And the road not taken looks real good now

And it always leads to you…

-Taylor Swift "Tis the Damn Season"

His lips brushed over her forehead, and she leaned into his warmth. Suddenly she had a thought. "How'd you get Jorge to let you up here anyway?"

He chuckled and briefly pulled away. He reached for something he dropped on the couch back. He held out his badge and a case file.

She looked closer at the official looking file. "Are those Wo Hop menus?"

"Yeah I hoped he wouldn't try to take a closer look." He grinned that grin that always elicited a smile in return.

"You're such an idiot," she breathed and tossed the menus to the nearby counter.

His hands caught her hips and pulled her back into his embrace. "I know, but you love me for it." His lips brushed the corner of her mouth when he spoke, and her breath caught.

She swallowed and tried to steady her breathing. "I never said that." She meant the words to carry a teasing tone, but they came out breathy and desire filled.

One of his hands wandered from her hip and over her ass, pushing her more tightly against his pelvis. "Didn't have to." His eyes closed, and his lips ghosted her jaw. "I know."

"And what makes you think you know anything?" She teased before dragging an open mouth along his jaw. She smiled when his body shuddered, and his hand tightened on her ass.

"I may not know much, but I know you. " His voice registered just above a whisper. His lips brushed hers

"Do you now?" Her lips trailed lightly down his neck.

His other hand snuck beneath the back of her shirt, and he traced the contours of her spine. She felt her skin tingling, and her breathing became a little more erratic. "I do," he confirmed.

He pressed a kiss to her cheek and another lingering kiss to her jaw. "I know how you like your coffee…" he kissed her temple. "I know you can recite a person's Miranda rights in five different languages." Another kiss to her neck. "I know you remember every name of every victim you've sought justice for." Her breath caught when he pressed a sucking kiss to the junction of her neck and shoulders. "I know you love your son more than any person on the planet." Her eyes closed when his lips dropped lower. "I know that you can't sleep when a case involves a kid." He brushed her hair over her shoulder and kissed her chest, next to the compass dangling from her neck. "I know you're scared, and I know I hurt you." He pulled back so he could see her face. "And I know even though you're scared you're right here with me. You're in this." He kissed her lips softly. "That's how I know you love me." His fingers danced across the skin just beneath the hem of her shirt. His lips were next to his ear, and the low whisper sent waves of shivers through her body. "Tell me I'm wrong."

Her mouth felt dry, and it was almost embarrassing how erratic her breathing had become. She swallowed deeply before she found her voice to respond. "You're not wrong," she whispered.

He pulled back slightly with a crooked smile. "Didn't think so."

Sometimes she hated how infuriatingly smug he could be. She hated it, but she loved it too. Rather than push for more banter, she kissed him deeply. Her palms laid flat against his chest, and she clearly felt the uptick in the rhythm of his beating heart.

She found herself smiling behind the kiss, and he suddenly pulled back with a chuckle. "What?"

She dipped her head down, resting her forehead against his chin. "I'm not sure you could be more obvious if you tried," she laughed lightly.

"What do you mean?" He almost sounded offended.

She kissed his neck and his breath caught, making her laugh a little more. "You don't exactly have a good poker face stabler."

She expected a well timed retort, but instead he leaned into her accusation. "I don't when it comes to you. Not sure I ever did," he admitted. His hands crept beneath her shirt, fingers lightly sliding over the bones of her spine. "Guess that's why there were always rumors huh? It was more than a little obvious how I felt about you."

Her heart beat faster, and suddenly she felt the need to hear those words leave his lips. She needed to have that verbal reassurance, that this wasn't some insane dream. He loved her. He was staying. "Tell me. Please."

Without hesitation he brushed a light kiss over her cheek bone. "I love you," his voice quivered with conviction. "I've loved you for, God Liv, I've loved you forever." His lips crept down, brushing over her jaw line. "You are everything, I want you." His admission left her breathless. "I don't want anyone else. You are all I ever wanted, needed." He let out a long slow breath. "I'm tied to you, and I will never leave you, never ever again."

The words barely left his mouth when she surged forward, gripping his shirt and sealing her lips over his.

He responded in kind, tongue instantly finding hers in a passion filled dance that stoked the fire smoldering in her belly.

Much as the night previous, clothing began hitting the floor as she pressed him in the direction of her bedroom. Hers hit the ground first, with his following closely behind. For a moment he paused, taking a step back. She felt his eyes raking over her skin, as if he wanted to commit every inch of her to his memory. Without warning he pulled her against him firmly so their bare chests were pressed together, and she could feel the beating of his heart, perfectly in time with hers. Always so in sync. Two halves of the same soul.

"I love you." The words escaped her lips without thought, without planning. She waited for the inevitable panic, but it never came. It felt natural, right. It felt like words she should have been saying to him all along.

The emotion that filled his eyes brought tears to her own. He leaned towards her, kissing her slowly and full of meaning. He loved her too. She had never been more certain of anything in her life.

"Take me to bed Elliot," she whispered.

Without hesitation, he scooped her into his arms and carried her to her room, kicking the door behind him.

-000-

The evening sunset streamed through the windows, tinting the room in a wash of pink and orange. The heavy weight of Elliot's arm anchored her against the mattress. Normally the feeling would make her feel trapped or panicked, but it didn't. Instead she felt warm. She felt safe. The world that had long been awash in a dull sort of gray now radiated a soft glow of color. It wasn't jarring. It wasn't loud. It was the perfect sort of glowing rightness she had never felt before. The feeling was difficult to label, but if she tried, she thought it sort of felt like peace .

Thank you for your comments. It's what makes this process fun. I love engaging with my readers!