Monica slowed the car down as she approached John's house. The car ride back to his place had been quiet, but not awkwardly so; they'd talked quite a bit at the bar. Putting the car into park, she turned to her partner and smiled.

"Thanks for the beer."

"Thanks for the lift."

They both unbuckled their seat belts. "So, big plans for the weekend?" she asked, hoping she didn't seem like she was prying.

"Oh, huge," he replied with a hint of sarcasm. "Microwave pizza, satellite TV."

At this, Monica laughed. "Wow, thanks for making my life sound exciting." She paused for a moment. "Maybe we both need pets. They say people with pets live longer."

"I was thinkin' about gettin' a cat," John replied.

"There's cat people and there's dog people," she said, giving him a look. "You are a dog person, John."

A small knot of anticipation formed in his gut as he replied playfully, "How do you figure?"

Monica debated with herself for a moment before taking the bait. "You're faithful, you're dependable, you're without guile…and you're very comfortable to be around." She blushed slightly, not believing she had just said these things to him and hoping he couldn't see how embarrassed she was. "So why a cat?"

He shrugged. "Low maintenance. They don't expect much from you, so you can't disappoint 'em."

Monica gave him a small smile. "I don't ever you see you disappointing anyone, John."

For a moment they looked at each other, the air between them thick with unspoken desire. John looked at her sitting there, radiant even in the dark confines of the car, and felt a strong desire to kiss her. Judging by the way she was looking at him, she felt it too.

Squelching every lingering fear, he leaned forward, their lips meeting over the center console of her car. His hand cradled her face as their mouths met, tongues dueling. The moment their lips met he knew that there was no going back now; his emotions were a runaway locomotive, all he could do was hold on and enjoy the ride.

He broke their kiss, both of them breathing heavily. "Come in," he said, his voice gravelly with desire.

She didn't need to be told twice. By the time she got the keys out of the ignition he was already out of the car, and he took her hand as they hurried up the front walk to the door. After a moment of fumbling he found his keys and opened the door, leading her inside.

The door had no sooner closed than Monica was pressed up against it, John's mouth on hers, his hands at her waist. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, wanting to feel all of him pressed against her. Breathing heavily, John kissed his way down to her neck, nipping and sucking at the soft skin as his hands traveled up her abdomen. When his hands found the band of her bra she leaned her head back on the door with a sigh. "John."

He merely grunted in response, his mouth still on her neck, one hand on her right breast. She sighed again; despite the ache between her thighs, she couldn't do this without knowing where they stood.

"John," she said again, this time pushing him back slightly, until she could see his eyes. "We have to stop."

A look of hurt mixed with confusion crossed his face.

"Not because I don't want this because, believe me, I do, but because I…I don't want you to regret this." She took his face in her hands. "I don't want this to be a one-night stand, John. I don't want us to go into the office tomorrow and have it be awkward."

He smirked. "Tomorrow's Saturday."

"You know what I mean." Monica bit her lip, uncertain as to whether or not to continue her train of thought. She wasn't sure she was ready to tell him the secrets in her heart. Then you shouldn't have come inside, dumbass, she said to herself. She steeled herself and continued. "I don't think that if we do this, that we can go back to being just friends, John. I know I can't. I don't want this to be a one time thing, or even just a sex thing."

John sighed and rested his forehead against hers. "I know what you're askin' here, Mon. And honestly…I don't know."

She gave him a small smile. "I'm not asking for a declaration of love, John. All I'm asking is for you to let me in. To give me as much as you can. Can you do that?"

She looked so beautiful-her hair mussed, lips swollen, flush of arousal on her chest and neck-and knew he couldn't not do it. "Yeah. I can do that."

Her face lit up as she smiled. "Honest?"

"I ever lied to you?"

"Never."

"I don't plan on startin' now." He leaned in and kissed her again, slowly and tenderly. "'Course, that would make this our first date."

"You sure?" she replied with a smirk. "Because I don't put out on the first date."

John laughed. "You're killin' me here, Mon."

Monica gave him a coy look. "Well, maybe I could be…persuaded."

He kissed her again. "Did I ever tell you I make the best French toast in the Eastern time zone?"

"Do you now?" She began loosening his tie. "Does that mean I'm staying for breakfast?"

"I'd like it if you stayed all weekend." John's hands wandered under her shirt, sending chills up her spine.

"That's pretty persuasive." She removed his tie, letting it slide to the floor before starting on the buttons of his shirt. With a gentle push she moved him towards the stairs and he smiled, kissing her again.

They stumbled up the stairs, Monica untucking his dress shirt as they walked. She managed to get it off of him before the backs of her knees hit the mattress and she fell backwards. Reaching up, she pulled his t-shirt off before he leaned down to kiss her once again.

John's hands made quick work of her sweater and bra, and he looked down at her, his gaze travelling over her body. "You're beautiful," he whispered as his mouth moved in between the valley of her breasts.

"You're just saying that to get in my pants," she replied with a smile he could hear. His mouth descended on her nipple and she inhaled sharply. "It's working, by the way."

Hands fumbled with buttons and zippers until they were both naked, breathless with desire. He settled into the cradle of her hips and looked at her seriously.

"No going back," he said.

"Couldn't pay me to go back," she replied, wrapping her legs around his hips, sighing with pleasure as he slid into her.