Title: Discoveries

Author: Fallenbelle

Rating: T

Spoilers: Season 8- On the Waterfront episodes 1 & 2.

Summary: Julia discovers a previously unseen side of William. Tag for 08x02- On the Waterfront, part 2. One shot.

Disclaimer: Don't own them, not making any money.

As Leslie stormed off like a spoiled brat denied his toy, William turned around and looked at her, his face devoid of the anger she'd just heard from him.

"William, I must say, that was most surprising…and more than a little impressive" Julia said, walking up to him with her best come hither voice. Smiling up at him, she stroked his tie and fingered his shirt collar, being sure that the word "impressive" coincided with the stroking.

Instead of stopping her as he usually did, he merely looked her up and down and took a deep breath.

"Sometimes one must employ the law of the jungle" he finished, looking right at her with a straight face.

She smiled-not only at him (because he made her that happy) but because he'd found another way to surprise and thrill her yet again-she suspected that for all she knew about William, there was so much more to discover about her sensitive, proper detective.

Lord, how they needed to set a date yesterday.

Her hand flat against his chest, she could feel his heart pounding. Still, he made no move to neither remove her hand nor stop it. He simply looked at her, desire plain in his eyes.

They held one another's eyes for a moment and then she could hold her laughter no more, and soon he joined her. How wonderful his laugh-she wondered what she could do to hear it more often.

As she lowered her arm, she let it trail down his chest, waiting for him to stop it.

He didn't.

As they finished laughing, she sighed, and let her arm drop against her side. She had to admit, she didn't know what he wanted-she'd expected him to stop her as he always did, but this time, there had been no move to do so. She was used to being slightly forward and William always maintaining propriety and keeping things from getting too scandalous, but now he looked at her with a hunger in his eyes.

First he had defended her honor by threatening bodily harm against Leslie, and now he clearly wanted more from her.

The tables had turned, and Julia was frightened. No, William would never hurt her and she knew that if she asked, her proper detective would return and the increasingly dangerous game they played would be done.

But, this wasn't how the game they played was supposed to go, and yet the roles were clearly reversed. She'd long believed that still waters ran deep, and that for all of his propriety, a passionate red-blooded man lurked underneath, held in exquisite check by his amazing self-control.

Yet, something had shifted, and she couldn't put her finger on it.

With a smirk on his face, he moved towards her, and subtly backed her into a corner of her office hidden from the view of others outside, and trapped her in the corner. There would be no easy escape-but not that she wanted one despite her nervousness.

Taking her hands and pulling them over her head where he pinned them with one hand, he proceeded to trail his free hand up and down her chest, and Julia's breath hitched.

Then he pressed himself against her and hungrily kissed her. His kisses weren't the usual gentle, loving kind, but rather demanding and all she could do was to give into them and bare her throat to his teeth as he nipped at the flesh. His slight stubble also scraped across her neck, heightening the effect.

Now that she'd complied with his unspoken request for a kiss, he released her hands, which allowed her to dig her fingernails into his scalp (something he enjoyed) and participate more fully in the kiss. He responded merely by pulling her yet closer to him, and continuing his insistent kisses. His hands all over her torso, they slid downward to her buttocks and he gave them a gentle squeeze, bringing her into full contact with the indisputable evidence of his physical desire.

Julia certainly didn't want to discourage him, but they hadn't waited seven years for their first time to be a hurried affair against a wall in her office where anyone could walk in and see her-ruining the reputation she'd carefully been rebuilding for the past year.

Someone might see her! It was that thought that stopped her cold, and gave her no choice to put both her hands on his chest to stop him.

"William! We can't. Not here!"

He pulled back confused, eyes out of focus. He also looked a little hurt.

"Oh, William," Julia said, cupping his face with both of her hands, "Beloved, we didn't wait all this time for marriage to give in now."

Sighing deeply, he stepped back, allowing her room to move past him.

"You're right, Julia. I still want to do this properly; I shouldn't have…" he began.

"Don't apologize, William. In fact, I'm quite happy to know that's the case-I'd sometimes wondered if you desired me as I desired you."

"I can unequivocally tell you that yes, I desire you greatly," he answered with a bit of a nervous laugh.

"William, we must set a date-and quickly. We need discuss the officiant, location, size, everything. We also need a house to call our own. Immediately."

She looked at him stroking his cheek with her thumb, still cupping his face with her hand; hoping he'd understand that she wasn't telling him no, just not now and not here.

He laughed and closed his eyes, turning his face into her hand. "Yes, Julia. We need to do this very soon. Can we discuss this over dinner?

"I would very much like that, William."

As they gathered their things and locked up her office, eager to finally plan their wedding, William stopped, and gathered her into his arms, and asked after one last detail:

"Can we discuss the honeymoon as well?"

"William!" she said with mock outrage, lightly hitting his arm.

"Don't tell me that you're not looking forward to it, or thinking about it as much as I have" he countered, with a smug grin on his face.

"Of course I have" she replied. "You should be afraid," she challenged, with a playful look on her face.

"Oh, I look forward to that, Julia" he retorted with a smirk.

With that, she dragged him outside and called for a carriage. If they didn't leave soon, they definitely wouldn't make it to the wedding.