They were quiet on the short walk back to the FTB, Cate and Jon both lost in their own thoughts. Upon arriving back at the building they stowed their vests in their lockers then went back to Cate’s office.
Jon noticed when they entered the room that there was a large black duffel bag on Cate’s desk. Jon settled on the couch and Cate leaned against the edge of her desk, facing him, ignoring the bag. “Have fun today?” she asked quietly.
“I did.” Jon smiled. Cate seemed so relaxed…so at peace. He hoped he had made her feel that way.
“I’m glad,” she answered, then paused for a moment. She took a breath, then gave Jon a bright smile. “Well, tomorrow is gonna be really busy, so more homework tonight. We’ll start earlier than usual, so you will have a full day. You need to be here by 0730."
"First we’ll cover arrest and apprehension technique at the gym – wear PT gear – then I’m gonna have you sit in on Bobby’s lecture on tactical apprehension. In the afternoon you’ll go to the raid houses with his class and practice dynamic entry tactics.”
Cate noted Jon’s puzzled look. “Raids,” she explained. “SWAT team stuff. You get to play our version of paintball.”
“Awesome!” Jon exclaimed. Then he laughed at himself. “Sorry, that didn’t sound very professional, did it?” He gave Cate a grin, his eyes sparkling with excitement. “Sometimes I can’t help myself.”
“I know.” Cate answered wryly, the meaning of her words evident. She turned and grabbed the bag by its handles, pulling it from her desk and handing it to Jon. “This is your gear for tomorrow.”
“Holy cow, you cops have a lot of crap!” Jon exclaimed. This is, what…my fourth bag of stuff? I’ve only been here four days!” he teased.
“You don’t even know the half of it. I have a whole walk-in closet at my house dedicated to cop shit.” Cate answered, laughing. “Anyway, everything in there should fit you. I had Bobby pull it for you while we were at FATS. You’ll need to bring your body armor in addition to this stuff. If you want, just leave it here tonight. You’ll need to change into it at lunch tomorrow, before the raid house exercises.”
“I’ll take it with me.” Jon answered. He wanted to be sure he knew what the hell he was putting on, so he didn’t show up looking like an idiot, wearing something the wrong way. “What homework do you want me to do?”
“Read the second binder – it’s mostly diagrams and photos, like DTs. Watch the apprehension DVD again, and the tactical procedure one too.” Cate answered. “Sorry, you’re gonna have a busy evening.”
Jon pulled a little pout, then gave her the heartbreaker smile. “Make it up to me,” he said beguilingly. “Let me take you to dinner first, then I’ll hit the books.”
Cate’s heart leaped at Jon’s invitation. Oh my…. just the two of us…. Suddenly she felt a pang of fear. No. Don’t go there. You did so well today…SO well. Don’t put yourself in a situation you can’t handle. The little voice inside her head was sounding the alarm, like it usually did when Cate felt her control slipping away.
“I… can’t.” Cate lied. She saw a shadow of disappointment cross Jon’s face. “I’m sorry…I mean, thank you for asking, but….I have plans.”
“Oh.” Jon said. He paused, then looked Cate in the eye. “Blow them off. Come to dinner with me.” His voice was soft, seductive. Cate could tell he didn’t quite believe that she had something else to do, that he was testing her. She smiled gently, but shook her head.
“No, Jon,” Cate answered. “I can’t tonight.” Cate hoped the little tremor in her voice didn’t betray her lie. And her fear.
“Then another night?” he asked, his voice silky, smooth as satin. Damn that voice….
“Tomorrow night – we’re going to Sonny’s for beer and wings, remember?” Cate answered, avoiding the real question.
Jon regarded Cate for a long moment, then nodded and sighed. “I guess that will have to do…for now.” He gave her the heartbreaker smile once more.
Cate smiled back at him wistfully, but didn’t relent. “Okay.” Jon sighed again. “Guess I’d better get going.” He stood and picked up the bag. “You heading out too?”
“Yeah.” Cate answered. “Just give me a minute and I’ll walk out with you.” She quickly shut down her computer and grabbed her range bag, her keys, and the gift bag containing the jersey Jon had given her earlier in the day.
She followed Jon into the hallway and locked her office, then stopped to retrieve her Glock from the weapons room where she had stored it earlier.
After her gun was back in its place on her hip, Cate walked with Jon down the hall and out to the parking lot. He followed her over to her Mustang. She opened the door and placed her bags inside, then remembered. The necklace.
“Oh, I have something for you.” Cate said. “Well, actually, I have something of yours.”
Jon noticed when they entered the room that there was a large black duffel bag on Cate’s desk. Jon settled on the couch and Cate leaned against the edge of her desk, facing him, ignoring the bag. “Have fun today?” she asked quietly.
“I did.” Jon smiled. Cate seemed so relaxed…so at peace. He hoped he had made her feel that way.
“I’m glad,” she answered, then paused for a moment. She took a breath, then gave Jon a bright smile. “Well, tomorrow is gonna be really busy, so more homework tonight. We’ll start earlier than usual, so you will have a full day. You need to be here by 0730."
"First we’ll cover arrest and apprehension technique at the gym – wear PT gear – then I’m gonna have you sit in on Bobby’s lecture on tactical apprehension. In the afternoon you’ll go to the raid houses with his class and practice dynamic entry tactics.”
Cate noted Jon’s puzzled look. “Raids,” she explained. “SWAT team stuff. You get to play our version of paintball.”
“Awesome!” Jon exclaimed. Then he laughed at himself. “Sorry, that didn’t sound very professional, did it?” He gave Cate a grin, his eyes sparkling with excitement. “Sometimes I can’t help myself.”
“I know.” Cate answered wryly, the meaning of her words evident. She turned and grabbed the bag by its handles, pulling it from her desk and handing it to Jon. “This is your gear for tomorrow.”
“Holy cow, you cops have a lot of crap!” Jon exclaimed. This is, what…my fourth bag of stuff? I’ve only been here four days!” he teased.
“You don’t even know the half of it. I have a whole walk-in closet at my house dedicated to cop shit.” Cate answered, laughing. “Anyway, everything in there should fit you. I had Bobby pull it for you while we were at FATS. You’ll need to bring your body armor in addition to this stuff. If you want, just leave it here tonight. You’ll need to change into it at lunch tomorrow, before the raid house exercises.”
“I’ll take it with me.” Jon answered. He wanted to be sure he knew what the hell he was putting on, so he didn’t show up looking like an idiot, wearing something the wrong way. “What homework do you want me to do?”
“Read the second binder – it’s mostly diagrams and photos, like DTs. Watch the apprehension DVD again, and the tactical procedure one too.” Cate answered. “Sorry, you’re gonna have a busy evening.”
Jon pulled a little pout, then gave her the heartbreaker smile. “Make it up to me,” he said beguilingly. “Let me take you to dinner first, then I’ll hit the books.”
Cate’s heart leaped at Jon’s invitation. Oh my…. just the two of us…. Suddenly she felt a pang of fear. No. Don’t go there. You did so well today…SO well. Don’t put yourself in a situation you can’t handle. The little voice inside her head was sounding the alarm, like it usually did when Cate felt her control slipping away.
“I… can’t.” Cate lied. She saw a shadow of disappointment cross Jon’s face. “I’m sorry…I mean, thank you for asking, but….I have plans.”
“Oh.” Jon said. He paused, then looked Cate in the eye. “Blow them off. Come to dinner with me.” His voice was soft, seductive. Cate could tell he didn’t quite believe that she had something else to do, that he was testing her. She smiled gently, but shook her head.
“No, Jon,” Cate answered. “I can’t tonight.” Cate hoped the little tremor in her voice didn’t betray her lie. And her fear.
“Then another night?” he asked, his voice silky, smooth as satin. Damn that voice….
“Tomorrow night – we’re going to Sonny’s for beer and wings, remember?” Cate answered, avoiding the real question.
Jon regarded Cate for a long moment, then nodded and sighed. “I guess that will have to do…for now.” He gave her the heartbreaker smile once more.
Cate smiled back at him wistfully, but didn’t relent. “Okay.” Jon sighed again. “Guess I’d better get going.” He stood and picked up the bag. “You heading out too?”
“Yeah.” Cate answered. “Just give me a minute and I’ll walk out with you.” She quickly shut down her computer and grabbed her range bag, her keys, and the gift bag containing the jersey Jon had given her earlier in the day.
She followed Jon into the hallway and locked her office, then stopped to retrieve her Glock from the weapons room where she had stored it earlier.
After her gun was back in its place on her hip, Cate walked with Jon down the hall and out to the parking lot. He followed her over to her Mustang. She opened the door and placed her bags inside, then remembered. The necklace.
“Oh, I have something for you.” Cate said. “Well, actually, I have something of yours.”
Jon gave Cate a confused look. Cate reached back into the car and unzipped a small side compartment on her range bag. She pulled out a Ziploc baggie containing Jon’s Maltese cross and silver chain.
Cate turned and faced Jon, holding out the baggie to him. “Here. You must have dropped it into my bag by mistake yesterday at the gym.”
Jon took the baggie from Cate and looked at the contents. “Oh. I didn’t even realize I didn’t have this,” he said, surprised. He set his gear bag down and opened the baggie, taking out the chain and cross.
He stuck the empty baggie in his pocket, then used both hands to undo the chain’s clasp. He hesitated, then smiled and stepped toward Cate.
Cate was surprised by Jon’s movement toward her. Her instinctive reaction was to back away from him, but she was standing next to her car and could only back up about a half a step. Her eyes widened as Jon reached forward to her neck and gently slipped the chain around it, fastening the clasp under her ponytail. The cross settled on her chest, over top of her shirt.
“I want you to have this.” Jon said softly.
“Jon, no! I couldn’t….you already gave me the jersey today, and I…. it’s too much.” Cate stammered, her hands going to her neck to undo the clasp. “Thank you, but it...I…” Cate stopped and caught her breath when she felt Jon’s hands on hers, stilling their movement.
“Cate, please. Let me give this to you.” Jon’s voice was gentle but firm. He slowly pulled Cate’s hands away from her neck and held them in his. “Please.” He looked into her eyes and Cate saw the earnestness of his plea.
Cate couldn’t find her voice. She was hypnotized by the intensity of Jon’s gaze. She stood facing him, her mouth slightly open, for a long moment. “O…Okay.” She finally whispered. “Thank you.”
Jon gave Cate another breathtaking smile and squeezed her hands gently. Cate felt her pulse race. “You’re welcome,” he said kindly, his own voice not much above a husky whisper. “And thank you. For today, and for putting up with my crap.”
Cate turned and faced Jon, holding out the baggie to him. “Here. You must have dropped it into my bag by mistake yesterday at the gym.”
Jon took the baggie from Cate and looked at the contents. “Oh. I didn’t even realize I didn’t have this,” he said, surprised. He set his gear bag down and opened the baggie, taking out the chain and cross.
He stuck the empty baggie in his pocket, then used both hands to undo the chain’s clasp. He hesitated, then smiled and stepped toward Cate.
Cate was surprised by Jon’s movement toward her. Her instinctive reaction was to back away from him, but she was standing next to her car and could only back up about a half a step. Her eyes widened as Jon reached forward to her neck and gently slipped the chain around it, fastening the clasp under her ponytail. The cross settled on her chest, over top of her shirt.
“I want you to have this.” Jon said softly.
“Jon, no! I couldn’t….you already gave me the jersey today, and I…. it’s too much.” Cate stammered, her hands going to her neck to undo the clasp. “Thank you, but it...I…” Cate stopped and caught her breath when she felt Jon’s hands on hers, stilling their movement.
“Cate, please. Let me give this to you.” Jon’s voice was gentle but firm. He slowly pulled Cate’s hands away from her neck and held them in his. “Please.” He looked into her eyes and Cate saw the earnestness of his plea.
Cate couldn’t find her voice. She was hypnotized by the intensity of Jon’s gaze. She stood facing him, her mouth slightly open, for a long moment. “O…Okay.” She finally whispered. “Thank you.”
Jon gave Cate another breathtaking smile and squeezed her hands gently. Cate felt her pulse race. “You’re welcome,” he said kindly, his own voice not much above a husky whisper. “And thank you. For today, and for putting up with my crap.”
Cate smiled at that and looked down, not saying anything in response. She gently pulled her hands from Jon’s grip.
“You don’t have to thank me for anything.” Cate replied softly, raising her eyes back up to his. She blushed slightly as Jon continued to stare at her, his blue eyes bright with emotion. Her right hand went unconsciously to the cross at her neck. “I need to get going, and you probably do too. We both have a lot to do tonight.”
Jon nodded reluctantly. “Okay. See you tomorrow, Cate. Have a good night.” He reached out and gave Cate’s left hand a gentle squeeze, then gave her one last wistful smile.
Jon picked up his bag and turned and walked to his SUV. Cate watched as he tossed his bag in the back seat and got in, then drove away, giving her a wave.
Her hand still on the cross around her neck, Cate sighed. What a day….
“You don’t have to thank me for anything.” Cate replied softly, raising her eyes back up to his. She blushed slightly as Jon continued to stare at her, his blue eyes bright with emotion. Her right hand went unconsciously to the cross at her neck. “I need to get going, and you probably do too. We both have a lot to do tonight.”
Jon nodded reluctantly. “Okay. See you tomorrow, Cate. Have a good night.” He reached out and gave Cate’s left hand a gentle squeeze, then gave her one last wistful smile.
Jon picked up his bag and turned and walked to his SUV. Cate watched as he tossed his bag in the back seat and got in, then drove away, giving her a wave.
Her hand still on the cross around her neck, Cate sighed. What a day….
"What a day…."
ReplyDeleteI second that!
*sigh* that was sweet and beautiful. I really hope she'll let him take her out for dinner without all the guys someday.
ReplyDeletesigh....
ReplyDelete