First Kiss 28

"Don't mind my partner, he's a little distractible."

Bobby loved it when she made excuses for him. It was like automatic permission for him to stick his nose… and hands into anything in the room. And people never confronted him about it right away.

"Don't mind my partner, he's fascinated by shiny things."

He'd almost laughed at that one, until he realized it was true.

"Don't mind my partner, he's been out of the city for a while."

That gave him permission to nose his way into a very busy cafeteria kitchen.

"Don't mind my partner, he's allergic to pleather."

Eames was a genius. Permission to not sit down.

"Don't mind my partner, he thinks he's going to win on Jeopardy! some day."

Instant access to all books on shelf. It always took them 5, maybe 10 minutes before they got mad about it. Usually that was all he needed.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked, as they walked through the Italian Market a couple of blocks from his place.

Bobby grinned, and shrugged in a shy way.

"C'mon," she coaxed.

They paid the cashier and headed down the street, baguette in hand. "You," he said simply.

In his happy frame of mind, she had to take two steps for every one of his to keep up. They made it to his building and in, to his door. "What do you mean, me?" she asked, breathless from the brisk pace.

Bobby unlocked his door and went straight to the kitchen while Eames shut the door behind them. "I couldn't have ever dreamed of a better partner," he said softly.

She smiled, but gave him a curious look.

Bobby filled a pot with water and started it to boil. "I just…I like the way… you… well, how you explain me."

"What?"

"To other people…'Don't mind him, he's just… you know, all that." Bobby leaned his hands on the edge of the counter and his grin returned. "It's brilliant."

Eames shook her head. "No, Bobby, you're brilliant. I just try to give you space to show it."

He dropped the pasta in the boiling water, and turned back to her, staring.

"What?" She asked, and ran her hand through her hair, tucking it behind her ear.

Bobby stepped forward and took her in his arms. "Don't mind me," he said. "I'm just…" he bent his head and kissed her.

The kiss lingered, Alex enjoying it as much as Bobby. When finally they separated, she couldn't resist jibing him. "You're just…researching kissing techniques?"

He chuckled. He put his fingers on the back of her neck and leaned in until his mouth was millimeters from hers. "I'm just…a little turned on." His lips took hers again as the pasta returned to a boil, splashing over the side of the pan with a hiss.