A/N: This is a bit longer than the earlier chapters so I'm stopping for tonight. We're not quite halfway there. Thanks for your alerts and posts for the first few chapters.

Trust Me

Over the next few weeks Jethro spent as much time as he could at the stables. David just chuckled and shook his head every time he saw him now. He knew his friend had it bad and was happy for him. Jethro didn't always ride when he was there. Sometimes he helped David out with the horses but mostly if he wasn't riding he spent his time watching Jen working with her students or training one of the horses she had recently purchased. He never got tired of seeing her, especially in riding pants, boots and tee shirt. She was in great shape and he loved watching that shape move around the ring completely in control of her horse. If she minded him watching she didn't say so.

They were becoming more and more comfortable with each other and one evening Jenny invited him in for a drink. He happily accepted and soon found himself in the familiar confines of Jasper's old office. Jenny poured him two fingers of bourbon in a heavy crystal glass. Definitely nicer than drinking out of a dirty Mason jar he thought.

"Thanks, Jen. I don't know many women who drink bourbon neat. How did you acquire the taste?"

"I've been living in Kentucky for the last eight years. Pretty hard not to learn to drink bourbon there. Plus, I worked for a gentleman who, I believe probably was introduced to the taste on his pacifier. Samuel Parkes loved his bourbon and taught me to love it too."

"He owned the horse farm where you worked?"

"Yes, he gave me a chance to train horses when I first moved down. He was a wonderful friend and mentor and he knew more about horses than I ever will. When he died last year I began to realize I needed to come home. I only wish I had come sooner."

"Well, you're here now that's what matters. I've learned you can't live in the past and you certainly can't change it. You have a real gift, Jen. I've never seen anyone who is more of a natural around a horse, not even your father. I know he'd be proud of what you've accomplished."

"Thank you Jethro. Tell me, how did you come to be an NCIS agent?"

Jethro told Jenny about Mike Franks and how he got started working for him after Shannon and Kelly were killed. He told her about some of his assignments, in general terms, and the various places he'd been posted before coming back to DC. Soon it was time to go and they both seemed reluctant to part company.

"Would you like to go get something to eat, Jen?"

Before she could answer Jethro's phone rang and Jen was granted time to decide what to say. She still had not told him about Sam and the longer she waited the more awkward it was becoming. It wasn't that she was ashamed of having a child 'out of wedlock' she just hadn't had any reason to tell Jethro she had a son. But, the more time she spent with him the more she knew she needed to say something because she could feel the relationship shifting and she needed to let him know about her son before they got too involved. She had no idea how he felt about children and that was something she knew she needed to find out pretty soon. She had vowed not to bring anyone into her son's life until she was sure of their character and intentions. Well, she had no idea what Jethro's intentions were but she was certain he was a good man.

"Sorry, I have to go to work. So, will you have dinner with me sometime?" The look of hopeful anticipation on his face made her heart race.

Jen gave him small smile and said, "Maybe."

"Maybe? That's not very encouraging Jen."

"I didn't know you needed encouragement, Jethro."

They walked out of the office and Jenny locked the door behind them. Walking to the parking lot together each of them wondered what to say next. Finally Jenny took pity on him and stopping by her car she said, "I would love to have dinner with you sometime. Let's see what next week brings okay?"

"Good. So, maybe next week?"

She laughed and said, "Yes, maybe next week."

Jethro leaned down and kissed her quickly on the cheek. It was gentle and fleeting but it still sent a shiver down her spine. When he stepped back he brushed a loose strand of hair off her face and let his fingers glide down her arm.

"Thanks for the drink Jen. And the encouragement."

Without another word or a moment more for her to respond he was gone. Jen stood by her car for a few moments and tried to get her heart to stop racing. It had only been a small little kiss and the briefest of touches but that didn't matter. Jen closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She knew she was in trouble but what lovely trouble it might be.

Jethro was still grinning like the cat that caught the canary when he arrived at the crime scene twenty minutes later. All the way there he had replayed those few moments with Jen in the parking lot. Sitting with her in her office had been a treat but kissing her, even just one tiny little kiss, had been really great. He had not failed to notice the effect his touch had on her and that was more encouraging than she could have imagined. As he stepped out of his car to go to work, Jethro admitted to himself that he was willingly walking into that minefield otherwise known as a relationship with a beautiful woman. For some reason, with this woman, he was willing to risk it.

Gibbs had waited as long as he could before he called Jen on Thursday to invite her to lunch. As he sat in his car opening and closing his phone, he felt like a teenager asking a girl on his first date. Finally he gave himself a good headslap and punched in her number. Sue answered and he asked to speak to Jenny. He could hear the smile on her face when she told him to hold on. The next thing he heard was Jenny's voice.

"This is Jenny, can I help you?"

Apparently Sue hadn't bothered to tell her who was calling. "Yes, I think you can. I need someone to have lunch with and I was hoping you could help me out."

"Well, Jethro, I think I could arrange that. What do you have in mind?"

"There's a good little diner about two miles from the stables, Vic's Place. Do you know where it is?"

"Yes, shall I meet you there?"

"Is 11:30 okay for you? We could miss some of the lunch crowd that way."

"That would be perfect because I have an appointment at 1:00. I'll see you there."

"Okay, I'll see you."

Jethro closed his phone and realized his palms were sweaty. He shook his head and wondered to himself how he'd ever managed to get four women to marry him. For some reason, asking Jenny Sheppard to lunch seemed a lot more difficult than he thought it should be. He told himself it was just lunch, nothing special, just a friendly lunch with the daughter of his late friend. "Yeah, right! Who you trying to kid?"

Before she left her office, Jenny put on a clean shirt, freshened her makeup and brushed out her hair. She looked at herself in the mirror and chastised herself for being nervous. "It's just lunch, Jenny. What's the big deal? It's just lunch with a friend. Sure! Then why are you nervous?" Jenny shook her head and headed out the door. In the outer office, Sue and David were deep in conversation when she came out of her office.

"What are you two up to?" she asked with a grin. She thought Sue and David were well suited for one another and they seemed to spend a lot of time talking lately.

"Just deciding what to do for lunch. You got any plans?" David had an evil grin on his face and Jenny looked over at Sue who was trying, and failing, to hide a grin of her own.

"I'm having lunch with Jethro." She waited for a comment from one of them but they just looked at her with those silly grins plastered on their faces. "Oh for heaven's sake you two it's only lunch."

"Of course it is ma'am. Have a good time."

Jenny shook her head at them and went out without another word. Walking to her car, she could only imagine what fun those two were having at her expense.

She pulled up to the diner as Jethro was getting out of his car. He turned toward her truck and stood waiting for her beside his car. She was struck by how handsome he was. He was definitely easy on the eyes and today he was wearing dress slacks and a sports coat that enhanced the color of his eyes. She had never seen him dressed for work and she liked what she saw. Of course jeans and a tee shirt, which she normally saw him in weren't bad either. She finally stopped looking at him and got out of the truck.

"I was afraid you weren't going to get out. You okay?"

"Yes. I. . .I was just noticing how nice you look, all dressed for work."

Jethro didn't know what to say to that so he just smiled and led her into the diner. They got a booth near the back and a waitress brought them water and menus. Jenny had eaten there a couple of times so she knew what she wanted and so did Jethro. They ordered and then neither of them seemed to know what to do next. Finally, Jenny decided to put them both out of their collective misery.

"Why are we both so nervous, do you think?"

Jethro laughed. It was the first time Jenny had heard him laugh and she liked it. He seemed to relax right before her eyes. He leaned back into the booth and looked at her, mischief dancing in his eyes.

"I don't know but it helps to know I'm not the only one. For me, it's probably because I haven't asked a beautiful woman out for a meal in a very long time. And, because I want you to be comfortable and trust me."

"I do trust you Jethro. I don't feel beautiful these days but thank you for the compliment."

"Why are you nervous?"

"Because I find myself liking you and I'm not sure that's a good idea. I have a terrible track record when it comes to men."

"Then we're perfect for each other because I have three ex-wives. So, how about we just relax and enjoy lunch. We don't have to get engaged or anything."

Jenny laughed and just as she had liked hearing him laugh, Jethro was blown away by his internal reaction to hearing her. He had a feeling she hadn't done much laughing since she got back to DC so he was glad he could provoke that joyful noise. Their food was served and they enjoyed each other's company for the half hour. They each found it easy to talk to the other and the conversation ebbed and flowed as they ate their lunch. Jethro, as was his nature, mostly listened while encouraging Jenny to do most of the talking. He was naturally reticent and since he loved listening to the sound of her voice he was more than happy to let Jenny lead the conversation. When it was time to go, Jethro paid the check and with his hand gently resting on the small of her back he escorted her to her truck.

"Thank you for lunch Jethro. I had a nice time."

"You're very welcome. Maybe we could do dinner sometime?"

"Maybe," she replied with a sly smile.

They were standing beside her truck and their parting was threatening to become as awkward as their beginning. Jenny decided again to rescue them both. She stepped into Jethro's personal space and hugged him. Then she stretched up on her tiptoes and kissed him ever so softly on the mouth. It was fleeting and barely there really but he still felt a jolt go through his system when their lips met. It wasn't nearly enough but it was all he was getting today.

"I have to go. I'll see you Jethro. Be careful out there."

"Jen. . .I" But she was already in the truck and waving goodbye to him. He stood there watching her smiling back at him as she backed out and drove away. He reached up and touched his lips with his fingers and smiled. This was going to be fun he thought.

Jenny smiled all the way back to the stables. She had not intended to kiss him but it was something she couldn't resist and she was glad she'd done it. She had taken note of his reaction to her touch and it made her feel good to know she could elicit such a powerful response with just a tiny little kiss. Her mind veered off to wonder about what she could do to him if she really put her mind to it. Then she stopped and reminded herself she was not going to get involved with a man for the next couple of decades. Damn, she thought, it would have been fun. But no, her focus had to be her son and her business. She could not afford the time or the energy a relationship would take. Too bad because she really liked Jethro and she could tell he liked her. Sometimes her timing really sucked!