CHAPTER 16
By the time Saturday rolls around, Tony has come up with two dozen reasons why he has to cancel the dinner plans with Kate and Gibbs. None of them are real... in fact they were all lies, but thanks to Kate's reminder of his previous visit, it was all back in his head. In full Technicolor and Dolby Surround Sound, the images of them making love played across the screen in his mind. He still wasn't comfortable with what he'd witnessed, feeling like a peeping Tom... or worse yet, some kind of pervert who couldn't get off any other way. That had never been Tony's problem... he was a DiNozzo, after all.
He didn't actually hate himself for how he had responded to that scene, but he wasn't proud of himself either. What kind of man got off on watching his boss and his partner going at it? The kind of man who even now felt the stirrings of desire at the thought. Apparently, the kind of man Kate had no problem inviting to dinner again... which was weird, because she had always ripped his head off every time he pried into her personal life. Now she was talking about it like it was what they had for lunch yesterday and asking him to come over.
Which led to the creation of reason number twenty-five, why he should cancel for dinner tonight. What if this was another set up? What if Kate and Gibbs were setting him up like last time? But even he had to admit... seeing them having sex hadn't been part of their plan. At least he didn't think it was... they thought he was passed out in the spare bedroom. So, it might be safe to have dinner. Just a friendly night of cooking, beer and some pasta... good pasta made from the DiNozzo secret family recipe. After all, he had purchased all the ingredients and he loved to impress people with his skill in the kitchen. What could be the harm in dinner?
Tony hurries home after work to gather the necessary ingredients, his kitchen utensils and then head out to his favorite Italian bakery for a loaf of fresh bread. Most people thought French bread made the best garlic bread, but that wasn't true... Italian bakers made a round loaf, dense and rich, that put the crusty, hard French loaf to shame. If he timed it just right, he would have time to grab some beer, then show up as they were being removed from the oven. Part of his secret recipe was the perfect fresh bread, slathered with sweet creamery butter and fresh ground garlic and sea salt.
When he arrives at the bakery on West K Street, the aroma that hits him as he comes in the door is almost overwhelming. He stops inside the door and with closed eyes takes a long deep breath, as he did every time he came there. The shop is owned and operated by an elderly couple and as they look up, a smile creases their faces. Tony was such a good customer he was almost family and they could almost set their clocks by when he would show up... exactly five minutes after the bread came out of the oven. It couldn't be moved any sooner since the secret to good bread was to let it rest on the counter top and slowly cool to room temperature.
"Buon giorno."
"Ya, è bello vederti, Antony."
"Need one of your best tonight, Mama Katrina."
"You cooking for someone special, tonight, eh? A girl, perhaps?"
"In a way. I'm cooking for my boss and his girlfriend, who happens to be my friend... but not my girlfriend."
Mama Katrina laughs and shakes her head as she wipes her hands on her apron and goes to bag up a nice loaf of fresh bread for him. She and her husband discovered that Tony was not one to find a nice girl and settle down, so they quit hinting about it long ago.
With the warm bread filling his car with the scent of heaven, Tony drove to Gibbs' house, wondering how different it would look now that Kate had moved in and taken over. He half expected to see everything replaced with new, sheik faux distressed furniture from Restoration Hardware. As he pulls into the driveway, he gathers up his bags and kicks the car door shut with his foot. As he approaches the front door, he expects it to be open and uses his one free finger to press the latch and push as he steps forward; only to smash his groceries against the leaded glass window. The thud is heard inside and Gibbs soon appears to open the door wide to let him in.
"What's up with your door, boss? Almost turned our bread into a pita."
"Lock."
"On your door? A lock?"
"Installed it when Kate moved in." He takes one of the bags from Tony as the younger man gives him a strange look.
"For safety? Not like this is a bad neighborhood."
"Nope... keep people from walkin' in." He turns to walk towards the kitchen with Tony following along behind him.
"Ah... I get it... don't want me interrupting anything, huh?" Tony grins as Gibbs turns back to address his suggestive comment.
"Too late for that, don't ya think?" Gibbs can't help the playful smirk as DiNozzo blushes and suddenly darts past him to put his burden down on the kitchen counter.
Just then Kate comes down the stairs, having heard the voices and joins them in the kitchen. She looks relaxed and happy in a flowery summer dress. Tony can't recall ever seeing her look so petite, or so feminine before... she never dressed like this for work, that's for sure. His eyes dart back up to hers as she steps past him to peek into one of the bags.
"Hi, Tony... did you bring everything you need?"
"Ah, yea... even brought my kitchen stuff." He holds up his utensils, but when she shakes her head in amusement he puts them back in the bag. "But, of course... you have all of this stuff. I guess I was picturing Gibbs' kitchen like it used to be... barren."
"Hey, forks, knives, plates and glasses... and a can opener. What more do you need?" Gibbs holds out a cold beer to Tony and Kate, then keeps one for himself and places the rest of the pack in the refrigerator.
Tony and Kate chuckle at his version of a well stocked kitchen and turn back to begin unpacking the bags. Side by side, they lay out the ingredients to begin the lesson. Gibbs comes to lean over her shoulder, resting his chin there as one arm curls around her waist and the other around Tony's.
"Tony, you are making my favorite, aren't you? The one with pork, peppers and cream sauce.
"Of course... but you forgot my secret ingredient." He turns to grin at Gibbs, bringing their faces close together.
Gibbs holds his eye for a moment, then replies, "I didn't forget. I'll let you share your grandmother's secret with Kate." He pats Tony's hip, turns to Kate and gives her a quick peck on the cheek before stepping back to add, "I'll be in the basement."
Kate doesn't seem to notice how Tony has gone still beside her. He takes a long drag from his beer, trying to still his racing heart. What the hell just happened?! He looked into Gibbs' eyes and was stunned by the glint he saw there... a silent message between them that Tony didn't quite understand. And what was up with his arm around his waist... and that pat on his hip? Gibbs never touched him unless it was to head slap him for doing something stupid. A moment later, he realizes Kate is talking and apparently expecting an answer by the way she jabs him in the ribs with her elbow.
"Tony, you're supposed to be showing me... so, show me what you got." She turns to lean against the counter, facing him with a playful grin on her face.
Once again Tony feels like he's fallen through a rabbit hole and is in some alternate universe where everyone looks the same, but they don't act the same. He clears his throat and pulls himself together as he tries to focus on preparing his pasta.
"Okay... so, we'll need a very large skillet, a pot to cook the pasta and a cutting board to begin." He begins opening the packages as Kate moves to get the items he requested. When she returns he hands her the three peppers, red, yellow and green. "You good with a knife?"
"Yep... just tell me what size and I'll make it so, Obi Wan." She turns towards the kitchen island to begin her task and doesn't see his grin.
"Kate. Did you just mix up two movie references? Sweet!" Kate grins over her shoulder at him. "Half inch will be good and be sure to remove the ribs inside. I don't want any bitterness in my pasta."
With that, Kate deftly begins to core, seed and chop the peppers as instructed. Tony keeps watch over her shoulder while he empties the ground pork into the skillet and puts it on to cook. As they are working together, he gives her updates on what they will be doing next and why. When the peppers are chopped, he instructs her to add them to the pan so they can sauté in the pork grease for added flavor.
"Now those need to cook down for a little bit. Let's get the pasta water started... half full, yeah... and we add a good dose of... salt to the water." As he says this, Kate is already doing that and he grins, "I see you already know that secret."
"Salting the water isn't a secret, Tony... it's on every cooking show out there."
"My Nana Helena told me it was the most important part of cooking the pasta."
Kate again turns to lean on the counter beside him as she picks up her beer for a sip. Tony mirrors her stance and with his beer in his hand, she tilts her bottle forward to tap against his. "So did mine. Here's to grandmothers."
The silently toast their grandmothers and take a drink of their beers while they wait for the pasta water to boil. A comfortable silence settles between the two of them and for the first time a true friendship... and something more takes root. Kate notices the way his eyes keep straying to her dress, down to her legs and then back up again. She decides to take advantage of it while their dinner is simmering.
She crosses the room and flips the switch on a small stereo perched on a shelf by the back door. Soft jazz music fills the room and an instant smile comes to Tony's lips as Kate glides to the center of the room in a solo dance move. Once there, she continues to sway in time and it is obvious Kate has had some dance lessons. She remembers Tony bragging about his mother teaching him to dance and holds out her hand to him. He hesitates a moment, then grins and moves towards her, taking her hand as he moves into step with her. His hand curls around her back, holding her loosely as they dance around the kitchen, losing themselves in the music.
As they dance closer to the stove, Tony slows and reaches out to stir the meat and peppers, add some spices and then return his attention to Kate and their dance. On their next pass towards the stove in between songs, Kate reaches out to drop the pasta into the boiling water before being whisked around the room. The next song is a quicker beat and they easily shift gears as tony spins quickly three times, barely missing the cabinets.
Gibbs is just emerging from the basement and stops to watch them, smiling as he sees the delight on their faces. The beat increases until they are both laughing and finally collapse into a hug when the song ends. "This your secret ingredient, Tony?"
Tony jumps back from the embrace with a guilty glance over at his boss. Gibbs just grins and shakes his head, not concerned about them dancing together. Kate is flushed and smiling as she leans into Tony's side and tries to catch her breath. "Whew! That was fun."
"You should try it, Gibbs... it's very aerobic... I mean not in an aerobics sort of way, but in a cardio way like running." He realizes he is rambling and decides to just stop before he gets a well deserved head slap.
"Naw. Dancing and I don't get along. Got what my dad always called 'farmer's feet' cause I dig corn rows by dragging my feet." He steps up to Kate and gives her a quick kiss, then stops to look at the younger man. "You're pretty good though... your mom taught you well."
Tony is stunned as Gibbs just walks on by and goes to sniff in the pan of cooking food. He stirs it around a bit, then turns to ask, "Bout time for the secret ingredient part?"
"Almost. As soon as the pasta is just about done." Tony comes to sample one of the small wavy noodles, biting it carefully to test its texture.
"So your secret recipe has to do with the pasta?" Kate is curious and comes to stand between the two men, crowding in to the stove to see.
"Okay, let's pull the meat and peppers out of the pan..." He hands a bowl to Kate who holds It as he scoops the contents into it. "Cover that to keep it hot and lets crank up the heat for the secret."
Kate does as instructed and then returns to watch as Gibbs moves aside to grab another beer and watch. Tony carries the pasta to the sink, draining it quickly into a colander. Kate expects him to run water over it, but instead, he returns it to the skillet and dumps it into the hot oil and pork grease. As it sizzles, he quickly stirs it around, making sure all of it gets coated.
"Oh, my god... You finish up the pasta with sauté it in hot oil? That's your secret?"
"Yep. Just wait until you taste it." After it has sizzled in the hot oil for only a minute or two, Tony turns down the heat and removes the pasta to join the meat and peppers. Returning the pan to the stove, he gives his next instructions. "Okay, grab the seasonings, the ricotta cheese and the Philly and prepare to be amazed."
Kate grabs them and comes back to watch as Tony slowly blends them into the hot oil, which has cooked down to almost nothing. As he stirs in the thick contents, he scrapes the bits off the pan and incorporates them into the sauce until it is rich, creamy and bubbling.
"Now, we return the other stuff to the pan, add our fresh oregano and mix well... letting it simmer just long enough to toast the garlic bread."
"That smells wonderful! I'll do the bread if you'll turn the broiler on to low."
While they are busy, Gibbs gets out their plates, silverware and sets the table in the dining room. He never used to use the table for much except a working desk, but since Kate has moved in they have gotten into the habit of sitting down to dinner there. It meant more clean up than his usual paper plates, but having Kate to talk to while he ate made up for it.
"You two want another beer with dinner or something else?" They both call out beer in unison as they make the final preparations and dish up the meal. Gibbs grabs the bottles and takes them in to the dining room, knowing he would just be in the way in his small kitchen.
Dinner was served and quickly demolished by the three hungry people who couldn't seem to get enough of Tony's amazing Sicilian Pork pasta. The tension of the past month disappears and Tony is back to his happy, joking self. He keeps them entertained with his movie trivia, impersonations and stories. Kate adds a few stories of her own and even Gibbs joins in reluctantly, telling them about his teenage awkwardness. When the laughter finally dies down and the table is full of empty plates and bottles, Gibbs finally stands up to clear the table. Tony stands to help him, but is quickly stopped by Gibbs.
"No, go on... I'll take care of these. You cooked, remember? Go relax, both of you." He winks to Kate and then takes a load of dishes to the kitchen.
Tony is once again stunned by this different side of him and stares for a moment until he feels Kate's hand on his arm. "Come on, help me light a fire. I still don't have the hang of this whole fire place thing... especially one that burns real wood."
"What else would a fire place burn, Kate?" Tony teases her as he kneels to open the grate and prepare the fire.
"Propane, Tony. My apartment had a propane fireplace. You know, push a button a poof you have fire!"
"Wow... that's not very cavewoman-like of you... and here I thought a tough girl like you..." He sits back on his heels to reach for a couple of small logs for the grate.
Kate sits on the low hearth beside him to watch his progress. Her arms cross over her knees, leaning forward as she rests on them. She studies her partner and friend for a long time as he gets a small blaze going, then softly makes an admission Tony never thought he would hear.
"I admit I've led a somewhat... sheltered life, when it comes to some things... but that's changing now. Jethro is showing me a whole new world I've been too shy to explore until now."
Tony stops, his eyes on the flames that are steadily getting larger as the dry wood catches and burns. He doesn't know what to say... a joke? A question? Pretend he doesn't understand her meaning? His curiosity wins out and he finally turns to meet her eyes, "Really... and exactly what is our fearless leader showing this sheltered little Catholic girl?"
She hesitates, unsure how much she should reveal to him. She finally decides that in the light of their new friendship she should trust Tony, but she does so with a warning. "First, promise me you won't turn all juvenile and make me regret trusting you."
"Kate! How could you even think that?" Her glare answers that question. "Okay... so I may have been a little indiscreet about other details of your personal life in the past... but, that was only done out of love."
"And now?" She is serious and his smile fades away as he leans closer to her to give her his honest answer.
"Now, it's different. We're different... and you can trust me... like Gibbs... because he..." He fights hard to keep the grin off his face as she finally sighs and reveals this private information about her and Gibbs.
"He's... so different, Tony. So gentle and loving... but at the same time he can be demanding and rough. Even when I'm scared, because he's got me... I know he'll never hurt me. I always thought sex was just a little variation on the same quick, frenzied act... but with Jethro I've experienced more in these past months than in my whole lifetime."
"So he is the Zen Master of Love."
"Don't let him hear you say that!" She giggles and puts her hand on Tony's arm, letting it rest there for a long moment as their eyes hold. She calms down and continues, "He's... confident and experienced in things that make me blush, but it also makes me ache with desire. And... he's incredibly patient... even when I'm unsure."
"So... what's the best thing he's taught you, Katelyn... and you know what I mean." He raises an eyebrow at her sudden shyness, knowing her first tendency will be to lie to him. "Come on... you can't leave me hanging like this!"
"God... okay, probably... that there is nothing to be embarrassed about. I'm still working on it, but no matter what we do, what he does to me... it's all good." She pauses to take a deep breath, knowing this is the moment of truth. "Like the night you saw us making love... I was mortified at first, but..."
"Kate, I told you I was sorry about that."
"No, Tony... it's all right. We talked about it and Gibbs made me see how erotic it was... and it turned me on... knowing you were there."
Tony doesn't know what to say, so he takes a moment to tend to the fire and close the grill before he looks back at her and shrugs. "Like I said... it was hot."
"I think about how hot it would have been if you hadn't walked away..." His eyes snap up to hers in surprise. "Come on, don't tell me you haven't thought about it." She again reaches out to place her hand on his shoulder as she leans in closer.
"I... well, yeah... I mean... what guy doesn't think about that?" he is very nervous suddenly as Kate seems to have mysteriously moved closer. They are face to face now and the gentle pressure of her fingers on his shoulder causes him to stiffen.
She leans in even further, bringing her nose right to the tip of his as she looks him in the eye and lowers her voice to playfully whisper, "You're breathing awful hard, Tony... you thinking about it right now?"
Before he can respond to her outrageous statement, Kate tilts her head and slants her mouth across his; kissing him with a teasing caress that tugs at his lower lip. Without conscious thought his mouth chases after those retreating lips, seeking out the soft temptation that too quickly disappeared. His mouth captures hers, drawing her back for another kiss as his hand curls up around her neck. Kate sighs softly as they spend a few moments exploring this new sensation.
It is Tony who pulls away first, shock showing in his eyes as if he suddenly realized he was kissing her. He stands up, needing to put some distance between himself and the fire... or the woman sitting next to it. Because one of them had his blood suddenly boiling and the room just became a sauna. He darts a quick glance over at the kitchen, but the sound of water running in the sink tells him Gibbs is still dealing with their dinner dishes. He feels a hand on his chest and looks down to see Kate standing in front of him with a smirk on her face.
"Hey... it's okay... at least, I thought it was okay." She is teasing him and he finally forces his mind to focus on her words.
"Okay? Not exactly how I would have described it..." He falls back on his humor to cover his nervousness. "After all, DiNozzo men have never been referred to as 'okay' when it comes to women."
"Well, I wouldn't want to be too quick to judge... probably need more to make an informed decision." Her hand once again curls up around his neck, gently drawing him down to her.
Tony's eyes dart once more over her shoulder towards the kitchen door, but there is no sign of Gibbs. He resists only a moment before he blocks out the many ways Gibbs could kill him and gives in to the one thing he's wanted ever since Kate came to work with them. His juvenile pranks had all been just his way of covering his attraction to Kate while allowing him to get close to her. Now there was no need for humor as his hands glide up her arms, gripping her shoulders as he pulls her closer. Their lips meet again, tentatively at first, still not sure of this new freedom, but each kiss becomes more confident. Pulling, sucking and demanding, their lips duel until her tongue glides gently over his lip.
A soft groan escapes his throat as his mouth opens, teeth crashing together in his urgency to claim the sweetness she offers. His tongue is impatient and erratic until a hand settles along his jaw, calming his urgency and focusing his desire. She returns his kisses, twining her tongue with his in long, deep strokes that leave them breathless. Each kiss blends into the next and they are lost to everything but this moment as her arms glide around his waist, her body molding to his.
Tony's mind is a blank except for the overwhelming desire to taste more, touch more, feel more... and her hands raking up and down his back are causing tremors to streak down his spine. She moans softly into his mouth and her whole body presses more firmly against his. A slight thrust of her hips surprises him... Kate really had gotten over her shyness. When fingers glide up his neck, fluttering through his thick hair in a gentle caress, Tony senses something different. There are three hands caressing his body... and he was pretty sure none of them belonged to him.
He breaks the kiss and pulls back just far enough to come face to face with Gibbs. The older man has come up behind Kate, pressing his body against her and sandwiching her in between them. It is his hand on the back of Tony's neck, gently stroking his fingers through his hair. Tony is so stunned and tries to jerk back, but the hand holds him in place. All he can do is stare as Gibbs slowly tilts his head to nibble seductively on Kate's earlobe. A breathless moan has Tony looking down at her; eyes closed; mouth open. Gibbs nips her ear, forcing another soft moan from her before he brings his eyes up to meet the younger man's once more. A slight smile curves the corner of his mouth as Tony feels the hand on the back of his neck; guiding his mouth down towards Kate's other ear.
With sudden clarity, Tony understands why they hadn't been upset when he watched them having sex. His heart is suddenly pounding in his chest at the feel of Gibbs' hand, guiding his mouth to Kate's neck. He isn't sure which is more erotic... having Kate helplessly moaning between them or having his' hand guiding him like that. Gibbs holds Kate still with his other hand on her hip, growling softly to her as Tony drops his lips over the rapid pulse point of her throat. His kisses resume, moving up nibble on her ear and Kate moans loudly in sensory overload when both men begin nibbling on her from opposite sides.