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Twenty minutes earlier he had given her a hassle about how cold it was getting outside so of course she grinned when the thick comforter got unceremoniously dumped into her lap. Just into September and a week of consistent morning drizzle after cool nights had left a chill over everything, including the surprise wildflowers that she'd babying in the backyard.
They'd had no business surviving the summer but she had fought with him over trimming them back, instead just fastidiously pruning them so that she could enjoy the color along the fenceline for as long as possible. They certainly wouldn't hold on all that much longer and she ached to just enjoy them while she still could.
She so rarely got to enjoy feeling at home while the sunset draped everything in such a glowing pink haze, the flowers standing brighter in the slant of evening light. It was rare for them to be home at a decent and 'normal' hour, especially when the days were growing shorter. She definitely wasn't looking forward to the wet and cold of winter… well, except for long lazy nights cuddled up in front of the fire.
"I'm fine, hon," she feigned arguing, tossing out the blanket over her lap and cool legs anyhow. She stretched out along the Adirondack chair, sighing against the autumn chill that had started to leech heat from most everything. "But thank you."
Jack snugged deeper into the comfort of his faded red sweatshirt, tucking the blanket along her legs. The weight of the comforter added a layer of heat she'd been secretly yearning for, cocooning her up as his left hand stroked against the back of her head. Long fingers slid down and laced through her hair so that he could rub the pads of his fingers along the back of her neck.
She grinned up at him, giving him a wink, "I'm wearing your hoodie."
"I see that," he affirmed with barely concealed affection, voice gruff and tired as he handed down a hot cup of coffee. "That's got a kick to it."
"My hero," she playfully swooned onto the edge of the mug, rubbing it along her bottom lip so that she could savor the steaming heat. A slow swallow of coffee passed her lips, the earthy end taste of whiskey setting on the back of her tongue. "You left the foxglove by the fence. Thank you."
"It's not hurtin' anything." His fingers pieced through her hair, compulsive but careful as they sorted tangles and brushed back the blonde. Jack just closed her eyes from studying the flowers along the fence and leaned into the touch.
Not to mention the fact that he wouldn't have denied her a patch of flowers in the yard, anyhow...
She heard him chuckle as she sighed hard and pressed her face against his side. The doctored coffee was curled into her chest, a steady plume of steam warming her chin and cheek as he massaged against the back of her head.
"Is poisonous, though. Foxglove."
"If you eat it, sure," she mumbled, rubbing her cold nose into the flannel of his shirt just for heat. She just freely laughed when he groaned supposed annoyance and tugged at her ear to get her to stop. Not that he really fought her off all that hard. "So don't eat it."
Gibbs sloped his fingers down under her jaw and lifted, drawing her head up as he tipped his head toward the opposite side of the half enclosed porch. "Looks like we need a bench swing back here."
"You can sit in my lap, Marine," she cooed at him playfully, adding an exaggerated wink just for good measure and making him snort his amusement. "Share my blanket?"
His laughter was mostly silent but the way his smirk kept tugging from one side of his mouth proved her victorious.
God, she loved making him grin… It gave her such a rush.
"Naw, I'll wait ‘til you give up and come in on your own." His hand dropped and tugged up on the hem of the blanket, hooking it higher up the front of her. "Warm you up later?"
"You'd better," she whispered happily, jaw turning slightly as he pressed a kiss against the side of her head, another to her temple. "I left that file on Caslin in the living room."
"Already read it. And I have four more chairs to finish for your dining set, anyhow."
"My dining set," she mocked after him, slapping out against his back end and connecting soundly as he turned for the door. "Our?"
A sound of placating agreement hummed through his lips as he swung open the storm door. "Just like she's our cat. And it's our side of the bed. Our sweatshirt."
Jack rolled her eyes and dug down deeper into the chair, her legs outstretched as she took down a strong swallow from the Academy mug he must have lifted from the office. "Go downstairs and stop being a grump already."
"Our router bits," he threw off as the outer door snapped closed and it made her smile wide. "Our coffee maker."
"Love you," Jack teased back melodically before taking another sip of coffee, watching the light change in their yard while his voice quieted with distance.
"Our cheese!"