Disclaimer: Characters aren't mine.
000
Unostentatious tenderness
000
The palm tree leaves made bristling noises and the wind blew back Calleigh's hair as she walked hand in hand with Horatio. Always the gentleman, he stayed on her right, protecting her from the fast paced vehicles rolling down the busy street. It was pretty cool in Miami after sundown but Calleigh enjoyed evening walks and Horatio made sure to keep her warm. When she showed even the slightest sign of shivering, he brought her towards him and held her close until the shiver subsided. She felt completely safe in his arms and allowed herself to close her eyes and reminisce about their trip.
He'd taken her on an excursion including a beach picnic, shopping and taking in the sights. He'd driven her down the Florida Keys and she'd been drawn hypnotically to the sapphire sky, from the passenger seat, watching the scattered clouds overhead, blown by generous winds. The sun shone over the turquoise water and she had never felt so good. She felt like a million dollars next to Horatio and every time he laid a gesture of affection, she momentarily forgot to breathe. Her stomach tightened as thrills generously rode up the base of her nape. She just simply couldn't get enough of him.
He'd approached her Friday, as usual, offering her a weekend date she couldn't refuse. "Come along," he'd told her in the throaty timbre she couldn't resist.
Calleigh sighed, eyes still closed, trusting the man beside her to lead the way. Musing, she felt like she was back in the car with him, driving down the McArthur causeway in the Hummer. The McArthur causeway, by far, had the most beautiful scenery: behind Calleigh, the city itself, in front, Miami Beach with gorgeous condos and hotels lined up on the shore. On her right, were the loading docks. On her left, the Miami marina and across it, the expensive homes of the rich and famous. The best part of the trip? She would be ending the day in Horatio's condominium and it couldn't get any better than that.
Horatio stopped in his tracks and took a moment at a streetlight to ask her: "What are you thinking about, Calleigh?"
"Just how much I wanna go home with you."
A light chuckle escaped him as he tried to shake off a soft blush flushing his cheeks.
He shook his head at the absurdity. He was no longer nervous around her. It wasn't that. He couldn't quite put a word on the feeling... How had this long- held wish occurred? "I can't believe we both still feel that way. We've been dating for what – three months now?"
"Yeah, I know. It's kinda silly." She knew he was talking about the feeling that came now and then between them ever since that night they'd spent together. Was this all just a dream, she thought time and time again.
"Did I mention you're incredible?" He asked lifting both eyebrows. He still couldn't believe his luck. She didn't care what people thought of seeing him with her, no matter the visible age difference.
"I don't mind hearing it again." She beamed him a smile.
No, it wasn't a dream.
He suddenly extended both arms and surrounding her, he told her, "A man without a heart, is like me without you, a man can't live without a heart and I can't live without you."
Her breath caught in her throat and, unable to speak, she brought his hand to her chest, placing it over her heart, hoping to show him just how much it meant to her.
He felt her heart pounding strongly under his hand. Sliding his hand up her neck, into her hair, he kissed her tenderly while caressing her cheek with his thumb. Eliciting a smile, he held his arm around her waist and started swaying gently. She loved his spontaneous way of being romantic. He knew how much she loved to dance with him and he could create the perfect ambiance for a slow dance in the most unexpected places.
Miami was beautiful at night. Tall buildings lit up the streets and although traffic was still a little busy, the suburban areas took on a quieter atmosphere than the buzzing of the clubs near the hotels. Horatio loved walking away from the blazing club music to the more tranquil residential area.
Arm around her waist, they crossed the street and sauntered on the sidewalk.
It always surprised him how, even though she was familiar enough with the city and everything surrounding it, she still looked up, now and again, at the sky, the vegetation or just straying her eyes towards the habitations, watching the lives of people. He wondered if she wished her life were different. Little did he know she wished the lives of others were as happy as her own.
000
The constant roaring of the waves hitting the shore and the warm breeze kissing Calleigh's skin was blissful. She shivered now and then but it was pleasurable. She half sat facing the sea, propped up on her forearms, watching two young children run around and play on the white sandy beach.
Leaning on her towel, Horatio whispered to her ear, over the sound of the waves crashing, "Soon, sweetheart, soon."
She glanced at her flat stomach then at him and he cupped her face, bringing her head closer to kiss her.
A smile spread on her lips as she left his lips to turn and lay on her stomach, something she wouldn't be able to do in a few months from now. Hands holding her face, elbows resting on her towel, she enjoyed burying her toes in the warm sand. Wisps of hair flew surrounding her face as the sea breeze blew with constant strength and the smell of salt wafted in the air. Horatio shifted beside her and teasingly wiped away the grains of sand sticking to her calves. Trying hard not to giggle, she turned and stretched on her back. Squinting, she felt around for her bag from which she extracted her sunglasses and covered her eyes. Looking up at the sky, she saw the clouds swiftly traveling. Coastguard choppers roamed overhead, every half hour or so. Once in a while, sirens resonated in the streets nearby but they were off duty and decided that the ones working were fully capable of taking care of things. This was their time and nothing could disrupt that.
Calleigh surprised him by getting up and running out towards the surf. His lips curved upward at her action before he got on his feet and ran out after her. He dove in trying to catch up to the lovely giggle. The one he treasured and loved coming from the most beautiful woman in the world.
The water wasn't very warm and when he caught her hand and pulled her towards him, enveloping her in his arms, he felt the goose bumps texturing her skin. Still giggling she let her legs rise up to the surface as he held her, one arm behind her folded legs, the other, supporting her back. She let her blond mane fall back in the seawater and he grinned mischievously, dipping his head to kiss her stomach. At his touch, she reacted by pulling herself up, anchored by her arms around his neck and kissed him.
Horatio closed his eyes and everything faded around him. He no longer felt the cold water around his waist, the cool breeze, the sun shining on his shoulders; his senses were fixed on tasting Calleigh's lips.
000
Calleigh could only hear muffled sounds, the steady rumble of her breathing. Then, a somewhat louder noise prompted her to open her eyes and search for the source. She discovered that Horatio had entered the bathroom clad in black silk boxers and a white tee shirt. "Horatio-"She reached for the side of the tub, but Horatio quickly stopped her, holding up a finger, "Don't move."
She could only imagine what she looked like lying in the tub, hair floating around her face, without any bubbles to hide her body because she had washed her hair and they had all disappeared. Sitting on the edge of the tub, Horatio teasingly traced down her bent leg, over her stomach. His fingers gliding on her moist alabaster skin sent titillating sensations to her core.
"You're so beautiful." He murmured. To which she sat up, smiling, smoothing her hair back squeezing out the excess water.
He reached for the beige towel hung above the bath and unfolding it asking her, "C'mere Calleigh."
"Don't mind if I do." She stood up with him and he wrapped her in the towel, sensually drying her off.
With all the attention he was giving her, she said suavely, purposely thickening her accent, "You're in for a special treat, darlin'."
Horatio smiled broadly making dimples appear on his cheeks.
Tucking her towel and placing a kiss in the groove of his neck, Calleigh sashayed off towards the bedroom to the closet. Covering herself with a short satin nightgown, she crawled into bed to join her man who had already settled in. Horatio was lying on his back, arms tucked behind his head, when she started lifting his tee shirt, trailing soft kisses over his exposed skin. Firm muscles twitched under her warm tickling breath and the wet silky strands of her hair.
"Let's play connect-the-dots." She met his azure eyes and caught the lopsided grin that traced his countenance.
"Starting with this freckle," she kissed the light colored spot on his cheek.
"You're gonna need the whole night for that..." He warned.
"We've got all night." She told him with soft loving eyes.
Horatio tittered at her honeyed tone.
"I'll make it up to you." He promised.
As if he hadn't already done enough, she smiled at him and stated, "I know you will."
000
A lone wavy blond hair adorned his pillow. The spot she had previously occupied. He noticed it because it had tickled his cheek when he'd shifted in bed. He'd awoken, reaching for the person next to him, not finding her.
Drifting to the neighboring pillow, the one that had the sweet familiar vanilla smell, Horatio wondered where she had gone. When she wasn't around, he missed being able to kiss her, to touch her face, her neck, specially her back because he knew her soft spot was her lower back.
Horatio kept a picture of her in his wallet and when he missed her he looked at it. He felt like he would never get tired of looking at it. She caught him staring at it once in his office and he'd told her that it was the most beautiful image he'd ever seen and the one he wished to see as often as possible. But the picture would be useless to have now in the dark.
He smiled inwardly. Soon, he'd be getting up to go find her in the nursery. Still a long way to go, but he couldn't stop thinking of their future. It occupied his mind from morning to night.
A tiny smile tugged at the sides of his lips, he'd just needed a moment to think it through. He got up, knowing exactly where to find her.
As smoothly as he could, he entered the living room. Calleigh wasn't startled by the sound of someone approaching, she knew his gait, recognized it immediately. She liked to make him think that he snuck up on her because she knew how much he enjoyed it. She smiled broadly but made the playful reaction vanish as quickly as it came to please him. Horatio joined her on the balcony and stepped close as she observed the sky through his telescope.
"Hey handsome," the smile from before returned.
It was a gorgeous night to watch the stars. The wind from earlier had generously calmed and facing the sea, the condo was bathing in peaceful darkness. The moon was a thin croissant, lying on its back and the stars were bright as ever, sparkling over the water.
"I found a nice one!" She exclaimed barely able to contain her passion for astronomy. It was, in fact, their shared passion.
"Show me."
She moved away from the lens to let him have a look.
"Now that... that is a nice star-"he turned his head, focusing on her. "Did you get a good look at the moon?"
She shook her head so Horatio adjusted the telescope pointing it in the right direction and whispered: "Here. Take a look-"
Calleigh's response was euphonious, but she straightened her body and looked up at the stars again, neglecting the telescope.
"You were looking for a shooting star again, weren't you?" he asked eyes as bright as the stars.
"You got me." She flashed him one of her pretty smiles and with a shrug added: "I figure I'll see one eventually-"
"You will."
He was certain that she would. He'd do everything in his power to give her everything her heart desired. He wondered if she had her mind set on something.
He surrounded her with his arms, holding her pressed against his chest, and asked: "What would you wish for?"
Her answer was immediate. "For the world to have more people like you."
He kissed her neck and murmured against her skin, "And why's that?"
"The world would be a better place..."his head fell forward at the compliment and he kissed her shoulder. She continued saying, "The world would be safer and more compassionate."
He slipped her long blond mane to the side and kissed her nape, mumbling: "I love you, Calleigh."
"And I love you, Horatio."
He released her from his firm grasp as she slowly veered in his embrace. He smiled at her. Gave her one of those rare ear-to-ear smiles making the dimples in his cheeks visible again.
"What?" she smiled brightly at how handsome he was.
"I've read somewhere that we love first by chance, for a game, by curiosity," his head swiveled shyly as he spoke, eyes lowered to the floor, "to see possibilities in the eyes of the other. Then," he took in the sight of her, "the love grows stronger. Imagine," brows lifted, he spoke softly, lost in her eyes, "we might have never met." He took her hands in his and kissed her fingers, "Imagine everything that made it possible for us to be there, to love and for it to be us."
"I thank God every single day."
"Me too," he repeated, "me too."
THE END