"Mom, are you sure?" Joan was busying herself emptying several large canvas grocery bags onto the cream, marble countertop as Jess began to place the items in the cupboards of the kitchen.

"Of course honey!"

Pushing up the sleeves of her red flannel shirt Jess sighed and slipped onto one of the stools that surrounded the kitchen island, "But with Dad being sick and all…" Joan stopped what she was doing and walked over to her daughter, placing her hands on her shoulders.

"Your father is going to be fine. He's already out of hospital! You came all this way for your birthday, you can't cancel your plans," she gave her daughter's shoulders a squeeze.

"I guess…" Jess replied hesitantly, putting her hands over her mother's and giving her a lopsided smile, "Maybe just for a few hours would be okay?"

"Of course!" Joan cooed as she pulled her into a bear hug.

"Hey ladies," came Nick's voice as he entered the kitchen with the last of the groceries, "That is everything I think. Oh, looks like I'm interrupting some mother daughter bonding thing," he added as he saw the two women embracing.

"No, of course not Nick! Just giving my daughter a hug. Come on," she beckoned to Nick to join them. He shook his head and folded his arms with a frown.

"Mom, Nick isn't a hugger," Jess insisted, giving Nick an apologetic glance.

"Nonsense!" Joan cried, pulling Nick into the hug, "Who doesn't like a good hug out?"

Nick winced a little as Joan tugged him close until he caught Jess's eye. They were apologising but at the same time they showed a sliver of happiness in their blue depths. He smiled and wrapped his arm around her.

"Nick, I think this may have been your finest idea yet," she sighed as lay back on the soft cotton sheets of the bed. Nick groaned a little in response. She looked over at him. He sat on the small sofa at one end of the room, eating the last few bites of his club sandwich. His feet were perched on the small coffee table in front of him. "An afternoon of room service and bad TV? Amazing."

He flipped his feet onto the floor and stood up, moving over to the bed, sitting next to her on the edge. "Are you sure? I mean, it's your birthday. Don't you want to do something more exciting?"

The television in the background was playing what must have been the fifteenth episode of Law and Order that afternoon. She reached over and grabbed the remote from the bedside table and pressed the mute button. "This is what I needed - to take my mind off things. Don't you think I've had enough excitement for one weekend?"

"Okay, maybe," he smiled, moving up the bed so he was sat next to her, their bodies propped up by overstuffed hotel pillows.

"And don't forget we have drinks later in the city," she snuggled into him, "I'm just so glad Dad is okay." Yawning a little, she winced as she stretched out her arms, "Ouch," she cried as she massaged her shoulder.

"Y'alright?" he asked, moving his hands to where hers lay.

"I think the other night sleeping in a chair hasn't been kind on my back."Nick took hold of her hips and gently pulled her down the bed, "Take of your shirt and turn over," he ordered.

"Nick, I'm not really in the mood right now…"

Knotting his fingers together he pressed them forwards, making a slight cracking sound. "As much as I'd love to Jess, on this occasion I'm not trying to get in your panties. I meant a massage. You have yet to experience the magic Miller fingers."

She looked at him a little sceptically, "Um, Magic fingers?"

"I try not to tell too many people – word got around one semester in college and I had a line of girls beating down my door-" she gave him a look that told him to change tact, "What I mean is – I'm good. Very good."

"Alright then, prove it," she challenged as she tugged off her t-shirt and flipped over so she was lying on her front, wearing only her white cotton bra and a pair of red polka dotted shorts.

Shuffling over the bed, he slung one leg over her body and sat up on his knees. Slowly, softly he began to knead his thumbs into the area below her neck. Moving in small, deliberate circles carefully out towards her shoulders - the warmth of his hands soothing her aching muscles. She let out an appreciative sigh as he continued to roll and stretch her skin, pressing his thumbs against the outline of her spine, moving gradually lower.

Unable to resist, he reached down and placed a kiss on her shoulder. She sighed again, this time a little louder. Her skin was silk beneath his hands, he was scared to press too hard, she seemed so delicate. Her hair had pooled on one side of her head, in chocolate colored ripples – he watched her profile as he continued to work. He eyes occasionally fluttering a little, her lips pursing and then opening. Occasionally, her tongue ran across them, darkening their redness, as she breathed a little heavier.

He ran his palms over her back and settled on the strap that divided it in two. He rested there for a second, and when she didn't object he used one hand to unhook the strap and let the bra slip to her sides.

Digging his palms into her lower back, her pushed them upwards in a rolling action, "Oh damn," she cried softly, causing a smile to erupt on his face. She rolled her hips in pleasure, pressing up against him, "You weren't lying."

He continued to work: thumbs, fingers, palms. Jess felt her skin buzz with warmth and her muscles softened through his touch; the aching twinge she had earlier felt slipped away as she relaxed into the soft down topper of the mattress. "Don't ever stop," she begged in a low, quiet voice.

He leaned a little closer to her and whispered, "I have to stop at some point Jessica." She felt a shiver when he said her name. He knew what this did to her.

"Is that so Miller?" she teased. Quickly, she turned her body over so they were now face to face, her bra barely still in place, slipping down and inch or two. "I think any stoppage should be on my terms. After all, it is my birthday."

He cleared his throat, "Uh, well, yeah…" his hands paused on her waist.

"What are you waiting for?"

He raised his eyebrows and looked down. She nodded. His fingers began to work again, moving slowly upwards until he reached her underwire of her bra. He hesitated briefly before slipping his fingers inside and slowly massaging her breasts. Her eyes rolled backwards as she flexed her body before she used one hand to pull down the thin cotton straps and moved the obstruction to one side.

With free reign, he sank his hips into her and began his caresses anew; pinching and rolling her nipples in between his finger and thumb. Her breath came in short bursts – soft moans and then heavier sounds, from deep in her throat.

He dipped his head to her chest and took one breast in his mouth, rolling his tongue over its hard apex as he slid one hand around her neck, rubbing his thumb against the indentation at the base.

"Stop," she muttered into his ear. He did as she asked, pulling back.

"I thought you said I never had to stop," he said, breathing heavily.

"Then I reminded you it was my birthday," she teased, pushing her hips up towards him with a lazy smirk on her face. He gave her a triumphant smile in reply, "Now take of your clothes and stop teasing me. There's only so much a girl can take," she finished as she ran a hand slowly up his thigh.

"Yes Ma'am," he replied, already pulling off his shirt. He didn't need asking twice.

She stared in the mirror as she fluffed her bangs before pulling a tube of dark pink lip gloss from her purse and adding a fresh coat. The bathroom was the fancy kind with real towels and a uniformed attendant; Jess tipped a dollar as she headed back into the crowded bar. She'd left Nick alone with her old school friends Marnie and Alicia for five minutes now – she was worried they might have eaten him alive.

True to form, the two women had moved to sit on either side of Nick-Marnie had her hand on his arm and Alicia was leaning close enough to make anyone feel a little uncomfortable. Jess shook her head. Other than Cece these were two of the few people she had stayed friends with from school. Ditzy yet sweet girls in high school, they had yet to change and were still best friends. They seemed to have a little trouble with boundaries.

"Hey girls, can you give my boyfriend some breathing space?" Jess watched as Marnie moved to the other side of the table and she slid next to him, placing her arm around his waist, pushing her head into the crook of his arm.

"Had enough?" he whispered into her ear.

"Almost," she replied softly, looking at her watch. It was almost midnight - it had been a long day.

"Jessie, Nick was telling us all about growing up in Chicago." Alicia turned her attention to Nick, "Did I tell you I looovvveee your accent?"

He chuckled and scratched the layer of scruff on his cheek, "You mentioned it… Four or five times earlier."

"Oops, too much wine," she laughed as she pointed to her half empty glass.

"It's so nice to see you guys! I just with the others could have stayed later," Jess sighed as she picked up her glass of rose.

Marnie gave Alicia a disdainful look, "Well that's what happens when you get all coupled up and have kids. We want to enjoy our youth. Like you and Cece!"

"I'm still so jealous you get to live in LA," Alicia added, "I mean all those parties, the movie stars, the glamour…"

"It's not quite like that." Nick replied, hooking his arm over Jess's shoulder.

"Yeah, I mean life is pretty much the same as here most of the time."

The music in the bar was becoming louder, with a stronger bass sound throbbing and vibrating everything it touched. Jess felt her head throb; the events of the past few days taking their toll.

"So are you guys gonna, you know-" Alicia began, pouring the last drops of wine into her mouth.

Nick narrowed his eyes, "Gonna?"

"Get married, have kids. Join the masses," Marnie finished, leaning over the table slightly as she spoke.

They both looked at each other. Their mouths slightly open. Jess tilted her head to one side. Nick gave her a half smile and a one shoulder shrug. No one had ever actually asked them this yet. These girls didn't beat around the bush.

"We haven't really talked about that kind of stuff," Jess began.

"Ooh! So that means you have at least thought about it." Alicia and Marnie laughed as Jess squirmed a little, feeling hot.

Nick cleared his throat, "It's in the cards, at some point. Gotta lock down this one before she realizes she can do so much better." His voice was light-hearted but she heard the twinge of insecurity.

"Nick," she said softly jabbing him lightly with her elbow. He looked down at her. She gave him a look. A wide eyed honest look that said in part I love you and in part we'll talk about this later.

He took the hint and changed the conversation, "Okay ladies, I think we can hit at least one more bar tonight, where to next?"

And the two other women launched into a debate about whether to head to the Mexican themed bar down the road or hit the Irish pub three blocks away. He let them argue over it as he squeezed Jess closer.

One a.m. had rolled into two and finally three before they eventually decided to leave O'Malley's Pub and took a cab back to the hotel. Arriving in the lobby, Jess had removed her heels and flexed her aching feet as they waited for the elevator to the eighth floor.

The doors pinged and they wearily rode in silence; when they arrived at the door he slid in the plastic card and pushed the door open, almost falling in to their room.

"That was fun," she said sleepily, already unzipping her dress, stepping out of it where he stood. Nick gave her an appreciative glance as he loosened his belt and the buttons of his shirt.

"It was. Shame your other friends couldn't stay later-as much fun as Marnie and Alicia were."

Jess pulled a face at him. The two women had spent most of the time in the Irish bar talking to a couple of seedy looking men who said they were from Detroit 'on business'. "Yeah, well, they've all got kids and responsibilities. People tend to do this stuff kinda early in Portland," she replied as she slipped under the silky cotton comforter.

"So do you think if you had stayed that you would have…" he didn't finish his sentence. Stood at the end of the bed, he shook off his pants as he watched her.

"Maybe," she shrugged, before patting the bed beside her, beckoning him. "But I didn't. And then I met you."

She lay on her back as he lifted the cover and joined her. He slid onto his side, propped up by one arm, looking down at her. "And that was a good thing?" he asked, half joking but with a serious edge.

"Of course you dummy," she laughed, pushing him in the chest so hard he had to stop himself falling backwards. "I can't imagine my life without you in it," she added quietly.

He placed a hand on her bare stomach, stroking the soft skin. With a deep breath he moved closer, so they were hip to hip. "Neither can I," he admitted. He paused, his eyes dropped and he licked his lips- like he did sometimes when he was thinking. "Jess, you know I love you right?" she nodded. "I need to know-are you sure? I mean, well, what I'm trying to say are you in this for real? The whole deal?" His face was etched with an expression she hadn't seen before. It was vulnerable, scared, and expectant –all at once.

"Of course Nick I-" she reached up and cupped his face with her palm.

"It's just, we've not really talked about this properly. Marnie and Alicia got me thinking and- I do want it all and I need to know we are 100% on the same page."

She reached up and kissed him, "Nick, I'm a 31 year old woman who isn't in the business of time wasting. Life's short you know? I love you and I want all that with you, everything. Eventually. No big rush."

"No big rush," he echoed, his body sinking a little into hers.

"I mean we've been dating for less than a year."

"Yeah," he laughed, "That's true."

"Let's enjoy this ride. We both know where it's heading, right?"

Nodding, he curled into her as she turned onto her side, nuzzling into her soft hair and settling her hips into his.

"Yeah. I can't wait," he whispered with a kiss.

"Dad, you have to promise me you are going to follow this diet."

"Honey - it's all rabbit food- where's the meat?" Bob exclaimed as he waved the photocopied nutrition sheet in the air.

Taking it from his hand, she laid in on the small table in front of the sofa. "You need to lower your cholesterol, Dad! Doctor's orders." She gave him her best teacher voice and he sank back into his chair. She smiled a triumphant smile."Okay, I'm going to hit the ladies room-we have a loonnnggg drive ahead," she squeezed Nick's hand before she stood up.

The two men were alone for the first time since their talk in the restaurant, the night of Bob's heart attack a week ago. Nick squeezed his hands anxiously, unsure what to say. "How about those Trailblazers, eh?" Bob looked serious.

"Okay, we need to talk. And fast." Nick gulped. "Jess-well, I can see she really likes ya." Nick nodded, unsure what so say. "And you?"

He waited for Nick to reply, "Well, I, uh, I love her Bob. I mean, Mr. Day. Sir."

"Hmm," Bob mumbled. "You see my problem Nick? I want the best for my baby girl. Every father does – maybe you will learn that one day. I'm not going to lie – you being a bartender doesn't fly with me."

Nick felt himself grow smaller, his shoulders shrinking in towards his body as the other man spoke.

"But – and it kills me to say it- I saw the way you looked after her the other night and, well, I was impressed."

Slowly, a large grin began to appear on Nick's face. He tried to hold it back.

"And although I'm not thrilled about this-this situation, I'm willing to give you a chance. I can see you care and you look after her well."

"Well, sir, I – I appreciate that. All I want is for Jess to be happy, you know?"

"And that's all I want ,kid." Bob finally gave him a smile, it was the first one since Bob had found out about things between them. It was a small step towards his approval, but a step it was. "Just don't screw up. And get yourself a real job." Nick nodded until he heard the clip of shoes on hard wood floors approaching.

"I'm back! You two okay?" she asked as she leaned down to give her father a kiss.

"Just a little man talk sweetheart. Male bonding."

She gave Nick a quizzical smile and he simply shrugged his shoulders in reply.