"So...you're takin' Stell, huh?"

Flack glanced over at his friend as they dealt with their ties. "Yeah. So?"

Danny shrugged. "Nothin'...It's just -"

"Just what?"

The C.S.I. grinned. "You got a date."

Don turned, poking his friend in the chest with his finger. "This is NOT a date. It's a work function. We're goin' as friends. That's it."

"Then how come you been grinnin' like an idiot since she said yes?"

"Shut up. It's not a date."

"Yeah, you keep tellin' yourself that." Danny clapped him on the back. "I'm gonna go pick up Montana. See you at the gala?"

"I have to say, Messer, 'gala' is one word I never expected to hear from you."

Danny's eyes turned hard. "Don't start with me, Flack."

"I'm just sayin'."

"Yeah, I know what you're sayin'. Now get goin', or you're gonna be late."

Flack nodded and headed for the door.

"And Don?" His friend turned back to look at him. "If Stell looks even half as gorgeous as I think she will, you better kiss her before someone else does."

8888888888888888888888

Flack had seen a lot of beautiful women in his life, and he'd slept with his fair share. But the woman standing before him at that very moment defied every word his brain could come up with. He knew that it was rude to stare, but for the life of him he couldn't think of a single other action, except perhaps to drool.

When he had arrived at Stella's apartment, she had led him in with a smile. She wasn't quite ready to leave yet, and she walked back to the bathroom to finish. Flack hadn't meant to follow her, but she had kept talking to him as she walked, and he hadn't wanted to miss any of the conversation.

Now he stood behind her, watching as she put on the last touches to her makeup. The dress she wore was black, with a cut-away slit that revealed white satin. The brooch at her waist shone brightly whenever she moved, catching the overhead light in the bathroom. Flack's eyes traveled up and down her body, amazed at the way the fabric clung to her skin, accentuating every last beautiful curve. He was so entranced, he wasn't even sure he was breathing anymore.

"Don?"

He heard her call his name, and as his eyes met hers in the mirror, he was sure that she had said it more than once. Smiling, he tried to stop ogling her.

"Yeah."

She held up a necklace in her hands. "Could you help? I got my nails done today and I can't seem to do anything with them."

"Of course."

Stepping up behind her, he took the two ends of the necklace from her hands. Stella lifted her hair up from the back of her neck, so that he could see what he was doing. His hands shook as he tried to do the clasp, but it was only a matter of seconds before he had done the job. He told himself that he had to back away now, that he couldn't just stand there staring at the back of her neck. But standing so close, he could actually smell her, and feel the heat coming off of her body.

Stella noticed that he wasn't moving, and she frowned at him in the mirror.

"Don? Is everything alright -"

Her words cut off abruptly as Flack leaned down and pressed his lips against her skin. He let the kiss linger, his nerve endings exploding in a rush of joy as he finally gave in to what he'd been feeling for years. But then he pulled back, slowly realizing what he had just done, wondering if he had just ruined one of the most important friendships in his life.

"Stell -"

"Don't stop."

Her words shocked him to the core, but as his eyes met hers in the mirror, he knew that she meant what she said. He leaned down again, placing light kisses up and down her neck, moving out along her shoulders. Stella hummed contentedly, her body relaxing against his. Slowly, nervously, his tongue snaked out, tasting her for the first time. And when she gasped and leaned back into him, Flack felt as though he had died and gone to heaven.

88888888888888888888

Danny bounced nervously on the balls of his feet as he listened to the phone ring. Glancing around nervously, he spotted Mac across the room, and he moved behind a column, not wanting his boss to come over and question him.

"What are you doing?" Lindsay asked. "And who are you calling?"

Danny opened his mouth to reply, but the person on the other end of the phone picked up first.

"What?"

Danny was taken back by the harsh tone. "Where the hell are you guys?"

There was some muffled noise before Flack answered. "We're on our way."

More noise, and this time Danny was sure he had heard a pleased moan. His eyes widened. "Oh my God. Are you making out with Stella?"

"We'll be there soon," Don answered, his voice tight as he tried to suppress a groan.

Danny shook his head, trying not to visualize what they were doing. "Yeah, whatever. I'll cover for ya as long as I can." He hung up before his friend could respond, and found Lindsay looking at him.

"Stella and Flack, huh?"

"Uh...yeah."

She nodded, seemingly unfazed. "Make sure Don knows that next time they have to cover for us."

Danny tried not to swallow his tongue.