No spoilers ... just sailing away on the ship of Bobby love:)

CHAPTER SIX: The Shave

A Close Shave

Alex grabbed Bobby's hand and dragged him into her bathroom. She was going to shave him.

"Why can't I just do it tomorrow?"

"We need to learn to trust each other again. This is a step in the right direction. Will you trust me to shave your face?"

"Ah … ah, let me see your tools."

"Tools? I'll show you mine if you'll show me yours."

"If I'm still alive, I'll think about it."

Alex closed the lid on her john … "Sit. Okay … here we go. I have a Lady Bic."

Bobby examined it.

"No … I don't think so."

"How about this?"

"What the hell is that thing?"

"It's an Epilady."

"A what? Excuse me?"

She plugged it in, turned it on and rubbed it against his face. He jumped ten feet in the air and screamed like a little school girl.

"Jesus Christ, Alex … what the hell? I thought this was about trust, not torture?"

"What are you a wimp? I use that on my bikini area."

"Are you nuts!? That things is, is … well, it should be classified as a lethal weapon!"

"It just goes to show you, women are the stronger sex."

He surrendered. Hands held high up in the air.

"I give … you win. I'll go home and shave. You proved your point."

"Proved my point? My point was a lessen in trust."

"Yeah and I don't trust you and your tools. I have a straight edge razor at home with this beards name on it."

"Okay, I'll come with you."

"You're determined to do this, aren't you?"

"Yes I am. I promise, I'll be gentle."

Bobby pulled her into his lap … "Yeah, me too."

"Are you about to show me your tools?"

He hasn't felt this need, this want, for a very long time. He was so exhausted. Everyone saw it. Captain Ross made a ritual out of telling whoever would listen to him, how tired Goren looked. Bobby would get up in the morning and splash water on his face and look at himself in the mirror and wonder how he got so old … so tired. He knew that part of that was losing Alex. She would do the same. She thought that everyone could see the loss and pain on her face, but she hid it well. She hid it from Bobby … he thought that he had lost her for good, but here they were … together … making out on her toilet seat in her bathroom.

"Um, Alex? Do you think we could, you know, go into your bedroom?"

"You go ahead, but don't start without me."

"Why aren't you coming with me?"

"You'll see."

As soon as he left, she gathered some candles and filled the tub with steaming hot water. She added her lavender bubble bath and lit the candles. She waltzed into her bedroom and once again grabbed his hand and dragged him back into the bathroom. They undressed each other, slowly … and sunk down into the hot, steamy water.

He sighed and wrapped his arms around her. She sighed and rested her head against his chest.

"You realize, if we get called in, not only will I smell like lavender, but we'll smell alike."

She turned and faced him, wrapped her arms around his neck and began to nibble.

"Only you would notice something like that."

He was lost in what Alex had started to do to his neck and forgot what he was talking about.

"Hmm? Notice what?"

She continued what she was doing, knowing that she sufficiently distracted him. She could tell for sure by the firmness she felt sneaking in between her legs that he no longer had that problem. They fondled, they kissed, they cuddled and soaked. They spoke softly to each other … words of love, words that had a promise of the future. He held her a bit tighter and whispered in her ear … "Let's go make love, Alex. It's been too long since I've showed you that you're the most important person in my life. I'll never make that mistake again."

"I won't let you."

Thanks for reading ... I do appreciate it.