Author's Note: Reviews and subscriptions already - thank you! I've got the next couple of chapters in my head, so hopefully I won't keep you waiting too long!
Chapter 4 - Ground Rules
Tony stirred slowly into consciousness, he was facedown on the pillows, sprawled across the middle of the bed, and wait... naked? He sat up quickly, blinking and looked around. Headache - check, rumpled sheets - check, warm dint on the other side of the bed - check, full bladder - check. He dashed across to the en suite to relieve himself, the mirror was foggy, and one of the towels looked used.
"You did good DiNozzo." He murmured to himself, peering into the mirror, studying his neck for any signs of love bites, when he found none, he twisted to see his back. "Can't have been that wild." He commented to no one in particular when his back came up clean. He leaned closer to inspect the cut on his eyebrow, it had bruised now, a spectacular purple. "Bruise..." He said thoughtfully, glancing down at a familiar hairbrush on the counter. "Ziva!" He exclaimed.
Turning, he bolted from the bathroom, grabbing his robe and throwing it on as he charged down the hall. Skidding to a halt in the living area, he surveyed the room. Ziva stood in front of the stove, a pan sizzling as she focused on her cooking. She had evidently made herself at home, her hair in loose, damp curls down her back, wearing one of his shirts and the pants he had provided the night before. A glass of juice and box of aspirin sat on the counter.
"Good morning Tony." She turned to him, pan in hand. "Coffee is ready and breakfast is not far off either."
"What is going on here Ziva?" Tony stammered, tightening his robe.
"I am making breakfast Tony. It is the least I could do after your hospitality last night." She winked at 'hospitality.'
"No... no... this is... this is like date behaviour, that was NOT a date!" Tony burst out. "What we had was not a date... it was just... just..." He began pacing, agitated.
"It was sex Tony." Ziva set a plate of scrambled eggs in the centre of the table. "Sex that we both needed,"
"But you're cooking breakfast, in my kitchen, wearing my clothes. You're not getting all Single White Female on me are you?"
"What does my skin colour have to do with this?" Ziva queried, retrieving a plate of bacon from the oven.
"It's a movie... never mind, my point is, this is not 'just sex' behavior." Tony continued pacing, though closer to the table, the aroma making his stomach growl.
"Look outside Tony. I cannot go anywhere. I thought we may as well be fed and comfortable." Ziva explained patiently. Tony glanced out the window, snow was thick in the air, it would be impossible to see. "I understood as well as you what last night meant. Company and comfort, nothing more. I assure you, I am not in the habit of making one night stands breakfast."
"Oh thank god for that!" Tony exclaimed. "I thought I'd log onto Facebook and find myself 'in a relationship' with you."
"Not likely, now sit down and eat." Ziva scoffed, motioning to a chair.
"Pity you don't make a habit of this," Tony remarked, mouth full. "I could get used to it. "
"But then it would not be a one night stand, would it?" Ziva smiled, flattered at the rate her cooking vanished from his plate.
"One night and one morning?" He smirked hopefully.
"We shall see. It certainly was therapeutic, and I am still bruised." Ziva replied, a mysterious smile curving her lips.
"What?" Tony gulped the mouthful of coffee suddenly, wincing as the hot drink burned his throat. "Did my ears deceive me or did Ziva 'no funny business' David just agree to round 2?"
"Perhaps I did. I canno't go home yet and you deserve a chance to live up to your claim of ruining me for all other men." Ziva met his eyes, with a flirtatious smile.
Tony redoubled his efforts to shovel every scrap of food into his mouth as fast as possible. Ziva laughed and shook her head, continuing to eat at a more leisurely pace.
"Phew, Zi, that was incredible." Tony sat back in his seat, hands over his belly. She smirked at him over her coffee cup savouring the taste, even Gibbs wouldn't have been able to find fault with the brew. "So... I've gotta admit, I'm not that familiar with morning afters that are really just the night before, not sure offering another drink is the right thing to do."
"I doubt it Tony. I have had painkillers this morning." Ziva responded, still finishing her meal.
"I should have some too." Tony nodded, "So where do we go from here... other than the bedroom I mean?"
"Ground rules." Ziva replied. "This stops when I leave here and absolutely does not follow us to work on Monday if you know what is good for you."
"Done." Tony agreed easily. "Although McGee's face when..."
"Tony, do not forget I am not able to leave. It would be unwise to make me angry." Ziva warned, although her voice was not especially threatening.
"What happens in the apartment stays in the apartment, got it." Tony replied. "What if we uh... want a Round 3 at a later time?" He was fairly willing to follow along with Ziva's rules, having found himself in most situations before and being comfortable with almost anything a woman could throw at him.
"We can text. On work nights we do not sleep over. No flowers, no pet names." Ziva informed him.
"No strings attached, can do. What about dinner?" Ziva thought for a second.
"We will take it in turns as we do normally. I do not want one of us to feel like we owe the other"
"Other people?" Tony reached over and picked a piece of bacon from her plate.
"Perhaps Abby." Ziva shot back, purely for the amusement of watching him choke on the pilfered food.
"Give a guy some warning before you get kinky would you?" Tony spluttered, stealing her juice now, and draining the glass to clear his throat.
"I do not want to know where your mind went on that one DiNozzo." Ziva regarded him with an amused smile, "I would expect you to tell me if you begin to date someone."
"Whoa - why would I be the one to find someone?" Tony seemed a little affronted.
"I do not see myself looking for anything serious in the near future. I have too much luggage." Ziva returned quietly.
"Baggage Ziva, and anyone worth your time would love you with it anyway." Tony said gently, he reached across the table to cup her face. She lowered her eyes, a warmth spreading through her cheeks.
"Thank you. Of course I would tell you if I began to date. This may not be a romantic arrangement, but you deserve better than to be sharing me." Ziva responded, "And I do not share well either."
"Right, so if either of us find a partner we call it off, no problem." Tony accepted, stressing that Ziva was equally as likely to find someone new.
"You saw me last night Tony, we have known each other for years, and I could barely let you touch me. I do not imagine letting someone I have known for less time to be so intimate."
"You certainly didn't have a problem with me touching you later on." Tony remarked, leaning over to sneak a brief kiss. "And yeah, I know you mean the backrub thing. I get it, different levels of intimacy." He rolled his eyes before she could correct him.
"No..." Ziva said, rising and coming around the table to stand beside him, and he immediately put his arms around her waist. "I definitely did not have a problem with you, Very Special Agent DiNozzo." Her hand slid into the neckline of his robe, caressing his chest.
"Hmm... I think you'd better show me just how comfortable you are around me." Tony pulled her into his lap, kissing her deeply.
"Are we clear on those rules DiNozzo?" Ziva asked breathlessly as she broke the kiss.
"Crystal." Tony replied.
"One more rule I think..." Ziva kissed him, punctuating her thought.
"Oh?" Tony gripped a handful of her hair, tipping her head back, and pressing kisses along the exposed arch of neck.
"Yes, I absolutely never..." She rolled her hips in his lap, "ever want to find that that," she ground harder, "is just your knee."
"Oh it won't be." Tony assured her, sliding his hands beneath her backside, standing so she wrapped her legs around his waist. "Tell me, shower or bed?"
"Shower, then bed." Ziva kissed him hard as he headed back toward the bedroom.
"I like the way you do business." Tony murmured against her lips, carrying her to the bathroom.