A/N: I know, I know. It's been forever! Well, I hope you enjoy this next bit. For those wanting to know about such things, I own none of the regular CSI: Miami folks and make no money from this.

Please R & R. Thanks much.

Annabel smiled as Horatio slid into the seat across from her. He grinned back, reaching over and linking her fingers with his.

"Hello, Mrs. Caine." He gave her hand a squeeze. "I'm sorry I'm a little late."

"Actually, I was expecting you to be later."

"And miss a date with my beautiful wife?"

Annabel rolled her eyes. "It's happened before."

Horatio shot her a look. "I'd say the same about you."

"Ah, but I'm exempt today. I was off. No work to keep me from my date."

"Unlike last time."

"Touché. Unlike last time," she admitted. "Planning to look at the menu?"

Horatio grinned. He raked his gaze over her. "I was thinking I might want to skip to dessert."

Annabel felt her pulse quicken and heat spread throughout her body. She ran the tip of her tongue over her lips. The differences between Horatio relaxed and Horatio in work-mode would never cease to amaze her. She kicked her shoe off and slid her foot slowly up his leg. Annabel met Horatio's eyes and locked gazes with him. The world narrowed around them.

"But I'm hungry, Love." Her breath caught as his eyes darkened. She felt his fingers tighten just slightly on hers.

"Bella…"

She arched an eyebrow and barely smiled.. "Yes, Horatio?"

He tightened his grip and tugged her closer. "If you don't stop, I am going to cause quite a scene when I drag you out of here. And I know you don't like causing a scene."

Annabel disengaged her hand and sat back. She picked up her menu and pretended to peruse it as she continued to run her foot along Horatio's leg. She glanced briefly over the top edge. Horatio was still staring intensely at her.

"No, I wouldn't want to cause a scene," she teased. She slipped her foot further up Horatio's leg, wiggling her toes.

Horatio made a growling noise. He looked at Annabel's wine, reached for his wallet and dropped a bill on the table. He reached for Annabel's hand.

"Put your shoe back on, Bella." She grinned and did what he demanded. Annabel almost giggled as Horatio led her out of the restaurant and to her car. He held out his hand. "Your keys."

Annabel leaned against the car. "What if I want to drive?"

"Do you know where we're headed?" Horatio stepped closed, so Annabel was slightly trapped. He reached out and fiddled with a soft curl above her ear.

Annabel frowned slightly. Horatio leaned in and brushed his lips over her ear. She shivered despite the warm South Florida evening.

"Not home?"

Horatio chuckled. Annabel gasped as he pressed closer and his lips trailed over her neck. His hand slipped over her hip and across her back. Horatio slid his fingers under the edge of her top, teasing the bare skin just above the waistband of her skirt. His tongue flicked out and barely touched the sensitive spot at the base of Annabel's ear. She gasped and balled her hands in his lapels. Horatio chuckled again.

"No, not home." He pressed his hips against her. His other hand dropped down to trace circles over her other hip.

"Then you had better stop," she said shakily.

"You started this, Bella." Horatio nipped at her ear.

"No, you started this. Your..comment..about…dessert."

"You started touching."

Annabel placed her hands on each side of Horatio's face and turned his head so he looked at her. "This…is…a…parking lot."

"Then give me your keys."

Annabel kept his eyes locked on hers while she dug for her keys and pressed them into his hand. Horatio grinned and led her to the passenger door. He loaded Annabel into the seat, leaned in and kissed her hard. He stood up. Annabel caught his hand before he stepped away.

"What has gotten into you? I'm the one who should be all full of energy." Horatio just smiled and didn't answer. He lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles. Then he crossed to the driver's seat, slid in and started the car. He dropped the top and drove into the night.

Annabel watched her husband, trying to figure out what was going through his mind. The air ruffled his hair. His gaze flickered in her direction, but quickly returned to the road. Annabel shifted to openly stare. They had long ago left the lights of Miami behind and were driving through fields and orchards.

"I don't suppose you're gonna tell me where we're headed." Horatio's lips twitched as he shook his head. Annabel's stomach growled. "And no food in sight."

"I thought you existed on just caffeine."

"I don't see any of that either," griped Annabel.

Horatio chuckled and turned down a dark gravel road. He drove for a little while longer, then pulled off. He drove a short distance into the grove and cut the engine. He turned toward Annabel, reached out and ran his fingers along her jaw.

Annabel sat where she was and crossed her arms. "Aren't you a little old for necking in the car? We have a perfectly good bed at home, you know."

Annabel could see the moonlight twinkling in Horatio's eyes as he grinned. "Where's your sense of adventure, Bella?" He pulled her closer and kissed her softly.

"I lost it when I got to be over 30," countered Annabel pulling away. "This car is a little small for what you have in mind."

"You have a blanket in your trunk."

"And what if someone's out driving?"

"When did you last see a car? Besides we're not just sitting on the edge of the road."

"No, we're just trespassing on someone's farm." Annabel frowned slightly and brushed the hair off Horatio's forehead. "Who are you and where did you hide my husband?"

Horatio leaned back. "Would you really like to go home?"

Annabel looked out through the trees.. "You know, I never did this kind of thing even when I was a kid."

"You never…"

"No, not in the great outdoors. I mean, I have in the back of a car…" Annabel raked her fingers through her hair. "We're actually having this conversation."

"You're the one who started it."

"You're the one who drove me out into the middle of nowhere intending to…"

"Make love under the stars. And it's well past time you tried it." Horatio got out of the car, crossed to Annabel's side, opened the door and pulled her out. He leaned her back against the car, framed her face with his hands and kissed her tenderly. "Come on, Bella. Lately, we've been so…" His hands slid down her body. Annabel arched against him. She pulled her head away and fiddled with Horatio's collar.

She looked into his eyes. He was right. Trying to get pregnant had actually become work. Annabel lightly ran a finger down his jaw. "You just planning to bend me over the hood?"

Horatio chuckled. "Would you like that?"

Annabel raised her eyebrows. "No. No, I wouldn't."

"I'll be right back then." Horatio reached past her and flicked the trunk button on her key fob. He went and pulled the blanket out of the trunk. He shut the trunk and found wasn't where he had left her against the car door. Annabel was peering into an irrigation ditch just ahead of the car. Without a word, she crossed back to the car, reached over the door and fished her cell phone out of her purse. She flipped it open and dialed.

"This is Detective McGinty-Caine. I need a team." Annabel looked around. "Horatio, exactly where are we?" Horatio was already headed for the ditch, flashlight in his hand, the blanket dropped on the trunk.

"Have them trace your phone," he called.

"We were out driving and are in a…I think it's an avocado grove." Annabel sighed heavily. "Put a trace on my phone." Her gaze flickered toward where Horatio was shining his flashlight on the body lying face down in the ditch. "No. Just send out an ME and the van. Thanks." Annabel flipped her phone shut. She fished another flashlight out of her glove compartment and looked out into the field. There was nothing taller than a bean plant for as far as she could see. She turned and looked back at Horatio. He was shining his light along the edge of the access road. "Anything?"

"Not so far. Did you get an ETA?"

"Nothing firm." Annabel shined her light on the body. "I'm guessing this wasn't really what you had in mind." She heard Horatio's chuckle rumble in the still air.

"Pretty much a mood killer."

"Ya think maybe?" Annabel grumbled in frustration. "We should have taken the Hummer."

"I wasn't bringing you here for a crime scene, Bella." He glanced over in her direction. "You have a different pair of shoes in the trunk." Horatio went back to checking the edge of the road.

Annabel popped her trunk open pulled out the shoes and changed out of her high heels. She started checking the ground between her car and the main road.

"No, the DB was just a bonus. A sign of our usual luck." Annabel lifted her head. The aint sound of sirens broke the night. Horatio joined her next to the car. "That's quick. Probably just a first responder." She grinned over at Horatio. "It's gonna kill you to turn this over, isn't it?"

"We did find him."

"I don't think finders-keepers works in this case. Should have brought the Hummer." Annabel looked out to see flashing lights getting closer. "And here they come."

The squad pulled up on the road and the officer got out. Annabel pushed the blanket towards the passenger compartment and stood up straighter as he finally reached them. The officer looked between the two and grinned slightly.

"Lieutenant Caine. Detective McGinty. Having a good date?"

"Shove it, Sarna." The tall blond officer paused slightly before breaking into a deep laugh. Annabel blushed. She looked at the ground and back up at the officer. "You gonna secure the scene or keep giving me and the Lieutenant grief?" Annabel stared him down.

"Sorry, ma'am. I'll be right back to talk to you. Everyone else is about ten more minutes away." He moved to tape off the scene.

Horatio squeezed her hand and leaned in. "You didn't need to growl."

"Bad enough that it'll be all over the department tomorrow. I didn't need him ribbing me already."

Sirens were getting louder again as Officer Sarna headed back over to them. He pulled out his notebook and flipped it open. He looked expectantly at them.

"And your question, Officer Sarna?" prompted Horatio.

"Yes, sir. This is a bit out of the city. What were you two doing here?"

"We were out for a drive," answered Horatio.

"Just driving, Lieutenant?"

"No. We had stopped here. Looking for a little privacy."

"Privacy to do…" The officer paused, glancing at Annabel. He shuffled nervously at her glower.

"My wife and I came out here to have sex," stated Horatio a matter of factly. Annabel groaned and Officer Sarna cleared his throat.

"Um. Yes, sir. About what time was that?"

"8:40."

"And you found the body."

"Detective McGinty-Caine found the body. I was getting a blanket out of the trunk."

He turned toward Annabel. "So you found the body, Detective?"

"Yes. Horatio was getting a blanket out of the trunk. I was looking a round and noticed a glint in the irrigation ditch. I walked a little closer and realized it was a DB. I went back to the car to retrieve my phone. Lieutenant Caine started to look around a little while I was calling it in. When I had finished the call I changed my shoes and started to check the access road we had come in on."

"Do you know the owners of this property?"

"No, we don't," answered Horatio.

"Oh. That, um…" The officer was saved from going further at the moment by the arrival of the ME and a crime scene team.

"Horatio, Annie." The ME nodded as he came up. "A little out of the way aren't you two?"

"Hey, Bill. Out of the way was a matter of choice," answered Horatio.

"But our friend over here crashed your party." He headed for the ditch. "Well, maybe floated in would be a better description."

Horatio wandered off with the ME and Annabel continued talking with Officer Sarna. A second officer joined them and Annabel repeated her story.

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Annabel stood chatting with a couple of officers when Horatio came up. He quietly dropped his suit coat over her shoulders.

"Thanks." Annabel pulled the lapels closer.

"I thought you looked a little cold."

"Actually, Lieutenant, we're pretty much done with you two. You can head home."

Annabel looked over at Horatio. "Are you ready to go home?" Horatio looked over to where the team was combing the scene. "We can stay. My car's still a little trapped."

"We could drive you home, ma'am. We could probably release your car. It's not really part of the scene."

"Horatio?" He looked from Annabel to the field investigators and back. "Either you or I could catch a ride back if you want to stay."

Horatio shook his head reluctantly. "No, we can go. For one thing we missed dinner. I'm a little hungry."

"You sure? If you want, you can really stay."

Horatio looked away again, but shook head harder. "We need to get out of here, Bella." They shook hands all around. Horatio wrapped his arm around Annabel's waist and led her back to the car. He helped her into the passenger seat and got into the driver's seat. Horatio carefully backed out. With a final wave to the officers on the road, they pulled away. They rode in silence for a bit.

"You could have stayed."

"I know. I needed to get my wife home."

"No, you didn't."

"We have a date to finish."

"Horatio…"

"I know a pretty good tacqueria that's on the way back." Annabel's stomach growled. Horatio chuckled. "I'll take that for a yes."

"Food would be good," agreed Annabel.

"Okay. Food and back home."

"Food and back home sounds good." Annabel reached over and covered Horatio's hand on the gear-shift. She squeezed it slightly. "Actually a dead body really isn't too far off for us."

"But that was a drive-by, not a floater."

"Yes, it was." Annabel smiled and settled deeper into Horatio's suit coat.