Chapter Ten – The Invitation

Here we are back at Abby´s apartment on Thursday. Abby has told me, she had decided to share her coffee with Gibbs (yes, when Abby gets serious about something, she sometimes calls him Gibbs now), because otherwise, they might not have finished the renovation that fast. So, as promised, there really hasn´t happened that much. Oh, Claire told me about a conversation she has had, but you are not to know what it was about for the time being.

-xxxxxxx-

Thursday about noon.

"Done?" Abby asks, standing on the upper step of the stairs to her sleeping room.

Walls are painted and the parquet flooring is sanded completely. They only have to get rid of the fine dust that is covering the floor all over and seal the parquet. For some days nobody will be able to walk on this floor then. Abby and Jethro have already arranged for her to stay at his place. Jethro has offered his guest-bedroom, as Nanny Claire´s son will arrive early tomorrow and is going to stay with Claire the whole weekend.

Gibbs had not known about this when he had started to sand the parquet on Tuesday, then again, he doesn´t mind taking Abby home with him, even if there "won´t happen anything". He just wants her close, wants to make sure she is fine all the time.

"Done!" Jethro nods from the other side of the room, leaning against the balustrade.

Abby beams with joy, clapping her hands against each other and then she jumps into the air and towards him and the next second she flings her arms around his neck, hugging him wildly, then pecking his cheek and intending to give him a peck on his lips next.

She does. He does not let her go, though. He quickly cups her head with his right hand, wrapping the other one around her waist and pulling her close. He makes a sudden move, spinning around, so that now Abby is leaning against the banister. A groan is developing in the back of his throat as he keeps his lips pressed against hers.

Abby rapidly recovers from being whirled around so unexpectedly. They have kissed a lot these past days, deep and hot kisses. They have even started to explore each other´s skin underneath their shirts.

So he continues to gently caress Abby´s lips with the tip of his tongue, knowing fully well, that she loves to be teased like this. She giggles at the ticklish sensation and he softly strokes her upshowing teeth, making her open her mouth and letting him enter with one gentle shove. Their lips melt against each other, their tongues entwined, stroking and caressing, slowly at first, then becoming more and more passionate.

He steps as close as possible, pressing his body against hers, slipping his left under her shirt to place it at the small of her back. She sighs approvingly, pressing her hips against his. She instantly feels his response to her action which unfortunately brings up that uneasy and depressing feeling back that again settles in her stomach.

He snakes his left around her waist to her front, creeping upwards between them, slowly, the dry, rough skin of his hand grazing and tickling her and driving her crazy. His fingers reach the lacy fabric under her shirt, making Abby gasp.

The feeling is sensational, makes her shiver and want more. She loves to be touched by him, yet she still is unsure about all this, as unsure as she has never been in her life before. She has already talked with Nanny Claire about her fears yesterday evening. Claire has reassured and encouraged her. But still ... .

Gibbs senses that something again. Abby has a bold manner, all but shy and yet, something seems to concern, to depress her. He has asked her once or twice what it was that was bothering her, but she hadn´t told him. She had avoided an answer. And he would not press her, she would tell him soon enough.

Abby figures, the only possibility to get rid of this feeling and move on to what she thinks is long overdue, is to ask him. Directly. Now! Summoning up all her courage she decides to get over and done with it.

"Jethro," she moans, as he proceeds from grazing her tongue to caressing her neck, paying special attention to her spiderweb-tattoo, which is incredibly appealing to him.

"Ye-ah?" he mumbles, not taking his attention off the spiderweb.

"Do you ..." Oh c´mon, Abby, that´s ridiculous, she thinks, only because you have done this more than once, that doesn´t mean... . She tries again, "Are you ..."

There is a knock working its way from downstairs, sounding full and merciless, its aim being to interrupt the two of them from what they are doing.

Abby sighs, unhappy about the disturbance, now that she finally was about to seriously ask him.

Jethro also sighs, being unhappy about the interruption as well. He reluctantly tears himself away from Abby´s neck and peers over her shoulder down into the living-room.

"We are being watched," Jethro whispers into Abby´s ear.

Claire is suddenly standing in the living-room. Well, suddenly might not be the appropriate term here. They just have not heard her enter, have not become aware of her presence until she has drawn their attention to herself by knocking loudly on the already open door.

Gibbs straightens, while slowly and as discretely as possible drawing back his left hand from where it has just been about to explore soft skin that could no longer hide that the person it belongs to likes his ministrations.

"Hi Claire." Gibbs waves his hand, grinning and looking down from beside Abby´s ear, his face half covered by her hair.

Abby turns around. A groan escapes her, sounding like one of slight frustration.

"Good morning Claire," Abby greets her.

"Good morning, you two lovebirds," Claire signs, which Abby translates with a grin.

"Have you talked?" Claire continues.

Abby doesn´t say a word, just signs Was about to, but I think I can´t, so Gibbs turns to look at her and clears his throat.

"Hm?" he wants to know with narrowed eyes.

"Oh, sorry," Abby says. "Claire wants to know if we have finished the floor."

"Oh," Gibbs just utters.

"No, not yet," Abby signs, speaking as well. And to let her know that she has not translated Claire´s signing correctly, she adds, "We are not ready yet."

"Looks great already," Claire tells them.

"We have to clean up and apply the seal, then we are done," Abby explains.

"Okay. Would you two like to share a cup of tea with me before you leave in the afternoon?" Claire suggests.

Abby knows, Claire is just trying to help. She, however, is not aware of the fact that there is another reason for why Claire wants to have tea with Abby and Jethro in the afternoon. And Claire is not going to tell.

"Do you?" Abby asks Gibbs, who nods and tells her, "Why not?"

"Okay, Claire," Abby agrees. "Thanks."

A/N: What is Claire hiding? And how will it turn out? You will have to read the next chapter "Teatime", although I´m not sure by now, if I am going to reveal Claire´s secret then or if a tiny cliff is getting in between – you like cliffs, don´t you? ;-)