Lee double checked his hair in the rear view mirror, letting out a long deep breath trying to calm his nerves. Why was he so nervous? It was only you. Beautiful and sweet you. You, who was kind and caring, and nothing like he was.
He reached over and grabbed the flowers from the passenger seat before he got out of his car. As he walked up to the house, Lee raised his head towards the darkening sky and the storm that was brewing. He should have brought an umbrella with him. He'd hate for you to get drenched. Did he even own an umbrella? The station did, he knew that. He just usually used a newspaper or his jacket if it rained.
He quickly wiped his sweaty palm down his dress pants as he approached the door. "Pull yourself together, man," He muttered to himself before he knocked on the front door and let out a deep breath.
"Evenin', Sheriff," Your grandpa greeted Lee once he'd open the door.
"Evenin', George,"
"Y/N, won't be long. She's upstairs doin' somethin' or other with her hair." He rolled his eyes as he let Lee in.
Lee let out a soft chuckle, "That's okay, George. I actually wanted to talk to ya'."
George nodded, "Go on."
"Your, problem, with Mrs Riley and Bobby-Ray... I've dealt with it. You won't be getting no more trouble from them, George."
George frowned at Lee, "... There's no need for you to be dealin' with anythin', Sheriff. It ain't ya' business to be gettin' tangled up with that bitch." He sighed as he sat down in his armchair.
Lee huffed, "George, I did it for, Y/N, not you. Y'know I care about her. And I ain't having no one harm her no more." He growled.
Your grandpa nodded with a heavy sigh and pushed himself up. "Okay, but I ain't bein' in debt to ya'." He grumbled.
Lee rolled his eyes as George walked over to the fireplace. "Y'ain't goin' to be in debt to me, George." Lee walked over to him and stopped him from getting the money from his hiding place. "Ya' gonna keep that safe for me, ya' hear?"
Before your grandpa could answer, the stairs creaked along with the sound of your heels echoing as you made your way down.
Lee quickly stepped to the side, away from your grandpa and cleared his throat, "Hey, Su-" His words died in his mouth as he looked up at you. His mouth hung open, taking a small step closer.
You smiled shyly and looked down to what you were wearing. "Do I look okay?" You turned on the spot until you were back facing your grandpa and Lee. "I was worried I wouldn't look good enough."
Lee stared at you in silence, making you feel a little self conscious. He didn't mean to, it was just, you looked even more stunning than you already were.
Your grandpa waited for him to say something before he rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Ya' look beautiful, honey. Don't she, Sheriff?" When Lee didn't answer, your grandpa nudge him with his elbow. "Ya' catchin' flies, Sheriff."
Lee cleared his throat and gave your grandpa a scowl before looking back at you. He broke out into a grin as you giggled at him being a fool. "Ya' look... Beautiful, Sugar." He stepped closer to you and held up the bunch of flowers. "These are for you." He blushed a little. Lee wasn't used to being so vulnerable in front of people and he hoped to god George wasn't going to be mouthing to anyone.
"Oh, Lee," You grinned and took the flowers from him, raising them to your nose to have a smell. "They're wonderful, thank you."
Lee shrugged and ran his hand over the back of his neck, feeling himself blush even more.
Your grandpa let out a heavy sigh as he rolled his eyes once more. "'kay... Gi' me them," He walked up to you and practically snatched the flowers out of your hands. "Go. Now. Ya' startin' to bug me." He pushed you forwards, "Go. Have fun."
"But, my flowers-"
"I can deal with 'em." He grumbled and walked into the kitchen.
"Don't just leave 'em in the sink!" You called out to him as you began walking towards the front door with Lee.
You heard your grandpa let out a heavy sigh before the tap turned off and the plug was pulled out of the sink. Lee chuckled to himself as he watched you roll your eyes and mutter under your breath something about it almost being like you lived with a child sometimes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Hopefully, the rain holds off." Lee grumbled as he sat beside you on the picnic blanket.
"I don't mind, Lee. What's a little water." You shrugged.
"I do." He smiled at you as he opened the picnic basket, "We ain't got much cover 'ere." He chuckled as he looked around the meadow the two of you were in.
"Then we jump in the back of your car and continue our date there." You grinned up at him.
Lee chuckled with a nod, "Yes, ma'am." He pulled out a bottle of wine along with a couple of glasses before he cleared his throat and his face became serious. "Now, I should warn ya', I ain't no cook." He frowned, "So, it ain't nothin' fancy. Just some snacks and, a couple of sandwiches... And, some of your cookies." He blushed and ran his hand up the back of his neck.
You wanted to coo at how adorable he looked blushing but you decided against it. You didn't want to embarrass him any further. "I bet y'ain't as bad as ya' think."
Lee scoffed, "I'll remind you of that when you're picking burnt bits out of your food."
"It's a date then, Sheriff." You leaned closer to him grinning.
Lee's frown turned into his own grin before he let out a small chuckle. "C'mon, let's eat before the rain comes."
Perhaps fate was on Lee's side tonight. The pending rain storm seemed to have disappeared, clearing the skies just in time for the sunset. Before the sun began to descend, the two of you quickly cleared things up and put them into the trunk of Lee's Cadillac. He then moved to the driver's side and turned it on so he could flick the lights on along with the radio.
You let out a small excited laugh as you faced the setting sun. "I've never watched the sun set before." You smiled up at Lee.
Lee's eyebrows shot up, "Really?" You nodded, your eyes bright and wide with excitement as you turned back to the setting sun. Lee smiled to himself, a funny feeling filling his chest as he thought about being able to share this with you for your first time.
His eyes fell to you as you let out small shiver and ran your hands over your arms. Without thinking too much about it, Lee stepped behind you as he took his jacket off and draped it over your shoulders before he slipped his arms around your middle and laid his chin on your shoulder.
You let out a soft exhale, relaxing into Lee as he ran his hands over your cold arms. "Thank you for tonight, Lee." You whispered as the sun set, submerging you into darkness.
"You're welcome, Sugar." Lee smiled against the side of your hair. He cleared his throat and stepped back. "Would, ya' like to dance, Sugar?" He asked with a warm smile, holding his hand out for you.
You blushed as you reached up and took his hand. You let out a giggle as he pulled you into him, his arm slipping around your waist, forcing your other hand to rest on his shoulder as the two of you began to sway together to the music.
Lee's smile matched yours as he leaned his head on top of yours, humming softly to the song that played. It was perfect.
"Sugar," Lee whispered. You hummed in response. "Would it be okay if I k-"
The sky flashed with lightening before being followed with a loud crack of thunder, startling the pair of you. Not even a second later and the heavens opened.
"God dammit!" Lee barked before he pulled on your hand and the pair of you ran to the Cadillac.
He held his door open for you to get in before he followed after you, the pair of you drenched from head to toe. Lee was fuming, cursing the weather and God himself whilst you sat there grinning like a fool.
"Lee?" You turned to him.
"Yeah," He grumbled, shaking his hands so the water would come off.
"You can kiss me."
Lee's head snapped towards you in surprise. "What?"
You bit your bottom lip as you reached up and placed your hand over his smooth and wet, slightly pudgy cheek. "Kiss me." You whispered.
Lee's eyes lit up as a smile stretched across his lips. "C'mere, Sugar," He whispered, placing a hand on the back of your head and his other on your waist. He leaned in until his pleasantly soft lips pressed against yours. He tasted sweet in his own way and it was a taste you could become addicted to.
Needing to breath you reluctantly pulled back from Lee, your face red as you bashfully looked away from him. Lee let out a small chuckle, his grin only growing as he sat back in his seat and looked out the window. He felt like a damn teenager all of a sudden.