John pulled the chair for Mary, having the table at the front window as per usual. Once she was sat, he climbed into the bench across from her and offered a smile. Angelo, who placed a candle and two menus on the table, quickly greeted them.
Mary opened hers right away, but John didn't need to at this point. He knew the whole menu by heart now.
"It's good to see you, John!" Angelo smiled widely and clapped John on the back hard enough that the ex-army doctor tilted forward in his seat slightly.
"And you. Keeping out of trouble?" John looked up with a smile that wasn't really reaching his eyes, not like those he'd been able to give Mary.
Angelo laughed and nodded. "Of course I am! I still have one consulting detective to get me out of any I find myself in, though." He winked at Mary, leaning down to her and putting a hand to the side of his mouth 'blocking' it from John. He spoke loud enough John could hear everything anyway. "You have a good man here, Miss. John'll treat you right, and if he ever doesn't, you just come to me and I'll take care of him for you, huh?" He stood up, still chuckling and headed away, calling over his shoulder to them. "I'll bring out one of the good vintages for you two love birds!"
Mary was blushing slightly and looked up at John blinking a few quick times. "Is he always like that?"
"Always." John sighed and pushed his menu aside. "I would not suggest the parmesan tonight, when you take a look at the menu. It's in fresh on Thursdays so by Wednesday it can be a little tough."
This time she smiled without the colour of embarrassment on her cheeks. "Thank you for the tip." She glanced over it, one well manicured finger leading her eyes across its pages.
John watched her little movements, the way her eyes darted and then concentrated when she was reading something in depth. He liked the way she moved her lips a little as she read the words, and was able to catch the rounded vowels from the way her lips bowed. John especially liked when she reached up to brush at a piece of hair that dared to move out of place.
When they'd put in their orders, Mary leaned a bit across the table, interest clear on her angular features. "My uncle and cousins, how would you find out if it is they doing this?"
John let the flash of a grin pass over his lips. "Tactfully, I hope." They both chuckled and he leaned forward as well. "I have a few fake identifications, I'm sure I've got one that would suit our needs. Then, I just go to your uncle, ask a few key questions and see how he responds."
"That's it? You plan to just walk in saying you are someone you're not and expect him to spill the details?" Mary's mouth stayed in a little hoop of amazement and disbelief.
"Well, there's a bit more to it than that, really. I've picked up a few things from Sherlock, so it'll be about noticing details and trying to put together the pieces before I'm caught in the lie."
Mary batted her eyes. This time John was sure it was purposeful batting and not just a worried mannerism of hers. The smile on her lips and the way she was putting her hand down on the table between them, close to his, spoke louder than the slight dilation of her eyes and the flare of the nostrils. "That sounds as if it could be dangerous."
John laughed a little. "I've had a bomb strapped to me. This will be easy and safe, trust me."
"A bomb! John, you're so ridiculously interesting!" Mary didn't wait for John to close the distance between their two hands; she brushed hers along his as if it was just a movement from her sudden surprising interest.
"That's not what I'm used to hearing."
"What are you used to hearing?"
John opened his mouth, then closed it again, thinking he looked much like a fish at that point. Piss off, he heard echo in his brain in a very precise voice. "Nothing, it doesn't matter. So, if I can find something out by talking to him, I will bring in Lestrade to make the appropriate reprimands." John covered Mary's hand with his own, gently running his thumb over the back of her knuckles. He fought not to look at their hands, letting it be natural and not over thought.
"Who is that?" Mary's own thumb bounced up to meet his and they tangled their fingers together almost playfully.
"He's a detective inspector, best of the Yarders."
Mary's eyes trailed down to his lips, lower still, and then back up to his eyes with a sly look about her lips. "It's simply amazing how many people you know."
John had to laugh again, thinking of Mycroft. Of course, he wouldn't bring him up in front of Mary just yet. They barely knew one another and Mycroft was of some great importance to the British Government. With the way things were going, if he mentioned the elder Holmes and Mary asked him for more information about Mycroft, he would spill everything he knew to her. That had to be considered some sort of treason against the secret workings of the government and crown. That, of course, was something John couldn't perceive doing. Always the steadfast and good little soldier.
"Well, there's only one person I'm focused on knowing right now." He wasn't sure where the line had been pulled from, but it had come easily as he watched her.
There was more than a smile on her face as she took in the words. Mary was absolutely beaming and the placing down of their food did little to pull her from the look she was giving John. He was very much appreciating it, feeling the same sort of admiration towards her. Although, he was insane for pushing that sort of thing towards a woman like her. Even though she was showing interest, it would be rude of John to sleep with a client, especially when they weren't a pair that could end up together. She was in enough trouble as it were.
"I like that." Her voice was soft and everything John hoped to read was resting in those brilliant eyes of hers.
They ate quietly for long moments and when Angelo had cleared their plates and left them with a desert menu, John thought to bring up more of the case.
"It's still early. If you wanted to get back to the flat we could come up with a more solid plan."
Pushing the desert menu away from herself, Mary smiled. "Yes, let's go back there. I think that's a brilliant idea."
The walk home was a little chilly and John almost instinctively wrapped an arm about Mary. She leaned every so precisely into him that John didn't feel guilty at all for taking her so closer to him. And once into the flat, she stayed very close to him. John led the way over to the couch, sitting down and watching her sit next to him.
"I was thinking that we could figure out what sort of person would hold the most influence over your uncle's telling of information."
Mary's lips moved up in a sweet smile. She was impossibly close. "Tomorrow, John."
He gaped at her a moment, mouth slightly open, and then nodded. "Right, sure. What are you thinking we should-"
She surprised him with a kiss. John hadn't been in this position with anyone since the boring school teacher whose name he couldn't remember at this moment, and didn't care to. Instead he kept Mary from breaking the kiss too early and put a hand around her, resting on her hip as he turned toward her slightly.
John took over point on the kiss and slowly eased her back along the couch. He buried a knee between her and the back of it to hold himself up above her. He dipped his head back down to kiss her smiling lips, one of his hands twirling into her hair. Mary's hands moved up his back and along his sides, feeling up his toned body.
He pulled back after a moment, when their breath were both ragged, her hair was a mess, and Mary's hands were starting to pull John's button down away from his shoulders. "We probably shouldn't… just, stop me if I go too far."
"You couldn't possibly go too far."
John felt his head rush with her words and he groaned. Everything happened quickly after that. Their hands rushed across one another until the floor was littered with their clothes. John tried to take things as slowly as possible, to show her he knew what he was doing but they just seemed suddenly desperate for one another.
John was sure he'd never been so desperate for another human being. His hands moved over her body with fervour, feeling and touching the smooth skin beneath his rougher, slightly calloused palms. The sounds of her in his ear, the breath on his neck, urged him on. He put his lips to her neck and let his hand travel down, meeting warm, wet flesh. She undulated up against him. When she nipped his ear and groaned louder, John knew he couldn't hold back any more.
He gently moved her upward on the couch arm, poised her hips up on a pillow and nestled between them. John looked down into her bright eyes as he moved into her, the slowest moment of their night. As the heat reached them both, it became a frenzy of flesh and feelings again. He moved against her, taking hold of her hips and manoeuvring her until he found the right position which made Mary toss her head back over the couch arm. She called out his name as she came, and upon hearing 'John', he followed after her.
They lay on the couch together, breathing heavily, and slick with sweat. John didn't mind, and Mary didn't seem to mind either. Easing up on his knees and holding out a hand, he pulled Mary back so that she was lying on top of him. She curled her face into his neck and kissed down his now sensitive skin. John was smiling. God, he was actually smiling. That was something he hadn't done with meaning for over a year now.
"John that was…"
"Probably inappropriate of me considering you're a client."
"I think you should just say amazing and leave it at that, hmm?"
He chuckled. "Amazing, yeah."
(This is just a quick update, I know. Sorry it's so short! I'll be writing more once I watch series three. A lot is going on for me right now and I don't have the time or mind to update, but I'm not giving up on the story. I have lots of plans for this one! Thanks for reading, commenting, etc. It is really appreciated)