Chapter Nine

"Seriously, we don't have to do this today. I can come tomorrow after work." Grace said as Rigsby pulled her by the hand into the grocery store.

He turned around, walking backwards as he grabbed her other hand and continued to pull her forwards. "Nope, I won't be responsible for you starving to death. I saw your fridge earlier and it was a sad state of affairs. You need food. Besides," He pulled her to him and gave her ass a quick squeeze. "You won't be alone tomorrow night either, so we might as well go shopping now."

She slapped at his hands playfully. "Bad boy! And who says you'll be with me tomorrow night? Awfully presumptuous there, buster."

Rigsby's eyes sparkled mischievously. He pulled her inside the automatic doors and hugged her next to the giant pyramid of red apples. "Is that so? Gotta hot date, lady?"

Grace's eyes sparkled back. When had she become this teasing? "Different man every night, that's me. Portuguese sailors, lumberjacks, livestock auctioneers, wedding singers, they've all got my number."

Rigsby's laugh boomed throughout the produce section and it triggered a serious giggle fit in Grace. She felt his arms squeeze her even tighter. He looked down at her with pure adoration shining out of his eyes. "God, I love you."

She pulled out of his arms and flipped her hair at him as she picked up a basket. "Get in line behind the wedding singers."

The shopping went much slower than usual, although to be fair, Grace was so set in her dietary routine that she could hit a store with a surgical strike. In, out, done. With Rigsby, their teasing kept stopping them in their tracks. He'd sneak junk food into her healthy items and she'd reprimand him like a child, insisting he put it back. At one point, she needed some pasta noodles from the top shelf and couldn't reach them herself. Rigsby quickly used it as a bargaining chip, informing her that he'd retrieve the pasta if he was allowed to get ice cream.

"Blackmail, Wayne? Would you sink so low?"

He grinned. "It's actually extortion. And yes, yes I would."

She couldn't help it. She stepped into his space and gave a counter-offer. "Hand me my pasta, and you'll get a much better dessert tonight." Her hand dipped under his tee shirt slid along his tight abdomen. She was instantly gratified when she felt him shiver.

His eyes closed briefly as she pet his belly like her favorite puppy, but his combative side wouldn't let him roll over completely. "You know, sex offered for goods and services is highly illegal and as an agent I should warn you that…" He hissed a chuckle when her nails sank warningly into his tender flesh. Grace giggled with him and he obediently reached up and pulled down a packet for her.

"Good boy." She patted his belly and walked on.

After grocery shopping, Rigsby drove her to Pottery Barn over her very sincere objections.

"Wayne, honestly. Don't worry about it! I got those plates in college from Kmart. I'll replace them for $10, no problem. Why are we still walking towards the store?"

Again, Rigsby kept pulling her by the hand. "Nope, sorry. I broke them, I replace them. You don't get to whine about what I replace them with. Now get in here and choose something or I'll choose for you. Pottery Barn does sport memorabilia plates, right?"

Grace laughed, taking long, skipping strides and she tried to keep up with him. "Absolutely. I think they have a 12-piece set of Yogi Berra's personal quotes."

Rigsby turned to Grace and gave her a huge grin. "It's déjà vu all over again."

Grace beamed. "If you come to a fork in the road, take it."

Rigsby fell in love with Grace even more, if that was possible. Who couldn't love a girl who could quote Yogi Berra? "Always go to other people's funerals; otherwise, they won't go to yours."

Grace had to think a minute. "Baseball is ninety percent mental; the other half is physical."

Rigsby was quickly running out. "Ummm…..Never answer an anonymous letter."

Grace squinted and huffed in agitation. "Ummm…oh!...All pitchers are liars or crybabies."

Rigsby held his hands up in defeat. "Sorry, I'm all out. Does that mean we only get a 6-piece set?"

This time, Grace dragged Rigsby by the arm into the store. "Let's just see what they have, shall we?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

They got back to Grace's apartment late in the afternoon. Rigsby helped her put away the groceries and they put her brand new plates into the dishwasher for a rinse. Both professed deep sadness and not finding any sports-themed plates, but Grace did find a beautiful set of deep green ceramic flatware that she fell instantly in love with. She tried not to show her interest once she saw the price, but it was too late. Rigsby had seen her gently run her fingers along the bowls and knew they were her favorite. So, with Grace pleading modestly not to do it, Rigsby bought her an 8-piece set of plates, saucers, mugs and bowls in that pattern. Now, she gave him the most beautiful smile and threw her arms around his neck, kissing him deeply.

"I don't deserve them."

He lowered his head to hers. "You deserve everything."

She closed her eyes and rubbed her cheek against his. "I can't imagine what I did to deserve you."

Rigsby growled softly in his throat and kissed her jaw. Standing in her kitchen, she let herself slide against him more fully, their hug becoming more intimate. His kisses moved along her throat. She dropped her head back to give him better access. Her eyes wandered shut as his lips and tongue blazed wet fire across her skin. As he followed the necklace of his love bites, he whispered softly, "I've bruised your neck, sweetie. Did I hurt you doing that?"

She shook her head slowly, his kisses having an alcoholic effect on her. "Huh-uh."

Rigsby was licking her throat in earnest now, mumbling almost unconsciously as he went. "You taste so good, Grace. Why can't I get enough of you? How do you do this to me?"

She didn't answer, just slowly turned to jelly as he continued to love her body.

"Grace?"

"Hmmmm?"

"I need you again."

She smiled gently while keeping her eyes closed. "And to think we went three whole hours."

He chuckled against her throat. "We deserve medals."

She giggled. "Commemorative statues."

"Ten feet high in front of the capitol building."

"I'm sure they're being commissioned as we speak."

"Meanwhile," He leaned down and scooped her up in his arms. "I'm going to ravish you silly until dinner time."

She pulled him in for a deep kiss before breaking it to warn him, "If you break any of my new dishes while ravishing me, I'm throwing you out."

He looked suitably chastened as he walked back to her bedroom. "Yes, ma'am."