After having trekked what felt like 100 miles across the city of London for a meeting on an unseasonably warm Monday, Hannah was less than impressed when she was forced to wait for the lawyer who should have already been sitting with their client facing her on the other side of the conference table.

"I'm so sorry about this," Mr. Boyd apologised, and Hannah couldn't help but notice the exaggerated eye roll from his soon to be ex-wife seated beside her. "He'll be here soon," the man continued. "He texted me 10 minutes ago to say the traffic was clearing."

These weren't a set of clients she was used to dealing with, the Boyd divorce being one of the many cases previously belonging to Zander that she'd had to deal with in the two months since she'd temporarily taken over from him. Two months taking over for Zander also meant the same amount of time had elapsed since she'd given Christie the ultimatum of sorts regarding London and their relationship, but she tried not to think about that. The only communication they'd shared since were flirty texts; usually when she couldn't sleep and her bed still felt too big for one. Christie had made no mention of what she had said, and in turn, she too had avoided the subject, in part for fear of him giving an answer she didn't want to hear.

"That's OK, but I really don't have all day," Hannah explained to Mr. Boyd, glancing at her watch. "I can give you five more minutes-"

"Sorry I'm late," came a voice so familiar that Hannah didn't need to look up to know who it belonged to. She had heard that same voice for the first time over 25 years ago at a university party, and more recently, she had heard it whisper intimate words in her ear beneath hotel sheets; words that made up moments she found herself replaying in her head more often than she would like to admit.

"That's umm…" Hannah fumbled a little, pushing her hair behind her ears as she looked up. "It's fine, but I really don't have all day."

Hearing her voice, Christie finally looked her way, freezing in the process of taking files from his bag. "I er…" he stuttered. Clearly he had not been expecting to see her either, Hannah thought.

"OK, shall we get down to business?" Hannah asked, reengaging the work side of her brain as she took the reins and tried her best to steer things back on course. "We're here today to talk about division of assets."

"The penthouse," the Mrs. to Mr. Boyd spoke up. "I'm here because I want the New York penthouse."

Hannah sighed, already feeling exasperated with her client.

"Well, my client's New York penthouse was valued at," a now seated Christie said as he riffled through the papers in front of him. "Three million dollars. We've discussed it and he is willing to sell it and split the profits 70/30 in his favour, that is despite the fact the property was purchased by him alone some years before he even met your client."

"Bullshit," hissed a clearly unhappy Mrs. Boyd. "He wouldn't have been able to keep making those payments if I hadn't bailed him out before I even moved in with him."

Christie glanced towards his client, the look on his face telling Hannah he had no knowledge of this. Mr. Boyd shrugged in an admission of guilt, causing Christie to give a huffing sigh as he rubbed his temple. "You know what, my client and I are going to need a little time to…regroup and rethink things, so I think it might be best if we reschedule this for another day when we've all had a bit more time to go over any erm…new information."

"That's fine." Hannah nodded solidly as she set about gathering her things. "You know where to email me to arrange a new date," she told Christie with a curt nod of her head as she stood to leave.

"Hann-" Christie started before remembering where he was. "Ms. Defoe, could I have a word with you?"

Pursing her lips, Hannah nodded in agreement, quickly telling her client to meet her in the lobby. Mrs. Boyd exited the room in something of a dramatic fashion, her long suffering husband shuffling along behind in avoidance.

Once the room was clear, Christie let out a considerable breath as he stood with his hands on his hips and his legs apart. "I was…I was expecting Zander," he tried to explain as some sort of apology.

"I'm sitting in for him while he takes some time off, so…" Hannah informed him, finding it hard to meet his gaze as she shifted with a subtle unease.

"Hannah…" he said, leaning down slightly so their eyelines were more equal. "I was going to call you, it's just I didn't get in until late last night and they wanted me on this first thing this morning…"

"It's fine," she insisted with a shrug, trying her hardest to act like she wasn't hurt at all. "It's fine, you don't…owe me an apology."

"Look, can we meet later?" he asked hopefully. "I'm staying at the Garson again."

"Erm…" Hannah considered his offer, tempted to say no out of some silly feeling of spite. "Yeah, OK," she finally relented, seeing the look of pleading on his face.

"OK," he replied, smiling and clearly relieved. "See you about eight?"

"Eight," Hannah agreed with a nod, turning to exit lest there be a chance for any further awkwardness.

"So I had the Boyd meeting earlier," Hannah later informed Nina as she stood by the coffee machine and watched her sister pour coffee. "And Christie was there…"

"Wow," Nina said, placing the coffee pot down. "And he didn't tell you he was back in town?" she added, whispered as discreetly as she could.

"He…" Hannah took a deep breath. "He did not."

Nina grimaced. "Ouch," she muttered.

"He said he was going to call but he didn't get in until late last night. And," Hannah said with a cringe, "I might have…agreed to see him later."

"Hey, no judgement from me," Nina said, hands raised in a kind of surrender. "But I know you and I don't think you want to just be his fuck buddy when he's in town. You need to tell him that."

"Yeah," Hannah agreed with slight reluctance. "Look, I've got a conference call," she said as she started walking back to her office with her own coffee in hand, "but I'll text you later if I don't see you."

Nina nodded. "Good luck, I guess."

Asking after Christie at the Garson reception desk, Hannah was somewhat surprised to learn that he'd somehow managed to secure the exact same room he had had during those few days they'd spent together less than two months earlier. But then, she mused, Christie would be able to charm just about anything out of just about anyone, never mind the pretty young blonde on the front desk.

After taking a deep breath and exhaling through her mouth, Hannah knocked on room 701.

"Hey," Christie positively beamed as he opened the door, the top buttons of his shirt undone and his hair somehow artfully untidy. "Come in."

"You got the same room," Hannah commented as she entered. "That's impressive."

"Yeah, well," he said with a shrug after closing the door. "It's got some pretty good memories."

Smiling nervously, Hannah felt her cheeks flush. A barely audible "Huh," was the best she could respond with.

Taking a few steps towards her, Christie tilted her chin with his finger so she was looking up at him. "I've missed you."

Nodding silently, Hannah swallowed. Her eyes closed as his fingers brushed her jaw. Feeling the warmth of his breath on her lips, she inhaled shakily and parted her lips in anticipation of his mouth touching hers.

Christie had always been - among his many other assets - a great kisser. If she was honest, she replied that first stolen kiss they'd shared in the dark of her mother's garden the night before her wedding to Nathan as much as, if not more, than the sex itself.

His tongue running along the seam of her lips, she parted them further and let it tangle with her own. The waves of desire were beginning to lap at her feet and threatening to overtake her, she knew she needed to stop before she could think better of it.

"I can't do this," Hannah said, pulling away and placing her hand flat on his chest. "I'm not just going to be your…" She searched a second for the right words, but ultimately decided the term used by Nina earlier was the best there was. "Your fuck buddy whenever you're in town. I want more than that. I thought you did, too."

"Wait," Christie said, puzzled. "Oh, you thought…" He laughed, but Hannah still looked perplexed. "I'm not just back for this client, I'm back for good."

"What?"

"I managed to get transferred to the London office, so this is me. Obviously I won't stay in the hotel forever, this is just until I sort something more permanent out."

Hannah shook her head in confusion, eyes screwed up. "But I hadn't spoken to you - really spoken to you - since I asked you…"

"I kind of wanted to surprise you," he told her with a tinge of bashfulness, "but then you turned up in that meeting. Plus, I didn't think it needed saying," he added with a shrug. "Of course I was always going to come back here for you. I love you."

"I…" Lost for words, Hannah just looked at him, still slightly overwhelmed.

"That is…" Christie added, only just now thinking to question himself. "If the offer still stands? If you still want me here…"

"Yes," Hannah answered quickly on pure instinct. "Yes, of course I do," she added, more certain.

Grinning, Christie sighed with relief before leaning in and giving her a long, overdue kiss.

"Here," he said, taking her hands in his for them both to be seated at the end of the bed. "I need you to know, I thought about it, and you're right, New York was a fantasy. But I realised that I don't want the fantasy, I want the real you - all of you."

Hannah smiled as he squeezed her fingers, bringing her hands to his face and kissing her knuckles.

"I want the you that includes your kids and your sisters and your mother," he continued. "I want the you that includes you missing dinner because you have to work late or attend a parents' evening. I want arguments about…whose turn it is to empty the dishwasher and take the rubbish out. I even want to be…" He smiled remembering the conversation they'd had on the rooftop what now felt like lifetimes ago. "I want to be bored by you. I want all of that, all of you. I want a life with you, a real life."

"Me too," Hannah agreed readily. "I…" She paused, never being great when it came to saying a certain three words that cracked open her chest and exposed her heart. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Christie said with an ear-to-ear grin. "So much."

They both laughed, feeling more like a pair of teenagers than grown adults. Cupping her face, he brought her lips to his for a solid kiss of affirmation.

"So, we're doing this?" Christie asked, his face still so close to hers.

Hannah nodded steadily, lips pursed before she broke into a smile. "We're doing this."