𝓼𝓪𝓯𝓮 ➣ 𝓼. 𝓻𝓮𝓲𝓭

𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓻𝓽𝔂-𝓼𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓷

The following Monday, Hotch sent Reid and Mara to Arizona for a conference. He thought their intelligence would be helpful. 

They flew out to Arizona together, gladly taking one of the private jets. When they arrived, they got to their rooms, settling in before deciding to go out and grab something to eat. 

Mara found himself cringing at the way she looked in the mirror, fixing her hair. This wasn't some kind of date. This was just dinner with Spencer. Nothing unusual.

She shook off that dumb feeling before meeting him outside in the hallway, following him down the stairs and to their rental car.

Reid had fixed his hair and Mara noticed. She smiled at him, suddenly feeling nervous. Like this was some kind of date.

The place they went to was surprisingly nice. A little too nice. Date night nice. Mara was confused. Scared. Excited. She'd never felt like this before.

She sat across from Reid and he smiled at her, feeling the same way. Something had changed between them and they both had noticed. But it wasn't a bad change. It was a good change. 

Since Mara had almost kissed him the other day on the softball field, Reid noticed it too. The profiler in him saw her stand on her toes, glance at his lips, looking a little too long. Reid never wished for her to kiss him more than anything in the world. 

"What a beautiful couple!" the waitress smiled at them. "Champagne?"

"Oh, uh.." Reid trailed off.

"You know what?" Mara chuckled. "Sure."

Reid smiled and let out a chuckle and they both ordered their meals. While they waited, they talked about what exactly they were supposed to say during the conference tomorrow.

"When I was undercover, I had to go under as a reigning high school pageant winner-"

"Wait, what?" Reid stopped her. "Why did I know that? I read your case files."

"It was classified," she chuckled. "I had to do my own makeup for an hour and a half every day I was undercover. The gang leaders ended up being the principal and the math teacher."

"You as a pageant winner? That's something I wish I could have seen."

"Spencer, I'm not even kidding when I'm saying that my boobs were pushed up to my chin and my eyelashes were so thick it could have picked up a stiff wind."

Reid threw his head back in laughter and Mara grinned at him. Their food came and they dug in, Reid pointing out that the only time they were quiet was when they were eating or sleeping.

They finished their food and shamelessly ordered desert, sipping through the bottle of champagne. They were laughing and talking, not thinking about how complicated everything between them could go. How messy their past is. Right now they were just here, enjoying each others company. Enjoying being with each other.

Finally, the check came and Reid snatched it away before Mara could even try. She sent him a dirty look but he only stuck his tongue out in response and paid for it.

They headed back to the hotel and Reid boldly reached out and grabbed her hand, intertwining their fingers. Mara smiled at him, grateful to have moments like these.

They reached their rooms, Mara turning to face him. Her back pressed against the door, Reid dropping her hand and smiling at her, reaching and tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, gently rubbing a thumb against her cheekbone.

Mara met his eyes as they both leaned in, her lips pressing against his in a gentle kiss. Their lips moved gently against each others, Reid pulling her closer.

He pulled back, his forehead pressing against hers as his thumb traced over her lips. Those lips that were now red and puffy from moving against his. 

He moved both hands to her face and kissed her again, harder this time. More confident in himself. Mara's body was pressed against his, tugging on his shirt to pull him closer.

There was nothing in this world she wanted more than to be with him right now. But it was too complicated. Work. Mara was still trying to figure out who she was and what she wanted to do anymore. She found the Fox. She gave her family justice. She was tired of being targeted at the BAU. Tired of putting everyone else in danger.

This time she pulled back, her nose brushing against his. "Spence, we can't."

"Why?" He asked her, not stepping away. 

"Because things are just too complicated-"

"I love you, Mara."

"We need to go to bed, conference is early in the morning." She replied, unlocking her door and stepping inside.

She closed the door, her back pressing against it, tears burning her eyes.