Chapter 4

Once he got in, he started it and took them back to her place, and after he stopped in the driveway, he continued his gentleman ways by opening the vehicle door and walking her to her front door.

After she unlocked it, she turned to him and said. "Thanks for dinner, it was wonderful."

He smiled and replied. "You're welcome, and I would have to agree."

She smiled in return, and as they stood looking at one another their hearts started to beat a little faster.

After a few seconds he cleared his throat and spoke softly. "I'll see you tomorrow, Cal." Before he turned and started walking toward his vehicle.

But before he could take a step, she speaks. "I can't do this anymore Horatio."

He turned around and asked with curiosity. "Do what?"

She paused to get her nerves in check before continuing. "Pretending that everything is normal between us."

Trying to keep his emotions down, he asked. "What do you mean?"

"Come on Horatio, are you saying that you aren't feeling what I'm feeling?"

He walked up closer to her and spoke softly. "Which is?" He had to hear her say it first because he had to make sure he wasn't the only one.

As she looked into his sparkling blue eyes, she replied. "I can't keep quiet anymore. I like you a lot, I have for a very long time and the feeling has only gotten stronger these last few months."

They both knew that saying 'I love you' might be too fast, even though that feeling was there.

He mentally sighed in relief, brings his hand up to her cheek and cups it, then replied as he looked into her sparkling green eyes. "I feel it too."

Calleigh's eyes started to get misty as she asked. "Really?"

He smiled. "Yes, I like you too."

All they could do was stare for the longest time, then he cleared his throat and asked softly. "Can I kiss you, sweetheart?"

She smirked and replied jokingly. "I'll kill you if you don't."

They chuckled, then after another long look, he bends his head down so his lips could touch hers, and when their lips connected, the kiss was everything they could have hoped for and more, it was like everything was finally in place.

After their passionate kiss ended, they placed their foreheads together to get their air back, and once they did, they opened their eyes as he pulled his forehead from hers.

It took them a few seconds to speak, but once they were ready, Calleigh did it first. "You want to come in." He looked at her wide-eyed, and before he could reply, she continued. "I don't mean anything by that, we could just have a night cap and enjoy each other's company more."

He smiled and replied. "I would love too." She smiled, but it dimmed down when he continued. "But I better not." He saw her look and ran his thumb up and down her cheek. "I want to be completely honest here, and the truth is that if I come in, I don't think I'll be able to leave."

He tried to hide the blush as much as he could, but she did notice some of it, then she blushed a little while saying. "You don't have to, I could make you spot on the couch if you want?"

He really thought about it, but then shook his head again. "It would be just too tempting right now, and nothing should happen until we have at least one date."

"I don't mean to push or anything, but can I make a point that the last two weeks of dinner between us felt like dates?"

He smiled. "You can, and you have a really good point, but again, I want our first date to be official before we go there, ok?"

She could never get tired of his gentleman ways, in fact it only made her like him more. "Ok, I understand."

He nodded, and after another permission granted kiss, he turned and walked to his vehicle, both feeling on top of the world and excited about what could happen next in their lives.