A/N: My eternal love and thanks to the incredible poppyfoxcroft. Without her, this chapter would never have been completed. Thank you all for your continued support and reviews. I apologize for the long wait and hope you aren't disappointed! I promise there is sex coming… ;) I included the last few lines of Ch. 7 Pt. 2 (aka Chapter 8) just for reference.

Disclaimer: Dick Wolf owns the world…

Chapter 8: Departure and Arrival

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"What is it you desire, Anna?" he lowered his voice and circled her waist with his arm, pulling her against him. He could feel her breath on his face. God, please, I hope she wants what I want. "I'll give you anything you want."

Her eyes delved into his as she whispered, "You, Bobby... I want you."

Seconds passed like hours as Anna continued to hold his gaze. Bobby was staring down at her so intently that she felt as if he could see right into her soul. Oh, no… the thought occurred to her that maybe she had gotten her signals crossed. His interest was obvious, but what if… What have I done? He is such a gentleman… what must he think of me? She dropped her eyes to the floor and began to nibble her lip nervously.

"Unless… unless…" she began to stammer. "You –"

His arm slipped from around her waist and he brought both his hands up, gently cupping her face and tilting her lips within an inch of his. God, he's going to kiss me… The mere thought made her knees weak; she closed her eyes and grasped the lapels of his jacket for support.

"Anna...," he whispered, his lips teasingly brushing hers. "May I take you home?"

"Oh… Bobby, yes," she gasped, eyes opening wide in surprise at the rawness in her own voice. She looked up to see him break into a warm, wide smile. She ran her hands up his chest, across his wide shoulders, and clasped them lightly around his neck. She had just managed to catch her breath when he leaned down and touched his forehead to hers. I can't take much more of this… Her head was swimming and she was wet with anticipation. She had never felt so ready for a man.

"Please… let's go, Bobby," she whispered, catching and holding his eyes.

"Now…?" His eyes twinkled at her as his hands skated down her neck and came to rest on her shoulders.

"Yes, right now."

His hands trailed from her shoulders, down her arms and he took her hands in his. He led her back across the floor to their table and motioned to Bridget, who had evidently - along with several other members of the staff – been observing their intimate exchange on the dance floor.

"Sir," she approached with a wan and knowing smile. "Did you decide on dessert?"

"Actually, Bridget, we uhm…" Bobby cleared his throat and reddened a little. "We are ready for the check."

"As you wish, sir. I'll be right back."

Bridget disappeared towards the rear of the restaurant as Anna turned to retrieve her bag and wrap from the booth. Bobby gently placed it around her back and up her arms. Her hair caught under the fabric and he ran his fingers tenderly across the back of her neck to brush it free. She trembled slightly, then turned her head to the left and smiled at him over her nearly bare shoulder.

"Thank you," she murmured.

The sight of that smile, combined with the naked desire in her eyes was nearly too much for him to bear.

"You're… ah," He raised his left hand, rubbed the back of his neck and slowly let out a deep breath. Bobby tipped his chin and raked his eyes back up to hers. "You're most welcome, Anna."

That look… His eyes - dark, passionate, mischievous, wanting – enveloped her in one smooth raptor like movement. That one right there… He smiled up at her almost shyly; but there was a hint of the devil in the glimpse of his tongue between his teeth. …makes everything else just fade away.

Bridget returned and he pulled several bills from his wallet, making sure to give her a generous tip. She thanked them for their patronage and handed their leftover food to Anna.

"Enjoy the rest of your evening," she said as they began to leave the table. "And please come back…"

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They walked out into the cool spring night hand in hand. Bobby gave the valet his claim check and returned to Anna's side as they waited for the car. He seriously hoped that it wouldn't be too long a wait; standing close to her was taxing just about every ounce of restraint he had left.

The way she looked at him, an intoxicating mix of smoldering sensuality, razor sharp perceptiveness and intriguing innocence in her eyes, made him want to touch her. The smell of her – like clean linen and flowers, now with a strong dose of female arousal thrown in – made him want to taste her, inside and out. And then there was the feel of her: soft and flushed, incredibly natural against him as they danced. Bobby glanced sideways at her left hand safely ensconced in his right. He slowly tucked his thumb in and began to draw delicate circles in her palm. He watched Anna take a sharp breath in and blink her eyes. So responsive to my touch… He couldn't even put words to all that made him want. Later, in her bed…. I won't need words…

The valet pulled the car up and Bobby opened her door and saw her safely in before taking his keys and tipping the impossibly young attendant. He settled in and buckled his seat belt. He placed his left hand on the wheel and turned, reaching his right hand over for Anna's. Her hand instinctively met his and they looked at each other, both searching for any sign of indecision or hesitation.

"Are… are you ready, Anna?"

He felt something moving in his hand and glanced down. His eyes widened and he smiled in surprise. Well, I guess that that answers my question...

She had begun to softly caress his palm with her middle finger. The same small delicate pattern his thumb had made against hers a few short moments before. He looked up and caught the hint of playfulness in her eyes. She really is so good at following my lead…

"I think I'm ready, Bobby."

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Bobby steered the SUV through the Park Avenue tunnel, heading south. He checked the time on the dashboard clock – 10:18. If he could get past 34th Street, he would be able to beat most of the Saturday night traffic and they would be at her apartment within 20 minutes. Only eight more blocks… he told himself, glancing down to his right. She continued to gently stroke his palm, teasing the webs of his fingers with her nails. He took a deep breath to steady himself and focused on the road. Eight more damn blocks…

Anna softly ran the fingers of her left hand over his palm. She concentrated on the lines and grooves, tracing the intricate patterns in his skin. When she had finished with the underside of his massive hand, she turned it over and laid her hand on top, twining her fingers between his. Mmm… such long, lovely fingers… She glanced down to the floorboard on the driver's side. A street light briefly illuminated the pedals and she finally got a good luck at his feet. OH! Oh… As she allowed herself a moment to adjust to that thought, another far more pertinent one suddenly popped into her mind: Oh, no… I don't have any condoms!

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It had been so long since she had even considered giving herself to another man. Despite her seemingly confident sexuality, Anna had dated sparingly and had only ever known one lover.

Christopher Mallick was the older brother of one of Drew's fellow Boy Scouts. He was four years her senior, blonde and beautiful, charming and intelligent. She was twenty-two, thought he was perfect and worshipped the ground he walked on. They both attended N.Y.U. – Chris working towards an eventual Ph.D. in Chemical Biology; Anna pursuing her studies part time, so she could be home more with her growing brother.

Two years after they first met, she had finally given herself to him body and soul. He had taken her virginity and delighted in her newly awakened curiosity. Chris showed her all the ways he believed they could enjoy each other. For the first time since her parents' death, she had hope. Hope for her future as a woman, not just as a sister or a guardian.

Even Drew loved him. It was Chris who first introduced Drew to science, taking him along to lectures and letting him assist with the more mundane experiments in his college labs. He received his doctorate the May before she was to begin her Master's program, and got a prestigious job with one of the top international pharmaceutical firms in the city.

They had been together eight years when he came home late one night and sat her down at the kitchen table of her late parents' home.

"I'm transferring to London."

She had sensed a change in him since his graduation – an uneasiness that had settled over him and caused him to be cold and distant with both her and Drew. Then there were the demands, the arguments, and the anger. In spite of it all, she remained dedicated to their makeshift family and never considered giving up. But it turned out that Chris had other ideas. She remembered him standing up, going to the guest room closet and removing his already packed bag. He put his keys on the table, kissed her on the cheek and told her goodbye.

That was six years ago, she reminded herself. And all this reminiscing doesn't help resolve the current situation, my dear. She glanced nervously over at Bobby, trying to find the courage to ask him if he had thought about protection. He's straight, single, and a cop, Anna; a man like that knows to pack more than just his cuffs when he goes out on a date. But what if…? The closer they got to her apartment, the more anxious she became. She looked up and caught a glimpse of the street sign. Only six more blocks…

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Bobby approached the intersection of Park and East 30th. In a few minutes, he would be able to touch her, kiss her, love her. His mind was reeling with all he wanted to do - with her and to her. But there was something else, something he was beginning to desire even more. I want to know this woman, experience her… For the first time in his life, Bobby found himself adding an "and" to that thought. And I… I want her to know and experience me.

He glanced over to the passenger side as he felt her hand move away from his. She looks… upset…, he thought. He tilted his head to the left so that he could see her entire face. Her brows were furrowed, she was blinking repeatedly, and she was twisting her lip. She looks like she is trying to solve a problem… this is NOT good… When they stopped for traffic at the next block, he touched her lightly on the shoulder and said her name. She didn't respond. This is SO NOT good…

"Anna." He said it a little louder. Her head snapped up and she turned to face him.

"Hmm…?" Anna shook her head lightly, trying to clear her mind; trying to summon the courage she had when she asked him to take her home.

"I'm sorry, what did you say, Bobby?" she smiled at him, but the detective in him knew something wasn't right.

"You seem a million miles away," he said, moving closer as he studied her face.

She took a long breath and put her head down. He could see her beginning to redden.

"Condoms." She spoke so softly that he didn't hear her.

"What did you say, darling?" He leaned across the console, shaking his head and raising his eyebrows questioningly. "I couldn't…"

It was the second time that evening he had called her "darling." She loved the way he used that somewhat old fashioned term of endearment, the way it sounded rolling off his tongue. That tongue… Anna blinked slowly, cleared her throat and gazed up at him through long dark lashes.

"Bobby, I… I didn't exactly plan on this. It's been a long time…" She saw confusion and a wince of what looked like pain cross his face. Oh, great, now I'm torturing the poor man to death.

"Do you, uhm," she swallowed hard. "Doyouhaveanycondoms?" The words spilled out and ran together.

The sound of them out loud brought the complete absurdity of the situation home. Anna bit her lip hard in an attempt to stifle herself, but it was no use. She covered her mouth with her hands and began to laugh. To her relief, she soon heard Bobby beginning to chuckle as well. The light changed and his attention went back to the road until they reached the light at the next intersection. He turned back to her.

"I think, uhm, I think I have it covered," he looked at her slyly from the corner of his eye.

"You… have IT covered?" She started giggling again.

"I have IT covered," he nodded his head and smiled sheepishly.

"Well, then, that – that's good to know," she relaxed back into her seat and laid her left hand back over his right. He seemed to read her mind and turned his hand palm up so that she could continue her exploration. The light turned green.

"Bobby?" she ran her index finger from his wrist to the tip of his middle finger.

'Yes?" God, that feels good.

"You bought the condoms before you came to pick me up, right?" She ran her finger back down and made soft circles in his palm.

"Umm-hmm." Four more blocks… He shifted in his seat trying to alleviate some of the growing pressure in his groin. It wasn't working.

"So, you… you sort of expected that we would…," Anna let her voice trail off, but continued to draw delicately on his skin.

He glanced from her to the road, from the road to her and back again. No, no, it's not like that… He dipped his head and quickly caught her eyes. She didn't appear angry or upset. She looked… thoughtful. He wished the lights would turn red so that he could explain himself properly.

For the first time since they met, Anna didn't know quite what to think. On the one hand, she was relieved that Bobby had thought ahead and was prepared. He was being smart and safe – just as she thought he would be - and had spared them the embarrassment of hunting around a pharmacy at 10:30 on a Saturday night.

But on the other hand, she was a little unnerved by the fact that he had thought he would need them on only their first date. Am I that obvious… or is he that good? she thought to herself.

She knew he didn't think she was 'easy;' his behavior had been nothing short of exemplary and she had been the one to propose "dessert" at her place instead of Antonia's. He has given me absolutely no reason to doubt his intentions, she thought to herself as he steered the car onto 23rd street. He is a good man, gentle and honest and … Oh - the way he makes me feel. She studied his face as he made the turn onto 3rd Avenue and then onto 25th. He maneuvered into the lot across from her building. I want this, she decided. I want him, more than I have wanted anything or anyone in a long time… He pulled into an empty spot, turned off the engine, and slid out of his seat belt. Anna smiled to herself and began to gather her things. But as she moved to release her seat belt….

"Wait."

His voice, low and deep, stilled her immediately. She watched as he leaned over the console and her hand disappeared in between both of his. Bobby's face was one of sincere concern; his voice was soft, but earnest. Her eyes met his.

"I want you to know that I never expected, Anna. I –I dreamed, hoped…," his cheeks turned a soft crimson and he dropped his gaze to her hand cradled in his. "I wished…"

Anna eased her left hand from between his and reached up. She stroked her thumb down his right cheek as her curved fingers ran along his jaw. Bobby closed his eyes and relaxed into her hand.

She leaned forward, touching her forehead to his. Anna lifted her chin, brushing the side of her nose against his cheek. She inhaled deeply and the scent of him – warm, musky, comforting – filled her. She heard his breath quicken; felt him pant against her neck.

"If you tell me your wishes, Bobby...," her whispered words tickled his ear. "I'll tell you mine."

Bobby's hands moved quickly up her arms and came to rest just above her elbows. He gently nudged her back and brought his hands up to cradle her face.

"Upstairs," his voice was raw and hungry; his eyes bore into her. "Let's go upstairs, Anna."

She couldn't breathe, couldn't speak. The way he was looking at her… No one has ever looked at me like that – not even… Anna rubbed her legs together in an effort to still the carnal heat spreading through her. It wasn't working. She slowly nodded her head and mouthed a silent "Yes."