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Prompt: Sharon/Andy; First Kiss
"She's your boss, you idiot. Your married boss." The words repeated themselves as Andy looked at the time repeatedly, barely able to keep himself seated. He tried pushing Provenza's voice out of his head, but it was useless. All he could hear was his friend's words when the older lieutenant figured out that Andy may have a bit of a crush on Sharon. Okay, bit of a crush was understating it, but Andy didn't really care what Provenza had to say, or about the technicalities.
Andy looked up to the time: five more minutes until everyone started leaving. Andy felt like a teenage boy about to ask a girl out for the first time. But it was at least ten times worse. He wasn't asking her out - because how many times could you ask your boss out before it became something more than that? He was going to talk to her, tell her how he felt. A sudden rush of new nerves washed over him. How did he even feel? How would Sharon react? Why did she make him feel so nervous?
"Damnit," Andy said under his breath, standing up from his desk with a rather loud sound. It attracted attention from all the detectives around him, who were gathering things and finishing up some last minute paperwork before leaving for the weekend. He ignored their questioning gazes and took his jacket from the back of his chair. "I'm going for a walk."
...
Andy stood at the elevator bay, his hands in his pockets as he waited for the elevator. He just needed to clear his mind. Perhaps after a quick walk, Andy could stop himself from blurting out something stupid when he finally spoke to Sharon. When he got around her lately, he never said the right things. Like the time they had dinner together and he walked her to her car; his first response was to say they should do it again (because that's what you say at the end of a great date), but then he realized what he was about to say and instead said something ridiculous.
The elevator's ding made him look up from the floor. He started walking to the doors that were opening, only to stop in his tracks when the very woman who had taken over all of his thoughts appeared. Sharon was dressed in a silk, blue blouse and gray pants; gone from earlier was her jacket. An expanse of soft-looking skin was left bare from where a few buttons were undone; Andy liked when Sharon undid that extra button. He gulped and let his eyes leave Sharon's chest, going to the woman's eyes as she exited the elevator.
"Hey, Capt-Sharon," he said, fumbling on his words.
"Andy," she greeted, smiling at him as she put her phone into the pocket of her pants, sliding her hand in there as well. "Are you leaving?" she asked, her smile not fading.
"Uh. Yeah." The elevator door closed and he looked over to it, watching. "Apparently not. I was going out for a walk."
Sharon hummed in her throat, but didn't say anything else for a long moment. Andy looked at her, saw the way she twisted her mouth as if she was thinking of something to say. And then she reached for the elevator button and pushed it. "Would you like some company?" she asked, and it was said in that hopeful way that never failed at making Andy feel like there wasn't a thing he wouldn't do if she asked him.
Because it was Sharon, and she was volunteering, Andy shrugged his shoulders and waved his hand to the opening elevator. "After you, Captain."
...
"Andy," Sharon said, breaking the comfortable silence. Andy glanced her way, his hands in his pocket as they walked. She smiled at him and then her eyes focused on the path they were walking. "I've been wanting to talk to you about something."
Andy nearly stopped in his tracks, but reminded himself to play it cool. That tone. Andy knew that tone she was using. "Oh," was all he said.
They were coming close to a bench in the small park they were in that was a few blocks away from work. Sharon pointed to it while saying, "Let's sit down for a minute."
They sat down. The bench was facing a small pond that was surrounded by the flowers the spring season brought. There were very few people where they were, which Andy didn't know if he was thankful for or not. Sharon crossed her legs and turned towards him, one of her arms resting comfortably on the back of the bench. Andy was still getting used to the way she always looked so relaxed around him, especially when they were alone. It was a nice change from the way she was in her FID days.
"So," Andy said.
Sharon smiled, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly. "Well," she said softly and slowly, that careful tone of hers making the word drag out. Sharon glanced away for a moment, down to the space between them - or lack thereof - and then back to Andy's eyes. "I've been trying to find the best time to talk to you about what's been going on," she said, "between us."
The word us, said the way Sharon said it, like it was fragile and needed to be handled with care, made Andy's back stiffen. His pulse quickened a little. He swallowed. "What about..." The word us couldn't be forced out of his mouth. Here he was, Andy Flynn, a man who was no stranger to relationships with women, but a two letter word that connected him with Sharon was too hard for him to say. Not because he didn't already look at them as an us, but because he did. If Sharon was going to say they needed to stop their not-a-date dates, Andy would be the one who made them out to be more than they were. And that was never his role.
Sharon continued as if Andy hadn't said anything. "First, I was trying to put a name to it." She smiled, almost shyly, as she looked away from him again. "But I realized that wasn't necessary. I like spending time with you outside of work, Andy."
"Yeah, me too," Andy said, because he was trying not to interrupt her and say what he had planned to go say to her after his walk. He was trying to give Sharon the chance to say what she had to say, because, after all, she had been the one to make the first move. It was her that finally initiated a conversation that should have been had months ago.
Sharon grew more confident and flashed her eyes up towards his, green lighting up as the sun shined down on her. Her hand rested on his arm for a moment, dropping once she started speaking again. Andy's skin had warmed instantly under the touch.
"Do you remember what I said over dinner last weekend?" Sharon licked her lips, the tip of her tongue sneaking out, bringing Andy's attention to Sharon's mouth. As if she knew, Sharon smirked slightly.
Andy cleared his throat. This was not the time to be thinking about kissing her. No matter how good he knew her lips would feel on his. Soft like the inside of a rose petal and warm to the touch. Andy's eyes snapped up and away from her mouth. He loosened his tie a little when he grew hot.
"Huh?" he murmured unintelligibly.
Sharon laughed, a soft sound that made him smile. She shook her head slightly. "When you mentioned that you met a woman while out with Provenza," she started, her eyes staying focused on Andy's, "and that she gave you her number..."
Andy's face fell immediately, the conversation flooding his memory. "Yeah, I remember that." Despite not wanting to remember that conversation, he couldn't help how much he thought of it.
Sharon nodded knowingly.
"And you congratulated me," he said, almost scoffing.
Her smile didn't falter, and her gaze still didn't leave his. "Because that is what a friend does."
Andy knew when Sharon was saying something without actually saying it, and this was one of those times. Did he make it easier for her, or should he make her work harder? Realizing that this was something he himself had had trouble talking about, he decided that it would be best to make it easier for her.
"So that's what we are?" Andy asked.
Sharon licked her lips again. Was that really necessary? She must have known that each time she did it, every single time, Andy's eyes dropped to her mouth, following her tongue as it moved across her lips.
"Aren't we?" she asked, almost daring him to say they weren't.
Andy reached out with his left hand and gently, cautiously, cupped the side of Sharon's face. Her eyes didn't leave his, but he could see the way her breath caught in her throat as his thumb grazed her cheek. Her skin was smooth under his finger, like he always imagined it would be.
"I had no interest in that woman I met," he said, leaning in a little.
Sharon smirked. "I know," she said, her warm breath meeting his face like a breeze of air.
Andy grinned and leaned in closer, letting his eyes drop to her mouth, this time knowing that he was going to kiss her. He wasn't just going to imagine what it would feel like. She bit her bottom lip, but then quickly released it, almost as if to chastise herself for it. Andy looked back up, searching her eyes for the okay.
Sharon arched her eyebrow, the hand that had briefly rested on his arm earlier coming back. She stroked up his arm slowly, glancing over to her own hand as it made its way to his shoulder. "Andy," she said softly, tilting her head into his hand and looking at him again.
"Yeah," Andy said, lost in the look in her eyes, captivated by the beauty she possessed without even having to try.
She smiled and leaned forward. "Kiss me."
"Oh," he said, as if he had forgotten that was what he was about to do.
Andy closed the distance between their mouths, finally being able to feel her lips against his own. He cradled her head in both his hands and pulled her closer to his mouth, softly brushing his lips against hers. Her lips tasted like coffee, strong and a little sweet. Never had Andy craved the taste of coffee as much as he did at that very moment. He let his tongue trace her lip, tasting and enjoying the small little hum of pleasure that formed in Sharon's throat.
Sharon's hand crept upwards, fingers curling around his neck as she pulled him closer, tilting her head. Andy pulled Sharon's bottom lip into his mouth, sucking on it slowly, making sure that he knew exactly what it was like to kiss Sharon Raydor, just in case this was the last time - but he had a feeling it wouldn't be. Sharon's mouth opened against his, and he could feel her warm breath on his wet lips, almost like a tickle as she let a small moan escape. Andy would be hearing that sound for days, weeks probably.
The kiss ended far too quickly for Andy's liking, but he had to remember he was sitting on a park bench, and public displays of affection typically weren't something either of them liked much. At least he didn't think it was something she liked. Sharon pulled back from his mouth, giddy and a little flushed. Andy grinned at her, licking his lips as he thought of what to say.
"Maybe friends isn't the best word to use," Sharon said, lifting her brow quickly, her smirk not being hidden.
Andy had the urge to lean forward and kiss her again, but he stopped himself. "What did you just say? We don't need to label it."
Sharon smiled in agreement, standing up, nodding her head for him to follow as they walked back to work.
...
The elevator closed and started going up. Andy turned to Sharon. "How does dinner sound? Tonight."
Sharon looked up, surprised. "Dinner?" Andy nodded. She smiled and nodded as well. "I'd like that."
Andy couldn't help the boyish grin that came at the breathy way she said that. He turned away and faced the elevator doors. "It's a date," he added.
There was a silent pause, but then Sharon replied, "Yes. It's a date."
The End. Thanks for reading!
