Closer to Three Words

Title: Closer to Three words
Author: AnitaB
Rating: NC-17 for happy sex
Disclaimers: If I owed someone as geeky-cute a guy as Byers I wouldn’t be giving him to another woman, so please don’t sue me.
Summary: Sequel to ‘Mixing Business ..” Eva and Byers’ first date, what does bad luck have in store for them. (Don’t be too scared, the rating above is accurate, it’s just funny bad luck).

Closer to three words
by AnitaB

A heavy warmth against her back slowly pulled Eva awake. John was spooned behind her, both arms wrapped around her waist. Cuddling deeper into his arms, she relished his closeness. Reaching back Eva stroked her hand against the softness of his beard, the warmth of his lips. Sleepily his arms tightened around her and he mumbled against her skin.

"Hmmm...Eva." Nuzzling her palm he continued, still dreaming. "Love, come closer...I need you." She arched against his body as one of his hands slid from her waist to her knees. She groaned at the heat of his touch, turning in his arms to face him.

"John," she called his name softly as he buried himself against her body, his face pressed against her throat. His lips traced patterns over her skin. "John?" He tensed against her as sleep fled. Pulling back slightly, John smiled down at her.

ood ood morning, Love." He nuzzled his beard against her cheek, feeling her arms curl around his neck as he pulled her close.

"Good morning, John." She smiled, pulling him closer and waiting for his response. It came.

"Give me my kiss." With his fingers buried in her hair, John pulled her lips to his, catching her moan inside his mouth. With her hands clutching his shoulders and her mouth locked to his, Eva coiled a leg around his waist to bring him closer. John broke the kiss, tasting the skin of her neck and chest, whispering against her flesh along the way.

"God, Eva, I love you." Caressing a hand down her hip he pressed a kiss to the pouting tip of her breast. "I'll never get enough of this." Nuzzling up her neck to her ear, he blew a hot breath over her skin. "I'll never get enough of you." He cradled Eva's face between his hands and gazed into her eyes. "I want to hold you forever." John pressed his lips to hers in a chaste, emotion-filled kiss.

"Oh, John." Eva pulled him harder and tighter against her and deepened the kiss, her heart swelling in her chest at the promise in his words and in his touch. /Forever? That word shouldn't feel so right. Forever in John's arms sounds so good./ He shifted against her, tugging her knee higher against his ribs and settling himself between her legs with a groan.

"I need you, Eva. I've needed you for so long. "He pressed harder against her, his need cradled against her heat. "God, you feel so good." He gazed into her eyes, searching for something in her face. "Tell me you want me."

Eva smiled a little at John's sudden insecurity. She wrapped her legs around him, rubbing the liquid heat of her desire against his erection. The feel of his body reacting to hers tightened the coiled need inside her, making her need more. "I want you, John. I want you so much." Eva reached a hand between their bodies to caress his hardness, a harsh gasp leaving her throat at the feel of him in her hand.

His breath escaped in a low moan at her touch. "Oh, God, Eva. You're driving me crazy." Pushing her hands away, John pressed his lips to hers. "I want to drive you crazy this time." Dragging his lips and beard the length of her throat, he nibbled at her collarbone. "I want to hear you call at my name again."

As his mouth closed around the tip of her breast, John got what he wanted--her voice calling his name. Her breathing became labored as he trailed kisses down her stomach. Eva's fingers chedched in his hair as he rubbed lips and beard over the soft skin of her inner thighs.

"John?" the frisson of tension filled voice.

He lifted his head, still close enough for his breath to feather her skin. "Please, Eva. Let me give you this. Let me love you." The tenderness in his touch, the need in his words removed her doubts. Eva relaxed beneath him, her hands guiding him to the center of her need.

"Thank you, love." Trailing two fingers through her moisture, John savored the trust she was giving him. Now to the task at hand--her pleasure, only her pleasure mattered. Leaning in, he delicately teased her bundle of nerves with the tip of his tongue, feeling her body rise against him. John buried a heart-felt groan against her flesh and threw himself eagerly into the taste and feel of her.

Eva felt the first touch of his tongue against her most sensitive flesh as a jolt of pure pleasure. His name fell from her lips as a distant part of her mind wondered why she'd let him do this at all. Eva had always kept certain boundaries between herself and the men she'd been involved with. And this kind of contact had simply been too intimate to ever allow before. She'd never wanted or let anyone that close to her. But somehow John had slipped past all those walls, all those boundaries in an incredibly short span of time. The words 'I love you' from anyone else would have sent her running in blind panic but from John those same words sent a river of warmth flooding her heart. She couldn't get too close to John. He was never close enough. Not even now, when he was closer than anyone had ever been.

The small part of her mind still thinking coherently was pulled out of her train of thought by the rush of heat boiling her blood. She clenched her hands in John's hair, feeling him kiss her more intimately than she'd ever been touched before, Eva cried his name as her climax exploded through her.

John moved up to watch her face as pleasure crashed along her every nerve. Slowly Eva surfaced, opening her eyes to see him smiling down at her with his hand on her cheek.

"Eva," he brushed her hair back. "You are so beautiful." Cradling her face in his hands, he moved into her open arms.

Pulling his lips to her own, Eva tasted herself inside his mouth. "John, come closer." Wrapping her legs around him, she pressed her body the length of his. "Closer," she whispered against his lips. Shifting harder against her John removed all air between their bodies. They shared a soft gasp at the way being this close felt. But it wasn't enough. "Closer," Gazing into her eyes, he joined them, a groan escaping him at the feel of her surrounding him.

"God, love." he paused, breathless, dropping a kiss on her lips, "you feel so good."

"John, John." Letting all the emotions she felt but couldn't name glow in her eyes, Eva cradled his face in her hands, stroking her fingertips over his lips and beard. "I love it when you touch me."

John's control broke at her words and the look in her eyes. A groan fell from his lips as he began moving above and within her. The feel of his deep strokes inside her set Eva's nails in his shoulders and his name on her lips.

Ecstasy built quickly inside them and between them as they desperately tried to get closer, to become one. Gazing into her eyes and watching the pleasure spread over her face, John whispered urgently against her lips.

"Eva, love...yes, higher..I love you. I love you so much, Eva."

There were those words again--the words that should push her away but instead brought her closer. His love surrounded her, filled her and pushed her over the edge. As her climax crashed over her, Eva cried out John's name, hearing her own name on his lips and feeling his release inside her.

John rolled to his back and cradled Eva against his chest, "I love touching you." He curled a finger under her chin and lifted her lips to his. "I love you."

Clenching her arms around his neck, Eva kissed him tenderly, softly. "You mean so much to me, John. I've never felt like this before."

Searching her eyes, John found warmth and caring glowing back at him. "I know, love, I know." Pulling her back down into his arms, he pressed Eva against his heart. "I know you care, love."

***

The car stopped a short distance from the lone gunman offices, out of range of the cameras guarding the building. Eva reluctantly turned the engine off and looked at John. She didn't want to let him go.

"Well," She fumbled, not knowing what to say. Goodbye was too permanent but see ya later was too casual. And she wanted very badly to not mess this up so soon. Eva couldn’t bear to lose him.

John reached out, brushing the back of his fingers down her cheek tenderly. "I don't want to leave, but I have to go. When can I see you again, Eva?"

Nuzzling into his hand she leaned in to kiss him. "Soon," A sigh of relief was breathed against his lips. John always seemed to know what she needed from him.

"How soon?" Wrapping her in his arms, John kissed her eagerly. With a soft moan against his lips she pulled back.

"Tomorrow night, seven o'clock." Looking in his eyes, she could see the depth of his need in his face and was comforted by it. He needed her as much as she needed him.

"That's not soon enough, but it'll have to do," John rested his forehead against hers and smiled into her eyes. "I'll miss you tonight."

After kissing her one more time, he moved to leave. "I have to go."

"Wait. You're wearing some of my lipstick."She smiled a little, her eyes focused on his mouth. "I don't think that's how you want the guys to find out about us." Rubbing her thumb back and forth across his lips, Eva slowly wiped her red color from his skin, loving touching him, even this little bit. His lips parted and applied the slightest suction to the pad of her thumb, lightly scraping her skin with his teeth.

Watching her eyes close and a shiver trace her spine gave John's ego a large boost. He released her hand only to drop a light kiss in her lips without disturbing her lipstick again.

"Until tomorrow, love."

"Tomorrow."

Slipping reluctantly out of the car, John headed towards the lone gunman offices, not looking back...well, more than a couple times.

***

"So who do you think he went to see?" Langley asked Frohike over his shoulder.


"I don't know, but it is suspicious that Byers didn't tell us. We all have our secrets but story ideas and conspiracy information should be shared." Frohike replied thoughtfully without lifting his eyes from the computer screen.

"What if it wasn't a source for the paper?" Langley turned away from the article he was typing. "What if he went off to see someone else?"

Frohike leaned back in his chair and folded his hands over his stomach. "What could make Byers lie to us?"

"I don't know," Langley laughed, "Maybe he went off to see a woman."

Laughing loudly, Frohike joked, "Does Byers even know a woman?"

Their laughter was killed sharply by the screech of the doorbell.

"Langley, Frohike, unlock the door."

Jimmy, who hadn't heard a single word of the conversation up to the interruption of the doorbell( a high-pitch, squeal that would have no problem raising the dead), pulled the headphones off and moved to open the numerous locks on the door.

"How was your trip?" Jimmy's innocent question was accented by the sound of two chairs spinning so their occupants could observe the answer.

"Yeah, what information did your source have for you?" Langley smiled slightly around the question.

Setting his bags down, John considered the best way to answer. "Nothing of value. The source had a lot of odd theories, but no supporting evidence at all. Not to mention a lot of contradictions." Sitting down at his computer, John tried to keep a straight face. "The whole trip was a waste of time." A small smile curved his lips as he thought about the truth. He wouldn't call time spent with Eva wasted. Even sleeping with her in his arms was time perfectly spent. God, he missed her already.

Langley and Frohike exchanged a glance behind Byers’ back. Their expressions said 'yup, he's lying.' That little smile didn't match the words not to mention that Byers didn't smile much under any circumstances.

Jimmy, oblivious as usual, didn't see the smile or the exchanged looks. He offered sympathy in his own sweet, dumb way. Clapping Byers heavily on the shoulder "Maybe he'll have something good for you next time. Don't worry."

John looked up at him, wondering why he just couldn't hate Jimmy, even when he really wanted to. And the way Jimmy occasionally looked at Eva made John really want to hate him. /Sweet, stupid lunkhead./

"Thanks, Jimmy." John couldn't quite keep the slight jealousy and sarcasm out of his voice.

Frohike and Langley noticed the wealth of emotions Byers usually didn't allow himself to show, settling back to study their best friend and coworker’s unusual behavior.

/The plot thickens--lies and emotions to unravel./

John turned back to his computer, mentally patting him on on the back for his spur of the moment lying. He licked his lips, savoring the slight taste of her lipstick still lingering on his mouth. God, he missed her already--the taste of her kiss, the warmth of her touch, the sound of her voice. Tomorrow night seemed so far away.

***

Eva had managed to keep her mind off John--for a few minutes at a time. Random things continually made her think of him. The sunlight falling in the window reminded her of the light on John's face when she’d watched him sleep. The soft warmth of her sweater felt rough against the memory of John's beard on her skin.

/There's work to do, Eva. Concentrate./ She reached for the envelope of pictures she'd had developed. Pulling the pictures of the buyer out of the stack, Eva began scanning each photo into the computer. Placing the last image in the scanner, Eva found herself staring at a picture of John with his arms around her.

The picture captured an instant frozen in time. And the sight of it made her relive that instant. The heat of his body against her back. The slight trembling of his arms holding her. The beating of his heart echoing through her body. The sound of his voice whispering the words 'I love you,' against her skin. She shivered, caught between the remembered warmth of his arms around her and the chilled air surrounding her in this room

Staring at the picture, Eva could almost read the words on his lips, see them in his eyes, feel them in his touch. Eva's eyes moved over the picture, seeing something surprising in her own image. The relaxed line of her body along his. The way she cuddled his arms around her body. The soft smile curving her lips didn't at all resemble the expression she would have expected. It held surprised joy without any hesitation or tension. It held no fear, no panic.

If she didn't know better, Eva would have said this picture was of a couple in love. Madly in love and completely comfortable together. But of course she knew better. She couldn't be in love. /Could I?/

***

Frohike and Langley had watched John all day, curiosity and suspicion feeding each other. The two gunmen were now more certain than ever that John had lied about his trip and that something else he was lying about was in the works.

John had gotten up earlier that morning than usual and had been acting oddly all day. The man who usually only looked in a mirror when brushing his teeth had checked his reflection a dozens times. He was wearing cologne, another rarity.

"Byers, tonight there's a hackers conference on the web. It'd be a good source of new contacts." Langley leaned against a file cabinet and watched John fidget with his cuffs.

"You guys go on and check that out. I've got something else I'm looking into tonight."

Frohike leaned forward, "Anything interesting?"

John paused, aware of the less than casual interest on both their faces. "I'm just verifying some leads. I'll let you know what I find out." He glanced down at his watch, seven o'clock was still hours away. /Just a few more hours, I can wait a few more hours to feel her in my arms./ John failed to notice the boys exchange a look and a nod behind his back. The decision to pry into John's life had been confirmed, they were going to begin the surveillance tonight.

/Tonight..../

***


At 6:30 p.m. Frohike heard John call and order a cab. At 6:35 p.m. Langley watched John brush his teeth and gargle. At 6:40 p.m. Jimmy took his headphones off and called out "Goodnight and Good luck" to John's back as he disappeared out the door. At 6:41 p.m., Langley and Frohike fled past a startled Jimmy out the door, into the van, and after the cab.

They watched as the taxi pulled over in front of a small Italian restaurant, letting John out. Parking the van in an alley around the corner, they approached the large front window from behind a tree.

The cozy, well-lighted restaurant was filled by intimate 2-seater tables with glowing candles in the center. Through this romantic scene John walked towards a small, dark-haired woman alone at a table.

"It was a woman..." Frohike whispered in shock.

"A beautiful woman..." Langley murmured.

On the other side of the glass, the dark-haired woman noticed John and stood to greet him with open arms. The sight of John casually and comfortably embracing and kissing this beautiful woman put a shocked and bemused expression on both Langley and Frohike's faces.

The shock surpassed the bemusement as the kiss continued slightly longer than was polite in public. Then, as the kiss ended and John chivalrously pulled out a chair, the woman turned just enough in the process of sitting down to let the two spies outside the window see her face.

"Eva??!!!"

The diners closest to the window turned at the sudden increase in the noise level and Frohike and Langley found out how unwelcome their presence outside the window was. They fled back to the van before the maitre-d reached the tree.

The two collapsed, gasping, to the floor of the van.

"I can't...believe...it."

"Eva...and....Byers?"

Slowly recovering their breath, they sat up. "That does explain why he lied to us." Langley puzzled out loud.

Frohike sat up and groaned. "But why Byers? Eva could do so much better."

***

John walked quickly through the room, overjoyed to finally see Eva again--it had been so long since he'd touched her. The smile that lit her face melted his heart. Stepping into her arms, John pressed an eager kiss to Eva's lips. /God, yes,...Eva./ Her arms curled around his neck and a slight moan escaped her.

Breaking the kiss, John cupped her cheek in his palm and gazed into her eyes. "I missed you, Eva, so much." Her eyes softened, melting under the heat of his gaze.

"I missed you, too, John."

Satisfied with the look in her eyes and her easy response to his kiss. John moved to pull her chair out, guiding her into the seat with a possessive hand on her back.

....Both were so absorbed by enjoying the other's presence that neither noticed the slight disturbance just outside the window...

John sat down across from Eva, lost in the soft warmth of her eyes.

Eva licked her lips, tasting the remnants of his kiss. She was surprised at just how good he tasted and just how much she'd missed him. His arms around her had felt like coming home. But now her skin felt cold because she wasn't touching him. Reaching out, Eva intertwined her fingers with his.

"You look wonderful, John."

John lifted her hand to his lips, dropping kisses over her fingers. "You are so beautiful, Eva." His eyes worshiped her face as his lips paid homage to the soft skin of her hand.

Eva was used to being complimented by men. She knew how to dress and act to get attention. But John made her *feel* beautiful with the awe and appreciation in his eyes, the tenderness and desire in his touch, and the sincerity and emotion in his voice. She could be truly beautiful with John, inside and out. Eva was searching for the words to tell John how he made her feel when the waiter stepped up beside the table.

John watched her carefully, seeing the struggle on her face. A warmth, a caring--maybe even a love--in her eyes that made his heart swell fought against a deep fear. His hand tightened around hers as her lips parted, trying to speak...

"Our specials tonight include Chicken Marsala with bottomless salad and bread sticks. Do you need a few minutes to decide?"

John looked up--a little annoyed--and simply, directly growled "Yes."

Eva said "We need a few minutes" to soften the harsh edge in John's dismissal. The waiter finally noticed he was intruding and quickly disappeared leaving menus and a wine list on the table.

"Eva," John searched her face only to see that the moment had passed. Her soft smile reassured him that whatever she'd almost said wasn't l jus just delayed. He kissed her hand and whispered "I love you." against her skin before turning his attention to the menu.

/God, he's so sweet./

***

Eva fidgeted in her chair as she watched John eat. The spaghetti left a light sheen of sauce on his lips--she was simply dying to lean across the small table and kiss his lips clean. The gentle suction used to pull the pasta into his mouth brought to mind the feel of those lips enclosing the sensitive areas of her body. The sight of his strong hands cradling his wine glass made Eva ache for the touch of those hands on her skin.

Finally her eyes lifted to see the mischievous gleam in his. /So public seduction is a game, huh? Let's see if two can play./ Taking a sip of wine, Eva deliberately let a droplet of wine slide down her lips. With a light laugh she caught the wine on the pad of her thumb and leisurely licked it off her own skin. Her eyes never left John's as the teasing light faded under the beginnings of desire. His tongue licked his lips reflexively, adding a low moan to Eva's laugh. / Yes, definitely a game for two./ She retaliated, lifting a forkful of food to her mouth and slowly, lingeringly wrapped her lips around it.

"Hmm, delicious," She watched his hand clench at the pleasured sound and pushed it up a notch. "Try some, John." She lifted a bite to his mouth just as the playful light sparked in his eyes. John caught her hand in his, rubbing the tips of his fingers along her skin as he guided the bite to his lips. He made absolutely certain to let a morsel of food fall to her hand.

"Oops." The tone in his voice held no apology as he leaned down to clean off the spot with lips and tongue, drying it with his beard. The gasp parting her lips buried a groan in his chest. Eva couldn't decide who was winning or losing this game, but that was no reason to quit.

/Let the games begin./

***

By the time dessert--a fruit and nut ice-cream dish--had been set on the table the pair was in dire straights. The sexual tension flowing between them buried the table and erased the rest of reality from their minds.

With her shoes lying on the floor under her chair, Eva dragged a foot up and down John's leg. As retaliation, he was teasing every nerve in her hand with lips, teeth, tongue and beard. The sensations he was causing made it difficult to remember that they were in public. The only way to win the game at this point was to force John to lose immediately.

Pulling her hand away, Eva seized the opportunity the ice-cream provided. Lifting a bite to her lips, she flicked the tip of her tongue out to trace the edge of the spoon and bring a small taste of the sweet dessert inside her mouth. The look on john's face was infinitely more satisfying than the rich ice-cream.

John's eyes stayed locked on her mouth as she savored half the bowl in the same torturous way. Her foot slowly caressed its way up his leg past his knee. At the feel of his erection pressing into the arch of her foot, Eva's attention faltered. The spoon ended up back in the bowl and a smear of ice-cream stayed on her lips. Her eyes fell shut as John arched into her touch. They opened again at the touch of his thumb wiping the ice-cream from her lips. Grabbing his hand she sucked the ice-cream from his thumb. Their eyes met and the game was over--she'd won. John pulled his hand back and pushed her foot from his lap. Frantically John signaled the waiter.

"Che"Check, Please!"

***

The second the two reached the seclusion of Eva's car all bets were off. John pulled Eva across the seat and into his arms, kissing her hungrily.


Her pleasured sob was trapped in John's mouth as her arms clenched around his neck and her fingers buried themselves in his hair. Pulling Eva to sit sideways on his lap, John's hand slid under her skirt and his hardness pushed insistently against her hip.

"John.." Eva shifted against him breathlessly, trying to pull his body between her legs.

John's breath left his body in a rush. "Eva...don't..." He clamped a hand on her hip under the skirt--holding her still. "If I let you move like I think you want to... ahhh... we won't be able to get out of the car." His mind finally registered the fact she was wearing another pair of those breath-stealing thigh-highs and his fingers caressed the soft skin they exposed.

Rubbing herself against him, she whispered into his mouth, "And that would be bad... why?" She caught his lips with hers before he could have possibly answered. Not that he had the will-power to tell her no. Burying a hand in her hair, John opened to her kiss. This time when she moved to straddle him, John didn't resist--instead pulling her deeper into his embrace.

"Eva...." His groan was muffled in the cloth covering her shoulder.

"I need you," Her hands attacked the buttons of his shirt pushing his suit coat down his arms. John reluctantly pulled his hands from the skin of her upper thighs to let Eva strip off his jacket and shirt and toss them aside. Her hands traced up his ribs before his hands caught and held them.

"Are we really to going to do this here in the car?" She pressed harder against him, enjoying the gasp her movement dragged from his voice.

"Could you wait?"

He searched inside himself for will-power, restraint--but it was buried under the feel of her body so close and the rising flood of need.

"No, I can't wait, not when you're so close, so beautiful." He stroked a fingertip down her cheek and across her lips, "So sweet." Gently cradling her face in his hands, he pulled her lips to his. Exploring and tasting her throughly, John's hands moved to the back of her dress, dragging the zipper down her spine. Sliding his hands up her legs, John peeled the dress over her head and gasped at her beauty. The women certainly knew how to hold a man's attention. Sliding a hand down her back, John admired the scraps of black lace and stretches of warm golden skin.

"Oh, God. Eva." Pressing her closer, he caressed his hands over her legs. "Do you know how much I love these?" He asked, fingering the lacy tops of the thigh-highs.

She smiled down at him, arching against him. "I wore them for you--today and before."

Unclasping the hook of her bra, John lowered his mouth to the tip of her breast. "I'll have to find some way to thank you appropriately." He slid a hand between her legs to press hotly against her as he suckled her hardening nipple.

Eva threw her arms around John's neck and moved into his touch. "John...I need you. Now, John." She scooted back on his knees, putting enough space between their bodies to unfasten his pants. Standing on her knees, Eva jerked his remaining clothes down to his knees.

Gasping her name, John pushed her to her back, peeling the tiny scraps of black lace from her body. "God, Eva. You are so beautiful." Dragging her back up into his arms and across his lap, John pulled the tip of one breast into his mouth. "Are you ready, love?"

Beyond coherent speech, Eva responded by encircling his shaft with her fingers and guiding him inside herself. Their synchronized groans filled the air of the car. With their eyes locked and their arms holding each other tightly. they paused to savor the intimacy. They'd only been separated a day but even that was too long a wait to touch and be touched. To love and be loved.

Eva gazed into John's eyes as she began moving above him--watching the emotions flow over his face. Ecstasy and tenderness, need and love cycled through his eyes--love and tenderness returned the most often. That John wanted her pleasure more than his own was clear in his every move. From the circular thrust of his hips against hers to the constant stroking of his fingertips up and down her body, he pushed her closer to the threshold. The pleasure building on her face, in her body dragged John closer to the edge with her.

With one hand buried in her hair, John pulled her lips to his--whispering love and encouragement between kisses. His other hand slipped between their bodies to caress the pleasure center just above their joining.

As Eva began to climax around him, John caught her face in his hands and gazed into her eyes. "I love you." His simple, direct, honest statement heightened the pleasure coursing through her.

"John..." The sound of his name melted into her harsh moan of completion. John followed barely an instant behind her, his shout muffled in her hair. Collapsing into each other's arms, they shared a soft smile and a tender kiss.

She looked so beautiful. Her full lips and soft eyes invited him closer. Her dark hair--tousled from his hands--glowed with red and blue highlights.

/Red and blue...lights?!/ John swept up Eva's dress and pulled it across her back just as the cop car stopped a few feet away.

"No..." John groaned as Eva started laughing nervously.

"What a way to get arrested." John lowered the dress over Eva's head, the embarrassed tone of his words still clear to her through the cloth. Lifting her up, he pulled out of her body and tugged the fabric over her hips.

Kneeling above him, Eva helped John work his pants up before zipping and buttoning them herself. Her touch was both caring and possessive as she smiled into his eyes from inches away. "That's what you get for seducing me over dinner, John."

The cop--having barely walked up to the car--tapped on the window and asked in a voice caught between gruff and amused "Could you folks step out of the car?"

Helping Eva climb off his lap and out of the car, John whispered, "It was worth it." He stuffed her underwear in his pocket and slipped into his shirt.

There was no doubt in Officer Arnie's mind what the couple had been doing in the car. Her dress was unzipped and wrinkled. Smeared lipstick and tousled hair added to her well-loved look. The man was just as obvious. His shirt was unbuttoned and untucked and some of her lipstick colored his lips. His hair stood on end and a scrap of black lace peaked out of his pocket.

"Is there a problem, officer?"

"Actually, sir, there is." Officer Arnie smiled, thn wan was projecting protective lover in every line of his body. "The problem is that there's a law against public nudity. I'm going to have to take you folks in."

"What a way to get arrested." Eva laughed.

***

After being cuffed, fingerprinted, booked and photographed they were given their phone call.


Eva leaned against the wall by the phone. "Who should we call for bail money?"

"I don't know, the guys?" They both burst out laughing.

"Seriously," Eva gasped out between laughs. "We have to call someone for bail."

"Do you have anyone to call?"

Eva stopped and thought, mentally scrolling through a list of possibilities, crossing each one off as a bad idea. Everyone she thought of was a business contact--a relationship that didn't allow for this kind of help. It would be bad for business to be seen in this informal a situation by a client.

"No, I don't." Eva leaned defeatedly against the wall, "Call the gunmen."

John laughed and started dialing the gunmen offices. "We're never going to hear the end of this, do you mind?"

Eva leaned over and kissed John on the cheek. "It's all right, I'm not ashamed of us." John tucked her under his arm, pulling her against his body and smiling at her as the phone rang.

"Hello..uh.... Lone gunmen headquarters."

"Jimmy, I need your help."

"Uh, sure. What can I do for you, Byers?"

John could practically hear the walkman being turned off and set down.

"I need you to bring bail money to the police station on 5th and Camdon avenue."

"Like, sure, I'd do it. But Langley and Frohike left awhile ago in the van. They're not back yet."

"Where did they....go?" The word trailed off as John realized exactly where they'd gone. Covering the receiver with one hand, he whispered to Eva. "Damn, Langley and Frohike followed me to the restaurant. They're still out in the van somewhere."

Laughing, Eva groaned. "Well, that means they already know a little about us. Is there a way to get a hold of them in the van?"

He turned back to the phone. "Thanx, Jimmy. If they get back there without me, tell them to come get me."

"Okay, bye Byers."

Hanging up, John leaned down and planted a quick kiss on Eva's lips. "I'll try the cell phone." Dialing, he listened to the rings.

"Hello?"

"Frohike, it's me." In the background John heard Frohike whisper to Langley, "It's Byers." John also heard Langley whisper, "does he know we know?"

"Yes, I do." Gasps and a quiet "Damn" muffled over the phone. "So stop
whispering and listen. Drive down here and bail us out. We're at the police
station on 5th and Camdon."

"Bail *Us* out?" Laughter in the background.

"Yes, us. Eva and I were arrested."

"Arrested for what?"

"Ludeness and public indecency. Just get over here." The laughter over the phone became nearly hysterical and Langley gasped into the line. Apparently Frohike couldn't speak.

"We're coming, stay there." The line went dead and John set the phone back on the cradle. "They're coming."

Eva pressed closer to his side, circling an arm around his waist. "I gathered that from the laughter."

John wrapped both arms around her and buried his face in her hair. Laughter overtook him again, "Let the inquisition begin." He paused, lifting her chin to look into her eyes. "Or maybe they'll be so stunned by your beauty they'll be speechless." His eyes focused on her face, the love and awe in his expression filling her heart with joy.

"Oh, John." Wrapping both arms around his neck Eva pulled him down for a kiss. His hands clenched on her back, pulling her harder against him and deepening the kiss.

"Hey, that's what got you guys here in the first place. Stop it." Officer Arnie stood leaning against the doorway, smiling at them.

John lifted his head, breaking the kiss but keeping Eva in his arms. "We'll be good, officer."

Arnie smiled, "Uh-huh, we'll see about that." Pushing away from the door, he moved to lean against the wall next to the payphone. "Are your friends coming?"

"Yeah, they're on their way."

***