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A/n here's the next chapter. Thank you all for your reviews and pms. More to come about the date soon.

The Best Laid Plans

Emily yanked open her front door, pushed it shut behind her and keyed in the code for her alarm. The traffic from Quantico had been horrible. An accident on the freeway had made her trip twice as long as it should have been. She looked at her watch and groaned. It was already after six pm.

Her bag went on the little side table just inside the door to her apartment along with her gun, holster and her cuffs. She stood in the entryway for a minute trying to decide what to do first. She needed to get ready, but she had promised him dinner.

"Why didn't you just ask him out to eat? You don't have time for everything." She scolded herself very loudly. "All he has to do is look at you with those puppy dog eyes. You melt away and give him anything he wants. That's not a good precedence to set Prentiss."

She sighed as she hurried into the kitchen. Who was she trying to kid? She'd never had a chance against his face, his hands, and his wonderful mind. It had just taken years for her to acknowledge it. Now, there was no going back, even if she wanted to.

"Unless you completely screw up tonight and scare him off."

She opened the door to the refrigerator and took out the roast she'd been planning to throw in the slow cooker the next morning. It would have to go into the oven instead, but first she needed to take a quick shower.

Twenty minutes later, she hurried back into the kitchen in her robe, slippers and her hair wrapped up in a bath towel. She shouldn't have taken the time to shave her legs. She was seriously behind schedule now.

She grabbed carrots and onions to put in with the roast, leaving them on the grey marble counter top. She pulled her Dutch oven out of the pantry and turned on the stove. It was hot by the time she'd finished preparing the vegetables. She went back to the fridge to see if she had anything for dessert. It looked like she had some vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce. It wasn't original, but it would have to do. The meat finished browning in good time so she added some water covered it and headed back up to her bedroom.

The clock raced against her. It read almost seven when she went back upstairs to dry her hair. Why did the clock, which had moved so slowly in the bullpen that afternoon, have to race now when she needed more time.

Stop wondering about the relationship between time and perception and get going.

Yeah… That was excellent advice. She turned on her hair dryer and began to primp. Twenty minutes later, she pulled out another outfit from her closet. Clothes were draped all over her bed, the Queen Ann chair in the corner, and on the light rose carpet.

She yanked on a pair of brand new black jeans and a black silk camisole. She had been running back and forth to the bathroom and her closet to see what each outfit looked like. She had already vetoed a halter-top dress, too dressy, a pair of faded blue jeans and a tee shirt, too casual, and several other choices. Now she stood in front of the mirror staring at her appearance in the jeans and camisole. Was it too much black? She wasn't going to a funeral. Maybe she should put on a black denim skirt in her closet. No… That one was way too short. Despite her teasing about fishnet stockings, she wasn't quite ready for that level of sexy. Reid would probably have an aneurysm if she wore it.

Stop freaking out and finish with your hair. You are Emily Prentiss, daughter of Elizabeth Prentiss. You can do this.

She picked up her curling iron to add in a few curls when her phone rang. "Damn it." She decided to ignore it and finish with her hair. What if it's Reid calling to cancel? She put down the curling iron and ran for her phone. It was her mother.

"Mom!"

"You sound out of breath Emily."

"I had to run for the phone mother."

"I'm surprised your home on a Friday night."

"Mom… I'm busy. I don't have time to talk." Emily glanced at the clock. It read 7: 43 pm.

"You never have time to talk to me Emily."

"I'm sorry mom. I've been busy with work."

"That's always your excuse. If you bury yourself in work, you'll never have time for a family."

The clock numbers changed to 7:44 pm.

"I have a date mom. I'm going to be late!"

"Oh… Is it anyone that I know?"

"Yes mom… You know him; I just don't have time to talk about it right now. I promise I'll call you in morning and tell you all about it."

"Alright… Be safe."

"I will. Good bye mother."

She dropped her phone and ran back to the bathroom. Her doorbell rang as she picked up her curling iron. "Damn it!" She hurried out of the bedroom to the stairs. A look at the clock as she rushed by proclaimed it to be 7:45.

That's when he said he'd be here. Remember? He doesn't make promises he doesn't keep and he's never late. Well, not since he got clean. Don't think about that or you'll talk about it and he never actually said…

Her bell rang again. "I'm coming," she called out as she ran down the stairs.

She suddenly realized that her feet were bare and she'd forgot her perfume on top of no make up and half-curled hair. Well… it was too late now.

"Hi!" He squeaked giving her one of his little waves.

She stood there staring at him unable to say anything coherent. He wore a dark violet dress shirt with a pair of black slacks. His tie matched his shirt and his belt matched his pants. He'd left off his usual converse shoes for a pair of polished black dress shoes.

"Emily!" His voice, full of concern pushed through her thoughts.

She looked up at his choppy, sexy, new haircut and his addictive eyes that should be declared a health risk to women everywhere.

"Are you alright Emily?"

"Yeah… Um, come on in. You look great."

He went pink in the cheeks. God, she wanted to kiss him and forget about the fact that she hadn't finished getting ready.

"You look good too." He was staring at her bare feet.

"I'm running behind. I didn't have time for makeup or finish my hair.

He lifted his eyes to her face. "I think you're beautiful."

She felt her face getting hot. She hadn't blushed on a date since high school. Spencer Reid could make her feel like she was sixteen again, which felt good.

"Thank you!"

She finally noticed that he held a single pink rose in his hands, which he held out to her. "I wish this were as beautiful as you."

Tingles ran all over her body, pricking tears into her eyes. She blinked hard and hurried away from him into the kitchen. "Emily… did I say -"

"No! It's so beautiful." She said as she entered the kitchen. "I want to put it in some water."

It was at that moment that the smell pushed through her happy haze. "Damn it!" She shouted leaving the rose on the counter top.

She pulled on an oven mitt and lifted the top off the Dutch oven. The water had completely evaporated. The smell of very well done meat and burnt vegetables wafted into the kitchen. "Damn it!" She shouted again.

"Emily!" Reid said tentatively behind her.

She ripped off the gloves and turned on him. "Dinner's burnt!"

"Emily I don't care if -"

"I wanted it all to be perfect for you and now it's ruined."

"It's perfect because you're here." He said picking up the rose from the counter top. "Why don't we start over?"

She had to smile at his pleading puppy eyes. "Okay Dr. Reid. Thank you for the beautiful flower. I'll put it in some water. Why don't you go check out the view? It's fantastic."

He left the kitchen. She put the flower into a tall, slim, crystal vase her mother had given her for a house-warming gift. She eyed the mess on the stove and decided to leave it there for the time being.

She found Reid standing with his back to her looking out over the view. He didn't seem to hear her as she walked up behind him. She used the opportunity to let her eyes feast on his well-defined backside, his back and shoulders. Heat flared up in her stomach as she stared at the body of the most beautiful man she'd ever seen. She swallowed hard and reminded her hormones that this was going to be a 'chaste' first date, not an excuse to have her way with him.

It's been a long time so a little more time isn't going to matter one way or the other.

She took in a deep breath and spoke. "Hey Reid… I found a vase pretty enough to hold your rose."

He turned around and smiled at her. "It's not a beautiful as you are."

The heat raced back up to her face. He'd made her blush in the space of ten minutes. Perhaps being alone here was a bad idea.

"You have an amazing view. Did you know this building was constructed in 1970? It's been owned by businessmen, a senator and -"

"A gigolo," Emily reminded him. "How did you know about that by the way?" She put the rose on her glass coffee table. "Sit down if you like." She dropped onto the long sofa, upholstered in light gray suede.

She pulled up her legs onto the sofa and gestured to him to join her. He stood staring at her for a long time, but the silence wasn't uncomfortable. Finally, he sat down in the corner of the sofa were it became a short el.

"You have a beautiful place." He said.

"Thanks… I admit that I moved here for the view."

He didn't speak again, and the silence started to become uncomfortable. "Reid?"

"What?"

"I wanted to apologize for earlier today. It was wrong of me to be so unprofessional. I drew too much attention to us."

He smiled shyly at her. "I was just going to apologize for the same thing."

Emily reached out and ran a fingertip along his arm. "You don't have to apologize Reid. I'm the one that was blind to what stood in front of me for so long."

"Emily…"

"Shhh…" She grasped his left hand gently with her right hand. "Let me say this. When I started with the BAU, all I wanted was the chance to prove myself to my mother. I put everything else I ever wanted, like a family in the back of my mind. I remember the first time I saw you. I thought you looked like you should be in college not the BAU."

"No one likes my clothes." Reid complained with good humor.

"There's no accounting for taste." Emily replied.

"I love your sarcastic sense of humor." Reid said.

She squeezed his hand feeling the beating of his heart in her fingertips. "And I like your new body and haircut. You've become quite a sexy and exciting man."

"I'm nothing special." Reid insisted.

Emily slid nearly into his lap and took his face into her free hand so he couldn't move it. "Listen to me Spencer Reid. I don't know who you've been listening to, but you're so much more than our walking encyclopedia."

"But -"

"What do I have to do to make you understand?"

He licked his lips as she stared into his eyes. She waited wishing that the moment could go on and on as her racing heart synchronized and began beating in time with his heart.

"I never thought you'd see me." Reid whispered.

"I'm sorry if I hurt you."

"It's not your fault. Just because I liked you doesn't mean you have to respond."

"I know, but somehow I always knew I loved you from the first moment."

"I think I love you too." He stammered, blushing bright red.

"Then its okay," she replied leaning into kiss him.

He pulled her into his lap holding her close to his heart. Her mouth moved over his with purpose and strength. He tasted like coffee and love. He smelled like the promise of spring when the sun shines on new green grass and brightly colored flowers, and the sky is a deep beautiful blue.

His mouth opened under the probing force of her tongue. She tasted the coffee on his tongue and smiled against his mouth. The heat of his tongue licking over her teeth ignited her womanly center into flames. He groaned and tangled his hands into her hair. His hard length pressed into her abdomen as she pulled him as close to her as she could get.

He broke off the kiss and gently pushed her away. "I think I should go."

"You just got here," She panted trying to pull him close again.

"I came just for dinner." He reminded her.

"What if I want more than a meal?" She asked, stroking her hands through his hair.

"I'm not ready." His face went pink. "I don't have any experience with women."

"Oh…" She smiled at him. "Then I suppose we'll have to take it slow."

"Not too slow," he breathed.

"No, not too slow," She agreed. She slid out of his lap and stood up. "Why don't I take a look in the fridge and see if there's anything to eat."

"As long as it's not leftover Chinese take out." He requested.