"What did you say? "

"I…" he stammered, at a loss for words. "It just… came out, I didn't intend-"

"Did you mean it?"

"What?"

"Were you being honest, or were you only saying it?" she asked.

"No. I..." He looked into her eyes. "I did. I meant it. That wasn't how I intended to say it, but..."

He looked down out of embarassment. She could tell he was shocked at his own admission, possibly even more than she was. She wondered how long it had been since he dared utter those words to someone. She reached up and stroked his hair. She knew deep down that those simple words held a lot of weight for him. If he said it, intentionally or not, he meant it.

She brought her hand down to caress his cheek and sighed. "Dear boy…"

"It's… you don't have to say it back or anything. I… I didn't intend to say it out loud, it just-"

She lifted his chin and pulled him down into a deep kiss, effectively cutting off his apologetic rambling.

She pulled back just enough to whisper against his lips, "I love you, too."

He smiled. "I love you," he said it slowly as if savoring the taste of the words on his lips.

"I know," she giggled softly at his boyish grin. "Now show me," she whispered.

"Make love to me."

"Really?"

She nodded. "If you mean it, show me."

He leaned down to kiss her, taking his time and kissing her in every favorite place he could think of. His lips moved skillfully across her skin, his tongue darting out in the areas he knew would get her to make thatnoise.

She was in heaven. He'd always been an amazing lover, well deserving of his reputation, but he'd never been this attentive before. He lips and hands caressed her in all the right places. She felt a warmth spread over her entire body unlike anything she'd ever felt before. He meant it this time.

His hands slipped down her side and she arched into his touch, trying to guide his hand with her body and get him to touch her where she wanted it. But his fingers continued their quest down, over her hip to the back of her knee, raising it just slightly. He took an extended detour at her breasts (he always loved the fullness of them) before kissing his way down her body.

"Oh god… James…" she breathed.

He was taking his time with everything this evening. All she could think of at that moment in time was him. The feeling of his hands on her… in her. Tender kisses and swirls of his tongue. His fingers thrusting at a steady pace, curling to hit that special place within her that never failed to make her toes curl. Her head tossed on the pillow, her body flushed and tingling with sensations stronger than what she was used to. She felt like she would explode and yet she wanted more.

She tried to say something, to tell him how good he felt. But she couldn't speak. The words died in her throat. The only intelligible phrase she could muster was "oh god". And she could barely manage that.

He licked her softly, then with a bit more pressure, making sure his hands were never idol. Every few seconds, he'd reach up and tease her nipple as if he wanted to make sure he still had her attention. She groaned and her back arched and she grabbed the sheets in her fists as her breath caught in her throat. It was the most erotic experience she'd ever had, and no sooner did she have that thought than her climax hit her. The thousands of shards of pleasure that were coursing through her body all seemed to pool in her belly and shoot straight to her core before she even had time to process what was happening.

She let out a sharp cry and James moaned as her release flooded his tongue. He lapped at her greedily, not able to get enough of her, yet trying to be mindful of her sensitivity.

Shivers racked her body and she pulled him back up with shaky hands, kissing him deeply.

When he pulled away from the kiss, he saw a single tear fall down her cheek and he gently wiped it away with his thumb. She smiled and nuzzled into his hand, kissing his wrist.

Then, to James's surprise, she flipped them over so she straddled his waist.

She declined her head, kissing him tenderly.

He groaned, grabbing her waist and gently rolling his hips against her and her hips moved in tiny circles above him. He wasn't sure whether or not she was doing it on purpose, but it was driving him crazy.

She felt him harden beneath her and she smiled, kissing along his jawline, down to his neck, letting her teeth nip gently at his throat. His hips jerked and she gave a soft giggle. He always loved a hint of danger.

She felt his hand slide between them and she lifted herself just enough for him to push in.

They both groaned, James's hands moving to her back to hold her closer. Her head fell onto his shoulder, her breath on his neck and soft whimpers of his name floating into his ear.

He moaned, loving the feel of her on top of him… around him. He held her just a bit tighter and pumped his hips a little faster, earning a pleasured gasp from her.

He'd wanted this for so long, but he'd been too afraid to ask for it. He was terrified if he ever let her know how he really felt about her, she'd call the whole thing off and he knew he was lucky that she'd even agreed to the arrangement in the first place.

He didn't want to push it.

He was actually glad of his confession. It wasn't the way he meant to tell her, but he was glad it was out in the open. And he was indescribably happy that she felt the same way. Something he never thought would happen.

He moved a bit faster, planting his feet flat on the bed and pushing upward to match her thrusts. She rode him hard, her body trembling, her thighs tense on either side of him. He slipped his hand between them and rubbed her clit, making her cry out.

"Oh… mmm…" she whimpered into his skin. "James…"

"It's okay. I've got you," he whispered. "I won't let you go."

The layered meaning wasn't lost on her and every emotion for him that she'd pushed down over the years all came bubbling to the surface at once. It was all too much. It overwhelmed her and her orgasm rushed over her like a tidal wave.

"Oh god… JAMES!" she screamed, muffling her cries in the crook of his neck as her body shuddered almost violently.

He held her close, slowing his thrusts as the tremors subsided.

She moaned, very much aware of the fact that he was still moving inside her. She gave him a small tug and he rolled over on top of her again.

She pulled him down for a kiss, trailing kisses across his cheek and up to his ear.

She bit his earlobe gently. "Take me," she whispered.

He growled and began thrusting into her hard and fast. She gasped, holding onto his forearms tightly as he desperately chased his release.

He dropped onto his elbows, unable to hold himself upright any longer. His hips moved almost frantically as he whimpered into her hair.

"It's alright," she crooned, stroking his hair. "You can..."

He whimpered and she felt the stutter in his hips.

"Come for me ."

His body went rigid and he shouted his pleasure as he spilled himself inside her. He shuddered on top of her and she made no move to push him away. She let him ride it out for as long as he needed to, stroking his back and kissing his neck until his breathing had returned to normal.

She placed a final kiss to his temple and he rolled over, taking her with him.

They snuggled together in the aftermath of their lovemaking, both happier than they had been for some time.

James kissed her hair. "So… what do we do now?"

"Well I would suggest we open the rest of the presents, but frankly, I can't be bothered to move."

He chuckled. "I meant this… us. What happens now?"

She sighed. "We'll have to be more careful now. If we're going to bring feelings into this, we have to keep clear boundaries between our personal time and the office. I can't give you any preferential treatment."

"I know. I wouldn't ask you to." He kissed her hair. "And I'll still blow things up and annoy the hell out of you at the office. Just like old times."

She chuckled. "I wouldn't mind a little less of that, actually. But, yes, we'll keep everything as normal as we can."

"And… if I could add another suggestion?"

"Go on."

"I'd like us to keep office talk out of the bedroom. I want our time to be ours. No agents, no explosions, no paperwork. Just us."

"I'd like that," she smiled.

"Good."

They lay there in silence for a while, just enjoying being able to hold each other.

"James?" she whispered. "Could I ask you for one more favor?"

"Anything."

"What you said about keeping work seperate... I don't want to be M when I'm with you." She paused. "I need you to say my name. I need to hear it."

She felt his breath hitch and she lifted her head from his chest to look up at him.

"There's not a sniper in the closet, is there?"

She snorted, remembering her threat to have him shot if he ever said it.

"No. Of course not," she smiled. "Otherwise, I would have had to charge him for our performance."

He chuckled and reached up to run a hand through her hair. He locked eyes with her before slowly leaning in to kiss her.

He whispered against her lips, "I love you, Olivia."

She kissed him gently. "Say it again."

"I love you, Olivia," he smiled. "I love you."

She smiled.

"I love you, too." She kissed him once more.

This was what she wanted. To feel something good. To feel loved. To know that it was real.

She laid her head against his chest, letting his heartbeat lull her.

He held her tight in his arms, rubbing soothing circles on her back until she drifted off. Then he kissed her hair and switched off the bedside lamp before joining her in the best night's sleep he'd had in ages.