"Uh... Doc..." John's eyes dart wildly around the room as he wonders who might be watching Marlena's little display.
"What?" she whispers with ill-disguised amusement, "are you ashamed to be seen with me, John Black?"
"Oh *God* no!" John pulls back and looks at her in amazement. "*Never* that, Doc."
"Well, good," one corner of her mouth curls up into a smirk as she winds one arm sensuously around his neck. "I was about to get offended. And," she raises her other arm and John watches, enrapt, as her perfect cherry red lips close around the tip of her index finger. She sucks on it gently and then she uses the same finger to outline John's lips, leaving traces of her taste tantalizingly in her wake. "I don't think you want to offend me tonight, do you baby?"
"What's gotten into you tonight, Marlena?" John rasps but he stops short as she shoots him a glance that says he'd better watch where he is going with this. "I'm not saying I don't like it honey...."
"I'm glad you're not saying that," Grace grins as she leans closer to him, though a moment ago that might have seemed impossible, somehow she manages it. "Because then I might feel compelled not to do *this*," she draws her tongue along his lower lip and John moans.
"Hmmmm, like that baby?" she murmurs as she grinds herself against him.
"Oh *God* Doc!" he gasps as she practically wraps herself around him.
"I want you John," she tells him softly, but the aggression in her voice makes him shiver. "I want you so bad I can *taste* it."
With that, she nibbles on his lower lip and John blindly tangles his hand in her upswept hair as he seeks out her mouth and kisses her with all his pent up longing and need.
"Doc," he gasps when he finally lets her go. His cerulean eyes are wide in amazement as she smiles sexily at him.
"Can you taste it too?" she asks suggestively with a raised eyebrow. "How about the bathroom? I'm sure we can find a free wall somewhere..."
"Marlena!" John can't believe what's coming out of her mouth. Not that it isn't making him extremely horny, but, it so..... so *not* like Marlena...
"Relax baby," she grins, "I'm only joking."
Sliding one arm from around his neck, she twists elegantly in his arms until she has her back against him. With one arm still arched around his neck, she begins to rub herself against him in time with the sensual melody.
"I have..." she leans her head back against his chest as she moves up, "a much more private audience in mind."
"And that would be...?" at this point, John is barely aware that there is anyone else in the restaurant, even though half the diners are staring at the pair on the dance floor. The small part of him that is aware realizes that she is so goddamn beautiful and sexy that every man in the place wants her and every woman probably hates her. But he no longer cares what anyone thinks, he is so bewitched by the spell she is weaving.
"And spoil the surprise?" she closes her eyes and lets herself revel in the sensual feeling of their bodies moving in perfect harmony. "Now why would I want to do that?"
"I don't know, since it seems your objective tonight is to tease me until I go mad," John growls before he runs his lips along her jaw.
"Am I succeeding?" Grace's breathing quickens as his tongue flicks over her earlobe.
"You can consider yourself a one hundred percent, unqualified success baby," he lifts his fingers to her face and turns her head so he can kiss her. After a moment, she turns in his arms again so that they are facing and then she breaks off the kiss.
"Let's have some dessert shall we?" she says brightly.
"Uh," John blinks and looks at her, a little disconcerted. "Sure."
They make their way back to their table and John pulls out Grace's chair. Sitting, Grace drains her champagne and reaches out to pour herself another. Taking the bottle from her, John pours her a glass of the sparkling drink. Patting her purse with a grin Grace looks at John. "So what did you order for us, stud?"
John raises one his eyebrow, but lets her comment pass. Instead, he whips the lid off the dish that is waiting on the table. Looking up expectantly, he is surprised to see the blank look on her face.
Grace looks at the strawberries and whipped cream and then up at John. Seeing his confusion, she immediately realizes she has made a slip and she covers her lack of concern with a smile. "They look beautiful honey."
John takes a deep breath, unsettled by her distinct lack of reaction and picks up a berry between his thumb and forefinger.
"I wanted to remind you of all the good times. Of how good we can be together. Doc I know it's been rough lately, but I really believe we can get through this if we only work together." He dips the berry in the cream and then lifts it between them. "Kinda like the strawberry and the cream. Separately they're pretty good right? But together they combine to produce something extraordinary."
Grace gazes at the berry, a memory floating near the surface of her consciousness, a memory of being with Roman.... in front of a fire... with strawberries and cream.... rapture...
Shaking her head, she comes back to the present as John continues. "That's how I think we are Doc. Separately we're pretty good. But together, we're something special. And I don't want to lose that.... not for a stupid mistake.... not for anything."
"Has anyone ever told you that you talk too much?" Grace tells him as she slides from her chair and settles herself on his lap. Taking another mouthful of her champagne, she places it on the table with a wicked grin. "How about, you show me what you can do with your..." she fastens her fingers around his wrist and lifts the berry to her mouth. With a sensual swipe of her tongue, she licks the cream from the berry.
John swallows heavily as the perfect heart-shaped fruit disappears into her mouth and she chews, a trickle of juice appearing at the corner of her lips. Pulling her to him, John wastes no time in cleaning the juice from her chin and he kisses her fervently, the sweet taste of the fruit obliterated by his need for her.
"Why don’t you two take it somewhere a little more *private*!?"
John and Grace wear identical startled expressions as they look up at the voice and see Craig Wesley standing in front of the table. He is obviously drunk and he has the anger of a jealous lover scripted all over his face.
"Craig!" Nancy hisses as she grabs at his arm, trying to drag him away.
"Why don’t you mind your own *business* Wesley?" John fires back as he folds his arm possessively around Marlena's waist.
"Hard to when you're practically having *sex* in the middle of the restaurant!" Craig spits furiously. Turning his gaze on Grace, his face darkens even further. "God, you really *are* a bitch!"
John's temper snaps as he hears Craig Wesley insult Marlena. He manages to slide her off his lap and he's up in one smooth move, his fingers bunching in the lapels of Craig's jacket.
"Craig!" Nancy squeals, but she is completely ignored.
"Don't you *dare* talk to my wife like that Wesley," he roars irately. "If you want to *walk* out of here, I suggest you apologize to the lady."
"Apologize!?" Craig snorts, but a split second later, he feels like his teeth have been loosened from their sockets as John shakes him violently.
"Don't make me hurt you," John growls with understated viciousness. "Because I *would* enjoy it. Do you understand me?"
Craig looks at Grace and he's sure there is a smile lurking somewhere in that enigmatic expression.
"What's going on here?" Maggie hurries over with a harried waiter in tow.
"Dr. Wesley was just about to apologize to Marlena." He pushes Craig away from him with a measure of disgust. "Weren't you?"
"Yeah," Craig concedes, feeling suddenly far too sober for his own liking. "I'm sorry Marlena, I was out of line."
Grace says nothing, only gazes at him from under lush black lashes and then turns away. "John, honey, lets go shall we?"
"Are you sure?" he is concerned as he curls his palms around her warm upper arms.
"Sure," she nods as she picks up her purse. Shooting a glance back at Craig, she leaves him in no doubt of her feelings for him. "I think we're done here anyway."
"John, Marlena, I'm so sorry," Maggie offers as John drapes Grace's wrap around her shoulders.
"Please don't worry Maggie," John says as he watches an embarrassed Nancy drag Craig from the restaurant. The whole incident has made him very uneasy and all he wants to do is get out of here.
"I've never seen him behave like that," Maggie shrugs as she watches Craig and Nancy disappear from view. "I don't understand it, he's here a lot and usually he's so controlled."
"It's always the quiet ones you have to watch," Grace's laugh breaks the solemnity of the situation. "No matter, it's over now. "
"I'm so sorry again." Maggie still looks distressed as John straightens his jacket. "Dinner is, of course, on me."
"On no, Maggie," John shakes his head as he pulls out his credit card. "It was hardly something you had any control over."
"No, I insist," Maggie's soft features transform into a smile. "Just seeing the two of you together again is payment enough anyway."
It is when they are out in the parking lot that John turns to Grace and finally asks the question that is nagging at him, even though he's not entirely sure he wants to hear the answer.
"Why is it that he's so upset with you, Doc?"
Grace stops and looks at John, her eyes smoky in the dim light. "What do you mean?" she asks with practised innocence.
"You know what I mean." John says shortly. "I've seen you with him more than once.... I'm not stupid Marlena."
"Oh... that," she smiles and draws near to him. "I was only trying to make you jealous, honey."
"You succeeded," he growls crossly as she slides her hand inside his jacket.
"It was a harmless little flirtation," she looks up at him, her dark lashes fluttering. "Well, it was supposed to be. But he wanted more than that." She sighs lightly. "He propositioned me and when I turned him down," she shrugs, without the slightest bit of remorse, "he didn't like it. And he's been taking it out on me ever since."
"That sonofa-" John's eyes narrow as he revives the urge to knock Craig Wesley's teeth down his throat. “I’ll fucking *kill* that smarmy little bastard!"
"Now, now honey," she murmurs, excited by the unadulterated anger in his voice. "Is it all that important?"
"Doc," his face hardens as he looks at her. "He's in a position of power over at that hospital…"
"John," her smile is extremely seductive. "Don’t worry, I can handle him."
"I don’t want you to handle him, Marlena," John's head is whirling with jealousy and anger at Craig Wesley's presumptuousness. "I don't want that asshole *near* you, you hear me?"
"Gosh…" she runs her hand down over his abdomen. "That sounds a little like an order…."
"I'm not joking, Marlena," John clamps his hands around her upper arms, determination and protectiveness warring with the knowledge that he can’t push things too far with her. Not when he is so close, not when she is practically in his arms again. "If he so much as comes near you again, I won’t be responsible for what I do to him." Images of Marlena with Craig down at the pier flash in front of his eyes and he has the sudden urge to hunt down Wesley and introduce him to the meaning of severe pain.
"Somehow, I don't think he'll be trying it again," Grace chuckles cruelly and John feels an icy prickling crawling along his spine.
He tries to shake off the sensation by telling himself silently that it is the thought of Craig touching Marlena. In truth, the thought of that is enough to send flames of jealousy snaking through his blood until it is almost overwhelming and the thought of Marlena welcoming his touch, if even only to make John jealous is almost too much for him to control. "If he does, I'll tear his fucking throat out," he grinds out viciously and under his touch, Grace shivers, her hazel eyes large with unadulterated lust.
"It doesn't matter, baby," Grace has a wicked smile on her face and as her hand wanders down to John's crotch. "*He* doesn't matter. We've got more important things to think about."
" Doc!" John groans as she strokes him through the fabric of his pants and his eyes drift closed. He wants to stay focussed on the issue of Craig Wesley but the way she's moving her hand... "You're driving me crazy."
"Good," she grins as she leans close to him, her breath warm against his neck.
"I want you baby. I want to feel you moving inside me-"
"Oh, God, Marlena," John roughly pulls her hand away as he opens his eyes. "You carry on with that and you'll get us both into big trouble."
"Spoilsport," Grace laughs. She pauses briefly, judging just how far she can push him. "Okay, let's go to your place."
"My place?" he looks a little confused.
"The Salem Inn, silly." She pulls on his hand as she starts towards the car.
"But what about the apartment?" his brows knit and he frowns.
"I don't want to go home," she shrugs. "Humor me John. I want to go to the Inn. It's either that or I go home alone."
John is silent for a minute and then he nods. "I don't get it, but if that's what you want..."
"Oh, you *will* get it," she assures him as she leads the way to the car. She lets John open the door for her and she climbs in, letting the split in her skirt fall open to reveal a fair amount of bronzed skin. "You'll definitely get it, honey."
"With a promise like that, how can I refuse?" John smiles as he leans in to kiss her and he can still taste the strawberries on her lips. "I love you, Doc."
"Just shut up and get in the car Don Juan," she laughs as she pulls the door closed.
But as John walks around the car to the driver's side, her mouth curls into a decidedly more devious smile. He'll get it all right. What she has planned for him, he's not likely to forget in a hurry....