A/N: Guess who's back… back again… I'm back! (And I couldn't be happier.)

The Moment

Chapter Ten

kateandharvey

"You know, Niles, for such a horrible excuse for a man you sure made this cookies quite well." CC popped a cookie from the red box into her mouth and leaned against the island as she spoke.

The butler continued to wash his pan in the sink, and he shook his head. "Yes, well, thank you so very much, Miss Babcock," his voice dripped with sarcasm. "but Mrs. Sheffield was the one to purchase those."

"Hmmm…" the socialite hummed, "For all her hard work in choosing crappy takeout she sure did good. These are delicious." She put another between her lips.

"How many of those are you going to eat, Shamu?" Niles grabbed the box away from her, and took a bite of one of his own. "Mmmm. You were right for once, Babcock. These are pretty good."

It was at that moment the three Sheffield children entered the kitchen. "Hiya, Niles."

"Good Afternoon, Master Brighton." Niles smiled as the two Sheffield girls greeted him as well. "Miss Margaret," he nodded, "Miss Grace. I have just finished your eggs."

He dispensed the eggs onto each of their plates at the table, and when he turned around he noticed CC staring at him with admiration. His brows furrowed and he looked at her, feigning disgust. "What are you looking at, Witch?"

"You're looking, rather…" She popped another cookie, "delectable, this afternoon."

His eyes adjusted to her form, and he smirked. "Now that you mention it, you're not so bad yourself. You're wearing those extra wide shoulder pads today, aren't you?"

She leaned into his face and whispered. She was so close he could feel her breath on his face. "I'm not wearing any."

"Ohhh…" his face lit up, and he took a bite of a cookie of his own. "Better."

"What is going on?" Maggie whispered urgently to her siblings as she examined the butler and blonde.

"Eh… Let them experiment…"Brighton stood up from his chair, and his sisters followed. "I, uh, hope it's just a phase."

The three Sheffield children hastily exited the kitchen, as Niles began cleaning the counter. CC couldn't stop her hand from reaching out and running her fingers through the hair at the base of his neck. He froze in the spot, and let out a strangled breath. "Babcock…" His face turned towards hers, and their noses were almost touching. She couldn't take her eyes from his lips, and he couldn't stop looking into her eyes. Slowly, painfully, their lips grew closer and closer together. Just as they were about to touch, a nasally voice rang out.

"Ny-ules!"

His eyes grew wide, and for just a second her eyes showed her disappointment. Before he thought about it, he breathed, "Come on," and dragged her into the pantry. They stood in the small space, pressed chest to chest, and he brought his finger up to his lips as they listened to the nanny's heels click across the tile of the kitchen, and then, up the stairs.

It was after the brunette departed CC spoke. "What are the chances?" His brow furrowed. "What are the chances of her finding us in here?"

The haze and adrenaline of the desire he was feeling toward her had to be shaken away before he understood her question. "Mrs. Sheffield doesn't even know this pantry exists." CC nodded and then leaned forward so her lips were directly next to his ear, her lips brushing against it.

"Maxwell was elbows deep in a new script when I left the office… But there's something I'd like elbows deep, myself."

He inhaled sharply at her implication. "What are we doing, Babcock?"

CC looked into his eyes. "I don't know, Niles. But I don't want to stop." Her lips attacked his at the last utterance of her sentence, and after just a split second of resistance brought from shock, he responded. Their tongues immediately came out to duel, and his hands pulled her hips against his. She let out a soft moan and grabbed him by the back of the neck. She whimpered softly when his lips left hers, but she was warmed again when they trailed against her jaw, neck, and then, collarbone. "God, Niles…" He pulled away from her, and looked into her eyes. When she tried to kiss him again, he pulled away. Her face fell. "What?" His finger came up to close over her lips, effectively shushing her.

Hesitantly, he opened his mouth and began to speak, "I'm attempting to burn the image of you in this moment into my mind."

Her brows furrowed. "For what purpose?"

His eyes darkened with passion. "My own purpose."

Her breath caught. She knew what they were doing, but she didn't understand what was going on with the words coming out of his mouth. She attempted to regain her steps, and therefore, theirs. She laughed, "Yes, because you could use the image when you need to throw up poison."

His darkened eyes shone into hers. "That's not what I had in mind."

She swallowed. "I don't know what's going on."

He nodded, and pulled her face closer to his own. "Yes." His breath hit her face, "You do." His lips reclaimed her own, and she pushed all of his confusing words into the back of her mind and attempted to focus only on his lips.

It was when they heard the heels of the nanny click against the kitchen tile that they jumped apart. "Ny-ules! Where are ya?" Regrettably, he exited the pantry.

"Niles! Hey! I've been lookin' all over for ya! What were ya doin' in there?"

Niles smiled faintly. "I was scrubbing some shelves, Mrs. Sheffiled."

Inside the pantry, the blonde smiled. Scrubbing shelves, he was.