Author's Note: Hello, and welcome to Chapter 4 of This Is It! This chapter was so much fun to write! I hope you enjoy, and please leave a review! :) Also - this chapter has a little extra steam toward the end, but nothing explicit. ;)
Disclaimer: I keep forgetting these things! Still don't own anything. I wouldn't be here if I did.
After they've both had showers, Jamie mentions that he needs to stop by his apartment for fresh clothes. By the time that task is complete, they both have growling stomachs and immediately begin discussing lunch options.
Deciding on a lunch spot has never been so difficult for them, but today, they are trying to think of a place they both like where they aren't likely to run into anyone from work. In the end, they settle on the little Chinese restaurant they went to during their recent suspension.
When the waitress returns with the plate of fortune cookies that Eddie once again requested before the meal, Jamie starts laughing quietly under his breath.
"What's so funny over there, Reagan?" Eddie's hands are folded on the table in front of her, but there's a smile on her face too.
"Oh, just thinking about the last time we were here. Funny how my fortune finally came true. Good thing I didn't let you read it, huh?" He looks at her with a smile that reaches all the way to his eyes and she has to laugh at him.
"You are…" she starts, but he jumps in easily.
"Charming? Handsome? Irresistible?" She laughs and hangs her head, but she can't help herself laughing with him.
"I was going to say ridiculous, but I guess those work too." He doesn't miss the roll of her eyes, but he can't stop staring at her smile either. He reaches across the table and takes her hand in his. Without breaking eye contact, he gives it a light squeeze.
"So, I was thinking about the rest of our day."
"Oh, our day, is it?" Her smile is back, and sometimes he hates how distracting it is. "That didn't take you long."
"C'mon. You know what I mean." He looks down at the table, but still smiles. "I would like to spend as much time with you today as I can, so I thought I'd run some ideas past you."
"I'm kidding, Jamie. Whatcha got?" She gives his hand a squeeze to reassure him.
"Well, I thought after we eat, maybe we could go for a walk. Or we could go back to my place or yours and just spend some time together. I guess it depends how many people you want around. And I was thinking about going to Mass this evening, so we could have the whole day together tomorrow, if you wanted. You could come with me, but that's definitely up to you. We could meet back at my place after, or make plans to meet for breakfast in the morning. Lots of thoughts, I know, but I wanted to give you a say. We can do whatever you're comfortable with." He finishes with a shrug, and though he has no idea how she'll respond to everything he's just said, his eyes convey some sense of hope.
"Oh, wow. You really have given it some thought, haven't you?" The look on her face is cautious, somewhat nervous, and she appreciates that he wants her thoughts on the day's agenda. "Ok. Um. I like the idea of going to one of our apartments and just hanging out. Maybe we could watch a movie. I think I'm gonna pass on church this time, but if you want to go today, that's fine with me. And you could come back to mine after. I'll cook dinner for us."
"Hmm." He looks thoughtful, like he's processing everything she just said. "Would you mind if I cooked dinner tonight? I've got a meal no girl can resist." His eyes twinkle with the idea, which sets loose the butterflies in Eddie's stomach.
"Oh, is that so, Mr. Reagan?" Eddie laughs, and now the butterflies in Jamie's stomach take flight. "Ok. Sure. You can cook tonight. What's the meal?" Her face lights up at the idea of Jamie cooking for her.
"Mm. Nope. Can't tell you. It's a surprise, but trust me, you'll like it." They just smile at each other for a moment, and before either of them can say anything else, the waitress returns to take their order.
... ... ... ...
While they eat, they continue discussing the rest of the day and have a loose plan by the time they leave the restaurant. They return to Eddie's apartment after lunch, where she convinces him to watch The Little Mermaid with her. She sings along to every song, of course, but is pleasantly surprised that he knows a couple songs as well. He claims it's because he used to babysit Nicky when she was going through her Disney princess phase.
During Kiss the Girl, he leans over and kisses her. She puts a hand on the back of his neck and pulls him down on top of her, turning the kiss into a steamy little make-out session. But right around the time the boat flips on screen, there's a clatter in the apartment, as Jamie loses his balance and falls to the floor between the couch and the table. Jamie isn't embarrassed, but the mood is sufficiently ruined. They just laugh it off as he climbs back up on the couch to sit beside her again, a smile still plastered on his face.
When the movie is over, Jamie leaves to get his apartment ready for the evening. It's already so difficult to be apart from her, even though they both know it will only be a few hours before they are together again.
Standing at her door, with his arms wrapped around her waist, he whispers his goodbye.
"I'll text you after Mass. So you'll know when to come by." She nods her head before he leans in for a soft kiss. "I love you."
"I love you, too. See you soon, Boy Scout." He chuckles and rests his forehead on hers for a second, then kisses her again, and turns to leave.
Before returning to his apartment, he makes a grocery run to get everything he will need to cook dinner. At the store, Jamie can't take it any longer and sends her a text, just to let her know he's still thinking about her.
J: I miss you already.
Back at her apartment, Eddie hears her phone chime at the arrival of a new message. Opening the message, she smiles when she sees that it's from Jamie.
E: Mmm. Spoiled for life, are we? ;)
J: Absolutely. I can't wait to have my arms around you again.
E: Sounds perfect. But you have to be a good Catholic boy scout and go to Mass. I'll see you tonight. Promise. :*
J: Feels like forever until then. 3
Still smiling like a crazy person, Jamie finishes his shopping and heads back to his apartment. There's some tidying up to do in the living room, as well as the bedroom and bathroom (just in case, he tells himself), but he spends most of his time in the kitchen.
There are dishes and groceries to put away and counters to clean, but he can't do much more than that just yet. The pasta has to be made fresh before he boils it, and he can't warm up the bread until Eddie gets there, so he settles for preparing the salad. Once he's done everything he can, he goes to his bedroom to get ready for evening Mass, choosing nice dark wash jeans and a crisp button up shirt.
Leaving his apartment around 5 PM, he will have plenty of time for confession before Mass begins at 6 PM. Confession and Mass always make him feel better, even when he doesn't really feel guilty. He knows he should, but he has spent so many years fighting the way he feels about Eddie that all he can feel at this change in their relationship is relief. He tells this to the priest, who is surprisingly understanding of his plight. In place of his penance, the priest tells Jamie to spend the remaining 35 minutes before Mass considering what his feelings mean and what his intentions really are with Eddie.
By the time Mass is over, he knows he has to marry her. The way he's felt since the day she got shot tells him that he simply can't live without her anymore, but he tells himself that it's way too early to consider marriage. He knows in his heart that she's the one; he just has to be patient. After all, they only admitted that they loved each other the day before.
Just give it some more time, Reagan, he tells himself. You've waited years for this. What's a few more months?
Pulling his phone from his pocket on his way home, he sends Eddie a text.
J: On my way home now. See you at mine, around 7:30?
He doesn't even get his phone back in his pocket before it chirps with her reply.
E: Can't wait. I'm starving! ;)
His response is simply a kiss emoji, then he puts his phone away and practically runs back to his apartment to get started with dinner.
... ... ... ...
As he unlocks the door of his apartment, Jamie considers his plan of action for the evening. The first thing to do is start heating the oven to warm up the bread and get a pot of water boiling for the pasta. Then he retrieves an egg from the refrigerator and some flour to start working on the pasta dough. It's been some time since he's made homemade pasta, but he's soon working from muscle memory, pressing the dough together and getting ready to roll it out.
Just as he's putting the bread into the oven, he hears a knock at his door. Eddie stands on the other side, looking radiant, and his stomach does a few flips when she smiles up at him.
"Hello there, gorgeous," he says, opening the door for her to come in.
"Hi yourself, handsome." As she passes him, she pecks a kiss to his lips with a smile before proceeding into his apartment.
After removing her scarf and jacket, she joins him in the kitchen to see him pulling out a silver pasta mill and clamping it onto the edge of the counter.
"What is that contraption?" Eddie asks, raising an eyebrow.
Jamie laughs. "A pasta mill. You ever had homemade pasta before?"
"Um. Can't say that I have." This time, Eddie laughs with a shrug.
"Well, then. First time for everything, isn't there? Would you like to help me? It's not hard." He reassures her by reaching for her hand and pulling her to his side.
After cutting the ball of pasta dough in half and checking that the pasta water is nearly boiling, he shows her how to roll the dough through the mill using the hand crank on the side.
"This is the reason I asked you to help," he explains. "It can be tricky to catch the pasta as it comes out when you've only got one hand." He finishes with a laugh as the pasta sheet falls into her waiting hands. A few minutes later, he makes her stand there, holding the thin pasta stretched between her hands, while he changes the attachment on the mill to the one that will cut the sheet into strands. When that's done, he looks at her and grins.
"You ready?"
"What? No. Ready for what?" The nervous look on her face makes him lean in to place a kiss on her cheek before he explains.
"You'll put the sheet through the top while I turn the crank, and then you can catch the noodles at the bottom and put them in the pot behind you. You got this, Janko."
"Oh, my gosh. Ok, I guess," she agrees with a laugh.
As Jamie turns the crank and takes the end of the pasta sheet from her, Eddie quickly moves to catch all the noodles before they hit the floor and squeals with laughter when she misses some.
"It's fine. Drop them in the pot," Jamie laughs too.
Eddie spins around to drop the noodles into the boiling water with a small shriek. When she turns back to Jamie, he wraps his arms around her waist and pulls her in close to kiss her lips softly.
"I told you you could do it." The smile on his face reaches all the way to his eyes, and she can feel a smile spreading across her own face at the tone of his voice.
"Aw, shucks," she plays bashful. "So what's next, Chef Reagan?"
"Well, I need to make a quick sauce. The pasta won't take long in that water. And it smells like the bread is ready to come out of the oven."
"You made bread too?" Her voice is incredulous, making him smile once again.
"No, not this time," he says with a little chuckle. "I just bought some garlic bread at the bakery around the corner and warmed it up in the oven. I also didn't make the chocolate ganache cake that's waiting in the fridge right now." Her eyes light up at the mention of the cake.
She opens his refrigerator for a peek at the cake and mutters an "mmm" at the decadently decorated cake sitting next to the salad bowl.
"Will you grab the salad while you're in there, please? You could also pour some wine, if you'd like. It's on the counter over there." After Eddie places the salad bowl on the counter and begins to pour them each a glass of wine, Jamie drains the pasta and tosses it with the garlic and oil sauce he's whipped up.
Within minutes, he's plated their pasta and salads, each with a generous portion of bread, and calls her over to the table with him. She joins him with two glasses of wine and sits down beside him, a huge smile on her face.
"Thank you for having dinner with me tonight," Jamie says, taking her hand and returning the brilliant smile she's giving him.
"Thank you for cooking dinner," she replies, giving his hand a squeeze.
"Ah, don't thank me just yet," he says. When she tilts her head in confusion, he continues. "You haven't even tasted it yet."
At that, Eddie picks up her fork and twirls some pasta around it for her first taste. Jamie laughs when she closes her eyes and moans in delight before even swallowing the first bite.
"Jamie, this is delicious! Who taught you how to make this?"
"Dad and Grandpa," he answers with a shrug and another smile. "They taught all of us boys. Said we should know how to cook a couple things for ourselves for when we couldn't afford to eat out, but also to cook dinner for a girl." His eyes light up at the family memories. "It's never failed me yet," he says with a wink.
"Jameson Reagan," Eddie exclaims. "Just how many girls have you made pasta with?"
"Whoa now! Don't get all bent out of shape," he says with a laugh, holding his hands up in surrender. "I've only made this meal for about three girls total. But you, Eddie Janko, are the only girl I've ever let help me."
"Oh ho! And that's supposed to make me feel special?" The banter feels more like what they're used to, and they both notice how comfortable it is between them.
"Absolutely," Jamie answers. "I just shared some top secret Reagan family traditions with you over there." He leans back in his chair and smirks at her.
"So does that make me part of the Reagan family now?"
"Oh, I wouldn't go that far, Janko," he replies with a laugh, but thinks to himself, Hopefully one day, Eddie.
... ... ... ...
When they've finished their meal and cleaned up the kitchen a little, Jamie cuts them a generous slice of the chocolate ganache cake to share and pulls her to the couch with him. They sit cuddled up under a throw blanket and take turns feeding each other bites of the cake.
With the first bite he feeds her, Eddie's eyes drift shut and she lets out a quiet little moan. At the sound, Jamie's heart starts pounding and his jeans tighten just the slightest. Before they can finish the cake, however, Eddie points out a bit of icing on his lower lip and leans in to kiss it away. The moment is so tender, he doesn't even notice that she's taken the plate from his hand and set it down safely on the table until she's crawling into his lap again and both his hands are running through her hair.
This time is not soft and slow, like before. This time, they are desperate and wild. Eddie grabs his shirt to deepen the kiss and moans into his mouth when she feels his tongue on her lips. Her hands move to either side of his face while his hands drift to her backside, pulling her further into his arousal.
They're both looking for some much needed friction and soon, Jamie can't wait any longer. With his hands still firmly on her behind, he stands up and begins walking to his room with her legs locked around his waist. Their lips don't part until he gently drops her on his bed and crawls over her. Resting his weight on one hand, the other brushes her hair from her face and he smiles, before crashing his lips to hers again.
As his lips begin to wander, to her neck, her throat, her shoulders, he finds that he can't get enough of her whimpers and moans. They urge him on in a way he's never experienced before. Soon, they are both naked, and despite the fact that this is not their first time together, all the love and passion they've spent years fighting and bottling up finally bursts forth like an explosion.
Later, when they're both utterly exhausted, Jamie pulls the bed covers over their naked bodies and tucks her into his side. He presses a soft kiss to the crown of her head where it rests on his shoulder.
"If I could spend every day of my life like this, I'd die a very happy man," he tells her quietly. There's a smile on his face despite his tiredness.
She lifts her head to look him in the eyes. "Hmm. That sounds like a good idea to me." Mirroring his smile, she places a soft kiss on his lips and drops her head back to his chest. Then he hears her whisper. "I love you, Jamie."
"I love you too, Eddie." He rubs her back gently until they both drift off to sleep.
Author's Note: Like I said, this chapter was a lot of fun to write. My husband and I like to make our own pasta and the method I wrote here is how we used to do it before we got a mill attachment for our stand mixer. It's fun but tricky. And while it's not likely that Jamie actually makes his own pasta (though he very well might), I thought this would be a fun 'date' for them. :) Still to come: Chapter 5!
Review, please? :)