musicalluna

Title: 001 Introduction - One Hundred Reasons
Fandom: Psych
Author: MusicalLuna
Rating: T
Characters/Pairings: Lassiter/Polly
Genre: Romance
Warnings: None
Complete: Yes
Summary: One of my responses for my 100 themes collection revolving around Lassiter and Polly.
A/N:
Disclaimer: I don't own Psych or it's characters.

Carlton sighed as he got into line at the check out counter behind six other people. Why was it that no matter how empty the grocery store appeared to be at ten o’clock at night, there was always a line in the only open register? It was baffling, and annoying as hell.

He tipped his head back slightly, loosening the tie around his neck as he idly let his eyes sweep over the frivolous fashion magazines on the rack beside him.

“Excuse me.” He turned slightly at the sound of the voice, not yet reacting to the words and he stiffened as the woman leaned past him, her body brushing up against his in a direct invasion of his personal bubble. He was opening his mouth to demand what the hell the hurry was when she leaned back, smiling as she slid a copy of Home & Family into her shopping basket and the words got caught somewhere in his chest.

She was pretty.

“Sorry,” she said apologetically, “But it was the last copy and I didn’t want anyone else to abscond with it.”

Carlton cleared his throat, tearing his gaze away from the skin framed by the v-necked collar of the woman’s sweater and said as casually as he could manage, “Oh, no problem.”

“There are always neat projects for my kids in it,” she continued and then blushed. “I’m sorry, you don’t have to listen to me babble.”

“You have kids?” he said, disappointment rearing its ugly head.

The woman smiled. “Sure. Twenty of them.”

Carlton’s jaw dropped, his eyes practically bugging out of their sockets. “Good god, woman, how did you manage that?”

She laughed, long and loud, her head tilting backward and exposing a slim, pale neck. He tried not to stare even as his ears flamed. A smile tugged uncertainly at the corners of his mouth; this woman was gorgeous when she laughed. When she had finally gotten a hold of herself a little she said, voice colored intensely with amusement, “I’m a kindergarten teacher. I don’t actually have any kids of my own. I’m not married.”

Despite the flush still warming his cheeks, Carlton couldn’t help being encouraged by the fact that she had deliberately mentioned that she wasn’t married. “Me neither,” he said without thinking. “I mean, you know, about the kids. I’m still married, sort of. My wife and I are separated. She filed for divorce, but I haven’t signed the papers yet.” He fell silent, internally berating himself and demanding what the hell that had been about, free hand shoved deep into his pocket. God, he was such an idiot.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “That must be rough.”

“Yeah, well,” he shrugged. “It was her decision.”

There was a pause in the conversation and then the woman put her hand out, brushing her hair out of her face. “I’m Polly, by the way.”

Carlton shook her hand, his eyebrows raised slightly in surprise. “Carlton. Carlton Lassiter.”

She smiled and he felt his own mouth mirroring the expression inexplicably. “What do you do, Carlton?”

He gestured to the badge on his waistband, the smile turning into a proud smirk. “Head Detective. S.B.P.D.”

Polly bit her lip, a smile lighting her eyes. “Wow, a detective…”

Carlton was opening his mouth to respond when the cashier behind him cleared her throat. He turned a glare on her, but began laying his items out on the belt because the customers behind Polly looked equally impatient.

It took hardly a minute for the cashier to scan the four or five items he’d picked up and after handing her the cash, he stepped through to the other side, casting one last surreptitious glance at Polly as he picked up his bags. She looked up from unloading her own groceries, her gaze meeting his, and he felt a flush move up his neck. He turned away, starting jerkily toward the door.

He wanted to. He really did. But he couldn’t. He’d destroy her innocent nature in a week, tops. Just because she was beautiful and smart and beautiful…

Oh, to hell with it.

He turned back abruptly, the words tumbling from his mouth before he had even fully thought them. “Do you want to go to dinner? I mean, you know, with me. Together. Because I think I’d like that and—”

“I’d love to,” she said, and smiled brilliantly in return.

The next day Spencer refused to get within ten feet of him, apparently unnerved by the near-manic grin on his face.