A/N: Set about 2 years after Season 1...so it's 2015 but a different timeline. Last fic of the ficathon. Today!
"What the hell were you thinking?" Paige demanded, pulling off the engagement ring Mike slipped on her earlier that evening and throwing it at him.
Paige was pissed. Beyond pissed. She hadn't said a word to him after they left the restaurant. If he hadn't been undercover, there was a good chance she would've left him there, despite the fact that they had taken his car.
Mike picked up the ring and put it in his pocket, "Paige, I'm sorry. Everything happened so fast. Assif caught me in his office," Mike began.
Marcus Assif, the arms dealer turned diamond smuggler that fancied himself a restaurateur. He had been undercover with him for the past six weeks trying to get more information about his diamond smuggling operation. Briggs was working the arms dealing angle and he was focusing on the diamonds.
"So you thought what exactly? That you'd use this as an opportunity to propose? Are you insane?" Paige kicked off her heels and threw them at him, one by one.
Mike ducked and caught one stiletto while the other hit the wall behind him. He set her shoe down on the floor and offered a sheepish grin, but the death glare Paige was directing at him let him know that flashing a smile was not going to get him out of the mess he created. "He caught me in his office and - "
"You said that already," Paige snapped, crossing her arms over her chest. The hostile look in her eyes let him know that she wanted answers. Now.
Even when she was furious, Paige was beautiful. Her green eyes were alive and passionate. Her face was slightly flushed. Breathtaking didn't even begin to describe how gorgeous she looked tonight. Her dark blonde hair was styled into loose, disheveled curls framing her face. She was wearing a form fitting black lacy dress, with a high slit. He wanted to grab her and kiss her to make her shut up even though that might get him shot. But right now, it seemed worth the risk and he was seriously considering it. Because at the very least, it would stop this argument.
"I needed to come up with an excuse - "
"And the best thing you could come up with was a proposal?"
"Assif's an old romantic. I overheard him mention that his favorite movie is The Notebook."
"First Bello with Westerns and now a diamond smuggler that likes love stories? Where do you find these guys? What's next, a drug kingpin with a weakness for Disney movies?"
Mike rolled his eyes, ignoring her question. "Assif caught me in his office and I started rambling on about needing to speak with him privately, because I was having money issues and wanted some more responsibility." It was always a delicate subject to ask a criminal for a raise. They typically paid well and the last thing you wanted to do was insult someone that could easily kill you if they felt insulted. "I spun this sob story about how my sister lost her job and she has three kids, so I had been helping her out financially. He said we could talk more and that I should get back to my date. I wanted to appeal to his romantic side, so I told him it was our anniversary and that I had originally wanted to propose tonight, but then everything happened with my sister and before I knew what was happening, he opened his wall safe and pulled out a tray of rings."
"He has the diamonds in his office?" Paige excitedly asked, forgetting her anger for the moment and showing an interest in his case.
"Yeah, dozens of rings. He told me to take one."
"That is something I can help you with," Assif said, moving the painting aside. He blocked Mike's view from the security pad and typed in a few numbers to unlock the safe. He pulled out an attache case and opened it, setting it down on the desk. "Pick a ring."
"Sir, I can't. I just started working for you. With everything going on with my sister right now, I can't afford - "
Assif waved his hand at him, motioning for him to stop talking. "Consider it a bonus. You're a hard worker and it's important when you find the right person, not to let them go. It's your anniversary, make it special."
Mike looked down at the rings, his eyes immediately drawn to the one ring in a vintage setting. He really couldn't tell one diamond from the next, but he was sure it was flawless. He thumbed the ring for a few seconds, knowing that Paige would love it. She liked gaudy and flashy things, but a ten carat diamond was not something she would want. Something simple wasn't her style either. But this ring was perfect. Almost too perfect.
They had broken up almost eight months ago after dating for about a year. Things had gotten really serious, really fast and both of them were a little freaked out with how serious things got. They needed to slow things down and somehow that led to a breakup. An awkward one because they still lived together at Graceland. Even more awkward because they still had feelings for each other.
He still loved Paige, but he wasn't in love with her. He wasn't entirely sure how she felt about him. As far as he knew, she wasn't dating. He hadn't been with anyone since her and was afraid to ask if she had.
"And for some idiotic reason you thought it would just be a good idea to propose? If Charlie had come with you as planned, would that have still been your plan?" Paige suspiciously asked.
"I don't know." Probably not. He probably would've come up with some other cover story.
Mike headed back to the table, nervously palming an engagement ring in his hand. He hadn't felt this nervous undercover in a long time. He almost wished someone was holding a gun to his head. That seemed like more familiar territory than proposing to his ex-girlfriend.
He must've been gone longer than he thought. Paige was happily snacking on his appetizer, and hers appeared to be long gone.
"Did you see anything?"
Mike's eyes nervously darted across the restaurant and Assif gave him an encouraging nod. Instead of sitting down, he walked over to her and brushed his lips across her cheek. "Just roll with me on this. I'm sorry." Mike reached for her hand and kissed it, before kneeling before her.
"What you said to me, how could you?" Paige whispered, tears shimmering in her eyes, her anger giving way to the vulnerability she rarely showed.
Taking a chance, Mike walked towards her and brushed away the stray tear that streamed down her face. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean - "
"You didn't mean what you said?" Paige quietly asked, a hint of insecurity flashing through her eyes as she placed her hand over his.
Mike looked up at Paige, trying to read her eyes. She looked confused. And pissed. He was positive the only reason she hadn't bolted was that Assif was watching them from the bar. "I - the first time I saw you, you were singing karaoke. You were wearing this purple dress and were - are, the most beautiful woman, I've ever seen. I'm not sure when I fell in love with you, it was probably that night, but I can't imagine my life without you."
"Mike..."
Presenting the ring to her, he started sliding it on her ring finger, "Will you marry me?"
By now, Paige was well aware of the fact that his boss was watching them and this was part of his cover, so she nodded and he slipped the ring on her ring finger. Paige smiled brightly as Mike stood, pulling her to her feet. "Get me out of here before I kill you," Paige furiously whispered, digging her nails into his neck to emphasize her point. She pulled back, laughing as he captured her lips in a celebratory kiss.
"I meant every word," Mike murmured. That was the problem. He thought he was over her. But he wasn't. He was still in love with her.
Fuck.
"It felt too real," Paige confessed.
"I'm sorry." He hadn't meant for this to happen. Everything happened so quickly and the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her. Paige started crying and he pulled her in his arms to comfort her. "I'll figure something else out with the case." He could tell Assif his fiancée had to go home to take care of her sick mother or that she had a change of heart in the morning.
"Don't." Paige pulled back to look up at him. She met his eyes for a few seconds and before he realized what was happening, she was kissing him.
The second their lips made contact, it was as if a flame was reignited between them. This wouldn't change anything between them, they were still in the same place, but he wanted her. He had never stopped wanting her. Mike started pushing up her dress as she fumbled with his belt.
He should probably stop before things went too far. There were so many reasons why things didn't work out between them. But even after eight months of being apart, he was finally starting to realize that he would never be over her.
Mike groaned as she bit his lip, and he kissed her harder, backing her up against the wall. He continued his assault on her neck as his hand wandered underneath her dress, trying to push aside the scrap of lace that passed for underwear. Paige wrapped a leg around him, and he slipped his fingers inside her. He furiously stroked her to a quick release as she trembled in his arms. Paige's body went slack against him and he kissed her again and again, "I want you," he whispered into her ear. "I never stopped wanting you."
Paige wrapped her arms around him, moaning softly he lifted her up, wrapping her legs around his waist. Taking advantage of his position, Mike rocked his body forward as he settled his lips on her neck.
"Mike...upstairs..."
Right, they were downstairs. Anyone could walk in on them at any second. He didn't even know if anyone was home. Wasn't sure he cared. Not wanting to chance that one of them would change their minds, he was unwilling to put her down for even a second. Wouldn't stop kissing her. Didn't care that they were stumbling into furniture and would probably attract someone's attention as they clumsily made their way upstairs. Right now the only thing that mattered was that Paige was in his arms and he wasn't willing to let her go, even if meant he tripped down the stairs.
He lifted his head, slightly dazed when he felt her hand on his chest as they rounded the first landing. "Do you want to stop?" Stopping was the last thing he wanted to do, but if she changed her mind, he wouldn't push her.
"No," Paige whispered. "But we should. I want you." Paige pulled him closer for a kiss, "But I can't. Mike, if we do this, things will get confusing and we're finally friends again."
Friends. Right. That mattered. Friendship was important. Just not right this second. "You're right." Mike pressed his lips to hers, groaning when she deepened their kiss. "Tell me to stop, because I can't," Mike whispered against her neck, sliding his hand underneath her dress as he backed her up against the wall.
"Don't stop," Paige whispered. "I don't want you to stop."
Mike lifted his head to meet her gaze, just to be sure. "You sure?"
"No. Yes." Paige kissed him, "Yes."
Unzipping his pants, he pulled down his boxers and pushed aside her panties. He slid into her with one smooth thrust, swallowing her cries with a kiss as he frantically ground his hips against hers.
They were being careless by having sex on the stair landing. This wasn't even something they did when they were dating. But waiting one second longer hadn't been an option.
Everything faded away. All their baggage and issues. All the reasons why they convinced themselves they couldn't be together suddenly didn't matter anymore, because they were together right now. He didn't know what this meant. If it meant anything. The only thing he was sure of was that she wanted him just as much as he wanted her.
Paige stilled against him before relaxing. He pumped his hips a few more times into her before resting his head on her shoulder. Paige lazily ran her fingers through his hair as he kissed her shoulder. He gently lowered Paige to the ground, giving her a sheepish grin as they untangled themselves. Neither of them knew what to say, each remaining lost in their own thoughts as they straightened their clothes. Not ready to walk away from her just yet, Mike rested his forehead against hers.
Paige sighed, bringing her hand to his face. Still caught up in the moment, she kissed him slowly, as if they had all the time in the world to get lost in each other's arms. Mike heard a door slam downstairs and he started to step away, but Paige wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging to him.
"Tell me what you want," Mike whispered against her lips, before teasing her with several short kisses.
"I don't want to talk."
Mike sighed and gently stroked her face. Mike nodded, giving her a sad smile before taking a step back. "I..." his voice trailed off as Paige reached for his hands.
She laced their fingers together, showing no signs of wanting to move from where they were, despite the chattering of their roommates in the kitchen filtering their way. "Let's go for a walk on the beach."
Mike nodded, stepping away from her, but keeping their hands joined. They managed to slip out the front door without anyone noticing them. They walked around to the back of the house and Mike took off his shoes and rolled up his pants. Paige was still barefoot from when she had thrown her shoes at him earlier. Mike reached for her hand and led her down towards the shoreline. Getting their feet wet, they walked along the edge of the ocean in a comfortable silence.
They didn't need to talk to communicate, they had always been able to sense what the other one was thinking. No one had ever gotten him like Paige. He hadn't realized until tonight that he was still in love with her. And based on the way Paige had reacted earlier, at the very least she loved him, if she wasn't in love with him. Because if tonight had been about two exes hooking up, she wouldn't be with him right this second. But she needed to be near him as much as he needed to be with her right now. It was as if they both realized that tonight was a time-out from reality. Maybe they would get back together or maybe they wouldn't, but they had tonight.
Mike tugged on her hand, signaling for her to turn around and they started their trek back home. As Graceland came into view, Paige led him towards the rocks where they had countless bonfires. Mike shrugged off his suit jacket and placed it on the sand so Paige could sit down. He sat down beside her, dropping a kiss on her shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her. Paige settled into his arms, both of them content to watch the ocean lap against the shore as the moonlight illuminated the night sky.
They had both fallen asleep at some point, but the early morning surfers awoke both of them. Unhappy with the intrusion of their time out, Paige buried her face in Mike's shoulder, letting her hair fall over her face to block the sunlight from her eyes. Mike kissed the top of her head a few times before reluctantly getting up and pulling Paige to her feet. She led him inside, and it wasn't until they started heading upstairs that he realized they were tracking sand through the house, which meant Charlie would probably kill them once she realized they were the ones responsible. She would know it was them. His shoes were still out back and Paige's were probably downstairs still. Too tired to turn around and clean it up, he awkwardly walked Paige to her room like he was walking her home from a date.
Mike stopped at her door, not really expecting her to invite him in, despite spending the night together on the beach after having sex on the stairs. Paige turned to face him after entering her room.
She rested her head against the door frame, half-asleep. "Night, Mike," Paige whispered before kissing him.
He softly smiled at her, gently rubbing his thumb along her jaw for a few seconds before kissing her forehead as a silent goodnight.
He walked down the hall to his room, reaching in his suit jacket pocket for the engagement ring that was responsible for causing tonight's drama. Crazy diamond. He looked at it for a few seconds before placing it on his dresser.
"Night, Paige."
THE END