Carter turned onto her back and stared at the ceiling. There was only a small sliver of moonlight filtering through the blinds but it may as well have been the sun's rays in broad daylight. She was wired. Couldn't sleep. She thought about turning on the television and watching until sleep finally called for her. But every single time, before she reached for the remote, she thought about it. She thought about John.

They wouldn't stop. The thoughts. The memories. His lips, his tongue. His eyes, his voice. His words. His hardness pressed against her stomach. Everything she saw, felt, and heard was on a constant loop, replaying in her mind. It was amazing how quickly things could change. How quickly they'd changed for them. When she woke up that morning, she had had no idea. She thought about him. He probably hadn't had any idea either.

She glanced at the clock on the nightstand again. 2:08. Tomorrow- today really- was Saturday. She didn't have to go in so the pressure to get some sleep wasn't adding to her frustration. It was her desire. Nothing but her lust and desire, spurred on by the vivid, unrelenting memories. Of his lips, his tongue. His eyes, his voice. His body her own was yearning to sheathe.

It had been so long. So long since she'd felt these feelings, felt another man's touch. And that could have been why she couldn't get the thought of sex with him out of her mind. It should have been why. But that wasn't it. At least not all of it. She smiled as she thought about the text she'd sent him when she got home, per his request. She'd sent him a simple "I'm home" and not fifteen seconds later he'd sent a response: "Thank you." That was it. That was all. Not an "OK," or a "Good," or an "I'm glad. Goodnight." Just "Thank you." For humoring him. For respecting his feelings. For acknowledging that he cared. That he cared about her.

And there was no doubt in her mind that she cared about him. She wasn't sure when it happened, when she'd decided to, but it didn't really matter. It was a done deal. Their mutual attraction was a done deal, too. There could be no mistaking or misconstruing what happened at his place. What they wanted to happen next. What was going to happen next.

She closed her eyes as she felt the quaking between her thighs. She wanted to have sex with him. She could admit that. And she was going to have sex with him. There was no question about that. They were grown. They knew what it meant. It wasn't going to be either of their first time at the rodeo. Things between them had already changed irrevocably. She was never going to look at him the same way again regardless. The only question was when. And maybe even why.

She'd always been attracted to him. His actions, his circumstances. Drawn to locking him up when she discovered his presence at dozens of crime scenes. Compelled to understand him once he started resurfacing in her life, leaving criminals in her custody. Intrigued by his words right after he saved her life. Captivated by the charm she discovered lay beneath the ruggedness. Allured by the philanthropic work he did, the fellow soldier she could see in him. Enchanted by the heart that beat beneath his chest.

And, tonight, she'd finally admitted her physical attraction to him. She had had no choice in the matter really, her body's reaction deciding for her. His expressive eyes, his intense focus, the passion he kept tightly wound at his core. She saw all of it, felt all of it, and she wanted more of it.

She reached for her cell phone. Because she couldn't sleep. And there was only one way she'd eventually be able to. It was bold. Probably the boldest thing she'd ever done. Personally anyway. Since meeting him, she kept topping herself in things she thought she'd never do.

What was one more thing?

She dialed his number and waited, not fully understanding why she wasn't nervous. Not knowing what it was about him that put her at ease. Made her feel safe. Made her feel she could trust him with anything. It rang two-and-a-half times before she heard his voice.

"Joss?"

She heard it in that single word. He hadn't been asleep either. "Yeah."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

John waited several beats, almost asking again before he realized he already knew. She had probably been lying awake thinking about what happened just like he was. Except she was probably about to turn him and everything he wanted with her down now that she'd had some time to think. She probably couldn't sleep because she needed to get it off her chest. But before his thoughts could plummet any further, he heard her soft voice.

She swallowed. "Does it have to be your bed?"

Had he heard her correctly? His heart hammering in his chest and the drumming in his ears told him he had. He licked his suddenly dry lips. "No...it doesn't have to be."

"I can't sleep."

He swallowed, the action doing nothing to soothe his dry throat. "What do you need?"

She didn't hesitate. There was no point. "You."

He rose from his bed and headed toward his closet. "I'm on my way."

Twenty minutes later, she lay there, in the same spot, still staring at the ceiling. Nervousness beginning to creep in. Excitement. Anticipation. Because she was really going to do this. And she was ready. As much as she had risked for him in the past several months, it was going to be easy giving him her body. It was going to be easy letting go. Because she trusted him. And that trust ran deep.

Another five minutes passed. Another five spent imagining what it was going to be like. Wondering if he would take the same approach he took to his life's mission. Wondering if he'd be controlled, assured, deliberate, methodical. Selfless, focused, confident. Highly skilled. Stopping only once the job was complete. The mission accomplished. Or would he show her the other side of him. The more relaxed side that cooked lasagna, read mystery novels, and loved strawberry ice cream. Would he be soft, gentle, tender? Playful? Relentlessly teasing? Would he take his time, make it last as long as either of them could stand it? Would he relinquish control, let her pleasure him until he trembled all the way down to his toes?

She got up from the bed. Restless now. Impatient. She unlocked the front door and took the chain off so he could slip in quietly, looking down the hall to make sure the light was off in Taylor's room. She retreated back to her bedroom, went to the attached bath and turned the light on, looking at herself in the mirror. Still surprised at her actions. Wondering who the person was staring back at her. So much had changed. Pretty much her entire world. Ever since he saved her life. She bit her bottom lip. Went over herself mentally. Everything was waxed, shaved. Skin smooth and moisturized. Lightly scented with her signature fragrance. Long ago forgotten IUD still in place. She tugged at the tank and short set she slept in when the weather was warm. It was simple. Gray. A little worn. She thought about changing for a second but decided against it. He would probably arrive any minute, and she didn't want to look like she was trying too hard. And she didn't think he was going to be too focused on what she was wearing anyway. She certainly wasn't going to be giving a damn about his clothes.

John closed the door softly behind himself, locking it and replacing the chain. He'd knocked softly but apparently it hadn't been loud enough. And since he'd found the door to be unlocked, he figured she wanted him to let himself in. He was trying to be as quiet as possible, never having had to sneak into a woman's home to have sex with her while her teenage son was in the house before. It was definitely a new experience for him. Exciting. But the one he was about to have was going to top it. He was sure of that. He was going to make sure of that. He took the few steps to her bedroom, closing the door as his eyes zeroed in on the light emanating from her bathroom. He took the steps that would lead him to his target. He stopped in the doorway and looked at her. She noticed him immediately, turning to face him. His arousal, having been rampant since her phone call, increased a hundredfold. He continued to watch her as she watched him. It wasn't going to be long now.

She took him in. Burned into her memory the Before picture. His navy polo shirt, deep gray slacks. For a split second she regretted not asking to see his closet earlier. "Took you awhile." She watched as a smirk found its way to his face. She watched as it stayed there while he slowly pulled his shirt over his head and let it fall to the floor. She watched as he reached down and took off each of his shoes and socks. Her eyes followed his hands as he unbuttoned his pants, lowering the zipper before pushing them down his long legs. She watched as his briefs followed and he stepped out of the small pile of clothing, her desire gushing from between her legs.

He watched her take him in. "Am I forgiven?" The low rumble of his voice sent another liquid rush out of her.

If she hadn't been so distracted, she would have rolled her eyes at his cockiness, at the self-satisfied smirk still plastered on his handsome face. She looked down. But yes. Yes, he was forgiven. While he wasn't in the porn star league, he was almost certainly going to present a delicious challenge. It had been so long for her.

And she always welcomed a good challenge.

She walked over to him, hand immediately reaching for his pulsating erection. She held the weight in her hand, stroking him as she looked up into his face. The smirk was gone now. The muscles in his jaw tightening as he tried not to succumb to the pleasure, tried not to give up his power so early on in the game. "You're forgiven." She watched his eyes, saw the warning in them, and immediately wanted to test his limits. She was about to lower herself to her knees when she was stopped.

He pulled her face up to his and licked her upper lip before sucking the bottom one into his mouth. He pulled back and stared into her eyes, wondering if she knew this was the first and last respite she was going to get. He took his hands from her face and lowered them to her rear, marveling as he gently squeezed. He still couldn't believe how luscious it was.

Taking a few steps back through the doorway, he moved to his right and forced her back against the open bathroom door, needing her against the nearest hard surface he could find. He took command of her mouth, kissing her insistently while he slid her shorts and panties down her legs. His hands slid underneath her tank and squeezed her breasts, thumbs teasing her nipples before he separated his mouth from hers and slipped the garment above her head. He placed his hands on her waist, bending down until his mouth was at her ear. "I'm about to make it up to you." It was the only warning she got.

It happened so fast. She was lifted one second and impaled the next. She screamed internally, only a squeak escaping her lips, promptly muted by the penetration of his tongue in her mouth, the burn alleviating as he made a meal out of her lips and tongue. She didn't know how long they stayed that way, their lower halves unmoving as he kissed away any and all discomfort. Completely out of breath, she tore her lips away from his, the intensity of it all leaving her slightly disoriented.

Panting, he pierced her eyes with his. "Okay?" He watched as she nodded. Hands gripping her ass, he pushed away from the door and carried her to her bed, climbing onto his knees and moving them until he could place her head on her pillow. Raising himself onto his elbows, he kept his eyes on hers as he slowly slid out and back into her three times. Familiarizing himself. Coaxing her open. On the third stroke, he closed his eyes. Took a moment to believe it was really happening. That he was most definitely inside her. Savored the feel of his newfound home. After several moments, he felt her hand slide down the side of his face and reopened his eyes. He saw it in hers, too. She understood.

He reached down on either side of him, pulling her thighs up and apart, hooking his arms underneath the backs of her knees, pressing forward until his chest nearly met hers and her knees damn near met the mattress. He buried his face in her neck and began to move, quickly increasing his pistoning. He went from zero to sixty in no time, giving her everything in him. Everything he had.

She struggled. She struggled not to cry out. Her hands held his head at her neck as his name and every curse word known to man, maybe even some in different languages, ran through her head, ready to roll off her tongue. He was relentless. Like a dog with a bone. She lowered her hands and clawed at his back, one of those words finally escaping. She didn't know how loud it was but it was fast becoming impossible to hold back.

He slowed it down for a minute, trying to make it last, trying to contain his vocalizations, which was one of the reasons he was keeping his face buried between the pillow and her neck. To drown out the noises he couldn't believe he was making.

Fuck! Her tiny reprieve was soon over. He was at it again. Fast and furious. She desperately reached her right hand out, trying to find the other pillow to smother her face in. She needed to scream. Her orgasm was coming. She was becoming delirious. She couldn't reach it. Couldn't reach anything. And John was refusing to let up.

She felt him finally lift his head, the light from the bathroom enough to illuminate his face. Through her haze she could see he was struggling, too. She held his eyes and saw the moment he gave up the fight. His left hand lowered between their bodies. The second his thumb swept across her clit, his name involuntarily left her lips, reverberating off the walls. Before anything else could leave her mouth, he slammed his onto hers. When he stopped feeling the cries in his mouth, he released her lips, thrust into her a few more times, stiffened, and buried his face in the pillow to scream out his own release.

By the time she finally came back down to Earth, Joss was positive a good fifteen minutes had passed since her seismic orgasm. She looked to her left. The clock read 3:47. She moved her head back again. It was pretty much all she could move. Her bones felt like jelly. And John's dead weight was still on top of her. She looked to her right, where his head was. He hadn't moved. Not an inch. If she hadn't felt his heart beating through his chest, she would have been worried. "John?"

He grunted in response.

"I can't breathe."

"Sorry." He weakly rose onto his elbows, withdrew from her, and fell over onto his back, staring at the ceiling. He had underestimated what she was going to take out of him. He had planned on going all night. Exploring every inch of her delectable body. It was how it went in his head anyway. But he had to admit defeat. He had had all the control but she still won.

Too tired to utter another word, he pulled her to his side, weakly wrapping one arm around her. Expending what little energy he had to kiss her forehead, he quickly lowered his head and drifted off immediately. She soon followed suit.

Reese awoke with a start, eyes immediately trying to focus on his watch. Vision still a little blurry from his deep slumber, he raised his head and looked across Carter's still form at the clock on her nightstand. 9:47. He lowered his head back onto the pillow. He hadn't slept this late in ages. Even if he didn't fall asleep until five in the morning, his body always woke him up no later than eight.

He sighed softly as he stared at the unfamiliar ceiling. His thoughts drifted back to last night's activities. He smiled to himself before turning his head to look at her. The reason he was waking up with a smile on his face. She was on her side, facing away from him. The sheet and comforter covered them both, somehow making it over them in their sleep. He raised himself onto his left elbow and used his right hand to slide the covers down to her waist. He kissed her shoulder and ran his hand up and down her bare arm. "Joss?" He kissed her shoulder again, beginning to feel the stirrings below his waist. During last night's frenzy, he hadn't gotten the chance to look at her. Just look. Run his eyes over every inch of her. His hands. It wasn't too late. He ran his hand over her stomach. "Joss." Once she stirred, he let his hand wander from her stomach to her breasts, her back still to him. She roused further. "You awake?"

He heard her grunt and shifted slightly when she rolled onto her back. Her eyes were still closed but he knew she was awakening. He continued to let his hand roam freely along her torso. "Morning." He smiled at the second grunt he received from her. He assumed that one was for "Good morning." He ran his hand over her lower abdomen, about to help her wake up in his own special way. "When does Taylor get up?"

"Hmm?"

He leaned over and planted kisses on her belly, asking again between kisses.

Carter opened her left eye and looked at the clock to her left. She groaned again. "'Leven."

"Hmm?" He continued kissing her, dipping his tongue in her belly button.

She cleared her throat and closed her eye, deciding to try to put some effort into speaking clearly. "Usually around eleven."

Reese quickly calculated that he had about an hour before he needed to be gone. He kissed along her hip, unceremoniously flinging the covers all the way off their bodies.

It was time for breakfast.

He quickly settled himself between her thighs and dove in. Her soft moans, steadily increasing in quantity and volume, urged him on as he drove tongue and fingers, fingers and tongue, into her steadily. Repeatedly. Vigorously. Her soft cries stimulated him as they continued to explore her inner sanctum and outer folds, teasing that spot where they would eventually bring it all to a satisfying and explosive conclusion.

Carter reached out to her sides, grabbing at the sheets, arching her back, trying not to claw at his head. If she hadn't been fully awake a few moments ago, she was now. She raised her head, watching his between her thighs, the sight ratcheting up the intense pleasure, making her chest heave as she tried to take in breaths beneath the tidal wave of euphoria she was drowning in. "John...Jesus." She was whimpering. He had her whimpering now. It sounded pitiful to her own ears. Oh god...Oh my god.... Feeling herself reaching the precipice, she grabbed for his pillow, reaching it this time. She turned her head into it just in time, just as she reached the brink and free fell into the abyss.

Washing down his breakfast with the last of her juice, his hard on was raging, jealous of what his mouth had imbibed. He kissed his way up her body as it continued to quiver beneath him, turning his focus to her breasts. He laved his tongue around each nipple, the wet heat causing her to arch her back once again and cradle his head to her chest. He did it repeatedly, wantonly, licking and flicking and sucking until he heard that heavenly call of his name again.

"John, you win, okay? You win."

He chuckled and continued his ascent, kissing his way up one side of her neck and back down the other. He had had to admit defeat last night but this morning it was her turn. Finished with his nibbling, he rose onto his elbows and smiled down at her. She smiled back and ran her hand down the side of his face again, just as she had the night before. He couldn't believe how cherished it made him feel. An oasis in the tempest that was his life.

When he bent down to kiss her she held him up short, placing her fingers on his lips. "Mm mm. You don't want to know how bad my morning breath is this morning."

He continued to smile at her. "Yeah?"

She giggled. "Yeah."

"I'll be the judge of that." He went for her lips again and she turned her head, giggling even harder.

"I'm serious," She turned back to him once she was sure he wasn't going to try again. "I'm sure I have crust all in my eyes, too. And dried up drool running down the corner of my mouth." She watched as he ran his eyes over her face, almost reverently.

"Just a little...It's beautiful."

She knew he was being absolutely serious but she laughed him off. It- all of it- was a little much to deal with this early in the morning. "Whatever, John." She laughed again when he swooped down and took a nip of her lips. She pushed him back, the smile never leaving her face. "Stop! Let me go to the bathroom." She felt him move back down to nuzzle her neck. She turned to look at the clock again and shoved at him. "You're wasting time." That got his attention. He rolled off her and watched her make her way to the bathroom.

Five minutes later she had used the toilet, washed her face, and swished mouthwash across her tongue and palate. She opened the door and found John lying on his back, arms folded behind his head, dick at attention. Her mouth watered among other regions. She watched him watch her make her way slowly to the foot of the bed. She still couldn't believe what they were doing. What they had done. But they had. And they were. She crawled onto the bed and slid her hands up his legs. Reaching her target, she licked the head once and kept moving up his body. She felt the frustration radiate from him as she kissed her way up his belly and chest. Just a tease. That was all he was going to get for now. She couldn't show him all her tricks in one outing. Besides, it would give him something to look forward to. She caught herself thinking in futuristic terms and quickly thwarted those thoughts.

She took him off guard by sitting up suddenly and sliding down onto him. She leaned forward, braced herself on each side of his ribcage, and moved slowly, maintaining eye contact with him. His mouth opened slightly before closing again as his darkened eyes burrowed through hers. She kept her movements leisurely and languid, trying to slowly ease the tension from his jaw as he tried to keep control of himself. She moved excruciatingly slow, determined to have him so tightly wound his eyes would roll in the back of his head before he even came. She soon learned, however, that he didn't like to be controlled, didn't like not being in control, outside the bedroom and in. She let out a groan of ecstasy mixed with frustration when she found herself flat on her back.

Their mouths met for the first time that morning. Tables turned, he was now torturing her. Keeping the slow pace she set. She struggled to fight back. To get the power back. She moved her head to tear her lips away from his and tugged the skin of his neck between her teeth while tightening her walls around him. As the breathless "Fuck" left his lips, she took the opportunity to shove him onto his back again. As soon as she regained control of their fucking, she braced herself again and rode him hard, biting her lip to keep herself quiet.

It was just moments later when she realized that he really could not stand it. He really couldn't. On her back once again, she gave up and let him have his way. She didn't know how the hell he had made it in the military. Being under someone else's command, accepting orders. She briefly entertained the thought that this was a more recent development before all coherent thought left her and she took that trip back up that familiar erotic incline. He was pounding into her, feverishly now. She'd at least accomplished that. She had gotten that spring tightly coiled and he was ready to split her wide open with his release.

It came. She came. And together they were soon seeing stars.

After collapsing on top of her, he let himself rest for several seconds before rolling them over.

They had almost certainly woken Taylor with that one. And they were both cringing internally. She, with her head on his chest. He, staring up at the ceiling once again. A couple more minutes passed as they floated back down and listened for any hint of movement in the apartment. "His room is on the opposite side. Maybe he didn't hear anything." Reese tried to offer some encouraging words.

She sighed. "I'll just see how he acts when he gets up."

They remained that way for a few minutes longer, listening to the silence. Listening to the words unspoken.

"You should probably get ready to go now." She heard and felt him sigh. Resigned. After allowing herself another minute to indulge in his scent, in his closeness, she rolled off him and turned to look at the clock again. Though they still had some time, she didn't want to cut it too close. If Taylor had heard them, and then saw John leaving the apartment, she would have to explain some things. And she didn't know what she would say. She didn't know how to label any of this yet. It had only been twelve hours since that first kiss. Since John had swiftly and impulsively become more than just her friend.

They both climbed out of the bed. She headed to her closet to find a robe while he headed toward his clothes that lay strewn on the floor just outside the bathroom. Picking them up, he entered the bathroom and closed the door halfway, needing to relieve himself and at least splash some water on his face and use her mouthwash before he faced the public. She sat on the edge of her bed and waited until he finished.

She teased him as he stepped out fully dressed, his usually perfectly coiffed hair unkempt. "Toilet seat down?" She couldn't help but laugh as he quickly turned back and left her sight for a few seconds. Leaving the bathroom once again, he smiled sheepishly at her as he picked up his shoes and sat down next to her to put them on. He turned to look at her but she avoided his eyes, looking down at her hands instead. The words were still unspoken.

He reached over and took her hand, and together they quietly left her bedroom. Opening the door for him, she let him through and stood with her hand on the knob as he turned back to face her. She eyed him curiously as she noted the change in his eyes. From resignation to hope.

"Come with me." The Huh? look on her face made him smile. "Brunch."

She automatically looked down the hall toward Taylor's room before turning back to him. "Where?"

"Anywhere you want to go. I'll go home and get a shower and meet you."

"Calliope by 11:30?" It was her favorite breakfast and brunch spot.

"I'll be there." He kissed her cheek softly and walked away, only able to do so with the promise of seeing her again in an hour.

Unsure how a simple kiss on her cheek could make her feel so cherished, she closed the door and rested her back against it, closing her eyes.

After taking a shower and putting on some casual clothes, she headed down the hall to wake up her son. If he wasn't already. She knocked and waited for his grunt before opening his door. "I'm going out for brunch." She heard a groggy, "Okay," come from the mass on his bed.

She hedged, "How'd you sleep?"

"Huh?"

"How'd you sleep?"

"Fine?" It came out like a question. In case she didn't get that he was confused, thinking that he'd missed something, he followed up with, "Why?"

"No reason."

Joss arrived at the restaurant five minutes early. She couldn't help it. She hated being late and making people wait. And, honestly, she was anxious as she hadn't quite gotten her fill of him yet. Walking through the doors, she smiled as the hostess greeted her.

"Just you today?"

"No, I'm supposed to be meeting- I see him." Of course he was already there. He probably couldn't help himself either.

"Okay."

"Thanks." She took her time walking to the booth where he was seated. Observing him as he studied the menu. Struck by how different everything was. She'd met up with him countless times before, in restaurants, bars, parks, cars. But this? This was different. For obvious reasons. They weren't here to talk about someone in danger. And they'd just finished having sex an hour ago. She'd seen him naked, seen the passion and vulnerability he kept well-contained underneath those suits and that cool demeanor. She'd seen all of it up close and very personal. She wasn't sure what to do with it. How to feel. What to even say.

It wasn't long before he felt her eyes on him and a tiny smirk parked itself on his lips as he rose from the booth to greet her and wait for her to take her seat. "Ordered you a drink."

She took a sip of her mimosa and let out a small moan of appreciation. "Mmm, thank you. This is perfect." She picked up the menu. "Ever been here before?"

"Never. What do you recommend?"

"Everything."

He chuckled. "Okay."

They took a couple minutes to go over the menu and decide what they were going to order, stretching the process out a little longer than was necessary. Once their waiter arrived and took their order, it was time to come up with another stalling tactic. Another way to avoid confronting the awkwardness surrounding friends and part-time co-vigilantes having sex for the first time, and wanting to do it again. And again and again. Of wanting more than just the sex. Of wanting to take the plunge, risk of negative consequences be damned.

She couldn't do it, though. She couldn't avoid it. "This is weird." She watched as he shrugged.

"We'll get used to it."

"It's a bad idea, too."

He looked at her and smiled softly. "I've done worse."

She sighed, the enormity of what they were about to do hitting her. She met his eyes. "You sure about that?"

He leaned toward her, his eyes shocking her system with their quick change from playfulness to steely determination. "Yes."

She couldn't help but be sucked in. His eyes could easily coerce things his trained fists would take ten minutes to do. "We really gonna do this?"

"We are."

She sighed deeply. He'd said it. She'd wanted him to. So that was it. It was so.

While she still had his unyielding attention, she decided to test her limits. "You finally gonna tell me where you get your information?" She wanted to get what she could while the gettin' was good. She watched as a smile slowly spread across his face, the playfulness back in his eyes.

He shook his head back and forth slowly, seeing right through her ruse as he sat back.

"Why the hell not? Seriously?"

His eyes changed once more. Became dark and piercing. "I'll let you get hurt because of what Finch and I are involved in over my dead body." He leaned forward once again. "I'll give you anything, everything I have, but not that. Not until I know it's safe for you to know."

Unsatisfied and undeterred, she knew what to do next time. Next time she was going to ask while she was showing him one of the tricks she had up her sleeve. Because if he thought he was going to be in a relationship with her without her knowing, he had another thing coming.

The waiter took that moment to stop by and let them know their food would be coming out in a minute. Carter sat back, granting him a temporary reprieve. She went to start another line of questioning when a familiar voice rang out.

"Carter?" Fusco approached their table. He looked back and forth between them. "You two working on something?"

Reese and Carter glanced at each other before turning to him, deciding it would be futile. Carter answered. "No, just having brunch." She watched as a confused look crossed her partner's features. She couldn't blame him. She was still comprehending it, too. But then she also noticed something else. Something all three of them had in common. She looked in the direction from which she thought he came and saw the woman she'd met before. Rhonda was her name. It verified her suspicions. Her partner had gotten some last night, too.

She watched as the wheels turned and waited for his next question.

"So...you're just...eatin'." Fusco couldn't be sure, but they both looked different. Had that glow he was quite proud to see Rhonda sporting if he did say so himself. He cycled through confusion, denial, and a few mental what the fucks before settling on acceptance, all within a span of a few seconds. He looked between the two of them again as they both pinned him with perfectly innocent looks on their faces. "Yeah, I'm gonna, uh, go back."

Carter nodded and smiled. "See ya, Monday."

"Yeah...See ya." Fusco shook his head all the way back to his table. They had fucked. They had definitely fucked.

Carter and Reese both laughed the second he was out of earshot. She leaned out of the booth and watched as Lionel settled himself back in his seat. "Well, I'll give him this. She's got a smile on her face."

He raised his glass. "Go Lionel."

Two Weeks Later

"I don't know why you're not getting in." Joss continued to tread water as she tried to encourage her companion. John had told her earlier about the indoor pool in his building that no other tenants seemed to frequent at this time of the evening. The day had been hot as hell, stressful as hell, too, and he had dangled the pool in front of her like a carrot. Unable to resist, she grabbed her bathing suit, told Taylor she'd be back in a few hours, and headed to his place.

John smiled, watching her enjoy herself in the water. He sat on the edge of one of the lounge chairs, feet planted firmly on the ground as he leaned toward her, drawn to her energy. Fascinated. Totally under her spell. They were alone and he was enjoying soaking her in. The past two weeks had been busy for both of them individually, and they hadn't seen each other much. He resisted going to her place at night, pretty sure she hadn't told Taylor about them yet. Also pretty sure that, once she did, she wasn't going to be immediately comfortable having him blatantly stay over. At least not so soon.

"At least dip your feet in."

"I'm fine."

She shook her head at him. As long as she'd known him, she'd never seen him relaxed and having fun doing something. Simply enjoying life. Granted, neither of them had much time to indulge in such things, but at least she knew how to let her hair down every once in awhile. She probably had Taylor and his youthful exuberance to thank for that. "You have control issues. You should let loose a little bit."

"I don't have control issues."

She floated on her back and closed her eyes, burning the image of him on her retinas. He was sitting there, attentively watching over her, standing guard almost, still dressed in his work clothes, the suit jacket having been discarded up in his apartment. He was beautiful, so strong, and she felt impossibly safe. "And you're overprotective."

"I'm a man. It's our nature to be protective."

"You're too extreme."

"I'm thorough."

"You make me call you when I get home from work."

"What's wrong with that?"

"I'm not sixteen and you're not my father."

"Someone needs to look out for you."

"I have a mother."

"I need to look out for you."

She smiled at that, because she already knew, flipping herself backwards and going under water. She swam until she reached the side of the pool. When she reached it, she crossed her arms on the edge and smiled softly at him. "Thank you."

He returned her smile, the brightness of it reaching his eyes, and winked.

After she'd gotten her fill of the pool, they trekked back up to his loft. His towel still wrapped around her waist, she headed toward his kitchen. She started opening and closing cabinets. "Where are your glasses?" She was in desperate need of a glass of water.

"One over. To the right." He stood behind the bar, watching her every move. His heart swelled, among other things. The image of her rummaging around in his kitchen in his towel and her bikini top warmed every corner of his heart and turned him on. It was only her second time there and he was already plotting how to move her and Taylor in, as she'd joked about at her last visit.

Finished downing her water, she headed over to the sink to place her glass in it. She had to work in the morning so she knew she needed to be on her way. "Alright. Let me go change so I can- " She felt his hands on either side of her waist as he pulled her back against him. The towel hit the floor. And it wasn't long before she felt him move one of his hands to her neck to loosen the tie of her bikini halter.

"You forgot didn't you?" The low rumble of his voice sent arousing shivers down her spine. He used both hands to release the hooks of her top and it fell to the floor.

"What?" She was breathless. Already.

He turned her around so that she was facing him. "What I said I was going to do to you the next time you came." He had her bikini bottom on the floor before he finished talking.

Oh yeah. She remembered now. Definitely.

He lifted her onto the counter and parted her lips with his immediately. She gave as good as she got while unbuttoning his dress shirt. Mouths never parting, he somehow gracefully removed his shoes, socks, pants, and briefs before sliding her body to the edge of the counter. Positioning himself to penetrate, he felt and heard her moan in his mouth before she pushed him back. He took the opportunity to lift his undershirt over his head.

Panting, she managed to eke out, "I thought you said on that bed."

He glanced to his right in the general direction of his bed. He turned back to her and lifted her from the counter, her legs wrapping around his waist. "You're right." Carrying her over to it, he centered them on it, not caring that the sky was black, his lights were on, and none of the shades were down. Slipping his tongue in her mouth, he grabbed himself and immediately entered her, her gasp in his mouth music to his ears. He didn't move as he took several moments to kiss her into oblivion. Finally lifting his head, a devilish grin marked his features. "Guess what?"

"What?"

"Soundproof walls." And no Taylor.

Her grin was a mile wide as he buried his face in her neck and went to work.

For the next hour, he did what he said he would do. Before doing it again. And she enthusiastically tested the limits of his soundproof walls

~End

A/N: Thanks for reading!