I hope you enjoy chapter 6! I plan to keep this going as long as possible, please leave some feedback if you can, review and feedback motivate me to keep writing!

The warm water ran in cascades down Jessica's back as his kisses across her throat made her head swim. Nick's hands slid easily across her body, aided by a combination of water and soap. The loofah he had just been washing her with lay on the floor of the shower, long forgotten. She gently moaned in pleasure. He began to kiss her again urgently, slowly pushing her back towards the cool, tiled wall of the cubicle; they both moved through the stream of water, their kisses drowning in a waterfall. Her back pressed against the wall, Nick's attention began to move lower, with a trail of passionate kisses, until he was on his knees and he began to twirl and lick his tongue against her clitoris, causing Jess to gently bend her legs to give him better access. She tightened her thighs against him, locking him in place. Jess's breath came in ragged bursts as she sank her nails into Nick's shoulders.

"Nick," Winston's voice came, "Nick?"

Instantly Nick and Jess froze, Nick looked up and he stared at Jess. They both widened their eyes in shock and quickly Nick stood back up. Nick raised his hands as if to say, what should I do? Jess brought her fingers to her lips in a gesture to be quiet.

"Nick, where are you? I need to ask you a question," Winston's voice appeared to be moving closer to the bathroom. Nick made a pleading face to Jess and Jess shook her head violently as if to say don't you dare say a word. Suddenly they heard the door of the bathroom opened up, "Winnie, what up my man?" Simultaneously, he picked Jess up and she wrapped her legs around him. She pulled a face at him as if to say I cannot believe you are doing this.

"Just wanted to ask if you are coming to Daisy's party tonight? She needs to know numbers."

"Yeah man, sure, I'll be there," Nick said quickly.

"Great, 8.30, don't forget."

"No problem."

"Cool. Oh and hi Jess." With that Winston exited the bathroom and the door slammed shut.

Immediately Nick and Jess burst into fits of laughter, "Oh my God that's so embarrassing!" Jess cried between laughs.

"Aw he's seen worse. I think you were being too noisy earlier!"

"Oh really! Well I do believe this was your idea, I was just trying to have a nice little shower…"

"Jess, you dropped your towel while I was brushing my teeth. I'm only human. And personally I think all showers should be like this. If that happened I don't think I would ever leave this area." He gave Jess a wide smile.

"Oh, interesting." She murmured running her fingers through Nicks hair which was slick from the water still running down it. "So, what should we do now?" she asked looking up at him coquettishly. Nick took no time for her to answer and pressed his lips against hers and started again from where they had left off.

Arriving at Daisy's apartment block, Nick laid his arms overs Jess's shoulders as they walked towards the lobby. She was wearing a sky blue dress with a full skirt and delicate red shoes, her hair was lightly curled and she wore just enough make up for it to be considered 'night'. Nick could not believe how lucky he was. She was so beautiful. It'd been 2 weeks since Cece's almost wedding and he still could not believe what was happening. They had spent every night together since, apart from the one night when Nick had worked late past a shift at the bar. He had arrived home to find Jess asleep on the sofa, in the middle of reading a book, her glasses still perched on her nose. He has gently picked her up and carried her to her bed, removed her glasses and gave her a kiss on the forehead before covering her in sheets and returning to his own room.

As they waited for the elevator, "Hey, I just realised, this is our first party together," her eyes twinkled as she adjusted nicks skinny black tie that he wore over his dark plaid shirt.

"Well, not exactly Jess," Nick replied.

"Okay, so we have been to parties together before, but this is the first time as…"

"Your boyfriend?"

"And your girlfriend?"

They both smiled at each other in relief. The past two weeks had been a haze of work, passionate kisses, crazy sex and late night chats but they had still not really discussed their feelings or exactly what was going on between them.

"So, we're finally giving this I name?" Nick asked quizzically.

"I guess we are. Man this is weird," she laughed nervously.

"Yeah, but good weird," and with that he pulled her into a kiss as the elevator doors opened.

Walking into Daisy's apartment, it was clear the party was in full swing. The air was warm and humid with the heat of too many bodies in a small space and the room was littered with people talking, dancing and drinking. Quickly Nick spotted Winston talking to a group of people, he raised his hand in greeting. Around the apartment there were several tubs filled with beer bottles and ice. Nick pulled one out and gestured to her. Jess wrinkled her nose, she wasn't a good beer drinker. "I'll go to the kitchen and get something more suitable," she kissed Nick on the cheek and headed off to find the kitchen.

Twisting the cap of his beer bottle, Nick made his way to join Winston and his group of friends.

"Hey, Nick! You're here!" Winston was already slurring his words. He could be so terrible with alcohol, Nick remembered all the previous times he had had to get him home when he'd gone too far. At least tonight he doesn't need me to do that. He clinked bottles with Winston and took a long swig of the cool, bubbly liquid.

"So, guys, this is my good friend Nick," Winston gestured to the 3 men who stood with him, "These guys are all flight attendants? Can you believe it? And guess what – they are not gay! Man, you learn something new every day." Silently Nick apologised to the men with his eyes.

"Cool. Let's go get some fresh air Winston." He took Winston by the arm and led him towards the balcony, as he walked he grabbed a bottle of JD and a couple of plastic cups from the coffee table.

Once outside he laid the drinks on the floor and took Winston by the shoulders, "Man, I love you but you've got to calm down. You always go too big, play it cool. These are Daisy's friends; you need to appear a bit less…Crazy Winston."

"Man, you're right. I'm just so damn nervous and I don't do well under pressure and I guess my move is to get some Dutch courage."

"Well, someone once told me there are other moves."

"Yeah, there are," Winston met Nick in a smile, "Cheers," he said.

"Cheers," echoed Nick.

Inside

"Excuse me, please, er, can I get past?" Jess struggled to fight her way through the crowd to get to the kitchen. She had first accidentally entered a bedroom (which was certainly not empty) before finally finding one of Daisy's friends who pointed her in the right direction. Finally reaching the door she entered the room and enjoyed the slightly cooler air that filled it. Unusually for a party there was only one other person in the room, rooting around in the refrigerator. She scanned the kitchen surfaces for a bottle of wine and when she could not see one she called to the person across the room, "Hey, is there any pink wine in there?"

Slowly a face edged out from the side of the fridge door and as a voice said, "Jess?"

It was Sam. . Oh my God, Jess thought, inwardly screaming. She had not seen Sam since that awkward moment at the Indian marriage convention where they had broken up some months earlier. Jess swallowed.

"Sammmm, hi," an awkward smile grew upon her face. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same," he began, removing a bottle of wine and pouring some into a small plastic cup, "I work with Amanda."

"Daisy's roommate," Jess asked as she accepted the cup from Sam.

"Yeah." Sam answered as he closed the door. He moved closer to Jess, a bottle of European cider in his hand.

"Well, this is… strange…" Jess began. She caught Sam's eyes. She had forgotten how gorgeous Sam was.

"Look Jess, I don't think this needs to be weird. We've both moved on and what we had, well, it wasn't meant to be." Jess smiled in relief. She'd also forgotten what a nice guy he was.

"Thanks Sam, the way we left things, you know, I was worried you'd hate me," She took a sip of her wine and felt the liquid warm her throat.

"Actually Jess, I began to regret it, what I said, almost immediately. I felt like I over reacted. You said he had kissed you. I guess I just felt jealous." Sam moved closer and jumped up so he was sat on the kitchen worktop.

"Well maybe you were right to be jealous," she began, hopping up to join him on the bench.

"So you and Nick?" he asked.

"Yeah, well it's new, very recent but… Well we'll see." Jess smiled and lightly blushed as she thought of Nick.

"Well I'm happy for you Jess, I always thought you were a great girl and I was sad things didn't work out. "

"Thanks Sam, so what about you? Any news?"

"Actually…" Sam began.

Outside

Whilst Winston was gradually beginning to compose himself, Nick began to feel the effects of the Jack Daniels. He felt fuzzy headed and hot. The last thing he wanted to do was get too drunk.

"Hey man, I'm going to find Daisy. She's going to think I've bailed we've been out here so long."

"Yeah, you're right. I should find Jess too; I wonder where she got to."

Nick moved to slide open the door, taking the bottle and cup with him. Winston darted off immediately to find Daisy. Nick started to look for Jess.

Inside

Sam had finished telling Jess about his new girlfriend, Lydia. She was a doctor he worked with. "So much for not getting involved with the people you work with." Jess teased.

"Yeah, I guess rules are made for breaking." Sam smiled and took a drink.

"Well, look at us, two very civil exes both happy for each other. I feel so grown up."

"C'mere," Sam waved her towards him and grabbed her in a bear hug. Jess giggled in surprise.

"Jess…" Nick's voice called out as the kitchen door swung open. Instantly his eyes sprang to the site of Jess and Sam mid-hug. Surprised, Jess quickly pulled back from the hug. Nick stared at the couple sat on the worktops. His face turned from surprise to a resigned acceptance.

"Nick, I…" she began, gesturing to Sam.

"I've been looking for you…," Nick's voice trailed off.

"Look who I bumped into, Sam!" Jess voice showed a strained brightness.

"Er, yeah, um, I'm just gonna…" and with that he turned and left the kitchen.

Without waiting a moment, Jess slipped down onto the floor and headed after Nick. He was rapidly moving his way through the crowds, heading towards the door. "Wait, Nick, wait…" Jess's voice was lost amidst the hubbub and music that filled the room. She finally got close enough to grab the back of his shirt and he quickly swung around. "Where are you going?" she asked.

"I, just remembered I got something I have to do," he mumbled.

"At 10pm? What could you possibly have to do now? We are at a party Nick, you can't just walk out. I don't understand…"

"Look, I saw you with Sam. I know that you know this is a mistake and I'm trying to make things easy for you." His eyes looked so sad, Jess felt hurt.

"You have the complete wrong idea, I bumped into him, we caught up…"

"You were hugging Jess."

"As friends. Friends do hug sometimes."

"But not friends who used to date, very recently." Nick replied raising his hands in frustration.

"You're jealous?" Jess asked.

"No, I just… Like I said I've got to go," with that he quickly turned and disappeared into the crowd of people. Jess stood stunned. What on earth had just happened? Things had been going so well. Damn Nick.

An hour later, Nick was sitting at the bar knocking back bottles of Heisler with whisky chasers.

Big Bob appeared behind the bar and noticed Nick for the first time. He walked over to him and took away three empty shot glasses "Nick, it's your night off, why you hanging around the bar? Go home and bump uglies with that cute girl of yours."

"She's not my girl," Nick slurred.

"Okay man, whatever you say," he replied turning away. Behind him Nick heard rapid footsteps and felt an urgent tapping on his shoulder.

"Nick, damn you, what are you doing here," Nick turned on his bar stool coming face to face with a very angry Jessica Day.

"I am drinking a beer or two with my good friend Bob," Nick replied turning to point at the place where Bob had stood moments earlier.

"You left me, on my own, at a party. That is not, not cool!" Nick face wore the expression of a little boy who had been told off by his school teacher. "And you took my car, I was stranded on the other side of town."

Nick began to feel a little guilty for his rash departure after seeing Jess with Dr. Sam. "So how'd you know I'd be here? And how'd you get here?" Nick's eyes were struggling to focus on Jess, she was a blur of blue and brown curls.

"I know you Nick, when you run, you drink," she gestured to the beer in his hand, "and Sam gave me a ride here if you must know."

"Ha," Nick snorted, "Dr. Sam, always saving the day. Saving sick kids and being all doctor like, blah, blah, blah," Nick's voice had taken on a childish, sing songy tone and his head bobbed from side to side as he spoke.

"What is up with you? Do you not trust me? Sam is old news." Jess's tone was slightly raised and the people around them were beginning to notice the argument.

"Trust you Jess? I trust you. But I don't trust me, or him. How can I compare to that?" Nick scowled and stared down into his beer bottle.

"This is ridiculous," Jess cried throwing up her hands in frustration, " We are friends! He has a new girlfriend, that's what we were talking about. I told him about us…" her void trailed off as she sighed and perched herself on the stool next to Nick, placing her purse on the bar.

"You did?" Nick asked.

"Yes I did. First thing I told him. I told him how, how, how happy am I. Was." Jess's face looked so sad and lost that Nick reached out and cupped it with one hand and stroked her cheek with his thumb.

"Was?" he questioned.

"Well, I have no idea what is going on here now. I mean if you are going to run away every time something like this happens-" Nick pulled his stool closer to Jess and placed his free hand on her lap. Drawing her face up towards his he said, "I'm sorry. I'm an idiot. I overreacted. I do trust you, completely. I just did my typical Nick Miller run-away-from-anything-that-might-hurt act." Jess took his had in hers and squeezed it gently. "Look, I'm a little drunk so I'm going to say this once before I think better of it. I'm scared of getting hurt. I feel so much for you, it worries me. This kind of feeling has only ever led to bad things for me. The truth is Jess, I think I love you."

With that, Jess's breath caught in her throat. She felt the bar and the people around them melt away until the only people in the world were her and Nick.