3

Elizabeth feels a soft, warm pressure against her cheek, drifting lazily down to her throat, tickling her awake. Her eyes flutter open. She might as well have kept them closed, however, because her room is too dark to see anything. Not that she has to. "John," she sighs as he continues to nuzzle her neck with sweet kisses. His hands play at her sides through the thin material of her bed sheet.

She marvels at the thought that the door opening didn't wake her. She's always been such a light sleeper. "Told you I'd be back," he whispers, finding her mouth and kissing her senseless.

He intoxicates her instantly, bringing heat to every part of her body, especially the lower, girly parts. Her hands grasp his face, his cheeks warm and stubble free. She returns the kiss with every part of her. He's been away far too long. "I wasn't sure you meant it," she says as his lips once again find that spot on her neck that makes her hum.

John slides the sheet aside and she can feel the heat of his hand as it skims over her T-shirt covered belly. She arches against him as his fingers slip beneath the band of her boxer shorts. "You doubt me?" he mumbles against her throat as his magic touch sends a tremble through her body, making her gasp.

"You stayed away…"

"Not long."

She can barely breathe, let alone think as he rubs the spot that makes her body shiver with delight. "Three weeks!" she cries with pleasure.

John stops suddenly. His hand rests against her, but doesn't move, leaving her mind spinning. He lifts his head and she can now see him even in the deep shadows. His eyes glisten from the starlight glittering through her window. "Has it been that long?" She can see the furrow of his brow. His free hand caresses her cheek. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize."

Before she can respond, his mouth claims hers again, the kiss deep and passionate, taking her breath away quite literally. John returns to his ministrations, gently, slowly…bringing her to a boil. Her body is liquid fire, eager to explode. Elizabeth grips his shoulders and pulls him down onto the bed. She can't see his clothes, but can feel the cotton of his T-shirt, the roughness of his jeans. Civvies again! Damn, he's hot in civvies!

He breaks the kiss, leaving them both panting. His lips start a trail down the other side of her neck to her throat. His free roaming hand finds the edge of her T-shirt and pushes it up to expose her breasts. Then his tongue is on her, first one side then the other, he sucks and licks as his hand squeezes and his thumb teases. Just then his other exploring fingers delve inside her as his teeth nip at her sensitive skin. "God John!"

"You like that?"

Her hips rise, pushing against his fingers. "Yes."

"How 'bout…that?"

Her breath catches. "Yes!"

She's about to lose it when he stops, again, this time without apology. She can see the glimmer in his eyes as he smiles up at her. "Not yet." Removing her T-shirt, John attacks her breasts again, this time with both hands kneading her, teasing her even as his mouth continues the earlier delicious torment. Deliberately slow, John kisses his way down her stomach to the band of her shorts. He dips his hot tongue into her belly button and she sobs his name. The heat of his fingers slipping under the band and pulling the shorts over her hips sends a tremor through her. Elizabeth's brain screams with need, her head rolls back and forth on the pillow.

He's toying with her. Driving her crazy. Exactly how she toyed with him the last time they were together. John pulls her shorts off and tosses them aside. He runs his hands up the outsides of her legs from ankles to hips. Then he returns to the ankles and trails a feather-light touch up the inner leg on one side then the other. Finally his tongue makes the same journey. Each time he gets close to touching her right there, he stops just short.

"Tell me, Elizabeth," he says softly as he drops delicate kisses on the tender skin of her inner thighs.

"What?" she gasps.

He gazes up at her, the dim light still making his eyes glisten eerily in the dark. It's the only feature she can make out at the moment. He blows on the last spot he kissed, sending a shiver racing up her spine. "I need to know."

Elizabeth's brain refuses to function. She can't think about anything other than the touch of his lips and tongue on her flesh. "Please, John."

"Elizabeth?"

"I love you!"

"I know that," he whispers. Gently he raises her right leg until her foot is flat on the bed. He runs his fingers over her skin again, his tongue follows the trail; this time his teeth nip at the soft skin of her leg. "Do you want me to be with you?"

"God yes!"

He raises her other leg in the same manner. She can feel his breath between them. God, she's never been so turned on in her life. His hands rest on her hips as he plants more kisses inside her trembling legs, meticulously moving from the knee, closer…closer! "Always?"

"Always. And forever," she sighs. She means it too. She knows what he wants now. What he really needs to hear. Elizabeth's heart thuds hard in her chest. She hadn't consciously made the decision, but she knows it's right. She knows her heart even if her mind rails against it. Her heart is with him…it has been from the beginning.

The moment she met John in Antarctica, she wanted him and not just for the expedition… but for herself. The beautiful face, hard masculine body, the cocky flyboy attitude. She was drawn to him instantly. No matter how much she tries to deny it, rationalize it, there's no cure.

And then he came, he joined the team. And if he hadn't, she and the rest of her crew would surely be dead a hundred times over by now. She needs him all the time. Wants him all the time. If he isn't with her, she's not whole…part of her is missing.

Atlantis doesn't mean anything without John Sheppard. It's as simple as that. "I'd give it up for you, John," she gasps. She can feel the tears rising. Not unhappy or regretful tears, but tears of truth. "I'd give up Atlantis to be with you."

She can hear and feel him sigh. "Thank you." Then he pulls her hips, sliding her toward him as he kisses her there and shows her exactly how thankful he really is.

Elizabeth writhes on the bed. John's hands cup her ass, squeezing as he lifts her to meet his hungry mouth, his magnificent tongue. He has total control over her, she's helpless to resist. Not that she wants to. She's never known such ecstasy in her life. Simon was always a generous lover, but… "John!" she gasps completely breathless.

She reaches for him, her fingers finding his hair. He responds with a deep moan that vibrates all around her, inside her and she nearly squeals with delight. "I'm so close." Her voice is barely a whisper. "…need…you…inside…"

His hands tighten their grip and she can feel the faintest scrap of teeth against her…holy shit! He pulls her even closer toward him. His tongue plunges deeper finding her secret center over and over until she screams as her body spasms with unimaginable pleasure.

Even before her powerful orgasm is over, John's standing with his hands under her knees, lifting half her body off the bed. "Now you're ready," he growls and drives deep inside her…all the way. He pulls out and slams into her again and again; each stroke filling her completely.

She comes again mere moments after the first time, just as powerfully, calling out his name as always. With a grunt, John drops on top of her. He spreads her legs wide as he continues thrusting between them. Elizabeth wraps her arms around him, not caring how much weight he presses on her, she needs him close. John's arms snake under her and he grips her shoulders, pulling her down even as he forces himself up into her. It's as if he's trying to get his whole being inside her. And she's more than welcoming, her hands smoothing over his back, down to his ass, gripping and pulling at him.

Time loses all definition and Elizabeth has no idea how long they work toward the mutual end, but when the final explosion erupts, John cries out her name even as her voice gets choked off with a sob from the intensity of it all. All that matters is that they're together, locked as one.

Later, as they spoon on their sides, completely spent, John rests his chin on her shoulder. The tips of his fingers trace lazily up and down her arm. The quiet thump of his heart against her back and tingle of his breath on her skin lulls her near the edge of sleep. "Elizabeth?"

"Hmm?"

"When did you know you loved me?"

She rolls slightly toward him so she can see the starlight glittering in his eyes. Hers are so heavy; she's finding it hard to focus. She reaches up and touches his lips with her fingertips. "When you left me…took the jumper…to save us all." He kisses her fingers. "You?"

His brow furrows again as he looks down at her, as if the memory is too hard to find. "I don't think I was ever not in-love with you." That gets her heart skipping with joy and she smiles drowsily. He nuzzles her neck, suckles her earlobe. "Did you mean it? You'd risk it all. Give it up…for me."

As hard as she tries, she can't keep her eyes from slowly closing. She wishes she could see his face when she tells him. "Yes." But sleep takes her without a struggle.

As colors spiral and splash behind her eyelids and sounds become muffled, the last thing she remembers is the whisper of his words in her ear. "Then so will I."