This one's for Kimber. Thank you for everything, hon. Kris and Sherri were kind enough to beta this for me.

Vin Tanner watched Ezra Standish leaving the ATF office and knew it was time. Every Friday for the last few weeks -- providing he wasn't undercover or working on a case -- the southerner would disappear like clockwork at 5:00 p.m. to a undisclosed destination.

But it was the air of secrecy around Ezra as he took off that drove Vin crazy. He simply had to know where the other man was running off to in such a hurry.

Vin waited until the elevator doors slid closed before grabbing his coat and going for the stairs. He rushed down to the garage just in time to see the Jaguar exit through the main entrance, jumped into his jeep and followed at a safe distance.

He frowned as Ezra parked in front of his townhouse apartment and went inside. Surely the southerner wouldn't be so hush-hush about his whereabouts on Friday nights if he was just heading home. Going on his gut instinct, Vin parked the jeep a few spaces behind the Jag and set out to wait the other man out.

A little over half an hour later Ezra walked out of his building and Vin whistled in appreciation as he noticed what the other man had on. Ezra had changed from his usual Armani suit into more comfortable clothes. Comfortable being a pair of sinfully tight black jeans, an emerald green shirt and a black leather jacket.

"Nice..." Vin whispered to himself. "Now, who are ya tryin' ta impress dressed like that, Ez?"

Once again he followed the southerner as the other man drove off, always being careful enough to leave a few cars between their two vehicles. Ezra was a professional, used to being followed and easily spotting his tails. And Vin had no intention of being spotted until he knew exactly where the undercover agent was going.

Vin knew his behavior was irrational, but lately he found himself obsessed with the other man. The graceful way he moved, his smile, the beautiful eyes, even the sarcastic raised eyebrow. He knew what he was feeling and why; all that was left was to stake his claim. But first he had to unravel this last mystery in the other man's life. Then he would act.

The ride took them to the outskirts of Denver, to the Super 8 Motel. Vin resisted the urge to growl as Ezra met with another man in the parking lot, trading a few words before the stranger dangled a room key from his hand. As he watched the two men heading for the room, the stranger with his hand at the small of Ezra's back, Vin suddenly realized just what it was the southerner was doing every Friday night after work. And he felt his blood boil hotly in his veins.

Ezra pretended to be asleep until he heard the door close and Simon was gone. The itch had been scratched once more, but the ache inside remained.

He sighed wearily as he stretched his sated body. Simon was a damn good lover, but the whole affair was becoming tiresome. He had thought going to bed with a man would make his need for the real thing disappear, but instead it had only intensified the desperate wanting. No matter how good Simon was, he wasn't Vin Tanner, and sex without love wasn't what Ezra truly desired.

But how to tell Vin? How to approach him with something like this? They had become good friends, he respected the other man, treasured their moments together. What if it ruined everything? Even if Vin said yes, things would irrefutably change.

Better to keep his feelings to himself. The few times he had allowed himself to show his emotions to others he had only ended up hurt. And this time it didn't involve only him or Vin, there was the team to think about.

Rising from the bed he walked slowly to the bathroom, stepping into the warm shower to clean the evidence of the last hours, but especially to rub the smell of Simon from his skin. Sometimes it was so strong it made him nauseous.

He groaned as the heat began to loosen some of the tension in his muscles. Forcing his mind away from his miserable love life, even if only for a few blissful minutes, he gave himself over to the pleasure of the hot water, soaking his body thoroughly, scrubbing at his skin until it tingled.

Finally clean and fresh, he climbed out of the shower, using a towel to dry himself briskly, then tying it around his waist as he made his way back to the bedroom to get dressed.

"Was he any good?" A voice asked suddenly from behind him.

Ezra whirled around, his eyes widening as he took in the man before him. "Mr. Tanner! What the hell --" He sputtered, an uncontrollable wave of fear crashing down on him.

"Ya didn't answer my question, Ez," Vin cut through his words, walking over to him.

The Texan exuded such a dangerous aura, Ezra found himself backing away until he was pressed against a wall. "Mr. Tanner --" He tried again when they were almost chest to chest.

"Was. He. Any. Good?" Vin gritted out angrily.

Ezra felt his own anger rising up to the surface. What right had the other man to follow him and then demand explanations on his private life anyway?

"Yes." He hissed out, eyes locking with Vin's in a silent challenge.

"Never again, Ezra." Vin said, steel in his voice.

"What? Why, you --"

"Never. Again. Ya hear me?" Vin snarled into his face.

Before Ezra could utter another word, the towel was ripped from his body and Vin slammed him against the wall, pinning his wrists to the brick and taking his lips in a nearly savage kiss.

Shock made Ezra remain motionless for a moment, then finally his brain kicked in and he realized what was happening. Vin was kissing -- no, devouring him -- whole. He moaned, opening up to the other man, rubbing his naked body wantonly against the clothed frame, wanting more contact.

Vin broke the kiss, going for Ezra's neck, sucking and biting, kissing and licking, all the while muttering, "You're mine. No one else's, Ezra. No one will ever touch ya again. Never."

Ezra tipped his head back, giving the other man better access. "Yes," he whispered. "Do it, Vin. Do it..."

Blue eyes filled with need and love looked at him. "Ya sure?"

"Yes. I've never been more certain of anything in my life, Vin."

Vin nodded, then licked at his shoulder before sinking his teeth into Ezra's flesh, marking him, staking his claim on him, on his body. The southerner sighed as the other man kissed the mark, soothing the pain, before backing away slightly.

He kept his eyes on Vin as the Texan removed his clothing piece by piece. When he was naked he held out his hand to Ezra, leading the way to the already rumpled bed.

In less than a second, Ezra was on his back on the bed and Vin was on top of him, lips drinking from his again. He was rapidly -- but adequately -- prepared, then Vin's cock was piercing him inch by inch until he was fully inside.

Vin gave him a moment to adjust to his impalement, then suddenly the possessiveness was back. With a growl, Vin slid out and back in a long hard thrust, causing Ezra to grunt with the power of the thrust. Again and again, Vin moved in and out of his pliant body, a rhythm forming between them, both drowning in the frantic desire for each other.

Ezra let his emotions loose, holding nothing in reserve, unable to control himself the way he had always done before. Only that moment mattered, only their passion burned hot enough to register. He was moving back against Vin, meeting each thrust with a matching need, until he was on the verge of exploding from the pleasure.

Vin growled deep in his throat; Ezra felt him come deep within his body and it was enough to trigger his own orgasm. He gasped Vin's name, his hands clutching at his lover's back as his whole being was shattered into a thousand tiny pieces and then glued itself back together into one gloriously sated and happy individual.

"Lord, I died and went to heaven," he finally panted when he managed to get his breath back, hugging Vin's cooling body to him.

Vin chuckled weakly from the vicinity of Ezra's shoulder. "Yeah. Sorry 'bout earlier. Sort of lost it."

"So I gathered." Ezra replied wryly, carding his fingers through his lover's silky hair. "I guess this is it, the one we can't escape from." He added sof tly.

"Yeah," Vin sighed. "Don't want to run. Tried ta ignore it, didn't work. Love ya, Ez. Want to make it right with ya."

Ezra found himself smiling. "Likewise, Vin, likewise."

They traded long, sweet kisses, tossed and turned until they were comfortable in each other's arms and slept.