Title: The Seven Year Itch
Author: MindyH
Chapter: 9
See chapter one for details.
He heard a soft creak and turned to see Kate standing poised on the third to last step of his basement stairs in a crimson red dress, a Mona Lisa smile lifting her painted lips.
She held a bag of Chinese take-out in one hand, while the other clutched to her hip a bottle of champagne, topped by two paper cups. She tossed her head, lightly, her hair flowing lavishly about her face, her eyes sparkling at him as he drank in every fragment of her appearance.
The decadent dress looked glossy and delicate, generously low-cut, forming a deep 'v' at the front which exhibited an almost indecent excess of pure, plump cleavage, scattered delicately with the smatter of freckles he'd forgotten she had. It glided softly over her hips and thighs, ending just below her knees; and there were those wonderful legs again, slim and shapely, strong and elegant.
The vibrant red shimmered even in his dull basement and brought out the depth of her eyes, the shade of her hair and the iridescent hue of her fair skin. It all combined to create an effect that virtually robbed him of breath, thought and memory.
He wasn't entirely sure that he was not imagining things though – after all, he was still on a fair bit of pain medication and many of his Kate-centric fantasies had started out just like this. His eager mind was already skipping ahead to where they all inevitably concluded.
He could think of a dozen good reasons why Kate might visit him tonight, but only one for why she would visit him wearing a dress like that.
When he'd finished examining her and remembered that he had legs, he moved slowly across the dusty floor towards her. Kate's eyes followed him as he took one step up, then another, facing her and standing just below her, their bodies a mere breath apart.
Silently, slowly, he took the bag of food from her hand, then stepped to one side. Still watching her face, he put out his good hand, wordlessly inviting her into his underground lair. Kate's dark eyes glinted at him as she took one step down so that they stood side by side.
"You should lock your door," she murmured, slipping past him, one eyebrow raised archly. "Anyone could walk in," she commented, sauntering across to his workbench, with an audacious swing in her hips.
"So I see," he noted, quietly, putting his head to one side as he openly admired the way she walked in her high heels and the mesmerizing sway of her ass beneath the silk.
He set the Chinese down by his boat, watching her every move from afar, the food tempting his nostrils but not his eyes. He thought it wise to keep a little distance. Otherwise, his irresponsible hands would go touching the bare skin of her back or the dip of her waist or the length of her arm, and he knew he wouldn't be capable of doing a damn thing to stop it.
Luckily, one arm was still strapped inert into a sling, so that took care of part of his problem. Now, if he could just disable his lascivious thoughts in the same way.
"What's the occasion?" he asked her as she stood at his bench, turned away from him, working the stopper out of the mouth of the champagne bottle.
"Well…" she sighed, biting her lip and rising onto her toes: "I received my final decree today."
The cork dislodged loudly and he watched as she poured the bubbly into the two paper cups. She turned towards him, one in each hand, and a slightly nervous look in her eyes.
"I am officially a free woman," she added, quietly, her gaze holding his across the hollow space.
She seemed to be waiting on his reaction and Gibbs' gut began to vibrate with excitement. Kate was free. Kate was safe. And Kate was here, back in his life, somehow in his basement, once more offering him a simple but remarkable choice.
"That's good news," he commented carefully with a rasping voice.
Kate made her way over to him and handed him a cup. "I thought so," she replied softly.
Gibbs raised his cup: "Congratulations," he murmured and tipped it at her: "To you, Kate."
She gave him a little smile, and their eyes locked as both raised the liquid to their lips to drink. Gibbs hadn't had champagne in years; it tasted sweet and soft, compared to his usual scotch or bourbon and he wondered if that's how she would taste if he kissed her now. The woman had no right wandering around in a dress like that if she didn't expect to be kissed and kissed thoroughly, he reasoned privately, his infamous restraint at long last admitting defeat.
"And--" Gibbs added, swiftly, taking a deliberate step closer: "To Rule Number Twelve."
She glanced to one side. "Never date a co-worker?" she questioned, perplexed.
"Mmm," he hummed and telling her offhandedly: "I'm putting it into retirement."
"Really?" she murmured with a sly smile.
"Yup," he nodded and clinked cups with her, watching her reaction closely.
"Good riddance," Kate remarked dryly and took another sip in approval.
Gibbs quickly downed the last of the intoxicating juice, then unceremoniously scrunched the cup and threw it aside. Reaching out with his able hand, he seized her around the neck and pulled her forward, her body colliding with his as his mouth dropped to capture her champagne lips in a fiery kiss.
She let out a gasp of both surprise and pleasure, opening her mouth to his exploration. Her hands came up to touch his chest, stoking him through his shirt and caressing the wounded wing that rested trapped and helpless between them in the sling.
He couldn't get her close enough. The hand cupping her head allowed him to press her mouth against his and swirl his tongue over her lips, but he still wanted more. To compensate for his other hand being out of commission, he spun her against the side of his boat, pinning her with his body and allowing his eager hand to drop over her face, sampling her cheek, her neck, feeling around the outer edge of one breast and down to her waist. Her sheer dress bunched in his grasp as he felt her body openly for the first time, smoothing his hand over the slope of her waist and sliding it around her back to pull her up flush against him.
She felt so small and soft and sexy, and tasted so sweet as he tugged at her lips with abandon. Kate's hands were on his face, holding and caressing as she met his kiss with a corresponding enthusiasm, moaning into his mouth as he stroked her tongue with his own.
Gradually, they parted, eyes closed and breaths panting, still holding each other close. The whole world seemed to tilt on its axis for one insane moment.
"Wow," Kate breathed, trembling softly in his arms.
"Yeah," he replied, huskily, cracking open his eyes and clearing his throat: "You can say that again."
He looked down at her as she slowly opened her eyes, druggy with desire, her lipstick smeared red over her lips and her cheeks flushed pink. She looked incredible. He wanted to kiss her again. And again. And again. And--
"You know, Gibbs," she whispered, breathily, two fingers fiddling idly with the buttons on his shirt: "Technically -- we're not co-workers anymore anyway," she pointed out, flicking her eyes up to look at him.
"We would be if you came back to NCIS," he replied carefully.
She put her head to one side, asking ironically: "Is that a job offer?"
He laughed slightly in remembrance. "Could be," he shrugged, telling her smoothly: "I could make it happen."
She didn't need to know that he'd already made some enquiries. She was one of the best that they'd had; he knew NCIS would welcome her back. The two of them probably wouldn't work on the same team, but that wouldn't matter.
"I know you could," she smiled at him, her eyes examining his face. "And it is tempting…" she admitted hesitantly.
Her years at NCIS had been some of the most fulfilling and fun of her life. She'd often regretted leaving. Working with the FBI was different, more controlled, less varying. But in her short time there, she had managed to establish herself well as an agent of skill, ingenuity and promise.
She was aware, that that was in large part due to the training she'd received from her NCIS mentor and boss. Nevertheless they both knew that she couldn't all of a sudden leave the FBI to take on another position at NCIS as swiftly as she had at the beginning of their association. Everything was very different now, including her.
"I'll think about it," she promised, quietly, with a sincere nod.
"Good," he murmured, and tucked her hair behind her ear: "Then… can I tempt you with another offer?"
Kate's eyes grew wide and expectant, her voice becoming husky with feeling: "What would that be?"
Gibbs ducked his head, leaning in so his lips grazed the shell of her ear. He paused, breathing softly as he recalled her inebriated words to him in the bar the night before he saw her life put in danger one more time than he discovered he could withstand.
"Everything," he finally whispered lowly, letting his lips graze her ear as he spoke.
"Everything?" she repeated shakily, offering up the perfumed flesh of her neck to his soft seduction.
He planted a wet kiss on the fascinating freckle that adorned the pale slope of her neck. "Everything," he affirmed, without hesitation. Her long hair caught on his stubble as he moved his mouth to cover hers. "Anything," he whispered, nipping at her lips repeatedly, and feeling hers respond in kind. "I love you," he told her softly, inciting a tiny moan from her in response: "I always have."
"In that case…" she mumbled faintly, as her arms wrapped round his neck: "I accept," she whispered and kissed him again, long and deep.