Over dinner, the conversation never stopped. Tim and I decided to ask each other about random things.
"What's your favorite kind of music?" Tim wanted to know.
"Hmm....I listen to everything—country, rock, classical, jazz—you name it and I listen to it. Except for heavy metal. I'm not a huge fan of that. You?"
"Well, I listen to jazz when I write, but other than that, I listen to classical mostly," McGee told me, taking a drink of his beer.
"Do you play any instruments?" I asked, sipping my Diet Dr. Pepper, which I'd ordered because I wasn't a huge beer drinker.
"Piano," he admitted, ducking his head as if embarrassed.
"Really?" I exclaimed. "I love the piano. Will used to..." I let my voice trail off for a minute. I had promised myself I wouldn't mention Will during the date and now I had.
"It's okay," Tim told me, reaching across the table and taking my hand gently. "It's fine for you to talk about him around me."
I took a deep breath and squeezed McGee's hand gently. "Thanks. Anyway, he used to play the piano really well when we were kids. I have CDs that he made and sometimes I like to listen to them when I write. It calms me down and clears my mind."
Our conversation was interrupted when the waiter brought us out food, traditional Southwestern dishes. The rest of the meal, we discussed books, movies, hobbies, and dogs. McGee had a German Shepherd named "Jethro". Abby, the NCIS forensic scientist, had convinced him to adopt the former Military Police dog.
After Tim paid for our dinner, we walked down the street to a small ice cream parlor and candy store.
"I hope you like ice cream," McGee told me, opening the door and letting me go in first. He was definitely a gentleman, which was something rare in today's world.
"Ice cream is great!" I assured him sincerely. I was impressed that Tim had put so much thought into what we were going to do, rather than just "winging" it.
"Hi, how can I help you?" the young man behind the counter asked, smiling when he saw Elle standing out the counter. McGee watched disapprovingly as the guy looked Elle up and down, but he didn't say a word. He merely walked up behind Elle and glared at the guy.
"Yes, I'll have two scoops of chocolate chip cookie dough," Elle told the guy. "In a cone, please."
"Yes, ma'am. Coming right up." The guy looked up at McGee and glared back. "And what do you want?"
"I'll have two scoop of chocolate," McGee told him.
When we'd gotten our ice cream cones, we walked back outside and I burst into uncontrollable laughter.
"What's so funny?" Tim wanted to know, his eyebrows furrowed together in puzzlement.
"The stare-down you were having with that guy in there!" I exclaimed. "It was hilarious!"
McGee blushed a little and looked down, embarrassed. "Yeah. Sorry. I'm just not used to...being out with a girl like you."
"What kind of girl am I?" I asked seriously, licking my ice cream cone calmly.
"You're...um...hot," McGee finally said.
I laughed and kissed his cheek. "You're sweet. Agent DiNozzo was the one who said that, wasn't he?"
"Yes," Tim admitted. "I was more worried about how you were holding up."
I slipped my free hand into his. "Well, personally, I am glad that wasn't your first thought when you met me. That's why I'm on a date with you and not DiNozzo."
"Tony asked you out?" McGee was amazed. "He never mentioned that!"
I smiled smugly. "Probably because I turned him down flat and told him that I only had eyes for you. Not to mention the fact that Agent David seems to check him out every chance she gets."
"You turned Tony down because of me?" There was no hiding McGee's amazement this time.
I looked directly at him. "Yes. Why?"
Tim was speechless. "Because...he's Tony DiNozzo. Every woman he meets is dying to go out with him. Not me."
I smiled at McGee. "I like you, Tim. Not DiNozzo," I told him.
That night, after McGee took me back to my apartment and kissed me goodnight, I washed the makeup off my face, smiling the entire time. Once I climbed underneath the sheets, I picked my journal up off the bedside table and began writing.
Tonight was my date with Tim McGee, the NCIS agent I've mentioned a lot recently. He was uber sweet and paid for my meal and ice cream afterwards. We talked about so many different things and the conversation never lagged at all. He let me take his arm, held my hand, and kissed me several times. Tim may be a total computer nerd and a major geek, but he's really friendly. He wants me to co-write his next novel with him and he wants to have "MacGregor's" love interest be based on me. I'm honored, but a little nervous too. I want a relationship with Tim. I want to spend lots more time with him and that scares me. I've never felt so safe around someone before, not even Will. Tim seems a little boyish and insecure, but I really like him already. I didn't tell him that Agent DiNozzo told me he was an "elf lord" in his online game. I don't care. Right now, he's mine and that's all that matters to me.
I closed my journal and leaned back against the pillows, sighing. Could this really be happening to me?