Thank you very, very much to those that reviewed. I'm glad you enjoyed the first chapter, and thank you to those that put the story on your Alert list. I'm sorry that it took me so long to get this chapter up. I lost Elina's voice and ended up re-writing this chapter three times. I hope you like how it came out. Please let me know what you think!

Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with CSI: NY.

Chapter 2

After Don walked out of the bathroom, he looked my way and smiled. I felt myself blush but I smiled back. I needed to get a grip on myself and in my attempts to do so I put away my sketchpad and pencil with slightly trembling hands. Soon, he was walking back over to the table, two cups of coffee in his hands. Smiling, he put the cup in his right hand in front of me before settling in the chair across from me.

"Thank you," I said softly as I pulled the cup closer and looked at him with another smile. My face was starting to hurt from all the smiling I was doing and I felt even more ridiculous.

"You're welcome," he said before he took a sip of his own coffee, his eyes never leaving me. "So, Elina, do you come here every day?" He was obviously making small talk, and I was glad he started because I was still a bundle of nerves. However, I knew once I got talking and comfortable I would relax . . . hopefully anyway.

"Just about. The only morning I'm not here is on Sundays," I said before I quickly raised my fresh cup of coffee to my lips and took a sip, surprised to taste whipping cream as well. I hadn't told him that I liked whipping cream with my mocha, I'd forgotten when he asked and I felt stupid so I didn't stop him to tell him.

"Did I tell them wrong?" he asked suddenly and I looked at him.

"What?" I asked confused and he motioned to my cup.

"Your coffee," he said and I shook my head quickly.

"Oh, no, no; it's perfect," I said. "It's just I forgot to mention the whipping cream and yet you had them put some on." He chuckled and motioned over his shoulder with his left thumb.

"That would be her doing," he said and I frowned as I looked behind him and at the clerk, Tina, she made my coffee every morning so I should have known she would have put the cream on it. "But she did tell me to act like I told her to put it on to score brownie points," he added and I looked at him to see him grinning. "Her words, not mine; I swear." I laughed quietly at that and shook my head. "Did it work?" he asked tilting his head to the side, making me blush but I continued to smile.

"Maybe," I said before I took another sip of my coffee. His grin morphed into a smile and I put my cup down on the table. To my surprise, I was already comfortable with him and my shyness was slowly slinking away.

"So," he started again and I met his eyes. "Why don't you come here on Sundays?"

"I usually have brunch with my sister at her favorite restaurant in Midtown." He nodded and I bit the bullet. "You come in here often too, I see you just about every day." His dimples flashed before he spoke and I had to reign myself in to pay attention.

"Work takes a lot out of a guy, I usually get a pick me up in the morning," he said and I nodded. "What do you do for a living that allows you the luxury of actually sitting down and enjoying your morning coffee?"

"I'm an artist," I said and he raised his eyebrows. "I sell my pieces at Hasterio, a gallery on the Upper East Side, and during the summer months I teach beginners and intermediate art classes at the Lower Manhattan Center for the Arts."

"Wow . . . that's impressive," he said and I laughed at the rather panicked look his face took on. I could always tell someone who wasn't into art. Whenever I told them what I did, panic that I was going to on for hours about it filled their eyes.

"You're not into art are you?" I asked with a tilt of my head sending the gentle curls I had put in my hair that morning falling over my shoulder. He let out a soft laugh as he glanced away and towards the window before he slowly looked at me.

"That obvious?" he asked and I laughed once more as I nodded.

"Terribly obvious, to me anyway, but don't worry," I said with a pause and he grinned, "I won't hold it against you."

"Good to know," he said gently.

"What do you do for a living, Don?" I asked testing his name out for the first time before I took another sip of my coffee.

"I'm a homicide detective," he said slowly, "with the NYPD." I wouldn't lie, that surprised me. Looking at him, I really didn't think cop. However, I rarely got past his eyes or his face but now that I had held a conversation with him he did give off an air of authority.

"Really? Well in this city I'm going to guess that you rarely, if ever, have a slow day," I said and the smile slowly made its way back across his face. "I can honestly say I didn't think you were a police officer," I said trying to get the conversation going again.

"Most can make me a mile away," he said, teasingly of course. "There must be something wrong with your eyes."

"My eyes are perfect, thank you," I said and he smiled as he leaned forward on the table, resting his elbows on the wood and staring into my eyes.

"They are nice," he said softly. I couldn't look away as I felt myself blush once more. He was even better looking close up and he was complimenting me.

"Thank you," I said sincerely that time as I tucked some of my hair behind my ears. I felt like I was fifteen again trying to flirt with my high school crush. It was silly considering I was nearing thirty. "Yours are nice too," I added and he chuckled. I figured he got that a lot from women. Those eyes were lethal.

It was nearly one o'clock before Don and I realized we had spent the entire morning talking and laughing. I had never felt so comfortable with anyone, ever, and that included my family. I learned that he was the middle child of three, with an older brother and a younger sister; his father was a retired police officer; and he was a big New York Rangers fan. He may have had some quirks that I hadn't come across yet, but he seemed too perfect for words. What he saw in me, I still hadn't figured out.

"Tomorrow's Sunday and you won't be here to entertain me," Don said as we stood to leave, and I looked at him expectantly, "I don't know about you but I could use a bite to eat. You want to have lunch with me?" My hand froze as I slid my bag onto my shoulder and I slowly smiled.

"You're not tired of me after nearly five hours?" I asked, teasing him because he was a witty one. I lost count of the wisecracks over our morning of getting to know each other. He grinned, dimples showing yet again and making me melt.

"Nah, I think I could stand another hour or two," he said and I blushed as I laughed and gathered up my empty coffee cup and napkin from my muffin that morning.

"Well, since you think you can stand me a little longer I'd love to," I said before I looked at him and his grin turned into a smile. We threw away our garbage and he held the door to the café open for me. "Thanks," I said before we started down the street. "So, where are we going?"

"I know a place not far from here," he said as he glanced at me. I smiled as we waited to cross. However, before the light even changed a bike messenger zoomed by me, knocking me off my feet slightly and I stumbled to my left only to fall into Don. He caught me easily enough by turning and wrapping his arms around my waist, but I was left spluttering. "Gotta love those bike messengers, you okay?" he asked as his hands remained on my waist and my hands laid on his chest.

"Yeah," I said slightly breathless as my eyes met his. I felt heat flood my cheeks when I realized how close my face was to his and he smiled at me. "Thank you," I whispered as my eyes held his. My stomach swirled and I wanted him to kiss me more than anything, but at realizing that I pulled myself away from him. We barely knew each other and I doubted that he wanted to. He let his fingers slowly slide against my waist, like he didn't want to let me go. However, I figured that was just my imagination. "Seeing as you saved my life, I think I owe you that lunch," I said trying to break up the awkwardness I was feeling.

"I saved you from biting pavement, not your life," Don said with that grin of his and I smiled.

"For me they're one in the same," I said and Don laughed quietly before he took my hand.

"Come on, let's get going," he said and pulled me along. I laughed and bit my lip when he glanced at me and winked. When my stomach swirled once more, I figured before the day was out I was going to have a nervous breakdown.

"This is me," I said as Don and I stopped on the stoop of my building. "I had a really nice time today," I said as I looked at him from my raised position on the lowest step while Don remained on the sidewalk. He smiled at me and nodded his head as he stuck his thumbs in his front pockets.

"Yeah, I did too," he said. "Can I call you, you know, in case I have the need for some company while I grab some coffee?" I smiled, blushing yet again before I nodded. He handed me his phone and I quickly programmed my number into the device.

"Promise you won't wait the stereotypical three days?" I asked as I handed him back the phone and he chuckled.

"I promise," he said and the look he was giving me only inspired me with a new idea for another painting.

"Then I will look forward to it," I said softly. He smiled and I did something I never thought I would be brave enough to do. I leaned forward and placed a kiss on his cheek. I swallowed the nervous lump that formed as I pulled back and smiled at him. "Have a good night." I turned to go upstairs when he caught my right hand with his left.

"Elina," he said and I turned back around and looked at him, only to have him raise his free right hand to my neck and pull my lips down to his. I was surprised so didn't respond at first, but soon I was kissing him back and holding his hand tightly in mine while my other hand grasped his shirt. That kiss was unlike any I ever had and I felt myself shake slightly before my knees gave way and I fell against him, breaking the kiss as he let go of my hand and wrapped his arm around me to steady me. We laughed and he rubbed his thumb along my jaw.

"This is the second time I've ended up in your arms," I said breathlessly and he smiled before he kissed me chastely.

"I don't mind," he whispered against my lips. He gave me one more kiss before he helped me stand straight and slowly slid his hands from me. "I'll call you." I nodded and bit my lip.

"Okay," I said after a second and he smiled at me. "Bye, Don."

"Bye," he said as I turned and went up the stairs. I fumbled with the key because my hands were shaking slightly, but I managed to get inside and towards the elevator. My smile didn't leave my face and my heart continued to pound heavily. I exited the elevator on the top sixth floor of the building and walked down the corridor to my apartment.

"Where have you been?" came Elise's voice as I practically waltzed inside. I dropped my purse in surprise to see her texting on her Blackberry as she sat on my sofa. She turned her dark eyes to me with a smirk before she lowered her phone and put it on the coffee table. "I was all set to call the cops if you didn't turn up by six."

"What are you doing here?" I asked as I picked up my purse and walked over to her, setting my bag down on the coffee table in front of her.

"Can't a girl come and visit her baby sister?" Elise asked as she stood and I laughed as I looked up at her. She was wearing her high heeled boots again and I was wearing my usual flats. "Okay, to be honest, around lunch I was heading over to Saks when you'll never guess who I spotted coming out of that little café you frequent every morning. She looked a lot like you, but she was with this tall good looking black haired guy in a dark blue shirt and jeans." My face flushed and her smirk turned into a smile. "Come on Linnie, spill!" I laughed nervously and walked around the sofa towards the kitchen.

"There's nothing to spill," I said as I grabbed my kettle to put some water on to boil to make some tea.

"Please," Elise said as I heard her heels clicking against the wooden floor of my loft. "It looked like there was definitely something to spill, especially after that messenger knocked you into him. Talk about sexual tension, his hands twitched to touch your backside, and they were awfully close to doing so," she finished as she leaned her elbows on the island behind me as I turned on the burner and turned around to look at her. I was pretty sure I was beat red as I met her dark eyes.

"It was not," I said. "His hands were on the middle of my back!"

"Fine," Elise said smirking again, "they weren't anywhere near your ass but he wanted to grab it, I could tell. So, who is he?"

"His name is Don and we met at the café," I said as I turned around and went to the cupboard to get two mugs and tea bags.

"Did you two just meet today?" she asked and I walked back over to the island to fix the mugs.

"We officially met today," I said and her dark eyebrows rose. "What? It's not like we ogled each other every day." That was true on his part, so I wasn't lying when I said 'each other.' "We saw each other in passing."

"You spend the whole day with him?" Elise asked and I nodded as the kettle whistled. "Tell me about him."

"There isn't much to tell," I said as I turned to get the kettle. "We spent the morning talking in the café, and then we went to lunch before we walked around Central Park for a while. He walked me home and we promised to see each other again."

"What? No kiss good bye? No dragging him up to your apartment for a fun night?" she asked and I laughed as I shook my head and poured the water over the tea bags in the mugs.

"No," I said smiling to myself knowing that I was lying to her. I didn't do it often, but I wanted to keep that moment mine for now. It had been unexpected but very enjoyable. He promised he'd call soon, and to me soon wasn't soon enough.