Half the Distance

by Jessica237

EC. With her in his arms and no longer afraid of those three little words, they were half the distance to the goal - a goal that would, like the Super Bowl, one day be commemorated by a very special ring.

Title: Half the Distance
By: Jessica
Pairing: Eric/Calleigh
Rating:M
Timeline: General S7/S8. A spin-off fic from a few lines in Diversionary Tactics; occurs about nine months after the events of that fic.
Summary: With her in his arms and no longer afraid of those three little words, they were half the distance to the goal - a goal that would, like the Super Bowl, be commemorated by a very special ring.

A/N: I love football. Tonight...I don't really love football, but I digress. With the Saints being in the Super Bowl this year, this was just not an opportunity that could be passed up, heh. Special thanks to Lemon Green for the advice, and to TexasJen for the beta. Also, this makes nearly 17,000 words of this kind of thing in the span of one week...don't get used to it, lol. ;)

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Calleigh Duquesne was incredibly nervous.

And this disconcerted her, for she wasn't at all the nervous type. She prided herself on her confidence, her unflappability under pressure, and yet, here she was, practically shaking like a leaf in the middle of her hallway.

Then again, she highly doubted she'd be feeling any anxiety at all, if only she were wearing a little more. With two minutes left in the second, Calleigh had extricated herself from Eric's arms on the couch, smiling at his protest. He was afraid she'd miss something; what he didn't realize was that her mind had been far removed from the game itself for the majority of the second quarter. She'd done well through the first, but then other…distractions had crept into her mind, namely the feel of Eric's arms around her from behind as she rested against him, his fingers sneaking slowly beneath the hem of her top to find her taut stomach below. And there they danced, teasing and touching, a rhythm so erratic and feather-light that, if Calleigh hadn't known better, she might've been convinced that it was completely innocent of him. But she did know better than that – she did know Eric, after all.

And she knew that this would likely blow his mind…and yet, still she was a-flutter with anxiety. There was just something about standing in the hallway, wearing nothing more than a single piece of black and gold fabric that fell only to her upper thighs that left her feeling rather exposed, even as she remembered the very conversation that had brought her to this point.

"You, in nothing but a Dolphins jersey…now that would be quite the diversion."

She could still hear the words, low and seductive to her ears, and Calleigh shivered involuntarily. That man's voice would be her undoing – even in mere memories, it held the power to leave her as little more than a quivering, mushy heap on the ground. With a slight smirk, she reflexively smoothed the black fabric over her hips – it wasn't a Dolphins jersey at all, but then again, she'd never agreed to that. Calleigh was a Saints girl, through and through. Eric would just have to deal.

And so would she, apparently, as she just couldn't seem to tamp down the nervousness coursing through her veins. The butterflies in her stomach were going mad, zipping around at the most dizzying speeds, and between that and the pounding of her heart against her ribcage, it was a miracle that Calleigh was still standing at all; an even bigger miracle that she managed to make her way those last few agonizingly long steps to the living room.

She'd been gone long enough for the first half to end – the Colts had been driving when she'd left, but whether or not they'd scored, she neither knew nor cared – she assumed, though, from the lack of cheering from the living room while she was gone, that they had not. And for that, Calleigh had to smile – her team, after all, was the best, and she'd been trying to convince Eric of that for the entire past week. Eric hadn't been so quick to give up his allegiance, though – Calleigh was hoping that this would change his stubborn mind. According to him, he didn't even like the Colts – his allegiance was purely to the conference.

"They're AFC," he'd said earlier, as though it explained everything. "Dolphins are AFC. Therefore, the best team in the league has to come from the AFC, even if it's not the Dolphins." He'd smirked then, distracting Calleigh with the touch of his fingertips against her skin. "I mean, seriously, Cal. The Bucs? Rams? Lions? All terrible, and all NFC." He'd paused, a low rumble of a chuckle emanating from his throat. "Oh wait, the Bucs beat your Saints this season, didn't they?"

Calleigh hadn't replied; she knew him, and anything she said, he could easily turn around to his advantage. Instead, she'd extricated herself from his arms, excusing herself to go to the bathroom just before the end of the second quarter. And now, here she was, standing mere feet from him in a Saints jersey that covered her enough to make her decent, but just barely.

Eric shifted suddenly on the couch, and Calleigh instinctively froze in place – damned nerves, she thought. Without looking away from the screen, he called out for her with the information that the halftime show was about to start.

Calleigh took a deep breath, knowing she could still turn back now, but once she made her presence known to him, she was committed. Her heart pounded wildly as she took a step closer to him, ratcheting against her ribcage in a mix of nerves and the beginnings of arousal. "You're not that big a fan of The Who, are you?" she called out sweetly, her quiet voice much more confident than she truly felt. And she still didn't understand that – he'd seen her in sexy lingerie, though she'd been slightly less confident than usual about that too; he'd seen her in little more than his shirt and a pair of skimpy lace panties. Hell, she'd been naked for him on the kitchen counter with strawberries and a bowl of ice cream at her side, a definite feast for both his eyes and his lips. And yet, out of all of those delicious memories, it was the current moment that had her the most apprehensive.

He still hadn't turned to her, and Calleigh couldn't help but feel her lips tug slightly upward. He was a typical man and loved his sports – his eyes were still occupied by the screen, seemingly ready for the halftime show, having not gotten the memo that the expected show would be…preempted. She smirked slightly as he answered her question, still not looking at her. "I like them; I mean, who doesn't?" he said, shrugging. "But they weren't exactly my first choice – I just think that, for a game like the Super Bowl, it needs to be someone a bit more current. I think they could've picked somebody better."

The pause that followed went on for just a second too long, and Calleigh couldn't help but shift slightly. When she spoke, her voice was low and seductive, the tone she'd learned long ago never failed to snare Eric's full attention. "Who would you suggest, then?" she asked, taking a step closer to the couch and finally, finally gaining his attention.

And he gaped. Couldn't help it; generally couldn't help it under normal circumstances. Calleigh tried to fight it, but she was certain she blushed near scarlet under the intensity of his scrutiny as his eyes drank her in, roving from her slightly messy blonde locks all the way down to her silky, bare legs, and lingering on every curvy perfection in between.

"God," he breathed finally, a wide grin stretching over his lips. "What – when –"

Calleigh smirked, lightly shaking her hair back over her shoulders. "So what's the score, hmm?" she asked sweetly, relieved that her knees didn't tremble and give her away as she crossed the distance between them.

Eric shifted on the couch, extending his hands to her; she took them and allowed him to pull her down to his lap, straddling him. "Uh…still 10-6," he replied, and Calleigh grinned. Clearly, the score of the game had become the last thing on his mind; she could see in his eyes that he was stunned she could even ask such a question right now.

She reached out, playfully ghosting her fingertips along his chest, over the somewhat snug tee he wore – it looked good on him, Calleigh had to admit, but she tilted her head and nibbled at her lip as she studied it, deciding rather quickly that she wanted it for herself. But that would have to wait. "Colts didn't score again while I was gone?"

He shook his head, grinning as his palms found her hips. "Nope." His eyes glimmered devilishly, enough so that Calleigh soon felt her nerves dissipate – if she was reading him correctly and she was certain she was, Eric was quite pleased. "In fact, I'm thinking the game is over now…"

"Oh yeah?" Calleigh questioned, shivering at the look in his eyes. "Why's that?"

"Because with you dressed like this," he began, his eyes roving over her again, "there is no way anybody would be able to concentrate on football."

Calleigh giggled. "Then I guess it's a good thing we didn't go out for the game, then," she said, toying with the bottom hem of Eric's tee.

Eric gave a low hum of agreement. "Like I said…quite the diversion," he said, referring to the words they'd exchanged before. He grinned, quickly recalling the rest of the conversation as well. Gently, he curled his finger in the black material, a sharp contrast from the aqua he'd originally envisioned her in. "I do believe, though, that the fantasy was a Dolphins jersey," he pointed out quietly, though the glimmer in his eyes suggested he really didn't mind this minor modification at all.

Calleigh grinned, coyly batting her eyelashes. "And I told you," she murmured seductively, her cheeks tinting with just the slightest bit of pink. "I'm a Saints fan." Lifting her hand to his face, she gently cupped his cheek, caressing her thumb lightly over his bottom lip. "Besides, the Saints are in the Super Bowl. Not the Dolphins."

His eyes darkened slightly, and he gently pursed his lips against her thumb, pressing a soft kiss to the tip. "I think I can deal with that this year," he breathed, and Calleigh couldn't help but shudder at the desire in his words. The pink in her cheeks deepened – playing deliberate seductress wasn't a role she was incredibly accustomed to, and Eric couldn't decide which part he liked the best: the fact that she was playing such a role, or the fact that it clearly made her sheepish. She thought she'd succeeded at hiding that, thought he couldn't see it, but he could. He chuckled, only mildly disappointed when her palm left his cheek and settled atop his shoulder. "Then again," he backtracked with a smirk, "I don't know if I can handle seeing you in a Saints jersey when I'm cheering for the other team…"

His hands left her hips, tempted too greatly by the silky skin of her thighs, and Calleigh had to bite back a moan at the slow caress his fingertips adopted. It was mesmerizing, to say the least. "Well, if you – if you don't like it, then maybe you should, ah, take it off?"

"Take it off, huh?" he repeated, flicking his tongue briefly over his lips. Calleigh squirmed, her breath hitching in her throat. "Why? What would I find if I did that?"

Calleigh offered up her most seductive yet secretive grin, along with a noncommittal shrug of her shoulders. She leaned in only briefly, pressing a light kiss to the corner of his lips. "Let's just say that the change from Dolphins to Saints was the only part of that, ah, fantasy that I changed…"

Eric's jaw nearly dropped. At her words, his eyes had gone so dark with desire for her, darker than she'd imagined possible. Just the sight left her shivering atop him, her own arousal beginning to ratchet upward. "Do you really not have anything on under this?" he breathed.

"Why - why don't you see for yourself?" In challenge, Calleigh lifted a brow, clearly daring him to bolden the caress of his hands. He was still only barely skimming her thighs, and just the very idea of him exploring further had her heart thumping wildly against her ribcage.

With the invitation plainly set out for him, Eric swallowed and slowly slipped his hands beneath the lower hem of the fabric. His eyes never left hers as his fingertips began an almost agonizingly slow journey upward in an effort to prove that, other than his hands and her heated skin, nothing else lay hidden beneath the black and gold material of the jersey. He couldn't help but groan as his palms skirted her hips, finding only bare skin where he'd somewhat expected to find a silky barrier of sexy lace. "Damn, Calleigh..."

Calleigh merely smirked, her back arching slightly as his touch continued upward, skirting over her taut stomach and finally ghosting along the undersides of her breasts. And he didn't stop there; Calleigh couldn't help the sharp intake of air she gave as a thumb sought out an already pebbled nipple, drawing the slowest, most thorough of circles around it. "Eric..."

Eric slowly drew his tongue over his lips, the anticipation of what was to come already dizzying him as much of his blood sped quickly southward. "You weren't lying," he declared, his voice little more than a whisper as, to Calleigh's slight dismay, his touch once more skimmed downward before his palms came to rest at her hips.

"You seem surprised," Calleigh murmured with a giggle, her emerald eyes sparkling playfully. Shifting atop him, she brought her face closer to his, pressing a coy, teasing kiss to the corner of his lips. He turned his head, attempting to catch her lips fully, but Calleigh was simply too quick. To his slight frustration, her lips found the curve of his jaw instead of his mouth, though he had to admit that disappointment wasn't at all what he was feeling as she traced a path of heated, open-mouthed kisses all the way back to his ear. "Wasn't this what you wanted?" she murmured, her breath hot against his skin. And suddenly, Eric understood fully why it drove her so very crazy when he did the same to her. She was teasing him, with her lips, her words, her body...he breathed in deeply, only to find himself teased even further by the sweet scent of her hair, so close to his face. And if that weren't enough, suddenly Calleigh closed her lips around his earlobe, tugging lightly, and Eric couldn't hold back the quiet moan that escaped his lips. "Me..." she continued, and it took Eric a moment to remember what she actually was continuing, "in nothing but a Saints jersey? That was what you wanted, right?"

She swirled her tongue around his earlobe then, and the reply he'd quickly crafted in his mind faltered to one single-word correction. "Dolphins..."

Calleigh smirked - she'd remembered the conversation all too well. After all, it was the reason she was straddling him now in nothing more than a football jersey. "Well, I guess we've got a bit of a flag on the play, then," she murmured, her lips moving seductively against his skin. "What would you say the penalty for that is, hmm?"

Eric grinned, his thumbs drawing heated circles against the silky skin of her hips. "You say that like one penalty is enough," he breathed, gasping sharply as she nipped at his ear.

She giggled, slowly kissing a path along his jaw, her lips setting his skin aflame. "Well, one infraction, one penalty, right?" She pulled back, her eyes coy. "And I've only committed one foul here."

"You think there's only one infraction here?" he murmured, lifting his hands to her face. "Because I can think of several others right off the bat – starting with the fact that you haven't done this yet." Before Calleigh could question what he meant, he was tugging her gently to him, his hands drifting into her hair as he brought her mouth to his.

And suddenly, Calleigh wasn't sure how she'd gone so long without feeling his lips against hers – as soon as the connection was made, her entire body erupted into electric shivers, shimmering outward from her spine and reaching her farthest extremities. She moaned softly against him, feeling his fingers tangle in her hair as his lips caressed hers with an urgency that left her entire body aflame, but didn't overshadow the sensuality behind it.

It never failed – every single time, Calleigh couldn't help but be reminded why she so loved kissing this man. There was just something about the feel of those lips against hers, particularly that lower lip, that just left her entire body crying out for him. She nearly melted against him as he playfully nipped at her lower lip, clearly not shy about requesting access; it was freely given as Calleigh parted her lips for him, moaning softly as the kiss deepened and took on an even higher sense of urgency – God, she wanted him.

She could kiss him like this forever, if not for the dreadful imposition of the necessity of oxygen, and Calleigh found herself groaning into the kiss as her lungs began to burn lightly, but for the moment she ignored it the best she could, concentrating on the dizziness in her head and the subtle tease of his tongue against hers. She was addicted to the taste of him; couldn't get enough of him.

Her hands again found his tee and quickly she bunched up the fabric in her fingers, breaking from his lips only long enough to force out a quick, "Want this off." Eric certainly wasn't going to argue with her, and he drew his hands out of her hair, lifting his arms and allowing her to pull the material over his head. Carelessly she tossed it over the back of the couch, not even caring where it landed – all she really cared about was the fact that Eric's muscled chest was free for her exploration now. Their lips quickly found each other again, and he grunted against her mouth as her hands skimmed the hard contours of his chest and torso, his tongue battling with hers in a dance that left Calleigh's knees wobbling as she straddled him.

There was no innocence left in his touch, not that there had really ever been any to begin with. Devilishly his palms found her thighs again, squeezing lightly and eliciting a whimper from the blonde beauty atop him. God how he wanted her; he could already feel his arousal straining against his jeans as she squirmed on top of him, but somehow he forced that from his mind, knowing he had other plans. Calleigh had clearly wanted to play…now, they were going to play. Both hands quickly slipped beneath the fabric of her jersey – one palm found the feminine curve of her hip, while the other embarked on a somewhat more devious path. Calleigh shuddered, breaking away from his lips on a deep moan as he tucked his hand between her thighs, his destination crystal clear to her.

And though it was nearly impossible to keep her wits about her when his skilled fingers were just that close to her, just barely grazing her heated core, Calleigh somehow managed to summon enough bravado to keep up the game they'd started just before that mind-blowing kiss. "And you're calling me out on infractions," she murmured sweetly, her body jolting as he gently, so gently stroked her. "I'm sure that that's encroachment there, Delko."

Eric chuckled at her words. "Oh, so you wanna play football now, do you?" Holding her eyes, he slowly boldened his sensual caress, unable to hold back a groan of his own as first one, then two fingers slipped into her warmth, the feel of her liquid fire around his fingers shooting straight through him and directly to his own arousal. "Are you sure you don't mean illegal contact, then?" he smirked. "What about…illegal motion?"

Calleigh opened her mouth to retort, though all that escaped was a low moan as his fingers began to slowly push in and out; she squirmed and bit at her lip as his thumb brushed against her clit, setting her entire body aflame with just the slightest touch. "Eric..."

"Do you want me to stop?" He grinned. "Because I can…"

To prove his point, he paused momentarily, and Calleigh whimpered softly. "Don't…"

At her soft plea, Eric's grin only widened. His fingers resumed their slow pace within her, earning himself a low moan of pleasure from her parted lips. "That feels good, doesn't it?" he breathed, shifting his hand and deliberately tucking his thumb against her clit. Calleigh refused to dignify that with an answer, but she didn't have to offer a verbal one – her body was telling him all that he needed to know.

Knowing that, he pushed deeper, but maintained the same slow pace, and within short moments Calleigh was groaning, close to release but unable to achieve it quite yet. Her nails dug into his shoulders as she grasped him, desperate for something to hold onto.

Sighs of delight had long since given way to quiet moans of pleasure, though those too were soon sacrificed in favor of quick whimpers and sharp pants of breath as he slowly built her up, mesmerized by the sight she presented as she straddled him - hair tousled, cheeks flushed, eyes squeezed shut in concentration. Her hips rocked steadily against his fingers, matching thrust for thrust as Calleigh raced toward that precipice. Eric was certain there was nothing sexier than the sight of Calleigh Duquesne coming undone in his arms, and suddenly, he was struck with the almost desperate desire to see that happen. "That's it," he coaxed quietly, knowing she was close as she buried her face against his shoulder. "That's it, Cal. Come on. God, you're so beautiful…"

She whimpered his name, a low, breathy gasp of "Eric!" delivered from her parted lips right to his ears. His free arm wrapped around her hips, holding her in place as the hand beneath the jersey continued to work its magic. One more slow, almost lazy thrust, coupled with the gentle massage of his thumb against her clit, and Calleigh shuddered against him, a low, drawn-out moan escaping her lips and finding itself muffled against Eric's shoulder. "Yes," she hissed softly as the delicious shivers encapsulated her entire body, spreading outward from her core and wrapping all of her in a veil of warmth as Eric coaxed her through her climax.

The motion of her body was mesmerizing, and Eric couldn't help but study every little movement, every sinuous arch. She was beautiful, sexy, incredible, and as she finally lifted her head from his shoulder, her emerald eyes dazed with delight, Eric couldn't help but find himself falling in love all over again. He brought his free hand to her cheek, gently caressing her flushed skin. "I love watching you," he breathed, and Calleigh had to duck her eyes momentarily – though his own arousal and desire were clear there, they were far outweighed by the deep reverence in his words, and right now, that was just a bit too much for her to handle. "You're so sexy…"

She giggled softly, still attempting to catch her breath as she tried to bring back their playful banter – her heart fluttered at his words, but she couldn't deny that it still frightened her that he could feel so deeply for her; that she could feel so deeply for him. She licked her lips in an attempt to moisten them. "I – I think that might've been," she panted, still feeling the aftershocks quake within her, "an illegal use of – of hands penalty."

Eric grinned cockily, feeling rather smug in the fact that he could turn the unflappable Calleigh Duquesne into a squirming, whimpering heap in his lap, and with just the touch of his fingers at that. "Oh really, now?" he breathed, his fingers still moving beneath the fabric of the jersey she still wore, his touch sending little jolts of continued electricity through her body. "Because I was watching the whole time, and believe me, I didn't see a flag anywhere on that play." He paused, brushing his thumb deliberately against her still sensitive clit, smirking at the way her entire body tensed and trembled. "That was, unmistakably, a touchdown."

Calleigh was still lost in a haze of delirium from her climax, but that didn't stop her from giggling at his declaration. "I - I don't really think so," she panted, finally beginning to feel her breath return to her. Her eyes sparkling, she reached downward and clasped her still trembling fingers around his wrist, slowly tugging his fingers away from her and out from beneath the jersey. "Ineligible receiver downfield," she teased sweetly.

Eric snickered, unabashedly letting his eyes roam over her sated form, still covered by the jersey – pretty soon, he was going to have to rectify that. "Do you even have any idea what that call means?" he teased, watching as she shook her hair over her shoulders.

Not entirely, she didn't, but Eric certainly didn't need to know that. "It means you were downfield," she retorted, squeezing his wrist for emphasis, "when you weren't supposed to be. Also known as cheating." Eric, however, didn't seem to buy it. Despite the cheating – after all, she was supposed to be the one doing the distracting, not him – he seemed pretty damn smug with himself after that. "And because that was illegal, there is no touchdown on the play. Therefore, repeat second down."

"Now that's clever," Eric smirked.

"It's not clever, Eric," Calleigh insisted, her cheeks still lightly flushed. She grinned. "Those are the rules."

Biting his lip to suppress a grin, Eric nodded solemnly. He sighed heavily, appearing to think long and hard about the situation before finally relenting. "Those are the rules. You're right."

"I'm always right," she huffed indignantly.

He could easily argue that, but for now, Eric chose to ignore that. "In that case, I suppose I've got no choice but to repeat the play, huh?"

"Well," Calleigh began, tilting her head thoughtfully, her eyes sparkling almost devilishly. "You could, but you never want to repeat the same play, you know…"

To that, Eric could only grin. "Oh, is that so?"

Calleigh bit at her lip, and Eric would swear that the sight of that, combined with her flushed cheeks and tousled hair had him growing even harder, if possible. "You don't want the defense to have an idea of what's coming. You want to surprise them...leave them feeling confused and helpless while you get to that end zone."

A devious grin tugged at Eric's lips, and Calleigh couldn't help but shiver. "Oh, I think I've got the perfect play to surprise the defense," he breathed, easily looping his arms around Calleigh's waist. Swiftly yet gently, he effortlessly lifted her off of him, ignoring her quiet yelp of surprise.

Before she could even make sense of anything, she was on her back and her head was gently hitting the soft, cushioned armrest of the couch. Through dazed eyes she looked down into his glimmering orbs of deep brown. His face hovered just mere centimeters above her stomach, and as his fingers danced along her thigh, nudging the material of her jersey upward, she couldn't help but let her head fall back as her body was consumed in an anticipatory shiver. "Oh God, Eric..."

Eric only smirked in response, depositing a heated, open-mouthed kiss to the now exposed skin just beneath her navel. "Quarterback sneak," he breathed, chuckling at the flutter of her muscles beneath his lips as he kissed his way slowly downward. "I'd say you're...surprised, yeah?"

Calleigh could only moan, biting at her lip as his lips continued their sensual assault over heated skin, slowly but surely closing in on their destination. "I want you," he murmured, his intentions crystal clear to her.

And Calleigh squirmed beneath him, feeling as though she might burst into flame at any moment. "Half –halftime's almost over, you know," she panted, her body reacting to the mere sensation of his breath, just a gently teasing flow of air against heated, sensitive flesh. Unable to help herself, she squirmed beneath him, already reaching blindly for the cushion behind her head.

"Doesn't matter," he breathed, his lips kissing a trail of fire along her inner thigh, from the inside of her knee and upward, but stopping just short of where she needed him. Just to tease her that much more, he paused about midway, latching his mouth to her thigh and lightly suckling, occasionally swirling his tongue against her skin. Between the sensual kisses and the low, seductive rumble of his voice against her skin, Calleigh couldn't help but moan. "Your team is losing by a sizeable margin. No way they're coming back from that. Colts've got this one, baby." He smirked; 10-6 was in no way an insurmountable margin, but Eric knew that Calleigh no longer had any idea what the score actually was.

"You can't be so sure of that, you know. Don't underestimate –" Below, Eric chose that moment to finally bring his mouth to her center, pressing to her a heated kiss that left Calleigh's back arching and her mouth gaping as she struggled to finish her argument, and she was damn sure she had a winning one here – after all, no football team could get very far without a great quarterback. "Drew Brees…"

Eric chuckled against her, sending a delightful current of electricity through her body. "I don't know if I like that you can still think of another man's name when I…do this…" he breathed, fluttering his tongue gently but rapidly against her clit, one of the moves he'd mentally catalogued early on that, depending on her level of arousal, would draw either a trembling whimper or a sharp cry from her lips. He couldn't help but grin in satisfaction when it elicited the sharp cry. She shuddered against him, her thighs quivering with every brush of his tongue against her, questing, probing, mercilessly teasing.

The hand that wasn't clawing at the cushion behind her head soon found its way to the back of his neck, scratching lightly, subtly attempting to guide him, though Eric would have none of that. This was his game right now; she'd get what she wanted, but only when he was ready to grant her that. For now, he kept up the steady pace; slow licks, open-mouthed kisses, gentle sucks that quickly had Calleigh writhing beneath him, desperate for more. "Eric…"

"What?" he had the audacity to ask, the single word a low rumble against wildly sensitive flesh. Calleigh whimpered, arching against him as he continued to tease, adding the slow caress of his fingers into the mix. And then if that weren't enough to leave her whimpering and crying out, he closed his lips around her clit, sucking and moaning quietly, and Calleigh's entire body jumped on the couch. She was so close and Eric knew it, but instead of redoubling his efforts, he began murmuring against her; sweet nothings, how much he wanted her, how crazy she drove him, how much she meant to him. He lapsed into Russian then, and even though Calleigh couldn't translate the words, it made very little difference to her. He plunged his fingers into her again, effortlessly finding the spot that never failed to catapult her over the edge, and with one more deliberate swirl of his tongue, one more slow suck to her clit, Calleigh's back arched and her body quivered as he sent her spiraling into another climax, just as intense if not more so than the first. She cried out his name, unable not to whimper as her body convulsed and she saw stars for the second time that night.

And Eric couldn't take his eyes off of her. He teased her through the spasms with gentle kisses and soft touches, but the moment she finally came down with a long, satisfied sigh, he couldn't wait any longer. While it had been so very sexy until now, the jersey that covered her was merely an imposition to him now, and he wanted her out of it. He wanted her naked before him, every inch of her delectable skin free for his hands and lips to wander. He gave her one more moment while he pushed his way out of his now much too tight jeans, letting them fall forgotten to the floor, his boxers tangled somewhere within. He then clasped his fingers in the hem of her jersey, tugging it upward without waiting for an invitation. "This comes off now," he breathed.

She sat up, grinning coyly as she lifted her arms in assistance. "You could've taken it off earlier," she murmured as he lifted the offending material over her head and finally away from her perfect body.

He growled, finally able to let his eyes rove over her. "I wanted to," he admitted, his tone leaving Calleigh shivering before him. "God, you're so beautiful," he murmured, the reverence plain in his voice. Calleigh blushed – she couldn't help it; under his appreciative eye, she always blushed. It was no secret that men often found her attractive, but Eric was the only one who made her feel beautiful.

That thought driving her, she reached out for him, gripping his wrists and tugging him toward her and quickly seeking out his lips with hers. He obliged, capturing her lips in a slow kiss that left the farthest reaches of her entire body utterly tingling. The electricity was undeniable as their lips moved and meshed, coming together again and again in a sensual dance that felt so very vital to their existence.

As lips and tongues danced, Eric skated a hand upward over her stomach, seeking out the rounded globe of a breast. Calleigh sighed, her body arching toward his touch. His fingers adopted a slow massage, studiously avoiding the one spot he knew she wanted his touch the most – she squirmed and shifted against him, but no matter what she tried, she couldn't coerce him to even lightly brush her pebbled nipple. She whimpered into his mouth, the sound a mix of pleasure and protest, but still he gave her nothing. Eric always did like to tease…

He broke the kiss then for much needed oxygen, his eyes glimmering as he dotted kisses along her jaw. "Lay back," he murmured, and Calleigh hesitated, only to find him gently laying her down, hands pushing mildly at her shoulders. She protested for but a moment, only to melt in acquiescence at his next words, so low and seductive to her ears. "I want to show you how beautiful you are…"

He caught her lips in a quick kiss before they were gone again, tracing open-mouthed kisses along her throat, pausing to flutter his tongue against her pulse point; stopping to dip his tongue in the hollow at the base of her throat. "So gorgeous," he murmured there, and Calleigh moaned as his fingers took up the same teasing massage over her breast again, so close but so far away from where she needed him. His lips were driving her out of her mind, paying such close attention to her shoulders, her collarbone, her sternum, but he shook her hand away from the back of his head the moment she tried to guide him. She moaned his name, though he merely shushed her, requesting patience. Calleigh groaned; she didn't want to be patient anymore. She wanted him, though he only grinned when she told him as much.

Her back arched as unexpectedly his fingers finally grazed over her nipple; it was the lightest touch, but it sent the most powerful jolts of electricity straight through her body, right to her core. Involuntarily her walls clenched around the emptiness there; she wanted him, needed him, though he still seemed content only to tease. "Eric…"

He was laving slow kisses over a breast now, while his fingers finally relented and sought out her nipple on the other breast. Teasing with thumb and forefinger, he gently twisted and tugged, loving the way her breath hitched. She squirmed, wanting more, and finally he obliged and caught her other nipple gently between his teeth. She cried out as he nibbled oh so lightly, enough to send pleasure rippling deep to her core; if that weren't enough, he then closed his mouth around it completely, sucking and fluttering his tongue around the bud and Calleigh thought in that moment she might actually die from the pleasure. She moaned loudly, unable to help herself for it just felt so damn good.

She was panting and short of breath, her entire body flushed and heated under his deft fingers, his skilled mouth. He knew exactly what to do to her; knew exactly how to drive her out of her mind with lust and desire and pure desperate need. And it was clear from the sounds tumbling from his own lips that he was loving every last blissfully torturous second of it.

He released her nipple with a quiet pop, instead choosing to kiss his way back to her sternum. He smiled, feeling her heart pound against her chest – God how he loved this woman. Gently, Eric nuzzled against her, knowing that, if she would let him, he would happily lavish every millimeter of her perfect body with kisses – she was a goddess to him, and he wanted to do everything in his power to make sure she knew that. "Talk to me," he murmured, his voice warm against her skin; she shivered. "Tell me what you want."

His hands skimmed once more down her sides, teasing her abdomen and hips with little more than innocent caresses. Calleigh moaned softly, lost in a haze of desire as he slowly built her up, higher and higher as his fingertips settled atop her taut stomach, tracing random shapes and watching mesmerized as her muscles fluttered beneath his touch. "Tell me, querida," he coaxed breathily, unable to stop himself from pressing himself against her as her hands found his hips, fingertips fluttering along his skin.

She swallowed hard as his lips made their way once more to her collarbone; she moaned as he suckled, impulsively digging her nails into his skin. Before she could stop herself, the one thing she wanted most was tumbling from her lips and into the charged air between them. "I – I want you in me," she breathed, shivering at the feel of his length tucked against her, so close but so far away.

Eric grinned, ducking his head once more to her breast. "You sure?" he had the nerve to ask, swirling his tongue around the nipple before catching it gently with his teeth. Calleigh gasped, her fingers flexing at the back of his head as she tried to grip at hair that simply wasn't long enough to grasp. He smirked; it was clear she was going out of her mind beneath him, and Eric wanted nothing more than to push her again over that edge, hearing his name tumble from her lips. "I don't know," he sighed, teasing her with kisses that began in the valley between her breasts and slowly, so slowly crept upward along her sternum. He paused only briefly, dipping his tongue in the hollow of her throat before continuing along her silky skin, kissing and tasting and teasing. "I'm afraid that that," he smirked, nipping playfully at her lower lip as he finally reached her mouth, "would be a serious neutral zone infraction; don't you think?"

Calleigh groaned loudly; her entire body was burning, absolutely burning in a fiery haze of sexual frustration, and yet Eric was still playing around with the football metaphors, and she'd had enough. It had been cute in the beginning, sexy, even, and she had to be honest with herself – she had started this game. She'd started it when she'd walked out of the bedroom wearing nothing but that black and gold jersey. But that had been then, and this? This was clearly now, and now all Calleigh wanted was to feel him inside of her, thrusting deep and hard and driving them both toward that cliff which she'd already fallen from twice tonight.

Her own hands, limp and nearly motionless until now, flitted restlessly over his back and down his sides before sneaking between them, seeking out the hardness she'd felt against her core just a moment before. "Shut up," she growled, and suddenly it was Eric's turn to gasp as her fingers wrapped deftly around his length. The pressure of her grip was just right, and Eric pursed his lips, ducking his head into the crook of her neck as he fought to compose himself.

But Calleigh was having none of that. She squeezed devilishly, hearing his breath hitch as she did so. She grinned; when the tables were turned on him, he wasn't as much a fan of the teasing. "You still want to play the football game?" she smirked, still desperate to feel him inside her, but gleeful to once more have the upper hand. "Then work on your clock management. Stop – stop delaying the game and – and get on with it."

Eric smirked. "Get on with it?"

He suckled at her pulse point, and Calleigh couldn't hold back a soft whimper. "Eric."

"What?" His voice was just as breathy as hers, and Calleigh shivered, shifting beneath him as she gave him one last, deliberate stroke.

He groaned, and she swallowed hard, waiting for him to lift his head and meet her eyes. "Make love to me, Eric," she breathed, lifting a gentle hand to his cheek.

She couldn't possibly have any idea what those words did to him. He hadn't thought it was possible to be any harder than he already was, but at those words, he had to pause and draw in several deep breaths, fighting for control that was quickly leaving him. He had to have her, right then. "Say that again," he requested, his voice little more than a low growl.

Calleigh shuddered as he rocked his hips, positioning himself at her entrance. She licked her lips, watching Eric's eyes follow the motion. "I want you to make love to me…"

There was no way he could deny her any longer. The sexual tension between them was so very palpable; the heat was almost suffocating, but Eric knew he wouldn't have that any other way. Being able to breathe wasn't very high on his list of priorities right now, he had to admit. Gazing into her eyes, he took a deep breath, watched the mesmerizing way she nibbled at her lip in anticipation, and with a swift pivot of his hips, he pushed himself into her warmth, feeling her wet heat surround him and leave him without his breath. Calleigh's breath hitched audibly, and Eric couldn't help but let out a low growl.

She squirmed as he pushed himself to the hilt, enveloping himself entirely within her welcoming body, and Eric just knew she was going to be the death of him. She felt incredible, snug and slick around him; there was no way this was going to last, and especially not with her squirming and murmuring his name, desperate for him to move. He couldn't, though, not yet, and Calleigh smiled, lifting her head to press a gentle kiss to his shoulder, feeling his muscles quiver with the force of his restraint. "You okay?" she breathed.

Eric smirked, ducking his head to catch her lips in a kiss. "Yeah," he murmured, experimentally shifting his hips. Calleigh sucked in a breath, letting it out on a low moan. "You – you just feel so good," he breathed, brushing his lips against her skin.

Without another word, Calleigh looped her arms around his neck, drawing his lips back to hers in a slow kiss. Her nails scraped gently at the back of his neck, and with a low grunt against her lips, Eric slowly began to move. The rhythm he began was slow, calculated, deliberate and careful as he pulled out to thrust back in, breaking from her lips to watch the expressions flit across Calleigh's face. He let out a low moan of her name, struggling to keep his eyes open, but in the end succumbing to the overwhelming pleasure. He wanted to watch her, but he couldn't stop the tide from overtaking him.

Her hips rocked against his, adopting his rhythm seamlessly, their bodies moving together oh so perfectly. It wasn't long before the room was filled with sighs and soft moans of pleasure, occasionally broken by a quiet whimper or a plea for more. As much as he could, Eric kept his mouth on hers, their tongues dueling in a similar rhythm to that below, and while the slow rhythm was exquisite, it wasn't long before Eric had to give in. Feeling Calleigh's nails flit over his back, he broke away from her lips and thrust a little deeper, a little harder, immediately drawing a shudder from the beauty beneath him. She cried out, her eyes squeezed shut as he thrust deep again. Her back arched and she gripped at his hips, trying to draw him even deeper. She was going out of her mind; he felt so good…

The desire for completion quickly overshadowed the slow pace they had begun with, as their bodies fell victim to the fire between them, the addictively sweet, slick slide of their bodies against one another. Calleigh whimpered as his hand sought out a breast again, fingers effortlessly capturing a nipple and teasing it even farther. "God, Eric!" she cried out, and Eric couldn't deny what hearing that did to him. He thrust harder, lowering his head to nip at her earlobe, breathing encouragement in Russian to her, which he'd long ago discovered would always catapult her quickly over the edge. She whimpered, digging her nails into his hips, urging him harder into her and Eric nearly lost it. He cursed low under his breath, seeking out her lips again as he continued to thrust.

She was right there again; he'd never really allowed her to come back down, and for that he was glad – he knew he wouldn't last much longer. His name escaped her lips on a rough, breathless whisper, and he reached downward, splaying a palm against her hip, holding her in place as she tried to squirm and writhe beneath him. He could feel her walls flutter around him, could feel the tension coil up even more within him. She was flushed and breathing hard and he lowered his head, nipping at her lower lip as he thrust – she moaned, a low, trembling moan of his name, and Eric knew he could hold back no more than she could.

He shifted his hand, reaching between their bodies and tucking his thumb snugly against her clit – she shuddered immediately, whimpering against his lips as her climax slipped precariously into her sights. She was there; she just needed – oh! Eric growled, shifting his hips and thrusting deep, hitting her spot and sending electric shocks of bliss through her body. He did it again and again, massaging her clit with his thumb and with one last whispered encouragement, one last deliciously deep thrust, Calleigh felt as though she were shattering into a million pieces, each one alive with electric bliss as she came hard, dizzied with the pleasure. Her vision went white, her body fire-hot as she dissolved into the spasms of her climax, pulling Eric to her and burying her face against his shoulder as she cried out his name, quivering endlessly.

It was too much for him, seeing, feeling, hearing her climax beneath him. He thrust once, twice more into her quivering body, then with a low moan of his own, he too came hard, his body going rigid above her as his hips continued to thrust erratically. "Calleigh," he growled, squeezing his eyes shut, following it up with a low, Russian curse. He was sure he'd never experienced a climax so powerful; every single time with her seemed so much more intense than the last.

The tremors continued; for a moment, he thought they might never end. He buried his face in the crook of her neck for the duration, breathing her in as finally he began to come back down, dotting kisses along her sweat-slickened skin. "God, Cal," he breathed. His arms gave out then, leaving him no choice but to collapse atop of her.

She giggled softly, still in a daze as she struggled to breathe. Her arms snaked around his waist, holding him as afterglow began to settle in, leaving her sated, delighted, and just utterly happy. "That was…"

She trailed off, feeling Eric press a soft kiss to her throat. "Intense," he finished for her, eliciting another soft giggle. He shifted then, and to Calleigh's dismay he slipped out of her, drawing a low moan from her lips as he did. Maneuvering in the limited space on the couch, he somehow managed to roll onto his back, pulling Calleigh against his chest. He reached up, pulling down the blanket from the back of the couch, draping it over their cooling bodies. "God. You drive me…insane," he murmured, nuzzling into her hair as he wrapped his arms tightly around her tiny body. "You in that jersey…damn." He grinned appreciatively.

Calleigh felt her cheeks tint; attempting to hide it, she nestled farther into his embrace, sighing in delight. "Wasn't too…bold of me?"

Eric laughed softly. "Too bold?" he repeated. He reached out, tucking a hand beneath her chin and tilting her head toward him, forcing her to meet his gaze. "God no."

She giggled. "You sure? I was, uh, nervous…"

"I noticed," he teased, smirking at the flush in her cheeks. "But I don't think I've ever seen anything sexier…" He grinned. "Except for maybe you out of the jersey. I don't think I'll ever be able to get enough of you."

The truth of the words hit him then, and he sighed softly, pressing a kiss into her hair. He still couldn't get over how perfectly she seemed to fit into every aspect of his life – from his everyday routine to his arms, and it had become so natural that she should be there. He didn't know what he would do were he to wake up and find that she wasn't there. It would kill him, that was clear. It would rip him apart, and he knew he'd never be able to mend that broken heart. She was it for him; she was everything, and to lose her would be to lose it all.

With every day that passed, he could see it more and more clearly in his mind – settling down with her, starting a family, holding her hand in the delivery room as she gave birth to their child…those were the visions he couldn't get out of his head even if he'd wanted to – they filled his dreams, his daydreams, and God he knew it might be dangerous, but he was already planning out the day he'd be putting a ring on her finger.

His sudden silence wasn't unnoticed by Calleigh, and gently she reached for his hand, lacing their fingers together. "What's on your mind, Eric?" she whispered, the Super Bowl having been completely forgotten by both of them. She shifted onto her stomach next to him, lifting her head and gazing down at him with those emerald eyes that left his heart fluttering. She smiled softly, tracing her fingertips playfully over his chest.

He sighed. He'd kept it in too long, and now Eric just couldn't any longer. "I, uh, I have to tell you something," he murmured, smiling softly as he realized just how solemn the words had sounded. Her eyebrows knitted together briefly before Eric allayed her slight fears. "Nothing bad," he murmured simply.

"Then what is it?" she asked, feeling her heart flutter softly at the look in his eyes.

He smiled, glancing down at their intertwined fingers. "You know, I'm sure you already know this, but, uh…"

He hesitated, and Calleigh pressed a soft kiss to his jaw, encouraging him. In his dreams, it had never really been this hard. Swallowing hard, he brought his eyes back to hers, and just decided to go for it. "Remember when you asked me a long time ago…what I was saying to you in Russian? And I told you that you knew?" He swallowed again, suddenly feeling a lump constricting his throat. "I – I have to tell you. I am…I am so in love with you that I could yell it from every rooftop in the city, and it still wouldn't be enough. And I – I wanted to wait until you were ready to hear that, but I just can't keep it to myself anymore. I love you. I feel like I've loved you forever. And I…I just need you to know that. You don't have to say anything; I just had to say it."

She'd known the confession was coming – he was right, after all, she'd known it for awhile now. But it still didn't mean she wasn't floored. Didn't mean her heart hadn't stopped – it had, and was just now starting to beat again. "Eric…"

He smiled, that gorgeous smile that never failed to leave her weak in the knees. "You don't have to say anything," he maintained, laying his thumb atop her lips.

She shook his touch away, feeling the butterflies in her stomach again. "No, Eric –"

"I just needed to know that you knew, and –"

"I love you, too," Calleigh interrupted, stopping him in his tracks. It was noble of him to insist that she needn't say anything yet, but the truth was, she did love him. Loved him so much that a little nervousness, a little anxiety meant nothing if the end result would make him happy. She smiled sheepishly, ducking her head as she continued. "I, uh, I've never felt like this before – before you, and honestly," she hesitated, finding comfort in the gentle caress of his thumb against her cheek. "It kind of scares me, but…yeah, I love you." She smiled. "Enough to put on nothing but a jersey and try to seduce you while feeling incredibly silly about it."

Eric laughed softly. "I don't know why you would feel silly about that…that was just, wow." She chuckled, and he drew her close, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. Her confession had the widest of smiles tugging at his lips, and Eric was certain it would remain there for a long time coming. "You have no idea how happy you just made me," he admitted, relaxing back into the cushions, looping his arms once more around Calleigh.

Calleigh sighed, happily snuggling back against his body, draping an arm across his chest. "Mm…happier than if I'd been in a Dolphin's jersey tonight?" she teased.

He grinned, pressing a reverent kiss into her hair. "Oh, absolutely." He paused, a low chuckle escaping his lips. "Though, if you still wanted to put one on, I sure wouldn't say no…"

"Of course you wouldn't," Calleigh laughed, smiling happily as he tightened his arms around her. Tilting her head, she pressed a lingering kiss to his jaw. "Maybe if the Dolphins make it to the big game next year, hot stuff…"

Eric gave a low chuckle. "I like that, always thinking ahead…"

That was exactly what he was doing, after all, thinking ahead to the beautiful future in front of them – a future that, if he had his way, would involve rings and vows and, someday, the family he'd always dreamed of.

He finally had her in his arms; they'd finally exchanged the three words he'd known to be true since the very first kiss they'd shared, and had suspected to be true for long before that. And now, he couldn't help but smile as a final football metaphor popped into his mind – this one, though, he kept to himself for now.

With her in his arms and no longer afraid of those three little words, they were half the distance to the goal - a goal that would, like the Super Bowl, be commemorated by a very special ring.