A/N: Happy New Year! Here's an extra chapter! I will posting again tomorrow as I realized the story coincides with the new year. Please let me know what you think-review! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: All characters belong to JE. I make no profit.

Plum & Prejudice

Chapter 9:

"One cannot know what a man really is by the end of a fortnight."

I'm just finishing up the final touches of my lipstick when I hear a knock on my door. I give myself one more once over. I look good if I do say so myself. I'm wearing a plum wrap dress with a v-neck plunging down, making my small breasts look good. The hem ends about midway down my thigh. The perfect length and I'm wearing black FMPs to make my legs look miles long. I'm wearing a silver necklace with a single diamond and a silver tennis bracelet. Both were gifts from my father at one point or another. My hair is falling in perfect curls, and my makeup is light for a Jersey girl but makes my eyes pop. I grab my small black clutch and white coat before heading to the door.

My apartment is modest but nice. I live in a modern building and have a small living room, an open kitchen with bar stools, and a small hall leading to the bathroom and further back my bedroom. I leave the light above the stove on as I go to open the door.

Joe is standing there in a pair of dark wash dressy jeans and a white button-up collared shirt. Joe's sleeves are rolled up a bit above his wrist, and three of the buttons at his throat are undone. His brown hair is still unruly and flopping over his right eye, where I notice a scar going through his eyebrow. His brown eyes are warm, and he has a smile on his face. He looks good.

Joe moves forward and holds out his hand. I take it, and he pulls me close to him, placing my hand on his shoulder while his other goes around my waist. I feel my heart speed up at the movement as my eyes are on his. I see his pupils dilate, and his eyes turn a dark shade of brown. I'm flush against him. His eyes drop to my lips, and he bends me a bit before claiming my lips with his. His lips are warm and soft against mine. I can feel him pressed against me as he swipes my lips with his tongue, asking for entrance. I open, and our tongues meet. I moan a bit, and he pulls me closer, his hand sliding down to cup my butt. He draws me closer, and I can feel his erection against me. With a gasp, I pull away and feel my cheeks heat. He grins at me.

"That was a nice hello," he says, putting his hands in his pockets and rocking back on his heels, "are you ready for dinner?" I blush again and nod.

"You look beautiful," he comments as I close and lock the door. He puts an arm around me and puts his hand at the small of my back.

The two of us walk down in comfortable silence, and he opens the door for me to exit first.

"I'm parked right over here," he says, gesturing to the side parking lot. He grabs my hand and shows me where he is. I half expect him to have his police cruiser, but instead, it's a red Jeep Cherokee. We get in, and he heads out.

"So, are you going to tell me where we're going?" I ask as I clutch my coat, trying to warm up a bit. I see him adjust the heat.

"That will ruin the surprise," he replies with a grin, "I'm sure you'll figure it out as we get closer." I notice we're heading away from Newark and in the opposite direction as Trenton. I'm curious but don't say anything as we continue down the beltway. He grabs my hand and rubs his thumb back and forth between my thumb and pointer finger. I have a good connection with Joe, but I don't feel sparks per se. He looks over at me and shoots me a grin.

"I'm really glad we ran into each other over Christmas," Joe comments, "you're even more beautiful than I remember." I blush.

"You're a smooth talker, Joe," I reply before teasing him, "I guess that hasn't changed, huh?" He grins again.

"Only when I mean it these days," he responds with a wink. I bite my lip and look out the window. I'm not great with all the compliments, probably because I don't date much.

The rest of the ride is in silence, and before I know it, we're pulling up outside of a waterfront restaurant called Grissini's. I look over at Joe, who shoots me a smile.

"Wow, Joe," I say as we exit the vehicle. Grissini's is a top-rated, fine dining restaurant that is not cheap whatsoever. He comes around and places his hand on the small of my back again.

"That's the reaction I wanted," he says, pressing a kiss behind my ear. I shiver at his touch. "I figured a woman like you deserves the best."

"I've never been, but I've heard good things." We head inside, and maitre de takes Joe's name and has a waitress take us to a small table for two by one of the large bay windows that face the water. A small candle is lit at the table. Joe holds my chair as I sit down. He takes a seat across from me. We browse the menu, and the waiter comes to take our orders. Joe orders a red wine for both of us while we both continue to look at the options. I decide on the fettuccine alla bolognese as the waiter returns. He pours our wine, and Joe swirls it, sniffs, and takes a taste before nodding. Satisfied, the waiter places the bottle on the table before taking our orders. I take a sip of the wine.

"Do you have any plans for New Year's Eve?" Joe questions with a soft smile.

"I think I'm going to this new club with my sister and some of our girlfriends to ring in the New Year," I say with a smile, "how about you?"

"Well, I'm working tomorrow night, but I should get off by 11:30 pm," he replies with a smirk, "maybe I can meet up for a New Years' kiss?" I look down and blush.

"I think that would be nice," I say, looking up at him through my lashes. He shifts in his seat, and I see his eyes darken.

"Honestly, I was surprised you weren't in a relationship," Joe says, questioning, "you didn't find anyone in college?"

"No," I reply, "a few dates here and there but no one serious. How about you?" He shrugs.

"Besides Rachel, which didn't last long, I had a few flings here and there," Joe replies, "I'm ready to settle down now." I nod before taking another sip of wine.

"Did you ever think you'd come back to the 'Burg?" I ask, curious since I don't see myself returning. He fiddles with his napkin as he thinks about his response.

"No, not for a long while, but dad died my second year in the Navy and then my Aunt Rose a few years later. Ma and Grandma Bella were lonely," he explains, "and Mooch started drinking more after his mom died." I touch his hand.

"I'm sorry," I say, not knowing what else to say. He turns his hand over and entwines his fingers with me.

"I'm not," he replies, his chocolate eyes pinned to mine, "I wouldn't have run into you if I hadn't come back." I smile at his cheesiness.

"So what are your plans now that you've got a house and a steady job at the PD?" I question as he draws circles on my hand.

"Well, I'm planning to become a detective after a few years. I'm thinking homicide or vice," he responds, "I want to put the bad guys away." I nod before taking another sip of the wine. I can feel the warmth spread through my body, and his hand drawing circles on mine feels so lovely.

"What about you?" he questions, his finger moving from my hand to trail up my arm. His touch is a light caress that causes goosebumps to break out, and I shiver involuntarily. He looks up at me with hooded eyes, and I can see the desire he has. I swallow hard.

"Well, as you know, I work at E.E. Martin as a lingerie buyer," I say and see his eyes darken more, "I just got a contract with Coco de Mer, which is a high-end luxury brand from a boutique in London. And they offered me a job." His eyebrows raise.

"So, do you get to model any of the lingerie?" he asks with a lecherous grin. I blush and take another drink. I realize I finished my glass, and all I had for lunch were those fries earlier. I'm feeling a buzz in my head and the warmth in my body. I brush off his comment with a chuckle.

"Oh no, I don't model," I respond, "I do more of the business side of things." Thankfully, our food arrives before he can make any other comments before I drink too much. The waiter refills our wine glasses and tells us to enjoy ourselves. I bite the pasta with meat, and I can't help my moan as the flavor bursts on my tongue. It's so delicious. I take another bite and close my eyes. When I open them again, I see Joe sitting there, and his eyes pitch black as he watches me. I take my napkin and wipe my mouth daintily. He clears his throat and moves in his seat.

"The pasta is that good, huh?" he questions, taking a bite of his chicken. The warmth has spread through my cheeks and blooming down my neck and chest. I see his eyes follow the blush as he looks at my cleavage.

"I'm sorry, I tend to be quite vocal when I enjoy food," I reply, taking another sip of wine. His dark eyes find mine as I take another bite. I do my best not to make noise, but I just can't help it. The buzz of the wine lowers my guard a bit, and the taste of the pasta is just so good—Joe shifts in his seat uncomfortably again.

"It's okay with me. I love that you can enjoy your food like that," he says before lowering his voice, "hopefully I'll hear more noises like that later." I feel a tingle at his insinuation, but I know that won't be happening tonight. I take a drink of water in between the wine.

"Do you follow hockey?" I ask, trying to get us onto safer topics. He grins.

"Yes, I'm a big fan of the Devils," Joe says, taking another bite. I wrinkle my nose.

"No, the Rangers are far superior," I reply, ready to defend my choice. He looks up from his food and shakes his head.

"I guess our second date will have to be a hockey game," he mentions casually, "then you can see that the Devils can beat the Rangers any day." I laugh before drinking some more wine.

"I think you'll lose that bet," I goad before polishing off the last of my delicious pasta.

"Hmm...and what would I get if I win?" he questions as he arches his brow perfectly. Why is everyone able to do that except me? I cross my legs and sit back in my chair as I hold the glass of wine with one hand.

"Depends...what do you want?" I ask coyly with a small, teasing smile on my lips. He gives me a grin and leans close to me.

"More time with you," he replies sweetly. I grin.

"And, if I win, you bring a dessert of my choosing every time you come to see me," I say with another smile. His grin widens.

"Only if you promise to share." I shrug and make a noncommittal noise, which causes him to laugh. His laugh is deep and throaty. I find him most attractive at that moment.

We chat a few more moments before the waiter reappears. He asks if we'd like dessert, and Joe orders a cannoli for us to share. Usually, I don't share dessert, but I'm willing to make an exception. Dessert arrives, and we take a bite. Of course, dessert is always my favorite.

"You know Plum," Joe says, lowering his voice, "you're soft and sweet, and I'm sure good to eat. I think maybe I'll start calling you Cupcake." I narrow my eyes at him.

"I'm not sure I like that," I comment, taking another bite of cannoli, a bit of the custard getting on my top lip. I see Joe's eyes darken and hone in on it. I stick my tongue out and slowly lick it off and make a small 'mmm' noise.

"Jesus Christ, woman, you're trying to kill me," Joe groans, shifting in his seat again. I giggle and bat my eyelids.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Joe," I say, "I'm just enjoying a good cannoli."

We finish up, and Joe pays the bill. I thank him, and he helps me into my coat before we exit. I ask him to wait as I pop into the bathroom to freshen up. I empty my bladder and check my makeup in the mirror before the thirty-minute car ride.

I find Joe waiting outside and on the phone. He sees me and seems to wrap up quickly.

"Cupcake," he says with a smile, and I grimace at the nickname.

"Joey," I reply, testing it out to see if maybe that's a name he dislikes as much as I don't like Cupcake. He laughs.

"Only my mother calls me that Steph," he says, wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me in for a kiss. He pulls me tight against him as his tongue slides into my mouth, exploring and tasting everything.

"Mmm...just like I thought," he murmurs against my lips, "the cannoli tastes better on your tongue." He then kisses me again, one hand sliding into my hair and the other sliding down to my butt. I pull away, knowing we're in public.

"Joe…" I say, "We should get going." He nods and takes my hand as we walk to the car.

"You're right," he replies, "I have to get you home." On the ride back, he rests a hand on my thigh and draws lazy circles. He pulls into my parking lot quicker than I thought and turns to me. He leans forward and kisses me.

"This was nice," he whispers against my skin moving and pressing a kiss along my jaw, on my neck, and pulls my earlobe into his mouth. I gasp and feel a tightening in my belly. He nuzzles right below my ear.

"Thank you for dinner," I reply in a breathy voice that I barely recognize as my own. He smiles.

"Until next time, Cupcake," he sighs, pulling back. I unbuckle my seatbelt and open the car. I thank him again before heading inside.