A/N: Thank you for the nice reception for "Christmas Magic." I rarely write smutty pieces and I'm always tremendously apprehensive about posting them.
Chapter 21 of Ouroboros is underway though only about half done (the easy parts) so it will be up in a few days ~ I promise.~ Thank you for hanging in there!
Thanks to the frustration of not having adequate time and brain cells to devote to Ouroboros, I've broken my no Holiday fics rule yet again! Hope you enjoy!~Calla
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Leaving the market purchases in hand, Jane made his way through the well lit parking lot to his car. Unlocking the trunk, he stuffed his booty inside. Closing the hood, he turned his collar up deciding it was nippier than he really cared to be out and about on a falsely cheery holiday evening. Taking a look around the surprisingly full parking lot, he opened the driver's side door and slid behind the wheel deciding it was a good thing he'd reach his destination before too long. He didn't want to be on the road much later than this. Working with law enforcement, he knew exactly how many mostly and fully inebriated drivers were already out there milling about though the night was still young. Turning the key in the ignition, he pulled out of the parking lot onto the highway heading in a very familiar direction already deep in thought.
The team had had a very traumatic week on a lot of fronts.
No the least of them, they'd come very close to losing Lisbon when one of his schemes had blown up in their faces. Not literally, but in every other way. And not because of any inherent fault on his part or any screw ups on the team's side either. More because their fearless leader had been forced to improvise at the last possible second throwing the entire operation off kilter instead of everyone following the steps as agreed. Though she'd had no choice, the operation had gone straight to hell in a hand basket in one fell swoop when their much too intelligent mark had put too many of the pieces together much too fast. In other words, Lisbon had unexpectedly fallen into Tommy Volker's clutches when she'd been forced to "weave" left instead of "feinting" right as they'd planned and her team had been mere seconds too late to prevent it. His heart had sunk through his stomach clear to his feet at that latest turn of events.
He'd known, as had everyone else, what had just happened was very, very bad and they'd been exactly right.
Lisbon had almost gotten strangled for her trouble much as Volker's assistant, Amanda, was.
Had Cho and the team been a few moments later breaking through that door she would have been.
But, they hadn't been.
Now Volker was languishing in a maximum security prison along with his sadistic ligature wielding henchman awaiting arraignment on a multitude of charges his legal team would never get him out of. Most of them included the word "murder" in one form or another. That Tommy Volker was a real piece of work. Not a Red John, but close enough in Jane's opinion. Close enough he should be six feet under instead of sucking air with the rest of humanity. Instead, he was pacing a tiny little cell in a particularly nasty jail containing lots and lots of his fellow serial killers.
And Lisbon was walking around under her own steam.
Granted, with a very tender throat and a massive amount of external bruising, but she was as functional and fiesty as she'd ever been. He should know, he'd worked with her most of the day. And she'd ripped him a new one every chance he'd given her.
As much as he disliked being raked over the coals, Jane refused to think about how close he'd come to that never happening again.
Nor was he contemplating exactly how Lisbon had gotten so badly hurt three long days ago in graphic detail. Or how he'd felt when he saw her desperate talons clutching at that silken ligature biting into her neck far too tightly and thought they were much, much too late. He'd died a thousand times in the course of a nanosecond.
Nope, he wasn't going there. Not now or any time soon. And he wasn't considering how he'd feel if they hadn't been in time. That wouldn't accomplish anything as Lisbon was very much alive and well.
Honking his horn at an absent minded driver veering too far into his lane, Jane flipped his turn signal before merging into the turning lane. If he took a left here, he could take the back way to Lisbon's complex avoiding most of the New Year's Eve stragglers meandering listlessly about. If there was one thing he couldn't stand, it was drivers without a purpose. He wasn't a Sunday afternoon kind of drive person preferring to have a destination in mind before getting behind the wheel. He definitely had one now and the sooner he arrived the better it would be for his peace of mind.
Or he hoped it was as his "Boss" didn't know he was coming.
Driving a few more minutes in stifling silence, Jane pulled into Lisbon's complex and into one of the marked "Visitor" parking spaces. Killing the engine, he locked his door before opening his trunk to fetch his booty. This would either go quite well or very badly. He wasn't sure which. He certainly knew how he hoped it went down or he was out good company and quite a bit of dough. Not that he cared about the money. There was more where that came from. Closing his trunk, Jane carried the four bags across the parking lot in the direction of the appropriate building. Stepping up to her door, he rapped loudly with a rhythm he knew she'd easily recognize.
"Jane, what are you doing here?" Lisbon greeted in a less welcoming voice than he'd hoped to hear from the other side of that crack in her door.
"It's New Year's Eve. I thought we could both use the company." Jane's tone was more nonchalant and upbeat than he was currently feeling.
"What makes you think I'm alone?" Lisbon asked refusing to open her door any wider than it already was.
While Jane's visit wasn't any more unexpected than it was truly unwelcome, she wasn't going to make it easy for him to gain entrance into her private abode. He'd been a bit of a nasty seven letter word since her last encounter with Tommy Volker. Not that he had any right. She was the one who'd almost had the life choked out of her. Where did Jane get off being a jerk about it?
"Other than the fact you're wearing the same ratty sleep shirt you've worn every other time I've shown up unexpectedly over the years?" Jane quipped arrogantly calling her bluff. "Maybe the fact Minelli's with Mae, Rigsby's with Grace, and Cho is probably doing wicked things with his sexy new girlfriend neither of us want to think about. The man's far more carnal than you give him credit for being. He just doesn't talk about it. Oh, that, and your brothers are all off doing whatever people with families do on New Year's Eve as are most of your old college buddies. Is that good enough?"
"So? That doesn't mean I'm alone." Lisbon tried again.
"Come, come, Teresa, give it up." Jane scoffed knowingly. "As you haven't had a date in a coon's age, you don't have one now unless you stopped by the local bar for a cruise on the way home and we both know you're not that kind of girl."
"And you're still an ass, Jane." Lisbon said as she resignedly opened the door to admit him into her haven.
"I might be an ass, Teresa; but, I'm an ass bearing expensive gifts." Jane said swinging the fancy shopping bags in his arms.
"Yeah?" Lisbon quirked a brow in interest hoping it was food as she hadn't eaten in a while. "Like what?"
"Escargot." Jane said as he sat the first bag on the kitchen counter.
"Ugh, snails." Lisbon made a face.
"Caviar." Jane said sitting the second bag on the counter.
"Yuck, fish eggs." Lisbon made another face not caring for the salty, briny taste.
"How about Tequila and steaks." Jane confirmed her fondest hopes. "And not that swill you and Bosco used to drink." While certainly a descent grade, it was hardly the blue agave masterpiece he had in his bag.
"Where's the champagne?" Lisbon asked as she meandered into her kitchen. "It's not New Year's without champagne."
"The other bag." Jane confirmed knowing she'd appreciate his offering.
"The chocolate cake?" Lisbon pushed again hoping she could find something he'd done wrong so she could kick him out on his nicely shaped b-u-t-t.
"Is double chocolate raspberry cheesecake with a side of that chocolate cherry whatever cake good enough?" Jane asked knowing it was by the rapturous look in her eyes.
If he didn't miss his guess, Lisbon would be scarfing chocolaty cherry cake before he ever got the steaks in the grilling pan much less done.
"What about the movie?" It wouldn't be New Year's Eve without a movie either.
"That, too." Jane said as he went about efficiently emptying his bags.
"Adventure or chick flick?" Lisbon asked content to watch him work from where she was leaning against her kitchen counter.
"Comedy, now can I please work in peace?" Jane smiled at the childlike gleam in her eyes indicating Lisbon was already having fun against her best inclinations.
"There better be an adventure movie in that bag." She snarked dangerously.
"All three Batman movies good enough?" Jane asked figuring there was enough doom and gloom and mindless action in there somewhere to appeal to his companion for the night.
"It'll do in a pinch." Lisbon said as she looked to see what else was in that magical bag. "I am so not watching that."
"Oh, come now, Lisbon, it's not New Year's Eve without at least one chick flick and that's your all time favorite." Jane said watching her drop Pretty Woman like a venomous snake.
"Not going to happen." Lisbon said ignoring his knowing smirk.
Continuing pulling the necessary pots and pans from beneath the cabinet, Jane shook his head at the thought he'd call her on it later in a way she couldn't deny. He'd discovered years ago that Lisbon had a nearly worn out copy of that particular movie hidden away in the back of her DVD cabinet behind her cop flicks. Not only that, he'd noticed the movie in her DVD player before she'd hastily hidden it away on one of his impromptu visits not too many months ago. The woman was a closet romantic for all her tomboy ways.
"Whatever. We still have three other movies to watch." Jane said as he began chopping shallots with practiced ease.
"Yeah? You planning on staying all night?" Lisbon asked already knowing the answer.
It wouldn't be the first time Jane had invited himself over for an all-nighter on her couch and it wouldn't be the last. No biggie. He knew where his pillows and blankets were.
"What do you think? I even brought cinnamon rolls for breakfast and that god awful coffee you like…the one costing an arm and a leg along with your favorite Irish Crème half and half." Jane said as he tilted the pot evenly distributing the melting butter across the bottom before adding finely chopped shallots to the mix. "Why don't you go shower and change unless you think that's appropriate attire to entertain gentlemen callers on New Year's Eve."
Jane inclined his head indicating the oversized, threadbare, long sleeved jersey that had probably been around since her high school days ignoring the raised eyebrow conveying he was anything but a gentleman caller. Not that he had any objections to her attire. He had none at all. Given it fell mid-thigh, Lisbon was adequately clothed even given he'd place a very calculated guess she wasn't wearing undergarments. No bra was a given as he could clearly see that much was true. As for the rest, that was anyone's guess.
However, he suspected Lisbon was an as-close-to-naked-as- she-could-get-on-her-downtime-without-actually-being-naked kind of girl. He'd bet on it. Catching the fire high on her cheeks, Jane did a mental high five as he turned back to add beef broth to his shallots deciding he'd paid her back for giving him such a hard time when he'd first arrived.
"Damn it, Jane." Was all Lisbon said as she turned to scamper up the stairs failing to notice her not so gentlemanly caller had walked across the kitchen in hopes of catching a glimpse of more than the back side of her shapely legs as she fled.
Turning back to his pots and pans at the sound of the shower turning on, Jane added a quarter cup of Cognac and several healthy grinds of his personal five peppercorn blend to the rapidly thickening Peppercorn Brandy Sauce soon to be drizzled over their sizzling steaks. The salad would take all of five minutes to assemble, the mussels in white wine broth were a take-out no brainer, and, using pre-sliced potatoes, the Rosemary Potato Galette would be ready in however long it took to turn golden brown. The loaf of crusty Artisan bread was still hot from the bakery and dessert was ready. Dinner was all but done. All that remained was starting the steaks when Lisbon rejoined him.
Hearing the shower turn off overhead, Jane rummaged under Lisbon's kitchen sink for the tall vase he knew was shoved in the back corner behind her trash can. Drawing it out, he rinsed the heavy crystal and filled it two thirds with water before reaching in the final bag to withdraw the exotic bouquet of Amaryllis blooms. Arranging the multi-colored stems, Jane carried the vase to the dining table before returning to wash his hands and assemble the salad. Leaving the mussels until last, he began preparing the Galette knowing it would take longer to brown than the filets would take to cook medium rare.
Hearing Lisbon scampering about overhead, he unwrapped the thick white paper and rubbed the steaks with olive oil. Grinding a light sprinkle of pepper over each of the two inch cuts, Jane grabbed Lisbon's mother's heavy cast iron skillet from the oven and added the thick steaks to the heated pan before returning them to the oven to broil for a few minutes. If he didn't miss his guess, he'd be cutting the oven back about the time a certain attractive brunette reappeared with flashing green eyes and a salty mouth.
Looking up at the sound of her feet on the stairs, Jane knew he was right as Lisbon skittered into the kitchen wearing well worn, skin tight jeans and a long sleeved deep teal v-neck tee shirt with her bare pink tipped monkey toes hanging out. Smirking at the childish glee with which she was diving into a certain bag, Jane turned the oven back to 500 degrees for the final round of cooking and accepted the shot of Tequila Lisbon had poured while his back was turned.
"You haven't had any pain meds this evening?" Jane asked as he waited for her to say something before they knocked the shot back.
"Nope. I haven't had anything since yesterday. I don't like how they make me feel." Lisbon answered honestly preferring moderate pain to wooziness.
"Then drink away." Jane said indulgently well aware of her two shot limit.
"Right." Lisbon quirked a brow at him. "What am I drinking to?"
"Beautiful women and quiet companionship." Jane said as he tossed his shot back before dropping a kiss on her forehead and pointedly ignoring the nasty bruising around her neck.
Shrugging her shoulders, Lisbon tossed her own shot back wondering what the hell had gotten into Jane completely unaware she'd said the words aloud.
"Maybe the fact you had a silk ligature wrapped around your neck three days ago choking the life out of you; but, we'll talk about that later." Jane said calmly as he removed the filets from the oven and covered them with foil.
"This is really good Tequila, Jane, and I don't think I want to talk about that later. What do you say to having a nice dinner and movie instead." Lisbon said as she rinsed both of their shot glasses and proceeded to brew Jane the perfect cup of tea before grabbing a soda from her refrigerator.
"Sounds like a plan." Jane said as he carried their mussels, salads, and crusty bread to the table he'd set while Lisbon was in the shower knowing he'd force her to revisit the nastiness later whether she wanted to or not.
"That looks good, too." Lisbon commented poking at a mussel before pouring cola in her glass and watching Jane take his first sip of tea.
"It is." Jane assured her being intimately familiar with the little hole in the wall where he'd bought the delicacy.
"So what prompted all of this?" Lisbon asked gesturing with her spoon. "We've never spent New Year's Eve together before. Not like this." There had been a Christmas Eve in the past a few years ago when Jane was having a particularly bad time of it. But that was it. They usually worked through the holidays as did the rest of the team.
"What do you think? We almost lost you three days ago." Jane said as he took a sip of tea. "More importantly, I almost lost you."
"So? This isn't the first time I've gotten hurt and it's not the first time I've almost died." O'Laughlin could have easily killed her had that bullet been a few inches down and to the right. And that bomb in the high school was another story. "It comes with the territory." Lisbon stated far more dismissively than she felt deciding Jane put together a delicious salad and the home made vinaigrette was beyond yummy. "Especially with crazies like Volker who think they're above the law on the loose."
"Maybe I finally decided enough was enough and it's time for a change." Jane said quietly as he watched Lisbon scoop her third mussel from the shell.
"What kind of change?" Lisbon nibbled her last bite of crusty bread as she glanced at Jane slightly puzzled at his strange attitude.
Then again, maybe it wasn't so strange. Jane always acted weird for a while after something bad happened to her. He always had from the start. He probably always would. It was almost like he felt he was personally responsible for the calamities befalling her. Turning in her chair, Lisbon watched him carry their empty plates into the kitchen only to return a few minutes later with plates of Filet Mignon in a spicy Five Peppercorn Brandy Sauce accompanied by slices of a delicious smelling Rosemary Potato Galette.
"Just a change." Jane said evasively stealing a sip of Lisbon's soda and making the predictable ugly face.
"So you decided to bring me fancy flowers," Lisbon pointed the vase of breathtaking blooms. "And cook me a fancy dinner?"
It wasn't the first time Jane had brought her flowers or they'd shared a meal over the years. However, the flowers were usually something quaint like daisies which Lisbon adored and the food more along the lines of spaghetti or something relatively simple to make. It had never been anything extravagant like this. Not in all the years they'd hung out together.
"Something like that." Jane agreed waiting for Lisbon to put the pieces together.
"And ply me with really good Tequila and expensive Champagne?" Lisbon took a bite of her filet savoring the delicious flavor of the perfectly cooked meat and the peppery sauce with a Cognac kick.
Who knew Jane could cook like this? She certainly couldn't. Hamburgers and Lasagna and stuffed pork chops and the like, yeah; but wine sauces and perfectly prepared steaks from the oven? Not so much.
"Guilty as charged." Jane agreed again as he watched Lisbon slowly connecting the dots as she sampled the potato tart.
"Damn it, Jane, have you lost your mind?" Lisbon shook her head in open disbelief. "This is so not a date."
"It feels like one to me. Good food, good company, that attraction neither of us is willing to acknowledge alive and well." Jane poured the rest of her soda in her glass and took another grounding sip deciding it was definitely nasty and wondering how Lisbon could drink such bone melting crap.
"Would you stop that?" Lisbon swatted his hand away from her glass. "It's getting annoying."
"That's not the only thing." Jane agreed.
"So you're saying all the stuff between us the past few months, the looks, the touches, the words you've refused to admit saying…all of that's been real?" Lisbon sat her fork down before she gave in and forked him out of frustration.
"I'd say so, yes." Jane agreed not particularly proud of his cowardly actions.
"And I'm supposed to take that how?" Lisbon forced herself to look in his eyes. "You've been a total bastard."
"Like maybe neither of us was ready to hear what the other was saying?" Jane answered honestly.
"What's different now?" Lisbon really wanted to know.
"Maybe the fact we survived both Lorelei and Volker. Maybe it feels like it's time." That was as close to an answer as he could give her.
"That's pretty lame reasoning even for you." Lisbon said as she rose to her feet to walk into her den.
She needed to get away from Jane for a few brief minutes even if that meant abandoning her steak.
Sitting on her couch, Lisbon fought to gather her thoughts. If she was lucky Jane would stay put and allow her to do just that. But, given he was Jane, she doubted it. Closing her eyes, Lisbon hastily went through that "Pro" and "Con" list haunting the recesses of her mind for far too many years. A list going something like this:
Jane was seriously hot and he made her hot.
~He was also crazy as a bedbug on a good day.
Jane was smart…and seriously hot.
~His smarts had almost gotten her fired too many times.
Jane solved cases…and he was seriously hot.
~He also occasionally ended up in jail in the course of solving said cases and jail was the last place a cop like her needed to be.
Jane was a good man whether he believed it or not…and he was seriously hot.
~He had more baggage than a cross country train.
She "loved" loved Jane…and he was seriously hot.
~Jane loved his long dead wife.
Maybe tonight meant Jane loved her, too….
And that was only the tip of the iceberg as both lists went on and on.
She hadn't really touched on long lost families and serial killers.
Tangling with Jane was so not a good idea…But, he was seriously hot.
"Here, Teresa, you look like you could use a drink." Jane held out the champagne flute as he motioned for her to vacate her heavily pillowed corner.
Taking the glass in hand, Lisbon realized she'd been so caught up in her thoughts she'd not even heard the cork pop. Taking a sip of the pale gold liquid, she decided Jane had very good taste and she much preferred this brand to the tritely familiar brand mentioned in all the movies. If Jane was willing to pull the cork on a bottle of wine costing tens of thousands of dollars, what was a three hundred dollar bottle of champagne?
The man was a nut case with no concept of money on a good day.
That wasn't exactly true either.
Jane had a very real concept of money, he just didn't have that much to spend it on from day to day. It seemed he'd decided to spend a little bit on her for the second time in a couple of weeks. He'd given her a very nice pair of Tahitian pearl earrings and the matching pendant to wear with her black lace gown for the CBI Christmas party as an early Christmas gift and she willingly accepted them knowing better than to turn down a Jane gift. He'd only find a way to make her accept it before he was done. It was easier to just take it without the fight.
Watching Jane settle into her nicely warmed spot and stretch his legs out on her couch, Lisbon wasn't all that surprised when he motioned her forward. It wouldn't be the first time they'd had a snuggle session over the years though she doubted this one would be quite as innocent as they'd been in the past. Jane wasn't decimated by bad dreams and she hadn't gone through a nasty break-up in a very long time. Deciding to throw caution to the wind, Lisbon allowed herself to stretch out exactly as he asked closing her eyes and resting her check against his chest. Feeling his fingers intertwining with hers, Lisbon smiled at the gesture she'd totally expected. Jane was nothing if not a toucher in every way he could get. At least where she was concerned.
"Think about it Lisbon…a new year, a new relationship...I think it fits." Jane took a sip of champagne.
"Relationship, huh? You sure about that?" Lisbon didn't bother opening her eyes choosing to cover her reservations by needling him instead.
"Yes, Teresa, I'm sure. I've given the matter a lot of thought." Jane said seriously.
"So, just like that, we're going from friends to whatever?" Lisbon snorted at the thought knowing doggone well exactly what "whatever" was in Jane's mind.
That so wasn't a gun in his pocket.
"Ten years is hardly just like that, My Dear." Jane corrected her smirking slightly at the answering grumble he got for his trouble.
"What about him?" Lisbon opened her eyes and reached behind her to sit her mostly full glass on the coffee table.
"Who cares? He's dictated our lives long enough." Jane gave voice to the conclusion he'd reached over the last three days.
"You really mean that?" She'd not expected to hear those words pass Jane's lips until Red John was dead or in a prison cell.
He was much too devoted to the chase.
"Yeah, I think I do. Not that I'm going to stop the hunt or guarding your back; but, what's new about that? We'll just be more in sync as we go about our business." He left unsaid the 'as all "couples" should be' and they'd been a couple for years even if the woman in his arms thought differently.
He'd known for a while; but, he'd not been any more willing to acknowledge the truth than Lisbon was. He'd never have been able to do what had to be done had he done so. He wasn't a faithless man and more than his slain family had kept him celibate the last few years. There was no denying inappropriate thoughts of a dark haired tomboy had eventually permeated the mix of guilt and remorse keeping that ring on his finger and his frozen heart beating but stone cold dead. He'd not been able to look at another woman that way without seeing wide green eyes and a gamine smile for far too many years and known that was just plain wrong.
It should have been Angela.
But it wasn't and he'd had to keep his emotions in check. There wouldn't have been a Lorelei and another opportunity would have been lost if he hadn't. And that wasn't an acceptable option at the point he'd found himself and he didn't regret a thing he'd done. Well, almost nothing. Hurting Lisbon and Wainwright's death, yes, he hated those things happened; but, they were collateral damage he'd not anticipated.
He'd certainly not known Red John's reaching out would come in the form of a beautiful, desirable woman. When it had, he'd taken the bait as his opponent hoped he would. Had he done differently, the game would never have been afoot and he'd have lost the only truly valuable clue he'd gotten in years. So, no, he didn't regret a thing about Vegas including the first carnal companionship he'd had since he lost his wife…He did regret the affect it had on Lisbon.
It had taken them months to get back on a truly even keel as they'd finally gotten in the weeks spent tracking Volker.
That ride had been much too wild and not an experience he wanted to repeat ever again.
He'd not believed Lisbon's theories about the man at first. No one had. The multi-millionaire was much too good at the game he'd chosen to play. Much too good at appearing to be everything he wasn't. He'd almost fooled him and he'd almost lost Lisbon to the chase and his reservations. Fortunately, he'd caught on in time and halted his handler before she fell too far into the darkness to ever turn back. He'd pulled her back from the abyss and made her see the light so many depended on for guidance was slowly being devoured by her evil obsession.
Lisbon had eventually shaken herself and let him take the lead instead suddenly confident she'd bring Volker down with her Mentalist's help.
It hadn't taken long for the team to join them in walking out on that limb openly attacking a very powerful man. In the end, they'd finally hung the devil on his own petard. But the cost was almost too high. They'd come much too close to losing Lisbon along the way. Fortunately, they hadn't. She'd come to understand his obsession to a greater degree and survived a violent physical attack. He'd come to fully appreciate the stability and balance she provided in his life.
All things considered, Jane had decided earlier today all of that was more than enough to see the writing on the wall and one thing had led to another with him finally ending up on her doorstep offerings in tow.
He could only hope Lisbon would get on the same page before the night was over.
"Meaning you'll stop leaving me out of the loop?" Lisbon asked chewing her bottom lip. "Even about Lorelei?" She knew better than hoping that thorn in her side was permanently gone.
"If that's what you want." Jane promised determined to keep his word somehow.
"It's what I want. What about the rules against this kind of thing?" Lisbon asked.
"Since when have I ever cared about rules?" Jane asked honestly.
"What about Bertram?" Lisbon cringed slightly at mentioning her big boss's name.
"If he wants me to solve another case he'll stay out of this." Jane said quietly acknowledging who really had the upper hand at the moment.
"Then," Lisbon rolled over to look him in the eyes. "I think I'd like to go for it."
"You better more than think, Teresa, this isn't a one night stand." Jane said in all seriousness. "I don't intend letting you go. Ever."
"I don't want you to." Lisbon answered honestly.
"I can't promise I'll never hurt you; but, I'll always make it right." Jane vowed.
"I know you will and I can't ask for anything more." Not with Jane and she knew it.
"Then you're over the thinking part." Jane stated firmly.
"I've been thinking for close to a decade so I'd say that's long enough." Lisbon answered as she flipped over on her back unable to handle the intensity in his eyes any longer.
Their first kiss could come later when she wouldn't come totally undone from the unguarded love and devotion in his eyes.
Wiggling more comfortably into his torso, Lisbon smirked knowingly at the hands slipping beneath her top to coast lightly over her abdomen in a less than innocent manner.
"You might as well keep your hands where I can see them, Buster. You're so not getting in my pants tonight." Lisbon quirked a brow at the fingers lightly rubbing her hip through her jeans and knew Jane could get her in a whole lot of trouble without even trying.
"I wouldn't even try, My Dear, I wouldn't even try. Scout's honor." Jane said pushing a button and watching the televisions screen come to life.
In a matter of moments he had a certain chick flick playing softly in the background and Lisbon rolling her eyes sassily at him.
"You were never a Boy Scout." Lisbon reminded him as she flipped over on his chest to gaze into his eyes yet again.
"Then I guess that invalidates my promise." Jane said cheekily.
"I guess it does." Lisbon agreed. "I'm in a lot of trouble here aren't I?"
"If I had to guess, I'm inclined to say yes, Teresa, you are. A whole lot of trouble though I really don't think you mind." Jane said honestly leaning in to give her a playful kiss.
Blinking rapidly, Lisbon leaned forward to frisk her tongue against his in a far more forceful manner…She had to hand it to the man.
There were far worse ways to spend her New Year's Eve than being seduced by Patrick Jane.