A few minutes, then five more and meet her at her car. Okay...

Wow… that just happened.

He had to clamp down on the urge to yell and pump his fist in the air like his team just won the big game. Definitely not appropriate work behavior—at least not in response to this occasion. The occasion being a clandestine make out session between coworkers in an empty interview room. Also not work appropriate… Wow. Belatedly, he reminded himself to take a moment to try and clear his mind before following her out of the kitchen and more importantly, to make sure his face was blank. Jane would be able to read him regardless. But if he wasn't careful, he might continue staring into space with a goofy grin on his face and then everyone would know something was up.

Unfortunately, the few minutes she's promised turned into five and five became ten, each like its own small eternity. Due to the flow of conversation, it would have been conspicuous for her to jump up and leave. Easy, stay cool, he ordered himself. You've waited this long, a few more minutes won't kill you… probably. Keep it together, man. He moved as though in a dream world, a crystalline hallucination. Time moved too slowly. A surreal feeling came over him, like maybe the whole thing had happened in his imagination. After all, he'd fantasized scenarios alarmingly similar time and time again.

Even as he worked to keep his mind clear so no one, especially Jane, would sense anything amiss, he was reliving the gentle touch of her fingers trailing down his arm, taking his hand, then sliding around his neck and tangling in his hair. He could still taste a hint of her lip gloss. It had been real and he would believe it until the ends of the earth if it meant kissing her again. He just had to make it until five minutes after she left. Until then, he had to find a way to act normally while his body vibrated with tension and nerves.

At some point during this internal struggle, he realized he was staring at the three slices of 'case closed' pizza he'd put on his plate (all sausage, just to irk Cho), having not taken a single bite. Unfortunately, Lisbon noticed at exactly the same moment.

"Rigsby, are you feeling okay? I've never seen food last this long with you in the room," she teased, looking at him quizzically. He shook himself slightly, noticing he'd already drained the plastic cup of wine Jane had poured for him. Even that small amount put a slight buzz in his head.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he said after a moment. "Just thinking I might've been able to pay off my car with that wine." Lisbon chuckled as he made a wry face and picked up a piece of pizza he was sure he wouldn't really taste. Whew, close one. Jane had revealed moments ago that the Beckworth treasure was very real but not in the form of money or jewels. The 'treasure' was actually a collection of rare wine vintages that had a potential worth of millions of dollars. Of course, he conveniently told them this after pouring them all a glass and waiting until after they toasted to closing the case.

"I don't get it. Wine," Cho said in his usual flat tone. "It's tasty, but how can it be worth that much? And why would anyone pay that kind of money for it? Makes no sense." Rigsby shrugged in an effort to continue engaging in the conversation. A quick glace told him Grace seemed to have relaxed marginally now that he'd snapped out of his obvious stupor. Of course, it was hard to tell; she was surprisingly cool considering what had just transpired between them. There was no outward sign that she was feeling much at all. Only someone who'd spent time studying her as he had would be able to see the nuance in her demeanor. Considering she told him earlier that day it wasn't the right time, he worried she'd be feeling more conflicted, upset, anything… maybe even aroused. I mean … it was really, really hot, he admitted, with deference to his libido. Soft, warm lips and she tasted like… Seriously, stop.

Then he noticed she too had downed the wine rather quickly and he suppressed a smile. She sat picking the cheese off her second slice pizza without really eating it. Her upper lip worried the lower one gently, something he noticed she did unconsciously when feeling stressed. Chuckling to himself, he tore his eyes away from her mouth before he gave more away.

No doubt Jane's spidey sense was already going crazy. Rigsby refused to discount the possibility that the man was actually psychic no matter what he said. Cho probably also noticed but was the least likely to draw attention to the matter. Rigsby wondered if he should tell Cho about what happened since the other agent had always been very encouraging. He was thankful to have a friend in Cho because no one wanted an ex-gang member turned detective as an enemy.

Wait. What exactly is going on? He realized he should probably figure it out before he decided to tell anyone anything. He really had no idea what to expect when he walked out the door in a few minutes. Suddenly, the pizza wasn't sitting very well in his stomach.

It wasn't as if Grace had returned his declaration of love. More like she'd… what? Stopped pretending she wasn't attracted to him by kissing him senseless? Even though his stomach knotted anxiously, he took his third slice, attempting to keep the concern out of his face. Why did women have to be so damn complicated? He couldn't assume she wanted to…well, that she wanted him. He cared too much to push her or try to take something she wasn't ready to offer no matter how much his hormones begged him to take action. He refused to be that kind of man.

Maybe she just wanted to– gulp –talk?

Some part of his brain registered the conversation continuing with Grace wondering aloud if Mrs. Foster knew about the wine collection and its worth. Another part of him thrilled pleasantly, as it always did, at the sound of her throaty voice. He wanted to watch her mouth work as she spoke. Okay, definitely avoid looking at her until we're alone again. Alone…

Jane was watching him. Rigsby felt his eyes doing their slow assessment of his body language, breathing, eye moment, whatever mumbo jumbo he used to do his magic. Might as well be a mind reader. Rigsby purposefully leaned back in his chair, linking his fingers behind his head, trying for nonchalance. He heard Jane chuckle to himself and Rigsby feigned confusion, indicating he had no idea why Jane was laughing. Jane merely mocked his attempt at innocence with a mysterious look. Luckily Jane was standing out of Lisbon's line of vision, preventing her from witnessing the odd exchange of silent communication. Rigsby rolled his eyes and went back to his pizza, hoping it would start tasting less like cardboard.

He'd stop at three slices tonight even though he was famous for his ability to pack away a large pie all by himself. He wasn't sure he could handle any more. Okay, maybe a fourth piece, he reasoned now that his stomach felt a little steadier. Reaching for the box, his attention strayed across the table to the suddenly empty chair at the far end. He froze. She left? She left. How had he missed it? It couldn't have been more than a minute… but time was doing that weird relativity thing. How long had it really been? For the split second he sat with his hand stretched toward the pizza box, he pictured Grace standing impatiently at her car waiting for him only to end up changing her mind and leaving before he could explain. Explain what? That I missed my chance with her because of pizza?

He gathered himself to jump up from the chair, mind racing for an excuse that would make a speedy departure possible. Then Grace walked in from the kitchen area and started gathering her things. "Well, I'm beat, guys. I think I'll head out. Have a good weekend, everyone. And thanks for the wine, Jane," she said sardonically. "G'night." Oh thank god, he breathed inwardly, immediately feeling sweat break out on his palms and butterflies in his stomach all over again. This is it. She started down the hall amid a chorus of goodbyes, tossing a quick but significant look over her shoulder in his direction. His heartbeat kicked up a notch.

The next five minutes might just be pure torture.