A buzzing sound filtered into Teresa's awareness as she slowly regained her senses following the earth-shattering climax she'd just experienced. Jane lay half atop her, breathing heavily against her neck as he recovered from his own. The buzzing persisted and he rolled to his back with a groan, flinging his arm out to search on the nightstand for his phone.
"It's on the dresser." She said, pulling the sheet over her and stretching languorously.
"Oh, for pity's sake." He grumbled, rising to fetch the offending device. He checked the caller display and took a deep, steadying breath. "Hey Abbott, great timing…." He sighed, listening. "No, not at all, what's up?"
Teresa propped herself up, watching him admiringly as he sauntered back towards her in all his naked glory. He sat beside her, a knowing expression on his face. "Err…just a moment Abbott." He held the phone away and leaned in to give her a fervent kiss. He pulled away with a heart-stopping smile and brought the phone back to his ear. "Sorry Abbott, you were saying?"
She took his hand, toying with his fingers and stroking his arm as he sat quietly, listening to whatever Abbott was telling him. "How far away is that?...Oh, no, just curious…..I can be there in an hour…OK, see you then."
"You caught a case?"
"Ahh… yes. Duty calls I'm afraid." He stood up, running a hand through his hair. "I'd better take a shower. If you've quite finished ogling me that is?"
"Hardly." She knelt up, the sheet falling away from her as she put her arms around him and drew his head down for another heated kiss. "Better make that a cold shower." She said smugly as she slipped out of his grasp. She plucked her robe from the back of the door as he groaned. "I'll make you some tea." She headed downstairs, grinning, enjoying having the upper hand for a change.
She heard Jane's jaunty tread on the stairs and poured him a cup of hot tea, holding it out for him as he entered the kitchen.
"Mmm, thank you." He said, raising the cup to his lips.
"So where are you headed?" she asked picking up her coffee.
"Waco. Are you sure you don't want to come along? It won't be the same without you Lisbon."
"Um, tempting, but I'll pass. I've got plenty here to keep me busy." She watched him suspiciously, his eyes seemed particularly twinkly, a sure sign he was up to something. "Do you want some breakfast?"
He finished his tea and placed the cup in the sink. "No time I'm afraid. I have to go, but I will call you…" he kissed her briefly "later."
"Play nice with the other kids."
"Where's the fun in that?" He quipped as he headed out the door.
Teresa finished her coffee and headed upstairs to shower and change before starting on the rest of her unpacking. Her phone beeped and she picked it up to see a message from Jane.
Have a lovely day. Booking confirmation to a very swanky spa followed. So, that's what he'd been up to. It had been a pretty stressful few days, a bit of pampering wouldn't hurt. She supposed the unpacking could wait a little longer.
She tapped out a quick reply. You're spoiling me. Thank you
My pleasure
He'd been so solicitous these last few days, she really hoped he wasn't doing it out of guilt. He had nothing to make up for as far as she was concerned, she'd already forgiven him for everything, when had she ever been able to stay angry with him for long? He was her Achilles heel, always had been.
She shook her head, the start to her morning had been so wonderful, she simply refused to dwell on anything other than how happy he was making her. So, she showered and changed, and took off to enjoy the day he'd arranged for her.
Teresa felt gloriously stress free as she relaxed at a table in the spa's poolside restaurant, enjoying a late lunch. She'd been pampered, polished, and massaged into a state of bliss. She felt positively serene. Her phone buzzed and she picked it up, a dopey grin on her face when she saw who it was.
"Hi."
"Hello Lisbon."
"How's it going down there? How's the case?"
"Oh, you know… murdery. Where are you?"
"I'm still at the spa, just having some lunch."
"I hope you enjoyed your morning."
"I did, I feel amazing. Thank you."
"You don't need to keep thanking me Teresa, I told you, it makes me happy to make you happy."
"Are you sure that's all it is? You're not trying to make up for something that doesn't need making up for? Because there isn't. Anything for you to make up for I mean."
Jane chuckled "No Teresa, I'm not. I just want to look after you, is that so bad?" he asked softly.
"Well… no… as long as you're sure?"
"I'm sure." Jane said firmly. "Now. Tell me." His voice dropped suggestively. "What are you wearing?"
Teresa snorted. "Jane, I'm in the middle of a restaurant, what do you think I'm wearing?"
"Good point. What colour is your underwear then?" She could feel the grin in his voice.
"Who says I'm wearing any?" she asked pertly.
"I'm shocked Lisbon." He chuckled. "What would M… oh, hang on a minute. What is it Cho?" The line went quiet for a moment. "I'm sorry Teresa, I have to go. I'll call you later."
He hung up before she could even say goodbye. It was a bit disconcerting being out of the loop. With a sigh, she finished her salad and tried to regain her inner peace.
The stack of boxes sat taunting her when she got home, she ignored them and went upstairs to run herself a bath. She lit a candle and checked the water before she climbed in, sliding beneath the surface with a sigh, eyes closed in pleasure as warmth enveloped her. She wished Jane were here. She missed him. It was ridiculous, he'd only been gone for a few hours. He'd been gone for two years and she'd missed him every day, but this was different, they were different, love had changed everything.
She hadn't said the words, but he knew, he always knew, what she was thinking, what she was feeling. The words were in her eyes, in her heart, in her constant need to touch him, to brush against him as they walked, hold his hand, run her fingers through his hair, and lots of other things that didn't bare thinking about when he wasn't there to indulge her. She rubbed her hands over her face with a groan, she was turning into a sex crazed lunatic. It was going to be a long night.
She threw on a T-shirt and some shorts and settled down on the couch to while away some time watching TV. She put on what she thought was a nice, friendly rom com but what turned out to be a sometimes funny but completely heart wrenching tale of friendship, love, and loss, that left her bawling her eyes out. Of course, Jane chose that exact moment to call her again.
She sobbed into the phone, managing to croak "Hi"
"Teresa what's wrong? What's happened?" she couldn't miss the anxiety in his voice.
"Nothing's wrong, I promise." She said brokenly. "I was just watching a really sad movie." She blew her nose into a tissue and sniffed.
"A movie?" He swore profusely. "A movie?" then started laughing.
"Hey! Don't laugh at me. It was really sad." She wiped her eyes and drew in a shuddering breath.
"I'm sorry. I'm not laughing at you, not much anyway. You nearly gave me a heart attack Teresa, I thought something terrible had happened."
"Sorry." She sniffed again. "How's the case going? Have you figured it out yet?"
"Meh, pretty much. I'll tell you all about it tomorrow. There are a few things to tie up here before we head back."
"Are you going to come by the house?"
"It'll be pretty late when we get in, I'll just go to the airstream. Get some sleep and I'll come over first thing in the morning."
"Oh, OK." Her disappointment was clear.
"I have to go. I missed you today Lisbon." He said softly
"I missed you too."
She wasn't going to feel sorry for herself. She put on some music and made herself a sandwich, eyeing the boxes with a sigh. She guessed the unpacking had waited long enough.
