Disclaimer: see Chapter 1

A/N: Sorry about not updating recently but there was a death in my family and the last week was crazy busy. This is my new distraction..fun )...ok still not sure where this is going but I'm working on it! Santa Catalina Island is real but the Amon L'isa Resort and Spa is not. (Have I been reading too much Dan Brown or what?). I kinda sorta stole/borrowed Danielle Anderson's idea (Honeymoon Assignment) by accidentfor this bit of the story...I hope she doesn't mind!

"Aunt Zoe, look!" Hannah bounded up the stairs to meet her sister and aunt, "I got perfect and Mr. Lennox let me have ice-cream as a treat for doing so well!" Zoe smiled at her energetic little niece, squeezing Taylor's shoulders once more before allowing herself to be led down the stairs.

The remainder of the night passed uneventfully, everyone gathered on the couch to watch Shrek 2 for quite possibly the millionth time. Dan and Zoe sat at opposite ends of the couch with the three children squished in between them. As the night wore on Hannah fell asleep on Dan and Zoe decided it was time for the children to go to bed. After battling the older two she ushered them upstairs, followed by Dan who was carrying Hannah. Zoe ensured Taylor and Cliff went to bed before following Dan to Hannah's room. Zoe softly pushed open the door and watched as Dan carefully lay Hannah into bed and covered her up, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead, not unlike what he had done to Zoe earlier in the day. Zoe felt her heart well up at the tender sight, I wonder if Dan would treat me like that, she wondered, quickly reigning in her thoughts before she had to face Dan. Zoe sighed softly, so softly that she thought he wouldn't hear it but Dan turned to face her, "Hey you shouldn't sneak up on a guy like that. You could give him a heart attack," he whispered.

"Funny, Dan" Zoe made a face and walked over to give her niece a kiss goodnight, accidentally brushing Dan's arm with her own in the process. She pulled back sharply from the touch and Dan shook his head, stepping out of the room and going back downstairs. Why does she always do that? Dan wondered as he moved about the living room, collecting his case files, She's so frustrating sometimes...Dan heard a noise behind him and turned to find Zoe standing at the bottom of the stairs. "I'll see you in the morning Zoe. Don't forget - M's office at 9:30, don't be late." He gathered the rest of his stuff and headed for the door.

"I - I just...uh...Dan?" Zoe stuttered and Dan turned to find a very flustered Zoe still standing at the bottom of the stairs. He waited for her to continue, not willing to play her games anymore this night. "Thanks, Dan. For everything. See you tomorrow." Dan nodded and shut the door quietly behind him on his way out. Unknown to him his beautiful blond partner had followed him to the door and was currently sitting in a sobbing heap on the floor.

The Next Morning - 9:56am:

Zoe ran from the elevator for the second time in as many days skidding to a halt inside M's office and throwing herself into a chair. "Sorry I'm late but Hannah forgot her homework at home and we had to turn around and go all the way back to get it."

"Just don't let it happen again Zoe," M replied then she turned to address both Zoe and Dan, "Alright I'm going to get right to the point here. I need an undercover team to investigate an exclusive honeymoon resort on Santa Catalina Island and I've chosen you to be my honeymooners and I will NOT accept no for an answer, got it?" The two nodded, knowing there was no use fighting with M when she had made a decision. "Okay. You will leave tomorrow morning at 11:05 on American Airlines flight 161. I went through a lot of trouble to get you two into this resort as they usually only allow reservations with proof of marriage but they made an exception because I told them that your licence was caught up in some bureaucratic backlog. So that means you need to play up the newly wed thing real well or you'll get busted. And you had better not get busted!" M had never been one to meddle in the affairs of others but she was sick of the sexual tension between Dan and Zoe. They needed to get their relationship, or lack thereof, decided on sometime soon! When she had received the call to investigate the Amon L'isa Resort and Spa she knew she was sending Dan and Zoe no matter what.

The two soon to be "honeymooners" were able to avoid each other successfully for most of the rest of the day, running into each other only when they were leaving. After a few tense moments in the elevator Dan broke the silence, "So Zoe I'll pick you up at 8 tomorrow morning okay?"

"Yeah sure that's fine Dan," Zoe uttered as she moved swiftly from the elevator, her heart pounding and the feeling of arousal that she frequently got around Dan overtook her body. Why do I have to be so damn hormonal around him! He's just a coworker! He's not interested in you that way and even if he was there's no way you'd have the guts to do anything about it! Zoe consciously changed her train of thought to think about what she needed to bring with her on the surprise work/vacation.

8:13am

"Coming Dan!" Zoe called, waving to him before turning to kiss the kids goodbye. "Be good while I'm gone guys, no wild parties and don't burn the house down." Zoe made her way to Dan's car, where he loaded her luggage into the back alongside his.

"Geeze Zoe how much do you need for a week of vacation? One suitcase wasn't enough so you brought three!" Dan was incredulous, did she pack her whole wardrobe or something? He wondered. Zoe grinned cheekily and hopped into the passenger seat without a word. A tense drive to the airport was followed by a tense wait for the plane which was followed by a tense plane ride. As they deplaned Zoe grabbed Dan's hand, intertwining their fingers, to begin to build their facade as loving husband and wife. Dan's thumb unconsciously stroked the back of Zoe's hand as they waited for their baggage and she reciprocated by moving closer to him so that their shoulders touched. After retrieving their baggage the two strolled out into the bright tropical sunshine to find a black limousine awaiting them.

"Welcome to Catalina, may I take your bags?" The short chauffer greeted the pair with a bright smile. "We will be driving to Willow Cove so please make yourselves comfortable, there is a phone in the back which you can use to call me should you require anything. My name is Jacques, by the way, but you may call me Jack." Dan helped Zoe into the limo's backseat before climbing in after her.

As the door was shut behind them Dan said, "Zoe I think we need to talk."

"I know Dan. When we get to the resort okay?" She leaned against his shoulder, quickly falling asleep. Dan smiled down at the sight of a sleeping Zoe. He leaned down and softly kissed her forehead. Little did he realize, Zoe had not fallen asleep as quickly as he thought and she felt the kiss and nearly melted into his arms. Oh God! Dan just kissed me! Zoe sighed contentedly and drifted off into sleep filled with dreams of her and Dan doing some very erotic things...

TBC...

A/N 2: Okay I have piles of homework to do so I may not get to update until next week but I'll try!