AUTHOR'S NOTE: Ok, this might seem like a pointless fic but I've been itching to write something after my exams as I wait for the inspiration to finish off an update for 'Getting There'. I'd like to thank CaineSpeedle and Speedfanatic05 for writing their story 'Road less travelled' because I've come to enjoy reading about this pairing so much and their rather brilliant M scenes - Which have made me a little adventurous too with writing this rating. All italics indicate character thoughts. Happy reading...

Disclaimer: I look forward to owning these characters but I doubt that will ever happen. In the meantime they belong to CBS, JB et al.

Exaggeration

"Adele, you're going to be late again." called out Horatio, pouring them some coffee from the percolator.

He walked back into his bedroom only to find himself unable to breathe at the seductive picture before him, "Sweetheart, you're not planning on making the whole committee of old fogeys get rushed to hospital with heart attacks?" he asked as he took in her outfit. Get a grip on yourself Caine, he mentally scolded as he watched her sidle up to him. The skirt fit perfectly, accentuating all the right curves. The silk blouse was still laid out on the bed.

She scowled at him but then smiled gratefully as he handed her a mug of steaming coffee – black, no sugar, just how she liked it. "Horatio, what would I do without you?" she asked giving him a long, hard kiss.

"Oh you'd manage somehow, sweetheart." he replied, breathless. She put both their mugs down and kissed him again. Her hands moved to his waist and pulled out his shirt that had been neatly tucked in. She backed him up against the wall allowing his tongue to snake into her mouth as he pulled her harder against him. She could feel his turn on pressing into her skirt, her own breasts perking up with anticipation. She raised one leg and began to rub it up and down his leg.

He grabbed her leg against him, one hand quickly tracing a path beneath the hem while his other hand caressed her nipple through the lacy bra. He heard her breath hitch as his hand teasingly slid over the front of the matching lace panties. She nipped his lower lip in revenge. He felt his hardening erection as her hands slipped into his boxers and began to roam. She urged him on with a breathless sigh as they broke apart for air. Her lips came smashing down onto his again as her hips swayed side to side. His hands moulded the firm flesh of her rear into him before finally lifting her up, his trousers finally dropping from his lean hips. She began to rock against him as her nails began to lightly graze his shaft. She squeezed him hard enough to make him moan into her mouth.

She wanted him, she wanted him bad right now.

His fingers against her wet, sticky mound were sending little ripples of pleasure coursing through her but she wanted more, she needed more. She wanted his mouth on her nipples and his shaft inside her. She clenched against his finger that had slipped inside her. She grunted with pleasure as he pushed another finger into her, harder this time. His thumb began to brush roughly and erratically against her clit that had hardened to a solid nub.

"Shit!" she growled in frustration as a phone began to ring. He lowered her legs gently. Her hands deftly buttoned him up and buckled his belt as his hands slipped away from her body and pulled her skirt down to its original length. They were both silent as they tried to get their breathing even.

"Detective Sevilla."

"Detective, this is to inform you that your meeting has been moved up. It's in half an hour."

"What? Ok, thank-you." She hung up.

"Problem?" he enquired.

"Shit, shit, shit. I'm going to be late! Have to be there in thirty minutes."

She rummaged around for a clean pair of panties and quickly slipped on the green silk blouse before stepping into the smart black heels. She stumbled back into the bathroom and threw a strand of pearls at him, "Babe – a little help with these please?" he nodded, his fingers clumsily opening the catch. She began to do her make up quickly as helped her with her jewellery. She stood infront of the mirror for a minute to make the final adjustments to her outfit. She took a big gulp of her coffee and noticed him standing at the door with her bag and files, she smiled at him.

"You look stunning Adele."

"Let's hope it's enough for a fashionably late entrance."

"Lunch?" he asked kissing her cheek.

"You bet. My treat."

"Knock them out, Detective."

She flashed him a winning smile, "Thank you cariño." she said walking back up to him to give him one last heart stopping kiss.

And that was it - In the space of 6 minutes she had gotten ready and left a whirlwind in his home and in his heart. He went back inside to tidy up before leaving for work.

"Hey Adele, looking hot." said Eric with a low cat-call as she arrived at the scene.

"Why thank-you frog man." she teased back. Her eyes quickly scanned the scene for Horatio, but she tried to make it as natural as possible.

"Could you give me a hand with this Adele?" asked Eric seriously now as he leaned over trying to delicately tweeze some evidence out of the grate close by. She crouched down as much as her skirt permitted.

"Everything ok with Bernstein?" he asked, his face scrunched up in concentration.

"Seems his wife went into premature labour. There are some complications."

"Hmm…gotcha!" he exclaimed with a smile dropping the zip into the evidence bag that she was holding before letting her haul him up off the ground. "He had started interviewing some of the witnesses," he said waving in the general direction of the gathered crowd.

"Thanks Eric."

She went back to her car to get her notebook when she heard the southern female voice exclaiming 'Handsome!' and then giggle. She raised her eyebrows as she took in the close proximity that CSI Duquesne and Lieutenant Caine were working in. His hands were delicately spraying something up her leg. It was only when he heard his response begin with 'Sweetheart,' that jealousy reared its ugly head within her gut. It wasn't just a normal 'sweetheart', and it wasn't just her being paranoid, he had said it in that special way.

That new blonde had not just called him 'handsome' and no way had he just responded with 'sweetheart'!! She hadn't realised that she had snapped her pen in anger until she felt the sticky ink on her fingers, "Shit," she muttered reaching for another one and focusing her anger into doing her job.

An hour later she was done and driving back to MDPD and still furious as hell. The whole time Horatio hadn't once acknowledged her or asked her how the committee hearing went. Instead, he had remained close to the blonde. Sitting alone, stuck in traffic her anger morphed into hurt. Her phone beeped. With a sigh she reached for it and read the message saying he would be late for lunch. Y'know what, fuck him! He could bloody have lunch with his bloody CSI. Her phone began to ring, she glanced at the caller ID and ignored it. She honked impatiently, cursing the driver infront of her for his learner plates and missing the green signal.

She reached MDPD 40 minutes later, hot, bothered and even more pissed off. She had ignored all 4 of his calls. As she walked into MDPD, the smiles and 'Well done with the committee,' comments received superficial acknowledgements from her. She dumped her jacket on her desk and then deposited her badge and gun on the desk, before sitting down moodily in her chair and staring at the blank computer screen.

Horatio walked down the stairs into the small basement under the condo. He felt the wind get knocked out of him as he saw her. There couldn't be anyone more beautiful in the world, he thought tip-toeing down the rest of the stairs. He sat down next to her and looked at the workbench spread out before him. There were a couple of files, a gun cleaning kit and her service issued-9mm with its customised grip with a silencer attached to the barrel. He touched the silencer, it was lukewarm. It was only 7.30 in the evening but the lines on her sleeping face showed that it had been a long day. She's been working too hard, as usual. He stroked her leg and kissed her arm, the smell of mango and papaya body wash gently floated up to meet his senses.

"Sweetheart." he whispered between kisses, continuing to stroke her leg, her skin warm against his hand. She opened one eye sleepily and closed it again. A happy sigh issued from her as her other leg rubbed itself again his wandering hand. Moments later she jerked awake as realisation and consciousness seeped back into her. She pushed his hand and face away from her, not wanting to get lost in his blue depths.

"How the hell did you get in?" she asked angrily.

He looked taken aback, "I knocked and found the door open."

"What?" she distinctly remembered the lock clicking into place. This was crazy, it was habit to lock the door after she came in. Niggling doubts came to mind the more she thought about it. She hadn't noticed him walking over to her and holding her in his arms.

"Adele, what's wrong? You blew off lunch, haven't answered any of my messages or picked up any of my calls today."

"Oh and I suppose that's my fault, when I don't even get a fucking 'Hello'?" she asked angrily pushing him away from her. She moved to the workbench and started tidying up. She felt his eyes boring into the back of her and felt surprisingly nude under his gaze.

He roughly pulled her to him, "Sweetheart, I honestly have no idea what you're talking about."

"Just wait upstairs, Horatio," she said through clenched teeth. His hand that had been making soothing motions across her back slipped away. Hearing his retreating footsteps, she put all her stuff away and looked at the poster figure on the wall riddled with blanks and let out a sigh – so much for anger management. She still wanted to use her gun.

She retrieved a pair of jeans from her wardrobe before going into the living room to talk to him. She made sure she stood at the end of the other room.

"Clearly I've done something wrong."

She crossed her arms against her chest and nodded.

"And you're obviously going to tell me, right?"

"Go figure Horatio Caine, after all you're the CSI." she answered back cattily.

"Adele, I swear to god I have no idea."

"Look, I'm really tired and I don't have the energy to fight right now-"

"Sweetheart, at the moment, you're the only who seems to be doing that."

For some inexplicable reason his words inflamed her. Maybe because the 'sweetheart' had come out a lot like the one he had used with Calleigh. Or, maybe because he had no idea what he had done and it was the ignorance that killed.

Her anger finally exploded white hot and blazing as she yelled for him to get out of the house. She saw the hurt in his eyes as he walked towards the door. "For what it's worth Adele, congratulations for today with the committee. I'm damn proud of you." He opened the door, "Just let me know when you're ready to act like an adult rather than a child and talk about things." he said coolly before slamming the door behind him.

His words stung her and hurt her because at the back of her mind she knew he was right. His parting left a bitter taste in her mouth and her stomach flipped as she noticed the flowers and champagne that he had brought for her.

Fuck

Hmm, so I tried to gauge how Adele would react to the S1 flirting between Calleigh and Horatio. What did y'all think? I wanted to make it a little different from 'Opening Up' even though I've used the same dispute between them. Hope you guys have enjoyed it so far! Reviews, as always are much appreciated.