Author's Notes: Here's the fourth chapter of Change for the Better. Enjoy!
Chapter Four: First Date in DC
Annette curled up into a ball as she clutched both the blanket and the duvet. It was the beginning of December, and the chill of the winter weather had crept in. She thought Albuquerque was cold enough, but now that she was experiencing it on the East Coast, she had no reason to complain about it anymore.
"Are you cold?"
Spencer's voice caused her to chuckle.
"How did you know?"
"By the way you're curled up cutely into a ball, and the way you're holding the blanket and duvet," he replied. "Come over here."
She moved closer to him, and he shifted one arm underneath her knees to hoist her up until she was positioned in his lap with her legs stretched out. He wrapped his other arm around her shoulders, keeping his palm on her back and then ensured the blankets were covering them both. His body heat radiated off his person to her, and she tucked her head beneath his chin.
"As long as we don't get called in on a case, I'm content with just staying under the sheets with you."
He caught the faint scent of lilac and vanilla from her neck, and it was easy for him to get lost in it for the day, considering it never ceased to tantalize him every time he inhaled it. The hand on her back crinkled the fabric of her loose T-shirt in an attempt to keep himself in check.
"Is everything okay?"
She nuzzled his racing pulse with her nose, which only added to his growing feelings.
"I was too shy to ask this the night we had our intimate conversation, but…have you…"
She pulled away from his neck to look up at him when he paused.
"Go on. Ask me."
"Have you…ever had…any…fantasies…cross your mind?"
She tilted her head.
"What kind of fantasies are you referring to?"
"Like…s-sexual fantasies?"
She chuckled at how nervous and tongue twisted he was getting at the mention of sex in general, finding it to be exceedingly cute.
"Before I answer that question, I just want you to know that you're all the more attractive when you're shy and nervous."
He gulped, stunned silent as he waited for her reply, and he heard her take a deep breath.
"In response to your question, I have occasionally thought of those kinds of fantasies," she explained. "I am curious as to what you'd want to try with me, if anything."
It was silent for a brief moment.
"It's just that I had a bad experience in school when a girl I had a crush on blindfolded me, and when she took my shirt off, everyone laughed at me."
Annette was stunned as she remembered the story of the football field incident that happened to him in high school. It got her wondering what gave these poor excuses of kids the right to treat him differently as she reached up to touch his face.
"Oh, Spencer. Kids can be so damn cruel, and I would know that, having experienced it firsthand myself. However, it doesn't mean that it has to be tied to a bad experience.
"If you'd like, I'll find a way to make you forget those terrible high school memories and make blindfolds fun for you again. I'm not sure what I'd do, but I'll figure something out."
The sweet tone of her voice, the feel of her soft curves against him, and the alluring scent of lilac and vanilla were sending his senses into overdrive. As her scent flooded his nose, he began to wonder what her slender body looked like in full. The memory of her in her red bikini during their swim together came back to him, adding to the racing pace of his heart. He also thought of the little black dress she wore back in Atlanta, and how it also emphasized how sexy she really was. He gulped when his mind traveled to thoughts that were definitely inappropriate for work, and he clutched her T-shirt even tighter, to which she noticed.
"You're having those fantasies, aren't you?"
When he looked down at her, Spencer saw a tender, yet desirable look in her brown eyes. He gulped, his voice faltering him, but Annette saw the answer in his eyes.
"Spencer, it's okay. In fact, I welcome it. I've never thought of myself as attractive, much less desirable thanks to my self-esteem issues during my school days."
Now it was his turn to be appalled; it was a shame he didn't know her back then. He wouldn't have hesitated to approach her and given her the treatment she should have received all those years ago, even if she hesitated at first.
"I'm curious to know what's making those gears grind. Tell me what you're thinking."
He took a breath before he spoke.
"I would love to see you model the little black dress you wore back in Atlanta."
"Really?" Annette asked. "Is that all, because I think there's more to it than that."
There was more to it, but he just couldn't bring himself to admit it. However, he didn't have to, considering she knew by the way she circled a button on his pajama shirt and how she didn't break eye contact with him.
"I'll wear it again, but how about I save it for New Year's Eve? Just for you. What do you say?"
He nodded.
"I'd like that."
"Want to settle for a few kisses for now?"
He leaned towards her, the tips of their noses barely touching.
"Just a few kisses? Is that all I get?"
Annette tilted her head.
"How many kisses do you want, then?"
"All of them."
She giggled as he pressed his lips against hers, the two of them sinking under the sheet and duvet.
The two of them had brunch in the dining area, courtesy of Annette thanks to her insistence on cooking for the both of them. He came to learn quickly how great of a cook she was during his weekly weekend visits, and with her staying a while, Spencer was looking forward to having actual food as opposed to the usual takeout and Rice Krispies treats he survived on.
He watched as Annette took a sip of some freshly made coffee and looked through the latest edition of The Washington Ballet, taking notice of her head tilt at the page she was on.
"What is it?" he asked, following another delicious bite.
"I would love to see this."
She flipped the magazine for him to see, pointing at the article in question.
"The Nutcracker ballet?"
"Yeah," Annette replied with a nod. "I grew up with The Nutcracker. I watch it around this time every year, and I've been wanting to see DC's adaptation of it for years."
"Want to make it an evening date? Looks like it's playing tonight at six. I can make some phone calls and we can get dinner before then."
Annette smiled.
"Can we get Italian?"
He reached for her hand and kissed the back of it like a gentleman.
"Anything you want, my angel."
She was a nervous wreck as she emerged from the bathroom in a short, white, V-neck sweater dress that hugged her curves, and a pair of dark gray, over-the-knee suede boots. Her dark brown hair hung down freely, her bangs were off to the side of her face, and she chose her usual makeup with lilac eyeshadow. She slipped her phone in her purse, and then she grabbed her scarf and coat off the bed.
Spencer was sitting on the sofa in a purple, collared, button shirt with a tie, dark pants and his usual pair of Converse sneakers. As she studied him, she realized that it was the same outfit he wore the evening they fell into her pool. For him to be wearing it on their Christmas-themed date was just perfect.
"Hey there, handsome."
He looked up at the sound of her voice, and his breath hitched as he stood up from the sofa.
"What do you think? Is it too much?"
He smiled as he approached her, standing before her.
"I think it's perfect. You look beautiful."
He reached up to touch her face, careful not to smear her foundation and blush and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. Her lip gloss coated his lips, the taste of berries flooding his mouth.
"Are you ready?"
"Yes," she replied with a nod.
He took her coat and held it out for her, and she turned around, holding her arms out for him to slip it on her shoulders. Once she buttoned it up and tied the sash, Annette wrapped her scarf around her neck and slung her purse on her shoulder. Spencer then offered his hand to her, which she took with a smile, and he escorted her out of the apartment to the cab that was waiting for them in front of the building.
Carmine's Italian Restaurant was the restaurant they decided on to satisfy Annette's craving. She came to discover that not only was their food superb, the nineteen thirties setup made her feel like she had traveled back in time. With some time left to spare before they had to be at the Warner Theater, Spencer took her to see the skyline with a gorgeous view of the greenery that Albuquerque lacked. Her brown eyes twinkled with delight, just like the stars they saw during their stargazing moments in Albuquerque.
"The greenery is so beautiful here. Albuquerque has its own majestic views of the mountains and desert, especially when the sun sets, but nothing like this."
"This is only the beginning. I have more of DC to show you in these next few weeks that you're here with me, love."
Annette couldn't help but smile as she turned to look at him.
"I've been wanting to see the sights of DC, and I can't wait to experience them with you, Spencer."
As quickly as the smile formed, it faded upon realization of something, and she averted her eyes from him, looking out at the greenery in the distance.
"Hey. What's wrong?"
"I just realized that this will be my first Christmas away from my family," Annette replied, keeping her gaze out towards the greenery. "We've talked about wanting to travel to DC for Christmas one of these years. I just didn't think that I would be the only one of us to be here."
The realization also hit him upon the conclusion of her explanation. Now that it was December, he had wracked his brain over what he was going to get her for their first Christmas together. She wasn't much of the material type besides books, and she wore the angel wing necklace he got for her birthday every day. If all she wanted was to see her family, he could probably make a phone call when he got the opportunity.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to dampen the mood," she said with a shake of her head.
"Hey. Look at me."
She turned to face him.
"It will all work out, and you have nothing to apologize for. This is a new experience for you, and adjusting is going to take time."
"I know," Annette said with a nod. "I'm happy Hotch and the old man vouched for me in the end."
"So am I," Spencer said, taking her hand. "So, how about we head to the Warner Theater and enjoy The Nutcracker?"
"With you, I would be honored."
They were seated a row away from the middle of the theater, and the second the ballet began, Spencer glanced at Annette from the corner of his eye. Her eyes had the sparkle that he saw back at the skyline, and without averting her gaze, she reached out to hold his hand. He never let go as they enjoyed the ballet for the next two hours, and he could feel what she was feeling during each scene. He caught quick glimpses of her expressions from the corner of his eye, but her eyes never lost that sparkle.
When it reached its conclusion, Annette was at a loss for words, and she stayed still in her seat for a couple of minutes as she gathered her thoughts.
"Are you okay?" Spencer asked.
"Yeah," Annette replied with a nod. "This performance really blew my mind. It turned out to be a lot better than I anticipated."
"Well, I'm happy to know it exceeded your expectations, and I'm also happy to know that you had a good time."
"I did have a good time. Thank you, Spencer. This has been a wonderful first date in DC and also a wonderful Christmas date too."
She leaned over and gave him a quick peck on the lips.
"Ready to go home?"
"Yeah. Let's go."
Annette had fallen asleep fairly quickly following her nightly routine and changing into her pajamas. She was flat on her back with her hair splayed all over her pillow, the blanket and duvet covering her up to her chest. Spencer opted against going to sleep, wanting to wait for her to sleep so he could initiate his plan.
He ran his fingers through her hair, pushing a few strands out of her serene, sleeping face. He gazed at her lovingly for a few minutes before getting out of bed and retreating to the kitchen. He dialed a number and got an answer on the second ring.
"Anya Lennox."
"Anya, Spencer Reid. Is this a bad time?"
"No. Not at all. What can I do for you?"
"It's about what I want to get Annette for Christmas. Do you have a minute to hear me out?"
"I'm all ears, Genius Boy. Shoot."
End Notes: Halfway there! Next chapter will be out tomorrow! Check back!
