What Really Happens: NCIS

Chapter 62

I wake up to the sound of honking, smell of cigarettes, and a crick in my neck. I see taxis behind and in front of me. People are walking in each direction. A sign for Port Authority is above our heads. Policemen are guiding all the cars, so they don't drive into the area where the ball is dropping tonight.

I straighten myself out and see my boyfriend still driving the car.

"Good morning sleeping beauty."

I groan. "It's still morning?"

"Well, it is 30 minutes to noon."

I rest my head on my shoulder and close my eyes.

"You can't still be tired. You feel asleep before more than half the mixtape ended."

I open my eyes. "Damn, how many songs did you put on this thing?"

He smiles. "A lot."

We stop at a red light. I take my chance and bring his face to mine and kiss him. The honk of a taxi behind a truck startles me. Which is hard to believe because it seems as if everyone is honking. I heard a rumor that it was illegal to honk in the city. I guess that's why they call it a rumor.

"Are you hungry?" He asks.

"Yeah, I didn't have anything this morning."

"I figured. Do you want to get something before we get to the apartment or after?"

I think about it for a second. "After."

He looks over to me and smiles. "No, I know what you're doing."

I look over to him. "What?"

"You want to go to the apartment first so that you can fall on the bed and sleep."

"No." I moan. "Why would I sleep when we are in the big apple?"

"Then, why did you shut your eyes again."

I open up my eyes and straighten my body. "Alright, alright. Let's go eat first."

"Good, because we're here."

I turn to my left and the Hard Rock Café is behind Tim's face. I squeeze his arm and he starts to laugh as if my squeezing isn't affecting him at all.

"The Hard Rock Café? I heard about this place. The moment I heard about it, I did my research, and I have only dreamed of going here ever since."

"I thought you would like it."

He parallel parks in a spot that says reserved for Timothy McGee.

"You have a reserved spot here?"

"I might have called ahead. You know with the traffic and all." He smiles. He gets out of the car and comes to my side to open my door.

I get out and stay staring at his car.

"Come on, it's just a sign it is no big deal."

"Oh, I don't care about the sign. I care more about the fact you backed up into this spot like it was putting on a shoe."

He takes my chin and brings my lips to his. We make our way to the cross walk and I find myself holding his hand a little tighter. I cannot tell whether it is because it is cold like I said it would be or because I am nervous about being here with him. I have butterflies in my stomach from holding his hand in public. No one knows that we aren't supposed to be together because of work. No one knows us, period. It feels great. He stiffens his arm to hold me back from walking into the road. I was paying attention to what the sign said for us. He decided to look both ways on his own and then have us walk. He makes me feel safe and cared for. He still holds my hand while opening the door of the restaurant for me, has me believe that he either doesn't mind or he doesn't feel it.