Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. Does anyone actually think I do?
Author's Notes: I'd like to thank lontanissima for her suggestions and encouragement. If there are mistakes they're all mine. Please forgive me. It's almost 5am.
It Just Depends
Andy rang the doorbell of Sharon's condo. After a brief wait, the door opened a crack. Her muffled voice came through narrow opening, "Come in, I just need another minute."
He let himself in and looked around. There was no sign of her. "Sharon?" he called tentatively in the direction of her bedroom as he wandered down the hall.
"Just another minute, I promise," she replied, her voice muffled by the distance and the closed door.
The door to Rusty's room was open, but the kid was nowhere to be seen. He guessed that was why Sharon opened the door and beat it back to her room. A smirk forming on his face as he wondered if she'd been dressed imagining her in a flimsy robe or maybe even towel. Shaking the thought out of his mind he ambled back to the entryway and settled in to wait, leaning against the side table, hands in his pockets.
This was new. Sharon was always ready when he came to pick her up. Double checking his watch with the clock in front of him, he confirmed that it was six thirty-two. He was not early. Well, technically he had been early, but he'd killed a couple minutes checking his email, and taken his time walking into her building, chatting with the doorman downstairs before making his way to the elevator and waiting outside her door until exactly six thirty before ringing the bell.
He tried to think back to the number of times he'd been here to pick her up in the past year, and was surprised to find he'd lost count. The first had been for Nicole's wedding and he'd been shocked that even with the short notice she'd been completely ready, purse and wrap in hand when she'd opened the door. She'd been perfectly coiffed, coat on and presents for the boys wrapped and at the ready the night he'd picked her up for The Nutcracker. His mind filled in the countless images of her standing in the doorway calling out to Rusty over her shoulder that she wouldn't be late. He remembered her in a blur of dresses, blouses and skirts, sweaters and jeans, one particular summer evening when LA had been in the midst of a crushing heatwave when she'd worn a light print sundress. He remembered the night of Nicole's birthday dinner, another last minute invitation he'd sprung on her initially not wanting to impose. She'd had a gift at the ready that night too. In fact, unlike any woman he'd ever known, Sharon seemed constantly ready for any event he sprung on her. That was until now.
He wondered what had put her behind schedule tonight. It wasn't a last minute invitation. They'd made plans for tonight's dinner at the beginning of the week. She'd been the first one to leave the office this afternoon, telling them all to head home and that the paperwork on their just wrapped case could wait until Monday. Now that he thought about it that was out of character too.
His mind wandered back to the conversation they'd had on Tuesday. He'd asked her to dinner that morning, but the discovery of a murdered City Supervisor had taken precedence.
The team was working through dinner. Andy collected his pasta primavera and her chicken Caesar from the team's order and walked into her office. He put both dinners down on the table along with two bottles of water. "Come on. Take a break. Let's eat at a table like real people."
Sharon looked up from the stacks of files from the victim's office she'd been poring over and smiled at him. This was the third dinner they'd had to cancel because of a case. It had been several weeks since they'd shared a real meal and she found she really missed it. She missed him. Granted, they'd seen each other every day of that time due to the back to back cases the team had been working. All that overtime was eventually going to mean a whole lot of comp days, hopefully she'd be able to arrange for them all to have a nice chunk of downtime at the holidays. With a sigh, she headed over to join him at the table.
"Not quite what I planned when I asked you to dinner tonight," he muttered popping the lid open on her salad and sliding it over to her.
"Me neither," she lamented picking up the plastic fork and spearing a chunk of grilled chicken.
Working with Lt. Flynn was one thing. Spending time with Andy was something else entirely. This, whatever it was between them, had snuck up on her, but she was enjoying it. She was enjoying their easy conversations that lingered late over coffee after dinner. They talked about everything, about the news of the day, about Nicole and her new family, how Rusty was acclimating to college, Ricky's latest venture that she still didn't quite understand, the man she suspected Emily was getting serious about, and how happy Andy was that his son Tony had started coming to family events again. They talked about their lives, first loves, first cars, childhood pets. This past year they'd covered a lot of ground. Sometimes they talked about a particularly funny or difficult case or the frustration of department politics, but mostly they steered clear of work topics. Sometimes the hours flew by and they were stunned to realize how late it was, other times it seemed they both kept talking not wanting to say goodnight. A few months ago they'd started having coffee at Sharon's to spare the poor wait staff at their favorite restaurants from having to clean around them. Technically they were friends, but it felt like they were moving toward something more. Touches lingered longer. Gazes seemed to be getting more meaningful.
"Let's try again," he suggested, "what about Friday night?"
"Mmm" she hummed in agreement smiling as she chewed, "or Saturday, if we're still working this case."
"Hell, Sunday if we have to," he offered, "as soon as we wrap up this up."
They'd gotten the break they needed yesterday morning when Amy and Julio had finally tracked down a key witness. The suspect was in custody by last night, but when he'd been uncooperative Sharon had him put in lockup and sent the squad home to get some sleep. This morning, with a deal on the table from Hobbs, he and Sharon had gotten the confession and the rest of the day had been devoted to wrap up.
Andy glanced at the clock again, wondering if he should call the restaurant and move their reservation back. Friday night traffic in Los Angeles was always a bitch and if they didn't leave soon, they'd be cutting it close. He glanced down and a stray thread caught his eye. It's pale color a stark contrast against the deep charcoal gray of his suit. He'd worn it knowing it was one of Sharon's favorites, at least he thought it was one of her favorites. She always gave him a very approving smile when he wore it. He realized he was starting to fidget, but he couldn't stop himself. He tugged at the cuffs of his gray shirt, straightened his cufflinks and smoothed down his red and black diamond print tie. The tell tail click of high heels on hardwood signaled her approach. Immediately he stood up and turned in her direction. The sight took his breath away. She was wearing a figure hugging red dress that accentuated every curve to perfection. Her hair was up. He'd never seen her with her hair up before. A few strategic tendrils curled around her face and neck. Her smile was positively luminous.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," She apologized. She shook her head with a laugh when she realized that the red of his tie and pocket square matched her dress perfectly. How did he manage to do that so often?
It was like he was drawn toward her, his hand coming up to gently touch a loose curl by her ear. "Sharon," his voice was quiet, his breath caught, "you look…" He couldn't find a word to finish that thought. He couldn't think at all. All he could focus on were her lips, and her eyes sparkling up at him. His gaze was immediately drawn back to her mouth, her incredibly kissable mouth. His thumb traced just below her bottom lip as he leaned closer, giving her the chance to stop him if she wanted.
Sharon was dazed by the intensity of his expression. She was transfixed by the way his gaze flickered between her lips and her eyes. As he leaned closer, her blood pounded in her ears. She could feel the heat from his hand at the side of her face. Electric tingles shooting out from where his thumb touched the corner of her mouth and his fingers curled under her chin. He was hesitant, like he was waiting for her to pull away. Well, if he thought that… She felt the barely there graze of his mouth on hers and leaned into him increasing the pressure.
Her hands slid up and over his shoulders. Her fingers found their way into his hair. He slid his hand up to cup her cheek, holding her to him gently. His other arm snaked around her waist. He didn't want to go too fast, didn't want to push her. He felt her move slightly. Her mouth opened a fraction more. He couldn't stop himself. He had to taste her. His tongue edged passed her lips tentatively and was immediately sucked further into her mouth. He pulled her body more tightly against him. How had he waited so long to kiss her?
Being in his arms, his lips against hers, his tongue against hers sent her senses reeling. The scent of his cologne had never been so heady. She could feel the scrape of each individual hair at the base of his skull against the pads of her fingers. The sweet spearmint tang of his favorite Altoids tingled against her lips and tongue.
Ending their kiss only to force air into his lungs he leaned his forehead down against hers. He was gratified to see she was breathing heavily as well. "Well," he husked, "I wasn't planning on that."
She looked up at him and smiled at the dopy grin on his face. "No?" she questioned. "I was."
Andy's eyes went wide his mouth opening and closing in surprise. "You were?"
She giggled seeing his mouth smeared with her lipstick and began rubbing at a smudge with her thumb. "I didn't necessarily think it would be so soon," she explained, "but there is no way this evening was ending without at least a kiss."
"At least?" his grin widened and he quirked and intrigued eyebrow at her. "Meaning there's a chance for more?"
She tucked her chin down and batted her eyes up at him a flirty tone to her voice, "A chance." She took a step back from him and toyed with his pocket square. "It just depends."
"Depends on what?" he demanded his arms staying around her waist not letting her go so easily.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" was her teasing reply.