Disclaimer: Y'all know the drill...
A/N: This is for Angel N Darkness' 7th Bonus Song Title Prompts. Set to the song Smile by Uncle Kracker. Also mentions the song Classical Gas by Mason Williams. Thanks to flashpenguin for beta-ing this story.
Smile
Black Calla Lilies. Red Eric Frangipanis. White Jasmine. Her favorite three flowers. Each highlighting and accenting the other, standing out in a striking arrangement.
He watches as she receives the bouquet of flowers, a smile lighting up her face. She inhales deeply and sighs in pleasure as the scents wash over her. Realizing there is a card attached, she pulls it from the clutches of the flowers. Her eyes widen as she reads what is written. Her eyes automatically flash towards his office and she is halfway out her door, before she realizes he is out for the whole day. Her shoulders drop slightly, but without changing strides, she heads towards her best friend's office. Garcia's eyes widen as she watches her best friend walk this way.
"Go," she hisses to the man beside her. "She's coming this way." His heart simultaneously leaps and drops as he dashes out the door, heading the opposite way. He breathes a sigh of relief once he is at the bottom of the stairwell, but the sharp beep of his phone makes him jump again. He fishes out the offending item with a glare.
You're safe. Em has her dress. Have fun with my buttercup. PG, the message reads, bringing a smile to his face. He knows everything is going according to plan and with the girls' help tonight will be perfect.
She walks the narrow hallway leading to the front door of her apartment, keys in hand, more than ready to find a good book and sink into a relaxing bubble bath. Her eyes widen at the brightly-wrapped box sitting in the doorway. A note, similar to the one she received this morning is stuck behind a strip of ribbon. Hastily walking inside, she dumps her keys and bag by the door, and makes her way to her couch. Delicately, she lifts the lid of the box with a gasp.
Inside lay a midnight blue, almost black silk dress, identical to the one she tried on when she, Emily and Penelope last had a girls day out. She lifts it out, holding it up against her body, listening to the material whisper. She know it will be a perfect fit.
A light glinting out the corner of her eyes makes her look in the box again. At the bottom lay to more boxes, one long and white, the other red velvet. She opens both to reveal a silver drop pendent necklace and matching earrings.
Remembering the note, she pulls it free. 8pm. Be ready, is all it says, but she knows the handwriting. Glancing at the clock she has just over an hour before he will arrive. Snagging the phone, she dials the well-known numbers of her friend's cell.
Forty-five minutes later, she stands in her bedroom, eying off her appearance in the mirror. The hemline stops a few inches below the knee, making her legs look even longer. The thin, halter neckline plunges down, and the low, revealing back is held together by a delicate silver clasp.
"Give us a spin," Emily demands. JJ spins, watching the skirt flare out from her waist. She faces back to her full-length mirror, hands coming up to her blond locks. The brunette stands, hands daintily threading their way through the younger woman's hair. Within moments, her blond tresses are clipped back with blue and silver clips, allowing only a few tendrils to float free.
"Perfect," the older woman announces, stepping back.
He flutters around nervously, fingering the silverware and the crystal glasses upon the table. Garcia smirks behind him, watching him begin pacing. Again.
"It'll be perfect," she says, as he makes another loop around the room. Her eyes flicker to the grandfather clock in the corner of the room. "Time to leave, tiger," she points out, stopping the man in his tracks. He dashes out the door, before he realizes something is missing.
"Keys," he mutters sheepishly, pulling them from the china bowl on the bench top. Garcia merely smirks again, and follows the Italian man out the door. "Thanks," he calls as they go their separate ways. Her red-head bobs the affirmative as she gets into her own car.
His stomach flutters nervously as he starts up the car, but he forces himself to be calm. Garcia is right. Everything is going according to plan.
He holds out a strip of black cloth, gesturing for her to turn around. She eyes off the cloth warily, but complies, turning her back on the man beside her. With nimble fingers, he ties the ends around her eyes, making sure it is tight enough without being too tight.
"Wait there," he says, opening his car door, and she sinks into the seat. She hears her own door open. "Hands out carefully," he orders, taking her hands in his guiding her into the building. Dropping one hand, but snaking the other around her waist, he pulls her body flush against his, ignoring his inner reactions. Deftly turning the key in the lock and flicking the switch, he pulls her inside.
She steps into the room, unaware of what to suspect. Her eyes still covered, she uses her other senses to try and guess. She can hear soft music playing in the background, and with a strain she realizes it's Classical Gas. She smiles as she realizes this how she imagined him to be. Inhaling deeply, she can smell the sweet perfumes of her favorite flowers. Her mind flashes back to this morning, bringing another smile to her face. She doesn't know when she last smiled this much, but knows it has been a long time.
A click of a lighter alerts her to the fact he is lighting something, most probably candles. The light switches flick, but she can still semi-see through the black cloth.
"Ready?" His voice rumbles in her ear, and she nods. Her jaw drops. Whatever she is expecting it is not this. The room is covered in tea-light candles, with four long, slender ones in the center of a small mahogany table. Frangipanis, lilies and jasmine flowers are variously spread throughout the room, but sparingly enough so the room isn't clouded.
"It's beautiful," she breaths, bringing her hand to her mouth. Her turns towards him, her face erupting in pure amazement. "Dave, how?" she asks.
"It wasn't all me," he admits. "Garcia and Emily helped, too."
"They knew?"
"Yes, but please don't be mad at them. I know you really don't like surprises but I didn't know what else to do and-" She holds up one finger, eyes twinkling.
"Dave, you're rambling."
"Sorry," he apologizes. He holds out one hand. "Shall we eat?" Helps her sit, then retreats into the kitchen. Moments later he returns, two glasses and a bottle of red wine in hand. He pours her a glass and leaves again. Two trips later, the lasagna he so painstakingly made is served along with a small side of fresh salad.
"I hope you like," he says. "My mother's recipe."
"You made this?" She is surprised. He nods, she takes a bite. "Oh, God. This is amazing." Her eyes close as she savors the taste in her mouth.
"Come dance," he begs, tugging on one hand. She is not usually one for dancing but allows herself to be pulled from her seat. He takes her into his arms, waltzing her around the room in time to the music. Unbeknownst to her, the tracks have changed and a merry tune floats out. Opening his mouth, he begins to sing.
You make me smile like the sun, fall outta bed
Sing like a bird
Dizzy in my head
Spin like a record
Crazy on a Sunday night
You make me dance like fool
Forget how to breathe
Shine like gold
Buzz like a bee
Just the thought of you can drive me wild
Oh, you make me smile
She blushes as he finishes the chorus but unable to tear her gaze away from the man in front of her. He stares down at the beautiful woman in front of him, watching the array of emotions flutter across her features. Her cerulean blue eyes settle on his chocolate brown ones, a happy smile upon her face.
Don't know how I lived without you
'Cause every time that I get around you
I see the best of me inside your eyes
You make me smile
You make me dance like fool
Forget how to breathe
Shine like gold
Buzz like a bee
Just the thought of you can drive me wild
Oh, you make me smile
She joins in with the chorus, surprising him and herself.
"Oh, you make me smile," they sing together, their voices blending as one.
"I have to admit," he begins, once they have settled down on the couch together. "I remember you, Emily and Garcia singing this song one karaoke night, after a case." She blushes at the memory. It had been a hard case, and she was more than ready to let loose some steam, so when Garcia suggested a round of karaoke, the slightly tipsy side her thought it was a perfect idea at the time.
"I thought you were an amazing singer," he whispers into her ear, his warm breath tickling her ear. She shivers then blushes again.
"You're wrong," she states. "It is you who is amazing. Putting this together just for me." She looks up at his sincerely. "I don't know how to thank you."
"You already have," he points out.
"How?"
"By being here. By my side. With me." He shifts his body, so that he is now facing her as much as he can on the leather couch. "Please don't be afraid," he whispers. And before she can ask why, his lips descend on hers, molding them and shaping them to fit his own. Her hands automatically place themselves on his muscular chest, but instead of pushing him away, her hands clench in his shirt, pulling him closer.
She can feel his heart beat wildly and knows hers is beating to the same pattern. She sinks into the kiss, relaxing her body flush against his. He can feel his own body the same and they break apart, both blushing and breathing heavily.
"You make me smile," he sings again, claiming her mouth once more.
Hope y'all like.
Monkeywand