P.S. Thank you, Mangagirl4ever (a.k.a. my 14 year old daughter). You're a sweetie, and thank you for showing me this website, even though now you have to fight me for computer time…lol.
!GASP! Now you all know my deepest, darkest secret…I am a bored housewife and mom with a real fixation on a certain fictional pirate captain----- Oh, THE HUMANITY!
As always, I do not own any characters created by the Disney company….just the ones that I have come up with in my widdle brain.
Hehehehehe……here's your next chapter, and it will also contain some character POV switches and some delicious sappy moments-------enjoy!
Chapter 9: There's No Place Like Home
(Jo's POV)
I would have laughed out loud at the expression on Jack's face when we stepped outside into the warm Vegas evening, if it wasn't for the fact that my head was about ready to split in two.. Sin City was as loud and wild as ever, even more so as the streets were filled with folks celebrating Halloween Vegas style, and probably would be until dawn.
Grasping Jack's hand, I pulled him into a cab and gave the driver my address. Pulling a $20 bill from my wallet, I handed it to Jack and told him to give it to the driver when we arrived. I was suddenly very, very tired, and closing my eyes, I leaned into him, smiling when I found his heart was racing.
I must have dozed off for a few minutes, because the next thing I remember is Jack helping me from the cab. When I stumbled, he swept me up in his arms. "Where next, m'dear?" he murmured, his breath warm in my ear.
"Next you put me down." I grumbled, digging my keys out of my purse.
He stopped in his tracks and hearing him sigh, I looked up to find him giving me puppy dog eyes, his bottom lip pooched out in disappointment. "Here you've got the most handsome pirate in history willing to carry your poor wounded self to your domicile, where we shall hopefully quench our thirst, fill our bellies and satisfy our lust, not necessarily in that order, mind you, a position many women would kill to be in, and you want me to put you down?" I couldn't help but laugh softly, wincing at the pain that sliced through my skull.
'…Women would kill to be in my shoes, hmmm? Methinks that ego needs to be cinched in a notch or two…' I thought to myself as a plan formed in my head. Sighing, I wrapped my arms around his neck and leaned my aching head on his shoulder before I answered. "Well, since you put it that way, how can a girl refuse? Carry on, sir knight, but don't say I didn't try to warn you……...I live on the 7th floor."
(Jack's POV)
"…Bloody Hell………"
I hear her laugh softly and couldn't help but grin, even though she couldn't see it as her eyes had drifted shut. She didn't speak again as I climbed the stairs to the apartment, but I knew she was still awake, as her fingers were playing with the hair at the back of my neck. When we reached the right floor, I was breathing heavily, but in all honesty, not all of that was from the climb. I lowered her to her feet but left my arm around her for support while she opened the door.
Once we're inside, I look around at her living quarters and discover that while they are unfamiliar, they look quite comfortable. The walls are the color of cream, and the floor is covered with a very thick carpeting of a darker cream. Some sort of wide settee sits along one wall and is covered with large, fringed pillows, before which sits an oval low table made of cherry wood. On either side of the settee are smaller cherry wood tables on which sit the vases that lit up when Jo touched the wall as we entered. A tall cherry wood cabinet sits along the wall opposite the settee, with a large gray object that looks like it is made out of glass. I walk over and tap it with my finger, confirming my suspicions, and nearly leap out of my skin when a small spotted dog charges at me, barking and growling, from the short hallway. Jo immediately came to my rescue and introduced me to her furry savior.
"This little furbag is Nicodemus . Why don't you two get acquainted while I go scrounge us up something to eat? Be nice, now." With that, she headed toward an alcove off the far side of the room.
I grinned at her retreating back as I replied. "No worries, luv….I'm sure ol' Nick here and I will be good mates….animals and I have this special understanding, see?" I reached down to pet him and nearly lost two fingers in the process. I showed him my teeth and growled back at him, and he backed down like the cowardly, mangy mutt that he was…
"I wasn't talking to the dog, Jack…"
' I wasn't talking to the dog, Jack.' I mimicked as I followed the dog into what appeared to be the kitchen, where he went over to his feeding dish and completely ignored me, which suited me fine. Seeing him eat, however, reminded me that my own stomach was feeling rather tight. There was a small table big enough for two at the far end of the room, and Jo was bent over halfway inside a large white storage unit. The position afforded me a wonderful view of her shapely bottom in the tan pants she wore, and suddenly, I wasn't that hungry any more…at least not for food……
"I don't suppose you know if you have any food allergies, do you?" She had apparently felt my presence, and glancing up, she flushed when she caught sight of my hungry gaze upon her as I stood leaning against the counter, my fingers laced across my waist. "And quit looking at me that way……I'm not on the menu."
"Pity, that…for if you were, you can be sure that I wouldn't stop feasting until every… last…delicious… bite of you was devoured…" I emphasized this point by touching my fingers to my lips one at a time as I spoke, pretending to lick them, locking her gaze with mine. I knew I had gotten under her skin when she flushed even more, licked her lips nervously as she lowered her gaze.
"Hungry, Jack?" There was a seductive purr in her voice she rose, a come hither gleam in her eye. This alone should have put me on my guard, but being out of my element as I was, it didn't. Therefore, I wasn't prepared for the handful of grapes that came hurling towards my face………
(Jo's POV)
My heart was located somewhere around the pit of my stomach when I glanced up to find Jack's hungry eyes on me. I was flattered by his attention, but at the same time for some reason I was annoyed. After a moment I realized why-----like so many of today's rock stars, he seemed to be under the impression that any woman he showed any desire in bedding should fall into his arms without protest. Well, Captain Jack Sparrow was about to get a lesson in Women's Lib, 21st Century style.
Reaching into the storage drawer, I pulled out a handful of the first thing I came to. Holding the loose grapes casually in one hand behind my back as I rose, I used my most seductive voice when I purred the question. "Hungry, Jack?", I asked, before flinging the green fruits into his startled face before racing for the living room.
"Wench" he growled before he caught up with me, as I knew he would. He had grabbed me by the arms just as he had in my dream, only this time I was prepared. Catching him by the wrist, I managed to execute the most popular move taught in self defense classes. Jack lay on the dining room floor, looking stunned and at the same time amused, as I stood over him as he lay on the living room floor, smiling triumphantly. That lasted for about a second until I realized that I still had hold of his arm. He used my mistake to his advantage----he pulled, and I half lurched/half fell sideways, with my upper body coming to rest with my back against his stomach, his other arm breaking my fall. He wrapped his arm around my waist, preventing me from rising as he turned me so that I was facing him.
He grasped my wrists tightly in one hand as he brushed my flying hair out of my face, an amused look on his face. "That was an interesting move, sweetheart, but if it was a tumble you wanted from me, all you had to do was ask…"
I gasped as his knowing chocolate brown eyes met my startled hazel ones. A whirling sensation filled my head as I realized that not only was he with me right now, an honest to goodness living, breathing human man, but apparently he had really been with me in my dreams as well. At that moment I did what any other real woman would have done in the exact same situation I was facing.
I sent a huge thank you to whatever Supreme Being out there that had sent this man into my life. And then I promptly fainted.