Holidays are Hell

As had happened every time before this, the phone rang several times before being picked up by the answering machine. Jill hung up as soon as she heard her brother's recorded message and then stared at the phone unhappily, wishing she'd bothered to memorize his cell phone number. Unfortunately, with it programmed into her cell phone, she'd never taken the trouble to memorize it. Why bother when all she had to do was hit contacts, find her brother's name, and hit dial.

Now she peered absently around what she could see of the car interior from her position, running numbers through her mind trying to recall it by memory. She was sure it ended with 1432… or maybe 1342… 1234?

Growling with frustration, Jill lowered her head, then jerked it back up in surprise when the driver's door suddenly opened. Nick peered in, frowning when he didn't see her on the passenger's seat, then froze when he spotted her on the floor.

"You changed back," he said with surprise.

"I'm really worried that John might go to Kyle's. I wanted to try calling him again," Jill explained apologetically, drawing her knees closer to her body to help cover up her near nudity.

"Oh." Nick hesitated, glanced around the garage behind him, then stepped up into the vehicle, dragging a large shopping bag with him as he settled in the driver's seat and pulled the door closed. He then glanced at her again, only to pause and blink. "Is that my scarf you're wearing?"

"Oh," Jill glanced down at herself self-consciously and drew her knees even closer still to her chest. "It was the only thing I could find in here."

He bit his lip, she suspected to keep from grinning and then said, "Well, I guess it's a good thing I picked this up then."

Jill's eyebrows rose as he now offered her the bag he'd brought with him.

"What is it?" she asked rather than take the bag.

"A dress," he answered quietly. "I thought maybe you'd prefer not being a dog the first time you met my family… or borrowing clothes. I thought you might rather change back into yourself and wear this to my sister's house."

"Oh," Jill breathed and then lifted shining eyes to his. He was such a thoughtful man, so smart and clever and caring. God, she could love this man. Maybe already did. She'd known him for six months. This certainly wasn't the first time he'd shown this considerate, caring side. He'd shown her that and much more since moving into the store next door. He'd proven himself funny, and smart and insightful and sweet… Yes, she might very well love the man. And he apparently liked her back. He'd admitted to her when she was Noelle that he was more interested in her than in any other woman since leaving his wife. Maybe…

"If you keep looking at me like that…"

Jill let her thoughts die and blinked at Nick. His expression had gone serious, his eyes hot and intense. It reminded her of those few passionate moments at the end of the alley, of his arms around her, his mouth on hers, his hands sliding over her body… and she wanted to experience all that again, this time as herself, in her own body, not a body borrowed from a calendar.

"If I keep looking at you like that… what?" she asked softly.

Nick was silent, his gaze slipping down over her, taking in the bit of cloth she'd tried to place so strategically and the expanse of flesh it didn't cover. Jill felt his gaze like a caress. Goose bumps began popping up on her skin and she shivered where she sat, her eyelids growing heavy and her mouth parting on a little sigh.

Suddenly he was leaning forward, seemingly unable to stop himself from pressing his lips to her invitingly open mouth.

Jill breathed out a little sigh as his mouth covered hers and she began to struggle to get her arms free of the cramped space she'd put herself in so that she could touch him. She wanted to wrap her arms around his neck and press her body to his as she had at the mouth of the alley, but was trapped by her position. Briefly. Then Nick suddenly caught her by the arms and lifted her up onto the seat.

Jill murmured her relief and gratitude into his mouth as she slid her arms around his shoulders, uncaring that the movement had dislodged the scarf, revealing anything he cared to see. Nick cared though. Breaking the kiss, he pulled back slightly and peered down over her, and she followed his glance, noting that her nipples were already hard and erect, eager for his touch.

As if unable to stop himself, Nick reached out and ran one finger lightly over the exposed tip, then bent his head to cover it with his lips. Jill cried out and arched on the seat, her hand drifting into his hair and holding on as he suckled, but it was too much too quick and she found herself tugging at his hair, urging him back up to kiss her.

Nick gave in to the demand and covered her mouth with his, quickly deepening the kiss with a thrust of his tongue. His hand replaced his mouth at her breast, caressing and teasing the hard peak and making her writhe and moan beneath him.