Emily smiled as she let herself shiver, looking across the table to her date in the candlelight. "Well, I've never had someone go so out of their way," she chuckled, her breath light as she turned her head to look out to the river.
"That's a shame. I don't know why."
Her dark eyes flickered back over to his and grinned. "Tell me, Mr. Hotchner," she giggled, her elbows leaning on the table. "Why did you go to so much trouble?" He had had some friends set up a beautiful table on the Riverview Terrace in the city, their location completely guarded off so no one could interrupt.
He wanted this night to be special.
Aaron copied her position and clasped his hands together, his eyes connecting with the younger woman's. "Well I think that a beautiful woman deserves a beautiful night," he shrugged, taking joy in the blush he saw creeping up his date's cheeks. "Did I tell you how gorgeous you look tonight?"
"I think you said stunning." Raking her teeth over her bottom lip, she forced herself not to bite nervously at her nails. "Thank you, Aaron."
The engineer smiled to the beautiful woman. "It's an honor."
Looking up at the sound of a small bell, Emily found her jaw dropping when a waiter walked over with her entrée in his hands. "Thank you," she breathed, looking to her date after she had seen the already deshelled lobster sitting on her plate. "Now I think I owe you one," the teacher laughed.
"How about you pay me back with another date?"
Emily grinned. "I would love to."
Worried, Aaron leaned over his own plate when Emily hesitantly grabbed her fork. "You're not allergic, are you?"
"No, not at all. It's just big."
The single father laughed, shaking his head and picking up his own fork before waving the waiter back over. "Well I hope you enjoy it." Looking up to the waiter, the engineer winked. "Emily, you choose. White or red?"
Emily smiled when the waiter presented her with two aged bottles of wine. "Red please."
The waiter poured two glasses before setting the bottle down on the table. "You owe me, Hotch."
The brunette laughed as her date nodded and waved the waiter off, and she leaned closer into the table as she took a sip of her wine.
"He's a friend," Aaron explained.
Emily nodded, letting the bitter drink sit on her tongue for a moment before letting it slide down her throat. "A really good one," she smiled softly, taking a bite of her lobster.
He watched her jaw try its best not to drop, and he forced himself not to laugh. "Good?"
"So good!" Her eyes shot up, her hand immediately dropping her fork so it could cover her mouth. "Oh my God, I'm sorry." She shook her head when Aaron looked to her with wide eyes. "I'm so sorry."
"For what?"
Emily slowly brought her hand away from her mouth and found herself shrugging.
"Don't be embarrassed," the older man dismissed, giving her one of his dimples. "I'm glad you like it."
Nodding her head, Emily looked back down to her food and gently stabbed another piece of the meat. "So what made you think of having dinner out here?" It was so secluded; so beautiful.
"I always come here with Jack." Aaron set down his fork and wiped his mouth with his napkin. "He loves to look down at the water, and when I look at it I see it sparkle when the lights hit the small ripples, and I thought of your smile when I passed by the other day."
The teacher's heart was ready to beat out of her chest as the smile he was giving her. "I've never heard of anything so sweet."
"Or corny, maybe."
Emily laughed. "I think I'll stay with sweet." After a while of small talk and enjoying their meal, the brunette woman looked up to see the waiter coming back over with two different types of dessert in hand. "Oh, you've outdone yourself."
Aaron grinned, gesturing to the treats. "Pick yours first."
The teacher shared his smile. He was a keeper.
They got back home about two hours later, Emily letting the older man help her out of his car and shut her door before walking her up to their floor. She let his hand settle on her back as they continued to talk, their voices growing quieter as they began to pass a few apartments. "Well this is me."
"I want to thank you for coming out with me tonight."
Her dark brown eyes flickered up as she stood before her door, and she felt him leaning toward her. "Sorry," she apologized, her hand on his chest as she pouted. "I don't kiss on the first date unless I'm flown to Paris."
Aaron stared wide eyed at her, the words only registering after she smiled. "God," he breathed, his laugh loud as his date started chuckling. Leaning forward once more, he brushed his lips against her cheek. "Goodnight, beautiful."
Emily leaned back against her door and watched him walk away, pointing to him when he turned back to her. "Stunning."
"Stunning! Right, right."