Disclaimer: I don't own any part or character from The Nanny…yet.

A/N: Just a little one shot…Let me know what you think…-D

Cards and Cabanas

"Niles…" CC started as he sent off the caterers with a hearty thank you. "Where did you put the lock box I gave you with all the backer's checks?"

"In the cabana, Babs." Niles smirked and watched as she strolled over to the cabana and let his thoughts dance. "I wasn't thrilled when Max rented this pool out for this little backer's banquet, but getting to see CC dressed so casually, was well worth the grief of keeping watch over the club catering staff."

CC's voice rang out from the cabana. "Niles! I can't find it!"

"Oh for heaven's sake." Niles headed toward the cabana and no sooner crossed the threshold before CC slammed the door. "What was that for?"

CC didn't get to tell him because they heard a loud bang and crash. "What was that?" CC suddenly looked worried.

"You probably just knocked something over when you banged the door." Niles moved to the door and tried to open it only to find it was indeed blocked by something. "Great. I'll bet it was that ridiculous tiki thing you insisted we put out there."

"Don't you dare try to blame me for this, Niles. If you had put the tiki up properly it wouldn't have fallen over." CC barked more frightened than angry.

Niles shook his head. "Well, we'll just have to wait for someone to find us." Niles moved to the line of cabinets in the small pool house and grabbed the lock box for CC. "Here's the cash box. Now, would you care to tell me why you slammed the door?"

"I was mad about you tossing me into the pool before." CC plopped down on one of the padded benches.

Niles shook his head and sat next to her. "Why? You were in your swimsuit and one of the backers dared me to the tune of fifteen thousand dollars. I thought for that kind of cash…you wouldn't really mind."

"I didn't really mind, it was…never mind. What in the hell are we going to do, Niles? Everyone is gone and no one is going to come looking for us." CC actually felt like she might cry.

Niles stood and moved to the cabinets again. "Well, there's a small fridge… It has a few bottles of water and I personally hid some cheesecake in there so we won't die. There has to be something in these cabinets." Niles started looking through them. "Here we go a deck of cards. We could play cards."

CC smirked. "Could we?" CC thought for a moment. "Niles hand me my beach bag there." Niles did as she asked. "We could play a drinking game." CC lifted out a fifth of Johnny Walker Black. "I makes cards so much more interesting."

"You mean it makes an evening with the butler more interesting." Niles raised an eyebrow wondering how she would take his comment.

CC tossed him a sultry grin. "Tolerable, I don't know about interesting." Niles moved the clutter from the small table in the corner and they sat down. He poured to shots into some glasses he found and waited.

"Well?" Niles looked at her. "What are we going to play?"

"Five cards, make the best hand you can. No exchanges, no re-deals." CC stated simply. "The losing hand does a shot."

Niles nodded, knowing that will CC there, his lucky charm, he couldn't lose. He was wrong. "You're on. Deal."

CC dealt and won the first hand easily with a pair of sevens to Niles' Queen high. Niles did his shot and filled his glass. "It's going to be a joy watching you lose control, Niles."

"What makes you think I'll lose control, Babs?" Niles face held no expression. "Or maybe you'd like me to lose control?"

"Shut up and deal, Benson." CC was a little uncomfortable remembering suddenly the last time the two of them had too much JWB. "Whatcha got?"

Niles smiled. "A pair of threes."

"Beats my Ace high." CC did her shot and filled her glass.

It went on like that for nearly an hour. They didn't trade wins quite that evenly but for the most part, they were both well into the bottle when CC asked her question. "Niles…what are you wearing?"

"Are you so drunk already that you can't see four feet in front of you?" Niles laughed lightly.

CC shook her head. "I'm not that drunk, Niles. I'm just getting bored with the drinking game. I thought we'd up the ante so to speak."

"What do you have in mind?" Niles had a pretty good idea, but actually wanted to hear her say it.

CC looked away from his gaze and Niles would've sworn she blushed. "I was thinking strip poker."

"Are you sure that's a good idea, Babs?" Niles asked her checking that she was certain.

CC smirked at him. "What's the matter, Niles…chicken?"

"Loafers, socks, my swim trunks, jogging pants and my polo shirt." Niles listed his attire from the ground up.

CC smiled. "Well, I'm wearing my sandals, swimsuit, shorts and my blouse. So you've got on one more thing than me. Oh, wait." CC stood and grabbed her floppy sun hat. "There, now we're even."

"Alright, same game?" Niles asked and CC nodded. "Your deal, then." Niles handed CC the cards. "Do me a favor?" CC raised an eyebrow with interest. "Take the hat off last."

CC scoffed. "The hats the first to come off, if I have to take anything off at all."

"Just deal the cards, woman." Niles waited. He lost the first hand and slipped off his loafers.

Niles dealt the cards this time around and groaned when he looked down and saw nothing over a nine. "Well, you've got to have me this time too. I have a nine high."

"Haha!" CC announced triumphantly. "I was sure you'd win this one, all I have is ten high." Niles grumbled and took off his socks.

Niles won the next hand and CC tossed off her floppy hat. CC won the following hand and loved the rear view as Niles turned and removed his jogging pants. "I really like those trunks, Niles. But I sort of saw you as a Speedo man." CC released her sultry laugh.

"Well, Babs, I save that for special occasions, not backer's swim parties." Niles took his seat and watched as CC dealt the cards.

"I've got you this time. I have a set of two's." Niles showed her that he did indeed have three two's.

CC sighed. "I actually thought my pair of Jacks would take it." CC stood and turned around to slip her sandals slowly off her feet. She was certain she heard Niles swallow as bent down to remove them. "Ok, your deal."

Niles dealt the cards and smirked. "Well, Babs?"

"I've got an eight high." CC's eyes narrowed.

"Ok, what's coming off next? I have a pair of three's." Niles grinned slyly at her.

CC locked eyes with him as she stood up and slipped her shorts slowly down over her hips letting them drop to the floor before she kicked them aside. "Ok, my deal." CC took her seat and dealt the cards.

Niles rolled his eyes when he looked down at the cards in front of him. "Ace high."

"Damn!" CC snapped quietly. "I have a Queen. I thought I had you that time." CC decided that she would make him pay for the view of her he was going to get and took far longer than necessary to unbutton her blouse and slid it carefully over her shoulders. "Ok, Niles, your deal."

"This could be the hand, CC. Are you ready?" Niles smiled and dealt the cards. "Oh, crap." Niles looked down and saw what had to be the worst hand in poker ever, a two, three, four, five and a seven.

CC laughed knowing that meant she had to have the best hand. "I've got a King high, Niles." She read in his face that meant she'd won. "Lose the shirt, Butler Boy." CC winked.

Niles stood and pulled the shirt up over his shoulders and CC couldn't contain the small intake of breath that just happened at the sight of his chest. "Ok…" CC tried to rein it in. "We're even now. One hand left."

CC took great time in shuffling the cards. "Here, cut the deck…for luck." CC tossed a smile and a wink. "Ready?" Niles nodded. "Here we go." CC dealt out the cards and picked hers up one by one. She tried desperately to remember to breathe knowing that all that stood between her and nakedness was her swimsuit and the five cards before her. She looked at them, concentrating, hoping that they would somehow change. "I've uh…I've got an Ace high." CC took a deep breath and waited for Niles to lift his cards and check them.

Niles looked down at his cards and swallowed. "Well, I fold. You win." Niles put his cards down and said, are you ready?"

"Niles…" CC couldn't decide what she wanted him to do…he didn't seem thrilled with the idea of dropping his trunks but was willing.

"Nope. You won fair and square." Before CC could even think of another thing to say he stood before her naked. CC tried desperately not to stare but just couldn't help it. It was…more than she expected. "Ok, I'm going to try to get some sleep. May I put my jogging pants on?"

"Uhm…uh huh." CC stood and quickly turned away from him. Niles slipped into his jogging pants and started preparing a place for them to sleep.

"I think if we push the benches together that should be a good sized bed." Niles did that as CC tried to extract the vision of Niles naked from her mind. "Miss Babcock, could you hand me those beach towels please?" Niles looked at her and didn't realize at first but she seemed a little flushed. "Miss Babcock…are you alright?"

"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine, what did you want?" CC asked him still not really meeting his gaze.

"The beach towels." Niles pointed. "I'm going to put them up between us. I want you to have your privacy."

CC handed Niles the stack of beach towels and he quickly ran them down the center of the makeshift bed. "Wow, Niles." CC smiled. "That's very 'It Happened One Night'."

"Yes, well I don't pretend to be Clark Gable, but I can be rather chivalrous when called for." Niles smiled. "Are you going to sleep in your suit?"

"Oh, no. I'll put on my shorts and the blouse. You just get behind curtain number one." CC shooed Niles and quickly slipped out of her suit and into her shorts and blouse. Not aware that her silhouetted shadow was against the wall was wreaking havoc on Niles mind...and body. CC decided to clean up the cards before climbing into the bed Niles had prepared for their unexpected evening alone. She hadn't intended to look at Niles' cards, but when she picked them up and saw the pair of tens…she didn't know if she was angry, hurt or impressed. The thoughts ran in quick bursts through her mind. "He cheated…to lose? Why? What kind of man is he? Does he hate me that much? Did he think I'd back out? Was he letting me off?"

"Babs would you go to bed already and turn off the light?" Niles tried to get comfortable. CC turned out the overhead light, but there was still the small security lights that cast a pleasant golden hue around the small room.

"Niles…why did you cheat?" CC asked softly as she got into bed.

Niles stiffened. "I didn't cheat…I folded my cards. There is a difference."

"Niles…you had a pair of tens. You'd have won, why did you fold?" CC voice was a little louder this time.

Niles lay on his back and stared at the ceiling, knowing she was only a few inches away; just on the other side of the towel. "What difference does it make, Miss Babcock? Just go to sleep and tomorrow someone will come and get us out of here."

"But why, Niles? I really do want to know." CC nearly begged now.

Niles sighed. "I didn't want to take advantage of the situation. It was…inappropriate."

"More inappropriate than you're taking off your trunks?" CC bit back softly.

Niles didn't respond until he thought he heard her sniffle. "Are you…crying?

"Am I that repulsive, Niles?" CC's voice so soft he nearly missed it. "Am I so hideous that you wouldn't take advantage of a free peek?"

Niles sprang up in his bed. "Is that what you think? You silly woman." Niles shook his head in complete disbelief. "CC…" Niles didn't know where to begin. "You are more beautiful now than that first day you came to the mansion. And I thought then that you were the most stunning creature I'd ever laid eyes on. How could you possible think I wouldn't clamor at the chance to drink in the glory of you naked before my eyes?"

"But…why…" CC could barely string her thoughts together after his admission.

Niles sighed lightly. "It wouldn't have been right, CC. I don't want you to be forced, especially by a ridiculous card game to expose yourself so completely. Should it ever happen, I want it to be something you've chosen to do…because you want to, not because you lost a hand of cards. Maybe it's because I'm drunk or maybe it's the beach towel barrier giving me the courage to say these things, but I adore you CC. I have for more years than can I remember. When, if our time should ever come to be, I want it to be a beautiful and loving experience that we both want, together." Niles sighed heavily and waited for the torrent of ridicule that was bound to be lobbed back from behind his towel barrier. He was shocked at what happened instead.

Unbeknownst to Niles as he professed his feelings, CC stood dumb, but only for a moment. It didn't take her long to know in her heart it was indeed Niles she wanted, needed, craved and yes…loved. She quietly slipped out of her shorts and waited for him to finish. CC knew her Niles almost as well as he knew her. She knew that when he'd finished there would be a lamenting sigh as he waited for her rebuttal. That's when she made her move.

CC stepped around the barrier and stood at the end of the bed just behind Niles in nothing but her near transparent white blouse.

"CC? Are you alright?" Niles asked softly when her ridicule didn't rain down upon him.

CC smiled at his genuine concern. "Niles…turn around."

"CC? I'm…I'm…" Niles didn't know what to do. He stood and glanced down at his hands which he clasped at his waist…an all to obvious sign to CC that he was nervous, embarrassed…contrite almost.

"Niles…" CC whispered in a voice so thick and fluid it practically dripped from her. "Look at me, Niles." CC waited her eyes practically burning a hole through him. Finally he looked up at her and their eyes locked. The darkness in CC's eyes telling Niles this wouldn't be the scolding he expected.

CC lifted her fingers slowly to the top button of her blouse. Her gaze never left Niles' face as she slowly, seductively undid each button. Niles watched, frozen, amazed, excited and just a little scared. "CC…"

"Shhhhh, Niles. I know what you're thinking. But I promise you, this is my choice, because I want to, not because I lost a hand of cards." CC tossed him a steamy glare.

Niles swallowed hearing his words from only moments ago spill from her beautiful mouth. He stepped forward as she reached the last button, and slipped his hands beneath the silk of the open blouse to her waist. "This will change everything, are you certain?"

CC answered him with a kiss so full of passion and desire, there was no way he'd doubt her conviction. As the need for air forced them apart, CC dropped her head back and offered the silken skin of her throat to his attentions. "Oh, Niles, why have we wasted so much time?"

Niles answered her, his hands still resting on the warm skin of her hips. "No more regrets, Love. This is our time now. We've waited and teased and argued our way to this place. I have loved you and wanted you since the moment I saw you. I love you, CC, more with every passing day."

"I love you too, you silly servant." CC smiled at him and kissed him again. "Make love to me, Niles."

"Here?" Niles couldn't believe her request. "Are you sure? Shouldn't we wait until it can be somewhere almost as beautiful as you are? Somewhere special?"

CC stroked his face softly. "There won't ever be a more special than this place, Niles. This is the place where the most amazing man in the world finally confessed his love for me. This is the place where my heart nearly burst from knowing that I was loved and adored, not by just anyone, but by a man I have loved for so many years it's just part of who I am."

"You are a most beautiful enchantress, CC Babcock." Niles kissed her, lightly at first but it quickly deepened.

Niles lifted CC easily and lay her on the make shift bed pulling down the towel barrier. Her blouse, still loosely on her shoulders, fell opened as he stood and looked down at her. "My God, CC…you are so beautiful."

"I love you, Niles…now get over here." CC winked up at him. Niles quickly slipped out of his jogging pants and lay next to her.

Niles rolled onto his side and propped his head up on his hand just to look at her. "CC…I uh…I don't have any…"

CC stopped him with her lips. "And you never need them again, Niles. I won't have anything between us." CC took his face warmly in her hands. "Now, no more waiting…"

Niles hovered above her for only a moment as their eyes locked. "You are my life, CC." Niles whispered as he slipped slowly into her joining them forever in heart and body.

"Oh, God, Niles…" CC moaned softly, the silk of her sleeves soft against his neck as she locked her arms around him. "You feel amazing."

Niles kissed and sucked at the skin of her neck and whispered into her ear. "Even in my dreams you didn't feel this good." Niles settled into a slow, comfortable rhythm giving a little more of himself to her with each thrust.

"Oh, God, Niles…" Slipped from CC's mouth in a strangled breathy voice as Niles felt her tense up and tighten around him.

"That's it, Love…let go…" Niles kissed her through her release and waited for her to relax beneath him. As he felt CC soften a bit Niles exaggerated his rhythm. Slower, longer stokes pulled from them an intensity and depth of pleasure that they always knew was possible but had never experienced with anyone else.

This is what being in love did to the act of sex. It takes it to a completely new place, a place devoid of questions or worries or regrets. Being with the one you love is what transforms the sheer animal act of having sex into the soul joining act of making love. Being in love takes you to a place where two souls truly become one; in heart, mind and body. Niles and CC…had that now and would never be the same.

"Niles…please don't stop." CC moaned as she could feel herself nearing the cliffs edge. "Take me there again, Niles…" CC looked up into his eyes chewing on her lip for an entirely different reason. The sheer ecstasy of approaching the cliff was enough to make her body quiver beneath him, but the rapture that would follow as she and Niles leapt into the abyss together would be the tie that binds them in this world and the next.

"My God, CC…" Niles knew from the tingling in his legs that he was getting close. "I love you, so much." Niles captured her lips in a deep kiss stroking her tongue with his. Then he moved to the skin of her neck and kissed and nipped at it bringing a soft mewing sound from CC's throat.

"Don't hold back, Niles…let go for me…I need to feel you let go." CC whispered breathily as the wave of emotion crashed over them when together they leapt from the cliff.

As their breathing slowed and their hearts stopped pounding Niles lay next to the woman who held his heart and she tucked herself into his side. "Love you, Babs."

"Love you too, Butler Boy." CC kissed his chest. There was a short comfortable silence. "Niles…that was…" CC inhaled deeply and sighed. "Wow."

Niles kissed the top of her head and softly caressed her arm. "It's never…felt like that before." Niles confessed.

"I know…" CC leaned up and looked at him. "Do you think it will feel like that every time?"

Niles impish grin crossed his face. "Well, I can promise I'll never stop trying."

"Good night, Niles…" CC snuggled closer into his side and rested her hand on his chest.

Niles' took the hand on his chest in his and whispered, "Good night, Love."

They fell asleep in each other's arms. The first step to the rest of their lives had been taken and there would be no going back. But moving forward was something they were both well prepared and more than ready to do…together.