Chapter 8 – The Bet
"I can't believe you got me into this," Jim exclaimed as he and Jeff entered the break room.
"What do you mean I got you into it?" his friend asked. "You were right there with me."
"I was just backing you up. I didn't plan on getting dragged into their game."
"What's the problem, boys?" Johanna asked as she stood by the counter with coffee cup in hand; "Tough day on the playground?"
"I got suckered," Jim announced; "That's what the problem is."
"How did that happen?" she laughed.
"Let me tell you the story, Sassy," Jeff said. "That way you'll hear the truth."
"Alright, let me hear it," she agreed as Jim scoffed next to her.
"Okay, so we're at the luncheon, and you know Derek Prescott and Earl Williams from the Devonshire firm?"
Johanna rolled her eyes. "Yeah; two of the biggest jackasses on the planet. I hope Derek's face is still stinging from when I slapped it after the last luncheon."
"That only endeared you to him, Jo," Jim commented. "He asked us to give you his regards."
"Well you know what you can tell him to do with his regards," she remarked; "And he better have learned to keep his hands to himself."
"Hey, I'm telling a story here," Jeff stated; snapping his fingers for emphasis to draw her attention back to the topic at hand.
"I'm sorry," she said with an indulgent smile; "Please go on."
"Every year the Devonshire firm has a charity basketball game and they were talking about how they needed to find a team to play. They made the snide remark that they'd never think of asking us as we probably wouldn't be able to find our way out onto the court and that even if we did, it wouldn't be much of a challenge for them."
"Oh lord," Johanna muttered; she could just imagine the testosterone fueled battle that had raged in the wake of the comment. "They saw the two of you coming."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Jeff asked.
"It means that if the two of you fell for a set up like that then you really are a couple of suckers."
"Hey, I just thought we were indulging in some good natured trash talking," Jeff explained; "And Jim was right there with me doing his share."
"I believe that," she commented; much to her colleague's chagrin.
"It got to the point where I told Derek and Earl that we could beat them any time and anywhere. Jim agreed with me and somehow a challenge was accepted."
"He forgets to mention that the challenge was accepted because he had volunteered himself and me to be their opposing team at their charity game," Jim informed her.
"Well I figured since you had been agreeing with me that it meant you were willing to be on my team," Jeff remarked; "And besides, it's not like you're the only one I volunteered."
"Who else did you volunteer?" Johanna asked.
"Phil, Mark and Zach," her colleague replied. "Phil grumbled a bit but when I told him what they said about us, he was all for it. We haven't told Mark and Zach yet."
"What if they say no?" she inquired.
"They won't," Jeff said confidently. "Mark loves basketball and as for Zach; I'll just tell him that they said he looks like he runs like a girl. That will piss him off and he'll set out for revenge."
"They didn't say that!" Jim stated.
"Zach doesn't know that."
"I just can't believe you got us into this," Jim went on; "And I can't even back out because you know what they'd say."
"I don't know what you're problem is," his friend replied. "You've played basketball before."
"Not since college," he protested.
"So what?"
"I'm out of practice!"
"Well you know what they say," Johanna said; breaking back into the conversation, "Once you've learned how to ride a bike, you never forget."
"This is different," Jim told her.
She smirked. "Are you that bad at it?"
He puffed up with indignation. "Of course not!"
"Then what's the problem?" she asked.
"I told you; I haven't played in awhile and unlike Jeff I don't enjoy making a fool out of myself."
Her eyes sparkled with mischief. "That bad are you?"
"Are you trying to start something with me?" he said as he eyed her playfully.
"Not at all."
"Jim's not bad," Jeff commented. "He's not as good as me, but he's not bad."
"And just how good are you, Jeff?" Johanna asked.
"I don't like to brag but I could've had a career in the NBA if the law hadn't been calling me so strongly."
She almost spit her coffee across the room as a laugh welled up in her throat. Jim scoffed. "The only person who believes that is your grandmother and she only believes it because she doesn't know any better."
"Hey, I had a nickname," Jeff proclaimed.
"Yeah, they called you 'Backboard Campbell' because the backboard was all you were ever able to hit, the ball never actually made it into the hoop."
"Now that's a damn lie," he said in outrage. "I made plenty of baskets."
"Those baskets you made with your grandmother for Easter don't count," Jim retorted.
Johanna's ribs were starting to hurt from laughing and she had to force herself to catch her breath. "Calm down boys; you're on the same team."
"Don't remind me," he muttered.
"When is this game? I have to see this," Johanna said.
Jim smiled. "You'll be busy that day."
"How do you know?"
"Because you already told me that you have to go with your sister and try on bridesmaids dresses," he replied with a satisfied gleam in his eyes.
"So it's Saturday?" she asked Jeff.
"Sure is," he told her; "Sorry you won't be there."
She eyed them. "I'm getting the impression that I'm not invited to watch."
"Don't take it personally," Jeff replied. "Maggie and Sharon aren't invited either."
They'd see about that, Johanna thought to herself. "What's the matter boys, don't want us around to witness your humiliation?"
They scoffed. "What humiliation?"
She smirked at them; amusement written across her features. "If memory serves me correctly, the Devonshire firm has been undefeated in their charity game for the last several years."
"Well this is the year that they lose," Jeff proclaimed; "Because we're taking them down. Isn't that right, Jim?"
"That's one of the possible outcomes," he replied.
"Come on, be positive," Jeff insisted. "We're going to win. We're going to send them home crying to their mommies."
Johanna laughed. "Maybe you better notify the rest of your teammates before you get to ahead of yourself."
"You're right," Jeff agreed. "I better go rally the troops and schedule practice time."
Once he was gone, Jim stepped in front of Johanna, placing his hands on the counter so that her body was bracketed between it and him as he looked her in the eye. "See what happens when you don't go places with me?" he asked. "I get myself into trouble."
She laughed. "Oh like I could've stopped you from acting like a typical man."
"You could've distracted me."
"Well I'm sorry but I had to go to court."
"I hope you won; I don't want my sacrifice of your company to have been in vain."
"Of course I won," she remarked with a grin. "My mother didn't raise a loser."
His brow rose as he eyed her with suspicion. "Meaning what?"
She gave a shrug. "Meaning come Saturday we'll find out if your mother raised one," she laughed.
He chuckled. "Oh you're going to get it for that one."
"I'm so afraid," she said dramatically as she bumped his hand away with her hip and slipped out of his grasp. "I'm just shaking in my heels."
He had to get even and as she turned away from him, Jim went with the first thing that came to mind and reached out and lightly pinched her backside.
Johanna stopped in her tracks. "You did not just do that."
"I think I did," he quipped; a mischievous grin on his lips as she turned to face him.
"Is that your way of asking me to slap you?"
"I didn't peg you as the kind of girl that would want to get rough with me, Jo; but if that's how you want it, that's fine with me."
She couldn't stop the laugh that escaped her lips. "I could get you for harassment."
"But you won't," he teased. "You can't harass the willing."
She licked her lips in an attempt to erase her smile but failed as she glared at him. "I would do it back to you but you'd probably like it."
Jim's eyes danced merrily. "You're right I probably would. I bet you'd like it too; you want to give it a try?"
"No, I think I'll pass," she laughed. "I don't want it said that I encouraged your bad behavior. I'll just get my revenge by laughing when you lose on Saturday and come crying to me."
"That's not going to happen."
"You're going to cry to your mother instead?"
"I think I'm going to have to pinch you again, Jo. You didn't learn your lesson the last time."
She smirked at him. "Maybe some other time, I have a meeting to get ready for."
"I knew you liked it," he called after her.
Her laughter filled the air. "You cherish that memory, Jim."
"How could I not when I know how much it meant to you," he quipped.
"I will get even with you for it," she threatened.
"Give it your best shot, sweetheart."
"Count on it," she said as she sauntered out of the break room, a change in her weekend plans taking shape in her mind.
As Jim stood by the bench with the others before the game that Saturday, he had the feeling he was being watched. They gym was crowded with spectators so it shouldn't have come as a surprise that someone might be watching him and the team...but it didn't feel that way. As ridiculous as it seemed, he felt as though someone in the crowd had singled him out and was intently studying him. He could feel their gaze boring into his back. He couldn't shake the feeling and he turned, intent on seeking out the culprit. His eyes hadn't scanned much of the crowd before they collided with a pair of familiar green eyes. "Johanna," he said to himself as her lips curved upwards in an amused smirk. He should've known. His gaze scanned the area around her and found that her usual cohorts, Sharon and Maggie were sitting on the bleacher with her as well.
He shook his head and then turned towards Jeff, slapping him on the back to gain his attention. "The girls are here."
"Oh great," Jeff muttered. "What are they doing here?"
"I don't know but I think I'll go find out," he replied.
"What are you doing here?" Jim asked Johanna as he stood before her.
"Oh I wouldn't miss this for the world," she grinned.
"Shouldn't you be somewhere with Colleen, trying on hideous bridesmaids dresses?" he retorted lightly.
She smirked. "I told her I wasn't feeling well and rescheduled for next weekend."
"Shame on you for lying to your sister; I think I'll call her after the game and tell on you."
"That wouldn't be in your best interest," she quipped; her eyes glittering with amusement. "And I'm starting to think that you must be really bad at this since you clearly don't want me here to witness it."
Jim scoffed. "I'll have you know that I'm very talented."
"Oh yeah?" she teased. "Does that talent go beyond knowing that the round thing is the ball and that that thing up there is the net?"
He smirked. "You just really think you're something, don't you, Miss McKenzie?"
"Don't you?" she replied, her brow lifting as her tone took on a hint of a seductive note.
"You have no idea," Jim said before he could stop the words from spilling from his lips.
She smiled coyly, her gaze darting away for the briefest of seconds as she blushed. Jim smiled, satisfaction gleaming in his eyes that he had momentarily set her off balance.
"I think you're going to have to back up your claims with some proof," Johanna stated; turning the topic back around. "All of this hemming and hawing you've been doing about this and the fact that you'd sentence me to a day with my sister suggests that you're not as confident as you'd like me to believe."
"Maybe I just think my skills are too dazzling for you to handle and that your delicate sensitivities would be safer in the dress shop."
She laughed. "Delicate sensitivities? Where on earth did you come up with that one?"
"Just another example of my numerous talents on display for your benefit."
"Uh huh, sure; just don't get out there and make me feel ashamed to know you."
"Oh, sweetheart, if I have to, I'll make sure everyone in this place knows that you know me," he threatened.
"I'm sure I could turn it around on you and make it seem like you were just trying to pick me up because you needed consolation after your loss."
Jim chuckled. "Some cheerleader you are, Jo."
"I'll have you know that I was a damn good cheerleader in high school," she stated.
"Is that right?" he asked; an image taking shape in his mind.
"That's right," she confirmed. "I was a cheerleader for all four years."
"Do you still have your uniform?" he asked; trying to act as though it was an innocent question.
Her brow rose in suspicion. "Why do you ask?"
"Just answer the question," Jim replied.
"Oh look at you acting we're in the courtroom; I wasn't aware you had me on the stand, counselor."
He couldn't stop himself from twisting her words around. "I can have you somewhere more comfortable if you'd like."
Her cheeks warmed once again as she glared at him playfully. "Do you want me to hit you with my purse?"
He grinned. "Only if your promise to knock me out."
Johanna laughed. "Still trying to get out of this game, I see."
"Not at all, I was merely offering you the opportunity to be my nurse. I thought you might get a kick out of trying out a different profession for a night."
"You just want me leaning over you while you're lying in bed so you can get some sort of cheap thrill."
Jim laughed. "When I'm looking for a cheap thrill I usually just knock your pen on the floor so you'll pick it up."
She tried to bite back a smile as she held his gaze but she failed. "I know," she informed him; her voice taking on that lilt again; sending a little jolt of desire through him.
"You still haven't answered my question," he remarked.
"Changing the subject, are we?"
"You're the one who changed the subject," Jim remarked; "And I haven't dismissed you from the stand yet."
Johanna laughed; a bit of boldness growing within her as she couldn't help but torment him. "Are you going to treat me as a hostile witness?" she asked suggestively.
His hand fell against her denim clad knee and he leaned towards her to whisper in her ear. "You keep talking like that and we're both going to miss this game."
Her hand brushed against his chest. "You'll just do anything to keep me from watching you play this game, won't you?"
"There are better games," he commented; breathing in her scent and allowing his lips to brush against her ear, sending a small shiver through her.
"But the game today is basketball," she remarked; pushing him back a pace to keep them from getting themselves into trouble.
"And the question is still about your cheerleading uniform," he commented. "Now, do you have it or not?"
"Yes I have it," she confirmed. "Why?"
His blue eyes gleamed with humor. "How about we make things interesting?"
"What do you have in mind?"
"Well since you're so convinced that I'm lacking in talent for this sport I was thinking that we should have a little bet."
"I'm listening."
"If I make a basket, thus proving that I'm capable, you have to model your cheerleading uniform for me."
Johanna rolled her eyes. "Men," she commented before returning her attention to the wager that had been made. "What do I get if you don't make a basket?"
"What do you want?"
She thought about it for a minute, considering her options. "If you don't make a basket, you have to go with me while I try on those hideous bridesmaids dresses."
"You're a cruel woman, Johanna."
"You asked me what I wanted," she replied. "I think that would be the proper form of punishment for you."
Jim laughed as he eyed her. "Alright, I accept your choice; it'll give me an added incentive to win. Do we have a deal?" he asked as he held out his hand to her.
"Deal," she said as she slipped her hand into his.
He smiled as he kept hold of her hand. "Do you want to give me a kiss for luck?"
"Now why would I want to give you luck when we have a wager on the table?" she asked. "I'd like nothing more than to see you sitting in that dress shop sharing my torment."
"Okay," Jim said, "Now you're asking for it. You just be ready to go home and dust off your pom poms."
"I only have the uniform; I don't have the pom poms anymore."
"Fine, then you just be ready to slip into that uniform for me; and just to be clear, it's to be a private show."
Johanna laughed. "Oh don't worry; I already planned on that. I wouldn't want to deprive you of your fantasy."
"Looking forward to it, are you?"
"Go play ball, Jim; and don't let your excitement over dress shopping with me distract you from the game."
"Sweetheart, you are so going to eat those words."
"Prove it," she challenged.
"I will," he promised as Jeff called his name. "You just wait and see."
By half time, the score was 26-12 in favor of the Devonshire firm and Jim had yet to make a basket. Johanna's eyes were gleaming as Jim approached her during the break.
"I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to having you keep me company next Saturday," she giggled.
"It isn't over yet," Jim replied. "I still have time."
"Time isn't the problem," Johanna remarked. "The way I see it, the problem is you can't seem to keep your hands on the ball once you get it. That last time you had it, that Barrymore guy took it off of you like he was stealing candy from a baby."
He glared at her. "How about I get my hands on you?"
"Do you think you could hold on to me?" she asked with a grin.
He smirked. "Oh I'm sure I wouldn't have any problems holding on to you."
"I'm not so sure about that," she teased. "I just hope you'll be able to hold on to my purse Saturday while I'm trying on those dresses."
Jim shook his head. "You can just get that fantasy out of your pretty little head right now, McKenzie; because I will win this bet and you will be modeling that uniform for me tomorrow."
"Tomorrow!"
"Tomorrow," he confirmed. "When I win, I like to have my pay out as soon as possible."
She smiled, her gaze narrowing slightly. "I don't think you have to worry about your payment, Beckett; the way things look, I'll be the one collecting."
"You're going down," he told her.
"No, you are," she laughed; "And to make matters worse, you're all out there disgracing us by losing. I don't know how we'll be able to hold our heads up and admit that we work for the same firm."
"It's not over," he said once again.
Johanna laughed. "Then you boys better start showing us what you're made of before we start rooting for the other team."
"Just for that, I'm giving Derek your phone number."
"You better not!"
He grinned. "I might write it on the wall of the locker room too."
"You go ahead," she said; "And I'm going to find your mother's phone number and call her up and tell her a few things that will curl her hair."
"Like what?" he asked.
"I'll tell her about how you refuse to take responsibility for me and the baby, even after you promised me you would," she stated.
Jim's eyes widened. "You wouldn't!"
She nodded. "I'll even cry while I'm telling her all about it."
He laughed. "Do you know what she'd do to me?"
"I can only hope that whatever it is, it would be slow and painful."
"You do know that if you did that, I'd have to make a phone call to your mother as well."
"I can just imagine what you'd tell her," she said with a chuckle.
"I promise you that it would be memorable, so you better just behave yourself."
"Same to you; and while you're at it, try to win the game, would you?"
"Maybe if you had given me that kiss for luck, we wouldn't be in this predicament," Jim replied.
"Nice try," Johanna said. "I'm still not going to do it."
"Alright then, it's on your conscience if we lose," he teased.
"I'll risk it."
He patted her knee before walking away, Jeff catching up to him as he ended his conversation with Maggie. They gathered in a small circle in the last minutes before the break ended and Jeff looked at all of them with seriousness.
"I don't care what we have to do to win this game," Jeff stated; "I'm not even above breaking one of their legs. We can't lose this, it's bad enough being heckled by them, I could take that; but I am not losing in front of our own people."
"You mean in front of Maggie," Phil quipped.
Jeff shot him a look. "Do you want to lose in front of Sharon?"
"Hell no," the man replied. "She'd laugh for days."
"I don't want to lose either," Zach remarked; "I have money riding on this game."
"Yeah, I have a bet riding on this too," Jim commented.
Jeff glanced at him. "All of your complaining and you bet on the game?"
"It's not a money bet," Jim replied. "It's a…personal bet."
His friend grinned. "I have a feeling that translates into it's a 'Sassy' bet."
There was no point in denying it, Jim thought. "Yeah it is, and I need to win, so pass me the damn ball."
Jeff nodded as he surveyed his team. "Alright, now that we all have our reasons to win, let's go do it."
The team seemed reinvigorated in the third quarter as they did their best to close the gap in the score. They moved up steadily, playing a much better game than they had in the first half. Several minutes before the third quarter was to end, Jim got the ball and shot it.
"Damn," Johanna muttered as she watched the ball swish through the hoop.
"What's wrong?" Sharon asked; "He made the shot."
"That's the problem, I just lost my bet with him," she replied as he jogged up the court and winked at her as he looked in her direction. She smirked as she shook her head at him.
"What does losing entail for you?" Sharon inquired.
"A private showing of a high school cheerleading uniform," Johanna told her.
Sharon laughed. "I want to hear about how that show turns out."
She merely nodded and turned her attention back to the game. At the beginning of the fourth quarter, Jim made a second basket and then followed it up with a third a short time after. In the final moments of the game, the score was tied at 78 and Jeff was in possession of the ball. They all held their breaths as he made his final shot, and when it sailed cleanly through the hoop, his victory shout was louder than all of them combined. The girls had risen from their places and were celebrating the victory when Jim once again made his way to Johanna.
"Well, looks like you lost," he said proudly as he stood before her.
"I'm aware of that," she replied. "I saw it."
"Did you?" he asked; "Did you see all three of them?"
"Show off," she exclaimed.
Jim laughed. "That wasn't showing off, that was merely ensuring that I had you right where I wanted you with no way for you to wiggle out of it by calling it luck."
"Don't be smug," Johanna laughed; "It's not attractive."
"You only say that because you lost," he teased.
"Well I can console myself with the knowledge that you managed to pull off a victory and I don't have to deny knowing any of you," Johanna quipped.
He grinned as his arm stole around her waist and pulled her down from the bleacher, "You couldn't deny it even if you wanted to, you like me too much for that."
"Oh I don't know, there's a little part of me that hates you when I think about going home and unearthing that uniform," she laughed.
"I think accompanying me to the victory party will ease your pain," he told her.
"Are you going to buy me a margarita?"
"No; drinks are on Jeff," Jim remarked. "He just doesn't know it yet."
"Well I'd be a fool to miss that," Johanna said; "Count me in."
The next morning, Johanna sighed as she pulled the black trunk containing her mementos from her hall closet. She knelt down before it and unlatched it, raising the lid as she did so. She carefully extracted yearbooks, photo albums, childhood treasures and her high school diploma in her quest to reach the bottom where a few clothing boxes were stored. She pulled them out, opening each one until finally she found the one that contained her cheerleading uniform. It had been cleaned one last time before it had been assigned a box, and as she lifted out the thin dark blue long sleeved top and its matching blue and white pleated skirt, she realized it would need ironing to rid it of the creases that had come from being folded and stored for so long. She shook her head as she studied the garments; she never would've thought that she'd be slipping into that outfit again. "Damn you, Jim," she muttered as she put everything back into the trunk while making a mental note to never tell him that her prom dress was stored away in her mother's cedar chest. Knowing him, he'd want a look at that too.
She ironed her uniform, resigning herself to the fact that she had lost the bet and that now Jim was going to take great joy in gloating over the fact while he inundated her with any number of comments and jokes as she stood before him. That was okay, she could take it, she told herself as she carried the outfit into her bedroom and slipped into it, taking a small measure of pride in the fact that it still fit. Johanna opened her closet in search of her tennis shoes but paused as her gaze landed upon a pair of dark blue satin open toed heels. They were more suited for a cocktail dress rather than a cheerleading uniform but a smile slid across her face. If Jim Beckett wanted a cheerleader fantasy, maybe she'd just give him one. She plucked the heels from their slot and stepped into them. They were a little out of place with her outfit but they made a statement, hopefully one he wouldn't forget for awhile, and she didn't feel so much like a sixteen year old now.
The thought of tormenting him a little appealed to her, leading her to take extra care with her makeup, creating a subtle seductive look instead of what he was used to seeing from her. She then curled her hair and pulled it up in a ponytail, tying her old blue and white hair ribbons in place like she had done on game days in high school. When she was finished, she pulled on her black dress coat, buttoning every button to make his wait for the unveiling as long as possible.
Jim grinned mischievously as he swung his door open and found Johanna on the other side. His gaze raked over her, taking note of the saucy touch to her make up, and the fact that he couldn't find her hemline beneath her coat which made her legs look longer than usual, a fact he appreciated greatly.
"Please tell me there's a cheerleading uniform under there," he said as he stepped back and allowed her inside.
"There is," she confirmed as she stood off to the side and waited for him to close the door. The grin was still on his lips as he held out his hand to accept her bag and coat so that he could hang them in the closet. She handed over her bag without hesitation and merely eyed him as he waited.
"Well," he said after a moment, "Are you going to take your coat off."
"I suppose I have to," she replied; undoing one button and then pausing for a few moments before moving to the next.
"Are you stalling?" he asked.
Johanna shook her head. "No; I'm just making you suffer a little."
"That wasn't part of the deal."
"You should've been clearer about your terms," she quipped as the last button gave away and she slowly slid the coat from her body and handed it to him before tugging at the hem of her top in a self conscience gesture as his eyes moved over her, his grin widening.
"God I wish I had gone to school with you," he stated; admiring the picture she made as she stood before him.
She smirked. "You would've just gotten me into trouble if you had."
"Every chance I got," Jim replied.
"Are you going to hang up my coat or are you going to drool on it while you indulge in your fantasy?"
He laughed as he put her things away and then circled around her, taking an exaggerated look at her from every angle.
"Really?" she said; her brow arched as her gaze followed him.
"You didn't think I was just going to glance, did you?" he teased. "I want to enjoy this from every angle. I wish I would've thought to get some film for my camera, I'd take pictures."
"Oh no you wouldn't!" she exclaimed.
He was so going to enjoy this, he thought to himself. "Do you want to show me your moves?" he asked. "Give me a little cheer?"
"I don't think so."
"Why not? You're wearing the outfit, you may as well."
"I'm afraid I'm retired from cheering," Johanna replied. "I gave it up when they handed me my diploma."
"I bet you still know a few cheers though."
"Yes I do but you won't be hearing any of them," she told him. "You said I had to wear the uniform, you didn't say anything about cheering for you."
"Such a stickler for the rules and exact definition of the terms, aren't you?" he said.
Johanna nodded. "Apparently so."
"I see there are a few exceptions you make though," Jim commented; his gaze drifting down to her feet.
"Meaning?"
"Meaning I've seen a lot of cheerleaders and I'm pretty sure that those heels aren't the regulation footwear."
She smiled. "My cheerleading shoes are long gone so I had to improvise…do they ruin it for you?"
"Oh no," he said with a shake of his head. "They're perfect; as a matter of fact, I think they should be the standard footwear to go with those uniforms."
"You would," she remarked flippantly.
He smiled as he held her gaze. "Don't act like you didn't know I'd approve. I know you wore them with that intent in mind."
"Just what are you accusing me of?" Johanna asked innocently.
"Being a temptress," he admitted.
"That couldn't be further from my mind," she remarked with a scoff.
"We can pretend that we believe that," he replied; his gaze dipping back down to her legs. "You know, you should wear skirts like that more often. I bet you'd never lose a case again."
"I'd rather win for the right reasons."
"Then you could just wear them around the office," he commented.
"I wear skirts around the office all the time."
"Not like that," he responded; eyeing the hem which was shorter than he was accustomed to seeing her wear.
"My eyes are up here," she said; reaching out and lightly tapping his cheek to draw his gaze back to her face.
He grinned. "Sweetheart, I assure you that I know where your eyes are located."
"Act like it."
"You make it difficult sometimes."
"You're such a man."
"That's probably what you like best about me," Jim quipped; his grin making her smile despite her willpower not to.
"The jury is still out about that one."
"If you won't do a cheer for me, how about a cartwheel or a flip or something?"
"No!" Johanna exclaimed.
"Come on; prove to me you were a good cheerleader like you claimed."
"I'm not going to do it."
"Why not?"
"Because you just want to look up my skirt," she replied; eyeing him knowingly.
"That couldn't be further from the truth."
"Yeah right," she laughed.
He couldn't resist tormenting her about it. "What are you hiding that you're so afraid I might see?"
"Wouldn't you like to know," she retorted without missing a beat; a small grin curving her lips upwards.
Jim laughed. "I'm sure you probably have shorts on under that."
"Maybe I do and maybe I don't."
"Oh yeah?" he said; his fingers reaching towards the hem of her skirt, acting as though he was going to look.
"You stop that," she laughed; slapping his hand away from her skirt. "Nowhere in the bet did it say that you could touch the merchandise."
"What if I bought you dinner first?" he asked.
Johanna slapped his shoulder. "I'm not that easy."
"Maybe some other time then," he replied; turning the topic back to her skill. "I know why you won't show me any moves. You were probably one of those cheerleaders that were in the background while the other more athletic girls did the stunts."
He was goading her just like she had done to him but knowing that didn't keep her from nibbling at the bait. "I'll have you know that I did plenty of stunts!" she proclaimed.
He shrugged. "How can I believe that when you won't back it up with proof?"
She shifted on her feet, placing a hand on her hip as she eyed him. "Maybe I don't think you could handle it."
"You look cute when you stand like that," Jim said with a grin; "And just what is it that you can do that you don't think I could handle?"
"Oh I don't know," she said saucily, "Maybe I don't think you can handle all the different ways I can bend and twist my body."
He'd be lying if he said that statement didn't send a whole host of ideas through his mind. If she only knew what she did to him. "I'm willing to risk it."
"I'm sure you are," she quipped.
"Come on, Jo," he goaded; "If you're wearing the uniform than you should be able to live up to the expectations it carries."
She smirked. "You're not going to be happy until I do this, are you?"
"Well you did lose the bet," Jim gleefully reminded her.
"I hate you so much right now," Johanna said as she kicked off her heels.
"All's fair in love and bets, sweetheart; now show me what you're made of."
"I'm going to slap you before I leave."
"That's okay," he chuckled. "I like it when you're feisty."
"Go sit down," she said with a feeble attempt of a glare which only made him smile more. Once he was seated on the sofa, she positioned herself in the unobstructed space in front of the door. She said a silent prayer, hoping she could still pull this off and spare herself some humiliation. She wanted to impress, so she gracefully bent her body backwards, breathing a sigh of relief when she managed without any trouble and then she pushed off with her feet, carrying her into a walkover. She landed easily on her feet and shot him a sassy smile.
"That was good," Jim complimented; knowing he'd have that image stuck in his mind for awhile.
"Just good?" she asked; feigning offense.
"I was going to say fantastic but I thought you might accuse me of complimenting more than just your skill."
"And would I be wrong with that accusation?"
"No," he grinned; "And I knew I was right about you having shorts on under that skirt."
"And I knew that you just wanted me to show off so you could look."
"Just think of it as show and tell," Jim teased. "Now about giving me some more proof of your abilities."
"I can't believe I'm doing this," Johanna muttered before turning a cartwheel. "Are we done now?" she asked when she was through.
He shook his head. "One more; can't you do a flip or something?"
"If I had enough room, I'd show you just how many flips I can do."
"Do you want me to move the furniture?" he asked; "Because I will."
"No!"
He laughed; he was enjoying this in so many ways. "Alright then, just a simple flip."
She narrowed her eyes at him but completed the move with only the slightest stumble on her landing. "Happy now?"
"You have no idea," he said with a smile. "Winning has never been so sweet."
"I'm glad you enjoyed your show," Johanna stated. "Can I change out of this now?"
"Is that why you're carrying that big purse?" he asked. "You brought other clothes?"
"Well you didn't think I wanted to wear this all day, did you?"
"I don't see why not."
"I'm sure you don't but you've had your fun now."
Jim shook his head. "I'm not finished having fun with you yet; leave it on awhile longer."
"What's with this cheerleading fantasy of yours?" she asked.
"What man doesn't want his own cheerleader?" he asked as he rose from the sofa; and then as he looked her over he began to laugh.
"What?"
"I was going to offer you a drink," he said with a mischievous grin; "But looking at you in that outfit, I think that maybe I should ask you out for a soda instead."
"Shut up!" she exclaimed; unable to hold back her laughter as she followed him into the kitchen.
He laughed with her as he opened his fridge. "Good news, I don't have to take you out, I have a soda for you right here."
"I guess I should be thankful for that," Johanna replied as she accepted the bottle of Coke. "You might've taken it into your head to parade me around in public."
"It's an appealing thought," he admitted.
"I'm still curious about your fascination with cheerleaders," she remarked. "Did you date a lot of them?"
"Nope," he answered; "Not even one; although there was one I wanted to date in high school. Her name was Laura."
"If you liked her why didn't you date her?"
"She wouldn't give me the time of day," he chuckled.
"Smart girl," she teased.
"You're just begging to be pinched again, aren't you?"
"You're just hoping that I'll do it back to you," Johanna quipped.
"A man can dream, can't he?"
"I suppose," she laughed before catching his gaze and holding it. "So you never got to date a cheerleader?"
"No; never have," he answered.
"Guess you didn't get to kiss one either?"
"No."
"Hmm," she said; as if she were considering something of the upmost importance. "It's a shame you've been so deprived."
Jim nodded. "It is a devastating fact of my life but I try to keep my pain inside."
Johanna stepped towards him, a small seductive smile gracing her lips. "Maybe we can ease the pain," she commented before capturing his lips in a kiss.
He was caught by surprise, but it was the kind of surprise he liked best, Jim thought to himself as his arms slipped around her. "Well?" she asked once she had ended their kiss, "Did it live up to the fantasy?"
"Surpassed it," he replied before claiming her lips in a second kiss. "It was worth waiting for."
She smiled and patted his cheek. "Good; now I'm going to go change my clothes."
"Wait," he called after her; "There are still a lot of things that haven't been done to me by cheerleaders."
"Better luck next time," she said as her laughter filled his apartment.
"Next time," he thought to himself as he laughed; He'd have to find a way to make sure next time came soon...because when it came to Johanna McKenzie, each 'next time' was better than the last.