Chapter 9

Previously. . .

Calleigh finally looked away from his face as she removed her hand out from under his, then cleared her throat as she looked down at the table. "That is a very intriguing and wonderful offer, I can't lie." She looked into his eyes again and finished. "But I'm with somebody else now and hurting him isn't an option, I'm sorry."

The wind felt like it was knocked out of him and he cleared his throat before asking. "Can I ask who it is?"

Calleigh looked around to make sure nobody from the lab or PD was around before looking at Jake again. "You can't tell anybody, but I'm seeing Horatio."

He paused before saying. "Wow."

Calleigh chuckled and asked. "Wow is all you can say?"

He smiled in return. "It's just surprising is all." Calleigh raised an eyebrow as Jake continued. "I mean, I'm not saying that he isn't a good guy, but isn't he a little...well...older than the guys you usually date?"

Calleigh knew that Jake wasn't trying to be disrespectful towards Horatio about the age comment, he was just asking a question, or at least she hoped that was the case.

"Well I didn't set out to fall in love with an older man, but it happened, and it isn't about the age for me, its about the man."

Jake could see in her eyes that she was very happy with him, so he said. "Ok, I'm happy for you, Calleigh. It looks like you found the real deal this time."

Calleigh smiled. "I did, and thank you." Jake nodded, then Calleigh puts her hand on top of his and continued. "You'll find your real deal too, Jake."

He gives her the charming smile again and replied. "What if I already have?"

Calleigh chuckled as she removed her hand. "I know what you're trying to do, but it won't work."

He chuckled in return. "I'm sorry, you can't blame a guy for tying one more time." Calleigh shook her head before taking the last sip of her beer, then Jake continued. "But really, I'm happy for you."

"Thanks again." After another nod, Calleigh looked at her watch before looking at him again. "I have to go, but we really should do this again."

And she actually meant that, now that he knew what was going on, she could see him steeping back a little.

He smiled with a nod. "Absolutely."

As Calleigh was standing, she was grabbing money from her purse, but he held up his hand. "I got it."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"Alright, thank you, and goodbye."

"Goodbye."

After a wave, Calleigh turned and walked away while Jake watched her every move, not ready to move one from the one that got away.

As Calleigh's vehicle pulled in Horatio's driveway, Horatio's front door opened, they smiled at each other as she got out of her vehicle.

"How was your time with the guys?"

"It was fun."

"I'm glad."

She stopped in front of him, sighed and said. "But I do have to tell you Jake showed up with them." She saw the look, so she cups his cheek and said. "We just talked and cleared the air. I also told them that we were together, then maybe he'll back off a little."

He wasn't all that thrilled that Jake knew about them first, but if he didn't have to see him near Calleigh every time he turned around, then maybe it was worth it.

Calleigh brings Horatio's thoughts back to the present. "You ok?"

He mentally shook his head and replied. "Yeah, besides I don't want to concentrate on Jake right now."

Calleigh gets a smile on her face as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Really? Then who?"

He cups her cheek and replied with emotion. "The most beautiful woman in the world, who happens to be in my arms right now."

As they leaned toward each other, she whispered. "The luckiest woman in the world I would say." Before their lips touched.

When it grew too passionate to share outside of the house, they pulled back and he spoke once he got his air back. "Maybe we should take this inside."

She smiled with a nod. "You've read my mind."

After a peck on the lips, they pull back one more time before he moved to the side to let Calleigh in the house first before he followed her inside, shutting the door behind him.

Across the street in a dark car with Miami licenses plates, someone had just finished snapping the last picture from his camera as Horatio's door closed, he looked down at his camera, wondering how his boss will feel about these, he was kind upset about the last set, not his work, but seeing how happy she looked with someone that wasn't him.