Chapter 1: First Date

Up in his bedroom, Jim jumped at the sudden knock at his front door. Looking down at his well-worn t-shirt with the hole near the seam of his right sleeve, he momentarily panicked. Hadn’t he been clear that he would pick Pam up for their date? It was still an hour before he had promised to be there.

Jesus, Halpert, chill.

Heart gently pounding, he trotted down the stairs to answer the door.

Instead of Pam, it was a member of the documentary film crew—Brian.

“Oh, hey,” Jim said, relief washing over him. But then he realized why the guy was there.  Well, the large camera Brian held was also a big clue. During the day, Brian was normally the boom operator, but the release form they all signed at the office allowed the crew to film after hours if two or more employees were involved, or just one, if the employee didn’t mind, but often they sent only a cameraman to cover small get-togethers.  Jim’s heart sank. The last thing he wanted was a third wheel on his first date with Pam.

“Drew the short straw, eh?” said Jim tightly.

“Yeah, guess so.  I’ll just film you getting ready, then ride along with you to wherever—”

Jim held up a hand. “Look man, can you please give me a break on this tonight?” He reached into the back pocket of his jeans and drew out his wallet. “I will pay you—shit, twenty bucks. But consider that a down payment.  I’ll give you eighty more tomorrow; apparently I needed to go to the ATM anyway…” 

Brian got it completely—it was Pam.  Still, his hands were tied.

“Wish I could help you, but the whole crew saw you asking her out. You know they’re gonna want to see this.”

Jim frowned, and he thought fleetingly of how he could ditch him. He sighed, knowing he wouldn’t do that; that kind of behavior was reserved for Dwight. It sucked being a nice guy sometimes.

“Look, just tell them I said we cancelled, ok?  I’ll take full responsibility if they ever find out.  If you don’t film anything, there’s no proof, right?” Jim grinned conspiratorially.

Brian looked away a moment, considering. Like it or not, he’d become invested in this burgeoning relationship he’d observed for the better part of four years. He was rooting for both of them, and was probably just as happy as Pam had been when Jim had nonchalantly asked her out earlier that afternoon. Part of him wanted to see the story unfold even more than the producers.

Shaking his head at his own romantic musings, Brian sighed.  “Ok, fine.”

 He held out his hand, and Jim raised an amused eyebrow before ruefully slapping the twenty into the man’s palm.

“But I want the rest tomorrow,” Brian said.  “No footage means no overtime pay.”

Jim grinned. “Hey, thanks man. I definitely owe you—much more than eighty,” he finished meaningfully.

“A hundred and eighty?”

Jim chuckled. “Depends on how well the date goes.”

“Good luck,” said Brian sincerely, and Jim watched him a moment as he walked back to his car, loaded the camera in the trunk, and drove away. Jim closed the door and went back into his house. His eyes rested a moment on the clock on the wall. With an internal jolt, Jim sprang into action. He wasn’t nearly ready, he realized, and now he had to stop at the bank.

“This had better be worth it, Beesly,” he said to himself as he took the stairs two at a time.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Pam had problems of her own: half of her wardrobe was strung out on her bed.  With only a half-hour till Jim got there, she stood in her closet in only her bra and panties, hopelessly indecisive. His text earlier had offered her little help.

I’ll pick you up at 7.

Cool. Where are we going? I mean, should I wear something…classy?

You always look classy.

Very smooth. But could you narrow it down for me? Dressy classy or casual classy?

Casual classy.

Ok, but how casual? What are you wearing?

You mean right now? Are you sexting me Beesly?

Nevermind. I’ll figure it out.

Because if we’re sexting, let me at least buy you dinner first. I’m kinda old-fashioned like that.

Just stop, lol. I’ll see you at 7.

Yes, you will. ALL of me.

She’d laughed at that, then blushed furiously, grateful no one was there to see how flustered his teasing had made her. He’d actually asked her to dinner, said it was a date. The tone of his text hadn’t sounded like he was about to tell her he had gotten the job in New York. On the contrary, the way he’d acted earlier in the doorway of the conference room, he’d tried to sound casual, but she knew better, knew when he was trying to play it cool. Plus, he’d never asked her out before, not really. Sure, they’d grabbed a friendly lunch from time to time over the years, had even eaten grilled cheese on the office roof and later called it a date.  But this was definitely different. She wasn’t with Roy anymore, and Karen was nowhere to be found. Sharing this particular meal didn’t come with the safety net of an innocent office friendship.

Pam’s heart told her this date was the beginning of something life-altering, and she didn’t want to be inappropriately dressed for the occasion.

Xxxxxxxxxx

In the end, she’d gone with an emerald green dress she had bought to wear to the office, though when she’d gotten it home, she’d realized the neckline was too low for her usual modesty. It was not unlike the neckline of the blue dress she’d worn on Casino Night, and he seemed to have been taken with her then. But she shook her head at that. That was a long time ago, and the green symbolized a new beginning, for both of them. It had been waiting in her closet for something special, and now, she couldn’t wait for Jim to see her in it. Maybe subconsciously, she had saved it for him.

She stood before her full-length mirror, taking deep, calming breaths, her attention drawn to her gently sloping décolletage. She flushed a little as she imagined him looking at her there. Her hair hung around her face, and she was pleased with the result, having taken the extra time to smooth her natural curls into shining waves. She admitted to herself that she looked pretty damn good, and hoped Jim thought the same.

Her doorbell rang at precisely seven o’clock, and she slipped on her low black heels before forcing herself to walk slowly to the door.  The look in Jim’s eyes as he swept his hazel gaze from her face to her breasts and hurriedly back up again made the curling iron burn on her finger totally worth it.

“Hey,” he said softly, his cheeks tinged pink. “You look beautiful.”

“Thank you,” she replied, giving him her brightest smile. He wore his nicest suit, sans tie, and her eyes rested on the tan triangle below his Adam’s apple. She wondered what it would be like to kiss him there, how he would taste. God knows he smelled amazing. She reached up and brushed back the lock of hair that had fallen from his carefully combed new haircut. How many times had she longed to touch his hair over the years, how when he’d kissed her almost a year ago, her hands had immediately delved into the soft, brown hair at his nape.

“I like job-interview-Jim hair,” she said. “It makes you look…” As she hesitated, one thick brow rose in anticipation of her adjective choice.  “Professional,” she finished lamely. What she really wanted to say was something along the lines of tantalizingly masculine, mature, sexy. His other eyebrow rose to meet its mate.

“Don’t get me wrong,” she amended hastily, “I like messy-hair-Jim, but there’s something to say about this guy.”

She lowered her hand, trying to control its slight tremor as she inadvertently touched his warm cheek.  He caught her hand and met her eyes, his smoky now with a sudden flare of desire.

“And there’s definitely something to say about outside-the-office-Pam.” He brought her hand to his lips in a gallant gesture few men these days could pull off.

Her heart pounded in her ears as she looked at him. God, how she loved him, how she wanted him. It was so nice to be able to admit that to herself.  Soon, she would admit it to him.

“You ready?” he asked hoarsely, after a moment of silent communion. He cleared his throat, stepped back and dropped her hand self-consciously.

Was he reading her mind? Was she ready to voice her feelings for him?

“Pam?”

“Oh, yeah. The restaurant. Let me grab my sweater and purse.”

The silence in the car was not exactly awkward, but filled with unspoken feelings, tentative happiness, sexual awareness. It wasn’t unpleasant. Jim parked his Saab in front of Casa Bella, the best Italian place in town.

“Great place,” she said, as he met her at her door, held it open for her.  His eyes narrowed. 

“You’ve been here before, with uh—”

“No,” she said. “Roy hates Italian food, not counting pizza, I guess.”

He grinned. “That’s too bad.”

“Yeah, his loss.”

“Hm,” he replied noncommittally, but she knew he was pleased that he had picked a place that didn’t have any residual memories for either of them. Although it was the middle of the week, the place was packed, but Jim had thoughtfully made a reservation, and the hostess seated them immediately. Over warm focaccia and wine, Pam asked him about the elephant in the room.

“I turned down the job,” he told her. “It wasn’t for me.”

“Oh,” she said, focusing on dipping her bread in olive oil so he wouldn’t catch her relieved expression. “Sorry.”

He laughed. “Now that didn’t sound convincing.  No need to be sorry; it was the right decision.”

She met his eyes and let him see her pleasure at his words, but there still was another, dark-haired, petite elephant to deal with.

“And so, Karen…?”

“She didn’t get the job either. And she’s not too happy with me right now, since

I--well we—broke up before I left New York.”

Pam’s heart gave a mighty thump, and he covered her hand before she could reach again for the communal round loaf between them.  “That was the right decision too,” he said.

“I am truly sorry for that, Jim. I like Karen. It’s always sad when a relationship ends.”

He shrugged. “I was just fooling myself. Fooling her too, I guess, and I really feel bad about that. It wasn’t fair to stay with her, especially here in Scranton, when I’m still in love with someone else.”

His thumb massaged her knuckles on the table, and he looked meaningfully into her eyes.

“She’s a very lucky girl, whoever she is,” Pam whispered. “Jim, I—”

“Excuse me,” said the waitress, bearing their salads. They reluctantly moved their hands and sat back, each with racing pulses and shaking limbs.

“Thanks,” said Jim, smiling at the girl, who blushed at his attention.  Meredith was right: he did look sexy hot with his hair this way.

“Your entrees will be out soon.” She left them with a smile of her own, but Jim was already re-focused on Pam.

Before digging into her Caesar, Pam took a fortifying drink of red wine. Jim watched in amusement as she finished the glass. He picked up the bottle he’d ordered and refilled it.

“Trying to get me drunk, Halpert?”

“Not at all. It’s always more fun when your date can stay in her chair.”

“Funny.”

“Nervous?” he dared ask.

“Yes. You?”

He nodded. “Terrified.  I feel like I’m in high school, and not the acne and voice cracking fun. More like the sweaty palms, nervous stomach kind of fun.”

She grinned. “I’m reliving my own awkward, captain of the football team talking to the band nerd moment.”

“Basketball team,” he corrected her, because he remembered Roy had played football in high school.

“Yeah.” She knew what he was really meant, and his flash of possessiveness made her feel almost giddy.

Jim finished his own glass, but didn’t refill it, silently nominating himself designated driver. One of them needed to be responsible, he mused. And Pam, he remembered, was a sloppy drunk. Cute, but sloppy. She met his eyes over the glass, and he felt the heat of the moment in his groin.

They ate their salads, both of them feeling better after their confessions, and their conversation turned to safer topics. Still, the awareness hummed between them now, stronger than it had ever been.

The pasta dishes they each ordered were excellent, and they shared a large slice of chocolate cake for dessert. He fought her for every rich morsel, and they laughed as their forks did battle on the plate.

She chewed the last hard-won bite in triumph.

“Mmmm,” she said, sitting back in her chair and closing her eyes blissfully, her hand on her stomach.  “That was an excellent meal.”

Jim took the moment to admire her enticing cleavage, her chest rosy from the wine and, he hoped, from the rising heat between them. She opened her eyes and caught him looking, and he blushed like that high school boy he had once been, but he didn’t look away. His eyes slowly rose to her beautiful face, the streaks in her hair glinting in the candlelight.

“Did I mention how much I like that dress,” he said, refusing to succumb to his embarrassment, excited to let her know how she made him feel.  It was freeing, after all these years of holding back.

“I was hoping you would,” she was saying.  “I wore it for you.”

The waitress and her excellent timing graced them this time with the bill.

“It’s still early,” Jim said casually as they walked out of the restaurant. “You want to see a movie or something?” He allowed his hand to rest on her lower back as they walked out into the cool spring evening.

She shook her head. “We can’t really talk in a theatre.” Boldly, she slipped her hand in his, and he only hesitated a surprised second before lacing their fingers together.

“How about the lake path?” He suggested.  “It’s a nice evening.”  It was also conveniently located right across the street.

The sun had long set, and the still air was redolent with the scent of blossoming trees, the water lapping rhythmically against the rocky shore. They crossed the street and entered the paved path that wound around Scranton Lake for three and a half miles.  Jim remembered that there was a secluded park bench halfway around the path, and most of the bicyclists and pedestrians had likely gone home, or so he hoped. He would have her completely to himself. His face stretched into a secretive grin.

“What’s that impish smile for?” she asked, looking up at him in the light of one of the streetlamps lining the path. They strolled slowly together, Jim adjusting his gait to accommodate her much shorter legs.  Their joined hands swung between them.

“I’m just really happy for some reason.  And also, I was thinking that grown-up Jim could totally kick teenage Jim’s ass right now.”

She laughed, but she squeezed his hand encouragingly. “Counting your chickens, Halpert?” Funny how she always knew what he really meant, what he was thinking.  Sometimes it was eerie, their nearly psychic connection. Eerie in a good way.

“No,” he replied ruefully, “just hopeful.  I’ve always been hopeful, even when I left. I just crumpled that hope into a neat little ball and threw it into a dark corner for a while.  But it was still there, niggling at me.”

“Like a seed stuck between your teeth?”

“More like a splinter in my thumb,” he countered.

“Or a pebble in your shoe.”

“A hangnail, one that if you pulled on it, it would tear all the way to your elbow.”

She wrinkled her nose in disgust, but laughed. “That’s really gross.”

“Not to mention very, very painful.”

She stopped in the middle of the path and moved to stand in front of him, arching her neck to look up into his face. “I’m sorry I made you wait so long.  I was stupid. And scared.”

He reached up to touch her cheek with one long, graceful finger. She’d always admired his hands, imagined them touching her. “Scared of me?”

“Scared of this. Of us.”

His lips quirked, but he was clearly pleased. “There’s an us now?”

“There’s always been an us. Even when there wasn’t an us, there was an us.”

He shook his head in wonder, love shining brightly in his eyes. “What really scares me, Beesly, is that I understand exactly what you’re saying.”

She stepped closer to him, still holding his hand, her other sliding up his arm. “Good,” she said softly, “that will save me a lot of time explaining things.”

He opened his hand to rest warmly on her cheek, the tips of his fingers slipping into her hair, pulling her gently toward him as he lowered his head. The first touch of his lips set her entire body trembling, her legs turning to Jell-0. Her small hand tightened on his arm for support as he moved his mouth sweetly over hers.

Their first kiss a year ago had been so sudden, so breathtakingly passionate that she’d felt like she’d been kicked in the stomach.  When he’d raised his head, he’d looked at her, wide-eyed and hopeful. But she’d lacked the courage to draw him back to her mouth and kiss him again like she’d longed to, or to profess her love as he’d been brave enough to do ten minutes before. She’d told herself that she was honoring her commitment to Roy, told Jim that she was still getting married. Stupidly, she’d let him go. She’d cried quietly into her pillow every night for a week after Jim had left, an oblivious Roy snoring beside her.  Too late, she realized she couldn’t possibly marry Roy after that devastating kiss with Jim, but she was too scared and embarrassed to tell Jim to come back from Stamford for her. She’d missed her chance, and Jim hadn’t waited around for her.

This time, this kiss, was infinitely different than the first. Jim took his time, exploring her lips slowly, gently, though she could feel the tension in him as he struggled for restraint, could feel her own desire rising from her core. Tears formed behind her closed lids at the beauty of it, and when he pulled her to his body, her ragged gasp led him to deepen the kiss, his tongue plundering her mouth with hot, wet strokes.

She lost track of where their hands were, but she had vague sensations of his hair between her fingers, his large hands sliding up her torso beneath her sweater to rest tantalizingly below her breasts. She could even feel herself rising off the ground as he pulled her up on tiptoe, holding her in his strong arms, trying to get even closer, his lips never leaving hers.  The need for oxygen was the only thing that parted them, but he took a breath and dove back in, this time nuzzling her neck, inhaling the familiar scent of delicate roses. For nearly four years, whenever he’d smelled roses, he thought of her. He kissed his way to her ear, felt her tremble when he breathed her name.

She turned her head and pulled his mouth back to hers, and their kisses became wild, their hands taking mindless liberties beneath suit jacket and cardigan. They were making out under a streetlamp on a public walkway, and for several passionate minutes, neither of them cared. Then, someone growled. And bit. But not in a sexy way at all.

“Hey!” exclaimed Jim, jumping back from Pam in pain. 

“Hey, Pinky! Stop that!”

A small brown dog of indeterminate breed had latched onto Jim’s pantleg, shaking its head violently and grazing his leg with its needlelike teeth. The dog’s owner pulled hard on its leash.  “Pinky, heel!”

Jim tried to gently shake off his attacker, even raising his leg up off the ground, but the little dog held fast, clamping down even harder. Finally, the owner bent and forcefully pulled the dog off him, tearing a sizeable chunk out of Jim’s trousers in the process, while the animal snapped and snarled violently in protest.

“I’m so sorry, man. Let me pay for those pants.” He held the angry dog in one hand, while reaching into his back pocket for his wallet.

Jim had to back further away when the dog lunged at him. “No, don’t worry about it.  You, uh, just get that sweet little puppy home.  I think it needs its kibble.”

“Or a freakin’ muzzle,” muttered Pam beside him, but when he glanced her way, she was trying very hard not to laugh.

“Did she nip you?” asked the contrite owner.

Jim looked down at his leg in the dim light. “Nah, it’s just a scratch.  I’m not worried about it.”

“Well, she does have her updated rabies shot. At least take my card if you change your mind. I’d be happy to pay if you need medical attention, or for those pants.”

When Jim reached for the card, the dog jumped at him again, so the owner laid the card carefully on the path before backing away with the struggling dog still in his arms.

“Sorry again, man. Miss,” he said, nodding to Pam. “Didn’t mean to disturb your evening.”

“Yeah, well she must have smelled my dog or something.”

“That’s probably it.”

When man and dog were far enough away, Pam lost it.  “Oh my God! You should have seen yourself, that little furball hanging off your leg while you hopped around!” She giggled with glee.

Jim squatted down to survey the damage. Damn, this was my favorite suit. His ankle bone might be bruised a little, but thankfully those tiny teeth hadn’t been strong enough to get through his pants to break the skin.  He wondered if he could get his mom to patch the hole.  He pocketed the man’s card, though he had no intention of using it.

Chuckling as he stood, Jim shook down his damaged pant leg. “Laugh it up, Beesly, but if I hadn’t been in the way, your pretty little legs would look like chew toys right now.”

“My hero,” she said, her laughter dying down to an amused grin.  He reached for her hand again, and they continued their walk in companionable silence, though much of the sexual tension had dissipated thanks to their near-death experience.

“Canus interruptus,” he said suddenly, and they both laughed again.

A thought occurred to her. “Hey, you don’t have a dog.”

“Nope. Just didn’t want the guy to feel bad.”

She squeezed his hand. “You’re such a good person,” she said sincerely, and Jim felt his face flush with pleasure.

“I’m more sorry we were interrupted than I am for my pants.  Now that was a weird sentence.”

She chuckled. “Yeah, I’m sorry too.  But hey, you’re leading me to the Kissing Bench, so maybe we can pick up where we left off, safe under the trees, away from any other wild animals…”

“You know about the Kissing Bench?  Boy, do I feel lame.”

Pam grinned. “I grew up around here too, remember? Everybody whose anybody knows about the Kissing Bench.”

“I didn’t think nice girls like you knew.”

“You’re so sure I was a nice girl?  You don’t think I got a little action on the Bench?”

He shook his head. “Nope.  I’d bet you two Cokes you never even sat there with a boy.”

“Two Cokes?  Gee, I don’t know whether to be complemented or insulted.”

She said no more, and Jim’s smile widened. “I’ll meet you at the vending machines tomorrow afternoon to collect.  And Pam…it was definitely a complement.”

She moved closer to his side, leaning her head against his arm, enjoying the night and the novelty of simply being alone together. Several minutes later, they found themselves at a Y, where the main path continued on around the lake and another path stretched up under the trees. But instead of the iconic park bench of their memories, they were greeted at the dead end with a bright streetlamp and a small Porta-Potty.

“Well, damn,” Jim said, truly disappointed.

She laughed. “I guess it’s true that all good things must end.”

“On the bright side, your good reputation is destined to remain intact.”

“Crap,” she said, deadpan.  “And here I was hoping…”             

“You were, were you?  Hmmm…let’s see if I can remedy that.”  He dragged her with him off the path to a line of cherry trees, whose blossoms glowed faintly white in the moonlight.  They ducked under the low-hanging limbs, and Jim gallantly took off his suit jacket and laid it on the tender young grass.

“My lady,” he said, gesturing to the makeshift blanket.

“Jim, you’ll ruin your jacket.”

“That’s okay. Now it’ll go with my pants again.”

“If you’re sure,” she said, and sat down on the silk lining of his jacket, carefully arranging her A-line skirt around her bent knees. She slipped off her shoes and rested back on her hands. Jim joined her, stretching out his long legs with a contented sigh, liking the fact that their hips touched. The blossoms smelled heavenly, and he watched a couple fall into Pam’s hair, unnoticed by her. It made him smile. He tried to make out her face, blurry now in the darkness, and his breath caught when he realized she was smiling back at him.

“Cold?” he asked, clearing his dry throat.  “I’d offer you my jacket, but…”

“No.  It’s pretty warm for a May evening.”

He shook his head sorrowfully. “It’s finally happened. We’re talking about the weather.”

She sat up and placed her hand on his chest.  He was sure she could feel his elevated heartbeat, and he drew a shaky breath that did nothing to slow it down. Suddenly, he felt the tickle of her hair beneath his chin as she leaned over and pressed her lips right above his second shirt button.  Did she just inhale? He shivered with desire.

“Hmmm,” she said, the sound reminiscent of her reaction to their delicious meal. He bent to kiss the top of her head. She tasted his throat and he swallowed convulsively, then she settled her mouth on his throbbing pulse.

He closed his eyes, letting her explore at her leisure, trying to hold still while she kissed along his jawline. Meanwhile, her hands roamed his chest, brushing her nails across his flat nipples, sensitive to her touch even through his shirt and undershirt.  After another full minute of torture, she ran her tongue lightly over his bottom lip. With that, she had successfully found the end of his rope.  Hands on either side of her face, he took her mouth at last, sensually punishing her for teasing him so mercilessly.

Passion flared between them and he let her push him down flat on his suit jacket, his head resting above it on bare grass.  She moved her torso atop his chest, and he had never felt anything hotter than her breasts pressed against him, her hands buried in his hair, her tongue tangling with his until he thought he would die of need.  When one curious hand drifted lower onto his stomach, he tensed in anticipation, wondering what she might dare to do next, at once hopeful and worried that she would touch him below his belt and he’d have to muster some semblance of control. The last thing he wanted was to revisit teenage Jim’s short history of sexual embarrassment.

Sure enough, this bold Pam, this sexy, teasing Pam he was really starting to love, slid her dainty fingers underneath his waistband. He couldn’t help the moan that escaped into her mouth, and he felt the answering chuckle of feminine empowerment vibrating in her throat.

“Pam,” he managed as he turned his mouth away. “Jesus…what are you trying to do to me?”  His hand came down to cover hers, stilling her seductive movements.

“If you have to ask, Halpert…” she said breathlessly.

He sat up, and she was forced to move to her side of the jacket. He ran shaky hands through his hair, his breath coming in labored pants.

“Did I do something wrong?” she asked anxiously.  He could hear the beginnings of tears in her voice, and he quickly turned back to her, taking her hands in his.

“No. No, of course not. On the contrary…” He laughed a little at himself, at this dream situation he couldn’t believe he was living for real. “I just didn’t expect this, didn’t expect I’d get past first or second base with you tonight.”

“Really? Why else did you make this little love nest under the cherry trees? I’m a hot-blooded woman, Jim.  What did you think I’d expect?  You can’t lead a girl on this way then leave her hanging…”

He blamed his high state of arousal for his slowness of thought, but when he suddenly processed her ironic tone, he smiled sheepishly.

“All right, all right, I get it. I’m sounding like a woman in a Victorian novel. Seriously though, I just thought we’d make out a little. I didn’t think—didn’t dare hope—that you would want to—not on the dirty ground in the middle of a public park.”

She put her hand on his thigh, felt it automatically tense at her touch.

“If we’re going to be together, Jim, you have to take me off this pedestal you’ve put me on. I’m a real woman, and I know this might come as a shock, but I’ve actually had sex before.”

“I really don’t want to think about you having sex with anyone else, if you don’t mind. God knows it’s tormented me for years. As for the pedestal--sorry, babe, but your pedestal is a permanent structure in my mind. I know you’re not perfect, but I’ve had a lot of time to get to know you, and you are, without a doubt, the closest to it of any woman I have ever known, and you deserve the utmost respect and love I can possible give you. So, forgive me if I want our first time to be somewhere where we don’t have to worry about being interrupted, where it’s clean and comfortable, where I don’t have to fear that some animal is going to come out of nowhere and bite my toe off or uh, something.”

His speech was met with silence, and Jim wondered if he’d offended her, or worse, if he’d totally ruined the evening.

“You know why men put women up on pedestals, don’t you?” she asked in the stillness.  He was relieved to hear that she sounded like her usual mischievous self.

“So they can look up their dresses,” they said in unison. When they both laughed at the old joke, he knew everything was going to be okay.  He leaned over and tenderly kissed her, sliding her mussed up hair behind her ear.

“Come home with me,” he whispered against her lips, “where I can look up your dress in private.”

“I would love to. But not tonight.  We have to work tomorrow.”

“What?”

She kissed him on the cheek, then moved to put on her shoes.  “You make a good case for waiting for the right time and place. Our first time should be special, and I don’t want to be worried about oversleeping the next day, because when I finally get you into bed, neither of us is going to be up to working in the morning.” She grinned and got to her feet.  “To be honest, I didn’t intend to sleep with you tonight either, but you’re such a good kisser, I got carried away…”

Jim lay back on the ground with a moan of frustration. “You’re killin’ me, Bees.”

She chuckled, and he felt her hand take his. “Get up, Halpert. Take me home.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah.  I wouldn’t want to compromise your maidenly virtue.”

“Oh, you’re hilarious.”

He sat up again and she gave him both hands to help him to his feet.  He picked up his suit jacket and shook it out, then slipped it back on. He had to duck beneath the branches, but they made it down the slight incline to the path without taking his eye out.

Her hand in his, they walked back toward the restaurant.

“For the record, I never made out on the Kissing Bench either,” he confessed.

“Well…if we’re being totally honest, I did.  But I’ll still buy you that Coke.”

He laughed softly. “When did the whole world turn completely upside down?”

“When I fell in love with you,” she said simply. She nearly stumbled at his sudden stop.

“What did you say?”

“You heard me,” she said bashfully.

Speechless with joy, he enfolded her entire body in a passionate  hug, his face in her hair, his eyes closed tight against the damn tears he couldn’t seem to control around her. It was the first time she’d ever told him she returned his feelings, though of course he was pretty sure she did. Knowing it and hearing it were two entirely different things.

“I love you, Jim,” she said into his shoulder. “So much.”

“I love you too,” he managed hoarsely. “God, you don’t even know…”

She hugged him back nearly as hard as he was hugging her, her pulse loud in her ears, and they swayed there on the path while a pack of kids on bicycles road around them, cussing like sailors.