CHAPTER 25: LIEUTENANT DOWN
-So, anyone up for a game of baseball?-, Ronnie asked the two ladies. They exchanged a uncertain glance, Natalia shrugging her shoulders.
-We're not exactly dressed for sports. -, Calleigh pointed out, alluding to her black slacks and white blouse.
-Eh, your blouse's not exactly practical… but I have a spare shirt with me, and sweatpants for you. -, Ronnie replied, nodding to Natalia's skirt.
-Pity it's late, or we would have gone home to change… some other time, maybe?-, the brunette suggested, shocking her blonde companion, who shot her a pleasantly surprised look.
-Maybe some cheering? I could really use that…-, Ronnie replied.
-Sure! Right, Calleigh?-, Natalia was ready to answer. Calleigh just smiled and shrugged her shoulders in mock defeat.
-Nat? What's gotten into you?-, Calleigh whispered to her friend. They were sitting on a wooden bench in the middle of the park, waiting for the little game of baseball to begin.
-Are you outta your mind? Have you ever seen Horatio sweat?-, the brunette replied, earning herself a slight shove from the blonde.
-C'mon, Cal, it'll be fun. When was the last time you went out to see a baseball game?-, Natalia reasoned with her friend, who pondered the question a moment, then nodded her head in understanding of her point.
-Gotcha. Shut up and enjoy the view, right?-, she summarized. –You're leading me astray, you know that?-, she added, then, as an afterthought. Natalia laughed.
-Sorry, didn't see you complaining…-
Truth was, Calleigh was indeed enjoying the view of her Lieutenant running his ass, his cute tight ass, off after a small white ball. He was fast, light and fast. While Eric was all about power and muscles, Horatio was finer, his movements smooth and precise, purposeful; he wasn't overly muscled, in fact him having muscles at all had escaped both women's notice. He was in shape, proof of that was him giving Ronnie a hard time, his body flexible and zippy. He was… Horatio.
-Do your worst. -, Ronnie challenged him, twirling the bat around to find the best position.
-You sure?-, the redhead replied, raising a eyebrow mockingly. When Ronnie didn't respond, he tried catching her off guard, throwing the ball unexpectedly. The throw was good, but the girl managed to catch it, shooting the ball in the opposite direction, Kyle already hot on its metaphorical heels.
She ran, the ponytail bouncing over her shoulders; she ran with all she had in her around the improvised diamond. Meanwhile, Kyle had managed to catch the ball, and had therefore thrown it to his father. Now both he and Ronnie were running towards the home plate, Horatio determined not to let Ronnie score.
In spite of his one-legged spurt, Ronnie's slither beat him to home plate.
-Safe!-, Natalia shouted as Horatio sank to the ground, groaning.
The redheaded Lieutenant groaned again as again he got beaten at the home plate, even if this time it was him who was trying to score.
-You're out, Caine!-, Ronnie shouted in his face, doing a little victory dance.
-That vehemence is out of place, I'm almost thrice your age!-, Horatio replied hotly, massaging his aching ass; his shorts, which used to be black, had turned green from where he had groveled on the grass.
-Oh, I'm good! Mmm, I'm so good!-, Ronnie whooped aloud, then shrieked as Kyle smacked her on the back of her head.
-Stop that, it's embarrassing…-, he told her, grabbing a bottle of water. Smirking, Ronnie did the same, she just didn't drink from it… preferring showering the boy instead.
-Wha't fuck?-, he hissed, turning to the girl for an explanation.
-Language, young man!-, his father scolded him. A knowing look between them, the two youngster turned against him with their half empty bottles of water…
Natalia and Calleigh squealed in pure feminine delight as the fair headed boy and the brunette girl showered Horatio with the remnants of their bottled water. Too shocked to utter a single sound, the redhead opened his mouth and his eyes in surprise, a shriek caused by the cool water barely contained. Once satisfied with their handiwork, the two youngsters exchanged a five at the older man's expense.
Now that his shirt completely clung to his chest, his two coworkers had a perfect view of what lay beneath his expensive dress shirts. And they liked it, every single inch of his trimmed midsection and slightly protruding pectorals. They shared a knowing glance, and as their boss passed one hand through his damp hair, squeezing the excess of water from his red locks, Calleigh licked her suddenly dry lips.
-Jeez, guys, thanks!-, he said heatedly, sending daggers at his son and his friend. And then said friend stuck out her tongue at him, making him see… red. He went after her.
With a squeal, Ronnie started running, Horatio hot on her heels.
-Hey! Aren't you tired yet of chasing after me?-, she shouted at him, not daring looking behind her back.
-Shut up and run…-, the redhead advised her, gaining ground. Sensing him nearing her, Ronnie made a sharp turn to her left, effectively running towards the spot where Natalia and Calleigh were sitting. The two women had their gaze focused on the two of them, so they missed Kyle's approach; that is, until he effectively knocked down his father, seizing him by the hips.
They crashed some odd feet away from the two women, and Ronnie stopped in her tracks, a huge smile on her face; she approached the men slowly, making faces at Horatio. She was not careful enough, though, for as soon as she was near enough for his leg to reach her, the redhead swept her down, making her land on her ass.
-Oww! You're cruel, Caine! I love your son better!-, she lamented, smacking the man hard on the shoulder. Unbeknownst to them, but not to Calleigh and Natalia, Kyle's grin blossomed into a proud smile.
It had been a wonderful, strange afternoon, and oddly enough, the night spent with Eric proved to be good enough too. Of course, Calleigh said nothing about her and Natalia's meeting with Horatio, and the evening and night went well, so she didn't feel too remorseful for her little deception. After all, she was entitled to a bit of fun after so much struggle, right?
From that day, things started to smoothen between her and Eric, and she felt happy about it. She would go out with him twice a week, but she managed to extort from him a weekly outing with Natalia. Life was good.
Until one day…
-Calleigh?-, Natalia's voice startled the blonde out of her concentration on her latest report. She snapped her eyes to the entrance, smiling at her friend.
-Hey, Nat. What's up?-, she asked brightly, giving the brunette all her attention. She shifted nervously on her feet, coming closer to the blonde and double checking over her shoulders for onlookers.
-Cal, I have a huge favor to ask you…-, she said, unsure and anxious to hear the Southern girl's answer. Calleigh's eyebrows quirked slightly, worry edged on her face . –Nat?-, she wondered.
Sighing, Natalia finally spit it out. –I wanna ask Horatio out. -, she blurted. Her blonde friend looked at her shocked.
-What?-, she shrieked.
-Shh!-, Natalia admonished her friend, looking over her shoulders with cautious eyes. –Listen, I… he's always so nice to me, I just wanted… I don't know, I feel… good when he's around, so I thought… will you come with me?-, she stuttered, not making much sense to Calleigh.
-Nat, breath. What do you want me to do?-, the blonde asked, a bit harshly. Natalia was so nervous on her own that she didn't notice, though.
-Okay, here I thought I'd ask him out to see a movie at the cinema, somewhere public, not to scare him and give my reasons away, okay? But then I thought, if it's just me and him, he'd get suspicious, and that's where you enter the picture…-, the brunette explained in a rush, ending her speech slightly out of breath.
Calleigh looked exasperated. She absolutely abhorred the idea of Natalia going out with Horatio, and the mere thought of helping her with her plan… it was plain masochistic. She sighed.
-Fine. I'll go ask him. -, the blonde surrendered, eliciting a squeal of delight from her friend.
-Thanks, you're the best!-, the brunette exclaimed, hugging her colleague.
Fleeing from the room, a woman on a mission, Calleigh had a deep scowl on her face, but then, slowly, a devil grin stretched on her lips. Don't thank me yet, Natalia. I'll be the one to ask him out, and somehow I'll be the one sitting next to him at the cinema…
***CONTINUES***
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