A/N: Sorry about the slow progress / sparse updates with this story - family stuff. Thanks to anyone still reading and reviewing!
Charlie arrived a little late to work that morning. He had overslept, which was rare for him, a consequence of the sleepless nights his partner was causing him. Dani had texted him to ask where the hell he was, they had a case on already and she was waiting for him to arrive before she set out to answer the call, imagining that he must already be on his way to the office. She was right, because he sauntered out of the elevator twenty seconds after she hit 'Send'. He registered her tapping her foot impatiently against the side of her desk as his cell went off in his pocket. He drew up to her and handed her a steaming cup of coffee made to her exacting specifications, which he knew by heart, without comment. She took it from him gratefully, already feeling guilty about the terse text message she had just sent him; he probably would have made it to work on time if he didn't insist on swinging by her favourite coffee place every morning to bring her a drink. It was one of the little kindnesses he showed her on a daily basis, he now considered it an essential part of his journey to work. He read her text message as she took her first sip.
"Where's the fire, Reese?", Charlie asked, trying not to zone in on her lips as she swallowed.
"Fatality at a factory just outside town. Paper mill. Caucasian adult male, crushed by something heavy on a forklift truck. A sticky end." Reese was always economical with her words first thing in the morning.
"Accident?" He seemed to be chatting the case over with her but she could tell that he was on automatic pilot. He was standing too close, his eyes were wide and thirsty, drinking her in. She knew when she was being checked out.
"That's what we need to figure out.", she stated. He smelled really good this morning, she noticed. And was that a new tie? Ugh, it was going to be one of those days, a day when she found it hard to keep her mind on the job. She had to keep them moving, or else this was what they'd slip into; him looking at her and her looking at him. It could last for hours. One day she would snap; and she felt that it would be her who snapped first too, since he was all Zen and infinite patience and shit. Not that she wanted him to give in, she reminded herself, strictly business was just fine. They had to keep busy. Focused. Lucky she'd signed up for some insane 'Body Smash' exercise session at the gym that night, she thought. She normally wasn't one for collective workouts or being instructed, but this class promised to put her through her paces and exhaust her; she would be too tired to obsess about her partner into the early hours tonight.
"Thanks for this.", Dani raised her coffee cup.
Charlie smiled a shy crooked smile. He knew that this was an apology of sorts for the snarky text and he forgave her immediately. How did someone manage to look so sexy when drinking coffee?, he wondered. Coffee wasn't a very sexy drink but she made it look amazing. But then most things seemed alluring when Dani did them, he decided. Chewing the end of her pen, tying her hair back, fiddling with her car keys, frowning (normally at him)...he composed the beginnings of a list that he would work on properly once alone at home tonight.
"Detectives.", Tidwell greeted them in a very businesslike manner as he whisked by on the way to his office, unshaven, tie flapping over his shoulder.
"Captain.", they replied in unison. Charlie looked after him as sped past, blinked heavily and then looked at Dani, wondering if she would flinch. Nothing.
"We should leave.", prompted Dani, suddenly nervous now that Crews and Tidwell were in close proximity.