Evangeline couldn’t breath. The room was swimming as she hurried to the restroom.

Did he know? She had made sure to be extra careful, made sure she was never followed, she was sacrificing a man she cared about deeply to do this. What was this anyway? A chance to make herself feel better about her own poor judgment in partners, or maybe it was just another way for her to win, her need to always come out on top.

Oh God, what am I doing? Sitting there with RJ had made her uncomfortable, but the way he had looked at her tonight, the way he said everything had just sent chills up her spine. It was something she saw in his eyes, something had changed. Before he had looked at her lovingly, he seemed almost sorry for how things had ended. But tonight was different, tonight the caring tenderness had been replaced with something darker, something that scared her, the little feeling that had been there before was all gone. And when she looked at him now, all the feeling was gone. All she wanted to be somewhere else…with John. Oh, my God, John. The way he had looked at her tonight, she had died inside. The last thing she wanted was to hurt him, she…loved him.

“Wow, there” she hadn’t been looking where she was going.

“Nora, I’m sorry…I-”

“Evangeline, what’s wrong you don’t look so good,”

“I’m fine I just,…” The two women had barely seen each other the last couple of weeks.

Evangeline had made a point to avoid her. How was she going to explain what was going on, that she was doing this to RJ, someone Nora cared about.

“I’ve been meaning to call, things have just been…complicated”

“Are you sure your ok, you seem a little out of it, I should get John.”

“No! I mean it’s alright, I’m just a little flushed, tonight is something else.”

“Yea…it is,” she didn’t seem convinced, “are you sure?”

“Sure, I’ll be fine.” She managed to compose herself. “Well, make sure you stop by and say hi, Daniel’s been asking about you,” she giggled finally.

“I will,”

The two women hugged before Evangeline was finally free to escape to the restroom. The moment she walked in the first thing she did was check to make sure the place was empty before she retreated to the sink. She stared in the mirror, everything seemed so normal on the surface but inside she was wreck. Evangeline heard the door swing open as she bent over the sink.

“Evangeline…” she looked up with a start at the man standing behind her,

“John…”

“What’s wrong?”

He was suddenly next to her as his hand traced a path down the side of her face, “what did he do?”

“Nothing…it’s just, RJ he’s…”

“That’s it; I’m pulling the plug on this thing.”

His eyes were still angry, but she could see the tenderness there.

“No,” The words left her mouth instantly, “I have to finish this just tonight that’s it. He trusts me now; this might be our last chance. Please…”

It wasn’t what she wanted but it would have to do, it was now or never. Stupid, stupid, stupid, stubborn Evangeline.

“You don’t have to prove anything.” his voice lowered, “not to me.”

“I know…just tonight and that’s it, promise.”

John buried his hands in a mass of her thick hair as he spoke. “There’s no fighting you is there.”

“I figured you would have learned by now…,” she put on her best game face.

“What can I say?” His breath was on her cheek, “I’m a slow learner.”

His lips were soft as he tasted her; he had missed this so much, feeling her melt like this, beneath him. Evangeline parted her mouth as the kiss got deeper, betraying how much she wanted to be with him. Her long arms had snaked behind his neck, as John had pulled her closer. The feel of his hands on her bare skin weakened her will, all she wanted him was John, here, right now. She closed her eyes, running her fingers through his long hair as his arms supported her. He tasted good, no he tasted amazing. She wanted to feel him inside her, to be part of him. Touching him seemed so right, being there in that place brought memories back memories of the basement. It shocked her to think she had managed to go without him for so long.

“Ahem,”

They broke away instantly, behind them Shannon McBain stood waving at the door.

“Shannon, hi,” Evangeline made an attempt to look normal.

“Hey, um…why don’t you two just get a room already?”

John shot her a look before his eyes returned to Evangeline.

“I should go, RJ will be wondering where I got to.”

She stole a look at John before she made a swift exit from the ladies room.

Shannon grinned from ear to ear as she held the door open for her cousin.

“Don’t say a word,” said John.

“What?” she shrugged playfully as she watched him walk away.

“Just cool it RJ, nobody’s accusing you of anything,” Antonio and RJ stood face to face as Sonya and Lindsey watched on in amusement.

“I dunno about you detective, but as an upstanding citizen I would like to think I can go out and socialize without any harassment from our local law enforcement.”

“What’s going on?” Evangeline took in the site of RJ an Antonio, the tension was unbearable.

“I just asked him a few questions about the body we discovered at the quarry.”

“No detective, you practically accused me of killing that man in cold blood.” he spat.

“Well…did you?” Evangeline saw RJ clench his fists.

“Don’t push me Vega,” he hissed.

“Causing trouble again, Gannon?” Evangeline felt John lightly brush against her as he walked up to the two men.

“Lieutenant, I should’ve known you wouldn’t be far behind. Funny how you seem to pop up everywhere my woman and I are,”

Evangeline watched RJ walk up to her before his arm circled her waist. She didn’t miss the look John gave her.

“You know Lieutenant, given your history with Evangeline one would be inclined to believe this was a personal vendetta against an upstanding member of society.”

“RJ maybe we should leave, “she needed to get some damage control, before this things spilled out of control.

“Maybe we should, “he smiled down at her, “the night is still young, why waste it here.”

“Lindsey…detectives”, “Goodnight,” Evangeline sighed apologetically avoiding John’s stare as they left.