Following Your Heart

Calleigh met Eric in the locker room to help him clean the cut on his cheek, but she also had to break the news to him that they just weren't meant to be…as a couple. She loved Eric, but not in the same way as she knew he loved her. After she and Eric broke up once again a few months ago, she realized why she could never be serious about him. The realization hit her one evening like a sledge hammer…her heart belonged to Horatio and had for years, she had just kept her true feelings hidden because of their work situation. Horatio after all, was her superior and she never had been quite sure of his feelings toward her. They had flirted with each other over the years and even had called one another by pet names at times, but one evening while working late at the lab, Horatio had taken the chance to reveal his feelings for her, leaving no doubt where she stood with him.

About 2 months later –

Calleigh was ensconced in her ballistics lab after the day shift had ended, feverishly trying to finish comparisons of striation patterns on over 50 bullets that had been gathered as evidence from a shootout earlier in the day between the CSI's and a drug gang. She knew Horatio would need the results as soon as she could finish and she never wanted to hold up evidence in an investigation. Actually, she considered herself as much of a workaholic as Horatio and she could not leave the lab before her work was completed.

Hunched over a microscope comparing the last two bullets for the evening, she felt someone's presence in her lab. Slowly removing her eyes from the lens she turned her head to find Horatio standing close behind her and for a second it startled her because she had thought surely she was the only one from their shift still in the lab.

"Gosh Horatio…don't sneak up on a person like that! You almost made me jump out of my skin!"

"I'm sorry Cal…I didn't mean to scare you."

Then Horatio softly said, "Calleigh…Sweetheart? Aren't you ready to call it a night? This is Friday after all and the day shift has the weekend off for once. I would have thought you left a couple of hours ago."

She turned the tables and asked him, "What are you still doing here? You should have left before now too! You are always the first to arrive at 7 am every morning…and that makes for a long day!"

Horatio looked down at the floor and fiddled with his sunglasses for a moment before he raised his head to say, "There's nothing appealing about going home to an empty house Cal. Besides, I wanted to get caught up on all the paperwork that was piled on my desk so I would not have that to face when I came back Monday morning."

"Yeah…I understand. I am just about through…this is my last comparison so, I should be able to have my report on your desk about an hour after shift starts Monday."

"Thank you Sweetheart."

Horatio looked back down at the floor then suddenly he almost whispered, "Could I buy you dinner Calleigh? That is if you don't have other plans." After actually saying the words he had longed to say for so long, he looked up to see her reaction.

Calleigh smiled and answered, "Why Handsome, that would be so nice…I would love to have dinner with you. Let me just finish this real quick and pack all the evidence in the safe and gather my things and I will be ready."

Calleigh turned back to her microscope and tried to calm her racing heart after hearing the words from Horatio she had dreamed about for so long. She happened to glance at Horatio as he had sat down on her stool close to where she was working and she felt her cheeks growing warm as he smiled so sweetly at her. She smiled at him in return, and turned her face away quickly as she was embarrassed by her reaction for she just knew he had seen her glowing cheeks.

Walking from the elevator after arriving in the employee garage, Horatio lightly placed his hand in the small of her back to guide her to his car and the feel of his touch almost made her knees go weak.

Gathering her voice she asked, "Do you think I ought to drive my car to my house and you pick me up there? That way you wouldn't have to bring me back here later."

"Sounds like a good idea…I will follow you."

Horatio waited until she got started and then he fell in behind her as they pulled out of the garage. He knew where Cal lived as she had invited the team over a few times for a Christmas party.

Horatio pulled in behind her car in the drive as she stepped inside her house to retrieve a light jacket as the night was getting a little cool for Miami. Ever the gentleman, he got out and walked to her front door so he could escort her to his car when she came out. Calleigh opened her door to find Horatio waiting on her.

"Oh Handsome…I am sorry, I should have invited you to come in while I gathered my jacket. Forgive my manners."

"That's alright Cal…it is nice being outside after being shut in my office for most of the afternoon."

Horatio escorted her to his silver Acura CSX, a brand new 2012 model that he had only had for a couple of months.

Horatio opened Calleigh's door for her and waited until she was buckled in to close it, then he walked around to the driver's side and slid in with ease, not reflecting the nervousness he felt inside at the thought of being alone with Calleigh.

"Horatio…I LOVE your new car it's beautiful and oh my, you have a sunroof and it is open so I can see the stars!" Calleigh then took a deep breath and commented, "There is just nothing like the smell of a new car!"

Horatio chuckled and had to agree with her about a new car smell. "Sweetheart, where should we go tonight? I will let you choose."

"Anywhere on the water would be fine with me Handsome."

"I know just the place," Horatio said, "It serves a variety of cuisine which should satisfy our tastes."

After a dinner of excellent food and conversation, Horatio and Calleigh strolled down the beach from the restaurant enjoying the sound of the waves crashing to the shore and the gentle cool breeze softly blowing. When they stopped and stood looking out over the water, Horatio realized Calleigh was shivering a bit, even though she had on her jacket. Ah, here is an opportunity to wrap her in my arms without appearing to overstep my bounds, without coming on too strong.

Standing behind her, he wrapped both of his arms around Calleigh and pulled her against his chest.

"Thank you Handsome, that feels wonderful, you are so warm against my back," she said as she put her hands on top of his that were at her waist.

Horatio kissed the top of her head and then tightened his hold, and let out a sigh of contentment and responded, "Glad to help Sweetheart."

Returning to Horatio's car hand in hand they both were a little sad that their evening was drawing to a close. Horatio was wrestling in his mind how he could extend their night. He thought…would it be too brash to ask if she would like to go to my place he wondered? No, no, no Caine…too soon, although he had secretly dreamed of taking her to his house and laying her down in his bed and making tender love to her all night. He loved her so much, and had for years, but just couldn't reveal his true feelings for her given their positions at work. He knew of her relationship with Eric and just couldn't see what she saw in him. Eric had a history of moving from woman to woman, never wanting commitment, unlike me Horatio thought.

"Cat got your tongue Horatio?" Calleigh teased as they reached his car.

"Wh…what? Oh, I'm sorry…just had something on my mind," he said as he opened her door.

"Well I hope it was not concerning work, I plan to enjoy this free weekend and I hope you are," Calleigh said.

"I hope we both do, Sweetheart." Horatio said before closing her door then getting in and began driving away from the restaurant heading toward Calleigh's. I sure hope we can enjoy it together, Horatio thought to himself.

Arriving at Calleigh's, Horatio opened the car door for her and walked with her to her front door. He asked for Calleigh's keys and unlocked and opened the door for her to enter. Handing her keys back to her, he stopped as he reached the threshold, not sure as to whether he should follow her in.

"Horatio, ever the consummate gentleman…you really know how to treat a lady!" Calleigh said before asking, "Won't you come in Handsome? I can fix us some decaf and I have a little left over bread pudding we can share."

Giving Calleigh a sweet, almost bashful smile Horatio answered, "Thank you, I'd love to Sweetheart."

He followed her inside and into the kitchen while feeling as if his heart was going to jump out of his chest as he walked toward Calleigh. Stopping suddenly she turned toward him to ask if he minded retrieving the bowls from the cabinet, but he tenderly reached out and wrapped both of his arms around her and looked wistfully into her green eyes for any sign of objection to his actions and found none.

"Umm, Handsome, seems you have more on your mind than I thought," Calleigh said and smiled at him as she looked into his eyes that had turned a sexy, deep shade of blue.

Calleigh began to feel weak as Horatio closed the distance between them and gently pulled her closer into his arms. Calleigh wrapped her arms around his waist and thought, O how I have dreamed of his touch; I can't believe this is happening! Then Horatio leaned in toward Calleigh's lips and brushed them lightly with his own. Pulling back to look at her face, he saw her face change to an almost dream like state and all he could whisper was, "Oh Calleigh, Sweetheart" before he captured her lips in a tender, loving kiss. To his surprise, she returned his kiss with a passion he had never dreamed she possessed.

Suddenly Calleigh could hear in her mind Judy Garland singing, 'Dear, with your lips to mine, a rhapsody divine; Zing! Went the strings of my heart.'

Finally breaking for air, Horatio managed to weakly say, "I know this may not be right, but it feels so natural to me for you to be in my arms, I love you Cal, I have for a long time. I just hope you can forgive me if you don't feel the same toward me." And he looked into her eyes and waited anxiously for her reply.

"Handsome…I have dreamed of you taking me into your arms and kissing me passionately like this, but my dreams were not near as wonderful as the real thing. I have loved you for years I just didn't know how to tell you."

Horatio was so overwhelmed with Calleigh's confession of love for him that he plunged his lips back on her beckoning sweet lips with such a fervent hunger it shocked Calleigh, but not for long as she returned the hunger of her passion for him as their tongues took turns exploring each other.

Breaking their bond for just a moment, Horatio scooped Calleigh into his arms and began walking in the direction of her bedroom while she tenderly kissed him along his jaw and down his neck. Stopping before entering he asked her in a deep husky voice, "Sweetheart are you sure you want to do this?"

"Make love to me Horatio…please."

Those words were all he needed to hear and he took her in the bedroom and gently laid her down on her bed and quickly shed his jacket and joined her. Slowly, between exploring, sweet kisses, they took turns undressing each other. Calleigh, seeing Horatio's firm, muscular frame totally devoid of any clothes for the first time in all the years they had worked together, just marveled at his taut chest and abdomen.

All the while, Horatio thought he had never seen a more beautiful, soft but very firm specimen of a woman as he saw in Calleigh. He had always noticed the curves of her body, but to have the luxury of kissing his way down her slender form just took his breath away.

Calleigh suddenly said in a soft voice, "Oh Handsome…I need you so much."

That was all the encouragement he needed and he hungrily took possession of her body.

With their needs and desires satisfied, they laid in each other's arms immersing themselves in the warm, closeness generated by their love.

"Sweetheart, are you alright?" Horatio asked tenderly as he gently kissed her forehead.

"I am more than alright Handsome." Calleigh had never had a man to be so tender and thoughtful making love as Horatio.

"Cal…I love you and I want you to know that this was not just a one night fling. I want more than that with you. You took possession of my heart years ago and I gave it willingly to you with no strings attached. I just hope you understand that we are going to have to be careful about revealing our feelings for each other at work right now, until I can talk with the chief concerning our relationship."

Rising up on an elbow, Calleigh looked at Horatio with her eyes brimming with love and replied, "Horatio, I love you with all my heart and I would never hurt you. I respect you as my lover, and my boss and nothing will change at work as far as I am concerned. I have loved you for years and it has never interfered with the fact that you are my superior and it never will. I trust you with my heart and my life and I hope you know you can trust me with yours."

"I have always trusted you my love," Horatio answered. "I would never hurt you Calleigh…I adore you and I never want to be without you."

After sharing a warm, loving hug and kiss, Calleigh began, "Horatio, I need to talk to you about something that I hope won't change your mind about me."

Horatio looked at her puzzled and wondered what on earth could she be talking about…what could she have ever done to change my feelings for her?

As Calleigh lay back on her pillow, she began explaining how she had been going through the process of adopting Austin and Patty North. She told him how Austin had just captured her heart a few months back when he asked her if he and his sister could live with her. Then, just recently while working a case, she ran into the boy again and that encounter made her begin examining her life and why she couldn't adopt them. At least she said she wanted to make the effort to get them.

Horatio relaxed next to Calleigh as she told him of her feelings for the North children because he had actually known of her efforts to adopt them since she began the process, he just never let her know he knew of it.

When she was finished, he propped up on one elbow and looked into her eyes, "Sweetheart, why do you think I would not still love you because of wanting to adopt these children? It makes me only love you more! I know you will make a wonderful mother and if you wanted me, I would love to help you with them."

Tears began to flow down her cheeks as she looked into his beautiful blue eyes and reached out to pull him down to her.

"Oh, Horatio I love you! I do want you with me and these children I know you would make a wonderful father. Umm…I'm sorry, I didn't mean to insinuate that you would marry me."

Whispering into her ear Horatio said, "I love your insinuations Sweetheart, but give me a little time to sort out work and prove my love and commitment to you."

Calleigh just smiled at Horatio and said, "I would love that."

"So, it doesn't bother you that it was their father who almost killed you and Natalia last year?"

With that Horatio looked into her eyes, "Calleigh, I could NEVER blame those children for their father's actions! I don't believe in the saying that the children pay for the sins of the father. If you love these children, I know I will too!"

"Stay with me tonight Handsome."

"I would love to Cal."

Morning found both Horatio and Calleigh sleeping soundly in each other's arms.

Will be continued…