Jax nodded. He took advantage of her temporary fluster and stepped over the coffee table so that he captured her in his arms again. She braced her hands against his upper arms, but he only leaned down to nuzzle behind her ear. "I can’t think of a better time to start. I don’t have to worry about my beeper going off and interrupting us, and you obviously don’t have any plans for the evening." He looked down at her Goodwill-reject outfit. "So what do you say? Do we have a deal?"

Brenda tried to appear unaffected as Jax trailed his lips up and down the side of her neck. Somehow, her traitorous hands found themselves sliding along the cotton of his oxford cloth shirt and then gripping the loose fabric at his shoulders. He finally lifted his head to stare deeply into her eyes. "Brenda? What’s your answer?"

Brenda blinked her eyes once, very slowly. "My answer is – I’d be a fool to pass up a deal this tempting." A satisfied smile grew on Jax’s face. "Why, when you think about it, if each med student reads 6 of my books, and you have at least 50 med students a year, at 15% commission to me and an average paperback price of $7.00, that would be….."

"SWEETIE!" Jax gripped Brenda more tightly to him and she gasped when she felt just how much he wasn’t thinking about royalties or med students. He took one finger and traced her lips, tapping them lightly. "With all due respect, and hoping you’ll take this in the amorous manner in which it’s intended – SHUT UP!!!!!!!"

Brenda’s eyes widened, but when she opened her mouth to instruct him on proper etiquette for lovers, Jax seized the opportunity to lower his mouth to hers and kiss her. And it wasn’t just a "let’s neck" kiss, Brenda discovered. As her hands fluttered in mid-air and then settled near the nape of his neck, she realized that it was a "we’re getting down and dirty here and the bed’s the next stop" kiss.

Jax was having a few realizations of his own while he kissed the living daylights out of her. Mainly, he was kicking himself for being so rough on Ned. He hated to admit it, but Ned and Lois were right. This one woman, who could make him wonder what the penalties for murder really were in the state of California, had brought out a side of Jax that he never realized he had. He had a sense of humor – a good one. He could laugh, even at himself. Smiling did *not* necessarily make him any less of a surgeon – even smiling *during* said surgery. And the most shocking fact of all – a necktie was *not* a functioning body part.

When he felt Brenda’s arms wrapping around his neck and even heard a little sigh deep in her throat, he knew he was on his way to victory. He broke the kiss reluctantly. "Now -- since I’m an enlightened male, I know that your Type A hero would through you over his shoulder and carry you screaming to the bedroom." Brenda blushed a little and tried to stare at the floor, but Jax caught her chin, forcing her to look at him. "I know Wulfgar would do that, and probably even Bryce." Then he chucked her chin gently with the side of his finger. "But I’m not sure if you want me to go that far into the Type A psyche or not, so......" Before Brenda could object, Jax wrapped an arm under her shoulders and caught her beneath the knees, cradling her against his chest. "......will this do?"

"Only if you promise not to notice the mess in my room," Brenda smiled shyly. "I have a friend who comes in to clean for me every other week, but she hasn’t.......well, she’s been busy......"

Jax kissed her, quick and hard. "Brenda, believe me......when I’m with you in your bedroom, neatness is not high on my list of priorities." He held her tightly and found his way to her bedroom with unerring accuracy. Jax somehow managed to flip on the light switch when they came into the room, but Brenda squealed loudly.

"Jax, no! Not with the lights on!" She scrambled out of his arms and rushed to grab several pairs of bikini panties and a purple paisley bra off an overstuffed chair. Brenda hastily threw them into a hamper and when she turned back to face Jax, he was standing 4 inches in front of her.

"Brenda -- stop being so nervous," he murmured, cupping her face in his hands. "Just relax and let me pleasure you."

Jax began to nibble at her neck again when Brenda pushed him back. "Jax, that line was corny -- even for Derek. It’s *definitely* not you."

Jax took a deep breath, pushing Brenda slightly back from him and holding her shoulders tightly in his hands. "OK, let’s try this from a different approach." He began to rub his hands up and down her arms gently, and Brenda’s eyes drifted shut of their own accord. "That’s good, sweetheart, just relax." His hands moved up to her neck, his fingers reaching to the nape where they began a gentle massage. "Now I just want you to imagine that we’re not here." She nodded, her eyes still shut. "We’re somewhere warm, and there’s a gentle breeze blowing. Maybe at the seashore."

"Mmmm.....we just went sailing....." Brenda’s voice was dreamy.

"Sailing -- yeah, sailing’s good," Jax crooned. "It was a beautiful day, and the sun’s still shining as we’re lying on the beach." He came closer to her and feathered his lips over her eyelids. "Can you feel the breeze, lightly kissing your skin, Brenda? Here?" He moved his lips to her ear lobe. "Or here?" He heard her moan ever so softly. "Brenda -- did you just moan for me?"

Her eyes flew open. "No!" Her eyes were slightly glazed and Jax smiled knowingly. "It was the white wine -- it always gives me gas," she argued.

"Right…." Jax smirked but knew the truth nonetheless. "...now close your eyes again." Brenda slowly complied and Jax began his gentle massage under her hair again. "Now, where were we? Oh yes, here..." Jax kissed her cheek lightly, and then her other cheek, trailing his lips down ever so close to hers. "Until finally, you feel it kiss you here." As he closed his lips over hers, he felt her body melt against his. His arms slid down to wrap around her waist, pulling her so close to him that she lost her balance. As he lifted her up to the level of his lips, she wrapped her legs around his waist, returning his kiss with vigor.

She was still so busy kissing Jax that she never noticed his hands moving down to the hem of her T-shirt. Brenda growled a little objection as he broke the kiss to pull it off her, but as soon as he began kissing her again, she never noticed her lack of clothing. Jax moved slowly to the bed, never breaking the kiss. When he felt the bed against the back of his legs, he sat down on the bed, twisting his upper body to lay her flat.

When Jax pulled away from her to quickly unbutton his own shirt and rip it off, Brenda’s eyes opened lazily. But when she saw his bare chest, her eyes widened. "Oh, my God, Jax! Your chest is *amazing*! Have you ever thought about doing modeling jobs for paperback book covers?"

"Not right now!" Jax groaned, pulling her up higher on the bed and kissing her again so that all thoughts of paperback cover art were forgotten. When Jax’s hand undid the front clasp of her bra and pushed the straps down her shoulders, though, Brenda quickly sat up and pushed him away. "What’s the matter?"

"We just.....I......." She looked down at her chest. "I don’t have any clothes on!"

"That’s *generally* the way people make love, Brenda," Jax said gently. Then he got a conceding look. "Although there was that *one* time with Derek....."

Brenda was clearly flustered. "Jax, I ......I mean, I’ve never.....I mean, I didn’t realize......"

"Sweetie." Jax caught her under the chin, trying to meet her gaze. "If we’re going too fast, I can slow down. You know you can tell me if there’s anything I do that you don’t feel comfortable with." Brenda nodded quickly but still caught her breath as Jax pushed her down next to him on the bed. He held up one finger, and then sat up and pulled a sheet up over them both. "How’s that? Make you feel less self-conscious?"

Brenda blushed. "You probably think I’m crazy and inexperienced and frigid." Then she met his eyes with fire in hers. "But I’m *not* weird!" She bit her lower lip. "I just ......well, I don’t do this very often......I mean, with most of the guys I date, I’m just not that inspired to......."

"Brenda!" Jax stopped her words with his finger against her lips. "I think you’re charming and beautiful and sexy." He stroked his finger against those lips, which he felt begin to tremble. "And I’m very honored to think that I rated highly enough to make it past the bedroom door with you."

"Well, the jury’s still out on that one, remember," she replied with an impish grin. "The bet still stands, doesn’t it?"

"Absolutely, even if *we’re* not -- standing, that is," Jax returned with a lewd glare. "Now -- let’s see if we can’t get back to the fun part of this bargain." Jax moved his hand slowly down Brenda’s neck and under the sheet, never breaking eye contact with her. When he reached his first destination and his fingers began to gently caress her, Brenda closed her eyes once -- and then they shot open again. "Feel good?" Jax whispered, never stopping his motions.

"Mmmm…..good….yes…..no, not good…..even better than good….." Brenda had closed her eyes again as her breath came in short pants.

Jax smiled naughtily. "And just what would be better than good, Brenda?" He took her between his fingers and rolled the peak into a hardened point right before his mouth descended to stimulate the place where his fingers had just been. As his lips and tongue made a wet spot on the sheet, Brenda threaded her fingers through his hair and held his mouth in place.

"Better than good? Uh…." Brenda rolled her head back and forth on the pillow, her eyes still closed. "Uh……gooder." Jax chuckled a little and pushed the sheet aside, closing his lips over her with no cloth barrier. Brenda arched her back off the bed at the intimate feel. "Uh….no, not gooder," she groaned, pulling at his hair, "……Very, very, very, very, very, very good!"

Jax pulled away from her breast as his fingers began to move lower. "See – I knew it."

"What?" Brenda opened one eye.

"Without that built-in Thesaurus in your PC, you authors are just as artless as the rest of us slobs." He moved his one finger back up to shut her eye. "Now don’t interrupt me again!" Jax continued to kiss and caress her breasts until Brenda was panting and loudly moaning beneath him. He unzipped her jeans with very little trouble and she even helped push them down and off her legs as he took her lips in another sizzling kiss.

Brenda never exactly knew when Jax removed his own jeans – she was too busy enjoying the pleasure that he was creating with his kisses and caresses. As his hand drifted past her waistline, he found her scar and gently traced it with one finger. "Does it hurt?"

Brenda shook her head, never opening her eyes. "Dr. Muschany told me to rub it with cocoa butter to make it fade faster. It just pulls a little if I stretch too far the wrong way."

Jax raised one eyebrow. "Hmmmm, cocoa butter, huh?" His fingers continued to wander aimlessly around her stomach, tracing light patterns. "Well, maybe later I’ll have to help you with your daily application of cocoa butter and see if we can find some *other* places that need ---- attention."

When his fingers found her, Brenda’s eyes flew open. Jax leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Just think of me as Bryce, sweetie – exploring your warm, wet, soft……" He finished the phrase in her ear, nipping at it softly as he did and causing her eyes to drift shut. But not five seconds later, Jax felt Brenda grip his wrist firmly and she pushed back on his chest with her other hand.

"Jax…..wait." She swallowed hard, his hand suspended in place where she had stopped him. "I just……I mean, it’s been a LONG time……" She blushed again and looked down. "…..I mean….. instead of being -- well, you know, warm and soft -- it could very well be a …petrified forest…..down there."

A soft laugh escaped Jax’s lips, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Well, we’ll never know unless I investigate it fully, will we?"

Brenda shook her head quickly, but then gripped his wrist again when he moved his hand. "I just…..I mean, I don’t want you to be disappointed if I don’t……I mean, if things don’t quite work…the way they should."

Jax gave her a confident smile and she slowly released his wrist. She closed her eyes and a few seconds later, Jax touched her most sensitive spot and she let out a loud moan. "I thought so," Jax whispered in her ear, nibbling on the lobe as he continued to stimulate the place that brought her so much pleasure. "Everything’s in tip-top working order, Ms. Barrett. All systems go for liftoff."

Jax felt her body building towards launch when she suddenly gripped his wrist again. "Oh, my God, Jax -- I almost forgot!"

Jax pulled back from her, his breathing almost as labored as hers. "I swear, Brenda, if you’ve got some dustmop dog you forgot to let out, he’s just gonna have to pee all over the carpet because....."

"No, no, Jax!" Brenda gripped his wrist more tightly and he was forced to look into her eyes. "Remember -- from the ER? I’m not on the birth control pill!"

"Still?"

"I had an appointment with Dr. Meadows, but she had to cancel at the last minute because she had an unexpected delivery." Brenda heard Jax swear under his breath as he rolled away from her and reached for his jeans. "Oh, Jax, I’m sooooo sorry, but I don’t think.....

"Now, Brenda," Jax drawled, turning back to face her with a smile. He held up several foil packets and then dove back under the covers next to her. "Do you really think I would let us make love without protecting you?"

Brenda’s eyes narrowed as she felt Jax’s hands begin to roam familiar territory again. "You had this all planned, didn’t you?"

As Jax rolled her to her back and moved above her, he gave her a self-assured grin. "Brenda, as you’ll soon find out, no soldier in THIS man’s army EVER goes into the eye of the storm without a raincoat!"

And as Brenda found out, a whale of a storm was brewing on the horizon. And after experiencing only a few of Jax’s lightning strikes, it started to rain. A lot.

********************

"I’m sorry."

"Brenda, I told you -- that’s an old myth that you romance writers insist on propagating."

"But Jax, I thought men and women were always supposed to....well, that they.....that they would both......at the same time."

"Ideally that’s what happens but it just........Brenda.......what are you doing?"

"Shut up, doctor. I’m doing research."

*********************

"I told you it could happen."

"Only because you’re such a dedicated medical professional, Ms. Barrett."

"Thank you, Dr. Jacks." ...................

"Brenda? I know I’m crazy, but sometimes.....I get the distinct feeling that your feminist obsession with having the last word extends to......well, to.....everything."

"You’re crazy. Now shut up and let me do more research."

"Be my guest."

"Gladly."

"And you lost the bet, by the way."

"I don’t care."

"Neither do I."

"Good."

"Oh, Brenda......that’s so......oh….how did you know that would feel so….."

"I thought so."

"BRENDA!!!!!"

*************************

Dr. Jean Cichon and Nurse Jessie Moore were already seated at a cafeteria table when Nurse Andrea banged her tray down jubilantly. "OK. I win. Time for you guys to pay up."

"You’re sure? You’ve got proof they’re doing it?" Jessie leaned forward as Andrea sat down and pulled her chair in close to the table.

Andrea looked around her suspiciously and then leaned forward as the two other female heads joined hers over her tray. "Brenda had an appointment with Dr. Meadows just this morning."

"Andrea! You didn’t violate medical ethics and read her chart, did you?" Jean kept her voice low but she still looked shocked.

"No, but what other reason would she have to see her OB-GYN?"

"Maybe for a check-up?"

"Jean, get real -- we ran every test imaginable on her during her admit," Jessie argued. "Jax was so worried about her that I think the only test he *didn’t* order was blood work for prostate cancer!"

"And you DID say that she admitted in the ER that she wasn’t on the pill, right?" Andrea pointed a finger at Jean, who nodded quickly. Then she turned to Jessie. "And you said Jax has been in a good mood lately?"

"Good? He’s practically floating on cloud nine!" Jessie muttered. "He even didn’t mind yesterday when V accidentally dumped that tray of urine samples all over him in the hallway." As the three conspirators sat back in self-satisfied glee, Jessie suddenly sat up straight and motioned for them to gather closer again. "And then there was what happened this morning!"

"What was that?" Jean almost dumped her coffee in her excitement.

"Jax asked me what I thought Brenda would like for a Christmas present!" Jessie nodded and rubbed her palms together. "Yep, ladies, I’d say that they’re dancin’ in the sheets for sure."

"What did you just say, Jessie?" The three women froze as they heard an Aussie voice behind them. They looked up at Jax as one and gave him guilty smiles.

"I said.....that they would be dancin’ in the streets, Jax! On New Years’s Eve!" Jean and Andrea tried to look supportive as Jessie gave Jax her lame explanation. "Jean and Andrea and I were just commiserating because we’re all on call for New Year’s Eve, and it always gets a little crazy around here."

"Yeah, right…..and I’ll buy that bridge you’ve got for sale back in Brooklyn." Jax pulled a chair from a nearby table and joined the women, sitting with Jean on one side and Jessie and Andrea on the other. He raised an eyebrow at Jessie. "So – did either of *them* have any ideas on what I could get Brenda for Christmas?"

Jessie’s face wore a "busted" look of defeat as she struggled to open her can of diet soda. "Now, Jax, don’t go getting all huffy on us. We’re just happy that you finally stopped being such a typical male dope and realized how perfect you two are together." Jax grabbed it out of her hands and pulled back the ring tab as Jessie grinned at him. "But, no – I just now told them about the thing with Brenda’s Christmas present. We were just starting to discuss it."

"Good!" Jax’s face lit with his most adorable little-boy smile. "Then I can get all of your opinions without having to run you down individually."

"Wellll," Jean drawled, "there’s always lingerie." She gave him a naughty wink. "I don’t think there’s a woman alive who would be disappointed to open a box from Victoria’s Secret." She leaned towards him. "And I’m sure YOU wouldn’t mind seeing her model the gift, either!"

To Jean’s surprise, Jax frowned. "No, I don’t think I want to go that route. Not just yet." As he took a bite of his submarine sandwich and turned away from the three of them, he almost missed their surprised looks. When he looked up and did see their astonished faces, he swallowed quickly. "Not that I’m reverting to some kind of right-wing stick-in-the-mud or anything." As Jax wiped his mouth with a paper napkin, the women sighed as one in relief. "I’m sure that it’s something Derek would do, but it’s just not something *Jax* would do at this point in our relationship, you know? I want a more…….sensitive…..gift."

Andrea nodded in understanding. "More of a type B kinda thing?" She tapped her fingers against her lips. "Well, you’ve still got ten days before Christmas, so luckily you consulted us before it got too late."

"Actually….." The tone of Jax’s voice caused all three heads to pop up from their food in concern. "……I *had* to start this early because I need to give it to her before the weekend." He picked the sesame seeds from the bun of his sandwich disconsolately. "I won’t be able to spend Christmas with Brenda because I’m heading back East to spend it with my kids."

"But, Jax……." Andrea started to object but then at Jax’s look, she slumped down a little in her chair, mirroring her two cohorts. "I guess the kids do deserve to have their dad with them on Christmas."

"And Brenda’s OK with it -- really she is," Jax explained. "We talked about it the other night and she understands completely. She thinks her parents might swing through LA for the holidays, and she’s afraid that if we spend too much time together, they’ll start harassing her for a wedding date and grandchildren."

"Well, I guess as long as Brenda doesn’t mind…." Jessie let the statement trail and the two other women nodded their agreement. "Then we’d better concentrate on the gift if we’re up against a deadline." Jessie straightened her shoulders and folded her hands on the table. Then, her eyes lit with inspiration. "How about a book? Or some rare first edition of something? Wouldn’t an author be impressed with something like that?"

Jax wagged a finger in approval at Jessie. "That’s not bad – not bad at all. But what?"

Jean pulled her chair forward and sat up straighter. "I used to work in a bookstore to help pay med school tuition. Let me make some calls to people I still know on the inside."

Jax nodded happily but then his beeper went off and he frowned. "You know," he said, pulling it from his pocket and shaking it, "there are days when I hate this thing." He pushed a button and stared at the digital read-out. "Aha – just a phone call." He pushed his chair away from the table, holding up a finger. "Don’t go anywhere. Hopefully this won’t take long."

Jax walked to a courtesy phone at the side of the cafeteria. After punching in some numbers, he shifted his weight to one foot and put his other hand in the pocket of his white lab coat. "Dr. Jacks, here."

"Jax? Is that you?"

Jax’s face paled. "Miranda?"

An annoyed voice came back through the receiver. "Well, I see you haven’t changed, Jax – it still took me five phone calls to track you down."

"Miranda? Is something wrong? You usually don’t call me unless….." Jax’s face grew pale and he gripped the phone tightly. "Is it the kids? Has something happened to R.J. or Ellie?"

"No, Jax – they’re fine," Miranda answered. "Randall and Hunter are both just fine."

Jax wiped his forehead with the back of his hand and whistled in relief. "Whew – that’s a relief. You had me worried there for a minute." He patted his chest, trying to slow down his racing heart. "So….are the kids looking forward to my visit next week?"

"Welllll," Miranda drawled, "that’s actually the reason I’m calling, Jax."

"Now, wait a minute, Miranda," Jax snapped, suddenly defensive, "don’t tell me that I can’t see them. It’s been over six months and I swear I’ll drag out that abominable divorce decree if I have to….."

"No, no, Jax! Stop jumping to conclusions!" Miranda giggled a little and Jax frowned, wondering if perhaps his tight-laced ex-wife was snockered this early in the day. "You know, Jax……you really should get a new chair. This blue naugahyde recliner things looks *atrocious* with the rest of your furniture."

"Now, Miranda, I told you befo….." Jax froze in place. "Miranda – how did you know what kind of chair I’ve got in my living room?"

There was 5 seconds of silence, and then Jax had to hold the phone away from his ear. "SURPRISE!!" Miranda, Randall and Hunter all yelled the word in unison until Miranda came back on the line. "The manager of your condo complex let us in. We’re sitting in your living room now?"

Jax gulped. "We? Define WE, Miranda. Exactly what are you saying?"

"I’m saying, brilliant Dr. Jacks, that Randall, Hunter and I are all here in California – in your very condominium, in fact -- waiting for you to come home." She giggled again. "Instead of you coming to the children, the children came here to spend the holiday with you, Jax! Merry Christmas!!"

To be continued…….