Title: Tonight?
Author: Mary Sunshine
Summary: a mysterious bouquet of peach roses turn an ordinary day into a special one
Rating: T to be safe
Warnings: may contain sexual suggestions
Fandom: The Good Wife - McHart
Timeline: post 'Bang', kind of AU one-shot
Disclaimer: unfortunately I don't own the characters, they belong to the writers of TGW and CBS

Note: I know that 'Doubt' was simply perfect and I can't possibly top that, but I've learnt that when an idea comes to me I shouldn't say no to it, just write. I really hope it is something worth reading though! And just in case anyone wonders why I chose peach roses: ROSE, PEACH: Desire, gratitude, appreciation, admiration, sympathy, modesty.

Tonight?

Her look shifted from the card to the bouquet and back to the card. 'Tonight?' was all the card said. It had no signature, but she didn't have to wonder who'd sent the peach roses, there was only one person they could come from. Someone she'd promised something, once the case would have been over and apparently he hadn't forgotten about her promise.

He knew the case was over, because he'd been a part of it too, only on the opposite side. The day she learnt that the prosecution would line up Kurt McVeigh as their expert witness was the first time she heard his name after their 'Going Rouge' gift exchange. They met and spoke again in the same place they had the last time. He was on the stand, but this time she had to cross-examine him. And after she came out of the courtroom that day, she knew one thing, that she wouldn't have wanted him on the other side of any of her cases any more.

There was something in his eyes, in the way he looked in a suit, in the way he imperceptibly flirted with her, even though they were on the opposite sides of the case. There was something about him that made her promise to dine with him after the case would have been over. She promised it to him, even though she'd almost failed to do her job properly at his cross, even though she already knew she would have probably lost her case because of him.

Last time they talked was the day after his testimony. He called her at the office and right after saying hello he told her that it had been nice to see her again the previous day. She couldn't reply the same, for obvious reasons. She was on the loosing side of the same case. It wasn't just about seeing him again for her, while he seemed to ignore the official circumstances. He only mentioned the case when he asked her out to dinner on her first free night after closing it and she had to chuckle when she saw the question on the card. He didn't seem to waste any time.

She said yes then quite easily, because neither of them knew when he would have been able to take her at her word. But this day had come sooner than she'd expected, even though his testimony had played an important part in her finally taking a deal for her client, saving her from a possible much longer jail time.

Either way, the day had come and she couldn't think of a reason to take back her word. She was actually free that night, which didn't happen that often, so she picked up the phone and dialled his number.

"I'm free tonight," she said without introduction when she heard his voice.

"Who is this?"

"How many cards have you sent out today?" she asked chuckling.

"Only one," he said and she could imagine him smiling on the other end of the line.

"Thank you for the beautiful flowers."

"Glad you like them. So, can I pick you up at eight?"

She knew she had to go home and change before meeting him. She would have preferred to meet him some place else, but on the other hand she liked that he'd offered to pick her up and couldn't think of a good enough reason to decline the offer.

"All right," she said after a short pause and told him her address.

She was hoping she'd be ready by then. All she needed to do was to leave from work in time, something she couldn't accomplish most of the time, but just this once she wanted to try harder.

She hadn't had a date since she'd broken up with that bastard, whose name she preferred not to mention at any time, not even to herself. She despised men who wanted to take advantage of her. She wasn't a woman who would go out with anyone just to be with someone, she valued her independence. But she didn't plan to close the door on her love life, just because the last time she'd chosen wrong.

Kurt McVeigh intrigued her. He was handsome, smart, mindful and funny. They had been flirting with each other from the very beginning, and she hadn't been surprised when he'd asked her out. They both could read the signs, there was an attraction that couldn't be missed and she was looking forward to their night out.

o-o-o-o

He pressed the doorbell, and the sound echoed through the quiet night. He looked at his watch, it was eight o'clock sharp. He had to wait for a while, until he heard a key turn in the lock and her voice from the inside telling him to go in, because the door was open. He grabbed the handle and slowly opened the door, but he didn't see her anywhere.

"I need a few more minutes," he heard her voice from probably upstairs. He went in the direction where it came from, and soon found himself in the living room, where he saw the stairs.

"I'll wait," he said looking around.

"Have a seat, I'll be right there."

"Take your time."

He took a seat in one of the arm chairs from where he could see her coming down the stairs, but his eyes were already wandering around the room. He smiled when he saw the bouquet of roses he'd sent her. He could have sent her something funny again, but he wanted to send a different message this time. And judging from the several bouquets in the room, he concluded that she must have loved flowers, so he was sure he had made the right decision.

But the atmosphere of the room was strange to him and he soon started to feel cramped. The furniture, the lamps, the piano, the decoration, the painting on the wall, they suited her perfectly. The room was very ladylike, but it didn't take him long to realize there was one thing that didn't fit in with the picture. It was him.

What was he thinking asking out a woman like her? The political conflict was just one thing, it was a challenge and it was fun teasing her with that. This dissimilarity of their lifestyles was more obvious, even though it hadn't bothered him before. Flirting with her was different than actually going out with her. He suddenly couldn't understand why she'd said yes in the first place, he had a feeling that she'd wonder the same the minute she saw him in her living room.

He knew it would have been impolite to just walk away, but he wasn't able to think properly any more. He'd been looking forward to that evening so much, and a few minutes in her house made him reconsider all that. He wished he'd never offered to pick her up, he wished he hadn't seen how she lived.

He stood up, but at the same moment he heard her footsteps on the stairs and the sight of her made him forget all his doubts. She was wearing a dress of the same colour of the roses he had sent her and he knew that was a clear answer to his message. He simply couldn't take his eyes off her. She looked beautiful, and walking out there, away from her didn't seem like the best idea to him any more.

She had a smile on her face as she walked down the stairs elegantly, and he admired her with a similar smile. That's why he came, because she was someone special, who had enchanted him from the very first moment. Her smile, her laugh, her beauty, her intelligence, her sense of humour all impressed him. It was rare to meet a woman like her, and despite all differences, every minute they spent together just felt right.

"Hey," he said, and suppressed the urge to add that she looked beautiful. She could see the admiration in his eyes anyway.

"Hey, I hope I haven't made you wait for too long."

"No," he said, although he had no idea how much time had passed, but seeing her was worth the wait. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yes," she said, passing by him in the direction of the corridor, almost dazing him with the smell of her perfume.

He followed her to the door, and was standing quite close behind her, when she suddenly turned around, literally bumping into him. She might have said something about her purse, but he didn't comprehend the meaning of her statement. The dress, the smile, the perfume were simply too much, and before he could think of a reason not to, he was already kissing her lips.

o-o-o-o

She wanted to go back to get her purse, she had no idea how she ended up kissing him instead. But that magical kiss just felt right, and even though she did go back to her closet to get her purse afterwards, they never made it out her door that night.

Maybe it had been a mistake to let him into her home. She should have known that the attraction between them would have been hard to suppress under these circumstances. It was the first time they met without formalities, without primary official reasons. There was no case to get in their way. They both knew it was a date, where no rules applied.

That was how she ended up lying in his arms, in her bedroom, on their first date, before it even started. She could still feel the touch of his hands and his kisses all over her body. He was a passionate lover, who pampered her beyond imagination. It felt as if they'd known each other for a long time.

He turned his head in her direction and placed a small kiss on her lips.

"I couldn't let anyone else see you in that dress tonight," he said smiling and it made her laugh.

She chose that colour just for him, in response to the roses he'd sent her. She hadn't been sure which dress to wear that night, but when she spotted the peach one in her closet, she knew right away that would be the perfect choice. But she hadn't planned to seduce him in it, she'd just meant to show her appreciation.

"But I'm hungry," she said still laughing. She hadn't eaten anything during the day.

"Maybe there's something in that fancy kitchen of yours, that can be cooked," he said chuckling, "I could give it a look…if you want me to stay that is."

"You can cook?" she asked, ignoring his remark about her kitchen, as well as the last part. There was no question that she wanted him to stay.

"Yep."

"I'd love that," she said smiling.

"And while I'm exploring your kitchen, I wouldn't mind getting to know you better. We kind of skipped a stage here, I really don't want you to get the wrong impression."

"You don't sleep with every woman on your first date?" she asked, teasing him.

"No."

"Good to know," she said kissing him softly. "So you want to talk?"

"Yep."

"Fine, but I'm warning you, I'm not giving out my secrets that easily," she appreciated his honesty and that he was willing to know her more already, but it didn't go so naturally for her.

"So, I won't get to know if you ever sleep with men on your first date?"

"I'm afraid you won't, but I can tell you another secret."

"What?"

"I can cook too," she replied and their laughter echoed through the silent house.