A/N First of all Happy New Year to all my readers and reviewers. I hope that 2015 is a much better year than 2014 was to all of you. :)

This story was based off of an idea I had for a long time, but was afraid to tackle and also based on a partial prompt someone else threw out to me. This fic might be a little uncomfortable for some since it involves some M Rated times with Carter and someone who is (gasp) not Reese. :p But at the end of it all, it's still a Careese story. For some, you might be able to read it. For others I know you might not. And that's okay. I sort of wanted to push my writing a little and see what I could come up with if I went this route. For those of you who do read it, I hope that you enjoy it and I'd love to hear your feedback.

Thanks.

(This fic is un beta-ed, so forgive any mistakes.

~~Disclaimer - I don't own Person of Interest or any of its characters.

Carter closed her eyes, inhaled and exhaled deeply. It was eight o'clock in the morning. It was her day off, and here she was in the passenger seat of one of Finch's cars sitting next to Reese. He was on a stakeout. A fruitless one at that because there'd been no sign of the number or suspect since they'd gotten there almost an hour ago. And of course, as usual, Reese just wanted her to tag along. She felt tired, she felt cranky, and she felt horny. She wasn't sure if it was PMS or the fact that she hadn't had sex with anyone during the eight months since Cal died, but she had been feeling especially amorous for the last week. Despite her efforts to satisfy her urges they just wouldn't go away.

"What's the matter, Carter?" Reese asked.

She hated the way he could sense something was wrong when it came to her. Hated that it felt like he could read her mind sometimes. Especially lately. It was as if their connection had become stronger. She couldn't explain it. Nor did she want to. If she thought about it too much she might not like the answers. But lately she had been sensing that he had started to want more than whatever it was between them. He wanted something else. Something that she wasn't ready to give right now. Feelings for him aside, she just wanted to remain focused on HR. Finding out the boss' identity was her top priority; everything else was secondary.

Still, her hormones were raging in the most urgent way.

"Nothing's wrong, John. I'm just spending my day off here with you, instead of enjoying it at home."

"You sure home is where you want to be and not somewhere else continuing your off-the-books pursuit of HR?"

She didn't respond. He knew her too well. She swore silently, flicked her tongue across her lips and swallowed. Out of the corner of her eye she could see him looking at her.

"I know what you've been up to. We've known for quite some time, actually," he said, referring to Finch.

"I guess I just have to live with the fact that you're gonna follow me around and listen in on my conversations for the rest of my life, huh?" Carter shrugged, huffing.

She hadn't meant to sound so harsh, answer him so shortly, and she wished she could've taken it back when a silence hung between them.

"I'm getting too close. That's what you really want to say, isn't it?"

She finally turned to look at him, wondering why he chose this moment to verbalize what he'd been really thinking. It only pushed the tension that had started to fester between them to an uncomfortable level.

"Maybe. Maybe it's not something I might be ready for; you being that close. Not yet," she admitted.

"But it's something you might be ready for…eventually?"

She wanted to say yes. She wanted to tell him to give her some time, but thankfully a phone call from Finch interrupted, and though Reese went back to discussing the case, he didn't miss her relieved expression at the change of subject. When he dropped her off at her place two hours later he hadn't brought it up again.

She dropped her house keys on the table by the door and plopped down onto the sofa. A shower and an afternoon in bed would do her a world of good. She was glad at least that she had the house to herself and could spend the day in peace before Taylor got home. She was about to head to her room when her cell phone rang. She grabbed it out of her pocket and stopped mid step when she saw the caller ID. It was Ian Murphy. She hadn't heard from him in months.

"Carter," she answered.

"Hello, Joss." His voice sounded the same - deep, playful, and sweet.

"Ian. It's been a long time." She walked into her bedroom, smiled as she sat down on her bed. "How've you been?"

"Well it's been an interesting couple of months. Been getting to know my son, spending time with him."

"How is Alex doing?"

"Oh, he's great. It's been an adjustment for the both of us. Mr. Wellington isn't too happy that we've gotten closer. But at least he hasn't stood in the way."

"Good. I'm glad to hear that."

"I promised to call you once the dust settled. I really did enjoy the time we spent together, and I'd like to take you out for that drink."

Even though she had to keep her bag and gun close during their last date, she had to admit after finding out he wasn't a serial killer she actually liked the guy. It had been a while since she'd been out. The only time she had been for drinks during the last couple weeks was when she hung out with Reese. The two of them might be a little more than friends, but she couldn't exactly call those dates, not when he occasionally walked Zoe Morgan home.

"Sure, Ian. I'd love to."

"How bout tonight? If you're free that is."

"As it turns out, I most definitely am."

"Great. How does seven sound?"

"Seven sounds fine."

"And just where are you going dressed up like that?" Carter's dark fuchsia lips curved into a smile and she turned away from admiring herself in the mirror for a moment to stare at her son.

"I have a date," she answered, and checked out her reflection again.

She ran her fingers through the curls in her hair, tucked some loose strands behind her ear and spun round to take a look at her dress in the back. The low cut neckline offered a nice view of her cleavage, and the back was also similarly cut low. The sleeveless dress was body hugging to say the least, the hemline right above her knees, and the deep wine colour was a rich contrast to her skin.

"A date with whom?" he asked, leaning on the door jamb.

"Nobody you know," she said, giggling, and put a black jeweled cuff over her wrist. She had on her five inch black booties and picked up her clutch from the bed. She walked over to the door where Taylor eyed her from head to toe. It had been a while since he'd seen her dressed up like this. There were probably about a billion questions he wanted to ask, and she was sure they would come later. But for now, she had to leave or she'd be late.

"Listen Taylor, baby. Don't wait up for me," she said, kissing his cheek and smearing lipstick all over it. She walked downstairs while he followed. "And don't get into any trouble while I'm gone."

"You don't get into any trouble," he muttered behind her. "Where you going with that dress?"

"Bye, baby."

She laughed as she hailed a cab when she got outside. Trouble was exactly what she planned on getting into.

"Joss, you look amazing."

"Thank you, Ian."

The smile on his face and the lingering look he gave her when they met outside the restaurant made her feel warm all over. As did the kiss he planted near her ear. He looked good himself, dressed in a dark suit and gray shirt underneath. He smelled good, and she didn't mind the hand he pressed to the small of her back as they were led to their table.

"This is nice. Although it's not as quiet as the last place you took me to," she teased, referring to his condo. "I wonder if the chef here can rival your skills. That sea bass was mouth watering."

"Well if he doesn't, I can always make it up to you. My skills are at your disposal."

"I like the sound of that," she said, smiling.

"I forgot how stunning you were. Those eyes, that smile, still beautiful even now. I didn't realize how much I missed it until right this minute." He leaned in close, the sound of his voice getting lower.

"Well I remember that you were quite the sweet talker. You always did know what to say. And you're not looking too bad yourself. "

"Now you're the one who's doing the sweet talking," he joked, while his cheeks turned red. She found it cute. "You've got something right there," he said, squinting.

"Where?" she asked, gazing downward.

He put a hand under her chin, raising it and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Just a little...hair out of place there." His fingers lingered near her neck, trailed down her arm and she felt herself quiver between her legs. Damn. It had really been a long time.

"Perfect," he said, gazing at her.

"Would you like to order something to drink?"

They both straightened as their waitress re-appeared, effectively dousing the moment. Ian ordered them a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc and grilled snapper for the main course. While they waited for their meal they had small talk about what they'd both been up to. He talked about Alex while he fed her crab cakes, calamari, and shrimp appetizers from his plate.

She realized that he hadn't had one bite of what he'd ordered, and she frowned.

"It's okay, Joss. I loved watching you swallow every bite."

She arched an eyebrow and forked a shrimp from her plate. "Your turn."

He opened his mouth while she fed it to him and ran her thumb across his mouth, gathering a few stray crumbs. She licked her thumb, enjoying the way he swallowed while she did it.

"Tastes good doesn't it?" she asked, reaching for another shrimp. Before she could eat it, he leaned over and planted a soft kiss on her mouth.

"Yeah, it does." He sat back in his chair, licking his lips while he looked back at her.

"Then have another."

A soft laugh rumbled in his throat, and he opened up as she fed him another shrimp. The tension between them was thick, and by the time the waitress came back with their food a steady fire was simmering just beneath the surface. But ever the gentleman, instead of letting it burn out of control, he switched the topic to Taylor and asked how he was doing.

She was really having a good time. He teased, he flirted, but he also just talked to her, and midway through the meal she was so relaxed she took her shoes off under the table.

She was glad she came. It was a nice change of pace from working with Laskey all day, a change from asking Taylor to clean up his room, and it was definitely a change of pace from working with John.

They were both surprised by the sound of a phone ringing, and she looked around the table.

"Your clutch is…ringing," Ian said.

"Oh, my phone. I'm sorry," she said, getting it. "I would have turned it off, but…my son."

She checked the caller ID and saw that it was John.

What was wrong with this man? Did he have some internal radar that told him to look for her or call her at the most inopportune time?

"Is everything okay?" Ian asked, noticing her frown.

"No. I mean yeah, Ian." She diverted the call, putting her phone on vibrate. "I let it go to voicemail. I can call them back. No further interruptions I promise," she said. "You have my undivided attention."

An hour later the meal was done and Ian took care of the cheque. He helped her out of her chair, and they walked outside the restaurant together. It was just a little past ten. She wasn't yet ready to leave Ian's company and go back to the real world. They stood close to each other on the sidewalk, and she leaned her head on his shoulder.

"The city's so beautiful tonight. So full of life. Sometimes I just love to look at the skyline, feel the energy, you know?"

"Turns out I know a great spot to watch the skyline from."

He turned to face her and pulled her close, so close she could feel his manhood pressing against her thigh. He twined his fingers through hers, the thumb sending strong currents through her as it moved over her hand.

"Where is it?" she asked.

"My balcony."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah. The view is out of this world. I can take you there if you want."

He pressed a kiss to the side of her face again, and she felt goose bumps travelling down her skin.

"Just say yes." His breath tickled as he whispered it so close to her ear. "Say yes, Joss." Lips softly brushed over hers. "Say yes."

On the cab ride over to his condo Carter enjoyed the feel of Ian's lips on her shoulder, his hand on her thigh, fingers ghosting close to her panties. She felt herself pooling between her legs as he kissed her. In his building's elevator he pinned her against a wall and kissed her hard while the lift climbed floors. She had a feeling once they got inside his place that the last thing they'd be looking at would be the Manhattan skyline.

He fumbled for his keys in front of his door and when they got inside he barely had time to close it before she grabbed the lapels of his jacket. Now it was him being pressed against a hard surface. He groaned mildly, cupping the back of her neck and his other hand grabbed her ass. His lips were soft as she remembered from the brief kiss they had shared before. She ran her hands up and down his chest, feeling his nipples harden under his shirt. She nipped at his lips and he pulled her closer, grinding his hips against hers.

She heard him chuckle as he grazed her neck, and she smiled. In another moment he grabbed her by the waist and moved to press her into an adjacent wall. He moved her hands above her head, and her clutch dropped to the ground. It lay forgotten while he stared at her. With one hand still holding her in place, he moved his other, lower, tracing his fingers across her jaw, across her mouth, and down the exposed skin of her neckline.

He kissed her again. Slowly. Thoroughly, passionately and expertly. It was like he knew where to nip, when to bite, when to suck. He let her hands go and she wrapped her arms around his neck moving closer and closer while his hands roamed over her thighs. He was slowly sliding the hem of her dress upwards, and his hands felt oh so delicious.

There was the ringing again.

It took her a while to register it, but her phone was ringing. Again.

"Damn it," she said, looking down at her clutch on the ground. "Just ignore it," she said, and pressed her lips onto his once more. The ringer stopped, thankfully, and she undid the top button of his shirt. He slipped his jacket off, letting it drop to the floor when her phone started to ring once more.

He laughed softly when she looked down, put a palm to her cheek. "Just answer it. Maybe it's Taylor."

If it was, he better have a leg or arm missing, she thought.

"I'm sorry. Give me a minute."

"Let me get that for you," he said, bending down to pick up her clutch for her.

"Thanks," she said. "Taylor," she said, and walked toward the sliding door and out onto the balcony. "What is it, honey?"

Finally out of earshot of Ian who thankfully went to the kitchen area, she stood on the far end of the balcony to continue the conversation. It wasn't Taylor as she'd led Ian to believe; it was Reese.

"Taylor? Carter it's me."

"Yeah, I know."

"Why haven't you been answering your phone?"

"Huh? I was watching TV. Must have been too loud. I didn't hear it ring."

"What are you watching?"

"Uhh….TVLand. Just….The Jeffersons reruns."

"Well let me in."

"What do you mean let you in?"

"I'm outside your front door. Let me in."

Shit.

She let out a long sigh and closed her eyes. "This isn't a really good time right now, John." When she looked around she saw Ian about to open the sliding door holding two glasses of champagne in his hands.

"I'm sorry. I have to go. Okay? Bye."

What were the odds that John would find some way of locating her and track her down? What were the odds he'd do something crazy like that? It wasn't exactly unheard of. He'd done it before. Was he really at her house? More than likely he was and he had to know by now that she wasn't at home like she said she was. And if he decided to track her down, she knew this was a conversation that was far from over.

She took a glass from Ian, took a sip of the delicious champagne. But it was the last thing she wanted a taste of. She wanted to forget about John right now. She wanted to forget about their conversation earlier. Right now, she just wanted to feel. She led Ian back inside, slipped her shoes off and pulled him by the waist. His hands went around her as he steered her in the direction of his bedroom. He flipped a switch by the door and a lamp turned on, casting a golden glow in the room. The bed was massive, and a framed abstract painting of entwined figures stretched from the ground to the ceiling on the wall behind it. She walked backwards, pulling him toward her and they stumbled on the bed together.

She laid back as he undressed her, softly kissed her all over, licking one erect nipple after the next. She arched her back as he kissed her around her navel, under her belly button, then spread her knees apart to bury his face between her legs. She felt her juices spill out over his tongue, felt the faint beginnings of pleasure start to move through her body, but she wanted more. She pulled him upward, cupped his face in her hands to kiss him, then pushed him onto his back.

She roughly undid the buttons of his shirt, pulled it from his body before she removed his pants and underwear. She kissed him from his navel to his neck. He moaned, called her name, ran his hands down her bare back. She ground her hips against him, raised his hands above his head to pin him down and felt the hardness of his shaft as it slid over the moisture between her legs.

"You feel so good, Joss," Ian whispered in her ear. "Nice and wet." He kissed her softly, his tongue sliding over hers. She felt impatient with his restrained ardor, wanted him to take control, but he seemed to hesitate. When they were at his door and they'd first stumbled inside he was passionate, intense. Now he seemed tentative, timid, when she wanted to be taken.

"I'm gonna sit on your face," she said, pushing away from him, and she moved upward, positioning herself near his mouth. She ground her hips over his mouth, squeezing her breasts as his tongue moved over her opening again. The repeated motion brought her the sensation she was craving, and she started to moan loudly as ecstasy ripped through her. She teased her nipples, rolled them between her fingers as he sucked on her clit. She felt her essence start to drip down the inside of her thighs, felt her walls start to shake and she reached down to fist her hands in his hair as she finally started to come.

He rolled her over onto her back as she rode out her orgasm, kissing her nipples and grinning at how vocal she was.

"I'm sorry. Was I loud?" she asked.

He kissed her tenderly, and she put her arms around him.

"Well, luckily this is a corner apartment, and the one next door to me is currently unoccupied. There's no one to disturb," he said, and she hissed as she felt him rubbing the head of his cock over her pussy lips. "You can be as loud as you want."

"Hmm….you gonna make me scream?" she asked, as he reached into the top drawer by the bed. He pulled out a condom and opened it, rolling it over his shaft.

"I'm gonna do my best, Joss," he said, silkily as he slipped his cock inside her. He filled her up, and she put her legs around his back, pulling him further in. She twisted underneath him, making sure that he hit all the corners.

"Don't hold back, Ian," she said. She cupped his face, her fingernails digging into his cheeks. "Fuck me."

He got up and turned her over on her belly. He pushed one of her knees up and she gasped as he entered her from behind. He increased his speed a little, putting more strength behind his thrusts, and he crouched low over her, threading his fingers through hers.

"Harder, Ian. I want it harder."

He gave her what she wanted, and she rose to meet his thrusts, gripping his fingers tightly.

"Harder. Harder. Harder…." she moaned, and he started to slam into her with force.

"Yes, that's it…." Her voice shook. The moan that came from the back of her throat was deep, and her thighs started to shake.

"Ah, fuck, Joss." Ian's voice was guttural, ripe with the pleasure that he was feeling.

His strokes were deep, and she buried her face in the pillow as she reached her peak again. She went tense beneath him, and she lay still as he stroked her till he found release too. His body went rigid, and he let out a gruff sound as he came.

"I'm not the only loud one tonight," Carter said, and he laughed as he rolled to his side next to her.

"You take my breath away," he said, planting a kiss on her neck.

Carter looked at his heaving chest, and turned to him. She ran her fingers down his chest, curled them in the patch of hair at the base of his shaft.

"This time, I get to be on top."

Carter stood in Ian's bathroom, brushing her hair and straightening her dress. He was still in bed, had slipped into a quick doze. His hair was a mess, the bed sheets tangled around his waist. She smirked, thinking of how he'd bucked his hips against her while she rode him. His fingers had dug into her skin when he came. He'd burrowed the back of his head into his pillow holding onto her for dear life as he found release.

She switched the light off and walked across to the bed, bending over him. She rubbed her nose against the side of his face and he finally stirred. His arm wrapped around her, pulling her onto the bed with him.

"Can't you stay the night?" he asked, sleepily.

She shook her head as he buried his face in her neck. She put her arms around him as he pinned her beneath him. He kissed her softly, and she smiled, feeling him start to harden again.

"I can't, Ian. My son…"

He only groaned in response.

Truthfully, on occasion, she'd let Taylor spend nights at home alone when she had to pull an all-nighter at work. Though those times were few and far between, tonight would have been no different if she really wanted to stay. But she didn't. He'd been fun, but that's all that it was, and there was something inside her that wouldn't allow her to fall asleep in his arms.

She just couldn't.

"I can't say that I'm happy to see you go."

She grinned. "I had a really good time too," she said, and he let her up, finally. She looked around for her things, straightened her dress again. "Where are my shoes?"

"They're in the living room with your clutch and your phone...on the ground somewhere."

He followed her out front, pushing her gently onto the sofa so that he could slip her shoes on for her. He boxed her in and kissed her, playfully nipping at her lips.

"I have to go," she said, laughing. "Come on, let me up."

"At least let me get dressed so I can walk you downstairs," he said, and handed her the cell phone.

She glanced at the screen seeing yet another missed call from John about a half hour after she last spoke to him. She frowned slightly.

"No, you don't have to. I'll be okay."

He put his arms around her waist, walking with her to the door, and when she put her hand on the doorknob, she felt him press a kiss to the back of her neck. She wondered if he was trying to turn this into more than it was.

"Goodnight, Ian." She turned around to kiss him on the cheek, but he went for her lips instead.

"Can we do this again?" he asked.

Just like John, he wanted something more from her. Something she didn't know she was ready to give.

"Say, yes."

She couldn't.

"Call me," she said, and opened the door.

She left before he could say anything else, and put her arms around herself once she was on the elevator. She glanced at her watch when she finally got outside. It was one o'clock in the morning, and she looked down the street to see if there were any cabs coming her way. The street was deserted, no one coming or going, but at the end of the block, she saw a tall, dark figure just as he turned in her direction. She opened her clutch as the person came closer, her hand on her Glock. She took it out, held it to her side, checking her surroundings, when the stranger's gait looked suddenly familiar.

She couldn't believe it.

She didn't want to believe it.

But there was no denying it, especially after the streetlight illuminated his face.

"John? What the hell are you doing here?"

"Need a ride?"