Title: When the Heat is On Chapter (10/?)
Rating: PG-13
Author: Angela Penfold
Email: AngelaPRPi@aol.com
Disclaimer: Characters aren't mine, no profit made in writing about them.
Laying a hand at the nape of her neck Kim tried to massage some of the tension away from her muscles. Tonight the shift seemed to have gone on forever, case after case, run after run packed into the eight hours. Most had been tedious, no action to draw her mind off of the effect of being confined in the rig with Bobby for so long. The heat seemed to exacerbate every touch, every movement, and every word of conversation until the air around them crackled with energy. There didn't look like there'd be any break in the heat any time soon but she had to break this atmosphere surrounding them, she had to take a step in that direction with Bobby before the attraction to him drove her insane.
Footsteps sounded on the stairs above her, echoing down into the garage where she stood. Bobby's long legs emerged first, then the rest of his solid frame. A smile appeared as he spotted her hanging around by the doors. "You waiting for me?" he asked, raising a brow. "Can drop you home if you want a lift."
"Not going straight home," Kim said, shrugging. She slid her hands into the pockets of her pants. She hadn't felt this nervous about asking a guy out since she was sixteen. "My mom's got Joey for the night. Figured I'd take the chance to go out for a few drinks while I could."
"And you want me to come?" Bobby asked. He paused next to her, glad to feel a gentle breeze, it'd been way too hot all day.
Nerves fluttered in Kim's stomach. In recent months their friendship had deepened, settling to the level it'd been at before the shooting. Would acting on the attraction now destroy it all again? She wasn't sure she could handle losing it all. Drawing in a deep breath Kim made her decision, she had to try or the awkwardness that would emerge would destroy it all anyway. "Yeah. It'd kinda make up for the barbecue we never got to finish."
He nodded slowly, the smile again tugging at his lips. "Sure. I could do with a drink, time to unwind." Alcohol would burn the memories from his mind, maybe help him sleep tonight. Work, the heat wave, the drama of what had happened to Jimmy had all combined lately to keep his mind racing into the early hours. He'd lain awake half the night, images he'd wanted to forget running over and over again in his brain. Lifting a hand as he stepped back towards his car, Bobby ran his fingers over his chest, feeling the raised scars beneath the thin cotton of his shirt. Tonight he needed to wipe his mind clean and for a little while forget.
Relief slid through Kim in a long wave. He'd agreed more easily than she'd thought he would. Smiling she followed Bobby down the sidewalk, they were taking the first step to calming the storm that was building between them.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The interior of the bar was dark and cool, far quieter than the bustle of the streets outside. It was the perfect place to spend a hot summer night. About thirty people seemed to have had the same idea she had, retreating inside to beat the heat with some cold booze. Bobby slid into a booth at the back, just metres away from a tiny dance floor. It was more private back there, a better setting for what she'd have to do, have to say.
Still feeling the nervous tremors in her stomach Kim slipped into the booth. When things had come to this point before she'd handled it wrongly. He'd been hurt so badly by her rash behaviour and she'd almost lost one of the most important things in her life.
"Beer?"
Kim blinked in confusion as Bobby's voice cut through her train of thought. "What?"
He grinned, the gesture changing the quiver in her stomach from one of anxiety to one of pleasure, desire. The day he'd been shot had made her face up to so many things, the feeling of loss as his life had hung in the balance had been unbearable. Maybe it'd always been their destiny that they should end up together, she didn't know. All she was certain of was that this time she wouldn't let self-doubt ruin what could be beautiful.
"Do you want a beer?" Bobby repeated.
"Ah, sure," Kim murmured, almost sure she was blushing. Casting a glance in the direction of the bar, she watched an approaching waitress. "Might have to try one of their cocktails later, heard from Alex that the Golden Bull's Eye's meant to be pretty lethal."
Snorting softly Bobby turned to the waitress, simply giving their order before turning back to Kim. The woman seemed a little displeased by the curt behaviour but she scrawled their order on her note pad before moving back to the bar.
Bobby relaxed back in the booth, one arm stretching out on the headrest behind him. His body shifted slightly to the beat of the music flowing from the jukebox in the corner. His dark eyes were still though, focused on Kim. It was almost as though he could sense that there was something building between them tonight. "You see Jimmy this morning?"
Small talk, that was definitely something she could handle for now. Kim wrapped her fingers tightly around the neck of the beer bottle as soon as it was set down on the table in front of her. "Yeah," Kim said, smiling as she lifted the bottle to her lips. "Think he's looking forward to getting out of there. A week in bed's driven him stir crazy. He even seemed to be looking forward to that investigator going to see him."
A wry grin tugged at Bobby's lips. "Can tell he's feeling better when he starts hitting on unsuspecting women."
A few months ago, heck even a few weeks ago the offhand comment would've cut her deeply but she'd done so much thinking lately, done some growing. Being with Jimmy was easy for her, neither of them had any expectations. As Bobby had told her once it was easier for her to be with Jimmy than to work at a real relationship. Trouble was that wasn't enough anymore, she didn't want easy. Sleeping with Jimmy no longer eased that hollow feeling in her heart, Bobby did. She couldn't ignore that fact anymore.
Kim stood, keeping her beer bottle held tightly in her palm while she slid out of the booth. "Come on," she said softly, nodding towards the dance floor.
Bobby's dark brows rose, his eyes following the direction of her gesture. She wanted him to dance. Growling playfully Bobby grabbed his beer and followed her out into the middle of the wooden floor. "I don't normally do this," Bobby muttered.
"But for me anything." Smiling, Kim slid her arms around Bobby's neck.
Two other couples were already moving around the enclosed space, the gentle beat of Lisa Loeb's 'Stay' keeping all movements slow. Bobby's arms closed around her waist, drawing Kim against his body. He could definitely feel the mood surrounding them now; the softening of his dark eyes to a shade that rivalled melted chocolate was a sure sign of that knowledge. The contact between them was arousing, had heat sliding low in Kim's belly, had Bobby swallowing hard. "Kim," he whispered hoarsely, fear stealing his voice away. They'd been in this situation before and he'd been hurt, his heart shattered.
A soft smile graced Kim's lips, her empty hand coming down to cradle his cheek. She could feel the day's growth of stubble against her palm and it made her pulse race. "It's OK," Kim said softly. "This time I'm sure, Bobby. I want this." With him so close the need was eating her alive. "Please."
For a moment she thought he'd pull back, hesitation keeping him rooted in place, then he moved and relief practically bought tears to her eyes. Bobby drew her tighter against him and lowered his head, his lips capturing hers in a kiss they both craved with every cell of their bodies. If this was what she had to look forward to forever she would take it greedily with both hands and never let go.
Rating: PG-13
Author: Angela Penfold
Email: AngelaPRPi@aol.com
Disclaimer: Characters aren't mine, no profit made in writing about them.
Laying a hand at the nape of her neck Kim tried to massage some of the tension away from her muscles. Tonight the shift seemed to have gone on forever, case after case, run after run packed into the eight hours. Most had been tedious, no action to draw her mind off of the effect of being confined in the rig with Bobby for so long. The heat seemed to exacerbate every touch, every movement, and every word of conversation until the air around them crackled with energy. There didn't look like there'd be any break in the heat any time soon but she had to break this atmosphere surrounding them, she had to take a step in that direction with Bobby before the attraction to him drove her insane.
Footsteps sounded on the stairs above her, echoing down into the garage where she stood. Bobby's long legs emerged first, then the rest of his solid frame. A smile appeared as he spotted her hanging around by the doors. "You waiting for me?" he asked, raising a brow. "Can drop you home if you want a lift."
"Not going straight home," Kim said, shrugging. She slid her hands into the pockets of her pants. She hadn't felt this nervous about asking a guy out since she was sixteen. "My mom's got Joey for the night. Figured I'd take the chance to go out for a few drinks while I could."
"And you want me to come?" Bobby asked. He paused next to her, glad to feel a gentle breeze, it'd been way too hot all day.
Nerves fluttered in Kim's stomach. In recent months their friendship had deepened, settling to the level it'd been at before the shooting. Would acting on the attraction now destroy it all again? She wasn't sure she could handle losing it all. Drawing in a deep breath Kim made her decision, she had to try or the awkwardness that would emerge would destroy it all anyway. "Yeah. It'd kinda make up for the barbecue we never got to finish."
He nodded slowly, the smile again tugging at his lips. "Sure. I could do with a drink, time to unwind." Alcohol would burn the memories from his mind, maybe help him sleep tonight. Work, the heat wave, the drama of what had happened to Jimmy had all combined lately to keep his mind racing into the early hours. He'd lain awake half the night, images he'd wanted to forget running over and over again in his brain. Lifting a hand as he stepped back towards his car, Bobby ran his fingers over his chest, feeling the raised scars beneath the thin cotton of his shirt. Tonight he needed to wipe his mind clean and for a little while forget.
Relief slid through Kim in a long wave. He'd agreed more easily than she'd thought he would. Smiling she followed Bobby down the sidewalk, they were taking the first step to calming the storm that was building between them.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The interior of the bar was dark and cool, far quieter than the bustle of the streets outside. It was the perfect place to spend a hot summer night. About thirty people seemed to have had the same idea she had, retreating inside to beat the heat with some cold booze. Bobby slid into a booth at the back, just metres away from a tiny dance floor. It was more private back there, a better setting for what she'd have to do, have to say.
Still feeling the nervous tremors in her stomach Kim slipped into the booth. When things had come to this point before she'd handled it wrongly. He'd been hurt so badly by her rash behaviour and she'd almost lost one of the most important things in her life.
"Beer?"
Kim blinked in confusion as Bobby's voice cut through her train of thought. "What?"
He grinned, the gesture changing the quiver in her stomach from one of anxiety to one of pleasure, desire. The day he'd been shot had made her face up to so many things, the feeling of loss as his life had hung in the balance had been unbearable. Maybe it'd always been their destiny that they should end up together, she didn't know. All she was certain of was that this time she wouldn't let self-doubt ruin what could be beautiful.
"Do you want a beer?" Bobby repeated.
"Ah, sure," Kim murmured, almost sure she was blushing. Casting a glance in the direction of the bar, she watched an approaching waitress. "Might have to try one of their cocktails later, heard from Alex that the Golden Bull's Eye's meant to be pretty lethal."
Snorting softly Bobby turned to the waitress, simply giving their order before turning back to Kim. The woman seemed a little displeased by the curt behaviour but she scrawled their order on her note pad before moving back to the bar.
Bobby relaxed back in the booth, one arm stretching out on the headrest behind him. His body shifted slightly to the beat of the music flowing from the jukebox in the corner. His dark eyes were still though, focused on Kim. It was almost as though he could sense that there was something building between them tonight. "You see Jimmy this morning?"
Small talk, that was definitely something she could handle for now. Kim wrapped her fingers tightly around the neck of the beer bottle as soon as it was set down on the table in front of her. "Yeah," Kim said, smiling as she lifted the bottle to her lips. "Think he's looking forward to getting out of there. A week in bed's driven him stir crazy. He even seemed to be looking forward to that investigator going to see him."
A wry grin tugged at Bobby's lips. "Can tell he's feeling better when he starts hitting on unsuspecting women."
A few months ago, heck even a few weeks ago the offhand comment would've cut her deeply but she'd done so much thinking lately, done some growing. Being with Jimmy was easy for her, neither of them had any expectations. As Bobby had told her once it was easier for her to be with Jimmy than to work at a real relationship. Trouble was that wasn't enough anymore, she didn't want easy. Sleeping with Jimmy no longer eased that hollow feeling in her heart, Bobby did. She couldn't ignore that fact anymore.
Kim stood, keeping her beer bottle held tightly in her palm while she slid out of the booth. "Come on," she said softly, nodding towards the dance floor.
Bobby's dark brows rose, his eyes following the direction of her gesture. She wanted him to dance. Growling playfully Bobby grabbed his beer and followed her out into the middle of the wooden floor. "I don't normally do this," Bobby muttered.
"But for me anything." Smiling, Kim slid her arms around Bobby's neck.
Two other couples were already moving around the enclosed space, the gentle beat of Lisa Loeb's 'Stay' keeping all movements slow. Bobby's arms closed around her waist, drawing Kim against his body. He could definitely feel the mood surrounding them now; the softening of his dark eyes to a shade that rivalled melted chocolate was a sure sign of that knowledge. The contact between them was arousing, had heat sliding low in Kim's belly, had Bobby swallowing hard. "Kim," he whispered hoarsely, fear stealing his voice away. They'd been in this situation before and he'd been hurt, his heart shattered.
A soft smile graced Kim's lips, her empty hand coming down to cradle his cheek. She could feel the day's growth of stubble against her palm and it made her pulse race. "It's OK," Kim said softly. "This time I'm sure, Bobby. I want this." With him so close the need was eating her alive. "Please."
For a moment she thought he'd pull back, hesitation keeping him rooted in place, then he moved and relief practically bought tears to her eyes. Bobby drew her tighter against him and lowered his head, his lips capturing hers in a kiss they both craved with every cell of their bodies. If this was what she had to look forward to forever she would take it greedily with both hands and never let go.