A/N: Slight M-rating

"Max, I want to thank you again for picking up these clothes for me. I really like this skirt," Jennifer said as she and Jonathan got into the Jaguar with Max later that morning.

"It looks great on you, Miss Edwards," Max answered. "I'm glad you like it." He started up the car and pulled out onto the street from the Ritz. "So where're we goin'?" he asked.

"I guess to Jennifer's apartment. Right, darling?" Jonathan asked her.

"I think so, yes. You can just drop me off if you want to. I'll just be doing my packing and figuring out what to take with me and what to have shipped later. No reason you two need to be bored out of your minds sitting around while I do that," she replied.

Jonathan put his hand on her knee, just where the hem of the skirt rested, and gently stroked her bare skin with his thumb. "I wouldn't be bored with you," he said softly.

"Well that decides it," she fired back. "You'll only distract me, so you're not allowed to stay. Max, you can come up and help me or you can go take Jonathan somewhere else."

"I can help, Miss Edwards. No problem," Max said.

Jennifer quite liked that idea. Jonathan would definitely distract her and they wouldn't get anything done if he was there, but Max would surely be a help. She wanted to ask him about what kind of life she might be leading in Los Angeles, what things she would need to bring and what things Jonathan already had. And she wanted to ask him about Jonathan and about himself, too.

"Maybe I'll take the car and go do a little shopping while you two pack," Jonathan suggested.

She eyed him suspiciously. "What do you need to go shopping for?" she asked.

"Well, maybe I've been thinking about how good you looked in that red dress and I might want to buy you something else red to wear," he replied with a glint in his eye.

Jennifer had a feeling that meant he was going to buy her lingerie—after all, he did know her size now—but she wasn't going to ask for certain. That wasn't really a conversation that needed to happen with Max right there. Max probably knew more about their relationship than he really wanted to at this point.

It didn't take long for Jennifer to direct Max through the streets of London to her apartment in Chelsea. She was on the second floor and overlooked a lovely garden. It had been a nice six months living, and a part of her would be sorry to leave. London had been very important to Jennifer Edwards. She'd had her world shaken in more ways than one. She'd gotten hurt and she'd gotten strong again. She'd written some wonderful stories and she'd learned a great deal. And, of course, the most important thing in the world had happened to her in London: she had fallen in love.

She sighed to herself as she looked up at the brick edifice of her building, reminiscing on the time she'd spent there.

"What are you thinking about?" Jonathan asked her softly.

"I was thinking about the fact that the last night I spent here was after you and I first met. It was the last bed I slept in before we were engaged. I don't really count the cot in the police station a bed. And I've spent the last two nights at the Ritz with you. It feels a little strange that I won't spend another night here," she mused.

"We can stay here tonight, if you want," he offered.

"We'll see how much I end up packing. It might be simpler to close this place up today and just take my things back to the Ritz," she reasoned. "But we'll see." As she said the words, she found herself wanting to spend another night here. One last night in her apartment, this time with Jonathan.

He kissed her temple. "You go do whatever you need. I'll be back in a few hours, and I'll pick up some lunch for the three of us."

Jennifer smiled. "That's very sweet of you, darling, thank you."

And with one last quick kiss, they all got out of the car. Jennifer took out her keys to let Max inside with her. Jonathan took the car keys from Max and got into the driver's seat of the Jaguar. She and Max waved goodbye to Jonathan as he drove away.

"Right, let's get to work," Jennifer proclaimed.

"You got it, Miss Edwards," Max agreed.

While Jennifer and Max did whatever they were going to do at her apartment, Jonathan decided to go back to Mayfair. He'd seen something the other day when they walked from De Beers to Savile Row that he couldn't help but picture Jennifer wearing. She really did look beautiful in red.

He walked into Chopard and asked to see the necklace in the window. It was brought for his inspection, and close up, it was even more beautiful than he could have imagined. A collar necklace covered in rubies and diamonds. And it would look beautiful on Jennifer. He already knew from having the engagement ring on her finger that she looked gorgeous with something that sparkled. And now the rubies along with the diamonds, she'd surely light up the place.

"It's beautiful. I'll take it. Could you put a ribbon on it?" he requested.

The shopkeeper looked at bit surprised that he was happily willing to write a personal check for several hundreds of thousands of dollars. But it was just as he and Jennifer had talked about the other day. What good was having money if you hoarded it? What was the point of him working so hard to be successful if he couldn't splurge on beautiful things for the woman he loved? That was Jonathan's point of view, at least. He hoped Jennifer would agree to let him spoil her like this.

Ribbon-wrapped parcel in hand, Jonathan walked out of the jewelry store and checked his watch. It was about lunchtime but they'd gotten up and eaten breakfast late, so it still felt a little early to eat. And he wasn't really sure what Jennifer might want to eat. Come to think of it, they'd eaten together for two days now, but he didn't really know what kinds of foods she liked and disliked. He'd have to pay more attention when they went out to dinner tonight. And he did want to take her out tonight. Dinner and dancing, just the two of them. And if she didn't mind, he would take her back to her apartment after that and they'd spend the night there together. Max could have the suite at the Ritz to himself and get the packing done and pick them up to head to the airport. The plane would be all fueled up and ready to leave by ten.

In the end, Jonathan decided to drive back to Chelsea to Jennifer's apartment and give her the necklace now and ask her what she wanted for lunch. That way he could see her and kiss her and then let her get back to her packing while he went out for food.

The parking space in front of the building was taken by the time Jonathan got there, so he ended up pulling into a small side alley next to the garden. He cut the engine and picked up the car phone. The technology had been developed in part by Hart Industries, so he had gotten one installed in each of his cars. The Jaguar stayed in London for when he was here on business, and he had a Mercedes in New York and a Ferrari in Los Angeles. He'd have to see what Jennifer wanted to drive when they got to Los Angeles, and he'd make sure she had a car phone in that, too.

"Hello, Mobile Operator, can I get the phone number for Jennifer Edwards at 64 Chelsea Square?" he requested.

The operator rattled off the exchange and the number. He thanked her and hung up to dial. It rang twice before it was answered. "Hello?"

Jonathan couldn't help but smile to hear her voice. "Hello there. I'm parked in the alley next to the garden and I have something for you, if you'd like to come down for a minute."

"Are you calling me from the phone box on the corner?" she asked, confused.

"No, I'm calling you from the car."

"Oh!" Jennifer exclaimed. "Well isn't that clever? I'll be right down. Max is boxing up some of my books."

Jennifer hung up without another word. Jonathan chuckled, eager to see her. He hung up the car phone and got out, leaning against the trunk to wait for her.

She came rushing into view, practically sprinting around the corner. She ran into his arms and kissed him soundly. When she pulled away, she was grinning. "Is it silly of me that you were only gone an hour and I missed you?"

"Well, if it is, we're both silly. Because I missed you, too. Now come see, I've got a surprise for you," he said.

"Oh I love surprises," Jennifer said excitedly.

He had to let her out of his arms so he could go open the back door of the car and get the box out. It had slid across the bench seat to the opposite end, but as he reached to grab it, he felt a mighty shove against his back. He stumbled and fell into the car with a shout of surprise.

Jennifer got in the car beside him and closed the door. "I want my surprise, but I've got a surprise for you, too," she said.

Jonathan looked at her questioningly, but he didn't manage to get a word in edgewise before Jennifer's mouth crashed into his. Her lips moved against his and her tongue slid into his mouth just as her hand began stroking him through his pants.

He whimpered, but he did not pull away. He sure as hell wasn't going to stop her.

She carried on kissing him and undid his trousers blindly and reached inside to stroke him in earnest. Jonathan was almost embarrassed by how quick he got hard in her hand. Jennifer squeezed him, caressed his shaft, ran her thumb over his hand, and Jonathan started to tremble at her touch.

Jonathan was happy to let her carry on, but he tangled one hand in her hair and began massaging her breast with the other. This time his tongue surged into her mouth, and her hand stuttered in its rhythm as he distracted her with his attentions.

Jennifer pulled away to catch her breath, smiling as her chest heaved. She shifted herself on the seat and leaned down to take him in her mouth.

"Jesus, Jennifer," Jonathan hissed. He groaned and allowed his head to fall back against the seat. She chuckled slightly, giving him some vibration along with her wet, swirling tongue. Her hands and her lips worked in tandem, moving up and down on him, sucking him hard.

Jonathan could hardly keep himself from moaning in pleasure, and his hips bucked up uncontrollably. He could feel his climax coming and tried to pull her off him. But Jennifer swatted his hand away. Jonathan was in no state to insist on anything, and before he knew it, a low growling groan fell from his lips as he came in her mouth, pulsing with pleasure.

Jennifer gently sucked and licked and swallowed every last drop of him before finally sitting up. She wiped the corners of her mouth before the kind courtesy of doing his pants up again.

"That was your surprise. I'd like to have my surprise now," she announced.

Jonathan could hardly understand English, let alone remember what her surprise even was. His mouth opened but didn't let out any sound.

A sharp knock on the window nearly gave him a heart attack. Max was standing there, looking at them both in the backseat of the car with suspicion and confusion in his expression. "Where you guys been? I finished packing up all the books."

Jennifer's face was bright red. She knew as well as Jonathan did that they were damn lucky that Max hadn't shown up a minute earlier. She left Jonathan there and opened the car door as she tried to smooth back her hair from where he'd mussed it. "Sorry, Max, Jonathan had a surprise for me. I got distracted."

Jonathan got out of the car, too. "Sorry, Max," he apologized. He didn't really know what else to say.

"Did you get lunch?" Max asked, brushing past the apologies and excuses.

"Uh, no, sorry. What does everyone want?" he asked.

"It's my last lunch in London for a while, so I'd love a kidney pie," Jennifer requested.

"Pastrami on rye," Max asked.

Jennifer laughed, "Max, we'll be in New York by tomorrow night. You can get the best pastrami on rye in the world there."

"So I'll get another one tomorrow, too," Max replied.

"Kidney pie and a pastrami on rye," Jonathan confirmed. "I'll be back soon." He turned to get back in the car. This time the driver's seat."

"Jonathan," Jennifer called after him. "You never did give me my surprise."

"We ran out of time with my surprise," he reminded her. "I'll bring it up to you with lunch. You can have it later."

Her jaw dropped in comical outrage at his response. He just kissed her swiftly and got back in the car. The Jaguar was definitely his favorite car now. And if he wasn't already convinced at how wonderful life with Jennifer was going to be, she'd just given him a hell of a reason to be excited to marry her.