The hot water hit her icy cold skin; feeling like pricks of ice, at the same time burning her. The whole experience was shockingly pleasant. After quickly shampooing her hair, she heard the door creak open. She peaked through the shower curtain just to be certain it was him-- of course it was. He was stripping down, pulling off his jeans then folding them neatly on the counter. Dawn grinned.

Exactly thirty seconds later (Dawn counted silently in her head) Connor stepped in the shower from behind her and slipped his hand around her waist. His cold skin brought back the pricks.

"Sorry I took so long," he said in her ear, "Dad was keeping me late for extra defense practice, and then Lorne wanted my opinion on which suit he should wear for a meeting with this demon clan he and Gunn are checking out tonight--"

"And it all just went kablooie?" He burrowed his face into her neck and kissed it.

"Yeah. Kablooie."

"You know what else could go kablooie..." Dawn turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck. He responded immediately with a hard and passionate kiss. He quickly pressed her against the cool of the shower wall, hands tangled in her wet hair. After fervently kissing only her mouth for a few minutes he began to explore the length of her jaw, her neck. Connor then took to her collarbone-- kissing and nipping at her ivory skin that he longed for so when he wasn't touching it. To her breasts then stomach-- by the time he was below her waist Dawn was nearly shaking with anticipation and incredible and inescapable bliss.

After a while Dawn managed to gasp out a little suggestion that they should relocate from the shower. Paulic Young Hotel and it's inhabitants weren't exactly made of money. Connor quickly agreed, shutting off the water and shoving aside the curtain, nearly pulling down the rod.

"In a hurry there, Mister?" asked Dawn teasingly. Her voice had a slight tremble in it-- she had been waiting for this moment the last three months. Now that it was happening she was almost scared. When Connor had abandoned San Francisco for Santa Fe for three months this past spring she had barely survived without him here. Now that he was, she was actually nervous to do it again. It was almost like her first time.

Connor, however, was full steam ahead. He took a mere six seconds to dry himself off, then didn't even waste time in handing it over to Dawn, just wiped her down himself. He then took her hand and fast walked out to their bedroom where, surprise, surprise, a bed was waiting. Oh boy.

Connor stopped. He suddenly seemed at a loss of what to do. He turned to her.

"So, uh... you wanna lay down, or something?" Dawn's cheeks turned beet red.

"Nooo," she found herself saying, then sauntering closer to him, "I want to do this." she stood on her tippy toes to touch his lips to hers. Softly. Gently. Tenderly. Connor responded in an equal tone. They broke apart and Dawn relaxed the balls of her feet. Connor sighed. When he met her eyes, he grinned.

"Why do you always have to put everything in perspective?"

"It's what I do. And in case you're misinterpreting, that didn't mean stop what you're doing. Just slow down, sweetheart," she placed her hands on either side of his face, "Just slow down." He gave her a little half grin and sat down on the end of the bed. She curled up next to him, arms entwined with his left and chin resting on his shoulder. His right hand massaged her hands, rubbing and stroking. They sat there for a little while, an easy silence between them.

Finally he began to kiss her again. Softly. Slowly he eased her back onto the bed where he continued to kiss her. He stopped, momentarily, and looked at her.

"It's okay," she said, pushing his hair behind his ear. "I trust you," then added, after a moment, "I love you." He smiled at her then leaned down and nipped at her ear. She giggled.

"I love you too."

***

The next morning Dawn woke early with the sun just peaking through the blinds. Connor had one arm slung around her body, the other tracing words into her back. She let him for a bit. Finally she spoke.

"Someone saw, didn't they?" Connor stopped his lettering for a moment.

"...Yeah," he answered guiltily. "Buffy. She came in without knocking, rather a stupid move seeing as it's my first real night back at the hotel with you.... How did you know?"

"The massage. You know I love when you write on my back, but you only ever do it when someone's seen us in bed." Connor chuckled.

"After three months..."

"What, you think I would forget? I don't forget Connor. I always remember," she rolled over to face him. "I always do." Connor looked at her for a minute, expressionless. Then he took her face in his hands and kissed her.

"It's why there's no other girl out there in the world for me." he told her, stroking her cheek with his thumb.

"The things guys will say to get a girl back in bed..."

"Come on! Tonight? Pretty please?"

"Well if you say it like that..." she reached over and pecked him on the cheek then literally bounced out of bed on the mattress. "You weren't half bad last night. Guess you haven't lost any of your skills."

"Neither have you." said Connor teasingly as he climbed out of bed himself and snatched a kiss before she pulled her t-shirt over her head. She beamed at him before dropping it down.

"Maybe," she told him, grinning. "Maybe."