John smiles, returning the kiss, closing his eyes for a moment and letting them just be who they are in this moment, too. They might be working and he knows they have to avoid any real distraction, but if he's going to kiss her, he's going to do so properly.

"I love you," he echoes in a soft voice, smiling as he presses another kiss to her temple.

A second chance was never meant to be in the cards for him, but he's glad he hadn't been too stupid to take this. Wherever she may be now, Carter never would have forgiven him if he had made a mess of this.