"Good Morning Mr. Reese!" The bespectacled man rang out in a cheerful greeting as Reese walked down the book-lined hallway to the room where they met daily.
"Well don't you seem chipper this morning Finch". Reese removed his long overcoat and hung it on the coat rack as he walked towards the large round table where Finch was seated in front of his keyboard and numerous monitors. He expected Finch's usual blank look and owlish eyes to be peering over the monitors but instead he was met with a smile...no, actually it could better be described as a shit-eating grin.
Reese cocked his head. "What's going on Finch?" A lopsided smirk played at his lips.
"Did you have a nice evening Mr. Reese?"
'Shit' Reese thought. He didn't allow his smirk to falter but an image quickly flashed through his mind. Two hands pressed together...fingers entwined...soft legs wrapped around him, heels digging into his back as he drives himself into her. As quickly as it had started the image stopped.
Finch raised a brow in question while waiting for Reese's response.
"Why don't you tell me Finch since it seems you already know the answer to the question." Reese's voice was flat, conveying none of the discomfort he suddenly felt.
"Or..." Finch continued as if John hadn't said a word "...maybe I should ask our friend Detective Carter." Finch's eyes crinkled as his smile grew slowly. "I mean you were both at the exact same restaurant at the exact same time last night, weren't you?" Finch paused for a second watching Reese's reaction. "Quite serendipitous that the restaurant just happened to be attached to a quiet little hotel, isn't it Mr. Reese?" Finch's brow rose lending to the amused expression plastered on his face.
"Or...should I ask Miss Morgan? I really was having trouble keeping up last night."
'Fuck me, he knows.' Reese thought. First- he wondered to himself how Finch knew...but that was a stupid question. Of course Finch would have seen them...nosy little bugger. Then he considered denying the fact that he was with Carter last night...or Zoe for that matter but then again, there was no point in denying something that Finch had already confirmed.
"You know Finch, you have to understand that I'm not going to be able to tell you everything." His response was a dig on Finch's own response to Reese a couple of weeks ago; he had asked Finch what was going on and why he had been acting so strange but Finch had just shut down and told him nothing. "Besides..." Reese continued. "...it doesn't concern you; we weren't talking about work...much."
His fingers were threaded through her hair...pulling her towards him...his mouth bruising, devouring her lips.
"Oh, to that I have no doubt Mr. Reese." Finch responded...almost as if he could see Reese's thoughts.
"Harold..." Reese's dark tone conveyed all the warning that was needed in that one word.
Finch exhaled through his nose quickly in response to Reese's use of his first name. "Don't get yourself all in a tizzy John." Finch was playing with him and Reese knew it. He wasn't sure why... but he was sure as hell going to find out.
"What are you playing at Finch?"
"I'm sure I don't know what you mean Mr. Reese. I was simply asking how your evening was, no crime in that. Unless..."
Reese's eyes narrowed. He was getting nowhere and Finch knew it. Finch was having his own little private chuckle-fest at his expense and it was driving him crazy. He was so good at figuring out other people's secrets but whenever he tried to figure anything out about Finch he hit a brick wall. He decided that he wouldn't give him any more information than he had to.
Reese walked over to the chair sitting against the wall almost directly in front of Finch and sat down. He crossed his right leg over his knee, set his elbow on the chair's armrest and propped his chin against his hand. "OK Finch. Out with it. I'm not playing your game. Why were you watching me last night...hell, how did you even KNOW to watch?"
Reese wasn't sure it was possible for Finch's grin to get any wider - but it did. It was now seriously getting under his skin.
"Oh Mr. Reese, it's not really that complicated if you think about it." Finch paused... "Think back...about a week ago...start there."
Reese's brows pulled together in a frown as he started thinking back. A week ago Friday...He remembered quite clearly. Finch had given him the Machine's newest number belonging to a man with a very unique situation. Reese had told Finch that he was going to contact Zoe Morgan because she had contacts that would be able to help in this particular case. He couldn't imagine what that had to do with last night or why Finch had brought it up, but he was going to find out.
7 Days Ago~~~~
Reese walked down the crowded sidewalk. Friday evenings were always crowded in this area; people heading out to dinner or to clubs and bars to start their weekend off with a few drinks. His own destination was just a few more steps away. He knew the pub well. It wasn't a hole in the wall nor was it an overpriced tourist attraction, just somewhere right in the middle. It had a nice mix of people and it was easy for him to blend in with everyone. Reese pulled open the large black door of the bar's entrance and, as with any building he entered, scanned the room and patrons quickly for possible threats. He was already familiar with all possible exits or he would have scanned for those too. His eyes stopped when they found what he was looking for. Long dark blond hair, slender figure, gorgeous long legs ending in a pair of four inch Manolos, topping it off with a look that screamed stay the fuck away. He smiled when she turned her head towards him slowly and raised her martini glass in invitation.
As he walked towards the bar he slipped off his coat and caught the eye of two different women eyeing him blatantly. He smiled kindly at them before returning his gaze to his target.
"Hello Zoe." He whispered as he leaned down to give her a swift kiss on her cheek.
"John. So nice to see you again." Her smoky voice just loud enough to be heard above the background noise of the pub. A small smile was Reese's only response.
He looked over at the bartender who took one look at him and hurried over. "What can I get for ya m'dear?" She asked in a light Irish lilt.
The sound made John smile; he had always loved the Irish accent. "I'll have a Guinness please."
"Comin' right up darlin'." She grabbed a pint glass and walked to the tap and began building his beer. She kept sneaking glances over at him and John noticed that Zoe didn't miss one of them.
"So why am I here John?" She began in her typical blunt fashion as the bartender brought his beer over and set it down in front of him. The girl paused as if she were going to say something but quickly turned back around when she caught Zoe's look. Reese chuckled and took a long drink of his beer. "They know how to build a Guinness." He said with a grin as he held up the mug. She smiled slyly up at him and shook her head.
He smiled back at her; his eyes crinkling and dark lashes almost covering his eyes completely.
Zoe returned the smile and wondered if he smiled that gorgeous smile on purpose or if he was totally oblivious to what it did to her...and any other woman who was on the receiving end of it. She leaned over so close to him that she was almost in his lap. She moved her hand over to his knee and slowly slid her hand up to his thigh. Her hair slipped over her shoulder hiding her face to the rest of the bar as she brought her lips close to his ear. "Cut the shit John." Her low voice slid across his ear. "You wanna get outta here?"
"Are we going to do something illegal again?" He whispered.
"Hey Brynn, can I get an MGD?" A voice broke in right behind Zoe.
John closed his eyes and chuckled while Zoe whipped her head around to glare at the intruder. "Oh hey..." The intruder looked back at Zoe. "I'm sorry…am I interrupting somethin'?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact you are." Zoe responded in a low warning tone.
"Well, hello Carter." Reese responded.
Present Day~~~
"OK Finch, that's when I met up with Miss Morgan and Jo...Detective Carter." Reese slipped and almost referred to Carter by her first name in front of Finch. He knew Finch would catch it so he decided to ignore it. "What about it Finch? It wasn't a secret, you knew I was contacting Miss Morgan to help out...what am I missing?"
"You and Miss Morgan spent quite a lot of time together this past week, didn't you? And where was our friend Detective Carter during this time?" Finch's smile had dropped a bit but his eyes took on an annoying twinkle.
"I'm sure you knew exactly where Carter was because she was with Zoe and I most of the week...come to think of it Finch, I'm not even sure how Carter knew where I was...I didn't call her the evening I met with Miss Morgan..."
"Really?" Finch's head tilted to the side. "I can't imagine how she ended up there that evening but I'm sure it was a pleasant surprise, unless I'm mistaken Mr. Reese?"
Reese couldn't help himself, his mind drifted again...The dimly lit stone hallway leading from the restaurant to the hotel had several nooks about three feet deep and four feet wide carved into the stone... They walk hand in hand until he suddenly pushes her into one of the nooks. He crushes her mouth with his; taking her breath away. She moans deliciously as he slowly sucks her bottom lip into his mouth, his tongue flickering against it. His body presses her back against the stone. His lips travel across her jaw and down. He ravishes her neck...nipping and sucking the soft skin there and marking her as his. His mouth ascends to the hollow just below her ear, his tongue flicks out to tease the tender spot. She gasps and her breath on his skin sends chills up and down his spine. Her hands are grasping, clawing, pulling him even tighter against her and then they reach for his belt...no, not reaching or fumbling... she attacks it. He smiles and decides that he's not going to allow her to control this situation. He runs his hands down her arms quickly and then grabs both of her wrists and lifts them above her head pinning them to the wall. She struggles against his hold but he's much stronger than her and she knows it. She tries to lean forward to kiss him but he leans his head back just a little so that he's looking down at her while keeping the rest of his body pressed tightly against hers. She peers up at him through thick lashes...brow cocked in defiance, eyes dark and heavy with lust. Her gaze is filled with a challenge that excites him to the point that he can barely contain himself...
"...Mr. Reese?" Finch interrupted his thoughts.
"Hmm?" He looked over at Finch who wore a look that said he was obviously waiting for an answer.
"I'm sorry Finch, what did you say?"
"I said that if you didn't call the Detective and advise her of your whereabouts and who you would be with, I wonder who did. Of course, I suppose it could have been our other Detective friend...but then again, that doesn't really sound like something he would do, does it?"
Reese's eyes narrowed. There was something Finch was hinting at but he obviously wasn't catching on quick enough because Finch started again.
"I know how protective you can be of people that you've only just met but you seem to be almost overprotective of her especially... Can you tell me why that is?"
"What do you mean Finch? Carter and I have known each other for a while...albeit in a roundabout sort of way at first...but of course I'm going to feel a little more protective of someone I..."
Reese broke off when he noticed the odd look on Finch's face. "What? What did I say?" Reese asked.
"What made you think that I was referring to Detective Carter, Mr. Reese?"
Reese wasn't sure why that made everything click, but it did. He looked over at Finch and a smile started slowly creeping its way up.
7 Days ago-
"Hello Carter." Reese smiled up at her.
Carter smiled, ignoring the woman sitting next to him. "How ya doin John?"
"Much better before we were interrupted." Zoe answered before John could.
Carter turned her head and looked Zoe up and down slowly. When she was done she looked back to John ignoring the woman's comment.
John watched Carter with amusement. Nothing phased the woman. Zoe intimidated almost everyone she came in contact with, but not Carter.
"Not too bad Detective. Are you working or socializing?"
"Well that depends..." She glanced down at Zoe's hand still resting on John's leg." I got some information regarding a new...case and heard that you would be here."
"Who did you hear that from Carter?"
Her mouth turned up in that cute little smirk of hers and she replied. "A little bird told me."
John couldn't suppress the chuckle at her little entendre.
She smiled back until Zoe interrupted. "John, if you'd like to catch up later just come by my place.
He looked back at Zoe who he had almost forgotten about for a minute. "I'm sorry, I should have introduced you both. Zoe, this is Detective Joss Carter, one of New York's finest. Carter, this is Zoe Morgan. I ...helped her out with an issue involving an over-zealous pharmaceutical company a few weeks ago."
A look of comprehension crossed Carter's face as she figured out what John meant.
"Nice to meet you." Was Carter's short reply.
"Likewise" was Zoe's even shorter reply.
"Listen, I can come back if you two are in the middle of something." One brow arched as she looked at John.
"Actually Carter, I'm glad you're here." He started and Zoe's head whipped around to look at him. "I'm going to need your help as well as Zoe's, which is why I asked her to meet me. It will be easier if you two know about each other anyways."
"Sounds good, what do ya need?" Carter replied.
Zoe was still looking at him and not saying a word.
"Let's find a table where we can all sit and talk." He looked around the pub and spotted a booth that was empty. He turned in the barstool and Zoe's hand slid from his leg. He stood and held his arm out gesturing for the two women to precede him. Zoe gave him a glare as she got down from the bar and followed Carter to the booth. Carter sat on one side and Zoe sat down at the other. Without pause John slid in next to Carter. He missed the look that Zoe flashed him but Carter didn't. She wasn't sure why this woman irked her so much, there was just something Carter couldn't quite put her finger on.
John began with a brief rundown of the situation and what he needed from each of them. Carter listened intently while watching the woman across from her, gauging her reactions...subtle little expressions...everything, while John spoke. A couple of times while he was talking or answering a question his arm would brush hers and she caught Zoe narrow her eyes at her. She couldn't quite read her look...possession maybe? Carter wondered then if she and John had something going on...but then again from what she gathered earlier when they were still at the bar, John didn't really act like there was.
After John had explained each of their roles in this particular case and their plan was set, Carter spoke up. "So John, have you two worked together often?"
He looked over at Zoe and back to Carter. "I helped her out of that sticky situation but we haven't worked together since. She…owes me one."
He smiled that one sided grin that made her feel like he was sharing the most intimate of secrets just with her. She couldn't help but smile back. She loved how his dark lashes almost hid his blue eyes when he smiled. She felt her heart speed up and then Zoe broke in. "And you two...known each other long?"
John's eyes didn't leave Carter as he answered Zoe. "Yeah, we've known of each other a while." His smile widened. "I feel like I've known Carter here for months."
Carter laughed. "Mm hmm…Stalker." She mumbled and leaned over to bump his shoulder with hers playfully.
He smiled slyly back at her. "You can hardly blame me though Joss, with all of the trouble you get into."
She purses her mouth trying to feign a hurt look but can't keep a straight face. "Yeah well, part of my 'trouble' is because you're always around getting into trouble and draggin' me with you."
"Oh come now Detective, you know you like it."
Her grin and then the blush that crept up her cheeks said it all…to John and to Zoe.
She decided to interrupt their conversation by sliding out of the booth to leave. "John, give me a call tomorrow when you're ready to get to work."
John and Joss, who had been staring at each other- both snapped their heads up to look at Zoe. John stood quickly to help her with her coat. "I'll call you tomorrow around nine. Thanks for coming Zoe."
She nodded, pursing her lips. "Mmhmm. I think we're even after this one John." Zoe turned and walked regally through the bar and out the door.
John turned and chose to sit back down next to Joss rather than taking the seat across from her. Joss reached out and wrapped her hands around her beer bottle picking at the label with her nail. "So..." She sighed. "I don't think your friend likes me very much."
He chuckled and took a sip of his own beer. "Zoe doesn't like many people. Don't take it personally."
"Well, she sure likes you." She looked over at him, her eyes scanning his face. He looked over at her catching her watching him. Her eyes shot back over to her beer and then she put it to her lips taking a long swig. He cocked his brow. "Hope you're not planning on driving home Joss." She turned her body towards him ready to defend the fact that this was her first beer and that he didn't have to worry about her drinking and then driving but she caught his smirk just as she was opening her mouth. She returned the smirk with one of her own shaking her head at him.
"I'm sure you already know I didn't drive here John."
"Mmm. Planning on celebrating your time off with a few cocktails Detective?"
"Not that it's any of your business but I had considered it up until I got a call from a mutual friend of ours." He watched as she gave him the appearance of being put out but he could tell she was only playing with him. Then she surprised him by saying. "I might still consider doing it though if you wanted to join me."
Their typical banter was usually ripe with some well-disguised flirting on both their parts and after her comment he decided to try out a more direct approach just to test the waters.
He turned his body towards hers so that they were now facing each other and then leaned in. His lips were so close to her ear that they brushed against it when he spoke. "You're not afraid that you'll get too intoxicated? " And then he lowered his voice to almost a whisper. "I might take advantage of you Joss." He watched as her pulse point jumped and then watched as her chest stopped rising and falling for a second and then it too was speeding up.
"Would you? Because I might like it." Her response was almost too quiet for him to hear over the music.
He moved back just enough to see her face. Her eyes were closed and her mouth had fallen open just a tiny bit. He wanted more than anything to take that luscious full lower lip in his mouth and suck on it. Then her eyes fluttered open and locked with his. Her normally chocolate brown eyes had turned to a dark espresso color and her pupils dilated which was just further proof of her arousal. John reached out and ran the back of his hand up her cheek and swept her hair behind her ear. "Yes." He whispered. "I would."
She blinked slowly. "Then what are we waiting for?"
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