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Jess picks up the phone without looking at the call ID, happy to take anything from a conversation with her mom to a telesales worker if it’ll save her from having to wade through anymore after-action reports this afternoon.
“Hey, Jess. Is now a bad time?”
Feeling an involuntary smile that she knows Torres would tease her for if he was here cross her face, she leans back in her chair, “Chloe, hey! No, not a bad time. Everything okay?”
“Yeah, everything’s fine. I just wanted to tell you, well, ask you. I mean,” Chloe stumbles endearingly on the other end of the line, “the premiere is coming up next month and I wanted to know how you’d feel about being my plus one?”
Jess blinks in surprise, “To the movie premiere?”
She would have expected Chloe to have a date or a partner or a family member to go with. Why would she want ‘the NCIS expert’ at her side all night?
Wouldn’t that just raise more questions than anything?
“Yeah. Walk the red carpet with me, watch the movie, go to the after party… if you want, just for the experience but if not…” there’s a pause, then everything comes out in a hopeful rush, “well, maybe as my date?”
Never more thankful that there isn’t anyone in the squad room to see the look of absolute astonishment she knows has to be on her face, Jess clarifies, “You’re asking me on a first date to a movie premiere?”
“Oh, it’s too much isn’t it?” she cries and Jess can almost see her burying her face in her hand in her mind’s eye, “I’m sorry, you don’t seem like the kind of person who’d want to be sucked into this life. It’s just, you’ve been so helpful these last few months getting the movie done well and I really like you and-“
“Chloe, Chloe,” she interrupts with a fond chuckle, “you’re right, red carpets aren’t really my thing-“ she can’t deny that the sad noise Chloe makes gets her right in the heart so she quickly continues- “but you’re also right, it’d be an experience. And,” she takes a breath, “it would be my privilege to have that experience with you.”
“So… is that a yes?!”
The absolute joy in her voice has Jess smiling again.
“That’s a yes…” she agrees, dropping her voice teasingly, “as long as I get to pick the place for the second date.”
Her smile turns to a slightly self-satisfied smirk at the sharp intake of breath on the other end of the line.
They end up sat on a blanket together, staring up at the dark sky.
Los Angeles creates a haze on the skyline but the stars directly above them are bright enough that Jess can see the way Chloe’s eyes widen when she lifts her long skirt high enough to retrieve her knife from the strap she keeps there.
Effortlessly popping the wine cork out with the blade then tucking it away again, she smirks when Chloe visibly swallows.
They raise their glasses in a silent toast, never looking away from each other as they take a sip, their legs brushing against each other.
“So, NCIS Special Agent Jessica Knight,” she smiles softly, “how was your first movie premiere?”
“It was certainly an experience,” Jess laughs, reaching out a hand to trail down her arm and finding no small amount of delight in watching her shiver, “I don’t know how you do this so often.”
“You get used to it,” Chloe breathes.
“I’m not sure I ever would.”
“Well,” clearing her throat, she rearranges the long skirt of her white dress around her, “I’m not sure I’d ever get used to being around dead bodies every day, so there you go.”
“Let’s just agree we’re both amazing at our jobs,” she chuckles with a wink, “and seriously, thank you for inviting me. I mean, flying me all the way out here, buying me this dress!” smoothing the soft midnight blue fabric with her fingers, she adds, “it’s beautiful.”
“The dress is okay. You make it beautiful.”
The soft reverence of the words takes Jess by surprise and she looks up to find Chloe staring at her, eyes sparkling in the half light and a smile playing gently at her lips.
Throwing abandon to the wind, Jess reaches out and pulls her jaw closer until they can press their lips together deeply.
It’s not the most comfortable kiss ever, they’re both twisted at a slightly awkward angle, they’re both trying very hard to not spill their wine and Chloe’s hair is in a careful updo which means she can’t bury her hands in it like she wants to.
Even so, they’re both breathing heavily when they eventually separate, lingering in each other’s space.
“You know,” Chloe confesses quietly, “I totally had a crush on you before I’d even met you.”
Jess pulls back a fraction, “You did?”
“Yeah. I mean, you’re just such a badass, you’ve accomplished so much!” it takes everything she has to not duck her head in embarrassment- “then I met you and I was immediately stunned,” she chuckles, a little self-deprecatingly, “I’m surprised you couldn’t tell.”
“You hid it well. And for what it’s worth, I had a crush on pretty much every single one of your characters-” she brushes the back of her fingers slowly down Chloe’s cheek- “I’m just honoured I got the chance to get to know the person behind them.”
Chloe looks soulfully into her eyes, leaning into the touch, “My favourite part of tonight was seeing you react to the movie. I think I spent more time watching you than the screen.”
“I know,” Jess smirks, pulling the wine glass out of her hand and setting them both a safe distance away, “but it was amazing. And I know how much work you put into it. I feel like I got the inside scoop, watching you create something,” leaning close, she whispers, “do you know what my favourite part was though?”
Chloe shakes her head breathlessly as Jess presses a light kiss under her ear.
“When you took advantage of the dark and snuck your hand into mine,” pulling her close, she kisses her deeply again, “we were in a movie theatre full of people,” she makes a trail across her jaw with her lips, “all of us experiencing the movie for the first time together-“ Chloe’s breath hitches when she reaches her neck- “and you still managed to give just us two a moment,” she pushes her back onto the blanket, pressing yet another kiss to her lips, “I appreciate that more than you know.”
Chloe’s arms find their way around her, tracing the curves of Jess’ hips as she hovers above her.
“I want us to have more time together,” Chloe admits as her fingers move up to wind around one of the free locks of Jess’ hair, seeming quite content in her position.
“Well, I believe I did promise to plan our second date…” she trails off suggestively.
“You did,” Chloe bites her lip but it doesn’t quite disguise her smile as she gazes up at her, “what exactly did you have in mind?”
“Hmm,” Jess leans down to place a last lingering kiss, “movie premieres are great… but how do you feel about axe throwing?”