Jessica puttered around the kitchen, aimlessly straightening the already tidy room, lost in thought. She'd spent the last few weeks trying to communicate her desires-she felt her face flush-to Seth. He was receptive, up to a point, but one or the other of them always broke it off, and he would go home, leaving her frustrated and increasingly aggravated. She wasn't sure how he felt. He'd come by the next day but wouldn't say a word about the things they'd gotten up to the night before. In all fairness, neither did she. For all her frank openness, she didn't have the words to ask for what she wanted. In her youth, such things weren't expected or permitted on dates, and in her marriage, she and Frank had developed a bond that transcended words. Not overnight, of course, but as the years went on, she hadn't needed to ask Frank for anything. Somehow, he always seemed to ancticipate her wants and needs.

Of course she didn't have that kind of relationship with Seth, but something told her that she could, that they could, have something like that together. She smiled at the memory of that silly party game that had gotten Seth so upset. She'd been feeling mischievous that day, in the kind of mood Frank used to refer to as her pinks...nothing malicious or negative...she was just more playful, amorous even. He used to tease her, saying she could go either way in a pink, and usually, time and space permitting, they tumbled into bed together. She and Frank had had a very satisfying intimate life. So that evening, when Adele suggested that each couple attempt to pass cheese puffs to one another using only their mouths, she was game. Seth was shocked and uncomfortable, but also, she suspected, tempted by the idea. Predictably, they weren't very good at the game. Seth wasn't able to relax into it and he seemed afraid to get too close to her, but, when their lips did eventually meet, she felt a tingle of excitement and she thought perhaps he'd felt it too. There had been something in his eyes when they drew apart.

She'd continued to push the boundaries between them, and last night, she'd finally coaxed them into a reclined position on the couch, but as soon as Seth became aware that he was essentially lying on top of her, he scrambled up and made some flimsy excuse to leave. She sighed. Perhaps he wasn't attracted to her. No, she thought. She wasn't terribly experienced, but she knew enough. He was definitely attracted to her. Perhaps he just didn't want the entaglement of a relationship. He'd had the same happy marriage with Ruth that she'd had with Frank. He spoke of Ruth occasionally, and it was clear that she was his ideal. Perhaps Jessica just didn't measure up, an unpleasant thought that tweaked her ego. She sighed. She was due in New York next week, and she'd use the time alone to think through what what was possible, what she wanted, and how to get it.

Jessica turned the lock and sighed deeply. It had been a fractious day of meetings with her publisher and her editor, then her financial advisor. That was always a dreary subject. Jessica didn't enjoy thinking about money in general. Frank had always handled their finances and she was more than happy to let him. She had few material desires, apart from clothes, which had always been something of a weakness of hers. Now she had more money than she'd ever had, and she found it to be a bit of a burden. It wasn't the money itself, she supposed, but the amount of it and the effort required to manage it. She'd already set up trust funds for her nieces and nephews and she'd quietly given money to various charities, but the money just kept flowing in: a state that most people would relish. She sighed. Talk of money somehow always left her feeling drained. She slipped off her shoes and padded to the kitchen. A cup of tea would set things to rights.

She sat at the table, musing as she drank her tea, when an unexpected knock at her door drew her from her reverie. "Who could that be," she wondered aloud. She was surprised to see Seth standing there as she looked through the peephole. She opened the door a little breathlessly. "Seth! What are you doing here?"

Seth glared at her. "Won't you at least invite me in?" he said grumpily.

"Of course," said Jessica, flustered, and stepped back to allow him room to enter. He marched in, and Jessica noticed he was carrying a small overnight bag. Flustered, she shut the door behind him and turned the deadbolt again. She followed helplessly in his wake, as he set his bag in the living room and turned to face her. "What are you doing here?"

"You ought to be able to answer that, Jess," he said.

His unexpected, though not unwelcome, appearance combined with his sharp tone was enough to get her Irish up. "If I could have," she responded icily, "I wouldn't have asked."

"I came here to have it out with you, once and for all!"

"Have what out Seth?" she asked, though the uncomfortable wrench in her gut merely emphasized her disingenuous response.

"Do I have to turn out the lights?" he said, then turned and flicked the switch, plunging the room into darkness. He groped his way along, feeling for the back of the sofa as he made his way toward Jess. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he could just make out her shape. When he was able, he drew her into an embrace, kissing her cheek and her neck. "This, Jessica," he breathed. "This is what I came to have out with you." He felt her relax into his arms and he kissed her with every ounce of feeling and passion he could muster. He loved this woman, he was desperately attracted to her, and he hoped they would be making love as soon as possible. Jessica pressed herself closer to him and ran her tongue against his bottom lip. "Jessica," he groaned. He pressed his forehead against hers. "Jessica," he rumbled, soft and low in his throat.

"Seth," she whispered, "let's go to bed."

Seth rolled onto his back and settled Jessica into the crook of his arm. Seth sighed contentedly and Jessica chuckled. "What's so funny, woman?" he asked, his tone light and teasing.

Jessica stretched decadently against Seth. "We should have done this weeks ago!" She laughed again. "Why did you have to follow me to New York?" She lifted her head and propped it up on her hand. "Don't tell me we won't be able to make love in Cabot Cove!"

Seth laughed. "I'm pretty sure, Jessica Fletcher, that wherever we are, I'll be able to make love with you any time you like." He paused. "At least it won't be geography that prevents me from going to bed with you."

She laughed. "But why did you follow me here?"

"I thought maybe you weren't comfortable with the idea of making love at home!" He sighed. "I thought maybe you wouldn't want to make love with me in the house you shared with Frank," he said in a low voice.

"Oh no, my darling! I spent all that time trying to convince you how much I wanted to make love with you!"

Seth's eyebrows disappeared into his forehead. "You mean you would have made love with me anytime over these last few weeks if I'd just asked?"

Jessica tilted her chin down. "I didn't know how to ask you. After Mort and Adele's party, after we kissed that first time, well...I just couldn't stop thinking about you, about making love with you. I already knew how I felt about you. I was fairly certain how you felt about me." She looked up at him through her lashes, and he tightened his arms around her.

"Does this mean we're officially a couple now?"

"Seth Hazlitt! We're in bed together after...after..."

"Spit it out, woman! You've been saying it now for the last five minutes."

"I know that," she huffed. "But those were generalizations. What just happened between us is specific." She hid her face in Seth's neck. "I know I'm being ridiculous," her voice muffled.

Seth patted her shoulder. "Say it or don't, Jess. Just as long as we can do this anytime we like and only with each other, I'll be the happiest man in Cabot Cove!"

Jessica laughed. "There aren't that many men in the Cove. I hope you'll be happier than that!"

"I might need one more demonstration to be absolutely sure." He shifted so that he was lying underneath her.

"Seth," Jessica gasped. She shrieked with laughter as Seth found a ticklish spot right below her rib cage. "You'll pay for that," she said playfully.

"I hope so, my dear. I certainly hope so."

"Okay, Mort. Pay up!"

"Whaddya talking about, Adele?"

"I'm talking about our bet."

"What bet?"

"Don't play dumb with me, mister. You know exactly what I'm talking about."

"Oh."

"Yeah, oh. You've seen Jessica and the Doc around town lately. You should have paid up weeks ago!"

"But how can you be sure?" Adele just looked at him. "Alright, alright." He reached into his back pocket and dug out his wallet. "Twenty dollars, was it?"

"It was fifty dollars, Mort Metzger, and you know it. You should never have bet against me." He handed her the money, which she pocketed with great satisfaction.

"But how could you be so sure?"

"Oh, Mort. I've got eyes, haven't I? I knew all they needed was a little nudge in the right direction."

"I can't believe I'm still paying out for that dinner party."

"Believe it, mister! Maybe next time you'll be a little less skeptical."

"Yes dear," said Mort and kissed Adele lightly on the cheek. "I won't bet against you ever again."

"See that you don't," she said primly, then laughed and kissed him back. "Well, I'm off!"

"Off where?"

"Off to spend my ill-gotten gains, of course!" Mort laughed. "After awhile, crocodile!" He watched as Adele left the station, the swing back in her step. It was worth fifty dollars and a little bit of crow to see her so bright again.

A/N: You know I space these postings out so I can get those steady dopamine hits from your reviews! Hope you enjoyed this fluffy piece.