Author's Note: Okay everybody, I am letting you know ahead of time – this chapter could be rated M. I still say it doesn't have anything the show doesn't have (although not between our two favorite characters) but somehow when it is in writing rather than visual it seems, I don't know, more racy. So, if you are easily offended, don't read this chapter. I don't own anything.

Chap 8

I cannot believe she is doing this. It's possible I have died of my wounds and gone to heaven. Ray thought.

Neela dealt the first hand after she had popped the popcorn. They were playing on the coffee table so Ray didn't have to move off the couch. Ray looked at his cards and groaned. He had an Ace, a 5, a 10, a 4 and a Jack of various suits. So basically he was screwed. He kept the Ace and asked for 4 cards. He looked over at Neela. She was concentrating very hard. He had to smile, thinking, She is so adorable.

Neela looked over the top of her cards and smiled wickedly, "You are so in trouble, Barnett. I am way out of your league."

No shit. Ray thought.

"I'll keep these cards." Neela said.

Shit. "Are you cheating?" 'Cuz the whole point of this was for YOU to lose YOUR clothes.

"No, I'm just really lucky at cards."

"Now you tell me." My luck on the other hand, totally SUCKS.

"Okay," Neela said, "What do you have?"

Ray laid down his Ace, and the new cards he had drawn - a 7, two 2's and a King. "Pair of twos." He said.

Neela looked triumphant. "I drew a full house, Jacks over fives. I win. I told you I was good at this. Gimme the shirt, Barnett."

"Holy shit, how is that possible? Here, you can have a sock."

"Gee thanks, Ray, put it straight in the hamper because I am not touching that."

"Be, nice. I'm injured."

After two more hands, Ray was sure she was cheating because he had lost his other sock and his t-shirt. Neela was laughing at him. "Feeling a little exposed, Ray?" Jesus he looks good laying there shirtless. And don't even think about the fact that he's only wearing jeans. Maybe I should even things up a bit. Seems only fair. She purposely threw away the 3 Aces she drew and kept the 4 of Hearts and 5 of Spades. She drew another 5 and a 2 of Hearts and a 6 of Diamonds. Good.

Ray asked for three cards and ended up with 3 tens. "Now we're talking. Lose the dress Roomie."

"I don't think so."

Ray yelled. "WHAT? I am half naked here. You aren't going to renege are you? That is just wrong."

Neela smiled at him. I am going to enjoy tormenting him, she thought. Ray watched as Neela carefully slipped her bra straps off her arms underneath her dress. Ray could not take his eyes off her. He was having trouble breathing and it had nothing to do with Tony's punch in his gut. She reached behind her back and undid the hooks on her bra without taking off her dress. Then she pulled her bra out the front of her dress and threw it at him.

"Do they TEACH girls how to do that?" He asked. I am really not sure I want to know how she learned how to do that. He was extremely disappointed when she crossed her arms in front of her, suddenly conscious of the fact that she was wearing a white linen dress and it wasn't disguising much. Her arms blocked his view. Damn.

Ray was not making any attempt to pretend he wasn't staring. "Ray, earth to Ray." Neela said. He looked like he might be enjoying making her uncomfortable.

"Huh?" I think I might be drooling.

"If you do not stop looking where you are looking I will make sure your injuries are fatal."

"Neela, I'm a GUY. What do you expect? Besides, you would be insulted if I didn't at least look. And it has been a really long time." A really, really, long time.

Hmmm. A really long time, huh. Good. Neela threw a piece of popcorn at him. To do it, she had to move her arm and Ray got an eyeful. Neela was having fun teasing him a little. Payback for parading around in towels, Barnett. She knew now that he loved her but he didn't know she knew. She also knew exactly what she was doing to him. Because he did it to her too. Only she was doing it on purpose. She decided to lose another hand.

She drew a straight, Jack high. She threw away the Jack and the 10. She drew a 2 and a 6. So she had nothing. Good.

Ray ended up with a pair of threes and groaned. He looked around for a pillow to hide behind when his jeans came off, and put his cards down. Then he heard Neela say. "You win again."

Ray looked up and grinned. "Okay, now the dress comes off…here you can have the pillow." He grinned. She smiled and stood up.

She scooted off her panties without even raising up her dress.

"Seriously, do they give classes on how to torture guys?" Ray was disappointed until he noticed that her linen dress was not really hiding all that much. Or maybe that is just my overactive imagination. His mouth was dry and his jeans were really getting uncomfortably tight. He stared at her. Okay, now I know I am drooling. She looks like an angel. A really sexy angel.

Neela saw his eyes darken with lust. "Okay, I quit, you win, Ray." She smiled at him and walked over to the couch to sit next to him.

Ray thought, I really don't know how long I can remain a gentleman. Be serious, Barnett, when were you ever considered a gentleman? He put his hands underneath him so they didn't get any ideas.

Neela leaned down so their bodies were touching. She was practically laying on top of him from the waist up. The only thing between his bare chest and hers was a thin piece of linen. He couldn't take his eyes off her. The heat between them was palpable. He looked a little confused but she could feel his body's response to her. She leaned down and put her hands in his hair and kissed him gently on the lips. "Thanks for the song, Ray. It's beautiful."

"Y…you knew?" Ray stuttered. She knows how I feel about her.

Neela nodded. "Brett told me to come to your gig. Do you really think we would be in this situation if I didn't know how you felt?" Well, maybe.

"Well, I am irresistible, after all." He said cockily. Neela smacked his chest with her hand. Ray said with a smile, "And by the way, I am not some sex toy. I want to make it clear that I am not the kind of guy you can use and then just toss aside. I want you to respect me in the morning." Ray wiggled his eyebrows and grinned at her.

"Shut up, Ray." She kissed him more passionately now. He responded to her by kissing her deeply but she could tell he was grinning against her lips. "Are you laughing at me?"

"Yep. What are you going to do about it?" Ray looked at her with passion and love in his eyes. "God, you are so beautiful."

You are no slouch, yourself. Neela thought. Ray kissed her gently again then deepened the kiss.

"Are you sure? We can still stop if you aren't ready." Ray said. Those words have never come out of my mouth before.

Neela laughed. He looked like a puppy who was begging for table scraps. "Ray, I have never wanted anything more in my life. I'm all yours, if you want me."

"I have wanted you for as long as I can remember." Ray said huskily. He gently lifted off her dress and she unbuttoned his jeans so she could help him get them off. Everything seemed to move in slow motion. They took their time getting to know each other's bodies. Ray had been an accomplished and considerate lover with other women, giving as much as he got, but with Neela he was completely unselfish. Her pleasure was more important to him than his own for the first time in his life. He loved her and he wanted her to know how much.

Afterward, he said, "So…."

"What do you expect, a performance evaluation? I really don't impress that easily." Neela teased. "If you really want to impress me, you'll do it again."

"Give me a minute….after all, I am injured."

Author's Note: Okay….to continue or not to continue? I have ideas for other chapters but I could stop now depending on what you guys think.