I'm not yours and baby you're not mine
We've got something that sure is fine
Let's take our love one night at a time
John turned to see Marlena's smiling face. Tears had softened her dark eyes, and made them shimmer like diamonds. Her hands reached out for him, and John fell to her feet, his head lying in her lap and his hands gripping her hands in a strong vice. Marlena freed her hands and pulled his face up to meet hers. His visage was soaked with tears, his body shook with the emotion she'd pulled from him. Marlena leaned forward and kissed the tears away from his cheeks, pulling herself into his arms. No words were spoken as John took her hand and they made their way to the car.
Silence wrapped its arms around the couple as they drove. Hands grasped each other with a passionate hold, and every so often were broken as Marlena wiped the tears that escaped her eyes. Then, John's hand would find her knee, giving her the support she so desperately needed. The divorce had been finalized 3 months ago, making them free again, neither had a claim to the other, legally, but their hearts had fused together and were melded for life. Marlena grasped John's hand and brought it to her lips, kissing it lightly, but holding it there for a few moments. John turned his hand over and caressed her face, looking at her adoringly.
"John..."
"Yeah, Doc..."
"Can you please watch the road or we are gonna make this a compact SUV."
John questioned her only for a moment, and the blaring horn brought him to reality and he swerved to the correct side of the road. Marlena covered her mouth to cover the escaping giggles.
"Oh, so you thought that was funny, huh?" Marlena's eyes glazed with tears once again, she shook her head 'no', but as the laughter bubbled up inside her, she nodded her head a vigorous 'yes'. John elicited a laugh too, happy to hear the laugh that he'd put there, even though his heart pounded in his chest from fear.
"Doc, you have no idea how much I have wanted to hear that laugh. Had I known it only took me almost killing us, hey I woulda done it sooner." They laughed and grasped hands once again, relishing the warmth they emitted.
There's one thing that we both agree
I like you and baby you like me
Let's take our love one night at a time
In the pent house, John and Marlena soon realized they had been set up. The whole house had a warm and romantic feel. The lights dimmed to a golden glimmer, pictures looking out at them with nostalgic faces. Lilacs poured from the huge vases that sat around the room, and emitted a heavenly smell. Marlena stood beside one of the pots of flowers, taking in its wonderful aroma. "MMM... nothing smells better than lilacs in a warm room." John caught her arm and drew it out, intertwining her fingers with his. Starting at the dip of her elbow, John placed feather light kisses up to her shoulder, inhaling deeply as he neared her neck.
"Hmm, I can think of one thing that smells a whole lot better." Marlena leaned her neck over to allow him further access, as he trailed the kisses up her neck to her earlobe, stopping to whisper his thoughts in her ear, causing a tingle to trickle down from the top of her head and down to her toes. Her breath caught in her throat as he wrapped his arms around her waist, capturing her hand within his own, still kissing and blowing on her neck.
"You do realize our children have set us up?" Marlena tightened her grip on his arms as he moved his lips travels down to her bare shoulders.
"Mmm..." John eyes lit up with a smile when Marlena's knees buckled and she lost her balance for a moment.
"Joh... John!" She turned in his arms and clasped her hands behind his neck, arching her back so she was just out of reach of his eager lips. John straitened back up, his face showing the disappointed look that came with her stopping his seduction of his love. Tucking a stray hair behind her ear, she looked at him with a mixture of innocence and pure lust. Pulling him so close to her, daylight disappeared between them; she began to brush her lips across his jaw. John's hands roamed her back and came to rest on her backside, tensing with the feelings she was evoking in him.
"John, I was just... ooo, you smell so good. I was just thinking that..." Her lips brushed his ear as she whispered soft and low, grinning as she heard the guttural groan escape his lips and his hands pull her to him even further.
"I was just thinking, ya know..." John let another sigh go as she began to sway in his arms.
"Doc, if you don't quit thinking, I'm gonna have a heart attack!" Marlena's lips curled into a smile, and she pulled herself even closer to him, watching the tiny hairs on his neck stand up.
"John, I'm thinking that, if you don't make a move soon, I'm gonna have to find someone who will." She pulled back away from him, a mischievous glint flecking her mahogany eyes. John's mouth dropped with shock, as she patted his cheek and fled his arms. Taking cover behind the couch, she leaned forward and stuck her tongue out at him in jest, giving him a raspberry. John hopped over the facing couch and grabbed for her. Laughter peeled through the air, as she dodged his hands and made a break for the stairs.
Taking the stairs as fast as she could, she looked over her shoulder to see John tailing close behind her, her one step being matched with two of his. She reached the landing and took off toward the bedroom, hearing his footsteps match hers all the way. The bedroom door flew open and Marlena rushed inside, turning to stop her pursuer in his tracks. The door did its job and stopped John's impeding track. Marlena's laugh rippled through the door and touched his heart. Pushing against the obstruction, John managed to get his arm inside the door.
"Doc, you'd better just give up and let me in." The arm waved in the air and came dangerously close to its destination several times. Marlena batted his hand away and scooted over closer to the door hinge.
"Now, John, I don't think I should be playing so easy to get. What kind of self respecting woman would I be?"
"Ok, Doc. You win, I give up. I'll see ya tomorrow." Marlena's brow furrowed in question as she heard his footsteps recede down the hall. Releasing her hold on the door, she peered out the opening and focused her eyes in the darkness.
"Boo!"
All night, love all night
Practice makes perfect gonna get it right
gonna get it right, one night at a time
John stifled a laugh as he saw Marlena jump back and yelp. Coming through the door, he tried to grab her to him, but Marlena walked backwards, holding out her arms to keep him at bay.
"Oh what's wrong, Doc? Did I scare you? Oh come here, I will make it all better."
"John, no John..." Marlena stumbled over the chest at the end of the bed and fell toward the floor. John rushed to her and caught her in his arms before she hit the floor, smiling down at her.
"Well, you caught me. Now what are you gonna do with me?" John leaned toward her and kissed the end of her nose, bringing a sigh to her lips. Before she knew what was happening, John slung her over his shoulder and carried her to parts unknown.
Eyeing the flowered tiles of the bathroom, her feet began to kick and her hands push away from John's back. "John, don't you even think of doing this." Her pleas were answered with a trickle of water from the faucet and the beginnings of the spray from the shower.
"John, don't! John..." Marlena kicked and tried to wriggle her way from him.
"Oh, Marlena. Just settle down, we will get you cooled off soon enough." Marlena quit her quest to get away from him, pondering the words he just said. John moved quickly and stood her in the freezing spray of the showerhead. Marlena caught her breath and stood there motionless, her dress darkening a dark shade of purple with each drop of water. Lowering her head, she mumbled something, sniffing back tears. John leaned toward her; worried he'd hurt her. "Doc... Marlena. Honey, what's wrong?" Marlena shook her head and covered her face with her hands, her shoulders shaking with emotion. John's face became a mixture of guilt and worry.
"Doc, hey, come on talk to me." Marlena pulled her face up to meet him. John tried to step back, but knew he was caught.
"Checkmate!" Marlena grabbed his shirt and pulled him into the stinging cold spray with her, capturing his mouth in a fiery kiss that burned straight to his very soul. John broke the kiss and looked deep into her smoldering eyes.
"Doc, you don't play fair."
"Who said anything about fair?" Once again, they became lost in their kiss, expressing all the passion, pain, and loss they had experienced in the 3 and half months they had been apart. The couple became oblivious to the cold rays of the shower, pelting their heated skin with cooling fingers. Their clothes had become heavy and soaked, impairing the exploration of each other's bodies.
"You know, John, I think you've ruined my dress."
"Hmm? Oh, well I guess I will have to get you a new one. Here let me take that for you." John ran his hands up Marlena's arms, relishing the goose bumps that flecked up as he inched up to her neck. Running his hands around her neck and back to the zipper, Marlena felt her knees weaken. Gripping John's shirt, she pulled herself closer to him, feeling his breath mingle with hers. The zipper eased down under John's care, letting it slide down to the shower floor, where it pooled around Marlena's bare feet. John looked at Marlena's face and became entranced. Her eyes were drowsy with desire and her mouth sought his with an almost heated desperation.
"Marlena..." John took her hands and brought them to his lips, kissing the knuckles that protruded from her fists.
"Hmm?"
"Aren't you cold?" John's smile lit up his face as he saw her begin to feel the shards of coldness on her body.
"Hey! Waddya say you take me outta here?"
"Uh uh. I... owe... you... one... night... of... my... unbridled... passion!" John made a trail of kisses on her as he spoke the words, enjoying the effect he had on her.
"In the shower?"
"Oh honey, this is just..." Pulling Marlena close to him, he captured her mouth with his own, feeling her grapple to keep her balance once again.
"This would just be practice."
Oh, I think about you all day long
It feels so good, it can't be wrong
I got my fingers crossed that this goes on and on
Tomorrow, well, that's another day
Come on baby now whatta ya say?
Let's take our love one night at a time
John and Marlena held each other, swaying in the stream of moonlight that seeped through the open doors. The air wrapped them in a scent of night and warmness. John pulled one arm up and wrapped it around her neck, stroking her damp hair.
"Doc, you know I was just thinking..."
"Uh oh, look where 'just thinking' got us before" She tilted her head up and looked him in the eye, her smile sparkling in the silver moonlight.
"Doc, I think we need to make a new start. You know what would be a nice new start?"
"A new car?"
"Nope"
"Hmm... a new house?"
"Possibly"
"Oh I know! A new wardrobe! Oh John, you just can read me like a book!" She bussed him on the cheek and went to her wardrobe, pulling things out of it. John's mouth tried to say something, but refused to work at it. A silky nightgown hit him in the head, bringing him back to life.
"Now, Marlena, why would you think you'd need a new wardrobe? You have enough clothes to cloth China!"
"Well, I've been noticing that I have been putting on some weight, and while I would be happy to stuff myself into my jeans, I don't think any child of yours would be too happy about that!"
"Doc, you're not getting fat and I think any child of mine could care less..." John stopped mid sentence and mid stride. "What did you say?" Marlena tilted her head to the side and smiled.
"Did I stutter?" John dropped the nightgown and walked quickly to Marlena's side, her hands smoothing over the slight roundness of her tummy.
"I didn't say I was FAT! I just said I was gaining weight." John's eyes teared up as he came closer to her, his eyes shining pools of indigo. "Wha...When... How?" Marlena raised an eyebrow at his questions.
"John, if you don't remember how then..." Marlena walked toward John with a deliberately slow pace. Reaching him, she wrapped her arms around his neck and tiptoed up to meet him. "I guess we will just have to jog your memory. You did say something about practice, right? How 'bout we try for the championship game?" John caught her head in his hands and she leaned back to tease him.
"I'm game if you are."
"Let the best man win." Coming together in a whirlwind of magic and passion, they stumbled their way to the bed. John laid his love down with a greater tenderness than he's ever handled her with. Her eye's misted when she caught the deep love and devotion that reflected in his eyes.
"Doc, you have no idea what a gift I have been given just in having you in my life. You are my reason for being; you are the light in my darkest days and my soul's mate. Without you, I have nothing and I am nothing." John positioned himself next to her and wrapped his arms around her, feeling the warmth that emanated from their bodies. Marlena snuggled next to his chest, reveling in the sound of his heartbeat.
"It was about 3 and a half months ago, the last time we were together, before we di..." The words choked in her throat and tears flooded her eyes. I found out not too long ago, right before I went to dinner with Jordan."
"That explains the watch." Marlena nodded her head and wiped the tears from her eyes. Placing her hand over John's heart, she giggled as she felt his hand slide over her belly.
"Well, Dr. Evans, I do believe that you issued me a challenge that I intend to take. Something about a championship game... to hell with that, this is Olympic caliber!" John rolled over Marlena and looked into her eyes. She propped herself up on her elbows and kissed him quickly.
"I accept the challenge and look forward to..." a smile draped across her face. "Kicking your butt!"
"Oh you think so do you? Well, let me tell you love of my life, I intend to play this game until I win."
"Oh, hmm. Well, I guess we will be having some practice sessions too huh?"
"Could be some long nights, you willing coach?"
"For you, always." They met in an explosion of laughter and love, knowing that they were on their way to the glory they once held.
All night, love all night
Practice makes perfect gonna get it right
gonna get it right, one night at a time
The End