Chapter 2

The ride from Maurizio's Restaurant back to Antonio's apartment was filled with tension. The sexual heat was rolling off them in waves. Jessica knew what would happen once Antonio and she were at his home. She knew and she was ready.

Jessica looked over at him and saw his dark hair ruffle in the wind from the open window. She watched his hands as they caressed the steering wheel knowing that soon they would be caressing her own skin.

Antonio took his eyes off the road for a split second and caught her staring at him. He grinned before turning back to the road and enfolding her hand within his.

Antonio stopped at a red light and glanced over to Jessica. He raised her hand to his lips and gently kissed every fingertip. Jessica's breath caught and she couldn't bring herself to look away from his eyes. They looked at each other for so long they didn't even notice that the light had turned green until the car behind them honked loudly breaking their reverie.

Antonio grinned sheepishly before looking back at the road and putting the car in drive.

They held hands the entire way home without speaking. Words weren't needed when they were together. All they needed was one another. The silence didn't matter.

They made their way up the stairs, Antonio never releasing her hand even as he unlocked the door.

"Would you like some wine?" Antonio asked as he tuned the radio to a soft jazz station once inside.

Jessica smiled over her shoulder. "That would be nice."

Antonio wandered over to the kitchen as Jessica nervously patted her hair and looked aimlessly around his apartment.

"Here you go," Antonio murmured interrupting her train of thought.

"Thank you," Jessica said taking the offered glass. "What should we drink to? Good health, friendship?" She asked jokingly.

"How about we drink to us Jessica?" Antonio queried quietly. "To our future?"

"I'll drink to that." Jessica raised her glass and they clinked them never breaking the stare as they slowly sipped.

Antonio lowered his head and grazed his lips across hers tasting the wine on her lips. He reached out for her glass and set them on the table as he led her over to the couch. Antonio sat down and waited as Jessica curled herself into his side before putting his arm around her. They sat quietly for awhile listening to the music.

"I feel so safe here, with you. When I'm with you everything else just melts away." Jessica murmured, burrowing into his shoulder, smelling his spicy scent. "I don't have to worry about anything in the outside world. None of it touches me when we're together."

"You are safe when you're with me Jessica. I would never let anything touch you if I could help it," Antonio whispered as he kissed her forehead. "I will always be there for you. I would do anything to protect you and keep you safe."

He reached for her hands holding them in his own before placing them against his heart. "I care about you Jessica, more than I can say. I--I didn't expect this. After I lost Keri and the baby, I never thought I would be able to feel for another person. You made my world bright again; you made me see. I don't want to lose you."

"You won't lose me Antonio." Jessica squeezed his hand tightly, staring up into his eyes. "I'm not going anywhere, I promise."

His fingers went to her mouth once more gently rubbing over the sleek soft skin. Jessica had an intense desire to taste his skin and she swiped her tongue against the pad of his tongue once, twice. Antonio released a pent up breath as his eyes grew darker. His soft laugh sent goose bumps down her arms.

Jessica could read all sorts of carnal promises in his eyes. Promises she wanted to take him up on, promises she wanted to fulfill. They knew what was going to happen tonight; they both wanted it.

Antonio leaned down and kissed her lips gently. He pushed the thin strap of her gown down her arm before skimming his mouth along her shoulder and latching onto her collar bone where he began to suck. Jessica's head fell back as she tried to calm her rapidly beating heart. His lips moved to her pulse point, licking and nibbling their way before sucking hard, leaving a mark. Jessica's willpower gave out and she collapsed against Antonio as his mouth returned to hers.

He gently eased her down onto the pillows as he followed her down covering her with his body without releasing her lips. Antonio ran his tongue around the surface of her lips before gently entering her mouth where he mated with her own. One of his hands dove into her hair and the other gently clasped her chin to angle her to deepen the contact with her mouth. Antonio pulled back long enough to whisper loud enough for her to hear. "I won't lose you Jessica. I won't." He drew in a ragged breath. "I need you in my life too much."

Jessica shifted to allow his legs to make their way between her own. She groaned as Antonio ground himself into her breaking the kiss. He moved his lips to her ear where he nipped her with his teeth before laving away the slight sting with his tongue.

As he sucked the lobe of her ear into his mouth Jessica moaned loudly. "Antonio…"

"What do you need Jessica? What do you want baby?" He asked as he moved his hips into her tearing another moan from her lips.

Antonio's mouth found the sensitive area of her neck and began to suck once more. "Tell me Jessica."

"Antonio-" Jessica broke off as his hips ground against the place where she needed him the most.

"That's it," Antonio murmured watching her face as he moved his hips. "You have to tell me what you need honey."

"I need you," she whispered tightening her thighs around his own. She rolled her hips up to meet his and this time he was the one who groaned. "I need you Antonio."

Antonio lowered his mouth and kissed her softly as his hand moved slowly up her body. "I need you too Jessica. You have no idea how much."

Antonio took her mouth hard. This was no soft, tender touch; no gentle, sweet invasion. It was a rough invasion. He thrust his tongue deeply into her mouth as she gasped and reached blindly for his neck. He moved his tongue against hers imitating the act of lovemaking. Antonio moved one of his hands down to her breast which he gently grazed before continuing down her body. Every area he touched left fire in his wake. Her stomach tensed underneath his fingers as they moved on to her hip where he cupped it to increase the contact at her center. Jessica moaned deep into his mouth as his groin rammed into hers. She sucked on his tongue hard and Antonio moaned, kneading her hip as he continued to thrust. His hand fell to the hem of her skirt which he started to raise as his hand lightly caressed the sensitive inside of her thighs. Jessica opened her legs wider to allow him greater access as she burrowed her hands in his hair, scratching his scalp, before sucking hard on his bottom lip.

Antonio broke the kiss as his cell phone rang shattering the mood. "Dammit," he whispered as his hand fell from her face. He sat up slowly bringing Jessica with him.

"We always seem to get interrupted. If I didn't know better I would think you were paying someone to call you so you could get away from me," Jessica teased as Antonio pulled the cell phone from his pocket.

"I'm sorry Jessica; I have to take this. It's your uncle," Antonio said regretfully seeing the caller ID.

"It's okay," Jessica assured him as they both stood.

Antonio moved to the kitchen area and spoke quietly with Bo. Her eyes wandered around his apartment taking in the new couch and chair before wandering over to the table. Jessica felt a smile tug at her lips when she noticed the two stuffed animals sitting side by side: Bruno the Bear and Leo the Lion. She couldn't believe that Antonio allowed her to populate his apartment with toys, but it just served to show that he was a man who was completely confident in his masculinity. And what a man he was. She had been about to find out just how much before her uncle Bo had to call and ruin the moment once more.

Damn it Uncle Bo, I mean I love you, but couldn't you at least wait until I got laid to call him?

There was much more between them than just sex and lust though. The two of them filled a void inside the other. At first they were just people offering words of comfort, just acquaintances. Then they had progressed to a tentative friendship based on need. Somewhere though, the lines of friendship and romance became blurred. Jessica realized she was falling for him and she knew that Antonio felt the same. She could sense it. They started out as two people who needed comfort and a friend and grew into two people who simply needed each other.

Antonio walked back over to her. "I'm sorry Jessica. Something has come up and I have to go down to the station."

"Is everything okay?" Jessica asked straightening her dress. "Is there anything wrong? Something seems to have upset you." Antonio looked away from her.

"No, it's-it's just some of your run of the mill police business. It's pretty boring actually." Antonio sighed looking very tired. "I'd much rather be here with you."

She ran her hands through her hair. "I'm sorry that you have to go back to work."

"Jessica, I'm the one that should be sorry," Antonio said, bending down to her kiss her softly. "I didn't want the evening to end this way. This wasn't what I had in mind."

"Neither did I. Raincheck?" Jessica asked shyly.

"Absolutely." Antonio took her hand in his. "How about I take you home?"

Jessica smiled as she looked into his beautiful eyes. "Okay."