The bullpen at Quantico was already buzzing when you arrived that morning.
You barely had time to set your coffee down before Hotch stepped out of his office.
“Conference room. Five minutes.”
You glanced toward Spencer’s desk.
He was already looking at you.
He quickly looked back down at the book in his hands.
There was something about the way he said it that made you pause.
He looked down at his book again.
“That’s usually what staring is.”
Five minutes later, everyone was gathered around the conference table.
Hotch stood at the front with a file in his hands.
“We have three murders in Vermont over the past six weeks.”
Photographs appeared on the screen.
“All three victims were found in hotel rooms. All were traveling alone, and all had checked into their hotels less than twenty-four hours before they were killed.”
“Yes,” Hotch said. “Different towns.”
“Any connection between the victims?”
You looked at the photographs.
“Then the hotel itself is probably important.”
“We think the unsub has some way of monitoring hotel guests.”
Garcia’s voice came through the speakerphone.
“And before anyone asks, I’ve already hacked-”
“Investigated,” she corrected. “I’ve investigated the reservation systems.”
“We’re splitting into pairs. You and Reid will handle the hotels in the northern part of the county.”
He was already looking at you.
“Partners,” you whispered.
Emily smirked from across the table.
The drive to Vermont was surprisingly easy.
Mostly because Spencer talked.
You actually liked listening to him.
He explained his theories about the unsub, jumped between behavioral psychology and statistics, and somehow ended up explaining why certain types of hotel carpeting were more common in certain regions.
And that was the problem.
You liked the way his eyes lit up when he talked about something he loved.
You liked the little crease between his eyebrows when he was concentrating.
You liked how he always remembered tiny things about you.
You just hadn’t told him.
And you weren’t sure you wanted to.
Because Spencer Reid was your coworker.
And you were currently chasing a murderer.
There were already enough distractions.
You didn’t need another one.
Especially not one that made your heart beat faster every time he looked at you.
The hotel you were staying at was small, quiet, and almost completely booked.
The receptionist handed you a key.
The receptionist looked apologetic.
“I’m sorry. We’re completely booked because of a conference.”
He was staring at the floor.
You picked up your suitcase.
The room was actually pretty nice.
A window overlooking the parking lot.
You put your suitcase on one bed.
Spencer put his on the other.
“See?” you said. “Not so bad.”
“You’ve been acting weird since Hotch paired us.”
Neither of you said anything for a moment.
Then you noticed him looking at you.
The investigation took two days.
You and Spencer interviewed hotel managers, reviewed security footage, and spoke to employees.
Eventually, you found something.
Every victim had spent time alone in a second floor hallway shortly before they disappeared.
And every hotel had cameras covering the elevators.
“The unsub is watching them,” you said.
“He’s looking for people who are alone.”
“And he knows when they leave their rooms.”
“Which means he could be an employee.”
“Or someone with access to the security system.”
“You really are good at this.”
His eyes immediately softened.
Neither of you said anything.
That night, you were both sitting on your respective beds going over the case.
Spencer had been unusually quiet.
“You’ve been staring at the same page for ten minutes.”
“I need to tell you something.”
“You’re making me nervous.”
You went completely still.
“I’ve liked you for a long time. And I’ve tried not to, because we’re coworkers, and because you’re my friend, and because I know how complicated it could become.”
“But being in this room with you has made it harder.”
“Actually, that’s an understatement.”
“I’ve been trying to act normal, but I can’t.”
“Every time you touch my arm, I think about it for hours. When you smile at me, I forget what I’m saying. When you sit next to me on the jet, I spend the entire flight trying not to look at you.”
“I know it’s probably a terrible time to say this.”
You immediately softened.
“Not because I don’t feel the same.”
It was probably the biggest smile you’d ever seen from him.
You could tell what he was going to do.
You gently placed a hand against his chest.
His expression fell slightly.
“Not until the case is over.”
“This is already distracting enough.”
He glanced at your hand against his chest.
“It’s hopefully only a few days.”
“That’s still a long time.”
“You’re going to survive.”
“I’m a profiler. I can handle it.”
You turned off your lamp.
For several minutes, the room was silent.
“Can I ask one question?”
You smiled into your pillow.
“How long have you liked me?”
The next morning, you found the breakthrough.
You were reviewing security footage when you noticed something.
You pointed to the screen.
“Look at the employee badge.”
“The same person appears at all three hotels.”
You looked at each other.
Within hours, local police had a suspect.
And within another few hours, they had him.
You and Spencer stood outside the hotel that evening, watching the police cars pull away.
“I believe we had an agreement.”
Then he leaned toward you.
This time, you didn’t stop him.
But unlike the night before, there was no case to distract you.
When you separated, Spencer looked at you with the most relieved expression you’d ever seen.
He squeezed your fingers.
“I’ve been waiting for that for approximately forty-eight hours.”
“Forty-eight hours, seventeen minutes.”
You laughed and leaned against his shoulder.
“I think I’m going to like having you as my boyfriend.”
He went completely still.
He intertwined his fingers with yours.
And for the first time since the case began, Spencer Reid wasn’t overwhelmed by the fact that he liked you.
He was just happy that you liked him too.
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