"Good morning, Miss Street," Perry welcomed her with tender smile.

"Good morning, Mr. Mason." Her voice was unusually shy when she entered his office coming through hers, her attire flawless as usual, but her face blushed and tired.

"Della?" The attorney walked around his desk, closed the door behind her and took her hands in his. "Are you all right?" He tried to nudge her to look into his eyes. "Are we?"

"I'm fine," the secretary forced herself to lie, then met his gaze with an intensity that set him ablaze. "I just need some time."

"I didn't mean to take advantage of you last night," Perry almost whispered, his own voice lost to him as he remembered the feeling of his hands all over her and the sweet taste of her kiss. "But you've given me pleasure before," he continued softly, "I didn't expect you to object to being on the receiving end of it at last."

"I have never been touched like this," Della tried hard to suppress a moan from the memory of his hands exploring her so thoroughly.

"The way you kissed me," Perry drew her closer, but resisted to wrap her into a full embrace. "I thought you wanted more."

"I haven't been able to think about anything else since," she hummed against his neck as she closed the gap between them, her lips trailing soft kisses all over his skin. "Your fingers exploring me," Della gasped. "How am I supposed to work beside you after you've kept me up all night?"

"I went home. Alone." Perry smiled boyishly against her curly hair, answering her kisses with busses of his own. It felt so good holding her like that. "How did I manage to keep you up?"

"Your touch has never left me." Della wiggled herself closer to him, her desire overwhelming her senses. "It is still there."

Aroused by her unfiltered appetite for him, Perry locked the door and whispered, "Not here," then took her hand to guide her to the couch that had never looked more inviting. Della followed suit and pulled him into an ardent kiss. Then she removed his tie and unbuttoned his shirt dress enough to expose his heaving chest. Perry smiled and pushed her gently down onto the settee where his hands began stroking her the way they had last night. Her response to him was immediate. She had clearly been excited for him for a while.

"It seems I left too early last night," the attorney groaned and continued to give her pleasure until she finally reared up against him and collapsed, unable to take another wave of delight. Lying down next to her, he pulled her into his arms and brushed his lips all over her face until he devoured her mouth with a fervid kiss. He wanted her so much, it almost hurt to deny himself to push her boundaries even further. Della hid away in his embrace, her own arms holding him tight, her body responsive to every stroke, every kiss that followed.

"I need to leave you for a while," she suddenly said and tried to move away from him and hold him at bay, her hands clearly shivering. "I cannot think," she added in a whisper. "I want you too much."

"Darling," the attorney started.

"No, chief," Miss Street tried to gain control over Della, the woman in love. "Please, I've a few weeks of leave left. Let me go for a couple of days at least."

"To clear your head," his voice was soft against her skin.

"I cannot be with you like this," she reasoned. "I want to love you, but without being a distraction for you."

Shaking his head Perry Mason glared at his head of office with eyes so full of love, it sent another jolt right through to her heart. "As long as you come back to me," he said vulnerably. "Because…," he hesitated, then decided to go on, "I don't easily fall in love. And I need to be in love to be with someone," his voice was soft as he tried to explain. "I don't get aroused so easily."

"But I can feel your arousal now," Della whispered shyly.

"That's because I am in love," he smiled, then met her lips for a tender kiss. "With you I want to be," he added lovingly. "Whenever you're ready."

"I am ready now," she replied huskily.

"Your body is, but not your mind," Perry whispered against her skin.

"Perry," Della responded breathlessly, "You don't understand, I've loved you so long…"

"But you've never felt this way before." Perry gathered her into his arms and grazed his lips over the top of her head.

"I close my eyes and there you are," Della admitted tenderly, "doing things to me, I never...day and night."

"You're having fantasies about me, Miss Street?" Perry grinned.

"Ever since we first kissed." She wiggled herself closer to him again. "And nonstop since you decided to spoil me with the touch of your hands."

"Please don't try to rinse me from your dreams," he pleaded, completely aroused by her honesty and admission. "And don't leave. Just let me love you, Della."

"I want to," she reassured him. "But I'm afraid to lose myself in you."

"You're lying on our couch, already half exposed, trying hard not to act on your desire yet wanting to make love with me right here at the office." Perry stroked her cheek ever so gently. "I think that ship has sailed, my darling."

"I don't like to lose control," the secretary croaked in a way that made Perry laugh affectionately.

"I know," he teased her, then started fondling her ever so lightly. "But it's quite alluring to watch when you do."