'Aha, I've got it!'

'Lightning has struck?'

'Come on.' As Jeremy knew this neighbourhood well he took her hand in his and they walked towards East Thirty-Eighth.

Before they'd even crossed the busy intersection, Sloan could smell it - spicy roasted meat that made her mouth water. She hadn't eaten a proper dinner owing to the fact she was too damn excited about seeing Jeremy. Now, feminine pride was severely outweighed by the snarling snap of hunger in the pit of her stomach.

Jeremy stopped at the source of the wonderful scent - a street-cart run by a man with an apron that had seen the day's customers come and go judging from the amount of sauce drips therein. 'Jean-Louis, how's it going?'

'Cannot complain today, not with this weather,' he replied with a musical Quebecois accent. 'What for you, mon ami?'

'Let's try the lamb hearts with extra tongue. But ladies first, naturally.'

'No tongue,' Sloan replied instantly, almost in a panic, and made the vendor laugh.

'I make you my specialty.' Jean-Louis' hands flew like those of a fine-dining line chef, putting ingredients into a pita and wrapping it in one-sided foil for Sloan. He set it aside, then looked at Jeremy. 'For you, I am thinking pork livers with extra black olives.'

'Just to be safe, I'll have my regular.'

'I take it you come here often,' Sloan jumped in, loving the by-play of the two men which they obviously enjoyed themselves. 'With supermodels?'

'Nah, he is coming here to buy lunches for his work-crew,' Jean-Louis replied. 'At least twice a week, he buys them good, hearty food, not that prissy shit you find on Madison Avenue.'

'What a nice guy.'

Jeremy fought the blush, then winced as he felt a splat on his shoulder. A quick glance told him it wasn't a pigeon or shit-hawk, but water. 'We supposed to get rain today?'

'Oui-oui, mon ami.' Jean-Louis wrapped Jeremy's order, put both wraps in a paper bag and found a few pretzels as well. 'You want something to drink or you have a bottle of wine waiting at home?'

'Two iced teas, Jean-Louis, and make it fast, looks like it's going to open up soon,' Jeremy replied as he glanced up at the sky where thunder rumbled ominously.

He'd just fished out his wallet and paid for the dinner when a streak of lightning split the sky, making Sloan wince as rain began to pour down. 'We better get a cab. I want to call Lex, see how Devon is.'

'We're barely three blocks from my place,' Jeremy replied, tucking the back inside his jacket. 'We're hoof it there before it gets nasty.'

Despite sprinting the two blocks south and one block east to his building, they arrived looking like drowned rats at Jeremy's building. They'd just made it inside the secured door before the lights went bzzzzzt and flicked off.

'Excellent timing,' Sloan laughed, shoving her ruined hairstyle out of her eyes as she followed him up the stairs with their pale yellow emergency lighting. 'What floor?'

'Four. Not too far.'

Sloan followed him up, admiring the view even in the dim lighting - Jeremy Channing had a very nice ass, the kind that came from natural athletic activity. She cleared her throat as they stopped on four and Jeremy handed over the bag of food while he fished out his keys.

'These are still dry, so that's something at least.'

With a shove he opened the door, saw his emergency LED lights had kicked in; Jeremy pulled out a chair at the kitchen table which was clear of thankfully dishes. 'If you need the loo it's just behind the kitchen, on the left. Towels in the cabinet under the sink.'

'I'll call Missus Weaver first.'

'My room is right across from the bathroom for privacy.'

'Oh, sure, okay.'

Sloan took her purse, and as tempting as it was to see the most vulnerable aspect of this man's external existence, she opted instead for the bathroom. There was barely two rings when she dialed Alexis' cellphone. 'Hey, Lex, how's my little man doing?'

'He's down for the count, Sloan. Why are you calling, did you step out of the theatre?'

'No, the tickets are for next Saturday,' she explained, detailing the beginning of her street date and then getting soaked in the rain. 'So we're at his apartment right now.'

'Stay there.'

'Excuse me?'

'Stay there,' Alexis repeated. 'Devon is fine, Sloan, and I don't want to worry about you out in this weather. You left a full diaper bag here, and don't forget I've got extra supplies like nappies and formula here because of Jojo. You get dry and warm so you don't get sick, you hear me? I've already got one sickie on my hands, I don't need another least of all you.'

'Yes Missus Weaver,' Sloan laughed. 'You're sexy when you're in charge.'

'Shane thinks so too. Have a good night.'

'What, no lectures on safe sex or putting out on the first date?'

'I know you Sloan, I don't need to lecture you,' Alexis teased. 'Go, enjoy your date night.'

Sloan hung up, pulled open the door and nearly ran smack into Jeremy. He held up a robe, a long-sleeve tee and a pair of sleep pants much like the ones he was wearing. 'Here, put these on, you'll be comfier while you wring your clothes out and let them dry.'

'Oh, thank you.'

Jeremy nodded, then closed the door to give her privacy while he looked around his living room. There was no possible way to make this date more awkward but he could make her - them - comfortable. They couldn't watch television or listen to the stereo so they would only have each other for conversation.

'Fire,' he murmured and began to hum Springsteen as he went to the wall thermostat and prayed it would work since it was gas as well. A few minutes later, his living room was filled with the soft orange-and-blue glow of the mini fireplace of his apartment. He thought about the half-bottle of chardonnay in his fridge and then, because he knew Sloan had a good sense of humour, selected a different bottle.

When she emerged from the bathroom in the tee and pants and had his robe belted loosely around her waist, she saw him sitting on the floor in front of the couch with a glass of something milky; there was a second one on the table beside him as were their wraps and pretzels. 'What is that?'

'Pina colada without the rum. We got caught in the rain, it seemed appropriate. One for you as well.'

Sloan giggled, knelt down to join him. 'Devon's okay.'

'Good, good. At least we're nice and cozy here.'

'I think this is the first time I've ever gone home with a man on the first date and it didn't involve me being drunk off my ass,' Sloan teased him, felt her heart flutter when he returned the flirtatious look. 'But this is also my first date as a mom so I suppose that's a somewhat good thing.'

'Sloan.' Jeremy put his hand over hers, squeezed reassuringly. 'I'm not expecting this to be a Penthouse letter the first date we have.'

'No?'

'No. That comes on date ten.'

Sloan laughed again, and Jeremy fought to keep his blood in his head. She had the most amazing laugh. 'I'm impressed by your confidence.'

What the hell, Jeremy thought. 'Of course there'll be a date ten. I like you, Sloan,' he blurted out, 'and I want to see you again, and again, and again.'

Going with impulse, he set aside their glasses and taking her face in his hands he planted his lips lightly on hers, keeping the kiss light and tender. Her lips were soft and lush, her perfume enveloping his senses as he put more heat behind it. Vaguely he heard her sigh and Jeremy had to make the conscious effort to fight off the urge to lower them both to the floor and show her just how much he liked her.

Sloan had been kissed many times in her life by a man, but never like this, never like she was a precious delicate treasure. And this was most definitely a man kissing her now, he was strong and steady in his moves, and god he smelled delicious, a combination of rain water and date-night aftershave. Her hands fluttered up cautiously, landed on his cheeks as he pulled her close.

He sighed her name, his lips moving her jaw so his mouth was close to her ear. 'I want you to stay the night with me.'

'Jeremy-'

'Nothing funny, I promise. I just want to wake up with you beside me.'

'What a romantic,' Sloan murmured back. 'Yes. Devon will be okay with Alexis for the night, so yes.'

'Okay. Now the all-important Double Jeopardy question.'

'What's that?'

'What's your position on pancakes?'