"Kate knows."

Gibbs paused in his sanding just long enough to look up at Tony, sitting on the stairs. "How?"

"When you called me the other night. She was there--remember, we were having a beer? You called me? She put it together."

"Ah." Gibbs blew sawdust away from the plank he'd been working on and ran a hand over it. "How'd she take it?"

"She told me that if you hurt me, she'll kill you." Tony grinned.

"She did, huh?" Gibbs smiled a little. "What about the other way around?"

"According to her I'm just too nice to do that." Tony stood up and walked down the stairs, strolling over to Gibbs. "She won't tell anyone."

"I'm not worried about it." Gibbs let Tony press him back against the boat, linking their hands together over Gibbs' head.

"Do you think Ducky knows?"

Gibbs shrugged. "If he does, he's not saying. Which is unlike him. Although, given his reticence on the subject of my second--and third--wives, it's entirely possible he's decided discretion is the better part of valor."

"Fair enough." Tony leaned in and bit Gibbs' earlobe. "You done down here?" he murmured, licking just behind his jaw.

"I could be persuaded to be."

"Forget persuaded." Tony stepped back and pulled sharply, causing Gibbs to step forward in reflex. "Upstairs. Come on."

Gibbs shook his head wryly and followed Tony upstairs, flipping off the light on his way.

"See, here's the thing," Tony said, pushing him down onto the bed. "I have this really demanding boss." He crawled onto the bed, straddling Gibbs and pushing up his T-shirt. "And every so often I have to remind him that he's not my boss outside of work."

"And how do you do that?" Gibbs asked, letting Tony pull off the shirt.

"Oh, that's the easy part." Tony grinned and leaned forward. "I fuck him through the mattress," he whispered against Gibbs' mouth, right before he kissed him. "I've discovered that if I don't do this at least a few times a week he gets grumpier than usual. Which, you know, I wouldn't think was *possible*, but after the last time?" Tony shuddered theatrically, sitting back on his heels. "Wasn't pretty."

"And your boss just...lets you do this?" Gibbs asked, reaching up to run his hands over Tony's arms before unbuttoning his shirt.

"He lets me convince him." Tony arched his back, letting his shirt fall open. "I can be very...persuasive."

"So if this boss of yours is so demanding, what are you doing here?" Gibbs murmured, pushing Tony's shirt down his arms.

Tony yanked the shirt off and tossed it on the floor. "Jethro? Shut up and let me make love to you, okay?"

Gibbs smiled and traced his fingers down Tony's cheek. "I'm all yours."

"You know..." Tony leaned down to kiss him again. "I'm really beginning to like hearing that."

"Don't get too used to it." Gibbs moved to roll them over but Tony tightened his legs and kept them where they were.

"Nope. You said you were all mine. Don't even *think* about trying to turn the tables on me or I'll be forced to resort to stronger measures." Tony kissed his jaw, the side of his throat. "Your job tonight is to lie there and let me make you feel good."

Sometimes he had to wonder just *why* Tony was like this. So generous and playful, so insistent on Gibbs' pleasure before his own--he had to wonder if Tony was like this with any of his previous girlfriends. It would certainly explain why he had so many of them.

But he didn't really want to be thinking about Tony's girlfriends right now. Not when Tony was slithering down his body, unfastening his jeans and tugging them down with gentle, insistent fingers. Not when Tony palmed his erection, his hand warm through the fabric of his shorts.

"Talk to me, Jethro," Tony murmured, getting their clothes out of the way. "Tell me what you want. Tell me how you want me to make you feel. Do you want it hard and fast tonight? Do you want me to push into you, take you with your legs around my hips, moving inside you so strong you'll feel it for days? Or do you want me to suck you off, take you into my mouth and swallow you down?"

He really should have known better than to teach Tony about his secret weakness for words.

Then again, turnabout was fair play.

"I want you in me," he said huskily, pushing himself up on his elbows, watching Tony intently. "I want your fingers in me and I want your cock in me and I want you to make me feel it. I want to feel you around me, inside me, riding my body until you come inside me, sweaty and exhausted and knowing that no one else has ever made you feel this way. I don't care if it's hard, gentle, slow, fast--I don't care if you want me on my back or my knees or if you want to fuck me upside down. And I don't want you to touch me. I want you to make me come when you're fucking me, when you're buried inside me and the only thing either of us can think about is how good it feels."

Tony's eyes were dark with lust and his hands tightened on Gibbs' thighs, almost painfully. "I'm going to make you scream," he promised, voice low. "That what you want, Jethro?"

"What are you waiting for?"

Tony lunged forward and kissed him hard, tongue demanding and hands pushing him down, Tony's thigh rubbing between his legs, right where he wanted it and making him groan into the kiss. "Hands and knees," Tony said roughly when he pulled back. "Now."

Apparently it wasn't going to be slow. He didn't care.

But despite his tone, Tony's fingers were careful and steady as they opened him up, stretching him until Gibbs growled over his shoulder. "Just do it already," he snapped.

Tony's hand landed on his ass with a firm smack. "My pace. Not yours. You said you didn't care, remember?"

"I didn't mean that as a hint to take forever," Gibbs retorted.

Tony bit his hip, hard enough to leave an impression. "I bet I could make you come like this," he said huskily, fingers twisting inside Gibbs' body. "Just fuck you with my fingers, make you writhe and squirm and moan for me until you spilled all over the sheets."

Gibbs didn't respond to that. He wasn't about to lie and he wasn't going to admit to Tony that yeah, he probably could.

Tony laughed and pulled his fingers out. "On your side."

Gibbs stretched out, automatically drawing one leg up. Tony kissed the back of his neck, one hand resting on his hip to hold him steady as Tony pushed into him, slow and careful.

God. Before Tony, he'd never really done this. Never let anyone have this much power over him, except once or twice on cold, lonely nights. But Tony wouldn't take no for an answer. Tony just laughed and kissed him and teased him until he was spread out on the bed, panting for breath and willing to take anything Tony would do to him.

Even if it meant giving up control like this.

Tony groaned behind him, teeth grazing the sweaty skin of his shoulder. "Fuck," he whispered, hand tightening almost painfully on Gibbs' hip. "Oh, God."

Gibbs shuddered at the feel of Tony inside him, thick and hot and completely unlike anything else in the world. He closed his eyes, head falling back on Tony's shoulder. Tony's arm wrapped around his waist, holding him close, pulling him up against Tony's body, taut with need.

Slowly, Tony began to move, nuzzling Gibbs' shoulder, breath hot in his ear. "So good," he breathed. "So fucking good--God, Jethro--"

Tony bit his throat and Gibbs groaned, rational thought flown out the window. Tony was still moving slowly, each thrust deliberate. His control was amazing and if Gibbs had had the brainpower to spare he might have wondered where Tony had learned it.

Instead, he reached back and gripped Tony's hip, trying to pull him closer, deeper, anything to get more. Tony laughed and bit him again, just behind his ear. "My pace," he whispered. "All I want you to do is take it."

"Fuck," Gibbs panted.

"Exactly."

Slow, deep, deliberate--he thought he was going to go out of his mind, each stroke inside him making him gasp and arch against Tony's body. Tony shifted slightly and the head of his cock nudged against Gibbs' prostate and Gibbs nearly saw stars. "Jesus," he groaned. "Tony, just fuck me already."

"Thought that's what I was doing," Tony said, a little breathless. "You want more, Jethro? This not enough for you?"

He groaned again. "You're going to kill me."

Tony laughed, low and husky, and pushed him down so he was not quite lying on his stomach. "But what a way to go," he whispered, beginning to move harder, faster, just shy of pounding into him.

Gibbs' hands clenched in the sheets, head turned to the side as he gasped for breath, his world consisting of Tony's weight above him, Tony's cock buried in his body, the sweet friction of the sheets against his erection. Everything else faded away, blurring into so much white noise.

His body was tightening, pleasure spiraling tighter and tighter inside him with each thrust, each nudge of Tony's cock over his prostate. He shuddered, pushing back against Tony, his body demanding more, just that little bit more to push him over the edge.

Tony bit his throat, dragging his tongue over the tendon, and that did it. Blood pounded in his ears, his vision greyed out and he came, helplessly, making a low sound that even he heard as obscene.

"God," Tony managed, reaching out to link his fingers through Gibbs'. "You are so fucking amazing when you come."

Gibbs tightened his grip on Tony's hand. "Give it up for me, Tony," he said hoarsely. "C'mon. Bet you're close--don't hold back from me. Just give it up."

"Who's fucking who here?" Tony demanded, biting his jaw.

Gibbs clenched around him and Tony moaned. "Oh, *fuck*," he groaned. "Fuck--"

"C'mon, Tony," Gibbs breathed. "C'mon."

Tony bit his shoulder, sweat dripping from his forehead to Gibbs' skin. "Jesus *fucking* Christ--" His whole body tensed, he slammed into Gibbs one last time and came, a low, harsh groan spilling from his throat.

They lay there on the bed, both panting for air. Tony was draped over him like a heavy blanket and his weight was half-suffocating Gibbs, but he didn't have the energy to speak or move.

Tony sighed and pulled out of him, falling onto his back. "Ugh," he said, one arm draped over Gibbs.

"Now that's articulate," Gibbs said wryly.

"Shut up," Tony mumbled. "My brains just spilled out my dick."

Gibbs laughed and rolled over onto his side, although it took more of an effort than he wanted to admit. He propped himself up on one elbow and stroked Tony's sweaty hair off his forehead. "If Kate knows, it's only a matter of time before Abby and Ducky figure it out," he said, looking down at Tony.

"Umm." Tony closed his eyes. "Can we have this discussion another time? Like, when I have more than two working brain cells?"

"Tony, I'd like to be *alive* for it." Gibbs lay down next to him.

Tony thwapped him on the arm. "Very funny."

Gibbs smiled and reached for him, drawing Tony in against his body. Tony grumbled a little but cuddled close, linking his fingers through Gibbs'. "You think Kate will tell Abby?"

"I think that two people can keep a secret if one of them is dead. We've been lucky so far, Tony. I don't know how long that will continue."

"So what do we do about it?" Tony stroked his thumb over Gibbs' hand.

Gibbs sighed. "I honestly don't know, Tony."

"If you tell me you're going to end this--"

"Did I say that?" Gibbs interrupted. "At any point in this conversation did you hear me utter the words 'this needs to stop'?"

Tony sighed. "No. I'm just paranoid."

"This could end your career, Tony. Are you sure it's worth it?"

Tony turned over in his arms to face him. "It could end yours, Gibbs. Are *you* sure?"

"I asked you first."

"Cop-out." Tony bumped his forehead against Gibbs'. "No. I'm not sure. I like my job, Gibbs. I'm good at it. I may not be a scientific whiz like Abby or a profiler like Kate, but I'm good at what I do. I don't want to lose that."

The words hurt more than he thought they would, but he didn't let it show. But apparently Tony wasn't done yet. "That being said--" Tony shook his head. "I don't want to work under someone else at NCIS, Gibbs. I've gotten used to you, bastard that you are. And I don't know if I could end this and keep working for you. I honestly don't know if I could deal with that."

"So you're saying that--"

"I want to have my cake and eat it too," Tony admitted with a grin. "I don't want to give this up, and I don't want to give up my career, and I have no idea what I'd do if I had to choose." He drew back a little, looking at Gibbs intently. "What about you?"

Gibbs sighed and ran his fingers through Tony's soft hair. "I might be able to survive it," he said slowly. "Career-wise. God knows the brass hate me enough as it is, but I'm too good at the job for them to get rid of me. And I've got enough seniority that they'd probably either offer me early retirement or just wait me out. But you wouldn't. Even if you kept your job with NCIS--and that's unlikely--you wouldn't be working for me." And he wasn't willing to let that happen. He needed Tony on his team, needed his street instincts and his skills.

"I'm not willing to accept that," Tony said softly. "Are you?"

Gibbs looked down, but Tony tipped his face up with one gentle finger. "Answer the question, Jethro," he said quietly.

"No." He tightened his arms around Tony, kissing his forehead. "I'm not willing to accept that. But I don't know what will happen if or when we have to make that choice."

"You mean choose between this or the job," Tony said.

"Yes."

"What would you choose?"

He shifted a little so he could stroke Tony's hair, let his fingers run down Tony's back. "I've lost three marriages because of the job, Tony," he said. "I don't want to lose this too."

"But you don't want to give up the job." There was a note of patient resignation in Tony's voice.

"No, I don't." Gibbs sighed. "I'm in the same boat you are, Tony. I don't want to give up the job and I don't want to give up what we have."

"You know, this would all have been a lot simpler if you'd fucked me and kicked me out of bed the next morning," Tony said wryly.

"I wouldn't have been able to look you in the eye again after that and you know it." Gibbs cuffed him playfully. "Besides, that wasn't what I wanted. It isn't what I want now."

Tony laughed. "Keep it up and I'll think you're getting romantic on me, Gibbs."

"I can do romantic. Ask my first wife."

"Is she the one who hit you over the head with a seven iron?"

"No. That was my third wife." Gibbs looked down at Tony. "My first wife and I actually parted on reasonably amicable terms."

Tony nodded. "I can't say the same about this--about what we have," he warned Gibbs. "I'm not leaving you without a fight. You try to put me aside and so help me, Gibbs--I will come after you. Do you understand?"

He kissed the top of Tony's head. "Yeah. I get it."

"You'd better." Tony rolled them over and propped himself up over Gibbs, looking down at him. "I mean it, Jethro. I'm a possessive bastard. I learned it from my boss."

"Do your girlfriends know that?"

Tony smacked his shoulder. "We're not talking about them. We're talking about us. Get this through your hard head, Gibbs. If for *any* reason you think you need to protect me, or keep me out of trouble, or make my life easier by letting me go, I am coming after you--and I'm bringing Kate with me."

Gibbs winced. "You don't play fair," he said wryly.

But to his surprise, Tony just shook his head. "No. I don't. Something else I learned from my boss." He sat back on his heels, straddling Gibbs. "This could ruin my career. Or yours. But you had damned well better let me make that decision for myself. Got it?"

The sheer intensity in Tony's voice made him swallow. "Yeah," he said roughly. "I got it."

"Good." The fire in Tony's eyes subsided and he slid back down, lying next to Gibbs. "We have to be careful, Jethro. But we've always known that."

Gibbs reached for Tony again, pulling him close. "Why did you say yes?" he asked, cheek against Tony's hair. "Why didn't you punch me?"

To his surprise, Tony snorted with laughter. "I'd wanted you for *months*--probably years, actually--and you thought I'd *punch* you? God. I was too busy thanking whatever higher power you believe in--and trying to figure out a way to get us upstairs so the damned counter would stop digging into my back."

"Why didn't I ever notice?"

Tony shrugged. "I have a lot of practice at hiding things I don't want people to see."

Gibbs kissed his temple. "Don't," he said quietly. "If I can't fall on my sword for you, you can't pretend everything's okay if it isn't. If I find out you're hiding things from me, I'm coming after you. And *I'm* bringing Abby."

He was amused to see Tony start laughing, silently, body shaking with the force of it. "Oh, man," he said, still snickering. "We're a pair, aren't we?"

The thought of that made him smile. "Yeah, Tony. We are."