Chapter 11

Pulling Elise along the hallway and the downstairs, Reese was ready to get out of there. The relief they all felt at Harold's recovery was the linchpin for getting away...away with Elise. Looking down at her as he headed toward the car, realized he was walking so fast that she was almost running to keep up. Slowing down he had to catch her from running ahead due to her momentum.

"Finally! Your damn long legs almost killed me! I was taking two to three steps to every one of yours." Panted Elise. She pulled her arm away and shifted her backpack to the other shoulder and adjusted the weapons bag in her hand. Realizing he was holding nothing, he reached down to take the weapons bag and she snatched it away from him. "Hey, that's MY gear, MY responsibility! Just keep your hands off!" She bristled, and kept on walking. He stopped to watch her stomp away and had to smile. Even though things had changed between them, obviously not everything had changed between them.

After loading the bags in the trunk, they got in the car. Driving in NYC was always an adventure but Reese wanted nothing like an adventure on this drive. Putting the car in gear, he floored it and barked the tires. That got Elise's attention. She looked over at Reese as he maneuvered through traffic, calmly and efficiently. When he got a little bit of space he took off. The acceleration pushed Elise back into the seat. Watching Reese move in and out of traffic with his left hand on the wheel and his right arm loosely draped over the back of the seat, Elise smiled. As methodical as he was on job, he apparently liked speed in a car...and she did too.

Reese's fingertips lightly touched her shoulder, sending a shiver all the way through her. Making contact with a lock of her hair, he began to wrap his fingers around it and through it, loving the silky texture. Elise closed her eyes and enjoyed the tingling that began at the top of her head and travelled down her neck. Glancing over at Elise with her eyes closed and head leaning back on the seat, Reese almost ran a red light. Slamming on the brakes and grabbing the steering wheel he brought the car under control. Forgetting he had her hair wrapped around his fingers, he pulled hard trying to grab the steering wheel causing Elise to cry out. Being thrown forward in the seat belt didn't help either.

"What the hell? Do you need ME to drive? What where you doing? Why weren't you watching road?" Grumbled Elise, rubbing her head where her hair had been pulled.

Things were not going as he'd hoped. He wanted things to slow down, wanted them both to be able to relax, to take time to discover each other and see if things felt the same as they did in the heat of the moment. Pulling her hair and almost throwing her through a windshield was not conducive to the kind of evening he hoped they would share.

Turning into the underground garage, Reese refrained from answering Elise's questions. The less said the better, he had discovered, when Elise was in a rant. He'd been the target of those rants and really didn't want to go there tonight. Parking the car and retrieving the bags from the trunk they rode up the elevator in silence. Cutting his eyes to watch Elise, he was pleased to see that the angry frown was gone...but it was replaced with obvious signs of fatigue. Opening the door for her, he stepped back to let her go in first. She'd been to his loft only once, and that was after one of those 'moments' that he and Elise kept having. He'd brought her here to get dressed after he'd found her half frozen in a crate. She had been one fiery hellcat when she'd stormed out, wearing some safe house clothing that Finch had purchased for Carter. Thinking of her flouncing out and slamming the door brought a smile to Reese's face.

Walking in, carrying her backpack and weapons bag, Elise stopped at the edge of the bedroom/living room...space. That was the only thing she could think to call it. There were no walls. It was one huge room with minimal furniture. The kitchen was off to her right, the bed was in front of her to the left. Straight ahead was a long wall full of huge windows. There was a desk between two of the windows. A couch and coffee table were in the living room 'space'. It was beautiful but Spartan. Definitely a man's place. No soft touches, no pictures, no bric-a-brac on the tables. She turned to face Reese and asked "How long have you been living here? It looks exactly like the last time I was...uh...here." Her cheeks turned pink as she remembered the 'why' she had been here before. "Never mind, that's none of my business." She continued on to the couch, extremely conscious of the bed off to her left.

"Finch gave it to me as a birthday present, I've only been here about two months. My previous ...uh...accommodations were enough for me but he had already bought it and I didn't want to hurt his feelings. Besides, it's got a great view." Walking over to the bank of windows he looked out and down into the park where he'd meet his friend to play chess. Putting down her bags on the couch she walked over and stood beside him looking out. It was beautiful. Just high enough, compared to surrounding buildings, to keep the casual observer from peeking in the windows. Which was good thing because there were no curtains! Looking up Elise was surprised to see how big the windows actually were...at least ten feet high. The window ledge she was leaning against was deep, at least twenty-four inches. Soft cushions padded all of the bottoms of the windows, effectively making each window a window seat. Looking back at the couch she realized that the only furniture was the couch, the desk and the bed. There were stools by the bar in the breakfast area. But the window seats provided comfort and a view.

After a moment of taking in the blinking lights and watching the cars move slowly up and down the streets, Reese casually asked if she would like to take a shower, looking out the window but watching her face in the reflection.

"Oh yes, please! I would dearly love that!" cried Elise. She turned and grabbed her backpack and then paused. She had a few t-shirts in her bag but that was it. All she really had was what she had on. The rest of her clothes were torn and blood stained. Biting her bottom lip she wondered what she should do. She really wanted to burn them. They reminded her of Reese being injured and unconscious.

Watching her reflection, Reese was amazed at how he was learning to read her facial expressions. Feeling the time was right he cleared his throat and turned to face her. "Since you started working with us on a semi-regular basis, Harold bought some clothes for you." Holding his hand up to stop her from protesting, he continued. "There are some here and some at the other safe houses he has. They're brand new and he bought them especially for you. So if you want me to get rid of those other clothes, I can."

Closing her eyes, Elise smiled, thinking again how much she loved Harold Finch and the way he took care of her without her even knowing. "Yes, I would appreciate you getting rid of these clothes. You can burn them for all I care." She said smiling at Reese.

"Let me get them for you and I'll bring them to the bathroom. You remember where it is?" Asked John as he walked over to an armoire.

Opening the door he found jeans, a t-shirt and some rather dainty lingerie. Imagining Elise in them caused him to feel the strong stirrings of desire, even as tired as he was.

Walking into the bathroom Elise was impressed with the military neatness that permeated the entire area. Royal blue towels were folded just so, perfectly aligned with each other. Matching washcloths folded on top. Bottles of soap, shampoo and conditioner were lined up as if ready for inspection. Toothbrush and toothpaste in their proper place. The blue and white stripe motif of the room itself gave off a clean and airy feeling, relaxing in its simplicity. Shutting the door she turned on the shower and let the steam build.

A quick rap on the door and she heard Reese call her name. Cracking the door open she quickly grabbed the clothes he offered and shut the door and locked it. She really needed her privacy right now. Putting the pile of new clean clothes by the shower, she stripped quickly and jumped in the shower. It was pure heaven to stand under the pulsing hot shower and feel it wash away all the pain, all the hurt and all the tiredness that had crept into her bones. Taking her time she scrubbed until her skin was bright pink. Washing her hair always relaxed her.

Climbing out of the shower she grabbed one of the blue bath towels on the sink. It was huge! Wrapping it around herself, it covered from under her arms to almost her ankles. Thinking of John, she realized being such a tall man he probably needed the bigger towels. Thinking of him drying himself off with this same towel, she smiled and buried her face in its softness. Towel drying her hair she looked at herself in the mirror. 'I wonder what John sees when he looks at me?' She mused. 'I'm awfully short compared to him, but I can hold my own pretty well in a fight. He seems to like my hair, he keeps playing with it.' Using a comb from her bag, she attacked the tangles till her hair was smooth. As it dried the waves became more obvious. Taking a lock and wrapping it around her finger she stared at the mirror. 'Why does he like to do this? And why does he always put it behind my ear? I come completely undone when he does that...and I think he knows it!' She muttered.

Taking a deep breath and ignoring the clothes on the chair by the shower, she opened the door and walked out. Reese was nowhere to be seen. Then she remembered he was probably taking care of the clothes like she asked. Good riddance! Wandering around the huge room she ended up at the middle window on the wall. Sitting down on the cushion she pulled her knees up. Leaning back against one side of the window frame, she was able to prop her feet up on the other side. Looking out into the night she was mesmerized. So many people going on about their everyday lives, all tied up in their own microcosm...some interacting with others and some not. The people down there were happy, sad, angry, such a mass of humanity. Leaning her head against the glass she imagined how each life was different. Each set of circumstances predicted how each individual's day flowed.

Being so caught up in her musings, Elise was only vaguely aware that Reese had come back into the loft. Seeing her silhouetted against the night sky, he quietly shut the door and stood there watching her. His towel covered her completely, all he could see were her shoulders. Her hair was hanging down loose and beginning to turn into waves. He could just barely make out her bare feet up against the frame of the window. He was in awe that she was here...with him. After all the things they had been through, good, bad, embarrassing, dangerous, she still trusted him enough to come here. His desire to be with her was growing stronger and stronger.

He slid quietly into the bathroom and took his own shower, taking care to keep his shoulder wound dry. 'I don't need her fussing over that now', he thought. Climbing out of the shower he wrapped one of the blue towels around his waist. It fit him just right, reaching down to his knees. Opening the bathroom door he found she was still sitting in the same window. He silently walked over to her and softly called her name. "Elise..."

Smiling slightly, she turned her head and looked up at him. "I knew you were there. I knew when you came back in and even when you went to take a shower." Her smile got even bigger, "I wouldn't last very long in my line of work if I didn't keep track of who was where and what they were doing."

Reese almost snorted, "Well, so much for my stealthy moves I guess."

Elise pulled her feet back towards herself, making just enough room for John to sit down across from her. As he sat down he had to rearrange his towel. Her smile, her bare shoulders and her bare feet were all causing a reaction in his body that the towel was not hiding. Seeing his discomfort, she stretched out her legs until they rested in his lap. Watching him, with a smile that showed she knew exactly what she was doing, she raised one eyebrow and slowly moved her feet, brushing up against his growing erection. John sucked in his breath and looked at her, noticing how the moonlight streaming through the window accented the contour of her face, the smoothness of her cheek and the lusciousness of her lips. Her eyes looked even darker than their normal dark blue, telling him that his desire was matched by hers.

Reaching out, he grabbed one stray curl, wrapped it around his finger. Leaning forward, he kissed that curl and carefully placed it behind her ear. Once again Elise was transported to another level by that one simple act. Her lips parted, her tongue peeked out and wet her lips. Growling quietly John took his right hand that had held the curl and moved it around under her hair to the back of her neck, pulling her toward him so he could capture those lips. The light touch of their lips ignited the burning embers that had been smoldering since their encounter in the shower. Deepening the kiss, his left hand reached out and found the edge of the towel wrapped around Elise. Pulling it slightly, it slowly came undone and slid down to her waist, leaving her breasts bare. The coolness of the room caused her nipples to harden immediately. Capturing one, he felt its fullness fill his hand. Elise moaned into his mouth as he stroked its peak. Reaching up she pulled his right hand down to her other breast and held it there, never breaking the kiss.

Pulling his towel back, pulling hers off, once again Elise straddled John. Grasping him by the neck, she leaned back with his hands on her breasts. Looking at him though half closed eyes, she slowly lowered herself onto him until she had taken him all in. Opening his eyes, John was transfixed by the sight of Elise totally abandoned and she was beginning to move. Closing her eyes once again, she began to slowly ride him...all the way up and then all the way down...ever so achingly slow. Her hair cascaded down her back, swaying back and forth with every movement. Pulling and playing with her nipples one last time, he then slid his hands from her breasts to her back and then down to her bottom. He gripped her firmly and began to coax her to pick up the pace. Slow was nice to start with, but they were both past that point now. Pulling her head back up and sitting up straighter, she leaned toward John's face, presenting him with a pink rosebud nipple begging to be suckled. As he put his mouth to one she bowed her head so her hair covered him. The electricity he felt with her silky hair on his face, hard nipple in his mouth, firm behind in his hands and her velvet glove grasping his manhood, was beyond anything he'd experienced in…..God, forever. The faster he moved her, the louder her moans became. Still holding him to her chest she gave into the ecstasy that filled her and breathed out "John". One last downward thrust from Elise pushed John over the edge. They came together in a violent explosion of pleasure. Both shook with the intensity of the feelings they shared...both physical and emotional.

Minutes later, resting comfortably on his lap, with him still safely inside her, Elise took her hands and placed them on both sides of John's face. Looking deeply into his eyes she saw completeness...for herself and for him. This was as it should be, and would always be. She leaned in and gently kissed his lips and wrapped her arms around his neck and held on tight.

John couldn't imagine a better feeling than having this small, beautiful woman in his arms. He tucked her head under his and just enjoyed the feeling of holding her. He felt her body relax slowly and he began to drift off as well, images of a dark-haired beauty filling his dreams.

It must have been an hour or so later when John woke again. The moon was still in the sky indicating that it was not dawn yet. He stirred and shifted Elise on his lap. As he did so, she whimpered and he reached down and caressed her hair. "Shh, it's ok sweetheart. I'm here." Elise sighed and he felt her eyelashes flutter against his chest as she opened them and took in her surroundings.

"Mmm, John." She rubbed her cheek against the sparse hair on his chest and then kissed him there as well. "John, I'm a bit cold here. Can you hand me a towel?"

"No, let's just go to bed and get under the covers. Here, I'll carry you." And he shifted her from his lap to his arms.

"John no! You'll pull your stitches!" Elise exclaimed, jumping up. "I appreciate it but I can walk."

"Elise, you hardly weigh anything. I can carry you." He said.

Elise smiled at him and took ahold of his hand and walked with him towards the bed. All of a sudden, she felt rather shy which was strange considering they'd already made love twice. He must have sensed her reluctance because he stopped close to the bed and took her face in both hands and tilted it up towards his.

"Elise honey, I just want you to know that I'm…..I'm in this for the long haul, if you are. These feelings I have for you…. They're so new but I…I don't think they're going to go away. I hope you feel the same. If you don't you need to let me know now, before…."

She never gave him a chance to finish. She reached up and pulled his mouth down to hers and gave him her answer through a kiss. It started out sweetly but quickly turned passionate when he realized what she was trying to say. His arms wrapped around her and he pulled her up close to his body, reveling in the feeling of her soft skin pressed against him.

Elise couldn't get enough of him, her hand began roaming up and down his back while he pushed himself into her. She felt his hard arousal pressed against her belly and she brought her hands around intent on touching him there.

Instead, John pulled back. "No Elise. You've done all the work so far. I want to return the favor." He gently backed her up, kissing her the entire time until the back of her legs hit the bed. He slowly lowered them both down without breaking the kiss while she marveled and his skill and the feelings he was able to produce in her without half trying.

Once they were settled next to each other, John started to deepen his kisses. His tongue swept over her lips and drew one into his mouth. When Elise sighed with pleasure, he dipped his tongue further into her mouth where he encountered her own and they dueled for a second until she finally let him take control of the kiss. He withdrew his tongue and then plunged it in again and again, mimicking what he would soon be doing to her body. Meanwhile, his hands moved down from her neck to the swell of her breasts and he cupped one, rubbing the nipple with his thumb. Elise pushed her body up into his hand and his lips left her mouth and travelled down her neck to her breasts. He hovered over one nipple and blew on it. She tried to push her body upwards to make contact with that wonderful mouth, but he just pulled back and when she settled down, he did it again, driving her crazy.

"John!" Elise cried in frustration.

He smiled and asked her in a husky voice, filled with sexual promise, "Is this what you want, Elise?" And his tongue came out and licked her nipple, but just once. He blew on it again and it hardened further. She moaned and reached for his head, diving her fingers into his short hair.

"Or would you rather I do this?" And with those words, he drew her nipple into his mouth and sucked hard.

The effect on her was immediate. His hot, wet mouth drawing on her nipple felt so exquisite that she cried out with the pleasure. In the next second, he started squeezing and rolling her other nipple in his hand and she felt the shock waves spread from her breasts down between her legs.

Once again, John must have known what she wanted because his mouth switched to her other breast while one hand played with her other nipple and his second hand..oh God! His second hand moved south along her belly until it reached the junction of her thighs. Almost of their own accord, her legs parted and John's hand dove between them. He plunged two fingers inside of her at the same time as he sucked harder on her nipple. Elise's body practically bowed off the bed as she screamed his name.

John withdrew his fingers and once more plunged them inside of her while simultaneously increasing the pressure on her nipple. He repeated this over and over again until Elise was panting with need. Finally, he rubbed his thumb over her clit and felt her come apart underneath him, her inner muscles gripping his fingers still inside her. He quickly withdrew his fingers but before she could feel their loss, he drove his shaft inside her and shouted as he felt her warmth grip him, her muscles still contracting with the power of her climax. He pulled out and drove into her again and again, for several minutes until he felt her tensing underneath him. He thrust in harder one more time and once again she climaxed and on the next thrust, he followed her over the edge.

Elise felt him lose control and she held onto him, wrapping her legs around him as they both came down from their high. A couple of minutes later, John slid out of her and collapsed on the bed next to her. "Elise, you're going to be the death of me. I can't imagine what you'll be like when you're feeling rested."

She just smirked at him and then said, "Guess you'll just have to wait and see." He laughed at her sassy comment and pulled her close up against his body, covering them both with a blanket.

"You'll have to keep up with me then." He whispered in her ear and felt her answering grin before both of them sighed and relaxed into an exhausted sleep.