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A/N: Thanks to my beta, Lieutenant Caine!
Chapter Four
A nervous tingle cascaded through Calleigh's body as she stared at Horatio, the silence surrounding them echoing the hesitancy that arced between them. Calleigh had been ready for this moment; every word, every step; every thought had been years in the making. Even so, as she held Horatio's gaze, the familiar stirrings of uncertainty flooded her veins. Briefly, she questioned her motive; was she truly ready to traverse this unknown path with him? It didn't help that the same uncertainty was very evident in Horatio's cool blue eyes as well. She'd known his reasons for denying them and as the moment dragged on, Calleigh seemed to weigh the ramifications more evenly, considering that perhaps, this wasn't the best path to take.
As if picking up on Calleigh's internal conflict, Horatio exhaled lightly and broke his gaze, thankful for the reprieve. His body thrummed with equal parts anticipation and trepidation. His thoughts were a fog of desires and doubts. His heart was conflicted while his body made its intentions known, shifting to accommodate the rush of blood to his groin. Although conflict was evident in Calleigh's clear green eyes, her body reflected back at him the waves of lust that coursed through his being, beckoning him to act. A quick perusal of her granted him mental images of her luscious body trapped under his as he claimed her, practically feeling its silkiness under his fingertips. The sight before him was enticing as much as it was a warning: the pent up passion would rise to drown them both, leaving in its wake utter destruction.
"I know what you're thinking, Horatio," Calleigh whispered, shattering the tense silence that had suddenly grown between them. She'd made the decision to act, throwing caution to the wind. Calleigh knew without a doubt that she loved Horatio and no second guessing was going to prevent her from claiming what she knew was hers from the beginning.
Reaching for his arm, she ran her hand up and down the length of it, savoring the feeling of the expensive material under her hand. When Horatio finally met her gaze once more, Calleigh shook her head as she stepped closer to him, invading his space, "I'm nervous because I want this to be good, for both of us."
Horatio swallowed hard as Calleigh touched him, both her hands on the move now as they traced a path to his chest. Even though he was still fully clothed, he could feel the heat of her touch burning through the material of the shirt; his heart beat nearly tripling as a result. Grasping at straws in a failing effort to remain calm, Horatio closed his eyes and breathed in deeply before the air escaped, her gentle caresses nearly undoing the last thread of control. His body ached to stake its claim, even as his mind chastised him for his greed. He had Calleigh's friendship and that should have been enough. But as her nimble fingers traced up to his shoulders and shoved at his suit coat, Horatio had a sudden epiphany; it would never be enough. He could never settle for anything less than having Calleigh completely.
The soft sound of his coat dropping to the floor brought him back to the present and with no thought for finesse, Horatio grasped Calleigh's shoulders and thrust her against the wall, years of longing and lustful passion licking at his bones. He couldn't help himself as he plundered her mouth possessively, demanding entrance. When she acquiesced, the beast within him roared victoriously and burst from its cage, ready to pounce.
Roughly, Horatio grasped at the straps of Calleigh's dress, ripping them away from her body. He followed through by slashing at the bodice, revealing her ample bosom. The frenzy that now raced through his body wasn't one sided; Calleigh's hands were on the move as well, tearing the panels of his shirt away, the buttons popping and flying in different directions. With no remorse, she relieved him of his tattered shirt, her questing fingers now diving beneath the waistband of his trousers for his undershirt. He could hear Calleigh's determined growls as her fingers pulled at the offending garment, tugging at it impatiently. Frustration rippled through him at having to sever their connection to allow her to pull the shirt up. As soon as the garment cleared his head, Horatio was back at her lips, pressing her body further into the wall.
The sensation of their skin meeting ignited an inferno and Horatio acted quickly, lifting her into his arms and wrapping her legs around his waist. Her nails scored his back as the kiss morphed into a violent pattern of passion and he pressed against her lewdly, forcing her to acknowledge his growing erection. All of the doubts, yearning, and lust began to overwhelm Horatio and he hissed as he forced himself to separate from her, his hand slapping the wall just above her head. He never wanted to hurt her but he feared that he might.
"Calleigh," he whispered hoarsely his tone strained, "tell me to leave." Nuzzling her neck, he was instantly intoxicated by her scent, losing himself within her as the seconds ticked away. He reached for her hands and pried them away from his back and thrusting them against the wall above her head. He felt her tighten her legs around his waist and felt her hardened peaks as they scraped against his bare chest, further provoking the briefly caged beast. He needed to give her a chance to walk away before he started down a road he knew he couldn't turn away from.
"Tell me to leave, Calleigh," Horatio demanded once more as he nipped at her supple skin and tightened his grip on her wrists. He lifted his gaze to hers, aroused and frightened at the hooded sensuality of her alluring green orbs, "Make me let you go."
Calleigh arched her back and bucked her hips minutely, watching his eyes intently. She saw the hunger within them and felt the blaze erupting from deep within. She was willing to be wholly devoured by him, ready to sacrifice anything and everything to be kept by him.
Leaning forward, Calleigh gently bit his ear lobe and then traced it with her tongue, her voice dripping with sensuality, "Stay."
Passion engulfed them both, burning away their inhibitions.
There was no need to hide any longer.
Fin
