"You only got to second?" JJ said, her eyes catching his.

"What? What are you talking about? Second base, what's… oh."

Reid flushed red as he took her meaning.

"I didn't… I mean…JJ I…," he stammered.

She stood up and beamed at him, dusting her Cheeto fingers off on her jeans, then rested her hands on his shoulders as she passed him. She leaned down and whispered "Don't worry Spence, somebody will show you how to hit a home run one of these days."

She ruffled his hair and laughed, moving away to find little Henry. Whenever they came to Emily's bbqs he had a habit of running off with Sergio, the cat.

Spencer was mortified. First, that wasn't what he had meant, he had just been playing a board game with that girl in the park. Secondly, secondly…

"If I could choose anyone to show me how to hit a home run it would be you," he thought.

He'd always thought that, always wanted it. But there was never time, and circumstance and the job always came between them. He knew she loved him, but he never was able to quite gauge just how much, or in what way. She flirted, she looked out for him, and was always the first to touch him, to hold him when something went bad, or there was cause for celebration.

But then she had met Will, and had Henry, and though he was his godfather, and he loved the child with all his heart… it wasn't everything he really wanted. But he'd take it. Who was he, anyway? Just a skinny weird guy who knew things. He was grateful for the affection that existed between them. He never wanted to ruin that, or to call too much attention to it, lest she take it away.

What would she say if she knew the truth… if she ever found out that he was in love with her? Part of him always wanted to tell her, to just blurt it out sometime when they were alone. He knew though, he didn't have the courage. So he convinced himself that it was more courageous, more romantic to keep it to himself. At least that way, she'd never be able to take it away from him.

"Hey Spence, wanna throw the football with me?" she came up behind him, startling him out of his reverie.

It took a moment for him to understand that she was serious, as she stood there tossing it back and forth in her hands, her eyebrows raised. Nobody ever asked him to do anything sporty.

"JJ I don't usually…"

"Aw c'mon, it'll be fun! She smiled at him warmly and he stood up.

He looked over at Derek Morgan who was manning the grill and his big friend smiled and gave him a 'thumbs up'.

Spencer took off his blazer, trotting into the back yard with her, and she tossed him the ball as they moved apart. He tossed it to her in a reasonable approximation of how he'd seen it done and she caught it with a smack.

"Hey, good arm, Spence!" she said as she threw it back to him. He beamed at her and caught his breath as she grinned at him. As they threw it back and forth he found that she had been right. It was fun, made all the moreso because of how she looked at him.

JJ ended up driving him home after the party and they talked easily and laughed at the day's events. As she pulled into his driveway he unbuckled and prepared to hop out. With Henry asleep in his carseat he didn't want to delay them more than necessary. She surprised him by killing the engine and saying "Hey, don't be in such a rush."

Spencer did a double-take and looked at her. The profiler in him kicked in and he noticed her hands in her lap were fidgeting, and she looked down, almost shy.

"Okay. I just didn't want to keep you… something on your mind?" he asked.

"I feel bad," she began.

He cocked his head and said "For what?"

"For that 'home run' remark today. Spence, it was really out of line and I'm sorry I said it. Its been bothering me all day." She looked up at him.

He flushed, embarrassed as the realization hit him. So that's why she'd asked him to toss the ball. That's why she had sat next to him all afternoon, ate next to him and refreshed his drink when it got low. Not because she wanted his company, but because she'd felt bad.

It was amazing how instantly all the joy drained out of his day. He looked at her, his lips pressed into a thin line.

"You're a very sensitive man, and I know that you do everything at your own pace… and I'm sorry that I even thought for a moment it was okay to respond that way. It was just a stupid reflex and – "

"Don't mention it," he said, his voice flat. He reached for the door handle and got out of the car, walking quickly to his door. He reached into his jacket pocket for his keys and was surprised to find his vision blurry as he tried to get the key in the lock, hot tears of embarrassment stinging behind his eyes.

JJ jumped out of the car and ran up to the door just as Spencer opened it. She looked back at Henry sleeping, and stopped. "Spence!" she said.

He stopped then too, his back to her and said "Go home, JJ. It's fine."

"No, it's not, and I want-"

Spencer turned around and closed the gap between them in two long strides. "What is it you 'want', JJ?" he said, his voice deeper than she'd ever heard.

He reached up and took her face in his hands and pressed his mouth to hers in the warmest, most skillfully sensuous kiss she'd ever felt. Her eyes flew open as he slid his lips seductively across hers, slipping his tongue out slightly and moistening her lips just as he felt her respond. She whispered a light moan of surprise, and of pleasure as their lips locked, delicately devouring each other. The warmth of his kiss deepened as their ardor grew, and she melted herself against him, her hands getting lost in his soft hair, pulling him to her and deepening their kisses. He pulled back slightly and whispered "JJ…" against her mouth. She felt the warm curl of desire starting in her lower abdomen as his nose battled softly back and forth against hers and she was caught up in his passion, hers rising to meet his own. Her breath started coming harder and as her eyes closed she marveled at the depth of her emotion, how right this felt. This was Spence.

He broke the kiss and looked at her, her eyes flashing open and meeting his, seeing the bright, unshed tears from earlier. They were breathing hard now, the dim porch light casting a warm glow over them both. She felt rather than saw the depth of his emotion, his honesty, and she touched his face as he said, resolute, "I've never been to second base with anyone JJ, because I've never wanted to be there with anyone but you."

Her expression was so soft as she looked into his eyes and said "Why… why didn't you ever say anything?"

He looked at her face, loving that little line between her eyebrows she got when she was confused, her lips still swollen, and he wanted nothing more in this world than to kiss her again.

"Go home, JJ." He released her and turned to go back inside.

"Wait Spence, what? You can't just – I mean, can we… can we talk about this?"

"Yes. Tomorrow. Nothing's going to change tonight and you have to get Henry to bed. Goodnight." He gently closed the door.

JJ stood staring at the closed door for a minute, her mind whirling. She could knock, or she could go busting in there… except that he was right. She needed to get Henry home and nothing would get resolved tonight. Where the hell had he learned to kiss like that? He was wrong about one thing, though, she thought as she walked back to the truck, her hand touching her lips. Everything had changed tonight.