A/N: This sort of takes place after Pandora's Box, but there's no spoilers. This is the second of my Edgerton/Don/Terry triangle fics (the first is "Dear Terry"). You don't have to read them in any special order since they're not actually connected. Anyway, enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Numb3rs. If I did, Terry Lake would still be on it.

A Feeling Called Desire

Don sighed and collapsed onto his couch, letting the loneliness of his apartment wash over him. Alan and Charlie had tried to get him to stay at the house, but Don had declined. Now he sat with a beer in his hand and the TV muted, wishing that Ian Edgerton had never walked into his life.

The sniper was good at profiling, like Megan, but when Edgerton profiled him Don felt uneasy. It was like the man knew what he was thinking. Don shuddered and took a swig of his beer, trying to keep his thoughts from straying to the other man. He flipped through the channels, looking for something mindless enough to put him into a peaceful sleep.

That was when the knock came at his door. Don sighed and pushed himself off of the couch. He weaved his way through the furniture and opened the door, and found the man of his nightmares standing there. Edgerton's face was impassive. His mouth was set in an unsteady frown and his brown eyes burrowed into Don's, forcing Don to lower his gaze.

"You just gonna stare at your feet, Eppes?" Edgerton asked. "Or are you gonna let me in?" Don stepped aside and Edgerton paced into the room. He sauntered to the couch and sat down, his ease making Don nervous.

"Nice place, Eppes."

"What do you want, Edgerton?" Don asked, and an aggravating smile grew on Edgerton's face.

"Is that how you treat a guest?" he asked, standing again. He stepped in front of Don and wrapped his hand around the beer bottle, his calloused fingers enclosing Don's hand as well. He raised the bottle to his lips, with Don's arm rising with it, and took a long sip. He let go without lowering the bottle, and Don quickly brought his arm to his side. Edgerton laughed and Don had to grit his teeth to keep himself from punching the sniper.

Edgerton raised his arm and trailed his fingers down Don's face, across his neck, and down to his chest. He rested his hand over Don's heart, and his smile fell away.

"I know," he whispered, his voice softer than Don had ever heard it. Don lowered his head, but Edgerton's other hand delicately cupped his chin and lifted his head so that their eyes met. His whisper was barely audible, but Don still heard it distinctly; "You still lover her."

Edgerton lowered his head and his lips brushed against Don's. It woke Don up. He pushed the other man away and took a step back, his face distorted from disgust. He set his beer down violently on the end table next to the couch, and drew his sleeve across his lips. All the while Edgerton stood stolid before him, his eyes never leaving Don.

"What the hell do you want, Edgerton?" Don demanded. The sniper shrugged and returned to his seat on the couch. He propped his legs up on the coffee table and un-muted the TV, a soft song emanated from the speakers and the mushy romantic lyrics made Don cringe. He lunged foreword, grabbed the remote from Edgerton's fingers, and quickly turned the TV off.

It wasn't until they were engulfed in silence that Don realized he was sprawled across Edgerton's legs. He heard the other man laugh as he pushed himself up, and Edgerton wrapped his fingers around Don's wrist and pulled, forcing the agent to sit on the couch next to him.

"What do you want, Edgerton?" Don asked again, his voice catching as he spoke. He looked into Edgerton's face and found that the man's emotions had changed again. His eyes were filled with sorrow. For what Don did not know, and he couldn't even begin to guess.

"Talk," Edgerton said. Don sighed and turned his head, but Edgerton's hand caught his cheek and turned his head back. "Talk about her."

"Talk about who, Edgerton?" Don asked, growing angry.

"Terry," Edgerton whispered. Again, he closed the distance between them; and again he pressed his lips to Don's. This time, Don lifted his hand to stroke his fingers across Edgerton's cheek and to comb them through Edgerton's hair. Then it was over. Edgerton pulled away and Don's eyes fluttered open.

"Why do you keep doing that," Don asked, trying to force his heartbeat to slow. Edgerton cocked his head to the side, a small smile adorning his face. Don found himself amazed at how quickly the other man's facial expressions and emotions could change.

"The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it," the sniper said. Don stared at him for a second and then shook his head.

"What?" he asked and Edgerton chuckled. Don felt his aggravation growing, but he pushed it down.

"Oscar Wilde," Edgerton said, brushing his knuckles against Don's cheek. "Now, talk."

"What do you want me to say?" Don asked.

"It's not what I want you to say," Edgerton said, leaning his forehead against Don's. "It's what you want to say." Don tried to tip his head and kiss Edgerton again, but the other man pulled away. Don sighed and leaned back, tilting his head to gaze at the ceiling.

"She's back with her ex," he said. As he spoke, he felt his body calming down. His heart returned to normal and his desire to feel Edgerton's lips on his turned into disgust at the thought. His annoyance, however, did not die down. Now that his adrenaline was under control it was all he could do not to yell at the other man to leave, which the rational part of his mind said was the right thing to do. The irrational part of his mind, which appeared to be in control, kept telling him that he had to get this out.

"And?" Edgerton prodded. Don sighed.

"I miss her," he said, and he felt tears forming in his eyes. He blinked them away, swearing that Edgerton would never see him cry. A rebel tear escaped and began to trail down his cheek, he lifted a hand to brush it away but Edgerton interrupted him, pulling his hand back down. Don's anger welled up and he could no longer stop himself. He stood quickly and backed away from Edgerton's reclined form.

"Get the fuck out," Don yelled. Edgerton didn't move. "Did you hear me? Get out!"

"No," Edgerton said. He stood and crossed to stand before Don. Don began to back away, but found himself against a wall. Edgerton stood over him, his eyes dark and filled with lust.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Don asked. He tried to yell, but it came out as a hiss. "Barging into my apartment, making me talk about Terry, kissing me," Don spat. Edgerton leaned down to whisper in Don's ear, his breath gliding over Don's skin.

"It doesn't mean anything," he whispered. "You want Terry, I want you; it's simple. A one night stand, Don, that's all I'm asking for. It doesn't mean anything, and I'll be off on some other assignment before things have time to get complicated." Don shook his head, pushing Edgerton away from him.

"I'm not… I don't…," he sputtered. Edgerton cupped his hand behind Don's head and Don leaned into the other man. Don tilted his head back and looked into Edgerton's eyes. Their lips were inches apart and Don could feel Edgerton's erection pressed against his leg.

"I know," Edgerton whispered, and he pressed his lips to Don's. Don lifted his arms and wound them around Edgerton's body, kissing back. They pulled apart, their breathing heavy and labored, and Edgerton grabbed Don by the shirt and pushed him against the wall.

"You want her back," he said vehemently.

"Yes," Don whispered his voice heavy and his eyes closed.

"You love her." Edgerton began trailing kisses across Don's neck, and he didn't pull back when he licked his lips. He let his tongue flit out and press against Don's skin for a quick moment before it darted back in and he continued kissing.

"I love her," Don said, arching his back to push him closer to Edgerton. The sniper pushed him flat against the wall and kissed him violently on the lips. Their tongues lashing as he slipped his hands underneath Don's shirt and pushed it up and they pulled apart to slip the material off.

"No," Edgerton whispered, running his hands over Don's chest. "You're in love with her." Don stepped towards Edgerton and ran his hands up the sniper's arms to cup his head and draw him into another, softer kiss. Edgerton pulled back slightly and looked into Don's eyes.

"I'm not Terry," he said.

"I'm not suggesting that you are," Don said. "One night, remember. One night that means nothing." Edgerton nodded and slipped his shirt off. He pushed Don back against the wall and they resumed kissing, this time their hands tugged at belt buckles and zippers as they pushed their mouths together hungrily.

.-.-.-.-.

That morning, when they'd woken up entwined, Don hadn't known what to do. Edgerton had calmed him down, reminding him of their agreement from the night before. His amused tone had annoyed Don greatly, and it had brought the events of the previous night to the forefront of his memory.

"Call her," Edgerton had said before placing one last kiss on Don's cheek and disappearing out the door.

Don hadn't called her, and he wasn't going to.

Edgerton was right, though. He was off on another assignment before things between him and Don could get weird, and Don eventually wrote it off as having had too much to drink. He was content with thinking that, not to mention he needed to think that. It would make his next encounter with Edgerton easier.

He hoped.