Kealey mulled over the food choices that Jacen had given her and tried to figure out which one was going to be the easiest and the least expensive. ”Pizza sounds like it would be really good.” she said, nodding her head at her own decision. ”As long as there’s no olives or mushrooms on it…” she added, wrinkling her nose and shaking her head at the thought of the offending vegetables.

Jacen pointed out that he wasn’t a great cook and Kealey couldn’t help but chuckle, ”I’ve got some very marginal skills…as long as it’s simple.” she said, shrugging her shoulders, ”I’ve never starved for lack of cooking ability.”

Jacen sat on the opposite end of the couch and Kealey turned slightly so she could see him better as they talked, slowly running her fingers through her wet hair to separate the curls as they dried. Jacen pointed out that he was a police officer and Kealey nodded her head, apparently it would be easier than she’d thought to get back into the building and see if anything was left. Jacen seemed to think that there’d be more left than she thought and Kealey had to smile, ”I’m trying not to get my hopes up. It’d just be nice…” she trailed off, sighing slightly before speaking again, ”It’s the only picture I had of my family.” It was easier to talk about now. Just thinking of it possibly being lost earlier had been enough to bring tears. Now it was simply a feeling of loss, and no tears.

Jacen moved closer and Kealey watched him as he reached out and started rubbing her shoulder again. It felt every bit as good as it had in her apartment earlier, and while something told Kealey that in her current flakey emotional state this wasn’t the best idea, she wasn’t paying any attention. Kealey hadn’t realized how tense she’d gotten and how little the shower had helped, no matter how great it had felt.

Kealey tilted her head to the side and sighed when Jacen’s thumb slipped off the collar of the shirt and goose bumps spread down her back. He was adding the hunt at the apartment to the agenda for the next day. There was so much to do, but she was so tired, and what Jacen was doing felt so good. She let her eyes close again and sighed happily.

”Jacen…you weren’t lying…you’re really good at this…but yeah…all that sounds good for tomorrow…if you’re not too busy.”

The sigh was all of the indication that Jacen needed to know that he was doing what would help Kealey relax. He could feel the knots and tightness disappearing from her muscles but he just continued working. The feel of her soft skin against his thumb was tempting and he found himself wanting to move a little closer. Giving in to temptation a slid farther along the couch so that his thigh was just barely touching Kealey's leg.

"Pizza sounds good... do you like peppers and onions or should I just do cheese or meat?" Jacen asked quietly as he continued working. Without realizing it he had been gently nudging the collar a little lower so that he could begin to see just the hint of a shoulder blade peaking right at the edge.

Even with both of them being clothed it was one of the most tempting situations Jacen had ever been in. The innocence of Kealey combined with her innate sensuality and suddenly Jacen was biting his lip, inflicting pain on himself in order to bring him mind back to safer ground. "So... how about we order the pizza and then see about getting some sleep. We've got a busy day tomorrow and you don't need to worry about my schedule. I've have plenty of time for whatever we want to get done."

Falling silent again, Jacen continued massaging before a slight smile began to play on his face. The relaxation and pleasure in Kealey's expression was exactly what she needed in order to end her day. "If you like the massage, I can guarantee you more if you go ahead and stay here until you get another apartment. I'll admit that it's really rare for me to get a chance to give a lovely lady like yourself a massage."

Jacen thought that pizza sounded good and Kealey shrugged her shoulders under his hand when he asked if onions and peppers were okay. ”Those things are fine…I just don’t like the texture of olives and mushrooms. ” Kealey’s stomach growled again and suddenly she was eager for the pizza part. Unfortunately that would have meant the massage part had to stop, and that was something Kealey didn’t want to happen.

Jacen was still rubbing her shoulder, and she wondered if this was what the books meant when they talked about someone melting like butter. It was almost strange how something as simple as a shower and a little massage could make the troubles of the day go away. Jacen pointed out that they had a busy day ahead of them and that they should get on ordering the pizza so sleep could follow and Kealey turned her head to look at him, a slight pout curving her features. ”Is there any way to do that and not stop doing this?” she said, realizing as she turned slightly that Jacen had moved closer.

His hands kept moving , her muscles kept relaxing, and Jacen pointed out that if she took him up on his offer for a place to stay, the massages could continue happening. Then with the compliments. Kealey chuckled, ”Well, with as good as you are at this…I think that’s some kind of crime against nature.” she said, turning her head to grin again. ”I’m sold on crashing here though, if that’s part of the deal. However, you might not ever get me out...” she winked to show she was kidding, ”And we’ll have to find out something I can do in return. Deal?”

Kealey was definitely enjoying the massage. In fact she was even asking him how he could order pizza without stopping what he was doing. That had to mean he was doing something right.

"I think I can handle ordering pizza and not stopping." Jacen replied with a grin as he glanced over at where the phone sat mockingly a few feet away. It would take some thought but surely there was a way he could handle her request.

"Crime again nature?" Jacen asked with a laugh as he turned his attention back to Kealey, "I can think of few things more natural than a massage. Skin on skin contact is extremely natural though most people shy away from it because they're afraid of how it feels."

There was an innuendo in that statement that Jacen had not originally intended but now had no intention of correcting either. Combining that with her offer of doing something for him in return and, well, Jacen's mind could go to the gutter just as fast as anyone else.

"Deal." Jacen agree before removing just one hand from Kealey shoulders and stretching over to grab the phone. His arms were just long enough and in a moment he was successfully holding the communication device while his other hand continued to work on Kealey's supple skin. After dialing the number for a local pizza place, Jacen held the phone between his shoulder and ear while that second hand came back into place on Kealey's body. However, instead of going for the shoulders, Jacen's hand dropped to begin working on the small of her back through the fabric of her shirt. Somehow he knew that pushing the fabric up to work on bare skin was a little to forward at the moment but, who knew. Maybe he'd get a chance for that later.

"Yes, what specials are you running right now?" Jacen asked out of habit as soon as a voice came over the phone. "That'd be perfect. This is Jacen King, my address should be in your computer. Correct. Yeah, I'd like to get your special for two large pizzas. I'd like one with just extra cheese and I'd like the other one to have peppers, onions, ham, sausage, bacon, and pepperoni. No mushrooms or olives. Perfect. Twenty minutes will be great. Thank you."

Lifting his head, Jacen carelessly let the phone drop down on the couch cushion. Glancing at the phone he was happy to see it had automatically disconnected once the pizza parlor had hung up the phone.

"They said it'll be about twenty minutes 'til they get here so we've got some time to kill. Looks like you get your wish with the massage... at least for a little while." Jacen teased quietly with a smile on his face. He still wanted to be touching more skin but a part of his brain continued to warn him that this was not a good time to move in that direction. They had both suffered a shock and as such could not be trusted to make rational decisions.

"But who cares about being rational?"

Jacen thought that he could manage ordering the pizza and continuing the massage and Kealey nearly commented that she’d believe it when she saw it. Then Jacen spoke, pointing out how skin on skin contact was more natural than a massage. Kealey’s eyebrow raised as she looked across the room, and she shrugged. ”It might be more natural, but people don’t like to give up enough control to be that intimate.”

Kealey realized how that probably sounded coming from her and she turned her head again to look at Jacen, ”I’m more emotionally intimate with 99.9 percent of everyone I meet within the first ten seconds of meeting them, than they are with anyone else in their whole lives.” she pointed out, then realized she was treading into slightly heavier topics and shook her head , ”I think it’s silly…though, you’re managing this massage incredibly well with little to no skin on skin contact. With as good as it feels, I can see how people might not ever realize what they’re missing out on. If they have similar experiences.“

Jacen agreed to her terms, and Kealey couldn’t help but wonder what exactly it was that they were going to come up with that she could do to repay the favor. There was always the cooking, but that didn’t seem on quite the same level. It was something that would have to be thought on later. Besides, she was starting to feel too languid to think of much of anything.

One of Jacen’s hands left her shoulders and Kealey turned her head to watch him reaching for the phone, she could help but giggle, but he managed to grab the phone. Then he sat back up and dialed, soon enough, the pizza was ordered and Jacen’s other hand found the small of her back. Kealey shivered at the touch, as Jacen pointed out that they had about twenty minutes until the pizza arrived. Kealey sighed happily and leaned back, just slightly into Jacen’s hands with a slightly squirmy sigh and a smile.

”You’re simply full of firsts for me Jacen.” she said after a moment of introspection, ”The first time I haven’t been able to share emotions, my first real kiss, my first massage.” she paused for a second and thought more, ”You should add, broadening Kealey’s horizons to your list of particular skills.”

It was true what Kealey said about people not giving up enough control to be intimate but at the same time that wasn't one hundred percent true. Obviously there were people that appreciated the beauty of just a persons skin as well as the intimacy of skin on skin contact, otherwise there would be no nude resorts or nudist colonies. Jacen was about to make that exact comment but then decided against it. The whole idea of nude resorts might be a little to much for this innocent girl to handle.

"Well if you think it's so silly I'll make sure to request the next massage be more skin and less fabric." Jacen said with a soft chuckle, "I think you might be amazed at the difference if you just give it a chance."

Half accident and half intention, Jacen's ministrations on the small of Kealey's back were beginning to slowly pull up her shirt. It was resulting in a slight area of bunching forming in the area of her shoulder blades, between where his hands were working, but maybe it wasn't obvious.

"I'm glad I'm broadening your horizons but hopefully I won't be all firsts. Maybe I'll get a chance for a few seconds in there. Like second massage and..." Jacen voice trailed off slightly as he lost his nerve. He enjoyed flirting with Kealey but as much as he would have liked to try and push things he still had to admit this wasn't the best time. Maybe eventually he'd get a second chance with Kealey and he'd have the opportunity to show her what romance and seduction really were but he couldn't lead it that way now.

"Not now..." Jacen thought to himself idly before suddenly gulping as his felt the pinkie finger on his hand trail over bare skin. Refocusing on the task at hand he realized that the shirt had finally ridden up far enough that he could see and feel just a hint of skin above the hem of her low rider shorts. "Ah hell."

More skin, less…fabric. Kealey’s eyes widened at the idea and she was glad she was facing away from Jacen because her cheeks started to burn at the idea of what less fabric would entail. Jacen said she’d be amazed at the difference, though. She’d painted herself into a slightly metaphorical corner with her previous little speech and now Jacen was sort of calling her on it. She smirked slightly, ”Well, you’ve never led me wrong so far…so why not.” she said, hoping her voice didn’t sound nearly as squeaky or choked to Jacen as it did to her.

Jacen’s actions with her shirt weren’t obvious. Yes, the fabric was moving, but then again Jacen’s hands were too. Kealey just assumed that’s how massages worked. He spoke again and Kealey tilted her head, he hoped that he could be part of seconds too? She couldn’t help but wonder what else Jacen meant when his words trailed off. After everything that had happened, all the things she’d said… Kealey immediately turned off that train of thought, her shocked and traumatized brain was making things up. He was just being nice. She swallowed hard and shook her head.

”Well, since it was one of the selling points for staying here. I’m sure you’ll have the chance for the second massage.” she paused, ”As for anything else…we’ll just have to see, won’t we?”

Kealey fell silent and let her eyes close again as the massage continued and she relaxed even further under Jacen’s hands. It was nice to kind of just let go of everything bad that had happened, to just ignore it and deal with the immediate task at hand. Jacen’s hand slipped off the edge of the shirt and Kealey felt his finger trail along the bare skin of her back, goosebumps breaking out along her back again and she shuddered. Hadn’t that shirt been way too long just a few moments ago? Suddenly, the movement of the shirt didn’t seem quite as coincidental.

Reaching back, Kealey grabbed Jacen’s hand to still its motion and turned to face him, looking up with one eyebrow raised and a slow smile spreading across her face, ”I thought we were saving that for the second massage?” she teased, still gripping his wrist and nearly wanting to pinch herself at the little twisting in the pit of her stomach all this was starting to cause. He just wants to be friends.

She made herself think as she sat there, then idly wondered how she was thinking about this at all in lieu of what had happened that day. Kealey wasn’t used to dealing with traumatic events, she realized she was still looking at Jacen, ”Was it an accident?”.

The moment Jacen's hand touched Kealey's bare skin he was immediately elated and horrified all at the same time. He kept telling himself to maintain control and not let anything happen that they might regret or rethink later. Before he could react and pull away his hand Kealey's own hand suddenly moved back to grip his wrist. Lifting his gaze up from the young woman's back and to her eyes, Jacen did his best to keep his own eyes innocent though he couldn't help that little touch of smoldering desire and yearning for showing through. He was trying to restrain himself but with all the emotion of the past several weeks and then the high stress of what had occurred at Kealey's apartment there was a definite issue with maintaining composure and control.

"I don't remember saying we had to save it." Jacen replied quietly, trying to push some humor into his voice and failing miserably. His hand had been caught moving into the cookie jar and though he had enjoyed the feeling of being able to touch such sweetness it had only made him want to partake of the treat that much more.

"Was it an accident?"

The war in Jacen's mind continued to be waged as he looked at Kealey. Once side wanted him to lie... to somehow get out of the situation he was in while the other wanted to be bold and admit the truth. There were possible consequences with each choice and Jacen wasn't sure he wanted to face either of them at the moment.

"How in the world am I going to maintain only a 'friendly' relationship if she's actually living here? I'll probably even find out what she sleeps in... shoot!"

"Only partially." Jacen finally made his decision, admitting the truth as he stared into Kealey's blue eyes and let his free hand drop to his lap. There was no chagrin or shame in his voice only a quiet acceptance that he had been caught. "Some of it was from the massage but some of it was deliberate. I like your skin."

There... it was out there. Well, at least partially. Jacen hadn't gone as far as to say he wanted to see all of Kealey's skin but he had at least started down that road. Of course, that statement might have scared her away and made her rethink her decision but, consequences be damned. He had been honest. What more could she ask?

Kealey couldn’t help but smile at the look on Jacen’s face as she looked at him and he obviously tried to figure out how he should respond to what she’d done and said. He looked sheepish, but she recognized the other look in his eyes from the couple of times they’d been so close together at her apartment. Kealey knew where those looks had led and her rational side was telling her to look away or move. Rationality was slightly battered, though, by the events of the day so she kept looking right at him.

Jacen spoke, and Kealey still didn’t break eye contact, the same slight smile on her face as he pointed out that he hadn’t said anything about having to wait until the next time. ”Hmm.” she said, nodding her head slowly, ”That’s true. There were no stipulations.”

A few more moments of silence, and Kealey wondered if Jacen was actually going to answer the second question she asked. Kealey didn’t know why it was so important for her at that moment to know the answer to such a simple query, but it was. He didn’t break eye contact when he said it, and the answer rang true in Kealey’s ears as Jacen continued to look at her. She kept smiling. Honesty was, after all, the best policy.

”Okay.” she said, nodding slowly. ”I’m okay with that.” She was still holding his wrist, and Kealey didn’t let go of it when she realized that fact. Where was that rationality again? Three or four hours ago, Kealey wouldn’t have imagined herself in this situation, behaving as she was. Fortunately or unfortunately, rational thought and behavior had fled at about the same time the bullets had started flying through the windows of her apartment.

”So…?” she said, dropping her eyes finally and chuckling, before she lifted them back to Jacen’s. So what? Hell if Kealey knew. All she knew was that what was happening in this small area of space was infinitely easier to deal with than everything outside of it. She’d deal with all that later, all the drama, and everything that had happened. For now, though, she wasn't even going to admit the existence of those things.For now, she was only concerned with what Jacen was going to do.

He was maintaining at least some self control. Sure he had allowed himself to slip and caress Kealey's smooth skin but he hadn't taken it any farther. It was a struggle but Jacen knew he was doing the right thing by keeping their relationship at least borderline "friends" without pushing for anything more intimate. Maybe the boundary had been blurred slightly but overall things were still the same as they had been... sometime.

It was right at the point when Jacen may have actually begun to regain full control when Kealey had to speak up and say that it was OK with her. Suddenly all thoughts of holding back disappeared while Jacen just looked into Kealey's eyes. They were such a brilliant blue and seemed to be drawing him closer, hypnotizing him and forcing him to do things he wouldn't normally do. At least that was how he tried to justify his actions.

Slowly moving closer, Jacen's free hand came up to gently caress Kealey's cheek while his lips descended to claim her own slightly parted mouth. It was a taste like no other. At times during the afternoon and evening he had noticed similarities between Kealey and Lori but when they kissed all comparisons were tossed out the window. Kealey's touch and flavor were completely her own. She was a fully individual woman that could only stand on her own. To even try and make a comparison would be idiotic.

He tried to move his other hand while the kiss progressed but immediately remember that Kealey was still holding on to his wrist. Pity... there was so much more that he would have enjoyed exploring.

Well, that was an answer, of one kind of another. Kealey had been right about the look in Jacen’s eyes, she’d known when his hand moved to her cheek. It would have been the right time to move away. She probably should have moved away. This was no time to be leaping into situations like this. Except…it was. It seemed like the perfect time to be leaping into a situation like this. She’d nearly been killed today, twice in the last few weeks. Kealey had realized at the sanctuary, and several times after that, that she simply had to stop holding back. This was a perfect example.

There were consequences to actions, and Kealey had already seen that once with Jacen…but now she was aware. She didn’t care, and when his palm came in contact with her cheek she leaned into it. When Jacen leaned forward, Kealey met him halfway.

This was slightly different from the other times that they’d kissed. Before, Kealey had been timid, eager but timid. This time, it was like some switch had been flipped and Kealey simply dove in head first. Releasing Jacen’s wrist, Kealey’s arms moved to wrap around his neck, effectively pulling them closer together, which seemed like the right thing to do at that moment. As she’d mentioned before, kissing was not something that Kealey was exceptionally experienced at, but if a person got graded for effort, she had a feeling she’d be getting high marks.

He never would have guessed or predicted just how eagerly Kealey would return the kiss but Jacen wasn't about to complain. Now that his hand was free it was automatic for it to slip around her waist and pull her closer while surreptitiously slipping under her shirt to caress the skin on her back where he had been stopped moments before. The smoothness and suppleness was breathtaking but even as Jacen continued to deepen the kiss, a part of his brain suddenly threw up a red flag. The skin of her back was suddenly feeling different on his fingertips. No longer was it the smooth supple skin of a beautiful woman but instead the taught and tight scars of the walking wounded. Ignoring them for the moment, Jacen moved forward, tilting Kealey back until she was stretched out on the couch with him kneeling over her. The hand that had been on her cheek now supported his weight on the couch while the one on his back trailed around under her shirt to play across her smooth stomach. The room was getting hotter, at least on the couch, as Jacen pulled his mouth away and trailed a string of kisses over Kealey's cheek and down her neck. Mentally he knew where this was heading but he didn't care. This was what both he and Kealey wanted, or so he believed, and there was nothing that could stop them!

Suddenly there was a loud knock on the door followed by what sounded like a teenager's voice calling out, "Pizza's here!"

Interrupted, Jacen pulled back and looked down at Kealey even as he inwardly swore in frustration. He knew that he was breathing hard and that his skin must be at least a little flushed but somehow he still managed to give the young woman below him some sort of smile. "Food's here..." His voice trailed off as he inwardly acknowledge that he had suddenly lost all interest in food.

"HEY! Anyone home?! Pizza's here?!" The voice called out again as yet more impatient knocking sounded on the door.

Inwardly swearing yet again, Jacen moved to his feet and walked over to the door. Grabbing some cash out of the drawer in the table right by the front door, Jacen paid the kid as quickly as he could and then closed the door. Turning back around with pizzas in hand he looked at Kealey and gave her apologetic smile. There was no question that the mood has been interrupted so there was no other choice beside just going ahead and eating.

"Uh... you want Extra-cheese or the loaded pizza? And uh, water or soda?" He asked as he made his way to the kitchen, trying to take up some sort of normalcy after what had just happened.

Things were moving quickly, but unlike times before, Kealey wasn’t spooking. Single-mindedness had taken over and as the kiss deepened, all Kealey could do was respond in kind. Jacen’s free hand moved, slipping under her shirt and the last thing Kealey was thinking about was stopping him. In fact, Kealey wasn’t thinking about anything other than the fact that this was a good thing. A very good thing. Jacen moved forward, and Kealey leaned back, goosebumps following the path of Jacen’s hand around to her stomach as Kealey moved into it. Her own hands moved, starting a slow and instinctual exploration of his back and chest.

Jacen broke the kiss and Kealey tilted her head as his lips trailed down her cheek and neck, breath hitching at the tingles it sent down that whole side of her body. This was…this was good. Kealey’s brain was fuzzy and she completely gave over to her feelings, her face was flushing and her heart was beating so hard that it had to be audible in the room.

Then came the knock on the door, and the voice. Kealey actually jumped at the sound. Up she looked at Jacen. He was breathing heavy too, and the rosy tint of his face was something Kealey figured he probably saw mirrored in her own. He smiled and mentioned that the food was there and Kealey managed to nod her head, still trying to catch her breath and wrap her fuzzy brain around why the heck someone was knocking on the door and interrupting them. Oh…food…pizza.

Jacen rose and Kealey frowned slightly as the delivery guy called out again. While Jacen got the pizza and got rid of the kid, Kealey sat up. Running her hands through her still-damp hair, she tried to get her mind off of Jacen’s hands and lips and onto the food that had just arrived. Reason was slowly returning to the blond, and she was remotely interested to find that she wasn’t embarrassed at all by what had just happened.

Jacen turned and smiled at her in what Kealey could only place as an apologetic way and asked what kind of pizza, and what kind of drink she wanted. Rising slowly and following Jacen to the kitchen, Kealey shrugged her shoulders, ”I think I’ll go with the cheese, “ she said, ”And water would be just fine…”

Honestly, food was the last thing on Kealey’s mind, even if her stomach was grumbling at the smell of the pizza and she smiled slightly, ”Though…I have to admit that I kind of forgot that the pizza was even on its way.”

Focusing on various menial tasks was helping to clear Jacen's brain though he wasn't sure that he really wanted to. No... what he wanted was to throw the pizza down, sweep Kealey into his arms and off to the bedroom where they could find out how far this was really meant to go. Sighing inwardly Jacen shoved that thought to the back of his mind as he poured to glasses of ice water and then pulled out paper plates to put the pizza slices on.

"I, uh, I'm sorry if that was to forward or bad timing." Jacen said as he gave Kealey her plate and glass and then turned back around to retrieve his own, "You're a beautiful woman and person Kealey and I don't want to take advantage of you."

It was stupid to be apologizing when Kealey had seemed just as eager to see where things would go but Jacen still felt like it needed to be said. If she thought there was no problem then great but at least she'd know he was thinking about the possible repercussions.

"Can I ask you a couple of questions?" Jacen spoke again once they were seated back on the couch with their glasses or plates set on the coffee table as needed, "First... what changed between us? Last time we kissed you seemed to be holding back but you weren't this time."

Looking at Kealey, Jacen took a bite of pizza and just left the question inferred instead of actually spoken. Had she only been doing it because of the shock of what had happened to her in the past week or was did she really want something to happen between them? Once that question was answered he'd have more but for now he'd chew on pizza and wait for her to answer the first one.

Jacen filled the water, and Kealey watched him as he got her pizza and handed her the glass of water. Kealey took them both and shook he head at his apology as she made her way back to the couch, ”Don’t apologize when you didn’t do anything wrong…” Kealey said as he seated himself on the other side of the couch. It was nice that he was thinking about her, though. Then again, he always had. That’s what had happened when she’d ended up so angry with him, he’d been doing the right thing. Not taking advantage of her.

Kealey took a bite of pizza while she thought and used the time it took to chew and swallow it to puzzle out what else to say on that matter. ”You’re not taking advantage of me. With you, more than anyone, I know what I want.” she settled on. Honesty had been good between them so far, there was no reason to move away from it now.

Jacen asked her if he could as her some questions and Kealey tilted her head at him as she took a drink of water. He went on without waiting for an answer, but that was really okay, especially with the question he asked. Kealey had to think about it, though, then she shrugged her shoulders.

”I wanted to...” she said, slowly, setting down her water glass so she could turn and look at him again, ”I mean…I wanted to before…but I was scared.”

She took another bite of pizza and took her third bite of pizza, ”I’ve been worried a lot over the next couple of weeks…and thinking a lot…” Kealey stopped, struggling for some more words, ”I’ve been missing out on so many things…I’m done with all that…and I wanted to. It felt good…it still feels good.”

Kealey realized that probably didn’t make any sense at all to Jacen and she winced slightly, ”Sorry if that sounds crazy or weird…but that was just one question…was there anything else?”