It didn't really matter if they took a shower or a bath or did neither of those things. What really mattered to him was that they were together. It hadn't even been a whole 24 hours yet, but he felt like this was the start of something beautiful and irreplaceable, and he didn't want to lose it for anything. "I don't want you to be anything but who you are," he told her softly, as his fingers combed through her hair. He paused a moment, almost afraid to go on. He had almost slipped and used the word once, knowing it was too soon for that. What he was feeling wasn't love exactly, but more like the first spark of something that over time could become love, and he needed her to know that. That he was serious about her, that this wasn't just a temporary thing. "I think I could love you, Jasmin. And....I've never felt that way before."

"Easy does it, Jack." That innocent four-letter word was do-or-die to a lot of people; said too soon, it could destroy any chance of it becoming a reality. Though Jasmin felt a lurch when he told her he could love her, she hid it, not wanting to alarm him with her own wariness when it came to that emotion. But the potential was there, and despite her wariness, she didn't want to lie to him. "I think I could love you, too," she told him, deliberately using his own words to mask the anxiety that could have arisen in the face of his serious confession. "There's no rush. We have all the time we could ever want or need to get there." Her lips touched the corner of his mouth tenderly. "Let's ....let's just be us for a while, and see where it takes us."

He frowned a little as she tried to slow him down, but then she was telling him she thought she could feel that way, too. Maybe, someday. It was too soon to tell, and he didn't want to crush what was blossoming between them by forcing or rushing things. He returned her kiss, and not wanting to ruin the moment or chance jinxing things, decided to change the subject. "We still have to decide what we're going to do today."

"I thought we'd decided on a bath?" she asked, her smile as curious as it was teasing. She might have been able to make a bath last a couple of hours, but any longer, and it just got boring, even with two people. "What do you wanna do, sweetie?" she asked him then, dropping the ball back into his court. "I've got the whole day to give you, if you want it."

He thought about that a minute. A bath sounded nice, but it almost sounded more like something they'd do later, at night, to wind down, not to start the day. "Maybe we should go somewhere. A walk, maybe, or a picnic." No matter what they decided, all he really wanted to do was spend a nice quiet day alone with her.

"That sounds like a nice idea," she agreed through her smile, finally beginning to shift until she could rise up onto her bare feet without putting her knee somewhere unforgivable. "But first ....breakfast. And we'll have to sneak you back into Willow Manor so you can change into something fresh." She grinned down at him, her back arching as she stretched up onto her toes. Her arms reached high above her head as she groaned with waking relief at the warm flex of her muscles, the hem of her t-shirt rising to reveal a small dove tattooed over her right hip.

He had caught a glimpse of another tattoo the night before on the back of her neck, but he hadn't thought to ask her about it, and there was another peeking out. He reached over to brush a finger against the mark, showing just how much bolder one night curled up on the couch together had made him. "Where'd you get that?" he asked, a somewhat rhetorical question as she more than likely got it at a tattoo shop. It wasn't so much the where as the why that interested him, wondering if it had some special meaning, other than the obvious.

She glanced down, unable to disguise the rush of gooseflesh that pebbled her skin under the unexpected boldness of his touch against the little tattoo that decorated her hip. "Oh, Eida did it for me," she smiled faintly. "You know, the guy who was running the open mic last night' He's a tattoo artist by day." She knew what Jack was really asking, pausing a moment before replying. There had been hints last night that her obviously loving relationship with her parents was something he envied, and the little dove that marked her skin was a link to them. "My mom had a dove like that on the inside of her wrist, my dad got one on his shoulder when they got married. It's a pretty universal symbol for peace, but I got it done after they died. It was just another way to hold onto them, I suppose."

He seen tattoos before, mostly trashy tattoos. Marks people got when they were drunk that they later regretted. He was from a different time, after all. The world was a different place then. He felt a small stab of pain at the mention of her parents, but there was compassion there, too. Sympathy for her loss. He thoughtfully traced the edge of the tattoo with a fingertip. "It's beautiful," he told her in a quiet voice. "I'm sorry about your parents. You must have loved them a lot."

"I was really lucky," she admitted, a trace of sadness in her voice for the loss that was still relatively recent, though most others who knew about it didn't give it much thought. "I miss them every day. But at least they went together, right' Neither one of them had to live without someone they loved more than anything." She shrugged, distracted from that residual pain by the sensation of his fingertip tracing the little dove, sending ripples of delicate excitement through her body. She gasped softly, easing her fingers into his hair once again as she bit her lip. "So tempting to jump you right now."

He listened silently again as she gave him more clues about her parents' deaths. They'd gone together, which meant it had probably been an accident of some kind. Car, plane, train" The chances were more likely it had been a car accident, but he didn't want to pry or linger on anything that might upset her. His own story was far different from hers, and he was not yet ready to tell it. He looked up as she drew her fingers through his hair and confessed an unexpected temptation for him. He held her gaze for a moment, as if debating a response before replying. "No one's stopping you."

That bold answer surprised her more than she might have expected. After all that had been said the night before, Jasmin had thought that he would hold onto the desire to take things between them slowly. Not that she was complaining, of course - she just didn't want to make a mistake so early in their burgeoning relationship. Despite the desire that colored her skin and gave depth to the hazel eyes that held his, she made an effort to hold herself in check, smoothing her fingers through his hair, down the line of his neck, wanting to touch and be touched, and yet not wanting to rush him. She leaned down until they were nose to nose. "I'm stopping me," she told him through a gentle smile. "Or we won't leave the house at all today."

His gaze wandered to admire the loveliness of her, the soft womanly curves that seemed to invite his touch, and he couldn't resist any longer. His fingers found her flesh, hands wandering upwards to touch and tease and suddenly, even that wasn't enough. He lowered his head as he reached for her, drawing her toward him to not only touch her but taste her, lips plying her flesh in a torrent of kisses.

How could he possibly have thought he could disappoint her" As he touched and tasted, she poured moans over him in open, honest pleasure at the boldness in his exploration, curling her fingers into his hair once again, caressing, encouraging. Her back arched once again, her head falling back to let her hair brush his knees as she gave into the sweetest sensation of being the sole focus of his attention. Her body moved against his, hips rolling to press close in an unmistakeable pulse of desire. Her head tipped forward once again, pulling him back to her lips for more of those hungry kisses, knowing they were very close to that line now. Once they crossed it, there would be no going back, and she didn't care.

He plied her flesh, reveling in the reaction he elicited from his kisses and caresses, sensing the arousal that matched his own. They were like lovers lost in a desert dying from lack of affection, each needing the other, needing to know there was someone who cared. He took her lips again, his fingers sliding through the fall of her hair, tilting her head back to graze his lips against the slender line of her neck, feeling her pulse beating beneath his lips. He whispered her name in a moan that was a plea for sweet release, though part of him didn't want this feeling to ever end. The words of a song burned in his brain, remembered from the first moment he'd laid eyes on her. She was Venus, the goddess of love, and he adored and worshiped at her feet.

She was no goddess, but a real woman, his to touch and hold and kiss, his to enjoy however he liked as she shuddered tenderly in his arms, painting the air around them with his name ghosting on sweet moans that throbbed with aching desire. And even in the midst of her vocal declaration of her pleasure in him, she heard the soft plea on his lips, her mouth curving into a smile that promised she knew how to make this last for both of them, that he was more than capable of going the distance, that he was not a disappointment. Her fingers wriggled between them, stroking down his chest, over his stomach, opening button and fly on his pants as she kissed him once more. "Relax," she breathed to him, soft in her own desire. "Let me take the edge off for you."

He felt a wave of panic pass through him like a shudder as her hands trailed downward and his breath caught in his throat, eyes widening for an instant in mingled fear and longing. He wasn't just dreaming it; this was really happening. His lips formed a silent question that never reached his throat. Oh, God....What was she going to do to him' She was already driving him mad with desire. The only word that reached his lips was her name, a throaty whisper filled with longing and desire and just a little of that same fear that she'd be disappointed somehow in him and with him. That he wouldn't be good enough. Good enough for a one-night stand, but that was all, tossed aside and forgotten. "Jasmin, please..." he whispered, pleading with his eyes for her not to break his heart.

"Shhh ..." She felt his tension rack up once again, and knew that this time nothing was going to ease it off until he gave in and believed her. "Not a one-night-stand kind of girl," she reminded him gently, dropping a fresh kiss to his lips once more. "Lie back and think of the Beach Boys." She winked, sliding back off his lap to give his pants - and his underwear - a gentle tug, urging his hips up to let her strip him.

"What?" he asked, with a look of confusion on his face for a moment. He wasn't really a Beach Boys kind of guy. That was Tommy, but he caught her meaning finally and did as he was told, closing his eyes so he couldn't see the look on her face, hoping it wasn't a look of disappointment. There was really nothing to be disappointed about, but he was so used to not living up to the expectations of those around him, that it was an innate fear and response, and not something that was really deserved. He arched his hips, allowing her to do with him as she would, submitting himself to her ministrations. The tension was like torment, almost painful in its persistence. He had no choice now but to trust her completely.

Whatever he thought her reaction was going to be, he was dead wrong. She'd told him he had beautiful eyes; seeing him now, utterly bare to her gaze, to her touch, she had to extend that to include all of him. He was, quite simply, the most beautiful man she had ever met. And she couldn't quite believe he was right there, waiting for her to touch him, thinking that he wasn't as wonderful as he was proving himself to be with every breath. "Gods, you're amazing," she assured him tenderly, almost afraid to lay her hands on him and coax that tension from him, one way or another.

His expression changed, more confusion on his face, squeezing his eyes closed. She couldn't be talking about him, could she" If she had seen him before, she wouldn't have given him a second glance, but he banished the thought from his head. That was then, and this is now. He tensed, trembling as he waited for her to touch him again, feeling as naked as he was, exposed, more vulnerable than he'd ever been before. Had he done the right thing in letting this happen or would he regret it' Will you still love me tomorrow" God, he hoped so.

Shaking herself out of her covetous gaze, Jasmin's smile turned a little sad as she realized just how tense he was. Was he really expecting her to walk away from him, to leave him vulnerable without another touch' Or did this go deeper than that' How many times did she have to tell him that she didn't do casual hook-ups before he absorbed that' Pushing those thoughts from her mind, she turned her attention to taking the edge off for him, lips brushing to his abdomen as her hands swept over his thighs, her hair teasing gently at the treasure she'd uncovered as slowly but surely those kisses traveled downward themselves, promising to deliver on everything they hinted toward.

He tensed as he awaited her decision. Would she or wouldn't she? Shuddering at the first touch from her, he knew he wasn't going to be able to hold himself back for long, the tension building all too quickly to an almost explosive release that left him moaning and shuddering all over again, but for a very different reason. He felt like something broke in him with that sweet release, like some wall he'd built around his heart came crashing down. It wasn't like he was a virgin and had never had a woman before, but it had never been like this before, never with someone like her, and his felt his heart burst with pent-up emotions as his body crested, his world exploding, like a million shards of glass into molten waves of heat washing over and through him in a torrent of ecstasy, the likes of which he'd never known, not even under the influence of the most potent elixirs.

He settled himself in her embrace, feeling a strange sense of peace wash over him, like the calm of the ocean after a storm, and the words of a song came to mind yet again and knowing her fondness for the Eagles, he couldn't resist. If only he had his guitar handy, he might be serenading her right then and there. "I got a peaceful, easy feeling, and I know you won't let me down..."

His choice of song couldn't have been more perfect for the moment, and had it not been for the fact that they were both stark naked and lying on her living room floor, it would have been a pretty romantic gesture. As it was, Jaz found herself giggling softly as he sang, lifting her head to kiss him fondly, cutting off the warmth of his voice in favor of tasting his lips once more. "I promise, I won't ever let you down intentionally."

With no reason not to, he had no choice but to believe her and trust in her, and for the first time in a long time, he found himself actually believing it himself. "Let's just take it one day at a time, okay?" he asked, echoing her earlier plea, unafraid to commit, but sensing she might need some time. I could love you so easily, he whispered in his head, but this time he thought remained unspoken. "What do you want for breakfast?" he asked, purposely changing the subject, chuckling a little as he glanced at the sun slanting through the window and realized it was a lot later than he'd thought. "Or lunch?"

Her expression gentled, deeply grateful that he had somehow tied her fear of being left together with her own plea to take their time together as it came. It wasn't that she was afraid of being in love, exactly; experience had taught her that when you loved someone, they left. It would take time to regain her confidence in her own heart, that was all. She followed his gaze to the window, laughing with him. "You know, I don't have the first clue what?s in my pantry," she admitted, one shoulder rising and falling innocently. "Wanna explore together?"

"For a second there, I thought you were gonna say pants, but I think I've already explored those a little," he replied with a chuckle. Not much admittedly. He had a lot more exploring to do in that area, but his stomach was growling reminding them both that they couldn't live on love alone. "Eat first, shower later?" he asked, in no real hurry to start his day, content for once in his life to enjoy a indulge in a little laziness.

She seemed to consider this for a moment, though it became obvious before too long that she was just admiring his face once again, distracted by blue eyes and soft lips. "I could go with that," she answered finally, reluctant to agree to anything that would take him out of her arms, but practical enough to want to have a little more energy before things developed any further. "I'm wearing your t-shirt, though."

He had to laugh a little at that, since it wasn't really his t-shirt at all. "It's not mine," he admitted. "It's your cousin's. Lena didn't like what I was wearing and made me change." So, it wasn't him who had such a good sense of fashion, but Lena's brother Jon. Clothes didn't make the man....did they' "I, uh....My stuff is kinda out of date, I guess." There was that blush again, reminded that he was a man out of time, thirty-eight years in the future. No one wore leisure suits anymore, unless they were going to a costume party. He had a lot of catching up to do.

She smiled again, chuckling as he proved her guess from the night before correct. He'd been wearing some of Jon's old clothes. "So maybe we should take you shopping sometime soon, then, huh?" she suggested, rising up onto her elbows, setting herself nose to nose with him. "You know, when I finish having my wicked way with you on every available surface in the house."

His eyes widened at the threat that wasn't really a threat. Was she serious" "Then we're definitely gonna need some breakfast," he remarked, a little too seriously. He didn't bother to remind her that he was, for the most part, penniless, at least until he found some means of supporting himself. He didn't want to sponge off her or her family for long. He was too proud for that, and he wasn't sure he could make it as a musician. He'd survived doing odd jobs before; if he had to, he could do it again. "Only one problem..." he said with a smile. "I have to get up."

"Or we could stay here a while longer," she offered sweetly, drawing her toes against his calf as she grinned up at him. Jack might consider himself penniless, but he wasn't accounting for the natural generosity of the Granger family. Gods alone knew what Lena was up to, but Jaz had a feeling both Tommy and Jack would have accounts at the bank by the end of the week if they didn't already. She nipped fondly at his lower lip, dropping down onto her back as finally her arms and legs unwound from him. "Fine, loom over me in all your sexy Adonis glory. I promise, no drooling no matter how much I'm enjoying the view."

Bank account or not, Jack wasn't the type to take well to charity. Like Jasmin, he wanted to make it on his own. Only time would tell what his reaction would be to the generosity of the Grangers, but knowing Jack, he'd probably want to repay every penny. He smiled as she nipped at his lips, feeling his body reacting to her teasing, but knowing if they didn't receive some sustenance soon, they might both collapse from exhaustion before long. He laughed at her comment as she unwound herself from around him. "Adonis" Me? I don't think so. You, on the other hand, you're Venus, like the song."

"Shush, you, I'm expressing my opinion of your manly gorgeousness," she informed him with a grin, lying back beneath him. He had a clear run to stand up now, if he could bear to drag himself away. She didn't believe a word of his comparison with Venus, but didn't argue the point, just blushing a little as she chuckled. "Help me up, sexy."

He mirrored that blush as she complimented him yet again. He hardly believed it, but he was starting to believe she believed it. He stumbled to his feet, leaning down to offer her a hand and pull her to her feet, eyes moving over her, his body betraying him yet again, obviously reacting to the gorgeous view in front of him. A goddess on the mountaintop, was burning like a silver flame...

Drawn up onto her feet with him, she lingered close, too easily distracted by his presence to recall quite why they'd stood up at all for a moment. Her hand pressed over his heart as she looked up at him, preferring to feel him than to ogle for now. "You shouldn't be looking at me like that if you're really sure about wanting breakfast," she warned him playfully, letting her hand roam to cup and squeeze a rear end that was begging to be nibbled at some point.

He blushed again, as he caught the meaning of her remark, clearing his throat and doing his best to ignore it for now and not imagine what it would be like to pour syrup all over her body. Of course, that mental image only had him blushing all the more. "I, uh..." Completely distracted, he lost the thread of the conversation. "What?" he asked as he turned to her with the bread and knife in hand.

Grinning at his distraction, she paused for a moment to add milk to the mixture in the blender before setting the carton down. "I asked you if you usually eat sweet stuff for breakfast," she repeated, flashing him a cheeky glance, unable to resist adding, "There's syrup in the cupboard we can play with later, if you like."

He cleared his throat again, clearly distracted and a little perplexed by her remark. "I, uh....think we should stick to breakfast for now." He set the knife and the loaf of bread down on the counter, wondering if there was anything else he could do to help. "You, uh, want me to make some coffee or something?" If he could figure out how to work her coffee pot. He'd managed Lena's alright, once she'd explained it to him. It wasn't all that different from what he was used to back in his own time. "Does it seem weird to you that I'm from 1975?" he asked, taking a lean against the counter to watch her.

"Uh, sure." She nodded, fixing the lid securely onto the blender, checking it with the paranoia of someone who hasn't checked before and doesn't want to end up wearing egg again. "The coffee's in the jar next to the pot, filter papers are behind it." Her finger hovered over the button as he leaned nearby, hazel eyes lifting curiously to his face with a small smile. "Not really," she admitted. "It's all to do with growing up on Rhy'Din. You get used to things other people find weird and fantastical." Her finger pressed down, and for a few seconds, the violent whirring of the blender filled the kitchen. When it was shut down, the liquid inside looked distinctly unappetizing, but when opened, it smelt rather good.

He still couldn't quite grasp the idea of tomatoes with eggs, but he was willing to try just about anything once and had, sometimes not to his credit. He would have commented further on his feelings of being something of an oddity - something that didn't seem to bother Tommy in the least - but the noise of the blender suddenly drowned out any chance for conversation, at least temporarily. He turned his attention to making a fresh pot of coffee, obviously able to find his way about a kitchen without too much trouble, glancing over when the blender finally finished with its whirring, curious what the egg mixture looked like now that it was concocted. It didn't look particularly appealing, but he was never one to judge a book by it cover.

Firing up her stove, Jaz made a loud clang as she set the griddle on it to warm up, turning to pour the mixture into a bowl so she could more easily dip the bread. It was a strange reddy-brown color by now, but she obviously had complete faith in what she was doing. He could at least trust her not to poison him - if she didn't want him to leave her, she certainly wasn't going to kill him off with her cooking. And true enough, as the first slices started to do their thing on the griddle, the smell was mouth-watering. She obviously knew a thing or two about making breakfast interesting, at the very least.

He couldn't argue with the fact that however weird the concoction sounded, it sure as hell smelled good, especially when combined with the smell of coffee brewing. His stomach agreed with the assessment by growling loudly, reminding him that he hadn't eaten since the previous evening. "So, if you don't use syrup, what do you put on top?" he asked, curiously, wondering if she intended to top the fried bread slices at all. Maybe it wasn't even necessary. He wasn't exactly a chef in the kitchen, but he have a knack for cooking, more out of necessity than anything else, which stemmed from the fact that he had never had a mother, but that was a story for another time.

"Well ..." Jaz shrugged, the pile of French tomato toast growing steadily as she mopped up the last of the mixture with the last piece of bread. "Salt to taste, or sometimes I'll fry bacon and have it like a sandwich. Whatever you think'll go together." She chuckled, flicking her hair back out of her face. "I experiment a bit when I'm cooking."

He contemplated that a moment before replying, "Okay, that makes sense. Sort of like a veggie omelette." Or the sort of thing you just threw together when you were in a mood to experiment and wanted to use up some leftovers. "I did most of the cooking back home," he remarked, biting his tongue as he very nearly revealed more about his past than he'd planned on, turning to check on the progress of the coffee, visibly tensing just a little. "I've been thinking..." Which said more for Jack, than for Tommy. It was obvious which was the more contemplative of the pair. "If this is 2013, then what happened to me back in 1975" I mean, did I just become a missing person or what? If I look myself up, will I find anything?"

"Hmm." It was an interesting question, and one she hadn't really considered. So many people came to Rhy'Din every year, she had just assumed that everything was taken care of before they got here. Wiping her fingers dry on a cloth, she chewed her lip as she thought that one through. "Well, I'd assume that if you looked yourself up, you'd find a paper trail that just stops. There might be a missing person's report, if you have family you didn't say goodbye to or friends or whatever, but with no leads, that would just fall by the wayside, too."

He paused a moment again, chewing at his lip as if contemplating a response. "I won't find a paper trail, at least, not as Jack Smith." Was it too obvious that his name was a fictitious one" He had purposely chosen that name for himself because of it was so common, so ordinary. Tommy's name, as fake as it was, had become fairly well known, at least among the surfing scene, but no one knew Jack, and though he wanted to be a musician, it wasn't a desire for fame that drove him, but a passion for music. "Tommy's my only friend," he admitted. "He's been like a brother to me. He's the only family that matters." He reached up to open the cupboard doors in search for a couple of coffee mugs.

She studied him for a moment, setting the plate of French toast between them on the counter. There was another clang as she dropped the griddle into the sink, sending up a cloud of steam when she turned the tap on to give it a quick but thorough scrub. So ....if he did have family back home, he didn't consider them to be family. And he'd mentioned brothers. Jaz frowned slightly. "Are you worried about someone coming to find you?" she asked him softly, approaching it from a different direction.

Her hand rose to touch his tense jaw, fingers stroking gently. "You're right, I don't know Tommy," she agreed softly. "And I said something stupid, out of concern for my cousin. But that doesn't mean I'm automatically set against him. He's your friend, he means a lot to you. I'd be an idiot if I took against him for no reason, and I don't think I'm an idiot. So just ....take it easy, okay' I'm not going to hurt him, and I'm sure as hell that Lena won't. Okay?"

"I care about Lena, too, you know," he pointed out, needing her to understand that as well, though if push came to shove and he was forced to choose sides, he'd always come out on Tommy's side. "It wasn't easy coming here," he admitted further. Maybe it was for Tommy, but not so much for him. "There's just....there's nothing left for me back home. Not without Tommy, and I think he feels the same about Lena. The truth is I think if he had to choose between us, he'd probably choose her." He smiled a little at the irony of that statement, which made his heart ache all the more, whether it was true or not. "I came here because Tommy came here." He shrugged, as if that explained everything.

"You're not going to make him choose, though, are you?" Jaz pointed out with a gentle smile. "And I know for a fact that she would never ask him to make a choice like that. For better or for worse, the three of you are in this together now, and believe me when I say that Lena will do everything in her power to keep you from feeling left out. She really will."

He shrugged again, relaxing his vice grip hold on that coffee mug a little. "Doesn't matter, does it' I'm happy for them. I really am. I'm glad they found each other." He smiled at the memory of their last night together in California, wondering if things would ever be like that between them again. "We were like the Three Musketeers for a few days. All for one and one for all, and all that." There was that shrug again, as if he truly believed all that was over. He was the third wheel and he knew it, but it didn't really matter so long as Tommy and Lena were happy. "Anyway, point is, I know Tommy, and he's head over heels for Lena. I don't think you have to worry."

"It does matter, Jack." Jasmin was aghast that he could so easily discount himself from the equation, so easily believe that his happiness didn't matter as much as that of his friend. "They don't want you to be unhappy, that is blindingly obvious. You're as important to them as they are to you, why can't you see that?"

He felt the wellspring of tears prickling at the back of his eyes again at the thought of that, reminding himself that he hadn't lost a brother but had gained a sister, and maybe even a girlfriend by coming here, and that brought a faint smile to his face, even as the tears welled in his eyes. He'd been lonely far too long, with only Tommy to hold onto. It was hard to believe those long years of loneliness might really be at an end. "I know they do. I think that's probably why they introduced me to you." His fingers twitched against the mug, as he held himself back from touching her.

"Yeah, they could have been a bit more subtle about that," she drawled through her smile, leaning close to kiss him softly. "Plus, you know, from what I hear, Dru's adopted you as a big brother. The little princess is pretty picky about who she spends her time with." She swept her thumb over his lips, her forehead resting against his for a long moment. "Things are looking up, sweetie. That's all that really matters."

He smiled a genuine smile finally when she kissed him, nearly dispelling the sour mood, and he actually laughed a little at the mention of Dru. "Yeah, well....I'm a little like a stray dog that's followed her home, I think," he replied, assuming Dru had taken to him more out of pity than anything else, but he was in complete agreement with her final assessment of the situation, his eyes sparkling a little with either tears or a hint of hopeful optimism. "Yeah, they are." He couldn't deny that. He was more hopeful about the future than he'd been in a long time, and he really had Lena to thank for it.

Jaz rolled her eyes at his assumption about Drusilla. "She's never had brothers and sisters," she told him. "Enjoy it, she certainly is." Looping her arm around his neck, she drew Jack into a warm embrace, dropping a gentle kiss to his neck before pulling back. "Now ....are you brave enough to try my toast, or do I have to pin you down and force-feed you so you have the strength to ravish me on the table when we're done?"

"She has a whole family of them now," he pointed out, wondering what it was she saw in him that she seemed to want to adopt him. He wasn't a Granger; he was, in fact, a complete stranger, but then, in a way, so was Dru. He was fond of "the kid", as he and Tommy had come to refer to her, feeling a certain sense of kindred toward her, whether they were of the same blood or not, though he couldn't quite explain. Two lost souls, two stray pups, both of them out of their element maybe. He smiled into her kiss as she drew him close, chuckling a little at her threat. That would certainly be a first for him. "Like that's a big threat," he remarked as she pulled away.

"Could be it's a promise," she offered with a grin, choosing that moment to fold a slice of French toast and stuff half of it into her mouth, proving once and for all that she really wasn't the kind of girl who had fussy habits. Winking at him over her full mouth, she gestured to the plate.

He laughed as she almost comically shoved half the slice of toast into her mouth and picked up a slice of his own toast to duplicate her efforts, though not quite so messily.

The seriousness of their conversation dissolved as he laughed, their attention turning to the food they'd made to share. Jaz pulled her chair close beside his, draping her bare legs over his lap as she ate, some part of her wanting to keep contact with him for as long as she possibly could. That almost argument could have killed them before they had even begun, but they'd managed to talk it out without hurtful words being spoken to one another. It was a good sign, giving her a little more confidence in the potential of what they were sharing.

He chuckled a little when she slid her legs onto his lap, blushing a little at the familiarity and even possessiveness of that gesture, knowing her legs were bare beneath his t-shirt. The argument - if it had even been that - was forgotten, and he even felt a sense of relief for having shared those feelings with her and cracked himself open that little bit more. It was heartening to know they could disagree on something and still find a way to agree, despite their personal feelings. It was something that was rare in a relationship, he thought, egos too often getting in the way. He finished his breakfast in almost record time, hungrier than even he had realized. There had been days where he'd gone without eating back home, but ever since meeting Tommy, all that had changed.

By the time the plate was empty, Jaz was very nearly in his lap, cuddled close as she sipped her coffee, her head resting comfortably against his shoulder. The closeness wasn't essential, exactly, but she felt the need to touch and be touched in a way she'd not had with anyone before him. Even in less that a full twenty-four hours, Jack was proving to be a very special man, and she realized she was going to have to buy Lena and Tommy something nice to thank them for dropping him into her lap. "So," she mused, lifting her head to look into his eyes, "what was it we were planning to do with the day?"

"Get to know each other better, I thought," he replied, wrapping an arm around her legs, just because he could and because he craved that contact, as innocent as it was. He was quickly becoming fond of this gorgeous goddess he'd been set up with, though as yet, they hardly knew each other. Getting to know each other was half the fun, as they say, and he was just starting to find out how true that was. "I'd take you for a walk on the beach, but it's a bit of a drive." The grounds of Maple Grove, however, were park-like and lovely this time of year, and might serve as a suitable replacement.

Unfortunately for him - and maybe her - he was still wearing his pants or he might have rutted her right there on the landing, but the gentleman in him took over and he found himself frowning hesitantly down at her, unsure what to do now that he had caught her. Instead of asking, he went with his instincts and kissed her, letting nature take its course in deciding what happened next.

His kiss captured a moan as she rose to meet him, laughter giving way to something just as enjoyable but altogether far less innocent as her arms rose to curl around him, gently drawing her nails down his back. Testing the waters, so to speak. He was a little less experienced than she was, and part of the fun was learning where the lines were, after all.

Her nails against his back elicited the desired response as his kisses gave way to a groan, and even in their state of half-dress, they were both suddenly wearing too much clothing for his tastes. As such, his hands fumbled to find the hem of her shirt and the warm body that was hidden beneath the cloth, as his kisses trailed away from her lips to graze her neck. He felt that same hurried, frenzied flare of arousal he had just a short while ago and wondered if that feeling of urgency ever really went away.

As that flare passed from him to her, she arched against him, the curl of her legs tightening despite herself as her hips rocked to his. Her head tilted for his lips, ghosting a tender groan of her own against his ear as she shuddered under his touch, her hands releasing him from that tantalizing caress against his back to reach for the fly of his pants. Maybe one day soon they'd have the patience to take their time with one another, but for now, the urgency to feel him inside her, with her, was too much to ignore.

He heard himself groan yet again as she reached to undo his pants, impatiently needing to feel himself inside her once again. There were no words to describe that feeling - it was sheer ecstasy to feel himself buried in her warmth and to know that she wanted him as much as he wanted her. He kissed her again, pulling away to hurriedly help her with his zipper and wiggle his way out of his jeans, at least far enough that he could accomplish his goal and satisfy their craving for the other.

With his hands replacing hers at his pants, she arched to drag the t-shirt up and over her head, easily succumbing to his obvious desire to see and touch her, and for once, not feeling the slightest bit self-conscious about offering that temptation without much prompting. As impatient as he to feel that joining once again, she was quick to help him push at his pants, her feet easing the material down his legs as she arched to him once again with an imperious moan. There was no pleading this time, no quiet question; just the demand that he take her, and fast, before some part of her imploded from the shuddering voltage of her desire for him.

He wasted little time in fulfilling her unspoken request, blue eyes locked with hazel as he crashed into her, hips crashing against hers creating a frenzy of friction between them as they sought to extinguish the fire that was burning between them the only way he knew how. He caught her lips, mouth devouring hers as his body claimed her, using her and being used, almost frenzied in his desire to have her again.

There was very little about this frenzy that offered romance, but that didn't seem to matter to either of them. This was about need and desire, the need to be with each other, the desire to reacquaint themselves with the other as intimately as it was possible to be. Caught and claimed, she rose with him, nails dragging down his back once again as moans turned to groans of pleasurable frustration, her fingers tangling in his hair as he ravished her mouth with the same tender ferocity he showed to her body. So ready to be used by this man, her lips broke from his as she crested the tidal wave of bliss that ripped through her, crying out his name in a breathless exclamation of desperate satisfaction.

He swallowed up her cries of his name as his mouth covered hers, moaning against her lips as his body shuddered in delight, hardly believing this was really and truly happening and not some crazy dream. Words of love echoed through his brain, never quite making it to his lips, as engaged as they were, some part of him knowing it was too soon to declare his undying love and that it was more likely lust he was feeling that was slowly and inevitably turning to love. As the tidal wave of bliss washed over them both, two hearts pounded in unison, breath mingled in hungry kisses that were slowly turning languid as their passion rose, crested, and ebbed slowly away, leaving at least him breathless and satiated and ridiculously lazy. He laughed a little nervously when he realized what he'd just done, flushing in embarrassment and even going so far as to apologize. "I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me." Actually, he did. It was a little thing called desire.

She giggled softly, drawing her palm gently against his cheek to pull him down into a softer kiss. "Never apologize for wanting me," she told him in a whisper. "I'm never going to apologize for wanting you." Her hands smoothed down his back, retracing the path her nails had taken in search of any sign that she'd done damage in her own lustful frenzy. "Did I hurt you?"

Drawn down into that kiss, he felt his pulse slowing, knowing it was his turn to move, but feeling heavy and lazy and utterly content, at least for the moment. "No," he replied, brushing his lips against hers and for just a moment, letting her feel the weight of his body against hers as he blanketed her with his body, sighing softly.

She welcomed the weight of him over her, reveling in the heat they shared as her lips played against his, her hands still gentle as she stroked up and down his back. His hair tickled her face, making her giggle as she drew back to smile at him, hands rising to gently tease his hair back from his brow. "You're so beautiful," she murmured, and somehow it was obvious that she wasn't just talking about his looks. She was talking about him, everything that made him who he was.

He smiled at her compliment, though he didn't really believe it. Honesty seemed to be a trait they both valued, and he had no reason not to believe her, even if he didn't believe it about himself. "You're amazing," he murmured, his voice close to her ear, his breath warm against her neck. He drew another deep sigh, knowing he had to get off her or he was going to fall asleep right there on the floor. "You still up for a shower?" he asked, lazily, making no attempt to move just yet.

She smirked, turning her head to let her lips brush his cheek. "That depends," she mused playfully. "Are you still up for it?" As she said this, however, her meaning got a little muddied, given the provocative way she undulated beneath him. Well, she had said every available surface in the house. The couch and the landing were just the tip of the iceburg.

He smiled as he felt her move against him and he caught her meaning. "I'm up for anything, but you're gonna wear me out," he warned, wondering if she wanted him to have another got at it here or wait til they hit the shower.

"Well, we can't have that," she laughed, nipping affectionately at his lips. "I guess we're going for the marathon, not the sprint, huh?" Giggling, she eased her arms from around him, letting herself drop back against the floor with a grin. "Come on and wash me, gorgeous, before I give into the urge to tie you to the bed for a few weeks."

He smirked a little, once again betraying the fact that he did, indeed, have a sense of humor when the situation called for it. "I told you I was willing to try anything once." He reluctantly pulled away from her, reaching down as he did so to pull her to her feet, but only so that he could pull her close and kiss her again before allowing her to lead him to the shower and the next round of lovemaking. One thing was certain ....by the time he saw daylight again, Jack was going to be in no doubts about the new found affection Jasmin Granger had for him.

((These Granger women work fast, don't they' :grin: Huge thanks to Jack's player!))