By JohnandVan

"Is that it, all I have to do is plead out, and I’ll get a fine and probation."

"That’s the deal, the DA office presented, I think we should take it, provided you can swear you won’t go after Kevin again."

"Van I can’t promise that he is starting to really piss me off; this thing between us is hurting my family."

"I know Todd, but you are going to have to find a way to take the high road, let Kevin blow off his steam, and you focus on your family."

"I’ll try, but if he keeps coming at me all bets are off… The only reason I’m not going after Kevin is Vickie, but I don’t know how long that will last."

Phone rings, Evangeline holds up her hand to indicate she has to take the call.

"Evangeline Williamson here, John, hi, what can I do for you," she looks up at Todd, who gives her a knowing look.

"Van, I need to talk, you busy?"

"I can’t talk now, I’m in a meeting, and can I call you later, great, later." Hangs up and looks back at Todd, brushing her hair out of the way.

"You and the cop hooking up now, thought you and RJ were an item?"

"What makes you think John and I are an item?" Ignoring the comment about RJ, she didn’t even want to go there.

"Well lets see, every time I run into you I run into him, there was a little pulse at your temple while you were talking to him, and I have a feeling if I hadn’t been here that conversation would have lasted a lot longer."

"Well you are wrong, we are just friends, colleagues, nothing more" Man, she wished she could wipe that smirk off his face.

"Well I tend to trust my instincts something is definitely up with you two."

Van remained quiet thinking back to the night before…

"What the hell?"

"John, what's going on?"

"I don’t know. Stay down. Where is your phone?"

"In my purse." The adrenaline was pumping, she had never been shot at before and wasn’t sure she liked it very much.

"Where the hell is your purse?"

"On the floor where you threw it when I came in," she responded shortly.

"I’m going to roll and get it. Don’t move."

After the boys from the station left, he looked over at her, man she was beautiful, and so sleek, like a cat, she took good care of herself, working out three times a week at the gym looked good on her, good thing too since she was always working him out. Right now she looked scared and pissed off at the same time.

"Van you okay? " This was his greatest fear, that his job would put her in danger.

"Yeah, I’m okay, you?"

"Fine as soon as I get you home and find out who was shooting at us." He went over to her and pulled her close, her head rested on his arm and his hand reached up rubbing her head, feeling the beautiful mane of hair he never tired of touching, who was he kidding, there was no part of her he ever tired of touching. She was scaring him, he felt too much, and too soon, he had to cool it. Stepping back he reached for her purse.

"Any ideas of who did this?"

"A few, but I won’t know until I investigate, let me get you home now, after I check out your place I am going back to the station."

"Earth to Van, where did you go just now?" Todd knew she was thinking of McBain, her eyes had the glazed look; Blair usually got that look when she was thinking of him.

"Just thinking, so are you going to take the deal?"

"Yeah, but first what is with you and McBain, Mr. Untouchable?"

"I told you we are just friends." Todd was really starting to piss her off harping on her and John.

"Well I see sparks, ever time I say his name so what’s up?"

"What gives you the right to question me about John?"

"Remember the conversation we had over drinks?"

"Yes, so what?"

"Well you indicated that there was someone, and being your only male friend sitting across from you right now, I think you might need to talk about it and get a male point of view. "

"My relationship with John or lack of one is none of your business."

"Just thought it would help if you could talk about it." Slyly looking up to see her reaction.

"Well it won’t," she said sharply. "What is between or not between us is none of your biz."

"Well if you need to talk I’m available, got to go Starr is doing a play at school, I promised not to be late. See ya."

Picking up her phone she called John back.

"John, hello just returning your call?"

"Van can we get together we have to talk." He wasn’t sure how she was going to take the conversation he had to have with her but he couldn’t put it off.

"Sure, where, your place or mine?"

"Mine, say about 9:00, and Van sorry I took so long to call you." He said in that husky sexy voice he got when talking with her.

"It’s okay see you then." Hanging up she thought to herself, something was defiantly up John never apologized maybe he was ready to back off. It wouldn’t surprise me, he told me from the start that he wasn’t ready for more. Damn, better get home and find a kick ass outfit for this evening if he was going to break up I’ll be damned if I’ll make it easy for him.

Evangeline is just about ready to knock on his door when he opens it, as if he felt her before she even knocked.

John never got tired of looking at her he always started from the go to hell legs, and worked his way to the beautiful mass of black hair, he loved to run his hands through.

"Evening, Van you are just on time, nice outfit, red looks good on you".

"Thanks." If he only knew how long it took me to pick it out, off the shoulders, clingy and I’ll be damned if I am giving you up without a fight kind of dress.

The room was lit very low as usual and he had a couple of glasses and bottle on the bureau, if this was a break up did he think it was going to be friendly, toss a couple of drinks and just kiss us good-bye.

John touched her hair, he always did that, pushing her hair back as if it got in his way, it did, he liked to look in her eyes, Van had a way of leaning forward and her hair would cover her face, he had to push it aside to see what was going in her soul.

"Van, we need to talk." he started off hesitantly, scared he would not do this right and everything would fall apart.

Cutting him off she said, "John, did you find out who shot at us the other night."

"Yeah, it was I guy I was investigating, he thought he could scare me into backing off, he’s in custody, pending his trial. I didn’t call you over here to talk about that. I want to talk about that no strings idea of yours."

"You agreed, you said you couldn’t handle more than that." Please make him stop I couldn’t handle it if this is over.

"Van look at me, and please be quiet and listen, I know what I said about us, but I can’t do it. I go to sleep and dream of you, I spend my days wondering where you are and what you’re doing." He pauses, touches her face, traces the curve of her check bone gently. "I can’t handle the idea of you and anyone but me. I need to know how you feel, I’m taking a big chance here, what do you want?

Her mind was in a swirl, I came here expecting to break up and have to fight to get him to change his mind, now he is asking me change the rules.

"Van, answer me, how do you feel about us? " She was really scaring him now, she was so still, like a cat, man I don’t even feel her breathing, then suddenly she started to shake, he pulled her close, "Van what's wrong, baby talk to me."

Slowly, almost in a whisper, she says " I thought you wanted us to breakup, and I was so scared, John I’ve never been so scared of anything in my life."

"Van don’t you know how much you mean to me, after you left the other night all I could think about is what I would do if anything happened to you, and you didn’t know how much you mean to me. My gut dropped when I heard that shot and I got a wake up call, I could either risk losing you by telling you how I feel or I could end up having the smartest most astonishing woman ever be a part of my life. Van I want you exclusive, no games, and no more one night stands. When I go to sleep I want you in my arms, when I wake up I want to feel you beneath me, can you handle that?"

He waited anxiously for her to answer, everything told him that his entire world would turn on what she said next, he wanted to shake her, but control was what he needed now.

"John", she said quietly "do you think you could get a bigger bed in here, this one is little small?"

"Small, not, you fit and I fit, that is all I the bed I need, but I’m willing to get a bigger bed are you willing to be in it with me, answer me woman." She pulled him in for the hottest kiss he has had in days, stroking his lips with hers, sighing and moving close, damn how had he gone this long without tasting her again, she was strong, beautiful and smooth so smooth, touching her was like touching velvet. Pulling back he said, "I’m waiting for your answer."

Slowly she breathed her answer, "Yes, I want you, screw that no strings, lets renegotiate."

He felt her move her hand to his face and bring his mouth to hers again, and he breathed her in and, tasted her, then just as quickly pulled back looking into her dark eyes, which were sparkling with laughter, he growled pulling her close. He slowly reached behind her and unzipped the dress, which practically fell off. Damn she was beautiful inside and out, her body was sleek and with all the curves in the right place. He could just drink her in but he had a better idea. Moving slowly he kissed her softly then moved her lips apart teasing her with his quick kisses, there bodies pressed closely to each other so much so the heat was almost unbearable. Taking his hand slowly up her back he unhooked the bra, bringing his mouth to the mounds of such sweetness, he stroked, and sucked gently feeling her shiver with desire.

"John hurry up."

"We’re getting there."

Even her whimpering wouldn’t make him move any faster, and it was killing him to take his time, just the touch of her skin made him want to explode. Slowly he kneeled in front of her, kissing all her special places. She kept whimpering, pulling at his hair, but he kept going, he wanted her to want him, and no one else, he wanted to know how much power he had to make her feel the pleasure only he could give her. He picked her up and took her to the bed, pushing the pillows aside. Moving lower he kissed her nipples, lightly fanning them with his breath, then moving back up to kiss her so hard they had to finally break to breathe.

The hell with it he needed her now, running his hands down her thighs, and parting them he touched his favorite places, he was throbbing with desire he needed her right now. He fumbled for the package, tearing it as quickly as possible and giving it to her so she could ease it on as only she knew how in record time. She barely had it on before he moved, placing his body over hers, he stroked her nipples with his tongue making little circles, bringing his hand between her legs he checked to see if she was ready, she was so smooth and wet, he could only imagine the warmth he was about to feel, he entered her in one fluid movement, held back, then finding their rhythm rocked her back and forth. All Van could do was to go with the flow, he knew the moment she was ready, he could feel it they both exploded at the same time, they rested, he quietly kissed her temple, sighing,

"Stay the night." It wasn’t question it was command he was not going to live without her, they were a part of each other, and he felt like the luckiest man alive, he had a second chance, pulling her on top of him they both fell asleep.