Author's note: this is a reload of previously information; I want to catch up the story on both this site and gateworld's site. Many thanks to Raymon Express for his continued encouragement, and for all the wonderful folks who've inspired and encouraged since the story's first publication :)
She would later decide that it didn't matter why it had occurred to her the way that it had, it just had, and maybe that's how it's supposed to happen.
She was in the mall, a rare occasion for her; she generally hated them, but they were bearable at this point of the year – between major shopping spree seasons, on a Sunday when no one else was around. Her birthday was coming up and she planned to buy herself something nice.
As she passed the Victoria's Secret store, she saw the camisole set in the window; that was when she knew what she really wanted.
The sales lady in the store had been pleasant and helpful; she helped Jennifer select the right size and complimented Jennifer on her choice of colors – the cream colored one would offset her skin tone quite nicely, she had noted, and the hint of lace around the cleavage suited Jennifer's demeanor – not flashy, just quietly pretty.
Daniel had offered to make dinner for her that night; she was hesitant only because his cooking skills – or lack thereof – had garnered him quite a reputation among the SG teams. She decided that it was a charming offer, and the culinary aspect of the evening, whatever the outcome, was worth a try so she could spend the evening with him.
She arrived at his apartment and knocked; not quite sure if it was nervousness or excitement she was feeling. Probably a combination of both, she decided, as he answered the door.
He was standing there, opening a bottle of wine. He looked nice, wearing a pair of dark brown dress slacks and a blue oxford shirt that matched his eyes perfectly, she noticed. He'd left the top two buttons undone, a detail she found quite appealing; the brown curls were just barely visible.
Daniel took in the sight of her, trying again not to stare lewdly, but it was getting more difficult, as she became bolder in her choice of clothing. Tonight, she had selected a cream colored, form fitting cotton sweater with a plunging v-neck on top of form fitting stylish black pants. He could see a hint of her breasts through the v-neck; the part of his brain strictly controlled by his Y chromosome alerted him that she was not wearing a bra.
"Hi," he said with a smile. "Come on in." As he turned from the door, she noticed, too, how well the dress slacks fit him.
As she entered the apartment, she was amazed to see that he had fashioned an interim dinner table from the small one that usually occupied the kitchen; there were candles and a makeshift tablecloth. But even more amazing was the food; it looked wonderful, as good as any professionally prepared meal she'd ever seen.
Dinner was as good as it looked, and the conversation between them flowed easily. Maybe it was the wine, but he thought she looked wonderful in the candlelight, laughing, sure of herself. It was quite a lovely sight, he decided; it put him at ease to see her so comfortable.
She looked across the table at him; as so many other times she'd spent with him, she was enjoying herself immensely. She was beginning to think that he was just getting better looking every time she saw him; as they continued to get to know each other, she felt less overwhelmed by her feelings and more at ease with whatever this was between them.
"Would you like to carry on this conversation on the couch?" he asked, with a wave of his hand. In addition to the fact that it was more comfortable, when she came in, she apparently hadn't noticed the package he'd put on the coffee table for her.
She walked over to the couch as Daniel fetched the bottle of wine, pouring them both another glass. He watched her face as she saw the package, neatly wrapped in brown paper, with "For Jennifer – Happy Birthday" in big red letters written on it. He sat down next to her.
She hadn't been expecting a gift and she was touched by his thoughtfulness. She opened the package to reveal the new bike gloves he had picked for her. She was charmed anew at his thoughtfulness and his abilities of observation; her current gloves had definitely seen better days, since she used them for weightlifting, too.
"They're wonderful, thank you," she said with obvious sincerity. The look on her face told Daniel she was really pleased; he smiled.
She set them down on the coffee table and turned to him now; reaching up, she put her arms around him and kissed him enthusiastically. She pulled back only slightly and looked at him, a small smile playing on her lips, the look he'd seen just a hint of at Christmas now surfacing entirely.
He responded to it as if by instinct; tilting his head down to capture her lips again. She wrapped her arms tighter around him now, pressing her body against his.
He felt the same fire ignite that he'd felt on New Year's Eve, as they mutually deepened the kiss they were sharing. From somewhere, the same feeling of caution that had stopped him then stepped in again. He wanted her; before they proceeded he needed to be sure that she wanted him, too.
He broke off the kiss, leaning back against the couch, not entirely pulling out of their embrace.
"Jennifer," he said in a thick voice. "Maybe we should stop," his words betraying his true desire.
"Do you want to stop?" she asked in a low, sexy tone.
He looked at her; her eyes were quietly confident; he could see she was prepared for either answer. He thought for a moment, affectionately caressing her.
"No," came his husky reply.
She smiled at him. "It is my birthday, Dr. Jackson," she said, in a sultry voice with just a hint of mischief, the formal address now a playful term between them. "I'm old enough."
He looked at her a bit quizzically. "Old enough? For what?" he said, in a wondering tone, grinning as he knowingly parodied the conversation they had had in the lab that day; he had a sudden urge to hear what she would say.
She reached one leg over his lap then, straddling him, and proceeded to unbutton his shirt. "To know what I want," she said with the same sultriness, as she finished with his shirt and pushed it off his shoulders. She ran her hands over his bare chest, discovering him. The hint of brown curls she had seen before were revealed in their glorious entirety to her now; the sight sent wonderful tingles through her.
Daniel relaxed, enjoying her playful massage; he liked that she was leading the way and there was no question about where this was going.
She sat back slightly, removing her sweater, revealing the camisole to him.
He looked at her appreciatively. "That sure beats the heck out of BDU's," he said, marveling at the way the silky material sat against her smooth skin.
He ran his hands over the material, exploring her; his hands found their way under the camisole, returning her caresses.
She leaned forward into him; putting her arms around his neck, she looked directly into his eyes, her own conveying the message he had been waiting for. In a husky voiceshe whispered, "ready when you are, Dr. Jackson."
"Okay, you don't have to tell me twice," he replied. In one swift move, he stood up, grasping her firm thighs as she wrapped her legs around him, and carried her to the bedroom. With another passionate kiss, he laid her down on the bed.
"I better blow out the candles in the other room," he said, not wanting to leave.
She smiled seductively at him from the bed. He made a note to himself to get better lights for his apartment.
As he turned, she stood up, taking the opportunity to shuck her slacks, revealing the bottom part of the camisole set. She spied a pair of matches on the nightstand; as she reached for them to light the candles in the bedroom, she noticed that the drawer on the nightstand was open part of the way; she could see a box of condoms in the drawer. She smiled, liking the fact that this detail was already taken care of; her own would not be necessary now.
As Daniel returned, he noticed her and stopped, amazed again as he watched her light the candles in the bedroom. The sight of her in just the lingerie further fueled his desire; he was eager to discover what was underneath.
Together now in the bedroom, they dispensed with the remainder of their clothing, enjoying the feeling of finally being naked with each other, and the sight of each other in this most basic sense.
The sight of him filled Jennifer with a sense of wonder; she had been with men before – boys, really; no one with the level of maturity Daniel had – yet, this seemed different on another level, like he was sharing something special with her that not too many other people knew about; it filled her with a strangely respectful sensation.
Daniel decided that he liked the way Jennifer was looking at him, almost like she was admiring him somehow; not the way Sha're had looked at him, she'd never known any other man, and not the way Sarah had looked at him; somehow, it was as if he was being seen for the first time by a woman who cared for him, who had consciously chosen him.
Slowly, gently, they proceeded, discovering each other's intimate secrets, finally and enthusiastically consummating the passion that had long smoldered between them. As he felt her body stiffen beneath him, hearing her draw a ragged breath as her embrace tightened around him, he let go, letting his own sensations and adrenalin completely wash over him.
They lay on the bed together, spent, kissing gently, catching their breath. Daniel relaxed, letting his body press down on Jennifer gently, her arms still wrapped around him, drawing lazy circles on his back.
She heard his breathing slow into a deep, rhythmic pattern. Some things are universal, she decided, smiling at the sleeping form on top of her. Looking at the clock, not quite as ready for sleep as he was, she wriggled gently out of his embrace and headed to the kitchen. She cleaned up the boxes from Waiters on Wheels, grinning at the revelation, and put the dinner dishes in the sink. She decided she could finish them pretty quickly, running the water and commencing to do so almost automatically.
As she was rinsing the last couple of dishes, Daniel appeared in the kitchen doorway. She looked so natural there, naked, doing the dishes. It was quite a sight.
"What are you doing?" he asked, grinning. Seeing the takeout boxes stacked neatly in the open garbage bag, he said with a guilty smile, "So I guess my secret's out."
"It was still a wonderful meal; I guess I'm happy to know that you're NOT a better cook than I am," she replied with a smile. She liked seeing him there, naked.
He stared at her, smiling, enjoying the sight of her. She noticed his staring.
"What?" she asked.
He had noticed recently that she no longer reached for her hair when he stared at her, she is totally at ease with me, he realized, smiling to himself. Which explains tonight, he added to his thoughts.
"Oh, it's nothing really," he said almost bashfully. "It's just that, seeing you like this …" he grinned at her, the intention in his look made her tingle in all the right places.
Her hand was still in the dishwater. She playfully flicked a few drops at him. "Maybe you need a cold shower, Dr. Jackson," she said teasingly, enjoying the mocking tone of the formal address.
"Oh, so that's how it's going to be, huh?" he said, walking over to her. She turned to face him, he was close now; she had her back against the sink. He put his hands against the sink on each side of her and leaned down to kiss her. She put her arms around his neck, soapsuds still dripping from her hands.
He reached to embrace her, and silently dipped some water out of the sink. Leaning back ever so slightly, he let it drip on her; he heard her gasp in response.
He pulled her tight against him, warming them both. Still kissing, he backed out of the kitchen, leading her into the bedroom for one more round before they both went to sleep.
Well, that's it! Finally! Y'all have been waiting for this moment, haven't you? Probably not as long as Jennifer and Daniel have been waiting for it…. ;)