Just a quickie that popped into my head. Oi! Get your minds outta the gutter! ;-)

"Do you love me?"

Her eyes slid sideways to him for just a moment but her head didn't move. The eyes shifted back to what they were reading. "You're impossible."

"Mmmm…yeah…been called worse."

He continued to study her from a relatively safe distance. "You didn't answer me."

She let out a hefty sigh. "We've been together a long time."

"You're deflecting."

She didn't answer but as he watched, he saw the corner of her mouth pull up ever so slightly. A pretty blush spread across her cheeks. "Stop staring. You're making me feel like I have food on my face."

"I will if you answer my question."

Closing the book, she turned to him. "Are you feeling neglected or something?"

"No. Not particularly."

"Then what's going on? Why this all of a sudden?"

"Just like to hear it."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "You're being ridiculous."
"Probably." He cocked his head to the side, eyes holding onto hers. "Do you love me?"

"Oh my God Cal. Look at everything we've been through. All the years we've worked together. All the times I saved your ass."

"And?"

"I was even saving your ass at the Pentagon. We have a long and illustrious past together. We built a business together. I was there for you when your marriage ended and you were there for me when mine did. I watched you play the man tramp for all those years and rolled my eyes wondering when you would grow up. I watched someone hold a gun to your head and felt myself die a little inside because of it. You were my tower of strength when Claire died."

"Were?"

"Are."

"Good to know. So, you do love me?"

She studied him intently and something in her expression gave him the green light to move closer. He lay down, resting his cheek on her thigh, closing his eyes as her fingers brushed lightly through his hair. "I did marry you, you know." Her voice had softened.

"Could have been outta pity."

She snorted softly. And he knew that she would deny it if ever pressed. She didn't snort.

"Could have."

"Was it?" He peeked up at her from his position on her leg.

"Was it what?" She teased.

"Outta pity?"

She continued to brush through his hair. God, it felt good. He felt his eyes droop again.

Her smile was in her answer. He could hear it even if he wasn't the voice expert. "Yeah Cal, I love you."

He rubbed his cheek against her leg, one hand reaching up to splay across her flat belly. "Good. I love you too."

She didn't say anything, just continued to play with his hair.

"Gill?"

"Hmmm?"

"Wanna fool around?"

"Okay."

This is my Lie to Me spin on the song "Do you love me?" from Fiddler on the Roof. Not sure why it all of a sudden stuck in my head, but, well, there it is.