"Is it all right with you if I book flights to New York tomorrow evening?"

"Fine. Just make sure you get a seat next to me."

"Understood," Cam said with a grin.

"How's your headache?"

"What headache?"

"Cam."

"Practically gone."

"And the rest of it? The dizziness, the vision thing?"

Driven by the concern in Blair's eyes, Cam stepped up to her, placing her fingertips lightly on Blair's waist. "I'm fine. Really."

Blair tilted her head so she could study Cam's eyes, the one place where she could always see the truth. Right now, those dark eyes were slightly wild, ebony shadows swirling through their depths. She knew what those shadows meant. "Cam," she breathed as Cam's lips drew closer to her own.

At that moment, the sliding door to the kitchen opened with a thud, an unusually noisy entrance for the ordinarily stealthy Stark.

Cam sighed, her mouth a fraction from Blair's. "I believe that was an announcement."

"Yes," Blair said regretfully as Cam backed away. "I think I'll turn in, since it appears that sex on the sofa is out."

"Goodnight, Ms. Powell."

"Commander."

As Blair disappeared up the stairs to the second floor, Stark entered from the rear of the house.

"All clear, ma'am," she informed Cam as she walked directly to the television in an alcove on the opposite side of the living room and turned it on.

"Thank you," Cam said. "I'll be upstairs if there's a problem."

"Yes, ma'am. I don't expect to need to disturb you."

Cam paused halfway up the stairs and looked down at the back of the young agents head. "I appreciate that."

*****

When Cam reached the hallway on the second floor, she noticed a faint light filtering from beneath Blair's bedroom door. Silently, she stood before it, debating whether to enter. She knew it unlikely that anyone would notice, or if they did, would care. Regardless, it was not something that would ever be mentioned. Nevertheless, she turned away, more out of long habit rather than anything else. Shewanted to be inside with Blair; she wanted to lie down beside her-she was weary from the past weeks of tension and struggle, and she was tired in body and spirit. She missed the comfort of Blairs arms.

Sighing deeply, she told herself that a few more days wouldn't matter. Once they were back in New York City, they could relax their vigilance somewhat. On home ground, Blair had a greater degree of freedom and would often spend hours or even days at a friend's apartment where she and Cam might be able to steal a few hours of privacy. It was far from ideal, but for a public figure such as Blair, it was the norm to have to manufacture privacy.

Resolutely, Cam opened the door to her own bedroom and slid her right hand along the wall toward the light switch.

"You might want to leave that off."

Cam dropped her hand and quietly pushed the door closed behind her, allowing her eyes to adjust to the dim light offered by the street lights and night sky outside the windows. "Do you trust me to do this by feel?"

"Well," Blair said musingly, stepping from the shadows into the slash of moonlight cutting across the center of the room, "ithas been a while, but I imagine that given a little time, you could manage."

As Blair spoke, Cam quickly shed her jacket and shrugged out of her shoulder holster, placing each on the chair just inside the door. She walked the ten feet to Blair and stopped with a sliver of the night still between them.

"Not tired?" Cam asked, her deep voice a register lower than normal.

"I was afraid I wouldn't be able to get to sleep-and I only know one sure remedy for that. She hesitated, then added quietly, «I could go it alone-"

"Trying to make me jealous?" Cam interrupted softly.

"Me? Blair laughed. "Hardly...and with you across the hall, there really is no other choice. At leastnone that compares."

It was Cam's turn to laugh. Then carefully, she placed her fingertips on Blair's bare shoulders and turned the other woman so that she faced the window and night. Moving up close behind her so that her trousered pelvis just brushed Blair's rear, Cam loosed the clasp that held Blair's hair confined at the base of her neck. She ran her fingers through the thick curls, fanning the strands over Blair's shoulders, then caressed her palms over the slope of her shoulders and down her arms. "You look very beautiful tonight."

With a sigh, Blair leaned back into Cam's body, resting the back of her head against Cam's chest. Her voice throaty and just a bit ragged, she asked, «Have I ever mentioned how much I love it when you undress me?"

Cam placed her lips on the firm curve of muscle where Blair's neck met her shoulder, exploring for an inch or so with her mouth before pressing her teeth to the tight flesh. Then she bit slowly until she heard Blair's breath catch and a small moan escape her. Finally, she lifted her mouth away and answered. "I seem to remember something about that."

Cam drew her fingers back up the outside of Blair's bare arms and insinuated her palms under the thin spaghetti straps, lowering them smoothly halfway down Blairs arms. She stopped then, causing the fabric of the dress to draw tightly across Blairs breasts just above her nipples. With one hand, Cam reached around Blair's body from behind, spreading her fingers over Blair's chest, dipping into the cleft between her breasts. With the other, she slowly pulled the studs from her own shirt, letting the silver-encased pearls drop one by one to the hardwood floor.

Blairs body tightened each time the small clink broke the silence.

They leaned into one another, Blairs back pressed against the front of Cam's body, subtle curves fusing to long lean angles. Cam's white shirt was open, her chest naked against the flesh exposed by the nearly backless black dress.

"Four days is a long time," Cam murmured, her mouth brushing the curve of Blair's ear, her breath quickening as she felt her own nipples harden against Blair's soft skin. «It made it hard to work tonighttrying to ignore how much I wanted to touch you."

"Why, Commander," Blair whispered huskily. "I didn't think anything could distract you from your work."

"Youdo". Cam tore her shirt from her trousers and threw it behind her on the floor, then slid the zipper down the back of Blairs dress. With both hands, she lowered the sheer fabric over Blair's body, exposing her breasts to the moonlight, marveling at the way they glowed with the rush of blood and something altogether more elemental to the surface of the pale skin. In the next instant, she closed her fingers around one taut nipple, splaying her hand under the full curve of hot yielding flesh. "You always do."

As much as she had wanted to go slowly, Cam found it harder with each passing second. Blair's flesh was soft and smooth but the muscles beneath were tight, her body humming with tension. The quick rise and fall of her lovers breasts under her palms signaled her desire and Cam's body soared in response, her thighs trembling as she rocked against Blair's buttocks. When Blair returned the pressure with a thrust of her hips, Cam groaned.

"You know I like it fast the first time," Blair gasped, finally relinquishing her passivity and insinuating one hand into the nearly nonexistent space between them, then drawing it rapidly up the inside of Cam's leg to grasp her firmly through her trousers. "And I've had just about a muchslow as I can stand. I haven't stopped wanting you since the bar last nightand if I get any more swollen there's going to be permanent damage."

Urgently, Cam grasped Blairs shoulders and pulled her around so they were face to face, forcing their naked chests to cleave as she kissed her. The kiss spoke of need and longing and raw hunger. As the seconds passed, the first rush of desperation smoothed into welcome and recognition, and when they finally parted, each of them breathing heavily, they were both smiling.

"Lets try something new. Let's see how we do with slow this time," Cam whispered.

"Youre asking a lot", Blair said with a small shake of her head, her hands trailing over Cam's abdomen to the top of her trousers. Deftly, she unbuttoned the silk tuxedo pants and slid down the zipper. "But I'll try if you do."

And then she slipped her hand inside.

Cam flushed hot and her head reeled with sudden dizziness at the unexpected force of Blair's fingers gliding over her exposed and ready nerve endings. Her hands trembled on Blair's skin. "I can't if you do that."

Blair laughed and took her hand away, then laughed again at Cam's unintentional whimper. "Let's at least do this on the bed then. I don't have the strength to stand."

They drew apart only enough to strip free the rest of their clothing and then, as if fearful of being separated, hurriedly embraced, their limbs entwining as they rolled together on top of the sheets. Twisting her torso, Cam drew Blair beneath her, one leg between Blair's thighs as she claimed her mouth. When the heat of Blairs breath in her throat wasnt enough to assuage her need, Cam reared up on both arms and pushed downward on the bed, settling her chest between Blair's spread thighs. Instantly, her mouth closed over a nipple and she bit lightly, feeling Blair's fingers come into her hair. She found the other breast and cradled it in her hand, working the nipple between her fingers. She didn't stop until Blair was arched bow-tight beneath her, her breath coming in short gasps.

"Please", Blair whispered, framing Cams face with trembling hands. Her eyes were cloudy as she tried to focus on her lover. "I need you so much."

Only then did Cam ease her way lower still, kissing her way down the center of Blairs abdomen, moving both palms to the inside of Blairs thighs. Blair was wet against her skin. Head pounding, so heady with lust she could barely hear, Cam rested her cheek against the soft down at the base of Blair's abdomen and gasped, "Slow enough?"

"Any slower... and I'll... go off without you."

Cam laughed shakily. "Oh, I don't think so."

Slowly, Cam drew her fingers through the thick heat between Blair's thighs, thumbing firmly against her clitoris as she passed, then dipped inside her for a fleeting moment. Withdrawing despite Blairs cry of protest, she grew still with her fingers spread over the hot, swollen flesh, feeling the blood pound wildly against her palm. "Dont. I want you to come in my mouth."

"Then kiss me," Blair begged, "and I will."

Very slowly, Cam lowered her head and drew her in, caressing her slowly and carefully with her lips. When Blairs thighs tensed suddenly, signaling she was close, Cam took her more deeply into her mouth, matching the rhythmic movements of her lips to the tempo of her fingers stroking within. The thrust of her tongue and fingers danced counterpoint to the blood pulsing and muscles spasming around her hand.

Blair's hand was fisted in Cams hair, clenching spasmodically as small cries ripped from her throat. When she climaxed, Blair choked out Cam's name in surrender and benediction.

Eyes closed, not breathing, Cam fought back tears at the soaring wonder of being united with the only woman in her life that mattered. She had no idea how long she lay without moving before Blair finally spoke, breaking the silence.

"Are you asleep?"

Cam shook her head slightly, her lips moving faintly on Blair's still pulsing flesh. "No. I don't think so. Maybe...or I could just be dead and this is heaven."

"Feelslike heaven". Blair laughed unsteadily, flexing her cramped fingers and easing her stiff legs back and forth on the sheets. The titanic contractions at the peak of her orgasm had been nearly painful, and probably would have been if the pleasure hadn't been so acute. "Come up here...if you can. I want to touch you."

"I'm fine," Cam mumbled, her eyes still closed and her heart beating erratically in her chest.

"Come up here anyway."

Eventually, Cam managed to move the three feet before collapsing on the pillows next to Blair.

"Slow is okay, I guess," Blair observed drowsily as she shifted languorously into Cams arms, resting her head on her lovers shoulder and a hand on her abdomen.

"Mmm. Not bad for starters."

Blair pressed her lips to Cam's neck and licked the salty sweat that filmed her skin. A pulse beat hard beneath her lips, and she inched her fingers lower, finding her way between Cam's thighs. Cam groaned as Blair fingered the hard prominence of her clitoris.