"You are awfully quiet considering your new-found stardom, detective."
Allison Banes sat with her back pressed against a rounded booth, her blonde mane braided into a tight ponytail that disappeared beneath a decorative silk scarf. Dressed in an oversized t-shirt and skintight jeans, she looked to be no older than fifteen.
Their meal had been nothing short of amazing, the elegant yet cozy ambiance of the upper-class restaurant only accentuating their late-night get-together.
As promised, a driver had picked Esposito up at his apartment, then brought him here, reassuring him along the way that Allision had rented the entire restaurant for the rest of the night to give them some privacy and avoid any chance of pictures being taken while they were together.
It was a world he was unfamiliar with, the strange situation putting all his senses on high alert, making it impossible to relax during what was nothing short of a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
The encounter fed on his insecurities, overshadowing his earlier excitement and creating nervousness and doubt mixed with a healthy dose of unnecessary guilt for seeing another woman so soon after his unceremonious breakup with Lanie.
"It's been a long day.", he excused, putting enough effort into the statement to make his conversation partner smile.
"If your days always turn out like today, I am surprised you don't have an armful of women following your every step, hoping you'll protect them from evil."
An awkward silence settled between them again, broken up only by the waiter who stopped by to remove their empty plates.
Eventually it was Esposito who cleared his throat, deciding to push off those nagging second thoughts for now and make the best out of the night.
"How about we drop the formalities? You can call me Javier."
"Only if you stop calling me Miss Banes. Allision is fine."
With a sheepish smile, he reached across the small table to shake hands, symbolically lowering his shoulders somewhat in an effort to relax.
"So…are you going to stay in New York for a few more days? I have to make sure that I have room in my schedule to train your bodyguards…"
His cocky statement drew her interest and she leaned in closer, her long golden earrings jingling as she shook her head.
"Only four more days, then we're off to the west coast for a few gigs. But you're right about the bodyguards. My manager already called the company to replace them. That was a close call this morning and if it hadn't been for you, people could have gotten seriously hurt. Or worse."
When he only nodded, Allison frowned.
"I hope this isn't too awkward for you. I was just looking for a way to show my appreciation. I guess…I guess, I didn't factor in how that would look if you had a wife or a girlfriend…"
"I have neither.", Esposito blurted out faster than his brain could react, then clumsily leaned back to create more distance between them, "We just…her and I just…broke up."
Hoping to bridge the uncomfortable subject, she nodded sympathetically, then took a long sip of champagne.
"I am sorry to hear that."
The oppressing silence returned in an instance and Esposito felt the heat rising on either side of his neck, threatening to make him blush. Forcing himself not to think of Lanie, he bit the inside of his cheek, trying to ward off the unwelcome emotions that arose whenever her beautiful face returned to his mind.
"It…it happens.", he finally stammered, stumbling over the words, yet failing to come up with a better topic to discuss.
Much to his surprise, he saw Allison's hand shake a little bit when she set down the glass and lowered her gaze just enough to avoid his prying eyes.
"Then again…maybe this whole situation will make me famous enough to find a new girlfriend."
Thankfully, the lighthearted remark did the trick and put a smile back on Allison's face as she shook her head, relaxing visibly.
"I don't think you need fame for that, Javier. Every girl I know would kill for a guy like you. They just don't make them like that anymore. The last boyfriend I had wouldn't even help me change a tire when my car broke down. That's when I decided that solitude was better than raising somebody else's teenager."
The slamming of a nearby door disrupted their quiet conversation and Esposito froze, then lowered his gaze enough to check the area in his peripheral vision, taking in the scene without turning his head.
When nothing else happened, he lowered his guard once again, only to see Allison watch him intently.
"I heard you were in the military."
"Yeah. Special Forces."
"Mhm…so a soldier and a cop. What else is there to know about Javier Esposito?"
Not used to being on the receiving end of questions, he smiled shyly, hoping to buy himself some time to think of a fitting answer.
"I guess…I don't know. I like to dance. And sing…occasionally. Nothing like…like what you are doing…nothing professional."
"Look at you blush!"
With an amicable chuckle that showed off her perfect teeth, Allison took another sip of champagne, never taking her eyes off him.
In return, he nervously tucked on the Windsor knot of his lucky silver tie, the special one he picked for the occasion, symbolically giving himself more air.
"It's just getting too hot in here."
"And you're good at bluffing too. I bet you are fun to work with. Your partner is lucky."
Her voice took on a different, warmer tone when she said that. Feeling the energy building up between them made his fingertips tingle and Esposito drew in a deep breath, holding it for a moment as he fought an inner battle between his emotions, common sense and everything in between.
Change topics, his racing heart reminded him. He had to change topics no matter what.
"What about you? And that…song. That's a deep topic for someone this young."
The candid question seemed to steer some of the romantic feelings aside when she shrugged hesitantly, her fingers anxiously circling the lip of the champagne glass.
"I write about things that I have experienced. Some direct, some indirect. It helps to…you know…work through the heavy stuff."
He didn't even need to nod; she saw the affirmation in his eyes the moment she glanced back up. And with it came the return of feelings he hadn't experienced in quite a while.
"You know, Javier Esposito, for a New York City cop, you are one attractive human being."
The words said so innocently caught him by surprise and he blinked a couple of times before regaining his composure. Using the distraction to her advantage, Allison moved around the bench until she was next to him, her thumb caressing the back of his hand gently.
"Is that still part of you thanking me?", he asked teasingly, hopefully lost in preventing a situation he wasn't prepared for.
When her hand reached for his chin to turn his head for a kiss, he gently grabbed it.
"You know this isn't going to work? You…me? You travel. I am a cop. I am older than you."
His hesitation didn't deter her the least when she smiled warmly and shook her head.
"The cop and the singer…I don't know about you, but I like it. And what's twenty years these days anyway?"
"I said older, I am not that much older…", Esposito refuted and grimaced at the feigned insult, his complaints drowned out in a passionate kiss that suddenly took away all his worries.
