Thanks so much everyone for your reviews, I am trying to reply to each one of you personally. I am really glad to hear you are enjoying the story so far. This chapter is a mostly lighthearted affair for a bit of a change. Please read and review. Thanks so much for betaing, REIDFANATIC.

The first rays of sunlight streamed in through the curtains, waking Hotch from his sleep. He blinked sleepily at his watch. It was almost 9 a.m., plenty of time before his scheduled lunch meeting with Capitaine Marais. It took a moment before he realized that pressed up against his right side was the unfamiliar warmth of a body. In that instant, images of the night before flashed before his eyes like an old home movie screening from a projector.

And they were all of Emily. He turned his head, afraid that last night had all been a dream as a result of his exhaustion. No, she was still there, sleeping so peacefully. He lifted his hand and smoothed her wavy honey coloured hair from her face. She stirred, and then snuggled more deeply into her pillow. Hotch couldn't take his eyes off her face. She was beautiful, her alabaster skin slightly flushed from sleep, her long black eyelashes resting on her cheeks like little fans. Her lips were red and slightly swollen from their extended kissing sessions the previous night. He couldn't help himself, gently touching her bottom lip which was pouting slightly in slumber.

Emily stirred, slowly opening her eyes. When she saw him looking down at her, she gave him a sleepy smile, happiness lighting her face. Hotch felt his chest tighten with emotion as he stared down at her. God only knew how he looked to her. He probably looked like some love struck idiot wearing a sappy smile. Pull yourself together, Hotch. He tried to wipe the smile off his face, not wanting to look like a complete fool.

"Good morning," he murmured, bending down to give her a kiss.

He had meant the kiss to be a brief good morning kiss, but unsurprisingly it deepened, their tongues meeting and he felt her arms come up and curl around his neck.

"Mmm..." she smiled at him when they pulled apart a little to look at each other. "That was the nicest good morning greeting I've had in a long time." She paused, "Actually, the nicest ever."

Hotch lifted his eyebrow. "I'd probably have believed you if you hadn't said the exact same thing when I woke you at five and then at seven."

She flashed him a glimpse of her straight white teeth. "Oh yeah," she said unrepentantly. "That's right, how could I forget how you "woke" me up those times. This kiss still rates up there, though, despite not having the excitement factor. But if you want, we can repeat those performances. I'm keen if you are." She winked at him, giving him a very wicked smile. She stroked the hair at his temple tenderly and he turned his head to press a kiss into her palm.

"Any repeat of those performances right now will very likely kill me," he uttered, falling back against the pillows. "I don't even know how I managed to do it that many times. I'm not exactly what you would call a young stallion."

"Maybe not, but you're just as well hung."

Hotch's mouth actually dropped open at the reply. He twisted his head and saw the mischievous look on her face. He was speechless for a moment or two. "I can't believe you just said that."

"Well, it's true and I think it would be fair to say that I'm the luckiest girl in Paris. Although..." Emily winced a little as she sat up, "maybe you're right, we may have overdone it a little."

Hotch got out of bed. "Stay there, I'm going to run you a hot bath."

"For me? What about you?" she called out as he disappeared into the bathroom.

"I'm going to have a shower and then order us some breakfast. I didn't have dinner last night and I'm starving. We must have burnt at least a thousand calories last night." He came back into the room, surprised that he didn't feel self-conscious about the scars that he wore on his body. "I need sustenance or I'm going to end up looking like that dried up body in that Seven movie with Brad Pitt. You're sucking all the life out of me." He bent down and started picking up the clothes that were strewn on the floor next to the bed.

Emily was staring at him in amazement. "I seriously don't know what part of your statement I should address first; the fact that you actually watched a movie or the fact that you just made a dirty joke."

Hotch's brows drew together. "What joke?" He was confused. What did he say? Oh. He silently cursed the flush that he could feel warming his cheeks. The last time he remembered blushing was when he had been fifteen. "That wasn't meant to be a dirty joke. I just meant you're draining me of energy." He was about to expand on his explanation until he saw the teasing glint in her eyes. "I can't believe I fell for that. And for your information, I do too watch movies." He thought he had injected the exact amount of indignation in his tone.

"Oh yeah?" she challenged. "What was the last one you saw?"

He opened his mouth to answer, but couldn't remember what it was. It had been a long time, really long time; probably circa 2008. "I can't remember, but I watch a lots of kids shows with Jack," he said defensively. Wow, that was way lame. And you call yourself an ex-prosecutor.

"You know that doesn't count."

Hotch's eyes narrowed when he saw her give him a fake look of pity.

"Ok, I admit it; I haven't watched a movie in a long time. In my defence I don't exactly have a lot of spare time on my hands." He watched Emily's smile dim. Damn, why did he say that? He gave himself a mental kick. He had sworn not to bring the subject of Doyle up until Emily was ready.

But she brightened up again in the next second. "Well, maybe we can watch some movies in between our more strenuous activities so you can rest your old bones."

Hotch paused in the act of folding her jeans. Joy flared through him and he ignored the 'old' comment. "You're going to stay with me for the next few days? Here?" He looked at her, trying not to look too hopeful.

She bit her lip. "I know I shouldn't, but," she shrugged "you only live once, right?" This was the Emily he knew and lo... He cut the thought off with brutal force. No, there was no way he was following through with that train of thought.

Emily was still speaking. "And you almost never get second chances. I'm not going to waste this chance to be with you. You mean too much to me."

She got out of bed and walked into his arms. They held each other tightly for a long while. Hotch could feel his heart pounding from the effect of words she had just uttered. He pulled back and looked down at the woman that already meant so much to him that he was afraid that when the time came he wouldn't be able to let her go. He forced his mouth to form a semblance of a smile, knowing that his usual grim countenance had crept back onto his face at the thought of parting with Emily. "Come on, the bath should be ready, hop in."

"Thanks for running the bath," she said, looking up at him. "Now that I'm out of bed I've realized how much I need it. And that's aside from the recuperative properties of hot water."

At his questioning look she explained, "Two words, bodily fluids."

Understanding dawned. Then, OH MY GOD. "Shit! Emily! We didn't use any protection." What the hell had he done?

"Hotch, it's ok." She quickly put her hand on his chest. Hotch knew she could feel his now racing heart. "I'm on the pill. And it's been a long time since I last, you know," she said softly. "So I'm healthy."

Hotch closed his eyes briefly in relief. "I'm so sorry, Emily. It never even crossed my mind; it's been such a long time since I've had to think about this sort of thing. I haven't dated since the divorce. But that's still no excuse."

"Well, I forgot to bring it up too, so it's not completely your fault. We're okay." She put her other hand on his face, trying to reassure him.

His pulse finally back to normal, Hotch said, "How about you have your bath while I get us some breakfast and then we can see what movies are on."

"Yesss!" Emily's change of mood was immediate at his mention of movies. She punched both fists triumphantly up into the air. "I've finally had my wicked way with Supervisory Special Agent Incorruptible Hotchner and am on the way to further corrupting him in other ways. Bring it on!"

Hotch shook his head as he followed her into the bathroom. Where was the composed, always professional agent he once worked with? He had never seen her like this out of work hours and if this was who she really was how did he miss that? More importantly, what had he gotten himself into? It was only then he realized he had a stupid grin on his face.

I hoped you liked this chapter. I'd love a review if you have a moment. Thanks!