It was close to two a.m. when they finished organising everything for the next morning. The air in Miami was colder and moist, warning the city for rain. Eric looked up at the indigo sky to see faint clouds on the horizon. Even at two o'clock in the morning, the city was rumbling to wake.
As Eric, Ryan and Calleigh were leaving the lab, Ryan yawned loudly.
"What time did Horatio say he wanted us back?" Ryan asked, tiredly.
"Eight a.m.," Calleigh replied with the same lack of energy. She rolled her head back and let out a long breath. "I need some sleep."
"I'll drive us back to your place," Eric said calmly and Calleigh's eyes widened and her face went blank. Eric glanced at Ryan over Calleigh's shoulder, who was watching them intrigued. "To get my car."
Calleigh smiled and nodded. "Right! Your car! Because you left it down the street from my apartment!"
Eric couldn't hide his amused smile. "Right."
Ryan put his hand on Calleigh's back lightly. "Good night, you guys."
Calleigh smiled up at him and watched him walk to his car. "Bye."
On the drive back to Calleigh's it wasn't long before she had fallen asleep in the passenger seat. The roads would be quiet for another hour or so for the night club crowd to get out onto the road. It only took twenty minutes to arrive, a drive he noted was much easier without the Miami congestion. Pulling into her parking space behind the building, Eric felt guilty for waking her. She looked so innocent and relaxed.
Eric brushed an errant hair back from her face. "Calleigh?"
Calleigh stirred, her green eyes opening slightly and smiling at him. "Where are we?"
"We're at your place," Eric said.
Calleigh didn't change her curled up position. "Are you going to stay?" she asked softly.
Eric nodded. "If you want me to."
Calleigh looked concerned. "You have to carry me. I'm too exhausted to walk."
Eric smiled and turned off the car. He picked up his bag from the trunk and walked around the car to get her. Calleigh extended her arms and Eric lifted her with ease into a fireman's carry.
It wasn't difficult for Eric to manoeuvre around her apartment with her in his arms. Eric took her shoes off and his at the door and walked down the hall quietly, hoping not to wake her.
As he laid her on the bed, Eric put his backpack on the chair and unloaded some clothes for tomorrow morning so he would look presentable at the scene.
"Eric," Calleigh called softly and Eric sat on the bed next to her. "We're back at my apartment."
Eric smiled. "Yes we are."
"I'm glad," she sighed and swung her legs over the bed.
Eric watched her walk into the bathroom and from his spot on the bed, he could see her brush her teeth and wash her face. Shedding her clothes and placing them in the hamper, she pulled on a pair of men's' pyjamas.
Eric couldn't help but watch. It was hard not to feel entranced as this woman who had it all together, sloppily fell into bed.
"Eric stop staring and come to bed," Calleigh said as she pulled back the covers. Eric got off the bed and brushed his teeth, shed his clothes and climbed into bed next to her, wearing his boxers.
Calleigh reached for him and pulled his arms around her, feeling safe. It was funny to think if they hadn't decided to finally honour Tim, they would have never been in this position and Calleigh chuckled softly.
Eric kissed the top of her head. "What is it?"
Calleigh sighed. "I was thinking about Tim and the irony of all of this."
"What do you mean?" he asked, rubbing his hands up and down her back gently.
"We went on the intent to be honouring him and we had a really good time. We were remembering something really bad and I think we got too drunk," she said, turning around to face Eric. She slid closer to him on the bed and put her hand on his hip. "But I'm glad we did. He would have wanted us to move on."
Eric was silent for a moment. "I think so too."
"I wonder sometimes what our lives would be like if he was still with us," Calleigh mused. "How different the lab would be."
"You wouldn't have Ryan following you around all the time," Eric noted dryly and Calleigh swatted his arm playfully. "I'm just saying that guy has had eyes for you since he worked on your dad's case."
Calleigh kissed Eric's lips. "You're jealous."
Eric feigned a look of offence. "No."
Calleigh kissed him again. "I think it's cute."
"I'm not," Eric repeated.
Calleigh smiled. "Eric..."
Eric sighed in frustration. "Of course I am! I see the way guys look at you. I see the guys ask you out. It's not easy when one of them is your co-worker."
"You're my co-worker," Calleigh reminded him. "You're my best friend."
Eric ran his finger down the collar of her shirt and kneaded her chest. "I'm more than your co-worker. And I don't want to be just your friend anymore. Take a chance with me on this."
Calleigh kissed him again, deepening the kiss and pulling him on top of her. "I'm taking a big chance."
Eric looked down at their pelvis' pressing into one another and her legs wrap around his waist. Looking into her eyes he saw the look from the night before. "Miss Duquesne, are you trying to seduce me?"
Calleigh laughed and he pressed his arousal harder into her and she gasped. "Eric..."
"You're not playing fair," Eric said, low and kissed her deeply.
It was all he could do not to kiss her forever. Her soft tongue against his, the way she moaned when he moved his hand from her hip up to her breast and the way her body fit so perfectly with his.
Calleigh played with the hair on the back of his neck. "Eric... What if Horatio found out? Would you care if Alexx knew? What if every woman in Miami wanted you? Would it be enough to be with me?"
"Calleigh, do you want me here?" he asked her and Calleigh nodded. "I couldn't just sleep with you and never want to touch you again."
Calleigh kissed him and blinked her eyes slowly. Eric wanted nothing more than to make love softly to her until they fell asleep but knew if they were tired at work tomorrow it would be his fault. Once was never enough with her.
Eric left a trail of kisses down her chin to her neck and bit her, harder than he had before. She let out a cry of pleasure and surprise. He unbuttoned her shirt and began to bite and lick her. It wasn't enough for him and he began taking her pants off.
Calleigh couldn't believe he was doing this again. Part of her wanted to tackle him to the bed and have her way with him but the sensible part of her brain wanted to sleep so she wouldn't have to explain to Horatio why she was falling asleep at a crime scene.
Eric was placing kisses across her pelvis, at the hemline of her panties. She sucked her breath in anticipation as Eric pulled her panties off.
"Eric..."
"You said later," he justified.
Eric looked at her in the eye as manoeuvred himself to be eye level with her. He kissed her deeply and he settled himself between her thighs.
Calleigh could feel him through his boxers and she could feel her anticipation growing. He touched her between her legs and she gasped and moaned as his large fingers brought her to orgasm.
"I want you," he said huskily and took his boxers off with one hand.
Calleigh reached for the night stand and pulled out a condom. It didn't take her one second to put it on before Eric was inside her.
"Oh God," she moaned as he made love to her gently.
She was feeling close to climaxing again, his slow pace relaxing her and exciting her at the same time. Suddenly Calleigh shouted his name and she arched her back, allowing her pleasure to take over.
Eric kissed her again and quickened his pace, allowing him to finish as well. He left the bed to toss away the condom and came back to pull Calleigh into his arms. She had put on her night shirt and underwear again and handed Eric his boxers.
Eric pulled her close, whispering in her ear as she drifted off. "You're making me fall in love with you. And I don't care if the whole city knows it."
