Ressler woke up with the sound of his annoying alarm and the sun on his face - everything that makes him cranky in the morning. The only thing he had to remember the last two days was his memories, and that frightened him. For a moment, he feared it had all been a dream. He got out of bed, stretched, and got dressed for his morning jog.
As he ran through the streets around his district, his mind was filled with the events of the past two days, and he was glad he could blow off some steam before going to work. It would be hard enough to see her, he did not need the memories fresh in his mind, too.
He came home and found her note on his nightstand before hitting the shower. He sat on the edge of the bed and breathed out, grinning at the three little words she wrote at the bottom of the page. "I love you". Ideas came rushing through his head about the date she asked. It would take a few days to prepare, but he would give her the best date of her life.
At the post office parking lot, he almost regretted having an idea that would take him a few days, as she strutted next to him while he was waiting for the elevator. Her hair smelled like flowers and she was wearing heels that nearly matched his height.
"Good morning, agent Ressler," she greeted him, and they spied on each other with the corner of their eyes. She had to lick her lips and bite the bottom one to stop herself from grinning, and the view of her uncontrollably happy took his breath away. How he was going to stop that urge to pin her to a wall and devour her, he had no idea.
As the elevator doors opened, revealing the isolated box where they would stay together for the hardest seconds in the world, they both breathed deeply and stepped forward, brushing hands, shooting sparks. They turned around, looking forward, hands nearly touching now, waiting for the doors to close when a hand interrupted the movement, startling them.
"Oh! Sorry about that!", said Aram, with his usual nice-guy smile. "Good morning, guys!"
They immediately stepped apart as Aram entered the elevator and the door closed, looking at each other longingly as they realized that would be a very, very long day.
"Hey, Aram."
"Hi!"
And the three agents ascended in silence.
Harold Cooper caught up to them as soon as the elevator doors were open, filling them in the new case that Reddington had brought to them early in the morning.
"The event occurred this morning in Madrid, and according to Reddington, it involved members of the Cabal." Explained the deputy-director in charge, and they focused on the case instead.
After a long, complicated morning analyzing the evidence of the case opened to them by Red, a strange case that would lead them to an unusual blacklister, Ressler finally got a chance to find shelter in his office. He sat down on his desk and sighed as he observed through the window that his partner was moving his way.
She walked in and shut the door behind her, leaning on it seductively as she sighed and laughed, trying to catch his attention. He tried to ignore her, but his grin was unavoidable.
"wow, that was a long meeting!" She said, and then walked to her desk. "I'm glad to finally get some quiet time."
He didn't respond, instead he just waited to see what she would bring. It was really hard not to think about what happened between them, let alone talk about it, but they had to be cautious. And rely on their ability to communicate via looks.
After a brief moment of silence, in which only the ruffling of paper was audible, she decided to try being casual.
"So, what are your plans for tonight, Ressler?" She teased, looking up to watch as he replied.
"Oh, I think there's a game on tonight." He said, and grinned while noticing her reaction to the news.
"Oh, a game, hun? Football? No, basketball, right? I see." She stumbled on her words, trying not to sound disappointed.
"Well, what about you, Keen?" He enquired, ignoring his papers to watch as she tried to pretend she wasn't upset.
"I don't know. I mean, I thought I would have something, but… I don't… Whatever," she waved him away and looked down, to hide her sad face. This time it was his turn to sway towards her, a sly smile on his face.
"Oh? What's the matter, Keen? It looks like someone just cancelled on you." He said, and knew he sounded mean. He saw how those words pierced through her as she looked up, frowning.
"no! I mean, I guess, but… It's okay, really, I…" she looked through the window to see if anyone was looking their way, and then whispered. "Look, it's okay, I wasn't really, I mean, I was expecting it, but I understand if you don't…" He stopped her by holding her hand on his, and as their eyes met she could see he was playing her, and her frown changed from sad to annoyed as he laughed at her.
"Liar! I seriously thought that…"
"Liz, are you kidding me?" He whispered, noticing that at any moment someone could look through the window or enter their office, so he made sure it looked like they were just talking. "But I wasn't completely lying. I do need some days."
"What? Why?" She questioned, but smiled, curious.
"Wait and see, Keen. Wait and see."
He squeezed her hand slightly and then grazed his thumb on her palm, already missing her touch, and then moved back to his desk.
"Well, just don't take too long, okay? I'll miss you," she whispered, and their eyes met for a long time, and if it were possible to make love via looks, that would be exactly what they were doing.
For the next two days they kept their distance, and although the wish to call each other in the middle of the night or simply show up on each other's apartment was strong, they vowed to stay away until the date happened. Finally, on the third day after their celibacy arrangement, just about 6pm, Liz got a message on her phone.
"Your ride is waiting, madam."
When she saw it, she giggled like a teenager, causing Aram and Samar to look over, surprised and weirded out.
"Sorry!" She apologized, blushing, as she got her things and ran towards the elevator.
Downstairs, she couldn't find him, and frustration was about to strike when a limousine parked right in front of her, and the driver walked around to open the door for her.
"Thank you," she smiled at the man and stepped into the back seat, where Ressler was waiting, wearing a fancy suit, with the collar open.
The man closed the door and moved to the driver's seat as they stared at each other, laughing.
"So, what do you think?" He asked, reaching for her hand as she scooted closer.
"A limo? Oh, God! So cheesy!" She leaned and stopped really close to his face "I love it," she smiled, and then gave him the kiss that had been lingering on her lips for three days now.
It took an incredible amount of effort not to cancel everything and go home, but they behaved themselves and just snuggled on the backseat as they were driven to the second part of the surprise. Ressler played with Liz's fingers resting on his lap when she sighed.
"What?"
"I wish you had let me know sooner, I would have worn something fancier than just work clothes." She mentioned, and he laughed.
"Liz, to be honest, I wish you were wearing nothing right now, so for what's worth, your work clothes are fine."
She smiled and then moved closer, capturing his mouth on a heated kiss as she moved to straddle him. He gently laid his hands on her hips, but stopped her before she started anything, as the car slowed down.
"C'mon, we're here," he urged her to move, but she whined on his neck, placing small kisses on the crook.
"How long are you going to keep teasing me?" She laughed, her hair over her face as she clung to him, preventing him to move.
"as long as it takes to keep you this wild," he laughed, and then winced as she bit his neck.
"You don't want to poke the lioness, Donald Ressler. You're just a duck."
"Ha! Ha! Very funny!" He rolled his eyes at the comment, as she rolled out of him and got out of the car with the help of the driver.
When she stepped out of the car, Liz saw that they were out of town, on what seemed to be the top of a hill, and she could see the landscape of Washington, illuminated in the night. It was beautiful. Ready for them, there was a blanket on the floor with a picnic basket and a bottle of wine. Ressler gently touched her lower back, setting her in motion as the car drove away.
"Is he going away?"
"No. He'll take us home later. It's just to give us some privacy." They walked and then sat on the blanket, and Ressler opened the wine bottle while Liz spied into the basket and saw that they had cheese and bread. He served two glasses and then sat next to her, to what she put her legs around him, as he pulled her closer with his hand on her back. She gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek.
"Thank you. This is lovely." She smiled, and he put his hand on her face, his eyes piercing through her soul, the moonlight reflecting on his blue eyes, creating a mesmerizing view that brought butterflies to her stomach as he approached and kissed her, slowly and tenderly, his fingers massaging the back of her neck, making her shiver as she placed her fingers on his face, gently grazing her fingertips on his cheek. He stopped the kiss and moved back to watch as she kept her eyes closed, still shivering from everything he made her feel.
"Let's eat" he whispered, taking her from her trance, and grinning as she tried her best to keep her cool.
They ate and talked and laughed and went over the bottle of wine as the night went by pleasantly. At that moment, nothing else mattered, only the two of them. It was nearly 11pm when Liz rubbed her eyes, her legs tangled around Ressler while her head was resting on his shoulder, and a yawn signaled that it was time to go.
He typed a message to the driver as Liz packed everything and they jumped in the car, and quickly drove away.
Liz was clearly sleepy, but she was also excited to see what would come next. She placed a leg over Ressler's lap and rested her head on the crook of his neck, giving small kisses to make him reveal his next surprise.
"You'll like it." He laughed at the tickles she was making with her nose.
"Does it involve a bed?" She asked, and he moved away to look at her.
"Maybe. Why? Are you tired?"
"No. Not to sleep." She teased, kissing his jaw and grazing her teeth on his stubble.
"Well, no spoilers, but it might involve a bed, yes. But first, I want to ask you something."
"Okay." She furrowed her eyebrows, confused and slightly frightened.
"On your note, that you left that morning, you wrote something that wasn't very clear. I mean..." She knew exactly what he meant. The three little words she signed the note with.
"What? That I love you?" She said, as if it was nothing.
"Do you?" He asked, and his puppy eyes made her squeal with the cuteness. She took a deep breath, and then moved to sit on his lap, and throwing her hair over his face, she started kissing him, from forehead to chin, and then moved to his ear, and whispered "I love you."
He squeezed her sides and then put his arms all around her, hugging her tightly as she laughed and moved to look at him.
"You know, it sounds so good when you say it, there's a ring to it that only your voice…" She laughed, and then quieted him with a kiss that grew and became hotter as their bodies began to burn from each other's heat.
"Make love to me. Now!" she whispered, and then kissed him deeply, taking his breath away. He gasped as she moved down to kiss his neck, and her hands went boldly between them, pressing against his chest. her nails scratching his chest through the fabric of the shirt.
"We're almost there, Liz. Don't spoil the surprise." She laughed out loud.
"Not much of a surprise there, considering what we did last week." He responded with a smirk.
"I'm not going to make love to you in a rental car." He was firm, and she pouted. Their eyes focused on each other and she felt her heart flutter with the depth of his gaze. She just loved him so much.
Unexpectedly, though, he moved his hand to her pants, and squeezed it inside until his fingers reached her. She moved to help him as he touched her, and she bit her lip to stop from screaming.
She began to move to follow the movement of his fingers, their eyes so focused on each other's that the world could end outside, and they wouldn't care. Nothing else mattered.
She threw herself on him as she reached her bliss, clinging onto him and scratching his back with her nails. She released a groan as the air she was holding came out of her mouth, and then felt her body relax. She was so sleepy, and that orgasm just helped to improve that. She placed her head on the crook of his neck and allowed slumber to take over her.
He noticed that she fell asleep as soon as her body relaxed, so he adjusted her on his lap and watched her sleep soundly over him.
When they arrived at their final stop, Liz was still sleeping. Ressler tried to wake her up, to no avail, so he awkwardly moved out of the car with her still clinging on to him like a child, and released the driver. As the limo drove away, she woke up with the breeze on her neck.
"What? Where…?" She said, confused as she slowly noticed that they were no longer in the car.
"We're here", he whispered in her ear, as she moved her legs to reach the floor and stand on her own. She looked at him shyly, embarrassed that she fell asleep, as he laughed at her and then pointed at the building in front of them. That's when it hit her – they were no longer in DC, but in New York, right in front of a 5 -star hotel on the 5th avenue.
"Oh my! I slept all the way, I didn't notice!" She covered her mouth in awe, as he held her from behind, lacing his fingers over her waist.
"We have a reservation," he whispered in her ear.
"Here? Really?" He nodded as she turned her head to meet his eyes. "Oh, look at you, limo, picnic under the moonlight, now five -star hotel."
"What can I say? I'm a romantic!"
she laughed, cringing a bit on how cheesy he was. But she didn't mind. She never had that with Tom, or any other man in her life. With Ressler, it was all about her, and about was cute to see him so proud of his plans, and so involved in making her feel loved. She really was.
They laced hands and walked together into the fancy lobby, with a smiley doorman holding the door for them. She stared in awe at the inside of the hotel, so shiny with a huge crystal chandelier. They walked to the reception, where a well-dressed and beautiful woman welcomed them. Liz felt a bit underdressed in her work clothes, now all wrinkled from the car, and dirty from sitting on the grass. She hid herself a bit behind Ressler, who was still impeccable in his suit, which now she regretted not having wrinkled and messed up in the car as he had done to her. As he talked to the woman, she felt sleep coming to her again, his perfume relaxing her and his chiseled torso exciting her as she grazed her palms over the fabric of his shirt, under the jacket. He was having a hard time concentrating on his talk to the receptionist, who smiled and gave him their card keys, clearly noticing their interaction.
They walked towards the elevator amidst giggles and looks, barely noticing the passerby's watching then acting like two lovebirds. The elevator was quite packed, so Liz just hugged Ressler by the waist, her head resting on his chest, and he could clearly see that she was sleepy. He caressed her hair while the people left the elevator and they were taken to the 12th floor.
As they reached their room, Liz was mesmerized by the size and the fanciness of the room. She had been in fancy hotels before, but never as a guest, only for work. They had a bottle of champagne on ice by the bed, fluffy cotton robes and silk sheets. Ressler locked the door, making sure to place the "no disturb" sign outside, and then walked to Liz. There was a box on the armchair by the bed, but she didn't notice it. She turned around as he approached, and put her arms around him as their lips found one another. As they kissed, the moved together towards the bed until she fell backwards on the fluffy mattress, pulling him on top of her. They both giggled with the thud, and he proceeded to kiss her neck, unbuttoning the top of her shirt.
"This is perfect, babe. Thank you!" She thanked, as he kissed her between her breasts. He couldn't stop snorting at what she said, which left her curious.
"What?" she asked, and he moved his head upwards to look at her.
"You called me babe!" he revealed, and then kissed her chin as she laughed, only now noticing what she had done.
"You don't like it?" she asked, as she massaged the back of his neck with her fingers.
"I think it's cute."
She adjusted on the bed, and began to open his shirt when he stopped her, and propped up on his elbows to look at her, gently caressing her cheeks with the other hand.
"Is there something wrong?" she questioned, and then yawned.
"You're tired."
"No! I'm fine!"
"No, you're not! You didn't even notice the box on the armchair" she immediately turned her head to look at the armchair behind them, and moved to go there and pick it up. She opened it and found a beautiful pearl necklace.
"Oh my god, Ressler! No, I can't accept it!"
He frowned as she pushed the necklace on his hands. "Why not?"
"It's too much! This hotel, the limo, NY! It must have cost a fortune! This is not why I am here! I love you, I don't need all this!"
He stared at her for a few seconds, noticing how flustered she was, worried about how much he had spent. Truth is that she would never know that the costs of the limo and the hotel had been taken care of, by her favorite criminal, and apparently, number one fan of their relationship.
"Liz! I'm not trying to buy you off. Don't say that. Besides, I didn't spend anything on this necklace." She stopped and looked at him, confused. "It was my grandmother's."
She took a deep breath, feeling the tears come to her eyes as he knelt on the bed and went around her to put the necklace on her. "She gave it to me right after Audrey left me, the first time, told me that it was to give me strength; 'Because she hadn't given me the necklace yet so Audrey was not meant to be,' that's what she said." He spoke it like an old lady, causing Liz to giggle. "When Audrey came back, we stayed together for 3 months before she died, and yet I never felt like the right time to give her the necklace. Nana had passed away by then, but somehow I could hear her saying 'not meant to be.' I found it last night, and I immediately wanted to give it to you." He smiled, shyly, as Liz touched the pearls around her neck, tears coming down her cheek. He touched her face gently and wiped the tears with his thumb as she leaned and gave him a kiss.
"I love them. Thank you!" she thanked. "I love you."
He glared at her as if she was a mirage that could disappear at any moment. "I love you too. C'mon." he helped her out of her clothes and then lay her down on the bed wearing just the pearls and her underwear. He took off his pants and shirt and lay next to her, spooning her with his body, their fingers intertwined over her thigh.
Her eyes were heavy and she was fighting against sleep to stay with him. She had never felt so comfortable and relaxed in her life, and she was thankful that he took the initiative to put them to sleep. She was really tired, but really happy.
"What happens next?" she asked, fumbling with her new necklace with one hand and his hand on the other, as he kissed her on the shoulder.
"Whatever we want to." He replied, and she turned her head to give him a passionate kiss, before falling asleep.
Liz woke up it was a little after 5am, and the night still crept up out of the window, with little hints that the sun was about to come. She rolled over slowly on Ressler's arms, being careful not to wake him up, and caressed his forehead gently with her fingertips, watching him sleep. She noticed every inch of his beautiful face, from his ginger eyelashes to the freckles that sprinkled on his cheek and down to his chin. She had a favorite freckle, one that lies beneath his left eye.
She approached and kissed his lips, and then quietly moved out of his embrace, and out of bed.
She went to the big ensuite bathroom they had in the room, and looked at herself in the mirror. She had never seen herself so happy, and that scared her. Given her history, it was just a matter of time before something came rushing by, destroying everything like a whirlwind.
This time, though, the thought of something, anything taking Ressler away from her was more than scary – it was a breathtaking, terrifying image. She thought of all the dangers that encircles her life – the Cabal, her mother, Tom and the Major. Raymond Reddington. She took a deep breath, and remembered how Red hated even the mention of Tom.
How would he react if he learned about Ressler? She remembered him a bit condescending with the agent, treating him like a low-level incapacitated robot that was unable to catch him in 5 years, but she wasn't sure if that was his true feelings towards Ressler. In her mind, Red had a certain level of respect and admiration for Donald.
She adjusted the pearls around her neck and turned around to go back to bed when she noticed a red dress hanging on the back of the door. Another surprise, perhaps? She sighed, knowing that the fact that she was so tired from her day must have ruined some of Ressler's plans. Were they going to go out for drinks? It was a beautiful cocktail dress, and she went closer to admire it. As she removed it from the hook, a piece of paper fell out of it. She sat on the chair beside the toilet and opened it.
"Lizzy, this dress is my small contribution to what I expect to be a perfect night for you and Donald. Despite our differences, Ressler is everything I expect from a man to be good enough for you. A man that makes you laugh, and makes you love him, because you deserve it. And I trust that, this time, he doesn't have to work hard for it, does he? I've noticed your glances towards him. Be happy, my dear, it's all I ask. R."
There he is. Was it ever possible for something in her life to happen without Red knowing about it? She wondered if Ressler had really spent as much as she thought he had now, knowing that Red was involved. On one side, she wished Red had paid for everything, even though it did seem like Ressler to accept Red's financial help, or any help thereof.
Liz remembered her countless conversations with Red, when he would tell her how wrong Tom was for her. To imagine that, all this time, Ressler was right there beside her, makes her feel a bit foolish. The time they wasted.
She folded the paper and put on the nightstand as she returned to bed, going under the covers and snuggling against Ressler like a cat looking for attention. He slowly woke up and turned around to take her in his arms, one arm around her as the other hand caught her neck as she propped herself up on him, and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"Good morning!" She said, and he turned to look at the alarm clock, and saw it was 5:35.
"How are you? All rested?" She nodded, like a child, making him grin.
"Yeah. And hungry"
"Really? Do you want room service?"
"No. I want you"
She captured his lips on hers and they moved together to adjust their positions, as she climbed on top of him, straddling him with her legs. She kissed his neck as he lowered the strap of her bra and kissed her shoulder.
Things heated up very quickly and he unclasped her bra, revealing her breasts as he moved up to kiss them, and she teased him by moving her hips on his lap. He sat on the bed and took her in his arms, holding her firmly with a hand on her back as he explored her neck, making her shiver. She bent her body backwards to allow him to explore her chest, and he kissed her from chin to beneath her breasts before she straightened up, and gently pushed him back on the bed, a smirk on her lips as she moved to remove his boxers and focus on him. She gave him small kisses and licks before taking it all in, making him breathe deeply and squirm under her touch.
Slowly, she crept back upwards until her lips found his, and she positioned herself to allow him to enter her as their fingers lace together on the side of the bed.
They moved in synchronicity until their sweat-covered bodies reached their peak together and they fell on the bed, never letting go of each other while the first shy rays of the morning appeared on the sky.
"I wouldn't mind the room service, now." Liz said, and they both laughed as Donald reached for the menu by the bed.
Room service arrived a few minutes later bringing coffee and breakfast food, and Liz frowned when she saw there were pancakes. Ressler took a bite of them while pushing the plate with eggs and bacon to her side of the table.
"I can't see what's all the fuss about pancakes, really. Never liked them." She complained, and ate a bit of her crispy bacon. "How can one compare these to bacon? Really?"
The food was delicious, as it would be expected in a five-star hotel. The conversation went from breakfast food to day-time television, and it was impressive how easy it was to talk about whatever. They were so comfortable with each other, proof that it wasn't all about the sex. The more time they spent together, the more they wanted to.
"Any plans for today?" She asked, as it was Saturday and it was their day off. They were in NY, after all, so he might have planned something for the day.
"Not really, no." He confessed, and she snorted. "We have the room until tomorrow, I thought we'd make the best of it. Do you want to go out? Do something?"
"Yes. And No. I don't know. I feel that we could enjoy NY a bit since we're here and it's not to go after some crazy cuckoo blacklister or something, we might as well enjoy the city. But I also like the idea of spending another entire day with you in bed."
Ressler chuckled, taking a bitr of his pancakes. He then took her hand and kissed her knuckles, looking up to see her smiling on the other side of the table, while taking a sip of her coffee..
"We can spend the day here, then." He pulled her arm gently, kissing her palm, and then wrist. She laughed, just enjoying his touch and kisses. When he took a deep breath, though, she knew he had something bothering him.
"What about real life, Liz?"
She opened her eyes and stopped as soon as he asked. Of course he would, this is Ressler. They won't be living in a little small fantasy of their own for too long, like it was with Tom. This was meant to be real, or no deal. And she wanted this, oh so much, dangers and fear included.
She placed her palm on his face, caressing it gently with her thumb, but looking stern as she watched him react to her touch. He looked puzzled, and a bit nervous with her silence, until she looked deeply into his eyes, and biting her lip, opened a smile.
"I changed my mind. You're going to take me out today. Let's go to a museum, or to the cinema, let's have lunch on a fast food restaurant and then be silly at madame tussauds. I want to do what couples do."
He looked at her, mesmerized by how much she could amaze him with a simple act like this. He smiled and then stood up, going around the table to kiss her. He knew what she meant. She was all in.
"Do you want to get dressed now, or…" he smirked, his hands moving provokingly down her back, as she pulled him by the neck to a deep and hot kiss and he pulled her up from the chair, carrying her slowly to the bed.
He placed her gently on the mattress and held her head with his palm as it hit the pillow, as he pulled him closer, tightening her legs around him. He quickly managed to open her robe and reveal her naked body, moving down to kiss it entirely. He took his time on her belly and her inner thighs, causing her to moan and whisper his name as he slowly moved to her center, kissing it until she began to feel herself burning inside, her hand pulling his hair as the other grasped the sheets underneath her. He then stopped, moving slowly over her body, kissing all the way to the top, until he found her lips again and they kissed intensively as he penetrated her, and she let out a moan within the kiss as she felt him inside her. In one quick movement, she rolled them sos he would be on top, and began to ride him slowly, their finger intertwined over his head as she moved, her hair falling over his face, and their eyes deep inside each other's as they both felt their orgasms coming, and she stopped moving at the exact moment it began, allowing them to enjoy it together as their lips met gently, grazing one another first and then turning into a deep kiss.
"So, I guess you're in?" He asked, jokingly, as they recovered their breaths.
"I'd be crazy not to want this for the rest of my life," she smiled, and then kissed his cheek as she rolled out of him onto the bed beside him. He held her hand over his heart, and she could feel it accelerated.
"I wonder what the task force will say when they find out." She questioned, causing him to smirk.
"Aram will probably be too surprised to function. I'm pretty sure he hated me all the time while you were on the run. He was sure I didn't care about you and what would happen after you were captured." Liz laughed.
"Well, for a while there, I thought that too." She moved to look at him, perched on her elbow. "I thought you hated me, you really believed I was a criminal, a terrorist."
"A criminal? Yes. You killed Tom Connoly, I know he was a low level scumbag but still, he was the attorney general. A terrorist? No. Never. I always believed you were framed." She looked at him with admiration, feeling her heart swell as he told her he believed in her. "I just feared everyday that you would be killed out there, and I wouldn't find you in time. Or worse."
She frowned. "Worse? What can be worse than dying?"
"Going to the other side. Losing yourself to the crime life. Like Reddigton." his eyes looked serious, and she had to agree. That would be worse than dying.
She held his face on her palm and kissed him. "Thank you. For saving me, and my soul. My hero!"
"Anytime. Anytime."
They spent the day together, snuggling close while walking the cold streets on NY in January, going to touristic places like the MET and the Natural History Museum, and although Ressler wad a bit bored with the places, he admired how Liz was interested in everything they saw.
At the end of the afternoon, they sat on a bench in the central park, and Ressler took her inside his jacket.
They sat together, just watching the people go by, until the sun was down and the first minutes of the night turned on the lights of the city.
Ressler thought that nothing could be better than that simple moment, with Liz in his arms, quietly observing the city, relaxing at the park. He who was always a simple life kinda guy, was glad to know that, despite having lived wild adventures in her life, being married to Tom and on the run with Red, Liz was happy to just sit with him. He was caressing her hair and then kissed her head, a movement so automatic he barely noticing what he was doing. She reacted by giggling and then moving her head out of his chest to look at him.
"Do you know that Red left mt a gift in the hotel room?" She threw it out there, to try and find out if he knew Red was aware of what they were having. She saw instantly that he was uncomfortable, which indicated she found out something he wanted to keep a secret. They shared looks, and he just knew she knew.
"Damn! Alright, yes. I took Red's help. I didn't ask for it, though. He insisted." She laughed at his awkwardness, and then gave him a long kiss on the cheek.
"Don't feel so ashamed! I'm actually feeling better that he payed for that expensive room. It makes me feel more comfortable that we are abusing his money, and not yours."
"What does that mean? You think I couldn't afford two nights on a five-star hotel?"
"Not what I meant, Donald. It's just… You don't need to spend all that to have me. I'm happy with a movie with popcorn and beer at your apartment. But if Red's paying…" She opened a sly smile, and made him laugh.
"What?" He asked as she stood up in front of him.
"Well, he gave me the dress. So I might as well use it. C'mon."
They went back to the hotel and she locked herself in the bathroom, telling him ti get dressed and go down to the hotel restaurant. She didn't say anything else, making him nervous while he waited at the bar.
About 20 minutes later, that felt like hours without knowing her plans, he saw her coming into the restaurant. She had her hair up on a bun, with a few locks framing her face. Her shoulders were bare because of the off-shoulder neckline,, his grandmother's pearls decorating her neck. The dress was stunning. It was a blood-red cocktail dress with a wide skirt, and black high heels. His heart skipped a beat as he saw her, a vision in red, and she illuminated as she found him. He felt the proudest of all men as everyone in the room stopped to followed her with their eyes, and realized that she was moving towards him.
"So?" She asked, smiling, as she reached him. He took her hands on his and kissed her, and then whispered in her ear.
"Every single man in this room wants you, and you are mine."
"Yes, I am." She whispered back to him, and their eyes met again.
The hostess called then to their table, and he made sure to put his hand on her lower back as the walked.
They sat on their table and shared teasing looks from behind their menus, and after they ordered their food and a bottle of wine, they laced fingers over the table and looked at each other longingly, Liz gently fiddling with her necklace.
"I can't believe I'll have to actually thank Red for this dress" Ressler complained, still amazed by her. She smiled, shyly.
"You don't have to."
"Oh no! I do! This dress is…" He breathed out and shook his head, and he couldn't stop laughing.
"I bet you're imagining it on the floor of the bedroom, later, right?"
He nodded. "Well, of course, but I wouldn't say that. I'm a gentleman!"
Their food arrived, and she asked more about his family. He knew everything about her, but there was little about his personal life, even in the file that she had read as she joined the task force. She knew the story of his father, killed by a crooked cop, but not much else. She was a bit unsure whether it was okay to ask, but he showed to be surprisingly open to sharing his story.
"After my dad died, my mom became a bit cold. I mean, she is still a loving mother, but we can see that part of her sweetness is gone. She felt as betrayed by Tommy Markin as any of us. That man ate dinners in our house, he once spent thanksgiving there. It was quite a blow to our family. After my sister got married and I moved out, she moved to a small apartment, and we sold our old house." He looked down, a bit upset about this. Liz could read it in his reactions.
"You miss it. Your house." It wasn't a question, more like an affirmation. Ressler looked up and knew that she knew exactly what he felt.
"I always imagined I would go back there, with my family, for christmas or thanksgiving or easter, visiting them with my kids. This is gone now."
Liz squeezed his hand lightly, and smiled.
"You want kids?" She asked, and he opened a smirk before looking up to her.
"What? Can't the robot of the law be a loving father?"
"You'd be a great father, Don." They intertwined their fingers, their minds going to the same place. Would they one day be dining with their kids?
"Would I be a great father to your kids, Keen?" She widened her eyes, shocked that he went that far.
"Wow! Are we talking kids already?" She sounded a bit overwhelmed, and he laughed while trying to calm her down.
"Relax. It was just a joke. We have time."
She took a deep breath, and while looking at him, smiled.
"We do." She agreed.
Later, they went together back to their room and, as predicted, her red dress indeed looked great on the floor of the bedroom. As he made love to her once again, Liz's mind wandered towards the future, and all the possibilities. If before she was scared of all the bad things that could happen if she wasn't cautious, right now she wasn't anymore. Tomorrow they would go back to DC, talk to Cooper and reveal their relationship. They would start with sleepovers and movie nights and surprise dinners until they were ready to move in together, and finally, start a family. She wanted this. She could hardly wait to be happy, and she knew that rested with Ressler. Her fingers tangled in his hair as she pulled his face closer, kissed his lips and looked deep inside his beautiful, blue eyes. She was ready. Ready to surrender completely to him.