Only when he was sure that the press weren't interested in his team's presence at a crime scene did Gibbs slip away. He kept his eye on the rear view mirror and, finally convinced that no one was following, he turned his car in the direction of the address Jenny had given him. The roads were still busy, no doubt filled with people heading home for the holidays. As he drove he spared a thought for his team – hoping that they got to where they were supposed to be in time to enjoy themselves.

He left the radio on – for once not irritated by the Christmas music - and let his thoughts travel to the woman. The fact that he could, if he chose, read acres of newsprint about her did nothing to diminish his curiosity. He was experienced enough to know that you could tell a lot about someone by the way they treated those around them and her people clearly adored her – even if she might not be aware of the fact. He smiled at the thought of her interactions with his team – Vance's irritation just an added bonus.

He knew that she had a reputation for being reserved – but there had been a distinct lack of chill in the way she had responded to him in the elevator; though there had been something – shyness perhaps, or surprise. He was so busy thinking about her that he almost missed the turn to the street where she lived. And even when he did make the turn his first thought was that he might still have got lost, but the black SUVs parked further up the street were a giveaway. He'd been expecting something different; something more expensive and though the street of older looking houses was full of character – it wasn't the exclusive neighbourhood or the Georgian townhouse he'd imagined.

He pulled up behind the SUV's and nodded to Melvin as he got out of the car.

"You got away OK?" he asked, seeing no sign of the press here either.

"It was an interesting experience – but the decoy seemed to fool them."

He didn't need to tell Gibbs that they had only brought themselves a few hours – a day at the most. Melvin nodded towards the house, which was set a little further back from the street than its neighbours.

"Will you tell her that Peg made her flight – she was worried she might not have got to the airport in time."

As he climbed the front steps Gibbs took a moment to appreciate the elegant sweep of the porch, which ran along the length of the two-storey house. Towards the back of the house he thought he could spy a couple of chairs – as though someone was used to sitting outside in the evenings. The front door opened for him before he got close enough to knock and he contemplated the woman who he still didn't entirely believe lived here. She smiled and for a moment they watched each other in the doorway.

"You can come in you know," she said.

He looked around as he followed her inside and handed over his coat to be hung up. The interior was all reds and creams and a real fire burnt merrily in the grate of the living room, casting its flickering shadows across a room that included a small Christmas tree. The walls were lined with shelves of books and the furniture looked expensive but comfortable – someone had put a lot of thought into the room and the result was warm and relaxing.

He knew he hadn't hidden his surprise from her when she said, "this isn't what you were expecting," as though she hadn't made a habit of confounding him.

But the error had been his. She'd said she would see him at home, and judging by what he had seen so far there was very little doubt that this was a home.

"My grandfather built this house" she told him, "he was a carpenter – he and my grandmother lived here most of their married life." There was a small black and white photograph of an elderly couple of the mantelpiece and from the way she touched it he knew the couple pictured were her grandparents. "My mother died when I was very young and her parents, the rich side of the family, didn't want much to do with my father, or me. I inherited money from them but not much else; and I spent a lot of my childhood here. It's home."

"Just a small town girl," he said, drawing her to him in front of the fire. "You're going to miss being the junior Senator from Maryland."

"I am" she agreed, resting her head against his shoulder, neither of them saying that she could have turned down the nomination – both of them knowing that really wasn't an option.

"Melvin wanted me to tell you that Peg made to the airport."

"Good – I didn't want to be the reason she missed her family Christmas. Oh – that reminds me, I thought I might have misplaced it when she and I swapped coats but," she stepped away and though he was still standing by the fire he immediately missed her soft warmth. She wasn't gone for long – plucking a small box off the mantlepiece returning with it, "I have something for you."

"You didn't need to…" she shut him up with a soft kiss and pressed the box into his hands.

"I hope you like it." He was quiet and still when he opened the box and she made herself wait for his reaction, knowing that she needed to get used to the fact that he didn't always verbalise what he felt.

The Marine Corps symbol on the lapel pin was small and discrete and when she'd seen it she'd wanted to get it for him. Though by now someone had probably told the press that she'd brought it, giving further opportunity to speculate about her relationship with a certain former gunnery Sergeant.

His eyes were warm as he took it carefully from the box and pinned it to his lapel.

"It looks good," she said, running her hand over his chest and resting it over his heart.

"It does," he agreed.

She slid her other arm under his jacket and over his side, fingertips exploring lightly – remembering that the touching in the elevator had been decidedly one-sided and determined to rectify that.

"I understand other than coffee, bourbon is your drink of choice," she murmured quietly.

"Someone talks too much," he responded.

"Abby told me when we first met – she listed it under your likes, along with red heads and your dislikes which included, hmm – politicians." Amusement danced in her eyes as she added, "I take it that one might be under revision?"

"Haven't decided yet."

"So, coffee, or bourbon – or dessert?" He sucked in a breath as she pressed her lips to the underside of his jaw. "If it helps you make your mind up, there's a very nice fireplace upstairs – where I happen to know someone has already lit a fire."

_____________

He reached for her the moment the bedroom door closed behind him – and she went willingly. The intensity of kissing him in her own bedroom was a lot more overwhelming than she'd anticipated it would be though, and it took her a while to realise that it was the restraint that he was showing that was creating the feeling in her. It took her a moment longer to realise that she might not be the only one feeling that way.

"I'll just go and ... slip into something a little more comfortable" she said with a smile, placing one last kiss to his mouth as she disengaged herself gently.

As she disappeared into what he assumed was an ensuite bathroom, Gibbs let out a breath. He fingered the pin on his lapel for a moment. He knew he wasn't interested in a one night stand with her, and yet the sense of comfort that he felt in her presence was almost unsettling. And he was almost sure she'd picked up on it. He hated politicians. Hated them with a vengeance. And yet here he was – on the brink of something that made him feel heady and almost young again. And questioning what he was going to bring to a relationship with this woman.

The sound of the bathroom door opening had him raising his eyes – and for the second time that evening all coherent thought fled his mind.

"You're looking at me as though you wanna ask me something .." Jen said as she came to stand in front of him.

Gibbs smiled. He should have known she'd pick up on whatever it was he was feeling – even if he didn't quite have a name for what it was.

Instinctively his hand rose to lift the camisole strap that had slipped off her shoulder. Jen's eyes fluttered closed for a second as his fingertips grazed the skin beneath it, and she smiled when he turned his attention to the other strap. He toyed with it for a while before asking permission with his eyes. When she granted it with a smile he dropped both straps and stepped back – his eyes darkening as she stepped out of the fabric which pooled at her feet.

For a moment he thought she would kiss him, but she pivoted and walked towards her bed instead – smiling at him once she'd slipped between the sheets; the invitation clear. She watched with hungry eyes as he undressed – almost amused by his self-consciousness. Not something she would have associated with him. As he slipped into bed next to he she curled her right hand under her cheek and watched him as intently as he was watching her. He was lying so close to her that she could feel his breath on her face, and yet he made no move to close the gap completely.

Her eyes closed as callused hands ran over her side and her back in an exploratory manner that was as sensual as it was soothing. Gently his hand traced up her arm and landed on her shoulder. He gave the shoulder a quick rub before sweeping her hair aside, and placing kisses along her neck. His thumb grazed her shoulder blade just before he lowered his mouth to the same spot and nipped at it with his teeth.

"Jenny ..." he murmured against her skin as his fingers trailed a path down to her breast - caressing, kneading gently, adding pressure to a nipple that pebbled under his ministrations.

His mouth felt like fire on her skin as he pulled up to nip at her collarbone before running his tongue along the swell of her breast one more time. When his lips closed around it she rolled onto her back with a soft sigh and her head sank deep into the pillow. Her hand curled in his hair as he suckled first that breast and then the other with an intensity that made it hard for her to think..She opened her eyes to find him hovering over her. Watching her. Waiting.

Jen reached up to kiss him – knowing that her eyes spoke for her, and that melding her breath with his would be the only encouragement he would need.

"God, Jen" he said hoarsely, dropping his face into the crook of her neck as soon as he had slipped into her- his arms tightening around her. "Jen?"

The dampness on the side of her face alerted him after a moment that something wasn't quite as it should be. She stopped him as he tried to move out of her.

"Jen?" he repeated, raising himself slightly to look at her.

Even in the subdued light he could see that he'd been right.

"I can't remember the last time I felt like I mattered to anyone like this" she confessed, the evidence of tears still in her voice.

A wave of tenderness swept over Gibbs.

"You matter, Jen" he whispered as he lowered his mouth to hers.

He was surprised when her hand slipped into his, but he didn't question it – merely lifted it to his mouth and pressed a kiss to it before moving to reclaim her lips again. He pressed into her, covering her mouth with his own; his tongue mimicking his movements as she arched up to him.

Jen closed her eyes again as his hands moved under her and cupped her buttocks - allowing him to penetrate more deeply. She clung to him as pleasure built inside her with each stroke. Her breathing grew ragged and soft moans reverberated through them both – signalling to Gibbs that she was close. He barely registered the fingers digging into him as ecstasy rippled through her body though, because as his name spilled from her lips he was right there with her. Pleasure rippled through both of them, and in that one last breathless moment they were aware of nothing but each other.

__________________

The grey light of dawn was barely filtering across the house as Jenny padded up the stairs, wearing a shirt that didn't belong to her and carefully carrying two cups of coffee. In the time she had been downstairs something seemed to have happened to her bedroom.

The fire had been stoked back to life, the quilt and some of the pillows had been pulled off the bed, the curtains had been drawn back and the man responsible was sitting in front of the fire looking out at the first stirrings of light across her back garden.

Gibbs took one of the mugs from her and tugged her down to sit with him, pulling her back against his chest and wrapping the quilt around them both. He didn't say anything and she didn't ask, but his other hand slid over the shirt and snuck between the buttons, caressing the skin beneath her breasts with warm fingertips. She hid a smile and leant her head back against him – enjoying his touch and the feel of his warm, very naked body pressed against hers.

"Merry Christmas Jethro" she whispered, and felt him brush a kiss into her hair in response.

Together they watched the dawn creep closer, sipping coffee – enjoying the still quiet of the early morning.

____________________________________

Authors' Note:

Thanks everyone for following this story and sharing your thoughts about it with us. Merry Christmas to one 'n' all.

Morgan72uk & elflordsmistress

xx