[M_M Verse] And, if you ever want a French lesson...

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

Juliet is hanging around the station. That in of itself isn't a great sign, but at least she's keeping herself very busy.

She looks up from the pile of paperwork and raises an eyebrow at Carlton. "I have an hour before the babysitter needs me. Want to take a walk?"

Comments

[detbinky.livejournal.com]

"Walk? Sure, sounds like a good way to kill an hour. I'm sick of reading this file over and over anyway."

He set the files aside and rubbed his eyes. Weeks of long days had him run down and just the wee-est bit cranky.

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

"Sure. I need some fresh air." Driving would be easier, but they really don't have the extra gas to spare in her opinion. And she notices the cranky.

"We can have fudge cake," she offers.

[detbinky.livejournal.com]

The quickest way to Carlton's gooey center was through his stomach, no one knew that better than Juliet.

"Fudge cake? Well, when you say it like that.... let's go."

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

She is rather familiar with his gooey center. She grabs her jacket and pulls it on. "There's this great diner down on fourth street that serves great cake. We could go there."

[detbinky.livejournal.com]

"As long as they have good coffee, it sounds perfect. Lead the way."

Though he tried, he still couldn't bring himself to use terms of affection in the workplace. Something about it felt all wrong.

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

"They should," she declares. "I've never tried it, believe it or not."

She knows he cares, though. Lead Juliet does, until they can smell the crisp scent of the ocean rolling in. "Do you really think he stuck her with an ice pick?" she asks.

[detbinky.livejournal.com]

"Sure seems that way. But there was something odd about the crime scene that I just can't put my finger on. Did Spencer... read anything?" As far as he was concerned all Shawn read was Highlights Magazine.

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

She shakes her head. "The last vision he had involved Double Downs." She knows Shawn always freaks out when he has vision block, so she expects to have to deal with a flailing psychic fairly soon.

[detbinky.livejournal.com]

"Double Downs? Uh huh... does Spencer think of anything other than food?" Says the man on a trek for cake and coffee at 2:30 in the afternoon.

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

"He thinks of sex and his hair." She knows that for a fact.

[detbinky.livejournal.com]

Carlton visibly shuddered. "I do not want to know about his alleged sex, O'Hara. Have some decorum, we're at work." Technically, they were on a sidewalk taking a break from work, but it was between the hours of 9am and 5pm during the week, thus, "work". "There are far better things to think about than fast food and illicit behavior."

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

"We're in front of a Mister Softee," Juliet rejoinders happily. "And I can't help it. He tells me things." She loops an arm around him. "Yes, lets." You opened yourself up for that one, Carlton.

[detbinky.livejournal.com]

"Lets what?" The arm around him, the unexpected closeness. She easily confused him, he couldn't help it. But he still slipped his arm around her shoulders, squeezing lightly, trying to not be completely awkward. "You umm, you like nice today, Juliet. Very smart suit."

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

Sigh. This man. "Thank you." Then, lightly, she adds, "your gun belt's really picking up the sunlight!" She slips her fingers into his open palm.

[detbinky.livejournal.com]

"Freshly oiled, thanks for noticing." He was beaming now, the big lug. Thank god she was shorter than him and couldn't notice how he was staring at her hair. Perfect, shiny, golden... and it always smelled so good. Like warm peaches. She was like a walking dessert, in a non-creepy way, of course.

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

She always notices small details like that. And she loves his big luggishness.

At least he's not sniffing it. "I'd tell you how nice your gun looks, but I can't see it."

[detbinky.livejournal.com]

"A gentleman always leaves something to the imagination, Juliet."

His hand tightened around hers. "You're not making me go to Let Them Eat Crepes again, are you? Crepes are a poor substitute for pancakes. And they don't compare at all to waffles."

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

"You're definitely a gentleman." She's cheerful about that. She frowns. "But they're light and buttery!" They could make them loaded up with bacon just for him.

[detbinky.livejournal.com]

"I thought we were having coffee and cake? Why did we even start talking about pancakes? I think you're trying to distract me from something. What is it?"

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

"That would be your fault," she points out. He was the one who started complaining about crepes! "Nothing," she smiles. He really doesn't want to know they've been invited to a certain wedding, does he? Hmm, how should she soften the blow...

[detbinky.livejournal.com]

Oh, that 'nothing' certainly meant something, and by the time his cake was gone he'd figure out what it was. He held the door open for her when they arrived at the cafe. He was chivalrous every once in awhile. Okay, all the time with Juliet or he got 'the look' from her and he didn't like that one bit. 'The look' had even been known to persuade him into handing over the keys to the cruiser. He hated 'the look'.

"Hmmm, cake...." his eyes browsed the covered delicacies on the little pale avocado green counter. "Ooh, that one. That's my mistress," he said with a gesture to a German Chocolate cake right in the middle.

HIs eyes studied her while she read the menu and ordered their coffee. "You and I both know that nothing means something, Juliet. Spill it." Tactful as always, Carlton.

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

Let him search her! She'll reveal nothing. NOTHING!

Which is why she's wielding that look with all of her power. Jules leaned against the counter. She raises an eyebrow. "You're having an affair with a chunk of cake?"

"Let's wait until we're done." If he has a full stomach, he'll be less likely to freak out.

[detbinky.livejournal.com]

"It's not a chunk of cake. It's a delicious, moist, oversized perfect slice of cake. It's a very short romance but my feelings for her are true." He cleaned his throat, leaned in and whispered, "But I love you more than I do the cake." Truly he did.

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

She squeezes his hand briefly. "Honey? You sounded just like Shawn there." And pecks his lips. "I knew that." Their barista brings them two slices of said cake, two forks, and the french roast Jules craves above all other things - and Lassiter's black joe. "Which table?" she asks.

[detbinky.livejournal.com]

That was low, Juliet, very low. "You take that back. I do not sound like Spencer." Gritted teeth was an understatement. He led them to a two-top in the corner, the light just dim enough to create the proper mood for his date with the German chocolate goddess on his plate.