Thinking back to that particular day, Reid couldn't help but smile. It had been awkward, forced at first. He had never been on a real date before, and the simple fact that it was Emily who he was picking up made his palms sweat. She was experienced in the area, the team all knew that while she wasn't a slut, she had had her fair share of relationships with some pretty shifty men. They were friends, and colleagues first, and Spencer wasn't quite sure if that somehow made it worse, to know what he was risking.
In truth he had no idea how he managed to work up the balls to ask her out, and it hadn't been a conscious decision that he made. The problem with being a genius was of course that his brain got ahead of him some times, and seemingly against his will, the words tumbled out of Spencer's mouth as they sat on his worn leather couch, coffees in hand, decompressing from their most recent case. He had regretted it instantly, his mind running through various scenarios in which he could take it back, but he hadn't reached a conclusion when the, "sure, I'd love to," spilled out of her mouth. He had sat there for a moment, mouth half open, trying to formulate a response. For the first time, Doctor Spencer Reid had been speechless.
He had showered twice that day, once in the morning as usual, and again around four, worried that his hair was getting greasy. Spencer had stood in front of his closet in a towel, desperate to find something that would be suitable for their evening out. As Morgan had suggested, when Reid had gone to him, asking for help on how to woo a certain girl -names excluded- Spencer had taken it upon himself to pick out a stunning red dress with a hefty price tag for Emily to wear, knowing full well that she'd fret over how formal to dress, as he hadn't told her where they were going.
The place was called Marcel's, a high class restaurant in downtown DC that he knew she'd love. She had mentioned once, that she had a taste for French and Belgian cuisine, and while Spencer had only been to the place once, he was confident that it was perfect. It was a jacket required place, and Reid finally picked out a blue and white stripped button down to go under his black jacket. He owned one pair of black pants, contrary to popular belief, and pulled on a pair of mismatched socks. There were some traditions that he wasn't about to break. Black loafers completed the outfit, though he felt slightly off without his leather messenger bag.
His legs were shaking by the time he pulled up to Emily's Brownstone in his rusty old Volvo that was going to seem quite out of place at the restaurant they were going to. He had to stuff his hands into his pocket once he rang the bell, in a desperate attempt to rid himself of the cool nervous sweat, and it didn't help at all that they were trembling.
Spencer could have sworn his knees buckled when Emily opened the door, dressed in the red strapless dress that he had picked out. And though the team often made fun of his fashion sense, the dress was exquisite, complete with a pair of diamond earrings that he had picked out as well. Her hair was twirled into an elegant up-do, and Reid swallowed hard, trying to peel his eyes from the creamy flesh of her neck.
Emily flashed her pearly whites and stepped out of the door, giving Spencer a clear view into the kitchen, where the tiger lilies he had sent with the dress were resting in a vase. "Who knew Spencer Reid was such a suave gentleman?" Emily had teased, sensing Reid's nervousness, but it didn't seem to lighten his mood, if anything he seemed more anxious. He had offered his hand to her after wiping it against the inside of his pocket.
"I had some help," he admitted honestly, leading her to the car, attempting to avoid watching her smooth pale thighs appear and disappear from the slit up the side of her dress as she walked. He helped her into the car and walked around, climbing into the driver's seat.
The drive had been tense and awkward, and Spencer was unusually quiet, not even spewing facts as he normally would. Emily had sat silently, profiling him though it was against their rule. Fraternization was against the rules too, and they were ignoring that one. She figured that she wouldn't push him, not until they were at the restaurant at least.
Her jaw had dropped as they arrived, and he had suavely handed the keys over to the valet, and guided her into the restaurant, his hand against the bare skin of her back. Emily knew the place, it was an extremely pricey, extremely exclusive five star restaurant, and not for the first time that night, she wondered if she really knew Reid at all, because she had no idea that he could afford something like that.
They sat down at a small table in a private corner of the restaurant, and Reid had ordered the Château Saint Anne Pauillac Bordeaux, once again surprising Emily. Not that he knew of the red wine, but rather that he was willing to spend over a hundred and ninety dollars on a bottle. They had both picked at the olive infused baguettes and sipped their wine. They both ordered the five course tasting menu at Reid's recommendation, and Emily had argued about the prices, which weren't displayed on the menus for a reason. He had waved her off though, telling her not to worry about it.
They started with the poached egg with wild mushrooms and Hollandaise, and both had eaten in silence, and Emily was careful to remember the etiquette training that her mother had put her through so long ago. The silence had lasted through the Langoustine mousse and the Hazelnut encrusted Halibut as well, but by the Filet Mignon with asparagus, they were chatting comfortably with the help of several glasses of red wine. Emily had been struck with the insight to ask about what he had been reading, and all too enthusiastically, Reid had launched into an explanation of the Foundation Trilogy, which apparently he had recently reread. She couldn't help but giggle silently, his enthusiasm was endearing, and she had read the books, allowing for an easy back and forth about the implications about humanity.
The meal had ended with chocolate mousse with fruit and blood orange sauce. Emily had savored the entire thing, with a teasing, "be quiet," as she took the first bite, a look of pure bliss on her face. Reid had chuckled, his eyes fixed on her lips. They ordered espresso to finish, and leisurely Reid paid the bill, careful to keep Emily's prying eyes away from the nearly four hundred dollar total. They left arm and arm, far more comfortable, and with a silent pact not to mention that Reid had spilled their water's before the bread had even arrived, and that Emily would have sent the bottle of Château Saint Anne Pauillac Bordeaux tumbling to the ground if it hadn't been for Spencer's uncharacteristically quick reflexes.
She had rested her head on his shoulder as they walked out, handing the valet his tag. "I really had a good time, Spencer," Emily smiled up at him. "I've never been spoiled like this before." And she hadn't, not by any previous romantic entanglements. Sure she had been treated to a nice dinner, but it didn't even come close to the night they had shared.
"You deserve it, Emily," Spencer had replied honestly, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world, and to him, perhaps it was, but even the genius didn't expect what came next, as Emily stood on her tip-toes and pressed a soft kiss to Spencer's lips. It took a moment for him to realize what was going on before he responded, sweet and slow. They broke away after only a few seconds, though both clearly enjoyed it. "That was my first kiss," he admitted.
"What about that actor girl?" Emily reminded, silently stunned that Spencer had forgotten. She hadn't even been there, but the team had filled her in on more than one occasion. He smiled sheepishly, tucking a stray strand of hair behind his ear before he responded.
"That didn't even come close to this."