New York.
An unthinkable maze of concrete towers and brownstone houses.
A place of hopes and dreams in a metropolis setting, stolen from the silver screen in the 40's heyday.
I had arrived here a year ago now, I'm still not used to it. You can take the country girl from the countryside, but you can't take the country from the girl.
I had come here on a single phone-call, full of praise and admiration from the man I now work for.
Then, Danny happened to me.
"Come on" He pulls my hand up the remaining flight of stairs. "We're almost there"
Danny had arranged a surprise, he had been planning for quite a while. He'd mention it in bits and pieces, but nothing concrete. I'd walk in on him, fixated on the computer with pictures of food arrangements, and design sites. I'd hear him talking to Flack, to Hawkes, even Mac, about things like roses and wine choices. I could only guess.
That smirk, that smile. Stirs the excitement within me, awakening the little loud country girl, hidden inside.
Excited resounded in his voice, as he kept saying "Just a few more."
He lets go of my hand, I hear a door open as I feel a gust of the cool night air upon my face.
He grasps my hand again, as he tells me "Step Over"
He leads me further, still I am confused to where I could be. I hear the city echo into my ears. The air, quite fresher than what I've grown accustomed to since moving here.
"Ready Linds?"
"Yeah…better be good"
As darkness came to more darkness, save for the lights emanating from buildings near and far. I find myself on the roof of the empire state building.
Danny had one corner secluded, tea lights and pillar candles adorned every possible corner. Rose petals littered the area strategically, and on the lounge sofa he had set up. Dinner and wine were ready and waiting for us, waiting for us to begin
The blood rushes to my face, as a squee escapes from my lips.
"Danny…How did you?.."
His eyebrows lifted, as his lips pursed together. 'Very cute' I thought.
"I know someone who knows someone's brother, who's wife is married to the friend of this person who told me of this somebody."
"Nobody could se…"
Before I could finish my sentence, he silences me with a kiss to my lips. His electricity immobilizes me, as he wraps me within his body.
"All for you, my country girl"
Little pinpricks travel it's way down my spine, as the blood rushes back to my legs.
Walking over to the table setup, he takes the chair and sits me down. I look at the display on the table before me. Silverware, and Mikasa wine glasses. Hydrangeas and floating candles.
Left speechless, I manage to ask "What's for dinner?"
Danny smiles his trademark goofy grin at me.
"Chicken Parm. You'll love it" He removes the covers from our plates.
"Phenomenal" I added.
Laughter fills our lungs.
I let him ramble on about his recent case, that he and Stella had worked on. I could listen to him go on for days. We don't ever have enough time, time just for the two of us. Sure, we have our cases in which we butt heads more often than not. Even when we do have our time alone, we get called in. That's New York for you. Sometimes this chaos, drives the desire of me fleeing back to Montana. Though now, maybe not. Since I now have a concrete reason for me to stay.
"Danny?"
"Yes?" He looks up at me, with already half his dinner in his mouth.
I stare back at him, thinking.
The one thing I was afraid of when I moved here, was that I would get swallowed up by the city's darkness. He pulled me out from that, and ever so more.
"I love you. It's so beautiful here at night, so gorgeous. Thank You, Danny."
Being a CSI had it's privileges, gaining access to places any normal folk wouldn't have been able to, but this. I finally saw the bright side of New York, that not many have been lucky enough to see. A shining light in a world so dark, and down below. I wondered if they knew it, knew what I know now.
He looks at me intently, still chewing on his piece of chicken when he motions me to put everything down.
"Come."
Danny leads me over near the edge of the building, where the moon nestled itself between the downtown high-rises.
"From here, I can predict exactly when the rain is going to fall."
A girlish chuckle escapes from my lips, as he grasps my hands into his own. We stand facing each other, and then to the sky. I couldn't help but notice his frame, much thanks to the shirt he was wearing. The shirt clung to each muscular definition of his body with extreme subtlety.
"Really, Danny. NO." My voice dripped with sarcasm.
Then, the smell of impending rain permeated my senses, as I felt a raindrop fall onto my forehead. I haven't had the smell of an imminent rainfall, since I left Montana. Nothing this clear.
Then it came. Surrounding us, drenching us.
He began to laugh, none that I've heard before. This was genuine 'in the moment' laughter. I joined him, as we just remained where we stood. Close to each other.
We didn't bother running for cover. The rain only heightened the desire boiling up within me, and him. I closed my eyes, and I turn my face to the heaven's tears. Embracing each and every second of it. Then I felt this sudden urge to open my eyes, when I see.
Beads of rain rolled off his face, as his blue eyes seared into my own.
"Lindsay. You ARE so BEAUTIFUL"
His voice became breathless, as my heart skipped a beat from his comment. I have never felt so alive, in such a simple moment of confession. That feeling will never dull, in the fact that he had called me by my given name. My REAL name. Funny, the moment when he calls me that, I want him to call me Montana again.
Lost in the moment in the rainfall, I was brought back to reality with the feeling of him on my lips.
I melted in to him, the rain had kept me alive in his embrace. I had given in, surrendering myself to him.
In the quietness that we shared, he wraps his arms around me, draws me close, holds me. I lean into him, feeling his burning heart. My own heart beats with his, but faster. I have never felt so alive, so safe. He had taken me over.
Simple happiness was all I was ever looking for.
I finally knew what love was all about.
Emotions fluttered through me, and my heart felt complete. My soul complete. I had found my muse.
He breathes for me, his heart beats for me.
And with a shiny allotrope of elemental carbon set in platinum, it sealed the deal.