"I'm ready,"Jessica said, coming out of the bathroom.

"Bout time you-"Nick stopped in midsentence as he soaked her up, his eyes getting wide. She was a vision in deep red and she never failed to take his breath away. The short, backless red dress hugged her curves and dipped low in the front and back. His eyes trailed down her body, starting with her lovely face down to her long smooth, tanned legs. Her now long dark hair was cascading down her back in loose waves. She looked incredible, beyond incredible actually. "My god Jess. Do you have any idea what you do to me."

"Probably the same thing you do to me,"she whispered and sat down on his lap, wrapping an arm around him. Nick started at her beautiful face and into her big blue eyes. Her warm breath was on his face and he inhaled her sweet perfume as his hand rubbed her thigh.

"You look hot tonight Mr.Carter,"Jessica smirked and slid a hand across his freshly shaven cheek.

"So do you Miss Donovan. Better than hot actually. You look freakin amazing,"Nick replied and nuzzled her neck, giving it a little kiss.

"So do you,"Jessica replied, closing her eyes lightly.

"Kiss me already woman,"Nick commanded playfully. Jessica giggled and pressed her cherry colored lips up against his. And then there was a knock on their door. Nick reluctantly broke the kiss. "Just pefect fucking timing." With that he flopped back down on the bed, sulking, putting a hand up to his face dramatically.

"Nick you're going to wrinkle your pants,"Jessica told him as she slid off of his lap, running a hand across the creases in his pants. "Such a drama queen."

"QUEEN?? Who are you callin queen?!"Nick huffed.

Jessica smirked and said playfully,"Hey if the shoe fits buddy."

"Are you starting with me?"Nick asked, raising an eyebrown with a little smile.

"Never." Jessica got up and straightened out her dress, while opening the door. A smiling blond woman was there to greet her.

"LEIGHANNE!"Jessica shrieked and grabbed her best friend for a tight hug, rocking her back and forth. "I missed you so much!" They yelled and cried out while they hugged eachother after not seeing eachother for so long.

"Oh here we go..."Nick muttered.

Leighanne laughed and hugged her back tightly,"Hey stranger. It's been a while."

"I'm gonna kill you for not coming back sooner,"Jessica chastised playfully. "My god, I feel like I haven't seen you for years. How's the movie coming along?"

"It's only been a few months. The movie's coming along great actually. I love filming it. It's a great cast,"Leighanne said and then noticed her best friend's lovely appearance. "You look beautiful, where are you going?"

"Nicky's taking me out for our three year anniversary dinner. It's in two days but this was the only free night,"Jessica smiled excitedly. "He won't tell me what's going on yet either. So I don't know what's going on inside that blond head of his."

"Never a good thing,"Leighanne laughed.

"You're telling me,"Jessica said as they both laughed at Nick's expense.

"Yeah coz I can't hear you or anything!"Nick said sarcastically.

"Hey kiddo how are you?"Leighanne said, hugging him tightly. "Don't you look handsome and so grown up." She gave him a knowing look and a little smile before giving him a pat on the arm.

"Hi Leigh." He glared at her for the comment.

Jessica looked back and forth between the two,"What's going on? I want to know. Nick tell me." She crossed her arms and stomped her foot childishly.

"Nooo. You've asked me five hundred times. I didn't tell you the first time you asked and I'm not telling you this time either. So stop being a baby and stop asking,"Nick told her.

"You'll like it though. Trust me,"Leighanne said mysteriously and knowingly, putting a hand on her hip while looking at Nick.

"Leighanne, what do you know?"Jessica asked, eyeing her friend suspiciously.

Leighanne just shrugged with a cheshire cat smile on her lips.

"Stop trying to get it out of people you little pain in the ass,"Nick joked, tickling her side then shot a look to Leighanne.

"Fine,"she looked back and forth between the two once more and realized she wasn't getting anywhere then grumbled. "Let's go."

"Bye Jess, have fun tonight,"Leighanne smiled at her friend and gave her a hug and mouthed 'good luck' to Nick over Jessica's shoulder. Nick smiled nervously.

"See you later Leigh. Go be naughty with your man. I know he missed you a ton,"Jessica grinned as Nick took a hold of her hand.

"Oh don't worry about us,"Leighanne said and smiled at the two of them. "And you two are still the cutest couple I've ever seen in my life."She looked at Nick with a big smile. "And you'll have the most gorgeous kids."

Nick gave her the death glare once again and Jessica noticed,"You two are so weird."

"But you love us anyway,"Leighanne said.

"I know. It's true,"Jessica said with a sigh. "Ok let's go before we miss our reservation."

"If we do it'll be your fault,"Nicked teased.

Jessica looked insulted,"No it won't, if you hadn't made the reservation so early we wouldn't be late."

"If you hadn't taken 2 hours to get ready we wouldn't be having this discussion,"Nick pointed out.

"Did anyone ever tell you that you fight like you're married,"Leighanne grinned widely.

Nick's eyes widened and her comment earned yet another death glare.

"Well he starts with me,"Jessica said, missing the exchange of looks between Nick and Leighanne.

"Ok, ok let's go,"Nick said, leading her out the door. "BYE LEIGHANNE."

"Bye Nicky. Bye Jess, have a lovely evening you two,"she called after them with a smirk then hummed a few bars of the wedding march.

Nick looked over his shoulder and mouthed 'I'm gonna kill you'. Leighanne only laughed harder.

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

"This is great Nick,"Jessica sighed happily looking around the restaurant as they waited for their food. "It's beautiful in here." The decoration was entirely white and gold and elegant while a small string quartet played in the corner of the restaurant. It was sophisticated and beautiful which was right up Jessica's ally.

"Yeah,"Nick said quietly, moving his fork around in his appetizer dish, staring down at the white table cloth.

"Are you ok?"Jessica asked, concerned, trying to look into his eyes which he kept averted. "You don't feel sick do you?"

"No I'm fine,"Nick said still not meeting her eyes.

"Nick what's wrong,"Jessica asked, reaching across the table taking his hand tenderly in her.

"I'm fine Jess...I-I just-um ok, do you REALLY love me?"Nick asked nervously, finally looking across at his girlfriend's concerned face.

"Of course I do, what the hell is going on?"Jessica demanded, her eyes narrowing.

"Nothing,"Nick shook his head.

"I don't believe you. You've been so strange and I really want to know what's going with you,"Jessica said, anger flashing in her blueberry colored eyes. "If you don't want to be with me Nick stop beating around the bush and just say it."

"NO! That's like the um opposite of what's going on. I-just-I want everything to be perfect and it's just-I don't want to tell you what's up right now,"Nick stuttered, dropping her hand, not bearing to look at her at that moment. Nick was screwing it up and he knew it. Everything he said to try to make it better was digging him deeper and deeper into a hole.

"I thought we talked to eachother about everything. Lately everyone knows more about what's going on in your life than I do and I thought I was someone you could talk to. I'm supposed to be. I love you Nick and it hurts that you won't talk to me,"Jessica said, looking down, the hurt evident on her face. "You've been miserable all night and I'm not hungry anymore, let's just go ok?"

"Jess c'mon I'm sorry. I would tell you but I want everything to be perfect and I just-"

"Save it Nick. You're not making any sense. Let's just go,"Jessica said, shaking her head. She picked up the napkin off of her lap and placed it back on the table. "I'm tired."

"If that's what you want,"Nick reluctantly said. "I've fucked up the night."

Jessica didn't answer, she just looked down at her lap. Her brown waves fell into her pretty face and she pushed them away as she fidgeted with her necklace. She always did that when she was thinking about something. So Nick did the only thing he could do and got the check. They left five minutes later and Nick told their driver a distinct spot, trying to salvage what was left of the screwed up night that was supposed to be perfect.

"Jess, I'm sorry,"Nick said trying to get her to look at him.

"I know you are,"she said simply refusing to meet his apologetic gaze.

"Would you please just talk to me,"Nick said, frustrated, taking her hand.

"I'm talking to you Nick,"she replied, looking down at their hands and then back up at his face. "I'm just tired of you shutting me out and right now I just want to go back to the hotel to go to sleep."

"We're not going back to the hotel,"he told her.

"Well then where are we going?"Jessica asked, staring out the window.

"You'll see,"Nick said, giving her hand a tiny squeeze. "I love you Jess. I'm not trying to shut you out, I promise."