Disclaimer: All the characters you recognize from the Stephanie Plum books belong to Janet Evanovich. The Inferna Angelus' on the other hand are solely mine as is the tiny terror tiger that rules them.

Chapter 35 – First Kiss

Very, very slowly Esme started to emerge from the depths of her dream world. She felt amazing; all warm and cozy and happy. Snuggling deeper into the warmth surrounding her, Esme suddenly felt her pillow move. The next moment two muscular arms were tightening around her. What the hell? Just as she was about to panic and jerk away, her memories came flooding back. Bobby! He'd come home last night and woke her up with soft kisses and then climbed into bed to hold her. Her pillow must be Bobby! While Esme was processing all that, a hand started to draw lazy circles on her back. Hmmmm that felt soooo good. Languorously she wiggled closer, pressing her body against Bobby's. In response, she felt his chest vibrate with a moan and his arms further tightening around her.

Suddenly, everything around her seemed to intensify. She sensed Bobby's heartbeat pulsing through her, smelled the unique scent of his skin in all its heavenly detail and above all Esme felt every single thought and emotion in his mind as if it was her own. Esme took a deep breath against the sensation to literally be in his body. She'd never felt such a connection with anyone except Rubén and Muerte. Bobby was longing for her; yet at the same time, desperately trying to control his bodily reaction to their closeness. In particular, that area where her shirt had ridden up just a hair exposing the luscious feeling of a tiny patch of naked skin against his.

Esme was moved that his only thought was to not make her uncomfortable. She could sense Bobby's profound love and happiness to be with her coursing through his body overpowering the notions of longing and arousal. She knew, however, Bobby was fighting a losing battle. Through his mind, Esme could feel the blood pooling in his cock, stiffening it. It was a strange sensation to feel a body part that definitely wasn't present on her own body. Carefully, Esme listened inside herself and amazingly found no fear at all. Her sentiments matched those of Bobby. Although, she was vividly aware of his now hard cock pulsating against her leg.

Opening her eyes, Esme admired the sight of Bobby's chocolate brown skin. He was gloriously naked apart from some boxers. Esme's head laid on one of his deliciously bare pecs and her hand rested on the tiny patch of hair in front of her. For whatever reason, Lester's words popped up into her mind 'Listen to your heart, don't over think things'. Slowly, she started to draw delicate circles in Bobby's chest hair. It was so downy soft, Esme was mesmerized by the fleecy texture atop his velvety smooth skin. She had never had the opportunity to stroke a man's chest hair. Agony and Rev didn't have any and the other guys always wore shirts when she shared their beds. Esme was amazed that such a simple act could be so sensual.

At that moment, she felt Bobby exhale a long breath as something clenched in him. His emotions were firing all over the place and it made Esme feel giddy with happiness. Lifting her head, she grinned at him and, never leaving his eyes, placed a small peck on his chest before she started to giggle. Bobby laughed out loud at her excitement and pulled her up so they were face to face. His brown eyes were glowing and his smile was the most beautiful Esme had ever seen on his face.

"Hey there sleepy-head," he lovingly caressed the dimples on her cheeks. "We wondered when you'd wake up."

"We?" Esme signed.

Bobby nodded to her side and Esme suddenly realized they weren't alone in bed. Moose and Shazam were lying on her other side looking all soft and cozy. Momentarily, she let go of Bobby and rolled over to cradle the two plush animals to her chest.

"Bobby, I can't believe you took them to bed with us." Esme signed at a loss for words. She knew it wasn't 'normal' to talk to stuffed animals and take them to bed at the age of twenty-six; but Grief had taught her to ignore social conventions and to do what makes her feel happy and secure. She'd never expected anybody else to behave that way.

Bobby pulled her back over so that they were lying on their sides and facing each other. For long moments, he just absorbed every detail of her beautiful face; her perfectly curved eyebrows, the cut that went through one eyebrow leaving it parted at its highest point; her sparkling green eyes; her cute little snub nose; her mouthwatering lips and last but not least her dimples that showed at the tiniest smile. He tried to see her scars; but he had trouble focusing on them at all.

"You are so beautiful baby," he signed with a look of devotion in his eyes. "I must have been blind not to see that before." Esme still had Moose and Shazam cradled to her chest lovingly. Bobby took her hand and first kissed every single one of her knuckles before he turned her hand and pressed a tender kiss in her palm. Esme watched him in wonder, totally lost in the moment, as he put her hand back on Moose. After a long time of simply looking at each other, Esme lifted her hand to touch him; but pulled back again. Bobby saw her brow crunch right before she averted her eyes.

"Hey baby," he gently lifted her face and smiled at her encouragingly. "Why did you just tense up."

T sighed and bit her lip. She wanted to look away again; but Bobby wasn't having that. Leaning forward he placed two lingering kisses on her still creased brow. "Please tell me, Esme."

"I'm just suddenly so confused. I feel stupid cuz I don't know what to do," she signed after a while.

Bobby looked at her for a moment before his eyes caught her hands clenching Shazam so tightly that her knuckles were turning white. Gently prying her fingers loose, he took her hands in his. They were cold and sweaty with tension and fear. On a guess, he pulled up the sheet covering them both so that it hopefully would feel like a secure cave for her. Putting her hands on his warm chest, he started to rub them. "Please tell me what has you so confused." Oh, this was going to be so hard for her to admit. Bobby could see how her jaw was working and how she was fighting not to pull her hands away from him and run in a panic out the door.

After several deep breaths, Esme gently removed her hands and innocently began to sign while crunching her brow and biting her lip. "The way you look at me and touch me; does that mean that you are my boyfriend now?"

For a second, Bobby was taken aback. He didn't think that there was any doubt about their relationship in either of their minds. Looking at Esme, she was back to clenching Shazam with a death grip and averting her eyes from his. Once more Bobby lifted her head until she looked up. "Esmeralda Torres, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that I want to be your boyfriend. I've fallen so deeply in love with you. I want to explore, without any pressure, what there could be between the two of us. Does this answer your question?" he smiled at her while he caressed her cheek.

A nod and a crooked smile was all that Esme could give him while a stray tear was running down her face.

Carefully, Bobby pulled her up to his body and gently rolled her onto her back; Moose and Shazam like guardians between them. Another stray tear found its way down Esme's cheek. Bobby quickly caught and kissed it away and nuzzled her nose with his. He pulled back just enough so she could see his lips. "Baby, have you ever had a boyfriend before?" He needed to know in order to gauge the impact his actions would have on her. When she shook her head no, his heart sank. Not because it would change his feelings for her; but because he worried his worst fear was about to be confirmed. "Does that mean the rapes are the only experiences you've had with men?" Esme bit her lip and nodded yes. Bobby exhaled a long breath before he leaned his forehead against hers and closed his eyes.

Esme could sense something was changing in him. It felt as though the walls in him were shifting; old ways closed and new ones appeared. From one second to the next, Esme's protection and his care for her became his utmost priority. She was now his and he wouldn't let anyone ever hurt her again! He couldn't say how long they laid with their foreheads connected; but something between them changed in that time. When Bobby finally pulled back a bit he saw his love mirrored in Esme's eyes. "So can I assume that you've never been lovingly kissed?" he asked with a crooked smile.

Esme nodded.

"Then I hope that this one will be worthy of a first kiss," Bobby whispered and slowly lowered his head until their mouths were merely two inches apart. Esme's lips were beautiful; curved, full and looking oh so soft. He drank in their sight and imagined how heavenly it would feel to kiss, suck and nip at them. As he tried to reign in his raging hormones, he felt Esme's breathing quicken. She looked at his lips mesmerized by their tantalizing ampleness. Giving her nose a little nudge, he smiled at her wickedly and got a grin in return. Before Bobby realized it, Esme nudged him back accidentally brushing her lips against his. Her shocked, wide eyes were the cutest he'd ever seen in his life. Closing the remaining distance between them, Bobby again skimmed his lips softly over hers before pulling back. One more time he saw the look of wonder in her eyes that made his heart melt. Dipping down again Bobby gave her lips another whispering touch with his. This time, he pulled just an inch away. Her breathing had deepened, her pupils widened and it was as though she was hypnotized by the power of his lips. Ever so slowly, Bobby started to kiss the left corner of her mouth and tenderly worked his way over to the right corner, nipping at her lower lip in the process. On his way back, her upper lip got the same wondrous attention.

Esme felt heavenly; her own feelings and Bobby's were whirling through her veins. Somewhere in the back of her mind she realized that this moment was just like her dream the night before. Bobby continued brushing and nipping at Esme's lips until they were tingling. The sensations went straight down below Esme's waistline and suddenly her whole body started to tingle. Although Bobby was already partially hovering over Esme, he yearned to be closer. With one swift movement, Esme pulled Moose and Shazam out from between her and Bobby and placed them next to her. The moment they were gone Bobby lowered his body down onto hers. The feeling of her firm breasts pressed intimately against Bobby's muscular chest combined with having one of his legs resting between hers, sent a whole new wave of longing through Esme. The whole time Bobby was increasing his pressure on her lips and eventually gently sucked her lower lip between his teeth. Esme's eyes momentarily widened. She opened her mouth to protest and Bobby swiftly closed his lips on her hers. In her dream, Esme had frozen at this point; but now she knew what heavens awaited her. There was no hesitation at all when she felt Bobby's tongue passionately caressing hers. The massage of his skilled lips sent unfamiliar jolts through her body. His warm tongue made everything in her clench with longing. This was so much better than her dream; but best of all there was no fear in her, none at all. Letting her body move against his, Esme worked her arms around his torso and held on to him like he was her lifeline. Slowly, she felt the last grip she had on reality slip away. Then she was floating, secure in Bobby's arms.

Esme's floating was abruptly ended when she felt Bobby stiffen in her arms. Blinking, she got her bearings and realized that they were total entwined; body, arms and legs. Something seemed to be wrong. She did a quick scan of the apartment and found Button standing in front of the apartment door.

Bobby nudged her so she would look at him. "There's somebody at the door who needs to be shooed away. I'll be right back. Don't even think of moving!" he winked and smiled at her.

As he left the bedroom, Esme looked around. OMG! It's two pm.! Looking for her phone, she crawled to the edge of the bed and found Moose and Shazam in a heap of sheets and pillows on the floor. Cautiously, she peaked over her shoulder at the crumbled bed and couldn't help the giggle that bubbled out of her.

"What are you laughing about, huh?" Bobby grabbed her stuffed animals and playfully pulled Esme back up to the head of the bed. In the process, Esme's shirt rode up to her breasts exposing her flat stomach. "Hmmmmmmm," Bobby licked his lips, "delicious Esme-skin. I wonder how it tastes." He dipped his head down to Esme's stomach. When he was a mere inch away, Bobby paused and gazed wantonly up at her. He saw no apprehension at all in her eyes. As his lips brushed Esme's skin above her belly button, her body surged upward toward him. "Hush Baby," Bobby smiled against her skin and gently pressed her back into the mattress. He lovingly paced his actions in an effort to not overwhelm Esme's senses. Bobby began by placing a ring of chaste kisses around her belly button. Within seconds, he was playfully nipping her skin after every other kiss. When he completed his lecherous loop, Bobby let his tongue swirl around the path his lips had just taken. Looking back up, Bobby saw Esme's eyes were blazing. In the few hours they'd been a couple, he'd learned to love that sight. The little red flecks around her pupil seemed to flare and intensified the green even more. Crawling up her body, he lowered himself between her legs as his hands sweetly cradled her head. He could get lost in those eyes. Esme seemed to feel the same about his so they just looked at each other for a minute before Bobby dipped down and kissed her once more. Esme was an avid learner and in seconds they were both on fire.

"We need to stop baby," Bobby had reluctantly pulled his head back and caressed her face. "Believe me I'd like to stay in bed with you the whole day; but you seem to be missed."

Esme raised an eyebrow at him.

"Do you know a guy, ferocious looking with a braid springing out of the side of his head?" Bobby frowned.

Laughing, Esme nodded.

"He told me to relay to you that 'the men' wonder whether you will entertain them today," Bobby raised an eyebrow at her.

Giggling, Esme signed. "His name is Button and he's one of the new medics on the mission team. The team wonders whether we will do our afternoon training session.

"New medic?" Bobby signed.

"You've missed a lot while you were gone," Esme caressed the slight stubble on his cheek. "Do you want me to bring you up to par with the happenings or do you want Ranger or Tank to do it?"

For a moment Bobby's face darkened. "Truth be told I'd prefer to not see any of them; but that will hardly be possible." He started to nibble at her neck to avoid any further conversation about the topic; but Esme wasn't having that.

Grabbing his hair, she pulled his head up. "What about you say hello to them – Lester especially, he missed you – but you stick to 'boy talk' and I'll tell you everything else tonight?" she signed.

"Boy talk?" Bobby grinned.

"Yeah, ya know. Guns, girls, cars, those things," she grinned back.

"OK," he laughed, "that's a deal. How about I cook something nice for us tonight?"

"That's fine; but we'll have to eat on 5 because I really need to work tonight after I spent most of the day in bed with a gorgeous chocolate hunk that wouldn't leave me alone."

Bobby bit her neck before jumping out of bed. "I'll shower first and then make some breakfast for us while you are in the bathroom."

It was nine pm. when T finally knocked at Bobby's apartment door. She was sweaty, her clothes were covered with dried, cracking mud and clumps of mud were stuck together in her hair. In addition, her whole body was aching from a drop courtesy of Ace. She had looked forward to her evening with Bobby; but now her mood was at an all-time low.

"What happened to you?" Bobby's eyes widened at her sight.

"Thanks for the warm welcome!" T bristled.

"Hey sweety, you know I didn't mean it that way." Bobby tried to pull her into his arms; but T took a step backward. "Esme, what's wrong?" He looked at her confused.

T felt like she was suffocating. She needed to get away. Fast. "You know what?" she signed. "This isn't a good idea. I mean this thing between the two of us. I'm sorry." With that she turned and limped off in direction of the elevator.

Bobby was stunned. Blinking a few times, he watched T's retreating back. Before she could reach the elevator, he was in front of her grasping her shoulders forcing her to look at him. "I don't know what the fuck is wrong; but I won't let you run away and destroy the most wonderful thing that's happened in my life besides falling in love with Rubén. We will go back into my apartment now. I will fill the tub and you will take a relaxing bath. Then we will talk."

T felt the tears prick in her eyes. She ripped herself away from Bobby and stalked to the stairwell. She was shaking with cold, had a pounding headache, felt like shit and her whole body was hurting. Worst of all, she was seething with an unexplainable anger; but definitely not because of Bobby. However, he would be the one who'd take the heat if she didn't manage to get away from him.

"Stop!" Bobby bellowed as he squished himself in front of the stairwell door before she could open it. He looked at her, his eyes confused and full of pain. "Esme, what's wrong?" He signed. "What happened between breakfast and now that has you in such turmoil? Why are you so dirty and limping and why is there dried blood on you face and hands?" He carefully cupped her face and searched her eyes. "Please baby, don't. run. away. Whatever it is we'll deal with it together. That's the up-side of being in a relationship – there's always someone to lean on when you need them." This time as he reached to pull her into his arms, Esme gave in and sagged her strained body into his embrace. Without further ado, Bobby picked her up and carried her back to his apartment. They went straight into the bathroom where he placed her on top of one of the cabinets.

"Wait here," he signed and vanished. Bobby quickly returned with a first aid kit. When T looked up at him, tears were streaming down her face. "Oh no, sweetie, what's wrong? Don't worry, everything's fine with us. I promise." He hugged her close and stroked her back; but Esme shook her head no. Pulling back Bobby looked at her. "What do you mean with 'no'?"

"It's the Blue," she signed sobbing.

"What do you mean?" Bobby asked confused.

"Bobby, I need it. My body needs it. I know it's just withdrawal and that I can't give in; but I feel like shit. I'm freezing, everything hurts and I have a headache. I'm nauseated and all I want is to drink some Blue. It's so hard Bobby. I didn't feel anything this morning; but then this afternoon all I could think of was breaking into Furor's apartment to see whether any of the powder is left."

"Fuck!" Bobby exhaled and pulled Esme tightly back against his body. Slowly, he felt her tense muscles relax. Leaning back he focused on her eyes. "Listen baby, as you said these are withdrawal symptoms. It's not your body that needs the Blue, it's your mind. You suffer from a mental dependency and now you have to stay strong for me, do you hear me? Don't give in."

Esme sniffed and nodded.

"Hey," Bobby nudged her chin upward, "how about that bubble bath I talked about earlier? Then I'll heat up our dinner, we can snuggle on the couch and let those little men in our minds doodle. Watcha think?" He smiled encouragingly.

Esme sniffed again and wiped the tears away. "I can't," she signed. "I have to go to five and work."

She looked so sad and exhausted, Bobby couldn't stand it. "What do you have to work on tonight?"

"Furor and Rage picked up a CD from one of my informants. I need to take a look at it. It's important. I should have done it last night; but I was too exhausted."

"Now your energy is depleted again tonight. Emse, listen, your body and mind need rest. You are running on fumes, Baby. I can see it in your eyes. The more rest you give yourself, the better you can deal with the withdrawal symptoms." He pondered for a moment. "How about I call Hector and he connects my laptop to the TV. Then we can still snuggle in the comfort of the apartment and take a look at the CD for let's say an hour max. Does that sound good to you?"

"It's most probably satellite pictures. Can your laptop deal with the data volume? We would also need that special viewer Woody has down on five."

Bobby could see Esme deteriorating in front of his eyes. "We do this with team work. You go and have a relaxing soak in the bath and I will talk to Hector. Then we can make a plan from there." With that being said, Bobby turned on the faucet of the tub, put some Epsom Salt in it and helped Esme out of her dirty clothes. He had to work hard to reign in his anger when he saw all the bruises that were starting to bloom on her body. Whoever was responsible for that would rather be in another country by the time he found out.

Later that night, Bobby laid wide-awake in bed with a sleeping Esme in his arms. His mind was racing like a freight train. Though it was summer, she was wearing a long sleeved shirt and still he could feel her shaking with the chills. How she was suffering was heart wrenching. Esme had fallen asleep in the tub. He was barely able to keep her awake long enough to get out of the tub and eat something. On the couch, Esme was asleep before the satellite picture viewer had a chance to boot. He'd woken her up later for some bathroom necessities; but as soon as they were back in bed, she snuggled up to him and was out again. This assignment was taking its toll and he still didn't know what had happened while he was away. Rubén broke while doing his job, he wouldn't let the same happen to Esme.

A/N: First of all my heartfelt thanks to Anastasia Y, Sookie Manoso, Madeleine, towhatend and SoBabe80 for your reviews. Thanks girls! I hope this new chapter pleases you (and everybody else of course).

Here is a little preview to the next chapter:

Since when can you remove the trigger spring? Scotch asked puzzled.

Like forever you idiot, Harvey growled.

Harvey, if I hear one more demeaning comment from you our next talk is on the mats, T thought frostily. She had enough of his attitude.

"What the fuck … You know what, T? Nothing against you; but I'm so fed up with all these kids games." Harvey spoke out loud.

"Harvey, shut the fuck up," Vince voice was ice cold as he glared at the man across from him.

"Fuck you Vince. Do you know how pathetic it is to see you so pussy whipped by a woman who won't let you fuck her?"

In a split second Vince was out of his chair. "You better watch what you say, asshole. You are talking about our boss here," he snarled.

"Harvey, Vince, enough!" Ram barked over their noise.

"Fuck off Ram! You aren't better than Vince. Keep thinking of fucking her, don't ya? The whole time I've kept silent; but now it's enough." Harvey's voice started to get louder. "We are fighting against a superior opponent and instead of training hand-to-hand, close combat or our shooting skills we are sitting here like some mental fuckers and puzzle, play 'pack your bag' or mentally dismantle a Glock. What is this? A Kindergarten?"

"Harvey, ENOUGH!" Lester thundered.

[...]

When Bobby gently bit down on her hip bone, something in her clenched with need and her pelvis shot upward. Grabbing his shirt, she pulled Bobby up to her face and kissed him hungrily. For a split second he was astounded by her forwardness; but then Esme felt something in him snap and with a moan he pressed her down into the mattress, his body grinding into hers. Esme felt every bit of his arousal, felt the strain in his cock, the dizziness in his head as if it was hers and it just intensified her own feelings and longing. All at once it became too intense. The whole time she had focused on keeping her mind to herself; but now her control was slipping and the urge to push everything back to him became overwhelming. As Bobby bit down and sucked hard on Esme's pulse point, her whole body pushed into him while his mind was washed over with a tidal wave of her arousal, longing, need, wishes and fears. The mental assault hit him totally unprepared. He laid between Esme's legs and before he could stop the movement his cock slammed into her waiting pelvis and he felt an enormous release claiming him. In his head Bobby screamed at himself to stop; but it was too late. Helplessly he had to feel his groin jerk forward again and again.