DISCLAIMER: I am borrowing characters from the amazing New Girl!

SPOILERS: S2x15 (Cooler)

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thank you so, so much for following the story and for the kind words and encouragement. I intended this to be a one shot, and it kind exploded into a parade of chapters. If I do another one, I promise shorter and sweeter next time.

Nick gently cradled Jess' neck and hair. He looked in her eyes, asking for permission, and Jess smiled and gave a small nod. Leaning forward slowly, he reached for Jess and kissed her tenderly. Nick was surrounded by a sea of brown hair and the scent of vanilla, and felt her small hands wrap around his back. Her warm, soft lips moved against his with confidence, a sweet promise of happiness to come.

Jess placed her hands on Nick's chest and gave a slight push. Leaning back, Nick looked with concern at her. "What? Is there something wrong? Did my face look funny again? Was it my teeth?" Nick's hands moved to her waist, and he held her away from him.

"Nick. Your beard is kind of scruffy, and you smell like Old Spice," said Jess, a serious look on her face.

"What, do you want me to shave?" asked Nick, bewildered.

Jess smiled and sighed a contented 'mmm'. "No, Nick. I kind of like it." She stroked his chest. "Actually, I like it a lot."

Nick smiled. "Oh, so you like the scruff and the 'Spice?"

"Yeah, I do," Jess admitted. "Sometimes, when I see you and you haven't shaved in awhile, that kind of gives me the twirls." Jess gave a small laugh and smiled. "It's a miracle I haven't jumped you before now."

"And to think, for months, I was thinking about kissing you, and all I had to do was not shave!" teased Nick. "Well, now I know your secret, Jessica Day. And I want you to know that I'm going to use that information against you." Nick's hands moved to Jess's back and started stroking her there.

"Oh, really, Nicholas?" Jess curled her hands into Nick's shirt and gently pulled him into her.

"You, better believe it, Jess. Every chance I get." Nick pressed Jess to him and started stroking the back of her neck. "You know, maybe I'll stop shaving all together." Jess laughed. Nick continued, "That's it. Yeah. I'll stop shaving, I'll grow out a beard, and then every time you walk by you'll think, 'You know what, there's a man with some scruff that I'd like to French a little.'"

"Nick," interrupted Jess.

"Who would have thought that LESS grooming would be the way to your heart, Jess?" laughed Nick.

"NICK!" laughed Jess. Nick looked at her, smiling. "Shut up and kiss me, you clown," Jess laughed.

Nick leaned in and kissed her, again. This third kiss was different from their first two. Their third kiss was neither a kiss of hidden longing nor a kiss of apology and emotional surrender. Their third kiss was a kiss of affection and desire, the kind of kiss earned by friends slowly falling in love. A man of action, and not of words, Nick kissed her with all the feelings he had for her but was too scared to talk about.

Jess felt the difference in his kiss, and responded with unexpected passion and desire. Jess felt her body shudder hotly with emotion. Feeling her response to his embrace, Nick's body flushed with heat and arousal, and suddenly, Nick and Jess were kissing passionately and out of control in the parking lot.

Distantly, Nick and Jess heard a car horn bleep. Drugged by the power of their embrace, they broke apart falteringly at the sound. "Get a room!" the stranger yelled.

"Best kiss of my life here, man! Shut up!" Nick yelled back.

Surprised by the intensity of their embrace, Jess shyly looked at Nick. "Nick. Hey, Nick," she softly said.

The stranger beeped their car horn again, and drove out of the parking lot. "Yeah, you better run," Nick said under his breath as he watched the car leave. "Yeah, Jess?" he asked her, distractedly.

"Nick, I think he's right. I think we should get a room. Like, now. Do you think we could go back to the loft?" asked Jess. She gave him a small, hopeful look.

Nick looked at her, confused, but as his brain processed what she said, his eyes grew wide and a grin broke out over his face. "Oh, yes, let's go. Right now. Where's your car, do you have your coat? Where are your keys?" Nick broke apart from her and scrambled to gather their things.

Jess looked at Nick and laughed softly. "I'm good, Nick. I'm good. My car's just over there." She put her hand on his shoulder and stroked his arm till just their hands held. "Let's go home."

Nick stilled his movements and looked down at their hands. This was the moment when everything between them would change. If he went home with her like this, there would be no returning to a time when she was just his friend and he was just some guy with a secret crush on his roommate. If we went home with her like this, this one night would turn to days, weeks, or even months. There would be kisses and fights and making up, and even though they might really work out, there was the greater possibility of losing her.

Full of doubt, Nick looked up at her, and saw her smiling at him. His embrace had disheveled her hair, and his kisses had tinged her cheeks and lips red with their heat. He looked into her face. He saw that her eyes were soft with affection, and in them, he saw happiness and faith.

Quieting the scared voice inside him, Nick squeezed her hand. "Yeah, let's go home", Nick said, and he let Jess take him home.