A/N Enjoy! :-)

Eddie stood in her bathroom at home, assessing her reflection in the mirror. Her fingers tugged the hem of the black lace tank top she wore to reveal more cleavage. "Huh, assets shmashsets," she muttered to herself, nodding approvingly at her own décolletage. "How do you like them apples Dr. Samantha?" As she fluffed her hair around her shoulders the timer went off in the kitchen. She quickly ran to the stove, checking the casserole which was filled with lasagna and bubbly cheeses. She turned the stove off and fussed with a bottle of wine.

The sound of Jamie knocking on the door made butterflies flutter inside her. "It's open."

He walked in carrying the pet carrier and a bouquet of flowers he bought from a street florist. "Hi. It smells amazing in here."

She turned and leaned back against the counter, her arms out to her sides. She had on black capris with the plunging tank top and stood watching his eyes wantonly gazing at her. "It's my Mom's lasagna."

He set the carrier and the flowers on the breakfast bar. "That smells nice too, but I was referring to something else." He closed the distance between them and pressed a kiss on her lips. 'You," he whispered softly. "And that top could get you arrested."

"Then you'll have to put my hands up against the wall and spread my legs apart."

"Don't think I won't." At times like this he had no idea how he lasted three years without her. He pushed himself up against her and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Is that a night stick in your pocket or are you just glad to see m…" Before she could finish he took her breath away with a kiss. Eddie opened her mouth and deepened the kiss as their tongues mated and teeth clashed against each other. They were interrupted by small meowing sounds from the kennel.

"Sylvester?" She mumbled against his lips.

"The luckiest cat alive."

She smiled up at him. "While I get him taken care of do you want to open that bottle of wine over there?"

He kissed her cheek. "Sly gets taken care of first? Good to know the pecking order around here."

"You'll get your turn." Eddie opened the door to the carrier and Sylvester immediately stretched his front paws out and slinked out in to her arms. "Aw, he's gotten bigger. I missed his baby months."

He huffed out a laugh. "You did not. He's only three months old." He twisted the corkscrew and pulled the cork out with a pop and poured white wine in to two glasses. Jamie liked the domesticity of being in her home with her…them.

Eddie cuddled the cat against her and kissed the top of his head. "Hey, little one. Did you miss me?" Sylvester purred and rubbed his head against her as she snuggled him in to her chest.

"That cat is shameless. He gets more action than I do." He held a glass out to her.

Eddie laughed and took a sip of the wine, holding Sylvester tightly. "He's just getting adjusted again."

As he watched her with the cat he decided now was as good a time as any to confide something he needed to tell her. "Eddie, I want to tell you about something that I haven't mentioned before."

"What is it? Is everything okay"

"Yeah, everything is fine. It's just that, I think you should know something." He took a sip of wine as he arranged the words in his head. "A few years ago when you were celebrating your one year anniversary…"

"Our one year anniversary."

He smiled. "Okay, our one year anniversary. I told you that I wasn't able to make it because I had something planned with my grandpa."

"Mm-hmm?" She kissed Sylvester's ears and his eyes closed in happy cat pleasure.

"Well, that wasn't exactly the truth. Around that same time, when I went off on that guy that threw you to the ground during the domestic we got called to, Renzulli pulled me in to his office and told me if I had feelings for you he'd split us up. Maybe even send one of us to another precinct."

She could hear the sincerity, and a tinge of regret, in his voice. "Jamie…"

"I made a choice to put my personal feelings aside, and it probably affected both of us. And I've had these feelings for a long time but I didn't want to lose the chance I had to sit beside you every day."

"I know."

It was all she said and it took him by surprise. "What?"

She smiled and rested her cheek on the cat's head. "I figured as much. Or at least I figured something like that had happened."

He was confused. "How could you know that?"

She pressed a kiss on Sylvester's soft, furry head. "After you went off on that guy , you just seemed a little different for a while and I put two and two together. But I think it was the right thing at the time."

"It wasn't because I didn't have feelings, Eddie. It was just the opposite. I couldn't stand the thought of being split up and sent to different precincts."

"Me either. And I'm glad you made the decision you did."

"Okay, well, there's one more thing. During all this time, as your police partner, I was able to put those feeling aside, including worrying about you. But when I came around the corner that day last month and saw that perp holding you with a gun to your head…" His voice trailed off. "I couldn't compartmentalize those feelings anymore, Eddie." He could hear the raw motion in his own voice. "And now, with us, it'll be different."

"I know. For me, too." She let Sylvester hop down and put her arms around his waist, her body flush against him. "You're an amazing cop, Jamie, and I respect you and believe in you. And I know you're doing what you were meant to do. But I'll worry sometimes, too. Okay?"

The way her warm, affectionate blue eyes looked up at him and the feeling in her words made him realize that their partnership was stronger than ever. He cupped his hands around her cheeks and brushed his nose against hers in an Eskimo kiss that made her smile as he kissed her lips and cheeks. "You know what's great about my Mom's lasagna?" She whispered.

"What?"

"It stays warm in the oven for hours." She tugged his hands leading him down the hallway.

"Hours?" Letting her lead the way, he tugged on her hand in return. "I love you."

She glanced back at him as she backed in to her bedroom. "You better." Her bedroom flickered with candles and smelled like vanilla and amber. He was already lost inside her, aching to feel the depths within her….her heart, her soul, her laughter and her secrets. He knew his future was within her, and hers was within him.

He felt Sly rub around his feet. Jamie reached down and picked him up and gently plopped him outside the bedroom door. "Boundaries little guy…boundaries."

Sylvester found his spot outside the bedroom door and curled up for a long nap, content to wait until he knew it would open again.

Thank you for reading! :)