"Just a…just have a seat, Brigatti," Hobson said as he opened the door to his loft and motioned towards the sofa.
Toni stepped into the room, but hesitated. "It might be easier if we sat at the table. There are several papers that need to be filled out."
Hobson scratched the back of his head. "Uh, yeah, that's fine. I just need to... need to change the bandage." He nodded towards the bathroom.
"Oh! Okay, um," Toni rummaged around in her purse, pulling out a small camera "I have to get a picture of the wound so don't re-bandage it yet."
Hobson's eyes widened as he looked at the camera. "A picture? It's... it's kind of nasty looking."
Toni smiled. "Don't worry, Hobson. I've seen a lot worse."
Hobson's eyes met hers. "Right. Well, I'll just be a sec."
Toni sat on the sofa and put a fresh roll of film in the camera. Picking up the file folder from the coffee table, she perused the partial report; trying to picture in her head what had happened.
Why had she volunteered to do this? From past experience, she knew that Hobson would have vague answers when questioned. Of course, this was a dog bite and Hobson didn't own any dogs, so Toni was pretty sure there was no way Hobson could have had any type of negative involvement in the attack. Not that she really thought he might, but she was so tired of hearing the accusations from others on the police force. Couldn't they see what she saw? A guy who, somehow, seemed to find ways to help others. Setting the camera down on the table, she folded her arms and sat back. She thought about the conversations that she had overheard downstairs. She had only heard bits and pieces, to be sure, but she had heard enough to fill in a few pieces of the puzzle that was Gary Hobson.
The bathroom door opened and the subject of her thoughts stepped into the room dabbing at his left arm with a washcloth.
Toni glanced down at the wounded arm and did a double take. "Whoa, Hobson! You're not kidding. That does look pretty nasty." She grimaced and motioned him to come closer. His arm appeared swollen and badly bruised. Several bloody cuts and a couple of gouges and puncture marks wrapped around his forearm from the inside around almost to his elbow. Taking a deep breath, she said, "Here, let's go over by the lamp so there's more light."
"What do you need pictures for?" Hobson walked over to the lamp and stood with his arm out, turning it slightly to get it into the light better. He traced one of the cuts with his finger, wincing.
"Honestly, I don't know for sure, since it's not my area. I imagine it'll go in the file and if this particular dog ever bites someone again, then it would probably be destroyed since this bite is more than a little nip."
"Why are you doing the follow up anyway?"
Toni snapped a few pictures of the wounds, stalling while she thought of a good reason why she was doing this. "Why? Ya got a problem with me helping out a fellow officer?"
Hobson looked up from his arm, one eyebrow raised. "Is that all you're doing? Helping out a co-worker, Brigatti?"
Toni lowered the camera and fumbled with the settings. "Sure," she shrugged. "That, and since you're a friend and all, I figured I could come to you and save you a trip to the station in the morning."
Hobson took a few steps forward, stopping only a couple of feet in front of Toni and said softly, "Are we friends, Brigatti?"
Her hands stilled on the camera and she could feel her heart hammering. Tossing her head, she looked up at him briefly before striding over to the sofa to put the camera away, throwing her reply over her shoulder as she went. "Well, of course we are, Hobson. You and I have been through a lot together."
After a long pause, she heard him mutter something about "to hell and back" and then his footsteps retreated to the bathroom. After a few minutes, she heard cabinets opening and shutting and a couple of bitten off curses. She winced at a loud thump followed by one especially strong expletive.
Tentatively, she moved over to the bathroom door and knocked. "Uh, Hobson? You need some help or something?"
She stepped back in surprise when the door flew open.
"If we're friends, how come you never call me Gary? It's always Hobson this and Hobson that." He stood in the doorway, eyes narrowed and gauze sloppily wrapped around his left forearm, the roll in his right hand. Transferring the gauze to his left hand, he brushed by her; headed into the kitchen where he began opening drawers and cabinets, rummaging around for a few seconds then slamming them shut.
Toni trailed after him and leaned against the fridge, crossing her arms. "You never call me by my first name either, Hobson."
Hobson paused mid-rummage and looked up. "Yeah, well, I think it's about time I did, Toni." With a final slam, he ducked his head and swiped his forehead on his shoulder, then sighed. "Dammit!"
Toni frowned, then straightening, she said, "What are you looking for? Maybe I can help." She noticed a thin sheen of perspiration on his forehead and he looked a little flushed.
"I just…I can't find any tape! I forgot to buy some and this stupid gauze is about a mile long and I can't find my scissors either and I…"
"Whoa! Slow down…Gary." Ignoring the look of surprise on his face, she took him by the arm and led him to the sofa. "Sit down. I'll find something to cut the gauze and then just tie it, okay?"
It didn't take Toni long to find a sharp knife and return to the couch. Setting the knife down on the coffee table, she reached for Gary's injured arm. "I think I'll just start all over," she said, as she unwound the bandage that Gary had applied earlier.
Gary nodded. "So, it's Gary now?" His voice was low and Toni was close enough to smell his aftershave. The scent was clean with a hint of spice.
"Sure, why not? I just get so used to calling everyone by their last name, it sometimes doesn't occur to me to use their first." Toni carefully laid the gauze on his arm and Gary held it in place while she wrapped it. "At the station, it's just easier to use last names. There's so many Mikes and Bills that it can get confusing otherwise."
Toni risked a glance at his face; trying not to think about the other time they had been in a similar situation. The time she had almost fallen to her death from the top of the building. Gary had sustained a mild scrape on the inside of his wrist. She wondered if Gary remembered it and what had almost happened.
"Yeah. I guess it could get confusing."
Toni quickly looked back up to see if he was being sarcastic and felt her hair brush his face. His expression was anything but sarcastic. His eyes appeared darker, more intense and focused on her lips. Flustered, Toni fumbled for the knife to cut the gauze and realized she probably should have cut it before wrapping his arm. Carefully sawing through the material, she tied the ends together then lightly patted the bandage, her hand lingering for a second. "There you go, Hobs…er…Gary."
She started to draw her hand back, but Gary captured it with his good hand. "Thanks, Toni."
She stood and darted a fleeting look at Gary's eyes. She wasn't sure if he was thanking her for the little bit of first aid she had rendered or for calling him by his first name. "You're welcome." She tucked an errant lock of hair behind her ear as she ducked her head. The strands came loose almost immediately but before she could tend to them, Gary stood and gently placed them back behind her ear.
She shivered.
His hand lingered, barely grazing her jaw as his other hand performed the same service on the opposite side of her head.
Feeling his fingers slide under her hair and slip towards the back of her head, Toni couldn't help letting her head fall back. Gary's thumbs lightly traced her jaw-line. Toni sighed, closing her eyes before slowly opening them to meet Gary's heated gaze; his face only inches from her own.
"I'm not expecting any phone calls," he whispered.
He did remember! Licking her lips, she shook her head. "Me neither." She wondered if that even made sense, but didn't really care as he lowered his mouth to hers. She let her eyes slide shut, then felt a feather light kiss on the corner of her mouth. Turning, she opened her mouth slightly. He smelled of soap and aftershave and some unnamed scent that she thought should be bottled if it wasn't already.
Gary dropped his right arm down to her back; his other hand still buried in Toni's hair and pulled her closer. Toni's hands rose to rest on his chest; his shirt felt soft and warm beneath her palms. His lips gently explored hers, the kiss deepening.
Toni knew she should stop this, but her body had other ideas. As if of their own accord, her hands moved up to wrap around Gary's neck, her fingers feathering the soft hair at the nape. A thrill shot through her when she felt a shudder ripple through Gary's body.
His hand traced delicious circles up and down her back, pulling her closer. Tentatively, his tongue probed and she responded with an inquiry of her own. Her breathing quickened.
Gary withdrew his mouth, but remained in the embrace, his forehead resting against her hairline, his breathing rapid. He drew his hands forward to cup her face. "Wow."
She felt his breath whisper through her hair. "Yeah. That wasn't half-bad, Hobson." She meant for it come out light-hearted, but her tone was harder than she intended.
Gary pulled back a puzzled look on his face, his arms dropping to drape on her shoulders. When Toni attempted to avoid his gaze, he bent his knees so that his head was below hers and looked up into her face. "Toni?"
Toni ducked under his arms and turned away, her emotions in turmoil. Her lips still tingled and she raised one hand and fingered them lightly. Wonderingly. The back of her head still felt the phantom heat and pressure from Gary's hand. The kiss had been incredible. That terrified her.
Taking a deep breath, she turned back and pasted a smile on her face then pointed to the forgotten report forms still laying on the coffee table. "I guess I should finish that report. It shouldn't take too much longer."
Gary looked blankly at the forms then back to Toni. A look of disbelief swept over his face when if finally registered that the moment was over. "What? Toni? Did…did I do something, wrong? I, uh, I thought…well, it seemed like, well, like you wanted the kiss too." Disbelief had been replaced by frustration and confusion. "I don't get it, Brigatti! You run hot then cold, then hot again and I don't know if it's something I say or…or do that drives you away." He swept a hand through his hair, and then took a step closer, his hands reaching towards her. "You feel it too. I know you do. We've had a..a connection or chemistry or whatever you want to call it since the first time we met. Don't deny it."
Toni knew what he said was true. She couldn't tell him why she pulled back because even she didn't know what made her do it. Toni turned away, trying not to see the hurt in Gary's eyes, and slumped down on the sofa, burying her face in her hands, elbows propped on her knees. "I'm sorry, Hobson."
She felt the cushion sink as he sat down beside her. "Could you at least call me Gary while you stomp on my ego?"
She could hear the forced lightness in his voice as he tried to take the sting out of the words. His pain still seeped through though and she felt her insides twist. "Okay. I'm sorry, Gary."
"That's it? No explanation?" There was a slight pause. "Do I stink? Do I have bad breath?"
She heard him exhale into his hand and then sniff. Toni snorted, unable to stop the smile that came to her lips. She raised her head a little; resting her chin on her clasped hands and slanted a glance at Gary. "No, Gary. You don't stink. You smell…good." God, did he smell good! "It's just, well, there are things about me you don't know."
