CJ sighed and rubbed her forehead. Everything felt so warm. Christmas Eve was cold outside, and she was sitting on the bench outside her apartment complex, so incredibly warm. Her brain was humming, the thoughts of her discussion with Danny long since obliterated by the wine she had decided to consume after he left.
“Ms. Cregg?”
She looked at her doorman. “Yes, Peter?”
“Are you coming in?”
She shook her head, honey-toned hair bouncing around her. “No, thank you. I’m just going to hang out here for a while.”
“It’s cold, ma’am.”
She nodded. “I know. I’m clearing my head.”
“Alright, ma’am,” Peter nodded, settling back under the canopy.
CJ frowned and looked out into the street. It was quieting down. People were settling into their homes, with their families, preparing to enjoy the day that waited for them. She didn’t have anyone to settle in with, and it hadn’t bothered her before, but after she moved to the East Coast, it started to get to her, a little more every day.
Danny had helped with the loneliness. But, at the same time, he had made it worse. She could never date him. He was cute, in a boyishly annoying way, and he did make her laugh; however, she doubted very much that he could make her cry.
When her phone rang, Peter cleared his throat and started to suggest to her that she answer her phone, but CJ had put her hand up to silence him as she reached into her purse for the ringing device.
“Hello?”
“CJ?”
Leo’s voice was warm and welcoming. She smiled. “Hey, Leo.”
“What are you doing?”
“Chilling out,” she replied quickly, not wanting him to know what she was really doing. “What are you up to?”
“Sitting at home, listening to Christmas music, and watching CNN,” he answered, sounding kind of embarrassed. She chuckled. A bus passed, making a loud noise with its brakes. He asked: “Where are you?”
“Outside, on the bench outside my building.”
“Ceej,” he said on a sigh. “You’re sitting outside of your building?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
He sighed. “Why?”
“I’m chilling out.”
He chuckled. “Right. Sorry. I forgot.” He paused and then, jumped into a conversation CJ had been hoping he’d avoid. “I heard about your date tonight.”
“What date?”
“The one you had with Danny.”
She sighed. “I did not have a date. It was a business meeting. He was supposed to change my opinion on the hate crime thing...”
“Did it work?’
“He changed my mind.”
“On the hate crime thing?”
She shook her head. “Nope. On other things.”
“Oh, okay.” When her teeth started to chatter, the warmth wearing away a little, he jumped in with another question. “Why don’t you go inside, CJ?”
She laughed. “My head isn’t clear yet.”
Leo chuckled softly with her. “Alright. Well, I won’t hold you up. I’ll talk to you in a couple days.”
“Merry Christmas, Leo.”
“Merry Christmas, CJ.”
~*~
“What are you doing here?”
Leo shrugged. “I was in the neighbourhood.”
She snorted. He sat down on the bench next to her. After they had ended their phone call, Leo decided to go over and help her get inside. She had sounded drunk, and a little lonely. He was lonely, doing nothing in his hotel but worry about the day ahead of him with Josh, and thought maybe if he could be there for a friend and coworker it would take his mind off of his worries.
“You’re an awful liar.”
“Yah, well,” he blushed a little. “I was concerned. You sitting outside, alone, drunk.”
She lifted her chin and looked at him. “I am not drunk, Leo.”
“Sure, you’re not.”
“I’m not!” She cried out, slapping his arm playfully.
He took the hand that struck him, and held onto it, while raising an eyebrow. “Then, what are you?”
“Tipsy,” she said quietly, earning a laugh from Leo.
“Why don’t we go inside,” he suggested mildly. “I’ll make you some coffee.”
“Don’t want coffee...” she muttered.
“C’mon,” he stood up, and pulled her with him. She collided into his body, causing him to wrap an arm around her for balance. Their close proximity made him very aware of his body and how he was feeling around her, but with a shake of his head, he tried to dismiss the thoughts. “Let’s go inside.”
Her head made contact with his shoulder, and she shuddered quietly. “’kay,” she said on a sigh, lifting her head to look at him. “Let’s go.”
Slowly, they made their way inside. The doorman looked at him with an odd expression on his face, but Leo waved and smiled instead. In the elevator, she rested her head on him again. “Thanks, Leo,” she murmured.
“For what?”
“Coming over.”
He smiled and awkwardly stroked her back. “No problem. We’re friends, right?” When she nodded and sighed, he continued. “This is what friends do.”
“Pick their drunk friends up off the curb?”
He chuckled. “I thought you weren’t drunk?”
She looked up at him and smiled slowly. “After standing up, I decided to change my answer.”
He grinned back at her, and nodded. The elevator opened and slowly, they stepped out, making their way to her apartment. She handed him her keys, and he opened the door. Once inside, he looked around at the home that was distinctly CJ. She blushed a little. “I haven’t had time to clean.”
“It’s okay. We’ve been busy.”
“We have,” she agreed, her voice tight.
“Let’s get you to bed,” he said, changing the subject, as he helped her out of her coat. He took the fabric, and draped it over a chair nearby, before leading her down a hall to what he thought would take them to her bedroom.
CJ parted from him, to flop face down on her large mattress. He was about to leave her just like that, but something stopped him. Maybe it was her shoes, as they still protected her feet, or maybe it was his desire to take care of her.
“Ceej?”
“Mhhmmmf?”
“You need to put pajamas on.”
“Nnhmmf.”
He smirked and approached. “Well, at least let me take your shoes off.” When she didn’t respond, he sat next to her, and started to untie her ankle boots. She sighed and wiggled her toes once they were free. He smiled, and brought a finger up to caress the arch of her right foot. She squirmed, which made his smile stretch. “Ticklish?”
“Go away,” she turned to look at him, curling her legs up.
“Okay,” he started to move into a standing position. “But, put some pajamas on, okay?”
She rolled over and looked at him. “You’re really leaving?”
“You told me to ‘go away.’”
She pouted. “If you’re not going to tickle me, you can stay... I mean, if you want.”
“If you change,” he bargained.
CJ sighed and got up slowly, pointing to a bureau. “Top one?”
He nodded, and walked over to it. When he opened the top drawer, he saw flannel, cotton, and softer, smoother fabrics beyond that. He blushed, feeling a bit like an intruder into her private life. “Which set do you want?”
“Whatever you want,” she replied.
He coughed and looked at her. “What I’d like to see you in might not be what you want to sleep in.”
With a groan, she stood up and walked to Leo. “It’s a simple decision, buster,” she fingered a pair of flannel pants, but moved her hand over what looked like a black, silk and lace nightie. “Feels good.” She pulled it out. “Like?”
“CJ...”
“What?” She wiggled her eyebrows, leaving Leo to wonder if she was being suggestive or not. “I’m just asking if you like it.”
“I do,” he admitted, feeling his cheeks burn up. “But--”
She grinned. “Then, I’ll wear it.”
“CJ,” he tried again, because he didn’t know what she was thinking, or if she was in the right mind to know what she was thinking. “I don’t know if... if I should stay if you’re going to wear that.”
Her smile softened, eyes watering a little. “You’re sweet. Don’t worry, I’ll behave.” As she fumbled with her buttons, he averted his eyes. “See? You’re behaving, too. We’re fine.” He closed his eyes so he couldn’t be tempted, and when he heard the shirt fall to the floor, he heard the distinct whisper of soft fabric on soft skin. “I’m covered again,” she told him, and he opened her eyes as she slipped out of her dress pants. “You can look, Mr. Perfect Gentleman.”
“I’m hardly a perfect gentleman,” he commented.
“To me, you are, Leopold,” she responded, patting his cheek gently and then reaching for his hand. “Let’s go to bed.”
“Ahhh...”
“Oh, come on. It’s late. Just crash here.”
He raised an eyebrow. When she pouted again, he knew he wouldn’t be able to resist. “Fine, but...” he paused, and thought for a moment. “What’s going on here?”
CJ shrugged. “We’re going to sleep?”
“CJ,” he said, holding her hand still. “We can’t just...”
“Sleep?”
“You know what I mean!”
She grinned, wrapping an arm around him. “I do, but, you wouldn’t, because I’m drunk, and I mean, it’s me, and I wouldn’t because... I wouldn’t make you do something you didn’t want to do.”
Leo coughed. “CJ, you’re a very, ah, beautiful woman, and anyone who doesn’t notice that is a fool.” When he saw her eyes watering, the tears falling onto her rosy cheeks, he realised the impact of his words. “Ceej, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you cry. I’m sorry.”
She shook her head. “No, don’t be sorry.” She pressed her lips to his forehead. “You’re very sweet, you know?”
It was his turn to blush. “Let’s go to sleep.”
~*~
When CJ woke up her head felt a little cloudy, but other than that, she was okay. She sighed and tried to stretch, but she found herself tangled up in someone. Before she opened her eyes, she said a silent prayer that she didn’t sleep with Danny.
She turned her head, and saw Leo. The night before came flooding back to her, and she sighed with relief. When she saw how their bodies were wrapped together, she frowned, and wondered what was going on between them.
Leo was wrapped around her from behind, and his arm was holding her to him. His leg was between hers, and her foot was tucked against his ankle. Her hand was on top of the hand that was resting on her stomach, and their fingers were wrapped together. His face was pressed against her bare shoulder.
“Oh boy,” she whispered to herself, as she struggled to find a way to extract herself from his arms.
CJ first moved her hand out of his, which made his fingers move a little as he slept. The soft contact made her entire body heat up. He felt good next to her. She had never imagined---and she had imagined about him from time to time---that he would feel this good.
When she slowly moved her legs away from his, he pursued her, burrowing deeper into her body. His breath on her shoulder made her tremble. As his lips grazed her bare skin, a soft moan escaped hers. She didn’t know if he was awake, but he was driving her crazy.
“Ceej...” he whispered, wrapping both arms around her. Somehow he had managed to get both arms around her. She smiled, and for a moment, she yielded to him. He took a deep breath, and she felt his head lift away from her neck. “Oh.”
“Don’t stop,” she purred lightheartedly. “You were doing really well.”
He released her and sat up. She turned and saw him burying his face in his hands. “CJ,” he muttered. “I’m so sorry. I, ah, it’s been a while since I’ve slept with someone in a bed with me... I didn’t know I’d... I’m sorry.”
She put a hand on his arm. “Look at me.” He obeyed. “I’m fine. A little hot and bothered, but fine. You didn’t cross any lines, so lie back down and sleep a bit longer.”
“I could’ve though...”
CJ shook her head. “No, because I like my men awake and responsive.”
He blushed and fell back onto the mattress, bringing the comforter up over his face. She chuckled, and then tucked under it herself. She rested her cheek against his chest and drummed her fingers against his stomach. “It’s okay, Leo. You don’t need to hide.”
“I... I... I’m just embarrassed.” He sighed. “I mean, I’ve had some, ah, feelings for you and... this wasn’t exactly how I planned to show you.”
She smiled. “So you don’t think of me as your mother.”
“Definitely not.”
“Good.” Her fingers started tracing circles along the waistband of his boxers, though she was still skimming over the fabric of his shirt. His body stiffened as he gasped, and soon after, she felt the covers being drawn back off of her. “Hey,” she looked up at him.
“You can’t keep doing that,” he whispered hoarsely.
“Don’t like it?”
He shook his head. “I like it too much.”
Her smile stretched into a proud grin. “That’s the point, Leo. Now, relax, would you?”
“CJ,” he somehow pulled her up, so she was back on her pillow, looking over at him with soft eyes. “We can’t... just because...”
She pressed her lips together before speaking. “You’re making no sense.”
“What about Danny?”
“My mind changes... I’m entitled to that, aren’t I?”
He turned on his side to face her. She instinctively reached for his hand, and held it in hers. After giving her a stern, but useless, look, he asked: “What changed your mind?”
“’That’s a nice goldfish,’” she quoted his words from earlier. When he asked her to continue, she tried to put her thoughts together, and continued: “Well, you know if you have a crush on someone, and it’s just because you work together, and the long days, stress, and all that?” He nodded quietly. “Well, sometimes, that happens. And, there’s always some way to tell. Then, I stumbled into feelings for you, and I thought that was what it was. And that Danny was something real. But...” she sighed, and dropped her eyes from his. “Seeing the two of you in my office made me realise that it was the other way around.”
“But you went out to dinner with him,” he commented, brushing his fingers through her hair.
“To try and change it back,” she said, still not looking at him. “It can’t work... I mean... you’re my boss, and we work at the White House. We can’t just announce that--”
CJ stopped talking when Leo lifted her chin up with a gentle hand. “Of course not. But, we can explore this carefully on our own for a while.”
“We can?”
He nodded. “If you want to.”
Startling both of them, CJ let out a whoop of joy, and she jumped on Leo, knocking him onto his back as she hugged him. The display shocked both of them, making CJ blush when she looked at him, and making Leo wonder what CJ was really like.
“I take that to mean you want to,” he said softly.
She nodded, hair bouncing exuberantly around her. “As long as you want to.”
He smiled. “I definitely do.”
“You know what we need to do, then?”
Leo looked up at her, blinking. “No... what?”
She leaned in, letting her lips brush his ear before purring: “Shower.”
He laughed, adding: “Separately.”
“That’s no fun,” she muttered, standing up. She looked down at her clothes and blushed. “I can’t believe I slept in this.”
Leo agreed with her, and then demanded: “Do you know how hard it was for me to sleep?”
“How hard?” She asked with a playful sparkle in her eyes.
He lifted the covers up and glanced down his body. “About as hard as it is now.”
Her eyes widened. “Leo!” She dissolved into laughter, having to sit down on the bed so she wouldn’t fall over. “I had no idea you were so naughty.”
“We have a lot to learn about each other,” he took her hand again. CJ loved how their fingers fit together. “And that’s what today’s for.”
She blushed, and nodded. “Alright. You want the shower first?”
“You can have it,” he smiled back. “I’ll start the coffee.”
~*~
When Leo heard the water running from the kitchen, he tracked his phone down and called Josh’s.
“Josh,” Leo started the moment after the younger man answered it. “I can’t come in today.”
“And why not?”
He sighed and started searching for CJ’s coffee. “Well, something came up last night, and now I’ve decided to take the holiday and—”
Josh cut him off. “Did Mallory come over?”
“No, I—”
“You met someone... you’re spending Christmas Day with a lady friend, Leo?”
The teasing tone in Josh’s voice made Leo wince. He didn’t think of CJ as a ‘lady friend,’ and although he didn’t know how to think relating the change in their friendship, he did know that term didn’t suit her. “Josh, c’mon, can’t you just take the day off willingly?”
“Yeah, I can,” he chuckled. “Have a good day, I’ll see you later.”
He hung up the phone, and decided to look around the kitchen to see if there was anything he could put together for breakfast.
“What were you and Josh supposed to do today?”
Leo jumped, heart pounding loudly in his chest. CJ was standing in the doorway, wrapped in a large, fluffy, blue towel, water dripping from the ends of her hair onto her shoulders. He spoke softly: “Please don’t scare me like that again.”
She smiled and walked into the room. “Sorry.”
“No, you’re not,” he smiled back.
CJ laughed and came closer. “You didn’t answer my question.”
“We... we were going to work on some congressional—” he paused and shook his head, forcing the lie away. “No talking about work today. It’s Christmas, and we’re hanging out.”
She grinned. “Okay. You wanna go shower now?”
He nodded, and meant to say something, but his eyes were distracted by the water droplets that were running over her bare skin. He watched them in fascination, as they caught the light and then disappeared into her towel.
“Leo?”
His eyes darted up to hers. “Yah?”
“You okay? You’re looking a little flushed.”
He shook his head, chuckling softly. “I’m going to go get a shower.”
“A cold one?” She teased, stepping back a bit.
Leo nodded. “Quite possibly.”
He watched her as she brought her hand up and brushed a finger over his lips. He gasped softly at the contact, and kept his eyes in hers. CJ’s smile disappeared and her mouth opened as he pressed a kiss to the pad of her index finger, and he could see her shiver.
“Why don’t you go get dressed?” He suggested. “Don’t want you catching a chill.”
“Oh, I’m not cold,” she replied, her voice sounding more powerful with each word, as she pulled her finger away. When he widened his eyes, she shook her head and laughed softly. “I’m sorry... you should go get washed up. I should have some sweatpants in a drawer if you want them.” Before he could open his mouth, she continued. “And no, they’re navy and very manly. I actually think they’re an ex’s.”
He groaned. “Oh, that’s great.”
“I’m just saying... I didn’t think you’d want to wear your clothes again.”
Leo smiled. “I know. I was actually thinking that I’d call the hotel and ask them to bring some of my things over.”
“Things like clothes and presents?”
“Presents?”
She nodded. “You must’ve received presents for the holiday, right?”
“Yes...”
“So have them brought over. I have a few I want to open, and then we can open them together.”
The thought of sitting with CJ and sharing the day with her as ordinary people shared their holiday was appealing to him. He smiled and nodded. “Alright,” he reached for his phone. “That’s what I’ll do.”
“Good,” she grinned, as she turned and walked back into her bedroom, feeling his eyes on her the entire trip down the hall.
~*~
CJ stretched her legs out over Leo’s lap. “Comfy?” He nodded, not trusting his voice. “Really? Because I can move if I’m squishing you or---”
“I’m fine,” he said softly, shifting to avoid extra friction as she moved her legs. “Just keep still, okay?”
She smiled and nodded. “Okay.”
“Here,” he spoke to change the subject, passing her another of her presents. “Why don’t you try this one? Who’s it from?”
She looked at the tag. “Hogan,” she replied.
“Hogan?”
“My niece.”
He nodded. “Ahh.”
“Are you going to open one?”
Truthfully, he had wanted to watch her open one of hers. He had caught glimpses of the excitement in her eyes as she had unwrapped others, but he had been focused on his presents as well, and hadn’t gotten a long look at her. “I will. Open yours.”
Her smile stretched and she shifted her legs. He groaned softly, making her giggle a little. The sound was soft and unfamiliar, but he knew he would want to hear it until it became very familiar. It was beautiful.
They continued opening presents together until the packages were all discovered. Leo smiled when CJ shyly cuddled up next to him and wrapped an arm around his torso. “We didn’t exchange presents.”
“This can’t be our present?”
“I guess it can,” she agreed. “I just feel bad.”
“Don’t,” he suggested. “You can feel bad after I try to cook.”
“I can cook---”
“Oh, no, you don’t,” Leo interupted. “If we do anything, we’re ordering in. I’ll call the hotel. Something. Anything. No cooking.”
“Don’t think I can cook?” She pouted.
He stroked her back and then rested his hand over her hip. “No, I just don’t want to clean any dishes.”
She laughed and pressed her face into his shoulder. When she was done, she looked up. “I like this Leo.”
“Better than the other Leo?”
“I like them just the same,” she whispered. “Work Leo, in my apartment Leo... I like them the same.”
“Yeah?”
She nodded, rubbing her cheek against his sweater. “Yeah. Of course, tomorrow, things will be---”
“No talk of tomorrow. We’ll jump off that bridge when we get to it.”
~*~
CJ looked around the kitchen. “Leo... did you order a whole restaurant?”
He grinned and shrugged. “Maybe. Got a problem with that?”
She laughed. “No... what’d you get?”
“Some things from the hotel.”
CJ’s jaw dropped. “And they brought it over?”
Leo chuckled and walked over to her side. “Well, they can if you tip them enough.”
She laughed more, shaking her head slightly. “Well, wow. It looks great. I have some juice or soda or---” she caught the bottle of designer mineral water on one of the tables. “You ordered water.”
“It’s my favorite,” he answered softly, brushing the blue glass with his finger. “Did you want wine? Because I was going to order---”
She shook her head. “Nah. If you’ll share some of your water---”
“You can drink if you want---”
“Leo,” she interupted him again. “After last night, I don’t mind if I never drink again,” she said with an easy smile that made his stomach flop. “Plus, if I don’t get drunk, you can’t take advantage of me.”
His eyes widened. “I wasn’t planning on---”
CJ burst out into a fit of giggles. “I know. I was teasing, Leopold.”
“Oh,” he said softly. “Oh. Okay.”
“I’m allowed to tease, right?”
He smirked. “You’ve been teasing me since last night. What would make you think that now’s not okay?”
She grinned and kissed the top of his head. “Alright. I’ll go get glasses.”
~*~
CJ pushed her plate away from her and rubbed her stomach. “Remind me to go jogging tomorrow,” she murmured, looking across the table at Leo. “That was all so good.”
Leo grinned. “There are other ways to exercise.”
“Leo?”
He got up and walked over to her stereo. CJ watched, amused, from her position at the table while he flipped through her holiday CD collection. The way he acted around her... it was a manner she had heard about but never really experienced first hand. True, she had had polite dates; but, Leo was something else.
“Ceej?”
She blinked and saw him standing next to her, offering her his hand. “Yes?” She asked softly, feeling her cheeks heat up.
“Would you dance with me?”
Her smile stretched until it couldn’t anymore. “You want to dance with me, in my empty apartment?”
“Yes,” he replied, nodding. “As long as you want to.”
She took his hand and stood up. “Yeah,” she murmured. “I’d like to.”
He brought her out into the middle of her living area, and eased her in close to him. She giggled nervously as she wrapped her arm around him, as he tucked their hands against his heart; while they learned how to move together, the soft Christmas music drifted around them.
Leo sighed softly. “I like this,” he admitted quietly.
“Me, too,” she said into his shoulder.
“It’s been a great day,” he continued.
“I didn’t know you could be so much fun,” she teased, lifting her head to look at him. He chuckled and shook his head slightly. “Thanks for staying.”
“I wasn’t going to get a better offer for the holidays,” he grinned. “Although, spending the day with Josh did sound awfully tempting...”
She grinned back at him. “I can be very tempting, too.”
“You can,” he agreed, nodding as his pupils dilated.
“So, you wanna go to bed?”
He coughed. “CJ... I thought...”
She eyed him. “You thought I was backing off?”
“No,” he said with a shake of his head. “No, I just thought... we’d take it slow.”
She blushed. He really was something else. “So... I don’t get to change into something more comfortable?” She asked. She knew she sounded disappointed, but she couldn’t help it; she had been looking forward to getting to know Leo more intimately since they woke up together that morning.
“Not right away.”
“Oh.”
Leo smiled that lopsided smile she loved. “Ceej... haven’t you ever just spent the night dancing and cuddling?”
“Leo... that would imply that I have time.”
“So, you have sex on the first date out of necessity and convenience.”
She gasped. “No!”
“Then, what do you mean?”
“I don’t date, Leo... in case you haven’t noticed. Not since the campaign. And it didn’t work because we were leaving New Hampshire. So... no dates for me,” she told him. “Well, if you count the thing with Danny---but that was a business meeting.”
He started to talk. “Yeah, but---”
She cut him off. “Furthermore, my dates don’t do this whole dinner, dancing, cuddling thing. You’re a whole different breed of man.”
“The workaholic, alcoholic kind---”
She cut him off again as they danced. “No, the old-fashioned, incredibly sexy kind. It’s a thing with you. Dancing in the middle of my apartment? I’ve never had anyone do that with me... you have a whole different type of foreplay going on.”
“You’ve never been dancing on a date?”
“Yeah, at bars and clubs,” she said with a roll of her eyes. “But, it’s not like this. This isn’t you trying to show me off or whatever. It’s just because you want to dance with me.”
He blushed. “I do.”
“See? You’ve got this thing... and I’m just a big doofus and you’re---”
The rest of her words were cut off by his lips on hers. She gasped and he pushed on, easing her lips apart with a gentle brushing of his tongue. Instead of ending the kiss as suddenly as it started though, he slowly moved back, lips moving from hers near the end to brush kisses over her jaw and cheek.
“Ohh...”
“CJ?”
When he pulled his head back to look at her, her eyes were wide, her lips were swollen, and her cheeks were flushed. She whispered: “You’re a really good kisser.”
He grinned. “Yeah?”
“Uh huh,” she whispered, nodding.
He curled his arm around her again, and he started dancing. She followed his lead, tucking her head down into his neck and shoulder. “I can’t help it if I’m old-fashioned,” he whispered against her ear. “I like dancing.”
“Is this why Abbey calls you Fred Astaire?”
He chuckled. The sound rumbled against her, raising her body temperature by a few more degrees. “Yeah... plus I look good in a tux,” he said, before kissing her temple. She moaned softly, silently praying that he didn’t hear her.
However, when she heard him ask how she was feeling, she knew he heard her.
“I’m good,” she whispered, even though she was quickly becoming extremely hot and very bothered.
“Okay,” he said.
After two more songs, CJ knew she had to be on fire. His fingers were brushing up and down her back, his breath was caressing her neck, and when he spoke to her, his voice vibrated through her, making her wish for more.
“Ceej?”
She lifted her head, smiling a little. “Hi,” she whispered.
He rubbed her hand and held it close. “This is okay, right?”
She nodded. “Yeah... the slow’s growing on me,” she murmured, before kissing his cheek and resting her head on his shoulder again.
At the end of the next song, he asked: “Want to sit?”
“Seduction’s next step, making out on a sofa?” She teased.
“I don’t make out,” he pouted, as they parted and sat down close to each other.
“What do you call it then?” She challenged.
He shrugged. “I call it...” he leaned in and kissed her once. “Kissing...” he whispered over her lips. Then, his hand moved against the skin of her arm. “...caressing.”
“Oh,” she whispered, taking his hand in hers. “Well, I still call it making out.”
“Potato, potah-to.”
She giggled softly. “So... friends do this?”
He grinned, looking up from his study of her neck and shoulder. “Only really good friends.”
“That would make us... really good friends, then?”
He nodded as he leaned in closer. “I’d like to think so.”
She smiled and let him kiss her. It was just as easy a kiss as the last one, making her need for him intensify. She didn’t know how he could be so patient, so considerate, so incredibly charming... She knew he had charm; everyone knew, because apart from his gruffness, it was how he got things done. But, this side of him with this interesting combination of traits was a new discovery for her.
“Mmmhmmm,” she murmured as their lips parted at the end of a very drawn out kiss. Her hand reached out and stroked his chest. “Well... what if I want more than making out? Are we good enough friends for that?”
“You’re going to keep speeding ahead, aren’t you?”
She sighed. “Leo... I’m hot. I’m wet. I’m ready to go here, and you’re holding me back!”
“Shhh,” he whispered, taking her hand and kissing it. “It’s the scenic route.”
“I know,” she told him. “But, you’re driving me nutty.”
He grinned and kissed her again. It stretched out for a couple of minutes, and then he pulled back and said: “We’re good enough friends for that.”
“Oh, thank god,” she breathed, smiling and batting her eyelashes at him. He chuckled and scooted closer to her. “Bedtime yet?”
His fingers travelled up and down her back again. “Are you tired?” He asked softly. She smirked and shook her head. He grinned. “No, me neither.”
She slipped out of his arms and stood up and unsteady legs. “Well, we should stay up together,” she decided gently, offering him her hand. “Come on.”
He took her hand and squeezed it as he stood up with her. After a quick kiss, she pulled back and pushed him back on the sofa. “Hey!” Leo exclaimed, looking surprised.
She giggled. “Change of plans. Stay there, okay?”
“Whatever you want,” he replied. When she left the room, he shifted and adjusted himself in his pants, while smothering a little laugh. Then, he resigned himself to waiting as patiently as he could for her return.
“Leo?”
He blinked, trying to find her in the room, but quickly realised he was being called for from her bedroom. “Yeah?”
“Wanna come down?”
“Don’t wanna come to get me?”
She giggled and then called back: “No... I’m all comfy.”
He groaned and stood up, making his way to her room. At the open door, he stopped, somewhat stunned by what he saw. “Ceej... wow...” She grinned and crooked her finger, beckoning him closer to her bed, which was bathed in candlelight. His eyes swept over her body, dressed in something similar to what she wore the previous night. “Wow indeed,” he whispered.
“I can be just as romantic as you. Get over here,” she demanded, patting a spot next to her.
He made his way over to her, easing himself down onto the bed. She sat up a bit, leaning on her elbow. He reached out and touched her cheek. “You look amazing,” he complimented.
“So do you.”
“Nah,” he said gruffly, blushing. “I’m old and---”
“Amazing,” she cut him off, her hand sliding over his thigh. He groaned and closed his eyes, the touch affecting him more than he was willing to let on. “And very horny.”
“Very,” he admitted. She giggled and leaned up more, so their faces were closer. His expression faltered and his eyes opened. “But, I’m not here because I’m just some horny old man, CJ---”
She nodded and touched her fingers to his lips. “Shush. I know. We’re friends, and maybe more.”
“I certainly hope so,” he whispered.
“Kiss me,” she pleaded.
He smiled and kissed her fingers first, before paying attention to her wrist. She shivered and sighed. “How’s that?” He asked against her skin, before travelling up to her shoulder.
“I... I really like it,” she managed to croak.
“Good,” he replied, before exploring her neck gently. He used her moans and sighs as a guide for his travels, which ended after a slow line of kisses along her jaw. He studied her flushed face and then kissed her lips. She made a low purring noise, and then leaned into him, demanding that he deepen the kiss. As he lost himself in it, she eased back and then nibbled on his lower lip. He groaned and knew he was in her hands; she could do anything to him, and he wouldn’t want to stop it.
She undressed him slowly when the kiss was over, leaving him only in his boxers. She kissed his stomach and looked up at him. “So... any thoughts?”
“I really want you,” he struggled to whisper.
She grinned. “That’s what I like to hear.”
“So much for taking our time and exploring this...”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. We can still take our time and explore each other. Maybe we weren’t meant to take this slowly. Maybe this is right.”
He smiled, his face lighting up as their eyes met. “Maybe you’re right about this.”
“Maybe I am,” she agreed, smiling back at him as her fingers slipped into the waistband of his shorts. His hips flexed up and he groaned softly. “Easy, Leopold.”
“You make me crazy,” he said in a raspy voice.
“Good. It’s about time,” she chuckled, kissing his hip after uncovering it. She slid his boxers down and watched as she freed him from the restricting fabric. “How’s that?”
“Better,” he croaked, too affected to say anything else.
She grinned and kissed his bare thigh; the line of kisses travelled up to his abdomen, before starting anew on his other thigh. She avoided everything he wanted her to focus on, still slightly influenced by his behavior earlier. When he groaned loudly, she looked up and rubbed his stomach. “Are you okay?”
“Better than okay,” he whispered, nodding. “Come up here, Ceej.”
She smiled and slid up his body, kissing as she crawled. He pulled her close and kissed her mouth hard, crushing his lips onto hers. She moaned into his mouth when he eased her lips open with his tongue, while simultaneously squeezing her breast through her nearly-sheer fabric.
“Leo,” she gasped, wriggling her lips from his for a large gasp of breath. “Please.”
“Please what?” He asked, gruffly. She took in another breath and her eyelids opened slowly, eyes seeking his. He smirked and squeezed her breast again. “Please what, CJ...”
She gasped. “Leo!”
“C’mon...” he murmured close to her ear. “What do you want so badly?”
“More,” she whispered. “I, I wa-ant more.” He pushed his hips against hers while squeezing her breast again. As her moan slipped out from her swollen lips, he eased up on his grip and brushed his thumb over her hardened nipple, and he watched in amazement as her face scrunched up while the moan rumbled in her throat and then faded into a tiny gasp. “Oh, god,” she breathed when he moved his hand to her waist. “Leo...”
He smiled. “Too fast?”
“Perfect,” she whispered. “You’re good at this.”
“You think so?”
“Yes...” she replied, nodding. “I do. I’m glad more women don’t know about you... I’d have competition.”
He frowned. “Well, not many women find me attractive.”
“Leo... I find that hard to believe.” She watched him sit up and then move to the end of the bed. “Leo? What’s wrong?”
He sighed and shrugged his shoulders. “Nothing. I’m okay.”
“You don’t look okay,” she told him, rubbing his back. “I said something stupid, didn’t I?”
“Nah...”
“I’m going to get a drink of water,” he said, finally. “I’ll be in the kitchen.”
He left, without gathering his clothes up.
~*~
CJ waited two minutes and then she followed him. He was sitting on the sofa, eyes closed, large throw pillow over his abdomen. “Where’s your water?”
“It was metaphor water,” he said softly, not opening his eyes.
“What did I say, Leo?”
“I just... nevermind.”
She kneeled down in front of him, putting her hands on his knees. “Leo. Talk to me. Please.”
“This is old fogie divorce stuff,” he grumbled, not looking at her.
She frowned and asked: “Does it make you feel unattractive?”
“Lugging all this baggage around, yeah,” he said, nodding with his eyes still closed. “You can’t find it very attractive.”
She stood up quietly and slipped her short nightgown off, letting it fall at her feet. She tapped her foot and said: “Open your eyes and give me your hand.”
His eyes fluttered open. “What are you doing?”
“Give me your hand.”
“Ceej?”
“Give me your hand now,” she growled, holding hers out. Leo took a moment, studying her body and facial expression before offering her his hand.
She snatched it and moved forward while pushing his fingers between her thighs. Leo’s eyes popped open wider. “What are you doing?”
“Feel this?” She demanded, pushing his fingers deeper into her core. “This is because of you!” Leo blushed and looked away. She rubbed against his hand and said: “You’re attractive. Very. I want you, Leo. And... if I lift this pillow... will I find proof that you want me, too?”
He blushed and looked away. “Yeah... but, I’m---”
“Leo. I’m serious. You want me. And, as you can feel...” she added, pushing against him. “I really want you.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re you... and your fingers are almost inside of me.”
He chuckled, feeling a little better. “Give me a better reason than that.”
“Sorry, Leopold,” she said with a shake of her head. “That’s all you get.”
He wiggled his fingers and watched her blush. “You really like me? Not Danny or some other, younger---”
“Leo!” She gasped. “Yes! Duh!”
“Even though I’m old and wrinkly and--”
“Leo, please,” she whispered hoarsely, while still baring all of her to him. “Trust me on this. I want you. Not Danny, not someone else. You. And, I’m naked and cold.”
He smirked. “Suck it up. I’m naked, too.”
“You have a pillow.”
“I do,” he agreed, moving his hand from her legs and quickly pulling her into his lap. “But, you could borrow mine.”
She kissed his lips. “I have a better idea.”
His expression brightened. “You do?”
“I do,” she said, nodding. “It involves you, me, the bed---”
“Well, okay.”
“Are you going to chicken out?” She asked with an arched eyebrow.
He shook his head. “No. Well, I’ll try not to. I just... you’re...” he trailed off and spent a couple of minutes studying her body. “You look great.”
She rolled her eyes. “Leo... I’m so out of shape and---”
“You look great,” he said firmly. “Let’s go back to bed. The candles are burning and I haven’t seen you naked in the candlelight yet.”
She blushed. “Well... that’s true. You want to?”
He shifted her away and moved the pillow. She ducked her eyes down and saw his erection. Then, she looked up at him. He smirked. “I’m feeling better.”
“You are?” She asked. “Because, if you get cold feet further down the road tonight, I’m going to kick your ass.”
“Noted.”
She touched his cheek. “But, if you want to go back in there... I’m game.”
“How game?”
She took his hand and squeezed it. “Why don’t you find out?”
His small smile turned into a grin and he moved his hand out of hers to travel up her inner thigh. “Well, I will,” he whispered, as his hand slipped up. She shivered and moaned when he caressed her intimately. He chuckled. “You’re still very game.”
“Uh huh,” she managed while nodding. “Very.”
“Bedroom,” he whispered.
She nodded. “Yeah.”
~*~
“I want to be on top,” Leo pouted, nuzzling his lips against her hand.
CJ shook her head. “It works better if I’m on top, Leo. My legs, and---”
“I like being on top.”
She raised an eyebrow. “You’re on top everywhere else. You can’t give me the bedroom?”
“Nope.”
“Leo!”
He sighed and then kissed down her flushed torso. She squirmed and shivered. He had already given her an orgasm, and if he kept kissing her skin, she knew he’d push her through another and by doing that, he’d probably win the battle brewing between them.
“No fair, no fair, no fair,” she whispered over and over.
He chuckled. “Let me be on top.”
“I won’t get anything out of it,” she whined. “I can’t---”
“Oh, but I think you can,” he whispered before kissing her neck. She was about to say something but he nibbled and sucked; the words vanished. “Let’s try it. If not, we’ll switch.”
She sighed as he kissed her. “Oh... well... alright,” she whispered, giving in.
“Ceej,” Leo promised. “It’ll be worth it.”
She smirked. “For a guy who was insecure a little while ago, you’ve made a decent recovery.”
“You’ve helped me with that,” he admitted.
“Good,” she murmured, caressing his cheek. “But, if it doesn’t work with you on top---”
“It will,” he said, grinning. “Don’t worry about it.”
She laughed softly. “Okay.”
He leaned over her and kissed her lips. When he lifted up, he looked into her eyes and smiled. “Thanks for putting up with me.”
She smirked. “Well, you made me come, so I’d call it even.”
“I’m going to do it again,” he told her in a very matter-of-fact tone.
CJ snorted. “I’m not going to hold my breath.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Well, you shouldn’t. You might pass out.”
She laughed more; when he started to move on top of her, though, her laughter faded away. She could feel his erection pressing into her and when she parted her legs, he pressed inside her core and made her moan.
He smiled and adjusted himself, preparing to push into her and to balance himself on top of her at the same time. CJ lifted her legs up in anticipation, watching the earnest look on his face.
“Ready?”
She nodded. “Yeah.”
They moved slowly; CJ tried to move faster, but Leo prevented it by going even more slowly. She whimpered in frustration and tried to urge him on, but he couldn’t be pushed.
She felt his hand on her leg, pulling her left thigh up onto his hip. Then, he pulled her right thigh up. CJ moved more and hooked her ankles together behind him, holding him inside of her as his hips thrusted into her.
It was enjoyable, but she didn’t know if he was going to be able to live up to his word. She could feel herself slipping into a haze; her needs were pumping through her veins, directing her body. Leo, her needs sensed, was trying to stop that natural direction. He was making her crazy.
When he stopped moving, she growled and punched him in his chest. “Leo!”
He shifted his weight and kissed her. “Hold on,” he whispered.
She was about to say something else, but she felt his hand between them, pushing down on her tingling bundle of nerves. She gasped and her muscles clenched around him. “Leo...” she whispered as he stroked her, feeling the rush of more need flood her system. “Please...”
He kissed her lips and then her neck. She could hear his breath, heavy against her, and she knew that he was getting closer to a climax as well. She arched her back and pushed into him, pulling more of him into her as she squeezed.
He groaned and teased her more. She shook her head from side to side, not knowing what else to do. “C’mon,” he whispered. “Prove me right.”
Her laughter was strangled. His fingers moved in a circular fashion, alternating between slow and fast speeds. She whimpered and moaned and used her feet to hold him closer. “Please... move more...”
Leo grunted and tried to move his hips so he could thrust in and out of her. After a couple of difficult strokes, she felt herself teetering on the edge and then falling into the exploding darkness of her orgasm. She gasped his name and held on as she tensed around him.
Soon, he grunted again and fell against her, twitching a little. She smiled and brushed her fingers over his back as she released her legs’ grip on him. “Okay,” she murmured. “You win.”
He lifted his head and grinned at her.
~*~
With mugs of coffee in their hands, they sat at the kitchen table, smiling at each other. Cj would chuckle and look away, but eventually, her eyes would travel up to meet his and then they would smile again.
“Hey,” he murmured after a while, taking her hand and kissing it. “You okay?”
She nodded. “Better than okay. Thanks for asking. What about you? You look like you’ve had a thought.”
“We didn’t use protection,” he said softly, looking away from her.
She shrugged. “It’s fine.”
“Ceej...”
She set her mug down and stood up, reaching for him. “C’m’ere,” she whispered. He gave her his hand and allowed her to pull him up. “Walk with me,” she insisted.
“Where are we going?” Without a word, she flopped down in her oversized armchair and tugged him down into her lap. He blushed and looked at her. “Now what?”
She pointed out the window. In the dim lighting of the room, they could make out the light snowfall. “Look. How perfect is that?” When he didn’t respond, she asked: “Friends can’t just enjoy a quiet moment?”
“Ceej, I---”
“I told you not to worry. I’m a modern woman, Leo, you don’t think I have provisions for passion that you don’t know about?”
He chuckled. “I should have known.”
“You should have---how long have we been friends?”
“Not for that long,” he reminded her.
She agreed, “For a while you were just my boss.”
He chuckled. “But, now, I’m more, right?”
“Well, yeah. Duh. We’ll figure it all out.”
He smiled and turned to kiss the top of her head. “Merry Christmas.”
CJ hugged him and buried her face in his shoulder, inhaling his smell. “Merry Christmas, Leo.”
The End!
