Law and Love

Author’s Note: Thank you so very much for my friend Kathy (kittie8571) who is the Beta of this story!

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Chapter Seven: The First Date

Jack lost himself in the sensations of that unexpected kiss. He had missed Ennis, much more than he was willing to admit. Having him in his arms again was a divine feeling; a blessing for his recent hurt. In other circumstances, he would rejoice in the moment, but this was clearly not of those.

It was at that moment his rational, emotionally broken side overtook him. This was wrong and he wouldn’t let it continue much longer.

“No… Ennis stop!” Jack said pushing Ennis away.

“Jack.” Ennis whispered, taking a step closer to Jack.

“Stop right there. What the hell do you think you’re doing Ennis?” Jack was looking directly into Ennis’s eyes and they were shining with tears.

“Jack, it’s not what you think.” Ennis said, sounding apologetic.

“I hope so. Because right now, it seems to me that some straight guy is hitting on me in a big way. What is it, Ennis? You need your gay fuck again?” Jack was losing his temper again. Watching him say curse words was somehow traumatic. Completely out of character, Ennis thought. But he'd learned that when Jack was furious, he turned into a completely different man.

“For God’s sake, Jack, don’t say those things. It hurts to hear.”

“Terrific! 'Cause it’s hurting a helluva lot more for me. Has been since you left me alone in that hotel.” Jack said, turning his back to Ennis.

“Jack…” Ennis murmured, resting a hand on Jack’s shoulder. But Jack moved away quickly.

“What is wrong with you? You dump me like trash and now, just a few weeks later, you can’t stand to see me talk with another man?”

“This isn’t about that idiot.”

“Really? 'Cause it looked like that to me. What was it? You thought I was going to live in celibacy because your dick wasn’t gonna visit my ass anymore?”

“Jack, please. I know you’re angry, but stop being so vulgar.”

“Why? Can’t the king of all straight guys think about my ass without feeling sick? Are you that much of a hypocrite?”

Ennis moved so that he was facing Jack. With his eyes wide open and a serious expression on his face, Ennis made Jack shiver.

“I remember okay! I've been remembering since the day I left you at that miserable hotel. The way we kissed, the taste of your mouth, the softness of your skin, the sounds of your moans, your expression when you came… Yes Jack, I CAN REMEMBER!” The scream made Jack start trembling even more. He'd never seen Ennis act this way, not even when they fought in Ennis’s apartment.

Ennis sighed and continued. “I can’t seem to think about anything else. I don’t even know who I am anymore. Something changed for me that night.”

Ennis was calmer now, so he found a chair and sat down, waiting for Jack to respond.

“Are you serious, Ennis? Do you…” Jack couldn't find the strength to say anything more.

“Yes. I meant everything I said. I’m not here to talk about Frederic. I mean, of course I felt jealous. He looks so confident with his sexy attitude and I’m the pathetic guy who doesn’t know what the hell he wants. I figured you'd forget about me and go for him and that made me insanely jealous.” Ennis said looking at the floor.

“Ennis…”

“No wait, let me finish.” Ennis raised his hand to stop Jack from speaking. “Since you went to Greece, I’ve been thinking. A lot. You were right. I do have feelings for you that I don't understand. I’ve never felt this way before and it's both a curse and a blessing at the same time. But, I can’t fight those feelings either, Jack. Even now, the simple thought of what I felt, of what I feel, is enough to make me completely irrational. These last four weeks have been the longest of my entire life! I’ve missed you so much, I can hardly stand it. Ask Elizabeth… she'll tell you.”

“Ennis, what do you want from me?” There was no anger in Jack’s voice or bitterness in his expression. ”Is it only forgiveness?”

“I want your forgiveness, yes. For my attitude, for the way I left you on that day, for everything... Jack, can you ever forgive me?” He raised his eyes hoping to see Jack's reaction to all that he had said.

“I don’t know. It still hurt a lot. I guess you need to show me that you're really sorry.” Jack moved one step closer.

“I am. So sorry. So sorry that I don’t want just your forgiveness. I'd like another chance…” The last part had been a whisper, but Jack had heard. His eyes widened and his pulse ran faster. He couldn’t believe his ears.

“Are you serious?”

“I’ll do whatever you want, Jack. But please give me another chance. I wasn’t really aware of what was happening the first time around. I was childish and inconsiderate, but I’m willing to show you that I’m really nothing like that. Don’t forget that this whole “being gay” thing is all new to me.” Ennis played with his hands nervously until one of them cupped Jack’s face. Touching Jack’s jaw lightly, Ennis showed him that even having taken this important first step, he still wasn’t totally comfortable with his feelings. Jack made up his mind about their next step.

“Ennis, let's start everything anew.” He said seriously. “It's the best way for you to show me just how much you want this to work.”

“I don't get it. What do you want to do?” Ennis was puzzled with Jack’s attitude.

“We’re starting fresh, as if we'd never met before. Let’s forget everything else.”

“And how are we going to do that?”

“You are going to take me on a date Friday night.” Jack said, smiling like the cat that ate the canary. He was a completely different man than the one who had entered Ennis’s office a few minutes ago.

“You want me to take you on a date? Just like that?” Ennis asked.

“Yup. Let’s do this right. I want to go step by step on this one. It’s better for both of us. I’m sure it will help you too.”

“A date, hmm? If you think it's a good idea. I guess we need the time to do some serious talking. There are still a lot of things I need to tell you.”

“Yes, Ennis we do. But until Friday I think we should give each other the time and the space to think. I’m still kinda in shock. I can’t believe you’re actually acting like a grown-up for a change.” Jack said, allowing himself to smile.

“That’s what you think, Jack? Maybe you’re right. Even I can’t seem to understand some of my actions lately. I've never acted this way before.” Ennis took a deep breath. “When I woke up on that morning, it finally hit me. Ennis Del Mar, you might be gay, I thought. All of the sudden, I found myself on a plane back to New York. Yes, it was childish, running away like that, avoiding the inevitable. Maybe if you knew me better you'd understand. I don’t deal well with my feelings and I have a lot of trust issues. I’m not used to having anyone in my life either.” Ennis looked at the floor and Jack could see that he was remembering something more than just their latest actions.

“It’s okay, Ennis. It’s okay.” Jack reached his arms around Ennis’s shoulders and slightly cradled him like a baby. Ennis couldn’t believe that something so simple could make him feel so much better and Jack was once again surprised with the ease that his heart accepted Ennis. It was all so simple between them for him. He hoped Ennis could feel that way too.

“Jack...”

“Shhh. Let's just enjoy the moment.” Jack whispered in Ennis’s ear.

They stood there for a few more minutes, enjoying the feeling of being physically close to each other until Jack decided he needed to go home and make up his mind. “Cleaning house,” he told Ennis. And Ennis noticed that they had not yet kissed again.

Ennis stayed there for a few more minutes looking around his office, remembering each and every word that had been exchanged between him and Jack. How much more he wanted to have said. He thought about calling Elizabeth, asking her for some advice, maybe about what to expect and how to behave on Friday on the date. He changed his mind. Jack was probably calling her now. Ennis could phone her later.

Grabbing his briefcase from the floor, Ennis went to the elevators. He smiled slightly, imagining how mad Frederic Dawson would be if he knew what had just happened. In some ironic point of view, it had somehow been entirely his fault.

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Jack couldn’t stop smiling while he drove home. He kept remembering Ennis's words. He was still astonished. Ennis confessed that he had missed him the entire month, that he had feelings for him, that he wanted to be with him and that he was probably gay. At the very least, he was considering that possibility. God, all at once and in no more than four sentences, Jack thought. It was typical of Ennis and Jack knew it. No need to waste words.

Jack knew he should be angrier with Ennis, but the more he recalled the hurt in Ennis's voice, the more he let go of the last four weeks of pain. It still hurt to remember the night in Madrid, but the elation of hearing Ennis beg for a second chance was too much to handle. There was something about Ennis he couldn’t escape; a magnetic attraction he couldn’t resist, not that he'd want to. That was one of the reasons Jack had decided they should go on a date like any normal couple. Jack needed time alone and the truth was that if he had stayed with Ennis much longer, they would have ended up making out on the floor of Ennis’s office or worse. Not that it wouldn’t have been good, but it sure wouldn't have been healthy for their future relationship. Starting fresh was the best decision and Jack had a few surprises for Ennis along the way. He wanted to help Ennis deal with this new phase in his life but he also wanted to reign in his own wild feelings.

Arriving at his apartment, Jack opened the door and removed his jacket. Matilda, his precious Mexican maid, left him a delicious dinner that made the whole apartment smell good. He decided that he needed to share these latest events with someone before dinner, so he picked his phone and dialed the well-used number.

“Hi Jack. How are yah, kid?” Elizabeth’s voice sounded concerned.

“Fine. I mean, great… Well it’s hard to tell now.” Jack said smiling.

“You’re making me curious. Did something happen that I should know about? No, wait, don’t tell me. Ennis talked to you.”

“How could you know we talked? Do you have bugs in our offices now?”

“I don’t need 'em, kid. I know you two well enough. Ennis is just like me, he just needed some time to make up his mind.”

“It seems to me you don’t need to know anything more. You have this all figured it out.”

“Don’t play with me. I want to know everything, every dirty little detail. Don’t forget I’m an old, lonely woman, Jack. I need this to keep me alive.”

“Ok, ok. But first, let me ask you a question. Did Ennis ask about me during my stay in Greece?”

“He didn’t need to. The way he looked, the way he kept asking stupid question about the Katsoranis’ case, looking for hours and hours at the calendar. It was all too clear to me. I even wonder if some other colleagues didn’t notice. Let me ask you something. Do you know why the hell Ennis kept wearing the same blue polo almost twice a week?”

“Blue polo?” Jack said, trying to remember something. Then the answer hit him hard. “I can’t believe it! It must have been the same polo he wore the night we spent together in Madrid. You’re kidding, right?”

“No. I thought it would be something like that. It was driving me insane with curiosity. I’m sure you liked hearing this little detail too, didn’t you?”

“It means something to me, I can’t deny that.”

“Aren’t you forgetting something? The details! Now tell me everything.”

“Well, I didn’t really want to face Ennis this soon so I just avoided him all day, but when I was leaving to go home at the end of the day, Frederic Dawson appeared in front of me, demanding my attention. He had some silly story about his latest case and some last minute details of the Katsoranis’ case. I was having a few laughs when out of nowhere, Ennis was in front of me, burning with jealousy. Even a blind man could have seen it.”

“Why does that not surprise me? What did he do?”

“I'm getting there. I was furious! How could he act that way? He started to argue with Frederic like some kind of possessive husband. I was so mad, I thought I was going to punch him in the face when we arrived at his office. But then we kissed. I had missed him so much that I couldn’t resist, and neither could he. But then I lost my mind and told him everything I was feeling, including some rather nasty remarks I had kept to myself for quite a long time. It wasn’t pretty.”

“I can just imagine what you told him.” Elizabeth snickered.

“Ennis confessed how sorry he was. Told me he needed a second chance. Kept talking to my heart until I decided we needed to start again. So that was when I told him we should go on a date.”

“Date? I see… That could be a good idea.”

“That’s what I thought. I want to forget about the rest. Maybe not everything, but at least the “not gay” part. So now Ennis is going to take me on a date Friday night and I’m hoping this time, it'll be different.”

“I would love to be a fly on the wall of that restaurant. But Jack, don’t expect too much from the kid, he’s still confused. From my past experience, this might take a lot of time. Perhaps he'd already thought about it in the last month or perhaps he hadn’t.”

“I know. I want this to work. I really feel like he could be the one, you know?”

“Yes Jack. I know you well.”

“Thanks for listening to me, Elizabeth.”

“No need for that, kid.”

“Bye, Beth.”

“I love when you call me that. Bye, Jack.”

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Ennis was getting more and more nervous as the time passed by. The entire week had been a rollercoaster of stress and pressure; a battle between what Ennis should do and what he really wanted. All of this surrounding the now thought of as 'mythical' first date with Jack. He was dying of anticipation.

He was now feeling much more confident about the decision he had made. This was the right thing to do. Starting slow and gentle, giving him time to adjust with this “being gay.” He wasn’t trying to fool himself, he was gay. He was physically attracted to a man, had sex with a man, and was trying to have a relationship with a man. The facts were stronger than all of the prejudicial thoughts in his head.

He was still not sure how to explain that he had never realized this fact before and the idea of bisexuality didn’t enter into his mind, but he was leaving those thoughts for later. Without better options, he used his logic of being a lawyer to cease the battle in his head. It felt great but it soon took him to a different set of problems to handle.

The first one was the need to plan and put in action an unforgettable first date. He decided he couldn’t ask Elizabeth for help. He needed to prove something to Jack. He just didn’t quite know what that was yet. But planning it all by himself felt right and Ennis was acting on instinct only lately. It seemed to work better for him.

A number of phone calls and a few headaches later, Ennis had it all planed. It took him a few days to come up with something that was different but still in the traditional date style. Just the way he liked it the most. He had thought of something slightly different and quite wild, but he felt that their first date should be a smooth one.

The Amazing Race on the other side of the planet needed to wait until they weren’t in the “seduction zone” any more. Or perhaps the right expression was waiting for the “safe zone.”

Looking in the mirror for the third time in the last minute, Ennis decided it was time to drive all the way to Jack’s apartment. All the expectations were driving him crazy. He had never dated a man before so he didn’t know how to behave during the evening. Was he supposed to act any differently?

After a few hours of serious thinking, he decided that the best thing to do would be facing it as a normal date. He'd trust his instincts and do everything to make Jack feel comfortable, make him feel that this was the right thing for both of them and that he wanted it just as much as Jack.

But it wasn’t easy. Jack was a rich man who had seen the world two or more times. What could surprise a man who probably had dated millionaires and supermodels? Ennis had never thought about it before. So, after a lot of thinking, he got the perfect idea. And he had to smile because it was clearly an Ennis Del Mar original.

Looking at the white orchids in his right hand, Ennis shook his head. Something about this date seemed strangely odd. Maybe it was because he was battling every single aspect inside his head. He had an obsession for perfection this time that he had never felt before on any of his previous dates.

His mind was running out of control. Offering flowers to Jack seemed like a nice idea yesterday. Today it looked like an offense to the musculanity of his date. He just couldn’t make up his mind anymore.

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Jack felt the extreme relief wash over him when the bell rang. All day, a small part of him kept telling himself that Ennis would eventually change his mind, and he was now relieved with the sight of the opposite.

“Hi, Ennis. Come on in. I’m just going to pick a scarf. It’s incredibly windy today.” Jack said, pretending to be calmer than he really was.

“Hi, Jack.” Ennis said looking oddly at Jack, who, to him, seemed to be avoiding his gaze. Trying not to panic, he decided to look at Jack. He was wearing the same casual European style that he remembered from the Magnet party at Elizabeth’s house. He had looked good back then and now was no different.

During the last few days, Ennis had made a sport out of looking and staring at Jack without being noticed. He wasn’t comfortable thinking about doing the same thing to any other man, but he couldn’t help it when it was those blue eyes and that shapely ass that came into view. If there was something he knew about life, it was that there was no point fighting against feelings and urges. He had forgotten that for a few moments but now it was strongly placed in his mind again. Follow his instincts. It was the lead of the night.

“Enjoying the view?” Jack asked, disappearing inside a room, not really waiting for an answer. Ennis felt his cheeks heat. Thankfully Jack couldn’t see him blushing. He didn’t want to look like a school girl but he couldn’t help it either. How Jack knew that he was staring at his ass, Ennis would never know.

“You have a very nice apartment. I wouldn’t have expected anything else.” Ennis said causally, trying desperately to feel less nervous.

But it was true. Jack’s apartment was modern and spacious. Not to mention his amazing location. It surely had been a small fortune, probably a present from Enrique. That idea suddenly made him feel even more uncomfortable and Ennis dismissed those thoughts.

“Thank you. Matilda is the one to blame.” Jack answered from the other room.

“Matilda?” Ennis asked curiously.

“Yes. She does the cleaning in my apartment. Actually, she works for my father, used to be my nanny. I see her as family… like a godmother.” Jack answer, standing next to Ennis, with a blue scarf around his neck and a black one in his right hand. “I noticed you forget yours at home. Take this one.”

“It’s not really that windy, you know?” Ennis said rolling his eyes, but accepted the scarf nonetheless.

“Yeah, yeah…” Jack answered, looking curiously at Ennis's right arm, which was hiding something behind his back.

“But first, I’ve got something for you.” Ennis placed the white orchids right in front of him, waiting nervously for a reaction.

“Oh Ennis, that’s very sweet of you.” Jack said smiling.

“Was it a good idea? I kept thinking it didn’t seem right to offer flowers.” Ennis waved his hand in front of Jack’s face, asking him without words to let him finish. “I wanted to thank you for this chance and orchids are very beautiful and distinct flowers. It’s a flower that looks so perfect and modern that it makes me think about you. It’s also a flower that takes everything with time. Do you know it takes a year just to grow from the tubercle?”

The last part was almost a whisper. Ennis, who never seemed to utter a sentence with more than five words, except when he was nervous or furious, was giving a speech about orchids. The man he loved was trying his best to express himself for him. And Jack tried to understand the secret meanings of some of his words. Because that was the way with Ennis. Nothing important was openly said. The important things were hidden between all the others, like riddles and metaphors in a text. Yes, Jack Twist was trying hard to fight back tears.

“Thank you, thank you. Orchids are my favorite flowers form now on.”

“I’ve learned a lot about flowers with my mum. She used to have a lot of books back on the ranch.”

“Then that makes them even more important.” Jack said putting them in a jar in the living room and trying desperately to dry some of the tears.

“Jack. Just… let’s have fun, ok? Don’t think too much, that’s my job.”

“Ok.” Jack said smiling and they both left Jack’s apartment together.

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“So Ennis, where are we going? We’re not going to dinner just yet, it’s too soon. Actually I was surprised with the timing. Even more surprised to find out that Elizabeth is totally clueless about this. She had absolutely no idea where you’re taking me.”

“I bet you’ve tried hard to find out everything you could.”

“Believe me, I tried everything -- even blackmailing -- she just didn’t know.” Jack said moving around in his seat, right next to Ennis, in his car.

“You’re excited, aren’t you?” Ennis said without taking his eyes from the road. “And you wasted your time, she really doesn’t know. I suspected that sharing my planes with her wasn’t such a good idea.”

“You thought about everything. This is really driving me crazy! Where are we going? An airport? Ennis we can’t leave the country, we’ve got work to do!”

“Can you trust me with this one?” Ennis said looking him in the eye.

“Of course. But dad is going to kill me and Elizabeth may not be too happy either.”

“Don't worry. We’re not going to leave the country. As a matter of fact, we’re not even leaving New York!”

“Okay, now I’m really curious. How is that possible?”

Ennis drove to the zone of the private airplanes and stopped in front of a few modern helicopters. Jack’s mouth was hanging open. He had never expected something like that.

“Are you going to stay there?” Ennis asked amused with Jack’s reaction. A very silent Jack followed him until they stopped next to a shiny black helicopter.

“Jack, we’re going to fly together today. As the first part of our date, I’m going to take you on a trip around the city. You may actually be the guide since I’ve been living here for only a few months. I’ll take you to all the places you like most.”

“God. I wasn’t expecting this. Do you really know how to fly?”

“Yes. I had this professor in Austin who owned a very old helicopter. He showed me how to fly and later paid for me to get lessons with a real teacher.” Ennis said, remembering Mr. McGonagal.

“You’re full of surprises, you know that?”

“Sometimes, I even surprise myself.” They smiled as they both entered the helicopter.

“Let’s do this.” Jack said placing the silencers in his ears.

“Where do you want to go first?”

“Just fly around the city. Can we pass by the firm?”

“You want to show off?”

“I may call Elizabeth. She’s probably still there.” Jack said laughing.

“Do you think Frederic is working late today?” Tthe two of them laughed together.

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“This was great. I’ve never had so much fun in my entire life. In 30 years, I had never thought about a date involving helicopters. This was something else, Ennis.”

“Glad you liked it. Now let’s be less original and have dinner at some nice, quiet restaurant. What do you think?”

“Sounds perfect. I just need to send a message to Elizabeth.”

Ennis packed all the things inside the helicopter. He didn’t tell Jack, but he'd borrowed the helicopter from the private collection of Mr. Santos. He had originally thought about renting one, but due to the short period of time in which he had to plan, it had been impossible. He had almost given up on the idea when he remembered a conversation with Mr. Santos about his holdings in New York. The old man eagerly agreed, with the condition that Ennis wouldn’t tell anyone about the deal. Mr. Santos didn’t want to be seen as someone "generous." He somehow thought that such a thing was like an insult.

Looking at Jack, who was happily sending text messages to Elizabeth, Ennis felt pure joy. The entire flight was calm and peaceful. They had talked about many fears and doubts. Ennis was the one who had more of both, but it was nice to hear that Jack also had some. It made him feel full of hope.

“Hey Ennis. I’m still here!” Jack said looking at him curiously.

“Sorry, I was thinking about our flight.”

“Come on, I’m terribly hungry.” Jack said pushing Ennis to the car.

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The dinner went smoothly. The conversation was perfect, the environment was splendid, and the food was amazing. They discussed some of the problems they needed to sort out. First, they decided to not work together in the near future, giving themselves time to deal with their personal lives. Second, they decided to stick with the previous decision of going slow, with some traditional and fun dates. And to finish, they decided to have Mondays at Ennis’s house and Wednesdays at Jack’s for some casual talk and for watching some games together. They liked the friendship they shared and wanted it to be a base for everything else that might happen.

At the end of the night when Ennis kissed Jack good night, he couldn’t help but wonder how everything can change. How a single moment in a man’s life can change the way he sees the world. How love can really change a man. How the knowledge of the love can change attitudes. Ennis, who had originally run, was now praying to never move away. Ennis, who had seduced, was now shy and unconfident. Life was full of changes.

Yes, Ennis could finally see that he was in love.

A powerful and unique love, Ennis thought as they came up for air, their lips red and swollen, and their breaths heavy and fast. And as he watching Jack going through the door to leave him alone with his own hard cock, the result of the “small steps date program,” he realized that some things never change. Jack Twist surely knew how to drive him to the edge, how to leave him totally irrational and begging for more.

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On the next chapter: Ennis decides to change a lot of things in his life, starting with a new pet! And who is the mysterious Mary Bingley?