-seven-

With a smile on his lips, Eric breathed in the warm aroma from the two mugs in front of him. He'd attempted to replicate his mother's recipe for hot cocoa, and if the sweet scent rising up from the mugs to meet him was any indication, he'd come extremely close to succeeding, if not completely.

He wrapped his hands around the mugs, relishing a moment in the warmth that moved through his still cold fingers. Even after driving back to the cabin in a vehicle with heated seats and taking a long, hot shower, Eric still carried a remnant chill from being out in the snow all afternoon, and he knew that if that was the case for him, Calleigh couldn't be much better off.

The sight that befell him as he turned toward the den evidenced that assumption. Fresh from the shower herself, Calleigh had spread a large, plush blanket out right before the fire. Her body was enveloped within a soft white robe as she huddled before the fire, her tiny hands outstretched in an attempt to warm them. As he made his way toward her, she turned her head his way, her beautiful eyes sparkling up at him.

Wordlessly, Eric extended one warm mug of cocoa to her, his ears taking in the soft musical cadence of her appreciation. "Thanks," she murmured, lifting the mug to her lips. Her eyes closed as the sweet taste of chocolate overwhelmed her, its heat warming her from the inside out. "Your mother's recipe?" she asked, smiling as she remembered the story he had shared just the night before.

Eric grinned. "It's supposed to be," he replied, scratching at the back of his neck. "I'm not sure it came out exactly the same, but it's close, I think."

Calleigh cupped the mug in her hands as she took another sip, allowing the warmth to spread through her fingers. "I don't think it could get much better than it already is," she complimented, and Eric couldn't help but grin widely at the praise. With a smile on her own, she patted the blanket next to her, gazing expectantly at Eric. "You going to stand there all night?" she teased, tilting her head playfully. "Or are you going to join me down here where it's warm?"

There was no way on earth he could refuse her invitation. With a slight chuckle, he lowered himself to the blanket beside of her, vaguely catching the sweet scent of her shampoo from her still slightly damp locks. "It's still snowing outside," he observed softly, setting his own mug on the coffee table.

She smiled, taking a slow sip of cocoa. "I know," she replied wistfully, looking toward the window. "It's so pretty, isn't it? It's almost enough to make me wish I lived somewhere like this."

Eric chuckled, admiring unabashedly the way the lights of the Christmas tree twinkled back at him from her emerald eyes. "But not quite?"

Calleigh smirked. "Not quite," she agreed, tilting her head thoughtfully. "I love the warmth too much for that."

"And the ocean, and the beach, among other things…" Eric supplied with a grin.

"Of course." With a slight wince, Calleigh stretched out her legs, already feeling the soreness from the day's activities setting up there. And it wasn't just in her legs – her entire body felt as though she'd taken quite the beating. Her arms, shoulders, back…she winced again, already imagining how sore she would be in the morning.

Her sudden change in expression did not go unnoticed by Eric, and really, she'd never expected it to. "You okay?" he asked softly, the concern apparent in his deep eyes.

She forced a smile as she tried to find a comfortable position. "I'm fine," she said dismissively, finally settling with much the same position she had started in. "I just…fell a lot today, remember?" She rolled her eyes, watching the smirk develop on Eric's face. "Not that I should have to remind you, since you spent a good deal of the afternoon laughing at me."

As though apologetic, Eric lifted a hand, shielding his growing grin from her. "I'm sorry," he said, his grin stretching even more at the disbelief in Calleigh's eyes. "You're right, it wasn't very nice of me," he teased.

"No, it wasn't," Calleigh pouted. "I could've really been hurt, too." She was only teasing him, though – despite the majority of time she'd spent lying on her back in the snow, Calleigh had honestly had the time of her life out there today. And how could she not? She'd gotten to see her first snowfall…with Eric. The memory of that moment along was enough to make her smile brightly.

"You look like you are hurt," he observed softly, his dark eyes taking in every move she made. The smile had faded from his lips, every part of him now filled with concern for her. "Are you?"

Calleigh quickly shook her head, though the movement strained her aching muscles. "No, I'm really not," she replied with a grin of reassurance. "I honestly had a blast out there today," she continued, chuckling. "My muscles just aren't used to being thrown to the snow like that."

To emphasize her point, Calleigh rolled her aching shoulders, allowing a low groan to escape her lips. "I should probably go to bed – that would probably help more than anything."

Eric wasn't sure where the sudden rush of courage had come from, or even whether it was actual courage, or just idiocy – he'd know which one it was if he lived to remember this. Before Calleigh could even think about rising to her feet, Eric caught her hand, a smile on his lips as the words slipped from his lips before he could even attempt to stop them. "Or, you could let me help you feel better," he breathed. Calleigh's eyes widened slightly as he quickly moved, sliding his body effortlessly behind her.

Even through the thickness of her robe, she could feel even the slightest brush of his body against hers. Instinctively, she tensed, her mind frantically scrambling for Eric's intentions, unable to find them. They were soon made known to her, though, as the feel of Eric's hands on her shoulders sent her heart racing. "Eric?"

"Relax," he murmured, on his knees behind her as his hands began slowly massaging her shoulders. But rather than follow his soft command, Calleigh felt her body tense even further as his touch sent sparks crackling through her body. With that kind of electricity between them, she wasn't sure how it was possible to relax.

But Eric was not dissuaded. He simply chuckled, brushing off her reaction as a typical Calleigh response. "Seriously," he murmured, his voice as calming as could be. "Just close your eyes and think of something…I don't know. What do you do to chill out at home?" He paused, knowing immediately the activity that would come to her mind, having joined her in it after many a hard case. "And don't say running, because it would probably be a bit counterproductive to do that right now," he smirked.

He had a point there, as Calleigh realized with a smile. It was how she usually calmed herself when her body was tense and her mind racing – it was especially calming on the days that Eric joined her. Right now though, running was the last thing she wanted to do. Obliging him, Calleigh closed her eyes, imagining perhaps a clichéd form of relaxation, but one that worked for her nonetheless.

Eric grinned, already feeling her muscles relax a bit. "What are you thinking of?"

"The beach," she answered automatically, her lips twitching as Eric chuckled behind her.

"I like that answer," Eric teased, his fingers now gently playing with her hair. "I bring you to the land of ice and snow, and you think about the beach."

"You did say 'at home,'" she retorted.

"I guess I did," he agreed with a chuckle, gently gathering her blonde locks in his hands. Ever gently, he brushed her beautiful locks over her right shoulder, out of the way of his skilled fingers as they worked over her muscles. "So. You. At the beach. Tell me about it."

Calleigh giggled, finding the premise somewhat odd, but she obliged anyway. "I love to just go down to the beach on my days off and spend the entire day out in the sun," she began, picturing it in her mind. "I love that about Miami – no matter what part of the year it is, it's usually warm enough to lay out in the sun, or if not that, it's warm enough to at least enjoy being outside. It's so relaxing – it's not hard to doze off out there, with the sun so warm and the waves breaking on the shore…"

She trailed off, and Eric couldn't help but smile widely, imagining the picture that Calleigh described. He could see her so clearly, and it had a calming effect on him as well, though that was less because of the beach scenery and more because nothing was sweeter than the vision of a carefree Calleigh, nothing but the sun and surf on her mind.

Feeling emboldened, Eric gently pushed at the fabric of her robe, just enough to slip his – now shaking – hands underneath to massage her shoulders directly. Holding his breath, he hesitated for a moment, just enough time for Calleigh to protest if he'd pushed much too far. But when no such protest came, Eric couldn't help but smile. She trusted him enough for this.

He deepened the bold caress, fascinated as Calleigh trembled beneath his touch. If that didn't spark the fire within him, the soft sigh of pleasure that Calleigh gave certainly did. Eric only barely held back a sigh of his own.

As soon as he'd touched her bare skin, Calleigh felt as though her entire body had erupted in sensation. His touch was doing wonders to soothe her aching body, not to mention the electricity that coursed through her entire being. His fingers played upon her bare skin, leaving shivers and goosebumps in their wake. It was relaxing, while at the same time it was the exact opposite. His touch played with the pace of her heartbeat, the rate of her breathing, rendering both erratic and shaky.

It was inexplicable, the sudden high Eric found himself experiencing. He felt almost as though he could do anything, all because of what being so close to Calleigh did to him. Without even thinking, he leaned in closer to her, close enough to breathe her in deeply; close enough to pick out the subtle differences between the scent of her shampoo and that of her body wash. He knew he was closing in on dangerous territory here, but he was powerless to stop himself. She would have to be the one to stop him, and by the way she was reacting to his touch, Eric was sure that her mind was just as lost as his.

And she absolutely was. She knew somewhere in the back of his mind that she probably should've stopped him once his hands slipped beneath her robe, but there was no part of her that wanted to stop him. If anything, Calleigh wanted more. More sensation, more touch, more Eric.

It seemed her silent plea had been heard by someone, for at that very moment, she felt him move even closer to her, the heat from his body nearly overwhelming her. Any pain she'd been in before from the slopes had long since dissipated as his talented hands worked at her shoulders, his touch somehow spreading through the rest of her achy muscles as well. And then, just as she thought he couldn't drive her any crazier, she felt his stubble brushing against his cheek as he whispered in her ear. "Feel good?"

His voice was low and husky and oh so close to her ear that Calleigh couldn't help but whimper. His name escaped her lips on a breathy whisper. With that one, seemingly innocent question, he'd succeeded in setting her entire body aflame. Her heart was pounding, her head spinning. She could feel the warmth of his breath along the sensitive patch of skin just below her ear, but she was utterly and completely unprepared for the soft caress of his lips against it.

And that tiny motion rocked her foundation like nothing else. "Eric…"

It was more a moan than a protest; that much was plain to both of their ears. Had it been a protest, Calleigh would be pulling away from him, not leaning into his touch. Had it been a protest, she wouldn't have tilted her head for him, offering him better access. And, had it been a protest, she most definitely would not have allowed him to pepper kisses downward from her ear, tracing over her jaw.

But as his lips continued along their path, he paused for a second, suckling gently at the sensitive patch of skin where her jaw met her throat, a few centimeters below her ear. She squirmed then; not a squirm of discomfort, but a squirm of pleasure, of desire, and Eric stopped only long enough to ask the question she needed to answer before he continued, before they continued.

"Do you want me to stop?" he breathed, feeling no less than utterly intoxicated by her. Her scent, her taste – it washed over him in waves and he knew he could never get enough of her now. His lips danced sensually over her throat, feeling her pulse flutter wildly beneath them.

Again Calleigh whimpered, fighting the consuming urge to squirm against him again. There was no question as to what he wanted, what she wanted, and without a doubt it was more of this. She felt his lips continue downward, eventually closing over the junction at her shoulder. Once more he murmured the same question, and then as he suckled gently at the base of her neck, Calleigh could do no more than give her answer encased in a quiet whimper. "No…"

There was no telling where it was that they had destroyed that oh so carefully constructed boundary they'd spent years tiptoeing over and jumping back. All that was clear now was that it had been obliterated, and before even so much as a first kiss. At her breathy reply, Eric gave a low chuckle, the vibration causing even more goosebumps to break out upon her skin. She couldn't breathe, couldn't think, could do nothing but give in to his slow, sweet seduction, the likes of which Calleigh had never experienced before. As far as she was concerned, she belonged to him. She was his; body, soul, and heart.

Boldly Eric teased at the fabric of her robe, slowly pushing it even farther from her shoulders, revealing even more creamy, perfect skin beneath. His lips followed, tasting salt and sweet and something uniquely Calleigh all at the same time. The sound of her breath hitching with every kiss along her skin was like the sweetest song to his ears, and it only made him want to hear more.

He kissed a trail of fire all the way to the end of her shoulder, pausing when Calleigh whispered his name. She lifted a hand, gently touching it to his cheek, her palm tickled by the short stubble she found there. Hesitating for only a moment, she breathed in deeply, seemingly plotting her moves carefully in her mind, and – Eric hoped – deciding once and for all to take that chance with her heart.

Eric stole one more kiss to her shoulder before Calleigh shifted against him, almost as though her body were moved by a force other than that of her own mind. Her eyes fluttered slowly open, feeling as though she were seeing with a completely new sight. Her hands caught his, her fingers intertwining with his as she tugged gently, pulling his hands from her shoulders. Though she missed his touch there greatly, the perfection in the way their hands fit together made up for it, at least in that moment.

His eyes were dark as she faced him now, enhanced by the way the firelight reflected in them. And as he gazed into her eyes like that, as though she were the most beautiful creature he'd ever laid eyes on, Calleigh found the bonds she'd wrapped her heart protectively within were breaking. Her restraint, her control – all of it was coming undone just from looking into his deep eyes.

She wanted him; that much had never been a secret to her. But never before had that truth been as all-consuming as it was in that very moment. She wanted him. She wanted to be with him. She wanted his arms around her, his bare skin against hers, his lips mingling with hers. Her voice was laden with desire, with need, with a yearning that no one else had ever brought forth in her. And it was all present, right there in the single, whispered word that escaped her lips. "Eric…"

Silently he released her hands, lifting one of his own to her face. "You are so gorgeous," he whispered, gently tucking a lock of blonde behind her ear. The words were spoken with such honesty, such unbridled conviction that Calleigh couldn't help but shiver in anticipation.

She would never figure out who moved first – she thought it might've been her, but Calleigh wasn't sure how that was possible given that she was practically frozen to the spot. All she knew was that one second, her eyes were wide, losing herself in Eric's dark eyes, gazing deep into his soul. And then in the next second, her eyes had closed and her entire being felt as though consumed in a wave of electricity, of utter passion as their lips met hungrily yet tentatively.

There were no words, no feelings, no amount of fireworks that could accurately describe how it felt as their mouths melded together for the very first time. It was everything that Eric had ever dreamed it would be, yet at the same time, it was like nothing he'd ever imagined. All the nights he'd lain awake staring into the dark, losing himself in thoughts of this very moment, their first kiss…none of those thoughts, thoughts that became dreams as he drifted into a restless sleep, could compare to this, the real thing. There was no comparison.

And he knew he could never get enough of her now. Eric would swear he'd been addicted to her before this moment – addicted to the scent of her sweet perfume, to the sound of her soft Southern lilt, to the sight of her smile that would brighten even the darkest of days. But now, there was no question – he was truly addicted to everything about her. To be away from her would tear his heart to pieces.

Calleigh felt as though her entire body had broken out in goosebumps. The lack of demand in the kiss left room for a languid sensuality that had her body shivering and her head spinning. For the first time in her life, she felt a sense of completeness, as though she'd finally figured out the answer to a forever puzzling mystery, as though she'd found the part of herself she'd never quite realized she was missing before she'd met Eric.

She made no effort to stop the little sigh of pleasure she gave as Eric placed a gentle hand at her cheek, his thumb caressing her soft skin as he slowly deepened an already dizzying kiss. He brought her closer, teasing at her lips with the tip of his tongue, begging for access that was freely and quickly given with a quiet moan.

The lack of oxygen was already shredding his lungs, but the pain meant nothing to Eric. Breathing was quite low on his list of necessities for life right now – if it had nothing to do with or in any way hindered him from kissing Calleigh, then it was something Eric would rather live without.

And with that knowledge he kissed her all the more fervently, knowing that he'd never experienced a kiss quite like this before. It left him feeling so complete, but wanting, needing more all the same. The faint hint of cocoa remained on her lips, and Eric would swear he could pick out strawberries and vanilla at the same time too, among other flavors that were easily the sweetest he'd ever tasted. He was already addicted, and withdrawal would be a beast he'd never find the strength or desire to conquer.

The hand at her cheek slipped its way into her soft blonde locks, feeling the strands thread seamlessly through his fingers, feeling more than hearing Calleigh let out a quiet sigh. Lips and tongues mingled slowly, teasing and tasting and taking all of the time in the world to commit everything to memory, lest it all be gone in a flash.

And then her soft hands discovered his skin, and Eric couldn't help but shudder at the sensation. Still lost within the kiss, Calleigh's fingers teased at the bottom of his t-shirt, her touch like feathers over his abdomen once, twice, and a third time before they finally sneaked their way underneath, skimming over his toned muscles, loving the way they fluttered beneath her touch.

Despite never wanting to break the connection between their lips, the need for oxygen was becoming just too much for Calleigh to bear. Her lungs were crying out for air and the dizziness was becoming overwhelming. She knew if she were to open her eyes right now, all she'd see clearly would be the tiny black dots dancing in her field of vision. Bunching up the material of Eric's shirt in her fists, Calleigh gave herself a better reason to break the kiss than the necessity of oxygen.

Finally their lips parted, but before Calleigh could tug his shirt over his head and toss it away, Eric caught her hands, gently prying her fingers from his shirt. "Calleigh," he murmured breathlessly, unable to decide which part of her expression he loved the most right now. Her freshly-kissed lips were parted as she attempted to catch her breath; her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were dark with desire, desire that sent shivers down the length of Eric's spine. He had no idea how many nights he'd dreamed of seeing that look in her eyes – that look of want for him and only him.

Her tousled hair fell over her shoulders – her rather bare shoulders, for her robe had become even more disheveled around her small frame. Releasing one of her hands, Eric reached out to her, gently cupping a flushed cheek. "Calleigh," he murmured once more, not quite sure why – maybe it served as proof to him that this moment was real, that she was really here with him, really gazing at him like he'd secretly gazed at her for so many years previous.

He felt his heart skip a beat as Calleigh leaned into his touch, slowly turning her head and pressing the softest of kisses into his palm. "Do you know…" she began, her words trailing off into nothing in favor of another light kiss to his palm.

She opened her eyes to him then, the depth of emotion within them stunning Eric to the core. Her walls were down. The walls that she'd hidden behind for so long; the walls that she'd immediately retreated behind just a couple of nights ago, during the cookie incident in the kitchen; the walls that she'd painstakingly repaired after the first time Eric had seen her vulnerable…they were no longer there. The realization hit Eric square in the chest, leaving him almost as breathless as that kiss had left him. Blinking twice, he swallowed hard, concentrating on the feel of her lips against his palm. "Know what?" he breathed, the words far more shaky than he'd intended.

Another kiss, and another, and finally Calleigh continued. "Do you know how long I've wanted this?" she murmured, her voice just barely above a whisper, so quiet that Eric wondered whether he'd really even heard it at all.

"Wanted what?" Eric pressed softly, gently intertwining the fingers of his other hand with hers.

"This." Her answer was immediate, without hesitation. "You." And then she paused, exhaling deeply. Emerald green locked with deep chocolate brown before the confession that Eric had longed to hear for so long fell from her beautiful lips. "I – I want you."

Tantalizingly, she bit at her lip, and it was all Eric could do not to claim her lips once more. This was what he'd wanted – needed – for so long, and to hear her verbalize the same exact thing…he couldn't describe the feelings that bubbled forth within him – all he knew was that it was a mix of lust, of desire, of wonder and awe, and mostly, love.

He smiled, trailing his hands along the front of her robe. Tugging gently at the belt that held the front of it closed, he spoke quietly, pausing only to slip his hands inside and skirt his fingertips along her hips. "I want…to take my time…" It was an understatement in words, but by the desire he was sure was darkening his eyes, Eric was sure that Calleigh got the idea. He wanted to take his time, tracing every soft curve of her body with the touch of his fingertips. He wanted to follow that same trail with his lips, the caress of his tongue. To memory he wanted to catalogue the touches and kisses that elicited what reactions from her – what made her cry out, what made her tremble with need.

With gentle fingers, Eric pushed her robe from her shoulders, and as the fluffy white fabric fell away from her body, leaving her covered by only black lace, Eric couldn't help but stare. She was a vision of beauty, the very definition of the word. She blushed under his scrutiny, but disguised any embarrassment by once more reaching for his shirt, this time tugging it over his head without any resistance.

And then his mouth covered hers once more, just as she brought her hands to his toned chest. He felt her nails scratching gently, sending a jolt of electricity through his body, and he couldn't help but groan out in pleasure. Without breaking the kiss, he gently maneuvered them, very gently, so as not to agitate Calleigh's aching muscles, softly laying Calleigh back on the plush blanket she'd laid out in front of the fire.

Immediately Calleigh gave a quiet whimper against his lips. This was exactly like something out of one of her favorite, guilty pleasure romance novels, the ones she'd never admit to reading. The twinkling lights from the Christmas tree illuminating their bodies as they made love before the fire…the very thought made her shiver with desire.

To her brief displeasure, Eric broke the kiss, though he didn't go far. Before Calleigh could issue a protest, his lips were trailing along her jaw once more, following the path they had taken before, leaving a trail of fire in their wake. As he continued downward, Calleigh couldn't help but squirm under the sensual assault, quite aware that the sounds leaving her mouth were growing more and more needy, but at this point, she didn't care.

His tongue danced momentarily over her collarbone before dipping in the hollow of her throat, his lips murmuring something that Calleigh couldn't quite pick out, some breathy mix of Spanish and Russian that left her crying out for him, honestly crying out. She'd heard him speak both languages before, but somehow, she didn't think she'd ever be able to hear him speak either one of them again without thinking of this moment and blushing.

Somewhere in the mix of kisses and whispers, the last boundaries separating their bodies had been discarded, tossed away in favor of nothing more than bare skin against bare skin. Calleigh could barely breathe, lost in his sweet seduction. Just when she was sure that he couldn't make her feel any more emotion, any more sensation without pushing her over the edge, he gazed deep into her eyes as he sought out the erratic beat of her heart with his lips. Her breath hitched as he found it, pressing a slow, soft kiss right above her heart. "Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?" he breathed, leaving Calleigh utterly speechless.

In lieu of a verbal reply that might've taken hours to form in her desire-clouded mind, Calleigh simply gripped at his shoulders and tugged him upward, lifting her own head to meet his lips hungrily. She had never, ever wanted anybody as badly as she wanted Eric, and not just for tonight, but for the rest of her life. For the rest of her nights upon this earth, she wanted to fall asleep beside him and wake up the next morning in the same place.

And never before had Calleigh been more sure about what she wanted.

Her flushed body trembled with every touch, whether it be by his fingertips or his lips. And as much as she wanted to keep the connection between their lips, she couldn't deny the way her heart swelled as Eric broke away from her one final time, a single question in his eyes as he gazed down upon her. "Are you sure?" Given their current state, perhaps it was a bit late to be asking such a question, but Eric needed to know. He was in love with her; if she didn't feel the same in the morning, on Christmas morning, no less, his heart would be broken beyond repair.

He really needn't have asked, though – everything he felt for her, he could see it reflected back to him in her eyes. Combined with that, her slow nod and the gentle smile at her lips were all the encouragement he needed. Losing himself once more in her deep emerald eyes – he knew there was a reason why that shade of green had always been his favorite – Eric ignored the urge to let his own eyes flutter closed in pleasure as they slowly became one for the first time. He fought, desperately trying to draw it out, to make it last, but the way Calleigh trembled beneath him, his name in whispers at her lips made it the greatest challenge of his life.

It took his breath away, just the mere idea of being here with her now. Only in his wildest dreams had he imagined that he would ever actually find himself at this place, reverently making love to the woman who had completely stolen his heart with – hopefully – no intentions of giving it back, because he certainly wasn't letting her heart out of his possession anytime soon.

His heart for hers, for each of them to cherish and care for as though they were their own.

Eric could think of no better Christmas gift than that.