Chapter Text
"Jack?"
"Yes, Miss Fisher"
"How ... exactly ...did Angela Lombard obtain your assistance in removing her dress?"
"Well, she did provide some very good whiskey."
"Better than this, Jack?"
"Oh, I wouldn't say that. In fact, this one is much more refined."
"Really?"
"Really."
"What else did she do?"
"Ah. Well, she admitted to being rather unsportsmanlike."
"Unsportsmanlike? How so?"
"She paid your favorite photographer Mr. Burn to take some compromising photos in order to blackmail Constance. You remember, Miss Fisher"
"I don't. I wasn't there, Jack. I'll just have to take your word for it."
"Yes, well I believe you do remember Mr. Burn. I believe that you were also the recipient of some compromising photographs, weren't you?"
"Just the film. It may or may not have been developed." Phryne met Jack's eyes. "And, don't change the subject."
"I didn't think I was. What else did you want to know?"
"So, Angela Lombard gives you a little whiskey and owns up to a little wrong doing and that's all it takes for you to help her undress?"
"I hope you aren't implying that you have ever - even once - admitted to me of your involvement in wrong doing of any sort. I would have remembered that."
"Well, I'm always honest with you, Jack. That should count for something."
"Not the same, I'm afraid."
"So, when EXACTLY have I been unsportsmanlike? Is there something that you think I should be admitting to?"
"Hm. Well, you did steal my breakfast this morning."
"How is that unsportsmanlike? One of us had to get to it first. I was just a little faster."
"Leaving me hungry is very unsportsmanlike."
"Oh."
"And, I do believe that you indulged in my secret stash of biscuits without asking my permission."
"That shouldn't count. I didn't find those. They were already out when I came to visit and it would have been rude to say no."
Jack couldn't hide his smirk.
"Perhaps, Miss Fisher, it would be more appropriate if you came clean about something you did without my having to prompt you. There must be something."
"Yes, there might be."
"Go on."
"Well, when Mrs. Lombard mentioned this particular service you performed for her, I might have concocted a small fib about something you've may have done for me."
Jack swallowed then inhaled slowly.
"And what did you say to her?"
"I may have led her to believe that while your hands were very talented, you were even better at taking a dress off with your teeth."
"You said that, did you?"
"I did."
"So you are admitting that you behaved shamefully."
"I'm not sure I would call it shameful, Jack."
"Lying isn't shameful?"
"Well, not if it *could* happen"
"And, why do think this *could* happen?"
"Actually, I think it is only fair that this *should* happen, Jack"
"Why is that?"
"Well, I did give you whiskey, did I not?"
"Yes, you did."
"In fact, I believe I have shared my whiskey with you many times."
"Yes, you have."
"And I have owned up to a being ... on the very rare occasion ... somewhat unsportsmanlike."
"She did to something else that I may have neglected to mention."
"What's that?"
"She pointed out the fastening of her dress that needed undoing."
"She did that?"
"She did."
Phryne stood up and walked to Jack, who was sitting upright on the chaise. She bumped his right knee over and took another step in to be able to stand close to him.
"So, if I showed you this hook and eye just under my arm, here."
Jack dropped his eyes from meeting hers to the fastening at the side of her chest. Then he raised his eyes to make eye contact once more.
"And this zipper right below that..."
Jack sat on the edge of the chaise. He put one hand on Phryne's lower belly and the other on the base of her spine.
He opened his mouth and put his teeth on either side of the zipper. He gently pulled at the fabric and used his lips to make the seam buckle out. He slid his lower jaw forward while keeping the friction on her dress and pushed the back part of the seam with his tongue. The top of the seam popped open a small amount exposing the head of the zipper.
Then he used his tongue to lift the zipper pull firmly into his mouth and started to move downward. He slid to his knees to keep the zip opening to her waist, then past her waist and to her hip where it stopped.
Jack slowly got to his feet, leaving his hands on her belly and the small of her back while maintaining eye contact.
"There you go, Miss Fisher. Do you feel vindicated?"
Phryne's lips were parted and she was breathing heavy.
"You did do that very, very well, Jack. But, no. I don't feel particularly vindicated. It is only half a job done, after all. And, quite frankly, I don't know how to compare THAT to you using your hands."
Jack stepped behind Phryne. He slipped a little finger from each of his hands under her right and left dress strap respectively and pulled them over her shoulders, where they became limp.
He slipped his right hand through the opening at the zip and over her belly to feel the silk camiknicker lingerie she was wearing underneath. As his hand moved further into the dress, the further the dress moved down her body. When it reached her hips, Jack was standing in front of Phryne. He gently bunched the dress in each hand to slide it over her hips, past her thighs and midway down her calves so that she could step out of it.
He stood up and taking the dress by the straps once again held it up so that it would drape nicely over the chair.
"Are you happy now, Miss Fisher?"
Her eyes were very dark and it was painfully clear that she was not ready for this to be over.
"After all, I have righted your tall tale."
"Yes, you did."
They stood there for some moments looking deeply into each other's eyes.
"But, perhaps, I haven't done all you had hoped for."
"No, you haven't."
Jack just needed one small reason to take that next step.
"And Jack, I believe you did imply that leaving me hungry would be very unsportsmanlike."
He broke into a full smile.
"Yes, I believe I did. And I am anything but unsportsmanlike"