Heat of the moment (19/19)

Author- Midnight Faith

Spoilers- none

Distribution- FF.net, AOH, buffysearch.net and Neurotica… anyone else just ask :)

Pairing- Lilah/Lindsey

Rating- NC-17

Summary- Lindsey and Lilah's secret is discovered

Disclaimer- they belong to the almighty Joss… I am but a child in his candy store

Dedication- To Bobbi who is one in a million

Lilah took a deep cleansing breath, relaxing back into the mountains of vanilla bubbles filling her bathtub, feeling every muscle in her body unwind under the warm water.

Her day with Lindsey had been amazing. From sleeping through their jet lag curled up together to the remarkably soft yet passionate sex they shared, room service and M & M's from the mini bar.

The noise of her cell phone ringing blared through her thoughts. Lilah rolled her eyes, reaching down to the lush, cream Persian carpeting for her phone, having promised Lindsey she'd take it to the bathroom with her. Predictably, her caller ID read 'Lindsey cell.' She answered with a,

"If I drop this in the bath water, you're dead."

'Does that mean you're not wearing anything?'

"Only a smile. I thought you were going back to your room to get ready for tonight. Remember, cocktail party."

'I'm ready. Can I come over?'

"You only left fifteen minutes ago."

'I left my razor in your room.'

"And I suppose you want me to get out of my nice, warm bath to let you in?"

'I'm stood outside your door wearing a fleece and boxers.'

"On my way."

She hung up, sighing and wrapped herself in a fluffy, white towel, opening the door to let Lindsey in, shivering from the cold.

He took her in his arms, to keep her warm.

"Way too long apart." He said, closing the door behind them.

She nodded in agreement, pulling away and saying,

"I'm making you all wet."

"I was rather hoping it would be the other way around," he said with a playful grin.

She gave him an evasive smile as he teasingly followed her back to the bathroom and she slid back into her bath.

"Wait a minute," she eyed him suspiciously as he settled comfortably back against the wall, "You're already shaven."

"So I lied. I wanted to see you. I missed you."

She smiled weakly at his words.

"So you've been to one of these conference things before," Lindsey said, "What's this welcome party all about?"

"A lot of champagne and canapés. Everyone eyeballs everyone else and sees who their potential hook up partners are. When everyone's drunk enough there are a few slow dances, kisses, yadda, yadda. Everyone macerena's, does YMCA, makes a total ass of themselves and wakes up hugging the toilet bowl in someone else's room at 6:00 a.m."

"Oh, fabulous," Lindsey said, drolly.

"What's the matter, Linds?" Lilah teased, "You too manly to YMCA?"

"No, I don't like the thought of other people ogling you all night."

"It's no big deal. They'll be plenty of cute New Yorkers for you to eye too."

"I won't. My eyes won't be anywhere but you."

She got out of the bath, dripping with water as Lindsey, a little nervously re-wrapped her in a towel and began to dry her off gently.

Lilah felt her breathing speed as Lindsey moved in for a kiss and she dropped her towel shaking slightly. She found herself being carried carefully back to bed and resuming the day's activities if only to assure themselves they would only have eyes for each other tonight.

*****

Lindsey thanked God it was almost midnight as he wove his arms around Lilah tighter, closing his eyes and inhaling the dizzying scent of her familiar perfume. The evening had been eventful to say the least. After Lilah had danced with Mark forcing Lindsey's jealousy chromosome into hyperdrive they'd had a small ruckus in the janitor's closet in which Lilah had accused Lindsey of not trusting her and Lindsey had accused Lilah of having something to mistrust, hurting her in the process.

'Mark and I are just friends,' Lilah had tried to rationalise.

'So you’re friends now?"

'Aren't I allowed to have friends?' She asked with a smile to lighten the atmosphere, 'Listen to us. We're acting moronic.' She sidled closer and wove her arms around his neck, 'I don’t want Mark, there's nothing between me and him- zero chemistry and there never will be. I don't do married men… just tell me things are OK between us.'

'Of course they're OK,' he said, voice softening, 'I'm sorry. I can't help being jealous. I mean, who wouldn’t want you?'

She's smiled; they'd kissed and soon made up, now slow dancing properly to 'Truly, madly, deeply,' blending with other more than drunk couples, less dancing, more like holding each other upright.

"Can I have a kiss?" Lindsey asked with a grin.

"Remember how we're not friends?"

"There's a couple in the corner who don't even speak the same language trying to remove each other's tonsils."

She gave a slight nod and his kiss was so gentle she could barely feel it, yet it sent goosebumps across every part of her body.

"That was amazing," she breathed, "I'm kinda ready to turn in. Follow in ten minutes?"

"I can’t wait that long. Five?"

"Ten. We can't look obvious."

"Seven and a half."

"I see your math has improved since joining Accounts," she teased, "Seven and a half."

"Deal," he said, giving her hand one last squeeze and subtly mouthing 'Love you,' as she walked away.

Pushing open the heavy doors of the ballroom Lilah's heart leapt in her mouth when she felt a hand grasp her wrist. She whirled around defensively to look at Mark, appearing a little worse for wear.

"Mark," she said, eyes resembling a rabbit caught in car headlights.

"Can we talk?" He asked, releasing her wrist.

"Sure," she shrugged; throat dry with nerves as they stepped out of the doorway.

"I didn't mean to scare you and I'm not going to hit on you."

"Oh… good." Lilah said, momentarily relieved she wouldn't have to try out the faithful thing.

"You and Lindsey…"

"Me and Lindsey?" She asked slowly.

"Are more than friends."

"Since when have we been friends even? I only just met him…"

"The firm aren't stupid, Lilah," he cut in, "You two have been seeing each other for going on four and a half years now."

"That long, huh?" She asked, posture dejected, "How did you know?"

"The way you look at each other. The way you just kissed him. You finish each other's sentences without even knowing it. You’re damn made for each other. People at the LA office said they never saw two people more in love."

"We weren't in love in LA."

"But you are now?"

"We're living together. Talking about being a completely normal couple. Family even." Lilah admitted both to Mark and herself for the first time, surprisingly non-threatened.

"Why didn’t you tell me?"

"I was scared of what you'd say."

"He makes you happy?"

"We've had our moments… but yes. When I'm with him… everything else just fades away."

"I know the feeling."

The door opened and Lindsey walked out, able to read Lilah like a book, panicking slightly.

"You picked a good one, McDonald," Mark said, as Lindsey entangled his hand with Lilah's, "Hang on to her."

"I will do," Lindsey said, leading her up the stairs completely mesmerised, their final barrier broken away.