She woke up panicked because he was suffocating her. Her face was pressed to his chest, and he'd somehow rolled half on top of her in his sleep. She squirmed and pushed her way free.

"Liz…" he mumbled. "What…?"

"You're crushing me," she chuckled, turning in his embrace.

"Mmph," he made a sympathetic sound. "Sorry." He slung a lazy arm over her hip and pulled her into a spooning position. She snuggled back against him and sighed, trying to regain blissful unconsciousness.

But then he buried his face into her neck and inhaled, slowly, deeply, purposefully, until his lungs were filled with her scent. He held his breath, held her essence inside of him until he burned for air, then released her from his chest. She could feel him exhale behind her, felt his chest recede against her back. She shivered as the gust of his breath passed over the hairs at the base of her neck.

He wrapped himself around her without hesitation. Held her tightly, savoring, cherishing her closeness. She was helpless to resist his affection. She curled up in his embrace and sighed in satisfaction.

"You feel good," he rumbled sleepily.

"You too," she whispered. "How's your head?"

"Much better," he muttered.

"That's a relief," she sighed. He hummed in agreement. "Do you need anything? Some more water?" she rolled in his arms and buried her face in his chest sleepily. "You must be hungry," she murmured.

"I'm fine, Lizzie," he sighed contentedly and kissed the top of her head. "You're sweet to fuss over me, thank you."

She tucked in against him, head on his chest, one arm over his torso. He immediately wrapped his arms around her tightly. She listened to the soft thump of his heart and whoosh of each deep breath in and out of his lungs. They lay like that together, quiet and blissful, for several satisfying moments.

His fingers were making soothing circles on whatever parts of her back they could reach. She hummed in appreciation, turned her head and pressed a quick kiss to his collarbone. She caught his gaze as she pulled away. His expression was wistful.

She smiled up at him kindly, crossed her arms on his chest and rested her chin atop them. "Hey," she breathed.

"Hello," he whispered back, a slow grin spreading across his face. He reached down and cupped her cheeks with his hands. He ran the pads of his thumbs over her features, then moved one hand to smooth a few locks of her hair long dark hair from her face. "I rarely sleep soundly, but that was a glorious nap," he mumbled.

"Mmm," she hummed in agreement "Were we asleep for long?"

She felt him shift his arm against her to check his watch.

"It's about one-thirty," he replied. "Almost two hours."

She tilted her head to the side and reached up to brush her hand across his jaw and up over his brow. He turned his face to brush his lips lightly against the soft flesh of her wrist. She sighed in pleasure and pressed a kiss to his chest. He smiled down at her happily and she grinned up at him in response.

"I need you to know," he cleared his throat lightly, suddenly sober, determinedly addressing the matter at hand. "How very much I care for you."

"I know," she propped herself up a little on his chest, sensing the shift in mood and his serious tone. "I know you do…and you know that I feel the same way, right?" she watched his expression carefully.

"I do," he sighed. "Though I'm…having difficulty with that knowledge."

"Tell me why," she whispered invitingly, soothingly, snuggling against him. "Tell me why you're struggling, Red."

He watched her for a moment, his mouth working away in thought.

"You're gonna bite your inside cheeks raw," she smiled softly, brushing her thumb across the corner of his grimace. "Relax a little…You can tell me. I'm listening."

She knew right away that this wasn't going to be a typical conversation. Already his composure was cracked, his expression morphing as he sorted through his thoughts.

"I've told myself a number of lies over the years to justify my role in your life—my interference in your life," he sighed. "I thought that as long as it was solely about maintaining your safety as Masha Rostova, and utilizing your profiling skills to go after my list, what I was doing was for the best. I told myself that you were just another of my associates—a talent I'd collected and would cultivate for the greater good," he frowned and looked away in shame. "Your ability to read people was useful to me, and you could potentially lead me to the Fulcrum…perhaps I'd even be doing you a favor, using my criminal status to advance your career," he paused and shook his head at his own arrogance and looked at her beseechingly. "But it was more than that…I wanted to know you."

"I was aware," she muttered ironically. "On day one, Zamani told me you were obsessed with me."

"I was obsessed with you. Obsessed with your safety, your well-being. We had both lost your mother," his mouth twisted in sadness. "And both survived that terrible fire…Our lives were entwined, but I imagined a connection between us that didn't really exist," he looked ashamed. "And my feelings for you, Elizabeth…they aren't exactly healthy or rational. Obsessive—it's an apt description."

He sat up a little bit so that his back was on the pillows and the headboard. He pulled her up along with him and tucked her in against his side. She allowed herself to be so—tucked, then leaned away slightly so she could read his expressions while he continued.

"Speaking of the unhealthy, I also have a terrible relationship history, as you well know," he sighed. "I could never be…can never be…traditional," he was biting his cheek again as he made these admissions. "I'm domineering, arrogant. I push at people until they break, Lizzie. I've yet to meet a woman who could…endure being the object of my affection. I don't want that for you," he said to the ceiling. "I feel ill when I think of repeating past mistakes with you."

"Then you've learned from those mistakes. You won't repeat them with me. You don't need to worry about that," she squeezed him. "Where you're domineering and arrogant, I'm equally as stubborn and impulsive," she chuckled darkly. "It's a perfect compliment of negative traits—You can't wear me down, you'll prevent me from being reckless, and I won't be afraid to knock you down a peg when you're on a tirade." she smiled.

He observed her for a moment, rolling the idea around in his mind. It was a wonderfully symbiotic thought. He indulged himself in a moment's fantasy of their future together, then frowned.

"But you want a husband, children, a home and a family. You can never have those things with me, Elizabeth—and I can't let you give them up," he growled, looking down at her in frustration.

"There's nothing to give up," she whispered. "Those were old dreams—naive, childish fantasies. I'm an FBI agent, currently a fugitive, and ultimately the daughter of Katarina and Constantine Rostova—I shot and killed my own father. I am the last person in the world who should be having a child and living in a house with a white picket fence, pretending to be normal," she scoffed, and Red winced.

"But Lizzie," he started.

"No, It's never going to be the same for me now. Those avenues are closed to me, and I don't grieve the loss—not in the slightest," she stated calmly. "That's not what I want anymore."

There was a moment of silence, each alone with their thoughts, each considering the others' words. Eventually, Red spoke.

"When you think about the future now, what do you see?" he murmured to her, his gaze intense, expression rapt.

"In the near future?" she frowned in thought. "You, me, taking on the Cabal together, kicking ass" she sighed and he laughed outright before stifling the sound. "We'll destroy our enemies somehow, clear my name, maybe make out a little bit…" she trailed off and grinned over at him coyly.

Red's rumbling chuckle shook them both momentarily. He learned down and pressed a quick peck to her lips, and she responded warmly. They were silent and still after, observing one another.

"And what about when all this is over?" He asked her evenly, his countenance bemused despite the significance of the question. "When you return to the FBI? To the task force, assuming it's still in existence?"

"Well, more of the same, I would expect," she smiled. "I mean, we might have to keep the making-out part to ourselves," she quipped, and grinned in relief when he cracked a smile.

"Lizzie," he huffed with repressed laughter. "Please…"

"I know, I know," she regained her composure. "I know it won't be that simple. Regardless," she frowned again in thought, choosing her words carefully. "I want you there. I need you there, with me, regardless of what happens." She sat up and turned to face him, to look him in the eye. "You're not going to break me, or taint me by your association."

He felt his heart nearly stop. Of course she would pinpoint his exact fear. He swallowed anxiously.

"Caring for you makes me vulnerable, and that terrifies me Elizabeth—for me and for you. I have enemies who will target you, who would hurt you to hurt me should our association become known. It goes against my every instinct to put you at risk like that."

"I'm pretty sure our association is known, Red—we're all over the news," she grinned, then held up her hands in supplication at his scowl. "I'm not discrediting your concerns. You're right—it's dangerous, but I'm not deterred."

He looked at her sadly, clearly disagreeing with her assessment.

She pulled away from him then, repositioned herself so she was cross-legged and facing him. She looked into his eyes, trying to read his expression.

"I want something better for you, I want someone better for you," he went on, biting out each word as though against his will. He too sat up and leaned towards her. "I'm too old and damaged to be the man you deserve. I'm the wrong choice for you," he frowned. "I don't understand why you would want this kind of relationship for yourself, or why you would choose me," he grimaced and stared down at the comforter.

"I could say the same," she ventured, carefully. "I don't understand why you would choose me…You're Raymond 'Red' Reddington, after all," she smirked. "Mr. Concierge of Crime himself. You've certainly made it no secret that you have your pick of women, all far more suited to you than I…"

Reddington rolled his eyes at her characterization and shook his head in steadfast denial.

"Why me, Ray?" Liz smiled sweetly. "I'm the wrong choice for you too."

He stared at her, aghast.

"You're far better than I deserve," he attempted to assure her.

"No, no, that's not what I meant—it's not a matter of what you deserve," she argued. "It's about you finding a partner to whom you're best suited. By most standards, we are incompatible, but you still wanted me, you still chose me," she sighed. "You came after me, determined to insert yourself into my life at whatever the cost—you're self-admittedly obsessed with me," she added teasingly, casually flicking a lock of her long dark hair over her shoulder while he shook his head in annoyance. "It seems like an awful lot of effort to go to for someone who's the wrong choice for you. And for what purpose?"

"To protect you," he answered quickly. "To get you away from Tom…to keep you safe."

"By strolling into FBI Headquarters in the most dramatic self-surrender ever?" she snorted in disbelief and he managed a small chuckle. "You wanted to get to me, you wanted to know me," she explained. "Right from the start, you pushed for a relationship with me. So," she continued, eyeing him critically. "You're either completely insane, a stalker, and I should run from you…" she trailed off and took a deep breath for courage. "Or you're in love with me, and for whatever reason, you can't just admit it."

She felt him immediately stiffen next to her. His expression was akin to panic. His grey green eyes bored into her blue ones, and she could see him chewing on the inside of his cheek, testing, assessing whether she was ready to hear him admit what she was sure she already knew.

"I have hesitated…" he began slowly. "To use that word with you—I didn't want to stress the somewhat tenuous relationship we have developed, especially given the already incredibly stressful circumstances, both current and impending."

"I understand. I've felt the same way," she responded kindly.

He studied her face hopefully for a few moments, then reached out, moved his hands through her hair and sighed.

"Elizabeth, every time I think about us, all I can think about are all the ways I've hurt you. For two years now, I've used you, your talent, your skills, to suit my own ends. And look at the chaos my influence has rendered!" he gestured dramatically to their surroundings and she winced at his tone. "To tell you that I love you on top of everything else—it's perverse!" he shook his head angrily, his mouth twisting bitterly. "Simply obscene."

"I understand why you feel that way…" she began in her calmest voice.

"Is that so, Counselor Keene?" he picked up on her placation immediately and leveled one eyebrow in her direction.

"And I share many of your same concerns," she continued on, flicking him a warning glance. "However, you're completely ignoring the free will and reckless abandon with which I've managed to destroy my own life, all by myself," she gestured dramatically to their surroundings in an exact imitation of him. "I made bad choices too. My mistakes? Even worse," she clucked her tongue and shook her head disparagingly, tears of shame coming to her eyes.

Red immediately moved to reassure her that her sins were slight compared to the magnitude of his own, but she immediately stopped him.

"I know you're going to say it's not so bad, that I'm not a monster, and you're the real monster…" she rehashed his same argument with a small spark of mischief in her eyes, but then she grew serious. "And then you're probably going to tell me a terrible story about a truly awful thing you did to someone, or a horrifying experience you had, to shock me and make me doubt you, and buy yourself time to…what?" she smiled sadly. "Convince yourself that you don't feel anything for me? Push me away and break both our hearts?"

He stared at her, slack-jawed at her frighteningly accurate reading of him. True, he had a code, but there were stories he could tell her…memories that, years later, still had him prowling around the house at 3 AM with a glass of scotch, too paranoid and haunted to sleep. She was exactly right. And now, it was something they had in common—what a terrible irony.

"You know," she interjected when she saw his mind working furiously behind his expression of surprise. "You reminded me earlier—when you said you were jumping into my life to help my career—I used to be really good at my job," she sighed. "I was happy and satisfied with the work that we did."

"Oh, Lizzie, no," he groaned in dismay. "That was a horrible excuse I used to justify what I was doing…"

"Yes, yes, but that doesn't mean it wasn't also true…I was, at one point, a board-certified psychologist and a fairly decent profiler," she looked over him in disbelief.

"An excellent profiler," he muttered under his breath.

"You told me, on that first day—that first, ridiculous day—that you were going to make me famous…" she continued. Red winced.

"Yes, and look how well that turned out," he snapped at her bitterly, thrusting his chin in the direction of the television.

She held up her hand and shushed him.

"What you meant, what you actually did offer, was an opportunity…and I should have handled it better. But I was too hung up on Tom, and I was too busy resenting you to really appreciate…"

"No, no," Red was shaking his head vehemently. "That's not how it goes—I dragged you in, manipulated you, and I kept things from you."

"But I had a choice! I had a chance to walk away, but I chose to keep going with you! Wasn't that what you wanted?" she was baffled.

"It was, but it wasn't what was best for you!" He groaned in miserable frustration. "How can you trust me? How can you just forgive me for that? I've ruined your life, sweetheart! Why on Earth would you want to be with me, Elizabeth? I cannot fathom it!"

He was staring at her with an intensity that was almost frightening, his eyes searching every inch of her face for an answer, for some sort of meaning. She swallowed lightly and leaned in until her face was only an inch or two from his own.

"It shouldn't surprise you," she whispered. "Nor do you have any reason to doubt me when I say that I love you—Raymond, I do love you."

His face was stunned, disbelieving. He looked down at her in pure wonder, his expression seeking confirmation.

"Because, I love you." she whispered again, heart aching and eyes pleading. "I want to be with you because I love you," she cried, cupping his face with both of her hands, her eyes filling with tears.

"Oh," he rasped, his throat tight, his eyes huge. "You can't—," he tried.

"I do. I have for a long time. I dream about you," she moaned, pressing her face to his cheek, his neck, his chest, seeking reassurances that she hadn't just made the biggest mistake by saying those words first and saying them now.

"Oh Lizzie, oh," he murmured, "Just…" he began, but he couldn't find the strength to protest. "Please," he went up on his knees and came towards her, reaching for her, eyes beseeching. "Please, just come here."

She leaned forward and Red pulled her against him fiercely. Immediately he wrapped himself around her and squeezed hard, cocooning her in his love and offering her solace.

"Oh, sweetheart!" he clutched at her, clasping and grasping her tightly, pulling her close to kiss her in desperate need, then pull himself away to confirm that it was still her and this was not one of his dreams. "You glorious woman!" he hissed each of his sweet words in between sweet kisses to her collarbone that made her tremble. "You're determined to do this!" he was laughing in sheer delight, unable to trust his ears. "You're absolutely determined to have me?"

"Yes," she did not hesitate, despite being distracted by his lips on hers once again. "Absolutely yes."

"Huh," he pulled away and clucked his tongue at her in astonishment. He stared at her again. His smile kept breaking apart into an expression of wonder and disbelief before bursting into a grin once more. "Huh," he huffed again, before drawing her in for another kiss.

Liz kissed him back, hard, throwing every ounce of passion and wild excitement racing through her into the press of her mouth on his and her hands over his willing body. He grunted and groaned happily against her, greedily leaning into her embrace and accepting everything she had to offer.

Intermittently, he would pause, hold her face in his hands and simply look at her, stunned, amazed to see her there, looking at him with love in her eyes, kissing him with loving lips…it was almost too much.

"Don't cry," she whispered sweetly when he pulled away from her again, tears in his eyes.

"I don't think you know," he chuckled, blinking furiously and wiping his cheeks. "How long I have waited, how much I have wanted to hear you say that you love me," he sighed blissfully. He hugged her against him for a moment, and she lay her head on his chest before squeezing him back. She stole a quick glance up at his face—his eyes were closed but his expression radiated joy. He was savoring this moment.

"I love you," she grinned. Slowly, ever so gently, she rose up and lay herself gracefully down over him, wrapping herself around him. "I should have said it much sooner." With one hand on the pillow next to his head, she lowered her mouth to his and pressed the tenderest of kisses to his lips. He responded sweetly, so ecstatically, she felt tears come to her eyes as well. "See," she chuckled ruefully, straddling his stomach lightly to sit up and wipe her face. "Now you've got me started."

He sat up under her, rose up to meet her, wrapped arms around her waist and buried his face in her chest. He clutched her against him and she slid her arms around his shoulders and the back of his head, cuddling him against her.

"Elizabeth, I cannot begin to tell you how much I love you, how much I need you," he growled, green eyes burning up at her, communicating with her soul.

She blinked back her tears of joy and relief and grinned down at him. "Really? Do you know how long I've wanted to hear that? To know for certain that you really care?" She was overwhelmed suddenly. She covered her face with her hands, leaned forward until her forehead rested on his shoulder and heaved a few dry sobs. He hugged her against him, tilted his head to whisper in her ear.

"I shouldn't have held back, but I was afraid," he kissed her cheek in apology. "You are everything to me, Elizabeth, my North Star. You feel like home," his hands were in her hair, then clasping her shoulders as he pressed holy, reverent kisses across her collarbone. "I can't breathe until I see you—until I know when I'll see you again. I'm completely yours. I belong to you. I'm imprinted and bound to you in the most unbreakable way," he sighed and shuddered against her suddenly. "Whether you keep me close or kick me away like a dog—this hideous fish is yours to command."

She kissed the top of his head and sighed.

"You're not a hideous fish," she grumbled, annoyed slightly at his pessimism and saddened at the idea of 'kicking' him away. "You're a nice fish, a very handsome fish—I'm proud to have hooked you," she smirked into the peach fuzz on the top of his head and pressed a few sweet kisses there.

"Lizzie," he snorted, looking up at her in amusement. "Be serious."

"I am," she countered nonchalantly, not being serious at all. "You're a prize-winning fish! Good size, flashy scales," she fingered the fabric of his button-down, her face stern, appraising, while her blue eyes danced merrily in amusement. "And check out the fins on you—you trophy fish, you!" she rans her hands down his arms and let out an admiring whistle while Red shook with laughter beneath her. "Definitely worth mounting," she chuckled at her own double entendre and looked down at him suggestively.

His eyes met hers heatedly.

"You think so, hmm?" he appeared to be considering her words carefully.

"Oh yes," she smiled down at him warmly. "But where to display you?" she feigned distress. "I mean, I'd want to have you in every room…"

He laughed loudly at the last one and flipped her down onto the bed. Carefully, slowly, he followed her down and settled his weight on top of her. She welcomed him, wrapped her arms around him, hugged him to her and sighed blissfully.

"For the record," his voice was warm and rough and right next to her ear. "I still think this is a very bad idea, destined to lead to a completely dysfunctional relationship that will probably destroy both of us, forever."

"Probably," she chuckled beneath him and pressed a kiss to his jawline, lightly brushing her lips across his afternoon stubble. He shuddered against her.

"We can still turn back," he muttered as she left a trail of kisses down the side of his neck. "Go forth as friends—catch a lot more bad guys."

"Nope, it's too late," she pulled away and smirked up at him. "We've said 'I love you' and cried about it in front of each other—There's no turning back from that," she added drily.

"Lizzie!" He huffed into her neck, laughing.

"And as far as the dysfunctional relationship…let's just see how it goes, one day at a time and all that," she smiled up at him brilliantly. "We might actually be good together—perhaps our dysfunctions are complimentary."

Red chuckled and rolled his eyes. "That's ridiculous."

"Regardless," she grinned, then softened and brushed her cheek against his. "I love you so much."

"Elizabeth," he gasped, looking down at her in sudden awareness. He tilted his head to the side and fixed her with a gaze so intense she thought she would shrivel under the weight of his inspection. "Say that again, sweetheart. Please."

His tone was almost courteous, but his expression was pleading. The hideous fish was desperate for a ray of sunshine, and in this moment, he would finally recognize it.

Her face burst into the sweetest smile he'd ever seen. Her pure joy radiated up at him, and he felt his heart swell.

"I love you," she whispered fiercely. "It's such an amazing relief to say it—Raymond, I love you with everything I have. I love you so completely, so fully…it's terrifying," she giggled hysterically. "I'm consumed. I mean…is this really happening? Are you really here with me?"

"Yes, Lizzie," he had tears in his eyes again. "Yes, sweetheart. I love you too. I belong to you. Only you."

She threw her arms around him and pressed soft kisses to his cheeks, chin and neck. She curled herself around him like a cat seeking warmth, and he entwined himself with her completely in response. She was squeezing him tightly, ensuring that he was pressed as close to her as he could be, her face buried in his chest. She tilted her head back and looked directly up into his eyes. She laughed, held him, kissed him and laughed again.

She lifted herself off his chest and he instantly scooted back so that his back was against the pillows and the headboard. She followed him up. His hands were immediately on her hips, grabbing her, maneuvering her into place so that she was straddling him. She hissed and moaned in pleasure, crying out and rocking against him, painfully wet and swollen for him in record time. He devoured her mouth, swallowed each sweet sound, ground his swollen cock into the juncture of her thighs, made her hum and gasp in lust against his ear, and when she attempted to pull his shirt over his head, he fisted his hand in her hair and pulled her mouth away from his so he could refasten his lips to her neck.

"Oh Lizzie, I love you," he groaned, rocking against her. "Sweetheart, I want you so much."

"I love you too," she sighed. "I want you too…please don't stop!"

"I don't know if…I might not be able to do this slowly, now," he growled warningly in her ear.

"So we'll do it fast and hard now, then slow and gentle after dinner," she teased, finally managing to pull his shirt over her his awestruck face. She pressed a kiss and then her cheek to the hair on his bare chest, then looked up at him. "Do you even know how wet I am for you?"

"Oh, honey, please tell me," he rasped in her ear. "How long have you been ready for me?"

"Days now," she sighed. "I ache inside. I need you, Red. I need you to…"

But she didn't have a chance to finish before he flipped their positions and rolled on top of her.

"Like this?" he groaned. "You want me like this?"

"God, yes," she hissed, wrapping her legs around him, thrilled by his enthusiasm. "Take off your pants—I need to feel you."

He pulled himself away from her, yanked off his jeans and came back to her in just his boxers. She could see his erection tenting the fabric. She rose up and reached out to take him in her hand, but he caught her hand in his own and pressed it to his mouth.

"Are you absolutely certain?" he shuddered. She cupped his jawline with the hand he'd just kissed. Then she unceremoniously pulled her shirt and bra over her head and tossed them onto the floor. She turned back to him, gloriously bare-chested, her nipples tautening in the open air, and he gulped, suddenly weak at the sight.

"We're not stopping," she moaned as he reached for her breasts, cupping them in his hands, kneading her soft milk flesh and suckling the coral tips. "I can't stop, Red."

"Oh—oh dear," he paused, chuckled into her chest. "This really happening?" Green eyes on blue.

"Yes," she stated without hesitation. When he didn't immediately respond, she added a small "Please?" in supplication.

He huffed a small laugh of disbelief and stared at her incredulously.

"Please?" he teased her, rising up over her, burning her with the heat of his gaze. He reached for her, pulled her close and laid her back down on the bed. "Did you actually just ask me to please make love to you, Elizabeth?"

He settled his full weight atop her, his gravel voice against her ear, his erection pressed just above the juncture of her thighs. She groaned and undulated beneath him, pressing herself against him.

"If I say yes, will you actually do it?" she pleaded. "Because, yes."

He laughed hard above her, then leaned in to claim her mouth.

"Yes?"

"Yes."

He reared up off of her, sat back on his knees, and looked down at her, splayed below him. He reached out and trailed a hand lovingly down her silky stomach. He hooked his fingers into the waistband of her pants and panties. She raised her hips to help him as he tugged them down over her legs and off. He tossed them to the floor and took in the sight of her spread before him.

"You are just…" he trailed off, shook his head and met her gaze heatedly. She grinned up at him, aware of her effect on him.

"Just…?" she trailed off, inviting him to finish. She rose up and pressed a tender kiss to his lips.

"Perfect," he murmured. "So beautiful. You are so beautiful, Elizabeth," he whispered.

She blushed her thanks and wrapped her arms around him, thrilled at the press of her smooth, naked chest against his hairy one.

"Oh, you feel so good," she groaned in earnest, then chuckled and wriggled herself against him. His erection twitched against her thigh. She sighed and slipped her fingers into the waistband of his boxers.

"Take these off and let me see you," she crooned. "I want to touch you, taste you."

Red made an urgent, pleading sound in the back of his throat. He kissed her again, pulled her flush against him through the fabric of his silk boxers and ground himself into her.

"I have a couple condoms in my wallet," he muttered in her ear.

She paused at his mention of birth control.

"I have an IUD," she whispered back to him. He leaned back to observe her expression in surprise. "I thought it would be a smart move when Tom and I decided we wanted to adopt…but I don't know if he's been with anyone else since…I mean," she was suddenly ashamed.

"Lizzie, it's okay," he reached for her, pulled her close again. "It's highly unlikely Tom even had a chance to cheat on you while he was away, and he certainly wasn't with anyone else once he returned…not even that delightful Gina Zanetakos," he smirked.

"Stop…this isn't funny," she muttered to his shoulder.

"You're right," he growled into her ear. "I'm sorry."

He pressed his mouth to hers roughly, fisting his hands in her hair while she rubbed up against him, trapping his erection between them. He was still wearing those wretched boxers, she noted.

"I'll have you know," he breathed, reaching around to cup her ass in his warm hands. "I'm at peak sexual health…you have nothing to worry about." He squeezed her cheeks and used his grip on her butt to grind her softness against his hardness. "There hasn't been anyone else for me…not for awhile, now."

"Oh, Red," she groaned, half in pleasure over his admission and half in realization that they wouldn't need the condoms, as he ran his hands over her skin.

He had just enough time to chuckle at her delight before she flipped him down onto the mattress and straddled him before he could blink.

"Lizzie," he chuckled, tucking his hands behind his head and smiling up at her naked figure adoringly. "What has gotten into you?"

"I'll tell you what hasn't gotten into me," she muttered, and Red felt his cock twitch against her. With surprising agility, breasts bouncing and dark hair swirling around her shoulders, she grabbed the hem of his boxers and pulled them down over his hips, carefully freeing his erection first. He lifted his hips to assist her as she tugged them down and off.

She threw his underwear to the floor some force and turned back to him, her expression triumphant. He laughed and attempted to reach for her, but she pushed him back before he could get over his center of gravity. He looked up at her in surprise as his head hit the pillow. Her expression was focused, acquisitive.

"Let me look at you," she murmured, hovering over him. He gazed up at her in wonder, eyes fogged with lust. She leaned back to observe him, and he struck a casual pose in anticipation of her assessment, ankles crossed, hands behind his head, his erection prominently on display. She reached for him immediately, fascinated, slid her fingertips teasingly over his length before closing her hand around him.

"Lizzie," he grunted, half in pleasure, half in warning. She locked eyes with him, smiled knowingly, watched him with keen interest as she pumped him lightly, once, twice, and again—and he could only shudder and moan in response, helpless to stop her. What was she doing to him? He was twelve again, and ready to cum at the touch of a breeze—and it was her! Lizzie! His Lizzie, here with him, gloriously naked before him, hand on his hardcock…oh, how he had wanted this!

The sudden brush of her mouth against his shaft startled him back to the present.

"Stop!" he yelped, grabbing her arm and pulling her back up his chest.

She blinked at him in surprise, then laughed at his wild expression.

"Yes?" she purred. "Something wrong?"

"Keep doing that, and there will be," he muttered, focusing on her mouth.

"After what you did to me yesterday? I'd like to…"

"Later," he groaned. "Later, not now, please."

He pulled her against him, groaning at the sweet friction of their bare skin together, rubbing up against her reflexively. She moaned and wrapped herself around him, pressing herself against him hungrily.

"Later?" she had enough of her mind left to tease him.

"Yes. Later. Now, come here," he growled in manner that was not polite at all.

Liz swooped in and kissed him hard, negotiated the separation of his lips, and slid the tip of her tongue against his playfully. He groaned into her mouth and grabbed the back of her head, kissing her hard and deep in return, chasing her flirtatious tongue.

She ran busy hands over every inch of his skin, savoring, memorizing his scent and texture, trailing light fingers over the scars on his back while he shuddered and pressed against her. Eventually she reached again for his hardness, rubbing her thumb over the head, swirling the pearl of precum she found there. He fisted his hand in the hair at the back of her head and rolled her beneath him, separating his mouth from hers with a greedy smack.

"Yes," she groaned unabashedly, then giggled at herself under his amused gaze. "You just feel so good."

"You too," he grunted, sliding his hand between her legs, finding her beyond slick and ready for him. "Oh, Lizzie…Sweetheart…"

"Please, I need…"

"Yes…"

She spread herself beneath him, opened her hips, tilted up to receive him as he settled his delicious weight upon her—but he was still teasing her, dragging his swollen cock through her sodden folds, thrusting against her clit again and again, refusing to align himself and penetrate her at last. She emitted a small cry of frustration and he had the nerve to chuckle at her. She glared up at him and he smiled down at her, beatifically.

"I love you," he whispered, watching her, his expression amused.

"I love you too," she huffed, only slightly chagrinned.

He grinned at her and slid his the tip of his cock around and over her clit once more. She writhed beneath him and growled in frustration.

"I take it back! You're killing me!" she hissed.

"Mmhmm," he groaned in agreement as he moved against her once more. She shuddered and made a small sound of pleasure. He twitched and sought her mouth with his own, grinding himself against her again and again, swallowing each sweet, needy little sound from her throat until she was writhing and crying incoherently beneath him. He kissed her again and shifted his hips until the tip of his length was positioned at her opening.

"You're sure?" he muttered, watching her carefully, checking one last time.

"God, yes!" she hissed.

He bore down, slid into her slowly, inch by inch, while she squirmed and mewled beneath him, clutching at his forearms. She was so wet, so completely aroused, but he was thick, stretching her almost painfully. She winced and he instantly paused.

"Am I hurting you?" he whispered.

"In the best possible way," she groaned earnestly. He chuckled into her neck and kissed her.

"I'm sorry," he rumbled in her ear, withdrawing himself from her slightly.

"You know, you don't actually have to ruin me for all other men, right?" she laughed softly and ran her hands down through the salt and pepper hair on his chest. He snorted lightly at her quip and buried his face into her neck, inhaling deeply.

"It's not my fault—you're so impossibly tight!" he hissed in frustrated delight against her collarbone.

"Mmm…don't stop," she breathed into the peach fuzz at the top of his head. She pushed her pelvis against his to emphasize her point. He immediately pushed into her again, trying to gentle himself as best he could, and this time, she felt only the sweetly pleasurable burn of her inner walls stretching to accommodate him. "Oh, yes…Raymond," she moaned. "Again…"

He thrust into her once more, bottoming out and groaning helplessly as he did so. She felt too damn good. Every slick, silky inch of her was clenching, rippling around him—it was almost impossible for him to be a gentleman. She was practically twitching under him, already close and desperate for the friction. He thrust into her almost experimentally, and her response was immediate—arching against him and crying out in pleasure.

"Yes," she laughed wickedly, staring up at him boldly as he slid into her again, and again, hard, slow thrusts meant to claim her, penetrate her as deeply as he could. "Oooh, Red, yes!" she cried in time with his rhythm.

He slowed and looked down at her in surprise.

"Don't you dare stop!" she glared up at him.

"No! I mean, I won't…" Red sputtered, then appeared to snap out of it. "I was just appreciating your enthusiasm," he clucked his tongue suggestively against his teeth and looked down at her adoringly.

"Appreciate it harder, will you?" she laughed up at him. "And maybe a little faster too…" she kissed him, nuzzled his neck, breathed him in and imprinted on his scent.

He kissed her hungrily in response, sweeping his tongue against hers as he moved to comply. He began to move in earnest, setting up a steady rhythm, embarrassingly almost ready to cum.

Then again, so was she. He could feel her clench and move with him, so easily, so erotically…dear god, if he could just hold on.

"Lizzie, please," he groaned, not stopping, not able to stop. "Tell me what I can do…for you…"

Sensing the warning in his tone, she slid her hand between their bodies and pressed her fingers to her clitoris. Her eyes flicked up and met his wickedly.

"Just keep going, Red," she groaned, and he felt himself twitch inside her. "I'm so close…you feel so good…" she pulled his face to hers to nuzzle and kiss.

He repositioned himself to make room for her busy hand, then slammed into her, filling her again and again, desperately trying to keep up some sort of consistent rhythm while his balls were tightening.

"Lizzie," he growled in warning.

"It's okay—let go," she told him. "I'd love to feel you cum inside me. Fill me up with it," she rasped, then chuckled throatily as he groaned and faltered in his pace at her filthy suggestion. "You okay there?" she paused and cupped the back of his head with her free hand.

"I love you," his eyes burned down into her own as he thrust against her once more. He leaned down and kissed her fiercely, searing her mouth with his own and making her moan into him. "Sweetheart, I love you so much," he whispered the words against her lips as though they pained him.

"Me too—I love you, too," she gasped, when he finally pulled away. She gazed up at him, adoringly. He rocked his length inside her and she felt her inner muscles spasm and clench him, hovering on the edge of orgasm. His breath hitched and she reared up, caught his bottom lip between her teeth and worried it gently before kissing him hungrily.

"Red, please," she begged. "I can't take the teasing! Please, just—…" she trembled against him and he quickly complied, thrusting hard into her tight, slick channel.

"Like this?" he growled, pounding away at her, letting her feel the full length of him over and over, as many times as he could manage before he lost it. "Is this what you want? Tell me…" he grunted, thrusting away.

"Yes," she cried, twitching in pleasure, moving with him eagerly, taking his thick cock as hard as he could give it to her, arching her hips to meet him. "Yes! Mmmph, Red…"

Her voice in his ear did him in. Groaning and sighing "Yes! Oh, Lizzie, yes!" he emptied himself into her in hard, hot streams that made her shudder and thrash against him, pushing her over into the throes of her own orgasm.

"You—ohhhh…it's so warm!" she moaned and rocked against him. Her tight walls gripped, clenched him, milking him mercilessly as she twitched helplessly in time to his pulses within her. "Oh, so good!" she muttered into his shoulder while he could only groan and press his mouth against her skin. "Mmmph, Raymond…" she hummed in satisfaction, savoring every last spasm and twitch.

She welcomed his weight atop her when he was finally spent, their bodies slick against one another's, their heavy breathing harsh music to each other's ears. She wrapped her arms around him, nuzzling, planting small kisses to the side of his face and neck. He responded immediately, hugging her against him, kissing her breathlessly until he calmed, and then more slowly, sweetly, his expression astonished.

She smiled up at him dreamily, lost in his tender display. With her arms around him, she could feel his scars on his back beneath her hands. She traced the ridge of one almost absent-mindedly, thinking back to the days before she'd known about his scars.

She must have hit painfully sensitive tissue because he winced suddenly.

"Did that hurt?" she whispered.

He kissed her calmly. "There are a few places that still…twinge," he sighed above her.

"I'm sorry," she sighed. "Here?" she placed her hand tentatively over his left shoulder blade where her fingers had been.

"Especially there," he murmured.

"Got it," she kissed his cheek in apology and wrapped her arms around his torso instead. He settled in against her as they both cooled and calmed. She hugged him against her intermittently, unable to hold back her pleasure in having him in her arms at last, barely even able to believe it.

She had been so foolish, pushing him away. Never again. She shuddered to think of how many times it had almost ended, how many ways they'd hurt each other in the process of reaching this moment. It was a miracle, really, that they were even here. She blinked back tears and buried her nose in his bare shoulder. How wonderful. How terrifying.

"Oh, Lizzie," Red realized she was crying, his expression horrified. "What is it?" He moved immediately to roll off her, despite her teary protests and reaching for him.

"Nothing too bad," she laughed to reassure him through her tears. "I'm just really happy," she laughed again at the irony. "Come back here," she tugged at his arm.

He pulled her back to his chest, still deliciously naked, but starting to feel the coolness of the cellar. Still clutching her with one arm, he reached behind him with the other and pulled a blanket over them both.

"You're happy?" his expression was quizzical as he settled her against him

She entwined her limbs skillfully with his until they were both comfortable and she could see his face. "Yes," she grinned. "Aren't you?"

"Ecstatic," he rumbled tenderly. He reached out and cupped her face, running the pad of his thumb over her cheekbone and starring at her in amazement. "Did that really just happen?" he grinned in disbelief

"Yes," she chuckled. "You and me. Just now."

"The sounds you made, Lizzie—the things you said to me…" he closed his eyes blissfully, savoring the memories, while she blushed furiously. "Those gloriously filthy words!" he cooed, feigning scandal while she shook her head at him. "The face of an angel and the mouth of a sailor…sweetheart, you never cease to surprise and delight me," he chuckled at her embarrassment, then pinned her beneath him for a lingering kiss.

"Good, because you're stuck with me now," she deadpanned, reaching up to cup his face affectionately when he pulled away. "Forever…" she added ominously, a small smirk gracing her lips.

"Promise?" he brightened hopefully and grinned when she laughed. "Nothing would make me happier."

"Really?" she whispered, gazing up at him through her eyelashes.

"Really," he confirmed hoarsely.

"Good. Love you, Raymond," she murmured, then dipped in to brush her mouth against his sweetly. "So much," she groaned when she pulled away.

"I love you too, Lizzie," he crushed her against him, again. "More than you could possibly know," he kissed the top of her head. "Everything I am, everything I have, is yours, for as long as you'll have me," he whispered into her hair. She hummed affectionately in agreement and tilted her face upwards for another kiss.

They held each other tightly for the next few minutes, neither wanting to be the first to release the other, but eventually, certain needs began to make themselves apparent.

"Mmm…speaking of having you," Liz chuckled. "l really need to freshen up…"

"Curse that tiny, wretched little shower stall," Red chuckled. "Or else I'd join you," he looked over at her and smiled. "I guess I'll wait my turn this time."

"Thanks…I'll be quick," she leaned up and pressed a quick kiss to the tip of his nose. before sliding out from under their blanket and standing gingerly, noting the shift of fluid and the delicious soreness between her legs. She stole a quick glance as him over her shoulder. He was watching her, unabashedly staring at her nude form. "How big is your shower in Dubai?" she teased, snatching up her bag and strolling confidently to the bathroom, being sure to put a little extra sway into her step for his benefit.

"Big enough," he grunted.

"For the both of us?" she turned and grinned at him once she'd reached the bathroom door.

"Indeed," his eyes were following the line of her back and the curve of her ass. When he realized she was watching him, his eyes flew up to her face, slightly chagrinned.

"I'll be right out," she smirked.

"Looking forward to it," he drawled suggestively. His eyes followed her into the bathroom until she closed the door between them.

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