Hey all, glad to see lots of people passing the word and sharing the love! Also, the end of this chapter might require some fanning down and/or cold bevvies during/after reading! Enjoy!

By Friday morning, the shit had really hit the fan and Esposito couldn't have been happier. Mike had broken down after four hours in the box when they told him they'd discovered that eight years prior Angela had miscarried her baby after Timo's death, confessing that if his daughter had just been honest with him this probably wouldn't have happened. But his eyes were dry as he said it and he'd gone from impenetrable wall to sullen resignation.

Even better had been when Montgomery had spoken at the press conference and made both him and Ryan anonymous heroes: He'd stated how due to the strained and limited resources of overworked, under-appreciated NYPD cops, they'd done the responsible thing and handed the case over to the authority more equipped to handle this kind of investigation. The way he phrased it made them sound like whipped starving work horses who'd been so overwhelmed with the nature of the case they'd blown the whistle to big brother who'd stepped in with a kind smile and helping hand.

That was crumbs, though, compared to what the papers and press did with the news that it was a cop like Mike Doran who'd had Timo Ross and his own child, killed for no reason than to cover his own dirty dealings. When that news hit the streets, the guys in Vice said it was like yelling 'shark' at a crowded beach. Esposito had thought that it would be game over once the papers learned their names but Montgomery never released them, as it was vital to the integrity of the case and the upcoming trials that the two initial investigators remained annonymous.

Though it was hard to deal with the emotional fallout of it, Esposito was happy that Timo and Angela's killer had been brought to justice and that he could go out with his wife as planned. He was just shutting down his computer, ready to leave for the night when Montgomery poked his head out of his office.

'Detective Esposito, a word?'

Esposito went into the captain's quarters, took a seat as Montgomery closed the door.

'I know you've got plans with your wife tonight, Detective so I'll keep this short. I'm proud of you.'

'I- thank you sir.' The praise from his boss was not uncommon, Montgomery was grateful and gratuitous with his recognition of their work on a daily basis, but this level meant you really knew what you were doing. 'I just wanted to close the case for Timo. He meant a lot to me sir, and I wasn't about to put my family in jeopardy.'

'You're a good man, Javier, and a hell of a cop. You did the job and this time around, we won.' Montgomery smiled. 'Don't let me keep you now, I know you and Meredeth are having some kind of fancy date night. Your partner told me when we spoke earlier.'

'Yeah, it's our Valentine's tonight, since she'll be over seven months by the time it actually rolls around so we're having dinner out tonight instead.'

'How goes the name-game?' The captain laughed when Esposito rolled his eyes dramatically. 'It's always a tricky part. Enjoy your night tonight.'

Meredeth tugged the zipper up her side, twisted to look at herself in the mirror. She'd gone shopping for a dress and hoped that she hadn't puffed up even more, but thankfully, she looked good. The black material with its silver accents hugged around her breasts in a flattering way and flowed like rainwater over the bump all the way down to her knee, and she'd added on funky flats with gel soles to make her feet feel a little more pampered. She styled her hair and done her makeup and sighing she looked at the butter-yellow tulip that had arrived that morning from the florist, along with a note from her husband that made her sigh in romance.

She glanced over and saw him finishing tying his smoky-silver tie with his sharp looking suit - all black, even the shirt - and caught a heady sniff of his special-occasion aftershave. The scent of it, pure male, made her salivate but she kept it in her pants, as she knew how the night would end and anticipation of it was half the fun.

'You all set, babe?' she asked, reaching for her dress coat.

'Yeah, I...' Esposito glanced at her in his mirror, then turned around to get an eyeful of her. 'Wow.'

'You like?'

'Wow,' he repeated, kissing her on the cheek. 'My Danish apple's a blackberry tonight.'

They took the subway, rather than trying to find parking in Lower Manhattan on a Friday night before Christmas, to Portafino's and Meredeth felt like an absolute princess when he held open the door for her and they were shown to their seat by the fireplace.

'We are serving three chefs specials tonight. Might I suggest the oh-three Zugatti spumante rota to begin your meal tonight?'

'A glass for myself and soft cider for the lady,' Esposito said; the waiter nodded and backed away from their table.

'I'm surprised the guy didn't say it doesn't matter if you're pregnant or not, the doctors say a glass of red wine is fine once in awhile when you are pregnant,' Meredeth commented, unsure of what she craved for dinner tonight.

'We worked a case a little while back, before you and I were married, a guy shot a busboy in the middle of a restaurant because he brought his wife wine when she was pregnant.'

'I know you're protective, but I hope you wouldn't go that nuts.'

'I wouldn't, because you'd be there reeling me in with the butterfly net.' Esposito picked up her hand, grazed the knuckles with his lips. 'If I ever get as bad as Kevin was, you have full permission to snap my neck with your bare hands.'

'Not snap your neck, but you would find it hard to sit down with third degree burns on your ass.' Meredeth's nerves went all a-tingle when his lips hit her skin and decided the spicy red sauce was out. She was hot enough for him as it was, she didn't need to add anything else to it. 'I think I'm going to go for the grilled prosciutto and melon for my antipasto and the grilled pork loin over farfalle with creamy tomato, pancetta and fontina

'That's a lot of ham,' Esposito commented, looking off her menu; he loved the intimacy of the restaurant that he could do that without others looking at him strangely. Esposito had always been one to sneer at public displays of affection, but after meeting Honey-Milk for the first time and seeing Ryan plant one on his girl in the middle of the bullpen, he had softened this stance.

His musings were cut short as the blood drained out of his head and into his lap when Meredeth turned to whisper in his ear, 'Guess you could say I have a very strong craving for pork today.'

By the time they were back in Chelsea, Esposito was ready to have his wife on any available service she could handle. The entire night had been one of romance and teasing; he'd gotten her back for the 'pork craving' comment in the restaurant at the jazz club. She asked him if he was impressed by the performer, and he murmured saucily in her ear, 'No one blows me away like you do, though.' He'd gotten a slow, sticky kiss in return for that one, the kind that made him fantasize about what she'd do with that mouth once they were home.

Now that they were, and he'd helped her out of her coat, Esposito turned her around in his arms and pulled her as tightly as he could against her, combing his fingers through her hair as he lowered his mouth to hers. He kept his touch light as butterfly wings on her lips and just nudged the tip of his tongue between them.

'Do you know how many times I've undressed you with my eyes tonight, Javi?' Meredeth murmured, her hormones all but singing hallelujah as he dipped lower and found the sensitive skin where her pulse knocked at her throat.

'About as many as I've thought of you mostly naked.'

'Mostly?'

'I keep thinking of you on a white beach with a very tiny bikini on.'

'How tiny?'

Esposito flicked his eyebrows once. 'The kind that makes the purple lingerie you wore for our six months together when we were dating look like a flannel nightgown.'

'Well, I don't have any of those but I do have something red hot to put on.'

Meredeth took his hand and led him upstairs to their room, shut the door behind them. She gave him a smouldering kiss, took the bag from Sizzling Stork into the ensuite. 'While you're waiting,' she murmured, 'there's a new addition in the toy-box. Check it out, we can use it if you like.'

Esposito waited until she'd closed the ensuite door to change and not spoil his surprise before reaching under her side of the bed and pulling out the white box of trinkets and other things they used in the bedroom - the silk scarves and naughty dice, the copy of Dear Diary from their honeymoon, novelty condoms and of course, their treasured extra-virgin coconut oil. And, he noted, a new box of edible massage oils. It was one of his top-three ways of being seduced, he thought, tugging off his tie and belt then rolling off his socks. The touch and feel of Meredeth's hands so intimately on his body was always something that put him in the mood, and when fragrant oils were added, he never had a prayer. These ones, he saw, were summer fruits - raspberry, peach, and lemon-lime. Where she got them from, he didn't know, but he knew she would write them a very nice thank-you note.

The door of the ensuite opened and Esposito was glad he was sitting down as he saw her walk out, almost shyly towards him. The baby-doll was come-hither red, accenting the gorgeous line of her bust and her baby-bump and to his purely prurient male fantasy, she'd skipped the panties. Nothing but his Meredeth under the hemline.

He stood up, crossed to her. 'God, what a sight you are. I could eat you up.'

'That sounds like an excellent idea.' Meredeth stepped closer, flipped open the buttons of his untucked shirt, then slid her hands over his body, making his shirt slip to the floor before she went for his pants. He was already hot and bothered for her, she could feel it, so she took her time and slid one hand beneath his boxers to cup him. Decadence heated her blood as she saw him tense a little then groan in frustrated pleasure as both his bottoms hit the floor. Knowing it would drive him wild, Meredeth stood in front of him, legs apart as she ground against him, slipping and sliding a little in anticipation.

'You wicked woman,' he murmured, hooking his fingers around the straps of her baby-doll and tugging them down her shoulders so he could watch those beautiful breasts and their slick, heated points pop out the top of the red fabric. 'You're not the only one who can tease,' he added, reaching his fingertip out and stroking one nipple then the other, making her gasp and sigh. Holding her tightly, he sat down on the bed so she was on top of him and he moved so she was underneath him, her back supported by the bed.

'What is it my Merry-Cherry wants,' he mused in a low voice, thrumming with desire. 'I know I want to hear her scream my name but how does she want to do that tonight?'

He flicked open the hooks between her breasts, holding her lingerie in place and they sprang out; he immediately filled his hands with them, then lowered his mouth to one as he massaged them, flicking his tongue teasingly over the nipple. The sound she made in her throat, a rusted groan of pleasure, made his head swim; every time they made love, even just a quick pet if not actual sex, she made the most beautiful sounds of satisfaction. When he moved to the other one, her hands smooth and clenched over the back of his head.

'I want your mouth on me, Javi.'

Esposito grinned against the curve of her breast. He'd hoped she'd say that, as he loved the noise she made when he did so. Trailing a line of kisses over her bump, where he felt the baby awake and kicking like Christian Reynaldo, he placed his hands on the outsides of her thighs and licked his way up her leg until he hit the honey-pot. Her hips bucked slightly and she kept both hands on the back of his head to keep him close as he kissed and tasted her, every pass making him harder until she was crying out his name in extended syllables and he knew he needed to bury himself inside her.

Though she couldn't really arch her back for him anymore, Meredeth had no problem letting him know just how good it felt when he did this. She could feel the wind-up for it inside, outside, everywhere on her body until her hips were grinding rhythmically and she felt his fingertips brush hers when her hands fell away from his head. She moaned out her orgasm of epic proportions and felt his fingers link with hers. Still in the throes of the first one, she watched with lust-heavy eyes as he kissed the inside of her leg and moved up her body so she could look him in the eye.

'You want me to-'

Esposito cut her off by brushing his fingertip over her lips, then kissing her. He reached behind her head and adjust one of his goose-down pillows there to give her hips a little leverage. Once he had her comfortable, he stroked his hands over her thighs, keeping just enough pressure on to keep them open for him. He ranged himself over her, hovering near her entrance as he nibble at her earlobe.

'How do you want it tonight, my love, loving, sexing or fucking?'

Meredeth's blood bubbled madly as she felt him so close to her. 'Fucking,' was her breathy, moaned reply; Esposito would take her at her word. He sank himself inside her making her pop with that little 'oh'. He kept his hands where they were to keep her thighs apart; each stroke actually had the headboard thumping against the wall as her gasps of appreciation for his talent grew louder and louder until she was, as he knew she would, scream for him. She heard him too, just as loud with her, panting for more and telling her how good she was as he felt her clench and tense and cry out she was coming. Her orgasm this time was an avalanche of sensation, mind-blowing and humbling all at once while she sobbed out his name against his neck, fingers clutching at his back while his dug into her hips and cheeks to give her another one.

She was so damn sexy, he thought, feeling her breath on his ear, and he loved her; it was his last coherent thought, for he felt the lock on the floodgates release and he moaned back in her ear, 'Come with me, Mere.'

R&R&Enjoy!