Title: Seven Year Itch

Author: MindyH

Rating: T, adult themes

Chapter 2.

Kate stood in front of her wardrobe in her underwear, examining her choices. She huffed loudly and planted her hands on her hips.

This would be a whole lot easier if she knew what she was dressing for. But both the invitation and the man who delivered it were so open to interpretation that she didn't know whether she was preparing for a business meeting or a hot date.

He'd taken her completely by surprise when he'd asked her. They'd been standing in the office where she used to work with him seven years ago. The busy squad room hadn't changed one bit except for the faces. Both DiNozzo and McGee were long gone, and the team he now watched over were young and green. Gibbs had packed them off to research something or other, leaving the two of them alone to discuss the original NCIS casefile.

"Well, I wanna talk to him," she'd told him decisively, snapping the dossier closed on Gibbs' prime suspect.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" he'd replied, amusedly, turning and taking his seat: "You're no longer with NCIS, Agent, and this kid is under is my jurisdiction."

She'd frowned at him and perched her hip on the corner of his desk: "Can't you get me in?"

"I can," he'd stated smugly, curling one hand against his mouth: "-- on one condition."

"What?" she'd prompted impatiently, fully expecting him to demand access to the FBI labs or something similar.

"Have dinner with me," he'd murmured lowly, his eyes roving over her and his mouth twitching upwards in the corners: "Tonight."

"Dinner?" she'd repeated dumbly, thrown off-guard.

"Dinner," he'd nodded, watching her closely.

Her eyes skimmed away from his. "Tonight?..." she'd ummed, hesitantly. She'd been planning on working that night and was frankly surprised that he hadn't also.

"Take it or leave it," he'd shrugged apathetically as she'd blinked at him in shock.

"Alright," she'd finally agreed, somewhat confused.

"I'll meet you at Sammie's at eight," he'd ordered, rising from his chair and heading swiftly for the back elevator: "And I'll arrange an interview for first thing in the morning." He'd stopped suddenly and added, as an after-thought: "I trust you can remember your way out."

She'd pursed her lips at him and turned on her heel, prancing away as he'd watched.

Gibbs had, on many occasions when they were working together, skated dangerously close to being inappropriate with her. And while it had occasionally made her feel uncomfortable, it had also been a secret pleasure of hers. She had always understood that Jethro Gibbs was old school; his type evolved before the sexual harassment fad and she knew he never meant any harm.

There had just always been that unique and intriguing sort of tension between them, whatever they did or did not do. She'd quickly learnt to live with and ignore it.

But he'd never been this bold with her. Back then, when she had such a massive crush on her grumpy, old boss, she would've thrilled at an opportunity like this. More than that, she would probably have sacrificed one of her fingers to be asked on a date by him. She'd fantasized countless times about what might occur if she could just be alone with him, off-duty, for one night, how much they might say and drink and learn.

But she was not the starstruck young girl she used to be. She was more wary now, more restrained. Gibbs had warned her about romance between agents all those years ago and, now she had evidence of her own to prove just how risky they could be.

She pulled out the red dress she really wanted to wear. She'd bought it the day she filed for divorce and had never worn it since trying it on in the very expensive boutique. It was sleek and silky and sexy, hiding and revealing just enough in all the right places. It positively screamed "Woman on a Date!"

She'd love to have Gibbs see her in this dress; see her as a woman and not just an agent. Years ago, she probably wouldn't have hesitated. Years ago, she wore lots of colors. But these days she seemed to live in standard blacks and whites and browns.

She sighed and hung the dress back up, thinking that for all she knew, this was just another business meeting and she would turn up to see Gibbs with a stack of files in front of him, primed to discuss his latest theory. She wouldn't put it past him.

Only Kate suspected that it wasn't the case he wished to investigate. It was her. She knew in her gut that what Gibbs really wanted from her was all the dirty details and she wasn't exactly sure how she felt about that.

TBC...