"Place hasn't changed much, has it?" Lex turned slowly, smiling. "You were probably smart to get out."
"You could have, Claire. Why didn't you?"
"Fear."
"Barehaven… It always sounded like a contradiction to me."
Claire sat down on the bench beside Lex. "What are you doing here?"
"Oh, waiting for my friends… We're going to this event tonight and we didn't come prepared… I'm not fussy." She held up the shopping bag.
"Great to know. But what are you doing back here? I'm sure if you talked to your boss, he'd understand, have let you stay at home."
"Explain what? That this place suffocated me?" The door to the shop opened and Emily, JJ and Garia walked out. "Look, Claire, it was good talking to you. I have to go."
Lex had no idea how long she had been staring at the painting. She had no idea how she knew, but once Hotch was in her general area, she knew.
She looked back at the painting. "Peace offering." He held out a glass to her. "It's not champagne."
"Thank you." She took a long sip of the drink. In the distance she saw Sean with his arms around Marie, and looked quickly away.
"I'm calling it a night. No one's any use if they're tired. I'm going to go over the case back at the house."
"I'll go with you. Like you said, no use and all."
Lex took off her shoes as they got into the house. "Lex. Yesterday…"
"Hotch…"
"No… You are very attractive and lately I've been very lonely, and we just seem to have so much in common. And your relationship with Jack is… It's a bonus. When I saw the way Sean was treating you I wanted to beat him. I don't know if this is love or lust but it's something and I want know for sure."
He reached down and kissed her. After that speech, Lex didn't know how to pull away. Not that she could if she wanted to, Hotch was the only thing keeping her up.
He brushed his lips against her ear. "Do you want me to stop?"
Lex shook her head and pulled herself closer to him.