"Look, my only advice," Deacon continued, "is to talk to him, honestly Chris. Tell him that you felt weird about it and own that. There is nothing wrong with how you feel. He probably feels similar about you, and the people you have dated."

Chris's mind instantly went to Street, and all of those horrible messes that Jared had endured and held her hand through. "You're right. I know. I just..."

Suddenly the passenger door opened, and Jared slid in.

"Oh hey," she said looking at Jared trying to scan his every expression and movement for a hint of how that went. "Deac, Jared's back, so I'll catch up with you tomorrow."

"Oh okay, talk soon." He said hanging up. Her eyes wandered back to him. "You okay?" She asked softly, debating whether to reach for his hand or just wait.

He exhaled softly and nodded, "yeah, I'm okay," but he hadn't quiet met her eyes, they were dancing about the floor of her truck. Chris wasn't sure what to do or say. She didn't want to push or upset him, so she started the engine and shifted the truck to park, scrunching her lips slightly and turning up the volume on the radio.

Jared knew Chris was struggling here, and he felt so awful for making her feel like that. He just felt like he needed a minute to get his head straight. Chris was about to reverse out, when he reached over and covered her hand on the gear stick.

"I'm sorry." He whispered. Chris looked at him, shifting the truck back into park, and lifting her hand a fraction, allowing him to intertwine his fingers with hers, which comforted her a fraction.

"It's okay. I'm just worried about you." Chris said softly looking at him.

"I just need to reprocess what she said. I just need a second to..."

"I'll drive," Chris interrupted, "you sit back and relax and let your head sort through it. It's okay. I get it." Chris assured him. He squeezed her hand and nodded silently as Chris shifted the truck back into reverse and made her way out of the parking lot.

The peak hour drive for them through downtown LA, back to his hotel, was slow. Traffic was, well, exactly like downtown LA at peak hour. The atmosphere in the truck was quiet, but not awkward. Jared sat gazing out his window for most of the trip, fiddling with his fingers idly as he replayed the conversation that he had just had with Caitlin over and over. Chris focused on the radio and the music to try and distract her as she navigated the grid locked traffic. But, inside, thoughts and questions were raging as a million things raced through both of their minds. Chris had been in his shoes and knew that quiet time to just process the situation was needed. Jared on the other hand, was both processing what Caitlin had said, and trying to understand and remember how Chris must be feeling.

As they pulled into the hotel parking lot, Chris switched off the truck and glanced at him. He felt her gaze and slowly smiled back at her.

"Thanks," he said quietly.

"For what?" She asked furrowing her eyebrows. "I'm not a taxi or an uber." She added with a slight laugh, trying to lighten the air. "You don't have to thank me and pay for the lift."

"No," a smile cracked as he chuckled, "I know you aren't. It was a thank you for understanding and an I'm sorry for this mess." He added as he reached for her hand again and squeezed it.

Chris smiled; his sweetness was sometimes too much. "Okay, stop apologising," she said opening her door. "Time to get out, cause I'm starving." She added. Jared knew Chris was likely just keeping in how upset she really was, he knew this whole situation had to be upsetting and unnerving.

She swung herself out and closed the door. Jared climbed out his side with a smirk. As she made her way around the back of the truck, he stepped to her, toe to toe, his hands on her waist as he pushed her against the tailgate and kissed her hard. Chris was surprised but could not resist this steamy display of affection.

"Mmmm, wow," She whispered as he slowly drew back slightly his mouth still close to hers.

"You are all I want," his eyes danced with hers, "I mean that." The warmth of his breath tingling her lips. She flicked her eyes up to his, as a smile grew across her face.

"Good," she whispered back as she tugged him back in and kissed him in return. As she eventually drew away again, he was smiling at her. His hand reached into the back of the truck and lifted up a single wrapped flower. A red rose.

"What? When did you?" She whispered, confused.

"When you were out of the courthouse. I saw a guy selling them and couldn't resist."

Her eyes danced with his. "Thank you, babe," She whispered taking the flower, smelling it, and then kissing him again. As they drew apart, she laughed and whispered. "But I am SERIOUSLY starving."

"Ok, Miss Hangry, Let's go," he chuckled and went to tug her hand towards the Hotel.

Chris paused and reached into her truck taking out a small bag. "I wanna change first." She added as he eyed her suspiciously.

"You thought ahead and packed an overnight bag?" He asked still eyeing her. "Does this mean you are staying the night?"

Chris smiled and raised her eyebrows at him, "This means right now I want to change; I knew I didn't want to lounge around after court in my uniform." She shoved his chest playfully as she flung the bag over her shoulder. "Now can we go so I can eat?" She added tilting her head.

Jared let out a laugh and tugged her in a tight hug. "You are," he laughed, "You are gunna keep me on my toes, huh." He added, kissing the top of her head.

"Damn straight!" Chris laughed as they walked towards the lobby. The lift doors opened, with a ding.

"Your floor ma'am," he said in a silly accent. "After you," he added, motioning for her to step out first. Chris laughed,

"You are an idiot." She chuckled, shoving him. He play acted that he was offended. So, she too put on her serious demeanour and stepped out.

"Thank you, kind Sir!"

"Pleasure Ma'am," he bowed, gesturing for her to go ahead.

"You um, you realise I don't know which room to go to?" She looked back at him with a playful smirk.

"Oh right," he laughed, snapping out of it. "406." He pointed to the left.

Chris nodded and walked looking at the numbers. 400, 402, 404, and there it was. She paused and waited for him to step over and unlock it. He swiped the card and opened the door for her.

"Welcome to my humble, 'temporary', abode." He said gesturing for her to go in.

"Hmm, not bad." She muttered as she wandered in an dropped her bag on the bed looking out the window.

"Well, it's all compliments of the LA judicial system for now," he smiled, following her inside and placing down the keys and his wallet on the table.

"Pretty good view of downtown." She added watching the streets below.

"Best view I could ask for." He said with a low sexy tone moving behind her and wrapping his arms around her. She giggled and rolled her eyes laughing as he kissed his way down her neck. It made her let out a small groan before she slipped out of his arms.

"Not now!" She protested with a laugh, holding her finger up to him. "I'm so hungry." She smiled with a pout. He pouted too, but in protest.

"Okay, okay," he conceded, "Food first!"

"And" she stepped closer, a more serious expression forming on her face. "I think we need to, um, actually talk, more, about today, before..." she tilted her head towards the bed.

He followed her eyes, nodding. Taking a second to stop the silly. He stepped to her and reached for her hand slowly. "You're right, I'm sorry." He nodded, as he held her hand and tugged her into his arms. "I just, I love having you this close, in arms reach. But yeah, you're right, I know you must have questions and ..."

"Hey, it's not bad Jared, it's not that I am pulling away or freaking out about us. I just think we need to talk it out." She said as she moved to the bed and took out a pair of jeans and clean shirt. "It's a combination of this stuff with you and her, and my mess with Molly and Street. It's just buzzing, in my head you know, and I just feel that we need to talk it out."

"Yeah," he nodded. "I know. I get it."

"Okay," Chris said tossing him a clean shirt from the wardrobe, "Get changed and then we can go."

"Okay," he answered nodding, clutching the shirt, as she stepped into the bathroom. Several minutes later, she came out and sat on the bed doing up her shoes. She looked at him and watched him, as he did up the belt of his jeans and turned around to face her. She was worrying that she had really upset him.

"Hey," she said as he moved past her. He stopped and looked at her. "Are you okay?" She asked quietly.

"Yeah, why?" He answered stepping back to her.

"I feel like I've upset you now. You know saying we need to talk, that always sounds bad and …." She said in a soft voice.

"No, Chris," he interrupted. "I was just playing. Trying to make you smile."

Chris smiled back at him, "You know you do that all the time."

"Good." He answered about to step away to grab his shoes,

"I just, I just want to talk about what you went through today, maybe even my mess too before we you know…. just jump in bed again,"

His eyes danced to the bed slightly, as he stepped back to her. He leant over her with a smirk, nudging her head to the side with his gently, as he kissed her neck again. "God woman, you have no idea how much I want to lay in that bed with you." He whispered in a sexy whisper against her neck.

She laughed and shoved him up gently, so she could stand up. She took his hand and tugged him gently towards the door.

As she took a step, she glanced over her shoulder at him, with smouldering eyes, "Hey, slow down there buddy, I didn't even agree I was staying the night." She turned away and felt her grin build as she flicked her eyes back to his widened shocked expression and added, "Well…. not yet at least."

He widened his eyes at her, "Oh, so it's like that huh?" He smirked pulling her close and kissing her neck again as she groaned and shoved him off.

"Seriously, if you don't let me eat, in the next 3 minutes I just might lose my mind," She giggled as he tried to grab her again.

"Okay, okay," He held up his hands in surrender. "Let's go eat,"

As they walked down the hall towards the elevators, he held her hand tightly, their fingers intertwined.

The restaurant was busy, and Chris's stomach growled as they lined up behind another couple waiting to go in. Jared looked at her and laughed as he cupped their hands and kissed them.

"Patience their tiger." He teased her with a wink.

"I told you." She glared at him. "I am starving!"

Soon they sat at their table and Chris made short work of the bread roll, as Jared smirked at her. "You really worked up an appetite today, huh?"

"Emotional eating maybe," she joked. They both chuckled but then Jared's expression slowly grew more serious, as he knew he needed to stop the small talk and playful banter and face the real elephant in the room.