Hee Hee. I wonder how Jack will react when Sue returns after lunch? What fun.

Is it just my suspicious mind or did the plan unroll too perfectly?

I'm doing one with you, girl! You did it -- easy as pie!...speaking of which. If Tara made a whole pie and only gave Jack one slice of said pie then that leaves a whole lot of leftover pie. Who is she going to give that to? Personally, I think she should let Jack shovel it all down his throat just so that we're really, really, really sure it's going to take. It is going to take, isn't it, Tina? I mean, he's already thinking along those lines...and sweetly worried about hurting Sue. Which kind of makes me angry but not quite on account of him being so cute. But honestly, like not doing anything isn't hurting her? Duh!

Do we get the chocolate pie recipe? I never had chocolate pie...is there really such a thing?

kav (who had chocolate covered cranberries and they have made me a tad hyper )

Of course there is !!! You mean you've missed out on that delight, Kav? Graham crackers crust, filled with creamy chocolate, covered with whipped cream, sprinkled with grated chocolate ... zero calorie

Oh great...now you got me thinking the same thing. Here I was happy that Tara's plan was woking wonderfully well and now I'm pondering what could go wrong.

hope it's not one of those wierd recipes that makes you fall in love with the first woman who walks in through the door, i mean if it was he could fall in love with arlene or eleanor or allie

i think i need a chocolate fix

cath

Cath, stop thinking and go have a piece of chocolate pie!! We don't want to give Tina any ideas!!!

If I were Tara, I don't think I would leave Jack alone for a second!! I would be hanging over him looking for clues as to whether or not the pie is working!!!

This is a great story, Tina!!!

Joy

I have to confess that I haven't got a recipe for Chocolate Pie....don't think I'd want to eat this particular one anyway. Thanks for your comments everybody.

Sue waved to a colleague as she and Levi stepped into the crowded elevator. On their way to the deli Lucy had remembered an errand she needed to run so Sue had offered to pick up the sandwiches and take them back to the office. It actually worked out well this way, because now Jack wouldn’t have to wait for his lunch and they could eat together. Sue silently reminded herself that Jack was a grown man and could take care of himself. For some reason, though, she just naturally wanted to take care of him, and she hoped that he didn’t ever feel like she was mothering him. If he had, he never appeared to mind.

Jack was alone in the bullpen as she and Levi entered, and she smiled as he looked up at her. Gasping in surprise as he suddenly sprang from his chair with a peculiar look on his face, Sue noticed that his hair was more tousled than normal, like he’d been running his hands through it. “Sue! I thought you and Lucy were going out for lunch…where’s Lucy?”

“Lucy remembered something she had to do, so I brought lunch back here,” she replied, releasing Levi from his leash as she laid her purse along with her and Lucy’s sandwiches on her desk. “She’ll be back in a bit.”

“Oh…. okay,” he replied as Sue walked over to him, holding out his sandwich. He stared at it strangely for a moment before meeting her gaze. “Thank you,” he said, accepting it from her and immediately placing it on his desk. Before she could turn to go to her own desk, he had taken both of her hands in his, the look in his eyes growing in intensity. “You…you’re so…” He didn’t appear to finish his thought, and Sue couldn’t tell if she simply wasn’t reading him correctly.

“Jack? Are you alright?” Her confusion grew as he brought her hands to his lips, gently brushing her knuckles with them. Despite her confusion, her heart fluttered as she met the warmth in his eyes, her skin tingling delightfully where his lips touched her and causing warmth to flood throughout her body.

“No, I’m not alright.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I…I need…”

“What do you need?” The man was leaving her absolutely bewildered, and she could feel her heart pick up speed as she looked into his dark eyes.

“You. I need you, Sue. I’m an idiot for not telling you sooner.”

As she tried to absorb his words she realized she was gaping at him, and she closed her mouth while she tried to form a coherent response. She found that she couldn’t; her legs felt like they were made of jell-o, and he still hadn’t let go of her hands or her gaze. “Jack, I…”

“Sue, please let me say this.” She simply nodded; it was easier than trying to use her voice. “I love you. When I really stop and think about it, I think I’ve loved you since the first day we met. I can’t explain why I haven’t told you sooner. I just…I hope it’s not too late.”

“No,” she said, feeling unshed tears sting her eyes. “It’s not too late.”

His face lit up with a smile and all thoughts fled her mind as he let go of her hands, wrapping his arms around her waist to pull her close. He kissed her cheek before slowly making his way to her mouth, keeping his kisses soft and leisurely. Just when she felt she couldn’t stand it anymore, he pulled her closer, his kisses becoming demands that she was more than happy to oblige.

*****

I don't know if it was really because of the pie, but something sure worked. Wow.

Boy, that sure worked fast!!!

Joy

Obviously my chocolate pie recipe is missing something. I always make one chocolate and one pumpkin at Thanksgiving because hubby doesn't like pumpkin...

Tina I'm so sorry I'm so late but I'm so happy that you are writing - it has been much too long!

YEEEHAW!

Kim

Come to think of it, Tina, I wouldn't mind that recipe at all

woohoo

cath

Wow! That's some recipe. I think Tara could make a fortune on it. My only fear is does its effects last?

He he!!!!!!!!

Yeah - I totally want some of that pie

This is such a cute story! I'm so glad Jack and Sue are together! and in such an origanal way!

it worked

that kiss was amazing!!!!!

Since I played hooky from work today in order to go and get my passport, here's another post!

“Now don’t you look like the cat that swallowed the canary.” The sound of Lucy’s voice caused Tara to jump about half a foot.

“Lucy!”

“I’m sorry…didn’t mean to scare you.”

“It’s okay. I guess I’m just…preoccupied.”

“What’s up?”

Tara put a finger to her lips and pointed toward the bullpen. “Why don’t you see for yourself?” Narrowing her eyes suspiciously, Lucy nevertheless did as she was told. Tara didn’t have to wait long before Lucy came back into the hallway, her eyes wide with excitement.

“Oh my! How long has that been going on?”

“Well, I stepped out of the office for about fifteen minutes and when I returned Sue was back and they were like this, so…”

“Wow!” Lucy exclaimed. She looked ready to burst and Tara wished once again that she could tell her about the recipe. At first, she thought she’d tell everyone, but it hadn’t taken her long to decide that wasn’t the wisest idea. Not only could it potentially have negative implications for her, it would be better if no one knew about the little push she gave Jack. Though she was certain that in time he would have come around on his own, she would let Jack take full credit for this, whether he deserved it or not. “Sue is going to be so happy,” Lucy said with a dreamy smile on her face. “She tried to pretend it didn’t matter, but I know this is what she wanted.”

“Everyone deserves to be happy, and I think it was obvious to everyone but them that they would find their happiness with each other.”

“Yes. I wonder what happened when Sue got back,” Lucy said thoughtfully. “Could Jack really have been that grateful for the sandwich she brought back with her?” The two of them chuckled at the silliness of her words.

“I guess it’s something we’ll never really know for sure,” Tara said with a smile. And it didn’t matter that no one would ever know what had truly happened. The important thing was that two people who belonged together were finally heading in the right direction.

*****

Passport? I'll get the guest room ready - Jack will be so happy to see you.

Why do I sense that this isn't over by a long shot?

i bet lucy wanted to run round he Hoover building screaming 'yes, yes, yes' when she saw them

cath

Is it going to rain on their parade? Do we need umbrella?

This is marvelous! But I have a feeling there is more to this than meets the eye at this point. I think I'll just sit back and wait for the other shoe to drop.

Kim

Phew! When I read the first post, I thought Tara might have been daydreaming. But your second post cleared that notion up.

Jack isn't going to backpedal is he...once digestion takes place????? He better not!

Sue's not gonna flee when she finds out what prompted Jack to spill his innermost thoughts (cause we know she'll find out)?????

ACK! I'm excited but I'm in knots. You do that to me so easily, Tina!

Sorry I'm late to the party, Tina, but I'm here! I'm so excited to see another story from you, hon! And I'm LOVING this one....the humor behind it has me chuckling at my computer, causing my family to look at my curiously as they walk by. Can't wait for more!

You know what? I've read this story, the whole time thinking that the other shoe was gonna drop here, or there, or somewhere....but I've decided to go to the optimist fluffy side, and pretend that there's nothing at all wrong with a short, sweet, and fuzzy story!

So, what's the "like this" ?

I have to admit Tina...I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop as well...nothing ever works that smoothly for Jack and Sue.

I agree with flip. Nothing bad is going to happen once the love potion leaves his system, right? I mean, this is a permanent fix?

Well, I was totally enjoying the surprising potency of that piece of chocolate pie but reading everyone's comments has left me kind of jittery. I'm hoping "like this" refers to And I'm surprised Tara isn't going to market that pie! She'd be a millionaire in no time!

kav

You never know....'Angstina' might have taken a vacation, right???

“You taste like chocolate,” Sue said softly when their lips finally parted.

“Well, you can thank Tara for that,” Jack told her. “She shared a piece of the most amazing pie with me right before you came back.”

“I guess you’re probably not hungry then,” she said, nodding toward the forgotten sandwich.

“Oh, I’m still hungry, just not for a sandwich right now,” he replied, quite enjoying the way her blush deepened as he teased her. Bringing his mouth to hers again, he slowly kissed her, and Sue felt herself growing bolder by the moment as she responded to him.

Jack pulled her body more tightly against his before moving his mouth lower. “The others will be coming back soon,” Sue protested gently as he nuzzled her neck, making her shiver. Being this close to him was intoxicating, and she didn’t want to stop, but she knew their time alone was quickly running out.

Lifting his head, he looked into her eyes again, a new determination on his features. “Come for dinner with me tonight.”

“Okay,” she immediately agreed, not even taking the time to remember if she had any other commitments. Right now, nothing else mattered except being with him. After sharing one more heated kiss they reluctantly stepped apart, just moments before Myles and Bobby walked into the bullpen.

“Did we interrupt something?” Myles asked with raised eyebrows, and Bobby was sporting a dimpled grin.

“Uh…” Sue began, but Jack saved her from continuing when he leaned over and grabbed the sandwich from his desk.

“Actually, we were just about to have some lunch. Sue brought back some sandwiches from the deli.”

“Right, and Lucy should be back any minute,” Sue added, well aware of the fact that her cheeks were flaming as she realized what a close call that had been. She cringed inwardly when she noticed that Jack had a bit of lipstick smudged near his mouth but forced herself to shake off her feelings of embarrassment. For once, it didn’t matter what anyone thought. Jack had told her that he loved her, and he’d kissed her in the middle of the office, not caring that they could have been interrupted at any moment. Looking at him now as he met her gaze with a fiery one of his own, the thought of waiting until the evening to be alone with him again was positively unbearable. Feeling a little guilty for letting this interfere with her work at such an early juncture, she decided there was no harm in her and Jack trying to escape a little early, especially since they probably wouldn’t get much accomplished after what had just transpired. The way she looked at it, they had nothing to lose and she was certain that Jack would agree.

*****

i'm really hoping angstina is on a very long holiday, love the fuzzies

cath

"Angstina"?????? Somehow, instead of the other shoe dropping, I see you sitting there, poised to throw the shoe at us, taking us all by surprise while we sit around and grin about Jack and Sue's recent admissions.

How close am I?

Like I said - with you I'm never quite sure. You be 'da master!

Angstina !! I was waiting for the other shoe to drop, too. It looks like Tina is going to keep us wondering.

Well, while I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop I'm enjoying this: and and but thenIs there subtle foreshadowing in there somewhere?

kav

No matter what happens, that was unforgetable.

I've into a nice warm puddle!

Still waiting for that shoe tho!

Angstina, huh? Well, she'd better be on a long holiday. Everything is just turning out so perfect!!!

If you're worried about shoes dropping, perhaps you should keep a hardhat or bicycle helmet handy. Who knows when one might fall from the sky??? Couldn't hurt to have some insurance, right?? Thanks for all the comments.

Tara couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction as she watched Jack exit the bullpen a couple of hours earlier than normal, followed shortly by Sue, both of whom used excuses that were obviously fabricated, or so it seemed to her. The giving of the pie had all gone so smoothly that she was waiting for the other shoe to drop. She reminded herself it hadn’t all been that flawless. It had taken her a lot longer than she’d imagined to gather the ingredients and at one point she’d wondered if she needed to switch recipes. Of course now that it was all over, she couldn’t believe she’d been getting so wound up about it. She was also feeling more convinced by the moment that there was more to this than mere coincidence. Perhaps there was some magic involved. Lucy rushed over with a contagious grin on her face. “Did you see that? They couldn’t even wait until the end of the day to be together!”

“That’s what it looked like to me, too,” Tara said quietly, trying not to be smug.

“Oh yeah! Jack’s mysterious ‘errand’ and Sue needing to go home to ‘take care of something’ were pretty transparent.”

“Totally.”

“Tara, this is so romantic! I wonder what’s gotten into Jack anyway?” Lucy said thoughtfully.

“Maybe he finally decided he’d wasted enough time,” Tara suggested.

“Maybe…. I probably need to stop analyzing and just be happy for them!”

“Oh, you’ll probably get the scoop when Sue comes home in a few hours,” she said, winking at her friend.

“Yup, there is that!” Lucy agreed, practically floating back to her desk. Tara suppressed a giggle, and she wondered what the guys would say when they found out what had happened. Because even though no one had said anything yet, she knew they’d find out before too long. Naturally, her thoughts drifted to the rest of the Love Potion Pie that currently resided in her refrigerator at home. It seemed like such a waste to throw it away, and the temptation to try this again was very hard to resist. As she cast a glance across the room she wondered if it would hurt to give a little slice to her own object of affection in hopes that he might notice her, but she knew that wasn’t the way it worked. Besides, with her luck, he’d fall for some other woman after eating the pie and she’d be worse off than she was right now! Faint though it was, at least at the moment she had hope.

*****

Just so you all know, Tara was worried about the other shoe dropping before all of the comments about dropping shoes! Guess we all think alike....

Tina, this is a marvelous story! I don't happen to have a hard hat or helmet handy. But my head is extra hard, or so I've been told, so I think I'll be okay. Anyway, this story is definitely worth the risk!

Kim

Well you know life is short - buy the shoes or if they fall from the sky grab them and run!

I'm relieved to know that the pie is safe in Tara's fridge. I thought it was somewhere in the office and Randy would eat some by accident-ugh!

Now that Tara is worried, I'm worried too... I think

sweet post having them both leave early

cath

Great minds may think alike and all, but I have a question for you. What's happening to the other other shoes while we wait for the other shoes to drop? Are there upteen people hopping around on one shoe? Are there mateless shoes lying forlorn in closets all over the world? Are they -- gasp- bundled up in garbage bags bound for the curb on trash day? Oh dear I think we need a shoe smilie, but I guess they are few and far between because not many of them have feet.

kav (who is very sorry, she doesn't know what has gotten into her this morning)

Well... what if Bobby ate it by accident? I mean, she wouldn't exactly be giving it to him to eat, he'd just raid her fridge and think: "OOh! Chocolate pie!" and scarf it down.

After their earlier embraces in the bullpen, Jack was almost surprised to see that Sue’s shy smile was firmly back in place. Not that he minded; he found her shyness incredibly endearing and it also made him want to protect her with the same intensity that she always brought out in him. It wasn’t just his protective streak that was intensified. Every single emotion seemed to be multiplied tenfold when it involved her. “Well, this sure beats being in the office all afternoon. I can’t believe we’re here,” she said softly, her eyes sparkling as she looked at him.

“I’m glad we are,” he told her, laying a gentle kiss against her lips and giving her hand a squeeze. They were on a path that overlooked the edge of the Potomac River, and as he looked out over the water’s glittering surface Jack couldn’t imagine a setting that was more perfect or idyllic. He knew it had more to do with the woman than the setting, though. She sighed---a happy, contented sound, and he put his arm around her waist to pull her a little closer to him as they walked together. Levi ran ahead, investigating the path and sniffing out the various small wildlife creatures there.

It had been such a strange afternoon…wonderful, of course, but completely strange too. Since she’d returned with his sandwich he’d felt a bit out of control and was suddenly grateful that he’d brought Sue to a public place rather than a more intimate one. It had so far proved to be a good way to rein in the desire that was pushing him to lose control. The last thing he wanted to do was to scare her and make a fool of himself in the process. He knew she loved him. She hadn’t actually said it out loud yet, but he could see it in her eyes ---the same look that had been there for a long time. Right now, he had to be content just to hold her, reveling in the fact that he could kiss her when he wanted to, giving action to his thoughts instead of being held prisoner by them. He asked himself again why he’d ever thought this might not work and decided at that very moment that he was going to do everything in his power to make sure that it did. Failure wasn’t an option.

*****


Here's a shoe for you, Kav...

Pssssttttt -- Tiiiiiinnnnnnnaaaaaaa,

I've found them -- look -- Now we don't have to wait for them to drop so we can get back to your fuzzfest of a story.


kav

We posted at the same time. Thanks for the and the I really need that one today.Oh-uh -- this might get a bit tricky and warrant a dropping or two.
That is such a poetic line. Jack, sweetie, you don't have to held prisoner by your thoughts anymore...Sue can turn them into your wildest fantasies That's just what I wanted to hear...er read. But I've just had a truly dreadful thought...so horrendous that I just can't bring myself to put it in print and would warrant a centiped's worth of dropping...hopefully I am wrong.

kav

beautiful post, he's so incredibly sweet

cath

I'm not sure how you worked up a any bad thoughts Kav - I can think of a few rather funny ones but nothing bad! Besides this is Tina and she loves Jack (and Sue)!

Jack Hudson...you are the sweetest man ever!!!!!