Two days had passed. Two days of paranoia. Two days of worry. Two days filled with physical intimacy. Two more days of falling in love.
The battle for both Grace and Sands had ended. There were no more thoughts to whether their feelings were right or wrong. There were no more worries about who they used to be or who they had become. They had spent the last two days talking to each other, learning all they could. Despite not being able to see, Sands knew Grace's body by heart, and she knew his.
They refused to stay hulled up in the suite. They went to the beach, they went out to dinner – both armed at all times…both constantly alert and aware of everyone around them.
Grace had decided not to ask Sands about what he was going to do once the week ended. After she asked the first time and wasn't given a solid answer, she decided it was best to let it go. For now, he loved her – that was all that mattered…well, that and staying alive.
Sands woke up in Grace's arms, realization knocking him in the back of the head. It's the last day… Harold called last night – they're really coming to get me. He listened to Grace's heartbeat. I don't have anywhere else to go. I'll be debriefed and… Fuck, then what? O.K., let's think about this a sec… Will things be the same under "normal" circumstances? When she's back to her real life, not on vacation… If we would have met when… He sighed. It doesn't matter. It doesn't fucking matter anymore. She asked me home with her. Home. I'm home right fucking here. If the offer still stands I…
"Aren't you going to say good morning?" Grace asked softly.
Sands pushed away his thoughts and smiled. "Good morning, Gracie." She kissed his forehead and an intense warmth rushed through his body.
"Today's the day," she said, her voice obviously pained.
"Yeah." C'mon you fuckmook, just spit everything out. You love her, she loves you, what's the fucking problem?
"Did we worry about Michael for no reason?"
Sands shook his head. "Don't you dare put your guard down today, Gracie. Understand me?"
"Mm hm." She was beginning to distance herself and Sands felt it. He wasn't going to stand for it either.
"Don't," he said, letting his voice soften.
"Don't what?"
"Push me away."
"I'm holding you, not pushing you aw…"
Sands shifted his body, he was no longer in her arms, but she in his. "You know what I'm talking about. We're going to leave here together and…"
"And I get on a different plane in Virginia."
Grow some balls and say it! "Or," he said, smiling, "you wait around a few days and I get on that plane too."
"What?"
"Well, I don't know how long I'll have to stay in Washington, but I want…I mean if you meant…" Sands laughed at himself. "Congratulations, Gracie, you're the first person put me at a fucking loss for words. You've made me babble."
"It's cute," she said feeling much more at ease. "You mean it?"
He kissed her, then whispered, "I mean it."
Grace wrapped her arms around his neck and breathed him in. She wanted to laugh and cry all at once, but settled for silence. After a few moments, she finally managed to say, "I love you, Jeffrey."
"You just remember that, Gracie."
"And?"
"Hungry? I really have a hankering for a big breakfast. We could go downstairs and…"
"I'm suddenly starting to forget something that I thought was important…"
He rolled so that he was lying down and Grace was on top of him. "I'm such a sap now," he said, kissing her neck. "I love you too."
Grace ground her hips, causing Sands to moan. "So about that breakfast?" She rolled off of him.
"Where do you think you're going?" he said, almost whining.
"To get dressed," she laughed.
"No, no, no…dressed is bad, Gracie, very bad."
"But you made me hungry."
"Well, I'm fucking starving myself…but not for food anymore."
Grace sat on the edge of the bed. "I need energy for…strenuous, yet highly enjoyable activities."
"Fair enough. Have you seen my pants?"
She giggled. "How quickly we forget. They sort of…fell off the balcony last night – into the pool."
"Oh, right…well, you see," he said, crawling up behind her, "it was just so fucking hot out there…"
"I remember." She stood again. "I'll get different pants, you get off the bed."
"Yes, ma'am." Never without her… Who gives a fuck that I'm dependant? Not me…
Author's Note: Thank you, Shadow Phenix, for correcting me on where Sands would be going – I appreciate it! Thanks for reading and reviewing – thanks to all of you for your reviews! Ready for some drama?