A/N: The rating has changed, folks. Not sure if it's too high now, but I wanted to play it safe. And I honestly meant for these chapters to be a hundred, maybe two hundred words each! When did that stop? Over 1600 words in this one. Jeez. Anyways, hope you enjoy it and please review if you can spare the time.
~VC
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Touch Me
'So where are we going?' Rory asked as she climbed into Jess's car.
'I was thinking we could go out to Woodbridge, pillage their library.'
She grinned. 'I do love a good pillage.' He felt the corner of his mouth curl up at this and Rory frowned. 'That sounded dirty didn't it?'
He shrugged one shoulder. 'I wouldn't complain if you said it again.'
Rory shook her head and stared out the window. He could see she was blushing and knew she was trying to hide it. He chuckled softly and turned his gaze to the road.
A moment later he felt her hand taking hold of his as it rested on the gear stick and knew that she was testing herself. He moved his own had a little so that he could squeeze hers gently.
Later, in the library, he found her crouched on her hands and knees, a pile of large books at her side as she scanned a bottom shelf. He slid down the wall next to her and she straightened up to look at him.
'Find anything?' He held up a copy of The Princess Bride. Rory's brow furrowed. 'Don't you already have that?'
'Yep, but this one has the first chapter of the 'sequel' in it as well.' He made air quotes with his fingers.
'There was a sequel?'
'An imaginary sequel: Buttercup's Baby.'
She nodded in understanding. 'Another piece of William Goldman trickery.'
'Yep.' Jess scanned the shelves that Rory was in front of and realised where they were. 'You wanna explain to me why we're in the fishing section?'
Rory turned her back to the shelves so that she was sitting next to him. He wrapped his arm across her shoulders and she leaned against him. 'My Mom's going on a fishing date,' she explained.
He was about to question her further but then thought better of it and shook his head. 'I think it's better if I don't ask.'
'I like this,' she said, reaching up and fingering the sleeve of his white button down shirt.
'My shirt?'
'It's pretty,' she stated as if it was completely obvious. He scowled at that. Pretty? He wasn't going for pretty!
'If you say stuff like that again I'm taking the shirt off.'
He saw her eyes widen at this and she grinned as she leaned up, kissing him softly, only barely allowing her tongue to brush against his lips. He felt his skin quiver. You are such a tease Gilmore, he silently berated. Once the kiss was finished felt her warm breath tickling his ear and this time he couldn't stop himself from shivering. 'Jess? You look really pretty in that shirt…'
Was she doing this on purpose?! He tried to play it cool and smirked at her as she pulled back. 'Gilmore! You're getting dangerous!' For once he actually felt like he was the one that wanted to avoid her gaze. Keeping one's cool was infinitely harder when he could see those laughing, dancing eyes…
But there she was, staring at him, eyebrows raised, exactly as if she was waiting for him to take his shirt off. Really? She means it?
'You know I have another shirt on under this, right?'
She shrugged and smiled just a little and when she spoke her voice seemed loaded with meaning. 'I was just planning on taking it one layer at a time.'
This brought his gaze straight to her face, to her eyes. When he saw how dark they had become he realised just how much Rory was testing both of them and felt his heart, flip, jump and possibly can-can in his chest, while his stomach clenched and a rush of warmth surged through him. He took a breath, trying to keep his head on straight and looked around, focusing on the shelves. The feelings didn't go away.
Finally he stood, grabbing her hand and hauling her to her feet. 'We're not doing this in the fishing and agriculture section. You got the books you need?'
She grabbed her books and nodded, looking suddenly uncertain. He smirked, glad to be feeling like he was back in control.
'Come on then.'
They checked out their books and were back in the car two minutes later. She was watching him curiously. 'Where are we going?'
'You'll see.' Honestly, he had no idea. He just knew that he wasn't letting Rory take his shirts off in a library.
Pulling back into Stars Hollow he finally made up his mind and turned the car towards the High School, taking a detour onto an old dirt road. He stopped as his headlights hit the bank of the lake and the bridge.
Rory was giggling next to him. 'I should have guessed.'
He turned to her, smiling only slightly. Suddenly he was nervous, unsure of what to do. Jeez, when was Jess Mariano ever unsure of what to do?
As it turned out, it didn't matter though. Once again, Rory took charge, leaning across the car and placing her hands to the side of his head as she kissed him, tentatively at first, but more confidently as she felt him leaning closer. He shivered as he felt her breath against his mouth. 'That shirt is really pretty.'
Jess Mariano did not get nervous and his hand was not trembling as he raised it to the button at the top of his shirt…Yeah, sure. And Rory Gilmore is not the most amazing girl in the world and Stars Hollow is not a borderline mental institution. You keep lying to yourself, punk, if it makes you feel more manly.
It didn't take long for Rory to start working at his buttons as well and even less time for her hands to reach for the hem of his black shirt, once the white one had been pushed off his shoulders.
Only half conscious now, he slid his seat back as far as he could, pulling Rory across so that her knees were bent and she straddled his lap. He slid his hands into the back pockets of her jeans, telling himself it was because he liked them there, but knowing secretly it was only a way of stopping him from removing Rory's own shirt.
Her mouth was fused to his and she moaned when he squeezed his hands inside her pockets. She had managed to push his shirt halfway up his chest now and his moan echoed hers as her fingers trailed along his abs.
Suddenly she pulled back with a grunt of frustration. He opened his eyes and laughed to realise what had stopped her. With his hands shoved in her pockets, he had effectively foiled her plan of removing his shirt.
He felt her tense for a moment, as if she was realising just what she'd been doing and he moved one of his hands to grip her arm, softly.
'Hey?' He ran his hand gently up and down her forearm. 'Are you okay?'
She took a deep breath and lifted her eyes to look at him shyly. He just looked back, using his Never-Before-Seen, Once-in-A-Lifetime tender stare and he felt her relaxing again
She smiled and nodded, moving her hand to grip his. 'Yeah I'm…' her voice trailed off, and he knew she was scanning her mental thesaurus for the right words, but coming up blank.
He smiled and let her off the hook, 'Yeah, me too.'
She smiled back and leaned in to his chest, resting her head against his bunched up shirt. He could feel her heart pounding against his chest and had to assume that she could feel his in the same way. He stroked her hair, pressing a soft kiss on her forehead. Suddenly she tensed again and grabbed at his wrist.
'Shit!'
'What?'
She was turning his wrist to see his watch. 'I'm late! I was supposed to meet my mom at the diner half an hour ago!'
'Shit!'
He pulled his shirt down quickly as she practically launched herself backwards into the passenger seat.
He kissed her a sweet goodbye outside the diner. 'You're not coming in?'
He shook his head. 'I don't think your mom needs to be reminded of who made you late. And I could do with a nice, cold walk right now.' He winked at her and smirked to see her blush again.
'Well I really enjoyed my pillaging expedition,' she murmured, and he knew she was smiling even though she was staring down at her shoes.
As he watched her enter the diner, Jess sighed and leaned back against the car. There was a career possibility: Jess Mariano, Pirate. He was pretty sure that didn't require a college degree.
