+Disclaimer: I don't own any CSI characters. All the original characters are mine. Reviews are much appreciated! +
Nick missed going to rodeos since he had moved away from Texas. This was the first year he had been able to go to the National Finals Rodeo, which was always held in Las Vegas. He also considered the irony of the fact that the first year he went was the year they had found a dead body in the ring. But now the yellow tape was down and he was off the clock.
He got his ticket at will call and went through the security gate to the inside of the arena. The place was packed with men and women in cowboy hats. He got a beer from concession then went off to find his seat. The usher glanced at his ticket and directed him to the row he was sitting in. Nick passed a few people to get to his seat in about the middle of the row. He hadn't really known where his seat would be when he got his ticket, but now being there he was satisfied with how close he was. The National Anthem was sung and everyone stood. While he was still standing after it was finished a couple girls were squeezing past the people at the beginning of the row and they were coming toward him. Nick glanced at the empty seats to his left then let them pass. The second girl was facing him as she squeezed past and their eyes met. He smiled and she returned the gesture.
He tried to be subtle as he watched her get to her seat- the furthest one out of the three from him in. She was almost his height with shoulder-length brown hair and dark blue eyes. She wasn't dressed in a short skirt or shorts with cowboy boots like the other girls he had come across; she had on jeans and a modest short-sleeve shirt. She had on boots with her jeans, which he could only see when she crossed her legs. She was drinking a beer and laughing with her friends as the rodeo began. Nick turned his attention to the bull-riding and tried not to get distracted with the girl a few seats down from him.
When the rodeo was finished, the girls sitting next to him filed out the opposite way they had come into the row. Nick decided that maybe it was better off that they didn't talk and he filed out of the row the way he had come in. He followed the crowd outside the arena and to the parking garage attached to the arena. He made his way to his SUV parked on the third level. As he approached he hit the button to unlock the doors then noticed someone sitting by the platform where the elevators were. He realized it was the young woman he had noticed inside. He chuckled to himself then went over to her.
"Hey," he greeted and she looked up. "You get abandoned?"
She smirked. "I guess you could say that. My friends met some guys on the way out and they got asked to go to a party and I'm not really in the mood so I pretty much got left behind."
"You need a ride home?"
"No, I'm ok. I called a cab."
"You sure, it's no problem. I promise I'm not some axe murderer or anything. I'm a Crime Scene Investigator; I can show you my badge."
"Persistent is what you are."
"Among other things. How about that ride?" He held his hand out to help her up.
She hesitated then took his hand and he pulled her up. "I'm Chelsea by the way."
"Nick, it's nice to meet you."
"You too." She out her hands in her back pockets as they walked. "So, you were here by yourself?"
"Yeah, none of my friends are the rodeo-type."
"There's a type?" she questioned.
"Yeah, I guess. Only certain people can take the site of a man getting thrashed around on a one ton bull for eight seconds."
"True."
"So, you're one of those people that can handle it?" He walked around to the driver's side of the car as she got in the passenger seat.
"I guess so. Well, I should be; I grew up in Wyoming. My parents have a ranch there." She told him quickly where she lived. "What about you?"
"I grew up in Texas; I think it's a prerequisite that you know something about farming and cows."
She giggled. "How did you end up here?"
"I just transferred here for work. I like it more now than I did when I first got here. What about you?"
"Well, I just needed a change. Those girls I was with, they're my roommates. It was their idea to move to Vegas and I just wanted to move somewhere so I came with them."
"Yeah, it's a good place to move away to from a small town. But you can get into some trouble here too."
She smirked. "My roommates are pretty good at that. I just try to keep to myself and that seems to keep me out of trouble. I work a lot so that helps too."
"What do you do for work?"
"Right now I'm working at a restaurant in the Hard Rock Hotel while I'm doing some online classes to be a teacher. I start as a Teacher's Assistant in a couple months."
They talked for the next thirty minutes about various things. Chelsea told Nick what it was like for her growing up on a Wyoming ranch with two brothers and a sister. And Nick in turn told her what it was like growing up in Dallas. As they pulled in front of the house he noticed Chelsea looking around then she sighed.
"Everything ok?"
"No, God, I hate my roommates sometimes."
"What happened?"
"Well, I have a really nice new truck. Do you see one anywhere?"
Nick looked in the driveway and around on the street. "No, I don't."
"Exactly, I have a spare key hanging on the key hooks we have in the kitchen and obviously someone decided to take it for a joy ride. Someone's getting their ass kicked tonight, that's just all there is to it." She turned to him and forced a smile then she pulled her keys from her purse. "Well, thanks for the ride home. I really appreciate it to be honest going home in a cab was not what I wanted at all."
"You're welcome. Hey, can I call you sometime and maybe we can go to dinner or something?"
"Yeah I'd like that." She rummaged in her bag for a piece of paper and scribbled down her number. "Call me anytime. I work a crazy schedule so actually talking to me is hit and miss but maybe you'll have better luck getting a hold of me." She opened the door. "Thanks again." Then she got out and started toward the house.