Authors Note: I love reading your reviews almost as much as I love writing this stuff. So here is more D/L warm fuzzies. I changed the rating to T. Not sure about the ratings. Please let me know if I got it wrong. Spoilers for "Not What It Looks Like"

DISCLAIMERS: I do not own any of these characters. They belong to Jerry Bruckheimer and the wonderful writers for CSI: NY. Any resemblance to scenes from the episodes is included for clarity and continuity and I do not claim any of those as my own work. However everything else is mine.

The Dinner

He had meant to scout out a good Italian place and bring something back but when he passed the corner market, he stepped in and did a little shopping instead. After all the woman had no food in her apartment. She was in dire need of some staples.

When he arrived back at the apartment about an hour later, it was eerily quite.

"Lindsay?" he called hesitantly and softly. He didn't want to spook her. No answer. Now he was beginning to worry. He walked swiftly across to the bathroom and pushed open the door. Towel on the floor, shower curtain pushed aside and steam on the bathroom mirror, his detective trained eye missed nothing, but no Lindsay. He walked over to what must be the door of the bedroom and cracked it opened. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw her sprawled across the bed sleeping. Once again his detective eyes missed nothing. Her very damp, wavy hair spread wildly across the pillow while one arm lay across her eyes to block the light from the window. She was wearing a little tank top and pajama shorts that left little to the imagination. He could appreciate the fact that she wore no bra, as she lay on her side from the waist down and her shapely legs were bent at the knee in that sensuous manner that women often pose in when they are trying to seduce a man. Danny slowly closed the door and leaned back against the wall. All this brought his senses to a heightened state and she was only sleeping. God you are in so much trouble, Messer.

He should have just stocked her cabinets, left a little note saying that he hoped she felt better and he'd see her at work tomorrow. But no he stayed. That's how it is when someone fascinates you so much that you go against your better judgment. Danny pondered this as he put away the groceries and fixed the angel hair pasta with a touch of olive oil, chopped garlic, fresh basil and a hint of pepper. Certainly he wasn't a gourmet chef but he could cook a decent meal when the occasion warranted it. What was the occasion here? When he cooked for women before, it was because he wanted to get them into bed. Did he want to get Lindsay into bed… no… yes… no. When she went undercover today he wanted to stop her, keep her safe, and protect her. He didn't want her to die like Aiden or be severely hurt like Louie. Then when he had found her amidst the bomb ruins after the takedown he had wanted to hold her and never let her go. But tonight when he saw her sleeping, he had wanted her as a man wants a woman pure and simple. He had never met a woman that had made him feel so many different things at once, so many things that no woman had ever made him feel before.

"Mmmm, something smells good," Lindsay broke into his thoughts.

He noticed, much to his dismay, that she had covered her scant outfit of earlier. But the little zip-up top that hit her mid-rift and yoga pants that hugged the curve of her rear-end did not leave much more to his imagination. Yes, Montana was definitely one good-looking woman.

"Here you gotta taste this," he said as he held a forkful of pasta up to her mouth.

"Oh, really delicious. Did you get the takeout menu for this place?" she asked as she closed her eyes and savored the pasta.

"That is pasta Messer style," he said quite proudly.

"Noooo," she said quite surprised and her hand went to her mouth as her eyes widened.

He smirked that Messer trademark smile that made her breath catch every time as he said, "You said to surprise you."

"Well I am surprised and you can cook for me anytime," she quipped.

"You promise," he said softly as he held her deep brown eyes with his intense blue ones and all of sudden she became confused about what was passing between them and she ducked her head and blushed as she went into the kitchen to get the plates.

Easy Messer. She ain't like the neighborhood girls.

Dinner passed so quickly and easily, neither noticed the time until Lindsay's cell phone rang. She recognized Mac's number and answered quickly.

"Hi Mac"

"Just fine," she said as she nodded her head.

"Thanks, but I can be in tomorrow no problem," her brow furrowed as she said this.

"Is that really necessary?" she frowned deeply as she said this

"Yeah he did," she said as she glanced at Danny. "You want to speak with him? He's right here."

"Okay, night Mac" and she clicked her phone shut.

Danny noted that the frown had not completely left her face.

"Everything okay, Montana?" he prodded gently.

"Mac said to take tomorrow off but when I do come back the day after he'll have an appointment set up for me with the departmental shrink."

"You don't gotta worry about that. Merely routine," Danny assured her.

She sat deep in thought for another few seconds before she turned to him with a smile and said, "He did say to tell you not to stay out too late, because you do have work tomorrow."

He rolled his eyes to the ceiling and blew dramatically through his lips, "Why do the chicks get all the breaks?"

"Because when you're the hero…, "she trailed off quite taken aback at her own cockiness.

Danny put his forearms on the table and leaned his face close to hers. His intense blues eyes mesmerized her. "You have a right to be proud, Montana. Don't feel bad about that. That was one gutsy move you did today but I gotta tell you, my heart was in my throat when I was listening and heard that you'd been made… I dunno, I didn't want you to be another Flack or even Aiden," his voice cracked a tad when he said Aiden's name and that was not lost on Lindsay.

"I know Danny," she said softly as she squeezed one of his hands comfortingly. "I just had to help that girl." He nodded mutely and looked at her hand over his.

"I better go," he said huskily as he pulled his hand away, pushed back his chair and stood up.

Lindsay glanced quickly at the clock. She licked her lips nervously. She didn't want him to leave. It was so hard at night when the dark thoughts returned and the nightmares came. She stood up quickly.

"Look Messer, it has been a long day, it's late and there is no sense in you going back to your apartment now. You need sleep as much as I do and I owe you. Why don't you just crash here," she immediately noticed that Messer glimmer come back into his eye when she said that last sentence and she quickly held up her palm as if to stop his thoughts and then pointed to the couch.

"On the couch of course."

"Deal."

"Here are pillows and blankets and an alarm clock," she said as she came back from her bedroom with an armful of stuff. "Help yourself to the bathroom in the morning but just be quiet about it. I intend on taking full advantage of my day off." she added playfully as she headed off to her room.

"What no goodnight kiss," Danny mocked her.

She waved a hand to him without turning around and replied sweetly, "Sweet Dreams, Messer."

That's okay he thought as he watched her rear-end sway off to the bedroom. This was an indeed a good start he told himself, to what he wasn't sure but he was definitely willing to stick around at least a little while longer and find out.

Lindsay clicked her bedroom door shut quietly and leaned against it. What was she doing? The infamous Danny Messer was spending the night at her apartment. Was she nuts? God she wanted him!