There is more physical passion in this chapter, but I do not go very far! I don't think that writing a sex scene would have added to the storyline that I've got going. Quite honestly, I think it would have detracted from everything else that I have happen here.
Chapter Nine
...
All night long, Tony was unable to stay asleep. Every hour it seemed that he awoke from a daze, and each time the first thing that flew into his mind was McGee's face. Sometimes he was smiling at Tony, sometimes he was wearing a slight frown, and other times he was even mouthing words to him, but all the while the discomfort in his eyes was completely evident.
Oh my God, McGee, you're everywhere. He thought, sitting up in his bed. Tony brushed his fingers through his unkempt hair and glanced over at the clock, noticing that it was late enough for McGee to have been up for a little while. After throwing on a decent shirt and a clean pair of pants, Tony gave himself a quick look over in the nearby mirror before stumbling his way down the stairs with his eyes halfway open. Yawning, he covered his mouth and stepped into the kitchen, not finding McGee there.
That's strange…did he already eat breakfast? Tony wondered, turning around and heading into the larger dining area. Once he stepped into that room, he spied McGee standing with his back to him, slightly hunched over and appearing to be reading a book. Suddenly Tony cleared his throat and took some rather quick but weary steps in his direction, but McGee was so enveloped in his book that he didn't notice Tony's presence until he was standing in front of him with the expression of a lost puppy. McGee's eyes grew wide as Tony's arms flew open and circled around McGee's body, locking him into a tight bear hug and nearly knocking him over, but also causing the book that he had been reading to slip out of his hands and land shut on the hard floor with a thud.
Tony pushed his face deep into the fabric of McGee's shirt, inhaling the familiar scent of his light cologne. His fingers stretched even higher across his back, causing the hug to get even more intimate and almost making McGee think that he was holding on for dear life itself.
"I'm mad as hell about yesterday and I'm not going to take it anymore." Tony began, letting his fingers glide up McGee's neck and fidget into his hairline.
"I just kept on seeing your face, Probie. Every single time that I'd wake up, you'd be right there." He added, breathing lightly onto his neck. Tilting his mouth up closer to McGee's ear, he whispered, "I knew that I ticked you off, but if I had known that you were capable of subconscious stalking then I would've thought twice."
McGee looked down at Tony and chuckled in amusement. "Oh, it wasn't that much of an issue. Don't be so melodramatic."
"But you're my precious…" Tony replied with a slight Gollum tone to his voice, pulling McGee's head down and gently placing several kisses onto his forehead. "Seriously, though, I'm sorry about what went on yesterday." He said, pulling back slightly. "Is there some way I can make it up to you?"
McGee gazed into Tony's pleading eyes, feeling any leftover frustration within himself simply fade away. He released a soft sigh and nodded, then motioned down towards the book that he had been reading before Tony's embrace.
"You can start by picking up the late 19th century edition of Homer's Iliad." McGee replied, raising his eyebrow. Tony's eyes widened to the size of small saucers, and he bit down on his own lip from embarrassment. Glancing down over his shoulder at the older manuscript, he then rapidly turned around and picked it up, carefully blowing off whatever particles might have gotten onto it from the floor. Tony tenderly ran his fingers over the cover, almost afraid of causing anymore damage to its slightly cracked condition. "Nineteenth century, did you say?" He asked with a soft squeak in his voice. McGee watched in amusement as Tony cradled the book like a baby before handing it back over to him.
"It may be a hundred years old, but if it has survived life here in the mountains I think it can handle being dropped on accident." McGee replied, watching some of the tension scrunched on Tony's face change to relief.
"I'll have to pay more attention to what book you're reading next time." Tony said, stepping forward and placing his hands on McGee's chest. "I'll try not to bother the important ones." He leaned in closer and gave him a few soft kisses.
McGee shook his head and smiled slightly, setting the book onto a nearby surface. "They're all important, Tony."
Tony looked into McGee's glistening eyes before glancing down at the floor. "Oh, that's right. All books are quite meaningful to you." He responded, taking a single step away.
McGee instantly grabbed Tony's hand and pulled him back. "Yes they are, but I'd still take affection from you over one." He replied with a light and forgiving tone to his voice.
Tony suddenly had a fluttering sensation within his stomach that brought back to mind the feelings from the very first time their lips had brushed against each others. For reasons that he couldn't explain, Tony began to think about all of the things he loved about McGee; there was the bright twinkle in his eye that only lit up when he was looking at Tony, there were the little acts of a nice breakfast or a kind word, and there was even the way this one rebellious segment of hair would fall down from his perfectly coiffed hair that simply drove Tony insane. Among all of the things that he treasured about his McGee, at the very top of his list was simply the thought that he was sincere. Within his three and a half decades of life, Tony hadn't encountered anybody that was so open and ready or even willing to forgive, and he reasoned that that one thing alone was enough to cause himself to become head over heels for Timothy McGee.
The thoughts inside his head began to spin around so fast that they all started to mesh as one, and even his ability to speak English melted away into the mixture for a moment as McGee's gaze pierced through his own with a spine tingling amount of vigor. Tony had come up with several different monologues of his affection that he had wanted to give McGee at a time like this, but nearly all words dissipated from his head. Clearing his throat, one lone word did creep back to him, and before he knew what was going on his lips had parted open and said it aloud.
"Love." Tony spat out, noticing a surprised furrow form on McGee's forehead. He licked his lips and swallowed down the lump in his throat. "I love you, Tim."
The sudden glow from McGee's eyes illuminated his features and gave him an angelic silhouette that was so beautiful Tony could almost feel his heart seeping over with passion. McGee must have felt the same thing, because the sensation that his fingers gave as they delicately traced along Tony's cheekbone was unlike anything else he knew. Simply gazing into his eyes, McGee released a gentle breath that tenderly dusted against his skin. Glancing away for a brief second, he chuckled to himself quietly. "I love you too, Tony." He replied, wearing a bright grin that could have easily competed with one of Tony's.
Tony blinked curiously a few times and opened his mouth to respond, but was muted by McGee's lips fervently decorating his own with kisses. Tony didn't object one bit, and was soon speeding up the depth and amount of the ones given and received. McGee allowed his tongue to be taken captive, and pretty soon Tony had pushed him up against a wall and was allowing his mouth and all of its counterparts to go on a Southern exploration.
McGee laughed a little bit, excited and not too surprised by Tony's wandering lips. He fought back the urge to tilt his head down and continue their kissing, but as he felt the soft yet decadent method by which Tony was placing his mouth across his skin all of those thoughts vanished from his mind anyways. "I can tell that you have been wanting this for way too long!" McGee exclaimed as Tony's tongue managed to undo the first three buttons of his shirt.
A smile spread like wildfire across Tony's light pink face, but he gave no answer and continued kissing along McGee's collarbone.
"Oh come on, just admit you have already." McGee added, swallowing hard as he felt Tony's tongue make a circle around the sensitive spots on his chest. Tony instantly glanced up, and then silenced McGee with a deeper kiss.
"How was that for an answer?" Tony asked sarcastically, letting his fingertips go along the same trail as his lips had. McGee let his head fall back against the firm wall, and he released a brief but audible sigh. Tony bent down and placed one more kiss right in the center of McGee's neck, applying it with firm but steady pressure. After he had given it to him, Tony looked back into McGee's eyes and could tell he was more then content.
"You know, Tony," McGee began, now reaching his fingers up to touch the top of his shirt. "I don't think I quite understood that answer."
Oh, by the time I'm done you'll know the answer backwards, forwards, upside down, and in fifty other languages. Tony thought, nodding his head and scanning his eyes over McGee's body for a few seconds. He then glanced over both of his shoulders as if searching for something. Suddenly his hand flew up and seized the back of McGee's neck, pulling him forward so fast that he had almost lost his balance. Tony could nearly feel the tips of their noses touching, and their breath united into one puff of warm air. "So what if I have wanted all of this for a long time, Probalicious?" He asked, allowing his eyebrow to slide upwards. "You're here now, so we can do whatever we please." He nodded towards the exit of the room. "Why don't we go upstairs and…" Tony's hand moved to the small of McGee's back, casually beginning its downward drift. "…we can talk about it?" He whispered suggestively, feeling McGee's muscles spontaneously tense up. "Care to discuss things once we get there?"
McGee was shocked that his heart hadn't exploded from all of the adrenaline that now had free reign over his system. He simply nodded his head to Tony's proposition, and right then the two traveled up to the second floor so fast that they almost seemed to teleport into a bedroom.
McGee tilted his head forward and locked their lips into another passion filled kiss, wishing that he could just freeze time at that very moment and be stuck in their current situation for the rest of his life. Tony, however, went on with his affection, and even pushed McGee down onto the side of the bed.
"Are you going to tell me something now, Tony?" McGee inquired, watching as Tony took a few slow steps forward and crawled onto the bed over him. "Of course. I'll tell you everyday." He said, kissing his lips again. "On Monday…" Tony began, placing a kiss onto his chin. "On Tuesday…On Wednesday…" He added, both times kissing down his jaw. "On Thursday…On Friday…" He said in between deep kisses to the base of McGee's neck and collarbone. Stopping just before the still clasped buttons began, Tony sat up somewhat and quickly opened and removed his shirt as well as McGee's. He lowered his head again to the velvety skin that was right above McGee's naval and gently placed his hand there, delivering one more kiss. "And especially on weekends." He concluded, glancing up at McGee before trailing his lips down to his beltline.
McGee's head pressed back into the mattress, and he let out another subdued moan. Suddenly he felt something cold wrap around his wrists, and then he heard several clicks. Looking in their direction, he discovered Tony to have handcuffed him to the poles of the bed. McGee then glanced at him, and his expression showed that he was wondering how he would react. McGee quickly raised and lowered both of his eyebrows simultaneously, drawing a playful growl from Tony.
"I like this side of you, Mister DiNozzo." McGee said in a low, rather suave tone. "So dominant. So direct…" He added as Tony crept closer. McGee lifted his mouth up to Tony's ear and breathed against it. "So aggressive." He whispered before softly biting down on the cartilage.
Tony let out a surprised gasp, but then started to chuckle. He pulled back and smiled with an open mouth at McGee, who simply glowed with exhilaration. Tony began to shake his head, and put his hands on the clasp of McGee's belt again. "I didn't know you could be so…feisty, Tim." He said after pulling the leather strap from his pants. Tony then brought himself back up to McGee's face and pressed a few more pleasurable kisses to his lips, nearly giggling in each one.
"Well there are a few things about me you have yet to discover." McGee suggested. Tony took the hint, and went back to the button of his pants.
...
McGee lay facing up at the ceiling, his breathing somewhat heavier. Right next to him, Tony had nestled against his side, one of his arms laid across McGee's bare chest and the other propping his own head up so he could get a better view of the stars in McGee's eyes.
Tilting his face slightly at an angle, McGee's gaze locked with Tony's. There was a stronger and brighter shimmer that made his entire complexion radiate with an even greater amount of beauty then McGee had thought was humanly possible.
Tony released a gentle breath and began to run his hand back and forth over McGee's skin. With a half smirk, he asked, "Was that as fun for you as it was for me?"
McGee nearly wanted to laugh at the absurdity of the question. He lifted up his own hand and placed it on top of Tony's, gently holding it still over his heart. "Do you feel that? My pulse is still racing." He paused for a moment before adding, "I think this has been the best time that I've had all this past year, and I'm not just talking about…you in bed." McGee finished right as Tony bent his head down and placed a couple of kisses onto his stomach. Almost instantly, his head jerked up and a devilish smile became his expression.
"Oh, of course you're not." He replied, letting his fingers lightly begin to graze down his chest, just barely touching the surface of his skin. McGee clenched his jaw slightly as another little tingle of pleasure crept up his spine, and his free hand gripped into the sheets. Tony noticed both, and he chuckled softly. "I love how intense your reactions are whenever I touch you." He said in a whisper, dusting his lips over the middle of McGee's chest as he spoke.
McGee closed his eyes for a moment. "That's because I never thought this day would come." He replied, glancing at Tony. "Even in my wildest dreams, I didn't think that someone like you would go for such a…geek like me. Actually, I had convinced myself that just the notion of you ever wanting anything romantically with a guy, any guy, was totally out of the question."
Tony couldn't help but snort. "Wait, what? You didn't get all of the hints?" He asked, genuinely surprised. He rested his chin on McGee's ribs and began making small hand gestures. "The nicknames, the way I'd always grab your shoulders for attention, that one time I gave you the shirt right off of my back, or how I pretended that we were a married couple on that one case that involved a therapist?" He finished, unsure of why McGee hadn't been convinced about his interest.
"Well, I just thought that maybe somehow you found out that I have a greater attraction to men then woman and that you were just making fun of me." McGee said quietly.
Tony folded his hands and slid them underneath his chin. He glanced down at the silky white chest that was rising and falling below him, and he couldn't help but grin.
"You thought I could be that much of a bastard?" He asked. "Even if I had known, I wouldn't have made fun of you for something like that." Tony said, scooting himself close enough to give McGee's neck another peck.
McGee took in a few thoughtful breaths before he replied. "No, I've never thought of you as that. A little unorthodox or insensitive at times, but never a bastard."
Tony chuckled. "Well that's not so bad, then." He lifted his head up a little and glanced out a nearby window, noticing that it hadn't snowed anymore in the past few days and that what was out there looked lighter.
McGee frowned slightly as Tony got up from the bed and started to get dressed. He stretched his hand out towards him and motioned down to his side. "Hey, where are you going?"
Tony quickly did the final few buttons on his shirt before turning back to face McGee. He pointed towards the window and replied, "I just have to run and get something, alright?" Leaning over the bed, he gently placed a kiss onto McGee's lips. "I promise I'll be back before you even know I'm gone."
McGee's brow furrowed. "You're going to drive into town?"
Tony shook his head. "No, there's something that I left out in the car." He smiled at McGee before turning around and heading out the bedroom door.
...
Tony gently shut the front door behind him, locking it with his free hand. Placing his keys back onto a table, he also set down a small box and removed his coat. He draped it over a chair and then pried open the box, removing a couple of fresh flowers.
I hope you like bear grass and Indian paintbrushes, McGee. They're the native flowers of Montana. He thought, gazing down at the white, orange, and red buds. I know that I picked these outside a few days ago, but thankfully it's so cold in the car that it acted like a freezer and kept them in perfect condition.
Tony stuck his head into the kitchen and glanced around, making sure that McGee wasn't in sight. He quickly walked over to the counter and set the flowers down before reaching up over the sink and pulling down some mistletoe. Removing the white silk ribbon, he then tied it into a bow around the stems of the five flowers. He picked up the bouquet and held it behind his back before heading upstairs, back into the bedroom where he had left McGee.
To his delight, he was in the exact same spot where he had left him. His eyes lit up once he saw Tony, but a look of surprise was also there.
"What's behind your back?" McGee asked as Tony stepped closer.
"Take a guess." He replied as McGee sat up in bed. He tilted his head to the side and raised his eyebrow slightly. "I'm not sure. Knowing you it could be anything."
Tony took a step closer and waited a moment before pulling out the bright bouquet from behind his back. McGee's mouth opened, and Tony sat himself down on the side of the bed.
"You got me flowers, Tony?" McGee asked, pleasantly surprised. Tony handed them off to his outstretched hands, letting his fingers linger on top of McGee's before pulling away.
"Oh, they're gorgeous." He said, sticking his nose into each flower. "They smell wonderful too."
Tony took one of McGee's hands and kissed it. "I'm glad you like them."
McGee smiled softly at Tony and gently squeezed his hand, glancing down at their grip. "I can tell that our relationship really is starting to matter to you."
Tony placed his other hand on the side of McGee's face and gazed directly into his eyes. "I did some serious thinking last night before I fell asleep, and I realized that I can't stand seeing you without a smile." He said, glancing at the flowers before continuing. "Anything that's of value comes at a cost, and if the price for me to be with you is that I face my fear of long term commitment then I'll take it head on."
McGee leaned into Tony's hand, enjoying the warmth. "Tony, I don't expect things to go flawlessly. I know you well enough to get that you've got your share of complications to work out." He leaned over for a moment and placed the flowers onto the night stand. Scooting a bit closer to Tony, he paused for a moment and thought. "But I love you enough to stay here right by your side and help you figure out anything that you need."
Tony suddenly felt so happy that he sprung up and tackled McGee, and they both landed onto the bed with a thump. McGee started to laugh, and Tony rolled halfway off of him and propped himself up with his elbows. He then pulled McGee's face so that their gazes could lock again, and for a very long time they remained just like that.
"Hey Probie, I'll always find a way to be there for you when you need me too." He said, brushing his thumb against McGee's cheek. "You know, I don't really like to make promises, but I think that I'm ready to make you one."
McGee shifted underneath Tony. "Really? What might that be?"
Tony bit down on his lip and sighed gently. "A promise to treat you in the way you deserve to be." He replied. "You're an amazing person, and as such it's only fair that I give you the proper treatment."
McGee smiled and opened his mouth to respond, but Tony promptly silenced him by putting a finger over his lips. "You deserve it."
A part of Tony knew that he would quickly make another mistake and cause McGee more anguish, but at the same time he knew that they had more stamina then they realized. Besides, the bittersweet bantering they gave each other was becoming a sort of game that was becoming more addictive by the second, and they certainly weren't about to stop.
...
The next chapter includes:
-Tony's fear of messing things up causes him to do just that
-A flustered McGee goes for a walk in the woods
-A certain song that plays on the radio
-Separation by an act of Nature…
Please review!
