I've had the idea for this story for a while, since shortly after the challenge started, but I had no intentions of entering the challenge. Unfortunately, the idea wouldn't leave me alone, so I decided I'd go ahead and try to write it (nothing like waiting til the last minute, huh?). I actually told at least a couple of people that I didn't plan on posting unless/until I completely finished writing it. However, even though it's supposed to be a short story, I realized that I wasn't sure I'd be able to post it all before the deadline if I wait until then. So, somewhat against my better judgment, I'm gonna start posting now. Assuming Jack, Sue, and the rest of the gang cooperate and stop trying to change the story on me, I will hopefully finish in time. Posting at this point is either a huge leap of faith or sheer stupidity, as I sometimes write out of order and more of the end is written than the beginning.

Tracy

A recipe for disaster -- that’s what this was turning out to be. With a yelp of pain he dropped the pan of burnt cookies and dived for the faucet, sighing in relief as the cold cascade of water cooled the burn streak across his fingertips. Even his oven mitts weren’t cooperating, he thought, eyeing the gaping hole in one of them.

His latest baking spree had turned into a weekend long marathon, dotted with one disaster after another. In his estimation, sugar should not look exactly like salt. Accidents were bound to happen and he was sure he wasn't the first person to put a cup of salt into a batch of cookies. And who knew there were so many kinds of sugar anyway? Demerra, yellow, dark brown, fine, confectioner’s, cane…They looked different, felt different and definitely yielded different results when added to a batch of cookie dough. And since when did roll out cookies mean flattening out with a rolling pin, not rolling the dough into a ball? Or why hadn’t his mother warned him that baking soda and baking powder were not interchangeable? And that eggs came in different sizes but recipes didn’t specify which size was called for?

Head spinning, he muttered his exasperation in unflattering terms as he turned off the tap and set about cleaning the kitchen…again. He’d done little else the past two days and he was no closer to finding the perfect recipe, and the contest was this week! Cursing the collective bad luck of the ‘bullpen boys’ as Lucy had dubbed them he took out some of his frustration on the hapless charred remains of what were supposed to be his grandmother’s never-fail hermit cookies. He’d likely have to become a hermit after this fiasco was all over.

“Eleanor Rippendorf!” Her name rolled off his tongue like the vilest of oaths and he took great delight in upending the cookie tray into the garbage. If only Eleanor could be dismissed that easily.

She had cornered their unsuspecting group at a restaurant, just as she had in previous years, catching them unawares as they wolfed down a hasty lunch without the girls for protection. Sue and Lucy had gone to Charlie’s on some errand and Tara had been at an ill-timed dental appointment, which left the men of the team vulnerable to the attack.

Eleanor had swooped in, a chilling combination of coos and trills as she launched into her latest charity project. A celebrity bake off.

“That’s great, Eleanor, but we’re not celebrities,” he had pointed out with a false sense of relief.

“You are to me, fellas,” she’d said as she batted her eyelashes and pursed her lips. He’d known a moment of blind panic when he thought she was going to lean over and kiss him but D had deftly distracted her by lamenting his unavailability due to his married status.

“This time it doesn’t matter, handsome. We’re looking for the best cooks DC has to offer from all walks of life. I’ll put you in our Community Service Worker division. All we need from you is a plate of your very own home baked cookies and the recipe, written out in your own manly script. Our discerning judges…of which I am one…(twitter)…will provide the necessary tastebuds…(she rolled her tongue and poked it out the side of her mouth along with a suggestive wink)…We’ll decide who gets into the semi-finals. The finals take place on the Fourth of July when you’ll head up a hand-picked team to bake your cookies in our outdoor ovens and the public will decide who our top twelve winners will be. They win a page in our…Hunk of the Month calendar…photo and recipe included. All proceeds go to the children’s hospital…How can you say no to that?”

A hearty round of nays had echoed through the restaurant and that was that until the call came from upstairs. In the interest of improving public relations it was deemed beneficial for certain agents to volunteer their services to a charitable cause…

He’d been baking each weekend ever since and had yet to find an edible recipe and now time was running out.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures" he mumbled to himself as he reached for the phone “Time to swallow your pride and ask for help, Hudson!”

Not that he had to actually be desperate to call Sue...that just didn't sound right! But he did have to be desperate to swallow his pride and admit defeat.

Sue had been kind enough to offer to help him as soon as she heard about the bake-off, knowing he wasn’t exactly in his element in a kitchen. She knew his area of expertise in the kitchen consisted mainly of popping microwavable meals into the microwave and boiling water (of course, he hadn’t even always been successful at that...there was that one time he almost burned down the apartment when boiling water).

But he, being the macho Special Agent that he was, had refused her offer of help, as if she were trying to offer him a map, determined to prove that he could do this on his own! But, alas, he conceded, he was wrong...he needed Sue to help rescue him, and his kitchen, from this disaster!

He needs her for a lot more...hopefully he figures that out by the end of the story.

kav

I agree with Kav...that man needs help not just in the baking department. Ok Jack hopefully by the end of this story...you will have told Sue how you feel at least!

Better late then never tis*me

you started

yup he needs more than her help in the kitchen, looking forward to more

cath

Before Jack had finished dialing Sue’s number, there was a knock at his door. Hanging up the phone and going to the door to answer it, he was surprised to see Sue and Levi in front of him.

“Are you a mind reader, Thomas?” Jack asked with a grin and a wink.

“Huh?” Sue asked confused.

“I said are you a mind reader?” he asked again, as well as signing it. “I was just in the process of calling you!”

“Oh, really? What for?” Sue asked pursuing her lips.

“Well...umm...you know how you offered to help me with the bake-off?” he asked hesitantly.

“Yes, and you flatly refused my offer” she answered looking a little dejected.

“I’m sorry...I wasn’t rude, was I?” he asked worriedly.

“No, just very insistent” she answered. “Why do you ask?”

“Well...umm..well” Jack bumbled.

“Yes?” Sue prompted.

“The truth is I desperately need you, Sue!” he blurted out.

i hope he stops there and doesn't start his usual bumbling and dancing

cath

Tracy - Don't worry, if you don't get this finished I'll follow it to WIP!

Glad Jack swallowed his pride and decided to call Sue.

I think Sue knew he would need her help and gave him just enough time to realize it! Oh, desperate times calls for desperate measures! Way to go Sue! Throw him off keel! I love it!

Lynn

Maybe now's the time he should start listing all those needs!

kav

My thoughts exactly kav!!!!

Remember to list allllll of them Jack!

I love how Sue came to the door, followed by Jack telling her that he desperately needed her. I wonder what her reaction will be. Lead on, tis*me.

Well, Jack, hopefully your pride won't be too crushed

fantastic start you have me hooked more soon please
Lin

Tracy, I'm glad to see you have entered the challenge!!!

I'm equally glad to see that Jack knows he desperately needs Sue, hopefully not just for baking!!!

Joy

Thanks so much for the replies!

Blushing, clearing her throat, and raising her eyebrows questioningly, Sue waited for further explanation as Jack nervously ran his hand through his hair giving him that adorable rumpled look.

“Umm...what I meant to say...umm...was I...umm...I desperately need...umm...your help...umm...with the bake-off!” Jack answered as quickly as he could spit it out, having turned a vivid shade of red at his slip of the tongue.

“Oh...” Sue said, looking a little disappointed. “Well, I guess it’s a good thing I brought this then” she said with a small smile and a wink, having pulled out a small box from her purse.

“What is that?” Jack asked curiously.

“A recipe box...” Sue answered. “Umm...do you mind if we actually come IN or do Levi and I have to stand outside of your apartment the whole time we’re here?” she asked, pursuing her lips, tongue in cheek, to keep from chuckling at how much her sudden appearance seemed to have flustered him.

“Oh, wow, I’m so sorry...I don’t know where my manners are...please come in and have a seat” he said, moving out of the doorway to allow them to enter. Once Sue had sat down on the couch, he sat beside her and reached down to pet Levi. “Hey, there, buddy! I’m so happy to see you!”

“So, you’re only happy to see Levi, huh?” Sue asked teasingly.

“Of course not, I’m thrilled to see you too!” Jack said.

“Well, yes, I guess you are...since you desperately need me” she said with a teasing smile, which flustered Jack even more. “Solely for my baking skills, of course...” she continued with a wink. “By the way, has anybody ever told you how adorable you are when you’re flustered?”

“Actually, I believe someone has” Jack answered playfully.

“Oh really? Who would that be?” Sue asked curiously.

“An incredibly beautiful, sweet, sexy, smart, compassionate woman who I’m head over heels in love with” he answered.

“And do I know this woman?” Sue asked.

“I believe you might...” he answered. “She’s my girlfriend”.

i'm really hoping they are together and this is a liutle good natured teasing or else i'm gonna have to come over there and sort you out

although we could go another jack/ allie or jack/some other woman story

cath

Im hoping they are together as well please not jack with
anyone else only sue but love the banter between them more soon please
Lin

He's talking about Sue, right???

Joy

I'm sure they're talking about Sue or why else would she have showed up with the recipes?

Tracy...you tease almost as much as Jack and Sue in that post! Loved it! Now, is he gonnat take her in his arms and tell her he is not teasing? I hope! I hope!

Lynn

Cath, what exactly do you mean by "sort you out"?
Should I be scared?????
How about a Jack/Eleanor story?

Lynn, me tease??????

Tracy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Oh...” Sue said. “And when did you start dating?”

“Just recently, actually, but we’ve known each other for years; she’s my best friend” he said.

“I thought Bobby was your best friend?” she questioned.

“Well, he was my best friend...until I met her” he said. “But, shush, don’t tell Bobby I said that...” putting his index finger to his lips, revealing the red streak caused by his earlier disastrous escapades in the kitchen.

“Jack!!!!” Sue exclaimed in horror, grabbing his hand and examining it to find the burn streak was not only on his index finger but ran across all his fingertips on his right hand. “What did you do?” she asked looking up at his face for an answer.

Smiling a quirky grin and shrugging, he said sheepishly “Burned myself”.

“Really, no kidding????? I kinda had that figured out, Hudson! Don’t you know you’re supposed to use oven mitts?” she asked.

“Of course I do!” he said indignantly.

“Then why didn’t you?” she asked.

“I did!”

“Then how did this happen?” she asked, skeptical that he really had.

“Come here” he said taking her hand and leading her to the kitchen. Picking up the offending oven mitt he handed it to her and unnecessarily pointed out the gaping hole.

“Jack you’re supposed to use one that doesn’t have a hole in it, so this doesn’t happen!” she said teasingly after taking his hand again.

Pursing his lips and giving her an irritated look he said “It didn’t have the hole in it when I started!”

A small chuckle escaped Sue's lips as she shook her head.

“What’s so funny?” he asked, un-amused.

“I’m sorry...you REALLY do need help desperately don’t you!”

“Yep...as hard as it is for me to do, I’m swallowing my pride and admitting defeat! Are you happy?” he asked.

Ignoring his question she asked one of her own “Does it hurt?”

“What?” he asked thrown by the swift shift in their conversation.

“It looks like it hurts. Does it?” she asked holding his hand in hers again and examining the burn mark with a look of concern on her face.

After making sure she was looking at him again, he shrugged and said “Yeah!”

“Want me to kiss it and make it better?” she asked with a sly smile and a wink.

“Miss Thomas!!!!!” he exclaimed. “I’m shocked!!!!! What would your boyfriend say?”

Blushing, she answered “You have a point! And he does tend to have a nasty jealous streak...you think I should ask him what he thinks?”

“I think it would only be proper!” he declared.

“Okay.............Jack?”

“Hmmm?” he asked, staring deep into her hazel eyes.

“Is it ok if I kiss you?” she asked with the most brilliant smile he had seen since he declared his love for her.

“There’s nothing I’d like better, sweetheart” he answered.

She kissed his fingers one by one then asked “Better?”

“Infinitely! But...”

“But what?” she asked, concerned.

“I think I may have burned my lips too!” he said winking and smiling.

“Oh, well then...I guess I need to kiss them and make them better too!”

Wrapping her arms around his neck, they kissed passionately, the reason for her visit taking a backseat to their new-found romantic relationship.

This is going really, really well. I could just see that scene. It was so what you would expect from the characters after they got together.

Kim

loved it, nice warm fuzzies

cath

that was wonderful pleased they are together
Lin

Good thing cath didn't have to sort you out...this way you can continue on with the story! Loved their teasing.

kav

Thanks so much for the wonderful comments y'all! Yes, Kav, I'm very glad Cath didn't have to sort me out!

Some time later, sitting on the couch snuggled together, Jack said to Sue “So, you brought a recipe box? So you really are a mind reader then?”

Chuckling she said “Jack, if I was a mind reader, I don’t think it would have taken us over four years to both finally declare our love for one another and start officially dating!”

“You have a point!” he said smiling.

“I just know you very well!” she said. “And the contest is this week, so I figured if you hadn’t found the perfect recipe by now, you were definitely going to need some help!”

“So, what’s in that recipe box of yours?”

Reaching for the box, she opened it up and said “I’ve narrowed it down to three of my favorites: No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies, Monster Cookies, and Butterscotch Brownies”

“They all sound good! But brownies? It’s supposed to be cookies, isn’t it?”

“Yes, but brownies are sometimes referred to as bar cookies....besides, do you really think Eleanor would object and allow you to be disqualified?” she said with a huge grin and a wink.

Sighing, he said “Probably not! So you think a no-bake cookie would be allowed?”

“Sure! Why not?”

“So, what do we need for each of them?” he asked.

Taking out all three recipe cards, Sue began to read each recipe, one by one, as Jack listened, snuggling in closer and intermittently kissing her head, her face, and her neck, causing her to continuously lose her place and have to start over. Finally, giving up on even trying for the time being, she threw the cards into the air, and started kissing him in return.


No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies
½ cup unsalted butter
1 ¾ cup granulated sugar
¼ sup cocoa
½ cup milk
Pinch of salt
½ cup peanut butter (I prefer chunky)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 2/3 cups uncooked quick oats

Cut butter into a few pieces and begin to melt in a large pot. Add sugar, cocoa, milk, and salt and cook over medium high heat, stirring continuously until mixture boils.

Reduce heat to medium and stir for 2 minutes.

Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter and vanilla until well mixed. Stir in oats.

Drop by spoonfuls on waxed paper. This needs to be done relatively quickly, as the mixture tends to become crumbly if it sets too long before being dropped.

Allow to set at room temperature until firm, about 30 minutes. Or you can speed up the process by placing in the refrigerator. And they are very good cold.

The number of cookies the recipe makes varies depending on the size you make them. The size I like to make them tends to make about three dozen.

(A/N: When I was younger, my best friend and I made these a lot with our moms. So, not only are they delicious, they bring back a lot of good childhood memories.)


Monster Cookies
½ pound (2 sticks) butter
3 cups creamy peanut butter
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups brown sugar
4 tsp baking soda
1 ½ tsp vanilla
6 eggs
8 cups uncooked quick oats
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup M&M’s

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Melt butter and peanut butter together. Cool slightly.

In a very large bowl combine sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, vanilla, and eggs. Mix well. Add the melted butter/peanut butter mixture. Mix well.

Stir in oats, chocolate chips, and M&M’s.

Drop generous tablespoonfuls of dough on an un-greased cookie sheet.

Bake 10-12 minutes. Do not over-bake.

Cookies will be soft when they come out of the oven. Let them sit on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a rack to cool.

They can be stored in an airtight container to keep them soft.

Makes about 8 dozen cookies.


Butterscotch Brownies
¼ cup all-vegetable shortening
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 large egg
¾ cup self-rising flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease bottom and sides of square 8 x 8 x 2 pan with shortening.

Melt shortening in saucepan over low heat; remove from heat. Stir in brown sugar, vanilla, and egg. Stir in flour. Spread in pan.

Bake 25 minutes. Cool slightly in pan. Cut into two inch squares while warm.

Makes 16 brownies.

cute post, not so sure about the recipes since i loathe peanut butter and butterscotch, can i eat jack instead?????????

nope?

ok i'll daydream about him then

cath

that was terrific loved the fuzzies inbetween baking more soon please
Lin

If I were Sue I wouldn't be able to concentrate enough to read with all that kissing going on!

kav

I really enjoyed the way that you had them admit their feelings to each other. I could just picture a scene like this.

I love the bantering and teasing!

I have to admit you had me worried there, but you came through I love it!

mmmmm, butterscotch brownies...they sound sooo good I think I'm going to try those!

Eating Jack! That sounds like fun to me!!!!

Jack and Sue's teasing is so cute!! I knew he was talking about Sue!!!

The recipes sound scrumptious!! Now I'm hungry!!!

Joy

Tracy, sorry I'm late to your story, but at least I had plenty to read! And now that I have... great job! Jack and Sue certainly are "cooking"! Love their teasing and most of all, love those kisses. I'm with Kav though... how on earth a female could concentrate with Jack and his lips so close... and begging to be kissed again. OK, that last part wasn't exactly in your story, but you've got my imagination all worked up!

Tina

Thanks so very much for the wonderful comments! I really appreciate it and am so pleased you are enjoying it so far. I have realized that deciding to start writing and posting this as late as I have was definitely sheer stupidity! My original plan where I thought I could finish in time involved me being able to write most of Saturday. Unfortunately I had a headache most of the day and didn't get much written. I'm still in the process of writing the story and I haven't even started posting any of what was the original idea I had for this story! (i.e. the main reason for the title...)

Tracy
~~~~

“Jack, as much as I’ve enjoyed...umm...” she paused, blushing, “spending time with you....”

“You mean making out?” he interrupted, as he also signed the last part, laughing as she turned an even darker shade of red at his question.

“Yes...well...umm...I think we need to start concentrating on the bake-off. Time is quickly running out! So, which recipe do you want to enter?” Sue asked.

“Can we make all three and then see which one I like the best before I decide which one I want to enter for the bake-off?” Jack asked with a huge smile plastered on his face, as if he were a little kid at Christmas.

“Yes, I guess so, but...” Sue answered, surprised.

“But what?” Jack asked.

“Well, we sure will have A LOT of grocery shopping to do! Not to mention needing to buy a few necessary baking supplies which you seem to need, like new cookie sheets and definitely new oven mitts! And...”

“And what?” Jack prompted.

“And we don’t have a lot of time left, and....”

“And what?” Jack prompted yet again.

“And I thought you hated cooking and baking!!!!! We’ll be spending an awfully long time in the kitchen if we’re gonna make all three recipes! It could get really hot in there!”

“That’s what I’m counting on, sweetheart!” Jack said grinning and moving his eyebrows up and down suggestively.

Blushing furiously, Sue swatted his arm and exclaimed “JACK!!!!!!! I meant because we’ll have the stove and oven on for so long!”

“I think I can take the heat if you can?” he challenged.

“Ok...” she said, going to pick up the recipe cards. “Well, we better get to the grocery store soon if we’re gonna attempt to make all three before the end of today.”

“Something tells me I’m really gonna love cookin’ up a storm with you!” he said with a smile and a wink, as he lovingly placed his hand on the small of her back to lead her out of his apartment, relishing the beautiful rosy tint her cheeks had taken on because of his teasing.

jack is so incredibly cute and meltilicious

cath

Meltilicious is a wonderful word to describe Jack in this post.

kav

Im sure they will be very very hot in the kitchen
and any where else for that matter and jack sure is meltilicious I
have to agree with you both cath and kav
Lin

Jack is sooo delciously sweet!!! I love it! I have faith in you Tracey...you can do it!

I'm not totally sure that they are even going to get to the part about turning on the stove and the oven!!!

Joy

I'd say that Jack is having a wonderful time romancing his Sue.

Thanks so much for reading and replying! And thanks for the vote of confidence Ria! I'm not so sure I'll finish in time, but I sure am gonna try! This post seemed longer when I was typing it up...

Tracy
~~~~~~

Having initially planned on doing the grocery shopping first, Jack and Sue realized they needed to get all the necessary cooking and baking supplies they would need first, since some of the groceries they would be buying would be perishables and would be ruined in the sweltering heat of the car if they stopped somewhere afterwards for too long. So they headed to the Bed, Bath & Beyond on 7th Street where they purchased oven mitts, cookie sheets, a huge bowl for the Monster cookies, and various other supplies.

They then headed to the grocery store where they managed to fill an entire shopping cart with all the necessary ingredients for all three recipes, as well as a few other groceries for the dinner Sue had graciously offered to prepare for Jack. After having spent a couple of hours shopping, Jack was surprised that he was actually enjoying himself. He normally hated shopping and usually tried to avoid it at all costs. But being with Sue had made a world of difference in his shopping outlook. Thoughts of grocery shopping during their undercover marriage had crossed both of their minds and brought smiles to their faces. They both had visions of a future together – a future in which they were married, with at least a couple of kids, and a dog, namely Levi, of course.

After double-checking that they had everything necessary for their baking marathon, Jack and Sue returned to Jack’s apartment to get cookin’...

that was terrific loved there shopping trip and how they both thought of there undercover marriage was great but being married for real with the whole thing the house the kids and levi a future together would be wonderful more soon please
Lin

I'm just now catching up this is wonderful! The way you write Jack and Sue is so fun...I love it!

I especially loved this part.

You know, I love watching couples in the grocery store. You can tell a lot about the relationship in that environment! Glad Jack and Sue are having similiar thoughts Bet Sue's never found shopping so exciting!

kav

I actually came across a man and his wife in a local dept. store looking at kitchen utensils and it was the MAN who was oooooing and ahhhhing over them! Sounds like Jack might be that kind of guy. And what a nice picture that makes... Jack and sue in the kichen, concocting all manner of treats. Just like this story... a treat!

Tina

i won't tell you whee my mind was going when i read the name of the store Bed Bath is what you guys would call a sponge bath!!!!!!!!!!!

anyhow back to the story, i thought how cute they looked when they went grocery shopping in the series

looking forward to the rest of this story and i'm sure you'll finish

cath

I have a Bed, Bath and Beyond store near me. Next time I go, I am sure I will think of this story. I agree with Kav that noticing how people interact in grocery stores and in restaurants tells a lot about them.

QUOTE(Cindy01 @ Aug 14 2007, 07:53 PM)

I'm just now catching up this is wonderful! The way you write Jack and Sue is so fun...I love it!

Thank you so much! I really appreciate it!

QUOTE(kmt123 @ Aug 14 2007, 08:38 PM)

Just like this story... a treat!

Tina

Wow, thank you!

QUOTE(learningtosign @ Aug 15 2007, 03:21 AM)

i won't tell you whee my mind was going when i read the name of the store Bed Bath is what you guys would call a sponge bath!!!!!!!!!!!

Oops...it's a very popular store here Cath...Bed, Bath, & Beyond.

Thank you so much everyone for the wonderful comments and the encouragement. I do only have one post left to write, so unless something unfortunate happens, I should finish on time! Have exceeded the word limit for a short story! Oh well...

Tracy
~~~~~~~
After they had unloaded all the groceries and the cooking and baking supplies, Sue made quick work of washing all the new supplies.

“So, are you ready to turn up the heat?” Jack asked Sue teasingly, waggling his eyebrows.

“Jack...” Sue said nervously chewing her lower lip.

“Yes?” he prompted a huge smile still on his face.

“Umm....uhhh...ummm” she uttered, swallowing hard, worried about Jack’s reaction to what she was about to say, but knowing she had to say it.

“What is it, Sue? You’re starting to worry me” he said, a look of concern etched on his face.

“You do realize we can’t go any further than making out?” she said, only signing the last part.

“Yeah” he said nonchalantly and without any hesitation.

“You do?” Sue asked, raising her eyebrows in surprise.

“Of course!” he exclaimed.

“You mean you aren’t gonna break up with me because of it?” she asked.

“Of course not, Sue! I love you!” he said, embracing her lovingly. Gently caressing her cheek with the back of his hand, he continued “And one of the things I love most about you is your faith and convictions. It’s probably the first thing that made me fall in love with you, your love for the Lord and for people. I always knew the woman I would spend the rest of my life with would have to be a Christian, like me. I would NEVER ask you to compromise your beliefs. I know you made a promise to God and yourself to save yourself for marriage” he said gazing deep into her eyes as she stared back, tears of relief and joy starting to pool in her eyes. As the tears gently started to fall down her cheeks, Jack placed his hands on her cheeks, cupping them, and began to gently swipe at the tears with his thumbs.

“And I’ll let you in on a little secret...” he said with a smile. “I made that same promise”.

“You did?” she asked, surprised.

“Yes...” he nodded.

“But...” she started. “Allie?”

He shook his head.

“Kirsten?”

He shook his head once again.

“Jessica?”

“Nope, though she certainly tried very hard...” he said, rolling his eyes.

Sue threw her arms around his neck with such force she nearly toppled him over. Pulling away far enough for her to read his lips, he said with a smile and a wink “Miss Thomas, if I didn’t know better, I’d think you were sending me mixed signals!”

Blushing furiously and dropping her head downward in embarrassment she quietly uttered “I’m sorry!”

Jack quickly put his hand under her chin and lifted it so their eyes met “I was only teasing you, sweetheart, I hope you know that...do you want me to stop with all the teasing and flirting?”

“Heavens, no!” Sue declared with wide eyes and a sheepish grin.

Grinning and winking, he said “So why did you almost topple me over?”

“It’s just...I didn’t think I could love you any more than I already did, but I think I just fell in love with you all over again!” she said. “So, you’ve actually saved yourself for...”

“For you...” he whispered his eyes boring into hers as she saw his love for her, as well as their future together, reflected there.

Jack barely managed to catch Sue before she completely swooned to the ground.

sweet post, glad they get to be exclusive

cath

That was beautiful!

You're very welcome Tracy!

That was a fun and touching post! I love the shopping post...I wish my hubby could enjoy going grocery shopping with me...oh well!

They saved themselves for each other...that was powerful!!!!