"Just enough to shine," he says, and oh, shit, he means it, he wants her to shine and sparkle for him, in her own way, deadly and glamorous and brilliant. Sometimes he manages to forget how he wants this to be so much more than it is; he makes himself be happy with what he has, and if he's going to be lucky enough to convince Kate to go out for a normal night on the town -- a date, if you will -- then he'll be happy with it, even if it never happens again.

Neal leans in and kisses her again, one hand tangled in her hair, before releasing her, a bit reluctantly. "Go," he said, nodding towards her bedroom. "As much as I'd like to stay here all night." He steps back, presses his hands against the kitchen counter.

He'll stay there. He'll behave. Promise.