A/N: I wanted to get this chapter posted yesterday, but life got in the way and it didn't happen. So, here it is, hopefully helping in some small way to fill in the void until the next new episode. I will get to your reviews from the last chapter very soon (thanks!).

By the way, this chapter veers to M at the end, so be warned.

Chapter 7

Jane knew he was sexually enthralled when tag-teaming on Bertram with Lisbon turned him on. It took him back—way back—to when he and Danny or sometimes even his dad would successfully con a mark. He'd feel such a rush from pulling one over on someone, that he'd go out and pick up a girl first thing. Quite simply, he'd always gotten off on being the smartest person in the room.

Even when he and Angela had gotten away from the carnie life, whenever he'd landed a big fish to his client list, the sex that night would be amazing. But he'd managed to stifle that part of himself for ten years as part of his self-flagellation, not to mention that feeling that way with no sexual outlet was just too…inconvenient. He still couldn't fully dampen the mental satisfaction he got from outwitting one who deigned to try to pull one over on him—that's one reason he'd stayed with the CBI so long. But lately, Lisbon had seemed to instinctively know how to play along with him, like a good shill would, and that, to Jane, was unbearably hot.

And so the tryst in the conference room. At first, Lisbon was overwhelmed by his passion, unable to do much more than let him have his way, pressing her back against the metal blinds on the glass door and plundering her lips with a heady thoroughness. Soon, however, she remembered where they were and pushed him away almost violently. He barely caught himself on the long table in the center of the room.

"Not here," she panted. "Never at work, understand? That's a deal breaker." She reached blindly for the wall and flipped on the light switch. They both blinked at the sudden garish brightness of the fluorescent lights.

He started to reach for her, but forced himself to drop his hands. "Okay. Okay. You're right. Sorry." He smiled, and actually looked at her with uncharacteristic shyness. "It's just…You make me feel randy as a teenager," he said, and they both blushed at his bluntness.

"The feeling's mutual," she admitted. "And this stopping and starting stuff is wearing on me too. Let's try to focus on work then. This—we—will be here when this is all settled. We have to figure out a way to help Cherish, remember?"

He took a deep, calming breath, letting it out slowly. Focus Jane. His eyes wandered up her body, remembering the feel of her breasts beneath his hands. Not on her breasts! Sheesh! He ran his hand through his hair in agitation, and looked determinedly into her eyes.

"Maybe we can get her to a counselor as part of a plea bargain," he suggested distractedly. "The girl is definitely on the road to Perdition."

Lisbon nodded, but it was also difficult for her to think over her racing pulse.

"Yes. We can suggest that. It could be a media friendly solution to get the CBI out of this too."

"Good."

"Fine."

He took a step toward her, but she held up her hands defensively.

"Stay back, you," she said.

He grinned. "I was just going to open the door, Agent Lisbon. I can control myself."

She flushed anew, but stepped aside to allow him to be a gentleman. She dropped her hands and waited. That was her first mistake. Hadn't she learned after all these years, not to mention this very night on that hotel bed, never to trust a conman?

As she passed him, he suddenly grabbed her upper arms, kissing her soundly before moving out the door ahead of her. Some gentleman, she thought caustically, but her fingertips rested on her smiling lips as she followed him out into the corridor.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The bail hearing was set for first thing the next morning, so Cherish was made to cool her heels in the CBI basement holding cell. Despite Lisbon's vehement protests, Jane couldn't resist going downstairs to talk with her after the girl's mother and lawyer had left.

"What good will it do? She's just going to yell and scream and generally be the spoiled, depraved girl she is—"

"Maybe I can calm her down, make her see reason."

Cherish had refused to see a counselor as part of any deal.

"I imagine you're the last person in the world she wants to see right now."

Jane shrugged. "Perhaps. But I can be very persuasive." He waggled his eyebrows at her, reminding her how few women could deny Patrick Jane anything once he put his sights on her. She shook her head at him.

"Like I could stop you," she said dismissively. She turned toward her office, leaving him by the elevator.

"Hey," Jane said softly, summoning her nearly against her will. "When this thing is over…"

"I'm not holding my breath," she replied.

"Well, that's the only way I'm managing not to finish what we started in the conference room."

Lisbon looked around, worried someone would overhear him. "Hush," she said. "I'm not sure what the regs are concerning consultant-agent relationships."

Jane cleared his throat. "Regulation 9, Sections 2.3 of the California Code for CBI employees states as follows: 'No agent or special agent from one strike or investigative team may engage in interpersonal, sexual relationships with other agents or special agents from the same team. Agents may develop such relationships with agents of other teams, so long as the two teams do not overlap in their daily operations. Those designated as non-agents (see Section 3.3 for job descriptions) and those employees who do not participate in field operations with agents or special agents are exempted from said regulations.'"

She crossed her arms in front of her during his recitation, her lips quirking in amusement. "You looked this up and memorized it?"

"Yes."

"When?"

Jane looked distinctly uncomfortable.

"When, Jane?"

"Three years ago."

"What?"

"You know, when Rigsby and Grace had their ill-fated romance."

This was true, though, if Jane were to be honest with himself, it had been totally pointless to commit the information to memory. It certainly cluttered up his memory palace unnecessarily. It was that last sentence that had strangely intrigued him, he remembered, though he hadn't wanted to admit to himself at the time exactly why.

Lisbon let him off the hook—for now—and her brow furrowed in thought. "That still doesn't categorically state the parameters of a consultant-agent relationships."

Jane sighed sheepishly. "'Section 3.3 defines non-agents as: clerical support staff, independent investigators, computer/IT professionals, security personnel, independent consultants, non-independent consultants, and other non-field civilian employees…'Frankly," he added, "there are a lot of redundancies in the CBI Regulations manual."

She smiled at him. "Good to know."

"Hm," he said, with one of his own brighter-than-the sun grins. He rocked back on his heels, hands in his jacket pockets.

She waved a hand toward the elevator. "Well, now that you've cleared that up, why don't you go on down to your junior dominatrix and see what you can do. I still don't think even you can make a difference."

"Oh, ye of little faith," he said.

"The devil quotes the Bible for his own ends, Jane," she said, raising an eyebrow, but her eyes were shining with humor. She left him then, and Jane's eyes followed her gently swaying hips until she disappeared from view. With a sigh of longing, he pressed the elevator call button.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The basement of the CBI was really creepy at night, Jane thought, especially when everyone had left the building except security, custodians, and, of course, Lisbon.

Jane nodded at Karl, who'd drawn guard duty outside the holding cell doors, and the non-independent consultant walked in to stand outside the little tigress's cage. She was huddled on the spartan cot, and she looked for all the world to have been crying. When she saw who her visitor was she practically growled through the bars.

"Get the hell out of here! Guard!"

Karl peeked in through the window of the door in annoyance. Jane smiled benignly, and the man's bald head disappeared again.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry it all went down this way."

"Fuck you."

Jane tsked censoriously. "Well I'm afraid that's not going to happen. You know, you could get out of this mess without jail time if you agreed to see a therapist."

"There's nothing wrong with me, except asshole men like you who always want something from me."

"I don't want anything from you, Cherish. I just want you to get help before you ruin your life forever."

"Now you sound like my stupid mother. Apparently, I'm a total embarrassment, and now I've ruined her life with my sick sexual appetites—her exact words. She's such an ignorant bitch."

"She loves you."

"Ha. She loves her job, and the family fortune. I was always just an inconvenience to her."

"She does love you," Jane persisted. "How could she not? You're beautiful, intelligent, you have natural style…Don't mess up your chance to have a normal life with normal boyfriends who just want normal sex."

"Look at me, Patrick," she said, opening the robe she still wore from the hotel. Beneath it she still had on her black leather underwear. "I'm not normal. Or didn't you figure that out when I took the tails to you?" She smirked seductively, gliding over to the bars of her cell, robe still gaping open for his perusal. He easily held her eyes, immune.

"Part of you liked that, didn't you?"

"I'm sorry," he repeated solemnly. "I didn't. Do yourself a favor and take the deal, Cherish. Otherwise, that beautiful body of yours will go completely to waste."

"Ardiles said I'd get five years, tops. I'll still be young and beautiful."

"They hadn't added on the charges of drugging me. Or I could also claim sexual battery. Have you ever seen pretty girls after they've been in prison for a decade?" He grimaced dramatically.

"No way. Besides, you acted totally into it, didn't you? You'd be the laughingstock of the CBI if you claimed a girl tied you up and took advantage of you."

He shrugged. "I've never cared what people thought of me. That's one thing we have in common."

"That's blackmail."

"Yes. Nothing I haven't done before. On many occasions."

He wasn't surprised to see her suddenly lapse into tears. Her hands went to her mascara-streaked face, and she sobbed loudly. She appeared to be genuine.

"Who was it that hurt you, Cherish?" he asked softly.

"No one—" she began, her face still in her hands.

"It was your father, wasn't it? Your mother discovered he was molesting you, and rather than cause a scandal with the police, she kicked him out."

He reached his hand between the bars to touch her shoulder, ignoring every rule posted on the outside of the holding cell door.

"So you're a shrink now?"

"No. Just observant."

"I hate that bitch for sending Daddy away," she said, and her voice shook like a little girl's, the tigress long gone. Jane rubbed her arm consolingly.

"She loved you enough to do it. She might not have handled it the right way, but she stopped the abuse."

"Okay…I'll do it," she said, looking up at him with big, watery eyes. "If you promise to come visit me."

It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her an unequivocal no, but he wanted her to get the help she needed, poor, screwed-up kid.

"Sure. Anything to help."

She moved closer to him, slipping her small arms through the bars to embrace him as best she could. Jane allowed it, patting her back in the usual awkward way he had with victims' families and unwanted female attention.

"Okay. There, there now. You're doing the right thing, you'll see."

"Thank you, Mr. Jane," she said. "And…I'm sorry…for everything."

"Yes, I can tell you are."

He turned and walked to the door, knocking on it so Karl would let him out.

As she watched him leave the holding cell, Cherish Barto wiped her eyes and gave a small smile of triumph.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jane got off the elevator on the second floor, and went in search of Lisbon. She'd sent the rest of the team home, but he knew she would still be in her office, filling out paperwork like a dedicated little worker bee. Her door was closed, but the blinds were up, and he could see that she'd fallen asleep on the white couch against the wall.

He grinned. That overstuffed couch was by far the best gift he'd ever given her, and one of the few she had actually kept. He quietly opened the door and walked inside, then took the blue and beige blanket from the back of the couch and unfolded it, laying it gently over her deeply sleeping form. He tried to suppress the disappointment that she wasn't sleeping now because she was sexually sated, but there would be time enough for that. Lisbon was tired, and she deserved her rest, especially to prepare her for what he had in store for her tomorrow night.

He bent down to kiss her forehead, taking a moment to admire her beauty close up. She looked like Sleeping Beauty, or Snow White, or another otherworldly creature too good for this one. It would only be a matter of hours until she was his, he was certain of it. There would be no regrets, either. He would always love Angela, but he loved Teresa too, and he didn't see the point of resisting her anymore. He didn't think he was capable of it, actually, now that he'd had a taste. He'd proven his point to the universe, and though he didn't quite feel he could ever punish himself enough for his part in the death of his family, his ultimate redemption would come when he killed Red John, not by pushing Teresa Lisbon away.

His lips found hers then, touching them softly enough that she didn't stir, but twisting his heart and gut enough to tempt him into wakening her. But he made himself leave her in peace and left before sauntering tiredly to his own couch in the bullpen. There he spent the rest of the night in a restless doze.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jane had gone home early that morning to shower and change, then arrived just as Lisbon did, looking fresh as a daisy despite having spent most of the night on the couch. His heart skipped a beat at the sight of her, and her rosy cheeks at seeing him made up for the faint circles beneath her bright green eyes.

They were both greeted with the news that Cherish managed to get bail, and that her lawyer had begun negotiating with Ardiles for a plea bargain.

"I'm really surprised," said Lisbon to Cho. "given her attitude last night."
"Jane must have gotten to her," he replied.

"Of course I did," said Jane, entering the bullpen, teacup in hand. "Despite the lack of faith of some who will remain nameless."

Lisbon ignored him.

"Boss, Cherish Barto's mother and attorney are here," said Van Pelt.

Lisbon nodded to Cho. "You and Rigsby go down and bring her up, will ya?" Mrs. Barto and a tall man who wore a suit that had high-class lawyer written all over him.

"Ma'am, she'll be up in a minute," said Lisbon. "Would you like to wait in my office?"

"No, thank you," said Katherine Barto, looking haggard and strained with worry. "I don't think I can sit still. You mind if I stand in the elevator landing?"

"No, of course not. Wherever you're comfortable."

Jane set down his cup and walked after Cherish's mother. Lisbon looked askance at him, but he merely smiled gently and moved past her, fisting his hands so he wouldn't reach out and touch her in passing.

"Mrs. Barto," called Jane. "May I have a word with you?" He looked up at the lawyer, her fairly exuded arrogance, his face set in serious lines. "Without Smiley, here." The lawyer's frown drooped even more.

"It's all right, Jeremy," she said. "Lead the way, Mr. Jane."

They went into the conference room and Jane wondered if he'd made the right choice of space, given his previous experience in the room. He mentally shook it off and turned to Cherish's mother, shutting the door behind them.

"I'm sorry if this is…awkward, given that you heard the recording from last night."

"I'd like to apologize for my daughter," said Katherine, tearing up. "I hope some day she can do it herself."

"That's quite all right, and not what I brought you here for. You see, I spoke with Cherish late last night, got her to come around to the idea that she needs help. I just wanted to reassure you that your family secret is safe with me."

"What secret?"

"You know, about Cherish and your ex-husband."

She tensed. "What about them?"

"I just wanted to say that what you did took a lot of courage. And while I think you should have put that bastard in jail for what he did—"

She looked confused all of a sudden. "In jail? Mr. Jane, I have no idea what you're talking about."

Jane stopped, evaluating her expression, her body language. She really had no idea what he meant.

"Cherish claimed your husband molested her."

"What? Why would she say such a thing? They have a great relationship. We all do. He lives in San Francisco; they see each other twice a month."

"You didn't kick him out and divorce him for hurting her?"

"No. Richard, well, he's gay. I always suspected this, in the back of my mind, but he came out after Cherish was born. Cherish is lying to you, I'm afraid."

"I believe you," said Jane numbly. That little bitch. "Who knows why she said that. To get back at you? To get back at me? You make sure she gets that help, Mrs. Barto."

"I—I will. I don't know where I went wrong with her. I tried to do the best I could…"

"I'm sure. I won't trouble you further. Cherish must be upstairs by now."

"Yes. Thank you, Mr. Jane."

He opened the door for her and let her out, while Jane he stayed behind, fuming at both himself for missing her lies, and her, for so easily manipulating him. He must be losing his touch.

He watched through the window of the conference room as Cherish and her mother were reunited. She'd have to sign some paperwork, and that would be that. She'd make that deal with Ardiles, and hopefully he'd never have to see her lying, simpering face again.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Hey," said Lisbon later, as she stood before his couch. "You okay?"

He'd been staring into space for hours, turning around in his mind all the signs he must have missed with Cherish. The main way people got away with lying to Jane was if they actually believed their own lies. Cherish was a sociopath, a sexual deviant, a conwoman. What was worse, she was likely getting to the point where she didn't know where her fantasy world ended and the truth began.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Did Cherish take the deal?"

"Yes. Jimmy Roberts agreed to drop the charges if she submitted to a ninety-day commitment to a mental health facility, after which, her state of mind will be re-evaluated. And since you're not pressing any either, Ardiles agreed as well. She goes in tomorrow."

Jane nodded, relieved. "Good." He looked up at her and suddenly smiled. They were alone in the bullpen—everyone had gone for lunch—so now he could ask her what he'd wanted to since the night before.

"Tell me, Agent Lisbon, would you like to go out with me tonight? Dinner, dancing, or maybe the theatre?"

"No," she responded.

His face fell. "Why not?"

She sat down beside him on the couch, then leaned slowly toward his ear.

"Come over to my place later," she whispered. "I'm in the mood to dine in."

Jane was glad he was sitting down. He swallowed.

"Okay."

"Eight o'clock," she said, rising again, her heart pounding at her temerity.

"Seven," he countered.

She smiled. "Deal." She stuck out her hand, but instead of shaking it, he brought her palm to his lips.

"Deal," he repeated, looking up at her with dark eyes.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lisbon left work promptly at five o'clock. Jane was nowhere to be seen, so he must have left sometime earlier. She swung by the supermarket to pick up a couple of lamb chops and the makings of a salad. In her apartment, she changed the sheets, then took a shower and shaved and sloughed from head to toe, wishing she had time to straighten her hair. She emerged from the bathroom wrapped in a towel, her hair slicked back, already forming its natural waves as it dried. She glanced at the digital clock in her bedroom. It was only six; still an hour to style her hair, put on her sexiest underwear, and make her eyes look smoky and sexy.

The doorbell rang. She stood still a moment, still in her towel. If that was him, she was absolutely going to kill him. Grabbing her robe, she pulled it on as she walked to the door. She saw Jane through the peephole, dressed casually in khaki slacks and a light blue polo shirt beneath a dark blue sport coat. He was breathlessly handsome, which made her even more annoyed with him.

"You're early," she said through the door. "Go away."

He laughed and held up the bottle of wine to the peephole. It was her favorite cabernet.

"Come on, Lisbon. I'm sure you look fine."

"We had a deal, Jane. I'm not even dressed yet."

"Even better," he said, grinning wickedly.

Resigned to loving a man who was totally unpredictable, she opened the door and stood before him, tapping her foot in irritation.

His grin faded as he beheld her lack of attire, her porcelain skin free of makeup, her cheeks rosy from a hot shower and, he knew without arrogance, from his very presence. She was more beautiful than he'd ever seen her.

He could smell her floral shampoo and the vanilla bath wash she'd used, and her rich scents completely beguiled him.

"I couldn't wait," he managed.

In truth, since she'd invited him earlier, he'd felt like a kid on Christmas Eve. She stood aside to let him come in, none too happy to have her plans foiled, but he didn't walk past her; he walked straight toward her, setting the wine carefully on the foyer table before taking her into his arms.

He kissed her moist lips, kicking the door shut behind them as his hands went for the belt of her robe. He was delighted to discover she was naked beneath, and he slipped his hands eagerly inside to cup and caress.

"Jane," she rasped between his drugging kisses, overwhelmed by the suddenness of his sensual assault. "What…are you doing?"

"Making you mine," he said simply.

Things became a blur from there. His clothes seemed to disappear beneath both their hands, and her robe joined them in a haphazard trail leading to the bedroom. He had never been to her room before, but somehow he found it unerringly, pushing her along through the foyer, the living room, the hall, his mouth never seeming to leave hers, his hands roaming up and down her naked body with uninhibited delight. At the edge of her queen size sleigh bed, he dropped to his knees before her. She visibly trembled as he kissed her stomach, his hands smoothing over her trim waist and buttocks while hers rested in his hair.

She sat on the bed, and suddenly his mouth moved lower, to the apex of her thighs. She gasped as first he kissed her there, then, parting her with dexterous fingers, his tongue slipped out to taste. She bent her knees and fell back upon the bed, making inarticulate sounds of ecstasy as he learned by heart the most intimate part of her. He instinctively knew when to move his mouth and tongue faster, when to tease, when to employ his deft fingers, when to increase the pressure until she was screaming his name in release.

"Oh,Teresa," he said, blowing a whisper of air across her trembling flesh. "You taste as sweet as I'd imagined."

She was shaking all over, spasms of fulfillment still radiating from the very core of her, her eyes squeezed tightly shut. But he wasn't finished with her, not by a long shot. She felt the bed give way as he climbed up beside her, and then that talented mouth was on her breast.

"Oh…God…Jane…"

She felt her passion rising once more as he worshiped her body anew with his mouth, and she held him to her, her pulse thundering loudly in her brain. He left the heaven of her breasts to find her lips again, at the same time dipping his hips slightly to join himself with her body. She cried out against his mouth, and he buried his face in her damp neck, his movements stilling as she adjusted herself around him, and he struggled desperately for control. His breathing was labored and harsh, and she could feel the perspiration forming where skin met skin.

"Jane?" she said when she could bear his stillness no longer. He moved his head up to look at her, smiling at how worked up she was. Because of him.

"What do you want, Teresa?"

"I can't believe you," she panted. "Do you want me to beg?"

He withdrew from her, hovering around her opening before plunging back inside. She moaned.

"Yes," he said.

She put her hands on either side of his face. "Please…move…"

He grinned. "Since you asked so nicely…"

And then he began to move. It was unlike any sexual experience she had ever known. They established a rhythm almost immediately, each stroke of his answered smoothly with her undulating hips, slow, deep, and achingly pleasurable. He became lost in her, in the feel of her beneath him, in her scent, in her heat. The words he'd said to her once before came to his lips, and this time, he knew he wouldn't take them back.

"I love you," he whispered, and then the world slipped away…

A/N: Thanks for reading. Please log in and review, if you liked what you read.