AN: Well, as I expected, life has gotten a bit crazy. So sorry for the delay, but it could not be helped. I can not believe that the CPD fall finale is next week. Crazy! It will be the new year before we know it. Hope you like this chapter. :) Enjoy!

"Sometimes you get the best light from a burning bridge." – Don Henley

I wake up feeling amazing and grody all at the same time. Amazing because I am still being held in Adam's arms, but grody because I slept in my clothes. Yuck. I mean it really is not a great feeling. I'm amazed I didn't kick the sheet off last night. What I apparently did do last night was find a way to snake my hand under Adam's shirt so it was in contact with his skin. I guess my sleeping self has no problem trying to undress him. Well, then again, my waking self isn't much different. I start to pull my hand back so I can go to get up, but I have to slide my hand against his skin which I am guessing is what woke him up. Adam's arms wrap around my waist and he is then pulling me up on top of him. He's trapped me against him as his eyes open and they hold me in a trance. I see something in them in that moment. A small shimmer that almost makes me think that he could actually still love me. The small smile that comes to his face melts my heart. Adam's hand moves up into my hair and he pulls my lips to his. It's a deep languid kiss that reminds me of what it used to be like to wake up in his arms. He rolls us over so that I am now underneath him and the press of his body into mine makes my whole being warm in anticipation of what could come. Adam pulls back slightly and then kisses my neck right below my ear. His mouth makes its way up to the shell of my ear and he takes it in his teeth before kissing it.

"You have over an hour before your alarm is supposed to go off."

I hadn't even thought to look at my phone yet and honestly the time is the last thing on my mind. Adam is moving his hand up under my shirt to lightly caress my side as he continues to kiss along my ear.

"We could go back to sleep or…"

He lets his sentence trail off and I know exactly what the 'or' is. I move my head to take his lips, but he pulls back just enough to keep me from that. I can see that playful smile on his face that I haven't seen for ages.

"So… option 2?"

I go to pinch his side but his elbow quickly blocks my hand. His lips take mine and I quickly decide that there are much better ways to get him back.

Standing in the spare room, I've just finished putting my pants on and am about to go to pick up my shirt when Adam swipes it off the futon. With all the time I am spending in Adam's room, I may need to move my clothes. I look up and eye him. He's now holding the shirt behind his back as he pulls me to him with the other arm. I go to try and grab the shirt, but he just turns to keep it out of my reach as he pulls me closer. His lips are close to mine, but the kiss I am expecting is not what I get.

"Stay with me."

"I can't. I have to go to work."

"That's not what I mean. Stay. Don't leave."

I look in his eyes and I immediately know he means it. The playfulness is gone and all that bravado that he normally uses to show that he doesn't care is missing.

"I thought I was going to get some time to think about it. You holding my shirt ransom for my answer?"

Adam brings his hand around from his back to hand me my shirt. I take it and put it on over my head while continuing to stay in his arms. I don't want him to think that I am turning him down.

"If I was to stay,…"

I can feel Adam's grip on my hip tighten.

"I would have some ground rules."

Adam's lips have somehow made their way to a breath's width from mine.

"I'd have to pay my half of the rent and utilities."

I can see his eyes begin to narrow. He's waiting for the rest of it.

"I…"

I don't know how to phrase the rest of it. Adam waits but his thumb is beginning to tap against my hip bone.

"I need us to lay out what this is. Or this becomes my room…"

I can see Adam's eyes take a quick swipe around the room. When they land back on me, I can tell that he does not like that option one bit.

"…And what happened this morning has to stop."

A hardness and a determination comes into Adam's eyes. He REALLY did not like that last rule.

"You're mine. I'm yours. Is that clear enough for you?"

My breath catches in my throat. He's never been like this. Never this clear or lacking in the dance he would play to hide what he really wanted. This was a confidence and a possession that I had not felt from him before.

"Crystal."

Adam is backing me up towards the futon.

"Good."

I can feel the backs of my legs hit the frame and it takes everything in me to keep from falling back onto it.

"I don't have time. Work."

Adam's lips take mine with a force that blanks my mind completely. By the time, he is pulling back from the kiss I can feel that my pants are already halfway down my legs.

"You've got time. Trust me."

Oh, I trust him. To hell with being on time. My apartment burned down. Platt can throw me a few extra minutes.

Ten. Ten minutes late. I don't think I have ever changed into my uniform so quickly or driven to work that fast. Luckily, the traffic light gods were good to me and it was only ten minutes. Should have been more. A lot more. Tay had seen me in the locker room and said she would grab the keys to the cruiser for us. She'd thrown me this smile like she knew the exact reason for my tardiness. She may be getting to know me a bit too well. I'm heading out the back to meet up with her when Atwater comes in through the back door. He eyes me and I suddenly realize that I have been smiling. Well, what the hell. I walk up to him and pat him on the shoulder.

"Round two."

Kevin rolls his eyes, but then the biggest smile comes across his face. He pulls me into hug and pats my back.

"About time. You find out what's up?"

"Not yet. But, I will."

Kev nods and then holds out his fist for me to bump it. Once I do, Kevin asks his next question.

"Where is he anyway?"

"He'll be in shortly. Said he had another stop to make before work."

I could see Kevin's eyebrow raise.

"I'm going to find out. I just have to give it a little time."

I leave Kevin and head out to the cruiser. Tay's smirk is all across her face.

"I get to drive today. Lateness equals shot gun."

"That's fine. I have no problems giving up the wheel for the day."

I hate this. I like driving. I hardly ever got to drive with Roman or Atwater. Going back sucks.

"Sure you are. I just want to give you plenty of time to daydream about your morning."

Ok, cheeks red. Bright red. Smiling. Yep, I'm smiling. Shit.

"Just get in the car, Tay."

I watch my partner finally open the door to the cruiser and I try to pull myself together. I look up to see Adam walking across the parking lot to the precinct. His face tells me that he is worried about something, but when he looks in my direction that all washes away. The smile he throws my way has me right back to that grin I've been sporting all morning. The wink he throws me before walking in the door throws all those old butterflies inside me into a tizzy. I get in the car and Tay is once again smirking at me.

"Geez, you two have got it bad. I would have hated to be around the first go round."

I let my head land against the head rest.

"Just drive."

Tay is laughing. But, I honestly can't blame her. We do have it bad.