Disclaimer: Dow'ning CM, Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children, and Parenting With Love And Logic. I haven't written the books either, I just found them on Amazon . com.
Author's note: I actually discovered Hotch's age! If you want to know I just might tell you ;) (Hint → review)
Her body was totally clean and smelled of her apricot body lotion.
Her nails were perfectly manicured.
Her legs were shaven and smooth to the touch.
Her make-up was subtle and highlighted her brown eyes.
The light blue dress fitted perfectly and hugged her boyish curves in the right places.
She was ready.
She had been ready for half an hour and it took a lot of hard work not to stand and stare intently at the door. Instead she sat in her couch with a cup of tea not looking at the clock.
She sighed and got up. She put the cup next to her phone on the small coffee table and looked out the windows. She couldn't see anything unusual only the empty street and her reflexion.
Her eyes grew wide when she noticed the messy bun.
She had forgotten her hair!
A silent knock on her door startled her and she cursed under her breath as she considered what to do first; fix her hair or greet her date.
She heard another knock. Damnit. Date first – then hair.
Damnit damnit damnit damnit damnit.
"Hi Hotch!"
He looked at his wrist watch yet again and wondered if it was okay to come 2 minutes early to pick up a date. He glanced around in the empty hall.
It was probably more okay than to wait right out side her door.
He sighed and knocked.
The silence was complete as he listened for the sound of movement from the apartment in front of him. Nothing.
He knocked again.
He shifted his weight and looked a little startled when the door opened with a cheery "Hi Hotch!"
"Good evening Annie. I hope I'm not too early." She smiled at him, her cheeks a pretty flushed red.
"No it's fine. Please come in, I'll be ready in less than five minutes!" She showed him into her living room. "Please make yourself at home," she said and disappeared through a door.
Hotch glanced around trying to calm himself. The light blue dress had started a line of different reactions in his body. Very unwelcome reactions. Reactions he hadn't felt since puberty.
He looked around to divert his thoughts.
The apartment was neat and organized with a big, stuffed bookcase and a cream-colored couch. He noticed how the books were sorted after last name.
She's organized too.
He noticed the tea cup on the coffee table.
But not obsessively so.
He touched the cup. It was still half full and warm. He frowned.
She said she wasn't ready when she opened the door, but apparently she was sitting in the couch drinking tea. That could mean, that she was trying to make him wait while she... Was he profiling her? He sighed and felt angry at himself.
He went back to the books to distract himself.
Kid's psychology. Interesting.
Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child. NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children. Parenting With Love And Logic. Hmm! He took the book and flipped through the pages. Perhaps he could get some tricks.
"Find anything interesting?" A female voice said behind him. He closed the book and turned to face her.
Sweet Mother of Jesus!
If he had been Reid he would have flushed and stuttered.
If he had been Morgan he would have given her a lady-killer grin and an appreciating look.
If he had been Rossi he would probably give her a charming smile and complemented her on her dress, her hair, her beauty.
Sadly he was still Hotch so he put the book back and gave her a small smile.
"It's quite an impressive collection you've got here." She beamed at him and his smile might have grown just a tiny bit.
"Kids intrigue me," she smiled. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting for too long." Her hand went to touch her hair nervously and Hotch scolded himself for noticing.
"I didn't even notice you were gone."
"That's not a way to make a woman feel appreciated," she scolded him but smiled. So did he.
She grabbed her purse and keys and they left the apartment. Annie smiled and blushed when Hotch held the door and insisted that women went first. The blush deepened when he opened the car door too.
A gentleman! Who would have thought.
He opened the door and helped her out when they arrived at the restaurant. He held the door for her again and led her forward with a hand on the small of her back.
Why she never had dated a man this much older before was a mystery to her. You could get used to this. But then again – were all 40-somethings this courtly?
She smiled inwardly and realized that probably wasn't like that. She tried to glance at Hotch out of the corner of her eye. He was special – that explained everything.
By the way – you guys who's actually still reading: God, you're cool!