Chapter Six

This Moment

Jordan reached up and put her hand over his, keeping his palm cupped to her cheek. "I do, you know…still love you. I know I've told you that before and you didn't believe me. I can't say I blame you, but it's the truth. And if you leave tonight…and we never see each other again…or speak to each other again…I want you to know that what I feel is real. And that I do…really love you." She turned her head and kissed his palm.

Woody felt fire, ice, and flood pulse through his arm at her soft caress. His other arm automatically went around her waist as his hand tilted her head up and found her waiting lips. A gentle kiss was what he was expecting. One that was filled with the sadness of a love that probably wasn't going to be requited.

What he got was one that was one that was an emotional maelstrom. The soft caress he had envisioned began to quickly change into something very different when Jordan opened her mouth and made no protest when his tongue traced her lips and then began a gentle exploration of her mouth.

He meant it to end then. He really did. But when Jordan wrapped her arms around his neck to keep him close, the sheet that she had held around her slipped down, and suddenly Woody found himself in a very precarious prediction. Not that he minded.

And evidently, neither did she. Jordan just pressed herself closer and Woody felt and heard the low moan coming from the back of her throat.

He snapped then. Everything…all the control he had exercised with her now and in the past … was gone as he pushed the sheet and blanket further down and pulled her closer, nearly into his lap now. She smelled like jasmine and felt like silk…and was still offering no token of protest as he wrapped her long hair around one hand and skated the other down her back. He broke the embrace only long enough to pull his jacket the rest of the way off and let her help him tug the sweater off that was under it.

He paused then…to look at her…her smoky eyes and her lips that were now swollen from his kisses. Hesitated long enough that she could tell him to stop…that this was a mistake…it wasn't the right time…instead she ran her hands up and over his chest, pausing at the scar that bore witness to the bullet that had changed everything in their lives. Instead of pushing him away, she looked in his eyes and whispered again, "Please…don't leave me…not this time…please?"

Dear God…was nearly his last coherent thought. Her soft plea had been his complete undoing. Cradling her head with one hand and keeping the other on the small of her back, he gently eased her down onto the bed, pausing long enough to take off his pants, shoes and socks before lying down beside her.

The trite comment, "Are you sure?" never passed either one of their lips. As a matter of fact, there were no words at all – they both knew the time had long passed for such statements. They both were sure…they both wanted this. Woody knew it instinctively when she pulled him back down for another kiss and felt it in her response when he palmed her breast. Gasping, she arched against him and pulled him closer, running her hands over his back and neck, and anchoring them in his hair.

For Jordan, the time stood still. Woody was all she was aware of…his smell, the taste of his skin and lips…the fact that he was loving her. She shuddered when his mouth found that sensitive spot just below her ear…then felt his lips and tongue begin a trail down her neck, to the hollow at the base of her throat where she felt his teeth rasp against her skin.

And every nerve ending in her body stood up when he took her nipple in his mouth, paying it the same attention with his lips that he had with his hand. She opened her legs to hold him even closer, her hips rising to meet his, a silent invitation to take things further.

An invitation Woody readily accepted, trailing his hand down her abdomen to the sensitive area between her legs, and feeling her buck against him in response. He sighed his approval against her skin as he began to tenderly explore her in ways he had only dreamed about before.

But her response made his dreams pale in comparison. She was hot and tight against his finger, moaning her need against his lips. "Now…"

Instead he made no attempt to rush the moment…wanting this time…maybe the last time they'd be together…to last as long as possible.

Or at least as long as he could safely make it. The last thing he wanted was for Johnny to discover where he was at and where Jordan lived. If the mobster was uneasy with the way his and Jordan's relationship was in the past, now it would be even worse…because at the end of the night, Woody wasn't sure he could walk away and leave her.

But he would have to. For her own safety…and his assignment.

However, that was still hours away…and they had right now. This moment. Deftly, he kissed his way down her thigh and calf, and back up the other leg until she was squirming beneath him. Then with one hand at the small of her back and the other arm bracing himself, he slid into her.

If he had thought she was hot and slick before…Oh God…she has no idea what she is doing to me…Woody thought as he felt his control completely slip when she rocked against him and took him deeper.

He wasn't sure what woke him…whether it was the soft sigh she let out in her sleep or just the unconscious awareness that he needed to leave. Quietly, he got out of bed and reached for his pants, hoping not to wake her. He'd leave her a note and slip away…and after the case was closed maybe they could sort out what had happened between them last night. What it meant. Did it mean anything? For the life of him, Woody knew that it did. It meant something. Probably everything. Jordan had given herself to him last night every time he had asked. In everyway he had asked. If only this had happened at another time and another place in their lives.

"You're leaving, aren't you?" Woody heard her soft voice break in over his thoughts. Busted.

"I have to, Jor."

"No, you don't. Stay here with me." She got up and sat behind him, wrapping her arms around him and pressing her still bare body against his back. "You don't have to go back…I can get you that job at Massachusetts Technologies. We can be together…things can work out."

Woody shut his eyes against the temptation. "I can't. You know that." He stood and slid on his pants and sweater.

"You can." Feeling suddenly bereft of the warmth of his body, Jordan clutched the blanket to her. "You could…if you really wanted to."

He zipped the jacket up and turned, keeping his back to her. If he looked her in the eyes, he was afraid he'd tell her everything…blow the assignment and his cover…

But was it worth possibly ruining anything he could have with Jordan now? Swallowing hard, he prayed she'd understand when it was all over. "You know the mob, Jordan. Once you're in, you're in. And I'm in…I'm Little Johnny's right hand man at the Rose…"

"M-L-I-T." She spelled out the word.

"M-L-I-T?" He turned around and looked at her then.

"Mob lord in training," she sadly replied, looking up at him with tears filling her eyes.

"Yeah. Something like that." He shoved his feet in his shoes. If he didn't get out of her bedroom soon, he'd never want to leave. Not that that was such a bad idea….given how his body was responding to the thought.

"Please…don't leave, Woody. Stay…" she asked one more time.

Shit. "I have to…I just came by to see if you were okay…I heard you were still taking Max's death hard…and I was worried. I never expected this," he glanced toward her bed…a mess of rumpled bed linens and blankets… "to happen."

"Are you sorry it did?" she quietly asked.

For the life of him, he couldn't lie to her about this. Not about making love to her. It would crush her and ruin anything they might have between them. "No. No, I'm not. But I do have to go." He raised the window up enough he could climb out of it and onto her fire escape. Her sniffle caught him off guard. Hell…

Woody reached out and lightly touched her cheek, feeling a warm wetness on her skin. "Don't cry over me, Jor. It's okay," he said as soothingly as possible. "Don't…" He kissed her then. A light caress, meant to banish her fears. He dared not touch any other part of her. It was too risky. He'd end up staying for another two hours at least and have to try to find his way back in broad daylight with the chance of being seen by the men he knew were already watching him pretty closely. He turned away quickly and climbed out the window.

Only to be stopped cold by her voice following him. "I love you."