When she emerged, freshly showered and dressed, he was fully clothed and making the bed. She paused for a moment and took in the sight of him tidying.

"Hey," she grinned, approaching him and throwing her bag under the bed.

"Hey," he pulled her into his arms and breathed her in. She wrapped herself around him and squeezed tight. He seemed to take this as a challenge and crushed her in his embrace, literally squeezing some of the air from her lungs until she relented, and his arms relaxed.

"What's the damage?" she smirked, tilting her head in the direction of their bed.

"Negligible," he seemed pleased.

"Thanks for putting it back together," she grinned.

"Of course," he hummed next to her ear.

"I left you plenty of hot water," she smiled into his chest. "But I'm strangely unable to let go of you."

"I seem to be experiencing a similar phenomenon," he deadpanned into the top of her head. "Coupled with a general reluctance to wash you off of me."

"Will it help if I promise to rub off on you again later?" she whispered into his ear. Red made a strangled sound deep in his throat and Liz chuckled, hugging him against her. He held her tightly in response, swaying back and forth in place. She moved with him, almost as though they were dancing.

"I take it you have no regrets, sweetheart?" he murmured above her.

"None. You?" she whispered.

"Only that this happened down here," he grumbled jokingly.

"I think we had to be locked in a room together for it to happen at all," she laughed, tilting her head back to gaze up at him adoringly. He smirked ruefully in agreement and cupped her jaw with both of his hands, pulling her mouth to his for a kiss. "Needed you all to myself," she hummed when he pulled away.

"You have me," he chuckled. "I'm all yours."

"Even when we leave here?" she looked up at him for confirmation.

"Yes," he grinned.

"Your various floozies are going to be so disappointed…" she teased, squeezing him while he rolled his eyes at her.

"They'll get over it, I'm sure," he commented dryly. "You have nothing to worry about."

"Poor girls," she sighed, cuddling him close, relief flooding through her, filling the space where her unrequited feelings used to be. "They'll never have another chance at you."

"I'm delighted to hear it," he snickered.

She kissed him again, and then again-long, lingering, sweet kisses that drove him crazy, made his cock twitch with possibility. When Liz pulled away from him to breathe, he glanced down at his watch and frowned.

"What?" she asked, bushing her lips against his jawline.

"Eli will be here in a few minutes…I should go clean up before he knocks," Red looked down at her fondly. "I'll be out in a flash."

"I wouldn't mind being flashed," Liz responded thoughtfully, a wry smile turning up the corner of her mouth. Red laughed outright in response and kissed her lightly.

"I'll remember that for later," he chuckled, then grabbed his bag of clothing and practically skipped into the bathroom.

In his absence, she circled their tiny space dreamily, trailing her fingers across the surface of the table. She decided to open a bottle of wine, wondering if he would also have a glass.

As she was pouring, it occurred to her to turn on the television and check the news. She crouched in front of the tiny set, glass of Bordeaux in hand, manually switching between the three whole stations that came in, scanning for headlines, listening carefully. At this point in the day there were only previews for the evening's broadcasts—and they clearly had nothing new to report as to the ongoing manhunt. She relaxed a little bit, feeling relieved. Red would likely be getting an update tonight from his team tonight. She hoped it would be good news.

She gathered their soiled laundry and dirty dishes for Eli, stacking things neatly on the little table and returned to her spot in front of the TV.

The bathroom door opened and Red emerged, pink and scrubbed clean. He was clad in his jeans and a soft charcoal t-shirt.

"You look good," she purred, rising slowly to her feet. His eyes remained fixed on her as he chucked his bag under their bed. He approached her and reached for her immediately, wrapping his arms around her in exactly the same position they'd been in before his shower. His lips found hers, warm and slow, cherishing their newfound intimacy.

"You feel good," he rumbled.

"You smell good," she giggled.

"I love you," he whispered in her ear before pressing his mouth to her neck. "I love you, Elizabeth," he hissed.

"Oh Raymond, I love you too," she sighed blissfully, squeezing him, kissing his cheek, his jaw, his neck. He was so warm, so responsive to her every touch, simply hugging him aroused her. "It's amazing how much I want you, right now," she muttered.

"Control yourself, woman!" he chuckled in pleasure and surprise.

"I can't!" she groaned, pressing her mouth to his neck.

"But you must!" he sighed dramatically and clutched her against him in an exaggerated fashion, making her laugh again. "Or else our dear friend Eli will be subject to an awkward encounter—I should hate to answer the door sporting an erection," he chuckled.

As if on cue, Eli's customary knock came from above. Liz leapt away from Red, panicked, then froze in embarrassment at her overreaction.

He quietly observed the space where she'd once stood, then glanced over the space she now occupied in noted amusement. She scowled at him. He smirked at her.

"Thank you for assembling this," he chirped breezily as he scooped the bundle of laundry and dishes to exchange from the table and made his way up the stairs.

She followed him, shaking her head. The false sink was lifted away and Eli greeted them both with a smile. Red made the exchange of laundry and dishes for fresh items, which he then passed to Liz before accepting their dinner trays.

"What's on the menu tonight?" she called up the stairs as she put their clean things away.

"Beef stew," came Red's reply.

"Thank you," Liz appeared at the bottom of the stairs to help Red with the dinner trays loaded with stew, rolls and salads. She waved up to Eli, who smiled and waved down to her.

"You doing okay in there?" he asked.

"Yep," she grinned.

"Alright then. Have a good night," Eli nodded to them both and closed the secret entrance. Liz heard him close the door to the closet above, and they were alone again.

"I don't know about you, but I'm quite famished," Red chirped, pulling out a chair at the table for Liz. She sat and arranged her tray.

"Me too," she held up her wine glass. "I opened a bottle—I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all," he smiled, taking his place on the other side of the table and assessing his tray. "Will you pour me a glass?"

"Of course," she beamed. "I didn't know if you would want one after…"

"Ugh, don't remind me," he groaned then laughed. "My goodness, was that only just this morning?"

"Yes," she confirmed, nodding.

"Amazing," he clucked his tongue behind his teeth. "A lifetime ago," he smiled brilliantly at her. "So much has happened since then!"

She laughed at him, barely holding back a swoon over his adorable expression and scowled at herself in the process.

"What?" he snickered over at her as she rose to pour him a glass of the wine.

"Nothing—just disgusted at how smitten I am with you," she muttered.

"As am I," he sighed. He looked at her with hooded lids, and she felt sudden heat rush to her core.

"Finish your stew," she commanded, flicking her gaze at him meaningfully. He caught her suggestive glance and laughed.

"You first," he raised a devious eyebrow in her direction.

"Very well," she responded primly, conscious all-the-while of the heat of his gaze and the corresponding heat between her thighs.

He took up another spoonful of his stew, and then another, making a civilized show of eating. "We are fugitives, after all—we'll need to keep up our strength," he winked at her.

She shook her head at him, but followed his example, stealing quick glances at him in between swallows, occasionally catching him doing the same. After a few moments of concerted effort in silence, she spoke. "This really is good."

"It is," he agreed, smiling up at her happily.

"How many more of Eli's meals do you think we'll get to enjoy?" she queried, munching away thoughtfully at a forkful of salad, having finished her entrée.

"I should be receiving a text sometime tonight regarding the schedule for our extraction," he murmured, taking a moment to check the time. Liz angled her head to glance at his watch, then raised her eyes to meet his with a small smile. "But to answer your question, I expect we'll have at least two more."

Liz nodded approvingly. Two more nights of just the two of them—not counting the rest of tonight. Delightful anticipation blossomed through her, and she grinned at her tray.

"You just want Eli to make more bacon cheeseburgers, don't you?" he smirked.

"Am I that transparent?" she playfully retorted. He laughed, throwing his whole head back.

She watched him mop up the last of his stew onto what was left of his roll a pop it into his mouth. He sipped his wine, wiped his mouth daintily, and looked up at her in satisfaction. She took in the sight of him, smiling at her from across the table, and felt her heart melt.

"What is it?" he set his glass down, concerned.

"Your face," she sighed and chuckled helplessly. "Is just so very dear to me…"

"Go on," Red propped his chin up on his hand in exaggerated interest, making her smile.

"I can't help but stare at you," she gazed at him and smiled slowly, warmly. "Let me touch you."

"Lizzie," he scoffed, then laughed delightedly. "You're relentless!"

He was out of his seat in an instant, coming straight for her, but she was small and fast, and determined to have her way with him. She leapt into his arms for a hurried, frantic kiss, then herdedhim to the side of the bed.

"Come here with me," she crooned, sitting on the edge of the mattress, pulling him down with her. "Lay down."

"Of course, sweetheart," he chirped happily, settling on his back and wrapping his arms around her as she settled atop him. "I'm at your command!"

She straddled his lower stomach and buried her face in his neck to breathe him in—assertive, dominant. He moaned and quivered reflexively beneath her in anticipation.

"You like this?" she giggled softly against his collarbone and pushed herself up so she could see his expression.

"Oh yes," he sighed, gazing at her. "You can't imagine, love."

She hummed in delight and captured his lips with her own. She ran her hands down his chest hard, pausing to pinch and tease his nipples through the fabric of his shirt, making him moan into her mouth. She kissed him harder, devouring him, grinding against him shamelessly, endlessly encouraged by his sounds of pleasure and the way he moved against her.

His hands fisted themselves in her hair as he bucked his hips into her. She groaned and pressed her hot center against his length.

"Clothes off," she managed to grunt into his ear before climbing off him and pulling him up. She stripped him quickly of his shirt and once it was off and away on the floor, she pushed him back down into the pillows, and set to work removing his pants.

He laughed wildly as she pulled his jeans and boxers down over his hips and legs, leaving him completely naked and her still completely clothed.

"I can't help but notice," he drawled as she tossed his remaining clothes over the side of the bed, laughing as she did so, knowing where he was going with this. "You're still wearing…"

"Correct," she smirked, interrupting as she turned back to him and straddled his knees. wickedly. "Because it's your turn."

Then she leaned down and put her mouth on him.

"Lizzie!" he crowed. "Merciful god!"

He hardened completely as she sucked and licked and lathed him sensuously with her tongue. He was delicious to her, and the way he twitched and moaned and squirmed in response to what she was doing to him made her hot and soaking wet. She took as much of him into her throat as she could manage, and he growled with pleasure at her in a way that made her toes curl.

She flicked her eyes up at him, found him staring down at her in worship and lust. Ever-so-slowly, suckling him as hard as she thought he'd enjoy, she moved back up his shaft, allowing him to slide out of her mouth, long and slow. She flicked her tongue over the tip of his cock, making him twitch, before releasing him with a light pop.

He groaned and hissed her name again. She grinned up at him, locking her gaze on his.

"You're driving me insane," Red grunted down at her. "But also, sweetheart, if you're going to insist on doing this, I request that I be allowed to put my shirt back on."

She looked up at him in question and dismay.

"It's cold down here, Lizzie," he quipped then, laughing at her good-naturedly and flexing his erection teasingly in her hand, making her smirk.

"I'm sorry," she frowned, focusing. "Stay there."

She leapt nimbly off the side of the bed and quickly found his t-shirt. She snatched it up, along with his boxers, and placed them on the edge of the mattress. Under his watchful gaze, she removed her jeans and socks, turning around and purposefully giving him an eyeful of her ass in her simple black underwear as she bent over to do so.

She turned, caught him staring at her, and grinned joyously. He reached for her, clasped her hand, and pulled her across the mattress back to him. She straddled him once again and leaned in for a quick kiss.

"Sit up," she requested, rising on her knees and reaching for his shirt. He sat up under her and wrapped his arms around her torso, burying his face in her cleavage and inhaling deeply through her t-shirt. She wrapped her arms around him in response, pulling him against her tightly, cradling him in her arms. "Here," she kissed the top of his head, sweetly. "Put your hands up, you bad, bad man," she teased, lowering his shirt down over his arms and head when he complied, laughing beneath her. She smoothed the fabric down, running her hands over his torso. He groaned in appreciation.

"Much better," he sighed, looking up at her, the corners of his eyes crinkling in affection. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," she crooned, cupping the back of his head and pulling his mouth to hers for a brief, fierce kiss. When she pulled away, he beamed at her almost drunkenly. She grinned foolishly at him in response, then proceeded to aggressively push his upper body back down against the mattress.

"Lizzie!" he laughed in surprise as he bounced lightly atop the bed.

She giggled and raised an evil eyebrow in response before quickly returning to her pleasurable ministrations, moving back down his body smoothly, taking some time to use her teeth and tongue against the hollow of his hipbone, the inside of his thigh…

His erection pulsed frantically in response, seemingly begging her for attention, and she was happy to respond. She took him into her mouth once more and watched his expression crumble in lust and need. She worked his smooth length over and over again with her mouth and her hands, and savored each delightful sound he made.

He had already cum once today, and now she was going to make him do it again. With a mere twist of her wrist, or a flick of her big blue eyes up to his face—watching him, enjoying him—she was going ruin him. Lizzie, his Lizzie, with her hands—and her tongue on him! The reality of it was still too joyous and wonderful to believe. She was so good, so sensuous and hot. She was too good for him. And still, she was his.

"Hey," she released his softening erection and sat up to meet his gaze. "Where'd you go?"

"I'm here," he laughed lightly. "I'm sorry! I'm just…" he trailed off, taking in her appearance. "You're so…" he trailed off again, at a loss for words, utterly unable to convey the surge of love he felt for her or the simultaneous twinge of fear that she would disappear, run from him as fast as she could.

She caught the pleading in his expression and reached for him, climbing half on top of him and wrapping her arms around him as tightly as she could.

"Love you," she hissed in his ear.

"Love you," he muttered hoarsely, gripping her tightly against him.

"Not going anywhere," she hummed. "Stay with me, here?"

"Absolutely," he whispered.

"Good," she grinned and kissed the tip of his nose. "Now cum in my mouth."

"My god!" he chuckled then groaned. She was the perfect mix of perversion and purity, straddling him, kissing him back down the length of his body to press her mouth against the length between his legs. "Sweetheart, I'll cum anywhere you tell me to—your mouth, your chest—anywhere you please!"

She laughed at him and took him into her mouth once more and began to suckle him in earnest, with quick, hard strokes. He groaned and jerked against her, helplessly watching his dick disappear in between her lips—so warm, wet, and tight!—then reappear again with startling speed and sensation.

"Elizabeth," he croaked. "Oh, oh—please don't stop!"

She groaned at his lustful plea, transmitting every arousing vibration into the shaft of his cock as she took him as deeply into her throat as she could manage without gagging or drooling. The sounds he emitted in response made the blood rush between her legs, and she groaned again, focusing the vibration into the head of his shaft. He could only spasm beneath her.

Someone dragged a chair across the floor just above them, and Lizzie paused, wondering momentarily if they were being loud enough to hear above. She glanced up wickedly into Red's face before sucking him deep into her mouth once more, daring him to make a sound.

He moaned and twitched, and just when he thought he was about to come, she pressed the pad of her thumb firmly between his testicles and his anus. For a moment he thought she trying to delay his orgasm and was about to tell her where to press on the base of his shaft—but suddenly a warm wash of pleasure broke over him, and he realized she'd been hunting for his prostate gland.

"Oh! You naughty little…Oh! Lizzie! Yes!" he thrust shallowly against her soft palate, trying unsuccessfully to hold himself back, but when she increased the pressure, sucking him harder, staring up at him knowingly all the while, he exploded into her mouth with an incoherent shout.

She kept her tongue active along his shaft, milking him, encouraging him to unload every last drop of cum and swallowing his salt down with ease. Other men had made this particular act a degrading experience, but he made it easy, made her feel powerful and sexy and confident knowing that her mouth could reduce even the most notorious criminal in the world to a quivering heap.

She released him gently from her mouth as he softened and gently crawled up the length of his body.

He watched her approach, still breathing hard, and immediately cupped the back of her head to pull her in for a kiss once she was close enough. He couldn't taste himself at all in her mouth, she had swallowed his orgasm so completely. The thought of it made his cock twitch again, even as it died between his legs.

"That was so hot!" he burst out as soon as her lips left his, staring at her, his expression awakened. "Oh Lizzie! I can still feel it!" he hissed in ecstasy.

She giggled wildly and fell to his side, covering her face to protect herself from the intensity of his gaze. He rolled towards her and pulled her hands away matter-of-factly.

"You are the sexiest woman I've ever known," he crooned, cupping her face in his hands and gently encouraging her to look at him.

"Oh yeah?" she smirked, pulling him against her affectionately and encouraging him to settle down in her arms. "You think so?"

"I'm not kidding, Lizzie," he groaned against her chest. "I couldn't tell you the name of the last woman who pushed me down on a bed and made me cum like that!" he growled in near frustration and grabbed her, pulling her completely beneath him, fisting the hair at the back of her neck and pulling her mouth to his again for a searing kiss. "Sucked me dry," he muttered, squeezing one of her breasts and dragging his teeth down the delicate skin along the smooth column of her neck. "Sweetheart, it's going to be hours before I can properly fuck you again."

"Mmm, something to look forward to," she sighed and kissed the top of his head. "Let's get under the covers for now."

"Agreed," he muttered, sitting up and grabbing his boxers. He pulled them on while she slid between the sheets in her underwear and shirt. He joined her promptly, and they curled up together easily, as though they'd been doing so for years.

"I love you," she breathed into his chest. "Such a relief to finally be able to say it."

"Oh yes," he sighed. "A relief and a distinct pleasure." He squeezed her and buried his face in her hair. "I love you too, Elizabeth. So much."

They lay together, quietly enjoying the embrace of the other.

"Remember that first day, and you in the box?" Liz murmured eventually.

They smirked at one another, amazed at the difference between then and now.

"You were so beautiful and brave, coming down those stairs to confront me," he reached for her hand, squeezed it and sighed rapturously. "What a sight."

"Mmm, speaking of a sight—the first time I saw you in a tuxedo?" she groaned. "Couldn't even speak, couldn't stop staring at you."

"I noticed," he grinned at her smugly. "I lived on the memory of that look for months. And you—just exquisite in that glorious red dress!" he leaned down and kissed her hand reverently. "Oh Lizzie, what else? What other lovely, secret little moments have you been cherishing?"

"The day you gave me the music box you'd made for me," she smiled up at him shyly. His eyes gleamed. "And then…the night of the King auction," she breathed, and he shuddered reflexively in memory and clutched at her. She trembled and squeezed him hard, thinking about how they'd almost lost each other. "If I hadn't come back…," she made a sound of distress at the thought. He quickly compressed her against his chest as tightly as he could manage without crushing her.

"That was a close one," he grunted. "I'm ashamed of how I berated you after, but I was so relieved, and so terrified to think that you would risk yourself for me like that…"

"I know you were," she murmured reassuringly. "I understood."

"I care about you," he mocked her girlish voice in her ear. "Deal with that!"

They both snickered, shaking together as one. Liz sighed and looked up at him, her expression serious.

"I heard you call out for me, before I shot Yabbari," she studied him intently.

"You did?" he sat up at little and looked down at her, still tucked against his chest.

"Yes…" she hesitated. "I originally thought you knew I was there, I thought you were urging me to take my shot before he took his…but you were shocked to see me," she looked to him for an explanation. "Why would you…?"

"You know why," he smiled down at her a little sadly.

She nodded. "At least, I do now."

They lay together, silently holding one another, each lost in thought. Red suddenly chuckled ruefully.

"What?"

He shook his head at her. "It's just…you really need to stop killing people in my defense," he deadpanned.

"Oh jeez," she groaned in dismay. "That's not even…" she sputtered. "You're making fun of something so—"

"Oh, it's not that I don't find it flattering," he went on in mock reassurance, and Liz smirked helplessly. "It's just that you keep getting caught…" he added nonchalantly.

"Oh, stop," she managed to gasp out between spasms of laughter. "That's terrible! Red!" She tried to be disapproving of his poor taste, but was largely unsuccessful.

"I agree," he grinned down at her. "The idea is to avoid getting caught, sweetheart." He tucked a stray wisp of hair behind her ear

Liz sighed and shook her head at him. "Well, so far, so good," she muttered. "We have, what? Another two, three days down here?"

"Yes," he responded, moving his hands through her hair.

"And we still have to get through tonight," she sighed.

"I'm sure we'll entertain ourselves," Red smirked. She laughed and snuggled up against him again.

It wasn't until he suddenly snored indelicately that Liz realized Red was asleep. She carefully separated herself from him, used the bathroom and brushed her teeth. She shut off the few lights they had and climbed back into bed. Red immediately reached for her and tucked her in against him. He was asleep again before she could put her head against her pillow. She smiled in the dark at his antics and joined the man she loved in slumber.