A/N I do not own these characters. If I did I would be fabulously wealthy and wouldn't need to post my fan fiction here. I would be writing for the show and dining regularly with Michael Easton (snicker perks of the job. LOL) and I wouldn't let that hack Higley near them.

Chapter 4

John cursed his rotten luck as he followed yet another cold trail to finding Natalie Balsom. It had been seven days since he had let her get away, since he had let his lust overrule his better judgment. His boss was not pleased at all that Natalie had gotten away. The fact that she had ran made her look guilty in the eyes of the FBI and there was now a warrant out for her arrest. Should he fail to bring her in this time he could kiss his job goodbye.

He had neglected to tell his boss a few details on how Natalie escaped. He had left out that he had kissed her and that in the process of kissing her she had stolen his handcuff key and gotten away while he was in the bathroom trying to get his lust for the suspect under control. What he had told them was that he had checked to make sure her cuffs were tight enough and she somehow managed to pickpocket the key.

A part of him was furious that Natalie had gotten away, that she had bested him. It galled him to know that she had taken off right under his nose. But the thing that really bothered him was his own actions and their part in aiding her escape. . Not to mention the fact that he had taken advantage of a suspect in his custody. If he had been professional, if he had kept his baser instincts under control Natalie Balsom would not be in the wind nor would he be on the verge of loosing his badge.

But hopefully a lead would turn up and he would find her, before anything happened to her. John shook his head in regret and wondered if his luck would ever change. It seemed like every time he got a lead that sounded plausible it turned out to be nothing. Pulling into a motel for the night he decided to get a room and finish his journey back to Jersey in the morning.

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Natalie gasped as his hands glided up her back to tangle in her hair. Bringing her close for a passionate kiss he devoured her with his lips. Running her hands down his naked back she pulled his hips closer as she arched up into him. Moaning at the contact of flesh on flesh she kissed him wildly, heat spiraling through her. When he pulled away to gasp for air she moaned at the loss, "Johhhhnn"

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Natalie sat up quickly, her heart pumping furiously and her body covered in sweat. She had dreamed about him again! She had been having erotic dreams about Agent John McBain since their kiss a week ago. She didn't understand why she kept having these incredibly hot dreams about him. Or maybe she did, he was gorgeous after all and his kiss, though very brief, was hot. She didn't want to be attracted to him, she didn't want to dream about him but it didn't look like she had a choice.

"Damn it!" she said, throwing the covers back she got out of bed. Walking to the bathroom she went straight to the shower and turned the cold tap on. "Nothing like a cold shower to wake you up in the morning." She muttered to herself.

After her cold shower Natalie packed up her things and put them in her car, a new one from Vince. This time they had covered their tracks much better so the cops couldn't trace it. After putting the stuff in the car she decided that she needed something to eat. There was a small diner about a block away so she decided to walk. It would give her time to think of where to go next.

After John, as she now thought of him, had found her and she had gotten away she had been more careful. She only stayed a max of two days in a town before moving on it was safer that way. There was less chance she would be found by the cops or by anyone else that might be looking for her. After what had transpired and what Vince had told her Natalie was beginning to think that the cops would be the least of her worries. They at least played by a set of rules. The men that were after her now played by only one rule and that was simply to win, by any means necessary.

After that man had been shot they would be out for her blood. Apparently he had been a high level smuggler in their operation. Looking down lost in thought she began to think about that night, the night her world went to pieces. It had begun just like any normal night. She had been working and then HE had come in. Gloria had been on shift too but she had gone in the back for something. Natalie had been busy with another customer and hadn't noticed him go into the back to find Gloria.

The next thing she knew Gloria came running out with a guy holding a gun chasing her. Natalie had acted instinctively and tripped the guy and the gun went flying and landed almost at her feet. Picking it up had seemed like the right thing to do at the time. But then he had quickly jumped to his feet and rushed her. The gun had gone off and after that everything was kind of a blur. The next thing she remembered clearly was helping Gloria get rid of the body. After that she knew she needed to get out of town and fast. She hadn't counted on being caught so quickly and by a man that turned her brain to mush and made her body burn for him.

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The next morning John was all ready to get back to Jersey and chase down another lead that might bring him to the elusive Natalie. Walking to his car he noticed a car driving kind if strangely. It was going very slowly, and it looked as if it was coming to a stop about 20 feet from an intersection. Feeling something off about the situation he walked to the sidewalk and looked around for a reason for the erratic driving. Seeing nothing he began to turn back to his car, catching a figure crossing the street at a crosswalk.

Suddenly the car revved the engine squealed the tires and took off like a rocket. It was aiming straight for the person crossing the street. With out any conscious thought John, who was closer then the car to the pedestrian who was wearing a trench coat and large brimmed hat, ran across the street shouting, "Look out!" and tackled the person just as the car raced by, not even slowing down at all.

"Are you ok?" John asked the woman he had tackled as he stood up and reached down a hand to help her up. As the woman took his hand John looked at her for the first time. He noticed her hat had fallen to the ground and her coat had opened up to reveal that beautiful hair and body he had fantasized about all week. No! It couldn't be! It was! "Natalie." He said in disbelief, 'she had almost been killed!' he thought with shock. He tried to speak through the lump in his throat but found he couldn't. He swallowed and tried again, recovering a bit and smirking to cover his discomfort he thanked heaven for his change of luck saying, "So Miss. Balsom, we meet again."

Natalie looked up at the hero that saved her life and her eyes widened in total disbelief, "You!" she said and tried to yank her hand away. "It can't be you! How did you find me!" The person who had just saved her life was none other then Agent John McBain of the FBI. Of all the cursed luck, it had to be the one person in the world she had hoped never to see again. To top all of this off she had just been thinking about him before she was almost run down by that maniac driver.

John wasn't about to let her get away this time so he whipped out his handcuffs and slapped one around her wrist and attached the other to his own wrist. Pocketing the key and stealing himself against the heat that happened whenever he touched her he said, "Natalie Balsom you are under arrest for the murder of Victor Grossman. You have the right to remain silent, you have the right to an attorney, if you can not afford an attorney one will be appointed to you..." John continued with reading her right to her.

"What? Before you said I was only wanted for questioning!" Natalie said her voice angry, but feeling very scared and alone.

Steeling himself not to feel any pity or anything at all for her John finished with the rights and said coldly, "That's before you stole the key to the cuffs and ran away. The bureau now believes they have enough evidence to convict you of murder." Remembering how she had used her body to entice him and distract him he vowed it would not happen again.

Natalie was scared but she was damned if she would show him that. Lifting her chin and meeting his gaze challengingly she said, "So now what? You haul me off to jail?" Conscious of the fact they were still in the middle of the road she asked snidely, "can we continue this out of the road please? I have no desire to become road pizza cause you feel the need to assert your dominance."

Fine John said curtly and roughly dragged her to the sidewalk and then to his car. Motioning for her to climb in from the driver side he followed her in and started the car. Right now I'm taking you in.

Stung in spit of herself of his eagerness to be rid of her she asked rudely, "Can I at least get my stuff and lock my car? Come on what will it hurt. It will take all of a minute."

"Fine," John said, "I can call from your motel room and see what I am supposed to do with you."

To be continued...