--

Bobby finally makes it home after a long day at work. He changes into jeans and a t-shirt then heads to the grocery store down the block. On his way there he passes by a woman who looks to be about thirty. She has long dark hair and even longer legs that stretch out endlessly from underneath a brown leather miniskirt. I love miniskirts. He eyes her up and she gives him a sexy smile. He keeps walking but grins. Hmmm, I bet she's a screamer.

He gets inside the store and commences shopping. The store is almost empty. There is a guy buying oranges, a couple of teenagers looking over the assortment of brownie mixes, and a little old lady rummaging through the egg containers making sure none are cracked before buying them. He's almost done with his shopping when he turns the corner and is taken aback by a hot little number standing in the frozen food section. He's quite pleased she's in that particular location because the cold has her nipples nice and firm and he imagines what they must look like without that top covering them up. Oh, sweetheart, what I wouldn't do to you…

That sleazy thought stops him in his tracks. Is there any woman who I don't imagine naked or having sex with? He feels like he has to prove to himself that there are plenty of women that he doesn't ogle. He looks ahead to the couple that own the store. They're in their mid to late forties and both are in good shape.

"Hi Larry, Hi Judy" He speaks softly.

Larry looks up from the mail he was sorting through, "Oh, hey Bobby."

Judy gives him a sly smile, "Hi Bobby."

Did she just flirt with me?

He puts his items on the counter as he and Judy share small talk. He still thinks she's flirting but he's hoping he's just imagining it because her husband is right behind her. She runs out of bags half way through and he watches her as she slowly bends to get more bags and he can't help but steal a quick peek of cleavage. Nice. He can't believe he just did that, and looks right at Larry as he prays to god he doesn't look too guilty.

No worries though, because as soon as he see's Larry, he can tell that Larry isn't paying one bit of attention to Bobby…or Judy for that matter. Larry is eyeing up that pretty little thing from the frozen foods who was now standing behind Bobby.

Geez! We're all pigs!

Judy straightens back up, hoping she gave Bobby long enough time to get a good look, and see's that Bobby isn't looking at her, but at her husband. What the hell? Am I slipping here or something? She then turns to see Larry not looking at Bobby, but at the little piece of ass with the no-where-near thawed out nipples who's standing behind him. She can't help but roll her eyes. God, they really are all pigs!

Bobby leaves the store and shakes his head. He's trying to make himself feel better, but he's at a loss. Then, he thinks of the old lady that was buying the eggs and laughs to himself. At least I didn't think of having sex with her! He scrunched up his face a little. That would have had me worried.

He makes one more stop at his local video place. He wants to watch a movie tonight.

--

The movie credits roll but Bobby makes no move to get up. He's thinking about Harry and Sally and their neurotic little relationship. He comes to the conclusion that Harry and Sally are nuts and that Harry's thesis that men and women can never be friends is false. Why he decided that? He's not really sure. Does he decide that just to make himself feel better? Maybe. Then that realization creates such turmoil in his head that Bobby finds himself motionless and contemplative.

After several hours of sitting and thinking, he reaches a deep understanding of not only himself but of mankind. Bobby doesn't want Harry to be right but he's quite certain he is.

Then, that dawning follows anger; deep anger and frustration.

He's angry at Eames. She thrust this whole hypothesis onto him without any warning. He had been minding his own business being a typical guy when WHAM, she knocked him off his toes with just one little question.

He gets up and paces.

--

A few days later:

It's late a night, and Bobby and Alex are working in the conference room. Papers and empty take out cartons litter the table. There are only two other detectives out in the bullpen but they are packing it up for the night. His jacket and tie are long gone, his collar is unbuttoned and his sleeves are rolled up. Eames is already pretty comfortable in her black sleeveless sweater and black jeans, so the only difference in her appearance from earlier in the day is that her shoes are off. He watches her as she drops her pen, leans her head back, and rubs her eyes. He can't help it as his eyes move straight to her breasts which are now on full display. He realizes what he's doing and his words are out there before he has as a chance to think, "You know I watched that movie the other night."

He sees she's bringing her head back up so he quickly looks back down.

"Oh, yeah…was it on cable?"

"No, no, I rented it."

"Why?"

He pauses slightly and looks up, "I, uh, I wanted to see it again."

"So, what did you think?"

He's leaning forward with both elbows on the table. One hand is resting against the side of his head and the other hand is extended out moving along as he trying to make his point."Well, first of all…I think it's perfectly normal and healthy to think about sex."

An amused look crosses her face. "Oh, do you now?"

He gives his head a quick nod, "Yes, as a matter of fact I do. And there is no reason that a man - or a woman! - can not look at someone of the opposite sex and find them attractive."

"I never asked if men found women attractive, that's a given, what I asked was - "

"I know what you asked… I know what Harry said -"

"So you think it's possible for a man to be friends with a woman without wanting to have sex with her?"

He pauses.

Alex tilts her head at him, "Are you thinking of changing your earlier answer to my question?"

He feels his anger building. He tries to temper his response, "Well, the more I think about it, he's right in some ways. There are many times that guys do meet women and…you know…think about them in a…sexual way." He shakes his head, "but there are definitely times that that doesn't happen."

She sits back a little, crosses her legs, and scratches her neck. "Can you give me an example?"

"Eames." He's exasperated by the question, he was hoping he wouldn't have to expand on his reply.

"It's a fair question, Bobby. I'm only trying to see this from a guys point of view. I was hoping you would help me out."

He takes a deep breath and huffs it out.

"Okay…let's say I go into a store and there's a woman who's…buying eggs…I don't think about having sex with her."

Eames' eyes narrow. "How old is this woman in your little scenario?"

He gives one quick wave of his hand and closes his eyes a little as he answers her. "That's not the point. The point is, I don't think of having sex with her."

She gives him a funny look. She knows he just played with words just to win this argument. "Who else?"

He gives her a puzzled look. "What?"

Eames raises her eyes a little, "Who else is in this store. What about…the check out girl?"

He moves his head and mouth in a way that looks like he's trying to jumpstart his words. He clears his throat a little. "Uh, well…" He thinks of Judy. He only thought she had a nice rack. He had stopped himself before he could think about having sex with her. Loophole!

Eames senses she's onto something and can almost feel her ears perk up while she waits.

"Okay, fine. There's a nice woman behind the counter, and I don't think of having sex with her either."

Alex now uncrosses her legs and leans her elbows on the table; her forearms are folded over one another. "How old is this woman, and don't give me the 'that's not the point' answer again?"

"My age." He stares at her.

"Is she pretty?"

"I don't know, Eames! I guess!" Both of his arms flop onto the table.

She stands up and walks slowly around the room so she's behind him. "You…guess."

He straightens back up and turns his neck slightly to see her out of the corner of his eye. "Yeah, okay, she's pretty, but I don't think of her like that."

"Why not?"

He's beyond aggravated and shouts out, "Maybe because she's not really my type, or maybe because her husband is right behind her."

She doesn't give him time to think. In an instant, she moves back to the table, right along side of him. She puts both hands on the table and leans over to get in his face then she quickly asks him another question. "Well, what if she was, say, about ten years younger, single, and pretty with a nice figure?"

He bangs his hands on the table because he just wants this questioning to stop. "Well, then I guess that yes, I might have those kind of thoughts."

He realizes his mistake immediately. She just described herself to him. He hangs his head as he hears her sit back down. As calmly as she can, she speaks once more. "Thank you for your honesty, Bobby. That really helps me."

It doesn't take him long to feel the anger again. "You just played me." Their eyes meet and he sees hers sparkling.

Her inner victory dance is a short one because she can feel the heat of his anger roiling off his body. He stands up, pulls on his coat, and turns to leave. Before he does he looks back at her, "I can't believe you did that."

--

tbc