Chapter 12

Gibbs collapsed onto the couch in the middle of the cabin with a grunt; every single muscle in his body ached. He knew it would take a while for his back and shoulders to get over the manual frustration he'd unleashed on the porch after his argument with Abby. And it would probably take just as long until he would be able to walk normal on the leg he'd used to keep the hammock from tipping over.

The cramp that twitched in his thigh sent tiny stabbing jolts from his knee up to his hip, but it had been worth it. For every moan that had escaped from between Abby's lips, for each and every time she had squeezed around him, for every touch and taste...his sore muscles had been a small price to pay. When she had taken off the top layer of her clothes and he'd watched her disappear into the ocean, all rational thought had fled from his mind. He'd tried to fight the urges that had rushed through him and up until the last moment when she'd wrapped herself around him, he'd believed he could still stop himself. Her lips on his had been the final straw.

Listening to the water run in the bathroom Gibbs edged forward on the couch to pick up his cup of coffee. He'd wanted nothing more than to join Abby but he needed a few minutes to sort through his thoughts. Gibbs knew he had to let Shannon go, she would forever hold a piece of his heart but the rest of him belonged to Abby. He'd already hurt her enough over the last several days and he refused to hurt her anymore.

He couldn't live without her and it was a mistake to think he would somehow be able to turn off his feelings for her. He didn't want to try and make himself not love her. Both Abby and Ray had been right, Shannon would want him to be happy and Gibbs knew Abby could make him happy. He didn't for a second believe that it would be easy but he would do everything in his power to hold on to her.

After putting on a pair of sweatpants and placing some soup on the stove to warm up Gibbs had made up sandwiches and coffee for them and brought it all over to the coffee table to wait for Abby. Walking out of the bathroom a few minutes later Gibbs grinned at the sight of her in his black hoodie. It had for a long time been an understanding between them that Abby felt safe whenever she wore his clothes, and Gibbs couldn't help but admit that seeing her wear them in the past had made her seem like she was already his. Knowing that this time she really was made him want to pull her into his arms and never let go.

Abby sat down beside him on the couch and looked at the food set out on the small table with a smile. "You, Special Agent Gibbs are the last of the great romantics...soup and turkey sandwiches. I'll bet this is how you charm all the ladies on your first dates."

"If this is a date Abbs, I think we did things backwards."

"Well, I liked our way better, you always were a no-nonsense kind of guy."

"Me? Pretty sure you started it."

"Maybe...but you definitely finished it." She kissed him on the cheek as he ate, noticing the way he shifted his position to take weight off his leg when he pulled her into his side.

Abby took a couple of hurried bites of her sandwich before picking up the bowl with soup in it. Gibbs studied her as she tested the temperature of it with her lips before gulping down several mouthfuls. He wasn't surprised she was hungry, after not eating all day followed by the workout they'd had both in the water and then on the hammock she would be low on energy.

"You know, you would've had cake as well if you hadn't practically inhaled it all in one go last night," he teased, returning to their original topic.

Abby sat her bowl of soup back down on the table and twisted on the couch to face him, blushing as she spoke. "Well with the way you were parading around in your red hoodie...I needed it to compensate for the sex I knew I wasn't going to get."

"I don't parade, Abbs."

She laughed and swatted him lightly on the arm. "That's what you took from that sentence? You owe me, Gibbs."

Gibbs grinning lips sought out hers. "I owe you...for wearing my red hoodie?"

"Yep, and then withholding sex."

Gibbs pulled back and looked at her confused.

"It's the Red Hoodie Clause," Abby declared, putting on her best poker face. "Which basically states that because you were strutting your wares around in said red hoodie and failed to deliver on the promises that it so clearly represents...you owe me."

"And when would you like to claim this supposed debt?" He smirked, nuzzling against her neck and inhaling her fragrant skin.

Abby took the plate with half a sandwich on it from his hand and balanced it on the arm of the couch. When she straddled him Gibbs felt his thigh muscle tighten in pain and his leg flinched. He groaned out, leaning his forehead against Abby's.

"Gibbs! Are you alright?"

"Fine..." he grunted, taking a deep breath, "just a little tender in some spots."

Abby's eyes widened in horror, and she leaned him back to look down at his groin, her words coming out in a confused hurry. "I hurt you on the hammock...why didn't you say something if I was hurting you?...I would've stopped...I'm sorry."

"No, it's not that, it's just my leg...and it was worth it," he reassured her, his fingers caressing her cheek when he saw the fear in her eyes.

Abby slid backwards on his lap until she was perched on the edge of his knees. Softly she started to run her hands over his thigh muscle, not exerting a lot of pressure, but just enough to ease the tightness a bit. Gibbs reclined back against the couch and closed his eyes. Straying dangerously close to his groin Abby gently circled her fingers down each side of his thigh.

Gibbs fought his instinct to groan and thrust his hips up. Her touches were helping his aching leg but they were also beginning to cause tension in other parts of his body. If she hadn't still been recovering, he would've picked her up without a second thought and taken her to bed. But she'd told him earlier on how tired she was and although some of that was emotional and mental tiredness, some of it was also due to lack of sleep. Neither of them had had much rest over the last two nights.

Having Abby's arms around him during the previous night had meant he'd drifted in and out of consciousness. He'd wanted to stay awake to not only savor her closeness but he'd been scared of what he might say in his sleep, and what he might try and do if he woke and thought he was dreaming. Gibbs had been dreaming about her for months; her smile, her scent and what she would feel like against his lips. In his dreams he devoured her body until she screamed out his name. Now that it had become reality, he wondered if he would still dream of her.

With his eyes still closed Abby began a trail of exploration over his face with her lips. She kissed the corners of his eyes where they crinkled when he smiled, working her way down over the top of his nose, diverting around his mouth before nibbling along his jaw and chin. When she stopped Gibbs opened his eyes to find her starring back at him.

"You know I love your heart, mind and soul right Gibbs?" she asked, both her hands running firmly up and down his chest.

Gibbs nodded and shifted his legs further apart, dragging her closer to nestle her backside between his thighs, her knees on either side of his hips.

Abby touched her lips to his. "Your body turns me on more than any other man ever could."

Gibbs kissed her hungrily, forcing his tongue into her mouth to sweep against hers. Abby moaned, holding onto his face with both hands she eased his head backwards to rest on the back of the couch. Their food was long forgotten when she pushed her chest into his, her lips relentless as she took control of the kiss. When he felt her starting to rub herself against him, Gibbs gripped onto her waist and ended the kiss. "Gotta slow down, Abby," he panted, trying to ignore what he really wanted to do.

"I promise I'll be gentle," she grinned.

He wasn't sure if she was talking about the muscle strain in his thigh or something much more pleasurable but it didn't matter, he was determined to show some restraint and ensure she got some rest. "You need to eat more, and then we can get some sleep."

Abby's shoulders slumped and she fell against his chest. Gibbs' hands stroked soothingly up and down her back. "Sometimes I hate it when you're right," she sighed.

Gibbs struggled to lean forward with her on his lap but his fingertips eventually grasped onto the plate with her sandwich on and he handed it to her. Abby ate the sandwich but made no attempt to move off Gibbs' lap. Once she had finished it along with her soup, Gibbs stood up with her still in his arms and placed her gently on the bed. He left her to get comfortable while he stacked all their dishes in the sink and turned off all the lights except the bedside lamp.

This time when he laid down next to Abby, Gibbs eagerly sought out the comfort of her body. Curled around her from behind his feet dragged up the bottom of her sweatpants to run along her bare calves. Abby shivered and Gibbs pulled her tight against him. "You warm enough?" he murmured into her hair.

They had the same sheet and blanket as the previous night, but he wanted to be sure she wasn't getting sick again because of them being in the water or outside in the cold air.

"Nice and cosy," she mumbled sleepily.

He'd left the lamp on beside the bed so he could take a little longer to look at her. Her smooth skin mesmerized him, the delicate curve of her neck as he rubbed his face against it making him press kisses over her spider web tattoo. Now that he'd had a taste of her, he didn't think he'd ever get enough of her. Tiredness was going to be one of many conditions his body was going to have to learn to cope with in the coming weeks.

Abby sighed and twisted her head and Gibbs took it as an invitation to kiss her. He teased her lips apart, sucking gently on her top lip before he rolled away temporarily to turn out the light. Returning to her in the darkness, Gibbs wrapped his arms around her again. "Sleep Abby, promise I'll be here when you wake up."

He felt her relax into his embrace and for the first time in days...in months, he felt at peace. It had been such a release to tell Abby he loved her, to think about nothing but her and making her happy. If nothing else in his life worked out, he just hoped that they would.

TBC...