Lee smiled as Tarin pointed out that he especially liked showers in hotels because of the abundance of hot water available. That was a nice change, to be sure. The apartment definitely didn't have all that much hot water, and the shop was even worse.

Tarin's hands were in her hair, running through her hair, as they stood there in the hot water from the shower, kissing. Oh god, Lee realized, there definitely had not been enough kissing that day.

And then Tarin pulled back, just enough to comment on her blushing, which only resulted in her blushing a shade darker. "I'm still surprised and amazed that you want to be with me," Lee said, unwrapping one arm from around Tarin's neck so she could place a finger against his lips to stop him from interrupting. "Each and every day, I'm surprised and thankful that I'm lucky enough to be your wife, Tarin. So why is it so surprising that you can still make me blush?"

Letting her finger fall away from Tarin's lips, Lee wrapped her arm back around his neck as he let his head fall back, his face now directly in the stream of the water.

Not for long, though. A moment later, Tarin was looking at her again, a slightly teasing look on his face. A teasing look that became far more serious as he asked if she could promise him that she would be alright for the next couple days. As he continued, his forehead dropping down onto hers, Lee blushed again when he said that if she didn't answer soon, he wouldn't be held responsible for his actions much longer.

So Lee thought. It was going to be hard, but she had known that from the start. But, as long as things went mostly to plan, everything should be fine, right? What she worried about was the things that might happen that weren't part of the plan.

And Tarin was going to walk away, after he had asked her to join him in the shower, after they had been standing there kissing in the hot water, if she couldn't promise him that she'd be fine.

"I'm sure I'll be fine," Lee told Tarin. "Even if I get really amped up at the airport, the village should be empty enough that I'll be able to sleep no problem in a night or two." Somehow, Lee didn't think that was quite the promise Tarin had been asking for, but that was what he was getting. She couldn't promise that she would be alright with everything she had been worried about, neither of them really knew what was going to happen once they got down there.

Not giving him time to decide she hadn't promised him enough, Lee reached her hand up to Tarin's hair, though there really wasn't much at all left there for her to be able to grab, as she started pulling him down toward her. "So, are you going to get back to kissing me, or what?" She asked, just before their lips met.

One thing was for sure. Tarin Brooks loved his wife, and though he’d never forgotten it, all of a sudden it was all that he could think about. Despite the fact that he was in the shower with his wife, despite the fact that the water was running down over both of them and she was pressed up against him, all he could do was stare at her in wonder as she put her finger against his lips and shushed him. This woman…this beautiful, sweet, simply amazing woman felt lucky to have him. Him…Tarin Brooks, pretty much the opposite of everything he’d just thought about his wife.

Tarin was used to being the one to wax sentimental at times like this, so it was that much more staggering that Lee had said what she had. She’d asked a question at the end of her proclamation, but Tarin just ignored it and stared down at Lee. For the first time, it sunk in. They were going to a war zone. They were almost tempting the fates, he could see Lee’s point of view, and for a moment it made sense to be worried.

She was thinking about what he’d said, but now Tarin wished that he’d never given the option because what he wanted more than anything was to show Lee just how lucky he thought he was. Lee finished thinking though, and started speaking. Tarin might have had a problem with this particular promise, but tonight it was a means to an end, even if he might feel bad later when Lee couldn’t sleep.

Lee asked if he was going to get back to kissing him and her hands found that place on the back of the head where she usually gripped his hair. Only, there wasn’t any hair for her to grab. Hmmm…there were drawbacks to this particular haircut…well…Lee would just have to find something else to hold onto while she kissed him.

Lee had asked, and Tarin answered, dropping his head to meet her halfway as she kissed him. His hands found their way back into her hair and this time it was Tarin’s fists clenching slightly, holding Lee’s head to his as he continued to kiss her, moving them backwards until Lee’s back came up against the tiled wall. If Lee was going to lose sleep, it sure as hell was going to be worth her while.