[A Real Date] - for Mike

[sheisnotasaint]

Getting ready for Mike was a little different than getting ready for any other date. For one thing, she saw the man every day, so it wasn't like she could do too much to impress him. He'd seen her with her hair up, down and in a ponytail. He'd seen her in jeans, in a skirt, in a suit and in sweats, even. He'd seen her with makeup, without makeup... and so, she stood in front of her closet for a good ten minutes trying to decide on what to wear.

Finally, she decided on an old staple: the little black dress, and paired it with a pair of black pumps. Her hair she left down and her makeup she left simple. It wasn't anything special, but truth be told? She was still a little touched that he'd asked her to dinner.

When the doorbell rang, she lifted her purse and headed toward the door. Opening it, she gave him a smile. "Right on time."

Comments

[kissme-imbetter.livejournal.com]

"Well, I can't exactly claim I got lost--" He started to tease until he looked up. Mike had seen her at her worst and best but it was different when she was doing it for him. That dress was for him. The way she styled her hair was for him. Even the shoes that made her legs damn near edible were for him.

"You're beautiful." He said so softly it was almost unintentional and it made him chuckle a bit.

"I figured flowers and chocolates would be too cheesy for a woman who has been catching my shit for so long. Still, it didn't seem right to come empty handed." With that he pulls one of his hands from behind his back and passes her his wallet. "Figured I'd get it over with since we've already agreed you'll bleed me dry." He teased.

Then he pulled his other hand out holding a single long stem coral colored rose (http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.mikesjournal.com/April%25202006/Coral%2520Rose.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.mikesjournal.com/mikesjournal_greatest_hits.htm&usg=__B5EXz_W8LQqkM5xnGXqL946-jyg=&h=576&w=768&sz=105&hl=en&start=0&tbnid=wWlc0BqWz65JgM:&tbnh=138&tbnw=165&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcoral%2Brose%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26biw%3D1271%26bih%3D574%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=316&ei=vjJWTNesJYG78gac2tSpBA&page=1&ndsp=20&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0&tx=95&ty=57).

[sheisnotasaint.livejournal.com]

His compliment catches her off-guard, but the chuckle that comes immediately after lightens the mood just enough so that when he passes her his wallet, she actually laughs.

When he passes her the rose, though, her breath catches again. "It's beautiful," she tells him. "Thank you. Come in, I'll just put this in water."

Putting her pocketbook down on the table by the door, his wallet right on top so he can take it back before they leave, she leads him through the living room and into the kitchen where she lifts a vase from the cabinet above the stove. Turning on the faucet, she fills it and then sets the rose in it. "Are you ready?"

[kissme-imbetter.livejournal.com]

He'd been there before though it was usually to pick her up for a case or something. It wasn't like they had a poker night or anything so he took the opportunity to really look around while she took care of the flower.

"I'm ready if you are." He replied with a smile and stepped aside so she could exit first. Mike really just wanted an excuse to touch the small of her back.

[sheisnotasaint.livejournal.com]

It was funny. He touched her all the time, several times a day, as a matter of fact. But the simple act of placing his hand on the small of her back as they exited her house seemed far more intimate than anything else they'd ever done and she glanced at him over her shoulder briefly before she handed him her keys to lock the door.

"So, Thai food?" To continue the intimate gestures, she slipped her arm through his and flashed him a smile as they descended the stairs. "I might as well tell you, I haven't had it since I left Virginia Beach."

[kissme-imbetter.livejournal.com]

At first he just looked at the keys unsure what he was supposed to do with them before a light bulb went off and he locked the door. Mike gave her a goofy little smile as he handed the keys back. "Blond moment."

Claire was the type of woman that was independent to a fault. He didn't blame her by any means. Female cops had it rough and he knew it. It was the same sort of struggle his ex went through when she was building her practice. Any field that was predominantly male had a way of making or breaking women. So they either quit or get tough.

He wasn't planning to open doors or offer his arm because most of these tough girls took it as an offense. It was kind of refreshing that Maguire had found a kind of balance between masculine and feminine. The last red head he was with fought him for dominance constantly until he was almost completely emasculated. "Well, then we should have done this sooner."

[sheisnotasaint.livejournal.com]

Claire waited until she was in the car and had buckled her seat belt. She crossed one leg over the other and didn't bother to adjust the skirt of her dress. Instead, she turned toward him so that she could give him a small smile.

"I'm gonna have to agree with you, Mike." No 'Sinclair'. No snide names. Just Mike. "I'm looking forward to it, though."

It was as much as she could admit without feeling like an idiot. No way was she going to tell him that she was nervous and worried and everything in between. A date was one thing, but he was her partner. Someone she was going to have to look at daily even if things went south.