It was late in the evening before Ares and Eliza made it back to their apartment. They spent several hours talking to Donovan, planning a way into the event hall. The roof was still their best option and Donovan offered to help them get up there. He wouldn't tell them how he planned to help during their meeting, but he was confident they'd reach the roof without getting caught.

The two hunters warned Mac of the possibility of killing Ezra. Mac wasn't happy about it, but he understood the dangers of letting him live. He reminded them that there wouldn't be any money from it. They looked at each other, both thinking that if the other came out of the fight alive, the money wouldn't matter. Mac couldn't read minds but he saw the way they stared at each other.

Eliza stripped off her heavy coat, leaving it on the floor by her shoes, and flopped onto the couch. She smiled at the gentle touch of the cushions on her weary body. She curled up into a ball and hugged a pillow to her chest.

Ares laid his coat on the back of the couch and grinned down at her. "Do I have permission to sit next to you?"

She peeked up at him from behind the pillow. She looked up like she was thinking about it and nodded, a devilish grin on her face.

Once his butt touched the couch, she pressed her cold feet into his thigh. She watched his mouth turn up as he leaned over to get the television remote and turn it on. Eliza glanced at the tv, digging her toes under Ares, and pulling his coat over her.

"There's a blanket right next to you, you know," he chuckled, rubbing her leg to warm her up.

"I didn't have to move as much for this. It's warm enough."

Ares sighed, standing and grabbing the blanket. He pulled his coat off of her, tossing it on the chair, and then laid the blanket over her. He tucked it around her and made sure her feet were secure in it. He kissed her forehead and sat back down, letting her tuck her feet back under his thigh again.

It quieted in the room despite the television station Ares settled on. Eliza was nervous about the coming day. They were going head first into a situation several bounty hunters hadn't come out of in the past. Cops were afraid of the Scorpions, too. Ezra created an organization with so much power – a power that could end their lives tomorrow. But she didn't want to dwell on it anymore. She wanted to be happy like she'd been in the little moments, moments with Ares.

"So," she started, moving her feet under him, "care to tell me about that fantasy you have about being with a woman?"

His eyes slid to her curious gaze, making her smile. He grinned. "Thinking about making my dream come true?"

"Something tells me a woman already did that for you."

Ares' smile widened. "I never had a woman care enough to ask."

Eliza sat up, wrapping the blanket around her shoulders to cover her back as best as she could. "Are you going to tell me?"

"Only if you tell me yours."

"What if I don't actually have a fantasy?"

"That is the biggest lie I've heard out of your mouth, Lizzy. Even the sweetest of women have fantasies they wish for." Ares turned in his seat, crossing his legs and placing her feet in his lap. His hands covered her feet to keep them warm. "I'll tell you mine and let you decide if you want to share. I just want to know one thing: did Luke ever fulfill whatever fantasy you've cooked up in that brain of yours?"

Eliza replayed so many moments with Luke, so many times they weren't completely sober during. It caused a ball of disappointment to grow inside her. She frowned and met Ares' gaze.

"No. Never. Not even close."

Her partner gave her a soft smile, almost piteous. "Did you ever ask him?"

"More than I care to admit..."

"Come here," Ares said, waving her toward him.

She cautiously agreed, relaxing when he pulled her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her. He put his chin on her shoulder and hugged her close. He made sure there was little room between her back and his chest, uncrossing his legs to make a barrier around her.

"I'm sorry," he said into her ear.

Eliza shrugged. "It's not that big of a deal. I was still happy with him."

Ares pressed his lips to the side of her head quickly. "It is a big deal no matter how you look at it. Thanks for answering my question, Lizzy."

She nodded and felt goosebumps rise on her flesh as Ares tucked his arms under the blanket to hug her again. One hand pressed flat against her stomach and stayed there.

Eliza let out a breath. "So, are you going to tell me?"

He chuckled. "I didn't think you'd want to know."

"I need to think about anything that doesn't revolve around the Scorpions."

There were a few moments of silence between them, Ares pressing his face into the curve of her neck and shoulder.

"My ship," he finally said against her.

"Really? What about it is so attractive to you?"

"I've never found an answer. I just want to take a woman on it, in it, and under it; especially after working on it."

She snickered. "Wouldn't you feel emasculated by it?"

He shook his head. "I don't care about that. That ship has been with me since I learned how to fly, and I guess making it part of an intimate moment is important to me. I don't know. It's just something I've pondered a bit."

"Parked or on autopilot?"

"Both."

"In space would be fun. No gravity."

Ares' embrace tightened again, and he groaned. "Please don't tempt me, Lizzy."

Eliza rested her hand over his on her stomach. "I guess that explains why you were quick to stop kissing me back on Earth."

"I didn't want to, but I didn't want to scare you away. I just got you to open up and didn't want to lose you."

"I wouldn't have run away from that..."

He brushed her hair over her other shoulder and pressed his warm lips to her neck. "Damn. Sometimes I'm too selfless."

Her eyes closed and she squeezed his hand. It felt so nice to be in the arms of someone else, talking and being doted on. She should have quit being so stubborn and let her walls fall down faster. They could have more than two days to enjoy each other.

"I used to ask Luke if he'd bathe or shower with me," Eliza said, staring at a few loose threads in the blanket. "I wanted to clean him up, show him I cared, and then hope he'd to do the same for me. He always refused, saying his time in the bathroom was only for him, that is until he started staying out late. I asked a lot and when he left the apartment after we fought about it, I never brought it up again."

The man behind her angled around her to capture her lips with his in a slow kiss. He proceeded to press a kiss to her cheekbone, her temple, and a final one on her nose.

"Did he treat well? And don't mean in the bedroom. Did he treat you like you should have been treated?"

A choked gasp left Eliza as she felt the insecurities she had because of him come back, giving her the answer. "No, not after he got me."

Ares turned Eliza around to face him. He tucked her head under his chin and held her. "You loved him; I get that. But you need to experience love the way it's meant to be, Lizzy. It goes well beyond being loyal or giving the other person what they need. It's a daily action that should never get abused, used, or ignored."

Unwelcomed tears welled up in her eyes as Ares' hands rubbed her back and brushed through her hair. Where was Ares before Luke came along? She would have fallen for the gentle bounty hunter and saved herself a lot of pain. He might have been trapped in the Scorpion's world, but he would have still treated her better than Luke.

"Come on," Ares whispered, kissing the top of her head. "I'm going to help you live that fantasy of yours if you'll let me."

She didn't look at him, feeling her face flush. Eliza slowly nodded. Her stomach churned at the thought of Ares sitting behind her and rubbing a loofah across her shoulders. She used to see Luke there. It was so easy to replace him with Ares. It didn't feel strange.

Ares stood, helping her to her feet and pulled Eliza behind him into her bathroom. He caressed her face when he looked down at her.

"You make the bath how you want. I'm going to warm a few towels in the dryer. I'll come back. Just relax." He kissed her lips once and left the room.

With shaking hands, Eliza started the water to warm it up. She dug around in the cabinet under the sink for a lavender-scented bubble bath that she nearly dropped in the rising water. She took a couple of deep breaths to calm her nerves. She sat on the ground by the tub, letting her arm swirl in the bubbling water. Her body was already craving the heat. It settled her nerves.

"I figured you would already be soaking up the warm water."

Eliza looked up at an amused Ares. "I like to enjoy it bit by bit."

"Fair enough. The towels are going."

She nodded and leaned her head against her arm, gazing at the bubbles billow above the warm water.

Ares sat behind her and pulled a ponytail holder off of his wrist. With careful hands, he pulled her hair back into a loose bun. He left a butterfly kiss behind her ear and guided her to stand to look at her. His voice was lower than usual when he spoke again.

"Did you want him to undress you, or did you want to do that yourself."

She stared down at her trembling hands and then back at his intense gaze. "I didn't want him to... b-but I want you to."

His smile softened before he kissed the corner of her mouth. His fingers grabbed the hem of her shirt and he paused. He asked if she was sure, which she could only nod at because she was afraid to nervous puke and ruin everything. In a swift motion, he pulled her shirt over her head, asking her to lift her arms. He did the same for her tank top. His fingers found the button to her jeans, undoing it and her zipper. She used his shoulders to keep her upright when he tugged them down and pulled them over her feet. Ares scanned over her for a second before removing her underwear. Eliza expected him to stare at her nudity, but he didn't look anywhere except her face. Even when he helped her climb into the tub, his eyes were fixed on her flushed face.

Eliza sank into the warm water, letting the bubbles cover herself up while Ares shut off the water. He knelt by the tub and smiled, resting his chin on the edge.

She tried to speak, but a squeak came out. She cleared her throat, to Ares amusement, and tried again. "You're going to stay over there?"

His lips parted to show his teeth. "Let me enjoy this dynamic for a little longer."

She scooted closer so their faces were level. She reached over the ledge, dripping water on the floor, and grabbed his hand. Eliza pulled it toward her face and left light kissed on his palm, his fingertips, and even to his wrist. Eliza slipped her fingers between his and stared at his pretty golden eyes.

Ares grabbed a cluster of bubbles with his other hand and deposited it onto Eliza's nose. He chuckled and immediately wiped it off with his wrist. He leaned forward to kiss her before standing up. Eliza peered up when he peeled his shirt off. She stared openly at the dips in his muscles, the smattering of hair on his chest and stomach, and the little scars from the fights in his past. As soon as he reached for the button of his jeans, her eyes shifted away, and she busied herself by gathering bubbles in front of her. He was so respectful when she was left in nothing. She felt she needed to do the same even though she wanted to keep watching.

The water moved and Ares sat behind her, kissing her shoulder. He took little time to grab her loofah, soap it up, and rub it against her skin. Ares was careful to take his time and make sure she was comfortable. The only time Eliza hid away from Ares was when he asked her to face him to clean her further. She hid her face in his shoulder until he finished, kissing her cheek.

In the same manner, Eliza returned the favor. Her free hand followed behind the loofah around his chest, eager to feel his skin. She relished in giving Ares the attention she realized he deserved. He did so much for her from the moment they met to that night. It was difficult to continue without pressing her lips to every bit of his skin above the water.

Before Eliza pulled the stopper and grabbed the shower head, Ares pulled her head to his and kissed her softly. He stared at her with a smile and put a loose strand of her hair behind her ear.

"You are perfect," he said.

She blushed and turned the showerhead on. "Only because you think so."

"I hope it matters more from me."

Eliza nodded and rinsed the soap off of Ares. She did her best not to stare too long at any part of his body except for the hand touching her arm. Once he was soap-free, he got out of the tub and kissed her forehead.

"I'll be right back. Let me get the towels and I'll come to rinse you off unless you want to do that yourself."

"No, you can."

He chuckled lightly and left the room. Eliza couldn't resist staring at his backside as we walked out. He did have a pretty wonderful butt.

Ares came back a minute later, towel around his waist and another in his arms. He made her stand to clean her off, his eyes focused on the matter at hand. She embarrassingly gasped when the water hit a particularly sensitive area. Her whole body turned red when his eyes shot up to her face.

"Sorry," she muttered, looking away from him.

His lips met the skin on her stomach for a second. "It's okay, you know."

She nodded again before Ares finished and turned the water off. He took the warm towel and wrapped it around her to lift her out of the tub. She felt like a doll being carried and lifted. She loved it. She loved it more when Ares took his sweet time drying off her skin. He wrapped her up in the towel, making sure it'd stay put, and then kissed her lips. His hand cradled the back of her head and the other left ghostly trails along her neck and shoulder.

"I never thought you would ever like me," the bounty hunter said against her mouth. "You were so hidden behind your walls, Lizzy."

Eliza let her arms circle his torso, fingers digging into the flesh of his back. She kissed his mouth once, twice, a third time. Then she kissed the dip between his pecks. He smelled even better with the lavender leftover from the bath. So many days gone to waste because she couldn't let go of Luke; couldn't except how Ares made her feel.

"I don't want to be like that anymore," she said, taking his hand.

Ares stared at her curiously until she started pulling him out of the bathroom and out of her room. When he realized where she was going, he stopped her.

"Lizzy, this isn't necessary."

"No, it is. I'm pretty sure this," she pointed between them, "is about to happen and it'd be a shame if I didn't help you like you've helped me more than once. I want to do this... for you."

The man stared at her, taking her determination in. She wasn't playing with him. She wanted him.

Ares lifted Eliza into his arms, keeping her flush against him when her legs wrapped around his hips. He kissed everywhere he could reach while walking toward the hangar.

Eliza's back pressed against the cold metal of his ship, making her gasp into Ares' mouth. She had to take a few sharp breaths to get used to the cold, making herself laugh when he paused to stare at her. She shook her head and took his lips again.

As soon as Ares' hands started working on unwrapping the towel, she stilled his hands.

"We need –" She couldn't finish her sentence without taking a deep breath.

He nodded, placing her on her feet before going back into the house. He was back in two seconds, ripping into a box before tossing it to the side. A loving look appeared on his face when he saw Eliza sitting inside his ship, her feet resting on the steps to get in. He was quick to climb up the steps, lie her back, and hover over her. His eyes searched her face. Eliza reached toward his hair dangling down and ran her fingers through it. It was the last gentle moment between them until Ares carried her into her room later. They wrapped themselves around the other as if it was the only night they were going to get. Eliza never felt safer curled up in her partner's chest.