Pehea wau i ʻike ai i kou makuahine
Based on the characters and stories of Hawaii Five-0.
Hawaii Five-0 is owned by CBS and their respective creators.
"You look beautiful, Cath." Steve stood behind her and pressed a kiss onto her shoulder as she finished the last minute touch ups on her makeup.
She turned and straightened the medals, bars, and insignias on his dress blues. "You don't look too bad yourself, Commander." She smiled. "How long's it been since you pulled these out of your closet?"
Steve chuckled, "It's, uh, it's been a while. I wore the whites at our wedding, but uh, I can't remember the last time I wore the blues."
Catherine placed her hand on his jaw and smiled in adoration. "Still handsome as ever."He pulled his phone out of his pocket and scrolled through the messages for what had probably been the thousandth time that evening. "Steve." Catherine put her hand on his, "She's fine. My parents won't let anything happen to her while we're here."
He smiled sheepishly, "I know. I just worry."
"Just the gala tonight and then we're on a plane back to Texas first thing in the morning." Catherine reassured him as she walked back into the bedroom of their hotel room and dug around in her bag. She pulled out a small velvet box and carefully opened it. Steve took the CIA emblem pin out for her and secured it to the top of her dress. "You look way more impressive than I do tonight." She laughed. "You've got your whole military career on your lapel and all I have is a CIA pin."
Steve chuckled, "I gotta even the playing field somehow. I mean, after all I'm 'Mr. Catherine Rollins' tonight." He stole a quick kiss. "Not that I mind."
She brushed her fingers over the top of his dress blues to make sure that everything was perfect, "You're being honored tonight too. I thought it was only fitting that I accepted the award as a McGarrett - not a Rollins."
Steve placed his hand on the small of her back and led her down to the waiting car. "We, uh, we make a pretty good team."
The streets of D.C. were eerily quiet on that Saturday night. Steve couldn't help but think back to the last time he was in Washington. If Danny hadn't shown up to his hotel to make sure he made it back to Hawaii, he would have followed through with his plan to track down Catherine - wherever in the world she had been at the time. Truth be told, at that point, Steve didn't feel as though he had anything left to live for. Funny how things change. He got his girl - all it took was Doris turning his life upside down one last time for him to get his head out of his ass and finally go after her. Steve looked over at Catherine as the driver slowed to a stop. "You ready?" He quickly got out of the town car and jogged around to open her door. Catherine stepped out of the car, took his arm, and walked confidently beside her husband into the Pentagon.
"At the Central Intelligence Agency, we are guardians of the truth. Like it says all over the walls of our offices at Langley, 'Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free". Tonight we are honoring an agent and an associate of the agency and the lengths that have gone to in order to protect this great country." Director Haspel looked across the crowd until she spotted the honorees. "It is with great pleasure that I would like to welcome tonight's honorees to the stage, Agent Catherine McGarrett and Commander Steve McGarrett." Applause echoed through the auditorium. Steve beamed as he offered his hand to his wife and walked beside her as they made their way up to the stage. Catherine's evening gown shimmered under the stage lights. The way she looked is what Steve would describe as 'radiantly lethal'.
As they stood to the side of Director Haspel, she continued with her speech, "I have known Commander McGarrett for a long time. In fact, we worked together at a little place called Guantanamo when he was serving as a Navy SEAL and I had just started as a field agent. I quickly learned that he is not one to be underestimated. While Commander McGarrett is not an agent with the Central Intelligence Agency, throughout his career in the United States Navy and with the Five-0 Task Force in Hawaii, he has worked in close union with our agency in whatever capacity necessary to get the job done and protect truth. Agent Catherine McGarrett - or as many of you know her, Agent Rollins, not only had an outstanding career as a lieutenant with Naval Intelligence, but served as a field operative and team leader with the agency until the beginning of last year. Throughout her tenure with the Central Intelligence Agency, Agent McGarrett exhibited dedication, professionalism, and extreme ingenuity in less than optimum conditions. Agent and Commander McGarrett have both protected the Central Intelligence Agency by pursuing and completing the Kill or Capture Order on both former Agent Sienna Greer and former Agent Andrew Coen. Additionally, throughout their military and agency careers, they have brought terrorists, cartel leaders, foreign spies, and double agents to justice.
The Intelligence Star is an award given by the Central Intelligence Agency to its officers for voluntary acts of courage performed under hazardous conditions or for outstanding achievements or services rendered with distinction under conditions of grave risk. The award citation is from the office of the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency and specifically cites actions of extraordinary heroism. It is the third-highest award given by the Central Intelligence Agency.
The Distinguished Intelligence Cross is the highest decoration awarded by the United States Central Intelligence Agency. The cross is awarded for a voluntary act or acts of extraordinary heroism involving the acceptance of existing dangers with conspicuous fortitude and exemplary courage. Only a handful of people have been awarded this medal in the history of the agency, most posthumously. As such, it is one of the rarest awards for valor in the United States.
Agent Catherine McGarrett and Commander Steve McGarrett will both be receiving these awards tonight on behalf of the Central Intelligence Agency." A standing ovation rippled across the auditorium as Director Gina Haspel turned and pinned the Intelligence Star and Distinguished Intelligence Cross awards on Steve and Catherine's lapels.
Several hours later, Steve and Catherine finally made their way through the hotel lobby and back to their room. Catherine walked down the hallway holding her high heels in one hand, and Steve's hand in the other. "That went surprisingly well."
Steve chuckled, "We have a, uh, surprisingly good track record with galas." He smirked.
"That we do, Commander." She laughed as he pushed open their hotel room door and walked inside.
"At least this time I wasn't half-crippled." He laughed.
Catherine wrapped her arms around his neck as his fingertips trailed down the sides of her ribs. "I think you did just fine last time." She winked.
Over the few months it had been since Christmas, Catherine had quickly settled into her old routine aboard the Enterprise. She and Amy shared meals together. She would usually squeeze in a workout after her shift and then would read or sit in the fantail to unwind. Of course it wasn't the same without Steve, but it sure was a hell of a lot better than being in the middle of the desert in Afghanistan. She didn't hear from him often, usually just a quick call here and there if their schedules and time differences allowed. Writing letters hadn't exactly been practical since he wasn't ever anywhere long enough for her to reply back to him. Regardless, they had seemingly made it work and maintained some semblance of a flirtationship. That's what Catherine called it, anyways. Not quite a relationship, but not nothing either. They weren't friends with benefits, because, well - the benefits were lacking. Someday, she told herself. Someday it would be practical to explore pursuing things further, but someday was not today. Or so she thought.
"Rollins." Commander Jameson was waiting in front of her desk as she walked into her duty station to begin her shift. "There's a NSA request for a black-ops dropbox waiting. Take the call. See what they need. I'm patching him through now."
"Copy that." She nodded as she heard the beeping of the call connecting in her headset. "Lieutenant Catherine Rollins, Naval Intelligence. Proceed with your request."
"Cath?" The voice groaned through the other end of the line.
Catherine froze in her chair. "Steve?"
"Yeah. It's me." He coughed out.
"Steve, what the hell are you doing calling me on a secured line?" She gritted her teeth. It was just like him to circumvent the proper channels to call her. Half of her thought it was sweet and endearing. The other half wanted to smack him upside the head because she would for sure be court martialed if anyone found out.
"I may have told your C.O. that I was gravely wounded in battle, which is actually half-true." He grimaced. Talking without sharpshooting pain was rather difficult, but of course, that happens when you get shot, have to ditch from thirty feet up, fall through a tree, and break your leg.
Catherine immediately regretted being angry at him and tried her best to keep her voice calm. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. But look, that's uh, that's not the reason I'm calling. I uh- I've been invited to the Army-Navy Gala next month at West Point, and presuming I can get stateside for it in time, I was just wondering if uh, if you'd like to be my plus-one?"
"Uh, well. You know, that depends. Are you gonna be able-bodied enough to dance with me?"
"I'll- I'll hit that dance floor on crutches if I have to." He grinned.
"Mhm."
"Just to eliminate any confusion, this is not - um, we wouldn't be going as friends. This is me, uh, this is me asking you out. On a date… On a date." There was a long stretch of silence on the other end, and for a moment, he thought she had hung up on him. "Hello? Catherine? Hello?" He looked at the receiver to see if the call was still connected.
"Yeah. Uh, yeah… Question for you… Um… What took you so long?" Her lip quivered as swirling emotions flooded her already tired brain.
"Let's just say I, uh, I took some good advice from an old friend." More like a dying wish, but now wasn't exactly the time to tell her that at the time he didn't think he was going to live long enough to make good on the promise he had made to Joe.
"Where are you? I mean, are you, uh, are you still downrange?" Her butterflies had died down and the concern set in.
"Nah, I'm at Landstuhl. Things went a little... sideways."
"Are you good? Is everyone else good?"
"They're good. Finished the op. Everyone's fine. I'm, uh, I'm better now." A faint smile crossed his face, "I'm talking to you."
"I know Jameson is cool with all this, but, uh as much as I'd love to catch up, I'm on duty right now and our small talk doesn't exactly qualify as an NSA request for a black-ops dropbox." She laughed quietly. Steve and Jameson had become buddies over the years and it was unsurprising that he wrangled Jameson in to covering for him so that they could talk.
Steve chuckled, "I promised that I'd see you soon, didn't I?"
"I know that when I find out about whatever happened to make you end up at Landstuhl, I'll regret saying this, but I'm glad you promised." She replied softly.
"I'll get someone to send you the gala information. I'll see you there?"
The lump in her throat came back as a mixture of anxiety and excitement overtook her. "Stay safe, Sailor. I got your six."
"You too, Cath."
"We're still friends. Nothing's going to change. He just needed a date. You can't go to these things alone. Yes, we kissed at Christmas, but that was just pre-deployment nerves, right?" She kept muttering to herself. When Catherine heard the knock on her hotel room door, she suddenly felt all of the oxygen escape her body. What if she was overdressed? What if she was UNDERdressed? What if Steve didn't like her dress? She mentally kicked herself. Why did she care so much what he thought? He was her best friend. He had seen her in camo while on duty, in her civvies, in pajamas playing poker with their friends, and wearing nothing but his oversized shirt to bed. How was this any different? She hadn't talked to Steve much since he asked her to be his date to the gala. He was so busy with physical therapy that they hadn't been able to connect other than to communicate which hotel she would be staying at and what time he would pick her up.
Catherine shook the worries out of her head and opened the door. There he was. His scars from battle were faint, surprisingly there were no crutches in sight, and his mouth gaped open in surprise. "Wow." He whispered. No other expression had crossed his face. Even in her cammies, he thought she was beautiful. Not many people can pull that look off. But there she was: her long, black hair curled in soft waves, pinned back on one side to reveal a pair of pearl earrings. While she was never into makeup, he could tell she put a little more effort into her appearance for the occasion. He surveyed her long, blue dress. It fit her like a glove. "Hooooo." He exhaled, "Cath, you…" He rubbed the back of his neck. Steve couldn't quite formulate his thoughts. "You look amazing." He finally babbled. His head was spinning. Steve was glad that he had clarified to her that this was a date because there was no way on earth he was going to be able to remain "just friends" with her, no matter how much he wanted to keep their relationship in a neat little box. Steve and Catherine were standing three feet apart, both afraid to make the first move. Catherine's eyes welled up at the sight of him in his dress blues. Of course she had seen him wearing them before, but this was different. All of the emotions she had felt when he called her on the Enterprise to tell her that he had been wounded in battle flooded back all at once as she reached out for him. He was okay. He was safe. Steve pulled her in for a hug. "Cath…" He whispered.
"Hey, Sailor." She whispered into his lapel, blinking back the tears forming in her eyes.
Steve smiled. "I missed you, Cath." He said in a low voice.
Catherine pulled back from him. "Um, do you, uh….. Do you want to come in?" She rambled. "We have a few minutes before we need to go." She exhaled slowly, trying to compose herself.
"I'd like that." Steve confirmed as he stepped in the room and closed the door. This was weird. Maybe he had made a mistake. He and Catherine had been friends for years. There was nothing wrong with a platonic friendship… Or friends with benefits. What had he done asking her out like he had? Oh yeah. Joe. Joe made him. Why had he listened to that crazy old man anyways? Right - because Steve thought he was going to die in ten minutes and not actually have to follow through with the promise. Suddenly that feeling of imminent death was creeping back in.
Catherine turned and led him from the entryway to the bedroom. This was awkward. She nervously played with the silver band on her finger as she sat down on the edge of the bed and gave him a timid smile. "This is a little weird isn't it?" She declared, trying to break the tension.
Steve chuckled as he leaned against the doorframe, "A little bit…" His voice trailed off. 'I….. I uh…. I'm really glad you said yes." He swallowed, summoning up a little more courage, "I'm glad I get to see you." Sure, he had stared down suicide bombers, interrogated terrorists, risked his life for his country, but Catherine Rollins? She was terrifying.
Catherine smiled and relaxed into the headboard of the bed. "I'm glad you asked, I uh…."
Steve cut her off. "I'm really glad I get to see you." He clarified, looking up into her eyes. Catherine sat there, taking in the statement he had just made. Things were changing. "I don't know what's gonna happen, I just….. I didn't want to… It was…" Steve rubbed his mouth and chin with his hand as if to rid the moment of that mess of a statement he was trying to get out. "It was a close call this time, Cath." He said in a husky voice.
Catherine nodded, blinking back her tears. Steve made his way to the bed she was sitting on and sat beside her against the headboard. He reached out and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Catherine curled into his embrace and laid her head on his chest.
"What's happening here, Steve?" She whispered. This was intimate. They had shared a bed, they had made out, but this was intimacy on another level. Catherine didn't quite know how to process it.
Steve sighed and took her hand in his, gently caressing it with his thumb, "I don't know. I don't know what's happening. I just know I want you."
Catherine began to sit up and readjust her dress, "God, Steve, I…" She covered her mouth and looked away.
Steve bit down on the inside of his cheek. His blood started to boil. He had just screwed up the one relationship that had meant the most to him. The one person he knew he could trust with everything. "Cath, I'm sorr-" Steve began.
"I thought you were gonna die." She choked out, cutting him off. Catherine stood up and walked to the window and stared out into the night, "I thought you were going to die." She said again. As much as she tried to remain emotionless, her voice betrayed her as her words quivered. "When I read the action report… everything that happened out there? You shouldn't've made it out… You shouldn't be here…"
Steve jumped up off of the bed and stood behind her. "Catherine." He whispered in a hoarse voice.
Catherine turned and looked up at him. Her eyes were glistening from the tears that hadn't yet fallen. Steve held her face in his hands and gently wiped away her tears. "Cath." He tried to force a smile. There was nothing that could change what happened to him in Afghanistan. There was nothing that could change the hurt and fear she felt at the very real possibility of losing him. He couldn't change the past. All he could do was change the future. "I…" His voice trailed off as he slid his finger tips down her arms before wrapping his hands around her ribcage. "I want to be clear." He smiled, repeating his words from their phone call. "We wouldn't be going as friends. This is me - asking you - out on a date."
Catherine blinked back the few remaining tears as she let out a quiet laugh, "I'm really glad you asked." She smiled.
Steve rested his forehead on hers as they stood in quiet intimacy. Her breathing steadied and she closed her eyes, taking in the peaceful moment. "Cath, I don't want to ruin what we have…" He whispered in a husky voice. "But I need you to know where I stand."
She looked up at him, gazing into his eyes, "Steve, I-"
He kissed her.
It was slow and gentle. His hand found her chin and tilted it up as he rested his nose on hers. Their lips lingered, just a breath apart. "When I shipped out after Christmas I couldn't stop thinking about when I'd get to kiss you again." Steve whispered. "Thinking about kissing you again? It got me out this time."
She kissed him.
It was soft and kind. Her hand caressed the side of his jaw. She too had often wondered what it would feel like to kiss him again. Steve's hand made its way to the small of her back as he pulled her closer. The kiss intensified and allowed them a moment of sweet euphoria before Steve pulled away.
"We're going to be late." Catherine whispered, smiling against his lips.
"Not the way I drive." Steve grinned as he took her hand and led her to the door. When the elevator doors closed behind them, he took the opportunity to kiss her again. Kissing her was like a craving that just couldn't be satisfied no matter how much he indulged himself. He wanted her. All of her. All the time. "You look beautiful, Catherine." His hand trailed down her arm before he wrapped his hand around hers, "Radiantly lethal." He chuckled as he admired the flowing fabric that brushed the floor, "I know you could still kick my ass in that dress."
Steve stopped just outside of the entrance of the ballroom. His hand rested on the small of Catherine's back as he called an audible, led her down a quiet hallway, and turned a corner. Catherine caught his sly smile as he backed her up against the wall and pressed a kiss against her lips. Steve rested his forehead on hers as he whispered, "You look beautiful tonight, Catherine." She blushed when she saw the honesty in his eyes. "I know that when we walk in there we're colleagues and we represent the Navy... " He kissed her gently again. "I just wanted another minute, where you're just mine."
The way he said 'mine' sent shivers down her spine. It was possessive and definitive. It was everything she had ever wanted. Steve's breath was hot against her skin as he gave her another kiss and lingered just above her lips. She glanced around nervously as footsteps echoed down the hallway. Catherine bit her lip, "Maybe we should continue this conversation in my room tonight…" She peered down the dark hallway, "Away from the brass."
Steve chuckled, "What, you don't want to be caught making out in the hallway with a superior?"
Catherine rolled her eyes and smiled as she took his arm, "I'm not under your chain of command anymore, Sailor. And we're the same rank."
"Not anymore." He grinned as he pointed to the new insignia on his dress blues.
She covered her mouth as her eyes widened. "Oh my God. When did this happen?! You made commander?! Steve!"
He smiled proudly as he kissed her, "I wanted to wait to tell you in person."
"Commander Steve McGarrett." She stated in delight.
"I like the way that sounds coming out of your mouth." He smirked as he pressed one last kiss to her lips before leading her back down the hallway. Catherine laughed as they entered the ballroom.
"Smooth Dog!" A voice yelled across the dance floor.
Steve grinned as Freddie Hart cut through the crowd and tackled him in a hug.
"I didn't think you were gonna make it, man! They finally let you out of that prison they call 'physical therapy'?" Freddie grinned.
Steve laughed, "Yeah, man, you know I wouldn't miss this." He glanced back at Catherine who was a few feet away, catching up with some friends.
"You finally did it, man! You and Cat Woman, huh?" Freddie smacked him on the shoulder.
"Eh, I don't know what we are just yet, but we're here…" His voice drifted off as he watched his dream girl laughing and smiling. "On a date." He clarified.
Freddie smirked as he saw his boy swoon over the girl in the dark blue dress. "It only took falling through a tree, breaking every bone in your body, and getting chased by Al-Qaeda."
Steve chuckled, "Something like that."
Catherine floated over to the boys and reached out for a hug from Freddie. "Hey, Freddie! So good to see you!"
"Cat Woman!" Freddie pulled her in for a big hug.
"Is Kelly here tonight?" She smiled.
Freddie laughed, "She's staying at her parent's. We uh, we broke it off… again." He said sheepishly.
"Aw, I'm sorry to hear that." Catherine smiled caringly. She and Steve shared a knowing look. Freddie and Kelly were always so on-again-off-again.
"I think I owe you a dance, Lieutenant." Steve smiled down at her.
"You sure you feel up to it?" Catherine questioned.
Steve grinned, "You think I'm gonna let you get away with not dancing with me, Rollins?" He reached out and took her hand as he led her to the dance floor. He gently held her hand in his palm as his other hand slid around to her lower back. Catherine reached up and rested her hand on his lapel. They gently swayed to the music as couples began filling out the dance floor.
Catherine's eyes were mysterious. Steve could typically read her like a book, but not then. He rubbed his thumb in small circles on her back and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. Catherine was snapped out of her train of thought, "Hm?" She looked up at him quickly.
"You tryin' to crack a code or something?" Steve joked.
Catherine laughed quietly, "What are you talking about?"
"You look like you have something on your mind." Steve searched her face for clues.
Catherine hesitated. She didn't want to ruin the way they treated each other, but she just had to know and the suspense was eating her alive, "You said this was a date…"
Steve nodded, "Yeah…"
"So what happens tomorrow?" She asked softly.
"What do you mean?" Steve questioned.
"Well... is this a 'you just needed someone to go as your date' or 'you wanted to take me on a date'?"
"Catherine-" Steve started.
"I-It's okay, Steve… if it's not the latter… It's fine, I was just.. I was getting mixed signals is all…" She stammered.
Steve chewed on his lip and swallowed, trying to calm his nerves, "It's the latter." He stated plainly. He watched as Catherine fought against the smile that was crossing her lips. "I want you…" His voice trailed off. "...And me… To be a thing…" He cringed.
Catherine laughed, "You haven't done this a lot, have you?"
Steve shook his head and grinned, "Not really."
"I'd like that." Catherine smiled at him.
"Really?" Steve's eyebrows shot up.
Catherine nodded, her smile radiating off of her face. Steve's smile matched her own, only making her happier.
They were startled by a flash of light. Steve and Catherine looked over at the photographer who had snapped their picture. "Can I get your names? It's a good one. I'll have it sent to you."
Catherine quickly scribbled down their names and contact information on the photographer's notepad before resuming her dance with Steve. "What about not making promises you can't keep?"
Steve smiled down at her as he pulled her just a little closer than what was probably appropriate given the nature of the event, "I'm making good on a promise by finally asking you. It's uh, it's been a long time coming… for me at least." He shook his head, "And I don't know how exactly we're gonna make it work, I just…." His forehead lowered onto hers, "I just know I want to."
"That was some night." Catherine smiled, carrying her high heels in hand as she and Steve walked down the hall to her hotel room. She slipped the key card into the door and pushed it open slightly, hesitating. This was new ground for them. "Where, um… where are you staying?" She tentatively asked him.
Steve pointed to the left. "Three doors down."
Catherine nodded nervously, "Do you…" Her voice trailed off as she broke out into a laugh, "I'm sorry, I don't really know how this is supposed to go." She said bashfully.
Steve gently took her hand, "Whatever you want to happen is what will happen." His thumb brushed across the top of her hand.
"I'd like you to come in." She admitted in a whisper.
Steve nodded. "Okay."
Catherine opened the door and stepped inside with Steve following closely behind. She tossed her shoes onto the open suitcase and sat down on the bed.
Steve chuckled, "You actually own a suitcase? I thought you only ever traveled with your rucksack."
Catherine laughed. "Can't exactly fit a formal gown in a rucksack." She motioned to the flowing satin at her feet.
"Fair point." He loosened his tie as he sat down beside her and kicked off his shoes.
"My dad told me what you said to him at Christmas..." Her voice trailed off. Steve racked his brain. That conversation had been almost a year ago. "You told him that I was your best friend." Catherine said quietly.
Steve nodded. "Yeah. I did. I mean… you were the one who said it first back at Coronado."
"Are you sure about this? About us?" She hesitated, "Because I don't want to lose you… you know… if things don't work out. As much as I want this - us - I can't deal with the thought of losing you."
Steve nodded and thought for a moment. "Cath?"
"Yeah?"
"I think we'll never know unless we give it a shot." He admitted.
Catherine nodded slowly. "Could you, um… Would you mind unzipping my dress?" She asked as her cheeks turned a slight pink hue. "It's really hard to do it mysel-"
Before she could finish, Steve took her hand, gently pulled her to her feet, and stood behind her. She felt the warmth of his hands through the fabric of her dress. He slowly slid the zipper down from the middle of her back to the curve of her hips. As the bodice of the dress loosened she felt her hair being swept away from her back to her shoulder as Steve placed a gentle kiss at the nape of her neck.
Catherine sucked in a quick breath as she felt his hands push away the silky fabric of the dress from her skin. Steve stepped in front of her, holding her hands as she carefully stepped out of the gown. She watched as Steve's eyes travelled from her lips to her collar bone, down to the black, lace bra she wore, across her toned abs to the matching lace panties, and down her long legs.
Steve exhaled slowly as he took in the woman before him. How many nights had he laid awake in bed, thinking about her. Thinking about what she looked like under her Navy uniform. This was nothing new for him. They had shared a bed before, but suddenly he was seeing her in a whole new light. She was his.
Catherine tugged on his lapel. "You're wearing way too many clothes." She smiled.
Steve chuckled, "I guess we'd better take care of that, then."
Catherine nodded. She picked up the long gown from the floor and walked over to the closet; returning the dress to its garment bag. She reached out as Steve handed her his dress blue jacket. Catherine slipped a coat hanger through the shoulders and hung it beside her dress. His shirt and pants were soon to follow. She looked back at him and saw a blue, velvet box in his hands.
"I saw it before I left for my tour and figured I should bring a peace offering… you know." He smiled sheepishly, "I didn't know how you would feel about… us."
Catherine gingerly took the box out of his hand and opened it. She traced the thin, gold chain and stopped when she saw the anchor charm. "It's beautiful." She said breathlessly. She took the necklace from the box and un-did the clasp before brushing her hair to one side. "Do you mind?" She asked quietly as she turned and held the gold chain around her neck.
Steve smiled as he took the necklace from her and clasped it behind her neck. He gently placed his hands on her bare shoulders before he slid them down her arms. Steve wrapped his arms around her waist and slowly kissed her neck. Catherine smiled as she closed her eyes and leaned back into his embrace. "I love it." She whispered as she touched the tiny anchor charm.
Steve gently turned her to face him before placing his hands on her waist and pulling her into a deep kiss.
Catherine wrapped her arms around his neck as she returned the kiss. His hands roamed her body while they slowly moved towards the bed. Steve pulled away for a brief moment and looked in her eyes. His hands held her face as he stared at her. He had never seen anymore more beautiful in his life.
"We don't have to do this if you don't want to." Steve said kindly. Catherine hesitated. Her eyes wandered across his sculpted chest and down his abs. "Cath…" Steve urged gently. Catherine's eyes darted back up to his face, not having heard what he said. "Cath, we don't have to..." His voice faded sadly.
"What?" She was confused.
"Did you…" He chuckled, "Did you even hear what I said?"
Catherine blushed, "I was… distracted." She smirked as her finger grazed the waistband of his boxers.
Steve laughed. "Catherine…" He kissed her softly, "We don't have to… if you don't want to."
Catherine leaned back and fell onto the bed, pulling him on top of her. "Trust me." Her mischievous, playful smile crossed her lips. "I want to."
Steve grinned as he placed kisses down her neck, across her cleavage, and down her abs. His strong hands gripped her thighs as he crawled to straddle her. "God, Catherine…You're beautiful."
Catherine grinned as she hooked her leg around his back and flipped him onto the mattress in one smooth motion. Steve chuckled as she straddled his hips. He ran his hands up her torso, and stopped on the lacy fabric of her bra. He looked at her for permission and grinned as she gave him a nervous nod. Steve wasted no time in unhooking the clasp that held it together before slowly removing the offending garment from her body.
Catherine shivered as his hands touched every inch of her. Steve leaned up and kissed her again, tracing his tongue across her lips. He tucked his hand under her ass and gently laid her down, pulling the covers over them. Catherine felt a tug on the edge of her lace panties. Like a perfect gentleman, Steve was asking for permission. She smirked against his lips, "You first." Her hand grazed his boxers.
Steve let out a low laugh, "Fine."
Catherine grinned as she tugged the cotton fabric off of his body. Her hand skimmed up his thigh as a low moan escaped his lips. "That's better." She smirked.
Steve pulled off her panties at a tantalizingly slow speed. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, kissing and nipping all the way down to her hip before looking back up at her.
Catherine swallowed nervously as she caught his eyes - they were dark and full of lust. He moved back to her lips and kissed her slowly. Steve nipped at her lower lip before kissing her again hungrily.
"Steve…." She choked out.
"Yeah?" His gruff voice sent shivers down her spine.
Catherine felt as though her body was on fire. Heat radiated from every inch of skin that he touched. This wasn't her first time by a long shot, but being with him - everything was different. It was amazing and exhilarating and terrifying all at once. It was everything and nothing and she couldn't quite explain it. She finally whispered, "What are you doing to me?"
Steve smirked. He was rather confident regarding his prowess between the sheets and with her, everything felt… right. "I'm ruining you, Catherine Rollins." He growled as he gave her all of himself. He waited for a moment until her eyes locked with his. "I'm ruining you for everyone but me." He laced his fingers into hers before pinning her hands above her head. "You're mine."
Catherine had had good sex before, but this was an out of body experience. Every touch, every kiss, every sensation was like lightning in a bottle. "Make me yours." She purred. "Ruin me."
AUTHOR'S NOTE
So they're finally together! This is not a drill! Leave your thoughts in the reviews! I can't wait to see what you thought! I'll do a Q&A in the next chapter's Author's Note, so if there's something on your mind, don't hesitate to ask!
XO,
-Mags-