They are lounging together in bed the first night when she twists around to rest her chin against his chest. "Josh? What did you mean when you said Sam was the one that made you take this vacation?" she asks.

It takes him a moment to form a cohesive answer, so he strokes his hands down her back, buying time, before quietly saying, "It was nothing. There was� I've been a little tense. He called me on it. Said he wouldn't take the job if I didn't take the vacation."

"He blackmailed you?" she asks, her eyes going wide.

"Yeah." His fingers move lower and he caresses her hips. "You don't seem surprised by the part where I admit I've been tense," he observes dryly.

"It might have been previously brought to my attention," she says noncommittally.

The answer startles him -- why, he's not sure -- and his fingers still their lazy exploration of her skin. "By?"

He can hear the smile in her voice as she blithely replies, "Several people," before lowering her head to plant tiny kisses along his chest.

But there's something niggling away at his thoughts and, despite the pleasure of her kisses, he shifts uncomfortably beneath her.

"I don't know where this is going," he admits quietly, finally giving voice to the thoughts that have been in his head since she issued her ultimatum a few days ago. "And I'm not sure three weeks and four days is going to be enough time to figure it out."

She doesn't say a word, just looks at him quietly with clear blue eyes.

He swallows the sudden lump that forms in his throat and tightens his grip on her body, as if holding her physically close will be enough to keep her with him. "All I really know is that I can't not have you in my life again," he says softly.

She reaches up and strokes his cheek, a small half-smile appearing on her face. "That's a start." Then she leans forward and gently caresses his mouth with hers, her tongue reaching out to stroke his lips.

With a groan, he deepens the kiss, claiming her as his, and rolls them until she is pinned beneath him, her long, luscious legs wrapped around his thighs, her surprisingly strong arms wrapped around his waist, her hands squeezing his ass, urging him closer.

He breaks the kiss, staring down at her with desperate eyes, and she reaches up to touch his face again, stroking his cheek, then sliding her hand behind his head to burrow her fingers in the curls at the nape of his neck. "I just need to know this is important to you," she whispers.

"It's important to me," he croaks, burying his face against her neck. "More important than anything."

"Anything?" she asks quietly, a sliver of doubt evident in her voice.

His head jerks up and he stares down at her, everything he feels and can't put into words showing clearly in his eyes. "Anything," he vows.

~~~~~

"That's it. You've exhausted me. I'm too tired to move," Josh grumbles as he collapses onto the bed.

Donna laughs as she follows him into the room and busies herself with unpacking their beach bag. "Oh please. You're acting like you've never exercised a day in your life."

He cracks open an eye. "I've spent the last seven years cooped up in an office in the White House. My body doesn't know what exercise is," he says. "Or sunlight. It's going into shock."

"Are you really trying to convince me, of all people, that you got that body by sitting at a desk?" she asks absently as she digs the sunscreen out of the bottom of the bag and sets it on the dresser.

He's quiet for a moment as he ponders the implication of what her question really mean, taking several seconds longer than necessary to answer. Too long, it seems, because she stops unpacking the bag to look over at him questioningly. "Josh?"

He pushes his weighty thoughts away. It's simply a question, without any hidden meaning, and he needs to stop looking for deeper significance in every conversation they have. "Well, no�"

"I didn't think so."

Propping himself up on his elbows, he studies her as she stands at the end of the bed, looking as refreshed and awake as she did when they got up ten hours ago. "How do you do it, Donna?"

She sets the empty bag on the floor and looks at him, confused. "Do what?"

He gestures vaguely in her direction. "Look as good as you did this morning, after all the stuff you made me do today?"

"It wasn't that much stuff," she protests.

"It was! We traversed the great sand beaches and wrangled sea life in its natural habitat!" he exclaims, forcing himself to be less serious, to enjoy the moment, and her.

"We walked from the hotel shuttle to the beach and snorkeled with sunfish. It's hardly the same," she says with a snort.

"Doesn't matter," he complains, flopping his head back down onto the bed. "You've exhausted me and now I can't move."

"Oh," she says and she sounds disappointed, so he raises his head again to find that she is loosening the tie on her bikini top.

He sits up, amazed at how easy they are with the naked part of their relationship now. "What are you doing?"

"I was thinking about a nice, relaxing soak in the whirlpool tub."

With a suddenly dry mouth, he asks. "Alone?"

She smiles widely and drops the skimpy top to the floor. "No."

He is off the bed and in front of her in seconds, his arms going around her waist. "You know, maybe I can dig up some energy from somewhere after all."

"I thought so," she says as she leans in and kisses him.

~~~~~

"I don't understand why you won't reconsider the press office job." Josh argues the next night when they return to their room after dinner. "You've always admired CJ and you're a natural in front of the camera."

She sighs. She's explained it twice now � once at the White House and once since they've been here � and he hasn�t listened to her either time. "Josh."

"Donna!"

"I can't work for you, even if it's not directly," she repeats for a third time.

"Why not?"

"You know why not," she says with an exasperated huff.

"Because you don't know what's happening with us. But Donna� what about what I need? What I want?"

"I don't know what you want, besides me working for you again." Her voice is tight and angry, and that bothers her. This is their vacation, their one chance to act like a normal, everyday couple. She doesn�t want to spoil it with a fight. With a Herculean effort, she tries to relax.

It doesn't help that he's pacing the length of the room, his frustration at the situation and at her palpable. "And because I can't tell you that yet, you won't take the job?"

His reluctance to see her side of the issue annoys her, but she's determined to clear the air, so she sighs again and quietly admits, "That, and also because I don't think I can do what CJ did."

He is genuinely confused by this. "Why?"

She begins to fuss with the shell necklace around her neck, unsure how far back she should go. "I made my peace with CJ a long time ago, but �"

"Wait � made your peace? About what?" He narrows his eyes at her. "If this has to do with the Chief of Staff thing �"

"No! Well, yes, I was disappointed on your behalf, but no. It's about something that happened before then."

"Before? I don't understand."

She takes a deep breath, knowing that she's about to say something he may not be ready to hear, something that may make the situation even worse. "CJ pointed out -- correctly as it turns out -- that I was staying at the White House because of you. But it was more than just one friend worrying about another. She was warning me, because it was part of her job."

"Donna�" He stops pacing and turns to her, anger and something else warring in his expression.

She thinks that maybe he is finally beginning to understand the reasons behind all of her decisions this past year. "It's ok. Really. She was right, and we made our peace about it months ago. But if Ronna decides to come out publicly, or Bram gets caught with a hooker� I don't want to be in the position where I have to ask someone that I care about to do � or not do - something simply because of how it looks for the administration. "

When he nods his agreement, she exhales a breath she didn�t know she was holding. "So you don't want to be Deputy Press Secretary. Fine. We'll find something else for you. Advisor to the President on Domestic Policy. Director of Public Liaisons. Something. Anything."

"Josh�" She turns away from him and fiddles with some brochures on the dresser. "It's not just about job title."

"It's because you don't want to work directly for me?" he says again, his voice hardening.

She turns back to him and smiles wanly, hoping she can find something to say that will allay his frustration. She finds that she can't, so she settles for a tired, "Yes."

His chin drops and she has to remind herself that it's not her job to make everything better for him anymore. "Is it so bad that I want to be able to see you, to talk with you, to be with you every day?" he asks.

"No," she replies, looking steadily at him. "But it is if it's because of our jobs."

He's stubborn, and she can tell by the set of his jaw that he wants to protest some more, but he surprises her when he doesn't. Instead, he takes her hand in his and studies her quietly for a moment before asking, "Chief of Staff to the First Lady?"

She nods. "I think I can be good at it. I think I can be valuable to her."

He reaches up, slides a hand beneath the curtain of her hair and caresses her neck. "Ok," he says finally, his lips quirking up into a small smile. "So you'll take the job and kick my ass from the other side of the building. I think I can live with that."

~~~~~

She is desperate to come, but Josh stubbornly refuses to move faster or harder, despite her repeated pleas. He is determined to take this slow and gentle, and while she appreciates the sentiment, her body is crying out for release and his tender ministrations aren't enough anymore. With a whimper, she tightens her arms around him, but instead of thrusting harder and deeper, he suddenly pulls out of her and rolls onto his back, frustrating her even more.

"I can't� God, Donna! If we don't slow down, I can't make it good for you," he pants, his chest heaving. "I want to make it good for you. I need to. Just� a minute. Give me� a minute."

But she can't wait. She needs release now.

In desperation, she slides her fingers down to the juncture of her thighs and rubs at her swollen clit, trying to relieve the ache. For a brief second she wonders if this will turn him off, but a quick glance at him reassures her. He has propped himself up on an elbow and is watching her, fascinated, as she extends one finger and slides it inside. She quickens the movement of the heel of her palm against her clit and her eyes flutter closed She can't see the look of rapt attention on his face anymore, but she can still feel his gaze on her as she continues sliding her hand against herself.

The fact that he's watching makes her even more aroused than before, and she slides another finger inside to join the first, rubbing harder, faster. Her body shakes with need as she approaches climax. Just one more stroke� one more� one� and then she's coming, a moan escaping her lips as her body shudders in orgasm.

Slowly, she comes down from her high, her body feeling relaxed and boneless in the aftermath of her orgasm. She waits until her breathing evens out before opening her eyes and when she does, she finds Josh staring at her, his mouth open, his erection jutting towards her, and a look of pure lust on his face.

"Now, Josh� I need to make you come now."

She sits up and pushes him onto his back, throwing a leg over his hips and straddling him. He grunts as she centers herself directly above him, but he doesn't say a word or make any attempt to touch her, just continues to stare at her, eyes dark with desire.

She's not sure why he's being so quiet, but she doesn't question him. She simply dips her head to kiss him as she lowers herself onto his erection. It feels good, so good, and she shifts, taking him even deeper inside. This is what she craved earlier. Him, hard and hot inside her. Her self-induced orgasm may have been what she needed, but this is better and will always be better, because this is what she really wanted - him inside her, filling her, making her feel complete.

With a sigh of satisfaction, she begins to rock against him, and he moans, raising his hands to touch her, his palms cradling her breasts as she moves against him. He caresses them, rolling the nipples between thumb and forefinger before pinching each one lightly.

She quickens her pace and he grunts again, the effort to keep from coming showing clearly on his face. She knows it must be killing him, and yet he still holds back, waiting for her, despite the fact that she's already come. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she realizes that what he said before is about more than just the sex. It's about them, about her. About him wanting to please her above all else.

But before she can fully appreciate what that means, he slides a hand between their bodies and another orgasm claims her, blocking out everything but the feel of him. As her orgasm fades, she hears him groan, feels his fingers digging into her hips as he tugs her solidly against him, feels the warmth of his orgasm pulsing inside her.

He finally releases her hips and she slides away from him for moment to clean up their mess before returning to cuddle against his side. He wraps his arms around her and sighs contentedly into her hair.

She falls asleep with her head on the same pillow as his, their legs twined together, secure in the knowledge that they've reached yet another turning point in their relationship.

~~~~~

He watches her as she gets ready for bed the next night. Hair gets pulled back, face washed, skin moisturized. Then it's time for pajamas � a tank top and boxers. He knows he'll remove them in a matter of minutes, and she knows it, too, but he's learned that she insists on putting them on anyhow.

It's one of many things he's learned from watching her the past few nights. And as each night passes, he thinks it's something he would enjoy watching her do for another five nights. Five weeks. Longer.

He swallows, suddenly scared about what that means. But even more scared about the idea of not having another night like this ever again

"So, um, it's down to three weeks now," he begins hesitantly as she pulls back the sheet and joins him in bed. "We should, uh, talk." He pauses, swallows again. "You know, the talk."

She tenses, and he wonders if she's as nervous as he is.

"Donna?"

When she turns to him, her expression is guarded, and he hates that he's made her look that way. But she obviously recognizes his sincerity because she takes his face between her hands and fixes him with a steady look. "We have been having the talk, Josh."

He looks at her in confusion and she continues, "It's not just one conversation. It's a series of conversations. About what we want from each other, what we expect, where we think we're going. And we've been having those every day this week."

"We have?"

"Yes," she says, offering him a small smile. "Remember two days ago when you were inhaling half the breakfast buffet?"

He nods. "Yeah, and you were being squeamish because of something you'd read about scrambled eggs and other soft foods that are served in bulk at restaurants �"

She slides a finger against his mouth to silence him. "Do you remember what you said that morning?"

"Eat the French toast instead?" he guesses.

"Yes, but you also said that we should think about coming back here next winter, because you can't get fruit like this in the northeast in December."

He shakes his head, still not understanding. "Yeah. So?"

Her smile widens. "You expect us to still be together next year."

He dips his head, slightly embarrassed because he didn't even realize what he'd said. And because only someone like Donna would pick up on such an infinitesimal thing like that.

She pulls his face back up and makes him look at her. "That was a conversation. Maybe not the kind you were expecting or even one you realized we were having. But you were thinking about still being with me in another year and that means something to me. And hopefully to you, too."

He realizes that she is right.

"The thing is," she continues, her expression serious, "Are you willing to keep doing this once we get back? Continue talking about the little things and making this a priority? And not hide behind either of our jobs? "

He nods, slowly, amazed at how easy this is now that he's actually doing it. "Yes," he says, hesitantly at first and then with more conviction. "Yes."

She studies him for a moment and then she smiles, that breathtaking smile he loves so much. "Ok."

~~~~~

"Sure, CJ. Ok. Bye."

Donna clicks off the phone as he walks out of the bathroom, still damp from his shower. "How come you get to talk on the phone and I don't?" he complains as she stows the phone away in her carry-on.

"Because you left your phone at the OEOB and because I can be trusted not to stay on for hours worrying about the next Cabinet appointment and you can't," she explains patiently. Walking over to him, she wraps her arms around his neck, ignoring the damp spots that form on her blouse. "So I've got a small problem."

He raises an eyebrow as he wraps his arms around her as well and pulls her close.

"You aren't going to ask what?" she asks.

He sighs in a long suffering way that she knows is all show. "Of course I am. What was so important that CJ had to talk to you this morning instead of waiting until we got back?"

"Keys," she says.

He frowns. "Keys?"

"Apparently, as much as she enjoyed having me stay at her place the last few weeks, she realized that she enjoys her home without me � and with Danny - even more."

His forehead crinkles in consternation. "Is the twitchy girl out of your apartment yet?"

She shakes her head. "No, not yet."

He thinks about it for a second and then shrugs. "Then stay at my place."

She frowns and tries to move out of his embrace, but he tugs her back against him and kisses her lightly on the nose.

"Josh�"

"Donna�" he mimics. "You told me it was the small conversations, right?"

"Yes," she says slowly.

"Then count this as one of those conversations." He leans in and kisses her softly on the lips, his expression tender and serious. "Stay with me. Not because it's convenient or because of the sex, but because you want to be there. And because I want you there too."

He watches as she weighs the pros and cons. Finally, she smiles and nods. "Ok."

"Good." He kisses her again. "Now� I can think of better ways to spend our last morning here than participating in another round of mental gymnastics trying to figure out who's sleeping where," he says, nuzzling her neck.

She grins as she thinks about how much sleeping they didn't do during this vacation. "Oh?"

"Yes, oh," he growls, as he maneuvers her closer to the bed. She giggles as he tumbles her down onto it. "Much better ways."

They almost miss their flight home.

~End~