"Tension"
"Absolutely not. It's a ridiculous idea."
Peter Boyd stared incredulously at the petite woman sitting opposite him, his dark eyebrows knitted together in a frown as he addressed her.
"Oh, come on, Boyd." Grace Foley said, rolling her sapphire eyes in exasperation. "What harm could it possibly do?"
Boyd shook his head. "I'm not having some random woman coming in here..."
"Random woman?" Grace laughed. "She's a professional, Boyd. She's not walking in off the street."
"I've never paid for it in my life, Grace. I'm not about to start now."
"Oh, for God's sake..."
"I'm serious."
Grace shook her head. "First of all, it wouldn't be coming out of the Cold Case budget. It wouldn't cost you a penny..."
"It's not just..."
"And, second of all, it might actually be beneficial to this team."
"Do we need any improvement, though, Grace?" His dark eyes were shining. "I thought we were pretty bloody perfect as we are."
Grace ignored his gentle teasing. "So, how about a treat for the team, then? A sort of 'well done' for all their hard work recently."
Boyd groaned. "Too touchy-feely by far, Grace. By far."
Grace sat back in her chair, studying him through narrowed eyes. "What are you so afraid of with this? That you might actually enjoy it?"
"No, I just don't want some hippy coming in, lighting her bloody incense sticks and disrupting the work day, that's all."
"You know she comes in for everyone else in the building, don't you?"
"What's that got to do with anything?"
Grace shrugged. "I just wonder how the team would feel if they knew, that's all."
Boyd raised his eyebrows, trying and failing to suppress an amused grin from spreading across his face. "Is that a threat, Grace?"
"If you like, Boyd. If that'll make you see sense."
He groaned loudly but his eyes were twinkling. "Oh, you drive a hard bargain, you know."
Grace grinned. "All part of the service."
"What day does she come in, then?"
"Every other Friday."
"I thought this was going to be a one off?"
"Believe me, once you've experienced what she offers, you'll be begging DAC Christie to pay for a weekly session with her."
"Does this mean you've got a vested interest in this woman, Grace?"
She smiled. "Where do you think I sneak off to two Friday afternoons in a month, Boyd?"
He leaned back in his chair. "And there I was thinking you were off doing research for your latest paper." He shook his head and gave her a lopsided grin. "Naughty girl."
Grace's smile broadened. "Absolutely."
"And you're sure she's worth it?"
"Well, don't I look relaxed to you?"
"Honestly? Not at the moment."
"That's because I'm due a session this week. I've got two week's worth of tension across my poor, aging shoulders."
She raised a hand to her neck and rubbed it across her muscles gently, her face contorting in discomfort, her eyes closing. Boyd found her action unexpectedly erotic and he was surprised to feel the speed of his heart beat increase as he watched her.
"Sure you can wait till Friday, Grace?" He asked, his deep voice sounding husky.
Her hand stopped her ministrations and she opened her eyes, looking at him curiously. "What?"
"Well, you look like you're in pain."
She grimaced. "I am, to tell you the truth."
He stood up from his chair and moved to stand behind her. Grace twisted in her seat to look at him, confusion creasing her features. "Do you trust me?" He asked quietly, his voice soft, his dark eyes intense.
"What do you mean?" She queried in reply, unsure exactly what he was asking.
"I mean...do you trust me?" He repeated, his hands moving to rest gently on her shoulders.
Grace took a surprised breath, warmth spreading through her body as his fingers began to tease the tension from her aching muscles. "Boyd..." She whispered, hoarsely. "I..."
"Relax." He murmured, his hands pressing firmly against her shoulder blades. "I know what I'm doing, Grace."
Grace let her eyes drift close, enjoying the sensations his touch was creating. "Where did you learn how to do this so well?" She asked, stifling a groan as his talented fingers found a stubborn knot at the nape of her neck.
He smiled as he continued his ministrations. "If I told you that, I'd have to kill you."
Grace gave a small laugh. "Seriously?"
"Seriously."
"Well, I think you've just made my massage lady redundant."
"I told you we didn't need to pay for someone."
"What, are you offering your services, then? I can't exactly see Spence jumping at the chance for you to rub his neck in the middle of the morning briefing."
Boyd laughed throatily. "To say nothing for destroying my credibility."
"Well, quite."
They were silent for a few moments then, Boyd's hands slipping further up her neck to massage the tiny tendons and muscles, his fingers moving in intricate circles as he worked to relieve her tension. Grace unconsciously angled her head to allow him better access, her breath coming in soft sighs as her body responded eagerly to his touch, an intoxicating combination of relaxation and arousal.
"How's the pressure, Grace?" He asked finally, his palms sliding firmly across her upper back.
Grace could only manage a pleasured groan in reply and he grinned, her reaction causing jolts of electricity to surge through his blood.
"I'll take that as fine, then." He said, amusement colouring his tones, and he pressed harder against her muscles, eliciting further breathy gasps from the woman beneath his fingertips, her reaction to his caresses thrilling and exciting him.
"Boyd..." She managed finally, her voice husky and breathless.
"Take your cardigan off." He instructed, already beginning to tease the thin layer of clothing away from her skin, desperate to feel more of her beneath his fingers, desire driving his actions forwards. Grace moved to allow him to slip the garment from her arms but momentarily, she sat forward, and turned to look at him, twisting away from his hands.
She swallowed hard, trying to get her heart rate under control. "Boyd..."
His eyes were smouldering heat as he looked at her and he placed a hand on her arm, pulling her to her feet to face him. Grace took a shaky breath as his hands slid to her waist.
"Boss?"
The familiar voice of Spencer Jordan sounded loudly from the door way, causing Boyd and Grace to spring guiltily apart, the electrical connection between them suddenly severed.
Spence's head appeared around the doorframe, his eyebrows raised as he took in the deep flush colouring Grace's cheeks. Boyd cleared his throat, desperately trying to regain control of his senses.
"Yes, Spence, what is it?" He asked, attempting to keep his tone even.
"I'm just popping out for a coffee." Spence replied, frowning slightly, his gaze moving between his boss and his colleague, unable to quite decipher the charged atmosphere between them. "Either of you want anything?"
Grace gave him a small smile. "No thanks, Spence."
Spence turned to his boss. "Boyd?"
"Hmm?"
The younger man looked at him incredulously. "Coffee?"
"Not right now, Spence, no thanks."
Spence glanced again between Boyd and Grace before shrugging his shoulders. "All right. I won't be long."
He disappeared from view then, leaving an elongated silence in the room, the tension between its inhabitants palpable. After a few moments, both took a breath to speak.
"Boyd..."
"Grace..."
Their simultaneity caused them both to smile slightly and Grace felt herself fractionally relax.
"Look, Grace, I..." He broke off and ran a frustrated hand through his silver hair.
"It's all right, Boyd." She said, quietly. "We...both just got caught up in the moment, I suppose."
He looked at her, noting her guarded expression, something more in her eyes than she was articulating in words. "Yeah." He managed, at a loss of what else to say. "I suppose so."
Grace gave him a forced smile and began to walk towards him, he assumed with the intention of leaving the room. She was still flushed, the pink glow infusing not only her face but her neck and chest as well, the effect noticeable since she was now only wearing a sleeveless dress. Boyd had to make a conscious effort not to stare at her breasts.
"I'd better be going." She said, softly.
He nodded wordlessly, her proximity causing his blood to heat steadily once more.
"Thanks." She motioned towards her neck. "It really does feel better."
"Any time."
Grace smiled slightly. "Really? You don't think I'd better stick to my massage lady?"
He returned the smile, glad that the awkward tension between them seemed to be gradually abating. "If you'd rather."
"I think it might be wise."
"All right."
She smiled once more and turned away from him to access the door. A thought occurred to her as she closed her fingers about the handle and she took a breath, wondering if she was brave enough to voice it.
Eventually, she said, "What would have happened before?"
"What do you mean?" He asked, his features creasing slightly into a curious frown.
"If Spence hadn't come in. What would've happened?"
He regarded her silently for a moment, noting her delicate features, the deep pools of her eyes, the full curves of her mouth. "Do you really have to ask, Grace?" He said, softly.
She blinked as she looked at him, her heart hammering in her chest. "Yeah." She said. "I think I do."
Boyd paused fractionally, his dark eyes locking with hers before saying simply, "I think I would've kissed you."
The faint flush on her cheeks deepened to a more distinct rose once more. "Oh." She murmured, unable to form any other coherent response to his admission.
"Would that have been all right?"
She smiled as his words finally began to sink in. "More than all right. Just maybe not a good idea for the office, eh?"
Boyd grinned, heartened by her reaction. "Oh, I don't know. Bit of risk can be a turn-on, don't you think?"
Grace's blue eyes widened. "Boyd!"
His boyish grin broadened and his eyes were twinkling mischievously. "What?"
"I just don't think we should be talking about this here, that's all."
"How about we talk about it tonight, then? Over dinner?"
Grace looked at him, her heart leaping at the sincerity in his expression. I can't believe it...after all this time... "I'd love to." She said, softly.
He smiled warmly, feeling like a teenager again. "Great."
His smile was infectious. "I'll see you later, then."
She turned and exited his office before he could entice her into staying longer. She felt the others' eyes on her as she strolled airily through the main meeting room towards her own office – Spence and Stella and Eve, all looking at her quizzically, obviously wondering at the large smile she was trying, and failing, to reign in. After six years of working with him – six years of battling and fighting with him, of laughing and crying with him, six long years of being so desperately in love with him she could barely stand to be around him sometimes – after all that, she could scarcely believe that it was finally going to happen. And all because of a stiff neck. She laughed out loud to herself at that. Obviously there were some benefits to the body getting older after all.