"It's open" Janet yelled from her room and Eddie hesitantly came in. Not that he hadn't been there before but it was still a little awkward taking up room in someone else's space.

"I could have been a serial killer ya know" He shouted back walking towards her bedroom knowing she hated his comments about it.

"There's beer in the fridge and the remotes on the couch" She was hospitable as usual

"How not ready are you" He asked playful

"I've just got to get dressed. I'll be done in a few minutes"

-----------------------------

"So what's he wearing" Hannah asked through the phone wanting all the gossip

"Jeans and a polo but he's wearing long sleeves under it"

"Eddie's not wearing flannel?"

"I didn't see any, it's probably in the truck" The both laughed

"What color is his shirt"

"Dark, I didn't get a good look, he's to cute to look at his clothes. Hannah"

"So go with the black sweater"

"Are you sure, it's ….."

"It's cashmere Janet, it's perfect and if you really want to get his attention wear something sexy underneath"

"I'll see you there." Janet hung the phone up not wanting to spend her time talking to Hannah to start with and finished getting dressed not happy with her hair afraid wearing it down in big curls it would frizz, her make up she never questioned though she did her jewelry selection. Pearls seemed so safe. Just before she walked out she bent over in front of the mirror to check the neck line of her shirt.

The black sweater was cut with a deep plunging v-neck that required a camisole beneath as part of the look. She choose white but after checking in the mirror switched to a lace trimmed one that had built in bra cups. Lifted, separated, and in plain view she finally took a deep breath and walked into the living room.

"I take it you found the beer" Janet asked looking for her earrings she swore she laid in the dish on the table behind the couch but they were no where to be found. She headed back to her bedroom letting the door swing wide open.

"I did" He sipped it as he watched her brush her hair. When she started to hook her necklace Eddie strolled over to her.

"Need some help" He sat his beer down on the dresser then gently pushed her hair aside and hooked it for her. He was surprised he got it on the first try. His hands were way to big for delicate things as such and it wasn't like he had ever done it before. He even straightened her hair back.

His hands dropped to her hips or sides she wasn't really sure but it felt so damn good she wasn't about to move. She put her earrings in while he stood behind and against her. He'd watched her before from a distance but standing in her room seemed to be a little more natural this time.

"You look pretty" She wasn't expecting that and she turned around to face him not sure why but it was a gut reaction.

"Thank you" She whispered somewhere gaining the courage to reach on her tip toes holding onto Eddie's well strained muscular arms to kiss him. She wouldn't have a mini freak about it until they were already in the truck and she realized what she did.

"I'm not trying to rush you but we were supposed to be there at 4:30 and it's like 25 after now" Eddie had checked his watch without actually taking his hand off of her.

"Sorry, I didn't get home until a quarter till four"

"You were shopping weren't you?" Eddie teased her

"No, I was carefully selecting a few things that I really needed"

"Were you now" Eddie got a jolt of frisky-ness and lowered his head kissing her softly

"I'm afraid I was but Hannah on the other hand was shopping" He slid his hand against her face and under the curls pulling her head up and towards him as his tickled over her lips with his own. Her eyes batted like crazy as he looked at her so close.

"I thought we were going to be late" She strangely felt perfectly fine in his arms but also horrified for the exact same reasons.

"You should have thought about that before you smelled so good" He kissed her slow but with an open mouth and Janet felt a like a kid getting their first French kiss. Sure he had made her do some serious sweating last night but his tongue had never made it past her lips.

She wanted to freeze the moment and calculate every move but it just wasn't an option as his tongue was filling her mouth so perfectly and then she realized hers was doing the same to him. After that revelation all thoughts drained and they just kissed as if they owned their very own rip in time.

"You ready" he whispered foreheads together

"Yeah"

--------------------------------------------

"And where have you two been?" Nick asked as Eddie and Janet squeezed in next to him and Owen and a few other people Eddie knew to watch the homecoming parade float down October Road.

"We had a small earrings situation but I think it's under control now" Eddie just looked over her head at the parade knowing she'd have something to get even

"Poor kids, if they really knew what growing up was like they'd hang on to this for dear life" Owen still wasn't in the best of moods.

"I don't know I kind of like being a grown-up" Eddie interjected

"Give it some time" Janet was the one to call him on it

"I'm planning on it" He was planning on taking things slow with Janet. Give them both time to ease into something neither one of them had ever done before. Janet just looked up at him.

"Before long you'll realize it's just like it was then but now you have the added cruelty of no looks, way to many bills and what a real broken heart fills like when you find out the mother of your children has been banging you're buddy. I think god purposely makes us so damn horny when we're young just so women can stick it to us when they get older to make us pay for all the women we had sex with before we ever knew them. Which makes absolutely no sense because we wouldn't be getting any when we're young if it wasn't for them helping each other out by sleeping with us to build ammunition. I'm telling you they have this whole thing mapped out by the time their five….." Eddie just wrapped his arms around Janet tighter.

"O-kay, O Row you're seriously depressing me man." Eddie shut him up

"Sorry, Janet, no offense intended." He apologized

"It's fine Owen, don't worry about it. It's just we spend another 10 years tweaking it. That way by the time we have boobs you men want be able to stop staring at them long enough to see it coming." Eddie kissed the back of her head chuckling along with Nick and Owen who had found the humor in something for the first time in a while.

"You alright" Eddie asked her when the parade was over and the crowd had cleared out

"Yeah, he's upset. I would be to if I just found out my wife was sleeping with my best friend. Wouldn't you?"

"I can't handle cheating. To me once you go there it's over. You can't get what you had back after something like that. I feel for him I really do his kids are everything to him"

"They may not be able to get what they had back but why would you want that anyway if it wasn't enough to begin with, if they really love each other they might find a way to make it work better than before."

"You are just to optimistic, Meadows. Way to much happy in 5 and a half feet?" Eddie kissed her again.

"And it's gone now that he's here" Janet voice dropped playfully

"Who?"

"Latekka" Eddie knew instantly who he was

Janet peaked out from around Eddie's torso "Hi, daddy. I didn't know you were coming, the last time I talked to you…you weren't" Eddie wanted to laugh at Janet scolding her father

"Well, you seemed so dead set on convincing me not to, I knew something was up." Janet hugged her dad "I didn't expect it to be you though Latekka" Eddie didn't miss the pun

Janet broke the hug and stood backing right against Eddie "You look beautiful, sweetie. If I was you I'd lose one accessory though"

"Richard, it's been a while. I guess you've been by to see Sully" Eddie wasn't shying away

"I hear there was quite a show last night. I hate I missed it"

"I wouldn't really call it a show" Janet started to make excuses

"Everyone else in Knight's Ridge does"

"So am I going to get the dirt on this little affaire de coeur?"

"I'm not a child anymore. I don't have to answer that."

"That's fair. I'll be here until 10:00 in the morning." Richard kissed her on the cheek not speaking another word to Eddie just a glare.

-----------------------------------

"That was way to easy" Janet noted

"I agree, he really doesn't want you to be anywhere near me, never has."

"Ohh well, I'd just rather pretend he's not going to read me the riot act when I get home."

"In that case" He kissed her again long and slow knowing Richard might turn around and look

"We're going to miss kickoff"

"I think we already have" They had but Eddie was referring to his own current aroused state

-------------------------------------------------

"Hey, can we sit with Janet and Eddie" Sam had already flopped down between them

"Sam, I really think………" Hannah tried to say no but Ray ruined that one.

"Why not Sam. Great seats" Janet could feel Eddie tense up around Ray. She knew Eddie didn't care for him but his sudden posture change told a bigger story.

It didn't take long for Sam to run off and play with some of his friends. Eddie acted as though Ray Cataldo wasn't even there. "You want some coffee" Eddie offered Janet

"Hot chocolate if they've got it" The second Eddie made it to the bottom of the stands Janet set in on Hannah.

"What the hell are you doing, it's bad enough dad is here"

"You're dad's here? Where?"

"Like 6 rows above us. I know he's trying to run Eddie off."

"You're grown, I doubt Eddie's scared of your father"

"No, but he might not feel like it's worth the hassle" Janet was dead serious

"Would you two hush, it's not nice to whisper about him while he's hiding"

"Hannah was just telling me how she would love to sit on the bottom" Janet gave him a firm look

"Relax, Meadows…as long as you put out I'm sure he'll hang around... ... ... ... ... tonight at least"

"Ray you're not helping" Hannah scolded slightly

"Get lost Ray" She actually worried him a little. She did look like she was capable of violence.

"Okay, we're going. Maybe you should put some alcohol in the hot chocolate might calm you down a little."

--------------------------------------------------

"Your dad is here, where"

"Come on I'll introduce you."

"Dad there's someone I'd like you to meet"

"Don't go there" Janet barked at her father's tell me that's not Eddie's kid look

"This is Hannah's son Sam, Sam this is my dad"

"Why haven't I seen you before?"

"Dad lives in Rhode Island"

"That's right, but I come to check on my little girl, make sure she's not hanging out with the wrong people"

"Ohh, you must have found out about Eddie"

"Not really, seems like no ones got anything to tell me"

"I can tell you about Eddie if you want."

"So you know Latekka"

"Yeah, every one knows Eddie Latekka. Especially the girls."

"Sam, that's not a very nice thing to say about someone that does so much for you."

"What? It's the truth ain't it and aren't you the one that said it's not ugly if it's the truth."

"Yeah but..."

"Don't worry, Janet's dad. Eddie's a good guy he just gets confused sometimes is all."

"Really, what makes him such a good guy"

"He takes care of everybody"

"Does he now"

"Alright that's enough, your mom's going to be hunting you."

"Can I stay with your dad. He's got better seats since you ran mom and Ray off"

--------

"I did buy you some junk food while I was down there but you ain't getting it if your ratting me out"

"I didn't tell him about what happened at the BBQ"

"I'm glad because I think that's more Janet's business not yours."

"Hey I'm the one that had to have surgery"

"Sam, you know I never wanted that to happen." Janet nearly cried

"If your going to blame someone for it blame me, Janet didn't have anything to do with it. She loves you and you know that."

"Blame someone, why would I do that? If you hadn't been full of horse pucky I wouldn't have ended up with this cool scar.

"Go find your mom" Sam didn't question Eddie's authority

-----------------------

"So either of you care to tell me how the two of you managed to mame a child"

"He had an allergic reaction to some peanuts, the only thing it had to do with us was why he was there to start with."

"Do you spend a lot of time with the boy?"

"He's not mine if that's what you want to know" Janet was evermore relieved.

"How sure are you about that?"

"DAD!"

"Considering it would be impossible I'm more sure than some people I guess you could say" Richard knew right then that Sully told Eddie about his questionable paternity.

"So no children that you know of"

"Actually there's no children at all and I'm certain of that."

"Okay, If you'll excuse me I'll be burying myself on the 50 yard line" Janet just walked off and Richard was surprised by Eddie's slight pleased grin as he watched her talking to some people she knew

"I don't think she found it nearly as amusing as you do"

"You know what, I've got to go but Thanks you saved me one hell of an uncomfortable conversation"

"Latekka, the fact that you need to have that conversation isn't something to be proud of"

"Never said it was and we didn't need to have it, Janet's the one person that would already know but it's nice to know there's no question about it now"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, just that Janet would know. I don't have many secretes on the Ridge and even less with her."

Eddie nodded and meet Janet back at their original seat. Richard wasn't pleased that he couldn't manage to get off with Latekka

------------------

"You're hand's are freezing" He felt them having reached over to grab her hand more unconsciously than purposely "You want my Jacket to put in your lap"

"No, this should be fine and if not I'll just find somewhere to warm them up" Preferably on him of course and he got that much as she held her cup of hot chocolate to her lips to blow on it

"I'm so sorry, Eddie. He's just really an ass."

"Sam's the one who's going to be sorry"

"The boy can't help he's being corrupted"

Eddie didn't pull the yawn and stretch move but rather just went for it running his hand under the back of Janet's coat to rub her back. He leaned over and whispered in her ear "You want to get outta here"

"You don't want to stay for the rest of the game?" Janet thought for sure her father had seceded in ruining the first relationship possibility she'd ever really took

"I can think of something better than watching a game I can't play"

"O-kay" Richard could see it all just not hear them. He could see Eddie's smile and Janet's grin

"I suggest we make a run for it" Janet's laughter bothered Richard even more

"Where are we going" Janet asked relieved that they were headed in the opposite direction as her house

"To a bonfire"

"Aren't we a little old for that, not to mention early"

"Not if we're the only ones invited "

"Really"

"You, me and the squirrels"

------------------------

"Make out point, you know dad's just bad enough to look for us up here"

"He doesn't know we know about it does he?"

"Sully's the one that told me, where it was and he doesn't know I use to come up here"

"Then we should be just fine."

"Close your eyes for me" Eddie stopped just short of the spot

"Why?"

"Just do it" She did and he drove the rest of the way and got her out of the truck through the drivers door turning her back to their spot.

"Just stand there and try not to get into ant's this time" She couldn't believe he remembered that.

She continued to pretend bicker and play as he got the fire going. "Okay, I can hear the fire and see it glowing against the truck so can I turn around now"

"Just a minute. I waited for you" She gave him about 2 minutes

"Yeah but I provided heat and booze" She didn't realize he was standing behind her by that point.

"I have booze and I always have heat" Janet saw him throw his Jacket on the hood of the truck then his shoes as he kicked them to the side.

"I can see that" She was nervous because if he'd ever been right about something it was the amount of heat Eddie Latekka could cause within a woman. He slid her Jacket off tossing it on top of his.

"There's no shoes allowed" Eddie informed her

"Okay, you may have the heat but I'm freezing and I'm defiantly going to be needing the booze" She replied as she kicked out of her shoes now standing on the cold ground.

"Sorry, I didn't think about you having girlie socks on" He referred to her trouser socks, she'd worn with her boots

"I didn't really think about needing non girlie ones for a football game" She turned around faster than Eddie thought humanly possible when he tugged at her sweater just to make her squirm.

"Okay, that was funny and you know it"

"For you maybe, but seriously I'm really cold" he wrapped his arms around her rubbing her back to warm her up.

"I can tell" She was so wishing she hadn't listened to Hannah and had worn the padded bra.

"Yeah, well me to" She shot back with her only defense

"I'm never going to get one over on you am I" He led her over to the mound of blanket's he had so perfectly placed. Eddie sat down pulling her down between his legs and the blankets up around them .

"You still in the mood for the booze?"

"Yeah" He had brought wine and glasses of course.

"You alright. I don't want to make you uncomfortable with all of this. I just didn't really know what else to do." He played with her hair "but I knew it had to be good if I was ever going to make up for the BBQ" Janet enjoyed her current spot in his arms and didn't reply.

"It's kind of hard to get privacy with Phil not being able to leave, Sully's sure doesn't stand a chance and I just wasn't sure about hanging out at your house again."

"Are you uncomfortable at my house"

"No, but I don't want you to be either" He kissed her forehead. Eddie knew taking men home wasn't Janet's thing though he'd never be able to tell her he knew since she didn't remember telling him.

"This is perfect, Eddie. I'm actually more comfortable right now than I think I've ever been."

"Well, I guess I got lucky then didn't I"

"You might not " She instinctively fought against his arrogance

"I want. I don't think you'll really be okay with that and I can wait"

"Are you drunk?"

"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" He wrapped his fingers with hers

"What's all of this for then?"

"For this" He kissed her hand

"That's all you planned on doing?"

"Not exactly" Janet was perfectly content curled in Eddie's arm's in the quietness but for the fire crackling as he continued to play with her hair. It drove her nuts a little but she wouldn't have stopped him for anything.

------------------------------------------

"I guess Richard realized we were gone"

"It's just a message from Hannah" She didn't attempt to read it in private just let Eddie look over her shoulder.

"That was subtle"

"She would know, she's the queen of subtle" Eddie laughed knowing Hannah was anything but subtle. Janet didn't reply just curled back against Eddie's chest.

A few minutes later another message she just flipped her phone open not moving an inch out of her perfect spot. She read the message to Eddie "Are you still with Eddie?"

"Yes, now go away"

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing, Hannah now stop"

"Where are you at?"

"My house, I mean it take a hike."

"Liar, I've already been by your house and the guy' s said you aren't at his"

"So, what's your point?"

"Where's he at right now"

"Behind me" When Eddie started laughing she realized what it sounded like

"WHAT?"

"He's sitting behind me and we still have our clothes on, sorry to disappoint you"

"Where are you?"

"Some where you're not" Eddie finally took the phone from her sent goodnight Hannah and turned it off.

-------------------------------------------

"You're still shivering. Do you want to go"

"No, I 'm getting there" Eddie helped her get snuggled into the covers then got up to stoke the fire again before rejoining her.

------------------

"How much of do you tell Hannah about your personal life?"

"It depends on what part of my personal life we're talking about"

"Our part" To Eddie it felt so strange and abnormal to say 'OUR' but yet comforting

"I tell her some things, some things I don't"

"Which things don't you tell her?"

"The only thing she knows is that you asked me out, we went, you stood me up and I forgave you but right now I'm pretty sure she's coming up with her own conclusions" Janet giggled

"Are you going to tell her where we're at?"

"No, she doesn't know about this place and she's not going to. She'll just drag Ray up here for something kinky and ruin it besides I kind of like it being a secret to most of the world, kind of like us"

"How kinky?"

"Let's just say after the 2 am phone call to bail their butts out of jail for………never mind. They just have a little to much fun sometimes. They use to anyway before Nick came back"

"I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure after last night, we aren't a secret anymore and what do you mean most of the world?"

"The two of us, Mom, Dad's never going to come back up here, Sully knows, my grands can't walk to the corner let alone hoof it up here so who ever else you've brought up here is about it"

"Dad and I use to camp up here when I was little and I can't swear to it but I don't think he's going to be talking so that's everyone"

"You've never done this before?"

"Done what?"

"This?"

"Why didn't you just ask me how many women I've stashed in the woods?" Her look clearly asked how many. "No, I've never brought any one here. It's your place I hardly think you'd enjoy me ruining that for you. Besides you're the only girl I know that would want to come up here"

"It would be a little un-nerving. You know just because this is mom's place" He wasn't buying her I don't really care act and she didn't pull it off for long.

"What do you mean I'm the only one that would want to come up here?" She was a little miffed

"You're the only one that cares to talk to me."

"I like talking to you Eddie, I always have."

--

"If I kiss you right now are you going to tell Hannah that I did?"

"That depends on how you kiss me" He kissed right against the back of the curls then her neck softly

"How's that" He whispered in her ear, his stubble tickling her neck.

"A little like getting kissed on the forehead and not walked to the door"

"What if I kissed you right here?" He kissed her neck a little further down "Or I could try right here" even further

"Warmer" She whispered

"Really, what about now?" He could hear the little noise in the back of her throat and got brave shifting his body to reach further. He continued to work his way down her neck until he found just the right spot clearly supported by her change in breathing and posture.

"Has it always been this quiet out here?" Talk about stop the clock

"Yes but I can turn the radio on if it'll make you feel less deserted."

"I'm not alone you're here, Eddie. I just need to drown out the noise in my head" Eddie got up tucking her back in against the rocks he had been leaning against.

"Better?" He crawled in beside her letting himself lean against her.

"Yeah, if you'll cover my feet back up" They both laughed as Eddie lazily used his foot to kick the blanket back over her but managed to make it worse so he playfully leaned forward and pushed her reaching for the blanket. He tickled her foot while he was there and she tried to get away from him unsuccessfully.

"Eddie" She laughed and beat him gently until he realized she was doing more shrieking than laughing and trying to tell him something between laughs.

"What?" Eddie chuckled

"There's a spider on your back"

"Knock it off"

"I can't"

"It's not a tarantula is it?" he thought it was funny

"Eddie, I don't do spiders"

"Just flick it off"

"No, they jump"

"Just swat it"

"No, I don't want to kill it" Eddie rolled his eyes and pulled his shirt off by grabbing the back of the neck as men often do and whipped it right over his head.

"You could have just asked me to take my shirt off" He didn't see it as he flipped his shirt back right side out.

"You have to find it, Eddie" she nudged his bare back and the feeling of her skin against his was nearly to much to bare.

He glanced at her wanting to see if she felt it to. "Be still for a second" She was squirming trying to get away from the tiny creature wherever it was hiding.

Eddie just laid his shirt in his lap and stretched over her reaching for her breasts "Not until you find that…" Her voice cracked

"Shhhhh" He put his finger against her lips then slowly drug it down her neck just barely letting his hand rest against her breast but looking her in the eye until he felt the little legs tingling on his finger. He gently picked his hand up and leaned over away from her to set him free.

Eddie immediately cupped her face when she sat back up brushing her cheek with his thumb. "Better?" he asked again

"Thank you?" Janet whispered as more of a question over him groaping her

"It was my pleasure" Eddie grinned shyly then after a moment he brought her in for a long long looooooooooong slow kiss. Janet couldn't help but touch his bare skin as it seared the crisp night air. When Eddie felt her fingertips run over his back he upped the game by working his way down her neck again right to the spot he'd recently navigated while his hands worked upwards beneath her sweater . He was lost in the softness of her touch as she barely held on, her fingers gently indenting his muscle, her timid moans of pleasure, the slow movements all in complete contradiction to the women he'd experienced before. She didn't seem to need anything other than him and he knew it by the way she looked at him every time he touched her face. She didn't care about his knowledge of the female pleasure zones, any touch he made would satisfy her.

Janet didn't want to turn lose of that man for anything in the world and she wasn't going to. Even if a swarm of spiders covered the blanket she wouldn't have let go. When she had her arms firmly locked around him he used his perfected skills to get her sweater off before she realized what he was doing though she was quite sure she had willingly lifted her arms for it to come off. Something in his kiss made everything around her stop existing.

"Eddie eased her down when she started kissing his neck and chest and her touch was so soft Eddie could only hold her while he watched and became overwhelmed by an urge he'd had just twice before in his life both of which were with her.

Eddie laid carefully on top of her mostly by holding her close and leaning over her body. Her legs were tangled with his and his desire was felt easily against the front of her hip. He started out with one hand beneath her head and the other over the zipper of her jeans which soon began to travel back up to her breast and back down again several times before he just all out crawled on top of her kissing his way down her chest making her involuntarily whimper when he rooted a little more than planned causing the strap of her camisole to fall and he eased it down even further as Janet kissed him like Eddie Latekka had never been kissed before.

Janet felt the cold air hit her breast and felt him kiss over it as she held his head running her fingers through his hair. Just when she thought he was going to transition from making out to making love he stopped just shy of exposing her nipple.

Janet thought he was just really really good at the foreplay when he went back to kissing her neck "Keep my spot warm for me"

( What? Seriously? Is he nuts? Like that'll be a problem as hot and bothered as I am now. Her eyes fluttered open to the night sky )

"I'm going to get some more wood for the fire"

( I think you've already got more wood than I'll ever be able to handle. Though a chance to try would be nice right about NOW. )

Janet just glanced over to his face and nodded yes lying flat on her back looking up at him looking down at her. He laid a soft kiss on her collar bone then her lips before getting up.

When he got up she quickly rolled onto her side to face the fire pulling the blanket back up her body suddenly very aware of her figure and trying desperately to believe he was either trying to be a good guy though she was regretting that request, or that he hadn't planned all the necessities or perhaps necessities were the reason for the retreat to his truck.

--

Eddie disappeared into the darkness and was gone for what seemed like a lifetime though it was only a few minutes and twenty feet to his truck for firewood before he came back with more fuel to add to the fire that already burned.

He stoked the fire shirtless in all his glory then crawled back under the covers yet again this time Janet had a glass of wine waiting on him as she sipped hers.

"You're being unusually quite" He kissed her shoulder sitting his empty wine glass down and snuggling her up close having put his arm back under the covers and around her, partly because he wanted to touch her and partly because the Ridge at the end of October was cold, especially with out a shirt and at the top of a rather high bluff though Eddie seemed to like cold weather.

"What are you thinking about" stupid question Latekka she's probably wandering why you just hosed everything down for no good reason.

"My Mom. She would have liked you. Actually, to be honest she liked the whole pretty boy smirk and bad boy charm, she would have really liked you" Janet laughed

"That's flattering I guess. I've never had a woman tell me her mom would be interested" He really was flattered but played with her for his own amusement

"That's what she liked about my Dad"

"Richard?"

"He was a lot like you when he was young and my grandmother helped them sneak around behind my grandfathers back"

--

"You know I'm surprised your not locked up in some tower guarded by fire breathing dragons"

"Like fire breathing dragons stand a chance"

"Like Richard Meadows stands a chance against his daughter" Janet turned to face him

"To be honest I've never actually tried to slay a fire breathing dragon before. I've mostly just offered a throat lozenge so I could sneak in and out rather quickly"

They spent the majority of their time together in silence just staring at the fire.

------