Apparently Kealey was more than willing to forget her lessons for at least a little while and just chat with him though she hadn't really given him a clear answer about what she would think. Instead she had turned it back around and said her thoughts about him as some random guy would depend on his own intentions.

"What would I be wanting?" Jacen wondered for a brief moment as he lifted his glass to his lips, taking another sip of the alcohol in order to give him just a moment to think. It was hard to say how he would act around Kealey if she were just some random girl because she wasn't just some random girl.

"I'd probably focus on flirting and maybe buying you a drink or two." Jacen said with a slight smile, teasing and daring the young woman to respond all at once, "But at the same time my mind would be wandering to whether I might get a chance to kiss you and what you might be wearing under that dress. After all, even though I may be a gentleman, I'm still a man."

So now the challenge was in her court. She knew what he would be thinking but now how would she react? Would she be shocked that those kinds of thoughts could come to a stranger's mind? Would she be upset that he could even suggest such an idea? Or was it possible that maybe, just maybe, she would like the idea of his beginning to romance her.

"So now, you have your answer about my intentions, but what would you think about me?"

Without meaning to Jacen's mind suddenly wandered back to the very brief kiss he had given Kealey back on the docks. It hadn't been meant for anything beyond friendship but as he looked at her dressed in her beautiful blue dress he had to wonder what it would be like if they were to kiss again, but this time, with her kissing him back.

Kealey listened intently as Jacen spoke, and no matter how cool and suave she was trying to act, she couldn’t stop the flush that felt like it was rushing through not just her face, but her whole body as Jacen pointed out what exactly his intentions would be if she was just a random girl. Then he mentioned the kissing and Kealey’s mind shot back to the day on the docks, to the things that she hadn’t even dared to think about since that day. The reason she’d ran…and if possible, her blush intensified.

The possibility that Jacen was speaking hypothetically was the furthest thing from Kealey’s mind and as she sat on the bar stool, looking at him, she realized that he’d just given an answer that she’d wanted to hear. The realization that she wanted this attention, not just from anyone, but from Jacen was almost as startling as the last realization that she cared what he thought had been. That’s what he’d meant when he’d said that she’d know if she was attracted to someone. Wow…these things were so easy when all she had to worry about were her own emotions instead of everything going on in the room. Then Jacen spoke again, asking what she would have thought of him. Kealey face was burning, and a million different things were rolling around in her mind as she struggled to sort out how and what she was supposed to say. She took a deep breath.

”If I was a random girl, who couldn’t tell what you were feeling…” Kealey said, ”I would be surprised that someone like you was paying attention to me...then, I’d gratefully accept the offer of a drink...”

Kealey dropped her eyes for a second, took a breath, then looked back up at Jacen, face still bright red and eyes full of curiosity and perhaps a slight glimmer of hope, ”And I’d probably also wonder what it would be like to kiss.” At 9 that morning, if someone had told Kealey Quinn that she would do what she had just done, she would have laughed in their face…but she meant it. Every word. Besides, she was starting to realize something. What good was knowing her own emotions if she didn’t do anything with them?

Why was it that Jacen was only now beginning to notice just how full and lush Kealey's lips were? Sure he had gently brushed them with a kiss a week or two before but as her mouth formed the various words Jacen kept finding himself wondering what it would be like to give her a real kiss. Would she run off again or would she kiss him back this time?

Her answer was nice enough but Jacen was quickly realizing that even though they were still talking about a 'hypothetical' situation, their minds were anywhere but hypothetical, or at least his mind was.

"What do her lips taste like? What does her skin feel like?" The questions bounced around Jacen's mind as he continued to watch the young woman while not even realizing that his gaze was growing more heated and more intense.

Opening his mouth, Jacen found that he didn't have the words to continue their discussion. No, it was time to forget hypothetical and take some sort of action and he'd just have to deal with whatever the consequences were after the fact.

"Forget hypothetical." He finally said as his hand released its grip on her hand and moved up to gently cup her cheek. "You're beautiful Kealey." He murmured before leaning forward and gently pressing his lips against hers. This was different than the kiss he had previously given her because now there was most definitely some heat. He wasn't demanding but instead a touch coaxing as his lips tried to get her to respond while his thumb gently caressed her cheek. Either she was going to kiss him back or she was gonna slap him... there was no other options.

Kealey saw the change in the way Jacen was looking at her and she probably couldn’t have looked away even if she wanted to. Her heart was beating so hard that Kealey wondered if it was dangerous and her breathing had taken on this weird little hitch. When had Jacen gotten so close?

He wasn’t saying anything and Kealey suddenly wondered if she’d taken the whole situation in the wrong light. Oh lord…had she just said everything wrong? Had she overstepped the same boundaries that he’d worried he’d overstepped while they were on the docks? She was just about to speak, but afraid to break the suddenly intense eye contact when Jacen let go of her hand. Her eyes dropped immediately and she was about to stammer out some sort of apology when Jacen spoke. It took a second for the first words to sink in, and when the second ones did, her eyes flew back to his, just as his hand came up to her face.

It wasn’t like the last time. For one, Kealey wasn’t nearly as surprised at what was happening. For another, Kealey wanted it to happen. Yup, she was way past the point of lying to herself about what she was feeling, Kealey definitely wanted what was happening to happen and as Jacen closed the distance between them, Kealey lifted her face to meet his lips.

Unlike the last kiss, Kealey was definitely not thinking about running when Jacen’s lips pressed against hers. In fact, she wasn’t thinking anything. Into the kiss Kealey leaned, eyes closing of their own accord. She was completely unsure if what she was doing was right, but not particularly caring either as one hand moved to grip the lapel of the jacket Jacen was wearing. So many different feelings were coursing through her, even if she’d been concentrating on them, Kealey probably wouldn’t have been able to sort them out. Some she recognized, some she didn’t. Some were scary, more were simply exhilarating and goose bumps rose on her arms and the back of her neck as Jacen’s thumb traced her cheek. One thing was for sure though.

This was so much better than the hamburger had been.

This was a completely different experience than the kiss he had given her before because this time it was both of them sharing a kiss, not just him giving her one. As he deepened the kiss just a little bit more the 'what ifs' began to fly through his mind. What if he wasn't seeing Lori at all? What if he and Kealey weren't sitting on separate bar stools in a crowded club? What if they were back at his or her place? If they had been standing next to each other or sitting next to each other in a booth would be he more daring?

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Jacen slowly pulled is lips away for Kealey's. As he looked at her face his thumb continued to gently caress her cheek. "You're a good kisser." He murmured quietly, "You should do that more often."

The world around them was beginning to seep back into Jacen's mind and even though he knew that it was probably common for couples to have at least light make-out sessions right in front of everyone, that wasn't something he often did and it definitely wasn't a situation he wanted to put Kealey in.

"You want to stick around here and enjoy the club for a while longer or are you ready to go?" He asked quietly, his eyes still heated as he tried to bring his emotions and hormones back under control. How was it that two women that were such polar opposites could both be so sexy? Never in his life would he have ever dreamed that he would be interested in two beautiful blonds at the same time much less dreamed that he would be acting on those feeling for both of them. It was different for him but ever since he had met Lori a part of him he didn't even know existed had been slowly making its way to the surface. He wasn't out to sleep with as many women as he could but for once in his life he was willing to go after what he wanted just because he wanted it. He didn't want to hurt either of the women but...

"Damn! What am I thinking?!" Jacen suddenly realized, "Am I really willing to go all the way with Kealey if she let me? Am I really willing to do that when I know I'm seeing Lori? What's happening to me?"

Kealey had never been the romantic type of young girl who sat around and daydreamed about kissing boys. Suddenly though, she sort of understood why girls did that. Kealey didn’t know what she was doing, had never kissed anyone like this in her life, but it was so nice there was no way it could be wrong…right?

Jacen pulled away , only far enough to speak and Kealey felt her already heated cheeks burn hotter. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Kealey wondered if kissing always felt this way for people or if it was just the fact that all she could feel were her own emotions. ”Practice would be good.” she said honestly, then nervously giggled at her own forwardness. ”I don’t know what’s come over me…” she followed up with, talking to herself as much as she was talking to Jacen, but smiling all along. She was a little dizzy, she needed to think.

Jacen asked if she wanted to stick around and enjoy the club or if she wanted to get out of there. Kealey looked around. The interest of the club was anywhere but on them, and she’d already decided before the kiss that she was going to stick around Jacen... now she was positive. ”Let’s go. This place isn’t nearly as fun as I thought it would be…and I think the lessons here are over anyway.”

"Sounds good to me." Jacen said with a smile. Sliding off of his chair he offered his arm to the blond and then escorted her out of the club, leaving the rest of his drink forgotten in its glass. Within just a few minutes they were both in his truck, pulling out of the parking lot.

"Well, I hope that jerk's advances didn't leave a bad taste in your mouth when its comes to clubs." Jacen said with a smile as he tried to keep the conversation casual. There was no way he was going to begin a discussion about why he had kissed her or why she had returned the kiss. No, it was best to just leave that on the back burner of their minds while the two of them chatted about other matter on their way to... to... well there was a question. Where were they going?

There was no question that he wanted to keep Kealey all to himself which narrowed their choices for the evening down to either his apartment or hers. His apartment would be a good choice because it meant she wouldn't be able to change out of that sexy dress but then again it might come across as to forward. Plus there was always the chance that Lori would show up at his apartment for some reason. Kealey's apartment would give her the option to change but at the same time would allow her to feel more comfortable while also taking care of any thread of their possibly being interupted should more 'practicing' ensue. Of course, that all depended on her inviting him in to the apartment.

"You do look beautiful tonight Kealey." Jacen offered again as he glanced over at her, allowing just a touch of the heat to creep back into his eyes as he smiled at her, "And if you could read my emotions you'd know I was being honest about that." Thankfully they pulled into a parking space just down the street from Kealey's building, meaning that she didn't have to reply to the comment.

"Let me walk you to your door at least." His offer was chivelrous but with disguised hopes for when they got to the door. Would she invite him in? Would he get to kiss her again? Would he get to see just how smooth the skin on those long legs of hers really was?

Jacen thought that leaving sounded like a good idea. When he stood, and offered his arm, Kealey took it and followed him out of the crowded bar and into the cool night air. That cool night air helped clear her head a little bit and the full realization of what had just happened, hit Kealey. The blush that had finally receded from her cheeks returned in full force and she looked up at Jacen from an angle as they walked.

It seemed so quiet in the truck as they got in and started driving, Kealey didn’t even think about where they were going and was so lost in her own thoughts as they moved through the traffic. Jacen thought that it really was a good idea to leave the bar, did he want to kiss her again? What did he think about the fact that she didn’t freak out like the last time? All those things were running through her head when Jacen asked if the creep at the bar had put a bad taste in her mouth as far as clubs were concerned.

Kealey shook her head, then realized that Jacen probably hadn’t noticed that since he was watching the road. She really didn’t have any feelings about the club, other than still being slightly amazed at the events that had transpired once they’d been there for a while. ”No…he was just one rude man in a room full of people who had been perfectly amiable to that point. Besides, you taught me how to deal with that if it happened again.” she wasn’t going to talk about the kiss. Just thinking about it made her blush even more. That was going to have to stop. ”I’m not sure it’s going to be my kind of scene though. Without you there, things would have been pretty overwhelming. “

Jacen did turn to look at her then, and again Kealey found her heart beating a little faster like it had in the bar. Geez, when he looked at her like that, she almost felt like she’d burn up sitting right where she was. Had she just been oblivious to those looks before? Because she was so caught up in experiencing things…or had they not been there before tonight. He complimented her and Kealey smiled, eyes finally dropping at the sincerity in his voice. ”If I could read your emotions…I don’t think it would mean as much Jacen…” she said quietly, then realized they were parked…by her apartment…and Jacen was asking if she would at least let him take her to her door.

He was leaving? Kealey hadn’t known that was part of the deal when he’d asked if she wanted to exit the club. If she’d known he was planning on leaving, she wouldn’t have left the bar…probably not for a long time. Jacen had said something though, Kealey thought as they went up the stairs that led to the apartment area of the building. He had said, ‘at least’ to the door.

Well. They were at the door, and Kealey fumbled with her keys for a moment before finding the right one and slipping it into the lock, then turning it and pushing the door open. Turning back to face Jacen, she looked up at him and chewed her bottom lip for a moment, mulling over what she should say, ”If you don’t need to go…you could always come in for a while…I don’t have the drink selection that the bar had...but I don’t want you to go. is what ended up coming out and Kealey once again shocked herself with her blatant honesty.

Jacen leaned up against the door frame and looked at Kealey with just a touch of a smile on his lips. "No, I don't need to go and the drink selection isn't important." Jacen replied, his voice as hoenst as he could make it, "I was hoping you'd invite me in but I didn't want to presume."

Moving inside Jacen slipped off his jacket and folded it in half before laying it on an open area of the clean kitchen counter. Even as he was making himself a little more comfortable he watched Kealey out of the corner of his eye, making sure that he never strayed so far away that she would get hit by a rush of strange emotion. "Although a rush of her own emotion might be just what the doctor ordered."

"This has been one of the most fun evenings I've had in a while." Jacen said with a smile as he turned back around to face the blond once again, "We should do this again some time. Maybe western bar if you think that would make you more comfortable."

The real question was whether Jacen could accept watching Kealey flirt with some other guy on yet another night. He had gone along with it tonight but at the same time he had been extremely happy when she had turned her attention to focus on just him. "The only bad thing about a western theme is you won't be able to wear that dress." Jacen continued as he gave her an appreciate glance that he carefully controled so that it hopefully wouldn't make her uncomfortable, "Have I mentioned how beautiful you look?"

”You did?” Kealey said with another bright smile as Jacedn admitted that he’d been hoping she’d invite him into the apartment and that the drink selection wasn’t important. His words rang with sincerity and Kealey wondered for a moment if he was doing that on purpose, projecting his emotions for her benefit, but it didn’t matter. He was staying.

Then they were inside. Kealey walked in and flipped on the lights as was her usual habit when getting home, then dropped her keys on the little desk that also served as night stand when the bed was pulled down. Jacen stayed pretty close and Kealey was grateful, with everything going on in her head, she really didn’t want anyone else’s emotions to deal with too.

Kealey turned back around and saw that Jacen was taking off the jacket he’d worn so far throughout the night and Kealey was sad to see it go. He’d looked so nice in it…the white shirt he was wearing underneath was nice too though, and most likely much more comfortable. Kealey looked down at her feet, slightly sore and still in the heels she’d worn to the club. Picking first one foot, then the other up, Kealey removed the shoes and tossed them to the side. That done, Kealey reached up and unhooked the barrette, letting the heavy curls of her hair fall down around her face and tossing the barrette onto the table with her keys before padding back towards Jacen in her now bare feet.

Jacen spoke, mentioning how much fun he’d had and Kealey found herself grinning at him as he said that they should go out again sometime, ”Really? I’ve never been to a western bar... she frowned for a second in thought about what she’d wear, then her face lit up, ”I think I have a perfect outfit though! Would I need boots and a hat?” the idea sounded like so much fun. Almost like dressing up for a costume party. Only…”Do you think we could forgo the flirting lessons that night? Kealey said, ”That definitely wasn’t my favorite part of tonight, and I don’t think I want to try it again.

Jacen seemed worried about her wardrobe too, only he was regretful that she couldn’t wear her dress in that kind of a place, then he said she was beautiful…again and gave her another of those looks. Kealey flushed what she was sure was bright red again, right to the roots of her blond hair and laughed, taking a few steps closer to Jacen. The lack of heels made her shorter and she had to look up.

”Thank you, Jacen…you look amazing too.” she said softly, then tried out a little honesty of her own, swallowing and blushing darker before speaking, ”Every time you say that…or look at me the way you are right now…and…and at the bar…it kind of makes me feel hot and cold all at the same time. Is that normal?” Suddenly Kealey felt so silly and so…naïve and she shook her head at herself, embarrassed. ”I’m sorry…” she said, ”I’ve just…never let myself feel like this before...and...and I like it..”

"I think we can forget the flirting lessons." Jacen responded with a chuckle, "Next time we'll just do you and me with our best boots and hats. After all, those are requirements at a western bar."

Why in the world did women spend so much time trying to get their hair just perfect when most men would say that they loved to see women that let their hair cascade down naturally. And why did women alway think they had to wear high heels to be sexy? Bare feet could be just attractive if not more so. After all, bare feet exuded a vulnerability that most any man would agree was very attractive.

As he watched Kealey flush just a little bit more and begin to try and expllain was she was feeling, Jacen had to smile. She was so innocent and yet so enticing all at the same time. Without even realizing it she could be sexier than any harlot out on the street. Why else had the creepo come after her instead of the read head?

"It's very normal." Jacen replied huskily as he walked over to her and slowly slipped his arms around her slim waist. It was his first time holding her and as much as he wanted to caress every curve, he held himself in check and kept his hands in a safe place around her waist and on the small of her back. "But if just the looks make you feel that way, what do this do?"

Slowly Jacen bent down, tilting his head ever so slightly as he pressed his lips against Kealey's. The heat that they had shared earlier returned with a vengeance though he remained careful not to push things to far to fast. He didn't want Kealey to think he was just out to take advantage of her or that he was out to make her do something she didn't want to. No, if she wanted him to stop he woudl be more than willing to stop but until she asked him to... well... they would have to see where their imaginations took them.

He really did just want to go to the western bar with her. Just her and Jacen, out somewhere public. That was a date…wasn’t it? He’d really just asked her on a date. Kealey was grinning again, she’d done that nearly as much as she’d blushed this particular night. Blushing…that usually meant that Kealey had spent an awkward night privy to the emotions of people who she probably could have gone a lifetime without knowing. Tonight it just meant that she’d had more fun than she could ever remember having. In her entire life…or at least in the last fourteen years.

Kealey was still reeling a little bit from everything that had happened and suddenly she wondered if Jacen realized just how many milestones she was hitting. It was almost like she’d been in some kind of stasis for the last decade watching things happening and suddenly she was loose, normal. Maybe a little behind where she should be, but normal. Suddenly, Kealey realized how precarious this situation was, the second Jacen walked out that door, it would be over and she’d be right back where she started.

Jacen closed the distance between them, while reassuring her that yes, feeling hot and cold at the same time were perfectly normal reactions and Kealey shuddered at the tone of his voice, then again as she felt his arms slipping around her waist. This made her feel reckless, confident, eager…for what? Kealey didn’t have a clue, but as Jacen spoke and his mouth came down over hers she rose up on her toes and met him halfway again, the close proximity bringing her body into direct contact with Jacen.

If she’d felt hot and cold before, the only thing she felt now was heat, plain and simple heat coursing through her body. Her hands , which had been knotted in front of her, moved up the front of Jacen’s shirt and knotted into fists, clinging slightly to the white material. Then she pulled back slowly, blue eyes opening to lock on Jacen’s brown. Kealey stayed there, looking at him, wondering what she was doing and knowing that whatever it was, she didn’t want it to stop.

Her hands stayed where they were, and Kealey took a shaky breath, ”Not cold anymore…at all...hot" she whispered, ”Weak in the knees…reckless…happy…lightheaded, all at the same time…I didn’t know I could feel so much” she added, her eyes staying locked on Jacen’s.

Kealey was acting purely on instinct, having let all her control go, and she rose up on her toes again, this time initiating the kiss herself, and while it was more brief than the ones Jacen had given, it was intense all the same. Breaking the content, but still looking up into Jacen’s face, Kealey loosed one of her hands and brought it up to rest against Jacen’s cheek, then whispered, ”What about you? What are you feeling?” It was the last thing she would have asked under normal circumstances, but suddenly it was the only thing Kealey wanted to know in the world.

"Heat is good... it's normal when two people are attracted to each other." Jacen murmured softly as his brown eyes stared down into Kealey's blue ones. It was amazing just how brilliantly blue her eyes were and as he looked into them he could almost feel himself getting lost in them.

As he looked at her, Jacen kept his left hand firmly in place at the small of her back but he allowed his right hand to slowly move up and down the curve of her spine. He was careful to take it only up to the edge of the fabric and then back down again, never quite touching bare skin but coming awfully close each time.

"I'm feeling heat coursing through my veins." Jacen murmured, his grip tightening on the woman every so slightly, drawing her just a little closer, "Desire like I've rarely felt in my life. Need for something that I can't even explain." Slowly Jacen's mouth descended again, his lips making contact with hers as he spoke a few last words, "I'm feeling that I want the beautiful woman in my arms."

Deepening the kiss, Jacen did his best to remain in control even though pure primal instinct was trying to fight its way to the surface. Who would have thought that Kealey's blue dress would lead to something like this? Who would have thought that he could begin to corrupt her like this? Jacen was still in control of his movements but he knew if she was going to stop things it would have to be soon. If much more time passed control would go out the window leaving only pure, unadulterated lust and desire.

Kealey could get used to this, she thought as she stood there in the middle of her apartment, kissing Jacen. Were these the things that Elle had been talking about the other day when they’d hung out in the swanky little cocktail lounge? It had to be, and she’d been right, this felt good.

Jacen was talking again, but Kealey was missing words here or there, the general idea was that heat was good though. Kealey was naïve but she’d have known that without him telling her. There was a difference though between understanding the logistics of the situation and understanding exactly the way that men thought or reacted in situations like she and Jacen were in.

Jacen spoke the second time, answering her question while kissing her and Kealey tucked away the information that talking could be done while kissing…until the last thing Jacen had said sunk into her slightly fuzzy, slightly over stimulated brain. Want, what did he want her…oh…OH. Immediately upon the realization, the reality of the situation crashed down on Kealey and she stiffened in Jacen’s arms. Instant regret colored her features and she took a small step back, not wanting to move, but instinct telling her it was probably a good idea.

”Oh Jacen…” she said, dropping her hands and clasping them in front of her. ”I…I’m sorry…” she offered weakly and dropped her head. ”I didn’t mean to… she said, looking at her hands as she spoke, ”I mean…that’s not what I…” She looked up again, eyes welling a little with embarrassment and slight frustration, ”I got carried away.” she said, then dropped them once more.

Part of Kealey wanted to erase everything that she’d just said and go back to the kissing, back to what Elle had described somewhere in the middle of the first Chocotini. Not caring, just going with the flow…but there was something stopping her. Something else that Elle had said at that table. No getting attached…no second dates…no strings. The other woman had said it like it was protection.

Kealey shook her head to herself. It had to mean more than that. Kealey wanted strings, and second dates . She wanted Jacen to be okay with this. ”I’m sorry.” she said again.

Kealey waited until the last second but she still made it out in time as she suddenly backed a step away. Her face was red from both embarrassment and desire but the look in her eyes made it clear that she was having second thought. For a moment Jacen just looked at Kealey but then a somewhat embarrassed smile touch his lips as he dropped his hands from where they had been around the young woman's waist.

"I should be the one that's apologizing." Jacen replied as he lifted one hand, raking it through his hair while his other hand slipped into his pants pocket, "I'm the one that started to push things. I"m sorry. You've got to think I'm probably the biggest jerk you've ever met."

The magical moment had been so close and yet so far away. It was akin to a baseball game where the star hitter launches a ball toward the back fence but just as it looks like it's going to be a home run, the outfield leaps and makes an astounding catch.

"It's going... going... going... it's outa... NO! It's caught! The ball was caught!"

Now the awkwardness really set in. Even through their clothes Jacen had felt the young woman's curves pressed up against him and it was hard to forget that. Sure he would be a gentleman and stay away from that door but Kealey will still be the source of daydreams and the occasional wistful glance when he back was turned.

"Maybe... uh... maybe I should go."