seemed to never run out of things to chat about and had fun talking about just about anything, even when they didn't agree.

"Favorite baseball team?"

"Yankees."

"No way. That might be a deal breaker right there. Dodgers all the way."

"Jonathan, I'm from New York, what did you expect?"

"A little better taste in baseball, Darling."

"My team had the better record last season, Darling." All Jonathan could do was look at her and smile. He knew when he was beat.

"Fine, I'll concede last year to you, but we'll see how they finish out this year. Favorite place to visit?"

"Hmmm, some place I haven't been yet. I love London, New York, Italy, and for some strange reason I've developed a recent affinity for Los Angeles, but Greece is on my bucket list." Jonathan lifted her hand off the table and kissed it.

"Greece is one place I haven't visited either. My business takes me many places, but I haven't traveled a great deal for pleasure. I've always figured that traveling is something better when shared with someone you care about." She smiled at the invitation she saw in his eyes and wondered again how she could possibly feel the way she did when she'd known him for less than 24 hours. Jonathan checked his watch to make sure they wouldn't be late, paid the bill, and they headed to the theater.

"Will you tell me what we're seeing?"

"The marquee should give it away shortly." Jonathan rounded the corner, and Jennifer saw the gold background with the large black star and silhouette that could only mean they were seeing Hamilton. She clapped her hands together under her chin and almost squealed, she was so excited.

"I've wanted to see this show since it came out, but it was sold out for so long, and even my press credentials couldn't get me in. Then I got busy with a few stories, and I realized that the show wasn't going anywhere." She looked over at Jonathan and took his hand. "Thank you, this is the perfect evening." He smiled slowly back at her.

"The evening isn't over, but I'm happy you're excited about the show. I was worried that with you living in New York, you might have seen everything on Broadway already."

"Even if I had already seen Hamilton, I wouldn't mind seeing it again. Having your company makes everything about this night that much better, regardless of what we do or see." They'd gotten out of the car and were walking the short block back to the theater. Jonathan had his arm around Jennifer's shoulders and he kissed her temple as they walked. He had no idea how he had ever lived without this woman before, and he still had no clue how he'd fallen so deeply in love with her in such a short amount of time. It made absolutely no sense, and for once he didn't care that he couldn't solve the puzzle.

They found their way inside the theater to their box and for the next three hours, Jonathan enjoyed watching Jennifer's reaction to the show almost more than he enjoyed the show itself. As they drove back to Jonathan's, they talked about their favorite parts and songs. They laughed at the flamboyance of Thomas Jefferson's character and King George's pun filled song.

"I think I may have to find a way to use the line, 'I will send a fully armed battalion to remind you of my love', in my future board meetings. What do you think?" Jennifer's sides hurt from laughing.

"Darling, I think it's perfect. No one will oppose your ideas." Suddenly Jonathan got extremely serious. She felt the atmosphere in the car shift and waited for him to speak. He parked in his spot in the garage and sat for a minute before he turned to her. He took both her hands and brought them to his lips. His eyes mesmerized her, called to her.

"Stay with me tonight." He felt her stiffen. "Not in my bed. You can sleep in the guest room, but stay with me. Please?" He'd never asked a woman to stay with him before. He'd never wanted to, but Jennifer rocked his world in a way he never thought anyone would. Jonathan felt her relax a little so he pressed on. "I have all of these excuses for you, like it's late, or we should have a nightcap, but I'd like you to stay because you're feeling what I am. I just want as much time with you as I can get before you go back to New York." Blue and brown stayed locked, and Jennifer was as lost in him as he was in her. She nodded a little and was surprised to hear agreement in her own voice. The uncertainty and vulnerability she saw in his eyes helped make her decision. She'd made a point of never staying all night with a man. Enjoying his company, yes, but never the commitment of overnight. Even though she wouldn't be sleeping with Jonathan, this definitely felt like a monumental choice.

"I'll stay because I want that time with you too." He kissed her hands one more time before getting out of the car. Jennifer managed to exhale a long, shaky breath before Jonathan got to her side of the car to open the door for her.

When they got to the penthouse, he unlocked the front door and waited for her to walk through before closing it behind him and locking it for the night. Jennifer's journalistic mind likened the sound to the door of her own heart locking, and Jonathan holding the only key. She smiled a little to herself at the way her mind worked in metaphors all the time. Jonathan threw her words from earlier back at her.

"Penny for your thoughts?" She blushed as she realized she'd been caught. She looked up at him sideways.

"Truth?"

"Always." They were moving toward the bar, and she was thankful he was in front of her so she had time to organize her thoughts. She definitely didn't want to tell him she was in love with him. That seemed a little crazy.

"I'm always a little out of my element at the end of a date. I never know quite what to say or do. I guess you caught me thinking that this date didn't have that awkwardness." Jonathan wondered how much he could get her to admit about her feelings regarding him. He knew physically she felt what he felt, and it seemed she cared about him, not just the story she was looking for, but he also knew she would probably think he was bonkers if he told her he was in love with her. He was hoping to find some even footing, but he figured Jennifer Edwards would always keep him on his toes and a little off balance. For once not being in complete control didn't scare him.

"I'm glad you're comfortable and that you enjoyed yourself today." He held a glass up for her with a questioning look.

"Vodka and tonic on the rocks, please." He gave an approving nod.

"Sounds good." He poured two glasses and handed her one. They moved to the couch and sat. Jonathan took Jennifer's feet, removed her shoes, and placed her legs over his. Running his hand up her calf almost made him regret that she was sleeping in the guest room. "Reign it in, Hart, you have more than enough time to explore that aspect of this relationship."

Jennifer could see the battle waging within Jonathan as he moved his eyes from her legs to her face, and she was tremendously flattered by the look in his eyes.

"What should we do tomorrow?"

"Well, you let me plan today, so you get to plan tomorrow. Is there anything you've never done in LA that you'd like to?"

"Why don't we drive up State Route 1 and do a little hiking along the coast? I love the ocean, and I don't get to it often enough." He smiled that smile that would always make her heart beat a little faster.

"That sounds like a great idea. We can make a picnic lunch and spend the day exploring." Jennifer tried to stifle a yawn. "Looks like I should let you get off to bed." He took her glass with his and set them both in the sink in the kitchen, then he returned to the living room and offered her a hand. When they got to the guest room door, she leaned up against the jamb.

"May I borrow something to sleep in? I didn't pack anything except my dress for tonight." Jonathan flashed a wicked smile at her but chose to keep his comment to himself, for the time being. He left her a little flushed and wondering what went through his mind as he walked into his own bedroom across the hall. He came back a minute later with the top half of a light blue, silk pajama set. He stood just inches away from her and held the top out to his side so that she had to reach for it.

"I'll wear the bottoms and you can wear the top." She found that idea ridiculously sexy and felt herself blush at the thought. Jonathan ran his finger over her cheek and put it under her chin to lift her face to his. "You are so beautiful." He just stood there, trapping her between him and the wall, staring into her eyes. "You stopped me from kissing you last night because we hadn't had our date yet. Now that we have, may I kiss you goodnight?" If he didn't kiss her, she thought she might go insane. If he did kiss her, she wondered if she would ever be able to get him out of her mind or her heart. She didn't trust her voice so she just nodded.

Jonathan put a hand on each arm, mindful of her right arm which was bruised from last night's encounter, and pulled her to him. Fireworks exploded for both of them the moment their lips touched, and Jonathan needed her closer. He slid one arm around her waist and the other up around the back of her neck and pulled her as close as he could get her. Jennifer wanted to put her arms around him, but she couldn't think, she couldn't move, she could only feel. Every synapse and nerve ending in her body responded to Jonathan's lips on hers. She heard a moan and realized that it came from her, and just when she thought she might literally melt, Jonathan broke their kiss and laid his forehead on hers. She watched his chest heave in and out and realized that their first kiss had the same effect on him as it did her. He rubbed his thumb across her jaw line and laid a second, sweet kiss on her lips.

"Sleep well, Darling."

"You too." With great reluctance, Jonathan moved away from Jennifer and backed into his room. Slowly he shut the door, knowing that he would get very little sleep. Jennifer backed into her room as well, her whole body still reeling in a way it never had before.