"Hi. Does Danny Messer work here?" Annie asked the elderly lady sat behind the desk of the Crime Lab building.
"Yes, dear, although you just missed him, he left for the precinct about five minutes ago" The woman replied.
"Oh, okay" Annie was extremely disappointed, seeing Danny was exactly what she needed to do right now.
"I'll tell you want, love, how about i issue you a visitor pass so when he comes back all he has to do is sign you in, that way you can go straight up"
"Would you? Oh thank you so much"
"No problem, you will have to remain in the lobby until Detective Messer returns"
While the receptionist was talking to Annie, Stella had come down the stairs to sign for a package, and she wasn't intentionally eavesdropping but she couldn't help but listen in when Danny's name was mentioned.
"You say you're waiting for Det. Messer?" Stella interrupted.
"Yes, and you are?" Annie responded, hoping that this wasn't Danny's girlfriend or anything.
"Detective Stella Bonasera, I work with Danny. Are you here regarding the case?" Stella replied with another question.
"No, personal reasons" Annie tried quite hard to not go red, she had a tendency to blush whenever she was talking about relationships.
"By chance are you the reason why he had to leave early last night?"
Annie was now sure he cheeks were at least a tint of red, Stella made it sound as though she was just another notch on his bedpost, but she wasnt, well maybe just a notch on his lips.
"Yes, as a matter of fact I am" Annie sounded confident, composed.
"Okay then" Stella turned to the receptionist "Can I have the visitor log and a badge please?"
The receptionist handed Stella the book and gave Annie the badge. While Stella was writing, she was also talking to Annie still.
"If anyone asks, you're one of the bar maids from Impulse, okay?"
"Sure, but why cant i say i am here to see Danny?" Annie was slightly confused.
Stella gave the book back to the lady behind the desk, and the pair started to walk towards the elevator, "Messer has a bit of a reputation here, you'd become office gossip in a matter of minutes, and to be honest, I'd rather that not happen to you"
"Oh, ok"
Stella and Annie were now just about to leave the carriage for the 35th floor, "Remember, Impulse bar maid, waiting for Danny Messer or Don Flack" Stella reminded her younger counterpart. "Now, i would love to stay and chat, but i have to log this evidence and examine it etc etc. it's been nice meeting you though" Stella said, guiding Annie towards Danny's office.
Annie stepped backwards into the doorway of the office, leaning against the door frame, "Thanks, you too"
Stella left, evidence in hand, leaving a curious Annie to get better acquainted with Danny's office. It hadnt taken her long before she realised that he shared this office, and with a woman. It was obviously not with Stella, no, the woman in the photo on one of the desks was younger than that, about 30 years old, roughly Annie's age. She moved around the office which looked most like Danny's side. There was post-its everywhere, remindeing him of everything from taping the laskers game to what he needed at the store. Then she saw one with her name and number on it, a messy heart was scribbled in the corner, very faintly but nonetheless it was there.
She heard footsteps approaching the office, and clambered into the big black leather chair in front of Danny's desk and spun so she was not facing the door.
"Montana, out of my chair" A husky voice said behind her, spinning the chair to face him.
"Surprise!" Annie said innocently with a smile on her face.
"What the...how did you get up here" Danny leaned down to kiss her cheek.
"Does that really matter? How about asking why i am here?" She countered.
"Ok, why are you here?" Dany asked, perching on his desk, and moving the chair so Annie was in front of him.
"The publishers liked my book, they're gonna publish it...I'm still in shock. I'm getting published!" Annie kinda squealed the last part. She was so happy.
"Oh My God! Annie, thats amazing! Congratulations! We need to go out and celebrate! Are you free tonight?" He pulled Annie out of her chair and into a hug. Somehow, he had manged to turn them around and he ended up in the chair, as soon as he realised Annie was standing, he pulled her down to sit sideways on his lap, and his arms went around her waist to keep her in place.
"Yes! Thats why i am here, to see if you're free tonight too"
"Great. i'll swing by your place after work, okay?"
"Yep, where we going though?" She said, her hand snaking round Danny's back to play with the hair on the nape of his neck.
"Erm, you know Cosy's? Well there is a jazz evening there tonight, we could stop by there?"
"Ok, you know what? I actually don't care where we go, as long as you're there"
She placed a light kiss on his lips, and only intending for it to be a light kiss, but is soon turned into something more. She smiled into the kiss, letting in Danny's tongue as it teased her lips. At first, she was going to fight for control, but resisted, Danny seemed happy enough to control the kiss. For a while, they were in a world where only they existed, forgetting completely that the lab could probably see them through the glass walls.
Someone coughing at the door bought them out of their kiss. It was the same woman as earlier.
"Messer, i got a suspect off that glove from the scene, you coming with me?" Stella asked, not paying much attention to Annie.
"Yeah, sure, give me a coupla minutes though" He told Stella, who nodded and left the couple alone.
"I get off at 5:30, so i should be at yours by 6, okay?"
"Alright, see you then" She made a move to lift herself off Danny's lap but instead he just tightened his grip on her.
"Goodbye kiss?" He made a mock pout.
Annie kissed him for the second time that morning, this one was more gentle, and a lot shorter, but still apretty good kiss.
"Now can i go?" She asked.
Danny let go of her, and she got up from his lap, he also got up and they went down to the lobby together. Luckily for them, not many people saw them kissing.