Note: Nope, your eyes aren't playing tricks on you...I really wrote! I'd love to update some of my other pieces, but grad school has gotten the better of me lately so I unfortunately can't make any promises. :( Someone want to pay me to write all day?
Apologies for any typos. I had to get this up rather quickly to make it timely before the 14th. :)
Even as he was pouring a rather expensive cabernet sauvignon they'd splurged on into two delicate wine glasses, Eric couldn't help but let his eyes drift to the view in front of him: Calleigh in casual jeans and a fitted long-sleeve black top she rarely got to wear, standing in the cozy but spacious open living room of their rental for the long weekend. Her arms were crossed over her chest to ward off the chill the warm fireplace was quickly taking care of, her gaze fixed out the large windows that occupied nearly the entire A-frame of the cabin, taking in the steady snowfall that was keeping dusk a little brighter than normal.
There was a bit of magic in her eyes as she took it in, and Eric couldn't help but smile as he corked the wine and made his way back to her with two glasses.
"This kinda what you had in mind?" he asked as he came up behind her, reaching around to present her with her glass.
Her eyes had taken on a bright light grey-green hue in the glow of the snow, and they settled on him as her fingers closed around the glass.
Eyes lingering on him appreciatively, she said, "This is exactly what I had in mind." And then, drinking him in: "Better maybe."
Eric smirked, then lifted his glass toward hers. "To…" he hesitated. "Our weekend getaway."
Calleigh pressed her lips together to keep from smiling. "To our weekend getaway," she agreed, clinking her glass against his. "...Just a casual weekend away."
"On February 12th." He took a long first drag of wine.
"Mmm." She did the same, a little chuckle escaping her.
This was not a Valentine's Day trip. Definitely not. Because that would be...a lot. Too much right now.
This was because she'd been talking about needing a little escape since Christmas, and she was also dying to actually experience winter somewhere this season. The holidays had been too hectic, what with their family obligations and sneaking around and reveling in the excitement of their new little secret. And January had been busy getting back into the swing of things after the chaos of the holidays. So February it was. And the weekend before Valentine's Day had just...happened.
"You know," he began, gaze drifting to the quite entrancing scene outside. "My family thinks I'm at a diving recertification."
She smiled, an excited flicker in her eyes as she met his – then a twinge of guilt as she realized that, even though he was being coy, there was an underlying current of betrayal. Eric told his family everything, and he was every bit the type to pull out his phone, snap a picture of the beautiful scenery before them, and send it to his family's group text. Only he couldn't. Because they didn't know about this. No one did, although Ryan certainly had his suspicions.
"Guess it probably isn't snowing there…" she said, sipping her wine and carefully watching his features.
He cracked a smile – half sad, half a smirk that turned up one corner of his lips. "I don't think Denver is known for its scuba diving." And then, his voice a little softer this time, he added, "I can't keep lying to my mom much longer, Cal. She's already suspicious. They all are. They just think something's up with work."
"I know," she admitted, a lot easier than she had in the past. And as she turned to him, he was again reminded of how much he was dying for his worlds to collide and his family to meet her. They were going to have a freaking field day over her, he knew – she was gorgeous and strong and successful, and not afraid to put him in his place, which his sisters would love.
Lightening up a little, she eyed him. "You act like you've never lied to your mom before."
Eric tilted his head immediately. "Of course I've lied to my mom – about where I was on a Friday night or when I said I came straight home after junior prom. Little stuff. But not about big –" He caught himself – and so did she, meeting his eyes as he steeled himself to bury his emotions right back down with a deep breath in.
Big stuff. Big, life-altering, earth-shattering, heart-wrenching stuff. She felt her pulse speed up, but instead of her fight-or-flight sympathetic nervous system kicking in, this time she held his gaze steadily as he tripped over his words.
"Sorry," he said half-heartedly. "I know it's fast, it's just one day you're knocking on my door to talk and the next half my clothes are at your house, you have a key to my condo, and I'm eyeing houses in the suburbs in the Sunday paper."
Calleigh visibly melted, eyes softening and mouth pressing into a empathetic smile. She wasn't surprised he'd done that at all, not when he'd been as clear as day about where he was at in life and what he wanted. They'd both agreed that if they continued forward with this, they both had to be all in, full steam ahead - on the same page and with the same wants. Only things were just so damn good as they were, they hadn't stopped to check in about it yet. Despite living in secrecy, life had been simple and easy over the past two months, and neither one of them wanted to jinx it.
"I guess we should probably talk, huh?"
Eric hesitated. "Should we really do that here?" he asked cautiously with a glance around their surroundings. They were all the way in Colorado with the makings of a perfect romantic weekend ahead of them: frigid temperatures and a blizzard outside, a cozy fireplace and the warmth of each other's skin inside, and no thought at all of taking advantage of the ski slopes this town was known for. Why ruin the weekend with hesitations, reasons to stay in the shadows, or worries about IAB?
Calleigh took in a deep breath, his fears and defenses making her all the more sure.
"Eric," she began softly, setting her wine aside on the mantle, then stealing his glass from his hands to do the same. Her palms slid down his arms to find his, weaving her fingers with his. His eyes were on her as she studied their hands, reveling in the comfort of it, before she lifted her eyes to his.
"I'm all in," she told him simply but confidently, a content smile tugging at her lips. A deep breath made her chest rise and fall as she watched him, a crooked smirk breaking into a smile on his lips.
"Yeah?" He tugged her closer, eyes on her mouth.
"Mmhmm." She nodded, but she didn't get very far before his lips had captured hers.
The force had tilted her back a little, and one of his hands reached up to cup the back of her neck, the other landing at her side. His lips pressed and released against hers, gliding slowly until he'd taken her bottom lip between his. She smiled into the kiss, her own hands finding his abdomen and ever so slowly trailing up to his chest.
His thumb over her side had started a slow, enticing rhythm that had her wishing she were wearing quite a bit less. And the way her fingers instinctively clutched a handful of linen shirt into her fist probably gave her away – absolutely, judging by the chuckle escaping his lips.
Yeah, this was definitely what she'd had in mind for the weekend.
Eric paused, rolling his eager lips as he rested his forehead against hers for a moment.
"So I can tell my family where I am?" he asked softly.
She hesitated only because of how low and gravelly his voice had been, and it had taken a moment for logic to make its way through her foggy brain. "Yes."
Grinning, his palm slid around to the front of her neck, fingers dancing over her collarbone just before he lowered his mouth there. She shuddered a little as the light, tickling sensation of his lips gave way to pleasure as he worked his way up her neck. Instinctively tilting her neck to allow him better access, she sighed contentedly.
"And you'll come meet them sometime?" His breath ghosted over her skin, raising goosebumps.
"Uh huh," she agreed easily albeit distractedly. His hands had found the hem of her shirt now, one diving under to press against the warm skin over her abdomen and hip. She couldn't help but let a little laugh escape her because commitment was apparently a turn-on for him and that little detail was oddly endearing.
"What?" He was chuckling too, because he knew what.
"Nothing," she said coyly, eyes sparkling, lips curving into a grin.
Eric leaned into her, pressing his lips to her forehead as he enveloped her in one of his warm hugs. A deep, relieved breath escaped his chest as he took in the snow just outside in the last of daylight.
"This is the best not Valentine's Day trip ever," he decided playfully.
Another grin from her.
"I would have to agree."