~Thursday~

The distant rumbling that had penetrated his slumberous mind was becoming more persistent. Finally caving in to the persevering noise, he opened his eyes to see an angry sky approaching. Lightning flashed across the clouds, spawning a sense of urgency to his actions. Turning his attention to the beauty sleeping within the circle of his arms, he leaned down and nuzzled her lips, capturing them in a kiss that quickly turned hungry.

She pulled away, looking up into his pulsating eyes. "I know this may backfire on me and make your head swell, but I just saw a bright light and felt the earth move with that kiss."

He laughed with her, the smell of imminent rain in the air. "As much as I'd like to take the credit, Mother Nature put on that display. It's about to rain. We've got to hurry or we're going to be soaked."

She flashed him a saucy grin, biting her lip to keep from replying with what had popped into her mind. Lithely rolling to her feet, she instead issued him a challenge. "Race you. First one to the room gets to shower first."

They had almost made it to the shelter of the hotel veranda when the floodgates opened, drenching them in seconds. Their good-natured competition continued, however, with Jack just beating Sue to their suite. Turning to catch her in his embrace, he pulled her close as he leaned against the door, both of them breathing heavily. "I'd hate for you to catch a cold waiting for me to get out of the shower. I could be persuaded to let you join me..." He waggled his eyebrows for good measure.

"Oh really," she snorted. "You'd be willing to make that sacrifice?"

"Well, I am a fair-minded guy. Far be it from me to ask you to wait on me to take a shower. No sacrifice is too great. "

"That's very noble of you, Sweetie."

His expression was endearing, his lips tilted in a lopsided grin. "Did you just call me sweetie?"

Ducking her head momentarily, she nodded, looking up, her lower lip between her lips.

"I like it," he nodded, jutting out his chin. "And there you go distracting me again." His eyes fixated on her lips, his head following his gaze until she ducked away from his advances.

"I'm really not comfortable standing here dripping wet, Hudson." She glanced pointedly at the door causing him to shake his head in defeat while straightening.

"Man, from Sweetie to Hudson in the blink of an eye," he chided good-naturedly, attempting to retrieve their key card from his wallet. "So much for my irresistible charm."

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Her hands fluttered against his skin causing his pulse to race. He had his eyes closed in hopes of disengaging at least one of his senses but he had not counted on his other ones kicking into overdrive.

She was fascinated with her task, gently performing it thoroughly, lost in her own reflective world. That the man before her could love her the way she loved him seemed impossible, but his actions had been very convincing. She blushed anew when thinking of how her thank-you kiss earlier had nearly gotten out of hand. Jack had told her to use the shower first and she'd leaned over to peck his cheek only to have him turn his head and steal her breath in a toe-curling kiss. When he'd released her, her legs were like putty and a shower was the furthest thing from her mind. His thoughts must have been along the same line as hers because he had warned her to go, before he didn't let her.

Taking a deep, mind-clearing breath, she was drawn back to the present by his manly scent. Leaning forward, her cheek almost touching his, she quietly inhaled his essence before retreating and refocusing on her task. "You should have left it," she grumbled again. "You looked rakish."

Opening one eye, he groaned at the image she presented sitting on the bathroom vanity. Her robe was tied securely around her waist and a pair of fluffy pink slippers was peeking out from beneath the hem. Her freshly dried hair was piled haphazardly on top of her head, begging to be released. She had her bottom lip captured between her teeth in complete concentration as she dragged the razor across his cheek. He glanced down at his hands, noting with satisfaction that the swelling was almost gone.

"Jack! Don't move like that. What if I cut you?"

He met her eyes guiltily, becoming distracted by the concern lingering in their depths. "It's part of my master plan."

"For me to cut you?" She was confused.

"Not necessarily for you to cut me, but each time I get hurt then you have opportunity to kiss me and make it better. I like that arrangement."

She rolled her eyes while setting the razor aside. "I kissed your hands earlier and that didn't help," she reminded him blandly, taking a towel and gently wiping away the stray remnants of shaving cream. "It took me applying the antibiotic cream that you forgot to tell me about to get the swelling to go back down." Her hands were on her hips as she struggled to present an intimidating presence while seated between the two sinks.

He leaned forward, planting his now functioning hands on either side of her. "I was preoccupied last night. Putting medicine on my hands was the furthest thing from my mind."

"Well," she breathed, blowing her bangs out of her way while easing back against the wall. "I'm just glad they seem to be functioning again. You can dry your hair while I go get dressed." She tried to slip around him but he blocked her escape.

"Let's make sure they work first." He brushed her bangs aside before sliding his fingers through her upswept hair in search of the clips that bound it there. Finding two, he deftly removed them, watching her hair fall to frame her face. "That's better," he sighed, sliding his hands down the length of the tresses, his hands brushing against her breasts in the process. He didn't miss her sharply indrawn breath at his actions, but instead of pressing his advantage, he stepped away, a look of resignation on his face. "Seems you've been saved by the bell."

"Huh?"

"Someone very persistent is at the door," he explained, a grin tugging at one side of his lips. "Which means it could only be Lucy."