A/N: Again, thanks to all who have read and reviewed! Your encouragement means a lot to me! This is another nerve-wracking chapter, for all parties involved, but all's well that ends well.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Cold Case characters. If I did, Scotty would be a much better dancer. The original character, though…she's mine.

Chapter Fourteen: Touch My Heart

Scotty and Lilly finished dinner, neither one saving room for dessert, and headed out once again. Scotty navigated the streets expertly, and Lilly, despite growing up in the city and knowing most of it from her police work, was amazed when he guided them to a neighborhood she couldn't recall having been to before. Brick streets were lined with row houses, and a few kids braved the cold to play ball on the sidewalks. When she sneaked a glance at Scotty and saw the almost wistful expression on his face, she knew exactly where they were.

"Did you grow up here?" she asked.

Scotty smiled at her and answered, "Yeah." He pointed to one of the row houses. "That right there…that's where I grew up."

Lilly's eyes followed his finger, and she smiled, seeing in her mind's eye a scrawny, messy-haired boy running down the street to catch up with his friends. Her heart warmed at the image.

Scotty glanced over at her. "I'm just takin' the scenic route to the salsa club," he explained.

"You're taking me salsa dancing?" Lilly asked warily, arching a brow.

"Well, I did kinda suck at country, so I thought I'd show off my real skills," he replied, with his trademark flirty grin.

"But…I've never even been salsa dancing," Lilly protested.

"Turnabout's fair play, Lil," Scotty reminded her, still grinning, mischief sparkling in his eyes.

Lilly returned his grin, albeit a bit uncertainly. "So you just want to see if I'm as bad at salsa as you are at country," she concluded as they arrived at the club.

He parked the car and leaned over to whisper in her ear, nibbling on it slightly as he did so. "Nope. You're gonna be great. I'm an excellent teacher."

Scotty's claims to be both an excellent dancer and teacher had proven true. After walking Lilly through the basics, he'd taken her out on the floor, trying to assuage the fear he saw in her eyes with a reassuring smile. "Relax, Lil," he'd said, running his hands up and down her arms softly. "You just gotta stay close, and trust me."

Stay close and trust him. Lilly almost laughed…neither was a skill she could call upon readily. But after a couple of songs, she became utterly captivated by watching Scotty, and she forgot to overthink. Only then did she start to relax and have fun. She found herself staring at him helplessly, forgetting to watch her feet, forgetting to panic, forgetting everything except him. The firmness of his muscles beneath her fingertips. The slight grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. And his eyes…good God, she could drown in those eyes. Warmth flooded her heart, and desire shot like lightning through her veins.

Soon, Lilly found herself breathless, though she had a hard time telling whether it was from the dancing or the company. Scotty was panting slightly as well, though, so they decided to take a break and grab a drink. She continued gazing at him as they headed for the bar. Maybe staying close and trusting wasn't the worst thing in the world…

Suddenly, a woman's voice cut through their reverie. "Scotty Valens?" she said in amazement, and then broke into a torrent of Spanish. Scotty's jaw dropped open in surprise at first, but he quickly recovered and greeted her with a kiss on the cheek.

Lilly was horrified. Scotty had promised her that they wouldn't run into anyone they knew. And yet here was someone who…definitely seemed to know him. She was gorgeous, with dark hair, warm brown eyes, and a sweetly dimpled smile. She looked strangely familiar, but Lilly couldn't place her. Besides, her detective skills were taking quite a beating, so captivated was she by the rippling brook of Spanish that flowed from Scotty's lips. She'd taken some Spanish in high school, but hadn't retained much of anything except odd phrases where people seemed to be obsessed with furniture. With a wry chuckle, Lilly realized that knowing how to say "this is my uncle's armchair" wasn't going to help her much, not here, not now. Smiling ruefully, she realized that perhaps, if her Spanish teacher had looked anything like Scotty, she might have paid more attention.

"Lo siento mucho," Scotty interrupted himself. "My partner, Lilly Rush….dance partner," he amended, as one of Lilly's heels connected with his shin. "Lil, this is Rosalia Moreno. She's...Elisa's cousin."

Comprehension flooded over Lilly as she shook Rosalia's hand with a smile. Of course. This was why she looked so familiar; Rosalia looked so much like Elisa that the two of them could have been sisters. Rosalia responded with an engaging smile. "Sorry about the Spanish," she said lightly. "Me an' Scotty go way back."

"Well, then," Lilly replied teasingly. "I bet you know all kinds of stories."

"Oh, yeah…I could keep you here all night tellin' stories about this guy," Rosalia answered with a wicked grin. Scotty shot the brunette a dark look, but she ignored him. "So how do you two know each other?" she asked.

Caught off guard, Lilly silently pleaded with Scotty for help. "We hooked up at a bar a couple of weeks ago," he said easily. That's all true, he reasoned. They had hooked up at a bar a couple of weeks ago. He just decided to omit the four years before that.

"Well, it sure looks like you two are hitting it off," Rosalia said, then added suddenly, "Hey, Lilly, do you mind if I borrow Scotty for a dance?"

Surprise flickered in Lilly's eyes, but she readily agreed. "Why not? I wanna see what he can really do."

Scotty started to protest, to tell Lilly she was actually pretty good, that she'd caught on quickly, but he didn't have a chance. He was out on the floor with Rosalia before he could even get two words out.

Launching into the dance, they chatted about Rosalia's husband and two kids, and then, after a lull, Rosalia searched Scotty's eyes.

"Okay, you gotta come clean. You didn't just meet Lilly two weeks ago," she said with certainty.

Taken aback, Scotty was grateful for the slight pause that resulted when he spun her around. "How'd you know that?" he asked suspiciously.

Rosalia rolled her eyes. "C'mon, Scotty, I know you better than that. If you really hooked up at a bar two weeks ago, if this was…just a fling…you wouldn't have already told her about Elisa."

Scotty smiled ruefully. "You should be the detective, Ro, not me."

Rosalia laughed as she spun around, her dark blue dress billowing out in a circle around her. "So, spill, Valens," she ordered, as she faced Scotty once more.

"I work with her," he admitted.

"And you love her." It was more of a statement of fact than a question.

"Yeah," he replied after a pause, a smile spreading across his face as he twirled his dance partner. It was good to be able to tell someone, even if she wasn't the one he really wanted to tell. "I do…. how'd you know?"

"C'mon, Scotty, I could always read you like a book. And I haven't seen you this happy since…" she trailed off.

"Since when?" Scotty pressed.

"Since…we were fourteen," Rosalia answered with a wistful smile.

Scotty spun her into a dip. "No kiddin'?"

"No kiddin'," Rosalia replied. "And it's about damn time."

She was rewarded with a dazzling smile.

Lilly watched, mesmerized, as Scotty expertly led Rosalia around the dance floor. They seemed to float through the steps, moving effortlessly, almost as one person. This must have been what he was like before…with Elisa, she thought. Joy radiated from his face as he spun Rosalia around. Lilly hadn't seen Scotty look so happy, so carefree, since…well…ever, really.

Sudden, unexpected jealousy pricked Lilly's heart. As she watched Scotty dance, it was like taking a trip back in time, like watching him with Elisa. She knew that, no matter what happened with Scotty, she'd always be playing second fiddle to his first love. She'd never measure up to Elisa. With a sigh, she took another sip of her drink. You've gone off the deep end, Rush; you see dead people all the time, now you're jealous of one.

The dance ended and, much to Lilly's relief, Scotty and Rosalia parted ways with a peck on each cheek. Scotty came back to the bar, face flushed and glistening, and sank gratefully down onto the barstool to catch his breath. He'd forgotten how talented Rosalia was, and keeping up with her had been more of a struggle than he cared to admit.

"I thought you said we wouldn't run into anyone we knew," Lilly remarked, trying to sound casual.

"I said we wouldn't run into anyone we knew," he retorted breathlessly. "Ro's someone I know. And besides, I had no idea she'd even be here. Last I knew she was teachin' salsa at some fancy place in Center City."

"Touché," Lilly replied, taking a sip of her drink. She paused, started to say something, then stopped.

"What?" Scotty asked, suddenly concerned. He sought her sapphire eyes. "You okay, Lil?"

"You look so….happy," she said thoughtfully.

"That a bad thing?" Scotty asked with a grin, not knowing quite where she was going with this.

"No," she protested. "It's just…why? Why are you happy?"

"'Cause it's a great night..?" Scotty supplied tentatively as he sipped his scotch. It seemed like she was fishing for something, but he'd be damned if he had the foggiest idea what it was.

Lilly gave him a cryptic look, seemed to be wrestling with something in her head. "Is it because we're…here?" she finally asked. "With…"

Reality smacked Scotty in the forehead. "No, Lil," he reassured her, setting his scotch on the bar and taking her hands in his. "It's got nothin' to do with that. Me an' Ro…well…she's about the closest thing I got to a sister. There was never anythin' between me an' her, if that's what you're gettin' at…"

Frustrated, Lilly shook her head and tried again. "Is it because she looks like Elisa? You looked so…happy…when you were dancing with her."

Scotty froze. He knew telling her how he felt about her, now, on their first date…that would be an unmitigated disaster. But he had to say something to assuage her insecurity.

Hastily, he fumbled for words. "Lil…no…that ain't it….it's got nothin' to do with Elisa….it's…it's cause of you. The whole time we were dancin', we weren't even talkin' about her….we were talkin' about you, Lil."

Electricity shot through Lilly's veins. "Really?"

Oh, thank God. Scotty grinned with relief. "Yeah," he breathed, gazing into her eyes. "I ain't been this happy since…well…ever, really…" he managed with a smile.

Those words shattered Lilly's insecurities. She was the reason he was so damn happy. Joy bubbled up within her, along with the sparks of desire that had been building since the moment she saw him in her living room, and impulsively, she leaned over and kissed him. Softly at first, then gradually building…her hands caressed the back of his neck as her tongue slipped into his mouth, and he welcomed her eagerly, twining his tongue around hers. He could taste the drink on her lips, and beneath that, the sweetness he had come to know as Lilly. He was sure glad he was sitting down, because he didn't think he'd be able to hold himself up much longer. Not when she was kissing him like that. That kiss…there was more to it than just her wanting to jump him. This one was…honest. Vulnerable. With a surge of joy, he realized that somehow, some way, he'd managed to get in and touch her heart, and the kiss was coming from that deep place inside Lilly, the place she never let people see. As his hands found the back of her neck, Scotty felt like he could fly out of the club.

Finally, they needed air. He was starting to see spots when they broke apart, both flushed, both panting. Scotty looked at Lilly and saw his own need reflected in her eyes. "Let's get outta here," he said, his voice husky with emotion and desire.

Lilly didn't say anything, just nodded. He flung some cash onto the bar, not even bothering to count it, just hoping it would be enough, and led her out of the club and to the street. Somehow, he managed to drive back to Lilly's, obliterating the speed limit and probably several laws of physics as well, and watched as she fumbled to put the keys in the lock, the desire and desperation in her eyes readily apparent.

When they finally got the door open, Lilly tossed her keys on a table and slipped out of her coat, her eyes still locked on Scotty. He kicked off his shoes and, heart racing, took her in his arms and kissed her hungrily. Greedily. Desperately. He didn't even want to breathe. She was his oxygen. She was all he needed.

He shrugged out of his shirt and tossed it on the floor as they stumbled toward the couch, Lilly's lightning fingers deftly undoing his belt buckle. He moaned as her fingers brushed against his skin, shivering despite the sudden heat in the room. Once his pants had fallen to the floor, Scotty happily surrendered to her advances, her tongue flicking between her soft, yet unrelenting lips and searing his flesh. He inhaled sharply and gripped her shoulders when she found that deliciously sensitive spot behind his earlobe, and his knees went weak as he cried out in pleasure.

Lilly's heart was pounding as she devoured Scotty. She didn't know a need like this could exist. Nothing mattered, nothing else was even there…nothing except Scotty. His eyes. His face. His voice. His body. The spicy scent of his skin. The intoxicating mixture of musk and sweat and Scotty that lingered on her tongue. Suddenly, she was jerked back to reality by a frustrated growl in Spanish. She looked up to find desire glittering in Scotty's chocolate eyes, and asked a wordless question with her own.

"This damn dress," he growled breathlessly, his hands blazing a path toward her hips. "How in the hell do I get you out of it?"

She turned her left side to him. "There's a zipper, detective," she laughed through her haze of desire. His fingers shot down the length of her at the speed of light, and he pushed the fabric aside almost roughly. The dress fell to her feet and she stepped out of it. Frantically tearing open the wrapper of a condom and rolling it on, Scotty took the briefest of instants to admire Lilly's slender figure, her gentle curves, the way her ivory skin contrasted with the black lace bra and panties she was wearing, then hastily stripped her of the rest of her clothing, wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her down to the couch. After another hungry kiss, he looked deep into her sapphire eyes. In their burning gaze, he saw that she was ready, and he plunged into her without hesitation.

Restraint was completely lost as Scotty pounded inside her, finally free to unleash the burning desire that had been building since the moment he'd seen her come down the stairs in that red dress. He'd never seen her so beautiful, never seen anything so beautiful, never felt a fire this hot or a need this intense. Words tumbled through his mind, words to praise her beauty, words to apologize if he finished before she did, words of love…but the only sounds he was able to make were the guttural, almost animalistic ones that came from having something feel so fucking good.

Nearly insane with her own desire, Lilly looked up at him as she met his thrusts. She gazed deep into his eyes for a moment, mesmerized by the intensity she saw in them, by the hardness of the muscles in his arms as he moved over her, by the droplets of sweat that glistened on his forehead. She came quickly, her fingers digging into his back, clenching around him with a half-scream and a half-growl, and he finished immediately after that, roaring triumphantly as he spilled himself, the universe exploding into millions of spinning, shimmering stars. Lilly threaded her fingers through Scotty's damp hair as he leaned down to kiss her, then pillowed his head against her chest. They lay motionless for several minutes, catching their breath. I love you, Lil, he said silently, his heart feeling as though it would burst with the words he knew he couldn't say. He settled for looking into her sparkling eyes. "That was…" words failed him.

"Amazing," Lilly sighed. "Wonderful. Intense. Earth-shattering."

Scotty couldn't hide the self-satisfied smile that crept across his face.

"You look awfully proud of yourself," Lilly teased. Then, with a lascivious grin, she said, "Betcha can't do it again."

Another shot of lust instantaneously surged through Scotty as he reached for her and began to blaze a trail of kisses across her collarbone, causing her to immediately let out a moan and close her eyes. "You're on," he whispered against her shoulder.

Their bubble was shattered by the jarringly shrill electronic jangle of Lilly's cell phone.

A/N: Oh, snap. Don't you just hate it when that happens?