It's an automatic gesture to walk Yelina out. I decided after hurricane Anthony that I want and need to spend more time with my family.
The office building is practically empty and I gather that Yelina is finishing up.
She wouldn't work much later than this hour because she has her son to take care of. Unfortunately, I haven't seen her anywhere else than at work.
Last time I saw her outside of work was at her place as we played with Ray and had a lovely dinner. Ever since she discovered I've been helping Susie get her life back on track and spending time with her and Madison, Yelina has become colder. She confronted me and asked if I thought she wouldn't notice the resemblance. She meant between me and Madison and all I can say to protect her is: "It's a little more complicated than that." The tears in her eyes sought to be dried out. They weren't the same tears as I've seen before, after a hard case involving a child. Not the same as the tears she shed after I brought closure to Ray's case. No, they weren't tears of sadness or grief... they were tears of betrayal. Tears that she probably never thought would come because of me. I sought to that.
I think I startled her a bit even though I gently cleared my throat preparing to talk. She turns and tells me: "I'm going home," and continues storing away files and sorting out papers piled on her desk.
At work, is the only time I could be with her; she refuses to see me, refuses to be hurt over and over again. I know that. We'd been on an interrogation together a week ago and she muddled up the personal and the professional limits with a comment, about a suspect, fitting perfectly with the present situation she had with me. That's when I lost it: "Yelina," I stayed formal knowing the suspect was in the room, "May I have a word, please?" She looked at me, hesitantly even with a hint of resistance but she complied. I walked over to the door, held it open for her and walked out after her...
I shake back to the present and rest my hands on her shoulders, immobilizing her.
"Yelina, please trust me," I whisper in her ear, lightly massaging her shoulders with my fingers.
What is he doing? I wonder as any woman would be affected by his touch.
The combination of his low voice and his fingers roaming on either side of my clavicles makes my head slowly move to the side, to his cheek.
She sighs and covers my hands with her own.
What made her respond in such a way? Her heart, the answer comes quickly. The same way mine did.
Yelina moves to get up, swivelling towards me at the same time. I apply no pressure to her shoulders and make no attempt to hold her back. Our eyes meet and, feeling guilty of having approached her like this at work, I look down. She takes my hands and places them on her waist as she moves in, wrapping her arms around my neck. Tightening her grasp, she pulls herself closer to me and tenuously makes her way towards my lips.
"Were you gonna ask me something?" she questions. I can feel the warmth of her breath against my lips.
"Yes," I say surprised by her approach. "I'd like to take you out to dinner."
"I know what you're going to tell me over dinner..." She surprises me once more and she says the three words I never thought I would hear her say, "Madison is Ray's."
I'm taken aback. "How did you-"
"Find out?"
I nod, listening intently.
"I realized it was impossible for it to be you. Horatio, I'm sorry I-"I cover her beautiful lips with my fingers, refusing to let her excuse herself for reacting like she has.
"Yelina, listen to me...I love you today and I'll love you tomorrow and the next day and the day after that and I'll love you in a year from now, I'll love you in two years, in five years, in ten years, in twenty years, in fifty years, if I live to be that old and I promise you that my last words on my death bed will be: Yelina, I love -"
Before I can finish, her lips are against mine. Those lovely curls beg for me so I slip my hands in her hair and I lose it. Barely able to control myself, because she's all over me, I have to put a stop to this. Pulling back, I gently kiss her upper lip and say, "I suppose that's a yes."
She gives me an odd look.
I explain, "For dinner."
She smiles and nods, "Just let me call the sitter."