Monday

"Happy birthday." Sara pulled Sofia in her arms.

"Oh? Already?" The blonde looked at her watch. They arrived in their room a few minutes ago. While Sofia was secretly over the moon that there was only one bed in the room had Sara organized a bottle of champagne and two glasses.

"Yes. I wish you all the best for your twenty-first."

"Thanks." Sofia snuggled into Sara's arms. "I'm glad I can celebrate my birthday here with you."

"Want some champagne?"

"Do I have a wish?"

"Sure, it's your birthday."

"I'd like to have a kiss before I get champagne."

"Okay." Sara laughed and kissed Sofia gently on the cheek. "You get another one if you want. After all you've got two cheeks."

"Exactly." Sofia turned her head to offer Sara her other cheek. After she had her second kiss she took the glass of champagne. With it in one hand and Sara in her other arm she looked out of the window. They were in a casino in the middle of The Strip with a window facing the Eiffel Tower and overlooking the water fountain of the Bellagio.

"I think we can see now more people than in a whole week on Magical Beach." Sara realized she didn't miss crowded places. She was happy that their shuttle bus from the airport got them straight to the hotel. They passed the crowded Strip, tried to ignore the gambling people in the casino and hurried into their room.

"Two days, Beauty. After that you've a new home and there's only one person around."

"A smug Golden Treasure."

"Talking about treasures, I've to tell you about the newest story Rhys told me. About gold and our wreck and pirates."

"A voodoo priest, a bartender and a story teller. Your friend is a very talented man."

"Our friend. I save the story for later, mom and dad will enjoy it too."

"I doubt your mom will be interested in stories about pirates and gold."

"She has to live with them. In exchange we'll get a few police stories."

"We'll get CSI stories when we visit our old colleagues."

"Did you call them?"

"I called Greg, we'll meet them for breakfast."

"Did he miss you?"

"Yes."

"Does he want you to stay in Vegas?"

"Yes."

"I've to make sure you come back with me. Greg will try everything to make you stay. I'd do the same."

"There's a life on an island waiting for me. Do you believe I'll exchange that for a crowded city, thousands of criminals and overtime?"

"Maybe."

Sara pulled Sofia closer and kissed her forehead. "Still?"

"There are some doubts left."

Two more kisses on each cheek.

"Now?"

"Almost convinced."

"Okay." Sara smirked pulled Sofia closer and kissed her softly on her lips. "Now?"

"I think I just got the best birthday present."

"Your ears are deep red."

"And my heart beats like a crazy, my knees feel like jelly and I think I'll faint. Can you carry me to the bed?"

"You're nuts." Sara laughed, took Sofia's empty glass and refilled it. "This will help your circulation."

"Another kiss would be better."

"No, it was the kiss that made you shaky. No more kisses."

"My heart." Sofia grabbed her heart and got down on her knees. "There must be a huge knife in my heart the way it hurts. I think I'll die."

"You're in the wrong city for acting, Sofia. This is Las Vegas not Los Angeles."

"Vegas the place for a wedding. Want to go to a chapel with me?"

"No I want to go to bed with you."

"I feel much better. I think I might survive."

"You might survive?"

"Yes…probably I need another kiss."

"I've got something better." Sara opened her suitcase and turned her back so that Sofia didn't see what she was doing.

"What can be better than a kiss from you?"

"This!" Sara turned and Sofia's world turned dark…and muddy…and sweet.

"What the…chocolate cake!" Sofia let a finger run over her face and tasted the cake that stuck to it. "Yummy."

"You look very sweet." Out of the blue Sara had her cell phone in her hands and took a photo of Sofia. "Very sweet."

"You threw a cake in my face."

"Yes." Sara grinned.

"You planed that."

"Yes."

"You enjoyed that."

"Yes."

"Bitch!" Sofia jumped in Sara's arms and rubbed her face on the brunettes.

"Yuck!"

"Not yuck, a second ago you called it sweet. Am I allowed to say you look delicious."

"I've got half of your cake in my face."

"Yes." Sofia got her mouth on Sara's cheek. "It tastes from you even better."

"It was your cake."

"With you I even share my cake."

"I didn't ask for that."

"Your very thoughtful friend shared with you anyway. Wanna lick the cake off me?"

"No."

"Want me to lick the cake off you?"

"No."

"Spoilsport."

"Yes. I take a shower."

"No! The good cake!" Sofia grabbed Sara's hand to stop her. "My good birthday cake." She let her finger run over Sara's face and ate the cake. "So delicious."

"It was supposed to be your cake, for your face."

"I like it more from your face." Fast Sofia pulled Sara close and got a mouthful of cake from the brunette's right cheek. "Yum. Better than the rest of your tattoo."

"Will you stop eating off me?"

"No. Come on, try it." Sofia offered Sara her cheek. "Don't be shy."

"You're annoying."

"I'm yours."

Sara rolled her eyes and got some cake off Sofia's cheek with her lips. The cake was really good. She chose a mud cake and it was very muddy. It was worth its money. Plus it made Sofia happy so it was priceless.

Sofia's left eye popped open. It was her birthday. Still. And she was in Vegas. With Sara. With Sara in her arms. The perfect start for her birthday. They'd have breakfast now, stroll over the Strip, have a look at Sara's things and after that it was time to visit Sofia's family.

"How did you sleep?"

"Wonderful. Like always when I'm in your arms." She turned to look into Sara's eyes. A soft brown like an old whiskey. There was nothing Sofa wanted to look at more than those eyes.

"And I thought you slept especially good because of the cake."

"That was a great topping. But you were the mean course."

"In your dreams."

"Believe me in my dreams you have nothing else on than cake."

"Do you need another cold shower?"

"Only with you."

"Forget it. You need to look for somebody else if you want a birthday shower game."

"What a pity. They're fun."

"You had them already?"

"Yes. When I turned the first time twenty-one." Sofia laughed. "That was a very special day too. Different to the one last night but also nice. I had a huge party with a lot of friends. I celebrated into my birthday and ten minutes before midnight my boyfriend got me away from our friends, up to the rooftop balcony and gave me his present there. An amazing orgasm exactly at midnight. I never came better in a birthday."

"Sounds more satisfying than this one started."

"You can't compare them. They are two different pairs of shoes. I had everything I wished for last night. Cake, champagne and you. And because you let me think the whole time we have two beds this king size bed was a really nice surprise too."

"You told me you want to fall asleep and wake up in my arms."

"Yes. Thanks for that present." Sofia kissed Sara's cheek. "And thanks for being here with me, for having me close and…"

"Sofia, shut up!"

"Sorry I babble when I get nervous and you can make me very nervous."

"Being nervous doesn't suit a smug woman."

"I was a cop I should be cool all the time, my mom will get a heart attack when she realizes that I'm not able to hold it together. A former CSI makes me lose my mind – and I like it."

"Your former CSI will take a shower now. We've a nice program for today, birthday girl."

"Five more minutes please." Sofia pulled Sara in her arms. "There is no need to hurry. We can skip lunch, go after breakfast straight to your things and then to my parents. Please, no hurry. There's no work and no ocean today that call us out of bed, we can enjoy a few more minutes. Outside there are thousands of people waiting, there's traffic jam, smog, heat and no water for a refreshing swim. Let's stay here a little bit longer, savor the silence and the fact that we don't see and hear anybody else than us."

Sara smiled and kissed Sofia's cheek. "It's your birthday you make the plans and the rules."

"As less people and stress as possible. We can order breakfast to our room that gives us the chance to start the day more relaxed."

"Aren't you supposed to have a loud and crowded party day when you turn twenty-one?"

"Did you have that?"

"No, I worked."

"Why am I not surprised? I had my party for turning twenty-one the last time, this time I want a cozy birthday and only the people around me who are very important for me. My parents and you. Everybody else can wait. It would be nice to have Rhys here but somebody has to make sure our new home will be ready to move in tomorrow."

"For that he has to order some furniture."

"Yes, everything but your bed. The longer you need to get it the longer you can sleep in my bed and I've you closer. Maybe I need to bribe the guys who send your bed."

"You're crazy."

"Crazy for you, I know. Lucky me there is no medicine to cure that."

"Order our breakfast, Honey." Sara kissed Sofia's forehead. "I'll have a little swim in the bathroom – alone – before I want breakfast – with you."

"With me or you want me for breakfast?"

"With you."

"I tried." Sofia sighed and let Sara go. At least she could have some more quiet time with Sara when they had breakfast in their room.