Author's Note: So, I started this weeks ago and then got distracted. But I hate leaving things unfinished, so today I decided to wrap it up. Enjoy!

Chapter 2

Lisbon woke at her usual time and promptly got out of bed, hoping that keeping busy would help her forget her steamy dreams and the restless ache they'd left her with. Her usual solution to the problem didn't seem to satisfy her; having been held and kissed by Jane, her body would accept no substitutions.

So she went to the gym and worked out, then went home and did some unpacking and housework. She was so full of nervous energy that she got all the rest of her boxes unpacked, two loads of laundry done, and the dishwasher loaded and started by the time she had set to get into the shower and start getting ready for her dinner date.

The idea of dressing to hold Jane's attention was strange. She had no real idea of his type, after all, and whether she was an example of or exception to it. It had been many years since she'd seen a picture of his wife, and there were no more recent examples. She couldn't trust the dresses he'd picked out for her during the art case, since those were meant for her cover.

In the end she decided to just go with the basics. Jane was a man, even if he'd spent most of their friendship celibate, and she'd seen him sneak enough peeks at her boobs during their undercover case to know he liked them. So she went with the push-up bra and low-cut v-neck royal blue blouse over black jeans. As a finishing touch, she wore the heels from her undercover role. They did great things to her ass, she decided. And she straightened her hair and put on smokey eye makeup.

Looking at herself in the mirror, she frowned a little. She hadn't pursued a man in a very long time; it was always the other way around. And she was used to dressing to send the message "respect my authority" rather than "take me now." Was it too much? She had a feeling that Jane, creature of habit that he was, might prefer her professional look. Well, she'd put on a leather jacket.

It was silly to be so nervous, she told herself. It was dinner with Jane. How many meals had they shared over the years? Of course, that was before they'd kissed. And there had never before been a real possibility the night might end with sex. The thought made her shiver with desire.

Even though she was waiting impatiently for the knock at the door, it made her jump. With a deep breath, she pulled the door open—and froze, blinking in shock, at the sexy vision standing on her doorstep.

Jane was beaming at her, scarf draped artistically around his neck over a crisp white button-down shirt—such a relief after those island patterned shirts—above faded blue jeans that hugged his hips enticingly.

"You look—" they both said at the same time, then laughed a little.

"Amazing," Jane finished. He brought the hand behind his back around to reveal a modest bouquet of red tulips.

She smiled as she took them. "Come in. I have a vase somewhere."

"In the language of flowers, red tulips mean 'believe me' and are a declaration of love. I thought they'd be more appropriate than roses. Everybody gives roses." He gave her a little smile, ducking his head a little.

Lisbon closed the door behind him and went to the kitchen, Jane following. As she rummaged through her cupboards, she asked, "Want some tea?"

"I'd love some."

"In the cupboard to your right. The kettle's on the stove," she said, finally locating the vase and pulling it out. She set it on the counter and arranged the tulips in it as Jane filled the kettle, and when he was finished at the sink she put some water in the vase. Then she carried it back out to the living room and set it on the coffee table, admiring how the flowers brightened the room.

"I'm touched," Jane called. "This is more tea than anyone could drink by herself. Marcus doesn't strike me as a tea enthusiast, so I deduce you bought this in expectation of having me over."

"I try to be prepared for any eventuality," she replied, though the truth was that she'd picked up the selection shortly after she moved in. She'd had a vague idea of having a housewarming party, but the time had never seemed right.

She returned to the kitchen to find Jane staring into a cupboard. His voice was a little hoarse as he asked, "Where did you find this?"

He'd found the teacup, she realized. "A rummage sale at church, back in Cannon River. Mrs. Erlanger had a bunch of Fiestaware." She smiled a little at the memory. "She made me buy the lot. But I wanted the teacup anyway." She reached past him and pulled out a cheerful yellow teacup to match his turquoise one. "Do you want it? I'm happy for you to have it."

"Thank you." He pulled her into a fierce hug. Her entire body hummed with arousal at the contact with his firm, warm one, and she pressed closer, resisting when he pulled back to look at her.

"You really missed me," Jane said, smiling.

"I did." There was no point in trying to hide it, after all. "Especially in the beginning, before your first letter." It had felt like dying, she remembered, a little every day.

"I missed you so much," he told her softly. "Writing to you helped a little. But a day never went by that I didn't think about you and wish I could see you, talk to you. I built little fantasies about how I could come back to the States and work with you. But I never thought I'd end up missing you once we lived in the same town again."

"I know it hasn't been the same," she said softly. "The FBI is different. And I don't get to make the assignments."

"I know. And I know we can't change that, at least not right away. But I'd like us to spend time together outside of work."

She nodded. "I'd like that too." Still standing in his arms, she couldn't help looking at his lips and wanting to kiss them. In her heels she was the perfect height to easily reach them. She tangled her fingers in the fringe of his scarf and tugged, and Jane grinned as he leaned forward to receive her kiss.

She kept it light at first, sucking his bottom lip in between her teeth and nibbling on it gently. Then she slid her tongue into his mouth and took possession of it, enjoying his taste and the way he moaned, his hands sliding around her waist and resting on her ass. She decided to give into temptation and slid her own hands down his chest, around his waist, and down to grasp his ass. He jumped a little when she gave it a squeeze, and she sighed in delight when she felt him move, thrusting against her involuntarily.

He pulled back, panting lightly, when the kettle began to whistle. "Now I remember why I don't wear jeans," he said hoarsely. "Behave, Lisbon, if you want to make it to dinner."

She honestly couldn't have cared less about food at this point, far more interested in having him fill her up with himself. But she waited patiently while he made his tea, pouring her a cup as well. As hot as she was for him, she was aware he might not be ready. Just because he'd taken off his ring didn't mean he was prepared to jump into bed with her. She double checked to make sure he wasn't wearing it, and he noticed.

"It's back at the Airstream," he said, sipping at his tea. "Mm. I remember why I loved this cup so much."

She picked up the yellow cup and sipped. She really did need to slow down, she told herself firmly. After all, she hadn't even spoken to Marcus since Jane had surprised her with his revelations last night. Though they hadn't made any commitments to each other, she didn't want to hurt him. He was a good guy who'd been nothing but thoughtful and caring, and it wasn't his fault he couldn't win her heart because she'd given it away long ago.

"Have you spoken to Marcus?"

She hated it when Jane plucked a thought out of her head like that. Sometimes she really did wonder if he was psychic. "No. He texted me this morning that he'd be out of town for a few days. I wished him luck on his case."

"Mm." Jane sipped his tea again. "If they need us to run another con, I'm game."

Lisbon smiled at the thought of shacking up with Jane again, this time as a real couple instead of a fake one. "No, I think they're working another angle. No murder involved this time, so no need to go around renting marching bands. Budgets and all that."

"Meh. Boring."

She chuckled. "Naturally you would think so. Want to go sit in the living room? Do we have to be anywhere at a certain time?"

"We're going someplace casual, so no reservations," he responded, following her to the living room.

They settled on the couch, sitting close so their bodies touched. Lisbon enjoyed his warmth and his scent, mixing with the pungent Earl Grey he was drinking. She could get used to this, she thought.

"I like what you've done with the place, Teresa," Jane remarked.

"Thanks. And thank you for the flowers, Patrick." His first name sounded so strange, but she would practice until it didn't.

Jane smiled at her, pleased. "I like to hear you call me that."

"Good. Because I'm crappy at pet names. I don't think I could call you snookums or stud muffin."

Jane choked on his tea, spluttering a bit before he recovered. "Good," he said firmly. He paused, then said, "I want to, um, apologize in advance if things get awkward. I'm...a little rusty."

"You don't need to do anything you're not ready for," she assured him.

"Glad to hear it. Though your delightful décolletage is not signaling patience."

"Do you want me to change?" She tried to hide her disappointment.

"Not at all," Jane said quickly. "I'm enjoying the view tremendously. I appreciate your thoughtful wardrobe choices this evening. Though if you want to ditch the high heels, you should feel free."

She kicked them off immediately, watching curiously as Jane ogled her feet. She wished she'd gotten a pedicure lately, but it was too late now.

"You have adorable toes," he said.

"Don't tell me you have a foot fetish like the Love Doctor," she said, a little concerned.

"Over the years I've developed a slight obsession with nearly every part of your body," he replied, grinning at her.

"Nearly every part?" She narrowed her eyes, trying to anticipate which body parts he found wanting.

"Only because I haven't seen all of them yet," he assured her. "Your hair is probably my favorite fetish. And I am alarmingly attracted to the idea of counting your freckles. And comparing the taste of them to that gorgeous creamy skin on your breasts."

Lisbon's throat suddenly felt dry, and she drank the last of her tea, setting her cup down beside the tulips. "You don't sound out of practice at all."

"I am, though. Especially since I rarely had to make the first move when I was younger."

She bit her lip, not sure what she wanted to ask was allowed. But if he was going to be more open with her, this would be a good chance. "Even with your wife?"

Jane smiled in a wistful way that tugged at her heart. "Especially with my wife. I flirted with her just like I flirted with all the girls, until one day she told me to put up or shut up. And that if she was going to put up with me, I'd damn well better shape up and stop being such a cocky horn dog. Fortunately, I had the sense to know a good thing when it hit me, so I did."

With his free hand, he toyed with the hair that had fallen over her shoulder, curling it around his finger. "You can ask me anything, Teresa. I don't really know how to talk about my past sometimes, but I'll try, for you."

She whispered, "Thank you." Shivering a little at his touch, she tried to get herself under control, but Jane prevented that by pressing his lips to the pulse point on her neck.

"You, my dear," he whispered huskily, "are throwing off pheromones in a truly dangerous concentration. I'm worried that taking you into a public place might start a riot."

"We could order pizza. I'm pretty sure you could fight off a lone pizza guy," Lisbon managed to say as Jane kissed his way down her neck and dipped his tongue into the space between her collarbones. He grinned against her as she gave a ragged gasp, then sat up, depositing his teacup on the coffee table.

"I don't want to risk breaking it," he said. Then he took a breath to steady himself. "You've slept with Marcus, haven't you?"

Lisbon blinked, taken aback. "Yes. We've been going out for weeks. But we're not exclusive or anything."

He hesitated, seeming to search for words. "And you don't feel the need to, er, end one relationship before beginning another?"

She sat back, frowning. "Are you saying you won't sleep with me until I break up with him?"

"Not necessarily. I'm just trying to save us some heartache. Because there's no going back from this, Teresa. Once we're lovers, we can't go back to just friends. Or just partners. Maybe you could, but I can't."

Lisbon bit her lip. "You're asking for a commitment."

"Yes."

"That's not...something I'm good at," she sighed, feeling her heart sink. He was going to make her wait. And who knew how long Marcus' case would take?

"Nonsense. You commit all the time: to your job, to your friends and family. To me, even, all those years when I made your life harder than it needed to be but you defended and protected me anyway. Commitment isn't some big scary unknown, my dear. You're very good at it when it's something you're passionate about. The only thing I'm really asking for here is to let me meet all your sexual needs. And I realize that's an unreasonable thing to ask until you've evaluated my ability to do so. So I'm willing to give you a free sample, as it were. Try before you buy."

Lisbon felt relief wash through her, and she smiled. But then she saw the look in his eyes, unguarded and vulnerable, and realized this wasn't as simple as he was making it sound. He was putting himself at her mercy after years making sure he was the one in control. He was offering her his heart after keeping it hidden for twelve long years. He was taking a chance on love again after having it ripped away from him so violently that the wound still bled sometimes.

This wasn't just a choice for her. She had a responsibility not to break his fragile heart. He looked so cool and composed most of the time; she was maybe the only one who knew what he looked like without his mask.

"Look," she said, then hesitated. This was terrifying, but she didn't want to be selfish. "This isn't an audition. I...I already love you. And I like Marcus, but it's not the same. If you really want to be with me, I'll break up with him as soon as he gets back. Because I know I'd always regret it if I didn't give us a chance."

Jane's smile was heartbreakingly beautiful. He was always attractive, but with his expression lit with joy he was downright irresistible. "How hungry are you?"

She smiled back at him. "We can order pizza in a couple of hours. First, let me give you a tour."

mmm

As she planned, the tour ended in the bedroom. They never did get around to eating that night, but in the morning Lisbon woke to the smell of coffee and eggs. She got up and looked around, picking Jane's shirt up off the floor and slipping into it, noting the scarf still tied to the headboard with a smile. She was so glad she hadn't gone the rest of her life not knowing what Jane was like in bed. She'd never had a mischievous lover before, but she liked it. Very much.

Untying the scarf, she did her best to sneak up behind Jane as he scrambled eggs, but he must have heard her, because when she was almost within reach, he said, "Morning, love. Help yourself to coffee; breakfast will be ready shortly."

"Smells good," she replied, quickly looping the scarf over his head and around his neck. Then she slid her arms around his waist, toying with the belt loops on his jeans and laying her cheek across the smooth, warm skin of his back.

"Behave while I'm cooking," he mock scolded.

Lisbon chuckled. "Oh, I'll behave. I'll behave exactly as much as you do." She slid one hand down to give him a gentle squeeze.

"Woman, I'm hungry," he growled.

She kissed his shoulder blade and stepped back. "I guess you need to keep your strength up."

"Yes, I do, so no molesting me until we're done eating, or I'll use this scarf to tie you to your chair." He flashed a grin at her over his shoulder.

Lisbon pulled her favorite mug out of the cupboard and filled it with coffee, noting that Jane had washed out his turquoise cup and was already most of the way through his tea.

She'd barely sat down when Jane set a plate of scrambled eggs and toast in front of her, then sat down with his own. They ate in silence, which Lisbon appreciated. She wasn't a fan of morning chatter, no matter how good the sex was the night before.

When they were finished eating, Jane finished his tea, then got up to make a fresh cup, snagging her mug to refill it. They sipped together with their free hands clasped, Jane toying with her fingers and smiling at her over the rim of his teacup.

This, Lisbon realized, was what contentment felt like. Pure, peaceful happiness with a streak of exhilarating joy running through it. She could get used to this. And knowing Jane was happy because of her just made her even more happy. She thought she might burst with it.

"I love you," Jane said softly.

She smiled. "I love you too."

He squeezed her hand, beaming. "Can we try going out for dinner again tonight?"

"If you can still walk by then," she teased.

"Ah, a challenge." He grinned. Then he stood, pulling her to her feet for a kiss. "Do your worst."

She grinned in return and grabbed his hand, leading him back to bed.