The next morning after JJ had kissed Emily and Harrison goodbye, Emily put on a movie for Harrison and called Garcia.
"I need your help," she said, uncomfortably. Quickly, shortly, she relayed a vague account of what had happened the night before – confining herself to the facts and not the details – and then sighed. "It was… gentle, and loving, and caring. It was slow and careful and cautious. It was beautiful… but it didn't come close to conveying the passion I feel for her," she said, glad that she was having this conversation over the phone and not face to face.
"So what do you need help with?" Garcia asked.
"Well… you're her best friend. I figured that over the years, you and she might have talked about… what she likes," Emily mumbled. "It's not something we've got around to discussing, and I kind of want to… surprise her."
Garcia had to think for a moment. As much as JJ was open about her feelings and emotions with Garcia, she could count the conversations they had had about sex on one hand. And most of what she had said, had been about men, and was therefore no use to Emily. Then she brightened. "She likes you in red," she said cheerfully.
"She likes me in red," Emily repeated, confused. "Well, that's good to know, but I don't see how that helps me."
"You should wear red lingerie for her!" Garcia said, losing patience with Emily's apparent mind block, and had to stifle the laughter that bubbled up when she heard Emily "get it".
"Oh!"
While Harrison was in therapy that morning, Emily paid a quick visit to a nearby store. She bit her lip as she debated whether or not to go through with the plan she had half constructed in her head, but in the end she slapped her credit card down before she could lose her nerve.
Later that night after Harrison was in bed, Emily put on a movie for her and JJ then excused herself and went to the bedroom to put on the things she'd bought for herself that morning. It had been a good decision, she could tell already. As easily as she could find flaws with her own body, she had to admit that the scarlet bra and panties she'd chosen were not only flattering… they were sexy. She put her jeans on again over the panties, and deliberately chose her red shirt for over the bra.
"Mmm, you look good," JJ said, licking her lips approvingly as she caught sight of what Emily was wearing. "I love that shirt on you. It's something about the color." She pulled Emily down onto the couch and kissed her firmly, dragging her tongue along Emily's bottom lip. "Hey… we're okay, aren't we? After yesterday, I mean. I feel like I was pushing, but it seemed like you were okay with it."
Emily nodded, then smirked. "I, um. I have a surprise for you," she said coyly, pushing the waistband of her jeans down just enough for JJ to see a flash of the red lingerie underneath.
Interest immediately roused, JJ picked up the remote and turned off the TV. "Then maybe we should go upstairs so I can unwrap it," she murmured.
Boneless and satisfied, the two collapsed into each other's arms and spent a moment catching their breath. "We are really good at that," JJ said, catching Emily's giggles from earlier. "We could do that for America in the Olympics."
"Nah, I don't want to share you," Emily said, before her face turned serious. "You stayed," she said softly. "You stayed, and you still want me. You still WANT me." She kissed JJ tenderly, smiling with eyes bright with tears. "You're the first… the only person who has ever thought I was worth a second shot, who saw me as more than a one night stand. Do you have any idea… how incredible I feel right now?"
JJ cupped Emily's face and kissed back. "It probably feels just as good as I feel right now, knowing you trusted me with yourself."
For the first time in their relationship, there were no barriers separating skin from skin as the two fell asleep together. With no tank top or shirt to cling to, JJ's hand found Emily's, clasping it tightly. As Emily drifted into sleep, the smile never left her lips.