Rachel took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, letting the hot water sooth all the aches of her tired body. She could let her mind dwell on personal issues in the shower like she couldn't any other time. Inevitably, it turned to thoughts of Hood like it had since she started this mission.
It was his eyes that first got to her. She'd always been a sucker for dark brown eyes, but his seemed to be more soulful than any she'd ever seen. Sometimes, she had to consciously tear her eyes from his, though he never seemed to notice.
She smiled to herself. While his absent-mindedness could frustrate her while working a case, it did come in useful in dealing with him personally. It meant he didn't catch the extra glances or the "accidental" shoulder brushes. Or especially the tiny, stabilizing breaths she had to take while listening to his quiet, husky voice…but all that was nothing compared with how that man could listen.
Rachel closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against the shower wall. She had never been listened to like that before. Growing up, usually people saw a petite, blue-eyed blond girl and either treated what she had to say with patronizing indulgence, polite indifference or they all-out ignored her. That mostly changed when she became an FBI agent, but there were still times when she felt she had to earn the right to be taken seriously.
Not so with Hood. From the moment she first spoke with him, she had received his complete and total attention. It had been a little disconcerting, but quickly became addictive. She found herself speaking up more often than she normally would, just to see the immediate and serious consideration he would give to whatever she had to say.
Rachel frowned and looked at her waterproof watch. The direction of her thoughts reminded her of something she wanted to bounce-off Hood about their current case. She turned off the water and dried herself off. She gave a small smile, when one last question flittered across her mind.
"I wonder if Hood has a place for me in his personal thoughts?"