--AUTHOR'S NOTE-- This takes place around the Christmas season of 2007.
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Ryan tugged on his bowtie, twisting it in frustration. Suits he didn't mind, he wore them to work nearly every day. Even a knot tie he didn't mind. A bowtie though… those things he hated. It made him feel suffocated. Loosening the tie as much as he could without it being obvious, he grabbed his keys from the table by the front door and walked out to his truck. The Miami-Dade Police Department, along with the CSI team, was having its annual Christmas party and Stetler and his cronies had mandated formal dress code. Ryan glanced down at his black and white tuxedo. "I look like a penguin," he muttered to himself, getting into the truck and starting the engine before driving away.
Arriving at the hotel and handing off his keys to the valet, Ryan took a deep breath and prepared himself for a night of fidgeting in the stupid bowtie. Walking into the ballroom and down the entrance stairs, he sought out Eric and Horatio, finding them seated at a table with Alexx and Frank. "Hey, guys," he greeted everyone, taking a seat between Eric and Alexx facing the entrance.
"Mr. Wolfe, glad you could join us," Horatio replied, smiling.
"You actually wore the tie," Eric observed, elbowing his friend playfully, knowing how much he hated it.
"Yeah, well, I wanted to be here, and that meant either wearing the tie or listening to Stetler bitch," Ryan explained, laughing. "I chose the less painful route." Everyone joined in Ryan's laughter before continuing the conversation that was in progress before his arrival. As Ryan turned from Eric to say something to Alexx, he stopped cold, his gaze fixated on the stairs at the entrance. "My god," he whispered under his breath.
"What is it?" Eric asked, turning back to his friend.
Ryan nodded his head towards the staircase and Eric shifted his eyes to where Ryan indicated. "Whoa. 'My god' is right," he agreed; at the top of the stairs stood Natalia and Calleigh. The two men stood up quickly and made their way through the crowd.
"Well I think we know who those boys are sweet on," Frank chuckled after the smitten men had walked away.
Making his way towards the staircase, Ryan couldn't breathe, and it had nothing to do with the detested tie; Natalia took his breath away. She was dressed in an emerald green gown that draped over her curves and fell to the floor. The rhinestone decorated neckline dipped low and drew up into halter straps that were tied around her neck. Her hair was pinned back from her face and the rest of her chestnut locks fell down past her shoulders. Ryan couldn't tear his eyes away from her as he and Eric reached the two women and greeted them; he barely noticed Eric drawing Calleigh away.
"Hi," he greeted Natalia, feeling like a twelve year old boy with his first crush.
"Hey yourself," she replied, flashing him a smile that made him weak in the knees.
"Natalia, you look…" he stammered. "You look stunning!"
"Why thank you," she smiled, twirling once and revealing her near complete bare back. "You don't clean up too bad yourself."
Ryan felt his cheeks heat in a blush; yeah, he definitely felt like a twelve year old. However, as the band struck up a slow rhythm, Ryan found his confidence and held out his arm to Natalia. "Shall we dance?" he asked.
"I'd be honored," she replied, placing her hand through the crook of his arm.
Leading her to the dance floor, Ryan tentatively placed his hands on Natalia's narrow waist; he nearly held his breath as she reached up and loosely laced her arms around his neck. "God, I could get used to this," he thought. Unconsciously he glanced to where Stetler was standing, as if he was afraid that his thoughts and emotions were blaring for the world to hear.
"Relax, Ryan," Natalia soothed, bringing his attention back to her. "Stetler's not going to eat you alive over a dance." She smiled and Ryan instantly relaxed.
"You never know with Stetler," he laughed, looking into her eyes.
"Yeah, well," Natalia shrugged, thrown off by the intense gaze that Ryan was giving her. It had been forever since any man had looked at her that way, and she felt her skin flush. The realization that she liked that it was now Ryan looking at her that way brought the pink flush to her cheeks; she hoped he didn't notice. "So, uh, my shooting's getting better," she half stammered, mentally kicking herself for such an awkward topic shift.
"I knew it would," Ryan replied, smoothing the transition with a smile. "You just needed some practice."
"I just never knew I'd need this much practice," she admitted.
"We could meet up at the range tomorrow and I could help you out," he offered, jumping at the possibility of spending time with her outside of work.
"Oh no, I couldn't ask you to give up a Sunday afternoon off just to watch me miss targets," Natalia said.
"Then I'll take you to dinner too," Ryan suggested before he realized what had flown out of his mouth. "God, that was stupid, Wolfe," he thought to himself. "Way to play it cool and slow."
"Dinner where?" she asked to his surprise.
"Uh, steakhouse?" he stumbled, thrown off by her question and that adorable smirk that spread across her perfect lips.
"Sounds great, you're on," Natalia agreed enthusiastically.
"Really?" Ryan asked with a smile, almost afraid that her answer was too good to be true.
"Really," she assured, still smiling. "I love steak."
"Well alright then," Ryan grinned. "I'll pick you up at four, ready to shoot, and we'll have dinner whenever we feel like it."
"Works for me," she agreed, stopping the dance and moving her arms from Ryan's shoulders to applaud as the band finished the song.
As the night wore on, Ryan found it difficult to tear himself from Natalia's side. He was grateful when the team was all seated at one table for dinner, because he knew he must look like a lost puppy while mingling with Natalia among the other guests. Sitting across from Eric, Ryan exchanged a look with his friend that said, "I feel like a teenager again." Eric gave him a look back that said, "Yeah, but it's worth it, isn't it?" before returning his full attention back to Calleigh beside him. Ryan smiled to himself; there was a relationship that everyone had seen coming for years and he hoped that it was a good sign for his friend that Calleigh wasn't at the party with Jake.
After a light dinner and more mingling among their coworkers, Ryan and Natalia drifted off to the atrium across from the ballroom. "This was a nice location choice for the party," Natalia commented, walking slowly beside Ryan through the winding paths of the large garden.
"Yeah it was," he agreed, subconsciously fidgeting with his tie.
"Ryan, that has got to be the fiftieth time you've messed with that thing all night!" Natalia giggled.
"What? Oh, sorry, I just hate bowties," he admitted, tugging on it a few more times before returning his hand to his side.
"Here, just take it off," she suggested, stopping their walk and reaching up to untie the disdained article.
Her deft fingers carefully undid the knot that he had managed to create. Ryan's mind wandered of its own free will at the sight of Natalia's hands working their magic so close to the buttons that would undo his shirt and he had to force himself to return to reality.
"There," she said, satisfied as she let the freed tie hang loosely around his neck.
"Thanks," he replied gratefully. "I seriously don't like these ties."
"Why not?" Natalia asked. "I thought you looked handsome in it."
Ryan blushed and momentarily looked down at the ground. "I, uh, I don't know," he admitted, tongue tied as he looked back up. "I've hated them since I was a kid though. They just make me uncomfortable."
"And fidgety," Natalia laughed.
"Yeah, and that," Ryan agreed, leading Natalia over to sit on a nearby bench. "So, uh, I was thinking, you might wanna bring a change of clothes tomorrow, just because our clothes will probably smell like gunpowder after the range."
"Oh, so it's a fancy steakhouse that doesn't like gunpowder stink, huh?" Natalia teased.
"No, I didn't say that, but it might be on the nicer side, I haven't decided yet," he smiled.
"Let's go somewhere where the tablecloth's the napkin, Wolfe," she grinned playfully. "Somewhere where we can just kick back."
"Alright, that works for me," he replied. "I could use some kicking back time."
"Me too," Natalia agreed. "Especially after an afternoon at the range."
"It won't be that bad, Natalia," Ryan assured.
"Oh I know, I'll just be worn out," she said. "I'll probably bring a change of clothes anyway, just so I'll feel refreshed."
"Should I bring something in particular so I don't look like a slob next to you?" Ryan teased, smiling.
"Ryan, I can't even begin to picture you looking like a slob," Natalia laughed. "Just wear something I don't normally see you in."
"Meaning not a suit," he guessed.
"That would be what I mean," she affirmed. "I'll probably just grab a pair of jeans and a top on my way out the door."
"I don't think I've ever seen you wear jeans before, Natalia," Ryan observed.
"No, you probably haven't," she confirmed. "It's not really something I wear to work."
"Me neither," Ryan agreed. "Though I have been known to do it on occasion."
"Yeah, but you pair it with a button down and a suit jacket," Natalia giggled.
"Don't worry, I won't wear that to dinner," he assured. "I promise I'll be laid back and completely out of work mode."
"Good," she smiled, getting Ryan to promise exactly what she'd wanted him to. She wanted to see the Ryan that existed outside of the lab and the crime scenes; she was already falling for that side of him, and wanted to know if the other side of him was just as charming. Here at the party, she was getting a glimpse of that side and had a feeling that it was.
Ryan glanced down at his watch. "Damn, it's already past eleven," he noted. "The party's probably winding down in there."
"Yeah, probably, since it ends at midnight," Natalia recalled. "I should go ahead and call a cab to head home."
"Natalia, you don't have to do that, I can drive you home," Ryan offered, hoping she wouldn't think he was being too forward.
"Are you sure?" she asked.
"Of course," he replied. "It'd be my pleasure."
"Aw, thanks, Ryan, you're a life saver," she said sweetly. "Calleigh and I split the ride here, but she said something about going somewhere else tonight after the party."
Ryan smirked to himself; he was almost certain that Calleigh meant to go out with Eric, but he figured he aught to keep the thought to himself if she hadn't said anything about it to Natalia. "Well I'm glad I can help," he replied, standing up and offering her his hand to help her rise. "Come on, let's go get your purse."
They left the garden and walked back into the ballroom, where the party was indeed winding down. Alexx and her husband were bidding their farewells to Horatio, wanting to get home to their children so the babysitter could go home as well. Ryan spied Calleigh whispering something to Eric before gathering her things and walking towards them.
"Hey, guys, you've been gone a while," she commented, her Southern drawl as always ever so subtly present.
"There was this beautiful atrium across the hall," Natalia informed her friend. "I noticed it when we came in and couldn't resist, so I dragged Ryan along to keep me company."
"Well I doubt there was much dragging involved, honey," Calleigh grinned, giving Ryan a knowing smirk. "I'm headed out, I'll see you guys on Monday." She gave Natalia a quick hug and left the room.
Walking to the table, Natalia picked up her purse and turned to face Ryan. "Okay, I'm ready to go," she said, smiling.
Ryan let his hand hover above the small of her back as he led her across the room. Eric caught his attention and grinned before waving goodbye from his place leaning against a wall. "Have a good night, H," Ryan called as he and Natalia passed their supervisor.
"You do the same, Mr. Wolfe," Horatio replied, smiling to himself when he noticed Natalia. "Drive safely."
"Will do," Ryan replied, hoping Horatio wouldn't jump to conclusions about him leaving with Natalia. "See you Monday." Outside, Ryan retrieved his truck from valet services and helped Natalia in, closing the door behind her before going around to the driver's side and getting in. Driving away, Ryan saw Calleigh standing discreetly against a wall away from the valet area. Probably waiting for Eric to come out, he assumed. Those two were probably smarter to leave the room at different times, but Ryan hadn't thought to do the same. Either way, he'd seen Stetler leave with his wife as Natalia had gathered her purse, so the one person that would have given them grief hadn't seen anything.
"I guess Calleigh's waiting for a cab," Natalia observed, turning from the window to face Ryan.
"Yeah, I guess so," he replied.
"I wonder where she's going at this hour?" Natalia wondered.
"Who knows," Ryan shrugged. "Maybe she's meeting a friend somewhere. I didn't ask."
"Well I'm just being nosy anyway," Natalia admitted. "It's a girl thing."
Ryan smiled and laughed. "Yeah, probably," he agreed. "Guys don't really speculate about stuff like that. It's not in our nature, I guess." Reaching the parking lot exit, Ryan asked, "Okay, so which way to your place?"