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I spit out a wood shaving, making a face at the strange flavor it left in my mouth.

"Avie, you back there?" I heard Barney yell from up front somewhere.

"Here!" I called out, waving an arm above my head. My workroom at the shop was beginning to look more like a storeroom. I was getting new pieces everyday, and was fast running out of places to put things.

"There you are," I felt him snake his hands around my hips from behind, before leaning forward and kissing the exposed side of my neck. I let out a small sigh.

"Hi," he breathed, his lips ghosting across my skin.

"Hello," I whispered back. The first week after it happened, I couldn't take any physical contact. It made me nervous, gave me an upset stomach. The counseling helped, it really did. We were six weeks post incident, and Barney could touch me again. I had felt bad for him, I really did. He'd taken me out dozens of times. To the movies, dinner, he even attempted to sit through a play. Truth be told I really didn't like them, but Barney got the tickets, thinking I would enjoy it. Twenty minutes in, he had me giggling and laughing so hard we were asked to leave. That was the first night he slept over.

We didn't have sex, just, slept. But I could tell he was having a hard time with it. And truth be told I was ready. Hell, I was ready that night, 9 weeks ago in his room.

He turned me around and brought me closer to him, his lips finding mine. I wrapped my arms around his chest, feeling the muscles in his back.

"What do you say we go back to my place?" he asked as he kissed his way across my jaw. Did I want to do this, right now? His mouth reached my neck the same time his hand cupped my breast. I let out a small gasp, both from pleasure and surprise. He was not usually this...grabby? Pushy? I'm not sure what the right word was.

"What's the matter?" I asked him, feeling like something was off. He was acting out of sorts for him. He sighed against my neck, before standing up right to look me in the eyes.

"I have to go away for a few weeks."
I figured it was something like that.

"Can I ask where?" I still was a little fuzzy on the rules here. Was I allowed to ask where, why, what, with whom, and how long? Or does it come off as me sounding controlling and bitchy?

"You can ask me anything you want and I'll tell you as much as I think you can handle."

"That sounds fair...ish."

"Fair-ish?"

"How do you know how much I can handle?"

"You seen some shit the last few weeks, and your still here. Still whole. I think that's a testament to your character. So when I say you don't want to know something, you really don't want to know Avie."

I nodded my head, not arguing with him on this. He was probably right. I had shot a man, was covered in his brain matter. If it was worse than that, then I really didn't want to know anyways.

"Okay."

"We good on this?" he asked, looking at me seriously. I smiled at him, and watched his face soften. I loved it when that happened. Like all his stress, all his worries just melted away. This was my favorite Barney.

He stepped back from me, and I grabbed the front of his t-shirt and pulled him closer again.

"Where do you think your going?" I asked, and then kissed him before he could answer. I felt his smile, heard his laugh.

"I'm thinking we get something to eat, and then go back to your place. You can tell me more about this new job, and then we can have sex."

His eyes got a little wider at my words, but he otherwise looked normal. He was very good at schooling his emotions.

"In that order?"

"Well I suppose it's up for debate..." he grabbed me and in one fluid motion tossed me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. I screamed at first, out of surprise and fear. Then I just laughed.

"I need to lock up!" I said suddenly as he headed for the back exit.

"I already did."

"What? When?"

"When I came in. Flipped the closed sign too."

"You little.." His hand slid higher up on my right thigh and gave a squeeze. It stopped me mid sentence.

When we reached his truck he set me down. I was a little light headed, and my stomach was mildly sore. But when he kissed me, pushing me up against his truck, those thoughts quickly disappeared. He hitched up my right leg, and slid himself closer to me. One hand buried in my loose hair, the other holding my leg, he ground himself against me as we kissed. I moaned in his mouth, his tongue sliding against mine in an erotic dance.

"Oh Jesus Barney," I whispered when we finally came up for air. I had never felt like this. I wanted him, right now. I think if he asked, if he made the first move, I would let him take me now. In the back, on the front seat, hell, right here against the side. That's how brazen I felt. How hot he made me.

"Get in the truck," he growled out at me. I could see the muscles straining in his arms, the chords in his neck sticking out. He was either very angry, or trying very hard to hold back. I hated seeing him like this, but did as I was told. I opened the door and climbed in. I watched as he walked around the back slowly. He looked like he was taking deep breaths. When he finally got in, I watched him carefully, unsure what was happening exactly. He sat their for a long time, not moving, just...staring.

"Fuck it," he said suddenly and moved towards me. I met him half way, our mouths crashing together hard. He pulled me into his lap, kissing me for a moment before tugging my shirt above my head. Next came my bra. He buried his face inbetween my breasts, before moving back and taking a nipple into his mouth. I moaned as he sucked hard. He started tipping us sideways, and I knew he wanted me to lay down. I complied, getting down on my back, the leather feeling cool against my hot, naked flesh. He wasted no time in pulling down my shorts, and then my underwear. I felt his hands touch me first, and I cried out softly. He ran a few fingers up and down my slit, stopping at my nub to rub in little circles.

"Barney!" I breathed out his name when he pushed a little harder, sending more heat to my core.

"You sure you want this? Want me?"

"Oh God Barney, Yes! Now fuck me."

He obliged me. His hand left me and I watched as he slid his zipper open and pushed his jeans down his hips. He didn't say a word as he hovered over me, positioning himself. I felt him at my entrance and sucked in a breath of air. He pushed in fast and deep, drawing a long, low moan from me. My hands found their way to his back as he slammed into me, fast and hard. I looked up into his face, only to have him look away from me quickly. I lowered my hands from his back, and brought them to his face. I pulled him down to kiss me, and his hips sped up.

"Oh!" I yelled in pleasure and surprise. Barney was in fantastic shape, his body hard and muscular. I left no part of him untouched by my hands as he fucked me. I felt the heat building, heading to a crescendo. A shift in position was all it took. Barney grabbed my leg and threw it over his shoulder, and a few thrusts later I was screaming out his name, my back arching off the now hot and sticky leather seat. I assumed he would be close, but he rolled me over, and brought my ass up before entering me from behind. I moaned, feeling the heat, the pleasure building again. After several thrusts, he leaned forward over me, and I turned my head to capture his lips. My mouth on his spurned him on, making him thrust harder, go deeper. I came screaming and biting the leather of the seat. He grunted and growled a bit above me, and I felt him fill me.

We laid there in the hot afterglow, sweat coating us in the sticky Louisiana heat. I had turned over, and Barney was laying with his head just under my breasts. I was running my hand through his short black hair, trying to decide what it would look like long.

"It's too fuckin' hot," he grumbled out, reaching an arm over to the keys in the ignition. He turned the engine over, and I got goosebumps the minute the cold air blew over my skin.

"Ah, sweet relief," I breathed, reveling in the cool air.

"You okay?" he asked after some time. I stopped playing with his hair and looked down my body to see him resting his chin between my breasts, looking at me.

"Right as rain. You?" he laughed and shook his head.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Liar. Uhh...i don't want to put my clothes back on."

"That's fine by me."

I giggled and shook my head.

"We probably should though. I'm hungry, my mosaic tile should be in by four and I have to pick up Constance from Tool."

He groaned and moved to a seated position.

"Your too busy," he grumbled out as he pulled his shirt over his head.

"Jealous?" I teased as I slid my underwear up. He looked over at me, watching me as I dressed.

"A little." I stopped dressing, sitting only in my shorts and bra and looked over at him.

"Don't be. I'm all yours."