[A/N: I'd like to dedicate this to the TWO WHOLE REVIEWS I got for chapter one. I'm watching you, those who follow this. I'm watching you closely. Enjoy and p.l.e.a.s.e review.]

The First Time

Her long, blond hair tied back in a ponytail and half of her face covered by her black-framed glasses, CC Babcock tapped her pen against the legal pad perched on her lap. Sara had assured her, even promised her, that she wouldn't remain a secretary forever and that what her husband truly needed was a business partner with a sharp mind for actual business. But it had been a year and a half since CC had graduated college and found employment with Sheffield Productions and she was becoming concerned that her double-major in economics and business and the clout that came with the name Babcock was taking her nowhere in this business when she'd already be junior partner in nearly any other.

The shrewd, quick mind that dwelled in young CC was so painfully bored by its employment that she'd often find herself imagining different scenarios in her head. If Sheffield Productions were in the midst of a play, CC would plan things differently from the way Maxwell did it and always to successful results. If Maxwell disagreed with her, CC plotted ways to implement her decisions without Max discovering. It would be another several months before CC dared to do any of the things she planned but once she did, she never went back: Maxwell never noticed anything anyhow.

Surprisingly, her mind traveled another path too, and it began running down that path in earnest when the butler entered the room with mugs of tea for Maxwell and CC. He sneered as he passed it to CC and she glared in return. She'd endured his hostility ever since she'd started working here and in her defense, she had no idea why he disliked her so much. Servants had never taken warmly to her since her mother had taught her the derisive way in which Babcocks were to interact with the help, but this one seemed to hate her and it seemed to be personal.

And for whatever reason, this aroused CC immensely.

This butler was unlike any she'd met before—near Maxwell's age, he wasn't old and he wasn't stuffy. CC knew he possessed a sarcastic mouth and a quick wit, and he was even personable and friendly with Sara and Maxwell. He reserved his antagonistic behavior for her but Sara had laughed it off, her eyes twinkling, claiming that this was just how Niles played.

Well, CC noticed as the months passed by, Niles didn't seem to play with anyone else like he played with her, and it wasn't long before CC started to yearn for him to actually play with her. These thoughts were initially greeted with horror but soon, spurred on by CC's inherently rebellious nature, CC explored these strange feelings and started to wonder if Niles didn't feel something similar, too.

These thoughts currently plagued her as CC twirled the end of her ponytail around her fingers, quickly stopping when she noticed the girlish behavior. She forced herself to focus on her boss (the lingering aftertaste of that word made CC want to swirl Listerine) as he enumerated the various things he'd accomplished that day. CC refrained from asking if he wanted a cookie in celebration.

Instead, she stopped tapping her pen and began making a list of the things Maxwell had just told her, understanding that she would need to overlook and fix any mistakes he'd made. At least she'd be able to do something productive that day.

"Well, CC, I'm going to take Sara to dinner," Maxwell announced, clapping his hands together. He had an ingratiating habit of doing this, as though he were an influential politician whose every movement and every thought required accompaniment and flourish. "You'll be heading out soon, I suppose?"

"Soon. I have a few faxes I want to send," CC lied smoothly. Maxwell smiled appreciatively at her as he bid her goodnight, closing the office door behind him.

And so CC set to work, calling backers purportedly to check in but in reality to weasel out whatever they'd discussed with Maxwell so that CC could make tiny adjustments if necessary. When that was accomplished, she slid several contracts out of their manila homes to cross out Maxwell's suggested changes and insert her own. She'd just stacked them again neatly when the door opened and Niles stepped in. He seemed only slightly surprised to still see her there.

"Fixing Mr. Sheffield's mistakes?" Niles asked casually as he rounded up the empty tea mugs and a small plate with crumbs.

Momentarily surprised that he knew what she was doing, CC shrugged it off as easily as a loose sweater. "As though it's any of your business," CC responded in an impeccable imitation of her mother's loftiest, coldest voice.

"Oh, look at the young socialite, all dressed up in mama's feathers," Niles remarked.

And now CC was truly stumped. Was he some sort of magician? Could he read her mind? "Don't you have a toilet to scrub somewhere?" she snapped, the loft in her voice deflating into something harsher and more CC.

She thought she saw a small smile on his face but it was gone so quickly that she supposed he made it vanish, crazy magician that he apparently was. "No, right now I have to take out the trash. Out you go, Babcock."

For some reason, his familiar use of her last name and the way his voice dripped sarcasm all over it aroused her. Perhaps she did need therapy; after all, it was becoming rather vogue on the Upper East Side.

"How dare you," she simpered, the arousal ignited ridding her of her verbal sparring capabilities.

"Such a witty comeback from a secretary," Niles remarked.

Now anger mixed with her stimulation to form lava through her veins. She stepped around the desk and bent over near him to grab her bag off the floor; she smiled maliciously as she saw his body jerk away from hers. Perhaps her suspicions weren't entirely off base.

"Well, Niles," CC said, her voice softening, starting a dangerous game, "maybe I need a few lessons from an acid tongue." She yearned to watch his reaction but knew it would be more effective if she walked off right then. She grinned brightly when she heard his footsteps following her.

Niles set the empty mugs and plate on a side table, forgotten. "So the almighty CC Babcock needs help from the butler?"

CC could hear the throw in his voice, the attempt to lasso her before she neared the closet and the front door. She stopped just as she reached the edge of the living room and spun on her heel. Her ponytail flew behind her and draped around her collarbone.

"Such a presumptuous little butler," she remarked, dropping her bag on the couch. She stepped towards him and he her, so that they met right near the coffee table. "I never said the tongue I needed was yours."

"Come on, Babcock," Niles said, and CC wondered if he knew the physical reaction his use of her last name caused. She wouldn't put it past him; he would use his mind-reading capabilities for evil. "My tongue could teach you a lot."

There could be no mistaking it anymore: she'd started the game but he'd played along so willingly, too willingly, for it to only be caused by one comment from her. She allowed a small smile to crease her face and she saw Niles's eyes drop down to her mouth. A thrill of victory surged through her.

"Maybe it could. You are such a good servant, after all," she tossed back, her body unconsciously arcing towards his. She saw Niles' tongue gently tracing the bottom row of his teeth and knew that he wasn't doing it intentionally, but still—CC thought that tongue could teach her a lesson or two.

They'd reached an impasse, of sorts: either retreat or leap. CC knew she could never make the leap, not with him, not here, not the first time, and Niles knew it too. So it was up to him, and the flush Niles could see from the v of CC's button-down told him that she would make no objections if he took it further. And yet he hesitated, just a moment, possibly understanding that something would forever be changed if he took that step forward. But another moment later, a small, pent-up sigh escaped CC's mouth—if it hadn't been silent in the house, he would never have heard it—and Niles slid an arm around her waist, dragged her against him, and kissed her fully.

His tongue did seem intent on teaching her something as it slid into her mouth and attempted to subdue her own, but CC fought back with as much enthusiasm as she had, spurred on by Niles' fingers digging into her hip. He brought the other hand up to the side of her face, gripping the end of her ponytail. He was simultaneously rough and gentle, the fingers on her hip nearly bruising her while the thumb against her cheek moved softly on her skin. He seemed determined to keep her off-kilter, not allowing her to orient her senses.

All at once, CC needed to feel his skin, needed him to feel hers, needed to figure out if the rest of him was as smooth as his thumb. She reached for the shirt tucked under his belt just as he pulled her shirt out of her pants and later that night and for years to come, CC would privately marvel at the synchronicity of their movements, their knowledge of each other from the first time.

She slid her palms against his torso and up his chest, delightfully feeling goosebumps erupt wherever she touched him. She knew he was experiencing the same thing with his hands on her skin, although much more clear thought was made impossible when Niles unhooked her bra and slid one of his hands against her breast in a fluid second. She felt it respond to his touch immediately, felt the pinching pleasure that nearly bordered on discomfort at how amazingly enjoyable it was for his hands to be on her.

Dimly she recognized that there was a fever rising in her and it was nearly reaching a frenzy. She couldn't recall if she'd ever been aroused this quickly before but also couldn't recall what her middle name was, so for the first time in her life, CC felt her brain switch off and hand the reins to sensation so that she was little more than active nerve-endings riding a wave of pleasure that, really, had been brought on only by a kiss and Niles's hands upon her.

She felt him against her thigh and slid one hand down to grip him outside of his pants, the gasp of surprise at how hard he was nearly drowned out by a throaty groan emanating from Niles. She leaned forward to kiss him again, already missing the sensation in its five-second absence. Niles slid his hands from her bum to the fastenings of her pants, pausing momentarily in the way only a gentleman still in charge of his faculties could. He was allowing her another chance to change her mind and if CC could have, she would have laughed at his belief, however small, that she might not want what was about to happen.

To assure him and to expedite the process, CC reached forward, her lips still fused to his, and unhooked the button and slid down the zipper, pushing down his pants and boxers in one motion. Niles slid down her pants, too, much more vigorous now that she'd given her consent. She felt the tip of his hard length against the softness of her belly and she wrapped her hand around him, sliding it up and down for a few strokes before Niles seized her by the waist and guided her towards the couch.

He lowered her onto the couch and reared above her, taking no more than a few seconds to memorize her face, before he kissed her lips and slid into her. She gasped again, breathing it into Niles's mouth, and braced her palms on his shoulders as he moved against her. Explosions were occurring, in her and around her and everywhere, and she floated along, bumping pleasantly against sensation after sensation as she felt his length slide in and out of her. She felt a slight building within her and wondered if she'd come like this, even though she'd never been able to before.

Niles continued to move in her and pressed his cheek against her so that his warm breath cascaded against her ear and neck. Surely he could hear the noises CC was making in her throat, that were bubbling up her mouth, but for once she didn't care, for the louder she became, the faster Niles moved. It might have been seconds or minutes or hours or days, but eventually Niles cupped her hip with his right hand, angling her slightly, and CC finally cried out loud, releasing the noises she'd been bottling the entire time. A moment after this, Niles groaned again and came so powerfully that he had to steady himself against her, pressing his weight against her more than he had yet. CC relished the warm, sturdy feel of him, even if he made it a little difficult for her to breathe like this.

Moments later, when the echoes of their passion had faded, Niles slid out of her and off of her, pulling up his pants and focusing all of his attention on the zipper and buttons. He looked bashful, CC thought, as she slid forward and mimicked his movements, and CC thought she knew why.

Grabbing her bag, CC stepped closer to him and his eyes automatically flickered up to hers. A naughty half-smile played about her lips as she said, "You owe me one," before walking to the closet, grabbing her coat, and leaving the house.