for neednewthrill

[bettercop]

Lisbon had tentatively agreed to have dinner with Walter Mashburn on Christmas Eve. Dinner. Maybe more. But highly active part of her mind that thrived on twisting things around so that they were easier to accept had already asserted that this was not at all a date. People could eat dinner, and enjoy each other without it being a date. Avoiding

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[neednewthrill]

Walter locked his car and quickly leaned down to look in the side mirror to check his tie. He'd dressed nicely for dinner--suit and tie--but not too nicely. He was well aware that wooing Teresa would require him to be at the top of his game.

He didn't mind that, though. He'd always enjoyed a challenge and he positively relished this one. After all, victory was so much sweeter when he had to work for it, and Teresa was a prize more than worth the effort.

Satisfied with his appearance, he quickly made his way to the CBI offices. He slowed his pace as he approached Teresa's office because, well, he didn't want to appear too eager. She already knew he was interested--no need to overplay it.

"Merry Christmas," he said, leaning in her door. "Time to put away work and relax."

[bettercop]

She'd been expecting him any minute, so the voice didn't startle her. Turning away from the whiteboard on her wall, where she was filling in a few details from their latest case, Lisbon regarded him with a nonchalant expression that belied her intrigue. He looked good, there was no doubt about that, and if she didn't say it in words, the look in her eyes betrayed everything.

Capping the marker and setting it down, she ran her hand over the back of her coat, draped across her chair.

"Someone's eager," she teased.

[neednewthrill]

"Eager? No, not me," he scoffed. "I'm merely punctual."

He took a few steps into her office, hands in his pockets. He was a bit chagrined that she'd read him so easily but then, he wouldn't find her nearly so interesting if she weren't so smart. Besides, judging by the expression on her face, she didn't mind a little eagerness on his part.

"However," he said, smiling. "I will admit to the possibility I would not have been so punctual for anyone else."

[bettercop]

She just raised her eyebrow slightly, and made a slight sounded like a skeptical, "Uh-huh" as she finally took her coat off the chair and came around to the front of her desk so that the gap between them was lessened to a few mere inches. She did not, in fact, mind a little eagerness from him; in fact, it was a turn-on.

"You hungry?" There was a double entendre in that question, if one was paying attention to the flicker in her eyes. And it was entirely deliberate.

[neednewthrill]

His gaze was fixed on her as she approached, the corner of his mouth turning up in a grin. Teresa was all business so much of the time...and then she surprised him by saying something flirty or even downright seductive. She was absolutely delightful.

"Ravenous." He let her see just a hint of desire in his eyes and waited just a beat before adding, "But we should probably have dinner first."

[bettercop]

She didn't miss the look of desire. In fact, she'd counted on seeing it, and felt some small sense of satisfaction that she'd put it there. And then she moved ahead of him, waiting for him before shutting off the lights to her office.

"I have ideas. Depends on what you're in the mood for." Their entire conversation, at present, seemed laced with innuendo.

[neednewthrill]

"I like ideas," he said, walking after her. Yes, there might have been just a touch of swagger to his step but really--who could blame him?

He stepped outside the door and waited for her to close up her office. He had a few ideas of his own but he was very curious to find out what she had in mind. "As to my mood...I always enjoy something spicy."

[bettercop]

Her entire agreement to this outing was indication enough that she was, at least, somewhat enthused. She wasn't doing this out of obligation, or appeasement, after all. That wasn't her style. She had to want it. And want it, she did. But she was careful not to betray too much of that yet, it was more fun to appear nonchalant, surprising him with seductive remarks here and there. Walking down the hall, she slipped her coat on, buttoning it as she smirked very slightly at him.

"I might know a place."

[neednewthrill]

"I'm intrigued," he said, extending his hand to indicate she should lead the way. Of course, he wasn't intrigued by dinner. Whatever she chose would be fine. No, she was what intrigued him. In the relatively short time he'd known her, she'd had a tendency to blow hot and cold with him. Unless he'd completely lost his ability to read a woman's signals, she was at the very least warm tonight and that promised to be interesting.

He glanced behind them as they walked down the hall, then had to take a couple of quick steps to catch back up to her. "I just have one question. It's a rather odd one but I have a very good reason for asking." He glanced around again, noting who was and wasn't in the area. "Does Patrick have plans for the evening?"

[bettercop]

And lead the way, she did. She also knew precisely what he meant when he said that he was intrigued, and she felt a slight flicker of satisfaction at that. Sure, she'd been annoyed by him when she'd first met him; he was, in many ways, quite the opposite of the typical person to whom she felt attracted. But maybe that was part of the thrill of it: something different, a little bolder, more adventurous. And when she allowed herself to know him better, she actually...liked him, more than she was irritated by him, though she wasn't enamored of him or anything silly like that. His blatant attraction to her, however, was becoming less annoying and more endearing

[neednewthrill]

Walter had to stare at Teresa for a moment, just to make sure she wasn't serious.

"God, no," he said in a mild tone. It wasn't that he didn't like Jane's company because he did. He enjoyed it immensely. But there was a time and place for hanging out with Jane and it wasn't when Teresa was around. Especially when she was being flirty. Jane needed to find somewhere else to be under those circumstances.

"I don't mean to sound paranoid," he continued as he pushed the door open for her. "But the last time I was in town.... Jane didn't come to my hotel room just to return my credit card. He was definitely snooping." He made a small shrug. "I'd prefer to know he won't be snooping tonight."

[bettercop]

That happened, at times, with her brand of deadpan humor. She wasn't any better than Cho, sometimes.

And she didn't like the idea of Jane snooping, but it didn't exactly surprise her anymore. He made it a point to butt into her personal life, and while it certainly annoyed her, she wasn't terribly persistent in getting him to back off. She'd try, of course, but relent (rather easily, sometimes, which was another point of contention).

Lisbon stepped outside, adjusting easily to the cool, brisk winter air, and paused. She'd driven to work, and he'd driven here.

"If he knows what's good for him, he'll spend most of the night at Van Pelt's. She's having some sort of potluck." It was said firmly, but not with her usual practiced level of irritation. It was Christmas Eve, after all, and she did hope he just spent the night with the team. Cho had mentioned something about dinner and drinks, too, and she trusted the other man to keep Jane happy; they had an odd little connection. "Forget about Jane, let's go eat."

[neednewthrill]

He followed her out the door and paused to take a deep breath of the crisp air. He exhaled in a laugh. "Has Patrick ever known what's good for him?"

He knew Jane was intelligent. More than that, he was wickedly clever. He also seemed to have a knack for getting himself into trouble. It was one of the aspects of Jane's personality that interested Walter. That interest had its limits, though, and it ended when his evening with Teresa began.

"Gladly," he said, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. Or perhaps, simply washing his hands of all thoughts of Jane. "Shall we take my car?" He'd driven one of his sleek little beauties. It might seem ostentatious but he loved cars and what was the point of having money if he couldn't spend it on the things he enjoyed.

He pulled the keys from his pocket and dangled them in front of Teresa. "I'll let you drive."

[bettercop]

She smirked and laughed softly under her breath. "Never has, never will." Which was why precisely why, if she thought long and hard about it, their relationship tended to mirror the one she had with her brothers. Well, the relationship she'd had with them twenty years ago, more like.

His glee was palpable, and a bit contagious, but she regarded him neutrally as she eyed the keys he held in front of her. It was a good move, offering to let her drive, and it wasn't something she could really turn down. It was a nice car, after all.

So she took the keys with a grin, and slid into the driver's seat.

"So, what did you do for Christmas last year, spend the weekend in Hawaii looking for your next wife?" Her tone was light, teasing, the hint of a smile at the corner of her lips. There was nothing reproachful in her voice at all, she'd moved well beyond her initial desires to distance herself from him as much as possible.

[neednewthrill]

He couldn't help grinning when she took the keys. Lisbon was pragmatic and definitely not ostentatious, but he'd suspected she was someone who'd love a fast ride. He enjoyed seeing the grin on her face and, naturally, enjoyed being proven right.

"Last Christmas? Let's see...," he said as he buckled his seatbelt. He wasn't bothered by her teasing. He made no bones about the fact he'd been married multiple times, or the fact he enjoyed dating super models. He didn't kid himself he was content with the lifestyle but it seemed to be the pattern he'd fallen into.

"Nope, no wives or prospective wives last Christmas. No Hawaii either. I went deep sea fishing off Baja with a few of my single buddies. Actually, I believe that was the reason my girlfriend at the time broke up with me." He looked a little amused as he glanced at Teresa. "Hey, I invited her. It's not my fault she hated fishing. And boats. And most of my single buddies."

[bettercop]

She was pragmatic, but his suspicions that she enjoyed a fast ride were correct; she drove a Mustang, after all. That didn't much compare to this car, but it suited the little thrill she got from occasionally being able to enjoy the higher speeds a car like this would allow.

Once he was buckled, she started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. She knew just the place to go, the Waterboy Restaurant in Midtown. She'd been there very infrequently, because of the price, but it was always amazing. And she was partially amused at how he'd react to her choice of where to go. If she could surprise him, that was a good thing; being unpredictable at times wasn't always a bad thing.

"Sounds glamorous, Walter." She paused. "She didn't like fishing?" Now, he would be able to detect a hint of reproach in her tone. But Lisbon wasn't the typical woman.