So many thanks to everyone who has put this as a favourite story


Kensi remembered the snow starting to fall from the dark night sky, and she remembered Deeks wrapping one towel around her body and another around her wet hair, and how cold the decking had felt beneath her feet. And she remembered that when they finally got into the bedroom, he had tenderly rubbed her hair dry. She had sat on the edge of the bed, while Deeks had knelt behind her and rang a brush slowly through the long length, easing out all the tangles with surprising skill, and she had leant back against him. It had been a long time since she had felt so protected, so cherished. It had been a long time since she had felt so complete. And of all the things about Deeks that had surprised her, it was his surpisingly tender care that rwas possibly the best. Finally, Kensi remembered making love with him, slow and sweet as they took their time to begin to discover one another, not speaking as their fingers and mouths said more than mere words ever could. Their bodies acted instinctively, seeking out a rhythm that seemed to be newly awakened and uniquely harmonic. They seemed to bring out the best in one another, chasing each other to orgasm and then tumbling chaotically. And falling asleep with Deeks arms around her made Kensi realise what she had been missing for far too long – the feeling of safety and security and absolute certainty.

She remembered all this when she awoke the next morning, to find Deeks at her side, still sound asleep , and wearing that curiously unguarded expression again, so that it was as if layers had been peeled away and she was finally seeing the man behind the persona. There was something strangely compelling about watching him sleep, but the early morning sunshine reminded Kensi that no matter how much pleasure they had had last night, they were actually here to do a job.

"Deeks?"

There was no reaction. Absolutely none at all. The man could certainly sleep. But then, give the events of the past thirty-six hours, Kensi could hardly blame him. She leant closer and kissed him lightly, at the same time as letting her fingers dance just underneath his ribs, exactly where she now knew he was most sensitive. The twin sensations had the desired results: Deeks' eyes flew open, wide and round with surprise.

"Good morning!" Kensi said brightly, and then kissed him again. Just because he looked so utterly edible.

"Morning." Deeks blinked a couple of times, as if in surprise. "That's twice in three days."

"What is?"

"That I've woken up to find you in my bed."

"Our bed," Kensi corrected automatically.

"Our bed." He grinned at her. "I always knew we had a thing, and now we've got a bed too."

"Don't push it." There was something else pushing against her, something that felt very familiar. "Are you always like this? Every morning?"

Deeks thought about this question for a full minute still not fully awake, and then comprehension finally dawned. "That? That's nothing."

"No, it isn't. It most certainly is not nothing. It's definitely something." And it was stirring all sorts of emotions in Kensi.

A blush seeped into his skin. "Sorry. I just meant…"

"I know exactly what you meant. Why do you always have to talk so much, Deeks?" Feeling him against her made Kensi remember everything that had happened the night before and she wanted more. She let her hand run slowly down his back, edging over each individual vertebra and then slipping down between his buttocks to caress him, all the while staring deep into his eyes without blinking.

Deeks gulped convulsively. "Ah. Okay. Can you give me a minute?"

"Why?" From what Kensi could tell, he was more than ready. As was she.

"Sorry. Gotta pee." He leapt out of bed, like a scalded cat and dashed for the bathroom.

"Why do men have such lousy bladder control?" she called after him.

Deeks leant his forehead against the cool tiles. He felt like banging it in frustration, but decided it was better to concentrate on the job in hand. Literally. When he went back into the room, the bed was empty and he groaned in frustration. Until the smell of coffee floated through.

"You are possibly the world's most perfect woman. Mine's a double, by the way." He watched the coffee stream out, dark and fragrant. There was only one thing better than your first coffee of the day and she was standing right in front of him, sleep-rumpled and with slightly swollen lips that betrayed the passion of the night before.

"You only love me for my coffee." Kensi could have bitten her tongue off. What was she thinking of, mentioning the 'l' word? It was practically guaranteed to make a man run in the opposite direction.

"And your body." The demi-tasse was almost full and Deeks was practically salivating.

"Talking of bodies – go and put something on before you freeze to death. There's a robe hanging up behind the bedroom door." Not that Kensi didn't like seeing him completely naked, it was just that it was rather distracting. And she had to keep reminding herself that they were here to work, not to go back to bed and make love all day, no matter how tempting that prospect might be. She had to be professional, to stay focused. And she had to make sure that Callen and Sam did not guess what was going on. Above all, Kensi had to make sure they never found out.

"We match." Deeks came back in, modelling a deep green velour robe that was identical to the one Kensi was wearing. "Cute, no?"

"Adorable. It's just a pity we didn't co-ordinate out ski-suits. Only I don't think hot-pink is your colour, somehow."

"I'm confident in my sexuality," Deeks protested.

"Tell me something I don't know." Kensi handed him the coffee. "Get that inside you and then go get ready. We've got work to do."

"Have I told you how much I love it when you talk dirty?"

"Not that kind of work, Deeks. Get your mind out of the gutter."

"Only if you promise to show me the stars again tonight."

How could she possibly refuse?

"What on earth are you wearing?" Kensi had come out of the shower, just as Deeks was in the middle of pulling his long-sleeved undershirt on over his head.

When he emerged, with tousled hair, he gave her an indignant look. "What do you mean by that?"

"What do I mean?" Kensi took another look and shook her head. "What do you look like, Deeks?"

He caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror and failed to see what all the fuss was about. "A ninja?" he suggested hopefully. So his underwear was black – big deal.

"More like a spider, with those legs." Kensi wondered how she had never noticed how long his legs were before. "You really weren't kidding about the long-johns, were you?"

"And you weren't kidding about the pink, were you?" Her outfit was practically fluorescent and it was definitely hurting his eyes. At least she'd be easy to spot on the slopes.

"This is what Kim would wear."

"Okay. So she's got no taste. Please tell me you got a suit with a good insulation?"

"No, I got a suit that makes my butt look good."

Sometimes it was hard to tell if Kensi was joking, so he'd just have to trust her judgement. But she was definitely right about one thing – her butt looked great.