Title: Linger

ONE shot

Pairing: E/C

Rating:T

Summary: Everything about Calleigh lingered and Eric was insatiable.

Spoilers: Up to Raising Caine

A/N: Love this word and it's been on my mind. Enjoy.

O-O-O

Months had passed. Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentines, St. Patrick's Day. And still, he was exactly where he started. Longing for that which he could not have. She'd been single for a while, even though no one really knew she was taken in the first place.

He'd done well for himself, putting up a front of apathy, hoping that she would see this and ease into a solid friendship again. Suspicious at first, but later she relented after a long shift and spur of the moment invitation for dinner with him and Ryan.

Over the course of a few weeks, he knew he had her hooked, that she felt secure in their friendship, sure that he felt nothing more for her. But that was his trick, his one hope. For he knew that anything more would scare her away, and he couldn't handle that.

Lately, he'd found traces of her everywhere, little things that would linger behind long after she'd left the room.

Once, he was the break room and she'd made witty comment about the nominees for the republican party that made him chuckle. The comment followed him for weeks until he'd voted for his own party.

A week later she followed him into trace and was in rare form as she quizzed him on an alloy that she was curious about. Soaking up his words like a sponge, she thanked him sweetly and headed to the morgue, leaving her smile and the scent of her, light with a hint of roses, behind.

One night the crew decided to go out and get drinks, dressed up for a night on the town courtesy of a thankful widow. Eric caught sight of her in a sheer light blue cocktail dress, shimmering the whole night. Though he fought hard to keep his eyes off her, she caught him staring once or twice and gave him a knowing, yet slightly gracious look.

Another day they'd been out near the everglades when she saw a four-legged critter that wasn't too friendly. Without hesitating, she grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the hummer for safety. She didn't let go until she was sure it had left. His hand burned for hours after.

Most notably and most recently, they met up for a casual evening in which neither was prepared for. Comedy of errors best described it: dinner involved a new waiter spilling ice cold water down his shirt, her ice cream hopped off her cone and onto her sandaled foot, the 5-year-old sitting behind them in the movie entertained himself by kicking their seats for two hours. She surprised them both though, when saying goodnight she kissed him softly on the lips, lingering for just a moment before smiling and closing her front door. He could still taste her a week later. He wanted more.

Everything about Calleigh lingered and Eric was insatiable.