"Okay… what to pack?" Alex wondered aloud as she rummaged through her closet. Pulling a red tube top out, she looked at it for a second and then threw it back into the closet, not bothering to put it back on a hanger. About half of her clothes were work suits and skirts, and the other half were from her days in vice; this left very little room for everyday clothes, since a workday was everyday for her. "I have got to go shopping. This just isn't healthy," Alex said as she grabbed her "date clothes" and stuffed them into the bag along with a few pairs of jeans and sweaters. Her favorite pumps were also somewhere in the bag, but she hadn't packed anything to wear with them. They gave her at least three inches and put her in the same zip code as Bobby. Well maybe not the same, but it was better than the standard 12 inch difference so it was worth the extra effort to put together an outfit. "Oh the wonders of the little black dress," she thought as she grabbed it at the last minute and stuffed it into her bag along with the rest.
This is ridiculous. I should not be worrying about what I'm wearing for this thing. Well at least not what Bobby thinks about what I'm wearing. I am a professional. And after that fit that I threw back at work, I've definitely got to be acting like one. So, I'm dressing to lure in this guy… not to impress Bobby. Since he's clearly not interested. This is just Bobby. And nothing's changed.
"Goren, Eames. What's the game plan?" Ross asked as both detectives walked into the bullpen with bags in tow.
"Well, we've made arrangements to be let into JFK discretely through an "Employees Only" entrance. From there, we'll come out of a terminal and pick up our bags at a baggage claim for a flight from LA. Grab a taxi and check in at the Roosevelt Hotel. It's only a few minutes from Central Park and the other shops and restaurants that tourists frequent. From- from there we'll play it by ear. We can't have too much structure- he'll be able to tell and we'll scare him off. We also can't have anyone tailing us. He's probably going to be following us, so he'll notice if anyone else does the same. We will be able to take calls at night though, to keep you updated. We can keep this up and hopefully get a bite. If… if not- well if something happens to another couple… we'll try something else," Goren finished as he studied Alex's face, wishing he had the chance to run this by her beforehand.
The truth was, it probably wouldn't matter if there were cops doing surveillance on them because the guy probably wouldn't notice if there was anyone else around- he should be fixated enough on Alex and himself. He just didn't want Alex to be more embarrassed with the situation than she already would be.
God… if she doesn't want me touching her- in private or public, she certainly won't want me touching her with the entire NYPD as witnesses. It's been hard enough for her to get to where she is as a woman; I wouldn't want to put her in any position that would make her uncomfortable. She knows what goes on in locker rooms… I'd just rather her not know the exact subject of their talk or the fact that they ask me about her. There'd be no denying the fact that I'd touched her and I certainly don't want to answer those questions. That, and I think if I punched one of them again and came back with bruises, she'd want to know what happened. And if I told her… well I don't want her to think I'm some crusading vigilante fighting for her honor. I just don't see it going over well. Even if she deserves it.
"Sounds good Goren. You'd better get going," Ross approved as he gave them a once over and headed back to his office.
"Play it by ear Goren? What'd you have in mind, exactly? Because you'd better not have me doing something freaky in public," Alex quipped as she rolled her eyes and grabbed her bag.
Playful banter… that was playful banter, right? Sounded dry enough. Maybe I should have added something about a past experience? No. Too much. That'd be trying to hard. Be normal Alex! Normal. Normal? Since when is anything having to do with Bobby Goren normal! Okay… just be… you then. He seems to deal with 'you' well enough. Now go.
"Ha Ha Eames. Very funny. As long as you don't mind me asking you to wear something ridiculously low cut and elegant tonight, I think you'll be fine," Bobby responded as he watched her tiny form make its way to the elevator across the room and suddenly couldn't get images of Alex out of his head.
Okay. Keep it under control Bobby. You're gonna be all over Alex soon and the last thing you need is to get a hard on while you're trying to catch a serial killer. It's just not a good combination. Okay. Let's go.
Alex just hoped she had turned around in time to hide her reddening cheeks.
"Alright Detective Goren, Detective Eames. Just wait here in the gate. When passengers start to get off the plane, just follow the crowd to the baggage claim. We'll have your bags come out with the rest of them. Simple enough," the airport security manager grumbled as he turned and walked down the terminal, clearly too busy to deal with the detectives who took up far too much of his time.
"Oh don't mind him. He has liquids to confiscate at the security checkpoints," Alex said as she settled into the chair with a magazine.
Bobby laughed quietly to himself as he leaned back into his chair and stretched his legs out in front of them. Alex was kind enough to choose a row of seats that faced the exit for the airplane which meant more than enough foot room for him. It sometimes amazed him how she did things to accommodate him, and he wondered if she ever tired of it.
"What? Al- Eames, you're reading Cosmopolitan?" Bobby asked as he leaned forward and cocked his head to examine the front cover of the magazine, attempting to focus on the titles.
"Yes, Bobby. I read Cosmopolitan, which is usually referred to as 'Cosmo,' by the way. And you're gonna have to take the giant leap across the asexual canyon and start calling me Alex, by the way. I don't think we'll make a very believable couple if we're constantly calling each other by our last names."
And I wouldn't mind you identifying me as a woman every now and then. You know, just to see what it'd be like.
"Okay. I can- I can do that, Alex," he smiled slightly as the word rolled over his tongue. He liked how it sounded. Maybe she'd let him call her by her first name even after this operation was over. You never know- wait. "Alex," he said, testing the water, "you're reading a magazine with an article about 'How to Make Your Man Crazy in Bed: 112 Foolproof Formulas for Success'!" Bobby asked incredulously, studying her face as the light pink in her cheeks flushed across her entire face and proceeded to become a deep crimson color.
Alex coughed as she shifted in her seat and tried for a nonchalant air. "Yeah? Well how else do you think I keep them banging down the door?" she smirked. He coughed.
Oh. My. God. She really just said that? Is she serious? I need a copy of that magazine. And copies of all the months prior to this edition. What, exactly, does she DO! Not that she would ever do any of that with you, but… well it's nice to think about sometimes.
Bobby could feel a familiar warmness in the pit of his stomach begin to reach out, expanding to reach all of his extremities. His blood flow was beginning to redirect itself, coursing through his veins and away from his brain and towards more… impulsive parts of his body. A nasal voice came over the intercom, announcing the location for the baggage claim as passengers began to travel out of the hallway and down the terminal. Alex stood and picked up her purse as Bobby maneuvered himself out of the chair and they joined the stream of people.
Glancing one more time at the magazine cover as Alex shoved it into her purse, Bobby could only think one thing.
This is going to be a loooooong week.