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Jim and Pam had both been invited to Phyllis’s wedding (along with the rest of their office-mates), which took place at the end of March, and neither Jim nor Pam brought dates. They kept each other company through the ceremony (where they'd sat so close their shoulders had been touching the whole time) and the reception (where they'd each ordered a different entree and shared with each other); both too afraid to admit that it was essentially a date.  They watched their coworkers get drunk and make fools of themselves on the dance floor as they sat close together at their table making up voices and narrating stories for each couple they watched from a distance. Neither was a stranger to the champagne, and when they'd gotten a little tipsy and had enough of narrating other peoples' lives, they turned to each other simultaneously, and began to speak.

"Oh, you go first," Jim said.

Pam blushed a little. "Um, I was just going to ask if you wanted to dance."

Jim's face blossomed into a smile. "I was just going to ask you the same thing," he said quietly, and stood, holding out a hand to her. 

Jim led her to the dance floor, where a slow song was playing, and he turned to her, smiled slightly, and wordlessly slid an arm around her waist as he held her hand with his other one. They started off sweetly awkward, standing a few inches apart, and giggling at every movement, unable to keep eye contact at first. But slowly, things got more serious as they just let themselves feel. Soon, Their bodies were flush against each other with Pam's arms having slid up to rest on his shoulders, and Jim's arms both wrapped around her. They were too close to look each other in the face anymore, and they swayed gently to the music together. Pam had constant waves of tingles passing through her body, and her affection for him made it impossible to keep herself from finally laying her head on Jim's shoulder, eyes closed as her face was tucked into the crook of his neck. She placed a soft kiss there without thinking as the song ended, and felt his body stiffen. She was afraid she'd misread the signals and done something wrong, so she didn't look at him right away when he stepped back from her.

He didn't move, and when she finally did look up at him, the look on his face was halting; instantly making her feel weak at the realization that he wasn't pained or upset, or regretting having to tell her that she'd read the signals wrong. He wanted this as much as she did. He bent his head down to whisper to her that they had to talk, and she shivered from the feel of his hot breath in her ear just before he pulled on her hand, and they headed out of the reception hall, up a couple flights of stairs, and into the empty balcony above. They could see the whole reception if they leaned over the railing, and could hear everything that was going on below them, but they sat in the back corner, where they were hidden from everyone else.

"Pam, I think it's time that we were honest with each other."

She nodded in agreement, taking a deep shaky breath, and then it felt like time slowed to a crawl as they both reached for each other, standing up at the same time, and colliding into each other, their lips meeting and fitting together like pieces of a puzzle.

"This isn't talking," Jim mumbled against her lips after a few intense moments.

"She giggled at his words and the change in sensation as his lips lightly nudged against hers as he spoke. And then she breathily confessed, "I love you so much, Jim."

"I love you, too," he said, pulling away from her mouth and wrapping his arms around her more tightly. She felt a lump in her throat at the happiness and relief she felt to hear him say that to her again after so much time of disappointment, disconnect, and misunderstandings.

They began to sway together to the music floating up from below, sharing an even more intimate dance. Pam tilted her chin up to look Jim in the face again, and she was full of an ache and longing for him, being so close to him, having confessed their feelings to each other, only to be in a public place together and unable to truly enjoy each other.

She felt her mouth curl into a smile as she stepped away from him slightly and took hold of his hand. She simply gave it a little tug, and led him through the upper floor of the facility where the reception was being held. No one was around, as all the guests were at the party downstairs, and there was a small, empty room with a couch, and a door that locked and blocked out the noise enough that they could talk and be together alone. She closed the door behind them, and sank into the couch next to Jim, where he'd already made himself comfortable.

"Trying to take advantage of me?" he joked with a raised eyebrow at the click of the door closing.

She slapped him playfully on the arm. She looked into his face, and saw his love for her just shining there, no reason to hide it anymore, and she realized that they didn't need any more words. They'd told each other they loved each other, and after all, they always seemed to communicate with each other best non-verbally. She reached up to place her hands on either side of his face. She stroked his cheeks with her thumbs and watched his eyes slip closed for a moment. When he opened them again, she whispered, "Always," and leaned in to kiss his forehead, his nose, and both cheeks before he groaned impatiently and leaned forward, kissing her mouth. He pushed her back on the fancy sofa, so that he was lying on top of her, arms around her and underneath her shoulders as he kissed and kissed her, his lips soft and gentle, parting from hers and then softly returning over and over again.

"I'm so sorry I lied about my feelings on Casino Night," she whispered, breath hitching before she kissed him more fervently.

"Shh," he said, smoothing the hair back from her face and then kissing her again. "It's okay."

His tenderness and understanding after all they'd been through in regards to each other brought tears to her eyes. She sniffled, and Jim immediately pulled away from her, alarmed. Embarrassed, she covered her face with her hands, and a small sob escaped.

"Hey, hey, what's wrong?" He asked, his voice soothing but concerned.

She shook her head, her hands still over her eyes. "I'm just... a little overwhelmed."

He gently pulled her hands away from her face, folding them in his own hands and kissed the tear tracks that ran down the sides of her face into her hair. She wrapped her arms around him again. "You think we can escape this place a little early?"

"You want me to drive you home?"

"Only if you come inside with me," she said, hugging him tighter.

He pulled back and smiled brightly at her, the most genuinely happy smile she'd seen from him in almost a year. "Come on, let's go."



PuffingNoise is the author of 41 other stories.
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