Warning: Some sexual content in this chapter.

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Arousal hit her like a sledgehammer and her kissing turned frantic. He flipped them over, in a skillful maneuver considering they were lying on a couch, so he was on top of her, his legs straddling her and carrying his weight so he wouldn't crush her. He motioned for her to raise her arms above her head so he could pull off her top. At a whim, he left it tangling around her wrists, binding her hands together. Not strong enough to really restrain her if she wanted to extricate herself, but as a signal to her, that he wished to have free reign of her body.

To her surprise this proved to be a massive turn-on. She felt nearly overwhelmed with sudden need, and he provided her with exquisite torture. He sucked and licked and kissed and stroked in all the right places, pushing all her buttons and all the while keeping her just on the edge of orgasm.

Later she could recall that she reached a whole new level of sexual awareness at the time. She was all nerves and lust and arousal, her whole mind filled with Patrick and the immense pleasure he brought her. When he finally divested her of her sleep-pants and used his tongue and fingers to further stimulate her core, she cried out helplessly, succumbed to her release with total abandon and lost all conscious thought for a while.

When she came to again, it was to her lover watching her face intensely. He looked like the cat that got the cream. Well he had in a way, she thought.

She had to admit, he had every reason to be smug. Though he couldn't know it of course - but she suspected he did anyway - he was the only man who'd ever managed to make her black out like that. He was an amazing lover, that was for sure. She knew she had been played by a master, but for once she didn't mind it at all. She was absolutely certain that in this case he had done it without a hidden agenda. He honestly loved her, and that made all the difference. She didn't feel manipulated but appreciated, and she knew she was one lucky woman.

She freed her hands, grabbed a hold of his curls, and pulled him into a sensual kiss. She could still taste herself in his mouth and decided she quite liked the combination.

After breaking the kiss she looked him deep in the eyes and said seriously, "I love you, Patrick. And I'll always love you – no matter what. Please, don't ever forget that."

He obviously didn't want the situation to turn too maudlin, so he answered, "Memory; fortress. Rings a bell?" When she hit him lightly on the chest with her flat hand and rolled her eyes, he added with a smile, "Well, for the record, I love you too, Teresa. And I'd be very grateful if that sieve you call a brain could retain that information for future reference."

"Jerk," she said playfully. "I guess, we just re-established the fact that you don't like emotional women."

"Depends on the emotion, dear. I liked you just fine all hot and bothered," he teased her, and then pecked her on the lips. In another precise maneuver, Jane returned them to their previous position with her on top of him.

"I would say you're welcome to bother me whenever you want but I think you already do that anyway," Lisbon added cheekily.

They lay like that, just holding each other close. After a while, Patrick noticed goosebumps appearing on her naked back. "Are you cold, my love?" he asked quietly.

"Maybe a bit. Just not really used to lying around naked all day, I guess. But it's very comfy as well," she sighed. "Still, it would probably be a good idea to get up soon. Not very romantic, but I have to wash some clothes – I didn't find the time to do so the whole week and I'll be out of clean clothes soon."

He caressed her cheek lightly, and then started rubbing her back to keep her warm. "Hmh, yeah. I should probably do some washing of my own as well. And I still have that kitchen to clean."

She shook her head. "No, let me do that. You did all the cooking."

"I don't mind, Teresa, really."

"Still. It's the principal of the thing," she said with determination.

He chuckled. "Yes, a very principled woman, our Agent Lisbon. Well, if you must… But in that case I'll just give the bathroom a wipe-down."

Suddenly he paled. "Shit!" he exclaimed. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry, Teresa. It didn't even register until right now. I really don't know how I could be so scatterbrained. I'm so sorry."

She looked at him in complete bafflement. "Would you care to elaborate what the hell you're talking about? I have no idea, and frankly, you're scaring me."

He didn't answer immediately but seemed to be lost in deep contemplation. She shook him lightly to get his attention: "Jane. Talk to me. What's the matter? I'm getting worried here."

A moment later he breathed out a sigh of relief and she finally got his attention. "Sorry, love. I just had to make a few calculations and I think we'll be okay." He resumed the back-rubbing he'd stopped while in thought.

She was really miffed by now. "I still don't have the slightest idea, what you're on about, Jane. What happened? You were fine, just talking about the bathroom and then out of the blue, you…" That's when she suddenly blanched and her eyes widened in shock: "Oh…"

"My thoughts exactly. But I think, we'll be alright this time around. You just had your monthlies, so it should've been safe enough. Still, I'm sorry – it was unbelievably reckless and I apologize for behaving like a randy teenager," he explained, blushing a little.

"I was there too, remember? It didn't occur to me either, so stop apologizing. But how the hell do you know my menstrual cycle, Jane?" Now it was her turn to blush.

"Come on, Lisbon. What do you think? I'm a mentalist. I wouldn't be worth a thing if I didn't even recognize things such as this in the women close to me. It might disturb you – but I'm actually quite familiar with Van Pelt's as well. Have been for years, in fact." He paused a moment before adding, "Incidentally, I've been living with you for two weeks. Even if I hadn't known before, it would have been inexcusably unperceptive not to register it then, wouldn't it?"

She nodded a bit hesitantly. She felt slightly indignant, especially on behalf of poor Grace, and in the name of her past self as well. It wasn't very comforting to realize, just how little she'd ever been able to keep hidden from him.

In another demonstration of his perception, he continued, "I've made you uncomfortable now. I'm sorry, Teresa. I can't help it. I just register stuff like that. It's become second nature – I can't really stop it. It's been drummed into me from an early age – literally. So I'm afraid you'll just have to live with it." He cast an apologetic glance at her. Then he continued impishly, "It's not all bad, though. You'll discover, now that you're more aware of it, that I'm particularly nice and well-behaved when you are at your most hormonal. Just this past week, I was a real angel, wasn't I? I have a strong sense of self-preservation after all."

"Oh, really?!" She punched him lightly. "It certainly doesn't look like that from where I stand." She decided to punch him once more for good measure. "Well, at least you have your facts right, Patrick. In plain language and in the name of total transparency – yes, I haven't had my ovulation yet, so conception isn't possible right now."

He smiled warmly. "Isn't it nice, that we could discuss this in such a mature, responsible and all together grown-up manner? Very dignified. Such a contrast to the behavior leading to the necessity of having such a conversation in the first place…" He ran his hands down her back, making her shiver for reasons not at all related to the cool air. "In the same spirit," he continued, settling his hands higher up on her back, "and just so you know, even though I certainly used a condom back then, I actually went to see a doctor after that whole Vegas-disaster. So you can rest assured – I'm in complete health, well, physically at least… the rest is still a bit debatable, I guess…"

She kissed him lightly, a silent gesture of her appreciation. "Wow, you actually saw a doctor? All on your own? Without being mortally wounded? I'm impressed."

He chuckled. "Well, I certainly wasn't mortally wounded at the time, but my overprotective boss insisted on a visit to the hospital anyway after I took that friendly little beating in the desert, so I could just as well ask the nice doctors to take some extra tests… I mean, I wouldn't have put it past that bastard… I didn't really think so, but one can never be too sure… It wouldn't have been his style and he obviously enjoys playing cat and mouse with me too much, but, well…" Jane shook his head. "Enough of this unsavory topic. Let's get up and do something productive.

TBC