A/N: Thanks for reviews. Don't have anything in your mouth at the end of this chapter. :)
"Screw it, I fold," Tommy said as he threw the cards on the table. "And I quit." He got up from the table and grabbed another beer.
"What's the matter Tommy? Out of money?" Jack laughed as he counted up the chips. "You're only out twenty bucks."
"For the third time tonight," Fabri mentioned. "See why I don't even bother playing poker with him? I know he's just going to kick my ass," he told Tommy.
"You've won on occasion Fabri," Jack told him.
"I think the last time I beat you at poker was when we were twelve. And we weren't playing for money then." Tommy laughed while watching his friends banter.
"Oh that's right. Whoever won got to ask Susan Niles to the eighth grade dance. Well you won, why are you complaining," Jack teased his friend.
"Because she kept asking where you were all night long. In fact, every girl did." Jack threw his head back and laughed. He didn't deny it. Puberty had kicked in early for Jack, around the age of eleven. He shot up a foot in the air and facial hair began to sprout. Fortunately for Jack, he never had to deal with acne. He went from a dorky little kid to heart breaker over night.
"With all the girls that kept throwing themselves at you, it's a wonder you weren't already involved with someone when you met Rose," Tommy pointed out. "When she's coming home anyways?"
"Three more damn days," Jack told him.
"Speaking of which," Fabri began. "The girls seem to have this idea of throwing a welcome home party for her. And I have a feeling that no matter how hard we put up a fight about it, we're going to lose."
"Then how about we don't put up a fight? The only way it wouldn't work would be if Rose came home early and we had no idea about it," Jack told him.
...
Rose shivered as she walked from the plane to the gate. Despite the boardwalk being enclosed, the cold winter air still hit her. And even worse, she had no coat. Nor would she, since Jack had no idea she had been sent home three days early.
It was a small price to pay though, and she'd live with it. She glanced at her watch and saw it was a little after two in the morning. Her flight had been delayed because of storms in northern Florida, but she didn't really care. She couldn't wait to surprise Jack.
Rose grabbed her single suitcase from baggage claim and made her way to the exit. She wasn't sure if there would be cabs at this late hour, but sure enough there were a few waiting for late night passengers. Dashing from the doorway, she leaped into the cab and shivered. It was a lot colder than she remembered, or maybe it was just a slap to the senses after being in a near tropical environment.
"Where to ma'am?" Rose rattled off her address to the cab driver and leaned back against her seat. It had snowed while she had been away, recently from the look of it. The trees were still barren and Rose now found herself pining for spring. In the meantime, she'd focus on warming up next to Jack. She had missed him more than she thought she would. It had been impossible to get in touch with him in anyway but email.
Even at the late hour, the lights of the buildings still twinkled in the darkness. She smiled as she saw the Sears Tower looming ahead of her. Jack had taken her up to the Sky Deck there last fall. She remembered the way he jokingly scolded her when she called it by it's new name, the Willis Tower. "Rose. I'm a Chicagoan. This has, and always will be the Sears Tower to me."
"Here we are miss," the cab driver said as the car came to a stop in front of her building. Glancing at the meter, she dug the cash from her purse and handed it to him, along with a tip.
"Keep the change," she told him as she climbed from the cab. A cold wind hit her, but she really didn't care. She grabbed her bags and walked briskly through the buildings lobby to the elevator.
The condo was silent and dark, as she figured it would be. More surprisingly, it was clean. Remembering that boys will be boys, Rose had half expected to find Fabri and Tommy passed out on each of the couches, and a plethora of beer bottles and pizza boxes. She was impressed.
As quietly as possible, she put her bags down and tiptoed to the bedroom door. Though the shades were closed, Rose could just make out the outline of Jack's body with the help of street lamps. Tempting as it was to just climb into bed with him, she craved a hot shower.
Positive she wouldn't disturb Jack, since he slept like the dead, Rose hopped into the hot shower. She intended to make it quick, but once the hot water hit her skin, she knew she'd be in there until it ran out. She hadn't been able to shave since before she left, and did so. Never know a good thing until you don't have it, she thought as she grabbed the razor. Besides, I don't want Jack to run his hands up hairy legs.
Smiling at the thought of Jack's touch, she turned the water off. It was now after three in the morning. She knew Jack had to get up at five, since it was Thursday and he had an early morning class. In Rose's opinion, that just sucked, but she'd deal with it. She finished brushing and flossing her teeth and snapped the light off.
Rose quietly pulled back the covers and slid into bed next to Jack. She tried to sleep, but couldn't. She was simply too excited to be back home. So for the next hour and half, she watched him sleep. Never having done that before, she wondered why. Jack was not only a mover in his sleep, but he was also quite the talker. And he was holding an intense conversation with someone about feeding some ducks down by the lake. Rose held in giggle after giggle until he quieted down. She glanced at the alarm clock, and watched the last ten minutes before it went off drag on.
Finally it did. Groggily, Jack reached out and smacked the snooze button before pulling the covers over his head, while laying at the edge of the bed. Rose simply couldn't help herself.
"GOOD MORNING," she yelled.
Not only startled by her voice, but half asleep and tangled in the sheets, Jack yelled out "Shit!" before falling off the edge of the bed. Rose began to laugh her ass off.