A.N. So I almost got this up in time for November 2nd but alas it is now the 3rd. However Hotch and Beth had a great time on the boss man's birthday so it shall still be shared. I think I may have an obsession with ending fic with "I love you/I love you too" so be prepared for that (I'm sure I'll deal with it eventually). Anyways if you like it – and even if you don't – please read and review. Enjoy.

Aaron woke slowly, something he couldn't remember doing for a long time. He wasn't sure what time it was but if the sun shining through the window was anything to go by it was time he got up. Reaching out beside him his brows furrowed when the body he expected to feel wasn't there, rolling onto his side he stared at the obviously slept in, but empty bed. Swinging his legs over the side of the bed he wandered into the bathroom to freshen up a bit before he went into the living room.

Pulling a pair of sweatpants over top of his boxers he walked down the hall to the kitchen and was surprised to find the room empty. He could have sworn that he'd heard someone, he was equally sure that Beth wouldn't have gone without telling him even if it meant waking him up.

A slow smile crept onto his face when he felt slim arms encircle under his from behind and a chin rest on his shoulder. She was close enough that he could feel the length of her body against his, the warmth from her body seeping through their clothes and into his skin.

"Good morning," she whispered against his ear.

He smiled, "Morning."

He felt the arms around him tighten for a moment before she moved away. Turning to look over his shoulder he felt his breath catch in his throat. Clad only in a set of matching red bra and panties and one of his pale blue dress shirts she was absolutely stunning. Her hair was down as well and her medium length brown locks rested gently against the collar of his shirt.

Catching her elbow before she could wander out of arm's length he pulled her back to him.

"That's my shirt," he stated.

He grinned and pulled it close around her stomach, looking up at him coyly, "I know. I thought it worked."

He nodded slowly, moving his hands inside the shirt to rest of the exposed skin of her hips and running his thumbs under the elastic of the panties. He let his hands wander over the pale skin of her abdomen before tracing the contours of her spine until he reached the clasp of her bra.

She arched an eyebrow, "Don't even think about it Hotchner. Now close your eyes."

He chuckled, "Why?"

"Indulge me."

Shrugging he did as she asked and felt her step out of his grasp. He heard her walk away, heard the rustle of what he could only assume was a plastic bag, and another sound he couldn't quite identify but sounded too loud in the quiet apartment. Reaching behind himself for the counter, he leaned back against it as he waited for permission to open his eyes again.

"Okay…open!"

Opening his eyes the smile that lit up his face was almost instantaneous. Standing in front him Beth held a cupcake with a single lit candle in her hands.

"Happy Birthday Aaron."

He knew he was grinning like an idiot but he couldn't help himself as he blew out the candle and kissed her.

"Thank you."

Taking the cupcake out of her hands he removed the candle and set the cupcake back into the resealable container it had come in.

"Wait," she interrupted. "Aren't you going to eat it?"

He laughed, "It barely nine!"

"So?"

"Don't you think it's a little early for this much sugar?"

She rolled her eyes, "Oh come on Aaron. It's your birthday you're allowed to eat a cupcake for breakfast. Besides that'll give you enough energy for what I have planned."

Inclining his head he picked up her attitude immediately and pulled a knife out of the drawer. "Split it with me then?" he offered.

When she accepted he cut the cupcake down the middle and gave her half on a small plate doing the same with his own before pouring a cup of coffee and joining her on the couch.

"It's good," he praised after he finished his first bite.

"Well you can thank the man at the store for recommending it."

He arched an eyebrow, "Yeah, when did you buy this? You didn't have it last night."

"Well of course I couldn't have brought it last night you would have noticed. I bought it this morning."

"Wasn't it a little chilly to be outside dressed like that?" He joked, gesturing to her current attire.

She shrugged, "The cashier seemed to enjoy it."

Aaron threw his head back and laughed, pulling her over so that she leaned against him and kissed the top of her head. "What am I going to do with you Ms. Clemmons?"

"I'm sure you'll come up with something."

Finishing his half he set his plate down and got busy downing his cup of coffee in an attempt to erase all traces of sleep from his mind.

"Jack's going to be upset he missed out on the cupcakes," he murmured.

"Are you kidding? I promised him we'd make a cake when he gets back from his grandparent's this afternoon."

He chuckled, "You're going to pump my son full of sugar?"

"Well it's not every day his daddy turns 48."

He groaned, "48? When did I get so old?"

She smirked, "Oh please. You are not old, bring up the issue again in two years."

"Beth!"

"Aaron I'm kidding," she laughed. "Besides who cares? I don't and your son sure doesn't, who else is left?"

After a moment's deliberation he nodded. His age hadn't really been an issue up until recently but the closer he got to fifty the more and more he began to wish he could reverse the aging process. It wasn't because of some vain midlife crisis, he wasn't going to buy a red sports car he just didn't appreciate the aches and pains that accompanied the aging process.

"So," he began casually. "Now that I've got all the sugar in me do you want to explain just what you have planned?"

She waggled her eyebrows and put her own plate and mug down before manoeuvering herself into a position where she could straddle his thighs, encircling her arms around his neck.

"I think," she said slowly as she toyed with the hair at the back of his neck. "That a demonstration would be a better way of getting my message across."

Resting one hand on the back of her thigh he wove the other into the hair at the back of her neck and pulled her down for a kiss. When she reached down for the hem of his shirt he gladly shed the thing before pushing his shirt off her shoulders and onto the floor. Using her balance against her he pinned her between his body and the couch and began to kiss all the exposed skin she'd taunted him with since he'd awoken.

The next time he got the chance to catch his breath they'd made it to the bedroom, closing his eyes he listened to the heavy sound of their combined breathing.

"Thanks for the cupcake," he said breathlessly.

She laughed and threw a leg over his, resting her arm across his chest, "No problem. And just think later we'll have cake!"

"You'll have to put some clothes on though."

"I can do that," she conceded. "Maybe I'll just switch and have nothing on underneath."

Squeezing her calf in warning he closed his eyes and pressed his forehead to her, "Thank you."

"The day's not even over yet," she reasoned.

"And yet it's still been the best one I've had in a while by far."

He relaxed further as she used the and on his pecs to draw senseless designs into his skin.

"I love you," she whispered.

He smiled against her skin, "I love you too."