Jim watched Pam come back to her desk a few minutes later, her eyes and her nose a little red. As their eyes met, she gave a little nod to show she was okay. He started to get up, but she made a slight warning motion with her hand indicating he was to stay put.

A phone call kept him busy for the next several minutes. When he wrapped it up, he had a new message.

pbeesley: I’m okay. Happy tears only. But now I’d like “Jim” Jim to come back. “Wooing” Jim’s powers are just too powerful for the confines of the office…it’ll have to wait until after work;)

He looked over at her with a small smile and typed:

jhalpert: Who’s this other man you speak of? “Wooing” Jim, you say? Never heard of him. If you tell me who made you cry I can punch them for you…or send Dwight with some pepper spray.

pbeesley: Shut it.

jhalpert: Shutting. Wanna get a drink after work?

pbeesley: Okay...you owe me a drink for making me cry;-P



******************************************


They sat across from each other at Poor Richard’s in the booth Jim had snagged when they came in. Jim sipped his Bud Lite and Pam fiddled with the label on her Smirnoff Ice as they talked about nothing and everything. They each could only have one as they were both driving and Pam had a class later, but they tried to make them last as long as they could.

They were getting there, Jim thought as he listened to her talk about her art class and her projects. They were getting their friendship back along with all the romance.

“So, no naked women, then?” He asked, feigning disappointment as he took another sip.

“No, no, naked men. Old naked, skinny, saggy, men with liver spots.” She shuddered along with him as she thought of her upcoming class. “After what happened with that college student model and the bored housewife in my class over the winter…,” she sighed dramatically, as though remembering him, “I don’t think they’re taking any chances.”

“Sorry,” he said unapologetically, pointing a pretzel at her. “I think I’m with them on that one. Can I see your stuff?” He threw in suddenly. He lost his smile as he watched her immediately grow nervous. He reached over and stopped the hand unfastening the label, letting go as her eyes meet his once again. “I am sorry about your art show, Pam. I’m really sorry I missed it. Karen made plans that night.” He smiled a little and started picking at his own label. “I found out later she did it on purpose because she’d learned how I felt about you.”

She nodded, forgiving him and letting go of the hurt. He’d told her about what he’d told Karen at Oscar’s party during dinner last week. “It’s okay. I understand,” and she did. “Competition sucks.” she said, making them both laugh.

“So, can I see it?” He asked again.

“Eh,” She said, smiling slightly and giving him a doubtful look, “I don’t know. This is art with a capitol ‘A’. Gallery viewing has to be earned.”

“Earned, huh?” He chewed on his lip as he looked at her suspiciously. “Earned how?”

“Hmm.” She thoughtfully tapped her lip with her bottle then shrugged. “I don’t know yet, but it’ll come to me.”

“Duly warned,” he acknowledged manfully. “Now, tomorrow…” He straightened up in his seat a bit. “Can you come to my place around 7?”

“I’m a little pizza’d-out, Jim.” She smiled as she teased him.

He rolled his eyes as he grabbed her hand, pulling it towards him, laying a kiss in the center of her palm as he’d done in the elevator. He smiled, a small, satisfied, smile as her eyes immediately unfocused. “No pizza.” He promised softly and kissed her palm again, “No Disney.” Another kiss. “Just us and a little dinner.”

She didn’t (couldn’t actually) say anything as he put her hand back around her bottle. She immediately raised it to quench a mouth gone dry. “Seven’s fine.” She said raspily after she cleared her throat.

“Okay, then. I’ll go settle up.” He grinned at her as he got out up out of the booth. “We can’t have you late.” He gave her shoulder a friendly punch. “There’s a naked man waiting for you!”

*****************************************

Jim opened the door so quickly in response to her knock that she knew he’d been waiting for her. She smiled and nearly sighed at the sight of him. His hair was every which way, which was especially adorable because she knew he only did that when he was nervous. He also had the look of someone who had gotten ready quickly; smelling of soap and dressed in jeans, he still had on a fancier shirt than (she was sure) he ever wore when he was just at home by himself.

“Hi.” he said, stepping back to let her in. She returned his greeting and stepped gingerly into his apartment. She’d never been in this place of his, as he’d gotten his own apartment instead of rooming again with Mark when he’d come back to Scranton. His new place was smaller, but newer. She smiled as she glanced around. He was such a guy. There were no pictures on the walls, but his entertainment center was huge.

“Something smells great.” She said truthfully. She turned around as he offered to take her purse and jacket. She handed them over and took a deep breath. He wasn’t the only one with ‘superpowers’. As he looked around, with both hands full, for a place to put her stuff, she stepped up close to him. When he looked down at her in surprise, she cupped his face in her hands. She went on tip-toe as he followed the urgings of her hands to lower his head. She watched his eyes slowly close even before their lips met; his face a picture of one about to savor a delicious sweet. Her own drifted shut as their lips met briefly, then parted. She kissed him softly once again before stepping away.

He opened his eyes slowly as he straightened back up, his arms still holding her stuff. She clasped her hands behind her back and rocked nervously on her toes. He hadn't moved. She cleared her throat. “Thanks for the flowers this morning,” she said shyly.

She’d been getting ready for work when the doorbell had rung. She’d been annoyed at the unusual interruption and then thrilled when she’d opened the door to find a delivery man bearing a vase of flowers. She’d stuttered her thanks and then brought them inside, rooting through the mass of yellow, pink, and white roses until she found the card.

The front said:

Just Because.

The back had a p.s.:

I might be out the office most of the day with sales calls. This might help you think of me. See you at 7.
- Jim

She’d actually hugged a vase of flowers.

“You’re welcome,” he said as he set her stuff down. Eyes intent, he took a purposeful step towards her that had her breath catching and her pulse jumping, before they both jumped at the loud buzz of the stove timer.

His eyes promised to hold their place as he beckoned her to follow him into the kitchen. “You have good timing. Dinner’s just done.”

Was that good or bad timing with the buzzer interrupting, she wondered as she followed him into the small galley kitchen where several pots simmered. He pulled open the stove to remove the garlic bread. Her heart flopped in her chest a bit as she watched him bite his lip in concentration as he figured out the dials. Look at him, she thought, he was huge, towering above everything in his dinky kitchen…shirt sleeves rolled up. This time she did sigh. He was so adorable and handsome.

He stood back from the stove and rubbed his hands together in satisfaction. “Alright, that's it. Now…”, She was so captivated by him that his next movement caught her completely by surprise. He pivoted towards her then simply slid an arm around her waist, pulling her closer.

He slowly straightened knees that had been slightly bent, bringing her to her toes and full against him as she lost her balance and had to clutch at his shoulders. His other hand pressed warm against her shoulder blades, caressing her back, before traveling up under her hair to cup the back of her head. He held her like this for a few seconds, looking in her eyes, savoring the feel of her against him and the little catch in her breath as she looked back at him in anticipation. He then lowered his head for a kiss that wasn’t playful, wistful, or sweet. This kiss seared the senses and had both their hands clutching at each other as though searching for an anchor in a storm.

The hand Jim had had clutched in her hair slid around to her face, the thumb brushing along her jaw line. Pam opened her mouth at the unspoken urging and immediately saw fireworks across the back of her eyelids as Jim took full advantage. She moaned and her hand moved to wrap around his neck as she raised higher on her toes, aching to return the favor. Jim’s arm left her waist to travel up her back and Pam quickly stumbled, falling backwards at the loss of support. “Whoa!” She grabbed quickly at the counter just as his hands clamped on her upper arms to steady her.

They stared at each other, panting, stunned at how fast they’d lost themselves to the kiss.

He smiled as he rubbed her arms, “So now you have a problem standing, too? You have a problem, Pam.”

She laughed breathlessly even as she swatted his hands away. “You’re my problem.” She muttered good-naturedly, absently rubbing her hand over where his larger one had held her arm.

They stood grinning at each other, inches apart, until Jim saw her eyes flicker past him to the stove. “Oh, Yeah!” He stepped back and gestured her towards the other end of the kitchen which led to the dining room. “After you.”

The two rooms weren’t actually separated but for a high bar counter that had hid her view of the table and would hide the diner’s view of the kitchen. She grinned in delight. He had a small dining table in which he’d arranged candles, wine, and other items in an overtly romantic setting for two.

“Wow,” she said softly and turned to him, touched. “We’ve been off work for, what, two hours? You must have worked like a fiend.” She sat in the chair he’d pulled out for her.

“You’re not supposed to say that.” He chided her. “You’re supposed to be awed by my romantic, charming skills, not ponder how hard I worked.” He poured a glass of wine and handed it to her.

“Fat lot you know about women.” She teased as she thanked him and took a sip. “Knowing you suffered on our behalf is endearing and sexy.”

He stood back and looked at her, hands on his hips. “In that case…,” he pointed back to the kitchen, “Do you know how hard it is to make pasta sauce by hand!?” He pointed at his shirt as she shook her head and giggled. “I’ve had to change shirts twice because the stupid stuff spits at you whenever you raise the lid,” he said in consternation.

She made the little ‘oh’ laugh that he loved so much, “My hero. Now I’m doubly impressed.”

He eyed her as he fetched the pasta. “Doubly, huh? Does that mean you were impressed without all the grisly shirt-destroying details?” He passed her a plate and some bread.

“Well, let’s see.” She looked around. “You’re a man, but your place isn’t a sty. You actually own pots and pans and then,” she raised her hands as though in amazement, “you actually used them to cook me dinner.” She raised her glass in toast to him across the table. “So yeah, I was impressed.”

“Your opinion on the household skills of men is appalling, Pam,” he said sadly, but with a pleased smile on his face. “But you may want to hold all further opinions until you’ve actually tasted dinner.”

She gestured at his plate. “You’re not eating yet.”

He gestured back. “Guests first. Plus,” he added reasonably, “I want to see if you live first.”

She chuckled and forked up a bit. It looked great and smelled wonderful. She then moaned as the first bite confirmed what her other senses had told her. “Oh man, Jim! This is amazing!”

“Oh thank God.” He blew out a truly relieved breath and then forked up his own. “I kept tasting it, but I burned my tongue with the first spoonful and couldn’t tell after that.” She laughed and they dug into the meal.

They sat back, relaxed and replete after the good meal, great company, and two glasses of wine.

“I must have called my Dad ten times while making this.” He admitted.

That surprised her. “You Dad?”

“Yeah. This is my Dad’s recipe. All my life, I’ve always heard the story of how Dad cooked mom this meal while they were dating and how it blew her socks off.” He got up and started to gather the dishes. He reached for her plate. “Mom always said that night was what pushed her over the edge and had her falling in love with him.”

They both froze as what he’d just said processed.

He was afraid to meet her eyes; nervous as to what he would or wouldn’t see there. He straightened up with a rush, plates in hand. “I’ll put these in the sink,” he said hurriedly.

Pam watched him dash into the kitchen and let out the breath that had stopped in her chest. She put her face in her hands. She didn’t know what to do, what to say! Had he just been telling her a story? Had he been hinting at his real hopes?

She did love him. Bone deep, soul deep, loved him.

But did he want to hear it, know it? Did he still love her? He’d just broken up with someone and while the past week had been intense, she still didn’t know if he still felt the same way he had in May. She was so nervous. What should she do!?

Jim gripped the edge of the sink hard and called himself a hundred types of fool. Do you want to scare her, you idiot! Pressure her? He was worried that now she’d see it as a just a strategy.

He loved her so much.

It had never left him, the way he’d felt in May. He’d dampened it on purpose, tried to will it away when he thought she was lost to him, but it hadn’t worked. He’d ignored it, but when he’d left New York on Thursday, the feelings had flooded through him, strong and true, as he made his way back to her. He really had planned on wooing her, winning her, doing what God damn normal people do when you just start dating them…which was not, he was sure, scare them by telling them you want them to love you.

He straightened up with a fortifying breath and made his way back into the dining room. He stopped dead when he saw her with her face in her hands. She looked like a picture of dejection so he did the next normal thing.

He panicked.

“Ah, Pam,” He found himself on his knees in front of her chair, pulling her hands away from her face and alternately kissing them and patting them. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it.” Her eyes had been dry but he stopped again as her eyes filled with tears.

“You didn’t?” She asked in a devastated whisper, watching him with questioning, hopeful eyes.

His heart soared even as his brain lurched at the about face.

Even on his knees, he was taller than her sitting in the chair. He kept hold of one of her hands as the other cupped her cheek. He smiled at her tenderly, “Are you saying it worked?” he teased, though in a rough voice. His own eyes stung as she rubbed her cheek against his hand.

She scooted to the edge of her chair and clasped her hands in her lap. “Will you answer a question first?” She asked quietly.

“Absolutely I will.”

“Do you still love me?” Her voice broke at the last as a tear fell from her eye.

His chest tightened at the emotion in her voice. He leaned forward and caught the teardrop with his lips as it traveled down her cheek. Her breath hitched again as she fought the tears.

“Yes.” He said simply, tenderly. She put her hands back over her face as she began to cry. He kissed her forehead and wrapped his arms around her as she leaned into him. “I never stopped.” He held her tighter. “I love you, Pam.”

He leaned back after she mumbled something unintelligible into his shoulder. He wiped her tears away with his thumbs. “What was that?”

“I love you too, Jim.” She said, catching her breath like a little girl. She hiccupped a laugh at his dramatic, eye-rolling ‘Oh thank God!’. She threw her arms around him. “I love you so much,” she sniffled into his neck.

He hugged her back and they rocked, back and forth, clinging to each other. “I wasn’t kidding you know.” He assured her. “Oh thank God, is right. I’ve been scared to death!” He nuzzled her hair then stood up and drew her out of the chair only to pull her back down onto his lap.

Pam wrapped her arms around him and laid her head on his shoulder. She could hear his heart pounding away, which comforted her for some reason. She raised her head and found him grinning down at her like a simpleton. He gave her a happy hug and then stole her breath and her mind with a long, slow, thorough happy kiss. One hand slid off his shoulder to land in her lap with a plop. He raised his head with a smile and another quick peck, tightening his arms about her amazingly limp person. They sat, just like that, for several minutes.

She snuggled in. “So what now?” She asked with a sigh.

“Well it has to get easier after this, right? I mean we did this whole thing backwards. I fall in love, you fall in love, and then we start dating?” He shook his head at the pair of them. “I think we’re up to speed now.”

He stood up with her in his arms and placed her back in the chair. “Right now though, we’re going to each cheesecake. Truly amazing cheesecake that I handpicked from a bakery window,” he placed a hand dramatically on his chest, “all by myself.”

He acknowledged her duly impressed look with a nod. “Then you, as the beloved and honored guest, get to pick from one of the, count-em, five chick-flicks that I picked for your viewing pleasure on my comfy couch.”

She stood up, all smiles and laughter to kiss him once again. “You are so whipped. It’s nearly sad.”

“Where,” he raised a finger and his eyebrows to add, “hopefully, we’ll miss most of the it because of all the necking.”

“Man, I love you.” She said, shaking her head at his hopeful smile. “Tell you what,” she said stepping back from him, “let’s eat dessert on the couch.” She walked towards the living room, throwing him a look over her shoulder. “We can get some practice in before the movie.”