AN Okay we gotta work on the next chapter, it's almost done though so you shouldn't have to wait too long. The whole Flack/Aiden thing kinda came out of nowhere but it seems to work so we'll go with it. Glad you guys are still enjoying it

"Don't make me kiss you to get over him. And that is an offer."

He had a paper in front of him and was talking to the waitress when Shelby arrived. He looked over at her and smiled. She was still wearing her favorite jeans and an old university sweater, scarily enough he found this sexier than what she had on earlier. What was he doing with this woman anyway?

"Do you want anything?" He asked when she'd sat down.

"Just coffee is fine." The waitress nodded and left.

"So." Shelby said once the waitress had gone. "You're an insomniac?" She couldn't believe she didn't have a clue what to say to him.

"Sometimes. Usually when my mind's going crazy with a case. Plus, Aiden and Flack are interrogating Yates now, so I can't sleep."

"How did you the arrest go?"

"Easy as pie, apparently. Schmoozed Aiden immediately. Not quite sure how they're gonna let him go the way you want. Our evidence is pretty strong."

Shelby smiled, "You know that stunning Latina is more than just a pretty face."

"No argument here, she can hold her own."

"I'm sure she'll think of something."

"What do you know that I don't?"

"Plenty." Shelby leaned on the table, "Is she calling you when it's done?"

He leaned on the table to meet her stare, "Why else do you think I would invite you here?"

She could feel his breath on her skin, she had to move back. "I don't know, to put the moves on me maybe?"

He laughed out of genuine amusement, "You put the moves on me first Shelby, I'd hate to take the reigns from you now."

"What makes you think I have control?" With him sitting there looking all confident and stuff it was making her randy with ideas and driving her nuts cause she couldn't control it.

"Just cause we've slept together twice doesn't mean we're dating." He mimicked her from earlier that evening, "You always have control, don't you? Isn't that why you came on to me at O'Maley's?"

"I already told you why I talked to you that night, don't you remember?"

He smirked, "Cause I'm hot and you were horny, yeah I remember. I also know there were way more attractive guys there, who weren't cops. Randomly picking me. I don't buy it."

She sighed and just gave in, why not tell him? It's not like it was a big deal right? "You walked in and didn't even notice the three women who waved at you. You ordered your drink and just stared at it, you were just so pensive it intrigued me, alright? I just took a stab in the dark that you were a cop."

"Pensive? Me?"

"Yeah, and…" She laughed, "You are hot."

"Pensive and hot huh." He put his fingers to his lips as if in thought. Just then the waitress returned with their coffees and Danny's food.

"How can you eat now?" She asked looking in disgust at the greasy food on his plate.

"I'm not, I'll be right back." He stood, picked up the plate and headed over to a back booth. Shelby watched in fascination as he placed it down in front of an old disheveled man.

The man looked up with a smile, "You trying to make me fat Messer?"

Danny laughed, "You're welcome Pops." When he returned to his seat he regarded Shelby's expression with quiet amusement.

She finally spoke, "Danny Messer, CSI, humanitarian and all around good guy."

As if ignoring her glowing review Danny explained, "Pops and I have a deal, his PO calls me once a week to tell me if he's doing his job, the legitimate one, if he is then I buy him dinner."

"You, sir, are a sweetheart."

"Nah," He said with a laugh, "Just sick of finding his prints and epithelials at crime scenes."

"You're full of shit Messer, you know you miss me," Pops called out.

"I also can't stand that he eavesdrops on my conversations."

"Maybe your beautiful friend would rather speak with me, you've got to be insanely boring."

"Maybe you would like to eat your food and shut up."

"Can't take the competition can you Messer?"

"Not from you Pops."

Shelby bust out laughing, "You're a mystery."

"Keeps you interested doesn't it?"

"More like I couldn't sleep and I really want to know what Aiden says when she calls you."

"Ouch." He clutched his chest, "You wound me."

Before she could retort his phone rang, "Messer…yeah how did it go…seriously…you didn't…she did?" He eyed Shelby who tried to look as innocent as possible. "Perfect…okay…yeah Chad's got the results…I talked to Mac…okay…uh yeah I'll tell her…right…see you later."

"So did it work?"

"You told Aiden to flirt with Yates?"

She couldn't read his expression and from experience took a stab at what he may have meant. "Listen, I needed him to remain cocky and Aiden is a perfectly capable woman who…"

Danny started laughing, "You're corrupting my partner, that's fucking brilliant!"

"You're not pissed?" Why couldn't he just once do what she expected him to do?

"Are you kidding? I wish I could have seen it. Aiden in action, it would have been hilarious."

"I don't get you Danny."

"What's not to get? I'm a workaholic, antisocial, insomniac."

"So…" Shelby leaned forward again, "If you're antisocial why did you keep talking to me at O'Maley's?"

He slowly smiled and took a sip of his coffee, "Cause you're hot and I'm always horny."

Shelby threw her head back and laughed. This is guy was way too much fun to be around.

An hour later Danny was leaning on the door of Shelby's cab with a smile, "Did I mention you kicked ass tonight?"

"Once our twice yeah." She looked up at him, "Are you…" She couldn't bring herself to ask him over, it probably wasn't a good idea, but damn she really wanted to.

"I'm going to go back to the lab and process some more of the evidence with Aiden." He hadn't planned on it, but for some reason he really wanted this woman to know he was interested in more than just sex with her. Although for the life of him he couldn't figure out why he cared. "It's been a pleasure Shelby," He leaned in to kiss her forehead. "Have a good night."

She just stared at him and nodded, with a wink he shut the door and smacked the hood so the cabbie would go. Once her cab turned the corner he hailed a cab of his own. He needed to stop off at his place before he even tried to go back to the lab.

The cold water hit his back like ice pellets. It actually made him groan. He had been fighting the urge to invite himself over to Shelby's the whole night. Every time she laughed, smiled or, mercy, licked the rim of her coffee cup before taking a sip. She just drove him insane. The shower was quick and freezing, but what he needed or he was never getting any work done. When he got to work he went straight to the bag of heroin Shelby had got from Yates and started doing tests on it.
Shelby slipped under the corners with a shiver. The cold water still glistening on her skin, if it works for men she needed to at least give it a try. She sighed, "Sleep damnit."