I like to learn things slow

I like learning a lot

I like to get it all again

And in the end you know you get what you got

"Lingering Still" She & Him

Things always seemed to come back to Nick.

Nick Miller: pessimist, roommate, king of sarcasm. Jess had taken a liking to him since her very first week living with the guys. Nick firmly rooted himself in Jess's good graces when he led Schmidt and Coach in a rendition of Time of My Life after she'd been stood up at the restaurant.

He could be sweet and considerate and extremely thoughtful.

Jess liked this about him. She trusted him; he trusted her. They were pals, buddies, confidantes. Jess knew, of course, that they were something more than that. Perhaps it was all born out of Cece's analysis of Jess's relationship with Nick, but Jess felt something more.

Just a little bit more.

She was attracted to him. Physically, she found rugged handsome looks appealing. He was low maintenance and she appreciated that. Her attraction, though, transcended his appearance. The more she got to know him, listen to him, talk to him, the more she was attracted to him. But it was a different sort of attraction – it was less a physical desire and more an emotion connection and respect.

And that was where it stood.

She was ok with that.

Jess had never really explored beyond that, truly. Yes, she'd seen him naked. Yes, she almost engaged in a threesome with him. Yes, he'd given her a Christmas gift that was incredibly kind. Yes, his feet pointed at her when he spoke. Yes, he'd told her that he really liked her a lot.

Those things were all important and mattered to Jess, but to take the next step and try to put those instances into the context of a romantic pursuit didn't seem necessary. They each had relationships come and go, but a little nugget of affection for the other always remained.

Theirs was a relationship that was slow-burning.

And Jess liked it that way.

Of course, Nick put out the flame more hastily than Jess expected.

Tbc..