Horatio was sitting at a table in the usual coffee shop where the crime lab staff would always gather at the end of a long shift, feeding their caffeine habits to help cure their physical and mental fatigue. He checked his watch quickly, drumming his fingers on the table top. He had agreed to meet Calleigh here, but he was still nervous as to whether she would actually show. He gazed this way and that through the glass shop front, wondering from which direction she would come. Then he felt a hand on his shoulder, and the familiar jolly tones of Calleigh Duquesne's rich southern accent. "Hey, how're you doin'?" she said with a smile, sliding her handbag under the table and taking a seat opposite Horatio.
"Yeah, fine – just fine." He struggled to smile, taken aback by how graceful she looked and how the morning light complimented her golden locks and her soft facial features – all the while not knowing how to tell her how he really felt about her.
Calleigh picked up a menu, browsing through her different options. "So, what are you having? Hmm, I'm not sure what to pick. I mean, I might just go with my usual but I'm not sure. Oh, Alexx said this was really nice, I might go with that for a change…" She carried on with the small talk, not looking up at Horatio, trying to avoid the awkward tension she knew would materialise eventually.
Horatio was rubbing his temple – he knew he had to say something, and say it now. "Look, Calleigh…" he said, trying to interrupt her mindless chit chat as politely as possible. She looked up at him then, her blue eyes shining as they always did. "About what happened today, I…" He trailed off, not knowing how to find the words he wanted.
"I know," said Calleigh, "I know. I…feel the same way. Until this afternoon I'd always thought of you as my boss, but today…I'm not sure. My emotions are going crazy, and I – I just don't know what to think anymore."
Horatio nodded in agreement. They paused for a while, looking at each other. Calleigh gazed deep into Horatio's blue eyes, from one to the other. She had never really noticed their deep ocean hue and quite how bright they were. "So what do we do now?" she asked.
Horatio gave a slight shrug. "Well…" he slid his hand across the table and onto hers, so his palm rested lightly on the back of her hand. She didn't flinch or move away, savouring the warmth of his skin on hers. "What do you want to do?"
The hairs on her arms and the back of her neck stood on end, exhilarated by his touch. Everything was happening so quickly. Her eyes wandered over him, admiring his tall physique and his strong shoulders, his red hair and the effortless aura of authority that came from him whenever he was wearing his lieutenant badge and gun at his hip. Her heartbeat rose and she felt herself starting to blush. She felt Horatio give her hand a light squeeze. "Do you want to come back to mine?" he said in a low but soft voice. Calleigh paused, but she knew her answer immediately. "Yes."