Black Tie Event

Chapter Fourteen

You'd think that after what had gone down that morning, all I'd want would be some distance from Grace. So I could ensure that I wasn't getting attached, so I could focus on my work and the investigation, and most of all, so that I could clear my head of commitment, and weddings, and expensive furniture and fine linens and all things generally Grace-ish. So I should have hit the ignore button when she called Friday night, but for whatever reason, I didn't.

I smiled to myself though she obviously couldn't see me. "Hayden," I teased.

"Now you're just trying to be cute."

"I don't have to try," I said. "What's up?"

"Nothing," she said ambiguously. "I just wanted to talk to you. And I know that's kind of...girlfriend-y, and I'm sorry, I really shouldn't have called..."

"No," I cut her off. "Grace, it's okay. I want to talk to you."

"You do?"

"Sure," I said. "If you tell me something interesting."

"Okay," she said, thinking it over. I could tell that her voice was smiling as it relaxed. "Um, did you know that you're a thirty year old man's hero?"

"I thought I was everybody's hero," I said. "But elaborate."

"I'm talking about Ray," she said. "You're all he's been able to talk about since last night. If I didn't know better, I'd be jealous."

That made me laugh out loud. "Ray is a loser," I said, though I meant it with some degree of endearment. "Nothing to be jealous of."

"He keeps asking me where you are, and I tell him I'm not allowed to know about it, which only makes him more excited. He thinks it's so cool that you're a real live detective."

I laughed, somewhat built up by the worship. "It is pretty cool," I said. "But, I'd rather be home."

"When are you coming back?"

"I don't know," I said. "But you haven't seen the last of me, I promise."

"Seeing you last night was good," she said quietly. "When you first left, I wasn't sure I'd ever see you again."

"I told you you would."

"Yeah, but if there's any person in the world that would make up a secret police investigation to avoid a relationship that was getting too serious, you have to admit, Kim, it's you."

"I resent that," I said. "Commitment issues are one thing, but I am not a liar."

"Whatever," Grace said. "I kind of just wish you were here."

"Yeah?" I questioned lasciviously. "What would you do?"

"I'm not having phone sex with you, Kim," she said, laughing. "Dream on."

"Because if I were with you right now, Grace," I continued, ignoring her dismissal. "I would be all over you."

She exhaled shortly. "You would?"

"I hate not being able to be there," I said. "And I go crazy waiting. Next time I see you, not going to be able to control myself. I'm just going to throw you down, and tear your clothes off, and--"

"Hayden," Beckett interrupted, throwing the door to our room open. "Are you taking a personal call right now?"

"No," I lied.

"Then who is it?" she challenged.

"The PD," I smiled, and she knew I was lying.

"Yeah, okay," she said, sitting down.