Alex looked up at Bobby from the couch, where she landed when her legs folded. When she found her voice she asked. "Would you care to repeat choice three?"
Bobby put his hands in his pockets and shuffled his feet. "I umm...well I uh suggested that we could maybe you know, share the bed."
Alex stood back up. She studied him for a few moments. He was uncomfortable and unsure of himself. She could see love lurking there in his eyes behind the uncertainty. There was a funny feeling in her chest. It was like a cross between squeezing and tingling. She hadn't felt anything like it since Joe died. In the back of her mind, for several years now, the certainty that they would be together right into old age was always there. Bobby irritated her, pissed her off and made her laugh. Just being with him made her happy even when she was mad. When he was on suspension, the time without him at work dragged. As mad as she was at him for the undercover thing, deep down she had been jumping up and down in joy that he was back. Although if he ever did it again she just might shoot him this time. Making up her mind to take a chance on love, Alex walked over to him with her arms crossed and looked right up into his eyes.
"Well, we are both single adults I suppose."
Bobby raised both his hands as he said. "I Promise to keep my hands to myself"
Alex responded by running a finger down his chest. "What if I don't"
"Why Eames, I'm shocked."
She grabbed the pillow from the couch and headed for the bedroom. Over her shoulder she said. "Come on then, I'll at least try to behave myself."
Alex had gone into the bathroom to change for bed. She was starting to get pissed off over the invasion of her privacy all over again. What she really wanted right now was one of her silky sheer sleep sets. They covered just enough to be decent without leaving a whole lot to the imagination. The first night of hopefully many climbing into bed with Bobby and she was going to have to settle for one of his t-shirts that would be like a short nightgown on her. Not exactly the sexy look she would have hoped for. She hoped that delivery from Victoria Secrets would be fast.
When she came out of the bathroom and back into his bedroom she found he had already changed into sleep pants and a tank style undershirt. They were both nervous. This might have been easier if they had ended up here in the throes of passion. Instead they were both unsure of how to proceed.
"So which side do you prefer?" Bobby asked.
"It is your bed so what ever side you prefer me to take."
"Ladies first"
"What do you mean lady? You mean Detective Eames don't you?" Alex said laughing remembering his remark to the property clerk back when they were re investigating Joe's murder.
Bobby chuckled but then walked up to her at the end of the bed and placed his hands on her shoulders.
"Believe me, right now the last thing I want to think of you as is Detective Eames, Alex" His hands slid down to her waist and then without warning he picked her up over his shoulder and then dumped her on the right side of the bed. He then climbed over her to settle on the other side.
Alex turned on her side facing him and tucked her arm under her head. "You could have just said that you always sleep on the side by the door." She was laughing at his antics. He made a big production of bouncing as he turned on his side to face her. Leaning up on his elbow he reached over and tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear.
"That wouldn't have been as much fun." They stared at each other for a long while. Alex couldn't stop thinking about the pain and humiliation caused by Mulroony. Bobby was thinking about Mulroony also but his thoughts were more of retribution. Over the years he has seen several men come and go in Alex's life but none had hurt her like this guy. He was also thinking that maybe now he could take the step that he had been afraid to all these years. "Alex"
"Bobby, maybe this isn't such a good idea after all. Maybe we shouldn't..."
"Shh" Bobby reached over and gently pulled her to him and cradled her in his arms. "Take it easy, nothing is going to happen except that I am going to hold you."
"I..."
"Shh...I can tell you haven't slept much since this case started. Just close your eyes and sleep."
"All I was going to say was that I could get used to this. It feels good lying here like this."
Bobby raised his head enough to kiss the top of her head. "Good night" Alex didn't hear him though, she had already drifted off to sleep.
