A/N: So close… and yet so far…

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There was a moment of silence as they looked at each other, the words sinking in between them.

"That didn't come out quite like I intended it to…"

"Well… uh…"

"I'm sorry…"

"Don't"

"Don't?"

"The line was perfect…"

"Perfect?"

"Perfect enough to want to hear it every night for the rest of my life. That perfect enough for you?"

"More than perfect… but…"

Sighs.

"I know. The timing sucks, huh?"

"I wish things were different…"

"So do I"

"If I weren't so afraid, I might kiss you right now…"

"Would it really be so bad?"

"Think you could go through with what awaits us any easier if we let us happen just now?"

"Actually… quite the opposite. I wouldn't be able to bear the thought of someone other than me touching you…"

"Someone, somewhere, is having a riot at our expense, you know…"

"This is so friggin' unfair"

"I know" Silence "Can we at least sleep like this? In each other's arms?"

"Only if you promise to behave…"

"I'll behave if you behave"

"Ja-ja…you're so funny. Now it's my responsibility to keep us both out of our respective pants?"

"Someone has to be the responsible adult…"

"Who said I was an adult?"

"After what I've seen lately, I doubt you're a kid…"

"Look who's talking…"

They felt silent once more, their minds going back to what had happened at the bar.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked softly.

"Not particularly" Dismissive evasion.

She wasn't going to let it slide so easily. "Do you NEED to talk about it?"

Flack let go of her body and fell back on his back, arm thrown over his face. "Can't we simply forget about it?"

"I can… but I'm not sure if you will…"

"Dammit, Jenn!"

"Curse all you want, but sooner or later you'll have to talk about it…"

He sat up in bed, pulling his legs closer, crossing them, back hunched. He knew she was right, but he couldn't talk about it, not yet, not while looking at her. She seemed to sense this, and did not attempt to follow him. She simply lay there, on her side, and she slowly began to run her fingers over his back, trying to soothe the tension, trying to soothe his tormented soul.

Flack shuddered.

"Stop…"

She withdrew her hands, but stayed where she was, staring intently at his back, waiting for his next move. It had hurt to hear him say that, but she was willing to give him the chance to explain himself before reaching to conclusions that might be wrong. He remained silent for another moment or two.

"Fuck, Jenn, I can't do this!"

She kept silent.

"I can't not touch you, not when you're this close… I can't stop thinking about what this Nico might have done to you that you have not confided in me. I can't stop feeling ashamed of what I did back there… I can't stop wondering if you'll think less of me as a man for… for… for everything dammit!"

She sat up and gently slid behind him, her arms wrapped around his frame.

"Do you think less of me for having made out with a woman on the dance floor?" she asked quietly, her breath soft against his nape.

"Hell, no…"

"Then why would I think less of you for having done the same?"

"It's not the same Jenn… it's definitively not the same!"

"What were you feeling when you saw me?"

Her hands were now slowly running up and down his arms, easing away the tension. He leaned back into her, barely noticing he'd done it.

"I couldn't look away. It was… it was such a fucking turn-on to see you kissing her…"

"What else?" she whispered against his neck, her nails now playing with the soft hair that covered his chest, grazing his nipples every now and then. His breathing changed, deepening, and he began relaxing in some ways, but tensing in others.

"I wanted to see how far you'd go…" his voice was now barely above a hoarse whisper, his eyes closing despite his resolution of not giving in to his desires.

"Go on…" her words caressed his ear and he trembled. Her hands were now caressing his abs, tracing patterns within the patterns of his scars, moving lower and lower.

"I wanted it to be me…" confession through clenched teeth, afraid of what sound would come out of his mouth if he opened it.

Her hands were now inside his boxers, stroking him.

"Jenn, please…. Stop…." he hissed, wanting her to do exactly the opposite.

"Shhhh… it's okay Don… it's me…"

Her hand was now stroking his whole length, fingertips caressing the tip, as the other one was tracing maddening patterns around his nipples, then gently cupping his balls, her rhythm driving away his negatives. He was now slumped against her chest, his legs opening to give her access, his hips moving in time to the maddening pace she was setting. The moment her thumb began tracing circles on the tip, all the time pumping him in a tight fist, he forgot about everything.

"I wanted it to be you…" she whispered, then licked his neck. "I wanted to feel your body rubbing against mine. I needed to feel your hands all over me. I needed your lips on my skin…"

She continued pumping him, stroking him, driving him insane with her fingers, with her tongue running over his neck, sucking here and there, nibbling his earlobe as she breathed her words of need, and Flack found himself nearing the point of no return at a speed he wouldn't have thought possible at his age…

"I wanted to make you come..." she whispered, as the first drops of pre-cum appeared and she spread them all over his cock, relishing the feeling. Flack was now whimpering and moaning, his hands making fists of the sheet on each side of his body, his hips thrashing in desperation.

"I need to make you come… please Don… come for me… please..."

And he did. Long spurts shooting through hers fingers, his body taut, her name a hoarse scream through his parched lips, his whole body shaking.

When it was over, he fell back into bed, as Jenn had slid off from behind him. She quietly went into the bathroom to wet a washcloth to clean them both up. Flack was still taking shaky breaths; his body still shook by tremors every now and then, unable to remember when was the last time an orgasm had been so intense as to nearly knock him out. By the time Jenn was done cleaning him up, he had recovered enough to want to take the dominant role.

Jenn tried to turn and go put the washcloth back in place, but he grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her down on top of him, holding him tight against his chest.

"Jenn…"

It wasn't but a whisper, but the way he said it made her tremble. Who was she kidding? She wanted him, she wanted him so badly! She had not planned on actually taking things so far, but once she'd touched him, there had been no going back.

Flack felt her tremble and he found his desire hitting back full force. She challenged him, she drove him crazy, and he had to have her, in every possible aspect. Screw department regulations, and screw Vice and their case. How was he supposed to pretend that soft body pressed against him wasn't driving him crazy with need? How did they expect him to have her lips barely a couple of inches away and not devour them? How could he not fall for her? He'd been in love with her since forever, it seemed, feelings slowly simmering until it was too much to keep bottled.

"I'm sorry…" he whispered.

And he brought her face down to his, finally kissing her.

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A/N: Muse decided to give them a break… but she might change her mind before the next installment!