Had your cold shower yet, LOL? Okay, silly me. Now that Bobby and Alex have broken that final wall, expect all manners of smutty goodness. Someone is having a milestone birthday in this chapter, so of course there'll be a party. We'll have little case-file, as the Richman case is in pretrial. Some beloved former characters will make an appearance. Reviews, feedback and chocolate are all welcome. I don't own them, just like keeping them alive in the land of fanfic.
Alex woke first, a bit confused. Sure was a wild dream, she thought. Then she felt the weight of a leg over her hip. She turned her head slightly, realizing not a dream. She slowly eased herself out of bed, avoiding waking her lover. In the bathroom, she took care of necessities, wincing at certain tender spots. A quick gulp of water, and she decided that more sleep was in order. She returned to the bed, relieved that Bobby was still out like a light. They had had quite the workout this morning, she grinned to herself as her eyes drifted shut.
Bobby's eyes focused on the length of messy streaky pale caramel-colored hair by his nose. Whoa, didn't see that coming when he invited her for a run this morning. But boy, was it worth it. His brain replayed a few of the steamier moments from their little sexcapade. Why the hell hadn't he figured out how great they'd be together years ago? He ran a finger lightly over her shoulder, down the well between her breasts. He saw the red welts on her neck, her collarbone, and near her nipples. Shit, she'd likely kill him for those hickeys.
"At least I can smack a little makeup on mine, what are you gonna do?" she smirked, her eyes still closed.
"You're awake," he grinned. "And what do you mean, what am I gonna do?"
She ran her fingers over his neck, under his ear, "Shirt collar doesn't come up that far."
"Oh, the guys in the squad room will think I got lucky," he chuckled into her ear. "Kind of a badge of honor, if you will."
"Right," she said dryly.
"But I don't have to tell who I got lucky with," he ran a finger over her lips.
She smiled, "Maybe you can keep a secret, not sure if I'll be able to."
"You always said men talk too much," he reminded her.
"Oh, I don't have to say a word. Just pushing you down on the desk in the middle of the bullpen might give them a little hint," her voice was silky, her hand reaching for his hip.
"Nope, not until I address another bodily function," he scooted out of bed, then groaned as he got to his feet.
"Not as young as we used to be," she teased.
He returned to the bedroom in a few seconds, tossing Alex her ringing cell phone, "I'll have our shower ready in a few," he whispered as she picked up the call.
"Uh, hi," she said somewhat confusedly. "Phone was in the other room."
Her sister's voice was a bit suspicious, "I tried to call you at home."
"Ah, went out for a run this morning," Alex evaded.
"You sound...are you all right?" her sister pressed.
"I'm fine, have the day off," she stifled a yawn.
"So that's why a certain man was offering to get your shower ready," Liz teased.
"You heard that?..never mind what I'm doing," Alex snipped.
"You are too funny, and tell Bobby I'm glad for both of you," Liz enjoyed her sister's discomfiture.
"That's why you called?" Alex heard the shower start.
"Nope, just to invite you to dinner Saturday night. You and your lover, that is," she was merciless.
"We might, if we can manage to stagger out of bed by that time," her sister gave it right back.
"Rub it in, that you're getting regular sex, while my husband has been on a business trip in Florida this week," Liz laughed.
"Leave us alone, the water will be cold if I don't hang up right now," Alex scolded.
Steam rolled out of the bathroom. "Know you're in here somewhere," she laughed.
His hand reached from behind the curtain, and he grabbed her wrist, "Right here, milady."
She stepped over the edge of the tub, and he drew her into a tight embrace. She reached past him to grab a bar of soap, and she withdrew from him long enough to lather her hands well, a devilish grin on her face. She ran slick hands over his back, buttocks and belly, studiously avoiding a certain part of his anatomy, then kneeling and stroking his legs to his ankles and feet.
He pulled her to standing, where he took the soap from her, "Two can play at this," he breathed, sud-sing up his hands.
"Let me shampoo your hair," she said softly, squirting the liquid into her palm.
He knelt, his hands roaming over her body, while her fingertips massaged his scalp, "Ah, Alex, liking that," he groaned as she scooped handfuls of water over his scalp, rubbed his shoulders.
She gasped a little as Bobby's soapy digits gently ministered over her breasts, her belly and between her thighs, "Bobby!"
"Too tender there?" he pressed a kiss into her navel, and his hands deftly washed her legs and feet.
"A little...sensitive," she felt a trembling inside, desire building in spite of herself.
Bobby stood and faced her away from him. He squirted shampoo into his hand, and began cleansing her hair, letting the damp strands fall through his fingers languidly. The whole scene was so...intimate, sensual. He felt his arousal growing, and whispered into her ear, "Lean forward a little."
She felt him lift her and tip her hips forward. Alex gripped the towel bar as he slid inside her, one hand supporting her lower belly, the other curved over her breast. He moved so slowly that it gave her raw muscles from earlier time to adjust as they spooned, "Oh, baby...feeling crazy good."
His fingers splayed where their bodies joined, "Not too much?"
"Even if it is..." she whimpered as they found their rhythm. "Don't care," heat spread through her body. "There, there...right.." she tossed her head back with a strangled cry.
"Christ, you feel so good," he managed to grunt out as the last vestiges of his release shook him.
Knees shaking, they gingerly got out of the tub and took a few cursory swipes with a towel, before collapsing into a heap on the couch.
"You-you were going to take me to lunch," she ran a hand through his damp curls.
"I did say that, didn't I?" he mumbled into her shoulder.
"Um hmm," she sighed.
"Guess we should get dressed," he groaned.
"Good idea," she giggled, but still didn't move.
"'S'pose we could find someone to deliver," Bobby said.
"Isn't that what you just did?" she snarked.
He burst out laughing. "Call it dessert before the meal."
In the midst of their banter, they dressed and walked down the street to the nearest deli.
Over sandwiches, chips and iced tea, Bobby and Alex talked about this new dimension to their relationship.
"I have to admit, it-it wasn't exactly like I expected," he stammered.
"Why?" she asked. "It was..." she closed her eyes briefly, "Totally wonderful."
"For me, too," he admitted. "I...had it all planned in my mind. You know, nice dinner, candles...flowers..."
Alex blushed, "Since we're confessing, I dropped a bunch of money at La Petit Coquette, was going to cook this really seductive dinner, thinking I was going to give you a birthday present to remember."
"Hey, I wouldn't turn down that kind of present," he lifted her fingers to his lips.
"Instead, you got ratty NYPD issue workout clothes and old everyday undies," she said ruefully.
"It's the package, not the wrapping," he reminded her with a playful grin. "You got smoothies after a sweaty morning run, instead of a four course meal with champagne and strawberries."
"It's the singer, not the song," she rubbed her thumb over his. "In case I haven't told you, I love you so much, Bobby."
"I love you, Alex," his voice was a bit unsteady.
They spent the afternoon just hanging out at Bobby's, reading the paper, snuggling on the couch, changing the sheets on the ravaged bed.
"What do you want to do for dinner?" Alex asked him about six o'clock.
"I could cook for you, if you want mac and cheese from a box," he perused the contents of his cupboard.
She looked into his fridge, then freezer, frowning a bit, "I thought you were eating more healthy."
"I am," he insisted, coming behind her and rubbing his hands over her hips. "Just not the best cook in the world."
"Well, let's see, there's chicken breast, frozen broccoli, pea pods and carrots. I can work with that. Ice cream for dessert. Got any rice?" she asked, poking around the freezer.
"Ice cream and rice? Yuck," he teased.
"Stir fried chicken and veggies with rice, smart-ass," she laughed indulgently.
He reached into the cupboard and pulled out a box of rice, "Satisfied?"
"Oh, yeah," she purred, grabbing his butt.
"Me, too," he swung her into his arms.
They spent the next several minutes kissing and caressing each other, savoring the intimacy of the small kitchen.
"Isn't this how the morning started?" Bobby's nose was buried in her hair.
"Um hmm," her stomach growled, intruding on their little tete a tete.
They broke apart, laughing. Alex busied herself thawing the meat in the microwave, while Bobby unearthed a large skillet and set the water boiling for the rice.
"I found the perfect thing for dessert," he announced, finding a package of premade brownie mix and a jar of chocolate sauce in the fridge. "Goes great with ice cream."
"Not the most nutritious," Alex demurred, weakening at the mention of chocolate.
"That's okay," he assured her, turning on the oven. "We can find a way to burn the calories off later."
She raised an eyebrow, "Three times in one day?"
"You're my aphrodisiac," he laughed.
He leaned against the counter as she skilfully cut up the chicken, and sauteed it with the vegetables, enjoying as she took over his kitchen.
Bobby cleared the small table, found the tablecloth he'd used for Alex's birthday surprise, and unearthed the candles in the glass jars. He dimmed the lights, lit the candles, and poured chilled wine into glasses.
Alex arranged the food artistically on his plain plates, and served him his meal.
"This is really good," Bobby enthused. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," she smiled as they clinked their wineglasses together.
They talked about the coming weekend, studiously avoiding the topic of work.
"Liz invited us for dinner Saturday night," she remembered.
"We should go," he nodded.
"I'm not sure if I want to share you just yet, even if it is with my family," she chuckled.
Bobby threw back his head and laughed, "Big deal, it's only a couple hours, honey, we have what, another forty-five hours to do...other things."
After dinner, Bobby cleared the table and slid the brownie mix into the oven.
"Let me help with the dishes," Alex pleaded as Bobby filled the sink with soapy water.
"Nope, you cooked, I clean up," he shook his head. "Have another glass of wine."
"Trying to get me drunk?" she teased. "I think I'll make us some coffee to go with our dessert."
Bobby cut the brownies, scooped ice cream on top and finished their sundaes with a drizzle of chocolate sauce. "Want to eat al fresco? I think it's cooled off a bit."
They took their dishes to the back terrace.
"Yummy," Alex pronounced as she licked her spoon.
"Pretty good, if I do say so myself," he agreed.
"I should go," she said reluctantly.
"Stay," he stroked the inside of her wrist with his fingertips, making her shiver.
"I don't have any work clothes here," she demurred.
"You look fine to me," he crooned, his hand moving to the buttons on her blouse.
"I might have something in my locker," she felt her resolve weaken.
Bobby ran his hand up her thigh, "Don't want to force you to stay."
"You're not," she sighed, caressing his jaw.
In the bedroom, their encounter this time was slow, gentle, and infinitely tender. "I want to watch you, see your face," Bobby's voice was ragged as he guided her on top of him.
Alex braced her hands on his shoulders as she settled him inside her. "Oh, Bobby," she let out her breath in an torrid rush. Their eyes locked, voices soft, loving.
Collapsed on his chest, she reveled in the sound of his heart beating beneath her ear.
His fingers raked through her hair, traced each vertebrae, and treasured the intimacy of the moment. They fell asleep in that position.
Friday at work was surprisingly routine. They took the train to work, and Alex detoured to the locker room to assemble a reasonably professional outfit. Her entrance into the squad room about thirty minutes behind her partner was typical. She put a cup of coffee on his desk, courtesy of a mad dash to the kiosk just across One PP. "Good morning, partner," she said, her eyes twinkling.
Bobby, balancing his phone on his shoulder, grinned in response, "Gee, thanks."
The captain stopped by their desks, "Have a nice day off?"
"I did, what about you?" Bobby asked his partner, his tone casual.
"Great, worked out a lot," her eyes glinted wickedly over the rim of her coffee cup.
"Wonderful," Joe's tone was laconic. "Now that you've had a little break, got a nice fraud case for you."
"What, no homicide?" Bobby replaced the receiver in the cradle. "Dimitris are still locked step in keeping their mouths shut," he added.
"It's been barely two days since the indictment, did you think they'd crack?" Alex wondered.
"Hoped," he replied. "So, what's this fraud case?"
The captain handed them a file, " Two hundred grand missing from a brokerage account."
"So where's the fraud?" Alex wondered, skimming the info.
"Apparently Mr Stephen Epstein left on a month long trip to Australia. He came back this week to a gutted brokerage account. Now, this guy's kids are the signatories on the account. Turns out, the daughter's in the hospital on bedrest with preterm labor for the past five weeks, and the son's been on a honeymoon cruise in Europe for about three weeks. The withdrawals were during that time, under the kids' names, but neither one of them had the opportunity."
"The way the market's been, the perp could've been doing Mr Epstein a favor," Bobby commented as Alex passed him the file.
They spent the rest of the day in witness interviews and talking to the computer techs.
"Give me a dead body anytime," Alex groaned as they got ready to leave for the day. "All the numbers shit is frying my brain."
"Interesting motive, though, blaming this guy's kids," Bobby countered. "Makes me wonder if it's someone connected to them."
"Or the broker, wanting to keep his financial security in a very insecure market," she theorized.
"See, it's interesting after all," he teased.
They spent the evening at a tiny Forest Hills eatery and bar, grazing off each others plates and then dancing to slow jazz and pop music.
Bobby woke in Alex's bed Saturday morning to the smell of pancakes and bacon. "I could get used to this," he thought to himself, rolling out of bed.
"Sleep well?" she kissed him as she handed a steaming cup of coffee in the sunny kitchen.
"Like a rock," he grinned. He took a seat at the table while she passed butter and syrup, and poured orange juice. "I'll need to run more if you keep feeding me like this."
"Or we can find other ways to burn it off," she smirked.
"I thought I was going to choke on my coffee yesterday at the workout crack," he joked.
"I couldn't help myself," Alex laughed.
"Naughty girl," Bobby ran his hand up her leg, realizing she was naked save for his t shirt.
"Have my moments," she felt a ping of desire, "Baby, I love when you do that."
"When I do what?" he chuckled.
"Touch me...like that...geez, talk about naughty..." her breath quickened.
Any further discussion was interrupted by the ring of Bobby's cell, "Yeah, uh, Goren."
A pause then, "Does it have to be today? All right, all right, Lewis. Be there in an hour or two." he clicked the phone shut.
"What's up?" she asked.
"Lewis busted a couple fingers yesterday, and wants help doing some tune-ups," he sighed.
"That's okay," she reached out and ruffled his hair. "Go help him, then we can go to dinner later at Liz's."
"You're sure?" he asked.
"I'm sure," she scooted over to his lap. "Look, we don't have to be joined at the hip. Keeping our other friendships is important."
"It is," Bobby kissed her tenderly. "I'll miss you."
"I'll miss you," she kissed him back, then hopped up, laughing, "Go, before I change my mind!"
Secretly, Alex was relieved Bobby would be gone for a while. His fiftieth birthday was in two weeks, and she had some major planning to do. In spite of her confession about cooking him a sexy meal and seducing him, she also intended to host a big, splashy event, with lots of friends, food and great music. The trouble was, how to pull off a surprise party when your lover was a detective, add to the fact that they were together so much.
She'd gotten up early this morning to poach his contact list from his phone, and put it on her laptop. Alex knew a great many of his friends, from diverse walks of life, but getting the word out in such a relatively short period of time might be problematic. She figured the contacts would lead her to others. Addresses and emails could be gleaned by one of the tech guys at work, Josh popped into mind. He might spill the beans, but responded well to threats, she decided. A venue that would hold about a hundred people, plus food and music.
She considered her options. Their former captain, Jimmy Deakins, had connections with his position as head of a private security firm. Claire might be also have some ideas, since her husband was the DA. Family resources counted, too. She spent a good chunk of the day on the phone and the internet, but her hard work paid off. Angie Deakins was able to reserve a party room in the community building in their housing development. It was large enough to suit her needs, and it had a full kitchen. Best of all, since the Deakins' were members, it was free. Claire suggested a few caterers she had used, but cautioned that the short notice might limit her options. Her niece Ashley had a line on a DJ from school who might work for cheap. Alex found an Italian bakery who would do the torta cake and tiramisu for dessert. Claire was right about the caterer situation-with all the weddings and summer parties, most were booked. And the ones who weren't were too expensive or didn't offer the type of food Alex wanted.
Bobby called about three, apologizing for not calling sooner, "What time does Liz want us there for dinner?"
"Oh, shit, forgot to ask her," Alex admitted. "What time do you think you'll be done there?"
"Uh, probably be after six by the time I go home, get cleaned up, and swing by to get you," he answered.
"That's fine with me, I'll be ready. Love you," she added.
"Love you too, see ya in a while," he replied.
She quickly punched in Liz's number, "Hey, sorry to be such rude guests, but Bobby and I won't be there until six thirty or seven. Is that too late?"
"No, it's not. Dad is coming over, too and he's been playing cards with his buddies from the 4-0 this afternoon. Lord knows what kind of shape he'll be in when he gets here," Liz sounded annoyed.
"Do you want us to pick him up on the way?" Alex asked.
"No, Jack and Maeve will bring him," she replied.
"At least let us bring something," she insisted.
Liz blew out a breath, "If you could bring a couple loaves of bread for garlic toast and some salad mix, that would be fabulous. We're grilling steaks and chops, and sweet corn, and we'll have angel food cake with fruit compote for dessert."
"Is Eric home yet?" Alex wondered.
"No, not til the middle of the week," she sighed. "I miss him, and so does Nate."
"Don't go to a lot of trouble cooking for us, Liz," she said.
"I'm not, making the guys char up the meat, so we can have a gabfest," her sister laughed.
"And what would we be gabbing about?" Alex was wary.
"Oh, don't play dumb, sissy," Liz laughed. "You know, a certain someone getting some..."
"Right, with Dad, my big brother and my partner, not to mention your very impressionable son present," she countered.
"We need a girls night out," Liz sighed in mock vexation.
"Speaking of presents, I need your foodie expertise. Bobby's birthday is the 20th, and it's the big 5-0," Alex explained.
"So, you want to have a bash for your man? Sweet!" she enthused.
"I have a guest list, kind of, a place to have it, and cake. Might have a DJ, just need to find a caterer that doesn't cost me the proverbial arm and leg," she sighed.
"Let me do it," Liz begged.
"We're talking like a hundred people," Alex objected.
"It's no different than cooking for a church supper," Liz insisted. "Look, between me, my cooking group and our sisters in law, it'd be a piece of cake."
"I already have the cake," Alex sighed. "And I want you to be guests, not slaving over the food."
"What kind of menu are you thinking, Italian? Antipasti trays, bruschetta, crostini, mini meatballs, muffaletta sandwiches, stuffed mushrooms, all that would make a great light meal, could be set up buffet style, and it would be a great way for people to mix. Plus, it would really only cost for the ingredients, the labor would be free," Liz quickly calculated. "Some wine, maybe a keg..."
"Sounds tempting," Alex admitted.
"Say yes, we'll figure out the logistics later," Liz pleaded.
"Are you sure?" she asked.
"Family, remember? And Bobby by extension, is family, even without the license and the ring. Although that would be nice," Lix added.
"We just started having...um, a relationship," Alex stammered.
"Oh, so the sex is recent, huh?" her sister got it. "At least tell me it's good."
"Not good, phenomenal," she chuckled. "And that's all I want to say about that."
Alex went for a run, stopped to pick up the bread and salad mix, and grabbed a quick shower. By the time she finished blow drying her hair, Bobby was at the door.
She greeted him with a kiss. "Get Lewis caught up?"
"Yeah, Tom is going to help him this week, and we put the F 85 on hold for a while," he explained.
"Aw, that's too bad," she sympathized. "I want to see this little project one of these days."
"Careful, you might get sucked in as free labor," he teased.
"If it gave me time with you, I'd risk it," she laughed, reaching out to hold his hand.
Dinner at Liz's was pleasant, in spite of Johnny's mildly inebriated state. Besides Jack and Maeve, Ashley and her fiance Ryan were in attendance. Alex and Bobby were openly affectionate with each other, causing a lot of knowing looks to pass between her family members.
"Are you and Aunt Alex gonna stay all night like the last time?" Nate wondered as he chewed on a s'more.
"No, we can't stay tonight," Bobby sent a teasing glance towards Alex.
"Why not?" the little boy wanted to know.
"Because we have a lot of stuff to do before we go back to work on Monday," Alex carefully explained.
"Yeah, right, horizontal things," Ashley snickered.
"Hey, what's 'zontal mean?" Nate piped up.
"Explain that to your cousin, Ashley," Liz said acidly.
"Horizontal means lying down, you know, like when you go to sleep at night, Nate," Ryan rescued his fiancee.
"Oh," the little boy still looked confused. "Then why didn't she just say that?"
The adults laughed. "Because she's a smart ass Eames," Johnny chuckled.
"I think we need a change of subject," Maeve said stiffly.
"Trust Mom the prude," Ashley muttered under her breath.
Jack looked at his daughter, "You know, you're about to be a mother. I'll be interested to see how you handle these questions from your kid."
"Hey, if they're old enough to ask, they're old enough to know," his daughter was unrepentant.
"Speaking of the baby, do you know if it's a boy or girl?" Bobby cleared his throat.
"Not finding out until the delivery room," Ashley groaned.
"She wants to know in the worst way, but I think it's one of life's last mysteries," Ryan said, his arm around her.
"Plus, if I found out, I couldn't keep my big mouth shut," Ashley added ruefully.
"How are you feeling?" Alex wondered.
"The fatigue and morning sickness really kicked my butt until about 16 weeks, now I feel fabulous...and fat...the baby kicks...what's not to love?" she grinned.
"I remember wanting to sleep twelve hours a day and the puky feeling...couldn't wait for that to end," Alex remembered.
"Did I kick you a lot when I was in your tummy?" Nate was curious.
"You did, especially at 3 in the morning," she laughed.
"Did it hurt?" he wondered.
"No, I actually liked it," Alex said. She caught a glimpse of her sister's face. "You know, if you ask nice, maybe Ashley will let you put her hand on her tummy and feel her baby kick." She rose and piled dirty dishes onto a tray.
Liz got up to help, "I can do that, Lex." Her voice was tight.
"I need to talk to you in the kitchen. Alone," Alex said pointedly.
Liz busied herself loading dishes into the dishwasher, obviously upset.
"I'm sorry, Liz," Alex put a hand on her shoulder.
"It shouldn't bother me, after all these years," she sniffled, rubbing her fingers in her eyes. "But you got to experience feeling him growing under your heart...and I never carried one long enough to have that..." she sobbed silently.
"Hey, I know, Liz. But you are his mother every single day, from the first breath he took. I was just the incubator," Alex's own eyes filled with tears.
"The one who handed him over in the delivery room," Liz remembered. "Maybe you still have a chance, with Bobby."
"I'm forty-five years old, he's nearly fifty, Liz. I think it's too late in the game to do the baby thing," Alex said wryly, wiping her eyes. "Just let us borrow Nate once in a while, and you and I can fight Maeve and Jack for the right to babysit Ashley's kid."
"Speaking of upcoming birthdays, have you given any thought to my offer?" Liz changed the subject.
"Work up a budget, and a menu, and I'll pay for it," Alex said.
"Mommy, mommy, I felt the baby kick!" Nate flew into the kitchen.
"That's really special, honey," She scooped her son into her arms. "You are getting so big, pretty soon I won't be able to hold you like this."
On the way home, Alex was quiet.
"Penny for your thoughts?" he asked.
"Oh, it's just Liz. She's still sensitive about pregnant women. And I think her in-laws are giving her grief again about not giving Nate a sibling," she picked at a cuticle.
"You made a huge sacrifice for her," he reminded her gently. "I know how you suffered...after."
"Still do, sometimes," she admitted, barely above a whisper.
"I know," pain twisted his gut.
"Eric's parents...they offered me money...to carry another baby...I couldn't do it," she admitted.
"When?" he was truly shocked.
"About four years ago," she replied. "I wouldn't-couldn't put us through it again."
"Um-us?" Bobby stammered.
"You don't do well with change, and I wasn't about to surrender a second child," her voice was clipped.
"Sorry," he pulled up to her door.
"Don't be," she assured him, sliding across the seat to embrace him. "We're where we're supposed to be."
The melancholy mood persisted, even as they made love that night, and into the morning when Bobby left for his appointment with Dr Gyson.
Her patient was quiet, almost sullen, a marked change from his attitude at his last session.
"You seem unsettled," she said tentatively. "Did something happen since Wednesday to..."
"Piss me off?" Bobby's tone was venomous. "The normal life thing...I was pretty hopeful, and then...the age thing comes around to bite me."
"What specifically about the age thing?" she prodded.
"Having children," he sighed. "I always told myself I didn't want to pass on anything in my gene pool, especially after finding out my family tree...even more fucked up than I imagined. But now Alex and I are...involved, and I see her with her nieces and nephews...she'd make a wonderful mother."
"Have you talked to her about it?" she asked.
"Last night," he said shortly.
"And?" Gyson felt as though she was pulling teeth.
"And...nothing. She feels like the age thing...she's forty-five...we missed our chance," Bobby stared into space.
Something in his manner made her back away from the subject, "So, tell me about what made you feel...hopeful...was the term you used."
"Work...has been going well. We've got our rhythm back, and there was an indictment handed down this week. Not getting as frustrated, or maybe I'm just coping better," a ghost of a smile curved his lips.
"Anything else?" the doctor suspected more.
"Alex and I...it's better than I could ever imagine," he confessed.
"So the intimacy has brought up this other issue," understanding dawned on her face.
"Enough with the euphemisms, yes, we're having sex," Bobby said, shifting in his seat.
"And that's a good thing, part of a healthy relationship," Gyson reminded him. "The other issues...family, commitment...those things take time. You have to be open with each other. I don't expect that we'll talk about some things in this office, but you do have to share them with Alex. Because being open with her is the key to your drawbridge, good or bad."
Alex spent her morning on the phone, honing the guest list. She never failed to be surprised at the varied backgrounds of Bobby's friends. One thing they all had in common: they loved her partner, and were anxious to make his birthday memorable. She was touched by the sheer number and generosity of his friends, from offers of food and money, to musicians who wanted to be part of the entertainment. She enlisted Josh to hack into Bobby's computer contact list.
"But...detective...that's, um, I still remember the last time I did that," he stammered.
"Josh, if I thought I could do it and not get caught, I would. You like Detective Goren, don't you?" she asked.
"I respect him and gosh, he's such a legend..." Josh said.
"And you're afraid of him," she sighed.
"Yeah, I am," the computer tech agreed.
"I want him to have the most marvelous birthday party, and I need your help. If I don't get it, I'll just find someone else," her tone was casual.
"I'll do it," he said quietly. "And you want it to be a surprise, right?"
"If the secret leaks out, you'd better be afraid of me," she warned. Alex hung up, feeling a little guilty for taking advantage. She felt the beginnings of a headache, and the pouring rain outside precluded her usual run. She was considering a trip to the gym, when her cell rang.
"Hey, gorgeous, up for lunch?" Bobby sounded a bit happier than when he left this morning.
"I am, but I need to hit the treadmill, hard," she said.
"I was thinking of picking up a basketball game at the gym," he admitted.
"Let's have a decadent lunch, and then burn it off," Alex laughed.
They pigged out on pasta, then went their separate ways, her to the weights and elliptical, and Bobby to the basketball court. Alex finished first, showered and dressed, then went to watch her partner in action. She watched in amusement as he pounded down the court. He might be ten or fifteen years older than some of the other players, but he played with his whole heart.
After Bobby got cleaned up, they made a run through the rain to the train, reluctant to have the weekend end. "Well, I left my dry cleaning at your place," he laughed.
"We don't have to spend every night together," Alex was in his lap in the recliner in her living room. They were waiting for pizza delivery.
"Maybe we could split our time, your place one night, mine the next," he chuckled, his lips and tongue teasing her neck, and the sensitive place behind her ear.
"Mm hmm," she divested him of his shirt and straddled his lap."How long before the pizza gets here?"
"About a half hour or so," he groaned as he removed her shirt and cupped her breasts."Love that you left the bra off."
"Plenty of time for a quickie, don't you think?" she unzipped his jeans, and reached inside his underwear.
Bobby groaned and arched against her hand, "Yeah, baby...let me get at you."
She wiggled a bit, allowing his fingers to move her shorts and panties aside, while she used her hand to guide him inside her. "Can't get enough of you," she whispered as they moved together.
They were still in that position twenty minutes later when the doorbell rang, "Of all the times for them to be early," he groaned, lifting her off him, and zipping his pants. Alex reached for her discarded shirt and pulled it over her head, then stumbled to the couch.
Pizza, sodas and the eleven o'clock news, and then off to bed.
"Great weekend," he murmured, kissing her goodnight.
"Um, I love you," her voice was sleepy.
"Love you too," he sighed.
Monday morning was business as usual. Alex managed to check in with Josh when Bobby would leave for a bathroom break or take a phone call. Her phone was loaded with texts and email responses. She decided that electronic mail and text was probably the most efficient way to get the word out, rather than bothering with paper invites and snail mail.
By Friday, the entertainment was confirmed; live music courtesy of five of Bobby's friends. They refused to take a dime. Liz had emailed a budget and the menu. By the next week, several of the guests contributed financially, either by pressing it directly into her hand, or via snail mail. There were notes that accompanied the money, heartfelt missives describing how something Bobby had said or done over the years impacted their lives.
It was hard to keep them hidden from him, and she finally resorted to letting the captain keep the notes and monies in his office safe. As Joe put the latest bundle of cards and notes away, he confronted Alex about the whole party thing.
"This is an awful lot of work for you, Alex," he broached the subject cautiously.
She weighed her words carefully, "He doesn't have any family, really. Bobby gives so much of himself to people, more than we even know. Virtually all his life, he had to look out for himself. His friends are his family. I am so lucky to have the family, the support system I do. This party isn't just for his birthday. It's to...honor him, as a man, as a friend."
"You love him," the captain said flatly.
"Expect me to deny it? Well, I won't. He's my dearest friend," she said vehemently.
Bobby felt himself getting more and more introspective as his birthday approached. The big 5-0, a half century. Sure, his life was pretty good right now, arguably better than any other time in his life. He'd conquered a lot of demons, and he had his relationship with Alex. He thought about Ben Laurette, the architect with three wives. He'd told Alex that the man's milestone birthday left him considering his legacy.
She sensed his mood, and tried to give him space accordingly. They spent a few nights apart, but then would find themselves having marathon conversations on the phone the nights they didn't share a bed.
Alex pondered the ideal gift for his birthday, wanting to give him something tangible. He wasn't really into jewelry, he loved books and music and old cars. The busted radio in the Shelby gave her an idea. After a hurried conversation with Lewis, she decided to have it retrofitted for satellite radio, as well as install a CD player. Alex crept out of bed before six the morning of Bobby's birthday and passed her spare car key into Lewis' hand. The plan was for Lewis to install the radio, and bring the Shelby back by noon.
Alex slipped back into Bobby's apartment, and rummaged through her bag. She drew out one of her purchases from La Petit Coquette, and pulled it over her head. The pale green silk hugged her body, and barely skimmed the tops of her thighs. She warmed a huge blueberry muffin in the microwave, and stuck a lit candle in it. The thin light of dawn was filtering through the blinds when she tiptoed into the bedroom.
Bobby was on his back, still asleep. She climbed astride his thighs, carefully holding the muffin. She began singing "happy birthday" loudly enough to wake him.
His mouth curved into a grin, but he didn't open his eyes.
"C'mon, I know you're awake," she giggled. "Make a wish and blow out the candle before it fries the muffin."
He laughed aloud, opening his eyes, "I was hoping you forgot what day this was."
"No way," Alex grinned.
He sat up and blew out the candle, "Happy now?"
"Depends, did you make a wish?" she fed him a bite of the muffin.
"I did, even though it's already come true," he pulled her mouth to his, sharing his bite of food with her. He pulled back, and caught a finger in the skinny strap of her lingerie, "Lovely wrapping on my birthday present."
"What makes you think I'm your present?" she teased, feeding him another bite.
Bobby bit her fingertips lightly, "Only one I need."
They finished the muffin, using their fingers and tongues as makeshift utensils. An hour later, they were tangled in a heap of sweaty limbs.
"Feel any older?" Alex chuckled.
"No, ma'am," he was playing with her hair. "More like a horny teenager, and it's. All. Your. Fault," he punctuated his words with kisses.
"I second that emotion," she sighed.
"So, what do you want to do today?" he was tracing lazy circles on her belly.
"It's your birthday," she reminded him.
"I seem to remember something you said, about this dinner, seduction..." he mused.
"And a cute little purchase from a certain lingerie shop," she twirled the piece of silk by a strap. The seduction dinner is later," she smiled. "We're going out to lunch, and a concert this afternoon."
"We have to get dressed, then," he sighed in disappointment.
"Yes, but we can have a little nap, a little fun in the shower this morning," she yawned.
They left the apartment a little after one. Alex got behind the wheel of the Shelby and turned the key. She reached under the dash and flipped a switch. Jazz music filled the car.
"What the...you fixed the radio?" he was incredulous.
"Well, technically Lewis did, and I paid for it. It's three years of satellite radio, and a CD player," she grinned. "Happy birthday!"
He looked over the program guide and fiddled with the tuner, "Wow, this-this is great!"
"So you like it?" she asked.
"I love it," he laughed like a little boy. "We don't need to go to the concert, we can have our own concert right here in the back seat," Bobby said suggestively.
"Down, boy," she grinned. "We can file that little fantasy away for another day."
"So where is this place we're going for lunch?" he wondered. "Looks kind of residential."
She made another turn and then maneuvered the car up a hill, and into a narrow alley, "We're here," she put the car in park, and led him into the back of the building. Soft strains of jazz wafted down the hall. She took his hand and whispered, "Trust me."
He looked at her quizzically as he held the door open for her.
The wave of voices took him back a step, "Surprise!"
She watched him anxiously, as the look of shock was replaced by incredulity then joy as he recognized familiar faces. Jimmy Deakins was shaking his hand, Angie Deakins hugged him. Ron Carver and his wife. Joe and Sharon Hannah. The Eames family. Mike Logan with a woman who looked vaguely familiar. Lewis, his mom and his brother Tom. Jack and Claire McCoy. Megan Wheeler. For several minutes, he was nearly swallowed by the crush of well-wishers. "Did you arrange all this?" he managed to ask Alex.
"With a lot of help," she admitted, kissing his cheek, mindful of the stares.
"Thank you," he held her tightly.
Someone in the crowd yelled, "Speech, speech!" Bobby was swept along to the front of the room, where his friend Moses handed him a microphone.
"I, uh, Christ, I don't know what to say. Th-thank you all for coming. It's so good to see old friends," he paused, searching for her face in the crowd. "Kind of a milestone, I guess, fifty years of living. I know a lot of work went into this. One person I want to acknowledge, the best gift I ever got...my partner, my best friend, my heart...Alex Eames."
There were cheers and applause, and the tears Alex had been fighting spilled over.
The party lasted through the afternoon and far into the evening. People stayed and visited, danced, ate and enjoyed a few drinks.
"So, who's the woman with Logan?" Deakins asked.
"His wife, Gina," Alex laughed.
"Wife? Never thought I'd see the day," Jimmy shook his head.
"They dated years ago, back when we investigated that prison guard's murder," Bobby said. "Guess they hooked up when, last year?"
Alex nodded, "She's a nurse practitioner at a clinic on the west side. Gina said they eloped a couple months ago."
It was after ten before the party broke up. The back seat of the Shelby was loaded with gifts, cards, and a basket of food.
Alex was dozing in the passenger seat as Bobby steered towards Brooklyn, "Sorry I lied to you, sweetie."
"What lie? You told me we were going to lunch and a concert," he chuckled. "I still can't believe how you pulled it off."
"You really were surprised?" she yawned.
"Truly stunned," Bobby out his hand on her thigh.
"I worried, because I know you don't like to be the center of attention," she said, "And, boy, it was a hard secret to keep the last two weeks."
"Two weeks? So many people showed up," he still was incredulous.
"Well, I poached your contact list from your phone, and got Josh to hack into your contacts on your work computer," she admitted.
"How did you get him to...?" he queried.
"Threats," she said succinctly. "I was on a mission."
They unloaded the car, and collapsed into bed.
"You'll get your seduction dinner tomorrow night," she murmured against his chest.
"We have all those great leftovers, baby," he kissed the top of her head. "I just wanted to tell you one last thing," he turned to his side and tucked her close. "Thank you for the best birthday. Has to be the most loving thing anyone ever did for me," he was choked up.
"It was my pleasure," she kissed him goodnight.
Our dear Bobby survived turning 50, thanks to his trusty partner and lover. Next chapter, we will continue the fluff and smut fest, along with the therapy, family and a little case file now and then. Eventually Bobby and Alex will deal with the challenge of having a hot affair without the brass figuring it out. I try to aim for a once a week update, but it depends on my muse and my life. This little tome is far from finished :)