Sunrise
Eric kneeled with one knee on Calleigh's bed and bent over her sleeping form, one hand on either side of her body. "Calleigh," he whispered.
When she didn't stir, he tried again. This time he leaned down and kissed her softly, his lips lingering on hers until he felt her eyes flutter open. "Baby, get up."
"Eric," Calleigh whined in response. "Five more minutes," she requested, pulling the covers up over her head.
Eric was undaunted. He peeled the covers back, "No, now…I want you to come with me."
With a groan Calleigh sat up. "But it's still dark outside."
"I know." He smiled, for he so loved 'Cranky Morning Calleigh'. She wasn't a morning person…at least, not until she'd downed at least two cups of coffee. "I have a surprise for you and we need to leave soon."
"Leave? As in, get up and get in the car leave?" She was incredulous. First he wanted her to get up before dawn, and then he wanted her to, quite obviously, get dressed to go out!
"Yeah," he replied, as if it was nothing for them to get up before dawn to go to some unknown place. "I put some clothes for you to wear right here on the end of the bed."
Calleigh eyed the clothes, a pair of blue panties, jeans, white tank top, and his green Hurricane's sweatshirt. Her gaze shifted to Eric's face and as always, she melted. "Okay…but this better be good," she said good naturedly.
"It is…I promise." He planted a quick kiss to her lips then stood back so she could get up and get dressed.
He watched her climb out of the bed, slip on the panties and jeans, and then pull the tank top over her head. He held out his sweatshirt and helped her slip it over her head.
After Calleigh settled the sweatshirt on her body she looked up and found Eric handing her a hairbrush and a hair band. A smile curved her lips. "Thought of everything, haven't you?"
He merely winked in reply.
In no time Eric pulled up to a small public parking lot in Hallandale Beach. He reached over and softly ran the back of his fingers over Calleigh's cheek to wake her up, chuckling at the fact that she'd dozed on their way over.
Calleigh startled, blinking as she opened her eyes; then relaxing as she remembered why she was in Eric's car. Yawning, Calleigh looked around and realized they were at the beach. "Your surprise for me is at the beach?"
"Mmmhmm, now come on," he replied eagerly, opening the car door.
Opening the back passenger door, Eric retrieved a blanket and a sturdy brown paper bag, and then taking Calleigh's hand he led her to the beach. After setting the paper bag down in the sand he spread out the blanket and motioned for Calleigh to take a seat in the middle.
Calleigh was now getting into it, anxious to see just what it was he had to show her. With a smile she sat down in the middle of the blanket and watched as he sat behind her, placing his bent legs on either side of her body. Loving it, she leaned back into his embrace, settling her head beneath his chin. She sighed audibly when he reached into the paper bag and produced two steaming cups of Starbucks coffee. "Oh bless you, Honey," she breathed as she wrapped her fingers around the warm cup.
They sat in relative silence for a few minutes; Calleigh enjoying the cool breeze against her face, reaching up occasionally to tuck stray blonde strands blown by the breeze behind her ear, enjoying the soothing warmth of the coffee as it slid down her throat, and being in Eric's warm embrace; Eric enjoying holding Calleigh in his arms, enjoying the quiet before the golden rays of the sun showed all that was seedy in the city of Miami, and they were both back to another day of work at the Miami-Dade Crime Lab.
Calleigh broke the silence. "While I am thoroughly enjoying being here, what is it you wanted to show me?"
"Shhhh Baby…just wait," he murmured, kissing her temple, his lips lingering as he breathed in the soft scent that was uniquely Calleigh.
A short while later Calleigh realized what it was he wanted her to see. Bright orange and red colors appeared over the horizon and continued to grow as the minutes ticked by.
At Calleigh's long gasp and contented sigh Eric turned his head to watch her expression, completely enthralled at the emotions crossing her beautiful face. "I saw this last week when I got that early morning call-out," he murmured in her ear, loving the shiver that coursed through her when he did. "I've wanted to show it to you."
"It's absolutely beautiful," she whispered.
Eric watched her expression change from one of awe to one of absolute content, her golden hair glowing in the dawning light. She was so beautiful to him, but at this moment she was even more beautiful, looking as if life couldn't get any better for her. His heart filled to overflowing with the love he felt for her, completely overwhelming him, bringing tears to his eyes. "Marry me," he blurted in a whisper.
It took a moment for Calleigh to realize what he'd asked. She stopped lifting her cup of coffee an inch from her lips, her heart pounding in her ears, not sure she heard him correctly. She turned to look at him, eyes filling with tears. "What?" she whispered, breath caught.
There was no hesitation whatsoever in his response. "Marry me," he immediately asked again, his eyes searching hers. He grabbed her hands, his voice choked with emotion, "I love you, Calleigh, and I promise you I will spend the rest of my life showing you just how much."
Calleigh's face lit up with the brightest smile he'd ever seen grace her face. She twisted in his arms, grabbed his face between her palms and exclaimed, "Yes!" before launching herself at him, kissing him soundly as they fell back onto the blanket.