Coffee & Pasta || S.R. [DISCONTINUED]

Nine

"Nat!" Spencer called, rushing toward the half-closed elevator after work. Luckily, the caramel haired beauty heard him and quickly slipped her arm between the doors, holding it for him as he ran over. He got in, looking at her and smiling. "Hey, how was uh.." he puffed, catching his breath. "How was work?"

Natalia rose a brow and smiled, standing beside him casually; he looked so cute when he was disheveled. "Pretty good, and yours? No cases dragging you off tonight?"

Spencer sighed and nodded. "Thankfully. We have reports on the last one due tomorrow but it looks like I have the night off..." he paused, watching the elevator numbers go down. "Hey uh...listen do you still want to...maybe go on that-"

"Date?" Natalia chimed, looking up at him somewhat shyly. "If you still want to take me, absolutely. I-I mean, if you have the energy for it-"

"Of course!" Spencer grinned, barely able to contain his excitement. "We, uh, we could go now, if you want? I mean I know its sudden but I've had so long to plan because of work and stuff that its already set up I just-"

Natalia felt her heart melt a little and she blushed, her bottom lip sticking out a bit as she gazed at him affectionately. "Awe, Spencer! You planned something?"

He blushed, licking his lips and using ever bit of his willpower in the moment to not preemptively kiss her in a government elevator. "Y-yeah...I mean you're..special, and I wanted to make sure I planned something nice because I-" he stopped, his breathing catching in his esophagus as her smaller body wrapped itself around his torso. He relaxed after a moment, his long, willowy arms wrapping her up for what was now the fifth time since he'd met her. 

Natalia blushed softly, and quickly pulled away as the elevator opened. She cleared her throat and walked out with him, awkwardly clicking her heels against the floor. "So uhm...do I need to go home and change or anything..?"

Spencer looked at her; taking in her tight, knit maroon long sleeve and form fitting black jeans, held up by a brown leather belt. "Not at all; you look perfect." he breathed, unable to stop himself. The way she blushed up at him as they walked toward her car caught his attention, though. "I-I mean to me you always look amazing but I meant for where we're going and I-"

Natalia bit her lip, giggling. "Spencer, relax. Its just me."

He smiled, shakily laughing. "Exactly...its you. I've never met anyone like you, Nat and I...I dont wanna mess this up."

"I don't either, genius." she chuckled, getting into her bag and then handing him her car keys. "You drive; I like being surprised."

Spencer smiled, blushing and nodding as he unlocked her car and opened the passenger door for her, letting her get in and buckle up before closing it again. As he got into the drivers side, he didnt even notice Derek Morgan watching with a jaw-open expression from the door of the building.

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Natalia let out a sound of awe, looking at the scene before her. He'd driven her to a nice looking, homey cafe; and as soon as Spencer had entered with her, the waitress called over the owner, who shook hands with Spencer and lead them back here.

Spencer looked over the preparations and shifted his weight, watching her take in the outdoor table with a white, lay table cloth and two wooden chairs. There were the dahlia's and lilies he'd gotten her sitting on the table in a vase, a wine glass for each of them, and soft jazz music playing from a nearby speaker. He'd come out to the cafe almost a week ago and set up the pale blue and pink fairy lights that canvased the garden area behind the cafe wonderfully; and he'd paid extra close attention to the little koi pond next to the bench, since he knew she liked koi fish. "Do you...like it?"

"Spencer...how'd you do this all last minute?" Natalia asked, looking at him in awe as she tried to understand the anomaly that was Spencer Walter Reid. 

"I've actually had it set up for over a week now, things just kept getting in the way; so I uh...I asked Elijah to reserve the garden for me until I could take you, and the flowers are from right across the street in the florists shop; that was the text I sent before we drove off, I asked Allen and Krista to send over the dahlia's and lilies I bought."

"Its perfect Spencer. Thank you.." 

Spencer smiled, his chest nearly bursting with the elated feeling he had. She liked it. He did good. "Would you uh, like to sit down..?" he asked, gesturing to the table.

"Oh! Oh right." Natalia giggled shyly, walking over with him. She allowed him to pull out her chair and push her back in, watching him move the vase to the side so they could look at each other over the table before he sat down. "I'm not usually like this on dates...I think its just because well..its you." she admitted, blushing.

"I understand what you mean.." Spencer nodded, grinning at her shyly. "I dont usually do dating at all, even I just...you're hard to pass up. Its different, with you."

"More comfortable."

"And I can be myself."

"Without feeling judged for the weird stuff we talk about."

"Exactly." Spencer grinned, his eyes flitting between her left and right eye. "You're stunning, you know...I never would have thought you'd be here with someone like me.."

"Someone totally kick ass who can actually make me smile and laugh without idiotic pick up lines and bullshittery?"

Spencer cringed, laughing. "Okay, I see your point. You know what I mean though."

"Really?" Nat grinned, leaning forward a bit in challenge. "Im not sure I do, Dr. Reid; perhaps you could explain it to me."

"Well, Dr. Hawthe, I find that typically, attractive women such as yourself tend to go for more fit and overall more attractive men than I; which is perhaps why I was so surprised to see you flitting off Morgan's teasing so readily, the week we first met. Instead, you ended up talking to me about Mesopotamian culture and the start of Society as we know it, which began this strange sort of relationship we have now." Spencer chuckled, enjoying how easily he could say things like that around her. Usually he wouldnt have the guts..

Natalia shifted in her chair, looking at her hands. "And...what are we, Dr. Reid?"

Spencer tensed, looking at her. He swallowed, reading her eyes and body language, and the near desperate look she had; a look just like the one he'd sent her so many times before. "I...I think we could be a couple...if thats something you wanted..."

Natalia blushed, her eyelashes fluttering as she half-hid, biting her lip and smiling. "I'd like that..."

"So..." Spencer started, shyly looking at her and reaching out to carefully take her hand on the table. "Will you be mine, then?" Spencer nearly whispered. 

Natalia grinned, her joy showing in her eyes as she looked at him. "I thought you'd never ask; of course I will; so long as you are mine."

Spencer let out a relieved breath, nodding. "I like that...I like that a lot, Nat."

The two fell into a fit of giggles, just as the chef brought out two plates; a wonderful smelling and looking red sauce pasta with melted mozzarella woven into the noodles, alongside a crisp baguette and a fresh looking, colorful salad. The man filled their wine glasses and nodded to them with a smile, before disappearing again.

Natalia sent him a knowing grin, raising her brow. "You ordered a week ago didnt you?"

"What can I say? I knew you like pasta. Its actually a red-sauced crab pasta; I  love it and with your tastes, I know you will too." Spencer laughed. And just like that; they both easily took that long awaited step from friends, to ever-so-hesitant lovers. Slow, perhaps; but they were falling, and anyone could see it.