Jessica spent most of the next couple of weeks in her room, which didn't go unnoticed by either John or Dorian. The two sat in the living area one morning. Dorian's shift was over, but he sat talking to John for a while. They got on the topic of Jessica testifying, and Dorian eased his way into a more personal issue.
"You know she likes you, right?"
"Don't go there, man," John said, shaking his head.
"Why not? You like her, she likes you... what's stopping you?"
"The job, for one."
"Oh, please."
"What?"
"That's an excuse. You two want each other."
John ran a hand over the back of his neck. "We know we do, okay?"
"Wait," Dorian said. "'We?'"
"Yeah. I've already kissed her... more than once."
"Really," Dorian said with a smile.
John shook his head and pointed a finger at Dorian. "No, see? This is why I don't tell you things."
"What?"
"That look on your face."
Dorian grinned, but it faded. "Seriously, John. You're my partner, and my friend. I want you to be happy, man. You like her. You never know what will happen tomorrow... go get her."
Dorian stood and patted John's shoulder before heading to the bedroom to charge. John had to admit, the droid made sense. He knew deep down that if anything was stopping him, it was trust issues, but when he was around Jessica he only thought about kissing her. For starters.
He sat there for a while weighing his options. It was after eleven o'clock. Jessica had already come out of her room once since he had been on duty, so he knew she was awake.
"Screw it," he mumbled as he stood.
He walked to her bedroom door and knocked. Jessica opened the door, still in her pajamas, with a book in her hand.
"Hey," she said.
John folded his arms. "You're avoiding me."
"I'm not-"
"Yeah, you are... but I'm not gonna let you anymore."
John's hands went to her face, and he kissed her. Jessica's free hand clung to John's arm. He took the book from her and sat it on the dresser by the door before backing her into the room. Jessica pulled away, a little breathless.
"I thought we were waiting until after the trial."
"If you don't want to do this, then we'll stop, but I'm tired of waiting. I want you. Do you want me?"
"You know I do."
"Then why are we waiting?"
"I'm the job."
"You're a woman. A woman I want to know in every way."
Jessica's eyes flicked back and forth between John's eyes and lips before she leaned into him for another kiss. With lips parted, the kiss deepened, pulling a soft moan from both of them. John pulled off his shoulder holster and placed it on a chair near the bed. He broke their kiss to pull off his shoes, but Jessica kept a hand in his hair as he leaned over. Their lips collided as he stood straight again, and John's arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her tight against him. Her hands slid down his chest, then under his shirt. She sighed at the contact of skin on skin, and John's mouth moved to her jaw and down to her neck. She pushed at his shirt, and he pulled it off. He stared at her for a moment, his hands running through her hair, before capturing her lips again. She broke the kiss long enough to remove her top, then John backed her toward the bed. He lay her down gently, and held himself over her on his forearms. John trailed open-mouth kisses across her cheek and down her neck, letting his tongue dance over her skin. Jessica's hands were buried in his hair as he continued down. She let out a soft hum when he kissed the swell of her breasts, but something was distracting her.
"John?"
John didn't respond. He kept his attention on the exposed portion of her breasts.
"John... what's that beeping."
"What?" John pulled back, lifting himself up a bit.
"What's that noise?"
John listened for a moment.
"Damn it," he said with a grunt. He got up and grabbed his shirt.
"What is it?"
"It's the captain trying to connect on the computer. Stay here. I'll be right back. I hope."
John smiled at her, and her cheeks brightened. He ran his fingers through his hair as he walked to the computer. A few keystrokes, and the captain appeared.
"Good morning, Captian."
"Good morning. I've got good news. You get to breath fresh air tomorrow."
"We're not moving her already? Tomorrow is Monday. She doesn't testify until Thursday."
"We're concerned about connections that Alexander may have on the outside. They would expect us to keep her hidden until the last minute."
"So, we get her in place early. Okay. What time?"
"The hotel manager and three officers dressed as hotel staff will meet you at the delivery entrance at 1430. The hotel address and blueprints should be coming up on your screen."
"Got it. Do we know for sure that Alexander has connections?"
"No. This is purely precaution. We're hoping that a conviction will get him to turn on any others that may be involved. So far he's still maintaining his innocence."
"With the evidence we have against him?"
"That's why we're worried. So, eyes peeled. Stay on guard while you're moving. She's not secure until you're on lockdown inside her hotel room. Got it?"
"Got it."
"Once you're there, the officers we integrated into the staff will get whatever you need. No other hotel staff will be allowed near your room."
"Good."
"Check in when you're ready to head out."
"Yes, ma'am."
The captain nodded and her image disappeared. John turned off the screen and sat there a moment. His fingers rubbed at his eyes. The job just got deadly serious, and Jessica was in the other room waiting to finish what they started. This was a definite mood killer.
John walked back into the bedroom and found Jessica just as he had left her. He leaned back against the door as he closed it behind him. Jessica could see a difference in his features. When he left her, his eyes had been filled with desire. The look he had now was all business.
"What's wrong," she asked.
"Nothing's wrong," John said as he folded his arms. "We're moving tomorrow."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"Well, that's good news, right? This is almost over."
"Right."
"So, why are you still over there," she asked with a smile.
"Because this is the part of the job where I really have to be focused."
"Tomorrow. You have to be focused tomorrow."
"Jess..." John shook his head.
"What happened to that little speech you gave me when you came in before, about me being a woman?"
"That's still very true."
Jessica stood and walked over to John. She slipped her fingers beneath his shirt and leaned into him.
"Prove it," she whispered. John stared at her without moving. "You're worried you'll be distracted if you sleep with me," she asked.
John nodded. "I think that's all I'll think about."
"Well, let me ask you a question. What have you been thinking about for the past two weeks?"
"You."
"I think... I'll be more distracted if we leave it where we stopped. All I'll think about is the way you were kissing me, and the way you felt pressed against me, and I'll be wondering if the rest of it would have felt as great."
John's arms unfolded, and his hands landed on Jessica's hips. His fingertips dug lightly into her flesh through the thin material of her pajama pants, holding her close. He stared down at her as he removed his shirt once more. After tossing the shirt aside, his hands caressed her face. Their eyes stayed locked on each other as Jessica undid his pants and pushed them down. John kicked them aside and lifted Jessica into his arms. She kissed his neck as he carried her to the bed and lay her down for the second time that night. This time, before he climbed on top of her, he pulled her pants from her legs.
John sat back and pulled her into his lap. Her legs wrapped around him as they kissed and John removed her bra. His tongue circled around her nipple before his mouth covered the area. Jessica moaned and wiggled her hips in his lap. John sucked in a breath as he switched to her other breast. She slipped her fingers into the back of the waistband of his boxers and grabbed at the flesh there, using the leverage to pull herself against him more, grinding her hips in a slow rhythm. John pulled back and stared at her, suddenly matching her rhythm with his own hips.
Jessica was soon on her back, and John was removing her underwear, then his. He pulled her back into his lap. She buried her fingers in his hair when he put his mouth on her breasts again. She started gyrating her hips again, and it wasn't long before John reached down to guide himself inside her. He sank into her slowly, then stilled. Jessica stopped moving her hips. John kissed her neck up to her ear and whispered.
"You feel so good."
Jessica moaned and rolled her hips. John thrust up into her with a grunt, then pushed her onto her back and lay on top of her as he found a slow and steady rhythm. Lips roamed. Hands squeezed. As they drove each other closer to the edge, the kissing stopped and they stared at each other. Jessica's hands were on his face. Her fingers brushed over his lips, and his tongue darted out and circled one of them. Her mouth fell open, and John kissed her again, picking up his pace. She began to whimper as the tension built within her, until her body was trembling beneath him. A few more strokes with her tightening around him, and John finished with a grunt.
Still buried inside of her, John rolled them onto their sides. He kissed her with light, gentle kisses as he stroked her hair. He began to smile as he took in her face.
"What," Jessica asked. There was a hint of nervous laughter.
"This is kind of like the dream I had of us. Holding you like this in bed. Kissing you."
"But you said your dream wasn't a sex dream, and, uh..."
Jessica rolled her hips and John let out a grunt. He rolled onto his back, effectively separating them, and pulled Jessica close to his side. He kissed her forehead and tucked her hair behind her ear.
"Well," Jessica said, "I have one question about you answered."
"What's that?"
"Whether or not your synthetic leg holds you back in any way."
"And the answer?"
"Absolutely not."
They kissed for several minutes before Jessica snuggled against John and drifted off to sleep. John stayed awake. Technically, he was still on duty. He would let her sleep for a little while, then wake her up for lunch. They would have the rest of the day to enjoy each other. Tomorrow was the beginning of the end of the job. Tomorrow was important. Tomorrow, he couldn't be distracted.