Alex POV

I love you.

That's what he said to me as he sat in front of me with those fingers of his resting against the thin material of my gym shorts.

My brain nearly short-circuited.

I mean, of course I've dreamed about this exact moment.

But that doesn't mean I thought there was a chance in hell of it actually happening.

My best-case scenario was for us to delve into partners with benefits territory.

"You don't have to…I mean, I don't expect…um…" he said as he held my gaze with those soulful brown eyes of his. "It's not…you don't…"

"Bobby," I said, finally finding my voice.

"Yeah?"

"Shut up."

As I said the words, I stepped closer to him, moving between his thighs as I put my hands on his cheeks and leaned down slightly to press my lips against his.

I wasn't tentative about it, either, because I'm just so overwhelmed by this latest turn of events…so happy that we managed to get here and that he was honest about his feelings.

And that he loves me.

Those words replayed over and over in my mind as I held his face in my hands and kissed him just like in my fantasies.

Passionately. Lustfully. Desperately.

I eased even closer to him as he slid his hands around to my back, his fingers moving just beneath the edge of my t-shirt, and the touch of his skin against mine ignites fires inside of me and he's apparently gotten over his shock at my response because he's suddenly taken over control of the kiss and it's even better than my fantasies and it's all I can do to keep up because it's so intense and it just feels so good.

He moved his mouth away from mine, but I can't mourn the loss because now he's burning a path down my throat with his lips and tongue, so I tip my head back encouragingly while I let my fingers move into his hair.

"I should've opened up to you sooner," he murmured, his mouth still against my skin, and I felt the laughter bubble up through me.

"See what you've been missing?" I replied playfully, and then my chuckling turned to moaning as he shifted his focus to my ear, drawing the lobe into his mouth while at the same time, his fingers began exploring along the inside of the waistband of my shorts.

Got to love a man who knows how to multi-task.

And I do love him.

I mean, I knew it, but oh my God, I love him.

And he was so brave to throw out that declaration without any kind of reassurance about how I'd respond.

Well, I mean any kind of Bobby reassurance.

Because yes, I've been flirting. And checking him out. And it's not like I'd wear these short shorts in front of him if he were truly just my partner.

But I know him and I know he surely had doubts about my response.

Which so far has only been to kiss him, I reminded myself.

"So…anything else?" I managed to ask, even though my body is humming with arousal and talking is about the furthest thing from my mind. And yet, I also can't let things go unsaid because that would be backtracking and there's no way in the world I'm going to let us go backwards after finally getting here.

"What?" he asked.

And I love that he sounds breathless and distracted.

"Any other secrets you want to share?"

He stopped his assault on my ear and pulled back to look at me, and his eyes are dark and his lips are red and full and holy shit if I thought he was sexy before…

"That one wasn't big enough?" he asked me in a low rumbling voice.

"I just want to make sure it's all out there," I replied, and I know I'm drawing this thing out when I should just say it, but it's a scary thing, saying those words…how he managed to do it, I'll never know.

He moved one hand up to my hair, taking hold of the clip and loosening it so that the strands came free. He tossed the clip in the vicinity of the dresser and then slid his fingers into my hair.

"I think it's safe to say that now you know everything there is to know about me," he said earnestly.

That's a heady thought.

He's given me so much power and trust.

Why does it still scare me to hold back?

"I can't believe you said that," I confessed, running my hand over the softness of his full beard, taking advantage of the fact that I'm finally allowed to touch him.

"Why not? It's true."

"I know, but…"

"You said no secrets, and there's no way I was going to risk losing you by keeping one, so…"

"I love you, too," I interrupted, saying the words in a rush in order to make sure they got out.

It felt like time was suspended as we stood there, staring into each other's eyes and for a terrifying, irrational moment, I was petrified that he was going to laugh and say, oh you thought I was serious about that, Eames?

But he didn't.

What he did was kiss me with such intensity and emotion…possessively, and yet reverently as his hands returned to the waistband of my shorts, lightly teasing the skin of my lower back before venturing lower into new territory. On the outside of my shorts, mind you, but still…the feel of his big hands grasping my butt …he's got me moaning again. I can't help it.

I took another step closer, wanting to feel his body against mine, and he must have read my mind because then he wrapped his arms around me, and in one motion, he pulled me down on top of him as he laid back on the bed and then he turned us over so that I was underneath him.

A perfectly executed move, only we landed partially on the Chinese food.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled as I burst into laughter, feeling one of the boxes beneath my back but not caring at all, and then he started laughing, too, as together we shifted around and shoved at the food until it went off the edge of the bed and then suddenly nothing was funny anymore as he once again stretched out over top of me, with the full length of his body pressed against me.

He propped himself up with his forearms, one on either side of my head and his fingers idly played with the ends of my hair.

"Why didn't you say anything?" he asked me, and I'm not sure how I'm supposed to carry on a conversation right now, while he's situated between my thighs and he's looking at me like he's about to devour me.

"Why didn't you?" I managed to reply.

"I think we've established that I don't always show the best judgment," he said as a smile played on his lips.

Those lips…oh my God. I knew he'd be an incredible kisser, but still…

And since I can, I ran my thumb over his bottom lip. It sent a jolt of pleasure through me, and I think it did for him, too, because his eyes darkened even more and then as I did it again, he parted his lips, drawing my thumb into his mouth.

I let out a slow breath and closed my eyes while enjoying the sensation for a moment, but then my curiosity got the better of me.

"So what changed?" I asked him, moving my hand to once again caress his cheek.

"Everything," he said solemnly. "I think I came so close to losing you as a partner that it hit me how much I need you in my life, my whole life not just at work. And then Logan..."

"Wait, you talked to Logan about us?" I asked in surprise.

And no, I'm not mad at all. It just caught me off guard. Actually, I'm glad that my less-than-subtle pushing of a friendship between them seems to have worked.

"He talked to me," he answered with a grin. "He's got this crazy idea that we're sleeping together."

I ran my hands down his back and over his butt, pulling him more firmly against me and mother of God I can feel him, so unbelievably long and rock-hard, right there and it seems so surreal and yet at the same time so perfectly right.

"I'd hate for him to be wrong," I said, raising my hips a little to provide some counter-pressure.

He drew in a long, shaky breath and then asked, "Are you propositioning me, Eames?"

"We love each other. We're in a hotel room. I think it's a moral imperative, don't you? Oh, and it's Alex, okay?"

"Uh uh," he groaned, his eyes slipping closed as I pulled his hips against mine again. "It's dangerous. That's your middle name."

He opened his eyes again, pinning me with a searing look as he shifted his weight onto one arm, and then with his free hand, he ran his fingers along my cheek and then slowly and purposefully burned a trail down the center of my body, stopping when he reached the hem of my t-shirt.

"I think dangerous works for you, too," I said, and I can barely even hear my own voice because my concentration is so focused on what he's going to do next.

"Do you have any idea how much time I've spent thinking about you?" he asked, his whole hand still resting heavily on my abdomen and oddly enough, it's causing radiating tingling sensations and I'm not sure how much longer I can take this seemingly innocent touch. Because there's nothing innocent about it and I'm suddenly so anxious and restless that I can't lay still.

"I can guess," I murmured as I shifted slightly, encouraging him to explore.

He held my gaze for another beat and then his eyes wandered over me slowly as he said, "I can't believe we're doing this."

"We're not doing anything yet," I pointed out, and even though I'm teasing him, I'm still nearly ready to explode from anticipation.

"Are you feeling anxious…Alex?" he asked playfully as his fingers clutched at the fabric of my t-shirt, pushing it up just a little bit so that a few inches of skin are exposed.

And I don't know if it's the sound of my first name on his lips, or the fact that he's finally got his hand back into action, or the hard feel of him against me, but I'm literally vibrating with want.

And since when did he garner so much self-control?

Am I not affecting him as much as he's affecting me?

But as the thought rolled through my mind, I heard him exhale heavily as he slipped his hand further beneath my shirt, now caressing the area just below my breasts.

"You're so beautiful," he said, his voice laden with adoration. "And I've wanted you for so long. I'm scared to death that as soon as I get you out of these clothes, it's all going to be over."

Oh.

I hadn't considered how close he might be.

I also never considered how downright sweet and romantic he would be. Any time I pictured us getting together, it was always frantic and harried and…well, definitely hot, but still…not like this.

But I'm really loving it like this, with the talking and the gentle touching, and it hits me that even if this is as far as we go, it's still the best night of my life.

And since we're in the business of full disclosure, I said those words out loud. And I think maybe it took a little bit of pressure off of him because after my statement, he smiled at me, a slow and devastatingly sexy smile, and then he brought his lips back to mine as his fingers finally grazed the bottom edge of my breast.

The hesitant touch was followed by more confident and purposeful caresses that had me buzzing with pleasure. I tugged on his shirt, wanting to feel his skin beneath my hands, and he moved back from me so that he could pull off his t-shirt, and while he did that, I sat up and took mine off, too.

And the expression on his face as he looked at me in my shorts and bra…God, he makes me feel so beautiful.

I laid back on the bed and he lightly ran one fingertip over the edge of my bra.

"Black lace," he said with a half-smile. "I knew it."

"You thought about it?"

"Day and night, night and day," he replied softly as he leaned down and pressed his lips against the area between my breasts.

"Well, I have other colors," I said, letting my eyes fall closed as he moved his mouth along the top edge of the lace, going first to one side and then the other.

"Will I get to see them all?"

"That's the plan," I answered on a sigh, and then my breath caught in my throat as he suddenly used his hand to push the fabric out of the way and then proceeded to explore the newly-revealed territory, first with his palm and then with his mouth, and then he moved to the other one, giving it the same treatment, and I'm pretty sure if he keeps this up, I'm about to have my first ever foreplay-induced orgasm.

And maybe my continuous moaning is cluing him in to how close I am because he doesn't stop. The alternating tantalizing sensations of lips and teeth and tongue and his oh-so-talented fingers…it's only a matter of minutes before I'm hit by the powerful wave of release.

I might be embarrassed about how fast I got there if it didn't feel so damn good.

"Alex, that was…" he began, but then he trailed off as he eased up higher on the bed, bringing his mouth back to mine.

The kiss was intoxicating, languid yet with an underlying sense of urgency, and I love the feel of his chest hair brushing against my hypersensitive breasts and I moved my hands down to his butt, this time reaching inside his sweatpants as I pulled him against me yet again, now more desperate than ever to see him, to touch him, to feel him inside of me.

But that last thought was enough to give me pause, and I reluctantly broke off the kiss.

"Please tell me you have a condom," I said when he looked at me questioningly. And from the look on his face, I know the answer. "You don't? Really?"

"I…um…no," he said.

"In your wallet?"

"I don't carry them."

"Not very optimistic, are you?" I said, trying to tease a smile out of him since he now looks every bit as disappointed as I feel.

It worked, because he chuckled lightly as he moved onto his side, still plastered against me but no longer looming over me.

"I used to," he replied, holding my gaze as his hand skimmed over my breast again, and I love that he's still touching me and that he seems comfortable doing it. "But then I'd end up throwing them out because they'd expire, and…"

I'd really love to quiz him on this a little more because I know for a fact that condoms usually last for several years, so how long has it been for him?

But that's a question for another day because right now, we've got a more pressing issue.

"I noticed a drug store a couple of blocks away," I said suggestively, and the words were barely out of my mouth before he leaned over and kissed me hard and then got up from the bed and reached for his shirt.

"I'll be right back," he said as he pulled on his shirt. Then his gaze moved over me in a way that sent a fresh flood of tingling through me.

But there's no way I'm letting him go alone.

I sat up and adjusted my bra, pulling the fabric of the cups back into place while he watched questioningly.

"I'm going with you," I explained.

"You don't have to."

"Yes, I do. Otherwise you might not come back," I said with a smile as I got up from the bed. I reached for my shirt, but he wrapped his arms around me from behind, hugging my back to his front.

"Armageddon won't keep me from coming back to you," he said into my ear.

"Maybe not, but I know how your mind works," I answered as I turned his arms. "In two blocks' time, you'll have convinced yourself that you'll be doing me a favor if you put an end to this thing before it ever really gets started."

He grinned at me sheepishly and I asked, "Am I right?"

"Well, I'm not going to lie. I might think it, but…I'm a selfish man, so I'd still come back," he stated as he settled his palm against my cheek. "I want you too much not to."

And there it is again. That feeling.

I'm so in love with him.

Ten minutes later, we exited the hotel, heading for the drug store. Our earlier prediction of rain had proven true – large droplets began falling from the sky before we even crossed the hotel parking lot.

But it's not cold outside, and Bobby's holding my hand in his, and I don't plan on wearing these clothes once we get back to the hotel anyway, so what's the harm in a little rain?

And honestly, it's a pleasant rain, so it only adds to my mood.

Because I feel downright giddy.

It's not a typical emotion for me but Bobby seems to bring it out in me, and I can get used to it. I think it's that happy I've been looking for.

And this side trip is cracking me up.

It takes me back to my high school years when my boyfriend would pick me up and I'd have a change purse full of quarters so that we could use the condom dispenser in the mini-mart in order to avoid the embarrassment of buying them from the store clerk.

Although I don't imagine it's going to bother Bobby at all.

"This is something I never expected to be doing," he commented with amusement.

"Walking with me to buy condoms?"

"Exactly," he said on a laugh.

"Think we can slip it in on our expense report?" I joked.

"Only if you want to give Ross a heart attack."

"Hmm…" I said, feigning consideration. "No, I guess we'd better not."

We chuckled together for a minute and then Bobby came to a stop outside of the CVS.

"Alex, are you sure about this?" he asked as he stood facing me. His t-shirt is soaked and his hair is curling from the dampness and he just looks so cute.

"Yes," I answered immediately. "Are you?"

"Yes."

"Then go buy a condom," I said with a smirk as I lightly pushed him in the direction of the door and then swatted at his butt.

He looked back at me over his shoulder and asked innocently, "Just one?"

His question makes my mouth go dry. I don't know why, but I never considered needing more than one. I mean, we're only spending one night here, and I have some at home.

"How many do we need?"

"More than one," he replied with a cocky grin.

I waited on the sidewalk while he went in to make the purchase, and he was back outside in only a few minutes.

"Let's go," he said as he took me by the hand and began walking quickly back towards the hotel.

"Is this our getaway? Did you steal them" I asked teasingly.

"I paid for them," he answered on a chuckle. "I'm just anxious to get back."

"Me, too," I admitted.

And I am anxious. I get hot just thinking about the things he was doing to me before we left, and we were just getting started. How much better is it going to be when we don't have to put on the brakes?

The walk back only took two minutes, and then we rode the elevator up to the fifth floor, not talking or touching except for our hands, and yet the energy between us is sparking and palpable.

In another minute, we were in my room, where he closed and locked the door behind us and then tossed the bag from the drugstore onto the nightstand before turning to look at me. His expression was both lustful and insecure, which is an odd combination and yet very Bobby because I know he has trouble believing that he deserves to get what he wants.

And yeah, I'm a little insecure, too, since I have trouble believing that I'm what he wants.

I guess we're both a little messed up.

But right now, I know what to do.

I walked over to him and put my hand on his chest, gently pushing him to encourage him to sit down on the bed.

Once he did, I moved between his legs, repeating the position we were in when he first said he loves me, and the re-creation of the scene makes me hear those words in my head again, and if that doesn't give a girl confidence then I don't know what will.

So I grabbed onto the bottom of my shirt and pulled it off over my head.

And then I looked at him challengingly and said, "Now. Where were we?"

TBC...