A/N: Really, sorry that this took longer than I had planned. And, I also said that this would be angst free, well, I lied. Thanks to everybody that has reviewed.

Alex laid her napkin on her plate and pushed it back on the table.

"Bobby, that was wonderful," she said taking another mouthful of wine. "How in the world did you get them to set all of this up out here?"

Alex gestured to their little section of the beach. She had come back from a day of shopping to find a candlelit table set for two, twinkle lights hung around their cabana, soothing music filling the air, and her partner pouring a class of wine.

"I told them of a beautiful woman who deserved a special dinner," he said, playing with his own napkin.

"Well let me know when she gets here so that I can leave. You give a girl all this and you just might get lucky," she said laughing.

He looked up at her smiling.

"I'd take one look at you sitting there with the moon in your hair and the sun on your skin and I wouldn't even notice she was here," he said smoothly, finishing his glass.

"That famous Goren charm," Alex replied, "I see why Denise was so upset when you didn't ask her out again."

"And how would you know that?" he asked, pouring them both another glass of wine.

"Women talk," she replied, smiling and taking her third glass of wine.

"Talk about me?" he said, his curiosity piqued.

"Of course, you have quite the reputation, Detective," she teased.

"I know all about my reputation," he answered quietly. He was known as the weird detective who, up until Alex came along, couldn't keep a partner.

"Not that reputation," she answered playfully.

"So, what kind of reputation are you talking about Ms. Eames?" he said, trying to sound annoyed.

"You know easy on the eyes, charming, perfect gentleman, that reputation, Mr. Goren," she said, playing along.

"And do you agree with that assessment?" he asked, looking at her over the candlelight.

"Well, I'd definitely agree that you're easy on the eyes, with broad shoulders, deep eyes, wavy hair, nice to watch coming or going…" she replied, feeling the wine and a bit of embarrassment. "And you know you're charming, you use it all the time. And I have never known you to be anything other than a perfect gentleman, so I'd say that this is one reputation that you live up to."

"I'm not always the perfect gentleman," he said, his features darkening a little.

"I know otherwise," she protested.

Bobby got up from the table and offered Alex his hand, which she took, and they started walking down the beach.

"If I were a perfect gentleman, I would not have been thinking some of the things that I have been thinking lately," he said looking out into the incoming surf.

"And what would that be?" Alex asked innocently, looking up at him.

"You in that bikini…"

"You're human, Bobby. Looking at a woman in a bikini is normal. I would have been upset if you hadn't looked," she said smacking him on the arm.

"I've just never had a partner like you, Eames," he said, kicking the sand.

"A partner like what?" she replied, curiously.

"A partner that I'd like to…"he said, taking hold of her arm and stopping her.

He hesitated.

"Like to what?" she whispered.

"This is where the not so perfect gentleman part comes in," he confessed.

"Tell me, Bobby," she said, leading him.

"I want you in my bed, Alex. I want to you…I want you…," he said, disgusted with himself for telling her. Bobby started back toward the hut.

"Bobby, wait," Alex said, trying to keep up with his long strides. "Bobby!"

Alex caught up with him and pulled fiercely on his arm.

"Hold on a minute, dammit," she yelled. "You cannot say something like that and then just walk away."

He stopped and looked at her.

"Could you ever believe that I want the same thing? That I want to know what it's like to be the woman you make love to, to wake up in your arms…" she said, angrily.

"Alex, I …."

Alex took his hand and put it on her chest.

"Do you feel that?" she asked, knowing that he could feel her heart dancing in her chest. "That is what I feel for you."

Their eyes locked for a moment and just when he couldn't wait any more his mouth crashed down on hers. She tasted like wine, sweet and acidic, just like her. He deepened the kiss, using his tongue to part her lips, tasting her even more. He put his hand in her hair and another on her back to pull her to him. He could feel her hands going up his back. But before he lost himself any further, he had to pull away from her.

"We can't do this," he protested and started to run. Alex watched him run past their hut and into the dark. She knew that he needed time. He needed to accept that she wanted this as much as he did.

Alex walked back to the table where they had had dinner just a half hour ago. The wind had blown the candle out, but the other lights still hung from the hut. She walked up the stairs and opened the door. She took off her wrap and dress and slipped into one of Bobby's white shirts. It smelled like him, his cologne.

"I couldn't runaway," he said, standing in the door, catching his breath. "Not this time."

Bobby stepped in and closed the door and leaned against it with is eyes closed. Alex walked over to her partner and buried her head in his chest. He didn't even notice that she had unbuttoned his shirt until she was at the last one.

"Alex…Eames…"

"There's no going back to Eames, so don't even try," she whispered, slipping his shirt off. Alex kissed his chest. Lingering over his nipples, she felt him shudder. As her lips moved over his body, her fingers undid his shorts and they fell to the floor. She turned around and pulled his arm over shoulder.

"Come on, Bobby, let's get some sleep," she said, as she laid down in his twin bed. He joined her and pulled her close enough so that they were not in any immediate danger of falling out and fell asleep.

TBC……