Aaron's game had been fun. Jim had gotten into the whole team spirit thing, even razzing the ref occassionally in true Brass fashion. Aaron was a second stringer but did get some decent playing time. The kid was a smart player but not really a talented one. He was one of those playing for the fun of it. In Jim's view, that was the best reason to play. After the game, the kid had joined them for dinner and then headed out for the party afterwards. Jenna was happy that he had spent the time with them. She wanted Aaron to get to know Jim better and vice versa. The boy was a little edgy around him though. Jim suspected something was brewing but he decided to be patient and see if the kid would work himself through it. He could undersatnd that the boy was wondering who this guy was that had suddenly appeared in his mother's life.

After Aaron left the restaurant, Jim looked at Jenna. "So, what would you like to do tonight? And if you say sex, then I'll have to decline. You wore me out this afternoon." He was teasing her but speaking the truth.

"Ohhh, I wore you out? We're going to have to get you in shape." She licked her lips as she continued, " I intend to make the most of your days off." Her hand was rubbing his thigh under the table and her flirting was outrageous.

Jim's eyes were twinkling. He was loving the attention she was laying on him. Usually he didn't like so much attention, but this was different. "Only on my days off?" he quipped. "Becasue I have a lot of vacation built up. I might have to take some and show you what kind of shape I'm in."

She straightened up. "Really Jim? You could do that? Take time off like that, I mean..."

He realized that he'd just trapped himself. Shrugging he answered her. "Well, I'd have to put in for it, but yeah...I have some time I could take. Thing is, I haven't been back all that long and a lot of people had to cover for me. I'd rather not turn around and make them cover for me again so soon."

"But we could plan something...with adequate warning, I mean?"

"I suppose so. What is that devious mind of yours cooking up?"

"I'm not sure yet. But it would be fun to plan something...in the future, of course."

"In the future...yeah, that'd be great. I like thinking of you in my future." He was grinning like an idiot, he knew. But she was worth looking like an idiot for.

After they left the restaurant, they walked down the street toward the parking lot where he'd left his car. A street vendor was selling flowers and he stopped and bought her a rose. He was rewarded with a kiss.

They headed back to the coffee shop where they'd had thier first meeting. He ordered her hot chocolate and he got his coffee. They sat in the same booth. Once again, they chatted about different things, spending over an hour over the beverages. Back on the street, they headed over to an arcade on the corner. He showed her his pinball prowess and she beat him at PacMan. There was an air hockey table and Jim showed her the finer points of the game. She slaughtered him at pool. Laughing at his defeat, he accussed her of being a hustler. "Only thing I want to hustle is you," she shot back.

Back at her house they sat on the couch, watching some crime drama set in Vegas. Jim jeered and ridiculed the mistakes they made until she started laughing at him again. "That bad, is it?"

"Yeah...to many crime shows on TV. Gives the bad guys too many ideas," he growled. She had nestled into him and had her head on his shoulder. They had their feet proped up on her coffee table and were very relaxed, simply enjoying having time together. Just like an old married couple...a happily married old couple... For the first time in a very long time, Jim was truly happy.

He had headed home about midnight. They planned to spend the next day together too. And what a day it turned out to be. She had errands to run and he tagged along. One stop was at the local discount store. They wandered the aisles, looking at the various items. She stopped to try on sunglasses, picking the most ridiculous ones on the racks. One pair had the tag hanging down from the nose piece, covering her nose. She blew air from her mouth making the tag flutter and her blowing her hair up. He started giggling which made her laugh. She searched the rack and found some really huge round glasses for him. Looking in the mirror, he decided he looked like one of Grissom's specimans.

They walked through the toy section. Looking at the game section, the reminisced over the old standards. She spotted a board game about the show they had watched the night before. It was on clearance. "Hey Jim, guess others agree with you about the show. They had to put the game on clearance."

"Good," he said as he looked over her shoulder at the game. She put it back and they wandered to the next aisle. It was the baby toy aisle and he walked up and down setting all the toys off , each making thier own noises. Quickly they rounded the corner to the stuffed animals. He started telling her about the case they'd had with the Plushies and Furries a few years back. She reached in a bin and found a racoon. "Like this?" Her eyes were lit and full of life as she looked at him. He nodded affirmation. The next shelf had dancing hamsters. They stood and giggled over the various themes and songs. The next aisle was for bicycles. He found a horn and did his best Marx Brothers routine.

Tell me, what do you think of the traffic problem?

What do you think of the marriage problem?

What do you think of at night when you go to bed, you beast.

His hand was holding an imaginary cigar. Then he honked the horn like Harpo.

Are you a man or a mouse?
Put a piece of cheese on the floor and you'll find out.

Honk, honk sounded again.

She was laughing at him. "Jim, you do Groucho so well..."

He tossed the horn back on the shelf. Looking at her he continued,

He may look like an idiot and talk like an idiot but don't let that fool you. He really is an idiot. "About you," he added.

Chuckling at him, she gave him an appraising look. "Oh...your lines are getting better, Jim."

"Not so stupid sounding anymore?" He grinned.

"You're sexy when you're cute, you know that?"

Grinning he took her hand. "Come on..." He led her to the aisle with DVDs. They surveyed the selections. 'Hey, this is one of my favorites..." she said as she held one. He looked at the cover. "Which one, Tom Selleck or Ted Danson?"

"Both." Her expression told him that he was about to be seriously teased. "I like tall, rugged men with lots of hair."

He shrugged. "Then you'll want to go with Tom. Ted's is a rug."

"I think I'll stick with my body pillow. He's growing on me."

"Like a fungus, huh?" He looked around to be sure no one else was around and then stole a kiss from her. "Come on, let's blow this joint."

She still needed to go by her bank and had some letters to mail. Then they stopped by the dry cleaners and headed back to her house. They fixed some sub style sandwiches for lunch and then headed outside. She showed him her garden. She used lots of perennials and bulbs with drought tolerant shrubs and trees. Her entire backyard was surrounded by her work. A small grass lawn anchored the visual feast. "How do you keep it watered?" he asked. "I mean, this is Vegas...water is scarce and expensive."

"When I was setting it all up, I had drains and pipes intalled to recycle whatever doesn't get absorbed by the ground. Also, water collects when it rains. There's a small storage tank over behind those shrubs and the water there gets used first. Then the sprinkler system changes to the regular water supply. Also, I use the water conservation techniques...watering at certain times of the day and only for an hour. Stuff like that. It seems to be working. When we had that bad drought a couple of years ago, I had a tanker of non-potable water brought in. That way, we weren't using drinking water." Jim was impressed. His little garden didn't seem like such an accomplishment anymore.

She fixed coffee and brought that with some cookies out to the patio where they sat. It was perfect for afternoon and evening sitting. The sun had moved to the opposite side of the house, giving shade to the area. They were still sitting and chatting when Aaron came in from school.

Thye heard his car and a few minutes later, he poked his head out ot the door. "Hi Arron," Jenna said. "Come join us."

"Ah...okay." He was eyeing Jim, not too happily."I'll just get a soda." He was back in a couple of minutes and settled in one of the chairs. Looking from one adult to the other, he was suspicious. Jim kew what the speculation was about; he didn't like where the kid's mind was going. More, he didn't like the trouble it could be for Jenna.

"Hey, Jenna..." he sadi, turning to her. "I see you have a grill over there. What if I grill some steaks for you guys?"

Smiling she nodded, "Yeah, that'd be great. But we'll have to run to the store."

"I can go...Aaron can go with me and show me where it is. You need anything else? Potatoes or salad or anything?"

"No...I think I can put together the rest of the meal." She was giving him a strange look.

"Okay...well, come on Aaron. Show me where the market is." His tone didn't give the kid a choice.

Aaron stood up and shrugged, following Jim through the house to his car. Jim had spotted a small park a few blocks away and pulled into the parking area. Turning off the ignition, he turned ot Aaron. "Okay kid, what's eating at you? You've been very polite but something's not sitting right with you."

Aaron looked at him sqaurely. Jim had to admire the kid's chops. He didn't lack in self confidence. "Frankly...you bother me."

Jim thought that might be the problem. "Oh...what exactly about me bothers you?" He was trying to keep things calm but they needed to understand one another, for Jenna's sake.

"Look, most men come sniffing around my mother for two reasons; either they are interested in her money or her body...I'm trying to figure out which one is your reason."

Jim's eyebrow lifted as he absorbed the meaning. "First place, I don't think I like the imagery of men 'sniffing around' your mother. Makes her sound like a bitch in heat and that's not who she is. So let's just drop that picture right now. Second ... you don't think a man could be interested in her because of who she is? Because I think she's an amazing woman."

"Yeah...I do think that. But that hasn't been her experience since Dad died. She's gotten hurt several times...a couple of really bad ones. I'm thinking that you're about to screw her over too."

"So, you want to know my intentions? Well...money doesn't impress me anymore. It's nice if you have it but I've got all I need. And yeah, she's an attractive woman, physically. But I am much more attracted by who she is, not what she looks like. Look Aaron, I'm not after a pot of gold or a roll in the hay. I hope that we turn into something special...you know what I mean? But it won't work if you are against it. It would hurt her and I'm not going to let that happen. So...you tell me now, do I just need to bow out or can you get on board?"

Jim knew he was being judged.The kid was scrutinizing him, looking for any sign of deception. Finally his features relaxed. "So Mr. Brass, what kind of steak are we eating?"

Jim smiled. "Hey, the Mr. Brass thing is getting a little stiff...why not just call me Jim?"

He chuckled. "Mom would kill me. She has always insisted that I am proper with adults, unless they are family." Jim got the kid's meaning; he wasn't all the way in yet.

"Okay then...most of the guys at the station call me Brass...you could do that, maybe?"

He nodded, "Sure, we'll try that for awhile."

They drove to the store, bought some choice rib-eyes and headed back. Aaron actually came out and helped Jim with the meat. Jim enjoyed getting to know the kid. Jenna had done a good job raising him. After they ate, Aaron headed to his room to finish his homework while Jim helped Jenna clean the kitchen.

They settled into their customary place on the couch. Instead of TV however, she turned on some music and each was reading. Jim had picked up a sports magazine and she had a book. He was enjoying having her snuggled against him, her book propped on her knees and his arm around her waist.He held the magazine in one hand as the fingers on his other hand gently teased her abdomen.

Aaron wandered in after awhile. He saw what Jim was reading and that started a discussion of sports. Finally Aaron asked, "So you were at my game yesterday?"

"Yeah, it was fun. You did a good job when you were out there."

"Yeah...I'm not that good, but it's fun."

Jim smiled. "Well, that's really the best reason to play. A few lucky ones have real talent and they are playing for different reasons. The ones that get me are the ones with no talent and attitudes like they are the stars of tomorrow."

Aaron laughed. "Yeah, we have a couple of those. But for most of us, it's about doing our best and having fun. Winning is always great. So...you played sports in school, Brass?"

"Hockey," Jim smirked. "It was big back in Jersey when I was a kid. I was second string catcher for the baseball team too, but never was good at it. Hockey was my game." He rememberd how he'd felt like king of the world when he was on the ice.

"So, you still play?"

Jim chuckled. "Now, wouldn't I look cute out on the ice...although I did up til a few years ago. Departmental games and for awhile an adult league. But my crazy hours got in the way, so I had to quit." Aaron nodded quietly. "Hey, maybe we could go to a Wranglers game sometime?"

"Does the invitation include me?" asked Jenna. She had turned slightly and her hand had found a spot on Jim's thigh that was amost obscene. Jim shifted, trying to move away from her slightly, worried about the reaction that her hand was causing.

Both guys looked chagrinned. "Sure, if you think you'd enjoy it..." answered Jim, hesitantly.

A wicked grin burst onto her face. "Someone has to be there to keep you two out of trouble."

Jim assumed a look of mocked innocence. Aaron just smiled. "What, us...trouble?" goaded Jim. "They used to call me Squeaky back in Jersey 'cause I was such a good boy."

The look she shot him sent heat through his bones. He felt his ears reddening and he wanted to kiss her, passionatly. Her expression was mixed humor and lust. He was sure his return expression was dripping with desire. Their exchange wasn't lost on Aaron. "Well, I have more work to do. Good night, guys." He disappeared down the hall.

Jenna turned and was kissing Jim as soon as Aaron disappeared. Her heat ignited a flame within him and he responded to her intensity. Suddenly she had him down on the couch and she was all over him. Whatever resolve he had to behave himself was fading quickly. He tried to think sensibly, "ah...Jenna...Aaron's just down the hall."

Her head popped up, her eyes heavy with desire and her voice sultry. "Oh...yeah...my room?"

Jim straightened up. "Maybe I should go before ..."

"No way..." She was holding him like she would never let go. "You can't leave me like this... in this condition."

His eyes were twinkling. "What condition?" As if he didn't know. She had put him in much the same condition.

"Hot, horny, and soaking wet."

"But Aaron..."

"We'll be quiet..."

He was skeptical. "Ah, yeah...right."

"Jim, are you okay? I mean, the equipment... well, after yesterday I 'd normally think there was no problem, but you seem reluctant today..."

Chuckling, Jim answered her. "I'm okay in that department. But Aaron isn't really comfortable with all of this yet...with me. I don't want to do anything to make it worse."

She contemplated what he was saying. Then her eyes began to sparkle with mischief. "So...if Aaron weren't down the hall?"

Huskily he quipped, "I'd be all over you like syrup on pancakes."

"So...you'll come for breakfast in the morning?"

Stroking her cheek lightly with his fingertips he smiled. "I'll even bring some syrup."

Jim headed home soon after. He wasn't sure he could maintain his self discipline with her so obviously in the mood. Getting to sleep was tough; his mind was spinning and his emotions were not far behind. Things were moving so fast with her, but he felt like it was right. He couldn't remember ever being happier.

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