Chapter 10

Opening the door a crack to see what the problem was, Alex saw Bobby moving hurriedly down the hall to the kitchen. She could see smoke. Just great! Now the neighbors will be made at me for the third time this month.

Shoving the door open, she made her way behind him. She came in just as he was fanning the smoke away from the now opened oven door. His chicken was a blackened mess.

"Guess we won't be eating chicken." She said over the noise.

He turned toward her voice. "NOW you come out!"

He pulled the chicken out with pot holders and sat it in the sink. He ran water to cool it off. "We should open some windows." He turned to make his way to the living room windows and saw her standing on her counter attempting to turn off the smoke alarm.

"If my neighbors didn't like me before, they hate me now." She grumbled to herself.

He was greeted with silence as he shoved open a window. He breathed a sigh of relief. Just then there was a knock at the door.

Alex hopped down. "And it starts."

"Everything okay in there, Detective Eames?" a male voice came through the door.

Alex opened it quickly. "Yeah, Jamie. My boy…partner just burned our dinner." She blushed a deep red and wouldn't look in Bobby's direction.

"Okay…I'll let everyone know." Jamie said with a smile and a wave.

She shut the door and looked over at him. "This is the third time this month the smoke alarm has gone off in my apartment." And that doesn't even begin to tell you about last month…or the one before that…

"If I'd have known you'd come out that quickly, I'd have done that half an hour ago." He was right beside her now, his hand on her arm.

"Bobby…" She looked up at him. "Sorry I sucker punched you." She averted her eyes once again.

He tipped her face up and met her eyes. "It didn't hurt…much." He winked at her. "It's not everyday the lovely Detectives Eames throws a punch at me."

"I'm sorry, Bobby." Her voice was low.

"Promise its okay." He stroked her cheek. "You okay?"

She shook her head no. He pulled her into his arms and held her. She let him gently rock her back and forth as he stroked her hair.

"Am I your boyfriend?" The sound of his voice breaking the silence caused her skin to goose pimple.

"Do you want to be?" Pulling back, her eyes slowly met his.

"Yes." His mouth lightly touched hers.

"Bobby…" Her voice was shaky.

"Yeah?" He pulled her back against him.

"Pumpkin Pie."