"All that's left is screwing these in place," Joss said and John nearly groaned at the choice of words she used as he helped hold the doors in place as she picked up the drill.

Perhaps they should have just left the nearly complete bookcase right in the middle of his bedroom floor to finish it tomorrow; when what happened downstairs after dinner was not fresh on his mind. He had been dangerously close to kissing her and the only reason he hadn't was because Bear barked and broke the moment to remind him that he needed to go outside.

He nearly fell backwards in his haste to get away from Joss; from her loveliness, from her bewitching scent that made him think of flowers in a meadow. It was ridiculous to be entertaining such thoughts since Joss was going to be going home tomorrow anyway. He'd never see her again. John angrily ignored the pang at the thought. It didn't matter. She didn't matter. How could she when he only known her for two days? But it never had taken him long to make decisions about his life.

He joined the Army after boot-camp knowing it was something he was made for. He met Jessica and knew she was the woman he wanted to marry; to grow old with. He had left the Army for her without a second thought. Working with Harold had been easy; over drinks Harold had run it by him about opening up a business together to protect people and by the end of it he had agreed. Asking Jessica to adopt with him because she couldn't carry a child to term was spur of the moment, then walking away from everything after Jessica died, because memories were everywhere that had been quick. Everything he had ever done in his life was always spontaneous and done with thinking from his heart not his head.

He sat back on his haunches and eyed Joss's butt as it poked out while she worked. John fought the growing desire to grab her. He knew she said it felt like she knew him a lot longer than she did, but grabbing her ass because he couldn't fight the urge too; would surely appall her. He winced as his pants felt tight as he imagined her ass bare without the barrier of her slacks or panties in his way as he nibbled and kissed it. John banished those thoughts as she moved and brought him back to reality that he was sitting on his knees on his floor building a bookcase.

"Last one…" she murmured distractedly as she moved onto the other hutch door and he held it for her.

She shifted her eyes on him for a brief second because he was awfully quiet, had been after their near kiss. Joss didn't know what she should do?—call him out on it, or let it fester. But why bother when she was leaving tomorrow? He would probably carry her to her car and fling her into it and be free of her to get back to his moping around. Joss angrily screwed the screw tightly into the hinge.

She sat back and looked at John. "All done," she murmured hiding her thoughts away behind a veil of humor as she dropped the screwdriver much like a mic-drop.

He smiled gently as he climbed to his feet. "Looks good, but I can't wait until I get this standing up." he replied before looking down at her. Joss was eye level at his crotch. She scowled as she looked away from him and wanted to glare up at the ceiling. Seriously was the guy upstairs trying to test her willpower! "Do you need help up?"

"No, I can manage." she muttered grumpily. Joss wasn't touching him so she could feel his soft skin under hers, feel the heated texture.

She got to her feet and watched as John lifted the now complete bookcase up. She smiled, enjoying the muscles play under his tight shirt. But she shouldn't be focusing on such things, especially not after the sexually charged moment they shared after dinner.

"It looks good if I do say so myself," she said, pleased with their handiwork as she shifted her attention from the hot and sexy man before her to the piece of furniture which was not as good to look at. "Do you need help moving it?"

"No," he said instantly.

"Well let's get this bad boy up against the wall and see how it looks," she said.

John winced at her words because though innocent as they were they brought him back to his fantasy of taking her against the wall, holding her there and fucking her senseless. He shifted as he felt his groin immediately react to the purely carnal thought. No, no, no; this wasn't what he wanted, not with Joss around. How would he explain an erection to her?—'oh sorry, I got hot and bothered because I imagined fucking you against the wall.'

He just focused on moving the bookcase to the wall he chose that looked absolutely bleak and barren without something there. He stepped back to eye how it looked.

"It looks good there," Joss said, nodding as he stepped beside her.

"It does," he agreed as he turned to look at Joss. "Thanks for the help."

She smiled. "You're welcome; glad to help," she admitted.

They sat together on his couch feigning watching television. Well she was; John, she wasn't sure if he was actually watching the documentary or pretending to. Joss just couldn't quite put what happened between them behind her. She had ignored it while they worked on the bookcase, or rather; she worked on the bookcase while he was there to offer help to lift. John really wasn't a DIYer, worse than her. But after the bookcase was put together and moved to the appropriate spot, then all the focus shifted from that to the fact that she was in his bedroom and near that gigantic bed of his. And that was not good. She had made a fool of herself by claiming she needed to go call her son, though to be fair she doubted John knew she lied, but she knew she lied, and she was angry with herself. Angry that she was letting her hormones get the best of her.

Joss did call Taylor which was a good reprieve for her. Her son exclaimed about the party and how much he had a blast. He wanted to know if she was alright and she told him she was getting a tow truck tomorrow. Joss conveniently left off about John and where she was. She knew how her son would react and she didn't want him to worry. After she ended her phone call with her son she felt like she could face John again because it was reaffirmed to herself that she would be leaving tomorrow. She could handle being in his presence even with the pesky attraction between them. It was for just one more evening.

She forced her focus on the television screen and saw the documentary had ended and a new documentary started: The Science of Sexual Attraction. Joss froze. Seriously! What the hell was this: a sign?—she already knew she was attracted to the man. She didn't need to be hit over the head with it.

John sat forward and immediately reached for the remote. "Ah, I'm sure there is something else on," he muttered quietly.

Joss nodded. "Yea, uh, I think I'm going to head upstairs and catch a bath then head to bed. I'm beat," she murmured.

John looked at her and nodded. She sat forward and grabbed her crutch getting to her feet. She hobbled to the staircase with a glance at her watch and winced when she saw it was only eight o'clock in the evening. She let her shoulders slump as she climbed the stairs. She needed this bath to try to release this tension in her. Maybe then she could focus again.

She made her way into the bedroom to grab her jammies, body wash, and bubble bath she brought with her. Joss entered the bathroom and closed the door undressing carefully to not injure her ankle and started the water. Once she was satisfied with the temperature she proceeded to add the bubble bath and smiled as it filled the tub with bubbles and a sweet scent of lavender.

She climbed into the tub and relaxed back and sighed. She melted right in to the water and sweet scented bubbles, closing her eyes. This should relax her after such a long tense day between her and John. But what would be even better is if John joined her.

Her eyes snapped open at the thought. But then why couldn't she daydream of John joining her, she was alone in her thoughts and it was just a harmless fantasy. Her eyes shut once more as she allowed herself to get lost in the fantasy of John entering the bathroom for some flimsy reason that was so paper-thin because he wanted to catch a glimpse of her in her bath. But instead of letting him leave; she asked him to come close because she forgot her body wash on the vanity and didn't want to climb out to go get it; she didn't want to get water and bubbles all over the floor.

John the good man that he was did as she asked, grabbing the body wash for her, moving close to hand it to her. Joss could easily see the bulge growing in his pants, knowing he was turned on by the sight of her; just as she was turned on by the sight of him. She could imagine John beautifully naked. It would a sight worth the weight in gold.

"Would you mind?" she asked as she sat forward careful to keep decent with use of her knees and the bubbles.

"I don't think that's such a good idea, Joss." he murmured, voice husky and eyes dark.

"Please," she purred, throwing caution to the wind.

She smiled when he opened the cap as he poured a liberal amount into his hand and closed the cap before rubbing his hands together before rubbing them over her back. Joss moaned as she could feel the glide of his hands down her spine washing her. His hands slid down under the water running across her skin. Her nipples tight with growing desire as she felt wet between her legs that had nothing to do with the water she was sitting in. She longed for his hands to slide in front of her body to cup her breasts, have those sexy fingers of his twisting and plucking her nipples.

"John," she moaned gently.

"Joss, I think I should go…" he whispered as she leaned back to see into his luminous blue eyes that were smoky with desire.

"Don't," she whimpered as she leaned over and caught his mouth with hers. But this time she wasn't kissing him teasingly or briefly. This time her lips were demanding on his, her tongue swiping across the seam of his lips seeking entrance which he granted instantly. Joss moaned as she clutched his shirt in her fist and cupped her other hand on his cheek as his moved in her hair.

Joss couldn't get enough of his mouth but he pulled back long to remove his shirt and she groaned as she came face to face with that body again. But this time she got to touch it, scratch it, kiss it, and suck on it. She desperately wanted to suck on a part of his body alright. She wanted to rim that naval with her tongue and follow that lovely trail that disappeared into his jeans.

"God, you're beautiful," she breathed.

"Not half as beautiful as you are, Joss," he assured her as he surged forward and kissed her again but this time his one hand slid down and brushed her breast. Her nipple was hard and puckered. But his hand continued further into the water and bubbles and found her center with pinpoint accuracy. Joss broke the kiss to cry out as his fingers rubbed her clitoris.

Joss wrapped an arm around his neck pulling him forward into the bath; pants and all, needing his skin on hers. She moaned as he rested on top of her in the tub, water and bubbles sloshing around madly even going over the edge as it was displaced with his body, and the hand between her legs didn't miss a beat. Joss lifted her hips in silent urging for more as they kissed passionately. John's tongue was teasing hers, making her stomach flutter in anticipation, and her breasts rubbed sinfully against his chest. She let her hands wander down to the soaking wet pants he was wearing and grabbed handfuls of his butt.

He broke the kiss to nibble her shoulder, uncaring about the bubbles he licked, and she leaned her head back to moan in protest as he removed his hand from between her legs. "John, make love to me," she begged as she pulled him forward so his erection encased in his pants were pressing against her mound. "Oh god, please…" she whimpered as she shuddered as his hands framed her face with extremely cold hands that made her shiver but not from lust. "You're cold….too cold…"

Joss opened her eyes breathless, nearly yelping out loud as the temperature of the water was frigid against her overheated skin; drawing her from erotic fantasy just as it got to the good part. Her body felt on fire even though she felt like she was sitting in ice water. The ache that fantasy caused between her legs was overwhelming and there was no way in hell she was going to be able to sleep unless she did something about it.

She leaned her head back against the tub trying to slow her breathing down. Joss shivered; one thing she did know was that she had to get out of the tub because she was cold. She slowly got up, keeping all her weight on her good foot with water and bubbles dripping down her body. She reached down to undo the plug so the water and bubbles could drain out. Joss silently dried herself off with the towel before climbing out of the tub.

She got dressed into her underwhelming pajamas, she didn't pack any sexy nightwear, before exiting the bathroom and John appeared at the top of the stairs. She groaned as she was severely underdressed at the moment; but the bath she just took had done nothing to relieve the tension that was building inside her. Instead it had made it worse.

John nodded with eyes averted. "Goodnight, Joss," he mumbled out as he went to walk past.

Joss closed her eyes as his sexy scent wrapped around her. "It's because I like you," she blurted out. The inherent fight or flight response to any situation kicked in and she was always the type to fight. Hiding from this; from this attraction was getting them nowhere. And she, for one, was done. For god sake's she was heading to her room at eight in the evening, pretending she was that tired!

He stopped mid-stride and turned around to look at her. Joss wished she had a little more distance between them, his eyes were questioning. Joss continued, "You asked me earlier about why I'm nervous around you: it's because I like you, John."

"Joss…"

She searched his gaze and saw his expression was carefully masked. "Don't worry, John; I'll be out of your life soon. But I'm the type of person that speaks how they feel and whether or not you want to hear it: I'm attracted to you and I think you're attracted to me too," she stated honestly. John simply stared at her, not giving away anything and didn't say a word. Joss nodded. "Goodnight, John," she whispered as she turned to head for her room.

She blinked in surprise when his large hand wrapped around her forearm and her body was already overheated from the fantasy, but his touch ignited something primal deep inside her. She turned to look at him and was tugged to him with big hands cupping her face.

"Stop me," he breathed as he bent his head to kiss her.

"I don't want too," she reassured. He moaned softly as he kissed her.

AN: Well...goodbye T rating and hello M rating but I think it's mild :) I actually was asked before by a couple of you guys when I moved Bring Me to Life to the M section where it went. So just in case if there are readers who don't know M can only be found if you filter it. You have to go to 'filters' and choose M for the rating. Hope that helps.

Thanks for reading!