They continued to sit at the table long after they'd finished their meal. Pam noticed the candle Jim had lit was now a mostly a sea of melted wax, the light scent of cinnamon adding to the warmth she was feeling inside. She was holding his hand across the table, and she smiled at him over her wine glass as she finished the last few drops.

“So when are you going to stop being so perfect?” She asked.

He tilted his head in puzzlement. “What do you mean?”

“This,” she said, waving her now empty glass first over the empty dishes and then in the direction of the couch and coffee table. “Dinner, cleaning...general wonderfulness.”

“I'm hardly perfect,” he replied, somewhat self-consciously. “I just wanted to show you I can be helpful.”

“I know that,” she replied, squeezing his hand. “I don't know what I'd do without you.”

Jim shrugged. “You didn't sound so sure of it earlier.”

“Really?" Pam replied, looking genuinely surprised. “I didn't mean to give that impression. I was probably just tired thinking about everything I had to do.” She smiled again. “Everything you so neatly took care of.”

“Not a problem,” he grinned back.

Pam stood, and began to gather the empty dishes.

“What are you doing?” Jim asked, standing as well.

“Cleaning up,” she said. “It's the least I can do.”

“I've got it,” he declared, taking the plates out of her hand. “You just go relax.”

“Jim, I can't let you do that.”

“Sure you can,” he replied, leaning in to kiss her temple. “It will take all of ten minutes to wash these and put them in the dishwasher.”

“But it's not fair for you to do everything.”

“It's not that big a deal,” he said, walking into the kitchen. “Just go sit down, will ya?”

Pam watched him for a moment, while an impish smile stole over features. “I'll go work on dessert.”

Jim glanced back as she disappeared into her bedroom, then went back to washing up. He couldn't even begin to imagine what she'd meant by that remark, but he had faith he'd enjoy whatever it turned out to be. If there one thing he'd learned about Pam in their time together, it was that she was full of surprises.

He was loading the last of the silverware into the dishwasher when he heard her clear her throat. He grabbed a towel to dry his hands as he closed the door and turned around. The hopes he had for how the evening might play out still didn't prepare him for the sight of Pam, leaning against the hallway wall in the purple nightgown he'd washed accidentally earlier. Describing it as a nightgown was a bit of stretch. It had wide, satin straps, and the lace in the front crisscrossed into a modest plunge of a v-neck. But the skirt was so short it barely brushed the tops of her thighs. Her hair was pinned up, and the sight of a few errant curls against her pale neck were practically his undoing.

He knew he was staring, gawking really, but couldn't bring himself to look away. “I didn't shrink it, did I?” was the only thing he could think to ask. Her smile made him flush, aware of what an idiot he sounded like.

“C'mon,” she beckoned. “It's time for dessert.”

He threw the towel on the counter and grasped her proffered hand as he followed her back to the bathroom. "Are you sure it's hygienic to eat in here?" he teased.

"Shush," she replied, stopping for a moment to light the two candles that sat on either side of her marble vanity. She flicked off the light and nodded her approval at the shadows cast along the tile from the flames. She leaned over the bathtub and twisted both taps until the water rushed loudly out of the faucet. She stood back up and smiled again. "Strawberry or raspberry?" she asked.

His momentary confusion was lifted when she picked up two bottles of bubble bath from the shelf. "Ah," he nodded. "No preference, really."

"You sure?"

"What if we use a little of both?" Jim suggested. "Then it's kind of like mixed berries."

Pam handed him the one labeled Strawberries and Cream. "Why not?" She laughed as they both poured some in.

The bath water was already starting to steam up the small room as she set the bottles down and turned her attention back to Jim. He's tie had already been off when she returned from class, so she wordlessly started unfastening the rest of the buttons on his blue work shirt. His eyes followed her fingers as she worked her way down his chest, while his hands came to rest at her waist, the slick softness of the lingerie was begging to both be touched and taken off at the same time. Jim thought it was not a bad dilemma to be faced with.

When she was done with the buttons she stood up on her tiptoes to push the shirt off his shoulders. He was already leaning back against the sink and as she reached up, his arms came around her and pulled her in.

"Hey," she complained, her tone anything but annoyed.

Jim's hands slid up the satin of her gown to her shoulders, then up further to cup her face. "What?" he asked innocently. He prevented a verbal response by kissing her, though her reaction of moving her hands from his shoulders to the nap of his neck and along his hairline seemed to tell him everything he needed to know. The mirror wasn't the only thing steaming up when she finally pulled away.

“Come on,” she encouraged. “Time to get in.” He finished pulling off his shirt while she turned off the taps, pushed his hands away when he attempted to undo his belt. “Please,” she requested, “allow me.”

Jim pulled his hands back into a position of surrender, then ran his hands down her shoulders. “By all means,” he grinned. Soon he was naked in the darkened room and she was encouraging him to get in the bath.

“What about you?” he asked, settling into the warm, sudsy water with a look of concern.

“You first,” she replied, kneeling next to the bath. She reached for the soft wash cloth and dunked it into the water. Then she leaned over and ran the warm wet cloth over his shoulders and upper back. “Nice?” she asked.

“Yes,” he admitted, “but you'll find it easier to do it from in here.” She was running the wash cloth through the water and up his bicep when he caught her wrist with his other hand. “Seriously, get in here while it's still warm.”

“It's my turn to take care of you.”

“And you can do a much better job of it in here.” He couldn't resist glancing at the view she was presenting him with as she leaned over the bathtub in her nightgown. “And I'm sure I speak for everyone involved when I say it's time you got out of that outfit.”

“Everyone involved?” Pam couldn't help but giggle even as she continued to try and seem seductive. She knew she was failing miserably. “How many of us are in there?”

Jim's grin broadened as he raised his hand out of the water and indicated toward her chest. “Well two, at least.”

“Hey, watch the splashing,” Pam complained, leaning back from the tub. “If this gets wet I won't be able to wear it again later.” She immediately knew she'd said the wrong thing, and before she could warn him not to try anything she felt the splatter of bath water soaking her completely.

“Jim!” She exclaimed. She tried to stand but he was too quick for her, and pulled her into the bathtub, nightgown and all. She squealed and struggled against his chest, but gave up as his arms tightened around her. “Oh, you are so dead,” she groaned.

“Yeah, I can see that,” he laughed. He pressed his lips to the back of her neck. “Think you should take this off now?”

She leaned her head back against his shoulder, willing herself to laugh. “You suck,” she replied, biting her lip so he wouldn't see her smile. She felt his body shaking with laughter and was unable to contain hers any long. “You really, really suck,” she giggled as she turned to face him, putting her arms around his neck.

Their eyes met, and suddenly neither of them felt like laughing anymore. Jim reclined against the back of the tub, and Pam was quick to follow, stretching her body against his as she kissed him, their legs entwining through the scented bubbles and warm water. His hands ran over her body, tugging up on the wet material to finally touch her skin.

“You really should take this off before you ruin it,” he said as he kissed her neck.

“Before I ruin it?” She pulled back to sit up, and for a moment Jim worried he'd said the wrong thing. Then he watched as she pulled the soaking nightgown off over her head, scrunched it into a ball in her hands, and squeezed out the excess water. She tossed the garment onto a towel on the floor. “You owe me a new outfit,” she said as shimmied out of the matching panties and threw them over the side of the tub as well.

“You should have listened the first time I asked you to remove it,” he claimed.

“Hmmph,” Pam replied, curling up against him again. “Maybe you'd prefer to buy one for Jay Keeler.”

Jim's head rolled back. “God, you really know how to kill a moment,” he groaned. “I had managed to forget all about her until now, thank you.” Pam giggled and she ran her hand over his chest. He grabbed her hand to still its movement. “No, seriously. Thank you so much for that image.”

“It's the least I could do considering you ruined my nightgown,” she purred.

“No, that's not fair at all, Pam,” he replied. “That is cruel and unusual punishment. It doesn't even come close to fitting the crime. You know,” he sighed, “I can't even believe it's still the same day as that meeting from hell.”

“Yep, it is,” she replied, kissing his neck and ear in an attempt to get him to stop talking, “it's been a long day.”

“It has,” he agreed, his relaxed tone indicating that her ministrations were working. “I would be happy to pretend that everything before the key never even happened.”

“The key?” She asked, slightly confused.

“Yeah, you gave me your keys, remember?”

“Oh, right,” she sighed, “of course.”

“Um, hello? That is how this whole evening got started,” he teased. “Had you not given me your keys, you'd be all alone slaving over laundry and dirty dishes right now.”

“So true,” she murmurred, kissing him again. “This is a much better scenario. I should have given those keys to you ages ago.”