Only You

"You are such an ass."

Hodges lifted his head from the sample he was working on and turned to the voice in the doorway. Looked the lovely girl up and down from head to toe and sighed. He looked back down at the sample he was working on and slid the sample dish back and forth on the table. "Yes, you are probably correct in that."

Wendy, arms still crossed over her chest, crossed the room to stand behind Hodges chair. "Why do you have to say things like that? He's your friend, after all. And you have few enough of those as it is."

Hodges put the cap carefully back on his trace sample and pushed his chair back so he could look the lady in the face. "I over-compensate due to low self-esteem, would be my guess."

Wendy cocked her head and looked at her fellow lab rat appraisingly. She unfolded her arms and gracefully fit herself into the man's lap, left arm over his shoulder, right hand clasping the other wrist. David gently settled his hand on her knee. "And why, David Hodges, trace tech extra-ordinaire, would you have low self-esteem?" He swallowed hard and looked down at his hand on her knee.

"Look, Wendy, I may be smart, and charming in a quirky sort of way, and maybe even attractive if you squint, but realistically, you could have any man here. You, my dear, are a hottie."

Wendy played with the short hairs at the back of his neck, smiling when it caused a shiver to run down the tech's back. "Really, any man?" she mused.

"Of course."

"Like, say Nick?"

Hodges sighed. "Well, if Nick hadn't decided he was gay for Sanders, then yes, you could have Nick, I'm sure."

"So Greg's out then too?"

"Rumor has it Sanders is into anything with a pulse, but he is also attached to a big, jealous Texan who owns firearms and knows how to use them."

"So no on Greg. How 'bout Grissom?"

"Substitute possessive feminist for jealous Texan in the last statement."

"Warrick?"

Hodges sighed dramatically. "Honey, Warrick is dead. If you are talking about before he was dead, then sure. If you meant after he passed, well I had no idea you were into that sort of thing….Ouch!" Wendy had pinched him under his arm.

"So what about Archie, or Bobby?" She carefully steered away from the name of the tech who had, actually, asked her out.

"Yes, dear. I'm sure any of the lab techs would be happy to service your needs…Ouch!" Wendy had tugged sharply on a lock of silvering hair.

"How about Ecklie?" Wendy said with a smirk. Hodges pulled back from her and raised his eyebrow.

"I'm sure if you were actually interested in Ecklie I could set it up for you, seeing as we are friendly and all. But I gotta tell you, no matter how well I get along with the man, the image of the two of you together made me throw up in my mouth a bit." Wendy stifled a giggle.

"Umm, how about Brass?"

"Simms, the man's old enough to be your father. If you are looking for a sugar daddy, we can you find you one with a bigger pension."

"Ray?"

"Sure, I suppose. Ray's a really good guy. I'd like to see him have some fun with a pretty little thing on his arm. I think it would be good for him."

Wendy frowned slightly. "What about you? Could I have you, Hodges?" she asked coyly.

"Wendy, you've always had me."

"Well," said Wendy, smiling broadly, "I guess I can have any man in the lab I want, because the only one I want is you."