"No, you did not!" Kristen was laughing so hard her sides hurt.
"I'm afraid I did." Jubal countered somberly, 'It was the most, well one of the most, embarrassing moments of my career."
"I do not believe that, I want pictures." She demanded.
"Well, those will have to wait until you come back to work." He winked at her, "Something to look forward to in the coming weeks."
I already have something to look forward to. Kristen thought to herself. She felt her face heat up and thanked the gods for her darker complexion, "How has work been?"
Jubal shook his head, "No."
"Oh come on!"
"No shop talk." Jubal said sternly.
"I won't tell Stuart." Kristen held up her right hand, "Or Maggie, I swear."
"Nice try, but it's my rule, they're just enforcing it." He grinned at her shocked face.
"Why?" Kristen rested her chin in her hand, "I'm so bored, I've actually started watching soap operas with Grams." She leaned in closer to Jubal and lowered her voice, "Did you know that Derek has a twin and as we speak, is plotting to kill Derek and take over his life?"
Jubal scooted closer to Kristen and mimicked her pose, "I have no idea who this Derek is, but tell me more so I can keep a look out."
Kristen inhaled in what she hoped was a subtle manner, he always smelled so damn good! This close to him she could easily make out all the little lines that ran across his face. The grey in his goatee and at his temples only served to amplify his good looks. She briefly wondered what he looked like when he was her age.
As soon as the thought entered her mind, she tried to swiftly banish it. This was exactly why she needed something to focus on! Otherwise, her mind would wander to thoughts she tried very hard to keep under lock and key. Like what it would be like to run her fingers over the skin that was normally covered by his clothes, or what his goatee would feel like brushing against the soft skin of her inner thighs.
Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jubal Valentine was wreaking havoc on Kristen's normally very stable life.
Ever since she'd gotten stabbed, he had taken that already faint line of professionalism and completely stepped all over it. He was there when she was in the hospital, and once she had been released into the care of her smothering (but well meaning) family, he'd taken to visiting her every few days like clockwork. He was there so often that her grandmother had taken to setting out a plate for him as well, each time shooting Kristen a knowing look. If, for some reason he couldn't make it, he made sure to call and let her know.
She was being totally spoiled by all the attention he was lavishing on her, and at this point, they both knew it. It was going to be hard to go back to acting professional once she was cleared for duty again.
The moment was broken by the chime of Jubal's phone. He broke their shared gaze to look down to see who was calling. His face broke out in a smile when he saw it was his son calling. He pulled back and stepped away to answer it. Kristen watched him as he spoke with his kid, he was open and engaging, always encouraging and when he let this side of him show, she always found it hard to look away.
"It's always good to see a man who loves his babies." Her grandmother's voice cut into Kristen's thoughts. "Makes you start to wonder how he'll be with any new ones that come along."
"Grams!" Kristen hissed.
"Child, hush." The older woman swatted at her with a dishtowel. "All I'm saying is that man would be all too happy to help you out in that department if you want. As much as you can't take your eyes off him, he's the same way with you. There's only so long you can use that job of yours as an excuse." She paused and examined Kristen, "You two would make me such a pretty great grand-baby."
"Oh my god." Kristen banged her head on the table.
"Everything okay?" She refused to raise her head from the table to acknowledge Jubal's question.
"She's fine, just talking about potential great grand-babies-"
"Okay!" Kristen shot up from the table, "I've gotta change my bandage, Jubal will you help me?" She beelined for the room that she had been residing in while recuperating. She could hear Jubal chuckling to himself as he followed her inside.
"Something you want to tell me, Agent Chazal?" Jubal leaned back against the closed door.
Kristen refused to turn around and look at him, preferring instead to gather up the supplies needed to swap out her bandage, "Just Grams being Grams, she's always talking about me giving her great grand-babies." Supplies in hand, she finally turned to face him, "You don't have to stay for this, I just needed to stop her from talking."
"Nah, I can help. I've got a pretty steady hand." He reached out and took the ointment from her hands. Kristen gathered her hair on the top of her head to get it out of the way before she removed the old bandage. She turned to face Jubal instead of the mirror, preferring to look at his face and not the jagged scar that would be a constant reminder of her brief lapse in judgment.
She realized pretty soon thereafter that she had made a big mistake.
His hands were warm and gentle on her skin as he smoothed the ointment and placed the fresh bandage on her neck. "This looks like it's healing well." His voice was a quiet rumble in the still of the room.
Kristen made a face, "If you say so." She never would have considered herself a particularly vain person, but having to look at that scar everyday was proving to be more than she could bear.
"Hey, look at me." His voice was gruff as he placed both hands on her shoulders. He waited until she lifted her eyes to meet his, and stroked the side of her neck with a finger, "This doesn't change a damn thing, you're still beautiful."
She felt her breath catch, he's the first person who hasn't shied away from the scar on her neck, and he's definitely the first person other than her family and friends to out right call her beautiful.
She ducked her head to hide her pleased expression, "Keep spoiling me with compliments, and I'm gonna expect it all the time now."
"I'm not seeing a problem." He drew her closer and planted a kiss on her lips. Kristen grabbed the front of his shirt to keep him close. They had tentatively decided to take that next step right before she was stabbed. Their first date was actually supposed to have been that day. Truthfully Kristen had been worried that her injury and absence from work would affect their burgeoning relationship, but it hadn't slowed them down a bit.
They broke apart breathlessly, "I wish I could stay longer, but I promised the kids we'd go see a movie."
"Go." Kristen smiled at him, "Stuart will be by later tonight and Grams will soon have me in the kitchen. She is determined to put some meat on his bones."
Jubal laughed, "Good luck with that, I've known him for years and he's never gained an ounce, lucky bastard." He patted his stomach self consciously.
"Hey, look at me." Kristen repeated his words from earlier as she wound her arms around his waist, "You're still handsome."
"You spoil me."
"I try."