Malinowski had always enjoyed weaving in and out of traffic on McCoy's BMW. The traffic was especially light that Saturday afternoon, so the ride to Queens was especially swift. As McCoy's merged onto the expressway, she tightened her grip on the driver. The feel of her hands and body against McCoy made her mind turn to the events of the previous evening.

When they had returned from the brownstone the hour was late and the loft was dark. McCoy helped her remove her suit jacket, letting his hands run slowly over her back and shoulders, before dropping the jacket beside his, on the sofa. The long awaited kiss had stirred emotions in both of them that the pecks and affectionate embraces had only hinted at, since Malinowski's return from the hospital.

Although most of the outward signs of her captivity had healed, Malinowski deliberately turned on only the small tiffany lamp that sat on the dresser, across from thier bed. The lamp cast the dimmest light possible. She could hear the faint sounds of the city that never sleeps, as well as the footsteps, that came up behind her.

I can do this, she told herself as McCoy wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her cheek.

She turned to face him. She smiled up at him and loosened his tie before dropping it beside the lamp. Next, her hands fell on his chest. Try as she might, she couldn't keep her fingers from shaking, as she tried to unbutton the white dress shirt. Unable to do both, she finally gave up. Her eyes left his patient gaze and she focused her eyes on her unsteady hands.

As she completed her task McCoy, lifted her chin and brought their lips together. He felt her hands, cool and damp, run up his chest and rest at the back of his neck as she parted her lips. Through murmured endearments and the seductive dance through discarded clothing, everything McCoy knew about his lover told him she wasn't ready for this. No matter how much she thought she needed to make love that night, McCoy wasn't going to allow her to unconsciously set herself up for more pain.

A tiny smile of victory played on her lips as Malinowski's eyes feasted on her lovers now naked body. McCoy smiled back and reached out to give his lover the gentlest of caresses. The moment his hand fell on her breast, he knew what he had to do.

As Malinowski silently cursed herself for the flinch she knew hadn't been able to hide, McCoy took her hand to led her to the bed.

"Jack, I can do this," she said, immediately aware of her misstep. "I want to do this. I love you and I want-"

"I know," he whispered as he lay down beside her."I want you, too. I want you as much as I did the first time we shared a bed."

Malinowski turned his words over in her mind before nodding in understanding. The first time they had 'shared a bed'…not 'made love'…had been the night McCoy had viewed the recently discovered body of his former lover and assistant, Diana Hawthorne.

Running her fingers lovingly over McCoy's abdomen, she reached for him, making a final attempt to detour the evening from it's now obvious destination.

"I wanted you that night, too," she replied as she heard McCoy's sudden sharp intake of breath.

Her fingers on his shaft momentarily diverted his attention from noble thoughts of patience and consideration, to the more immediate pleasure his body felt after he'd denied himself for so many weeks.

"But," he said as he reluctantly took her hand in is."The time wasn't right. The time wasn't right that night, but eventually the right time came, remember?"

Malinowski fought not to let tears of disappointment and frustration fall from her eyes. She started to turn away in defeat, as she had so many nights since returning from the hospital. McCoy's sudden embrace stopped her. He held her close, but not tightly, as he attempted to silently comfort her.

"Do you know I fell in love with you that night," he asked at last.

Malinowski's startled eyes met his as he nodded in conformation.

"It's the truth. There aren't many women that think my scrambled eggs are gourmet cuisine," he said with a wily smile."I knew your lack of taste was a sign I'd found the right woman at last."

"It was after midnight," she reminded him with a chuckle, "and I hadn't had dinner and we had just come from the morgue."

"Details. Insignificant details," he said as he wrapped the sheet around them."The point is, you were in my bed and I didn't behave like an animal and ravage you."

"I was in your guest bed and you were sick as a dog and you'd already paid the price of getting fresh with me," she countered with a grin.

"Just because I was sick as a dog, didn't mean I could have acted like as dog, if I'd wanted to," he responded indifferently."As for the slap, we both know if you'd been serious about putting me off, I'd have been spitting out teeth."

Malinowski giggled inspite of herself. She knew McCoy was right. The reason she'd reacted so violently to his unexpected kiss wasn't a lack of interest or desire. It was the simple fact she'd found herself attracted to the well known prosecutor more than she'd been attracted to any man before or since. Including the husband she thought she'd lost forever. It was an attraction that grew into something deeper the night she'd gone back to McCoy's apartment for a late dinner after missing the last train home.

"I fell in love with you when I woke up in your arms the next morning," she said, suddenly serious."The way you looked at me that morning… the way you were with me the night before… I knew. It scared the hell out of me Jack, but I knew."

McCoy nodded as he reached for her. He could still remember how his body awakened to her touch, her scent, the quiet rhythm of her breathing as she slept beside him for the first time.

Weary and with the last train gone hours before, she had agreed to accept McCoy's invitation to sleep in the guest room. While he'd carried his sleeping visitor into the guest room, he flirted with the idea of bypassing the guest room all together. After moving her out garments and slipping a tee shirt over her, McCoy had found himself mesmerized and unable to leave the beautiful woman he'd spent hours before battling with over a case.

"You'll never know how much I wanted you that night, Brooke," he whispered as looked at her with longing."I wanted you then, as much as I want you now."

"Then have me, my love," she whispered.

"Only when the time is right, love," he said as he wiped a tear from her eyes."When the time is right, everything else will be."