As if this were an everyday occurrence, and not something that sent her inner fan girl into a tailspin, Jayne kissed Sherlock softly before pulling back and blushing a bright tomato-ey red. She could see that he wasn't as unaffected as he tried to be. His pulse was beating in his throat and his eyes were slightly dilated. She stepped back from him, gave him room to decide what he would do next. She wouldn't make him more uncomfortable with her sentiment. She could see that he was still breathing hard, though she wasn't sure if it was from surprise or some other emotion. Her inner fan girl was almost dancing, thinking that she had kissed Sherlock Holmes.
She stepped farther back in surprise when she heard John loudly clearing his throat. "If jewelry's all it would take to get a kiss like that, I'm heading to the shop right now," John laughed, watching the two of them.
"Actually, John, this is a very special piece of jewelry." Jayne explained why it was and John looked at Sherlock in surprise. Very rarely was the consulting detective openly kind. He figured there must be some kind of reasoning behind it, perhaps a trick of some kind, but nothing immediately popped into his head, so he let the matter drop for now. He nodded when Jayne showed him the ring, it was a pretty little piece. Delicate, he thought, it suited her.
John sat down and continued his work while Sherlock sat at one of the kitchen chairs, watching Jayne while she continued working on their supper. He observed how every time she would slice a piece of meat, she would glance down at the ring, it's shine catching her attention. He noticed the small smile she got on her face every time. He noticed that when she did, the sense of sadness left her for a moment. For some reason he didn't want to explore, knowing that something he'd done for her made her that happy made him feel that same strangely exhilarating joy.
Jayne, not realizing she was being thoroughly studied, floured the pieces of beef before placing them into a pan with a few tablespoons of hot oil. She didn't realize she was humming as she prepared the meal, but Sherlock certainly did. She had a surprisingly pleasant presence in the kitchen, he thought. He watched as she turned the meat as it browned, removing it to a plate before sliding sliced mushrooms into the hot skillet. She stirred them for a short while before placing a lid on the pan and pouring a bag of egg noodles into a pot of boiling, salted water.
When the mushrooms were cooked down, Jayne removed the mushrooms to the same bowl as the beef before she stirred in a few tablespoons of flour. She let it brown for a couple of minutes before whisking in beef broth and bringing it to a simmer to thicken. She stirred in sour cream before adding the mushrooms and beef back to the pan and stirring it well. She drained the noodles and returned them to their pot before pouring the beef-sauce mixture over it and tossing the pasta well to coat every noodle. "John! It's ready," she called out.
Sherlock watched as John put away his laptop and walked into the kitchen, taking a place at the table. Smiling, Jayne placed bowls of the stroganoff in front of each of them, along with forks and tall glasses. She filled them with homemade lemonade before setting her own place at the table and sitting down. Sherlock watched her do a mental check that everything was on the table. She realized she'd forgotten something and hopped up quickly to grab a plate with seven slices of bread, the butter and a knife. Placing it on the table, she nodded to herself and sat back down.
"Enjoy, boys," she announced and took up her own fork. Not needing another word, John tucked into his food, little moans of pleasure being more eloquent than words to Jayne in explaining if it was as good as she'd hoped. She watched Sherlock out of the corner of her eye as she took her own first bite. She was pleased that it tasted like her grandmother's, who she'd learned the recipe from. She jumped a little in surprise when John spoke. "That's it, I'm nominating you for sainthood," he said, making Jayne laugh, covering her mouth and giving a deep, full bodied laugh that made Sherlock's insides twist. It was such a joyful sound, and he couldn't resist a small smile flickering over his lips.
John joined the laughter as well before they all settle down to eat. Sherlock took his own first bite. He could see why John was so pleased with it, the meat was tender, the mushrooms flavorful, the sauce was tangy but not overpowering. It was very good. But then he took a drink of the lemonade and he was amazed. The flavor took him back to childhood and one of the cooks who'd made the best lemonade Sherlock had ever tasted, until now. It was sweet, tart and filled with lemon flavor. He didn't realize that a smile had crossed his lips and had stayed there, but Jayne had. He really likes it! Her inner fan girl squealed in delight. I really have to shut her up, Jayne thought, or she's going to make me do something really stupid.
After everyone had finished, John using three pieces of buttered bread to sop up every remaining bit of the sauce in his bowl, Jayne began to clear away the dishes, putting them into the sink as it filled with hot, soapy water. Jayne took her new ring off and placed it on the counter so as not to lose it. She felt, rather than saw, Sherlock leave the room. She wondered briefly what he would be out doing now and was surprised to hear his violin begin playing instead. She smiled as she washed the dishes, and put the leftover stroganoff into individual bowls with lids, placing them in the freezer for when one of the boys wanted it. She saw the pan of chicken and dumplings from the night before and did the same with it, letting the pot soak for a bit in the hot water so it would be easier to wash.
Finally finished when the last pot was clean and drying, Jayne wandered into the living room to find John was gone and Sherlock was still playing. She sat on the couch and put her feet up on the middle cushion and watched and listened. Each sweet, haunting note echoed in the small room. The tall ceilings made for an excellent auditory concert. Though she didn't recognize the tune, it was incredible, she thought. When she looked up, she realized that Sherlock was writing down the notes, he was composing this tune!
When he stopped writing and didn't pick up the violin again, Jayne felt brave enough to ask, "Did John go out?" As if surprised she was sitting there, Sherlock's eyes cleared of the intense concentration he'd held while composing. He looked around the flat and realized John wasn't there. "Yes, it seems so. Ahh, I believe he mentioned something about a date, now that I recall."
Jayne smiled. "Good for John. He needs a girlfriend."
Sherlock just stared at her, making her blush. "I'm going to go take a shower," she decided aloud and smiled at Sherlock as she headed for his bedroom to gather a pair of pajamas and clean underwear before walking into the bathroom. She turned on the water and let it get hot as she took her hair out of the braid, the mass of it falling around her in little waves as it was released. She ran her fingers vigorously through her scalp until it tingled, making her head feel less like it was in a vice. She closed her eyes, humming softly as she let her fingers glide through her thick hair. She opened her eyes and stripped out of her clothes, stepping gingerly under the hot water before sighing in pleasure. The hot steam enveloped her as the spray stung her skin, needle-like.
Un-mindful of Sherlock in the next room, she began to sing while she washed and rinsed her hair twice, and slathered it with conditioner, pinning it on top of her head while she scrubbed her body. The rose and peach scent of the body wash filled the room, as it slowly filled with steam. Finally feeling clean, she rinsed the conditioner out of her hair, squeezed it dry with her hands before stepping out onto the bath mat. She wrapped a towel around herself and another around her hair to keep it from dripping everywhere. She opened a small jar containing a facial moisturizer (yet another lovely surprise that Anthea had tucked into her bag, Jayne had laughed when the included note had said "a few more essentials") and began to slick a thin layer over her face and neck.
That finished, she finished her bath by smoothing a layer of the now-familiar rose-and-peach scented lotion over her body. She slid on a pair of clean underwear and had just dropped her bra (swearing under her breath) when the door burst open and Sherlock stood there, eyes wide and staring at her half-naked body.