He opened the door to the apartment and stepped inside, glad to be home. He was more than just a little annoyed. Eames kept pushing for more information about Emily and, truth be told, he just didn't know the answers to many of her questions. Some of the others, he wasn't comfortable answering. She'd gotten mad at him, thinking he was hiding something from her, which he assured her he wasn't. Not really. She knew him better than that; he didn't keep things from her. So he'd dropped her off at her apartment and come home.
After a quick dinner and a few beers, he sat down to watch television before bed and his mind got to wandering. Pulling his wallet from his pocket, he took out Emily's card and called her.
"Hello?"
"Hello, counsellor."
Her tone changed noticably. "Well, hello, detective. Are you back home?"
"I am. How are things in Austin?"
"Not bad. Did you work things out with Alex?"
His mind drifted to the journey home, the sometimes torturous teasing, the happy relaxed interactions, and the nights when not a lot of sleeping was done. Luckily, he needed little sleep, and she was able to sleep in the car, to his enjoyment. In spite of their recent argument, he was sure things were okay. "Um, yes. We got it all worked out. It was just a stupid misunderstanding, and the stupid part...well, that was all me."
"Somehow I have trouble seeing you as stupid."
"You just don't know me very well, that's all. Ask Alex."
"I'd love to. Did you tell her...?"
"I don't keep things from her. She knows me too well. Any time I've tried, well, it just doesn't work too well."
She laughed. He still loved the sound. "That's a good thing, though, honesty. You'll get far with that."
"Yeah, well, she thought it was funny that I ran into a woman in the middle of the wilderness. According to her, I have some kind of reputation, at least around our building."
"I can see where that might come about. You have a way about you that's...charming."
He snorted. "Whatever."
"So what are you doing?"
"Just watching some television. You?"
"Getting ready for bed."
He had to ask. He closed his eyes, trying to chase away the images that popped, unbidden, into his mind. "Oh, I...uh..."
"What are you all flustered for? You can't see me."
That just made things worse. "I'm not...I mean, I didn't intend to interrupt..."
"Interrupt what? I'm not doing anything."
This was getting him nowhere fast...nowhere but into trouble. "I'd better let you go. I'm tired and my mind is a little muddled. I-I'll talk to you again. Soon."
"It was good to hear your voice."
"Same here. Good night, counsellor."
"Good night, detective."
He closed the phone and leaned his head back. It was so wrong for him to feel this way...but he did. Just an innocent remark and he got all flustered. What was that about? And why did it lead his mind down a path reminiscent of her soft skin and gentle kisses...?
He opened his phone again and hit speed dial '2'. "Eames."
"Hey."
"Hey yourself."
"Eames, I'm sorry. I...really, I'm not hiding anything. Nothing much happened..."
"Bobby, I know you. I know you very well. There's something about her..."
"Yes, there is. But I promise you, it's nothing...nothing like what I feel for you. There..." He paused, running his hand over his hair. "Dammit, Alex, I love you. I have for a long time. Nothing will change that. Emily is no threat to you. Besides that, she lives 2000 miles away."
Eames was a secure person. She knew that he loved her and she was not the jealous type. But something in his eyes when he talked about Emily made her feel uneasy, and she didn't understand that. She tried hard not to succumb to petty jealousy, but she wasn't at all sure that was what she felt. Bobby had had several girlfriends over the past few years, and she'd never felt like this about them...and she knew he'd slept with most, if not all, of them. He swore he hadn't had sex with Emily, and she believed him--he wasn't a good liar, not to her. But there was something else.
She knew he noticed women; she saw that all the time. He flirted with them, too. Again, not a threat. Sometimes she got annoyed when they would flirt back and he continued the game, but she did that, too, and, after all, it was just a game. But something told her that, with Emily, it was different. "Eames?"
"It's ok, Bobby. I'm fine. I'm sorry I got mad. I know you love me, and I love you, too."
"So...we're okay now?"
"Were we ever not okay?"
"I guess not. I just thought we weren't."
"I still say you're an idiot. Talk to me next time and save yourself a lot of grief."
"I know, Eames. I know. I heard you the first dozen times you told me."
"Don't be an ass, Goren."
He laughed quietly. "See you tomorrow?"
"Yes. I'll come by. Right now I'm going to take a nice shower and go to bed. You'd better get some rest, too. You didn't sleep much on the drive home."
"Now who's fault was that?"
It was her turn to laugh quietly. "Are you complaining, Goren?"
"Not at all. You drive me nuts, Eames."
"I know. Good night, Bobby."
"Good night. I love you."
She liked hearing those words from him, and she knew he meant them. "I love you, too."
He closed the phone. Well, that only made matters worse. He got up, flipped off the television, took a cold shower, and went to bed.
---------------------------------------------
After dinner a few nights later, they were sitting on the couch in his apartment, watching a movie. She was snuggled against him, engrossed in the picture and absently running her fingers through the hair on his chest. She had slid off his tie and unbuttoned his shirt, under mild protest, at the beginning of the movie. He was so distracted he couldn't recount a single scene that played across the television, but he knew every move she'd made.
After the movie, her hands got more adventurous, until the phone rang. He swore, sorely tempted not to answer it. But he grabbed it. "Goren."
"Hi, detective. Busy?"
He smiled. "Hi, counsellor. Um, a little."
"I can call back."
Eames sat up and grinned at him. "Is that your hiking buddy?" He nodded. "Let me say hi."
He shook his head. "It's all right, Emily," he said quietly.
Eames poked him in the stomach. "Come on, Bobby..."
"Cut it out," he whispered.
Emily sounded amused. "Is Alex there?"
"Yes."
"Ah...then I interrupted..."
"It's nothing we can't get back to, I promise."
Eames brought her mouth to his ear. "Let me say hello..."
He caught his breath when she nipped his earlobe. "Eames!"
"Bobby? Let me say hello to Alex."
"I don't think that's a good idea..."
"Oh, come on. Please."
He bit his lip and looked at his partner, who was kneeling beside him. "Come on, Bobby. Let me say hi to her."
Against his better judgment, but totally unable to resist both of them, he handed Eames the phone. "Hello? Emily?"
"Alex...it's nice to talk to you. I heard a lot about you."
"Same here."
With a quiet groan, Goren got off the couch and went into the kitchen. Taking a beer from the refrigerator, he opened it and leaned over the sink. This was so not a good idea. He heard Eames laugh and he shook his head. Why did he agree...?
She appeared in the kitchen doorway. "He's moping in the kitchen."
His head jerked up. "I am not moping," he protested.
She walked to him and gently tickled his side. "Sure you are. Here he is, Emily. It was nice talking to you. Sure...that's why I gave it to you. Bye."
She handed the phone back to him. "Gave her what?"
Eames just smiled and left the kitchen. He brought the phone to his ear. "What did she give you?"
"Nothing. Just her number."
He groaned again. "I am so screwed," he said softly.
"What makes you say that?"
"You and Eames getting together..." He shook his head. "That's just...bad news for me."
"Bobby, as much as you love her..."
"That has nothing to do with anything."
"Look, I have an early morning. I'm glad you let me talk to her."
"Like I had a choice."
She laughed. "Good night, detective."
He smiled softly. "Good night, counsellor."
He poked his head out of the kitchen and looked at Eames, who had stretched out on the couch. He sighed and drained his beer. "Happy?"
"Very. She's like all your buddies."
He frowned. "She's nothing like my buddies."
"Sure, she is. She's spunky and I like her. She reminds me of Lewis...kind of...perky."
"She's not perky."
"Oh, I don't know...maybe it was because she was talking about you..."
"Eames..." He wasn't sure why she was teasing him, but he certainly preferred that over arguing. Maybe letting her talk to Emily had been a good idea...
"And she's going to come for a visit."
He froze and his brain quit working. "What?"
She smiled. The look on his face was priceless. "She's going to come for a visit."
"When?"
"Next month."
"Who's idea was that?"
"Mine, actually. I want to meet her. She sounds like an interesting person...and she's nice..." She watched carefully to gauge his reaction. "And you are very attracted to her."
A look of horror spread across his face and she knew it was true. "So you invited her for a visit? Eames, what are you doing to me?"
"She was initially hesitant, but I talked her into it. I want to meet the competition."
"Competition?" He shook his head. "I'm not my dad, Eames. I'm not a player. I don't do that."
"Then why are you so upset?"
"I...I'm not upset. I...just..." Why was she doing this? Didn't she believe him that he loved her? Maybe this was her way of showing him she trusted him...
She leaned across the coffee table and grabbed his hand, pulling him back to the couch. Leaning up, she kissed his temple. "I really want to meet her. I think I'll like her. I trust you, Bobby; it'll be okay. Are you saying you don't want to see her again?"
"No. It's just...the two of you getting together makes me...nervous."
She laughed and settled against him, running her hand over his chest again. He groaned softly and pulled her into his arms.
