Rick arrived home a day early from his meetings in DC. He shed his coat and set his case down in the entrance hall. It had turned cold out over the last few days. He loved it. Autumn had always been his favorite season with its warm, sunny days and crisp, cool nights.

He smiled as he walked through the living room, thinking that the display of colors now hanging in the trees of Central Park would soon be gone, the last of the leaves falling in preparation for the first snows of winter. Mackenzie would love it. Perhaps he could suggest to Kate they go to the park before all the leaves dropped.

Tomorrow was Alexis's ballet recital and he wanted to surprise her by attending. He smiled and chuckled to himself at her imagined response. He caught the last train back to New York, so he didn't walk through the door until close to midnight. He wasn't tired yet, so he decided to head to the kitchen to retrieve a cup of coffee and paused mid-step. Kate was standing with her back to him, staring absently toward the stove as she stirred a cup of hot cocoa.

She had pulled her hair back loosely into a ponytail and wore only a big blue t-shirt that hardly covered her backside. Rick let his eyes slowly travel down her body to her fuzzy slippers, lingering for a while on her legs. He watched as she reached across the island to drop her spoon into the sink, exposing her sexy, black lace underwear.

Rick almost groaned at the hot desire that coursed through his body. He closed his eyes and listened to his pulse pound loudly in his own ears. He concentrated on steadying his breathing while he tried to get his libido under control, then approached her from behind while she sipped her drink.

He stopped just behind her and took a long, slow breath, inhaling her heady scent. God, she smelled wonderful. He wanted her and not just her body, although he'd been having his fair share of dreams and fantasies about that.

No, he couldn't stop thinking about her - her intelligence, her sense of humor, her caring ministrations, and her passion for life. It took every ounce of resolve he had to get any work done, to concentrate enough to make his speech today without falling into a dreamy trance thinking of her. Now, with her standing mere inches away from him, he wanted to give into his fantasy of wrapping his arms around her waist, nuzzling her neck as he whispered his love.

Of course, in his mind, she'd respond, returning his advances with vigor, kissing him passionately until they could hardly stand up. The shirt would have to go. He'd pull it slowly from her body and... and...

He sighed as his shoulders drooped. And nothing. It would ruin the trusting friendship that had developed between them. He mentally chastised himself for getting so carried away.

Lost in thought, Kate still hadn't noticed he'd entered the room. He watched her lower her cup to the counter, then leaned in, speaking soft and low just behind her.

"Can't you sleep?"

She jumped and turned around, raising her arms protectively. She gasped about the same time her right hand connected with his jaw, sending him stumbling back.

"Rick! Are you okay?" She reached toward him with one hand, while the other covered her own racing heart.

"Ow," he muttered as he cradled his face with his own hand, feeling the sore spot on his chin.

"Oh, I'll get some ice for that." She reached for a towel from the counter and filled it with a few ice cubes from the freezer, as he sat down heavily at the kitchen table. She bent over to press it gently to his face.

He closed his eyes and sighed in relief. "Thanks. Now I know you can defend yourself."

"You never sneak up on a woman in the middle of the night."

He opened his eyes, looking askance at her. "I'll try to remember that," he stated wryly.

She moved to his side and sat down next to him, crossing her legs. When she noticed him staring at her legs, she tugged her nightshirt down a fraction. She looked apologetically at him.

"Sorry, I wasn't expecting you home until tomorrow afternoon. Is everything all right?"

He jerked his eyes away from another fantasy and cleared his throat. "Yes, just fine. We finished a little early. I didn't want to miss Alexis's recital, so I caught the last train tonight." She squinted her eyes at him, trying to figure him out.

"Rick, her recital isn't until 7 PM. You would have made it without rushing home in the middle of the night."

He caught her eye then and tried to convey his feelings with a look. That same tension that accompanied his unbridled feeling sizzled in the room between them. Kate saw the longing in his look and felt her pulse start to race, flushing her cheeks. Rick set the ice pack down on the table and reached for her hand, entwining her fingers with his own.

"I know. I just couldn't wait. I...um...well, to be honest, I...missed you."

He looked intensely into her eyes, trying to gauge her reaction to his words. Many emotions seemed to pass across her face in a brief moment. She was surprised, but then she smiled, a look of pure love. He stared at her, wishing he could freeze time and enjoy that look forever. Eventually, her smile weakened as the look in her eye morphed into desire, fanning his cravings into a huge, roaring flame.

He kept eye contact as he leaned in to kiss her, but stopped at the sadness that suddenly appeared on her face. Confused, he sat back. What happened?

Kate dropped her eyes to her hands to hide the tears threatening to overpower her. Abruptly, she stood and moved to retrieve her mug from the counter.

Confused, he got up to follow her. Rick stopped just behind her and couldn't resist sliding his arms around her waist and hugging her from behind.

"Kate, what's wrong?" His comforting gesture allowed a single sob to escape before she reigned in her emotions. She just shook her head, unable to speak. "Are the children all right?"

She nodded her head. She knew she should tell him about Mackenzie, but she didn't have the heart to say the words out loud to him, not tonight. "You know you can talk to me anytime you're ready?"

Kate just nodded. He tightened his arms protectively around her and buried his face in her hair. It felt so good to hold her like this; comforting her as he'd wanted to since that first night in the hospital. They stood together, unmoving, for a long while.

As the minutes passed, Rick realized that he needed to move away from her soon or he wouldn't be able to control himself. He started to pull his hands back, but Kate grabbed his arms tightly, unwilling to let him go yet. She rested her head back against his shoulder and closed her eyes, sighing.

At that point, Rick lost the battle against his own imagination, his mind starting to race about the softness of her skin, the curve of her waist or the smell of her hair. By tipping her head, his nose now rested just against her neck behind her ear and he could smell her subtle perfume every time he took a breath.

He couldn't resist. Pulling his body away slightly, he slid his hands back to rest on her hips and started placing a series of soft kisses on her neck. Kate felt her mouth dry as a heat erupted within her at the soft feel of his lips on her skin. When she could speak, she tried to distract him.

"Um...you must be exhausted. Can I...can I get you anything? Coffee or co..cocoa?" His hands tightened on her waist, pulling himself closer to her back, he nuzzled her neck before answering.

"I don't want anything." He left a trail of butterfly kisses around the shell of her ear. He let out a sigh. "Except you."

With that, she felt his mouth, hot and moist against her neck, below her ear. She immediately felt the scorching heat pass through her whole body as he suckled her neck. Both his hands and his mouth began to descend and she closed her eyes against the sensations.

After the emotional day she'd had, she couldn't resist him. She gasped at the feeling of his body pressing into her from behind. No one she'd ever known had excited her this way, his touch gentle and stimulating. His passion for her made her feel incredibly sexy and beautiful. When his hands reached her bare thighs, a husky moan escaped her lips.

She turned within his embrace and took his mouth, grabbing his head with both hands. He met her aggressive kiss and pulled her body tightly against his. Rick lost himself when she moaned his name. He felt desperation from her, her kisses increasing in intensity and pace until they both gasped for air. Rick started to bite at her chin and jaw as he moved back the sensitive spot on her neck that always drove her crazy.

When she started running her hands down his sides to his backside and moving her body against him, he knew he had to slow things down. Oh, but it felt good!

"Um, Kate? I...ah...oohhh, I need...to...mmmpphh..." Rick drew back enough to look into her eyes. He pulled his hands up to hold her face and reigned in his breathing. He needed to tell her, even if she didn't feel the same. "Kate, wait. Since we met, you've brought happiness, laughter and love back into my life, into all of our lives. I need you to know how much I love you."

She closed her eyes as new tears formed there. Even as her life started to fall apart, something as wonderful as this could happen. She reached up to run her fingers along the stubble on his cheek as the thoughts flew furiously through her mind. Tell him! one voice urged. I can't! another sadly wailed. She looked into his eyes and desperately tried to form the words. Nothing came. Finally, she gave up and attacked his mouth again.

She wanted to feel him touch her everywhere, as the force of their kisses increased. She felt him run his hands down her sides to her thighs, then brush his fingertips in small circles up underneath her shirt to caress her bare back. She couldn't believe the abandon he had with her.

Deep down, Rick knew that he shouldn't let this happen tonight. Something had happened while he was gone and he didn't want to take advantage of her in an emotional state.

Just then, the stair light flicked on and they heard footsteps coming down towards the kitchen. Kate drew back as Rick pulled his hands down and straightened her nightshirt. He gave her a regretful and bashful grin.

As he started to move away, she reached up to rest her hand against his jaw and placed a sweet kiss on the other cheek. He smiled. Although she couldn't tell him her feelings, he knew she cared for him too.

She lowered her hand just as Martha stepped down into the kitchen.

"Oh, Richard, you're home."

Martha took in the proximity of her son to Kate, as well as his mussed hair and her flushed face, and wanted to kick herself for her poor timing. At the same time, she mentally did a happy dance for the developing romance. They needed each other, now more than ever.

"Good evening, Mother." Noticing the smug grin on his mother's face, he stammered, "I got home little while ago and was just on my way to bed."

I bet you were, Martha thought with glee. And not alone…

As if he could hear her thoughts, Rick blushed, cleared his throat and turned to Kate. "Thanks for the talk, Kate. Maybe we can finish our discussion in the morning?"

He gave her hand a little squeeze and left. Kate watched him go then turned to look at Martha who couldn't help but smile openly now. "You were having a 'discussion'?"

Kate nonchalantly picked up her cold cocoa and took it to the sink. "What do you mean? We often talk together after the kids have gone to bed."

Martha looked at her skeptically. "He didn't get that lipstick kissing the cab driver goodnight kiddo." Martha got a serious look on her face, and Kate knew what was coming. The smile vanished from her face as she sighed sadly, answering his next question before he could ask it.

"No, I couldn't tell him tonight. I'll break it to him tomorrow."

She gave her a hug and watched her retreat up the stairs before getting a snack and turning in for the night.