Calleigh opened her front door with a sense of unease, walking into the darkened hallway did nothing to quell the rising sense of alarm as she made her way through the house.
She had left the lab earlier that evening after discovering that Horatio had left at some point during the early afternoon. Her first thought was that someone had taken him against his will, but after searching the visitors log she was relieved to find that Andy Sipowicz had signed himself in and out at the same time that Horatio had left the building. A quick chat with Pamela on the front desk confirmed what she had already expected; the two of them had left together.
It concerned her though, that the receptionist had picked up on the sense of unease from the normally unflappable Lieutenant. Pamela had remarked how the older, balding man was almost aggressive in the way that he guided Horatio away from the lab and towards the parking lot.
She disliked Andy Sipowicz at the best of times; never warming to him since the first time they had met. She found him rude, abrasive, stuck in his ways and more than a little aggressive. As much as she didn't enjoy his company she had to admit that the portly man had a way of getting through to Horatio when no one else could. Andy was a tough-talking ex-cop and he certainly pulled no punches when he had something on his mind.
Perhaps a little tough love was what Horatio needed right now but it didn't make it any easier to actually follow through with it. Andy was the kind of person who could give you a piece of his mind and not think anything of it. Every time she had felt her patience running thing with Horatio she had immediately found herself consumed by guilt for hurting him further.
She hadn't heard anything from Horatio all afternoon or evening and became concerned when he did not return to the lab. She decided against calling him and hoped that Andy had been able to talk a little sense into him. It was with great relief when she walked into the kitchen and found the room dimly lit, walking further inside her eyes fell on the table on her back porch and the man sitting patiently waiting for her.
She felt her mouth go dry as she looked at him, as if sensing her arrival he looked up and gave her a shy smile.
"Good evening, Calleigh," he said softly as he lifted Moses from his lap and placed him onto the wooden decking below, the cat giving him a mew of displeasure at being moved.
It was then that her eyes fell upon the table and a small gasp escaped her lips. The table had been laid out with plates and glasses, along with two long-stemmed candles and a vase of white roses, a bottle of white wine sat chilling in a bucket of ice to one side.
"What's all this?" she asked, still in a state of shock. The waft of food from the kitchen seemed to carry in the air, straight to her.
Taking her hands in his own he gave them a light squeeze.
"I know that I've been more than difficult to live with recently. I just wanted to show you how much I appreciate having you in my life; I know it doesn't seem that way at times…."
She cut him off with a gentle peck on the lips.
"You didn't have to do all this," she replied as she gave him a watery smile.
"I've only cooked dinner; it doesn't seem like much in comparison to everything you've done for me."
He began fidgeting and she could sense his discomfort and decided to change the subject slightly.
"What are we having?"
"Seafood risotto and tiramisu for desert," he shrugged nonchalantly.
"You made that for me?"
He shrugged his shoulders again as he raised his head and cocked it to one side.
"It was the least I could do, Sweetheart."
It had been one of the most enjoyable evenings she could remember in recent times as they spent hours on the back porch, listening to the waves crashing on the beach and devouring the food that he had prepared for the both of them. She hadn't realised what a talented cook he was and it hurt to think that there was still so much she didn't know about him and the past that he worked so hard to hide from everyone.
She had tried to encourage him to share a glass of wine with her but he politely declined and sipped his glass of sparkling water instead. She had wanted to question why he was so reticent to indulge in alcohol until she recalled those harrowing days back in New York when he had become reliant on prescription drugs and alcohol to quiet the demons in his mind. He had turned over a new leaf when he moved to Miami; drinking alcohol would only bring those demons back again.
The food had been fantastic and the wine had started to go to her head, she sat watching him clear the plates away with Moses winding his way through Horatio's legs as the cat mewed and begged for any scraps of food left over.
Was it wrong to want this night to last forever?
Horatio had still seemed quiet but he also appeared a great deal more relaxed as they sat in comfortable silence as the candles began to burn down to their last few inches of wax. He poured her another glass of wine, and even though she knew that she would regret it in the morning, she didn't stop him from filling her glass.
"This has been wonderful," she said as she smiled at him.
He blushed a little in response.
"After all you've done for me; I wanted to be able to give you something back."
He glanced at her briefly before returning his attention to the beach below.
"How was your day?" she asked him quietly, hoping that now he was more relaxed that he might open up to her a little more.
He shrugged his shoulders again as he took a sip of water.
"Andy came to see me, again."
She couldn't help but smile at the pained way he said it.
"He cares about you, Horatio."
"I know," he replied, his voice barely a whisper.
The cop in her picked up on the change in tone.
"Did something happen between you two?"
The concern was evident in her face as he gave her a small smile.
"Nothing you need to worry about. Just a few cross words between friends, that's all."
"But you and him…..you're ok?"
He looked at her briefly again.
"We're fine."
After stifling a yawn, Calleigh knew it was high time that she headed for bed, the wine and the stress of the last few days draining her reserves of energy. Her eyes shot open as she heard Horatio push away from his chair and walk round to help her up. She took his hand graciously and attempted to stand but found herself swaying instead.
"Sorry," she slurred as she gripped onto his strong frame even tighter.
"My pleasure, ma'am."
Their eyes met as he slowly bent his head down to hers and kissed her softly on the lips. One touch was all it took as she wrapped her arms around him and returned the kiss, running her hands up and down his back, towards his neck and into his hair.
He kissed her lips and face hungrily before making his way to her neck as he found himself giving into the passion that he had denied himself for so long. He wanted her, he had always wanted her, and finally he gave in to his primal need to be with her as he pulled at the tight top she was wearing, his hands aching to feel her naked flesh beneath.
He was kissing her, tearing at her clothes like a man possessed. He loved her, God he loved her. Her and her silky, soft body, the way she writhed beneath his expert touch, the way she called his name as she found her release.
He loved running his hands up and down her body, kissing her until she begged for him to pleasure her in the most primal and intimate of ways. It always made him smile, to think that he could have this effect on her. She was a strong and independent woman, she knew her own mind, yet when he touched her rational thought went out of the window for both of them.
He wanted her as much as she wanted him; she could touch him like no other lover he had ever known. There was such a difference between her and the other women that he had been with. Those relationships had been purely physical; the intimate moments he shared with her were a testament to the love they shared and how they tried to show each other just how special they were.
He laid her gently down on the bed, his eyes roving her naked and quivering body as he smiled to himself, knowing how much she wanted him and how ready she was. He could feel it within himself, knowing that he was ready too.
Starting at her stomach he lazily kissed his way towards her face, revelling in the fact that she was lying still and letting him do as he please with her. He kissed her lips and frowned when she did not respond in kind, his eyes travelled further up her face, shooting back in horror as he screamed.
He pulled away violently as he moved quickly to the other side of the decking and turned his back on her. The speed in which he had moved had frightened the small black cat sat under the table as it turned tail and ran inside to the safe surroundings of the kitchen.
The alcohol surging through her bloodstream made her feel bolder than normal as she made her way to his side and placed a hand on his shoulder, flinching when he pulled away immediately. She could hear his breath heaving as he tried to regain a modicum of self-control.
"Horatio, talk to me," she pleaded.
He shook his head and screwed his eyes shut and spoke as if he hadn't heard her.
"God, when is it going to stop?" he asked himself angrily.
She pulled him around to face her and saw the look of despair that marred his handsome features, pulling him down into a tight embrace, frightened that if she let go now she would lose him completely.