Look what the wave dragged in...

Chapter three: A fear of heights.

There was just something about a tall man that made her want high, high heels. And Frank made her wish for six inch stilettos. For the feel of this kiss, Calleigh would settle for a stepladder or a stool or ---

//Perfect,// Those long lean arms dragged her up his chest to just the height for her legs to wrap around his waist and drag his lips back to her own. //Frank, yes.//

His hips shifted against hers, driving a helpless sound up her throat. Then his lips left hers, burying a groan against her skin. This was amazing. This was heaven. The feel of Frank holding her was perfect. “You feel… incredible.”

His eyes burned into hers and Calleigh felt the heat all the way to her toes. “Calleigh, please,” Those lips were so close, and coming closer. And making all the muscles in her body shiver with the desperate heat in his voice. Calleigh had dreamed of how Frank would sound saying her name.

Reality was more amazing than imagination could ever be. //Frank,// Her fingers stroked along the heated skin above his collar, leading those lips closer to her own. //Oh, fuck.//

Suddenly a kiss wasn’t the first thing on her mind as the entire building rattled at her back and under Frank’s feet. Now her entire mind and body were focused on the steady strength of Frank’s body in her arms and the rushing sound of water. “Frank,”

Buried against his chest, she felt as much as heard his words. “Hold on, Cal, I got ya.” She believed him. Here in his arms with his heat and strength wrapped around her, Calleigh actually felt safe. She hadn’t felt this safe in so many years.

Her brain didn’t process the wave’s retreat until his arms started to open, to let her go. //No, not yet.// On their own, her arms tightened around his shoulders. Her head tucked itself closer against the warm strength of his shoulder as her feet were gently lowered to the ground. Those strong arms stayed around her, keeping her close against his chest as he pulled her away from the railing. Just fine by her, really. Calleigh knew by the shaky feeling in her knees that they wouldn’t hold her on their own, not yet.

She’d kissed Detective Francis Tripp. Calleigh Duquesne had blown the hell out of a line they’d never approached before and nearly climbed her partner to keep the explosion going. And Frank had certainly responded in kind. She could still taste him on her lips, feel the hard heat of him pressing closer and tighter, feel the strength of his grip and the railing at her back.

Her eyes fell closed at the warmth of his fingers on her cheek, trying to raise her face from his chest. “Cal, you okay, darlin’?” //No,// It took every single ounce of self control left in her body not to wrap her arms around him and drag those lips back to her own. There might not be enough alcohol in the world to get all of these feelings back in their bottle.

But she simply could not keep hiding here against his chest. Frank would touch her again, lean closer to check on her, and she would have to kiss him and never let go again. //Rally the defenses, Cal,// Forcing a mere shadow of her over-cheered smile onto her lips, Calleigh pulled back out of his arms and slowly looked up. //Damn your eyes, Frank.//

The look on his face and the way his hands half-reached for her didn’t make it any easier to step back. Her defense smile faltered at the sight of some of her color smeared on those lips and the slight reddened marks of her nails on his neck. Calleigh wanted more of him, no matter how bad an idea it was.

But she couldn’t, shouldn’t. “I … I’m safe and sound, Detective. We should check in with Horatio.”

Those hands moved, one dropping to his side, the other gliding along his jaw to rub the back of his neck. His eyes searched hers, something she couldn’t read written there. “Yeah, ‘course, Calleigh. You call in, I’ll check on the car.” Those fingers made the pass along his jaw one more time before straightening his jacket. Calleigh watched those shoulders clear the first landing. She’d felt him now, traced the shape and strength of those muscles under her hands as his whole body pressed closer. She’d rubbed her hips helplessly against his and felt more of a response than she’d ever expected from him. And dear lord, it felt so good.

Impossibly good. And it was impossible. Forcing her trembling fingers to work the buttons of her cell phone, she tried to breathe.

“Horatio Caine,”

“Hey, Horatio, it’s Calleigh.” Calleigh tried to sound calm and unaffected, like she hadn’t just almost had sex against a rail. If not for the wave. “Is everyone okay?”

“With you and Tripp checking in, we’re all accounted for. Eric’s here with me at the bank and Speed’s grumbling about still being locked in Trace. Alex’s in the morgue and Ryan’s –“

“Checking on his uncle, are they both okay?”

A dry laugh sounded on the other end of the line. “His uncle locked himself outside on the roof. If Ryan hasn’t beaten him to death yet, they’re both fine. How are you and Frank?”

//Good damn question, Horatio.// “We’re … we’re fine. Got to a fourth floor before it hit. Tripp’s checking on the car now.”

“If it’s drivable, have Frank drop you at the lab to help Speed before he meets me here. If not, call dispatch for a black and white.”

“Sounds like a plan. We’re on our way.” Calleigh almost didn’t want to hang up. Then she’d have to go down the stairs and try to face him. Without blushing … or maybe begging for the feel of his arms around her.

“You two be careful, all right?”

She had to hang up, clinging to the sound of his voice would be way too suspicious. “Of course, Horatio. See you soon.” //Brave, girl, hang up.// Closing the phone, Calleigh straightened her back, squared her shoulders, and put on her defense smile. //Now, the stairs.// Her death grip on the rail had nothing to do with the water, the debris on the steps, or the height of her heels. It had everything to do with the itch in those fingers to trail over broad muscled shoulders. //Bad fingers,// Maybe the wood would erase the feel of him from her skin.

“Well, Detective, do we need a ride?” Stepping over a puddle, Calleigh used the water as an excuse to keep her eyes safely on the floor. And off of him. Until a long-fingered hand curved around her elbow. //Damnit, Frank.// To jerk away would only make him more likely to “talk” about it. And talking was the last thing her ragged nerves needed. He’d say her name.

Just like that. “Cal?” A second hand touched her back, spreading heat across her nerves. //Oh, to feel those arms again… Bad Calleigh. Focus.// “You okay?”

//No,// She fought against the urge to lean back into those hands… and those arms… and those lips. //Stop it, Calleigh.// “’Course, I am. But the real question is, how is the car?” With more effort than she liked to think about, Calleigh managed to turn to face him and pull away from one hand at the same time. “We need a ride?”

He wanted to talk about it, she could see it in his eyes, feel it in the hand spread wide against her arm, the way he stood so close… so warm. //Frank,// “No, the car started jus’ fine. But Cal, we need to—“

“To head back to the lab. And Horatio needs you at the bank.”

The last patch of her skin lost contact with his and mourned it with a sharp chill. His fingers hooked through his belt as he stood and half-glared down at her. A delay at best, but she’d take it.

“Fine, let’s go then.” Frank stepped back and held out an arm. “Ladies first.”
How could she be cold? It was Florida.

000

She was so damned beautiful, his teeth hurt and yet right now he wanted to shake her ‘til she stopped breathing. Calleigh had felt it every bit as strong as he had at the top of those stairs. There she was pulling away from his hands and trying to climb back inside her cheery ice princess tower walls. //Like hell, you are, girl.// He’d felt the heat inside her, felt her melt and cling in his arms. And there was no damn way Frank was lettin’ go of that fire without one hell of a fight. He’d touched her now, and he wasn’t about to let go. “Fine, let’s go then. Ladies first.”

Following the sway of her hips out the door, Frank tied to think rationally. It was time to plan, to get a strategy for getting past her damn walls… again. //Not again,//

If he pushed now, he’d pin her to the car and kiss her. Possibly getting the barrel of her gun between his ribs. He’d wait until she thought she was safe. Then he’d get her. Then Frank would drag her close, feel the sweet curves of her in his arms, taste her on his lips. //Go on, my sweet Calleigh, try to hide, I’ll find ya.//

It was physically painful to keep both hands on the wheel and watch Calleigh climb out of the car. He could feel the chill on every inch of his skin. “See you soon, Cal.”

Her smile faltered then brightened. “’Course, Frank.”

//Damn her walls,//

Traffic, as bad as it was, couldn’t really get his mind off the taste and feel of her in his arms. It certainly didn’t stop the lingering scent of her perfume from making his breath catch. Frank had no idea how he had let her out of this car without dragging her across the gearshift and into his lap. Once he got her trapped in his arms, Tripp was sure he could convince her to stay there. The way she’d clung to him and the heat of her kiss were evidence of that. //Think, Detective, plan, not fantasize.//

Pulling the car to a stop in front of the bank, Frank forced his fingers open to look at the impressions the wheel left in his palms. He could still feel her in his hands, the smooth curves of her body pressing tight against his. “Sweet Calleigh,”

A sharp rap at the window turned his head. //Damn Delko and his smiles.// “Welcome to work, Frank. Did the wave get you?” There he was, all grins and Cuban charm leaning on the passenger window. “Or did you and Calleigh find a nice rock to hide under?”

“Delko, the last place we’d wanna be is under anythin’. Try a fourth floor stairwell.” Climbing out of the car, Tripp tried not to let Eric under his skin. It just made ‘im smile more. “What kind of fool you take me for?”

Eric sidled up to him, still grinning and lowered his voice. “The kind that kissed his coworker and forgot to wipe off the lipstick. So much easier if they don’t wear any.”

“We don’t all fish off the company pier like you and Speed. ‘Sides, what if it’s some little old granny I pulled out of a tree.” Bad lie, but on short notice it was all he had. Plus Eric might not quite hear it through the handkerchief he was wiping the color off with.

“In that shade? Don’t need a polygraph to smell the bullshit in that pile.” With a last smile CSI Delko led the way inside.

“Damn Delko and his smiles.” He tucked the hanky into a pocket and trailed the laughing man over wave debris.

“Calleigh safely back at the lab?” Horatio Caine looked at him and Tripp felt those eyes examine him: lips, neck, and hands. Could H see her on him? Could he tell that they’d crossed a line during the crisis? And that Frank wanted even more?

“Yeah, she’s fine and should be botherin’ Speed as we speak.” Tripp squirmed under the weight of those eyes until they moved off.

“Let’s get to work, then, Detective. Eric needs you near the tellers’ stations. I’ll be upstairs.”

Great, Horatio had stared at him and now he was abandoning him to the mercy of the cheerful Cuban. “Sure, great.” Slipping into gloves, he tried to focus on the case. Maybe Eric would too. “So, Delko, what ‘xactly is it we’re looking for?”

“I guess we’ll know it when we see it.” Delko grinned at him from the other side of the counter, sliding effortlessly into latex gloves.

“Funny, Delko, real funny. Let’s just get to work.”

000