| Disclaimer: I don�t own these characters, I don�t pretend to know all the ins and outs of Law & Order � I�ve just started watching it & I�m picking it up as I go. But the story & ideas are mine� please don�t sue! [email protected] I W a n t L o v e A Jack/Nora story by Rhonda* "I heard from a friend today and she said you were in town. Suddenly the memories came back to me in my mind. How can I be strong I've asked myself, time and time I've said that I'll never fall in love with you again. A wounded heart you gave my soul you took away. Good intentions you had many, I know you did. I come from a place that hurts; God knows how I've cried. And I never want to return never fall again. Making love to you felt so good and oh so right. How can I be strong I've asked myself, time and time I've said that I'll never fall in love with you again. So here we are alone again, didn't think I'd come to this. And to know it all began with just a little kiss. I've come to close to happiness; to have it swept away. Don't think I can take the pain, no never fall in love again. Part Twenty-two � Again Friday 21st December Jack drained the tumbler of whisky in one go and reached for a glass of champagne from the waiter�s tray as he passed him. He hated these Christmas parties, pretending to like people you really hated, it all seemed so false. Still they�d done a great job with the decorations this year, he suspected that was down to Nora, he knew how much she loved the celebration season. He looked up as the band started and watched Mary being swung round the dance floor by some young attorney, she looked like she was having fun, and she looked good too, damn sexy in a very revealing black dress. He shook his head and smiled as she waved at him, he hated to dance so at least she could enjoy herself with somebody else. He looked round the room at the gathered couples and little groups of chatting colleagues, some a little worse for wear, hopefully he�d be like that too soon. He spotted Nora entering the room and carefully coming down the stairs, lifting her dress up a little so she didn�t trip. God she looked beautiful, even after all the times he�d touched her this year he still got that school boy rush of excitement when he saw her, and how he missed indulging in that feeling. She reached the bottom of the stairs and dropped the hem of her dress back down; she was wearing the colour that suited her best, deep red, the dress was long and looked silky as it skimmed her body. A well placed split up one side and her hair looked so soft, he was dying to bury his face in it and drown in the scent. She smiled when she saw him then passed right by him and headed for the caterer; probably checking everything was going alright. Why the hell should she take time to talk to him, he�d given her no reason too. His birthday had been a fiasco, he was wearing the watch now, his most prized possession. But the memory of spending the night with her, and then leaving in such an awful way still caused him to flinch at his own short sightedness. "Hey, come and dance misery." Mary said wrapping her arms around his waist and trying to drag him out onto the dance floor. He wrestled himself free. "No I�m not much of a dancer Mary, maybe later when I�ve had a few more of these." He held up his champagne glass. "Spoil sport, guess I�ll have to find someone else to play with tonight." She swayed off across the room, she was such a tease, he saw Nora watching him but she quickly looked away when he caught her eye. She probably saw through all this, he and Mary weren�t suited, he�d known that for a while, and it certainly wasn�t going anywhere. It wasn�t that she was a bad person, she was wonderful, she just wasn�t Nora, and she didn�t reach him in the same way. He�d never really considered how he could be hurting both of them with this, Mary must have realised he was never completely open to her. And Nora must feel so cheap; that he could move on so easily after all they�d been through, he really was one selfish bastard. He crept out of the room hoping no one would notice his absence and took the elevator up to his office, it was late, even the cleaners had gone down to join in the celebrations. The bottle of whisky he kept was hidden in his desk drawer and he took it out and poured some into a mug then settled himself in a chair by the window, so he could look out at the winter evening sky. * * * * * Nora saw him leave; she was watching the young woman he was with have so much fun, she certainly was the centre of attention, and she considered informing her that Jack had left. He looked upset, was it because of this girl�s flirtations or something else though? She had a pretty good idea where he�d gone to, it had been so long since they�d talked, really talked, but she surprised even herself when she found herself outside his office with a stolen bottle of champagne in her hand. She leant on the doorframe for a while simply watching him trying to think of something to say, or at the very least whether she should even be there. "Having a private party?" She finally plucked up the courage to say as she entered the room. He spun round in his chair, the bottle of whisky resting on his lap. She held up the champagne. "I bought this, but I see you�re already prepared." She smiled. "Do you want to be alone?" "No, there�s plenty to go round. Just shut the door." She did as he asked before finding a mug and perching herself on the desk behind him, he poured her some whisky into it then turned back round to the view. "It�s a beautiful evening." She whispered before taking a sip and grimacing, he certainly liked the strong stuff. "I know, that�s why I�m here." "And not enjoying the festivities. Tell me what have I done wrong for you not to like my party." He laughed. "Nothing it�s just me being a miserable. I guess I just imagined Christmas would be a little different this year." She winced at his meaning. "Surely it is, with Lita being here. How is she?" "Wonderful, misses you though, keeps asking when she can see you." "I�d love to see here, I�ve actually bought her some gifts." And you too she said to herself. "That doesn�t surprise me, I�ll try and arrange something." "Thank you." They were both silent now and Nora contemplated getting up and leaving, this was beginning to feel a little awkward. "Do you remember, less than a year ago, coming in here and forcing me to go out with you and your friends, to cheer me up?" "How could I forget. I�m not sure I can have the same affect now though." "Don�t be too sure." He stated simply. She couldn�t make out his reflection in the window but was dying to know what his face showed. She put her glass down and prepared to get up and leave. This wasn�t a good sign; he�d obviously had far too much to drink and was saying things he shouldn�t. It would only end up hurting when she woke up in the morning and prepared to go to her sisters for yet another Christmas alone, as she did every year. "Do you realise how beautiful you look tonight?" He whispered. "Jack please don�t." "Why not?" "It isn�t fair." "To who � the girl downstairs flirting with a hundred guys?" "Well for a start yes, what does she mean to you anyway?" "Company, warmth on lonely nights." She grimaced at the idea of him making love to that beautiful young woman. "So you have her, why are you telling me I look beautiful, she�s young and energetic, and what you�re used to. Stop doing this to me, staring at me like you have been doing tonight, saying things like that." She jumped down from the desk. "You really are unbelievable, you�ve basically admitted you�re with her just for the sex." "And that�s all it is, sex." He spun round to face her and she marched to the door but in a second he was behind her, his arms on either side of her leaning against the door preventing her from leaving. His face was pressing against her hair. "I want you so badly." "For what?" She pressed her forehead against the door willing herself to be strong and resist. "To make love to you again, like we used to." "No." She sobbed. "I won�t be another one of your occasional bed partners." "You never were, you never could be." She turned round to look at him, he was too close, she thought he was going to kiss her but he didn�t, just stared at her mouth in that hungry way he had. "Whatever you think of me Jack, whatever it is you think I did when we were together, I am not some cheap little tart who sleeps around." "I know that, I guess I always have." He touched the hair that had fallen out of place and was covering one side of her face. "Then why the hell didn�t you just say so, do you know how terrible I�ve felt ever since that day, like some tarnished woman. You could have come back, it didn�t have to go this far." "It wasn�t that you kissed some other guy, it was the fact you didn�t tell me, if you�d just come home that night and told me and explained then maybe I wouldn�t have felt so betrayed. But I heard it second hand Nora, and all the respect I had for you just seemed to disappear." "And now, how do you feel now?" "Empty, I�ve missed you so much. There have been nights I�ve longed just to be near you, just to share things with you." He wiped the tears that were covering her face. "Only you could make me say such things." She smiled. "Don�t pretend, you�re a born romantic. Why did we let it end Jack, when we both know that this is what most couples hope for." "Well, here we are alone again, we just have to try and make it better." She closed the remaining distance between them and hesitantly kissed his lips, in a second his hand was in her hair, pressing her mouth tightly against his. She drew back and gasped for breath. "I want you to." She whispered as he pulled her back to kiss again, this time it was what she remembered, his mouth forcing hers open, his tongue invading and feeling and probing� and god how she wanted him inside her right then, taking that aching away. He lifted her up and twisted round to the desk lying her on it and falling on top of her without ever breaking the kiss. She parted her legs for him drawing his body closer. He stopped kissing her and suddenly looked seriously at her. "I love you." She smiled and ran her hand down his back. "I love you too, I never stopped, lord knows I tried to." "We can�t do this here." "Why not?" She kissed him again. "I�m not sure I can wait." She felt his erection press against her leg. "And I don�t think you can either." He smiled as her hand opened his trousers and reached inside. "At least let me lock the door." He forced himself to get up and lock the door. "You know if anyone finds out the gossip will be terrible." She said. "Well someone always ends up sleeping together at the Christmas party, I just never thought it would be me." "Oh we�re not going to sleep here, I intend to take you home and make you really make up for all these weeks I�ve been in agony without you." He ran his hand up from her ankle under her dress until he reached her thigh then he stopped, looking at her for encouragement, she smiled and moved closer urging him on. He leant forward kissing the base of he neck and she almost wept with relief. She pushed his trousers and boxers down in one fluid movement and he laughed. "Anyone would think you�ve had practice at this." She pushed him back from the desk and moved to the edge unfastening the buttons on his shirt and taking it off. "It�s a good job I�m not self conscious about being naked." He said as he noted her looking at him. "But what about you?" She smiled and climbed down from the table putting some distance between them. It was fun playing this game, almost as if it was the first time again and he�d never touched her before. He watched amused as she removed her own dress and underwear and kicked her shoes across the room, before quickly moving to him. His lips were on hers again and he was maneuvering her to the floor. "It won�t be comfortable on this carpet." He whispered licking her neck. "I don�t mind." She answered eagerly wrapping her legs around him and kissing his shoulder, as it was the closest thing to her. "Oh god, and I don�t think I can last too long." "I don�t mind that either, just don�t make me wait." She bit his shoulder shocked as he quickly pushed inside her then kissed it to apologise. And he raised his face from her breasts and kissed her open mouth. "We waited too long to make up." "We�re fools." She gasped as he started to move; she gripped her arms around his back and held onto him until they fell into that comfortable routine. Then she let her head fall back and relaxed with the feel of him, he was in her and making love to her and all was right with the world. * * * * * "I missed you, I missed you, I missed you." Jack whispered covering her face with kisses. She laughed as his hand tickled her waist, he knew she hated that. It had taken less than fifteen minutes for them to get dressed again at the office and creep out unnoticed and into a cab back to her apartment. And when they got there he�d undressed her again and carried her straight to bed. How ridiculous it all seemed, but fun nevertheless and most of all complete relief, to be back with him. "Jack, stop this, you�ve proven time and again how much you�ve missed me." He moved on top of her and she tangled her legs with his. "But is it enough yet, you said I had some time to make up." "You do, perhaps your famous lemon cheesecake will make up for it." "You want it right now?" He laughed. "It�s almost 3 a.m." "Aha, is that a problem?" She ran her hand down his chest. "Woman you know I can do it at anytime." "Oh god who would have actually thought I could miss you saying that to me." He smiled, suddenly he was happy again, completely unabashedly happy and content, and he didn�t mind showing it. He stretched his arms. "I�m getting too old for all nighters, I think I may have to pay for this in the morning." She rubbed his back. "Then I promise to give you a massage tomorrow, and I�ll go on top next time." "Next time! What do you think I am a machine?" He fell onto his back and she leant over him. "No, just a very healthy red blooded male who obviously finds me very sexy." She grinned. "Who wouldn�t." He took hold of her hand and kissed her fingers. "I wanted to apologise properly, for my birthday, it was inexcusable leaving before you woke." "You�re forgiven� but only if I get some cheesecake." She moved herself on top of him and kissed him deeply. "You know me too well." He laughed. "Cheap tricks to get me out of bed at this time in the morning and cooking." It felt so good to be having fun with her again. "Do you have any lemons?" "Oh no, all night stores though." "You can forget that, what did you do with that stolen champagne?" "Left it in the lounge." "Then we�ll use that � Champagne and chocolate cheesecake for breakfast." "Very classy." "Well you�re bound to have chocolate, ultimate indulgence and ice cream." "Guess you caught me out." She kissed him again. "It�s good to have you back." "Will you help me move my things back tomorrow � if it�s not too soon." "I can think of no better way to spend my Saturday." She climbed out of bed and put her dressing gown on, pulling him up. She lay on the sofa and watched as he cooked and before the cheesecake was ready she was fast asleep. He finished it off and put it in the fridge before carrying her back to bed. She wrapped herself round him and he closed his eyes, finally able to sleep comfortably again knowing she was there. Part 21 Stories Part 23 |