It's taken me several weeks to finish this one, as I kept questioning what I'd written, whenever I had the chance to get back to it. Some of that was due to watching season 1 on DVD; it would have been nice seeing them get together - still one of the most attractive couples I've seen on TV - but it was always one-sided, which makes me think his character was a bit 'off' (ha). Regardless, this story has a happy ending, and I took the liberty of playing with them, at the end. That being said, enjoy!
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He stood at the bar and watched her. She was amazing, and he realized that he had just discovered yet another reason to feel that way about her.
She was on the dance floor and seemed to be having the time of her life. For the last hour, she'd been dancing non-stop. Occupied with a revolving door of new partners because she was a great dancer. He'd always known that she loved to dance, but he didn't know she had moves like she'd been showing off, tonight.
Part of him was a bit jealous of the men she was dancing with, but he knew that she was just having a good time. Still, he hadn't expected to see her here, and he sure as hell hadn't expected to see the show he'd been privy to, this evening.
He smiled to himself, briefly, but it gone as quickly as it came. The song had changed to a slow number, and the man she was currently dancing with was getting much more comfortable with her body than Matt was comfortable with. Or, was it the fact that CJ wasn't having as hard of a time with it as he was? Shouldn't she be moving the guy's hands into a couple of more-appropriate spots? And, did she really have to mold her body into his?
Not realizing what he was doing, he moved away from the bar and headed to the floor. He wasn't seen by CJ or her partner. So, when he tapped the guy on the shoulder and asked, "Mind if I cut in?" he saw her startled surprise, as she turned her head in his direction.
"Houston…." she said automatically.
He only glanced at her, his eyes burning, and turned back to face off with the man currently wrapping himself around her.
"Yes, I do mind if you cut in," the man replied, unpleased. And, somehow, he managed to pull CJ closer to him.
Matt, for his part, kept the anger he was feeling in check. "Well, maybe, we should ask the lady," and he deferred his glance to CJ.
She just nodded her head and found her voice, "Yes, that would be fine." She looked to the man in who was still holding her tightly and said, "We can dance again, later, but I know him." She glanced back to Houston, "He's a friend."
The man didn't act like he would let her go, at first, but he finally acquiesced. Before he did so, he bent his head to brush the briefest of kisses on her lips. "I'll look forward to it," he said. Then, he turned her over to Matt, who glared at the man until he'd completely walked away.
Shocked at what had just transpired, CJ's cheeks burned. But, then, she thought, 'What the hell is Houston doing here, anyway?' and felt a little better. It's not like they'd come here together and then she'd ditched him to have fun with other men. Which, if she was honest, had happened in reverse - him leaving her to fend for herself - many of times. As it was, she much preferred to keep some things to herself, and tonight was one of those 'things.'
About that time, she found herself in Matt's arms, and they began swaying to the music. "What are you doing here?" she voiced.
He raised a brow at her. "I could ask you the same thing," he said.
"Touché. But, I'm wondering why you couldn't wait to ask me to dance on another song," she said and raised her brow at him, in kind.
"Let's just say that I thought he could use some lessons on how to treat a lady he doesn't even know," Matt said.
"Really, Houston. It's called dancing. Besides, I'm a big girl, or have you forgotten?" she asked.
He couldn't rightly tell her that he knew exactly how much of a 'big girl' she was and that her dress enhanced it very well. No red-blooded man in the establishment had been able to resist her, from what he'd seen, and that included himself. Yeah, he'd definitely be skipping that bit, so he simply said, "I know you're a big girl, but I've been watching you dance for the last hour and figured it was high-time I had my turn. It's been a long time, since we've danced together, and I like this song." He took the round-about on answering her.
She laughed at him. "You're such a bad liar. I know you're butting in because your overprotective mode just kicked in," she rebuked him.
He wanted to tell her that being overprotective had nothing to do with it. Good old-fashioned jealousy had spurred him into action, and he didn't need to wonder where it came from. He'd been feeling more-and-more for her, as time drifted on, and these last few months had become almost unbearable for him. A few minutes ago, the straw broke the camel's back.
So, now, they stood in their own embrace and dancing to a love song. It more than suited him fine.
When he didn't reply, she asked, "Are you alright?"
"Never better," he said.
"So…."
"So, nothing, CJ. I wanted to dance with the prettiest woman in here. That's all. I now have her in my arms, and I'm pleased as punch," he said, his eyes burning brightly into hers.
CJ's warning bells went off. She was definitely picking up on…well, something. And, she wasn't sure she liked it.
Raising a brow at him, she asked, "Is that so?"
"Yes."
"So…in this bar full of people - many of which are women - you think I'm the prettiest one here?"
"Yes."
When she only continued looking at him, he asked, "Is something wrong?" He now wondered what was happening. She'd never questioned his compliments before, but it seemed all traces of her previous pleasure were fading. What had he done wrong?
Skipping his question, she answered with a couple of her own, "And, this opinion you have of me…it has nothing at all to do with some of the more provocative dances you've witnessed me participating in in the last hour or so? I mean, no new notions about me began to form in your potentially beer-addled brain?"
Uh-oh. And, ouch. She really wasn't happy with him, and she was definitely taking him all wrong. He knew he needed to do damage control, but he wasn't sure how he'd ended up in this position, to begin with. He'd only wanted to insinuate himself between her and the schmuck who'd been holding her too close for his own comfort.
She went on, "Just so we're clear, Houston - dancing on the floor does not equal dancing between the sheets for me. No matter what any of it looked like. I was only here for a few hours of me-time, and the regulars here know that about me; it wasn't a form of foreplay." With that, she broke his hold on her, turned, and walked away - leaving him standing on the floor alone.
It had happened so fast that his head was spinning. Damn, he was going to have to act fast.
As she walked away, CJ was fuming inside. She couldn't believe how her first night out in months was turning out like this. She'd only come for fun. Like she'd told Houston, most of the regulars knew her, and they recognized that she was simply here to dance and have fun - unwind a bit. No 'your place or mine.' It just wasn't' her. Besides, she had back-up, if anything got out-of-hand.
She knew she'd get past this and allow things to smooth over. After all, he was a man, and she was a woman. Take into account that he was a very handsome and very…active…man, it only stood to reason, if she'd piqued his interest, tonight. But, dammit, she didn't want him hitting on her. They were best friends, for God's sake. There was no way she could idly sleep with him and still work next to him, day-in and day-out. Especially if she could only count herself as another notch on his bedpost. The thought disturbed her, to say the least.
About that time, he caught up to her and grabbed her arm from behind, but she quickly shrugged him off and kept walking. Once she reached the bar, she found an empty stool and sat.
"CJ, please. I only want to talk to you. You misinterpreted me back there. Please, can we at least talk?" he implored from behind her.
Sighing, she realized it wouldn't do any good not to talk to him - even though she did want to ignore him. They saw each other nearly every day, thanks to Houston Inc. and the investigative agency. Besides, they'd been best friends for years. She was going to have to cool down - and quickly. Though, right now, she was inclined to let him have it for coming on to her, even subtly.
Still, it was possible she'd overreacted a bit….
He felt something changing in her and decided to press it to his advantage.
"CJ, I'm sorry if you thought I was coming onto you, in hopes of…." He couldn't even say it. "But, that's not what was happening. I promise you."
He hadn't planned to make any confessions to her anytime soon - and certainly not in a bar - but he needed to give her something besides the 'I want you' vibe she'd been picking up on a few minutes ago. It sure as hell hadn't been beer-induced like she thought.
She turned around, then. "Really, Houston? Because, when I put your actions and vibes together…well, you could have fooled me," she replied. She'd been around enough to know he wasn't just being friendly out on the floor.
He ran his hand through his hair and looked back at her. "Look. I really don't want to get into this with you in a bar, so would you mind leaving with me and talking someplace else?"
At her look, he realized too late how his request sounded. "Dammit, I didn't mean it like that. I swear, I didn't. I just…look, CJ…give me a chance to get myself out of this hole. It's one I never intended on digging, and I'd like to at least explain my side of this…unintentional debacle. Please?" he implored, again.
As she had felt the vibes in him, earlier, she felt the change in him, now. So, she nodded her acceptance. "Where did you have in mind, though? I took a cab here, so I wouldn't have to drive home so late."
That surprised him a bit, so he asked, "Is that really safe? I mean…" and at the look on her face, his voice quickly trailed off.
With that, she simply pointed to the entrance and said, "See the bouncer at the door? We know each other. I helped him out of a jam a few months ago. And, Jim always makes sure that I get in my car - or a cab - safe, sound, and alone, when I'm ready to go. It's one of the reasons why I love coming here. I'm still innately me, Houston. Sensible, practical, and all of that boring whatnot. However, not as boring as you may have originally thought."
He hung his head for minute. She was really giving him the shots, tonight. Granted, from her perspective, he probably deserved them. But, she didn't know where he was coming from. Of course, he'd never intimated what had been going on - his feelings - with her, before. This was certainly uncharted waters, but he was more than willing to go there, now. He didn't want her thinking of him as a womanizer - and one who would stoop to bedding his best friend for a one-nighter, at that. Damn, she must really think low of him on several levels. Tonight was telling, to be sure, and he wanted a chance to change her opinions of him. Starting now.
"How about this. You pick the place, CJ. I'll drive us anywhere you'd like to go - so long as it's not another bar and more conducive to us actually being able to converse."
She thought quickly. "Okay. A walk on the beach, then. Just pick one," she said. A neutral territory - one she had a penchant for, if she was being honest. It had been awhile since she'd taken in that particular pleasure. Plus, she knew there would still be people milling about on the nearby beaches, even at this hour. It was a highly populated area in the height of summer, after all.
She almost laughed at herself for the 'planning' she was doing; it was Houston, after all. Not some stranger. But, it was habit - one she didn't plan on giving up. Like Jim, the bouncer, she was always lining things up to better protect herself. After working with Houston in this line of work, not to mention their personal histories, who could blame her for naturally falling into the same protective patterns?
When he nodded his agreement, she got off of her stool and began walking out.
As he let her walk past him and lead the way to the door, he noticed the heads turning to stare at her. The appreciative male glances irked him, somewhat, but he did his best to ignore them. Several people called her by name and gave a quick hello or goodbye, but when they reached the door, Jim - the bouncer - stopped her.
"Hey, CJ. Do we have an issue, here?" the brawny man looked Matt over, and it was easy to see that he wouldn't be going anywhere, if she gave the affirmative.
"No, Jim. He's a good friend. We've known each other since we were kids." She smiled at the man to let him know she'd be alright. Then, she introduced them, "Matt, Jim…Jim, Matt." The two men shook hands, briefly.
"Nice to meet you," Matt said.
Jim only nodded his head in response and looked at CJ, "Will you be coming back?" he asked.
"No, I don't think so, but I'll be back soon enough. Tell Denise I said hi, okay?"
"I will. Don't be a stranger," Jim replied.
"I won't," and she gave him a peck on the cheek.
Matt was surprised but didn't say anything. He'd wait until they were alone, before he asked what all of that was about. If he did. He had a much more important subject to discuss with her, after all.
As they were leaving, Jim gave him a brief nod that Matt assumed was the 'all-clear' signal.
"Which way?" she asked, when they were outside.
He led the way to his vintage convertible and opened then held the passenger door for her. She smiled briefly, hoping she wasn't making a mistake. Not that she was afraid of being alone with him, but she wanted him to know they wouldn't be crossing any lines, tonight. They were too hard to recover from, afterward - she would know. Her last 'I love you' was enough for her. Hoping she hadn't visibly cringed at the thought, she settled in and waited for him to start the road trip to their next destination.
He put the car in Drive and headed out. As he drove, she put her mind on pause, simply enjoying air whipping around them and allowing it to put her nerves at ease. Within twenty minutes, he was parking at Nicholas Canyon Beach in Malibu.
"I haven't been here in awhile," she said.
Both still seated and listening to the ocean hitting the shore, he admitted, "Neither have I, even though it's not that far of a drive from the beach house."
"Mmm…." She was still lost in her quiet reverie. Thoughts that had nothing to do with what was going on - just remembrances of past times at the beach. Which, some part of her wondered at that, considering why she was here, now. Matt had just ticked her off not a half an hour before by sending signals that she hadn't really appreciated.
The rest of her mind accepted that it was Houston, though; she knew they'd go right back to their normal status quo, and everything would be back to normal soon enough. So, she began to let those habitual thoughts lull her back into a sense of security. They were friends. That was that. So, should she apologize for being so angry with him? Especially since she'd already forced the snap-back to reality? No. Best to let him know that he couldn't get away with some things - not with her. Nip it in the bud, right away. And, so on and so forth….
'Boy,' she thought, 'I must be tired. Probably a good thing I left, when I did….' With that, she yawned.
Matt had been watching her - and the expressions crossing her face, as she sat staring at the ocean. She was a beautiful woman, and when she was lost in her own thoughts, her face took on even softer notes. Though, he also detected a little perturbedness, at one point, and he was fairly sure it had to do with him.
He was hoping to change her feelings about him, tonight. Scratch that. He was hoping her feelings for him were still strong, as he wanted to influence them to dance with his own and begin the change in their status quo. Nothing radical - just an acknowledgment from both of them that they wanted more from their relationship than friendship.
'Nothing radical,' he thought and wondered how much more oxymoronic he could be in those thoughts. They'd been friends since elementary school and best friends for nearly as long - always platonic - so wanting an admission and getting a commitment from her to pursue a romantic relationship with him, now, could very well fall under the category of "radical."
He sighed, beginning to feel defeated, before he even got started. She was already mad at him for what she'd only thought he'd been thinking about her. Which, he had been - hey, he was a guy, after all - but she didn't know that those thoughts came from a place of love - and not simple lust. His feelings for her were much more involved than he'd ever felt for anyone - and that included Elizabeth. But, considering how he'd consistently put other women ahead of her, how was he going to get her to see this, now?
She heard him sigh and looked over, "You alright?" she asked. Funny how she kept asking him that question, when he was the one who'd started this mess.
He looked over at her, not sure how to answer but did, anyway, "Yes. I'd like us to take as stroll, but before we get out, I want to apologize for making you feel uncomfortable, CJ. That was never my intention. Never."
His sincerity made her feel a little better, and she smiled. "It's okay. I probably reacted more harshly than was necessary, but I don't want anything to upset our applecart, Houston. Lust is so fleeting. What we have is better than that, even though there may be moments…you know," she finished, not wanting to get into any specifics.
He wanted to respond to that but thought it might be better to wait a little while longer, so he smiled back at her, instead. Then, he asked, "Shall we?" and nodded towards the beach.
"Yes," and they both got out of the car.
The moon wasn't quite full, but it leant to the picturesque scene they became a part of. Silently, they made their way to the sand and removed their shoes. They began walking, and Matt was wondering when he was going to be able to bring this sensitive subject up, when CJ asked, "Why did you do it, Houston?"
He looked at her quickly, "What?"
"Why did you butt in on that particular dance - with that specific man? Why not any of the others?" she asked.
He almost thanked her for giving him a segue way but was still nervous as to how to answer. He did so, anyway. "I didn't like what I was seeing, and the next thing I knew, I was standing next to the two of you on the dance floor. I wanted him out of the picture," he admitted.
She stopped and looked at him for a few seconds, shocked. "What picture? What are you talking about?" She definitely didn't understand where he was going with this. In the world she knew, he wasn't for her, so it never entered her mind that there was an ulterior meaning to his words.
"Houston, we were only dancing. Granted, I let him get away with a few more liberties than I normally allow, but nothing was happening - nor was it going to." She knew it wasn't, but she wasn't a prude, either. She was a woman who liked feeling attractive to the opposite sex just as much as the next woman.
"Did he know that? He felt comfortable enough to kiss you." Matt's tone was more than a little incensed.
She knew that a woman less in control would have slapped him. Hard. Instead, she told him in a frosty voice, "A kiss that probably wouldn't have happened, if he hadn't felt like marking his territory - thanks to you showing up and butting in. You guys can be so Neanderthal," she said, almost to herself, before continuing. "So, don't you even try to say I was leading him on. It was dancing. Just dancing. I've seen him before, and we've danced more than once. He's asked me out in the past, so I obviously know he's interested. But, he wasn't going to get any farther than that dance floor with me, tonight. And, if I had been interested in taking it elsewhere, it's none of your damned business, anyway!"
With that, she started walking away from him. No stomping or carrying on. She was too classy for such a display, but it was obvious she needed to put space between them and had no problem doing it. For the second time that night. He had to be setting some kind of record with her.
'Damn the man,' she thought. 'He can do whatever he wants with any flavor-of-the-week, and he gets by with it - no qualms and no repercussions. Nothing but pats on the back and admiration for his prowess. But, I'm out having fun…about as innocent as you can get, no less…he shows up, and I get this. And, from him. The hypocrite.' She forced herself to stop thinking about him and this ridiculous night, before she started calling him a few more unsavory names. Tantamount to how angry she was with him, right now.
As soon as he heard himself speaking those words, Matt knew he was in trouble. Big trouble. Why didn't he just go for the gold and literally call her a tease, or worse, while he was at it? Geez, if he didn't figure a way out of this hole, she was going to walk away from him for good - or, at least, a good long while.
Taking long strides to catch up with her, he very nearly reached for her arm but thought better of it. She'd already shrugged him off once, tonight. And, that was before he'd insulted her integrity.
Not overly successful at tamping down her ire, and knowing he'd begun to follow her, she spun on him. "Just where the hell do you get off? Best friend or no, you have no right to butt in on my life and then insult me because you don't like something you're witnessing. Especially when you're no puritan, yourself. I'm trying my damnedest to let go of my anger with you, but I'm obviously not doing a good job of it. So, if you think you can say anything to start repairing the rift you're causing, you had better speak now." Her eyes were showing a fire that he could see even in the inadequate light.
Right now, he had no trouble admitting he was wrong. "I shouldn't have said it. I know better than to make insinuations and criticize what you do on your own time. Hell, I know you better than that. But, I'm consistently apologizing for things, tonight, and it's all because I haven't figured out how to say what I really want to say to you…."
His sincerity and tottering didn't help ease her emotions much, but she managed, "Well, you had better spit it out, or this is going to be a problem for us, Houston. And, I don't think I need to go into the reasons why," as calmly as she could.
Truthfully, she didn't think there was anything he could say to make her feel better about him. At least, not tonight. He'd insulted her, and it involved a double-standard that wasn't only unfair but ironic, considering she'd never been loose a day in her life. Casual relationships weren't her style. As far as she was concerned, 'tease' was part of the same mix.
He took a step nearer. When she didn't move, he took the next and the next, until he was standing within two feet of her. She was looking up at him, and her eyes were showing both hurt and anger. This was her best friend, whom she loved and trusted more than anyone. Yet, she felt like he'd hit her below the belt. Worse, it was undeserved, and she didn't understand where it was coming from. But, she'd be damned if she'd just blow it off and allow him to get away with it because of their lifetime of friendship.
She wasn't shielding her emotions from him, so it was very clear to him how he'd made her feel. Chagrined, he knew it was do-or-die time. "To put it plainly, CJ, I was jealous. My feet took me to your side, almost before I knew what was happening. I had fun watching you having a good time, tonight, but the man's intentions were pretty blatant. And, I wasn't going to let them come to fruition. Not while I was watching and certainly not before I had the chance to tell you how I really feel about you," he said. His heart was pounding, and he hoped like hell that she was really hearing him.
It took several seconds, but he could see it dawning on her what he was trying to say. Her eyes began widening, and she asked, 'Houston? What…?" Her throat was dry, all of the sudden. Was she hearing him correctly?
"I'm saying that I love you, and it goes deeper than friendship. I've always held my ground and kept in line with the boundaries we established years ago, but I don't want that, anymore. I haven't for a long time, now, and I'm hoping there's still some part of you that feels the same way. You've told me before that you love me, and I'm hoping it's still true," he confessed.
At her look of confusion, he wanted to touch her to emphasize his meaning, but he instinctively felt that it would be best if he stayed put.
CJ was having difficulty processing this because it was the last thing she'd ever expected - not just of him ever saying it but on a night like tonight…. A one-eighty from where they'd started.
"I don't know what to say," she told him.
And, truthfully, she didn't. It had been nearly a year since his wedding to Elizabeth had been called off. He'd left for awhile only to return and resume his former lifestyle. Granted, it had been at a much slower pace; the bevy of beauties flowing through his revolving door had dwindled to nonexistence of late, but did that really have anything to do with her? She had just assumed that he was still somewhat depressed and finally coming to grips with the fact that he couldn't replace Elizabeth's memory with sheer numbers.
"You don't have to say anything, right now," he told her. "I just wanted you to know. I'm not the man I used to be, and I've finally given myself permission to look at you in a different light. In the way you've wanted me to, in the past," he added.
Trying to process what he was saying was difficult. This just wasn't them. She was used to her love for him being unrequited. He'd confirmed it often enough. That was her life. Or, so she thought. The one she'd been trying to move away from and establish herself elsewhere, romantically. Surely, this was a dream? If it was real, wouldn't she be feeling elation - not the numbness that she couldn't seem to overcome?
As she continued to stare at him in silence, Matt began to feel even more unsure than when he began. Part of him couldn't believe that he'd said so much and was now waiting with baited breath, hoping she didn't turn away from him, again.
She reached for one of his hands, and he immediately entwined his fingers with hers. Her touch only strengthened his resolve to hold onto her - in more ways than one.
"Houston…." She started and then hesitated.
He squeezed her fingers gently. "Tell me," he said.
So, she began again. "Maybe, I should ask you a question or two, first. Before I confess that I think this has to do with Elizabeth leaving." He nearly got his immediate denial out, but she cut him off at the pass, "Because that's what I'm inclined to believe, but I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt. For now," she finished.
He relaxed a little, but she could tell that he was ready to refute anything that might have to do with his former fiancée.
Still looking at him, she asked point-blank, "What makes you think you're in love with me?"
Matt considered it an easy question and started answering without hesitation. "You're one of the most beautiful women I've ever known," he began. But, he could tell that it wasn't a good start, when her fingers began to grow slack in his hold. In fact, he could tell she was ready to pull away.
Knowing he was losing her before he'd even gotten started, he realized that Matt Houston finding a woman attractive wasn't anything new. So, he tried again, "More than that, you're one of the most intelligent and savvy minds I've ever known, and I feel fortunate to be able to work with you in any capacity. Let alone having you by my side, daily. Helping me to run not only Houston, Inc. but the investigative agency - and with a passion to help others that matches my own." He was working his way into more, but he wanted her to know how important it was to him that they shared this, too.
She smiled at him, as he took another breath. His compliments were very flattering, but finding her attractive and appreciating her work skills weren't what she was looking for. Not in this conversation. It certainly didn't equal relationship success, as far as she was concerned. However, she said nothing to that effect. Yet. Instead, she let him continue; a part of her was secretly hoping that he could find the words she was wanting to hear. Exactly what they were, she didn't know. But, if he found them, she'd certainly be open to exploring more with him. Though she'd also been changing this past year, she hadn't entirely given up on her original dreams.
He went on, knowing full well that he needed to pull more out of the hat than 'you're smart and pretty.'
"My affection for you grows every day, and when I look in your eyes, I know you see the real me. You know who I am, and I can feel the reflection of it. Especially in times of sorrow and regret. It helps me pull through anything. You help me pull through anything. Hell, I like myself more just by being with you. More than that, my respect for you grows each day for a myriad of reasons, and I'm tired of consistently keeping you at arms' length. I'm tired of wanting you but only looking because I've felt that I couldn't or shouldn't touch. I would much rather take the chance of losing you than to have come to the end of my life and wonder what we could have been, if only I had been bold enough to ask. So, here I am - being bold."
Not his most eloquent speech, thanks to his own emotional roller-coaster, but he was still pleased with himself.
With that, some of the numbness she'd retained began to dissipate, and the back of her eyes stung with unshed tears. Seems he was finding a few good words, after all. Knowing him like she did, she shouldn't have been all that surprised.
Not done yet, he continued, "I've kept my feelings for you contained longer than I ever should have. Love should be expressed, and I'm sorry that you've attempted similar with no good response from me, in the past. I won't say that I fully regret it, though. Because what's happened to finally get me to this point was worth it. I know I'm the better man I always thought you deserved. I couldn't have been that man for you before, CJ. I wasn't there, yet. But, I'm here now, and I'm stepping forward."
Her fingers tightened in his, and she continued to stare into his yes. Her own were beginning to leave a slow trail of tears on her cheeks. She was still at a loss for words, but her heart was beginning to fill with hope.
He took the last step, which brought him mere inches from her. Then, he dropped his shoes on the sand and brought his now-free hand to the side of her neck, his thumb caressing her cheek and subsequently wiping a few errant tears away. All the while, he never lost eye contact with her.
"I'm afraid," she admitted softly. The whys were self-explanatory, so she didn't elaborate.
"It is kind of scary," he agreed, "but I'm not willing to sit by and let the chances keep slipping by, anymore." Then, his mouth quirked a half-smiled at her, a knowing one. "Besides, when have I ever taken a risk I wasn't sure would pan out?"
She lifted a corner of her mouth. "So, you're calling me a 'sure thing?'" she teased lightly.
Considering the way their evening began, he gave her a full smile - knowing it was her way of also saying that she better understood some of their earlier snafus.
"Not in the way you're implying," he replied. "But, I won't apologize for believing you're a 'sure thing' in a much different way."
He bent his head toward her. Close enough so his intention was clear but with enough distance that she could still see him clearly. "I won't rush us. Nor will I rush you. But, I fully intend to wine and dine you, court you in grand style. Then, when I know I have you completely under my spell, I fully intend to make it official." At her sharp inhalation of understanding, he continued, "You can take as long as you like, until you're convinced that I mean what I say. It could be next week or five years from now. I'll still be here, and I'll still be yours."
Their fingers were still entwined, but he let go to pull her to him. Both arms now wrapped around her.
"Houston…." she said, though she wasn't trying to fight it. She simply put both of her hands on his chest and tilted her head to continue looking at him.
"Yes?" His voice was becoming hoarse with his restraint.
"I know we're from Texas and all, but you don't have to be so grand in your declarations. We don't know if things will work out," she said.
"Don't we?" He knew in his heart that they'd be fine, but he more than understood her reticence.
"No. We don't." She continued to stare into his eyes. "But, I'm willing to try, too," she said.
"That's all I ask," he said, glad to hear her confirm it out loud. "Now, I know this evening got a little messy the moment I stepped onto that dance floor, but I was wondering…."
She caught the hints of teasing mingled with something a little more serious.
"You were wondering…?"
"Can we call this our first date?" he asked.
"What??" She couldn't imagine why he'd want to, considering how it began.
"Well…" he drawled, "I want to do this right, but there are so many confusing rules about first dates and kisses…." He trailed off with humor.
"Ah." She took that moment to snake her arms around his neck. "Well, in your own unique way, you've asked me out. And, in my own unique way, I've accepted. Right now, we're standing on a beach, after a night of dancing. So…theoretically, we could call it a date. Best not to get lost in the rest of the details," she said with humor of her own. God knew, she wanted to kiss him, too.
"I like how you think, Mz. Parsons. I can see more clearly why I keep you around," he teased.
She let out a huff tinged with humor. "I'm good for a few things."
"You're good for a lot of things."
"Yes, I am. Play your cards right, and you'll get to know a few more of them," she said.
He nearly growled in response but managed, "I'm looking forward to it. Now, about that kiss…."
"Yes, about that…why the rush? You've kissed me before," she goaded, taking a little pleasure in him being the one having to hold on a bit longer.
"Not the way I intend to, now," he said and claimed her mouth with is own. Sweet, slow, and intense.
When he finally allowed them to come back up for air, they were both shocked by the experience. Highly electric but pleasantly so.
"Wow," she said and put her head on his shoulder to help ground herself.
"I agree." And, he hugged her tight.
They stayed that way for a few minutes, each wondering at the intensity they'd experienced. Eventually, she raised her head to look back up at him.
"What now?" she asked.
When he raised his brow at her, she rolled her eyes.
"I meant what I said, earlier, Houston. There'll be no dancing between the sheets, tonight."
He just smiled at her. "I wouldn't dream of it." At her look, he admitted, "Well, that's a bald-faced lie, but I'm not expecting more for us tonight. I'm very happy with the way things have turned out. Aren't you?" he asked.
"Yes," she admitted easily, "I am."
"Then, I think it's time I took you home. With the promise to pick you up in the morning and take you out to breakfast. After that, it's anything you'd like to do. The sky's the limit." He was so sure in his ability to please her.
Knowing she'd get him on this one, she added, "Really? Anything I'd like to do?"
"Name it."
"Well, the weather's supposed to be beautiful tomorrow. How about deep-sea fishing?" She almost laughed outright, sure that he was green at just the mention of it.
He stumbled a bit but told her, "If that's what you'd like to do…."
She did laugh at him, then. "I'm only getting your goat, Houston. I know how green-at-the-gills you get just standing on a dock. I wouldn't do that to you. So, we'll play-it-by-ear."
"Oh, boy. You are going to put me through my paces, aren't you?" he asked, not the least bit deterred at the thought.
"You betcha, but I promise to be gentle," she said coyly.
"Hmm…." He looked at her, amused but still intent. "Before I go and do something I said I wouldn't, it's time to get you home. But, know that I'll be back on your doorstep bright and early."
Then, he bent and gave her a quick kiss. "You know, that's going to be the easiest thing in the world to get used to - that and a few other things, of course." He waggled his eyebrows at her.
She laughed but asked, "You're really sure about this? About developing an 'us.'"
"More than you know. And, you'll see how right I am," he stated confidently.
With that, he grabbed her hand, and they leisurely began their stroll back to his car.
This time, they were hand-in-hand on the beach and had a completely different outlook than when they'd arrived. She was more than content to let him be right, and he was more than happy to prove it to her.