Temptation
See Part 1 for Disclaimers, etc.
A/N: This part is for Yana, who nicely asked for another chapter tonight and who is constantly writing awesome stories that inspire me to write more.
The four of them went outside and the women led the way to the car, talking and laughing non-stop as Delko and Speed trailed behind them.
"So, what do you think they're talking about?" Speed asked his friend.
"I don't think that's too hard to figure out, since they keep looking back at us." Delko answered, smiling as Cathy looked over at him again.
"You really like her, don't you?"
"She's caught my interest." Eric answered with a smile. "I definitely want to get to know her better, yeah." They reached Cathy's car and Calleigh was already sitting in the backseat so Speed got in beside her and Delko rode shotgun.
They were all pretty quiet on the ride home. It was late and everyone was tired. Delko's place was the first stop and as he directed Cathy through the streets to his apartment Speed stole a glance at Calleigh. She was staring out the car window and Speed wondered what she was thinking about.
It had been quite a night for her, what with that jerk groping her in the corner and then the tearful revelation about her past. It hadn't exactly gone the way he'd expected or hoped. He was glad that she had confided in him though. It was a step in the right direction.
Cathy pulled up in front of Eric's building and he said a quick goodnight to Speed and Calleigh before getting out of the car.
"Hang tight you guys. I'll be right back." Cathy said, getting out of the still running car. Speed and Calleigh exchanged a smile as Cathy walked with Eric to the entrance of his building and they stood there talking and laughing.
"Awww. Aren't they cute together?" Calleigh said with a smug smile.
"Yes Miss Matchmaker, they are." Speed agreed, smiling at Calleigh's obvious delight that her friends were hitting it off so well.
"Well, I just want them to be happy. Cathy's been so lonely with just her and the baby. I know she's not ready for a relationship yet but male companionship is a good start..."
"What about you Calleigh?" Speed asked, knowing he was skating on thin ice at this point. She turned her gaze from Cathy and Eric back to Speed and he could see the confusion in her eyes.
"What about me?" She asked him, staring into his eyes with such intensity that he wanted to squirm.
"Well, instead of worrying about setting up your friends maybe you should be going out and having fun yourself." Speed responded. He was definitely fishing, wondering what Calleigh's response would be.
"What is it we've been doing tonight?" She asked in a teasing tone.
"So you had a good time then? Even though that guy tried to...."
"Actually, I'm going to try and erase that part from my memory. I was with all of you so of course I had a good time." Calleigh said, and Speed could tell she didn't want to talk about her run-in with Mike.
"Well, I'm glad."
"How about you, Tim? Did you have fun?" Calleigh said, her eyes boring into him.
"I wish we could do it even more often, Cal." He admitted, hoping she knew how much he meant it. Calleigh narrowed her eyes at him thoughtfully and was about to respond when Cathy came back into the car, smiling from ear to ear.
"So, are you going to see each other soon?" Calleigh asked teasingly.
"Actually, since you asked, we are." Cathy declared. "By the way, would you like to baby-sit Sunday night?" She asked Calleigh with a smile before pulling the car away from the curb.
"Sunday, huh?"
"Yes, we're going to go out for dinner. Someplace we can have a decent conversation because we'll actually be able to hear each other." Cathy answered.
"I'd love to watch Melissa, Cathy. What time do you want me to be there?"
"Can you come around five? Then I can get your opinion on my outfit and I'll still have time to change if I need to."
"Oh Cath, you always look great so I don't think there's any danger of that."
"Hey, I'm still trying to recover my figure since having Melissa." Cathy insisted. "Thanks for the boost to my ego though." She said with a laugh. Speed was silent through this exchange and was glad that Cathy and Eric were going out again. When Calleigh agreed to look after Melissa an idea came to him and he realized that their friends' date might actually give him the opportunity he'd been waiting for.
"Thanks for the ride, Cathy." Speed said, before he opened the door to get out.
"My pleasure." Cathy answered. "It was good to see you again, Tim." She said with a smile.
"You too. Good-night." Calleigh got out too, announcing she was going to move into the front with Cathy and came around to Speed's side of the car as he closed the door.
"Thanks again for listening tonight, Tim."
"I'm just glad I could be there for you. You're really important to me, Calleigh." Speed said, trying to sound casual but looking into her eyes as he said it. Calleigh hugged him in response and they held each other for a moment before she pulled back.
"So you're babysitting Melissa Sunday night, huh?"
"Sounds that way. I'm looking forward to it, though." Calleigh admitted.
"Well, if you want some company or need a hand, call me, okay?"
"You want to help me baby-sit?" Calleigh asked, somewhat incredulously.
"Hey, I know a thing or two about kids." Speed said, "It might be fun and it's not like I've got any plans on a Sunday night."
"You're right, it probably would be fun. Why don't we talk more tomorrow?"
"Great." Speed said, trying to conceal just how happy he was that she had agreed. He just wanted to spend time with her and didn't really care where they were or what they did. "Sleep well, Calleigh."
"You too. I'll call you tomorrow." Calleigh agreed. "Good-night Tim." She smiled at him as she got back into the car and Speed saw so much promise in that smile that he felt happier than he had in years.
"Good-night Calleigh."
Speed slept in late the next morning, waking up with a bit of a hangover but nothing could put a damper on his spirits. He was going to tell Calleigh how he felt about her, put his heart on the line and with that decision it was like a weight had been lifted.
He hoped to hear from her but wasn't going to spend his time waiting for the phone to ring either. Weekends were something Speed seldom took advantage of, since they were a great time to catch on things at the lab. Not always, but often, he found himself getting lost in his work at CSI for a couple of hours on his days off.
He knew he was a workaholic but he enjoyed it and right now it was nice to have something useful to do to pass the time. Speed took a quick shower and then headed to the lab, deciding to get the work over with earlier rather than later.
Speed ended up spending most of the day at the lab, working and checking his messages about every half-hour to see if Calleigh had called. His heart ached with disappointment, as each time the recorded voice echoed in his ear, telling him he had no new messages. He mentally chided himself for being so obsessive about her but he just couldn't help it. He was glad that no one was around to question why he kept checking his messages.
Part of him was afraid that she wouldn't call him and then the plan that was forming in his mind would be shot to hell. He wanted to spend Sunday evening helping her with Melissa and then he would invite her out later, just the two of them. Even if Cathy didn't end up getting home until late, there would still be time for the two of them to escape somewhere alone.
He couldn't wait until the next night and he got butterflies in his stomach whenever he thought of giving into the feelings he had for Calleigh. He'd been in denial for so long but he knew he couldn't stay there forever. Something had to give.
As Speed walked out into the parking lot and mounted his bike, he noticed that the sky was very dark and stormy looking. This was his favorite kind of weather. When he was a little kid he had never been afraid of thunder and lightening. He found it exciting then and even now, the thought of a big storm brewing gave him a bit of a thrill.
Calleigh still hadn't called so he decided that instead of going back to his apartment and staring at his phone, he would just go for a ride, enjoying the fresh smell of an oncoming storm that hung in the air.
He had no particular destination in mind as he sped along, going wherever the road might take him. After a half-hour, he ended up at the ocean. Parking his bike, he heard thunder rumbling in the distance. It was starting to rain lightly and the beach was deserted, just the way he liked it.
The wind whipped his clothes as Speed walked along the beach until he found a piece of driftwood to sit on. He looked at the dark sky and the ferocity of the waves out on the ocean and found the setting surprisingly peaceful. He sat there for quite awhile, watching the waves crash against the huge rocks on the beach as the tide came in.
It was nice to have the chance to put things in perspective when it came to his life. Up until this past week Speed had been a fairly content person. Now all of sudden he was eager for things to change. Someone who had been a friend for quite awhile had now become so important to him and he wanted her in his life in a much bigger way.
He heard the thunder again, much closer this time and saw lightening flash in the sky in the distance. It was spectacular to watch and Speed sat on the beach watching the lightening show, suddenly wishing that Calleigh could be there beside him, sharing the experience.
The cell phone in his pocket rang then and his heart raced as he saw Calleigh's number on the display. Speed smiled as he answered, and he realized they had been thinking of each other at the same moment.
"Hey Calleigh."
"Hey you. Are you enjoying the thunder and lightening?" She asked, and Speed could tell she was smiling too.
"Actually, I'm in the thick of it. I love storms."
"I do too. Where are you?"
"I'm at the ocean, there's a great view of the lightening at this beach I found."
"Well, just be careful, okay? Don't get caught in a lightening storm." Calleigh's voice had a serious tone now, causing his smile to widen.
"I'm probably going to get drenched here soon but apart from that, I've got a great view." Speed was touched by Calleigh's obvious concern for him but decided not to call her on it. "You should be here, it looks amazing.
"I don't know. I like storms too, but I prefer to watch them from the safety of my own patio, thanks. I don't really like the thought of being outside when there's thunder and lightening." She said doubtfully.
"Someday I'll change your mind about that Calleigh." He said, wishing that day could be today.
"Is that a promise?" She asked, in a slightly teasing tone.
"Consider it done." Speed assured her.
"So, tomorrow night..." Calleigh said.
"Are we still on?"
"If you're coming to help me baby-sit then the answer is yes."
"I wouldn't miss it."
"Great. Eric's going to be picking Cath up around 6 so I was thinking that you and I should do dinner. Cathy told me we could cook something up in her kitchen but I was thinking it might be better to order in or something."
"Why don't I just bring food with me?" Speed asked, as a loud clap of thunder sounded nearby. The lightening lit up the darkening sky and he decided he should probably head home. He was starting to feel a bit cold with the combination of the wind and the light rain.
"Tim, that sounded a little too close." Calleigh said worriedly. "Maybe you should get out of there and go home."
"It was pretty close, which is why I'm walking back to my bike as we speak." Speed answered.
"Okay. Good. Anyhow, I would love it if you brought dinner, it would make things easier."
"No problem. What do you like?"
"Anything. I'm not too picky."
"Great. Listen, I should let you go since I'm about to start the engine here."
"Why don't you call me later so I can give you directions to Cathy's place, then? Actually, on second thought, where are you headed right now?" Speed's heart skipped a beat as he realized what Calleigh might be about to ask him.
"I was just going to go home. Why do you ask?"
"Why don't you come over to my place, I'm making dinner right now and since you treated me the other night...well, I'd love to return the favor." Speed was overwhelmed by the idea of seeing her tonight that he didn't answer right away. "Unless you've got other plans..." Calleigh said, sensing his hesitation.
"No, I'd love it." He said quickly. "I'll be there in twenty minutes."
"See you then." Calleigh hung up first and Speed was nervous and elated as he pocketed his cell and started up his bike. He sped off, as the thunder boomed in the distance and the sky opened up, drenching him. The roads were pretty slick and Speed took extra care maneuvering his bike along the curvy road.
Waiting at the red light at an intersection four blocks from Calleigh's place, Speed was glad the rain had let up a bit. As much as he liked the storm and the rain that went with it, he didn't want to show up at Calleigh's looking like a drowned rat.
Speed wondered what Calleigh had made for dinner but he knew whatever it was, it would be delicious. Calleigh often brought goodies into work for everyone, she was generous that way. It was just another reason he cared about her so much, he thought, as the light turned green and he entered the intersection.
He never saw the black mustang run the red light. The last thing he saw as he was being thrown from his bike was Calleigh, sitting across the table from him as they had dinner together. Speed realized that he might never be able to have dinner or anything else with Calleigh. Then everything went black.
I know I'm evil to leave it like this but this was a plot twist even I didn't see coming. I'll have more posted soon, depending on what the reaction is to this chapter. Your feedback is what inspires me to write more....
See Part 1 for Disclaimers, etc.
A/N: This part is for Yana, who nicely asked for another chapter tonight and who is constantly writing awesome stories that inspire me to write more.
The four of them went outside and the women led the way to the car, talking and laughing non-stop as Delko and Speed trailed behind them.
"So, what do you think they're talking about?" Speed asked his friend.
"I don't think that's too hard to figure out, since they keep looking back at us." Delko answered, smiling as Cathy looked over at him again.
"You really like her, don't you?"
"She's caught my interest." Eric answered with a smile. "I definitely want to get to know her better, yeah." They reached Cathy's car and Calleigh was already sitting in the backseat so Speed got in beside her and Delko rode shotgun.
They were all pretty quiet on the ride home. It was late and everyone was tired. Delko's place was the first stop and as he directed Cathy through the streets to his apartment Speed stole a glance at Calleigh. She was staring out the car window and Speed wondered what she was thinking about.
It had been quite a night for her, what with that jerk groping her in the corner and then the tearful revelation about her past. It hadn't exactly gone the way he'd expected or hoped. He was glad that she had confided in him though. It was a step in the right direction.
Cathy pulled up in front of Eric's building and he said a quick goodnight to Speed and Calleigh before getting out of the car.
"Hang tight you guys. I'll be right back." Cathy said, getting out of the still running car. Speed and Calleigh exchanged a smile as Cathy walked with Eric to the entrance of his building and they stood there talking and laughing.
"Awww. Aren't they cute together?" Calleigh said with a smug smile.
"Yes Miss Matchmaker, they are." Speed agreed, smiling at Calleigh's obvious delight that her friends were hitting it off so well.
"Well, I just want them to be happy. Cathy's been so lonely with just her and the baby. I know she's not ready for a relationship yet but male companionship is a good start..."
"What about you Calleigh?" Speed asked, knowing he was skating on thin ice at this point. She turned her gaze from Cathy and Eric back to Speed and he could see the confusion in her eyes.
"What about me?" She asked him, staring into his eyes with such intensity that he wanted to squirm.
"Well, instead of worrying about setting up your friends maybe you should be going out and having fun yourself." Speed responded. He was definitely fishing, wondering what Calleigh's response would be.
"What is it we've been doing tonight?" She asked in a teasing tone.
"So you had a good time then? Even though that guy tried to...."
"Actually, I'm going to try and erase that part from my memory. I was with all of you so of course I had a good time." Calleigh said, and Speed could tell she didn't want to talk about her run-in with Mike.
"Well, I'm glad."
"How about you, Tim? Did you have fun?" Calleigh said, her eyes boring into him.
"I wish we could do it even more often, Cal." He admitted, hoping she knew how much he meant it. Calleigh narrowed her eyes at him thoughtfully and was about to respond when Cathy came back into the car, smiling from ear to ear.
"So, are you going to see each other soon?" Calleigh asked teasingly.
"Actually, since you asked, we are." Cathy declared. "By the way, would you like to baby-sit Sunday night?" She asked Calleigh with a smile before pulling the car away from the curb.
"Sunday, huh?"
"Yes, we're going to go out for dinner. Someplace we can have a decent conversation because we'll actually be able to hear each other." Cathy answered.
"I'd love to watch Melissa, Cathy. What time do you want me to be there?"
"Can you come around five? Then I can get your opinion on my outfit and I'll still have time to change if I need to."
"Oh Cath, you always look great so I don't think there's any danger of that."
"Hey, I'm still trying to recover my figure since having Melissa." Cathy insisted. "Thanks for the boost to my ego though." She said with a laugh. Speed was silent through this exchange and was glad that Cathy and Eric were going out again. When Calleigh agreed to look after Melissa an idea came to him and he realized that their friends' date might actually give him the opportunity he'd been waiting for.
"Thanks for the ride, Cathy." Speed said, before he opened the door to get out.
"My pleasure." Cathy answered. "It was good to see you again, Tim." She said with a smile.
"You too. Good-night." Calleigh got out too, announcing she was going to move into the front with Cathy and came around to Speed's side of the car as he closed the door.
"Thanks again for listening tonight, Tim."
"I'm just glad I could be there for you. You're really important to me, Calleigh." Speed said, trying to sound casual but looking into her eyes as he said it. Calleigh hugged him in response and they held each other for a moment before she pulled back.
"So you're babysitting Melissa Sunday night, huh?"
"Sounds that way. I'm looking forward to it, though." Calleigh admitted.
"Well, if you want some company or need a hand, call me, okay?"
"You want to help me baby-sit?" Calleigh asked, somewhat incredulously.
"Hey, I know a thing or two about kids." Speed said, "It might be fun and it's not like I've got any plans on a Sunday night."
"You're right, it probably would be fun. Why don't we talk more tomorrow?"
"Great." Speed said, trying to conceal just how happy he was that she had agreed. He just wanted to spend time with her and didn't really care where they were or what they did. "Sleep well, Calleigh."
"You too. I'll call you tomorrow." Calleigh agreed. "Good-night Tim." She smiled at him as she got back into the car and Speed saw so much promise in that smile that he felt happier than he had in years.
"Good-night Calleigh."
Speed slept in late the next morning, waking up with a bit of a hangover but nothing could put a damper on his spirits. He was going to tell Calleigh how he felt about her, put his heart on the line and with that decision it was like a weight had been lifted.
He hoped to hear from her but wasn't going to spend his time waiting for the phone to ring either. Weekends were something Speed seldom took advantage of, since they were a great time to catch on things at the lab. Not always, but often, he found himself getting lost in his work at CSI for a couple of hours on his days off.
He knew he was a workaholic but he enjoyed it and right now it was nice to have something useful to do to pass the time. Speed took a quick shower and then headed to the lab, deciding to get the work over with earlier rather than later.
Speed ended up spending most of the day at the lab, working and checking his messages about every half-hour to see if Calleigh had called. His heart ached with disappointment, as each time the recorded voice echoed in his ear, telling him he had no new messages. He mentally chided himself for being so obsessive about her but he just couldn't help it. He was glad that no one was around to question why he kept checking his messages.
Part of him was afraid that she wouldn't call him and then the plan that was forming in his mind would be shot to hell. He wanted to spend Sunday evening helping her with Melissa and then he would invite her out later, just the two of them. Even if Cathy didn't end up getting home until late, there would still be time for the two of them to escape somewhere alone.
He couldn't wait until the next night and he got butterflies in his stomach whenever he thought of giving into the feelings he had for Calleigh. He'd been in denial for so long but he knew he couldn't stay there forever. Something had to give.
As Speed walked out into the parking lot and mounted his bike, he noticed that the sky was very dark and stormy looking. This was his favorite kind of weather. When he was a little kid he had never been afraid of thunder and lightening. He found it exciting then and even now, the thought of a big storm brewing gave him a bit of a thrill.
Calleigh still hadn't called so he decided that instead of going back to his apartment and staring at his phone, he would just go for a ride, enjoying the fresh smell of an oncoming storm that hung in the air.
He had no particular destination in mind as he sped along, going wherever the road might take him. After a half-hour, he ended up at the ocean. Parking his bike, he heard thunder rumbling in the distance. It was starting to rain lightly and the beach was deserted, just the way he liked it.
The wind whipped his clothes as Speed walked along the beach until he found a piece of driftwood to sit on. He looked at the dark sky and the ferocity of the waves out on the ocean and found the setting surprisingly peaceful. He sat there for quite awhile, watching the waves crash against the huge rocks on the beach as the tide came in.
It was nice to have the chance to put things in perspective when it came to his life. Up until this past week Speed had been a fairly content person. Now all of sudden he was eager for things to change. Someone who had been a friend for quite awhile had now become so important to him and he wanted her in his life in a much bigger way.
He heard the thunder again, much closer this time and saw lightening flash in the sky in the distance. It was spectacular to watch and Speed sat on the beach watching the lightening show, suddenly wishing that Calleigh could be there beside him, sharing the experience.
The cell phone in his pocket rang then and his heart raced as he saw Calleigh's number on the display. Speed smiled as he answered, and he realized they had been thinking of each other at the same moment.
"Hey Calleigh."
"Hey you. Are you enjoying the thunder and lightening?" She asked, and Speed could tell she was smiling too.
"Actually, I'm in the thick of it. I love storms."
"I do too. Where are you?"
"I'm at the ocean, there's a great view of the lightening at this beach I found."
"Well, just be careful, okay? Don't get caught in a lightening storm." Calleigh's voice had a serious tone now, causing his smile to widen.
"I'm probably going to get drenched here soon but apart from that, I've got a great view." Speed was touched by Calleigh's obvious concern for him but decided not to call her on it. "You should be here, it looks amazing.
"I don't know. I like storms too, but I prefer to watch them from the safety of my own patio, thanks. I don't really like the thought of being outside when there's thunder and lightening." She said doubtfully.
"Someday I'll change your mind about that Calleigh." He said, wishing that day could be today.
"Is that a promise?" She asked, in a slightly teasing tone.
"Consider it done." Speed assured her.
"So, tomorrow night..." Calleigh said.
"Are we still on?"
"If you're coming to help me baby-sit then the answer is yes."
"I wouldn't miss it."
"Great. Eric's going to be picking Cath up around 6 so I was thinking that you and I should do dinner. Cathy told me we could cook something up in her kitchen but I was thinking it might be better to order in or something."
"Why don't I just bring food with me?" Speed asked, as a loud clap of thunder sounded nearby. The lightening lit up the darkening sky and he decided he should probably head home. He was starting to feel a bit cold with the combination of the wind and the light rain.
"Tim, that sounded a little too close." Calleigh said worriedly. "Maybe you should get out of there and go home."
"It was pretty close, which is why I'm walking back to my bike as we speak." Speed answered.
"Okay. Good. Anyhow, I would love it if you brought dinner, it would make things easier."
"No problem. What do you like?"
"Anything. I'm not too picky."
"Great. Listen, I should let you go since I'm about to start the engine here."
"Why don't you call me later so I can give you directions to Cathy's place, then? Actually, on second thought, where are you headed right now?" Speed's heart skipped a beat as he realized what Calleigh might be about to ask him.
"I was just going to go home. Why do you ask?"
"Why don't you come over to my place, I'm making dinner right now and since you treated me the other night...well, I'd love to return the favor." Speed was overwhelmed by the idea of seeing her tonight that he didn't answer right away. "Unless you've got other plans..." Calleigh said, sensing his hesitation.
"No, I'd love it." He said quickly. "I'll be there in twenty minutes."
"See you then." Calleigh hung up first and Speed was nervous and elated as he pocketed his cell and started up his bike. He sped off, as the thunder boomed in the distance and the sky opened up, drenching him. The roads were pretty slick and Speed took extra care maneuvering his bike along the curvy road.
Waiting at the red light at an intersection four blocks from Calleigh's place, Speed was glad the rain had let up a bit. As much as he liked the storm and the rain that went with it, he didn't want to show up at Calleigh's looking like a drowned rat.
Speed wondered what Calleigh had made for dinner but he knew whatever it was, it would be delicious. Calleigh often brought goodies into work for everyone, she was generous that way. It was just another reason he cared about her so much, he thought, as the light turned green and he entered the intersection.
He never saw the black mustang run the red light. The last thing he saw as he was being thrown from his bike was Calleigh, sitting across the table from him as they had dinner together. Speed realized that he might never be able to have dinner or anything else with Calleigh. Then everything went black.
I know I'm evil to leave it like this but this was a plot twist even I didn't see coming. I'll have more posted soon, depending on what the reaction is to this chapter. Your feedback is what inspires me to write more....
