The Kiss List

Summary: The Christmas run-up with the Montecito Seven

Characters: JD

Thanks to Phyllis and Antoinette for the beta.

Thanks to Sarah for LV/AU

JD eyed his two friends warily as he took the mistletoe from Buck. "Let me get this straight...if I can kiss Inez and Rain, plus any two other women except Casey...*plus* any one of Josiah, Nathan, Ezra or Chris, under the mistletoe, without letting them know it's for a bet, in the next hour...you'll buy my groceries from now until Christmas?"

Vin nodded. "Yup, and don't forget, there are cameras everywhere, we'll know if you cheated."

JD looked offended. "I'd never cheat, though I'm curious...why me? You makin' fun of me?"

"NO!" Buck insisted. "I'm too obvious. Vin...well, Vin'd rather not and we reckon you're just cute and cheeky enough to get away with it."

JD had to laugh at that. He narrowed his eyes. "Alright, shift's over... we're not meeting up for an hour...I reckon I can do this." He bobbed his eyebrows. "Get ready...I have a *big* appetite!"

While watching him leave, Buck turned to Vin. "D'ya reckon he'll succeed?"

Tanner shrugged. "Do you know any of the guys willing to kiss him, or any of us for that matter?"

Buck nodded. "Good point. Okay...let's go see how he does." They got settled in the monitor room for the next hour before meeting the rest of the team in Mystique. Chris exited his office, frowning as he approached them.

"Shift over?"

Tanner nodded, "Yup, just chillin' out before we all meet up."

"I'm hitting the gym for half an hour. See you later." As he passed, he noticed they were watching JD in the foyer.

The two got comfortable, confident their money was safe.

~~~

JD suddenly felt nervous. The place was full of beautiful women, who the hell was gonna kiss *him*? He spotted Candice from housekeeping and waved her over. The girl was kinda sweet on him...maybe...

"Hi, JD...how are you?" she beamed.

"I'm good, thanks. You?"

"Mm hmm...still waiting on that date you promised me."

JD's heart sank...reminding her as to why he couldn't make that date, probably wouldn't go well for him.

"Erm...you know I said I'm kinda...well, seeing Casey...on and off...not sure how it's gonna play out."

Candice smiled. "Oh, I know...never hurts to try though, does it?" She spotted the mistletoe and grinned. "That for me?"

JD shrugged, "Well...it was, seems hardly fair now though, does it?" He yelped slightly as she pulled him quickly toward her.

"Hold it up."

"Wh...what?"

"The mistletoe, JD...hold it up."

"Oh." He did so and she planted one right on his lips, taking it deeper as her hands moved to his butt to eventually release him. JD blinked twice.

"Wow."

Candice stroked his face and straightened his tie. "If Casey's too dumb to see what a li'l stud muffin she has chasin' after her...you remember that kiss, and that I have plenty more where that came from." She kissed him on the cheek, gave him a little wave, and left.

He stood there for a moment, watching her leave, his arm still in the air holding up the mistletoe. Josiah came up behind him.

"You look like an advert for Christmas, son."

Snapping out of it, JD chuckled as his arm came down. "Oh...Josiah!"

Sanchez turned, already a good distance from JD with his long strides. JD lost his nerve. "Er...see you later?"

The big man nodded and continued on his way. JD blew out a breath. 'Right...that went pretty okay...I'll try Inez next'.

~

Buck and Vin high-fived.

"That's my boy...by the end of the hour we may need to throw him in a cold shower."

Vin laughed. "Yeah, but look at the fun he'll have first!"

~~~

Rain was between rehearsals, just setting up for the next one. She smiled as JD walked into Mystique. "You lost, honey?"

"No, is Inez about?"

"She's here somewhere. Why are you carrying mistletoe?"

Dunne blushed. "I really have no idea," he laughed, nervously. "It seemed like a good idea at the time."

Sensing something bigger, Rain came down from the stage and approached him. "So...you're not gonna use it?"

JD smiled, shyly. "I was gonna ask a few pretty girls for a kiss, so I can't really ask you or Inez..."

Rain looked crestfallen.

"...'cause you two are beautiful," he continued, "way out of my league."

The singer beamed and looped her arms around him, drawing him close. "Let's see, shall we?"

Raising the mistletoe, they kissed. No tongues this time, but it was damned good. Rain pulled away, smiling.

"You may be young, JD...but you are most definitely in my league."

Smiling, the young tech watched her go back on stage. "Th...thanks." This was turning out to be fun! He turned as Inez walked behind the bar.

"Ola, chiquito...what brings you here?"

He couldn't repeat what he had just said to Rain...what to do? "Erm... well, I came here with mistletoe...I'm sorry...it was real dumb of me... I'll see you later..."

"Wait!" Inez walked around the bar to stand in front of him. "I *love* mistletoe." She noticed JD eyeing the camera nervously and a thought crossed her mind about Buck maybe having something to do with this.

"Come here." Holding him tightly, and making sure they were in full view of the camera, Inez kissed him while carding through his hair, softly at first to continue deeper, a kiss so searing JD felt his knees giving out. She pulled back.

"Mmm...*very* nice." Kissing his nose, she lowered his arm, chuckled and moved back behind the bar. "See you later?"

JD swallowed, squeaking. "Yes..." he coughed and spoke deeper, "yes!" Damn...maybe he should consider giving Buck a run for his money with the beautiful Hispanic woman. He laughed, 'yeah, right'.

~

Vin was laughing. Buck just smiled. "Laugh it up, Tex...she knew...yeah, somehow...she knew."

"You keep tellin' yourself that, Bucklin."

~~~

Back in the main foyer, JD was wondering who to go for next.

"JD!"

He turned to see Evie Travis heading his way. "Is that mistletoe?"

JD nodded, "Uh huh..." In seconds she was in front of him, had raised his arm and kissed him full on the lips.

"What fun...I *love* Christmas." She toddled off and JD could only stare after her.

"Ooookaay!"

His heart sank, now he had to kiss a man. He wondered if he *collapsed* and Nathan performed CPR...would that count as a kiss?

Aw well...he'd had fun...why push his luck? Still, he found himself heading for Ezra.

"Mister Dunne, to what do I owe the pleasure? Are you not off duty?" Ezra smiled as the young tech approached him.

"Hi, Ezra...yeah, I am. You 'bout done for the day?"

"Indeed, just waiting on..." he spotted the mistletoe. "Is there a purpose to you carrying that around with you, JD?"

JD blushed. "Er..."

Ezra stared at him."The answer is no. Flattered as I am that you should come to me, I fear I must decline."

JD nodded and scooted off, wishing the floor would open up and swallow him. Ezra watched him go.

"Hmmm...some action afoot and I am no part of it...you are slipping, Standish."

~

Five minutes before the bet was over, JD was sitting alone in Mystique, nursing a beer, but not drinking, just swooshing the contents around as he stared at it. It had been a lot of fun, but he realized he could go no further. After his embarrassment with Ezra, he knew he couldn't ask a man to kiss him...not without explaining why, and that wasn't allowed. He looked up as Chris dropped his kit-bag and joined him, beer already in hand.

"You okay, kid?"

JD sighed and nodded, absently looking at his watch to see he had two minutes left. Chris noticed the mistletoe stuffed into JD's top pocket. He'd heard a few comments about JD kissing some ladies...then he thought back to Vin and Buck. He looked at JD.

"Don't answer me, but, would you be at a point where you're looking for a man to kiss?"

JD's eyes said it all.

"Stand up."

Frowning, JD did so. Chris took a deep breath, tugged the mistletoe from his pocket, giving it to JD to hold up, pulled the younger man close, held JD's face between his hands and kissed him. When he let JD go, the young tech's mouth dropped open in shock. He went to sit, missed the seat and landed hard on the floor.

"I never want you to mention that again, understood?" Chris ordered, sitting back down and swigging back his bottle of beer.

Dunne blinked. "'K." He scrambled to his feet and took his seat.

"Bet huh?"

JD nodded, grinning at Chris. "Yeah."

Chris grinned back and winked. "Serves 'em right."

Dunne chuckled. He looked at Larabee. "Chris."

The blond glanced at him.

"Thanks."

~

The monitor room staff stared as Vin and Buck howled.

"Nooo..."

"Aww man!"

They looked at each other, nodded and made their way to Mystique, hoping a certain young tech didn't have as much of an appetite as they feared...there were still four weeks to Christmas.

END

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