Disclaimer: It's been a year; hopefully by now everybody knows CSI: Miami does not belong to me.

Laeta's Author's Note: This chapter belongs entirely to Marianne. This is her baby. Please, enjoy. Effusive feedback to her inbox makes me happy.

Marianne's A/N: Laeta, as you know, I have wanted to work on a story with you ever since I read 'What He Lacked.' That the opportunity came to fruition is an honor to me. You see, your writing continually sets a standard I strive to meet in my own work. I am delighted and humbled to be a small part of this wonderful story. Thank you for the chance, dahling. You are a gifted writer, and, more importantly, a friend I treasure.

Summary: If anything, the moment for turning back was six months ago when he gave her the choice to meet him for dinner. For him, his choice had been made the moment he walked up to Calleigh in the club.

Rating: R

Archive(s): Evidence of Things Unseen, Lonely Road, mine. Anybody else, email me; I like to go visiting.

Pairing(s): Horatio/Calleigh

Spoiler(s): None that I'm aware of.

Must read Nights Under the Full Jazz Moon first.

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Title: Full Moon Promises

Author: Marianne
Email: ladylaeta@yahoo.com


Chapter 5: Seduction's Dance

Properly and fully enticed, Horatio's hands closed about her body, drawing her even closer to his; his lips found her neck and she opened up to him. He drank in the sweetness of satin that he found there and she discovered just how sensitive his ears were.

In a lover's dance, she moved coyly away, toward the bed. She unfastened the buttons of her jeans. She left the opening enticingly opened, to beckon him further; but she refused to peel the now cloying material from her body. That honor belonged to Horatio.

At the proper time, of course ---

She untucked her blouse, slowly undid the buttons of her pink cotton blouse. That article of clothing she allowed to glide from her shoulders and drift to the floor in careless disregard. Then, she turned her back to him, unfastening her bra. She slipped the straps down her shoulders and removed the garment so that it, too, joined the growing pile. She turned back around to him, now bared to his impassioned perusal from the waist up.

Lust hit him, white hot and consuming. He *needed* to touch her. *Had* to touch her.

Ever stalwart, he refused that impulse for the time being, allowing his feelings, his emotions, to build to a heart filling crescendo.

They had never relied much on verbalization; the connection between them ran far too deep and potent for such triviality as mere words. On instinct, Calleigh answered his unspoken call. She spoke not a word, but gestured with her eyes, with the tilt of her head, with body language, saying clearly into the ripe, building silence: "Come here."

Knowing and awareness took on a vibration that hummed between them. Horatio held to one goal alone - taking this moment with Calleigh to be completely lavish with both his body and his heart.

Horatio walked up to her in a slow circle, tucking into her body from behind. He wrapped himself around her like the misty smoke of candlelight that danced and swirled, curving and evaporating in a most erotic, captivating display.

Calleigh tipped her head back, until it rested on his shoulder. Her eyes fluttered closed. Horatio moved his hands unhesitatingly into the opening of her slacks; he came upon satin, hot flesh, soft curls of hair. Slipping lower still, he contacted humid, moist skin that reacted to his touch, quivering against him, releasing itself in a seductive, creamy preparation.

Deeper, his mind called. Search her more deeply and claim her as your own; take her. Take her fully into your body and soul until there is no difference between her body and yours, her spirit and yours.

Primitive thoughts assailed him, a call to be one; a consuming ache overtook his indomitable mind.

Encouraging him further, Calleigh opened her legs, pushed her hips forward in welcome, but her knees went weak. Horatio, again, took on her weight as his own. Shadows danced on the walls, echoed sensuous movements as bodies blended from two to one with nothing between them but love released.

Taking his time, watching her face, capturing each flicker of emotion she revealed into a spot of his mind's most precious memories, Horatio allowed his hands to push down, working away those final cloth barriers of hers to expose her intimately. He moved before her now, and ended at a crouch near her feet, where he came upon an obstacle. Calleigh smiled at him - a knowing, womanly smile - recognizing his problem at once.

"Give me a second to help," she murmured softly, her voice husky and affected.

Looking into his eyes the whole while, Calleigh held on to his shoulders. First one chunky-heeled leather shoe, then its twin, was slowly nudged away.

Horatio smiled in turn, disposing of her slacks, thoroughly caressing her ankles, her calves, her thighs and hips as he rose to a standing position once more. He could not keep his eyes from performing a devouring visualization of her. Her breasts fascinated him. Round and firm, they were highlighted by perfect, pebbled tips. In the course of his continuing exploration, he cupped them gently, molding them to the palm of his hand, stroking each tip with tender swipes of his thumbs.

Horatio bit back his breath, fighting every inch of the way for some semblance of control.

Calleigh recognized the reaction of his body in the taut swell of his length, now outlined in stark relief against his slacks. She could not help it - the woman in her absolutely glowed in realizing the depth her power over this amazing, captivating man.

She allowed no restraint, sliding her hands firmly, repeatedly against him until Horatio's groan of need cut the silence. She worked his shirt free, unzipped his pants to eliminate the barrier of touching him skin to skin. His eyes narrowed, glazing with desire.

When she divested him of his lower clothing, he filled her hands and she continued her tender ministrations. Calleigh stroked and petted, cupping him, caressing with a hunger that was blatant - unrepentant. He moved against her, straining at her touch.

Remaining constraints - a shirt, shoes, socks - became part of the tossed-about floor décor.

He bridged the slight distance between them by reaching out to her once more. With reverence, he touched her mouth, tracing her lower lip very slowly and lightly with a fingertip. It became his favorite texture, his favorite shape to explore. Calleigh closed her eyes and sighed.

A half-smile warming his features, Horatio caressed her neck, slowly taking hold, to keep her still and steady. His head came low and he claimed her mouth in a motion that was smooth and utterly possessive.

That is when Horatio let go and surrendered the fight. He devoured her mouth like a man possessed. He was wide open, moist and heady of flavor, texture. Calleigh welcomed him readily, answering his hunger with her own - positively nothing held back. He hauled her body up against his, lifting her off her feet with no effort whatsoever.

With Calleigh's body entwined perfectly against his, Horatio tumbled them recklessly onto the bed. They rolled and tossed, pinning each other playfully, nipping and touching and tasting. Horatio tussled her into place beneath him, desire, at long and heavenly last, allowed to ravage a mind steadfast in its discipline and selfless control.

He did not wait to enjoin himself to her. She was ready for their coupling, that fact he already realized plainly. In fact, she wound her legs tight around him, crying out for the union her body now craved. So, Horatio entered her body and thrust deeply home.

All was said, was done, on instinct alone.

Their ever-present, unspoken connection, at last, was embraced and allowed its deepest fulfillment. Confronting their truest selves released that bond, setting it free to its most powerful, uninhibited degrees.

Besides, a lack of restraint could never have detracted from the images of Calleigh that Horatio captured as his own. He held her wrists next to her head, stroked her soft, creamy arms with reverence and love as his guide. Moonlight caused her eyes to sparkle as it spilled across his bed - their bed now, Horatio rejoiced. Her hair, like golden strands of silk, poured temptingly through his loose fingertips when he combed through it and cupped her face between his hands.

Together mouths fused. Head to head, fiery red met luminous gold - fire and its light perfectly combined. His tongue swept through her mouth, greedy, consuming. Calleigh was not timid to any part of his claiming. In fact, she answered with the whole of her being, grazing his teeth, slipping into his senses with her exotic flavor as she answered his kiss in kind with a deeply expressed probe of her own.

Meanwhile, through the very atmosphere itself, from sea-waves to heated bodies moving, the tempo and rhythm of their lovemaking built, overtaking them unaware, building to a point that it became too late to stem the tide, or hold back the power of the cataclysm to come.

Climax swept through him like a rolling heat wave. The more elemental, emotional response took him by utter surprise. It began with the hot sting of tears he could not suppress. He poured into her, weak, drained of everything in life except beauty and the incredible power of Calleigh's radiance - a radiance that still echoed through his system, Horatio crumbled against her, sinking helplessly against the soft, pliant length of her body.

Like the spent lover he had become.

Transported, completely overwhelmed, Calleigh rode out the beat of their orgasm, answering his body's call with her own release. She squeezed tightly around him, taking him in, unwilling to relinquish him, driving Horatio as deeply into her body as she could, holding him tight with arms, legs and heart.

The balcony doors remained open to the night, to the moon, and sea and scents of the cooling night. The soothing caress of a breeze skirted seductively into the room they shared and a distant waterfront masked their unbidden cries of surrender.


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© Marmo 14.Jan.2004