-Jenny's Point of View-
I was at home, the building had been closed for repairs so I was able to spend the time with Tony, for which I was grateful and loving so much. I was doing my work from home and that didn't really bother me all that much, it was fine. Since the weekend I don't think Tony had left his new toys for more than half an hour during the day. I smiled as I looked over at him as he made chugging noises.
"Tony boy, shall we go to the park?" I asked and he looked back at me and beamed
"Ok mummy, but we come back home soon though?" he asked and I nodded
"Sure Tony boy, we just need to get out of the house for a little while" I said and he rushed over to me and hugged me, I smiled before we headed to the entrance hall and got our shoes on. I grabbed my hand bag and the stroller, knowing that even though the park was about ten minutes walk from our place Tony would be very tired by the time we made our way home as a matter of fact I was counting on it.
When we arrived at the park Tony ran straight for the slide, running up the slide which was something he'd picked up from the older kids at the park. I was on the park bench watching Tony when I heard someone call my name, I turned toward the person and smiled when I saw who it was.
"Hey Tom" I said as he sat next to me
"Hey, how are you?" he asked and I smiled
"I'm great, loving the time out of the office and spending it with Tony" I said and he nodded
"I bet. I'm glad I found you, I tried your place first and when I didn't get an answer I came here" he explained and I nodded
"What can I do for you Tom?" I asked and he smiled
"More like what can I do for you. You remember how you agreed to going on a date with the guy I was going to set you up with. Well he just got back from Stillwater and has agreed to go on a date with you" he said pausing to let the information sink in. After a couple of minutes I nodded and looked at him
"Ok when?" I asked
"Sunday night, he'll be ready to pick you up at your place by 1900" he said and I nodded
"Alright and what am I going to do with Tony?" I asked and he smiled
"Easy, I'll look after him for you. You know Tony and I get along and its probably to late for you to organise a baby sitter at this late notice for a Sunday night" he said and I thought about it for minute, he was right it was Friday for goodness sake and not many of the usual girls I got to baby sit were free on a Sunday night
"Ok Tom. You'll have to be there to pick Tony up earlier because he has dinner at 1830 and is bathed and in bed by 1930" I said and he smiled
"I know the routine Jen, and I will. I'll be there around 1630 to pick him up to give you enough time to get ready without having to keep an eye on Tony" he said and I smiled
"Ok sounds good" I said. We sat in conversation for a little while longer before Tony ran over squealing
"Morrow!" Tom stood and caught Tony mid leap and I laughed
"Hi Morrow, can you come play on the playground with me?" Tony asked
"Sorry Tony but I have to return to work. But I'll tell you what, I'll make it up to you on Sunday when I come pick you up" he said and Tony's eyes widened
"Sleep over?" he asked and Tom nodded
"Yay sleep over with Morrow" Tony squealed excitedly.
The next two days seemed to go really fast and Tom had just picked up Tony and left, wishing me luck and hoping that my date with this secret guy was going to be a bast. I prayed that it would be, Tony was getting to the age where he needed a constant male figure in his life, someone he could look up to and admire and I needed someone who didn't run from the idea of me having a child, someone who accepted Tony as well as accepting me for who I was. I made my way upstairs and finally started to get ready, I took a quick shower and then decided that for the make up I wasn't going to do more than what I wore to work, because one I hated wearing a lot of make up and two I didn't want to look like a tramp. I then decided on how I was going to have my hair done, deciding on something simple but elegant, the half up half down. Smiling happily at how I looked I made my way into my wardrobe and tried to find the right dress. Eventually I found it, it was perfect, turquoise in colour and simple, lace over the bodice and a beautiful skirt, changing into the dress and choosing a pair of high heels I stood in front of the mirror and smiled. I looked amazing and checking the time I had about three minutes before my date arrived at my front door. I grabbed my purse and headed downstairs, when I reached the landing the doorbell rang, taking a deep breath I quickly patted my hair and dress just to do a quick check before opening the door. I smiled and then gasped when I saw who it was, if it wasn't for the shock I at who it was standing there I might of laughed at his expression it was quite comical. Taking a calming breath I smiled and stepped back
"Do you want to come in Gibbs?" I asked and he nodded his head slightly before walking through the door.
We made our way into the lounge and he stood right in front of the door, before he breathed out the breath he'd been holding and held up the bunch of roses that were in his hand
"These are for you" he said and I smiled
"Thanks, I'll just put them in a vase and then we can go" I said and he nodded
"Ok" he said following me into the kitchen
"You have a lovely house" he said and I smiled
"Thank you Gibbs" I said and this time it was his turn to smile
"Jethro" he said and I turned back to him
"Jethro?" I questioned, blushing because I didn't know, after five years working in the same building and having a crush on him for the last two years I didn't know his name. He smiled
"Yea that's my name. We're not at work, we're going on a date and my name is Jethro. Well actually its Leroy Jethro but I can't stand Leroy" he rambled, this time it was his turn to blush and I smiled
"Well I like both, but if you don't like Leroy than Jethro it is" I said turning back to the vase and roses.
When we were both ready to go he took my arm and walked with me to the car before opening my door for me and closed it again once he was sure I was comfortable and ready to go. Eventually we arrived at the restaurant and I smiled, it was a cute little Italian place which I'd heard about but never actually been to before. He pulled out my chair and then pushed it in again once I was seated
"Nice to know chivalry isn't dead" I joked and he smirked when he sat down
"Count on it" he said and I smiled, I was about to say something else but didn't have the chance as the waiter arrived to ask us our drink preferences
"I'll have a Merlot" I said and looked toward Gibbs, he smiled and said
"Make that a bottle" the waiter nodded and I gave Gibbs a questioning look which caused him to laugh
"I'm not a big fan of wine, more the beer and bourbon type myself but if its a Merlot I'll take it" he said and I smiled
"It's one of the only wines I can tolerate" I said and he smiled
"Uh I'm not very good at the casual conversation that you see other couples making" Gibbs admitted and I smiled
"Neither am I. Not been very good at that part for a while now" I said and he raised an eyebrow at me
"Let's just say that I've had a lot of bad experiences with dating and everyone seems to freak out and run, I guess I just have that effect on people" I said, knowing full well that it was actually them finding out that I had a son that made them run a mile from that type of commitment.
"That's usually my job, none of my relationships have ever lasted very long" he said sheepishly and I smiled
"That's something we have in common then Jethro" I said and he nodded
"Yeah I guess it is" he said as the waiter returned with our bottle of wine and two glasses. Gibbs got up to pour the wine and I thanked him. As he sat back down in his seat I looked at what he was wearing, finally taking it in since I had been in too much of a shock to even notice before, he wore a pair of fitted pants and then a vest and coat much like what he wore at work, but somehow he managed to pull off the date-night look in style.
We sat for a couple of minutes in silence before he looked me in the eye, his hand moving closer to mine as I stared back, the moment however was lost when our waiter returned to ask for our meal.
"I'll have the bacon and cheese sauce fettuccine and a side of green salad" I said and the waiter nodded writing my order down, Gibbs looked over at me and smiled
"That sounds really nice, I think I might have that as well, just instead of the salad can I have chips" he said and I smiled as the waiter took our menus and left the table again.
"So what are your interests, hobbies?" I asked and he smiled
"Well I like to spend my time off work either down in my basement working on a project of some kind or reading a book" he said and I nodded, that sounded like a safe topic to talk about and I felt like I was getting to know him a little better
"What kind of work do you do in your basement?" I asked and he smiled
"Well I do a lot of wood work, none of my stuff is electronic, it doesn't seem to calm and relax me the way using hand tools does. Feeling things along the grain and working with them, I don't know its a habit I picked up from my father actually something that I've done since I was a kid" he explained and I nodded understanding him a little better, spending time with my son usually relaxed me and made me feel better but when I needed to really unwind, a good book, a glass of wine and a bubble bath suited me just fine.
"What about you?" he asked and I blushed before answering
"I usually enjoy a good book, while having a bubble bath and glass of wine. It helps me relax and unwind. I also enjoy playing the piano, though I haven't played in a while" I said and he nodded
"Maybe someday you can pay for me" he said and I nodded, knowing that what he just said was a good sign that he was enjoying himself and that he possibly wanted more? I opened my mouth to say something but again the waiter returned with our meal making me lose my train of thought.
Halfway through the meal I looked up to see Gibbs looking at me intently as I swallowed another mouthful of my fettuccine, before I picked up my glass of wine to stop me from doing something stupid. He smirked a little as he reached for his own glass as if knowing my thoughts. I blushed and then returned to my meal, when he was preoccupied with a stubborn piece of pasta I reached over and grabbed a chip, watching his reaction as I did so and he smirked a little watching as I put the chip in my mouth. I tried again a couple of seconds later but paused just before I grabbed he chip and waited for him to give me permission, when he gave me a nod I grabbed another chip and put it in my mouth. At last our plates were clear and we sat looking at each other, before he asked rather suddenly
"Do you have any thing you would like to tell me before we get too serious?" and I looked at him shocked like he'd guessed there was something more to me than met the eye, I nodded but said
"Not here, not now" I said feeling a little stupid when I felt a tear fall, he was a little taken aback by that but finally grabbed my hand and squeezing it gently and rubbing his calloused thumb in circles to try and soothe me
"Ssh its alright, I understand" he said, I tilted my head to the side at that and looked into his eyes, the irresistible blue eyes that had given me many a good dream over the past couple of years, but saw the pain and hurt that sat there brought to the surface because of what had just had just been asked.
Time seemed to fly after that and eventually we decided that we were going to leave the restaurant, we went for a little walk around a near by park before he finally drove me home. Opening my door of the car he took me by the hand and walked me to the front door of my house and I smiled, he did too and I was just about to invite him in when he said
"I would love to come in Jenny, I really would but I don't think I have the strength to stop myself from wanting you" he said a hint of seduction in his voice and in his eyes and I nodded in understanding, cause I felt exactly the same way. Instead he leant forward and kissed my cheek before pulling back and saying
"I had a really wonderful time Jen" I nodded my head and smiled
"I had a great time too" I leant forward and kissed his cheek before placing my hand on his cheek and whispering "the best ever Jethro" and saw his face brighten, before he grabbed my hand and placed it down at my side and whispered
"Good night Jenny" I smiled and waved till his car had disappeared from view at the end of the road. I sighed as I made my way inside, this had been the most romantic date of my life and I wished that I would get many more with Jethro he was amazing and made me feel all giddy and just ugh how do you explain how perfect someone makes you feel, I don't think you can.
A/N: Here you go guys, you've been so lovely and encouraging, honestly I love the support so thank you. Please don't forget to review and tell me what you think!