Jameson handed Gabriel a coffee and sat down beside the other man in Starbucks. 'The barista asked if you're dating,' he gave the dark blond male a wince of a smile. 'She asked if you were with the brunette you come in here with. I said no,' he gave a dry laugh. 'I think it's a no but then maybe I'm wrong about that.'

Gabriel gave the barista a smile and watched her blush. 'Pretty girl, Cinnamon that's a nice name, she's at college doing a course in modern art, credit rating doesn't look too good though. A couple of naughty but nice photos on Facebook, had a relationship with a guy called Justin but changed her status a couple of weeks ago.'

'All right no need to show off,' Chris stirred his coffee with one of the little sticks. 'You didn't answer my question though how goes it with you and Agent Neal, because I think she takes more than a professional interest in you? Career limiting move helping a man accused of murder escape, aiding and abetting a potential felon but Riley went right out on a limb for you.'

'Agent Neal takes her job seriously,' Gabriel refused to be drawn. He knew Riley had deep feelings for him; and he knew she knew he knew; and because of that things had got a bit edgy lately. 'I'm still a super weapon even when they think I've misfired and Riley didn't believe I had and she was right.' He held the other man's gaze, 'our relationship is strictly professional. And if you remember my wife exploded into a million pieces recently so I'm still going through the grieving process.'

'How's the injury,' Chris changed tack seeing he wasn't going to get anything out of Vaughn. 'You took a bullet it takes time to get over that,' he observed. 'Lillian thinks you need a holiday so be prepared to pack your Speedo's. The idea of Riley in a swimsuit sent Nelson into a daze and Lillian reprimanded him for not paying attention after he failed to respond to her question third time round.'

'Got to love that work gossip,' Gabriel murmured. He thought a holiday had a nice ring to it as he'd been working solidly for over a year and had a fair amount of wear and tear. Riley probably could do with a break too; his mind moved to his partner and a small smile lingered around his mouth. Agent Neal was a beautiful woman she should have some fun and not get hung up on a man ten years older than her with a dead wife and a chip in his head. 'A holiday would be nice and the wounds healed up more or less; I still get the odd twinge but that's it. And if Riley would go easy on knocking me on my ass to protect it I'd probably be as good as new by now.'

'Let's face it if you dated Riley you wouldn't dare cheat,' Jameson grinned. 'That DL she used to date's been sniffing around again keeps dropping by; I asked him the other day if the CIA's comms were down. And the guy from audit asked her out again,' he glanced at Gabriel's expression. Damn it Vaughn was difficult to read, especially as he'd donned his aviators as he was ready to leave.

Gabriel didn't react but he was pissed to hear Griffin had been circling around Riley again; the audit guy didn't stand a chance but she'd dated the CIA Agent and he had to admit he hated that. He didn't examine why he hated it because it wasn't that hard a question when you came down to it. He was protective over Riley and didn't want her to get hurt.

Agent Neal was relieved to see Gabriel when he came back in the office; it wasn't that she didn't trust Chris with his protection it's just that Riley knew she was better. She smiled when Gabriel landed a coffee in front of her. 'Thank you.' She indicated her screen which had an image of Yosemite. 'Lillian thinks you need to recuperate and suggests some rest and recreation at one of our National Parks; the main danger seems to be bears,' she added playfully.

'Bears, well I'm sure I can handle a bear without your help Riley, where are you going while I get a rest cure? Do you get someone else to protect?' He watched her sip the coffee she had such a pretty mouth. When she looked up at him he realised he'd been busted; well he was a guy and all guy's appreciated a pretty mouth he smirked.

'Agent Neal isn't being reassigned she's protecting you so if you go on holiday she goes to that location; my PA has booked you two apartments in a motel in Yosemite; they're adjoining and you have a joint terrace with a mountain view. Try and stay out of trouble.'

'Yes Ma'am,' Gabriel drawled. 'Does it have a pool,' he tried to quell a smile when Nelson's head shot round. 'I'd like to catch some sun and exercise the place sounds cool when do we go?'

'Tomorrow and yes it does have a pool,' Riley responded her gaze flashing around the men in the office who were all smirking. She rolled her eyes but had to admit her mind had gone more to Gabriel with his shirt off and thighs on display so she couldn't really be too judgemental.

'Lucky devil,' Nelson said in a low undertone to Jameson. 'I mean he's got it all; handsome, strong and total recall of any visual image if you get my drift.'

'Well he's kind of your cyber brother ask him to make you a gif file of the best bits,' Jameson responded sarcastically. 'I'd go more for Agent Neal in a cocktail dress with a gun in a thigh holster that would do it for me,' he slapped Nelson on the back fully aware that he'd sent the little guy off on another fantasy. He laughed as he walked way.

'Thigh holster,' Riley said in a sarcastic tone, 'I didn't expect that remark,' she went to collect their booking confirmation from Lillian's P.A.

The P.A. glanced at the female agent enviously. 'You're going on holiday with Gabriel Vaughn,' she groaned. 'Lucky girl, I wish I'd get a paid vacation with his hotness; don't forget to apply the sun screen,' she grinned. 'And I wasn't talking about protecting your complexion.'

'Yes thank you Angela,' she took the tickets and gave the other woman a wince of a smile. The woman had a point though and much as she hated herself for it she'd just had that particular fantasy when Gabriel had mentioned catching some sun. She was used to seeing Gabriel half naked and she'd seen both halves as it were because he wasn't too bothered about parading about in the nude if she happened to enter his apartment earlier than he cared for. She wouldn't call Gabriel shy and to be honest he didn't have anything to be shy about. Be professional she told herself crossly you can't drool over your protectee.

On the way home that evening Gabriel looked over at her. 'The guys are all slapping me on the back because you're coming on vacation with me. It's a male dominated profession I guess you must get used to the interest.'

'If I had a dollar for every time I've heard thigh holster I'd be a rich woman,' she responded as she drove them efficiently through the city. She saw him grin and rolled her eyes.

'I've got to ask,' he laughed as she shot him a mocking look. 'C'mon Agent Neal, don't be mean do you have such a fine piece of protective equipment.' She was managing to ignore him beautifully so he guessed he wasn't going to get an answer to that.

'I can't imagine a government issue thigh holster would be a fantasy article,' he mused thoughtfully as he imagined strong grey elastic and that wasn't the thigh holster of his renders. 'Did you get the sunscreen comment because the guys were pointing out that your skin's very pale and you'd probably need topping up regularly? I'm beginning to think they need to get out more.'

'Angela mentioned it,' Riley responded drily as she overtook another vehicle. 'She seemed more concerned about your getting an even tan Agent Vaughn or as she called you 'his hotness,' she mocked him.

'Angela, no kidding,' he looked pleased with himself. 'Well there you go it's not all one way; we're both just a pair of sex objects to the good folk of Angel's Bluff. Happy to apply your sunscreen by the way,' he gazed over at her in a teasing fashion. 'Promise to apply it evenly you'll find I have a delicate touch,' he grinned as a slow blush crept up from Riley's neck. He started humming I want a lover with a slow hand and wasn't surprised when his partner glared at him.

Gabriel was being such a jerk; he knew she had a bit of a thing for him which she was battling with and usually he'd be sensitive to that but today he was just being provocative. 'You may be on holiday Gabriel but I'm just doing my job and I'm not on holiday; I'm there to protect you not to be your geisha.'

'Any time you want to whip me with your hair…. He took the 'shut up, Gabriel,' for granted and laughed out loud enjoying the conversation a lot more than Agent Neal. 'Sorry, I guess I'm just getting into the holiday mood so I'm being a mite playful.'

'Great, if that's your way of telling me your conversational tone isn't likely to improve then I hope you're prepared for a sharp blow on vacating the car.' She sent him a stab of a glance to reinforce her words.

'Okay, I'll stop,' he responded in a placatory tone. 'It'll be nice though don't you think; spending some time outdoors with nature instead of dodging bullets and explosions? And if we do see a bear let me be the man and I'll protect you; I don't want you sending me to grass in front of our fellow vacationers because it's embarrassing.'

'Only doing my job, Agent Vaughn,' she answered through gritted teeth. 'There's no difference between a bear and a bullet,' she pointed out factually as he chipped the lights for her.

'Yeah well I don't want to go to the resort restaurant and have all the guy's sniggering because you've thrown yourself in front of me and made me look like an idiot.' He responded his jaw squaring.

'I'll wasn't hired to protect your gigantic ego as well as your chipped head,' she responded in a dangerous tone. 'Just the head, preferably with your body attached but to be honest the bear can have that part if he's really serious about it.'

He took that one on the chin but didn't like her tone. 'You know you can get those resort reviews; well I wonder what the holiday with Riley Neal review would read like because so far I'm getting the feeling your sense of fun is somewhat underdeveloped.' His observation was said in a genial tone but it held a distinctive thread of criticism. For some reason he was baiting her and he suspected Jameson's comment about Agent Griffin had something to do with it.

'That's because you're not going on holiday with me Agent Vaughn, you're going on holiday and I'm coming along in a professional capacity to protect you. Do you think you could process that? You have a supercomputer in your head so you'd think you could get to grips with the fact.'

'I see. Are you saying I should pretend you're not there Agent Neal?' He asked in a dangerous tone; ever since she'd told him she trusted him and had put herself on the line for him things had gone a bit weird.

'If that's the way you want it we can do that,' she answered icily. 'I wouldn't want to cramp your style,' she added in a huffed tone. She didn't know what had got into Gabriel today he wasn't being his normal self it was as if he was trying to provoke her.

'I think that we should probably take a break from each other as this conversation isn't going well and I'll see you tomorrow when I'm all packed and ready to go.' He got ready to get out of the car as they had reached their apartment blocks.

'Certainly, right after I've checked your apartment,' she got out of the car and preceded him to his door opening it and going through each room with her gun in her hands. She never took the check lightly and always dealt with it as if there was an intruder present. 'You're clear,' she put the gun back into its holster. 'I'll call you tonight for our regular check and then I'll see you tomorrow at 7 a.m. sharp.'

'Okay,' he frowned. 'Look Riley I'm sorry if I upset you earlier. I'm looking forward to the break and I want my partner along,' he said softly his blue eyes searching her green gaze and seeing the vulnerability there.

'You have to allow me to do my job Gabriel; it's not a vacation for me if I thought that I'd relax and get sloppy and then you're dead. You're recovering from a gunshot wound and I don't want that to happen again.' She looked unbearably hurt at that thought.

Gabriel instinctively pulled her into his arms and hugged her feeling the slight tremble of her lithe body. 'You protected me Riley; I couldn't have anyone better at that than you.' He lifted his head and looked down at her his gaze warm on hers. 'Go pack and put in some pretty clothes you need to blend in,' he kissed her nose. 'If you turn up with a work suit, jeans and tanks I'll forcibly take you shopping.'

'Well you could try,' she responded feistily. 'I'll call you later,' she left and then smiled a little; the hug had been… nice.