Chapter Text
“So you start on Monday?”
Mae’s blonde ponytail swayed as she climbed a low hill to the parking lot. Tony tried not to make it obvious that he was checking her out as he followed. He really shouldn’t be checking her out.
“Yep! Monday morning bright and early. I’m moving to my new house on Saturday.”
He didn’t want to move again. He hadn’t finished unpacking his actual house yet, and now he needed to move to a different house for weeks or maybe months.
“This still feels strange to me, like it’s hard to believe someone is taking entire sets of plans.”
She reached the edge of the parking lot and paused to brush the sand off her feet and slip on her sandals. After their first meeting at the office, Tony suggested they meet at a beach and walk while they talked. Mae had immediately agreed and they’d gone on three walks, Tony asking more questions each time.
Tony slipped his shoes on and they continued at a slow pace toward their cars. “It can be hard to believe,” he agreed. “That’s why we’re also running background checks. If someone’s desperate enough to steal like this, they probably have something going on to cause the desperation.”
A frown intensified her face, and a longing ache filled Tony’s stomach.
“Hey, it’s going to be alright,” he murmured, brushing his hand down her arm.
She drifted to a stop, worrying at her full lower lip with her teeth. “I know, it’s just, what could make such a serious crime worth it?”
He cupped her upper arm and gave it a light squeeze. “That’s what I’m going to find out. All you have to do is your job. If we run into each other, we can say we were acquaintances at college. I’ll take care of everything else.”
Mae’s stomach growled, abruptly breaking the tension between them. She turned a flattering shade of pink and a beautiful smile lit her up. Tony chuckled and gave her arm another squeeze.
“Hungry?”
“Starving, to be honest.” She pulled out of Tony’s grip and took a step toward her car.
“Can I take you to dinner?”
Mae froze.
He shouldn’t have asked. It was almost certainly against NCIS regulations along with it just being a bad idea to get involved with a witness.
But if she said yes, he’d wouldn’t care about any of that. She was stunning, smart, funny, and she’d gone along with all the ridiculous things he’d said over the last three weeks, including his flirting. If they’d met any other way, he would have asked her out weeks ago.
Mae’s smile was gone. Her intense resting face was changed only by the furrow between her brows. She was studying him so intently he felt the urge to look away, but he held his ground.
“I didn’t think you were serious,” she started slowly, “with the flirting I mean. It just seemed like you were that kind of guy. The kind that flirts all the time.”
It wasn’t a no, but she’d just forced him into an uncomfortable position. He either had to double down or back pedal. He could try to talk around it but Mae wouldn’t like that. She’s too straightforward.
He might as well give it a shot. “For you, I meant it.”
“Tony, I…”
He was an impulsive moron. She was going to turn him down and then he had to hope she wouldn’t say anything to his boss, or worse, her dad.
“…I don’t think that’s a good idea. I’m going to see you at work sometimes, not to mention how busy I am. I’m already behind with my PhD because of these meetings.”
She was using her work as an excuse. At least, he hoped she was.
It still hurt.
“Of course,” he agreed, giving her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. “Couldn’t help giving it a shot though. Have a safe drive home.”
She frowned harder, her lips pursing and eyes flashing their dissatisfaction.
“Thanks,” she murmured.
After a moment of hesitation, she got into her car, and he wandered over to his Mustang. He leaned against the side while she started hers up and pulled away.
When he couldn’t see her anymore, he let out a sigh which immediately turned into a growl of frustration. That was stupid and he knew it but he did it anyway. He’d be lucky if she ever talked to him again which was bad. Tony Donovan’s first day as project manager was Monday and they were definitely going to run into each other.
He might’ve compromised himself before he even started.
For a few long seconds Tony almost stormed back out to the beach for another walk. Then he got into his car and headed for a bar he’d found last week. It was a tourist bar, but all the local bars were filled with sailors.
He couldn’t go home. His empty house wasn’t home anyway.
As long as he ended up in someone else’s bed, he’d be happy.