A/N - Well firstly an apology. I hate that I've left it this long to update. Unfortunately life went more than a little crazy at Christmas with my mother passing away. We did go on holiday and I had hoped it would be conducive to writing but my head wasn't in the right place most of the time to get this done to my satisfaction. I'm pushing myself to get back to a somewhat normal routine now and hope that I've managed to make this chapter up to previous standards. I've got a few chapters almost sorted that follow this and hopefully will be back posting fairly regularly from now on. Cross your fingers for me. There is still much going on in life but I am hoping to find the time to spend writing as it is calming for me.

I'll be working to catch up on review replies over the next week as I'm behind in that too. Another thank you to those who touched base with me over the last month to make sure I was okay. It was appreciated.

Enjoy and, as always, would love to hear what you think.

Chapter 176 - Wedding Eve Part 1

Callen slipped his arms around Jessie's waist and pulled her back against him. The sand beneath their feet was cool, their skin slightly sticky and salty from their swim in the ocean. He pressed a kiss to her shoulder.

"You're right," he said. "It's very peaceful here."

They'd arrived on Catalina Island yesterday with Trevor and Alex. There hadn't been much for Callen and Jessie to do as more often than not Trevor hustled them off to enjoy the peace and quiet while he and Alex took care of organisation.

Tomorrow was their wedding day.

One more layer tying the two of them together. For a man who never tended, or wanted, to get tied down, he was doing a very good job of making sure he was well and truly attached to Jessie.

And it felt right.

The sun was low in the sky, sunset just starting to take hold, and the way the light hit the water hinted at the beauty that would soon blanket the horizon. The water had been surprisingly warm for this time of year and Callen had coaxed Jessie for a swim in the ocean rather than the indoor pool for a combined therapy and fun session.

"It is," Jessie agreed. She dropped her head back onto his shoulder and sighed softly, her hand rested over the one of his at her waist. Her fingers gently traced his. "Not cabin peaceful but close."

Nothing beat the cabin. Here was a close third because the Maldives was Callen's second favourite place. He ran his fingers up one of her arms and she shivered.

"Cold?" he asked.

Jessie laughed. "G you're touching me," she said. "What do you think?"

Callen grinned. "That I should take you inside and make the most of the time I have before the hordes descent."

Jessie turned in his arms, hers slid around his neck and her fingers played at the back of it, brushing gently over his short hair. "You know those hordes are family right?"

"That's what you take from that? Thought you'd be dragging me off to the bedroom."

"Bathroom would probably be a good place first."

Callen smiled. He ran his hands up her back, his fingers paused at the clasp of her bikini top, though they both knew he wouldn't undo it here. "We've got an hour," he told her. "Hetty texted. They'll be here soon. Mac'll arrive tomorrow. His flight got cancelled but he's promised he'll be here in time."

"Glad he's able to make it still."

They'd both gotten closer to Mac over the last year. After that first meeting Jessie had encouraged Callen to try and make some more of those hockey matches. Leaving Jessie's safety to Mac was a big step too. Mac had always been something of a back up for Callen more than a part of his life but there'd been a slight shift to more friend/family connection with everything that had happened. Jessie shifted against him, the movement pulling his thoughts from Mac back to her.

"You do know," her voice was lower with a very sensual hint to it. "That we can get up to a lot in an hour right?"

"Only if I can get you inside."

"What are you waiting for?"

Callen was tempted to lift her into his arms and carry her inside but he wasn't an idiot. He was allowed out of the boot much longer than he'd let her know... yet - that was a surprise for later. He was stronger than she knew too, but that kind of action, the length of time it would take more than the actual lift, would be pushing his luck with all concerned and he didn't plan on being in the bad kind of trouble with anyone right now, least of all Jessie.

Callen stepped back, held out his hand and smiled as she took it without hesitation. "Let's go."

They made a quick stop to grab their towels and his phone before making their way up the beach the short distance to the bed and breakfast they were staying at. Jessie had been right, it hadn't taken much to convince the owners to let them rent it. They'd been delighted to be able to say thank you to Jessie in a tangible way. It was a beautiful building that blended in with the surrounding nature rather than standing out which gave it a much more calm and relaxing feel to it. Just before the steps at the front door Callen pulled Jessie in for a kiss. Slowly and carefully he led them backward while he tasted and tempted her lips. Unfortunately he misjudged the first step and they stumbled a little. Jessie shot him a look and moved back so they walked up the stairs side by side without touching. The absence of the connection between the two of them something Callen didn't want for any longer than necessary so when they stepped inside and closed the door he pulled her back into his arms quickly and resumed the kiss at the same level of heat as they'd left off - the height of the heat being the very reason for the earlier stumble not his physical recovery.

Jessie jumped at the sudden and unexpected sound of a throat being cleared. Callen turned his head but left his body facing Jessie, a touch of … protection from prying eyes. Even though he wasn't expecting anyone he still felt safe because he knew that sound.

"Hetty." Callen raised an eyebrow. "Your text said an hour."

"And it was sent over an hour ago," Hetty replied.

Callen didn't miss the amused twitch of her lips. He pulled up the text on his phone, still keeping his body turned toward Jessie and hers from prying eyes, because it wasn't just Hetty in the room. Arkady was smirking in the background from a comfortable seat with a drink in his hand and if Callen was right, Deeks and Kensi were chatting in the next room. He wasn't quite sure where the rest of the guests were at the moment. It didn't take him long to realise he hadn't check the timestamp on Hetty's text, just on Mac's. "Oh."

"Perhaps," Hetty said, "you two should shower and get dressed. Dinner will be ready in half an hour. We've already been shown our rooms."

"There you two are," Trevor's voice came from the bottom of the stairs. "Your guests arrived and you were nowhere to be found."

"You knew exactly where we were," Jessie said. Callen knew that tone - there was a hint of accusation in it that he hadn't warned them. Trevor's grin and wink confirmed he knew that too. He was in trouble - yet not. Callen found it interesting and amusing that both he and Trevor had that talent when it came to Jessie. He was pretty sure she found it infuriating because it was hard for her to be mad at them in most situations, not all but most.

"Yes well," Trevor's grin widened. "The guests arrive a little sooner than we were expecting."

There was the slightest hint of a blush on Trevor's cheeks and Callen suspected he and Jessie weren't the only ones caught out.

"I didn't want to send them to say hi," Trevor continued, "in case… Well in case they interrupted something but I can see they did. Off you go," Trevor them toward the stairs. "We'll entertain them for you but don't take too long."

Jessie preceded Callen up the stairs to their room, her towel wrapped around her body. He wasn't quite sure when she'd done that, but it tempted him to tug it away now there was no one but him to see. The moment their bedroom door was closed he did and dropped both their towels to the floor before he gently pinned her to the door with his body. Even though their skin was cool initially, it warmed up from the touch of one another.

"How much time do you think we can manage?" Callen asked.

"Not enough," Jessie murmured, "for what I'd really like to do with you."

Callen lifted his hand and ran a finger lightly along her bottom lip. He felt her breath rush out over his finger. "I wouldn't mind knowing exactly what that is but I think you're right." His finger trailed down her neck, paused and rested it over where her pulse leapt. "Trevor … or Hetty will be knocking on our door before too long."

"Probably Trevor." Jessie's eyes closed as his finger eased the strap of her bikini top down. First one side then the other.

"We could just ignore him." Callen pressed a kiss to the corner of her mouth and slowly moved across her cheek to her ear as his fingers found the clip at the back of her top and with just a flick had it undone.

"Tempting." The word came out on a breath, Jessie's head now back against the door which opened her neck for him. Callen loved the way she moved instinctively like that - like she knew just where he wanted to go before he did and made his journey that much easier. After leaving a few kisses along that tempting line of skin, Callen shifted just far enough away to allow the top of her bikini to fall to their feet before he moved back, skin to skin, nothing between them.

"G." His name a mere whispered moan falling from her lips. "We do need a shower." Her hands were on his shoulders, her fingers tightened as he slid his hands slowly down her back.

"Is that all you need?" Callen lifted his head and waited until she opened her eyes to look at him. Need and heat burned in the deep brown. "You do know Trevor is going to whisk you away after dinner for this crazy idea of me not seeing you before the wedding. This may be our last time alone." He wasn't overly fussed on the idea but when it came to Trevor and Jessie's relationship Callen was willing to put up with some inconvenience because of how important they were to each other. He had no intention of coming between them.

One of Jessie's hands moved down from his shoulders, over his sides and down to the waistband of his swimmers, the other to the back of his neck.

"Payback," she smiled before she tilted her head to one side and drew his toward her neck. Callen smiled and gladly took the invitation she offered, his lips dusting over her neck as she continued to speak. "I did it to him after their Bachelor -" she gasped when he sucked gently just below her tattoo. "Party," she continued, her voice more breathless than before. "I wasn't risking either of them getting up to mischief."

Callen cupped her hips and pulled her tighter against him. There was no way for her to miss his body's reaction to her, just as he hadn't missed hers.

"Kind of regretting that now aren't you?"

"Mmm hmm." Her response wasn't much more than a soft rumble but his lips were against her throat and the feel and sound sent the heat in his blood up a notch.

Callen lifted his head and the sound of complaint Jessie made just ramped things up even more. "Shower Doc," he said. "Let's make the most of the short amount of time we have." His fingers linked with hers and he led her to the bathroom.

"Unless I sneak into your room later."

"Or me into yours." The idea, either idea actually, was incredibly appealing to him. "Think we can swing either?" Callen asked.

Jessie shook her head. "Not likely. Trevor's staying in the room with me. I don't think he trusts me."

"Given this discussion I'd say he knows you well."

Jessie reached out to turn on the shower before she moved back to him and slid his swimmers off his hips.

"I think," Callen pulled her against him, "maybe we should be late now so he thinks we've got it out of our system. Then maybe you'll be able to slip away."

Jessie's hands slowly ran up his arms and around his neck. "I'll never get you out of my system. But now isn't the time for too much anyway. You're not quite up for that in the shower yet."

Callen turned and backed into the shower, keeping her against him. The water was warm and the feel of it between them as skin brushed against skin heightened the sensations. He lowered his voice and spoke against her ear.

"Are you sure about that?"