Author's Note: The first section of this is M, so skip if that's not your thing. And thank you for letting me know you enjoyed the last chapter!

Chapter 4

Lisbon woke slowly, gradually becoming aware that she was on her back, naked from the waist up, and pleasantly aroused. It wasn't the first time Jane had woken her this way; he loved to experiment with the best places and ways to touch her, and he really was a breast man. Finding him on his side, propped up on his elbow while his other hand kneaded her breast, was not surprising.

"Mm." She smiled at his look of intense concentration as his thumb teased her erect nipple, then probed the crinkly skin of her areola.

"Good morning," he murmured, returning her smile as his gaze slid up to meet hers. His voice had that morning huskiness she loved, and his hair was a sexy mess.

She lifted a hand to run through his wild curls, and he turned his head to plant a kiss in her palm.

"Good morning," she replied. "What are you up to?" Not that she had to ask; she could feel his erection poking her thigh.

"Oh, nothing," he grinned. He slid his hand up to her neck, then her chin, turning her head so he could kiss her, slow and sweet.

This was how he was in the morning, when they had time. He would spend hours in bed playing with her if she let him. Of course, they rarely had the time, and she even more rarely had patience. For her, sex had always been about release, and she could take only so much stimulation before she just wanted to come.

Jane, with his insatiable curiosity and his tendency to manipulate, wasn't satisfied with just making her come, though. He wanted to know how she reacted to everything, how her sensitivity varied with her monthly cycle, how she looked, felt, sounded, smelled, and tasted when he touched every inch of her.

She'd never thought of herself as susceptible to words, but Jane had once bragged he could make her come with only his voice and his little finger. And he had, his husky voice whispering dirty images to her until she was writhing and moaning, desperate for his touch—and then he'd used his little finger to flick her clit, sending her over the edge. She'd screamed so hard her throat had been sore afterward.

Wet with the memory, she rolled onto her side and threw her leg over his hip. Jane said, "Huh uh," against her lips and rolled her onto her back again.

"Jane," she whined, playing along even though they both knew she could wrestle him into any position she wanted.

"I want to play," he said, looking down at her with a twinkle in his eye.

"Fine," she said, mock grudgingly. "But I get to play too." She reached down, bypassing his erection to finger his balls.

Jane drew in a sharp breath as she found a certain spot. In a choked voice, he said, "We can take the edge off first."

She smirked at him. "Great idea." He wasn't the only one who'd learned a few things since they started sleeping together.

He smirked back, then gathered her nightgown up to her waist and pulled it over her head. Before she could reach for his pajamas, he pushed her onto her stomach, plowing into her before she could get her knees under her for leverage.

This wasn't her favorite position; she preferred to be a more active participant. But she was so hot this wasn't going to take long if he kept shoving into her so hard the bed shook and creaked with each thrust. She fisted her hands in the bottom sheet and held on, unable to stop the little huffing cries he seemed to force out of her with every stroke.

Jane groaned, lowering himself to nip at her shoulder blade as he paused to reposition his hands. "You feel so good, Teresa," he panted. "Why did I wait so long?"

"Because...you're...an idiot," she managed, feeling the pressure building inside her. This was going to be a big one.

"I am," he agreed. "Should've...whisked you off to...the nearest hotel room...after you got me...out of detention." He groaned again, deep and long. "Tell me you're close, love."

"Yeah, oh yeah, right there—ah!" Lisbon began to pant as her body tensed, ready for the explosion. "Oh, God, Jane!"

"Come on, I've got you," he grunted, speeding up.

Lisbon was dimly aware she was shouting, but she couldn't process anything except the way Jane's cock was pounding into her, prolonging the orgasm that was convulsing her body over and over, as if her body was under his control. It certainly wasn't under hers anymore.

It seemed like a long time before she collapsed on the bed, out of breath and sated, and Jane pushed as far into her as he could go and bellowed out his orgasm. Then he fell on top of her, heaving in air like he'd run a marathon.

After a minute, Lisbon felt lightheaded from lack of air and got her elbows under her so she could roll to her side, pushing his weight off her.

"Sorry, love," he whispered, sliding an arm around her as he scooted into a spooning position. "Didn't think I was going to make it to the end there."

"You did great," she assured him, picking up his hand from her belly and lacing their fingers.

"You were really into it." She could hear the grin in his voice.

"Nice work," she yawned.

Jane snickered in her ear, nuzzling her neck. "Thanks, Boss."

"Don't call me that," she warned. "I'm gonna go back to sleep. Do whatever you want, just don't wake me up again."

"Okay. Don't be surprised if you have some really hot dreams, though," Jane chuckled.

mmm

The next time Lisbon woke, Jane was curled up next to her, snuffling into her shoulder, one hand grasping her breast. She could see his eyes moving beneath his closed lids, but it seemed to be a normal dream rather than the nightmares he sometimes suffered.

She rolled over to face him and kissed his forehead, pleased when he smiled and muttered her name. His hand resettled itself on her upper breast, squeezing gently.

She didn't want to disturb his sleep, but she really needed to pee. When she couldn't stand it any longer, she gently wriggled out of his grasp and slid out of bed. Jane rolled onto his stomach, burying his face into her spot on the pillow with a grunt.

Lisbon went to the bathroom, then started the coffeemaker and hunted in the covers for her nightgown. After a minute, she found it and slipped it on, glancing at Jane in time to see him quickly close his eyes.

"Gotcha, possum," she said. "You can make tea after the coffee's done."

Jane opened his eyes and glanced at the clock. "Nah, I'll just wait for room service."

Lisbon realized it was only fifteen minutes until their standing order arrived. "You better get dressed, then." She went to the closet to get her robe.

Jane levered himself out of bed with a groan, then headed into the bathroom. Lisbon heard the shower come on just as her coffee finished brewing. By the time she'd sipped half the cup, Jane was out of the shower and pulling on clean underwear and pants. He stopped to give her a kiss before putting a shirt on, and she put her mug down to duck into the bathroom as room service arrived.

After breakfast, Lisbon decided she should get in the shower, although she wouldn't have minded going back to bed. As she opened the dresser drawer to grab some underwear to take into the bathroom with her, Jane wrapped his arms around her from behind.

"Seriously, do you have a stash of Viagra or something?" she exclaimed.

Jane released her, and looking over her shoulder she saw that she'd offended him. "Teresa! I'll have you know I do not need pharmaceutical help. If my sex drive seems excessive to you, I will try to control myself, but—"

"I'm not complaining," Lisbon assured him, turning to face him. "I was joking."

"It wasn't funny," Jane sulked, arms folded.

Lisbon was surprised that Jane, normally so self-confident, had the same fragile ego as any man when it came to sex. "Sorry," she sighed.

"Anyway," Jane continued, not mollified at all, "I wasn't making a sexual overture. I was merely showing affection. Am I not allowed to do that?"

"Of course you are. In private, anyway," she replied. Remembering their conversation last night, she opened her arms and stepped toward him, but he backed away. "You don't want a hug?" She was worried now.

"Not a pity hug, no," he snapped.

Lisbon bit her lip. "It wasn't a pity hug, but whatever. I'm trying to apologize. How can I make it up to you?" When he didn't immediately reply, she ventured, "Do you want me to go buy something scandalously low cut for tonight?"

Jane frowned. "No. Why would I want that?"

"Well, you have a thing for my boobs. Erika said I should wear something low cut." She realized how stupid it was as soon as she'd said it.

Jane rolled his eyes. "Teresa, didn't I tell you not to listen to anything she said about us?"

"Yes," she sighed.

Jane heaved a sigh too. "Look. I admit I spend a ridiculous amount of time thinking about your breasts. And other body parts. And I very much appreciate looking at them when I have the chance. But I don't like other men looking at them, even when it's for a case, and I know you're uncomfortable on display. So tonight I would prefer you to wear something you feel good in, so you can concentrate on our assignment."

"I'll be concentrating on the job, don't worry," she said. "I guess I'll go get in the shower now. What do you want to do today?"

"Do you want a new dress? We could go shopping if you want."

"No, I don't need a new dress." She hated dress shopping, though she suspected that Jane would enjoy it.

"Why don't I make you an appointment at the spa? It would be perfectly normal for a woman in your position to go have her hair done and get a facial and mani-pedi."

Lisbon grimaced. "If you think I should."

"I do. Just relax and enjoy it."

"And what will you do?"

"I might read a bit, relax by the pool."

"Okay." She was a little alarmed at the idea of him being on his own for a large chunk of time. "If you promise to stay out of trouble."

"I'll do my best," he grinned.

She put her arms around his neck, relieved when he didn't back away, and kissed him. He kissed her back immediately, easing her mind, and when they parted, he smiled at her. "We could both use a little time to ourselves, I think."

"Yeah." They were both used to being on their own; even though they'd barely spent a night apart since Islamorada, during the day they were often separated, and after work they usually took some time to unwind by themselves before meeting for dinner. Being together 24/7 was taking its toll, even though she hadn't really thought about it. Trust Jane to spot the problem and do something about it.

"Then I'll call the spa while you're in the shower." He gave her a light kiss, then a little pat on her ass as he moved past her toward the phone.

mmm

Lisbon was not a spa person. When she was younger she hadn't had much extra money, and after she became a cop she hadn't seen the point in spending a lot of time on her appearance. Annie, introduced to the joys of the spa by Jane, had dragged her to one for her seventeenth birthday, and she'd accompanied Grace for a mani-pedi on a "Mommy's day out" after Maddie was born. But she'd never gone by herself, and never to a spa in a fancy hotel where everyone thought she was the wife of a wealthy man. It was an entirely different world.

After three hours, she emerged feeling pampered and glamorous. This was a great way to spend the afternoon, she decided. She'd never have the patience to reproduce this up-do, but it was perfect for the party tonight, she hoped.

Anxious to see Jane's reaction, she headed back to their room. He'd spent the morning swimming while she relaxed in their room, napping and reading. They'd had lunch together in a little cafe nearby, and then she'd set off for her appointment. She was sure she'd find him napping, but their room was empty.

Maybe he'd gone to sit by the pool? She headed up to the roof and looked around. It took a moment to spot him, because he was mostly obscured by Erika Flynn perched on the edge of his chaise, her hand resting on his naked chest.

A spurt of jealousy burned through her, but she swallowed it down. She couldn't let Erika think she had the upper hand. Reminding herself that she looked and smelled amazing and that she was the one who'd gotten the sexy wake-up call from the man in question, she summoned a smile and went over to them. "Erika, how nice to see you again."

Erika smiled up at her, either not surprised or hiding it well. "Teresa, I was wondering where you were. Lovely hairstyle. Did you have it done here? I've heard the spa is amazing."

"It is. I might go for a massage tomorrow," Lisbon replied as Jane got smoothly to his feet and kissed her hello. "Maybe a couples massage."

"That," Jane said with a grin, "is a wonderful idea, love. You look fantastic. Have a seat. Or...let's adjourn to the lounge. You aren't wearing any sunscreen."

She was grateful for his thoughtfulness. Unlike Erika, who had a light tan, and Jane, who despite his blond hair never seemed to burn, she would be bright red in no time if she sat out here very long. "That sounds great. Up here? Or we could go downstairs and have tea." It was late afternoon, after all. And the various eateries in the hotel all had their special function, so she bet the rooftop lounge was mostly about alcohol.

"Tea always gets my vote," Jane said, turning to put his shirt on over his shorts. Then he picked up his book. "That okay with you, Erika?"

"I should be going. I have a ton to do before tonight," Erika replied.

"Thanks for stopping by," Jane said. "See you there, then."

"I look forward to it. Great to see you, Teresa." Erika smiled at them, then headed for the elevator.

Jane picked up Lisbon's hand and inspected her manicure. She'd gone for French, finding it more practical than a color that might clash with some of her outfits. She'd been a little more daring with her toes, but she'd had to pass on the shades of red, not wanting to bring up bad memories for Jane. She could never get a red pedicure again, not as long as they were together. She'd decided on robin's egg blue, a playful shade.

"Nice," Jane said, stepping back to look at her sandal-clad feet.

"Thanks. And thanks for the suggestion. I enjoyed it."

He smiled. "Good. Your timing was impeccable; I was seriously considering pushing her into the pool."

Lisbon snickered. "I'd pay to see that. What was she doing here?"

"She came to tell me about the party, which she did. But she was also fishing, trying to figure out how solid our marriage is." He put a hand on her back, guiding her toward the elevator.

She wouldn't insult him by asking if he'd managed to convince Erika he was off the market. "Big surprise."

"She doesn't give up easily," Jane remarked. "And she likes a challenge. We should be prepared for her to up her game. She won't feel confident that I'll help her until she's seduced me; it's what she's used to."

Lisbon thought about that as they got in the empty elevator. "So she's going to keep trying to have sex with you until she succeeds."

Jane shrugged. "It's not really about the physical act. She needs to feel like she's seduced my mind, has me under her spell. She won't trust me if she thinks I'm thinking for myself or am under your influence."

"Do we need her to trust you?" Lisbon wondered as they got off on their floor. There was no one in the hallway, but she kept her voice low anyway. "If she introduces us to the guy tonight, we're all set, right?"

"Maybe. I'm betting she's already seduced him, though. She could wreck the whole thing if she's afraid she won't get her reward."

Lisbon sighed. Once they were safely in their room, she said, "So do we need to pretend to be fighting?"

"Not openly. We might need to mingle separately for part of the night, though. Try to spend some time with our contact's wife, if he has one."

"Hopefully she speaks English," Lisbon sighed.

"Well, he will. Arms dealers have to be able to deal with Americans, since we are the world's top exporter of weapons. Our CIA handler is supposed to be there, but we're not supposed to know him, so try to meet as many other people as you can. We need to figure out who's running guns and who's not."

"I remember the briefing," Lisbon said, rolling her eyes.

"Good. Now, shall I change so we can go for tea, or would you prefer to nap?" He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"And mess up this hairdo? Forget it, buster. Tea is all you're getting until after this stupid party."

"Hoist on my own petard," Jane sighed, grinning.

mmm

Jane felt like the richest man in the world walking into the party with Lisbon on his arm, sexy and classy in her red dress, Louboutin shoes, and the diamonds he'd bought her this afternoon while she was at the spa. He was glad he'd quashed the low-cut dress idea; the women here were fashionable but conservative. There was not a plunging neckline to be seen, even on Erika, who made her way through the crowd to greet them.

"Patrick, Teresa. I'm so glad you could make it!" she exclaimed, kissing their cheeks. "Come on, let me introduce you to our host."

Jane followed her, glancing down at Lisbon. She was hiding her nerves well, smiling at the people they passed and staying close enough to him to suggest intimacy without clinging to him. Years of CBI fundraisers had honed her poise in social situations, but she would never enjoy mixing with rich strangers.

Erika led them to a group of men standing to one side. From their attire, shoes, and expensive watches, Jane deduced that these were successful businessmen, some legit, some not so much. Reading people from different cultures was always more challenging, but some things were universal. These men were all kings, though the size of their kingdoms might vary. The fact that no women were included suggested they were talking business, though he couldn't follow the Arabic.

"Mansoor," Erika purred, sidling up to an older, stocky man in a charcoal grey Italian suit. "I'd like to introduce my old friend Patrick Jane. Oh, and his wife Teresa. Patrick, Teresa, this is our host, Mansoor Ajram."

Ajram smiled broadly, reaching out to shake Jane's hand. "Welcome to my home. I am pleased to have you here. Erika has told me you are quite an interesting man, Patrick. And I can see for myself you are blessed with a beautiful wife."

"Yes, I am. Thank you so much for having us," Jane replied with a smile. "We're enjoying your beautiful city very much."

"Very good. Join us. What will you have to drink?" He motioned to one of the waiters. "Scotch?"

"Perfect," Jane smiled, glancing at Lisbon. "Darling?"

"Oh," Erika said, "I'll introduce Teresa to our hostess. Come on, dear, let's leave the men to their boring old business."

Lisbon concealed her disgust well; he was sure he was the only one who noticed it in the moment before she said, "Of course. See you later, darling."

"Have fun," he called as she and Erika left.

Ajram introduced Jane to his friends, and the discussion continued in English out of courtesy to him. He listened more than he spoke, showing deference to his host and the older men, but when Ajram asked why Jane had chosen Beirut as a stop on his honeymoon, he took the opportunity to talk about his supposed time in the Middle East on the run from murder charges in the U.S. It was all going very well until someone interrupted, tapping on Jane's shoulder.

"Yes?" he said, concealing his annoyance and his surprise at being approached by their CIA contact.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, sir, but I believe your wife has been taken ill. In the parlor."

Jane looked around, not seeing Lisbon anywhere in the large room. "Where?"

The man pointed, and Jane left the group without excusing himself. He weaved his way through groups of chatting people, managing not to spill any drinks in his hurry, until he found Lisbon. A large man was carrying her, but she was still conscious, moving her head and arms weakly.

"Teresa!" He caught her hand as he reached her, and she gripped it tightly, eyelids fluttering. He turned to Erika, who was beside him. "What happened?"

"I don't know. She was fine, and then she said she felt tired. Next thing I knew, she was fainting on the sofa." Erika looked unhappy, he noted as he turned back to Lisbon. "I asked Rafiq to help me get her out to my car so I could take her back to the hotel."

There was so much about that speech Jane found suspicious that he hardly knew where to start. But right now, all he cared about was Lisbon. "Thank you. But I'll take care of her now." He turned to Rafiq, who surrendered her limp body easily enough. Jane couldn't carry her as the larger man had, but once set on her feet, Lisbon managed to stay upright, leaning against him. She wasn't unconscious, he realized with relief, just sedated.

"There's no need," Erika said. "I'll look after her. She was so worried about interrupting your evening."

"It's already interrupted," he replied. "Please apologize to Mansoor for us and tell him we hope to meet again when my wife is feeling better."

Then he turned his back on her and led Lisbon carefully out to the front door, where several cabs were already waiting to ferry guests home from the party. Getting into the first one, he settled her in his arms in the back seat, her head resting on his shoulder, leaving him to think.

What had he interrupted? Lisbon wasn't ill; she'd shown no signs of sickness earlier, and she would have told him if she felt bad enough to jeopardize their assignment. Obviously she'd been drugged, but why? The posh crowd at that party wasn't likely to harbor kidnappers, though it couldn't be ruled out. Probably not human trafficking; she was a bit old for that, and those victims were usually poor girls with little or no family to miss them. Lisbon was, as far as anyone there knew, the new wife of a wealthy man, who could be expected to tear the world apart looking for her. Ransom was more likely.

Or something more sinister. Had their cover been blown? There were plenty of groups in the region who'd find a political use for an FBI agent. He couldn't keep his mind from picturing her in one of those horrible beheading videos. Jane held her closer and buried his face in her hair, trying to calm down. The unfamiliar scents of the spa's hair products didn't help him much, though.

He turned his mind from the why to the who. Lisbon was a cop on duty; she would have been careful about her alcohol consumption and from whom she accepted drinks. And Erika should have been aware of any dangerous characters and steered her away.

Unless Erika was the dangerous character in question. Lisbon didn't trust her, but she thought they had the same goal in mind, so she wouldn't have expected Erika to attack her. The CIA agent's intervention argued for this—it wasn't in their interest to interrupt him unless they thought things weren't going to plan.

Had Erika given up on seducing him and thought she'd use Lisbon as leverage? Could she be that stupid? Did she not realize he wouldn't hesitate to remove any threat to Lisbon, permanently?

Maybe. She didn't have the details of his recent life, he felt sure.

They arrived at the hotel, and Jane refused several offers of help from the solicitous staff. He did agree to a visit from the concierge doctor, though, who arrived shortly after Jane had gotten Lisbon settled on the bed and checked her exposed skin for needle marks.

"She's breathing steadily, and her heart rate is normal for sleep," Jane told the doctor, an older man with an easy smile that probably made it easy for most people to trust him. Not Jane, though. Not with Lisbon's life. The few people he trusted that much were in Austin or California.

"She has been sedated. Rohypnol, possibly, though it can be difficult to tell," the doctor said after examining her. "She seems quite healthy otherwise. I would not worry." He got up and patted Jane's shoulder. "But I might find some new friends to party with."

"How long will she be out?"

"Four to six hours, most likely. She will probably not remember much about what happened." The doctor frowned. "Were you with her the entire time? I could send my nurse up to look for...less visible signs of assault."

Jane swallowed hard. "She was never alone with anyone. No need for that."

"Good. I am glad. Call me if she does not wake in six hours or shows any distress. But I think she will sleep it off and be herself by breakfast."

"Thank you, doctor." Jane tipped him well, then showed him out. After a few minutes to calm himself down, he went back into the bedroom and began undressing her, wanting her to be comfortable but also needing to see for himself that nobody had hurt her. Her underwear was intact and dry, which he took as a good sign. He didn't know for sure that she'd been with Erika the entire time, but he thought it unlikely that Lisbon would have gone somewhere alone with a man she didn't know.

He slipped her nightgown on, then began to unpin her hair, stroking it gently. He wished desperately to be able to talk to her, to hear her reassure him that she was fine. This reminded him of that horrible night he'd spent watching over her in the hospital after he'd found her in that abandoned house with her face painted in Partridge's blood. He'd wanted desperately to talk to her then, too, though he'd known it was unlikely she'd have anything to tell him about the case. He'd just wanted to hear her voice.

"You're safe. I've got you," he whispered, kissing her forehead.

He'd agreed to this case thinking he could play the CIA and FBI against each other and get released from his term of indentured servitude. Not that he necessarily intended to go anywhere, but it was the principle of the thing. He'd also thought he and Lisbon could use the time away. Playing honeymooners in a luxury hotel and fingering a few arms dealers sounded almost like a vacation. He'd never considered Lisbon could be in real danger.

Obviously, he needed to rethink this whole thing.