Dating Disasters (Jack)

[REBECCA TAYLOR]

Dating wasn't something Rebecca necessarily liked, but she didn't dislike it either. She was low maintenance. Their dates seemed more like hangouts and occasionally Jack did something sweet for her. He did all the gentleman things she found irritating, though. He opened doors for her, pushed her chair in for her at restaurants, walked too close and touched her whenever he could. It felt like they were just friends going out but it didn't at the same time. She found him gazing at her from time to time, too. It always made her stomach squirm, knowing she would probably let him come upstairs with her when he dropped her off. The sex was still great and maybe even better now. He'd found her weakness and exploited it whenever he could and Rebecca often found herself thinking of him and his wicked mouth even at work. She hated to admit she was actually falling for him and she tried not to show it at all costs. The second he knew he'd gotten through it was all over for her - he would expect her to be his girlfriend and want her to hold hands in public and all that other mushy crap she just wasn't into, but even she had to admit that the thought of everyone knowing wasn't as scary now. Yes, she had her pride and reputation, but it might not be the end of the world. That didn't mean she intended to let the world know. He wasn't her boyfriend. Not yet anyway.

Rebecca's home seemed quieter these days without Jack around, and she found herself looking forward to seeing him on those date nights. She even dressed a little nicer than usual for those dates, still in her normal jeans but often opting for boots and a nicer sweater, her hair usually done instead of pulled back into a ponytail. Tonight was no different. She wore tight jeans and a fluffy, ivory cable knit sweater with brown boots. Her dark hair hung loosely around her shoulders, gentle, natural waves curling throughout. She even wore a very tiny amount of makeup for him.

They were going someplace outside of town, but Rebecca didn't know where. She had told Jack she didn't like surprises, and he assured her it wasn't like a typical surprise, he was just taking her someplace nice for dinner and he knew if she knew where she would make a fuss which was exactly why she did want to know. Knowing Jack it was probably expensive or something, which was one of the reasons she dressed a little nicer than usual while remaining her air of casual. She had on a slightly puffy down red jacket with white trim and gloves to match.

"So how mad at you am I going to be?" She asked looking over at him, her gloves in her pocket as they sat in his warm car together, his hand holding hers tight. He really liked taking advantage of that hand holding thing while no one was around to witness it, and though she wasn't entirely comfortable with it, she didn't necessarily hate it. It felt awkward and alien to her, but she dealt with it.

[JACK ROCCOGRANDI]

Jack liked this dating thing with Rebecca. She wasn’t comfortable with it at first, thinking it would be something more than it was, but as she got used to it, so did he. He didn’t see her every night anymore and there were a couple days he didn’t see her at all because their schedules didn’t match up with their cases. It was date night when he was guaranteed to see her and spend time with her. Jack didn’t care where they were, whether it was an upscale Italian bistro like they were going to tonight or on the couch at either of their homes, he thought Rebecca always looked beautiful and she always kept his full attention. The sex had even gotten better now that she was letting him really dive under her sheets. At times during the day he would stop and think of how she cried out and he’d have to restrain himself from getting excited. They didn’t have to have sex to have a good time, though. He was content just to tease her and see her smile when she teased him back. It was becoming clearer and clearer that he was falling in love with Rebecca Taylor, but he would wait to tell her. She was still too nervous about the whole thing. If tonight went well, however, he was planning to pop a question. After all, it only made sense that he would want her to be his girlfriend after so many weeks of dating.

He tried not to dwell on his nerve-wracking question, though. It made more sense to just go with the flow of the night and enjoy it. He was wearing a black suit jacket with a plain white button down shirt and nice jeans—a pair he’d bought on his trip to the mall with Rebecca, actually. It was a dressed up casual look, one that matched her own and one that would be fitting for where they were going. He hadn’t told her they were going to Antonio’s, an upscale Italian bistro outside of the city, but he had hinted at the dress code. It wasn’t so fancy they would have to really dress up, since Rebecca would probably skin him for that, but it was nice enough to be a treat for both of them. Even better was the fact it was Friday and they wouldn’t have to be at work tomorrow, which was a pretty good indication he would be allowed upstairs once they got back to Rebecca’s.

“So how mad at you am I going to be?” He knew she would ask the question and he smiled as his fingers squeezed her hand gently in his. His eyes glanced over to hers and he gave a small sigh. “You know, you don’t have to get mad at me for treating you to a nice dinner.” Again his eyes met hers with a pleading sort of look as if to ask her to please be merciful. “But if you insist, you’ll probably be at about a six on the angry scale, possibly a six and a half. You will like the place, though. I promise.” He brought their joined hands to his lips, pressing his mouth gently to the back of her hand. She was arguing less with his affectionate gestures these days.

A few minutes later they were pulling into Antonio’s parking lot and he could feel Rebecca’s look before he even laid eyes on the glare he got from her. “Come on, don’t be so mad. It’s my money and I do what I want.” He released her hand, but only after he’d leaned in and kissed her lips lightly and slowly. She rarely stayed mad at him for long after he planted a kiss on her. When he climbed out, he would have gone and opened Rebecca’s car door for her, but she never let him do so. At least she’d stopped fighting him on holding the restaurant door open for her. Though they didn’t touch as they walked in, Rebecca not big on public displays of affection, Jack remained close by her side. Once they walked inside, he realized they were perfectly dressed for the occasion. He leaned down to Rebecca and spoke softly to her, “I don’t know, I think we could have gotten away with wearing sweats here. What do you think?” Before she had a chance to answer, the host was asking if they had reservations and he confirmed they did with his last name. It wasn’t long until they were seated towards the back of the restaurant, near the bar but far enough away that they were alone. He couldn’t have asked for a better spot, right near the window and the fireplace. “So, how’d I do rating your anger?” There was a lopsided smile on his face both curious and apologetic. He wasn’t sorry to treat her, just sorry it upset her when he did.

[REBECCA TAYLOR]

“You know, you don’t have to get mad at me for treating you to a nice dinner.” He was pleading with his eyes and she rolled her own. She didn't want to be treated for anything. She was used to paying her own way for things and it wasn't comfortable having someone else take care of the bill, especially if she knew it was going to be pricey. “But if you insist, you’ll probably be at about a six on the angry scale, possibly a six and a half. You will like the place, though. I promise.” Her lips quirked up for a brief second liking that he was being forward and telling her she would probably be relatively annoyed. And then he kissed her hand and her lips went back down. She didn't yank her hand away or tense like she used to. This wasn't because she necessarily liked the affection he offered, it was because she was used to it now and had no choice but to accept it. He was going to do it whether she wanted him to or not and he'd made that more than clear over the last couple weeks. "We'll see."

They pulled into the parking lot and Rebecca eyed the building. It looked pretty nice from the outside and she could tell it was the sort of place that had dishes ranging in the twenty something price range. She threw a glare Jack's way as if to scold him for choosing the fancy Bistro. “Come on, don’t be so mad." She snorted and rolled her eyes. "It’s my money and I do what I want.” She was about to get out but he was pulling closer and she looked over just in time to receive his sweet, chaste kiss. She huffed a little after he pulled away, her eyes a little softer now. She didn't like those public displays of affection, but like everything else Jack did, she was growing used to it. "Whatever." She grumbled not sounding nearly as menacing as she wanted.

The pair got out and made their way up into the warm cozy restaurant. It smelled fancy and it smelled Italian. She supposed that was fitting considering the place was both. She knew it could have been worse though. A lot worse. As it was she was dressed appropriately in her jeans, boots and sweater. She looked around and tried to become more excited for their date. It was a weekend and she would probably get incredible sex tonight after an amazing dinner. Still she liked taking care of herself and it was hard to let anyone, even Jack, do these sorts of nice things for her. “I don’t know, I think we could have gotten away with wearing sweats here. What do you think?” She gave him an incredulous look and was about to comment when the hostess cut her off and took them towards their seat.

They got a nice table out of the way and she wondered if Jack had specifically asked for a more private area of the restaurant considering her feelings on the subject of dating. The fire crackled nearby and she felt comfortably warm as she undressed from her outerwear and draped her coat over the back of her chair. Jack was smart enough not to try and push her chair in and she was grateful for that, not wanting him to act the gentleman. In many ways he was still just her coworker, but one she trusted enough to talk about her past with and let see her naked from time to time. “So, how’d I do rating your anger?” His lopsided smile was cute and she rolled her eyes. "You were spot on, Roccograndi." Her look was playfully annoyed, the tiniest hint of a smile pulling at her lips. She looked down at the fancy menu placed in front of her, a leather booklet with rustic paper inside, their menu written in calligraphy. As expected everything was overpriced and she sighed. "Maybe a seven, seven and a half." She grumbled looking over the specials. She knew he had the money, he was a cop, but it just didn't feel right letting him drop at least a hundred on one single meal. She knew what it was like to struggle and she didn't enjoy being so frivolous, but she knew Jack really wanted this so she didn't complain openly, just fumed in her mind about how incredibly wasteful it all was. "I'm getting the tip and if you try and fight me I won't invite you back up when you drop me off." She informed matter of factly, not even looking up at him when she said it. "And we both know you intend on getting laid tonight, so.. there's that."

[JACK ROCCOGRANDI]

Rebecca rolled her eyes and Jack grinned wider. “You were spot on, Roccograndi.” He chuckled but he couldn’t deny feeling a sense of pride over properly guessing her level of annoyance. The more time they spent together the better he knew her and her moods. It was easier to be amused when she was allowing just the slightest hint of a smirk to show on her lips. She looked down to the menu and he followed suit, glancing at the options and the prices. Well, the costs had gone up a little since the last time he was there, but he was more than happy to treat her. Her sigh across the table drew his eye and he looked up from the table with hesitant curiosity. “Maybe a seven, seven and a half.” She was grumbling, which was never a good sign, but she would be cheered by how delicious everything was…he hoped. “Don’t look at the prices, look at the food.” It was just a suggestion, but she didn’t seem interested in exploring that option. Clearly, she was upset. Jack was getting used to it, though. He liked treating her to nice things, but the only nice things she would let him treat her to and had any remote interest in, though, was food. When Valentine’s Day rolled around, however, he was going to get her a flower—not a bouquet, just one rose that would make her smile.

“I’m getting the tip and if you try and fight me I won’t invite you back up when you drop me off.” His brows arched as he looked up again, surprised by the threat. “And we both know you intend on getting laid tonight, so…there’s that.” He wasn’t going to deny he intended to get laid—it was Friday and no matter what Rebecca said, Jack knew she would be happy to relax with a few orgasms delivered by the man sitting at the table with her. But he also couldn’t deny knowing she would make good on her threat if he argued. With a little sigh, he looked back down at his own menu. “One of these days I’m going to specifically ask the restaurant to give you a menu without prices. I should have done that tonight.” He glanced up at her with a smirk and even though he was making out like he was kidding, he legitimately wondered if restaurants would accommodate a request like that. That would need some research…it sounded like an awesome idea to him.

Before Rebecca could argue, their waiter appeared with a warm smile and body language that screamed flaming homosexual. “Welcome to Antonio’s, I’m Jeff and I’ll be your server.” And a voice to match…Jack didn’t mind it in the least, he just took note of it. In fact, he found it pretty amusing. “Can I start you two with something to drink?” He waited for Rebecca to order before he ordered a glass of Merlot for himself. “Can we also get the fried calamari for an appetizer?” Their waiter nodded enthusiastically with a wide smile before marking the request on his notepad. “You sure can! I’ll go fetch your drinks.” As soon as the waiter walked away, he looked over at Rebecca with a mischievous grin. “Well I guess I won’t have to worry about the waiter hitting on my date the whole night.” His voice was soft so they wouldn’t be overheard, just in case the waiter came behind him and he didn’t see. “Do you know what you want yet? And don’t automatically go to the cheapest thing on the menu.” He narrowed his eyes playfully as if to let her know he was onto her.

[REBECCA TAYLOR]

Jack let out a small sigh and she knew she had defeated him. At least for the time being. “One of these days I’m going to specifically ask the restaurant to give you a menu without prices. I should have done that tonight.” He smirked up at her and she looked up over her menu to see, her own devilish smirk on. "Well, you didn't." She teased feeling very proud of herself as the waiter made his way over. She decided that it would be rude to take advantage of him, but she also wanted to show him it was a bad idea to take her out to pricey restaurants. She immediately looked to the more expensive dishes, trying to figure out what she would like as their server began to speak. If he was going to throw money away on her, she decided he would do it right. Fuck financial waste. if he wanted to be an idiot, she would let him be.

“Welcome to Antonio’s, I’m Jeff and I’ll be your server. Can I start you two with something to drink?” What was an Italian supper without wine? "A glass of Chianti for me please." Jack ordered Merlot for himself and then fried calamari for them to start off with. “Well I guess I won’t have to worry about the waiter hitting on my date the whole night.” He teased softly once Jeff left them to their own devices. She rolled her eyes. Did he think she would stand for anyone hitting on her? She had a fuck-off aura around her, which made men turn and run the other way normally. Only Jack seemed to be immune to it. “Do you know what you want yet? And don’t automatically go to the cheapest thing on the menu.” She gave an innocent look. "What, and let you get off easy? Please." She grumbled, her eyes back on the menu. She didn't normally opt for the veal since she didn't like how they were raised, but she reasoned they were dead already anyway, and it would be delicious. Plus the veal dishes were some of the more expensive ones, most coming up to nearly $30.

"I think I'll get the Veal Olivia. It sounds delicious." She told him folding her menu up and sliding it to the edge of the table. She turned and looked at the fire and then around the place. "This place is full of ambiance. If I didn't know better I'd think you were shooting for romantic, Jack." She teased in an almost scolding voice. Jeff popped over with their wine and a busser was behind him a pitcher of iced water, filling their glasses. Jeff promised their appetizer would be out shortly. She reached for her wine once they were alone and lifted it. about to take a sip but then stopped herself. She held her glass out towards him for a toast. "To expensive meals on your dime." She teased, her smirk a coy one.

[JACK ROCCOGRANDI]

“What, and let you get off easy? Please.” Jack chuckled before looking back at his menu. At least Rebecca was going to take advantage of his kindness for once. His eyes scanned the options, really feeling like lamb tonight. Even though his wolf instincts had died down significantly, he still craved a wolf’s diet pretty regularly. It wasn’t cheap, but being cheap would only encourage Rebecca to be so. “I think I’ll get the Veal Olivia. It sounds delicious.” Jack looked at the price for that dish and found it was one of the most expensive items on the menu. He smirked and glanced up at her before looking between to two lamb dishes once more. “I see your game, Taylor,” he said softly. With his decision made, he folded up his menu once more and nudged it to the edge of the table. Rebecca was looking around the restaurant when his eyes came to her face. “This place is full of ambiance. If I didn’t know better I’d think you were shooting for romantic, Jack.” He tilted his head to the side a little as if he was confused by her statement. “Why on earth would I do that? Dates aren’t supposed to be romantic.” His voice was dripping with sarcasm but he smiled once more as Jeff came over with their glasses of wine and another man followed behind with water.

Alone again, he was going to take a sip of his wine, but Rebecca lifted her glass in a toast. “To expensive meals on your dime.” The coy smirk on her face made his own lopsided smirk appear and he lifted his own glass to tap against hers lightly. “I’ll drink to that.” With the clinking of their glasses still in the air, Jack took a sip of his wine and admired the tart and bold taste. Since she had brought up the atmosphere of the restaurant, Jack thought now might be a good time to ask her what he’d brought her here to ask. Jeff gave him some more time to prep by bringing over their appetizer and two small plates and Jack stole even more time scooping some of the calamari onto his plate with his fork. After he’d finished chewing a fried and spiced little leg, he looked up at Rebecca and gathered his nerves. “You know, Becca, I was thinking…” He cleared his throat, finding it was suddenly dry and his palms were getting a little sweaty. The worst she could do was say no…but then would he have to convince her to keep dating him if she refused him? Would she freak out and forget about dinner so she could bolt? He told himself he couldn’t think about that—the ‘what ifs’ weren’t going to do him any good right now. He just had to ask.

As his mouth opened to spill his heart on the table, the most unexpected voice rang through the air. “Well, my goodness! Taylor and Rocco!” Jack’s eyes shifted immediately to the source of the slow, drawling words. There by their table was a familiar blonde bombshell in a red dress that hugged tight at her hips and chest, her hair curled expertly about her pale face. No one could ever say Faye wasn’t a beautiful woman, but Jack’s heart wasn’t racing because of her pretty face. He and Rebecca were caught. After a mad scramble in his mind to keep from showing the true reason he and Rebecca were sitting at a table in a fancy restaurant together, Jack forced a wide, lopsided grin. “Faye! What a coincidence! Are you having dinner here too?” If he could just play it cool and avoid any personal questions, maybe she wouldn’t think they were on a date. His eyes swiftly looked at Rebecca’s face, trying to gauge how upset she was by this unfortunate meeting.

[GINA FAYE]

Gina didn’t often go out to fancy restaurants or bars, preferring cheap drinks and questionable company. But she bought a new dress that was just dying to be worn to someplace higher scale than the Jack Kit and she knew just who to ask as her date. Of course Gavin agreed to come along if only to see her dressed to the nines before he undressed her again. Over the past few weeks she’d actually become pretty fond of the sexy bartender, finding something of a kindred spirit in him. They both loved sex and laughter and had similar tastes in just about everything. Though he’d drugged her to be madly in love with him for three days, she’d long since forgiven him for that since he poured that love potion down the drain. There were times when she actually felt a little of that love spark come back and she wondered if maybe she was really falling in love with the guy. It seemed impossible, knowing her record with men, but for the first time in a very, very long time she had no desire to go looking for someone else to please her. With the romantic atmosphere of the bar they were visiting tonight, she would have no need to pretend she wasn’t completely into her date.

And she was. Gavin made her laugh as they drank, telling her more stories about growing up as a military brat. She listened attentively though her commentary was just as relaxed and playful as his was. That was one thing she could commend Gavin on—she always felt comfortable in his company. It didn’t matter if they were dressed up or barely dressed watching a movie on his couch, their interaction was the same. With all her laughing at the bar, though, Gina had to excuse herself to use the little girls’ room. She took the opportunity to freshen up before leaving, but a most unexpected surprise greeted her as she headed back to the bar. There were two familiar faces shoved in the back of the restaurant and as she got closer she confirmed it was just the two people she thought it was: Taylor and Rocco. She knew they were friends at the office, but she didn’t know they would come out to dinner together! Maybe Rocco was trying to sugar her up. Taylor was a known sour puss, though she’d never been unkind to Gina.

“Well, my goodness! Taylor and Rocco!” she drawled excitedly. They both looked at her like they’d been caught with their hands in the cookie jar. She didn’t have time to wonder why though as Rocco spoke up. “Faye! What a coincidence! Are you having dinner here too?” Since the day she started at the Scriptor Bay Police Department she’d liked Rocco. He was nice and friendly and sexy as all get out. She would do dirty things to him that would make his head spin, but she’d realized a long time ago that he wasn’t that kind of guy. He was too nice to do short but incredibly fulfilling sexual relationships. In fact, Gina had always been under the impression that he had his eyes on someone else. She waved her hand playfully, shaking her head. “Naw, I wouldn’t spend so much money on food, though I hear the veal is to die for. I’m just here for drinks with my beau over there.” She turned and motioned towards Gavin who was chatting with the bartender. Maybe they were trading tricks of the trade. She looked back with a big smile, her eyes fixing on Taylor. “Look at you all gussied up, Taylor! You look as pretty as a brand new penny!” Her eyes wandered around the area. “And ya’ll got primo seats here! Right by the fire. Any special occasion bring ya’ll out tonight?” Gina never saw herself as prying, simply as curious. She didn’t really know what boundaries were and she assumed others didn’t either.

[REBECCA TAYLOR]

"I’ll drink to that.” His glass came up and clinked with hers, and she immediately brought it to her lips to take a deep sip. She was needing less and less alcohol in order to enjoy him these days it seemed. No sooner had she placed her wine glass down that the appetizer was on the table. The place was definitely fast! She put a little on her place and slid one into her mouth. Rebecca enjoyed simpler foods and always had. She had tried calamari once with Maxi ages ago and remembered she didn't hate it, though she had to constantly remind herself that it was okay that she was eating squid. The very thought was nauseating, but if you didn't think about it, it wasn't so bad. You know, Becca, I was thinking…” He cleared his throat and she looked up at him curiously. What the hell was he thinking? She was about to tease him to take a sip of water and try again when a voice made her stomach drop somewhere around her feet.

“Well, my goodness! Taylor and Rocco!” Her big, sea colored eyes landed on the precinct hottie, the lady cop every male cop wanted to get his paws on. She was wearing a tight red dress with her breasts going everywhere, her hair blond as ever and curled delicately around her cute, round face. Why? Why did they need to be spotted? Faye! What a coincidence! Are you having dinner here too?” There had been plenty of times in Rebecca's past where she wanted to just die. This was certainly high on her list.

“Naw, I wouldn’t spend so much money on food," Rebecca had to agree with her there, "..though I hear the veal is to die for. I’m just here for drinks with my beau over there.” Rebecca looked over at the cutie at the bar who looked strangely familiar. Where had she seen him before? Probably given him a ticket. “Look at you all gussied up, Taylor! You look as pretty as a brand new penny!” If Rebecca had been a bird her feathers would have puffed out in annoyance. No one was meant to see her like this, even Jack really. "Thanks." She grumbled, not really meaning it. “And ya’ll got primo seats here! Right by the fire. Any special occasion bring ya’ll out tonight?” If they were so primo why wasn't there a hole nearby where she could disappear into?

Rebecca gave Jack a semi dirty look, not having a good excuse as to why they would be out celebrating a "special occasion". Her mind raced to find a good excuse. "We finally finished up the paperwork on that Montgomery case and Jack insisted we celebrate since it was so tedious. I didn't really want to but I had nothing better to do and who turns down good veal?" She said, feeling stupid for opening her mouth and not thinking for a minute that she might be hurting Jack's feelings, but she had warned the man this could happen and it was not what she wanted. He had to know that. Then she started talking without even thinking. "You, uhh... you guys could join us if you wanted. I mean.. it's not like were on a date so.." Her eyes moved from Gina's to Jacks and then down at her food hating that she had invited Faye to sit down. With any luck she would decline. She reached for her glass of wine realizing she really did need a drink now.

[JACK ROCCOGRANDI]

“Look at you all gussied up, Taylor! You look as pretty as a brand new penny!”[/b] “Thanks.” Jack had to stifle a laugh at how unhappy Rebecca looked with Faye’s compliment. His hand came up to wipe at his mouth almost as if he was wiping his smile away. “And ya’ll got primo seats here! Right by the fire. Any special occasion bring ya’ll out tonight?”[/b] Just like that his smile was gone as he was stumped for an answer. His eyes shot to Rebecca who was giving him a dirty look and his breath caught in his throat for a second. He wanted to protest against that look—it’s not like he invited Faye over! The woman invited herself to do pretty much anything that caught her fancy. Just as he was opening his mouth to spout something off, Rebecca spoke for him. “We finally finished up the paperwork on that Montgomery case and Jack insisted we celebrate since it was so tedious. I didn’t really want to but I had nothing better to do and who turns down good veal?” Nice save, Becks… It was a convincing lie and really only a half lie since Rebecca really hadn’t wanted to come to such an expensive restaurant. He let out a relieved breath, a half smile curving his lips as he looked back to Faye who also seemed satisfied by this answer. “Man, ya’ll were still workin’ on that? Well good for ya’ll for gettin’ that done!”[/b] Jack nodded his appreciation and tried to slow his heart rate.

“You, uhh…you guys could join us if you wanted. I mean…it’s not like we’re on a date so…” Just like that his heart rate was back up as his eyes shot across to Rebecca again. Was she serious? Faye was going to figure them out eventually if she had dinner with them! Jack had meant for this to be time for just him and Rebecca, no third or fourth wheels. He wondered if Faye would catch on that it was a date by the way Rebecca insisted it wasn’t. His eyes looked warily to Faye’s who looked like she was considering the offer. “That’s awful kind of you, Taylor, but I think I’ll pass this time. Like I said, me and Gavin ain’t eatin’ here, just havin’ drinks. We were plannin’ to leave soon anyway. Thanks for the offer, though! I might take a rain check and say we should go out and have drinks sometime!”[/b] Again Jack came down from the brink of a heart attack. He sighed and gave a big smile. “We might take you up on that, Faye. At least I might. I can’t speak for Taylor.” He threw Rebecca a slightly amused and laid back smile though he was really kicking himself for hinting at them being an item and him being able to make plans for the both of them. Not that it would work anyway with Rebecca as self-sufficient as she was.

Faye grinned in return looking pretty pleased with the idea of drinks though he had no idea if she was just faking it to be nice. “Alright then! In the meantime I should get back to my date. He’s making puppy dog eyes at me. It was nice seein’ ya’ll!”[/b] “Nice to see you too.” Jack glanced to the guy at the bar who really was giving Faye exaggerated puppy dog eyes like he was playing around. Where had Jack seen that guy before? It suddenly clicked and he looked back to Rebecca once Faye was out of earshot. “Who knew Faye was with one of the bartenders from the Jack Kit?” he glanced back over at the two of them, noting the big smiles they wore. That’s generally what happy couples looked like. Right now, Jack and Rebecca weren’t happy or necessarily a couple. He gave a nervous smile, unsure if he should prepare for a miniature nuclear meltdown. “Close call, huh?”

[GINA FAYE]

“We finally finished up the paperwork on that Montgomery case and Jack insisted we celebrate since it was so tedious. I didn’t really want to but I had nothing better to do and who turns down good veal?” Taylor had a point on that one. Gina herself could never turn down good food, especially not good meat. Still, she was surprised by their occasion since the case was closed months ago. “Man, ya’ll were still workin’ on that? Well good for ya’ll for gettin’ that done!” Gina knew there were some cases that just had a lot of clean-up after they were cleared. Rocco nodded his head in agreement with Taylor. “You, uhh…you guys could join us if you wanted. I mean…it’s not like we’re on a date so…” The way Rocco quickly looked over at Taylor caught Gina’s attention. What was with that look? It was almost like he was questioning Taylor’s invitation and not necessarily in a good way. Gina was curious about it, wondering if this was supposed to be a private affair and then really considered their surroundings. A romantic spot in a secluded part of the restaurant, a fancy restaurant at that, and Taylor looked much nicer than she generally did in the office…were they actually on a date? She looked between the two, trying to read their body language but she kept her observations to herself. It would make sense they would want to keep it a secret if they were on a date. So Gina brought a smile back to her face and shook her head gently making her soft curls sway.

“That’s awful kind of you, Taylor, but I think I’ll pass this time. Like I said, me and Gavin ain’t eatin’ here, just havin’ drinks. We were plannin’ to leave soon anyway. Thanks for the offer, though! I might take a rain check and say we should go out and have drinks sometime!” Her invitation was more polite than anything else, feeling bad for turning down Taylor’s invitation even if the two sitting at the table looked relieved at her refusal. It could be a friendly invitation that she might cash in if the opportunity presented itself but she didn’t necessarily have to set up. Rocco let an easy smile cross his handsome face as he looked up at Gina. “We might take you up on that, Faye. At least I might. I can’t speak for Taylor.”[/b] Another suspicious statement…Even though Rocco looked relaxed as he smiled between the women, it initially sounded like he was setting up something for him and Taylor to do with Gina as a couple. Interesting…Not that she wouldn’t mind going out to drinks with just Rocco. He seemed like a nice guy and he was as sexy as sin. Even if nothing happened between them, which it most likely wouldn’t, she could at least admire that pretty face for a couple hours. She looked over at Gavin as she considered the proposal and found him looking at her with exaggerated puppy dog eyes that made her grin. With a bright smile she looked back at the two fellow officers. “Alright then! In the meantime I should get back to my date. He’s making puppy dog eyes at me. It was nice seein’ ya’ll!”

The other two said their farewells before she turned and walked back to the bar, her hips swaying gracefully and a cute smile on her plump lips. Gavin continued to give her eyes that made her giggle before she got back to him and wrapped her arm around his shoulders, her smile bright. “Sorry to abandon you, I just saw some coworkers over there. I think they’re on a date but they ain’t fessin’ up.” She shrugged her shoulders and gave a cute lopsided smile. Her eyes looked to the bar and she saw two shots waiting. The smile on her lips turned wicked as she slid into her seat once more. “So what’d you get me?”

[REBECCA TAYLOR]

“That’s awful kind of you, Taylor, but I think I’ll pass this time. Like I said, me and Gavin ain’t eatin’ here, just havin’ drinks. We were plannin’ to leave soon anyway. Thanks for the offer, though! I might take a rain check and say we should go out and have drinks sometime!” Her smile was forced and it looked it as if that idea was appealing in some way. Rebecca had little to no desire at all to have a drinking date with Faye, either alone or with Jack and her beau.

“We might take you up on that, Faye. At least I might. I can’t speak for Taylor.” She shot Jack a quick, dirty look before pushing the plastic smile on her face for Faye again and giving a little. "Mhm." As if she were genuinely considering it, though it was clear she wasn't. She tried, though. “Alright then! In the meantime I should get back to my date. He’s making puppy dog eyes at me. It was nice seein’ ya’ll!” Rebecca was so relieved that she smiled for real a little. "You too." She lied as the bombshell slunk away towards her date.

Rebecca watched Faye for another minute before turning her head back towards Jack, though her eyes didn't look at him. She was fuming and needed to settle a little. How could he do this to her? He knew she didn't want to be found out! Yeah, there was no way he could know the girl would be there, but he almost blew their cover, and for what? They were just friends! Friends with benefits who were going on a stupid date which was a bad idea to begin with. Rebecca reached for her wine and downed it in one sip, planning to order another the second the little queer bartender came back. How could he do this to her? How could he be so careless as to nearly blow their cover?

"I can't believe she's here." She growled, obviously annoyed as she set her empty glass down. Her stormy eyes moved up to meet his, her brows low. "This is why I don't like dating, Jack. Why do you feel like you have to take me out to these stupid date restaurants? This isn't the type of place a coworker would take another one out to celebrate the close of a case! It's where you go on a date!" Her arms moved up, showing her annoyance as she hissed her rant at him so no one but Jack could hear her. Last thing she wanted to do was make a scene. She pushed her elbows on the table and covered her face. "This was such a dumb idea." She grumbled, all thoughts of a coworker seeing them not being so bad out the window. What if Faye told people they were together? What if she was suspicious? She was dumb, but she was a cop which meant she had to have some brains in that bimbo head of hers! Rebecca would have taken one look at the two of them and knew for certain it was a date without a shadow of a doubt. Who's to say Faye didn't do the same? Maybe she was acting coy because Rebecca said it wasn't a date. Either way the night just took a drastic turn for the worse. Everything was ruined.

[JACK ROCCOGRANDI]

When Rebecca downed the rest of her wine in one go, Jack knew she was upset about the whole thing. More upset than he’d anticipated she would be if they ran into a coworker while out on a date. “I can’t believe she’s here.” He was going to comment on this being a free country but the look she gave him stopped his tongue. “This is why I don’t like dating, Jack. Why do you feel like you have to take me to these stupid date restaurants? This isn’t the type of place a coworker would take another one out to celebrate the close of a case! It’s where you go on a date!” Did she have any idea how much her words could sting? His brow lowered over his dark eyes, feeling anger burning in his belly. “This was such a dumb idea.” With that Jack sat back in his chair and marveled at how irritable she suddenly was. “Really? This is how you react when one coworker sees us and isn’t even suspicious? She obviously had no idea what was actually going on. And if she does, who cares? What reason would she have to tell anyone? And I bring you to these ‘stupid’ places because I want to treat you the way I think you deserve to be treated. I think you deserve nice things, even an overpriced piece of veal. I brought you to a place with ambiance because we’re actually on a date, Becca. I didn’t realize that still bothered you so much.” His voice remained soft and even so he wouldn’t attract unwanted attention, but the edge in his voice and fire in his eyes made it obvious how very upset he was. After all of these weeks of them evolving their relationship it cut deep that she didn’t want to be seen out in public with him. Why did it matter so much if the squadron knew they were dating? Didn’t she see it wouldn’t change a god damned thing?

He kicked back the rest of his wine too and got to his feet. “I’m going to the restroom.” With that he didn’t wait for Rebecca to protest but instead marched to the bathroom. The woman had no idea how badly she could hurt him…or perhaps she did and that’s why she’d been so hesitant. If that was the case, he wanted desperately to ignore her cruelty so she wouldn’t be afraid by how deep her words cut him. Then again, he couldn’t just deny that she’d pissed him off and hurt him. She could at least be a little grateful that he treated her so well. Instead she saw fit to nag him every time he did something nice for her. Part of him wanted to call her out on how ungrateful she was, but the larger part of him remembered what she’d been through and how she’d come to rely wholly on herself. That could only be an excuse for so long, though. He washed his hands to busy himself and then pressed his wet palms to his face to help calm himself. When he’d dried off he sighed to let go of his wounded pride and then made his way back to the table. So much for asking her to be his girlfriend after that incident…

Just as he took his seat once more, Jeff came back to their table with a chipper smile. “How is everything?” Jack pushed the smile on his face to mask the uncomfortable air now settled on their table. “Great. Can we each get another glass of wine, please?” “Sure! And are you ready to order?” “Yes. I’ll have the braised lamb with the potatoes and mixed vegetables.” He waited for Rebecca to order before he handed over his menu with another smile which faded immediately when Jeff hurried away. His eyes came up to Rebecca’s who seemed to have calm down some in the minutes he was away. He sighed and took a drink of his water to wash the bitter taste out of his mouth. “Look, I get that you’re used to taking care of yourself Becca. You’ve gotten pretty damn good at it. It doesn’t bother me that you like to take care of yourself. What bothers me is that you push back every time I do something nice for you. Just let me take you out to nice places every now and then. And yes, those nice places might give away the fact that we’re dating to coworkers, but I don’t understand why that bothers you so much. Everyone knows you’re a good cop, Becks. That doesn’t change just because you were kind enough to go on a date with me. As long as work is work and we keep our relationship out of the office, nothing bad can come of this. In time I think you’ll see it’s not as big a deal as you think it is. So can we just enjoy dinner and forget that Faye saw us? Please?” His eyes were pleading as much as his soft voice was. Rebecca was infuriating but Jack still had hope that time would change that. Even though she’d hurt him, he wasn’t ready to give up—quite the opposite, actually. He wanted to prove to her and himself that he could handle whatever she threw at him and he wouldn’t be scared away.

[REBECCA TAYLOR]

“Really? This is how you react when one coworker sees us and isn’t even suspicious?" She peaked up at him, still huffy with a light pout on her lips. "She obviously had no idea what was actually going on. And if she does, who cares?" She cared! And she had told him all the reasons she cared. Why couldn't he understand that? "What reason would she have to tell anyone? And I bring you to these ‘stupid’ places because I want to treat you the way I think you deserve to be treated. I think you deserve nice things, even an overpriced piece of veal." Why did he think she deserved that? Who deserved an overpriced piece of dead, baby cow flesh? "I brought you to a place with ambiance because we’re actually on a date, Becca. I didn’t realize that still bothered you so much.” She frowned wishing he understood why she was upset. He never would, though. Jack just couldn't see things the way she did because he'd been more sheltered than her. She'd grown up differently. She didn't need these things or expect them or even really want them, but for whatever reason he felt the desire to lavish her this way.

Rebecca looked back down at her plate, glowering gently and unsure what to say to make him understand her reluctance, but before she could think of anything he was standing up, making her look up in surprise. “I’m going to the restroom.” She watched him go, knowing he was annoyed and she let out a long sigh, reaching up and rubbing the bridge of her nose. She felt like the night was ruined before it had a chance to begin and she had no idea how to make it better. She didn't want everyone to know they were seeing each other. She wasn't ready for that step, even if she was letting him take her out and going to bed with him a few times a week. She sat and poked at a piece of calamari on her plate, not knowing if things could even change.

Before she knew it Jack was back, sliding in across from her just as their server came over to take their order. Jack gave his and Rebecca followed with her own, speaking just loud enough for Jeff to hear her and glad that Jack ordered refills for their wine. The moment the waiter disappeared, so did Jack's smile. She looked into his eyes and frowned slightly at the look he was offering her. “Look, I get that you’re used to taking care of yourself Becca. You’ve gotten pretty damn good at it. It doesn’t bother me that you like to take care of yourself. What bothers me is that you push back every time I do something nice for you. Just let me take you out to nice places every now and then. And yes, those nice places might give away the fact that we’re dating to coworkers, but I don’t understand why that bothers you so much. Everyone knows you’re a good cop, Becks. That doesn’t change just because you were kind enough to go on a date with me. As long as work is work and we keep our relationship out of the office, nothing bad can come of this. In time I think you’ll see it’s not as big a deal as you think it is. So can we just enjoy dinner and forget that Faye saw us? Please?” She craned her nack back, rubbing a hand gently over her face as she sighed. "The thing is no one would see it as me being kind enough to go on a date with you. It's the other way around, Jack. You don't have to understand why I'm not comfortable with it, you just need to respect it. I've told you the reasons before, and you're going to have to just deal with the fact that I'm not willing to throw myself out there like that. I didn't ask for this. I didn't want this, but you're persistent and yes, I do like being with you. I think that's obvious, or I thought it was, but you can't just expect me to change the way I feel or see things a certain way because you have a different opinion." She explained, wishing he could back off her a little. "I'm not used to anyone doing anything for me. It feels strange and alien and having come from nothing it just seems wasteful to drop so much dough on dinner. I mean, it's your money, whatever, but you have to know that makes me feel weird. You have to know I don't like being the center of a rumor mill. I don't like attention and I don't want it, and yeah, maybe no one gives a damn about our love lives but I'm just not okay with everyone knowing." Her eyes pierced his, begging for understanding. Finally she broke her gaze and looked back at the table. "But the damage is done for tonight, so.. yeah, we can just forget she saw us." She all but grumbled. Maybe the night could be salvaged after all.

[JACK ROCCOGRANDI]

Jack knew Rebecca was frustrated from the way she leaned back in her chair and ran her hand over her pretty face. He didn’t want to fight with her but she was being so frustrating! "The thing is no one would see it as me being kind enough to go on a date with you. It's the other way around, Jack.” Say what? Who would think he was simply being nice by going on a date with such a hot woman? Sure, she was hard to handle, but there were plenty of men in the precinct who would clap him on the back for scoring a date with Rebecca Taylor—not that they would ever know about him and Rebecca from his mouth. “You don't have to understand why I'm not comfortable with it, you just need to respect it. I've told you the reasons before, and you're going to have to just deal with the fact that I'm not willing to throw myself out there like that. I didn't ask for this. I didn't want this, but you're persistent and yes, I do like being with you. I think that's obvious, or I thought it was, but you can't just expect me to change the way I feel or see things a certain way because you have a different opinion." Jack felt his argument boiling in his stomach but he held it down, his jaw clenching a little as she continued. Where was that wine? "I'm not used to anyone doing anything for me. It feels strange and alien and having come from nothing it just seems wasteful to drop so much dough on dinner. I mean, it's your money, whatever, but you have to know that makes me feel weird. You have to know I don't like being the center of a rumor mill. I don't like attention and I don't want it, and yeah, maybe no one gives a damn about our love lives but I'm just not okay with everyone knowing." And they wouldn’t, but would it really be such a bad thing? He could understand her feeling weird about how he liked to buy her things, though, but he didn’t do it all that often because he knew it made her uncomfortable. Didn’t she see how hard he was trying? Couldn’t she do the same? She gazed into his eyes for a long moment and he took a deep breath to let out the frustration he felt. For as patient as he was, Jack was becoming more and more acquainted with his limits since meeting Rebecca.

“But the damage is done for tonight, so…yeah, we can just forget she saw us.” Her eyes broke away but he continued to watch her feeling a little helpless. She liked being with him but not being seen with him. Obviously she wasn’t ready for actually being his girlfriend and it left a strange hole in his stomach. When was the last time he’d been so disappointed? He was ready for the next stop and she was far from it. It almost didn’t seem fair. Jeff came over with their wine and assured them their food would be ready in about fifteen more minutes, to which Jack forced a smile and thanked him for the wine and information. When the bouncy ball of homosexual happiness skittered away to help some other tables, Jack took a long sip of his wine before looking up at Rebecca again. It was hard to make conversation when you had a bitter taste in your mouth that no wine could wash away. “Alright, she never saw us. But I guess we’ll have to stop going to the Jack Kit in case she sees us there again, considering she’s dating one of the bartenders. I guess that’s a better excuse to keep drinking at home.” He gave a genuine lopsided grin, knowing drinking with Rebecca at home made it ten times more likely he would get in her pants by the end of the evening.

As they waited for their food, Jack cooled off with wine and calamari and less serious conversation. He avoided office gossip and instead turned it to sports, who he thought would win the Super Bowl and asking Rebecca’s opinion.

When the food did arrive, it smelled so good the wolf inside him wanted to skip the formalities and just dig into the meat. Of course he didn’t, more man than beast, but as soon as Jeff skipped away again, he was cutting into his lamb. It was perfect. He looked up at Rebecca to see if she was enjoying her dinner. “So what are you doing for Valentine’s Day? Got a hot date planned with your other boy toy?” he teased. He reached across the table and snagged a piece of her veal with a grin, popping it in his mouth before she could protest.

[REBECCA TAYLOR]

Rebecca didn't know how to feel, and she was relieved when the flamboyant waiter came with their wine and assured them dinner would follow shortly. She peaked up at her date as he drank heavily from his glass and she reached for her own, sipping it and watching the man across from her. Why couldn't he see how hard sh was trying? Why were her actions never enough? He wanted her world to be his right now, but she wasn't ready to give that up. She needed her independance. She needed to keep her low profile. It was how she worked, and she wished Jack could just see that.

"Alright, she never saw us. But I guess we'll have to stop going to the Jack Kit in case she sees us there again, considering she's dating one of the bartenders.l Ah, that's were she'd seen him. " I guess that's a better excuse to keep drinking at home." his smile was his usual boyish lopsided one, and she grinned back halfheartedly. She knew he was trying to lighten the mood, but she also knew he was upset, and in turn so was she.

Rebecca did her best to pretend like the disagreement they had never happened, talking lightly with Jack about this and that as they waited for their meals. It seemed forced at times, but at least they weren't bickering and calling attention to themselves. Except maybe the football talk. The upcoming Super Bowl was something she was semi interested in. Finally their food came and her stomach lurched with anticipation. She had to admit it looked pretty damn good and smelled even better. Jack dug in immediately and she did the same,taking a hefty bite and not petending to be the lady the other patrons might expecther to be. She chewed slowly savoring the taste and her eyes all but rolled to the back of her head with delight. There as a reason this cost so damn much..

"So what are you doing for Valentine's Day? Got a hot date planned with your other boy toy?" she scowled lightly at his teasing. As if she would have someone else. "Maybe." She toyed back watching his hand shoot across and take a bite of her veal. There had been a time in her life where his hand might have been fork stabbed for that offense. "Hey, the next time your hand comes near my plate again it'll feel the wrath of my fork." She threatened, waving her metal utensil at him. "Why do you ask about Valentine's day? Interested in being my backup date?" She asked being mildly playful with him, which still felt a little strange considering they were on a date. "Because I'm not real big on the whole Valentine thing. It's for kids. Just an excuse to buy chocolate and flowers.. but if you wanted to force feed me chocolate I might not argue too much." Her stomach gave a strange sort of lurch at the thought of a naked Jack giving her chocolates.. she blushed and looked down at her meal, surprised at her own toughts. That wasn't like her. Then again, she wasn't like her since Jack came into the picture..