-four-
The warmth that encircled her body was undeniable as Calleigh felt herself slowly lifting from the realm of dreams, dreams that had been far sweeter than the often told holiday stories of sugarplum fairies. All who knew her knew the tough, fearless persona she adopted at work, but in her heart, Calleigh was a true romantic. She kept it hidden, unwilling to put up with the teasing ridicule of her colleagues, but she couldn't fully deny that it was there.
She was unsure if it was the spirit of the season, or if it might've been the impulsive trip, or if it was something else altogether, but her dreams that night had been filled with snow angels and sugar cookies and mistletoe kisses. It left her with a giddy happiness as she fought against the pull of daylight, but despite however valiantly she fought, the sunlight streaming through the sheer white curtains was much too strong, much too bright.
Slowly she allowed her eyes to flutter open, taking in her surroundings. For waking up in a place she'd never been before, Calleigh felt completely and utterly content, fully rested. Beneath the covers, she stretched luxuriously, feeling the soft blankets move against her skin.
Under the covers there was warmth, but the more awake Calleigh became, the more she began to dread pulling herself from the warm, cloud-like comfort of her bed. The floor of her room was hardwood, and she shivered just thinking of touching it with her bare feet. With all the scarves and gloves and other warm clothes she had brought with her, Calleigh had forgotten her fuzzy slippers.
Stretching again, Calleigh rolled momentarily to her side, searching out the red-numbered clock on the side table. Half past eleven, she realized with a shock. There was definitely something about being here with Eric that relaxed her; even on her days off at home, she found it hard to get her body and mind to stay asleep past nine.
On her back once more, Calleigh stared at the ceiling overhead, feeling a lazy smile stretch across her lips. Resting her hands under the back of her head, she couldn't help but feel her entire body shiver as she lost herself again in the details of her already fading dream.
Voices whispered around her in a distracting, dull hum, but Calleigh paid them very little attention, only listening with the hope of picking out one particular voice. She stood, almost completely still as she perused the room before her. It was filled with people, but Calleigh saw none of their faces as she scanned the crowd for one in particular. There was only one that she wanted to see right now, and she couldn't find him.
Her heart beat erratically in her chest as she waited for him. Her fingers fidgeted discreetly with the bracelet on her wrist, the only indication of her nervousness. She didn't even fully know why she was nervous, but the butterflies were undeniably there.
The light sound of Christmas music filled the room, and Calleigh smiled softly, glancing once more to the top of the doorframe under which she stood. It was dangerous to stand there, almost as though presenting herself as a gift to whoever laid eyes on her first. She knew there were any number of people who could take advantage of her precarious location right now, and as Calleigh searched the crowd, she couldn't help but wonder how each one of them would approach her.
Horatio would be professional about it, bestowing her with no more than a friendly smile and a kiss on the cheek.
Ryan would give her a lopsided grin, but after a quick look to Valera, he too would settle for a peck on the cheek.
Jake…well. Calleigh didn't really want to go there again. There was no question about it though; Jake wouldn't be shy about it. He would grin cockily before ducking in fast and hard for one of his signature, knee-weakening kisses. Once in public, however, was enough, and Calleigh had long since left that part of her life behind. Her heart belonged to another.
She was almost ready to move out of the doorway, removing herself from the possibility of attack, but then she saw him. Standing out from the crowd, catching her gaze and holding it as though she were the only one he could see. The intensity in his eyes was visible even from the distance between them, sending sparks of electricity throughout her body.
He was making his way toward her now, his pace almost agonizingly slow. His eyes never left hers; nor did hers ever leave his. She couldn't look away from his eyes if she'd wanted to, and she certainly didn't want to. She was lost in them, and the rest of the room may as well have disintegrated around them – she saw no one but him.
As he closed the final distance between them, Eric's eyes darted toward the top of the doorway, sparkling as they located the sprig of greenery hanging there. His lips twitched, but he didn't smile, not yet. His intoxicating scent overwhelmed Calleigh, and while she was all for taking things slow and leisurely, she couldn't for the life of her figure out what Eric was waiting for.
Gazing deep into her eyes, Eric briefly and tenderly touched his forehead to hers. "You're standing under the mistletoe," he observed quietly, his dark eyes sparkling.
Feeling the butterflies in her stomach go wild, Calleigh grinned brightly. "I know," she replied simply, resting her palms loosely at Eric's hips. "I was waiting for you."
And then it was his turn to smile, looking for all the world like he'd just opened the most excellent Christmas gift ever. He lifted a gentle hand to her face, feeling her warmth resonate through his own body as he caressed her cheek. Without another word, he leaned in and captured her lips in a slow, shivery kiss.
Calleigh gave a dreamy sigh, ignoring the little voice in the back of her mind that admonished her for feeling like this. She was alone; no one could see her, so she could daydream about anything she wanted to.
But before she could take advantage of that any further, she was pulled from her imagination. Disoriented, it took her a moment to figure out just what had broken into her exquisite was the oddest sound coming from outside, and Calleigh wrinkled her brow as she struggled to figure out what it was. It repeated with an almost predictable rhythm; a heavy thud, followed by a scraping, and finally a soft thump before repeating again.
Unable to stem her interest, Calleigh finally pulled herself out from under the covers, taking a moment to stretch before gathering the courage to place her feet on the chilly floor below. As soon as they touched, Calleigh shivered , feeling the goosebumps break out along her skin. It was colder than she had expected, and quickly she tiptoed across the cold floor, grateful for the small, plush rug that lay on the floor beneath the window. It offered at least some protection from the cold.
Curiously, she pushed aside the sheer curtains, blinking profusely as the bright sunlight – so much brighter it seemed than the Miami sun – stung her eyes, though at once she figured out why. The snow below reflected the sunlight directly into Calleigh's eyes, or so it felt.
She shielded her eyes as best she could, glancing around until she found the source of the odd triad of sounds. Down below in the driveway was the main protagonist from her dreams the night before, and once again, Calleigh felt the same lazy smile form across her lips. If she thought hard enough, Calleigh could almost feel his warm arms encircling her, his slightly stubbled face tickling hers. She could almost, almost taste the unique, addictive taste of his kiss, and unconsciously she licked at her lips, finding herself disappointed to realize she couldn't actually taste him because he'd never really kissed her at all. The disappointment, though, was soon replaced with a hunger for the real thing.
Before she even fully realized what she was doing, Calleigh was dressed and pulling on her boots. The warmth of her bed no longer called to her as loudly as the view outside did, namely Eric. She grabbed her scarf and quickly headed downstairs, only briefly chuckling at how…odd she was acting. But as she pulled open the front door, she brushed away that thought, attributing it simply to a good night's sleep. That, combined with the vastly different atmosphere and the complete absence of stress, and it was really no surprise that Calleigh would feel different than she did back home.
The cold hit her with a ferocity as she opened the door and stepped outside, and if it weren't for Eric outside, she would've immediately turned back around and gone inside to the fire. But the sight of Eric was enough for her to brave the cold, another detail that the little voice in her mind tried to convince her was foolish, silly. And again, Calleigh forced it away, wrapping her scarf around her neck as she stepped down from the front step.
He turned to her then, hearing her footsteps on the snow, and suddenly, Calleigh wasn't feeling the cold anymore. As he gazed at her, she felt the warmth spread through her body, warming her from the inside out. "You going to let me sleep all day?" she called out, grinning playfully. Gingerly she made her way down the driveway, watching carefully for any hidden patches of ice. It wouldn't do for her to slip and tumble to the concrete below. That was an embarrassing situation Calleigh wouldn't be too fond of, even if it did end with Eric helping her back to her feet.
"I thought you might like to sleep in," Eric said thoughtfully, smiling at his companion. That, and he'd known he couldn't possibly prepare himself for what he might discover were he to walk into her bedroom while she slept. Be it an old t-shirt and lounge pants, or an irresistibly sexy little nightgown, Eric knew she'd still be sexier than any other woman he'd ever seen in sleepwear.
Calleigh smiled, watching as Eric continued shoveling the driveway – was it just her, or was he suddenly working harder at it now that she had come out? The thought made her smile even wider, though she tried to hide it as she watched him. And there was the first negative thing about this trip and the cold weather – the necessary coat that Eric wore not only kept him warm, but it hid completely the muscles in his arms. She'd seen him do his share of heavy lifting at work; Calleigh knew for a fact there was much to be admired beneath that heavy winter coat of his.
Eric chuckled at the slightly dazed expression on Calleigh's face. "Uh, Cal?" he called out, unable to completely keep a smug grin off his lips. She was staring. "Calleigh? You okay?"
Discreetly she shook her head, trying to hide the embarrassment she felt at being caught. "Yeah, of course," she replied, wrapping her arms around her middle. "I was just taking in the view," she explained cheekily, making her way down the freshly shoveled driveway.
She seemed to be in a teasing mood, so Eric grinned at her, opting to take a chance and see just how far he could push it. "Yeah, I noticed," he smirked, allowing his own eyes to roam over her, taking her in.
But Calleigh wasn't flustered, at least not this time. "I meant the mountains," she sassed, gesturing off into the distance. "They're so pretty. It looks like there's more snow than there was yesterday too…"
Eric nodded, leaning on his shovel. "Yeah, we got a few more inches overnight," he said conversationally.
Calleigh couldn't help but frown at his reply. "Really?" she asked, the disappointment plain in her voice. She looked to Eric, immediately reading the question in his eyes. "I don't want it to snow at night," she clarified, kicking gently at the loose powder. "I want it to snow during the daytime. I want to see it."
Eric understood immediately. "I'm sure you'll get to watch the snow while we're here," he said confidently, mentally crossing his fingers that his words were true. He had suddenly become very invested in Calleigh being able to watch the snow as it fell; he had long since come to the conclusion that if Calleigh wanted it, he wanted Calleigh to have it just as much. Making sure Calleigh was happy made him happy.
"So why are you out here shoveling the driveway?" Calleigh asked, watching as Eric once more utilized the shovel. "When you could be inside where it's warm?"
Eric paused, flashing Calleigh one of his signature smiles. "You did want to go to the store today," he reminded her, melting her with a wink. "Can't get there if we can't get out of the driveway."
Calleigh smiled, removing her cold hands from her pockets. "Well, you could've asked me for some help," she said, walking back to the cabin and grabbing the other shovel.
Eric laughed, watching as Calleigh made her way back to him. "And wake up sleeping beauty?" he teased, adopting once more the endearment he'd used for her the day before. "I don't think so!"
--
The trip into town had been rather uneventful, but even so, Eric had worn a smile the entire time. There was just something about doing something so mundane like grocery shopping with Calleigh that made his heart skip beats. It was so…ordinary, wandering the aisles with Calleigh at his side; so normal, so natural. It felt as though it were something typical of a married couple, and the idea of putting a ring on Calleigh's finger had made him smile that much more.
The thought still danced through his head into the late evening; throughout dinner, while he helped Calleigh clean up the kitchen, even while he dried off after his shower. Ever since they had arrived there, Calleigh was occupying his thoughts at all hours of the day, and really, Eric didn't mind that at all.
Feeling refreshed, Eric padded his way down the stairs, following the soft, sweet sound of Calleigh's humming. The various Christmas carols sounded so angelic as they reached Eric's ears, leaving him wishing more than anything that she would lend her full voice to the words.
The sweet scent of baking cookies wafted up to him as well, making his stomach growl quietly. But more alluring than that was the idea of Calleigh in the kitchen, baking, humming, letting her professional walls down enough to let the Calleigh underneath come out to play. If there was any doubt before, there was none that remained – he was falling harder and harder for her each day.
Her back was to him, and Eric smiled, his footsteps as quiet as could be as he approached her. She didn't turn around, but Eric knew she knew he was there – she'd stopped humming just as soon as he'd fully entered the kitchen. His feet carried him closer and closer to her, and to his utter delight, Calleigh didn't protest. The closeness was electrifying; absolutely electrifying.
He knew what she was doing – that much was obvious, both from the cookie sheet she was in the process of filling, and from the scent of already baking cookies that issued from the oven. But even so, he leaned dangerously close to her, breathing her in, only barely resisting the urge to press a kiss to her temple. "What smells so good?" he asked low, his voice a husky whisper delivered directly to her ear. It was a question that could have two answers, Eric realized with a smirk – the cookies, or Calleigh herself.
She'd felt him enter the room; she'd heard his footsteps as he closed in behind her, but even that didn't prepare her for the shock she received as he whispered into her ear. It sent shivers down her spine, and she tried futilely to steady herself by taking in a deep breath, but that only delivered the scent of freshly-showered Eric to her nose. And that was enough to set all of her senses aflame, leaving her with only one true answer to his question – you.
Forcing that thought away, Calleigh summoned her voice and straightened up completely, though that certainly didn't help her current state. The movement only emphasized just how close Eric was to her. Her back was nearly flush against his chest, and if she turned her head, she knew she could easily tilt her neck and bring her lips into contact with his cheek. "Christmas cookies," she explained weakly, feeling her knees wobble beneath her. "The first batch is in the oven – almost done."
As if their proximity wasn't alarming enough, one of Eric's arms snaked around her, brushing lightly along her own arm. She watched, almost mesmefrized as his hand went for a single ball of cookie dough. He'd plucked it from the cookie sheet, popped it into his mouth, and given a low chuckle of amusement before Calleigh had recovered enough to admonish him. "Hey, Eric!"
Eric smirked. "What?"
Turning gracefully in the small space between his body and the counter, Calleigh playfully slapped at his arm. "I said Christmas cookies! Not Christmas cookie dough!"
"Oh, where's your holiday spirit?" Eric teased, attempting to reach around her again.
This time, Calleigh wasn't too captivated by his movements to stop him. "Eric!" She laughed, shoving at his hand as he repeatedly tried to nab more cookie dough. "You're worse than a kid!"
"Am not," Eric protested with a sneaky grin, though it quickly became a playfully frustrated grin as Calleigh anticipated each and every move he made. The conflict over the cookie dough swiftly escalated into a playful battle, and in the midst of the skirmish, the critical space between their bodies had nearly disappeared completely.
As Calleigh realized that significant detail, her movements faltered, her entire being tuning into the way their bodies touched. Her distraction was all Eric needed, and, seemingly unaffected by their proximity, he made his move.
With a triumphant laugh, Eric caught both of Calleigh's hands in one of his own, gently pinning them behind her head. "I win," he breathed, their faces so close that Calleigh could feel the warmth of his breath tickling her cheek. Taking advantage of her momentary shock, Eric reached around with his free hand, nabbing one last ball of cookie dough. Without releasing her or breaking the contact between their eyes, he slowly popped the dough into his mouth, uttering a low, teasing moan of delight.
Calleigh couldn't do anything but stare at him. Her heart was pounding in her chest, so powerfully that she would swear Eric could hear it – it sure echoed loudly in her own ears. Her lungs began to burn, and Calleigh had to remind herself to breathe, finding herself embarrassed at the sound her sharp intake of air had made.
His tongue snaked out and swept over his lips, and Calleigh felt her knees weaken. She couldn't take her eyes off of his lips; couldn't stop thinking about how they would feel against her lips in the softest, sweetest of kisses.
Or maybe in a desperate, heated, demanding kiss that left her entire body feeling weak and boneless.
Or maybe instead, those same lips dancing an unpredictable path along her skin; over her collarbone, beneath her ear, over every inch of her body…
Calleigh almost moaned aloud at the mere thought.
The gravity of the moment had finally dawned on Eric, it seemed. The playful sparkle had slowly faded from his eyes, his eyes that had darkened ever so slightly with desire, with want. The look in his eyes sent shivers racing down Calleigh's spine, and it was all she could do not to squirm against him.
He released her hands, and Calleigh felt as though her wrists were burned where he had touched her. It was a fire that spread throughout her body; a fire for the man gently – unintentionally – pinning her to the counter. She needed to hold onto something; her first instinct was to reach out and grip his hips, but somehow she resisted, taking hold of the counter instead.
She murmured his name, or at least she thought she did. Her lips moved, but no sound reached her ears. All she could comprehend in the moment was how badly she wanted – needed – to feel his lips moving against hers; to feel his arms enveloping her.
His tongue teasing hers.
His fingers tangling in her hair.
Her legs automatically wrapping around his waist as he lifted her effortlessly from her feet, without breaking their kiss.
It was too much for her, the reel of images flashing through her head. She couldn't breathe. Couldn't see anything but Eric; couldn't feel anything but the pounding of her heart and the shivery heat rushing through her body. And she thought if he didn't kiss her in the next couple of seconds…
At that moment, the timer on the oven sounded, the chime echoing loudly through the haze that they had lost themselves in. The moment was broken, rudely shattered, and as Calleigh fought her way back to reality, she felt her heart pounding in her chest from their almost intimate proximity. The space between them grew exponentially, and Calleigh turned away quickly, taking in much needed deep breaths as she leaned on the counter for support.
Eric gave a deep sigh, squeezing at the bridge of his nose. "Calleigh, I –"
"The, uh, first batch is done," she interrupted quietly, avoiding his eyes. "I should get them, before they burn…"
"Yeah," Eric mumbled, his mouth like cotton. For a moment he was silent, watching Calleigh as she made her way to the oven. His heart still pounded, but he held no delusions of it returning to its normal rhythm anytime soon. Not after he'd been so close to her. He felt like the very thing he wanted most had been taken right out of his hands
It wasn't fair. Nothing in his life was ever fair; it stood to reason that this trip would prove to be a cruel joke to him as well. All he wanted was…her.
And he would swear that, by the way her eyes had darkened as she held his gaze, she wanted him too. She'd admitted to feeling for him in the past, before the Jake thing. During the Jake thing. And that was so far in the past. So why couldn't it work now? Valera had made it sound so easy to him – what did she know that he didn't? What were they doing wrong? Why couldn't they just tear down those walls that kept him and Calleigh apart?
It hurt to think of all the unanswered questions. Shaking his head slowly, Eric turned back to the doorway. "I, um, I'm going to start a fire," he said quietly, waiting, hoping for a response, anything. He received nothing, though, and defeated he began to make his way out.
His heart leapt, though, as he made it to the doorway. "Hey, Eric?"
Her voice was tentative, but as Eric turned back to face her, the smile on her face was genuine, no sign of remaining awkwardness. She took a step toward him, but stopped herself, instead nodding to the tray on the counter. "Give them a few minutes to cool, and you can compare the dough to the real thing."
And there she was confusing him again. Was she angry and hiding it? Or had she pushed what had just happened away in favor of returning to their playful relationship? When she didn't want to be read, she was good at making herself unreadable, which drove Eric utterly insane. But then again, there wasn't much about her that didn't drive him wild, and it was part of why he loved her so completely.
Throwing caution to the wind, he leaned casually against the doorframe, thinking over her last words. There was no anger in them, no hesitation, and Eric bit at the inside of his cheek, assuming she'd merely chosen to ignore what had happened. On the one hand, it upset him because he didn't want to ignore it, but if it kept things from being awkward between them…he wasn't sure which was better in the long run, really. Pushing his confusion away, he smiled at her, ignoring the ache in his heart. "Only if I can steal more cookie dough too," he replied, lifting a teasing eyebrow.
To his relief, Calleigh laughed, rolling her eyes playfully as she conceded. "Eric…you can have whatever you want."
Oh, if only.
