Fic: Undertow 13/?
May. 14th, 2006 10:01 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
polgara_5Title: Undertow
By: Polgara
Rating: R
Disclaimer: I own none of the recognizable characters. They belong to their respective creators and distributors.
Distribution: My site – Worlds of Possibilities, ff.net, Wormhole Crossing, and TtH.
Spoilers: Everything for Buffy is fair game. Everything up to and including season seven of Stargate SG-1. There will be very specific spoilers for season seven. You have been warned.
Setting: Takes place right after Homecoming of Stargate and three years after Chosen.
Summary: When someone close to Buffy dies, she finds herself on Jack’s doorstep. Before long, events and emotions pull them into something greater than they ever imagined.
A/N: My author notes are here for a reason, please read. If you still ask questions that are answered here, I will not answer them again. Do not beg for updates, this fic will be updated every other Sunday like clockwork, nothing will change that. I repeat nothing.
A/N2: I’ve only altered canon slightly. Ignore the whole Jack/Sam thing, it doesn’t exist here. And I’ve created a previous relationship between Buffy and Jack. It will get explained eventually, just be patient.
A/N3: Special and huge thanks to my betas – Meri and Copper. You gals are fabulous!
In this chapter I mention a show that probably wouldn't have been on during the year that this was sent, nor during the same months. Let's pretend that it is. :D
Chapter Thirteen
Buffy sneaked a look at Jack through her lashes. He seemed to be much more relaxed than she was. When she’d agreed to go on this date, it had seemed like a good idea. Now that she was on said date, she wasn’t so sure.
She had been thrilled to learn that Jack was attracted to her. It meant that she wasn’t alone with these feelings. Here was a man who had seen her at her worst and still wanted her. He was handsome, kind, funny, and strong in more ways than one. When she was around him, she felt safe and free. She didn’t have to be anyone but herself.
But suddenly she didn’t know how to act or behave. They were in his truck en route to the first stop of their date. It was the first step in their new relationship and she found herself floundering. She didn’t want to screw this up.
“Hey, you’re not having second thoughts are you?” He asked hesitantly.
She could see the look of trepidation in his eyes so she smiled, “No, it’s just…”
“Kind of strange,” he supplied.
“Yeah. I know how… or…”
He reached over and took her hand. He gave her as much attention as possible while still keeping an eye on the road. “Me, too. But it will be fine. Fun, even. Just relax.”
“Right, relax. I don’t even know where we’re going,” she reminded him. All he had told her was to dress warmly and not to worry about getting dolled up for him. Not that he wouldn’t appreciate it, but it wouldn’t fit with what he had planned. That, more than anything, kind of scared her.
So she had dressed in a comfortable pair of jeans and a sweater. She had messily pulled her hair back in a claw clip and put on just enough make-up to naturally enhance her features. She’d felt a little dowdy, but that had changed when Jack’s eyes had lit up when he saw her. Maybe he was seeing something she wasn’t and she stopped worrying about her clothes for the evening.
“I know,” he said, grinning cheekily at her.
“You’re doing this just to irritate me, aren’t you?” she shrewdly asked, her eyes narrowing slightly.
“Would I do that?”
“Yes, you would,” she said in exasperation. “Just be thankful I like you, otherwise you’d be hurting.”
“I am, always,” he said, a twinkle in his brown eyes.
Buffy couldn’t help but grin back at him. Their banter had eased her nerves and she leaned back in her seat with her hand firmly entwined with his.
A few minutes later, Jack pulled the F-250 into a gravel parking lot next to a warehouse type building. There were several other vehicles parked there. He reluctantly released her hand and got out of the truck. Buffy had just got her door opened when he had reached her and helped her out of the large truck.
“Jack, where are we?” She asked. Her booted feet shifted and the gravel crunched under her feet.
“Poor observation skills,” he tsked at her.
Her hazel eyes swept the area, but didn’t see anything. “All I see are the cars, the building, and a decrepit sign that you can’t read.”
“Guess you’ll just have to wait until we’re inside,” he said, taking her hand and placing it in the crook of his arm. They made their way across the parking lot to the metal doors. He carefully watched her face as she finally understood.
“Really?” She squealed.
“Really,” he said, leading her to the desk. He paid for their skate rental and they sat down on a nearby bench to change their footwear.
“This is great! I haven’t been skating in years,” Buffy gushed, tying up her laces.
He grinned. “I know. Thought it might be fun. It’s been a while for me, too.” He stood and helped her to her feet, and then he took their shoes and placed them in a locker.
Buffy openly admired him as he walked away. His red fleece pullover ended just below his waist, leaving her with a perfect view of how well his jeans hugged his butt. She pouted slightly when he obscured her view by turning back around.
“What?” he asked, walking back over to her.
“Oh, nothing,” she said with a wicked grin. “Come on, let’s skate,” she said, pulling him towards the ice. Before they stepped onto the ice, Buffy stopped and gave Jack a mischievous look. “Sure you can handle this?”
“What do you mean?” He asked, a little offended.
“I meant the toe pick. You saw what happened to Kristy last week on ‘Skating with Celebrities’. I’d hate to see you fall on your face.”
He rolled his eyes. “Just because most of my experience comes from hockey, doesn’t mean I don’t know about toe picks. I’ve used figure skates before.”
“Good,” she said with a cheeky grin and she stepped onto the ice. “I’d hate for my date to embarrass me,” she said with a sly wink before taking off.
“Oh, you’re gonna pay for that,” he said, charging onto the ice after her.
It took him two laps around the rink to catch her, but he finally did. Although he got the distinct impression that she let him catch her. She wasn’t going nearly as fast as he thought she could, and it had been a while since he had gone skating.
He wrapped his arms around her and proceeded to tickle her and was blessed with the sound of her laughter. In his opinion it was something that she didn’t do often enough and he was going to try and change that.
“Okay! Okay! I give! Uncle!” She gasped and he released her.
“Serves you right,” he said with a grin. Then holding hands they began a more leisurely pace around the ice.
The rink was fairly old and didn’t have all of the bells and whistles that the new one downtown had; therefore, it wasn’t as crowded as it had been back in its heyday. But it was still well kept, and the staff was friendly so there were a few regulars. Since there were only a handful of people there, it almost felt like they were alone on the ice.
When they stepped off the ice two hours later, their faces were flushed from the chilly air and the smiles they couldn’t keep off their faces.
“That was so much fun,” she gushed as they sat down to take off their skates. “We’ll have to do that again.”
“Sure, only next time you need to wear a little skating outfit so your skirt flares when you spin. Which was quite impressive, I must say.”
“The results of a misspent youth,” she said sagely.
“I don’t know. I think Dorothy Hamill would have been proud. She’s a gusher, if you haven’t noticed,” he said in a conspiratorial tone.
“You weren’t too bad yourself,” she said, bumping his shoulder lightly with her own.
“Yeah, well, I wouldn’t call the Olympic committee just yet,” he said with a laugh. “Hungry?”
“Starved,” she said.
“Great. I know the perfect place,” he said, taking their skates back to the desk.
XXXXXXXXXX
Fifteen minutes later, Jack pulled the truck into another gravel parking lot. A rather small, unassuming building that accompanied it had a simple sign that read “Backwood’s Grill”.
“I don’t think you’ve mentioned this place before,” Buffy said.
“It’s because I’ve kept it my little secret. Kind of like you.”
“Does that mean…”
“No, I’ve never mentioned it to or brought the team here.”
A shy smile crept across Buffy’s lips as she leaned over to place a soft kiss on his lips. “Thanks,” she said, only inches from his face.
He grinned and kissed her back. “You’re quite welcome.”
They got out of the truck and went inside. Buffy looked skeptically around the small restaurant. A U-shaped bar took up most of the front room. The young man behind the counter looked up and waved. “Hey, Jack. They’ve got your table waiting.”
“Thanks, Matt,” Jack said, and he led her to an adjoining room. A small table next to a window had a reserved sign on it and he headed towards it.
“Jack, there’s a deer head hanging on the wall,” she said softly as he held out the chair for her.
“It’s not real,” he assured her. The words were whispered in her ear and it caused her to shiver. He stepped back and continued his explanation as he moved to his own seat. “It dances when music plays on the jukebox.”
Buffy raised an eyebrow.
“Hey, it’s ambience and you’ve spent too much time with Teal’c,” he teasingly accused. “Besides, it’s rarely turned on and when it is on, it’s easy to ignore.”
“Okay,” Buffy said, looking at him like he was crazy.
A tall brunette came over and smiled at them. “So this is the lucky girl you’ve been hiding from us. She’s a cute one, I’ll give you that.” She winked at Buffy. “Keep this one. He’s a real sweetie.”
Jack rolled his eyes. “Can you just get us our drinks, Jayme?”
“Sure. You want your usual?”
“Nah. I think I’ll stick to the Pepsi.”
“Okay, and you?” Jayme asked, looking at Buffy.
“Diet, please.”
“I’ll get those right out to ya,” she said, handing them menus. Then she left them alone.
“So, you come here a lot, huh?” Buffy asked opening her menu.
“When I can,” he replied, not even bothering to look at his. “I usually sit at the bar and give Matt a hard time. He’s a good kid.”
“Gives you free beer, doesn’t he?” She shrewdly asked.
“As long as I’m paying for a meal, yeah,” he replied with a grin.
A few minutes later, Jayme came back with their drinks. She took their orders and then left. They were alone and once again Buffy felt a momentary awkwardness. It wasn’t the first time they had gone out to eat together, but it was their first date. At least, she didn’t have to worry about lying about her life or if he was lying about his. This should have been more relaxing than most first dates but it wasn’t.
She looked out the window but couldn’t see anything in the darkness except her reflection in the window. Shifting her gaze, she could see Jack’s reflection as well. He was staring at her with a slightly goofy smile on his face.
“What?” She asked self-consciously, turning to look him in the eye.
“Nothin’. Just happy,” he replied, the grin not leaving his face.
“Oh,” she said softly, a light blush creeping up her cheeks. How was he always able to get her to do that so easily? “Busy place for ten o’clock,” she commented.
“It’s like this six days a week, and they don’t do any advertising. This is all word of mouth.”
Her jaw dropped as she looked around. All of the tables were full and crowded together. “How?”
“The food is that good, and the people that work here are great,” Jack replied.
“Hiya, Jack,” said a younger woman who had her blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail. “Where have ya been for the past few months?”
“Busy. Caitlin, this is Buffy. Buffy, this is Caitlin. Her cousin owns the restaurant and is the head cook,” Jack explained.
“Nice to meet you,” Buffy said.
“So this is the girl you’ve been talking about,” Caitlin said in wonder.
Buffy shot Jack an amused look. “Been talking about me?”
“Maybe… A little,” he said, his face turning red.
“A little? Ha!” Caitlin said with a laugh. She leaned over to Buffy. “He’s been telling us for years that he’s crazy about this blonde. That’s she smart and sexy, but she doesn’t live here. He promised us that the first woman he brought here would be her.”
“And I’m the first?” Buffy asked with a smirk. Jack had his face buried in his hands.
“Yeah.” She looked at the beeper on her little apron. “Got an order ready. Just to warn ya, all the waitresses will probably be by at some point in time tonight. They just want to make sure you’re good enough for Jack.”
“And am I?” Buffy asked.
Caitlin made a show of looking Buffy over. She smiled and said, “I’m thinking we should be more worried if he’s good enough for you.”
“Hey!” Jack protested, finally looking at them.
Buffy laughed as Caitlin went to take care of a customer. “Are they like that with everyone?”
“With the regulars, yeah. Sorry.”
“It’s okay,” she said, still laughing. “But I can sort of see why you like this place now.”
He looked hopefully at her. “And do you like it here?”
She saw Caitlin smile and talk to a customer, and Matt greeting another customer as they walked in. “It’s growing on me.”
XXXXXXXXXX
Jack and Buffy slowly made their way up the walk to his door. Dinner had passed pleasantly and Buffy found the entire wait staff amusing as they each took turns coming over to meet her.
They stopped at the door with only a small light casting a soft glow around them. Jack cleared his throat and said, “Normally this is where I’d tell my date that I had a good time, kiss her goodnight, and then head home after promising to call.”
“But…”
“I’ve never asked a woman I was sharing a house with out before. Kind of messes with the date pattern,” he confessed.
Buffy inched closer and slid her arms around his waist and looked up at him through her lashes. “Let’s say we do that goodnight kiss and then pretend that I invited you in for coffee.”
“That sounds like a good plan,” he said as he slowly bent down to kiss her.
She gasped slightly as the light brush of his lips caused tingles to go down her spine and clear to her toes. He took advantage of her parted lips to slip his tongue into her mouth and she could faintly taste the coffee he had had with dessert.
He broke the kiss and rested his forehead against hers. “Inside?” He softly asked.
“Oh, yeah,” she said breathlessly, reaching up to place a chaste kiss on his lips.
Keeping his left arm wrapped around her, he unlocked his door with his right. He ushered her in and shut the door behind them. His house was quite warm so he broke contact to remove his red fleece pullover. After shaking off the static, he turned in time to have Buffy attach herself to his side again.
As badly as he wanted her in his bed, he also didn’t want to jeopardize their relationship by pushing for too much too soon. For now, he was over the moon just because she was willing to try. It was more than he had ever hoped for. So instead of leading her towards his bedroom, he guided her to the living room. She graced him with one of her mega-watt smiles as they sat down on the couch.
“Thirsty?”
She shook her head as she bent over to take off her boots. Once that was done, she sat back up and tucked her legs up under her. She snuggled against him and sighed in contentment. “Tonight was wonderful. I think that’s the best date I’ve ever been on.”
“Really?” He asked in surprise. “Why’s that?”
“It was fun and relaxing.” She looked coyly up at him. “But the best part was being with you.”
Jack swore that one statement was enough to turn him into a giddy teenager. He felt his heart swell in happiness and he reached up to cup her cheek. His thumb lightly rubbed her cheekbone and Buffy’s eyes fluttered shut.
Jack bent his head and gently teased her lips. She quickly parted them and granted him entrance. Their tongues sensually danced and she could feel her heart beat faster. He broke the kiss despite her gasping protest and pulled her closer. His lips ghosted over the creamy skin of her neck causing her to whimper slightly. Her body strained to increase the contact, but he held firm with his tender ministrations.
Buffy's senses expanded and she was keenly aware of where Jack's body touched her own. It was as if every inch was scorched from his heat. A gasp escaped her lips as he bit down slightly at the pressure point at the base of her neck only to return to the featherlight kisses of before. She could feel her abdomen tighten with desire.
Their position on the couch became uncomfortable for her and she shifted until she straddled his lap. He growled slightly as his hands slipped under her sweater only to encounter the fabric of her camisole. She grinned down at him and removed the bulky sweater and tossed it to the floor.
She swooped down and laid possession of his mouth. She swallowed his moan as she pressed closer. Breathlessly she broke the kiss, only to turn her attention to his neck. He tasted of something spicy that she could only readily define as pure Jack. His rough hands found their way under the soft cotton of her camisole and the contact caused tingles of pleasure to shoot through her body. She rocked her hips lightly against his own and felt his growing erection. He groaned and pulled her up to plunder her mouth in a passionate kiss.
She found herself wanting more. Her fingers nimbly unbuttoned his navy blue shirt and she pushed it slightly off his shoulders.
Suddenly, she had the brief impression that they were suspended in mid-air before they landed on a hard metal surface.
“Umm, sir?”
They looked up to see SG-1 staring at them in surprise.
By: Polgara
Rating: R
Disclaimer: I own none of the recognizable characters. They belong to their respective creators and distributors.
Distribution: My site – Worlds of Possibilities, ff.net, Wormhole Crossing, and TtH.
Spoilers: Everything for Buffy is fair game. Everything up to and including season seven of Stargate SG-1. There will be very specific spoilers for season seven. You have been warned.
Setting: Takes place right after Homecoming of Stargate and three years after Chosen.
Summary: When someone close to Buffy dies, she finds herself on Jack’s doorstep. Before long, events and emotions pull them into something greater than they ever imagined.
A/N: My author notes are here for a reason, please read. If you still ask questions that are answered here, I will not answer them again. Do not beg for updates, this fic will be updated every other Sunday like clockwork, nothing will change that. I repeat nothing.
A/N2: I’ve only altered canon slightly. Ignore the whole Jack/Sam thing, it doesn’t exist here. And I’ve created a previous relationship between Buffy and Jack. It will get explained eventually, just be patient.
A/N3: Special and huge thanks to my betas – Meri and Copper. You gals are fabulous!
In this chapter I mention a show that probably wouldn't have been on during the year that this was sent, nor during the same months. Let's pretend that it is. :D
Chapter Thirteen
Buffy sneaked a look at Jack through her lashes. He seemed to be much more relaxed than she was. When she’d agreed to go on this date, it had seemed like a good idea. Now that she was on said date, she wasn’t so sure.
She had been thrilled to learn that Jack was attracted to her. It meant that she wasn’t alone with these feelings. Here was a man who had seen her at her worst and still wanted her. He was handsome, kind, funny, and strong in more ways than one. When she was around him, she felt safe and free. She didn’t have to be anyone but herself.
But suddenly she didn’t know how to act or behave. They were in his truck en route to the first stop of their date. It was the first step in their new relationship and she found herself floundering. She didn’t want to screw this up.
“Hey, you’re not having second thoughts are you?” He asked hesitantly.
She could see the look of trepidation in his eyes so she smiled, “No, it’s just…”
“Kind of strange,” he supplied.
“Yeah. I know how… or…”
He reached over and took her hand. He gave her as much attention as possible while still keeping an eye on the road. “Me, too. But it will be fine. Fun, even. Just relax.”
“Right, relax. I don’t even know where we’re going,” she reminded him. All he had told her was to dress warmly and not to worry about getting dolled up for him. Not that he wouldn’t appreciate it, but it wouldn’t fit with what he had planned. That, more than anything, kind of scared her.
So she had dressed in a comfortable pair of jeans and a sweater. She had messily pulled her hair back in a claw clip and put on just enough make-up to naturally enhance her features. She’d felt a little dowdy, but that had changed when Jack’s eyes had lit up when he saw her. Maybe he was seeing something she wasn’t and she stopped worrying about her clothes for the evening.
“I know,” he said, grinning cheekily at her.
“You’re doing this just to irritate me, aren’t you?” she shrewdly asked, her eyes narrowing slightly.
“Would I do that?”
“Yes, you would,” she said in exasperation. “Just be thankful I like you, otherwise you’d be hurting.”
“I am, always,” he said, a twinkle in his brown eyes.
Buffy couldn’t help but grin back at him. Their banter had eased her nerves and she leaned back in her seat with her hand firmly entwined with his.
A few minutes later, Jack pulled the F-250 into a gravel parking lot next to a warehouse type building. There were several other vehicles parked there. He reluctantly released her hand and got out of the truck. Buffy had just got her door opened when he had reached her and helped her out of the large truck.
“Jack, where are we?” She asked. Her booted feet shifted and the gravel crunched under her feet.
“Poor observation skills,” he tsked at her.
Her hazel eyes swept the area, but didn’t see anything. “All I see are the cars, the building, and a decrepit sign that you can’t read.”
“Guess you’ll just have to wait until we’re inside,” he said, taking her hand and placing it in the crook of his arm. They made their way across the parking lot to the metal doors. He carefully watched her face as she finally understood.
“Really?” She squealed.
“Really,” he said, leading her to the desk. He paid for their skate rental and they sat down on a nearby bench to change their footwear.
“This is great! I haven’t been skating in years,” Buffy gushed, tying up her laces.
He grinned. “I know. Thought it might be fun. It’s been a while for me, too.” He stood and helped her to her feet, and then he took their shoes and placed them in a locker.
Buffy openly admired him as he walked away. His red fleece pullover ended just below his waist, leaving her with a perfect view of how well his jeans hugged his butt. She pouted slightly when he obscured her view by turning back around.
“What?” he asked, walking back over to her.
“Oh, nothing,” she said with a wicked grin. “Come on, let’s skate,” she said, pulling him towards the ice. Before they stepped onto the ice, Buffy stopped and gave Jack a mischievous look. “Sure you can handle this?”
“What do you mean?” He asked, a little offended.
“I meant the toe pick. You saw what happened to Kristy last week on ‘Skating with Celebrities’. I’d hate to see you fall on your face.”
He rolled his eyes. “Just because most of my experience comes from hockey, doesn’t mean I don’t know about toe picks. I’ve used figure skates before.”
“Good,” she said with a cheeky grin and she stepped onto the ice. “I’d hate for my date to embarrass me,” she said with a sly wink before taking off.
“Oh, you’re gonna pay for that,” he said, charging onto the ice after her.
It took him two laps around the rink to catch her, but he finally did. Although he got the distinct impression that she let him catch her. She wasn’t going nearly as fast as he thought she could, and it had been a while since he had gone skating.
He wrapped his arms around her and proceeded to tickle her and was blessed with the sound of her laughter. In his opinion it was something that she didn’t do often enough and he was going to try and change that.
“Okay! Okay! I give! Uncle!” She gasped and he released her.
“Serves you right,” he said with a grin. Then holding hands they began a more leisurely pace around the ice.
The rink was fairly old and didn’t have all of the bells and whistles that the new one downtown had; therefore, it wasn’t as crowded as it had been back in its heyday. But it was still well kept, and the staff was friendly so there were a few regulars. Since there were only a handful of people there, it almost felt like they were alone on the ice.
When they stepped off the ice two hours later, their faces were flushed from the chilly air and the smiles they couldn’t keep off their faces.
“That was so much fun,” she gushed as they sat down to take off their skates. “We’ll have to do that again.”
“Sure, only next time you need to wear a little skating outfit so your skirt flares when you spin. Which was quite impressive, I must say.”
“The results of a misspent youth,” she said sagely.
“I don’t know. I think Dorothy Hamill would have been proud. She’s a gusher, if you haven’t noticed,” he said in a conspiratorial tone.
“You weren’t too bad yourself,” she said, bumping his shoulder lightly with her own.
“Yeah, well, I wouldn’t call the Olympic committee just yet,” he said with a laugh. “Hungry?”
“Starved,” she said.
“Great. I know the perfect place,” he said, taking their skates back to the desk.
XXXXXXXXXX
Fifteen minutes later, Jack pulled the truck into another gravel parking lot. A rather small, unassuming building that accompanied it had a simple sign that read “Backwood’s Grill”.
“I don’t think you’ve mentioned this place before,” Buffy said.
“It’s because I’ve kept it my little secret. Kind of like you.”
“Does that mean…”
“No, I’ve never mentioned it to or brought the team here.”
A shy smile crept across Buffy’s lips as she leaned over to place a soft kiss on his lips. “Thanks,” she said, only inches from his face.
He grinned and kissed her back. “You’re quite welcome.”
They got out of the truck and went inside. Buffy looked skeptically around the small restaurant. A U-shaped bar took up most of the front room. The young man behind the counter looked up and waved. “Hey, Jack. They’ve got your table waiting.”
“Thanks, Matt,” Jack said, and he led her to an adjoining room. A small table next to a window had a reserved sign on it and he headed towards it.
“Jack, there’s a deer head hanging on the wall,” she said softly as he held out the chair for her.
“It’s not real,” he assured her. The words were whispered in her ear and it caused her to shiver. He stepped back and continued his explanation as he moved to his own seat. “It dances when music plays on the jukebox.”
Buffy raised an eyebrow.
“Hey, it’s ambience and you’ve spent too much time with Teal’c,” he teasingly accused. “Besides, it’s rarely turned on and when it is on, it’s easy to ignore.”
“Okay,” Buffy said, looking at him like he was crazy.
A tall brunette came over and smiled at them. “So this is the lucky girl you’ve been hiding from us. She’s a cute one, I’ll give you that.” She winked at Buffy. “Keep this one. He’s a real sweetie.”
Jack rolled his eyes. “Can you just get us our drinks, Jayme?”
“Sure. You want your usual?”
“Nah. I think I’ll stick to the Pepsi.”
“Okay, and you?” Jayme asked, looking at Buffy.
“Diet, please.”
“I’ll get those right out to ya,” she said, handing them menus. Then she left them alone.
“So, you come here a lot, huh?” Buffy asked opening her menu.
“When I can,” he replied, not even bothering to look at his. “I usually sit at the bar and give Matt a hard time. He’s a good kid.”
“Gives you free beer, doesn’t he?” She shrewdly asked.
“As long as I’m paying for a meal, yeah,” he replied with a grin.
A few minutes later, Jayme came back with their drinks. She took their orders and then left. They were alone and once again Buffy felt a momentary awkwardness. It wasn’t the first time they had gone out to eat together, but it was their first date. At least, she didn’t have to worry about lying about her life or if he was lying about his. This should have been more relaxing than most first dates but it wasn’t.
She looked out the window but couldn’t see anything in the darkness except her reflection in the window. Shifting her gaze, she could see Jack’s reflection as well. He was staring at her with a slightly goofy smile on his face.
“What?” She asked self-consciously, turning to look him in the eye.
“Nothin’. Just happy,” he replied, the grin not leaving his face.
“Oh,” she said softly, a light blush creeping up her cheeks. How was he always able to get her to do that so easily? “Busy place for ten o’clock,” she commented.
“It’s like this six days a week, and they don’t do any advertising. This is all word of mouth.”
Her jaw dropped as she looked around. All of the tables were full and crowded together. “How?”
“The food is that good, and the people that work here are great,” Jack replied.
“Hiya, Jack,” said a younger woman who had her blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail. “Where have ya been for the past few months?”
“Busy. Caitlin, this is Buffy. Buffy, this is Caitlin. Her cousin owns the restaurant and is the head cook,” Jack explained.
“Nice to meet you,” Buffy said.
“So this is the girl you’ve been talking about,” Caitlin said in wonder.
Buffy shot Jack an amused look. “Been talking about me?”
“Maybe… A little,” he said, his face turning red.
“A little? Ha!” Caitlin said with a laugh. She leaned over to Buffy. “He’s been telling us for years that he’s crazy about this blonde. That’s she smart and sexy, but she doesn’t live here. He promised us that the first woman he brought here would be her.”
“And I’m the first?” Buffy asked with a smirk. Jack had his face buried in his hands.
“Yeah.” She looked at the beeper on her little apron. “Got an order ready. Just to warn ya, all the waitresses will probably be by at some point in time tonight. They just want to make sure you’re good enough for Jack.”
“And am I?” Buffy asked.
Caitlin made a show of looking Buffy over. She smiled and said, “I’m thinking we should be more worried if he’s good enough for you.”
“Hey!” Jack protested, finally looking at them.
Buffy laughed as Caitlin went to take care of a customer. “Are they like that with everyone?”
“With the regulars, yeah. Sorry.”
“It’s okay,” she said, still laughing. “But I can sort of see why you like this place now.”
He looked hopefully at her. “And do you like it here?”
She saw Caitlin smile and talk to a customer, and Matt greeting another customer as they walked in. “It’s growing on me.”
XXXXXXXXXX
Jack and Buffy slowly made their way up the walk to his door. Dinner had passed pleasantly and Buffy found the entire wait staff amusing as they each took turns coming over to meet her.
They stopped at the door with only a small light casting a soft glow around them. Jack cleared his throat and said, “Normally this is where I’d tell my date that I had a good time, kiss her goodnight, and then head home after promising to call.”
“But…”
“I’ve never asked a woman I was sharing a house with out before. Kind of messes with the date pattern,” he confessed.
Buffy inched closer and slid her arms around his waist and looked up at him through her lashes. “Let’s say we do that goodnight kiss and then pretend that I invited you in for coffee.”
“That sounds like a good plan,” he said as he slowly bent down to kiss her.
She gasped slightly as the light brush of his lips caused tingles to go down her spine and clear to her toes. He took advantage of her parted lips to slip his tongue into her mouth and she could faintly taste the coffee he had had with dessert.
He broke the kiss and rested his forehead against hers. “Inside?” He softly asked.
“Oh, yeah,” she said breathlessly, reaching up to place a chaste kiss on his lips.
Keeping his left arm wrapped around her, he unlocked his door with his right. He ushered her in and shut the door behind them. His house was quite warm so he broke contact to remove his red fleece pullover. After shaking off the static, he turned in time to have Buffy attach herself to his side again.
As badly as he wanted her in his bed, he also didn’t want to jeopardize their relationship by pushing for too much too soon. For now, he was over the moon just because she was willing to try. It was more than he had ever hoped for. So instead of leading her towards his bedroom, he guided her to the living room. She graced him with one of her mega-watt smiles as they sat down on the couch.
“Thirsty?”
She shook her head as she bent over to take off her boots. Once that was done, she sat back up and tucked her legs up under her. She snuggled against him and sighed in contentment. “Tonight was wonderful. I think that’s the best date I’ve ever been on.”
“Really?” He asked in surprise. “Why’s that?”
“It was fun and relaxing.” She looked coyly up at him. “But the best part was being with you.”
Jack swore that one statement was enough to turn him into a giddy teenager. He felt his heart swell in happiness and he reached up to cup her cheek. His thumb lightly rubbed her cheekbone and Buffy’s eyes fluttered shut.
Jack bent his head and gently teased her lips. She quickly parted them and granted him entrance. Their tongues sensually danced and she could feel her heart beat faster. He broke the kiss despite her gasping protest and pulled her closer. His lips ghosted over the creamy skin of her neck causing her to whimper slightly. Her body strained to increase the contact, but he held firm with his tender ministrations.
Buffy's senses expanded and she was keenly aware of where Jack's body touched her own. It was as if every inch was scorched from his heat. A gasp escaped her lips as he bit down slightly at the pressure point at the base of her neck only to return to the featherlight kisses of before. She could feel her abdomen tighten with desire.
Their position on the couch became uncomfortable for her and she shifted until she straddled his lap. He growled slightly as his hands slipped under her sweater only to encounter the fabric of her camisole. She grinned down at him and removed the bulky sweater and tossed it to the floor.
She swooped down and laid possession of his mouth. She swallowed his moan as she pressed closer. Breathlessly she broke the kiss, only to turn her attention to his neck. He tasted of something spicy that she could only readily define as pure Jack. His rough hands found their way under the soft cotton of her camisole and the contact caused tingles of pleasure to shoot through her body. She rocked her hips lightly against his own and felt his growing erection. He groaned and pulled her up to plunder her mouth in a passionate kiss.
She found herself wanting more. Her fingers nimbly unbuttoned his navy blue shirt and she pushed it slightly off his shoulders.
Suddenly, she had the brief impression that they were suspended in mid-air before they landed on a hard metal surface.
“Umm, sir?”
They looked up to see SG-1 staring at them in surprise.
