After Rachel and Jessica win Leonard Bailey's case and he is exonerated, a whirlwind of events are set into motion. Mike can't decide whether or not he wants to take Harvey's job offer, Jessica ends up leaving the firm for Chicago, and Harvey and Louis are in a tailspin, trying to salvage what's left of the firm. Rachel tries to into the office to help them, but they don't seem to want her help. They tell Mike to hold off on deciding until they can resume some internal stability within the firm, and with Rachel's semester ending and both of them currently unemployed, they are both left to ponder their next moves.
"We should take a vacation," Rachel says out of the blue early one morning.
"Do you really think that's a good idea considering we may both be unemployed soon?" Mike replies.
"I think it's the best idea I've ever had," she answers. "Mike, we've never gone away together, and this is the perfect opportunity. Let's just get out of the city, go somewhere we can relax and enjoy each other. Don't you think we deserve it?"
"It's not a question of whether or not we deserve it, Rachel. It's a question of whether or not we should go. Do we even have enough money saved for this?" he wonders.
"I do," she answers, "Because I saved a bunch by moving in here with you especially since you wouldn't let me pay for anything. Please Mike, let me do this for us."
He finally agrees, and she excitedly begins planning their trip. She's able to find everything at discount due to the last minute nature of the trip, and soon their bags are packed and they are on a plane headed for Jamaica. He quickly falls asleep on the flight, and she's left to her thoughts. She gazes at his handsome, sleeping face and marvels at how they got to this point together. This truly is the first time that they'll spend together away from all the stress of the law firm, his secrets, and her hectic schedule. She takes his hand in hers as he smiles in his sleep, and falls into a slumber nestled into his side.
They land on the island and make their trek from the airport to their hotel. It's warm and humid, and she can't wait to slip into her swimsuit and lounge by the pool. Since they rested a bit on the plane, they are both eager to start the vacation right. They quickly change into their clothes and head back outside.
When they reach the pool they find a couple of lounge chairs and spread out their towels. Mike immediately pulls off his t-shirt and kicks off his flip flops. Rachel narrows her eyes as she observes several women checking out her fiance's muscular build as he dons his sunglasses and leans back to soak up the rays. Rachel pulls off her cover up to reveal a white bikini. She rummages through the bag that she brought with them and removes a bottle of sunscreen.
"You should really put some of this on," she tells Mike. "You're as pale as a ghost."
He laughs, "Well excuse me for being deprived of sun for months," he kids as he sits up and reaches for the bottle. "But first let me help you." He squeezes some of the lotion into his palms and rubs them together before reaching for her. He begins to massage the lotion into the skin on her back, taking extra care to reach under her suit. "You don't want to burn," he whispers seductively into her ear, causing her to shudder.
When he's finished, she makes a show of covering the rest of her exposed skin with the lotion, and she can tell she's turning Mike on as he can't take his eyes off her. He shifts uncomfortably in the lounge chair and takes several deep breaths before turning to her. "Do you want something to drink?" he asks, and she nods. He heads over to the bar and her eyes are not the only ones watching his retreating form. She watches as a group of young women ogle her man, a few of them giggling as he stands by the bar. One of them approaches Mike and starts talking to him, and Rachel can hear the flirty giggle all the way from where she's sitting.
Again, the throng of women watch as her man returns to her bearing drinks for both of them. She takes note of the way his blue swim trunks perfectly match his eyes, and how muscular he's gotten from his prison workout regimen. She bites her lip, takes a long sip from her drink before setting it down, and grabs Mike's hand.
"You know," she tells him in a low voice, licking her lips, "It's getting really hot out here."
His eyes rake over her body in the skimpy bikini, "It certainly is," he agrees, pulling her to him. Without warning, he scoops her up bridal style, giving her a quick peck on the lips before throwing her into the pool. She is laughing as she resurfaces, splashing him as he jumps in to join her. She observes the way the water cascades down his bare chest as he shakes out the excess from his hair. Once she confirms that they have an audience, Rachel swims to him and snakes her arms around his neck.
"You are in so much trouble," she whispers, kissing him passionately as she wraps her legs around his waist. She can immediately feel his body responding to her and she smiles into the kiss, knowing all of those women are watching them.
"Rachel," he manages to get out between kisses, "People are watching," he adds.
"Let them watch," she replies, grinding herself into him. He lets out a low moan, pressing himself against her, his lips descending to her neck. Rachel opens her eyes and sees the disappointed looks of the other women, and it only spurs her on.
"They're all looking at you," he says, breaking the kiss and looking into her eyes intently.
She laughs, "No, they're looking at you," she corrects.
"It must be because we're so hot," he jokes and she laughs. "But seriously, let's go back upstairs and finish what you started."
Her heart is pounding in excitement the way it did when they were first together as they hastily get out of the pool and collect their things before practically running to the elevator. His lips are on hers again before the elevator doors have completely shut and because of the sunscreen and the chlorine, he carries her to the shower rather than messing up the clean bed. He presses her against the cool tile, her moans of pleasure echoing in the hotel bathroom. They are both spent and trying to catch their breaths when she looks over at him and starts laughing.
"What?" he asks, "Don't tell me I didn't just rock your world."
"Oh, you did," she agrees, "That's not why I'm laughing. I'm just thinking that I've never been this happy before. I've never felt this…free."
"Me neither," he said, "And damn, you look hot in bikini. How have I never seen you in one before? Every guy near you wanted you."
"Every girl near you wanted you," she amends, smiling back at him.
"You make me so happy," he tells her. "I've always thought something was missing, obviously because something was, and then I've just felt out of place since then, until I met you. And you just accept me for who I am."
She doesn't say anything for a moment. She turns to him, "Claire said something to me a while ago, and I can't stop thinking about it. She said that you hadn't turned your life around. She also said that you were fooling me into thinking that everything was going to be ok."
Mike's smile disappears instantly from his face, "Yeah well she also told me that if I really loved you I wouldn't marry you."
Rachel frowns, contemplative, "You know that isn't true. We're in love. But I couldn't help but wonder if she knew you better as you were before, like Jenny did. You never really talk about your past, except for your parents."
He sighs, "I'm not proud of who I was before I met you. I was nobody. I was heading nowhere. I was smoking pot every day to forget how much of a failure I had become. If you had met that Mike, you wouldn't be marrying me right now."
"You don't know that," she responds. "Do you think I only love you because you're a lawyer? Or because you made a lot of money at the firm?"
He doesn't respond for a moment, "No, I don't think it was about that. But you can't honestly tell you would have fallen in love with me, Rachel. I was a bike messenger. I had nothing to offer you."
"Yes you did," she insists, "You had your heart. And your beautiful, brilliant mind. Mike, I don't care how successful you are. And whether or not you take this job with Harvey, it doesn't matter. Because you'll still be you."
He takes her hand and squeezes it. "You know I spent a lot of time feeling sorry for myself. I used my parents' death as an excuse at times, a crutch. I knew people would pity me. And I guess I didn't know how to handle it when I got expelled from Harvard. I sort of just gave up for a while. And then Harvey came along and gave me this opportunity of a lifetime and I just jumped at it. You know I gave everything I had to working at Pearson Specter Litt. I just wish I could do it legitimately."
"You can," she replies, "Because you're going to be a consultant now, not a lawyer. So you can't go to court anymore, at least you'll…"
"You don't get it!" he snaps, taking a deep breath to steady himself, "I was a great lawyer, right?"
"The best," she says immediately.
"And now I can't do it anymore. A consultant? I just don't know if I want to do that. Working with Harvey was the first time in my life that I felt challenged, that I felt like I was making a difference. And on one hand I don't want to give that up, but on the other…"
"You only want to do it the right way," she continues for him.
"Yeah," he answers. "Which seems stupid especially after I just went to prison for doing it the wrong way," he laughs halfheartedly.
"No it makes perfect sense," she tells him.
"I just want our kids to be able to look at me one day and be proud. I don't want them to see a fraud or a failure. I want to be the man that you and they deserve," he says.
"I know, and you will be, because you already are," she assures him.
He kisses her softly before taking her hands in his. "Ready to go to dinner?" he asks and she nods. The resort has many restaurants on the property, so they choose a more formal one and dress up for the evening. He is dressed in a dark suit and light blue shirt, and she chooses a burgundy dress and heels. The restaurant is incredibly romantic, with soft piano music playing in the background and a fantastic view of the moonlit beach. They end up talking all night about anything and everything, and after they finish the last bite of their dessert he extends his hand to her.
"Care to dance?" he asks, and she smiles, standing and taking his hand.
As it turns out, each of them were correct about both men and women staring at them as they moved around the dance floor in a slow, rhythmic waltz with no discernable space between them. Rachel looks up at him, his eyes shining in the moonlight as he looks into her eyes.
"You're so beautiful," he tells her.
"Ditto," she answers, earning a smile from him. And as his lips meet hers, the murmur of their audience is audible even to the couple in their own little world. He grins cheekily as his lips descend to her neck.
"If a show is what they want, then let's give them one," he winks at her, capturing her lips once more with his own.
A/N: Sorry for the delay. I kept trying to write this and stopping because I didn't really like it. I decided to post it anyway, but let me know your thoughts. Not sure where to go with this next. Please review!