Disclaimer - I do not own the Blacklist. Although i will have to watch the show all over again to get an understanding of where the show is actually at, as opposed to where my head is at - I've gotten completely ahead of myself in my fantasy Keenler land :). If there are any kiddies reading this story - please stay away from the next couple of chapters. You have been warned.

Chapter 12

She wasn't sure how she could feel this happy. How everything had changed in the span of thirty minutes, her life being turned upside down. Making her realize how clearly unhappy she had been for months. His hand on her back exhilarated her, wanting nothing more than to turn in his arms and wrap herself around him, getting lost in all the sensations he brought out from her. Their walk to his car was silent, but not lacking in heated glances and soft touches. When his hand left her back and reached for her hand to help her get in, her stomach turned inside out. How could she possibly feel so much? She had loved Tom, without a doubt. She had been happy with him. But never once had she felt this all-consuming heat she was feeling now. This slow burn that had started and seemed to ignite her whole body. One touch from his hand sent sparks of heat through her system. And she couldn't wait to catch fire.

As they drove, she couldn't help but notice him going a completely different route than to either of their apartments. She turned her eyes at him in question, doubts flaring through her mind again. Could she have been that wrong? Surely not after what had happened in her office?

His thoughts were clouded to everything except her. Current case, Reddington, the whole FBI be damned. He had her and he wasn't letting her go. He reached out to the hand that was resting on her thigh, needing physical confirmation that she was in the car with him and that this wasn't some amazingly realistic dream. He stifled a moan as she started playing with his fingers, gently tracing his joints one at a time. This single point of contact making his blood boil. But he wanted to do this right. Do right by her. So he steeled himself to hold back a little longer, waiting for her to realize they were not actually going to either of their apartments.

Her usually perceptive self took a bit longer then usual to glance his way in confusion and question. Seeing the doubt clouding her eyes made him aware that she was nervous. He smiled down at her in reassurance, trying to convey everything him felt for her through his eyes. "I at least have to buy you dinner first" her answering laugh washed a sense of peace over him. "Didn't seem to stop you in my office". And she was back to the torture. How he was going to survive with her he wasn't sure, but what a way to go.

A frustrated sigh left his throat, making her chuckle. She saw him grip the steering wheel in a death grip, pleasing her to no end that she brought out this kind of reaction from him. While she was frustrated in the best possible way, she did want to see where he went with this. His need to go about it the proper way made her feel precious, realizing that he wanted to do the right thing by her. Which was ironic when all she wanted to do was tell him to pull over so that she could climb into his lap and do mind-blowing things to him.

They pulled up at a restaurant, one that she hadn't even known the existence of. His hand traveling a path from her back to her hip as he secured her into his side. She gave no resistance as she molded her body into his. The inside of the restaurant was a huge contrast to what it looked like from the outside, as it had looked like a run down warehouse. The inside however was furnished in a 1920's style. The smooth jazz music playing and the private booths giving the place an indescribable sensual vibe. She lowered her eyes as she heard him speak to the hostess, trying to get herself under control and get a grip on the situation.

Surely he knew what he was doing to her? The atmosphere of the restaurant only heightening all of her senses. As they slipped into a booth, she almost groaned at their position. They had a perfect view of the empty stage, but where hidden from view of any other patrons. Thankful that he decided to sit across from her and not beside her, she gathered her thoughts. Considering he wanted to drag things out for her, she could assist in making his life a little more difficult.

The grin she had on her face made him weary. Not sure of her next move. He had brought her here for the privacy, not sure whether he could keep his hands off her through a whole dinner. He knew that this place allowed for privacy. The drug bust he had carried out here a couple of years ago proving that. What he hadn't counted on was her using it against him, cursing the stocking clad foot that was now trailing up and down his leg. He glued his eyes firmly to hers, needing her to see what she did to him. At this point he wasn't sure he made the right decision in sitting across from her - there was no way he could fight back or retaliate. Feeling his control slipping from this sweet and perfect torture, he was almost grateful to the waitress for interrupting them and asking for their order. Barely looking at the menu, he ordered a steak, while watching Liz take a bit more time choosing. She casually held a steady conversation with the girl, all the while reaching higher and higher with her foot under the table. Finally deciding on the ravioli pasta.

He watched as she turned her attention back to him, seemingly with and innocent expression, but her eyes gave her away. As if challenging him to comment on the movements under the table.

Dinner progressed slowly. But the ease of conversation surprised both of them. While they had held back for so long, both felt the need to be completely open with each other. They shared stories of growing up, training in Quantico, past cases, families, everything was left out in the open. There was nothing left to hide between them. As desert was brought out, Ressler felt his control slipping. Instantly feeling the tension taking over his whole body as she moaned around the chocolate mouse cake she was trying. It brought thoughts of all the other sounds he could make her do to the forefront of his mind.

As she opened her eyes and noticed the heat in his she bit her bottom lip. Watching as his eyes drifted down to catch the movement, she decided to experiment with his control a bit more by taking another spoonful of the mouse and licking it slowly off the spoon. He clamped his eyes shut at that. "Don't". The huskiness in his voice brought back all the feelings she was trying to suppress during dinner. She was back to burning from the inside out. She put the spoon down, as if surrendering her weapon, and moved out of the booth. His eyes flew open as he heard her movements, his brain trying to catch up with what she wanted.

He was more than ready to go, and her staring down expectantly at him was indication enough for him to know that she wanted it too. He followed her out, stopping only to pay for the dinner at the front, then joining her in the cool nights breeze outside. She had her back to him looking up towards the stars, and he knew he wanted to remember this moment forever. It was the start of something between them. Without anything standing in the way. No Tom or Audrey, their past no longer a concern for either of them. No Red or Meera, with their ever-penetrating gazes and knowing looks. No cases that he cared to even spare a thought to in this moment. It was just him and her, on this cool autumn night. Nothing, not even her, stood in his way now. So he let go of everything, and followed his instincts.

Grasping her hand and leading her to the car, he took her by surprise when he didn't open the door for her, but rather positioned her between the car and himself. Her breath caught in her throat as she reveled in their closeness again. A girl could get used to this. She refused to meet his gaze but rather allowed her hands to travel, starting with his forearms gently moving up his biceps to caress his neck and reach their destination of holding his face between her hands. She could feel his heartbeat match her own pounding rhythm. Unhurriedly she let her gaze drift over his face, landing on his eyes. She was shocked to see no barriers. As if he had relinquished all his control to her. For her. And she loved it. To see him looking down at her with such care and heat was unbearable. She couldn't take much longer. "We're going to my place, its closer".

She said it in a tone that broached no argument. Not that he ever would. But he couldn't let go of her just yet. His hands drifted from where they were resting on her hips, up her sides and over her arms until they both reached and clasped her neck. His massaging fingers caused her to lean her head back urging him on. The movement allowing the front expanse of her neck to be open for his perusal. His mouth automatically latched onto her neck causing a whimper to escape her mouth and her hands to move from his face to his chest. When he felt the pressure of her pushing him away with a whispered "Not here" he thought that his own words were coming back to haunt him.

He pushed off from her, finally opening the car door and her helping in. Amusement bubbled within her as he drove to her apartment in record speed. She couldn't remember much of the drive, or the walk up to her apartment door. She did remember the fleeting thought that went though her mind, as she tried to get the key in the lock, that this was the first time he would be in her apartment. His hand gripping her hip only causing her hands to shake more. He chuckled slightly, the apparently ever-present self-satisfied smirk on his face when she glanced back at him. This gave her the motivation to pull herself together and hopefully make him pay. Finally getting the door open, she turned to him sharply and took hold of his perfectly arranged tie, dragging him inside. His amazement was written all over his face at her boldness, kicking the door closed as he went.

Trying to get a handle of the situation, he reached out to her, grabbing her hips and pushing her into the closest available wall. His hand instantly going to the back of her head to prevent the impact that was inevitable. Her surprised "Oomph" from the collision being muffled as his lips descended upon hers. "Bedroom" the one word coming from him being both a statement and a question as his lips followed the trail of skin towards her collarbone. She pushed him away, only to slowly walk down the corridor and round a corner, slipping her suit jacket off as she went. Momentarily frozen he followed her with his gaze, wondering how long it would take him at this pace to go up in flames. Realizing that he couldn't give a damn quickly, he followed her by the trail of clothes she had left behind, slightly dejected that he wasn't the one that got to rip her blouse off her body as he had wanted to so many times in his dreams.

The sight that met him however instantly expelled any regrets out of his mind. Her kneeling on the bed in front of him in her black lace made his heart beat increase to an outrageous rate. She reached for him and he deliberately walked over to her, watching as her hands reached his shoulders, pushing the suit jacket off. Her fingers continued their movements as her hands moved down to remove his tie and unbutton his shirt, her lips coming to kiss every piece of chest that was being exposed to her. He patiently waited for her to unbutton his shirt all the way down, nearly loosing his control when she untucked the shirt and allowed her hands to climb back up his chest to his shoulders to push it off. He allowed a hiss to escape from his mouth as she scraped her teeth along his collarbone, and dug his hands into her hair, forcing her head to his level and claiming her mouth with his. As she arched into him he circled an arm around her, using it to pick her up completely off the bed, pressing her into him as much as physically possible, while using his other to support them both on the bed as he lowered her onto it.

She was lost. She had never been this turned on in her life. She didn't know whether it was the months of built up sexual tension or just him. She didn't care, because she never wanted to lose this feeling. This was what she was missing, something that she didn't even know she craved. She circled her legs around him, making the heels of her feet dig into the back of his still clothed thighs to push him further down onto her. She ripped their lips apart, not happy with his current state of dress and flipped them over so that he was now on his back. He tried to pull her back down onto him but she resisted, instead moving her hands down from his shoulders down his chest to the button of his pants, his head instantly pushed back into the pillow from the realization of what she wanted. Then slowly lifting both his hips and his head to assist in removing his pants.

She watched in fascination as he looked up at her in awe, as if not truly believing that she was in front of him, his hands traveling up her sides, her hips, the tops of her thighs as if trying to memorize every inch of her. In an unexpected move he sat upright so that she was straddling his lap and his arms encircled her, moving to the middle of her back to unclasp her bra. With the lace being loose, he used his teeth to remove it from her body and she had to use his shoulders for support as her head was thrown back to accommodate the moan escaping her, his name dripping from her lips. His mouth latched onto a newly exposed breast, using his other hand to mirror the movement of his tongue on the other one.

She was perfect. As she sat on his lap, grinding herself into him through the thin material that was separating them, she was absolutely perfect. All the heartache and pain leading up to this moment was completely worth it, and he knew he would repeat everything – with the exception of her getting shot – all over again a hundred times to be here, under her, in this moment. Their hurried movements to remove the remaining clothing, with the combination of soft caresses in-between caused the blood in his veins to simmer beyond boiling point.

The world seemed to stop for the two of them as again their positions changed, she on her back and him on top with his hands framing her face, firm but gentle. Her heart was ready to explode out of her chest, trying to get closer to his. Mindlessly making her back arch to press herself impossibly closer. As he slipped into her for the first time, she let a tear escape her eyes, him catching it with his thumb. He stared to apologize and pull out, until she quickly shook her head and wrapped her legs around him, pushing him all the way in. He tried to understand what she wanted, but the look in her eyes was not something he could decipher. His confused and concerned expression as he looked down on her causing words to be uttered from her lips that she hadn't even admitted to herself until this moment "I love you". He smashed his mouth to hers with incredible force, in such contrast to the movements of his hips that it took her by surprise. She responded in the only way she could, by trying to feel every inch of him that she could reach.

She felt herself reach her climax moaning him name, leading him to follow in his own peak seconds later, his head buried in the crook of her neck. She stroked his sweat soaked back, holding him to her for as long as she could. Eventually he slipped out of her and rolled off, instantly making her miss his heat. Her thoughts drifted to the words she had said to him in the heat of the moment, while she knew they were true and didn't regret saying them, she regretted the fact that maybe she had scared him off. She felt him move against her and realized he was lifting her up and onto him as he laid on his back, forcing her to look up at him. His face was illuminated in the moonlight from her bedroom window and seeing thoughts running through his mind she knew he was trying to put words together.

He didn't know how to put into words what he was feeling. While the words from her lips seemed impossibly important and made his heart soar out of his body, he felt that they didn't even seem to cover a small part of what he was feeling. He knew she needed a response, no doubt misplaced doubt clawing in her mind from his lack of an answer. He pulled her to him, forcing her to look into his eyes and for her to hopefully see what he was feeling. Still not feeling like it was enough, he gathered the courage to lay his heart on the line "I love you" he paused, not knowing how to fully explain the rest of his thoughts, only coming up with one line that somehow conveyed a small part of how she felt to him, how calm and content she made him feel when he was with her. She was his calm in the storm. "You are my home".

Thank you as always for the reviews. They are always beautiful and helpful. I do wish more of you would tell me your thoughts. Its the only feedback i get to know how to improve or what to concentrate on :) Hope everyone is staying safe! Love to all! R&R.

- Stace