Well, it's one of those nights when sleep is elusive. A "white night", as Marty Deeks might say. So – a little more gets added.

"Sly old dog!" Still, Deeks reasoned, standing under the shower a few minutes later, it wasn't his place to say anything. Even if he probably did owe Callen for those unsubtle gibes he'd made back when he and Kensi first starting to get together. But who was he to grudge another man the happiness he'd found? Although he did hope they both knew what they were getting into. Especially Callen. From what he could see, the man was pretty much an emotional minefield, with a background that was even more tangled and complex than his own. "Good thing Nate hasn't made it over here – he'd have a field day!"

Chuckling to himself, Deeks finally turned off the hot water and began to get ready to face another day as Michael Brandel. It was tempting to just grab a pair of jeans, but he forced himself to settle for a blazer and chinos instead. "Informal business attire," he said airly in response to Callen's expression. "Unless you fancy attending the meeting with head of Procurement for BB Holdings in my stead?" Two could play at that game, he thought, as he raised an enquiring eyebrow.

"I'd love to, but sadly I have to stay here and make sure Nico is safe. Another time, perhaps?"

There was no denying it – the guy was a smooth operator.

"She'll probably be practising most of the day. You might want to go over to the guest cottage if you're trying to get some sleep, Sam. Keys should be in that drawer over there. Okay, Fern – are you ready to hit the road and rock?"

Looking unfamiliar in a non-descript business suit, Kensi grabbed her briefcase and followed him out into the sunshine. "We've got a couple of things to do first before that meeting. Starting, sad to say, with my barber."

"You have a barber? Poor guy- he must find it hard to make a living. And after that?"

"Wait and see."

The barber's was one of those discrete establishments that clearly catered to an exclusively male clientele, so they weren't quite sure what to make of Kensi. For her part, the feeling was pretty much mutual.

"Not too short," Deeks cautioned.

"And you've been saying that for how many years? Over twenty, at any rate. I think I've got the message by now. You want a wet shave too, Mr Brandel?"

"Why not?" Deeks settled back comfortably in the chair. "Might as well go the whole hog."

"You might want to make sure you've got a new box of razor blades handy," Kensi said. "My boss doesn't exactly go in for detailed grooming on a daily basis, as you can see. Just commenting, sir," she added, catching a glimpse of his expression in the mirror.

"I saw you in the papers this morning," the barber said, starting to make headway on the cut. "With Ms Sterling. Lovely lady."

"Indeed," Deeks said dryly. It appeared that word was well and truly out on the streets.

"You look about eighteen," Kensi remarked as they left the shop. "Better make sure you don't get carded." She reckoned it would take some time to get used to him with tidy hair and clean-shaven.

"Arousing your inner cougar, am I? And no, don't hit me with that briefcase. That's not what good Executive Assistants do, is it?"

"What exactly do they do?" Kensi was curious. If it involved shaving him on a regular basis with one of those wicked looking cut-throat razors, then she was up for it. That whole business had been seriously sexy.

"Damned if I know. Never had one of the creatures before. You'll have to keep me in line, I guess."

"So what's new?" A thought occurred to her. "I do get a paycheck, don't I?"

They were at the car now. He opened the door for her. "For personal services, eh? That could be arranged. Subject to a satisfactory performance appraisal, of course."

"That could be arranged." Her smile was anything but demure. Two hours later and it was gone completely. The tedium of a high-level meeting on new leasehold options for office equipment was anything but riveting and her attention had slipped after the first ten minutes. After an hour Kensi had given up the will to live entirely. It was easy to see why Marty had decided not to take a full-time role in the family business.

"Lunch I thought we'd maybe go somewhere we could eat outside. In the fresh air," he added meaningfully. "I did mention that most EAs don't fall asleep during meetings, didn't I?"

"You don't pay me enough to keep me awake."

"I'll have to pay you more attention then, won't I?" He strode along the corridor, and Kensi wondered if this where he'd been attacked a few months ago. "After you, Miss Atherton. We've a few things to attend to before our lunch reservation."

The office was large and spacious, with a highly polished oak table in front of windows that stretched the entire height of the room and pretty much covered two entire walls with glass.

"Nice view," Kensi said, noticing how he locked the door behind him and pocketed the key. "And exactly how can I help you, Mr Brandel? Sir?" The smoothness of his cheek was unfamiliar, but she would know those kisses anywhere.

"There's just something I have to see to before lunch."

Okay, maybe she'd been a bit hasty. Maybe office-life wasn't as bad as she'd first thought.