A definite WOW to all the wonderful reviewers out there. I didn't really feel good about this story at first, but I'm glad you all like it! Thanks so much! Because it's Friday, and I actually have a little time today, here's the next chapter.

~AW

"I am not going in there."

"Gill, just think about it."

"Not happening," she replied, shaking her head. I know too many people who live around here. And I don't want them to see me… in that place.

"Gill," he began, shoving his hands in his pockets, "we have to look the part of an, erm… adventurous couple. And I don't know about you, but I don't have the necessary, uh, props."

He expected her to blush, to turn that deep shade of crimson that he found eternally endearing. Instead, she looked at him, lips pursed and eyebrows raised.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" she smirked, turning and striding confidently toward the adult "toy" store.

She took off so quickly that he was hardly able to let his gaze linger on her hips before they disappeared, along with the rest of her, into the store.

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He found her perusing the aisle of lotions and crèmes, trying to avoid the growing number of men who were trying to catch her eye.

Cal however, did just the opposite, making eye contact with each one of them. Then, grinning broadly, he strode purposefully over to Gillian, approaching her from behind and sliding his hands around her waist, leaving a trail of kisses along her neck. "There you are love," he murmured between kisses. "I've been looking everywhere for you."

Glancing around her, Gillian noticed that they were now the only two in the aisle. She turned in his arms, now facing him. "Where'd all your friends go, love?" he asked cheekily.

He was too close. She could feel his breath on her neck, and it was sending chills up her spine. But pulling herself together, she placed her hand on his chest, and pushed him firmly out of her personal space.

"At least my 'friends' as you call them, have enough sense to keep a polite distance," she reminded him.

He gave a short laugh, more like a bark really. "Gillian, nothing those men were thinking about you was polite, I assure you."

"And how can you be so sure of that?" she retorted.

He moved closer, invading her personal space again. "When any man looks at a woman like you, some of those thoughts are inevitable."

"And what would those be?" she asked, her voice deathly quiet, eyes boring straight into his.

Their staring contest was suddenly interrupted by the reappearance of one of Gillian's fans. Cal grabbed her arm, pulling her to the other side of the aisle.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"You shouldn't stand there," he whispered.

She looked above her, searching for a leak or a spider or something—something to explain why exactly it was that he dragged her across the aisle. Finding nothing, she turned to him, utterly confused.

"What was that for?"

Cal hesitated, as if he was, for once, choosing his words carefully. "Let's just say that some men have overactive imaginations."

She still looked confused.

"And you were standing right in front of the lingerie."

There it was—that blush, creeping slowly across her cheeks. She glanced behind her, verifying his words, but as she turned back around, he saw amusement rather than embarrassment.

"I have an idea," she whispered silkily. "Why don't you pick out your favorite outfit, and I'll find a little something for you." She gave him an impertinent smack on his bum, and disappeared around the corner.

Somehow, "bloody hell" was the only phrase his mouth could form.

Still perplexed by her behavior, but not complaining in the least, he turned to the lingerie display. "Definitely black," he thought, looking through the available outfits, "black and teal." Red seemed a little too raunchy, seeing as this was his partner and best friend. The teal would bring out the color in her eyes. As a last-minute thought, he grabbed a pair of garters with teal ribbons.

Cal inhaled deeply, steadying his emotions. This case was doing an excellent job of playing right into his fantasies. And the way Foster was acting wasn't helping, though he rather liked this new side of her. He mused that he'd probably like any side of her, any part of her… those long legs, covered in oil. He looked down, realizing that he was absentmindedly rubbing his hands together. "Stop it," he muttered to himself. "Yer an idiot."

"Talking to ourselves are we?" came a familiar voice. Surprised Cal turned to find Gillian beaming at him, bouncing excitedly on her toes. It looked as though she'd already checked out, seeing as she was carrying a bag.

He quickly slipped his, ahem, selection behind his back so that Gillian couldn't see what he'd picked out for her.

"Yer bag's inside out," he observed.

"Exactly. Now I'm not advertising where exactly I've been. The triple X on the bag is a dead giveaway."

"Ahhh, I see," he remarked. "Wouldn't want to ruin your spotless reputation."

Gillian just rolled her eyes.

"So, erm, what'd you get me?"

She smiled broadly.

"Is it chocolate?" he asked.

She shrugged her shoulders.

"Is it furry?" he questioned. "It had better not be furry."

"Well," he cringed. "Is it pink?"

He didn't think it was possible for her smile to get any wider, but miraculously, it did.

"Oh Lord," he moaned. "It's pink."

"And furry," she giggled. "Well, actually, one's pink and one's furry." She pulled out a pair of pink spandex briefs, followed by some fluffy purple handcuffs. "Oh, and I almost forgot," she said, taking a small bottle of what looked like lotion out of the bag.

"Chocolate-flavored body lotion."