Author's note: This is the end for this story. Thanks for all your follows, favorites, and reviews. :)
I want to dedicate this chapter to the people who are sick of Careese stories but refuse to write their own and complain about the lack of stories for their ship instead. This chapter is allllllllll for you. LOL.
Special shout out to ALL the authors here who take the time to write their stories and are brave enough to actually post them. Ship or no ship, case fic, crack fic, or whatever.
"I'd love to."
"Great. I'll pick you up tomorrow around eight."
"Looking forward to it," Joss replied with a smile before she disconnected the call.
Ryan Morris. She ran into him a few days ago on a rare day off running errands. It had been so many years that passed by since she last saw him when they attended law school together. They were in the same study group and had several classes together. He was someone she considered a friend. He had aged well, and was still the sweet, handsome, and charming guy she remembered.
Joss was picking up a few things from the dry cleaners when he ran into her. They greeted each other with excitement and enthusiasm as they embraced and caught up on missed years. He was recently divorced and had moved back to New York from Chicago for a position at a law firm in Manhattan. They exchanged numbers and later met for coffee to catch up further and reconnect. It actually felt like old times and she had enjoyed his company and his attention immensely.
So when he called her yesterday and asked if she would attend an anniversary party for a client of his, she agreed to be his date. Actually, she jumped at the opportunity when he asked and was happy to go out with a man who seemed to know what he wanted. A man that seemed to want her. Unlike John.
Six weeks. That's how long it had been since she and John had been intimate. After their steamy shower that morning, they went their separate ways off to their respective jobs. The chance to be together again never came. They both had been so busy and bogged down with their work, but that wasn't what was keeping them apart. Honestly, that was just an excuse she told herself after a couple weeks went by without seeing him.
When she did see him it was at one of the many parks where they'd met before. She thought he needed help on a new number, but he wanted to talk. Talk? The man who barely said anything and when he did, it wasn't much louder than a whisper. Right. She knew it wasn't going to be about anything good and her suspicions were right. Apparently, John thought it would be a bright idea to remain friends.
Friends? Really? After how amazing things had been between them, he wanted to go back to 'the way things were'? That conversation happened almost four weeks ago. Yet she seemed to be getting mixed signals from him with the way he would look at her and comment on how 'badass' she looked in her uniform. Or how he would constantly call her to ask if she was doing okay.
Joss didn't agree with him about being only friends. How could they be just friends after everything they've been through together? Frankly, she just wasn't up for the fight. She had too much on her plate with her demotion, the longer work hours, and her side investigation into HR, along with using her partner Laskey as a spy. If he didn't want anything deeper than friendship, then she guessed that was his loss. Time to move on.
Perhaps it was for the best that they ended the physical part of their relationship. She was catching feelings. If she wanted to be completely honest, she had already fallen for him. But Joss was in too deep with this HR situation, and things were getting dangerous. She didn't want him meddling around and placing himself in a position that could get him shot ─ or worse ─ killed. After what happened over two years ago when she nearly got him killed by Snow, she wouldn't allow that to happen again.
Maybe John thought sleeping together was a mistake. Maybe he thought they could be friends with benefits. Why else would he want to keep things platonic? She actually felt foolish for opening herself up to him and letting her guard down. He still continued to call her late at night, but she no longer wanted to speak to him like she used to. It didn't feel right. It hurt her to know that he didn't feel the same way she felt. So she kept the calls short, or didn't answer, letting the voicemail take his calls.
Now here she was, trying on different dresses, snapping pictures of her reflection in the full length mirror to send to Janice for feedback. Ryan would be picking her up in about an hour and she hadn't figured out which dress would be best to wear tonight.
After snapping the last picture, she hurriedly sent pictures of three different dress and shoe combinations to get an opinion.
-Hey, tell me what you think. I like how the blue dress looks, but I prefer the classic black.
I know I can't go wrong with red, but it almost seems boring.
She sent the text and pictures without a second thought. Shimmying out of the third dress, she made her way to the bathroom, sat the phone down on the counter, and began to apply her makeup while she waited for her cousin's reply.
She heard the ding of a small bell alerting her of a new text message. She picked up the phone with a grin anticipating a smartass response from Janice about hating all three, but that smile quickly turned into a deep frown.
-I don't consider myself a fashion expert, but I say go with the red.
-I've never seen you quite like this before. You're beautiful.
After reading the texts, she realized that she hadn't sent the pictures and text to Janice as intended, but had sent them to John instead. She cringed and put the phone back down, hoping that if she ignored him and didn't provide a response that he would just drop it.
He didn't.
-So what's the occasion?
-Going out with friends?
She groaned and continued to ignore his texts, hoping he'd get a clue. She applied the last of her makeup and left the bathroom deciding against all of the dresses. All of a sudden, the man of few words seemed to have a lot to say.
-Is this for a date?
-What's his name?
-Maybe try something else.
-How about pants?
She sighed and decided to respond, hoping to nip it in the bud.
-That earlier text wasn't for you. I sent that by mistake. Enough with the 21 questions.
Her phone rang, and she knew exactly who it was. She diverted the call to voicemail only to hear another alert announcing that she had a new text.
-Answer the phone, Joss.
Oh, hell no. They were NOT doing this tonight.
-I can't talk right now. I'm busy.
She really was. She grabbed another dress out of her closet; a golden yellow satin dress. It was a strapless, knee-length dress with a sweetheart neckline. The design of the fabric across the bodice, almost a pleating detail, was visually interesting while the rest of the fitted dress was simple yet elegant. She knew it had been years since the last time she wore it, but it still looked great and the color was amazing on her.
Running out of time, she rushed to get dressed and rummaged through her jewelry box for the right accessories. There was another alert from her phone.
-I miss you.
-John, don't do this.
-We need to talk.
-I'm talked out.
There was a knock at her door. Ryan was fifteen minutes early. "Shit."
She hobbled as she tried to walk and put on her sling back heels at the same time. She opened the door to see a pair of the prettiest blue eyes she'd ever seen.
"Hi." She took a moment to give him an appreciative once over. He had a cafe au lait complexion that seemed to have tanned from his jogs at the park he talked about enjoying in the summer sun. His curly brown hair was cut low and he was clean shaven except for a trimmed mustache and goatee. He wore an expensively tailored black suit and a crisp white shirt, reminding her of another man with beautiful blue eyes and an affinity for black suits and crisp white shirts. The cerulean silk tie he wore finished the look and was a striking compliment to his eyes.
"Hi. Wow Joss... You look amazing," Ryan said with appreciation and approval in his eyes.
"Thanks. Come in, it will only take a minute. I just need to grab my purse." She opened the door wider and stepped aside so that he could enter.
He walked in and gave her a bouquet of dark purple calla lilies that he was hiding behind his back. "These are for you."
She smiled at his gesture. "These are stunning, thank you. Let me put these in water and grab my things and we'll be out of here."
"Hey, take your time. I did come early. I guess I'm a little rusty to this whole dating thing," he said, sheepishly.
"Really? I'd say you're doing a good job so far." She gave him another warm smile before leaving the room to tend to the flowers and get her things.
"What's the matter with you?"
"What?" John asked, annoyed with his rough around the edges, tactless partner.
"You're brooding. We're here to get eyes on who could be coming after Kruger tonight. So focus, will ya," Shaw replied, her annoyance with John at an all-time high.
He looked at her plate of food from the buffet and watched as she was trying to decide whether or not if she should lick her fingers after eating truffled quail eggs with her hands. "Looks like you need to focus less on me and more on finding a napkin and some utensils."
She looked at her hand, fingers still oily from the food, and looked at him. She reached out and wiped her hand on the sleeve of his jacket and followed that gesture by obnoxiously snatching the champagne flute from his hand for a drink.
"See? Problem solved." If looks could kill, Shaw was sure she would have dropped dead at that moment. Too bad she didn't give a damn. "I'm going to get more food."
She left abruptly and John hoped she wouldn't return for quite a while. Maybe the shrimp cocktail will keep her busy, he thought to himself.
John admittedly was on edge. He read Joss' texts a few more times and his jealousy grew exponentially. He couldn't be mad with anyone but himself. He was the one to suggest they remain friends. What exactly did he expect her to do? Wait for him to get past his fear of starting a new relationship? No. She wouldn't do that. He wanted her to, but he wouldn't ask that of her. Maybe he should have.
He was in love with her. He didn't know exactly when it happened, but he had fallen for her. Sleeping with her had felt like a piece of heaven and he never wanted to stop, but self-doubt crept in. Past guilt and regrets seeped into his consciousness.
He truly thought that he was able to move on from Jessica, and he had, but that didn't mean he was ready to fall in love again. Too late for that, buddy, his conscious chided. Yes, it was too late, but he was too damn scared. He would not know what to do if his past caught up to him and something happened to Joss because of it. He foolishly thought that trying to go back to how things were would work. Right now, it wasn't working.
John focused back on the task at hand and watched the number as he and his wife walked around greeting different guests. He nearly had to do a double take as they made their way towards a couple that had just walked in, heads turning as they made their entrance.
That couple was Joss and a man he didn't recognize. He had to admit that they looked good together. The guy was handsome and Joss was stunning, obviously choosing a different dress than from what she accidentally sent him pictures of earlier. They appeared to be familiar with each other and Joss didn't seem to mind his hand on the small of her back as he guided her through the party to make their rounds and socialize.
What was Joss doing here? And who was the man she was with? How long had she known him? How long had they been together? What was her date's connection to Kruger and could she be in danger? So many questions ran through his mind as he watched them interact with the Krugers. A joke was shared among them and they all laughed. Joss' smile was radiant and John thought she never looked more beautiful. The Krugers had moved on to speak to the other guests of the party, but John kept his eyes on Joss and her date.
Shaw appeared by his side once again, with another small plate of truffled quail eggs, just as Kruger tapped his silverware against a wine glass to get the attention of the guests at the party. He was in the beginning of his speech when Finch asked, "Mr. Reese, how's the Krugers' party?"
"Delightful," he replied sardonically. He felt like shit right now as he watched Joss enjoying the company of another man.
"Have you learned anything?"
"Just that Kruger's got a lot of friends," he said, looking at Joss and the man she was with. "He's still happily married and…" He looked over to Shaw and discovered that she still hadn't found any utensils to eat with. "Shaw likes truffled quail eggs."
She shot him another glare. "You can't expect me to shoot somebody on an empty stomach."
Finch pleaded with Shaw not to shoot anyone at the party, while Reese asked Finch if he found any more information on Kruger. He had, informing them of a class-action lawsuit that had been filed but hidden under a ton of non-disclosure agreements.
The lights were lowered and an anniversary video began to play. He looked between the Krugers, who by all appearances looked to be very much in love, and Joss and her date, which seemed to be getting along quite chummily. He couldn't hold back the frown that formed on his face as he watched the woman he was in love with spending time with someone else. He was interrupted from his dark thoughts when there seemed to be a disruption of the anniversary video showing Kruger with a woman that wasn't his wife in a very uncompromising position.
Needless to say, the video came to an abrupt end and the house lights came back from their dimmed state. John and everyone else at the party watched as Kruger tried, unsuccessfully, to explain the video to his wife of 15 years. She slapped him in anger and left the party without looking back. Embarrassed and humiliated, Kruger lashed out at his guests telling them the party was over and yelled at them to leave.
"Just when things were getting interesting," Shaw whispered in disappointment.
"First his credit cards, now this. Someone's messing with Kruger, Finch," John replied as he watched Kruger have a meltdown with the technician responsible for playing the DVD.
"Well, the machine wouldn't send us his number if someone just wanted to humiliate him," said Finch from his desk at the library.
He looked over to Joss and her date once again, their faces both a blend of confusion and shock. "No… we need to find out whoever is behind this before they come after him again." He took one last look at the couple as they made their way out of the party, following the other guests to the exits. "Or before Kruger finds them first."
John and Shaw made their way downstairs and left the restaurant. After walking a block to where the car was parked, Shaw stated, "I'm still hungry. Wanna grab a bite to eat before we stakeout his place tonight?"
"I'm not hungry and you've eaten enough for the both of us. I'm confident in your abilities to handle tonight's surveillance alone, Shaw. I've got other plans." He tossed the car keys to Shaw and started to walk away so that he could hail a cab when her question stopped him in his tracks.
"Those plans wouldn't have anything to do with Carter and her date tonight would it?" He turned to look at her, but said nothing. "What? You think I didn't notice you looking at them for most of the night after they arrived?"
There was a pregnant pause and John managed to keep his composure while wearing a calm and stoic expression on his face. "Good night, Shaw." He turned around and walked away, hailing a cab as soon as he turned the corner.
"Sorry that our night was cut so short, but I hope I made up for it."
"Dinner was nice. I'd never been to that restaurant before and I enjoyed myself. Besides, the party was pretty entertaining. Better than a soap opera."
They both shared a laugh as he walked her up the stairs to her door. "Maybe next time, we'll do something a little more fun."
"Next time?"
"Am I being too presumptuous?"
"Hmm… maybe not," Joss said with a teasing smile.
Ryan smiled and gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek. "Good night, Joss. I'll call you later."
She blushed at his actions. "Okay. Good night, Ryan." She unlocked the door and walked inside her darkened apartment. She immediately felt John's presence before she switched on the light.
"You really shouldn't be here, John." She wanted to kick him out. Or walk out of the room and leave him sitting there like an idiot, but she couldn't get her body to cooperate and was frozen to the spot in front of the door.
He said nothing as he stood and walked over to her, stopping only a few feet away from her. "You proved me wrong, Joss." He took another deliberate step and was now in her personal space.
"Did I?" she asked as she took a step back, needing distance from him. The way he was staring at her, like he wanted to have her naked that instant, had her heart pounding and her body heating up. She took another step back and realized that she had nowhere else to go after her back hit the hard surface of the door. "Wh-what did I prove, John?" She hated that she was stammering. She hated that he could make her like this, a babbling mess of hormones and lust.
"What I said about us going back to the way things were. There is no going back. I don't want to be just your friend." He closed the space between them and pressed his body against hers, letting her feel how much he wanted her. He reached out a hand to trace the line of her jaw, but in the same moment his face dipped toward hers. "Tell me you want the same thing. Tell me you want more," he whispered against her lips.
Heat rushed between her legs and her nipples hardened as he pressed his body against hers and she knew without a doubt that she wanted him. But was this just sex? Was he only doing this because he was jealous of her date tonight? She turned her head away from him, if only for a brief reprieve so that his lips weren't so close to hers.
"I… mmm." She moaned as he planted soft kisses against her neck and she lost her train of thought. She sighed as his kisses trailed down to her collarbone and his hands began to move from her hips up to cup right beneath her breasts. What was she going to say? Oh, yes. She was supposed to ask him a question. What was it again? "John…"
"Say yes," he whispered as he kissed his way back up her neck, to her chin, and stopping at her lips.
"But… is this… is this just sex? I…" He kissed her, stealing the rest of her sentence and crippling her willpower. Running his hand up her body, ghosting over her breasts, he reached and caressed the slope of her neck, easing his tongue between her full lips. She ran her hands up his chest, grabbing at the lapels of his jacket, pulling him closer to her.
Breaking the kiss and catching their breaths, John finally responded. "No. It's not just sex for me. I don't want anyone else but you. No one could ever make me feel the way you do, Joss."
Joss studied him for a moment, his eyes said more than his words. There was undeniable lust in his eyes, but there was something else there. She saw it and knew the look in her eyes reflected the same. She reached up and held her hands behind his neck, pulling him down to meet his lips with hers.
As they kissed, John felt a stirring in his heart, an awakening of sorts. He didn't lie when he said that no one could ever make him feel like this but Joss. He knew instinctively that he'd never be the same again. This was love. This raw, acute emotion coursing through his veins was love. And tonight, he was going to show her just how much she meant to him.
The kiss became deeper, and all he wanted to do was be inside her. He broke the kiss and lifted her as she wrapped her legs around him and he carried her to her bedroom. He settled down on the edge of the bed as she straddled on top of his lap. He held her in a close embrace and pulled her closer for another kiss. A ragged groan tumbled across his lips as his mouth hungrily met hers.
She momentarily broke the kiss to push his jacket over his shoulders and he helped her take it off, tossing it on a nearby chair. In their haste, she fumbled trying to undo the buttons of his shirt while he struggled with the zipper on the back of her dress. Desperate for naked flesh, their greedy mouths groaned sensual demands and their frantic hands yanked away fabric.
With shoes and clothing removed, the only garments that remained were her panties and strapless bra and his boxer briefs. Kisses and caresses touched over every inch of newly exposed skin as they explored each other in the most intimate way. They touched and teased, played and nipped, and kissed and licked, moaned and sighed.
Removing her bra, John greedily cupped her breasts and sucked a nipple into his mouth. Joss clutched the back of his head, holding him in place. She sighed from the pleasure she was receiving and didn't want him to stop. He moved from one breast to the other, giving equal attention as she grew hotter and more aroused from his undivided attention. He moved back up for another taste of her lips, never getting enough of her sweet mouth and worked his way back down her body, kissing her from earlobe to navel.
He hooked his fingers inside the elastic band of her panties and frantically pulled them down her hips and past her legs, tossing them aside to land on the floor with the rest of their clothes. She was completely nude and he was taken aback by how stunningly beautiful she was lying there aroused and wanting him. It wasn't just her physical beauty that took his breath away, that was a given and he longed to forever lose himself in her curves, but it was her inner beauty that he loved as well.
She looked up at him with hooded eyes and sat up, running her hands across his bare chest as she leaned forward for another heated kiss. He gently pushed her back on the bed, and ran his hands down her body, continuing to caress and commit it to memory. He stroked her thighs and spread them apart, exposing her sex to him.
He used his fingers to gently probe her bud, circling it before slipping one, then two fingers into her wet heat causing her to groan. John soaked up the sound, wanting to hear more from her, loving how she sounded while being pleasured. He looked at her and saw that Joss had her eyes closed and her head was thrown back while she sighed and writhed beneath him. He wanted her in the worst way, wanted so bad to be inside her, but it wasn't time yet. Keeping his fingers in place, slowly moving in and out of her, he kissed down the inside of her thigh until he reached her sex wanting to taste her, but wanting her to watch him give her pleasure.
"Open your eyes." She looked down at him to meet his intense gaze. "I want to see you come for me." He removed his fingers from her heat and placed them in his mouth, tasting the essence of her before lowering his mouth to her sex, lapping up her nectar. She loudly moaned as she watched, her hips rising off the mattress. He kept his eyes on her as his tongue circled around her clit before he flicked across it causing her to grip handfuls of the sheets and cry out his name.
No longer able to hold his gaze and experience the pleasure she was receiving at the same time, she closed her eyes once again and tossed her head back, moaning and calling out his name over and over in ecstasy. "That feels so good, John. So good. Don't stop. Mmmm… don't you dare stop."
He happily obliged, licking and sucking and stroking his tongue inside and around her sex while she rocked her hips against his mouth, running her fingers through his short hair as she held his head in place. He loved the taste of her and couldn't get enough. It was as sweet as honey.
He flicked his tongue over her bud once again, this time quicker and faster as he felt her body start to tense. He knew she was almost there and he wanted to take her over the edge. He placed two fingers inside her heat and felt her gripping him, welcoming the intrusion. He curled his fingers in a come-hither motion and stroked her slowly while he continued to work his tongue over her clit and sucked it.
Joss cried out his name in a shout and he felt her body shake as she came to a release. Heat rose from her now damp flesh and her shouts had died down to whimpers as she rode out her orgasm on his fingers. Slowly, he removed his fingers and lifted his head to tenderly kiss the inside of her thighs, and stroked them as he sat up to remove his boxers.
"Please," she moaned, begging for him to be inside her, wanting him more than she ever had. Her chest rose up and down as she panted, feeling needy with desire after coming down from her orgasm.
John eased his way up her body, hooking her legs over his arms and brought them up to his chest as the hard tip of his shaft pressed against her hot, wet opening and pushed inside her. Shivers ran up his spine as her warmth enveloped him. She was so wet, so tight, and so hot for him. He paused to gain his composure before things would be over before they started.
He then slowly began to push in and out, pushing deeper and deeper inside her with each stroke. He aimed to please her and did whatever it took to continue hearing her call out his name. If she wanted it faster, he pumped faster. If she wanted it deeper, he pushed her legs back further and went as deep as he could. Feeling close to the edge, John lowered her legs and she wrapped them around his waist. He reached for her hands and held them above her head, lacing his fingers with hers.
They looked into each other's eyes with so much passion and love, Joss moaned loudly as another orgasm rocked through her very core. Triggered by her release, feeling her gripping tightly around him, he increased his pace and released a strangled cry as an explosive orgasm ripped through his body. He passionately kissed her as she quivered softly beneath him.
After a few moments, John pulled out of her and rolled over to the side of the bed. He pulled Joss with him as she curled against his side, laying her arm across his chest, legs intertwined with his. He ran his fingers through the loose tresses of her hair as it splayed about.
"Did you mean it?" Joss asked as her fingers teased and grazed across his chest in lazy patterns.
"Mean what?"
"When you said you wanted more… do you want more?" she asked as she looked in his eyes.
He knew he had to tell her how he felt. He had shown her, but he knew she needed to hear it. "Yes, I meant it. I want to be with you and I want you to be with me. I… want us to try."
"You know this isn't going to be easy."
"Nothing worth having ever is."