Disclaimers: all the usual apply.

Chapter 22

Jessica POV

From the comfort of her bed she heard Jane and Harry leave in the early hours of the morning. She could tell they were trying to be quiet so as not to wake their two guests, but her restless body and over stimulated brain had managed to keep her awake all night.

She mentally followed their path through the house, happy for the distraction this provided, but as soon the front door softly clicked shut her mind reverted back to the hamster wheel it had been running on all night. It didn't matter how hard she tried, she kept circling back to last night.

The one second she could feel the heat from Richard's body warming her skin, his hand leaving an imprint wherever it touched her, and then, bam! Ron's lips were on hers and they tasted of salt and heartbreak.

Eventually, mercifully, her mind gave way to her body's exhaustion, allowing her to sink into a fitful sleep. Unfortunately, this only lasted for two hours or so until Nixon started to stir, signalling to her that it was time to get up and get ready for her date.

Jessica turned onto her stomach, groaning loudly into her white pillow.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

Two sharp raps to her door elicited a muffled, "What?" from her.

"I'm leaving. See you tonight. Or not," Nixon's voice reached her from behind the closed door, and she could hear the mirth dripping off of each word.

Turning her head so she was facing the door she momentarily considered asking Nixon to come in, but just as soon as the thought popped into her mind she decided against it. She didn't want him seeing her dishevelled state and asking questions she didn't want to, or couldn't, answer.

"Have fun," she shouted instead.

"You too. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"That isn't much!"

His laughter was accompanied by a soft tap to her door moments before she heard the old stairs creek under his weight as he headed out.

Jessica spent the next few minutes listening to the silent house, allowing her mind to hover on the verge of sleep until she decided the risk of actually falling asleep was to great. Dragging herself upright with a very unladylike grunt, she dangled her legs off the side of the bed, patiently waiting for the world to right itself around her.

Sitting there, on the edge of the soft bed, it took more effort than she'd admit to anyone, including herself, to push all thoughts of Ronald Speirs to the back of her mind. She'd be damned if he was going to ruin what promised to be a wonderful day.

With one determined nod to herself she rose and walked over to the large window looking out onto the street below. She pulled open the curtains with a swift swoosh, allowing the morning sun to stream in, momentarily blinding her. She blinked a few times until her eyes adjusted to the flood of light, and once she could see again she opened the window a crack.

The air drifting in was comfortably warm, with a light breeze and a bank gathering clouds promising some respite from the afternoon warmth that was still to follow. A smile, small at first, pulled at the corners of her lips and soon she could feel the exhaustion fall away as a sense of excitement took hold, waking up the butterflies in her stomach.

Suddenly filled with more energy than she thought she'd be able to muster she turned away from the open window, searching the room for her watch. She found it by sheer luck. All her clothing from the previous evening was lying in a lump on the floor, and sticking out of the pink fabric was her brown watch strap.

When did I get changed?

Try as she might she couldn't actually remember getting changed. Come to think of it, everything after her encounter with Ron was one long, furious blur.

Ass.

Refusing to be thrown back into her earlier slump she straightened out and shook her shoulders. Today was not the day she was going to allow one man's ridiculous behaviour to darken her mood. Whatever was going on with Ron was his problem, not hers. At least that's what she told herself in the light of day.

In a few quick steps she reached the heap of discarded clothing. Her hand hovered above the fabric mess, her brain temporarily unsure what to do with it, as if even touching the fabric would upset the delicate balance she'd been able to obtain.

Get a grip woman, she chastised herself.

Grabbing her watch with one hand she tossed the clothing into her wash hamper with the other. One quick glance at her watch told her she had almost one hour left to get dressed and get her room ready for Arlene.

That's not so bad.

Just as the thought ran its course she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror.

Or not.

Her hair was a dishevelled mess that oddly managed to stick in all directions while sticking to her skin. Said skin was red and blotchy, and the mascara she'd worn the previous evening formed two black circles underneath her eyes.

She glanced at her pillow and dropped her head, shaking it. Apparently her pillowcase also suffered last night.

I swear I'm going to fucking kill Speirs. With his own damn knife!

After a few more moments used to silently curse Ron to high heaven she let out a determined sigh and lifted her head.

Let's begin.

Ron POV

There were a handful of seconds just as he woke, when his eyes were still closed, that he was blissfully unaware of the pain and regret that was about to descend upon him. But then he made the mistake of opening his eyes into thin slits, and long with the blinding light came the pain.

His stomach recoiled as the pounding behind his eyes thudded to life with all the ferocity it could muster. Even in his current state his pride wouldn't allow him be sick anywhere near his bed. So instead he threw himself out of the bed, hitting the wooden floor with a painful thud that temporarily distracted him from the nausea threatening to overwhelm his pride. With eyes half closed he stumbled out of his room and down the corridor leading to the small bathroom he shared with another Lieutenant.

He didn't know it at the time, or cared, but he was alone in the family home they'd been billeted in. Much, much later when he was back to his full senses he would thank whichever deity had ensured he had some privacy, but right now, he couldn't give a damn.

Ron flung himself into the bathroom, kicked the door shut behind him and lunged for the toilet, frantically throwing the lid open before he lost the battle with his own body.

He retched until his stomach was empty and then he retched some more. Finally, his body collapsed into an exhausted heap on the tiled floor as his breathing came in rapid gasps. Pressing his clammy cheek against the luxuriously cold floor he tried to remember the events of the previous evening so he would know who to blame for his disgraceful state.

We were at a bar. Were we waiting for someone? Shit yes, Jessica and Alex. They'd come back from London. Alex made captain.

The tiles beneath his cheek became warm and slick so he shifted his weight so his entire body was spread out on the cold floor and his other cheek was pressed against a new set of tiles.

Did we celebrate to much? This much? No, that's not right.

Like a lightning bolt tearing apart a pitch-black sky, the memory of Rose's body pressed into his as he watched Jessica's eyes ice over, tore through his stricken brain.

A deep groan clawed up his chest and burned his raw throat as it escaped his chapped lips. His body instantly curled into itself, trying to protect him from the sudden flood of unwanted emotions that overshadowed every other part of his hangover.

As if he was watching a nightmare unfold his brain shoved each frame of the evening in front of him and there was no escaping it.

He watched as Rose staked her claim to him in front of Jessica, how the blonde he loved smiled so politely it hurt to see. Then he was in the dark, trying to calm down a crying Rose so he could feel better about what he'd done. He'd been a coward and in turn she'd been hurt.

At least now she can find someone else. Better, he tried to console himself.

Just as he started to recover from Rose's tear stained cheeks he saw himself sitting on the sidewalk in front of a familiar house. He wanted to scream at the man sitting there to move because nothing good was going to come of his stupid plan. But then, there she was. Jessica King, the one person that had been sent to fuck up is carefully constructed façade.

God, he wished he could hate her, or better yet, feel nothing for her. But he couldn't, he'd tried with Rose and it had ended with him lying on the bathroom floor.

He watched, helpless to change anything, as they screamed at one another and then his lips were on hers. As much as he wanted to relish in the kiss or the way her body had momentarily succumbed to him he couldn't because he knew what was coming. The look in her eyes when she said she was done with him. Those blue eyes that cut right through him were filled with pain and distain and worse of all he was the cause.

And then she was gone and he was alone on the edge of town with a bottle of cheap booze he'd gotten from somewhere, swigging away like it would fix everything.

Lying on the floor he decided three things.

One, he needed to clean the bathroom and himself. He'd be damned if anyone was going to find him like this.

Two, he was never going to get that drunk ever again. He wasn't some dumb teenager anymore, learning the ropes and his limits.

And the most important point. No matter what it took, he was going to win Jessica over. Even if it killed him.

Richard POV

Richard's eyes darted between the empty country road and the blonde woman sitting next to him in the open top army jeep. The rumble of the engine and the wind rushing past made it nearly impossible to talk, but he didn't mind. Instead he savoured the opportunity to watch Jessica smile up at the cloudy sky, blonde hair streaming out behind her. In all the time he'd known her, he'd never seen her as unbridled, free from the weight of command and war that rested heavily, if comfortably, on her young shoulders.

His companion turned her face so she was looking at him, and he felt his lips mirror her smile as the weight of responsibility seemed to slip away from his own shoulders. He swore she could see the change in him, because her smile broadened and she gave him a knowing wink.

He laughed as he turned his attention back to the road ahead, the overwhelming feeling of relief and exhilaration coursing through his body. Jessica's boisterous laughter soon joined his, and the two twined together between their bodies for a moment before being swept away by the wind.

Soon he turned off of the tar road, onto a well-worn dirt track that took them deeper into the peaceful countryside. The road twisted and turned between pastures and streams until they were in the middle of nowhere. Gently pulling the jeep off the road he stopped next to a low wooden fence, on the other side of which was a rolling field covered in rich green grass and dotted with white and yellow flowers. A few yards away from the fence stood a large tree, it's branches stretching out from its body as if it were trying to reach the horizon.

He smiled, pleased with himself and his secret find. As the engine stilled he turned towards Jessica, just to find her staring at him, her blue eyes dancing between his face and their picturesque surroundings.

"How did you find this place?" she asked.

"By accident. The day after we returned from Europe I had to get some fresh air, so I went for a drive. I got lost and ended up here. The farmer who the land belongs to found me sitting on the hood of the jeep, just staring at his land. After talking to him for some time he said I could come back any time I wanted to."

"It's beautiful."

"It is," he replied, never looking behind him.

A blush crept into Jessica's cheeks and she dropped her eyes, shyly tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

He reached for her and tentatively brushed his fingertips against the back of her hand that was resting between them. Jessica's eyes shot up to his. He swallowed down the nerves blocking his throat and wrapped his hand around hers.

His heart hammered against this chest, the sound so deafening to his own ears he swore Jessica could hear it.

She smiled softly up at him and said, "Thank you."

"For?"

"For pausing the world, the war, just long enough so I can catch my breath."

Richard reached for her cheek with his free hand, gently cupping her soft, warm skin in his palm. She leaned her face into his touch and her eyes fluttered closed. He studied her, carefully tracing each line and angle of her face with his eyes, committing every fine freckle to memory.

"It's funny," he whispered, surprised by the sound of his own voice.

Slowly, ever so softly, her eyes fluttered open. "What is?"

With a sincerity that caught him off guard he answered, "Because when I'm around you it's like I forget how to do basic things. Like breathing. And it doesn't matter if we're sitting here, just the two of us, or if I'm watching you run onto a battlefield. From that night in New York you've turned everything on its head."

The world around them faded to nothing until all he saw was Jessica, all he heard was his thundering heartbeat and every nerve in his body screamed to touch her. His body reacted without a single conscious thought instructing it to, shifting and moving towards her as the hand he had to her cheek slipping in behind her head. Jessica allowed him to guide her as her flushed lips parted slightly and her eyes fluttered closed. She slid one hand behind his neck, her touch scorching his skin and sending a shiver down his spine in one go.

He could feel her breath against his lips and the little air left between them burned his skin. His eyes closed an instant before he tasted her lips. She was sweet with a hint of salt and as his lungs remembered they needed air, her scent invaded his senses. Floral without being sweet, it reminded him of fruit orchards and the ocean.

Jessica's hand snaked into his hair, her nails scraping his scalp. A moan vibrated inside his chest as his tongue traced the lines of her lips. He untangled their hands and reached for her waist, deepening their kiss as he did. Her lips parted and he felt her tongue dart out to tease his before slipping back into her mouth. He followed her and soon their tongues were entangled.

He felt her body lift as she pressed onto his shoulder with her one hand. Instinctively, without breaking their lips' contact, he wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her up and onto his lap. She pressed her body into his and he straightened so as much of him could touch her as possible. His one hand wound into her hair, gripping it tightly as the other traced the line from the nape of her neck down to her lower back, pressing her further into him.

A seductive moan from between her lips sent a jolt of electricity running up his spine just as she ran one hand's nails along the exposed skin of his neck, the other gripping and tugging his tie. Together they pressed their lips and bodies closer and closer together as if they could never be close enough, never have enough.

He felt her chest rise and fall against his as she bucked her hips into him. She gasped and he growled, fingers digging into skin in response.

As if on cue, the summer rain started to fall, soft at first but gathering in intensity as if to match theirs. The water ran down her cheeks to splash onto his face, he tasted the rain between their lips and felt the steam rise where it touched their hot skin. Her long blonde hair grew heavy and thick between his fingers and he felt the water dripping from her long lashes.

Her hand released its grip on his tie and pressed against his chest. He pulled his lips away from hers, feeling rather smug when the action was met with a protesting mew. Pressing their foreheads together he watched Jessica as her eyes regained their focus before locking onto his eyes.

Their breaths were coming in quick gasps, chests rising and falling as if they'd run a mile at full tilt. Jessica's full lips were red, her cheeks flushed. Her hair was sticking to her face and neck in places as the rain continued to run down her skin in little rivulets.

"God, you're beautiful," he whispered breathlessly.

Jessica smiled mischievously and replied, "Has anyone ever told you that you look good wet?"

His chest rumbled against her body as he laughed. "No, I haven't heard that before."

"I see," she lifted herself away from him fractionally and pushed one hand through his wet hair, "Well trust me, you look good wet."

His eyes locked onto hers, their usual light blue a shade of grey and her pupils blown. The deep core of his stomach tightened as did his grip on her waist. "You're going to be the end of me," he said.

She leaned forward, bringing their lips painfully close together, and husked, "Good."

He lunged forward, catching her off guard she let slip a small yelp as his lips enveloped hers. He pulled them apart, smirking triumphantly up at her. Jessica playfully narrowed her eyes at him, but when a raindrop found a way into her eye she quickly dropped the mock scowl and blinked furiously.

"C'mon, I should get you out of the rain," he said reluctantly. If it were up to him they'd spend the rest of the day out here, that was what he'd planned for at least.

Refocusing her eyes on him she replied, "It's just water. I won't melt."

"Oh, I know that, but I can't let my girl catch a cold just because I want you all to myself. We can head back to my billet. They family will love you and they'll have some dry clothes for you."

When Jessica tilted her head to one side, sharp eyes studying him, he felt the tinge of uncertainty start to set in. He'd heard himself use the words, my girl, but had hoped she hadn't picked up on them.

Should have known better.

His mouth started to form what he knew would be a clumsy cover-up when she leaned forward and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips. The words died in his throat and his body instantly relaxed under her lips. The kiss was sweet and short, so when she parted them and her eyes held a naughty glint he was surprised.

"Don't tell Nix."

He frowned. "You don't want him to know?"

"Well, one the one hand we need to remain discreet. Since we have to work together and all. But that's not my reason for keeping it from Nix."

"Oh?"

The glint in her eyes spread to her lips, curling them up at the corners. "I just want to torture him. He'll suspect something but he won't know for sure. It's going to be so much fun."

"You're evil."

"True, but you're smiling too."

He shrugged, but knew the smirk gave him away. "He's going to kill us."

This time it was her turn to shrug. "He'll forgive us eventually. He can't stay mad forever."

He shook his head as he chuckled. "As I said, evil."

With a parting peck to his cheek she lifted herself off of his lap and, surprisingly gracefully, fell back into the passenger seat. Turning her head so she was looking intently at him she said, "Yes, but I'm your evil girl now. You still in?"

Without looking away from her he reached for the ignition. Turning the key, the engine roared to life and he answered simply, "I'm in."

Arlene POV

She stretched herself out to her full length before curling back around the warm body next to her, allowing the warmth of his skin to seep into her bones and warm her soul. Her companion stirred, tightening one strong arm around her body, pulling her flush against him.

Tilting her head up so she could look at him, she found Joe gazing down at her through half-closed eyes and long lashes. He murmured and pressed a kiss onto the top of her head before snuggling his nose into her hair and inhaling deeply.

"I thought you said we shouldn't fall asleep," Joe said, his voice thick and rough.

"I blame you," she replied, brushing the tip of her nose against his chin.

From the corner of her eye she saw him smirk. "I'll take that as a compliment."

She rolled her eyes. "Maybe I was just really sleep deprived."

"Were you?"

Allowing her lips to graze the sensitive skin of his throat she answered, "No."

She felt his skin react to her touch, her lips leaving a trail of little bumps in their wake.

"Man, I must have dreamt of this a thousand times. I didn't think it would ever happen," Joe said.

She stopped what she was doing and lifted her head, resting it on her hand so she could easily look at the handsome paratrooper next to her. "Why didn't you think it would ever happen?"

Joe's dark eyes flicked from her face to the ceiling where they remained fixed as he answered, "After you left in New York, I didn't think I'd ever see you again. And then when I did, well, I assumed you'd left because you didn't want anything more to do with me."

Her heart broke and guilt gripped her stomach. "Joe-," she started but then he turned his eyes back to her and she fell silent.

"It's okay, it actually doesn't have anything to do with you. I've never been the guy a woman like you would want to be with."

"A woman like me? You mean the one whose family disowned her and who left you alone in a cold hotel room, who happens to spend more time in muddy, bloody fields getting shot at than in any kitchen. Oh yes, I'm quite the catch."

"Your family are a bunch of idiots so being disowned by them counts in your favour. And what I meant was a beautiful, intelligent, well-spoken woman that can handle anything the Germans throw at her. I've just never been the guy that gets that girl."

"Well, thank God for that."

He scowled and she felt his muscles tense next to her.

"Joe, the men you're thinking of, I grew up with them. And trust me, some are nice but a lot of them are jerks. Besides, if you'd gotten the perfect girl I would have had to kill her to get to you, and that's just messy."

Slowly his scowl faded and a smile took its place, a flicker of pride lightening his deep brown eyes.

"I'm not sure you'd been able to get away with murder," he teased.

"Excuse me? I kill for a living, I'm pretty sure I'd be able to get rid of the competition."

"Yeah, you can be quite scary when you want to be. How 'bout we save some lives and I just don't get involved with other woman?"

Arlene pursed her lips and hummed, pretending to think long and hard, and the longer she waited the more Joe's smirk grew.

Cocky bastard.

"I have a counter offer," she finally replied, keeping her face and voice as professional as possible.

One of Joe's eyebrows arched up. "I'm listening."

"I propose that neither one of us gets involved with someone else as long as we're together. You know, to avoid unnecessary bloodshed."

He nodded seriously. "That sounds reasonable."

They both held their pose for a split second longer, but soon the corners of her lips started to lift, betraying her and from there on it was downhill. They soon descended into a silly fit of giggles, the vibrations from their bodies bouncing off of one another.

Joe curled both of his arms around her waist and flipped her so she was on her back, staring up at his handsome face. He lifted his torso off of her, resting his weight on his hands. She traced the lines of the muscles in his arms with her fingers, and slowly they moved onto his chest and stomach. Joe wasn't a big man, but he was lean and sculpted beneath the uniform, and right now she had a perfect view.

With every inch of his skin her fingertips explored the warmth in the depth of her core intensified. Her eyes followed her fingers' paths as they moved down his stomach to his strong hips pressed between her thighs.

Her teeth bit into her bottom lip and her chest rose and fell quickly even as the warmth continued to spread throughout her body. Her hungry eyes moved back to his face to find him staring at her. She could see the lust in his eyes, feel it in the way his muscles vibrated against her touch.

With an evil smirk she bucked her hips up and to the side, using her long legs and his inattention to her advantage she flipped them so Joe was on his back and she was straddling him.

For a brief moment his eyes widened in surprise, but soon they returned to their hungry, completely focused state. His eyes languidly roamed over her naked body, devouring her skin as if he were burning the memory of her into his mind.

Arlene watched his hand drift up until it cupped her right breast, stroking the sensitive skin on the underside with the pad of his thumb. She dropped her head back, closing her eyes so she could focus fully on the feeling of his warm hand against her burning skin.

When his other hand started its exploration of her breasts her breath hitched, nails digging into his thighs.

At that silent insistence Joe started to massage her breasts, while every so often squeezing the skin between his fingers before tugging on her erect nipples.

A throaty moan poured from between her lips as she sunk her nails further into his legs.

Suddenly feeling emboldened and devilish she snapped her eyes open and gripped both his hands, pinning them down next to his head. She leaned forward so her chest was barely pressed against his and her lips skimmed against the sensitive skin of his earlobe.

"Don't move," she ordered, nipping his earlobe in parting.

His muscles tensed and she knew he was fighting to keep still, and she loved it. Keeping her body skimming his, she traced a path from his ear to his collarbone, alternating between kissing, sucking and nibbling.

As she started her torturous journey down his chest and stomach Joe grabbed her thighs, fingers digging almost painfully into her flesh as he tried to restrain himself. Arlene smirked against his scorched skin, pleased when she felt his chest vibrate with a loan growl.

When she reached the sensitive skin at the bottom of his pelvis she stole a glance at his face. His eyes were watching her, two black orbs begging her to continue and stop at the same time.

Deciding she was having too much fun to stop, she shifted her body so she was kneeling between his legs. She ran her nails along both defined thighs, scratching hard enough to leave long red lines up and down his legs. Dipping her head she tracked the path of one red line from his knee upwards with the tip of her tongue.

As she reached his member she paused for a beat so her eyes could flick up to his face. Joe's eyes were pressed shut, his tongue running along his swollen lips as his hands grabbed and twisted the sheets.

Satisfied that she had his full attention she dipped her head and blew warm air along his shaft.

"Oh God," he growled.

Emboldened she continued her tongue's earlier path from the base to the tip, flicking it along the top.

"Arlene, baby, come here," he begged.

In answer she caressed him with her lips, encircling him at the top as one hand gripped his balls.

An incoherent string of curse words flowed from him as she dipped her head lower and lower until she could go no further.

Gently sucking onto him she pulled her head back, grabbing his base with one hand and stroking it with her thumb. Almost mirroring his earlier ministrations.

"God, please," he rasped.

His words pushed the heat pooling in her stomach up to an unbearable temperature. Without giving it a second thought she moved so she was hovering above him, their bodies a mere inch apart.

Joe released his grip on the sheets and his hands shot to her hips as if she were a lifeline and he was a drowning man.

Arlene held her breath and shifted her weight until she could slowly lower herself onto him, merging their bodies. The feeling of him inside of her, at one with her, pulled a long, deep moan from her core, through her chest and from her lips.

"Joe," she exhaled.

"I'm right here baby."

Filling her lungs with air she started to rock her hips back and forth in slow, long movements as Joe's strong hands guiding her hips. But then he bucked his hips up to meet her rhythm and the change of angle sent a shock wave crashing through her. She bent forward, placing her hands on either side of his face, and moved until the friction between them increased tenfold.

Her rhythm quickened, becoming harder and faster with each thrust. Joe grabbed the back of her head with one hand and pressed her lips down hard onto his. They breathed against each other. Hard, ragged breaths that matched the frantic pace.

She could feel the heat in her core building and building and soon she was lost in the feeling of them.

"Joe, God," she cried out as her walls started to shake and shudder.

"C'mon baby," he commanded.

The heat built and built until the walls gave one final shudder and collapsed. Fire flooded her entire body, making every muscle shudder uncontrollably. She sunk her teeth into his shoulder to stifle her cry as Joe gave two frantic thrusts before crying, "Arlene. Fuck!"

He jerked beneath her and as he did he wrapped one arm around her waist, crushing her body against his. Their lips met in a hungry kiss, neither one able to get enough of the other, as wave after wave crashed over them.

Slowly the fire ebbed until they were left breathlessly holding on to one another. Joe pressed his forehead against hers and raked his fingers through her hair, pulling it off of her sweaty face.

"I'm never going to let you get away again," he stated.

She smiled and rubbed the tips of their noses together. "I'll never run away again."

She wasn't sure how long they stayed like that, but eventually the breeze coming in through the window felt cold against her moist skin. Reaching for Joe's wrist she groaned when she caught sight of the time.

One hour left.

"We really can't fall asleep this time," she said. Jessica walking in on them would be awkward, but more so for Joe than her, but Nixon coming home to this, she'd never live it down.

"M'hm, that's what you said last time. And here we are," Joe replied.

She playfully slapped his chest and he rubbed it, pretending it had actually hurt.

"I'm being serious. Imagine Jessica walking through that door to this."

"I assume she didn't give you the home to yourself because she thought we were going to play cards and drink tea."

"You see the bundle of white fabric in the corner?" she asked, pointing somewhere across the room.

He lifted his head so he could see what she was pointing at. "Yeah."

"That's her actual bedding. She put on clean ones this morning and asked that we simply take them off and throw them in the wash when we leave. So no, she is under no illusions. Although, I'm quite thirsty now that you mention it."

Joe gave a short laugh before replying, "She thinks of everything, huh?"

"It's her way of surviving. Has been since she was a kid."

She froze, only realising after she'd spoken what she'd said. But if Joe had picked up on anything he didn't press her, instead asking, "How do you know that's her clean bedding?"

She lifted her head so she could look at him. "She left me note, I read it when we came in. Remember?"

He smirked. "Nah, I was preoccupied."

"With what?"

"Checking out your ass."

She rolled her eyes, but grinned smugly despite herself. "C'mon, let's get dressed and get this room ready for Jess. Then you can make me that tea you offered."

"Offered?"

With a lopsided smile she replied, "M'hm."

Joe chuckled and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Let's make you some tea."

XXXXXXX

Hello everyone! I've missed you all, it's been a while.

I hope you enjoyed the fluffy, (mostly) steamy with a dash of angst chapter. I figured it was about damn time for these relationships to get a move on.

With the festive season in full swing I'll be writing erratically, but soon I'll be back to my old routine.

To my AMAZING Guest reviewer thank you so so so much for the great feedback. I actually smiled like a crazy person in public when I read it.

To everyone that added the story to their alerts you too are amaze (yes, I just abbreviated amazing, I blame all the Christmas jingles playing on the radio)

Love hearing from you all and we'll chat again soon.