Unlocking his door, Jane helped Lisbon navigate the steps knowing she was physically exhausted and not entirely steady on her feet. They'd had a really tough, emotionally trying day…The kind ending in shots being fired and people injured or dying…Those were never pleasant for anyone…Least of all the person doing the shooting…Add a couple of stiff drinks to the mix and you were asking for trouble…Not necessarily under normal circumstances…But, these were anything but normal.

Locking the door behind him, Jane wasn't entirely unprepared for Lisbon's attack. He'd thought he detected a certain look in her eyes. His only true question was how he was going to handle the situation unfolding between them. He could either turn her down or accept her offer. He hadn't quite made up his mind which he was going to do. While common sense dictated that he side step the issue and toss a few things in his overnight bag in preparation for sleeping on her couch as they'd intended, he'd never been that big on acting prudently.

Added to that, what red blooded man in his right mind would turn down a hot blooded woman on the prowl in favor of spending the night alone on said woman's couch when he could have her writhing in his bed? Especially not the one he'd been heavily involved with until three lonely months ago when she'd kicked him out on his rear due to his own stupidity? The one he was still head over heels in love with if he was honest.

When he put it like that, the answer was pretty clear.

Then again, he needed to make sure a certain dark haired FBI Agent wasn't going to hate him or hurt him when that light switch flipped in her brain sometime between the dusk and dawn.

Jane's eyebrow rose as Lisbon shoved his jacket off his shoulders. "Teresa?"

Lisbon's eyebrow rose cockily in response. "Patrick?"

Two could play the oblivious game. "What are you doing?"

The fingers efficiently unbuttoning his shirt made words unnecessary. "Do you really need me to explain?"

"Do you think this is wise?" Jane asked. "You'll regret it in the morning."

"Maybe." Lisbon agreed. "Don't let it bother you…I'm a big girl if I do." She continued brushing his shirt from his shoulders as she dragged her palms down his abdomen. "Besides, I think I can handle it."

Closing his eyes, Jane silently agreed those hands were definitely doing big girl things. "If you're sure?"

Lisbon fixed him with wide green eyes and his patented "what the hell" smirk she'd perfected over the last few months. While she might regret reopening a long closed can of worms in the morning, right now she couldn't care less. She'd had an atrocious day, they all had, and she was craving some serious tension relief. It didn't help she'd been cooped up most of the day inhaling the scent of Jane and revisiting memories she had no business remembering. She'd known she was in trouble hours ago; but, she'd figured they'd make it back to her place before she did anything manic.

Unfortunately, Jane looked at her with such longing as they'd walked through the door he'd left her ravenous and him her willing prey.

"I'm not sure of anything except we aren't going back." Lisbon said letting him know they weren't picking up their relationship where they'd ended it. He'd screwed up way to badly for that. What they were in the midst of was a momentary lapse of reason. "And I want this."

"One of those random friends-with-benefits moments?" Jane wasn't sure how he felt about that. "The kind never to be repeated again?"

"Something like that." Lisbon agreed. "I can't go back."

"More like you won't." Jane corrected not really blaming her. "If you're sure this is what you want."

"I'm sure." Lisbon said. "As long as you don't try to change my mind on the other."

"Why bother?" Jane asked. "It hasn't worked any of the other times."

"And it won't now." Lisbon agreed. "My mind's made up."

"I suppose it is." Jane said. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"It is." Lisbon stated firmly. "Oh, and I won't blame you in the morning." She openly addressed his other unstated concern. "We both know you aren't making the first move. I am and I take full responsibility for my actions."

"No, I didn't." Jane agreed. "In fact, I'm doing everything in my power to dissuade you from this path."

Maybe not everything since he wanted her as badly as she wanted him.

"Yeah, well, you can stop." Lisbon casually informed him. "We're both consenting adults here. There won't be any ugly ramifications from our actions in the light of day. Not from me. I promise."

Closing his eyes against fingers not so accidentally rubbing against his growing erection, Jane fought an internal battle between desire and common sense. He shouldn't be passively taking Lisbon up on her offer. He should be stopping the fingers so efficiently unbuckling his belt and unzipping his pants. He should; but, he wasn't. Even knowing she would regret this in the morning and there would eventually be hell to pay.

In his defense, he wouldn't regret a thing. He hadn't ended their relationship. She had…Almost as abruptly as it began… But, to Lisbon's credit, it wasn't without fair warning or just cause.

Now, she clearly wanted to dip her toe back in the forbidden pool.

Wanted it badly considering she already had him all but naked in spite of his feeble attempts to stall her. Giving up the ghost of a fight, Jane reached out to pull Lisbon's plum colored blouse over her head smiling at the lacey bits of pale lavender he hadn't expected to see. She must have had something untoward in the back of her mind this morning even if she wasn't aware of it. The woman usually wore far more serviceable undies unless she had reason to bring out the prettier pieces. Helping her step out of her pants, Jane admired the curve of her bottom in the matching swathe of lace before giving in to the small hands pressing insistently against his chest.

"I'm holding you to that." Jane acknowledged her promise.

Allowing Lisbon to shove him back on the bed, he wasn't all that surprised when she practically crawled up his body like a hungry panther. He'd seen this mood before and knew exactly how to handle her. Leaning up to capture her lips with his, he reached behind her to unfasten the pretty lace bra and slide it down her arms. Tossing the garment aside, he made short work of slipping her panties off and letting her take the lead.

Lisbon would make his surrender worthwhile.

She always did….

Opening his eyes a half hour later, Jane was mildly surprised to find his lover still sprawled at his side. For whatever reason, he'd expected to awaken to find Lisbon sneaking out the front door if not already gone. He'd been prepared to let her go surmising that was how she wanted it. He was also prepared to act like none of this had ever happened when he got to work tomorrow if that was how she wanted it. He was under no illusions their unexpected foray into the carnal gave him entry back into her personal life. It didn't. She'd outright stated that fact.

He'd messed up much too well.

Reaching out to touch her cheek, Jane voiced the main thought filling his head instead. "I thought you'd be gone."

Placing her hand on his, Lisbon responded exactly as he'd expected. "Do you want me to go?"

"No." Jane leaned in to press his lips against hers. "I want you to stay. But, you already know that. I never wanted you to go in the first place."

"We're not discussing that now." Lisbon eased closer to him. "In fact, we're not talking at all."

"I like the way you think." Jane ran his hand lightly over her hip savoring the feel of her skin beneath his palm.

Rolling on her back she smirked at how readily Jane covered her body with his. At how easily her thighs draped over his hips just so. At how naturally they'd flowed together from the start. Even if it had been a while; Lisbon knew neither of them had forgotten how beautifully they fit together or how incredible the intimacy was between them.

It wasn't possible.

But, while she might let him back into her body this once in a moment of weakness, she was much too smart to let him back into her soul. As much as she'd wanted to give Jane three strikes before he was out, her heart couldn't stand the strain. He already had two which was one strike too many in some people's opinions including her own.

Now they were done.