CLOSE PROXIMITY

A/N: Last chapter. Thanks very much for all the reviews and alerts.

Chapter 6 – Taking The Next Step

After Jackson left the room, Gibbs poured them both another shot of bourbon, handing Abby a glass before dropping down next to her on the rug.

"This what you had in mind?" He remembered her description of 'fun' yesterday as being curled up in front of a fire.

She smiled at him when she remembered the reference, conscious of his nearness, the warmth of him tugging at her. "This is just perfect, thank you."

He was content to watch her profile for a while as he sipped his drink, admiring the delicate curve of her cheek and the sheen the firelight gave to her dark hair.

She was just so beautiful.

Enjoying the quiet and comfortable atmosphere, Gibbs finally moved closer, tugging her into his side and Abby sighed as she pillowed her head on his shoulder.

"You okay?"

"Mmm, a bit sleepy," Abby rubbed her cheek against his shoulder. "Thank you... y'know, for asking me to come with you."

He turned his head to press a kiss to her hair, "Glad you're here, Abbs."

"Are you okay though?" she asked him, tentatively. "Was it easier today than you anticipated?"

His arm tightened round her shoulders, "You made it easier... You always do."

"I'm glad."

Abby relaxed against him as they sipped their drinks, and his voice eventually broke the silence. "Did ya mean what you said?... About not letting me go?"

He felt her tense immediately at his words.

Oh crap, he heard.

Seeking to give herself time, Abby replied, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

Abby was acutely aware of his warmth, the strong arm round her shoulders and the wash of steady breathing in her ear.

"You didn't." He tilted her chin up, so he could see her expressive eyes, feeling a tremor run through her as his fingers cupped her cheek. "Did ya mean it?" he persisted, his voice low.

"Yeah, I meant it. But I wasn't... I didn't think you wanted me," she whispered, caught by his intense blue eyes, his emotions clearly visible for once on his face.

"Any man who doesn't is an idiot."

She swallowed, hardly daring to hope, "You're wrong, you know... about me not wanting a cranky old bastard. I do... I always have... not that you're always cranky I mean."

So she heard...

When he ran callused fingers down her jawline, Abby was pretty sure she stopped breathing. Sliding his hand round her neck, Gibbs bent his head to brush his mouth across hers softly, teasingly, seeing her eyes flutter shut.

A heartbeat later, Abby responded, arms circling his neck and he felt the zing go right down his spine as their tongues tangled, the kiss turning rapidly hot and hungry.

When the kiss eventually slowed to a gentle lingering tug of lips, Gibbs didn't pull back. Nuzzling against her face, he pressed a tender kiss against the corner of her mouth, stroking his thumbs gently over her cheeks and jawline.

"If you were mine, I wouldn't let you go either."

A slow, delighted smile curved her lips at his words and her reply had his pulse galloping and his groin tightening, "Well, it's a good job I'm yours then." Her hand came up to curl into his shirt front, nipping her away along his jawline as she pulled him closer, whispering, "I didn't think you heard what I said last night."

His voice was a gravelly rumble against her neck, "Pretended I was asleep."

"Like I pretended I was asleep this morning." She pulled back with a mischievous grin and he could see her eyes twinkling.

Gibbs remembered waking up wrapped round her with a raging hard-on, relieved when he thought she was asleep. "You did, huh?"

Her grin was wicked. "Oh, yeah, and very impressive it felt too."

She ran her fingers over his chest and across his shoulders, enjoying the feel of the firm muscles under hands.

"I seem to have spent a lot of years pretending. Pretending I don't want you... pretending I don't love you... that it's only friendship," she sighed as his hands came up to untie her pigtails, "Think it's about time I stopped pretending, don't you?"

"I'm done pretending too," he promised.

His hands slid into her hair and his mouth came down on hers. Kissing him back frantically, Abby moved nearer and ended up straddling him, rocking slowly against his hardness, feeling him moan into her mouth.

When Abby pulled back, his blue eyes were hazy with lust and she murmured, "Suddenly not sleepy anymore."

He pulled her head down to growl against her lips, "Wanna unwrap my Christmas present."

When they finally untangled themselves, Gibbs led her from the room. Abby nuzzled into him all the way as they stumbled upstairs, nose pressed against his warm neck, smothering a giggle as they crept across the landing so as not to wake Jackson.

As soon as they were inside his room, Gibbs wrapped his arms round her waist, lips wandering across her neck.

She angled her head to give him better access, asking teasingly, "How many girls have you brought up to your room, Leroy Jethro Gibbs?"

He snorted, "Not that many. Dad was too strict." He nipped her earlobe, hearing her gasp and chuckled, "How quiet can you be, Abbs?"

Jackson's room was across the hall but the soundproofing wasn't that good.

That husky laugh rolled into his ears and his hands tightened on her hips as he felt his need increase, "Well, I gotta tell you I usually make a lot of noise and I've a feeling you can make me scream."

"Oh, I intend to..." he promised, his deep voice making her shiver, "when I get you into my bed, but perhaps we should try to be quiet here."

"Then you'll have to find something to occupy my mouth then... just in case I can't be quiet."

The image that conjured up sent his arousal rocketing and he spun her round, pulling her flush against his body and claimed her mouth in a bruising kiss.

Backing her towards the bed, they gradually stripped each other, fingers and lips roaming teasingly over newly revealed skin. Taking his time, Gibbs revelled in discovering and exploring all the tattoos he'd only dreamed about.

Helping her to lie back, he mentally ticked off one fantasy... how she would look sprawled across his bed, her silky raven hair tumbling across his pillows.

Slowly licking and nibbling his way down her body, Gibbs finally settled between her legs, enjoying her increasingly urgent moans. He felt her thread fingers into his hair as he nuzzled into her, causing her to roll her hips towards him desperately.

"Jethro... hurry."

He chuckled, leisurely kissing her inner thighs, feeling a jolt of satisfaction and delight at her use of his name, "Not gonna rush, Abbs. Been waiting too long. Patience."

Her head fell back against the pillows, "Oh god... and you expect me to be quiet?"

He wanted to learn what she tasted like... everywhere.

He needed to know what she liked... how hard here... how soft there.

Whether she preferred his mouth... or hands or fingers... and how fast... how slow.

He wanted to know whether she'd always whimper when he used his tongue just so.

He listened to the mewing sounds she made in the back of her throat as he suckled, loving her gasps as he twisted his fingers inside her. Her moans went straight to his straining cock as his tongue lapped at her as if he couldn't get enough of her taste... which he couldn't.

He wanted to see that slender back arch towards him... to sink his teeth into that curvy ass... to hear that voice moan his name again and again as she tightened round his fingers... and tongue... and cock.

As Abby shuddered through her first orgasm, biting her knuckles to try and keep quiet, he kissed his way gently up her trembling body, watching as she came down from her high.

Hazy green eyes opened and she curled her hand round his neck, "My turn."

Urging him onto his back, Abby sat back to look at Gibbs... really look at him naked for the first time.

Raking her gaze along his long body, she let her fingers follow the path of her eyes, adding her mouth to the gentle torture, causing him to groan and arch up into her touch.

She murmured, giggling against his skin, "Now who can't keep quiet, hmm? Wanna know what you feel like on top of me... inside me. Wanna feel those shoulders under my hands... run my nails down that long back... know the strength in those hands as they pin me down."

Her throaty chuckle nearly made him lose it as she ghosted her lips across his skin, "And I wanna grab that mighty fine piece of ass as you drive hard into me."

Abby slowly, carefully, teasingly let her lips and fingers explore his body, learning what made him writhe under her hands and mouth. She nibbled and nipped her way across his body, sinking her teeth into his skin without warning, making him arch off the bed.

The feel of her mouth closing on him for the first time nearly had his brain melting out of his ears.

Closing his eyes as her lips wrapped round him and tongue swirled around the sensitive tip, he fisted his hands in the sheets and struggled not to fall apart. He might have known she'd be as adept at torturing him.

What she was doing with her tongue was probably illegal in some States but... oh god, it felt so good.

When he finally couldn't last much longer and flipped her over, he delighted in her impish grin as she pulled him down into a toe curling kiss. And when he finally slid balls deep into her heat, it felt as if he was coming home.

Framing her head in his arms, feeling her legs and arms wrap tightly round him, he stilled for a moment and their eyes locked.

Whatever control he was hanging onto slipped away as she arched her back, her internal muscles rippling around him and he began thrusting into her, his hand fisting in her hair.

Abby couldn't remember feeling so wild for a very long time, but he was hot and hard inside her and felt so good and oh god, he was right... there.

She was making a valiant attempt to muffle the noises she was making, burying her head in his neck or against his shoulder, but feeling her moaning against his skin as she began trembling underneath him was turning him on more than he thought possible.

The thought of how she'd sound when she could really let rip was intoxicating.

Gibbs was sure they were making too much noise and the bed was creaking, and he'd have to endure more than a few smirking looks from Jackson in the morning, but at the moment Gibbs couldn't have cared less if the whole town heard them.

He couldn't have stopped pounding her into the mattress if his life depended on it.

He felt her moan skitter right down his spine and her teeth and nails sink into his shoulders as she unravelled beneath him. His hips snapped erratically against her as he growled his own release into her neck.

As they collapsed on the bed, Gibbs tried to keep his weight from crushing her but Abby was having none of it... pulling him down to press her into the mattress. When they recovered their breath, he rolled onto his back, bringing her with him to sprawl boneless across him.

Nuzzling a soft kiss into his chest and carding her fingers through the sweat slicked hair there, she murmured, laughing softly, "Did you like your present, Jethro."

He chuckled and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her as close as possible and she nestled her head into his neck as she fell asleep.

It was still dark when Gibbs drifted awake next morning, feeling relaxed and comfortable.

His nose was buried in silky hair, an arm was snug around a slender waist and one hand was cupping the heavy weight of a breast, nipple hard against his palm, and his legs were tangled with long lean limbs.

His body had obviously decided it liked waking up wrapped around the soft, warm curves he'd been fantasizing about for years.

He was painfully, achingly hard.

He moaned as Abby rocked her hips back against him and he heard her throaty chuckle, "I hope that's another Christmas present for me coz it's certainly not your badge."

The end.