DISCLAIMER: I do not own them, much to my eternal sadness. I am but borrowing them for just a little while.
A/N: I decided it was about time these two had a little fun this week. After all, there's only so much angst that two people can reasonably endure! Also, Kadi219 came up with a prompt idea that involved Sharon and Andy getting caught outside the office. That got the wheels in my head turning and the muse came up with this little scenario…
For Stands With A Fic, who loves a little fluff in her life. I hope you enjoy this, honey.
Thanks so much to NatProf and Jess for the reassurance during my weekly pre-posting meltdown, for putting up with my whining and for the #SaltyNuts! Huge thanks to Kadi219 for whipping my reluctant muse into shape - even if you did have to hide said nuts to do it!
Written for the #ShandySundayHiatus Marathon 2014 - Week 6.
All mistakes are mine alone.
Standing next to Amy Sykes as she removed the pictures from their latest case from the murder board, Sharon Raydor allowed herself a sad smile. Her eyes were drawn, as they had been all through this case, to a picture of three teenage girls standing in front of a ferris wheel. The image - of their young victim, Cara Poulos, and her two best friends - had been taken less than a week ago, at Santa Monica Pier…four days before her life had been snuffed out because of a ridiculous misunderstanding by a jealous boyfriend. How much had changed for the giggling teens - and how quickly. The carefree smiles and laughter of the three girls spoke to a joy and a hope for the future that had been so suddenly and cruelly extinguished.
That wasn't the only reason Sharon was attached to this picture, however. It was a reminder for her, of moments long-forgotten in the relentless onward march of time…
"Captain?"
Amy's voice pulled Sharon abruptly from her thoughts. She glanced sideways at the young detective, becoming aware that she had gravitated towards the photograph, her fingers resting on Cara's young face.
"Is it okay to take that one now, or…would you rather I leave it?"
Sharon dropped her hand, placing it instantly into the pocket of her jacket. Turning to Amy, she offered her a small smile.
"No, that's alright. You can take it down."
"Is everything okay, Captain?" Amy asked hesitantly, picking up on Sharon's melancholy mood and wanting to help, but not really comfortable asking the question.
Sharon smiled again and nodded reassuringly.
"I'm fine, Amy. Really." Seeing that the young detective was not altogether convinced, she sighed and decided she had better explain further. "I used to take my children to the pier all the time when they were younger. We haven't visited in years now…I'd almost forgotten…" She had a hauntingly similar photograph of Emily - aged about sixteen, with a group of her friends in front of the park's previous ferris wheel. The memory seemed rather bittersweet now. She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. "It's funny the memories that sneak up on you."
Amy smiled back at her Captain, understanding crossing her face. With one last glance to the photograph on the almost-empty board, Sharon turned away and headed to her office.
The knock at the door was a welcome interruption from the case reports and end-of-week filing that had been occupying Sharon for the last couple of hours. Friday afternoons were always the same, no matter what else the team had going on - at least today they had managed to wrap up their case before leaving.
She smiled and removed her glasses as Andy stuck his head around the door, glad of the chance to take a break.
"Do you have a minute, Captain?" he asked, eyeing the stack of paper on her desk.
"Of course." She smiled warmly at him and he entered the room, closing the door behind him. "What can I do for you, Andy?"
Her use of his first name encouraged him, and instead of sitting in one of the chairs as he usually would, he came to stand beside her, perching on the edge of the desk. She turned her chair slightly and gazed up at him expectantly, wondering whether he had another family crisis that he needed her to help manage. Not that she minded. Especially now that he had finally - after much prodding - spoken with his daughter about the nature of their relationship, making sure that Nicole understood that he and Sharon were just friends. If he wanted her with him at another family event, she would be happy to attend.
"Are you free this weekend?" he asked, his dark eyes studying her intently. "It's not a family thing this time," he added, as if reading her mind.
It was a more direct approach than he had been planning, but the more he tried to build up to something, the more tongue-tied he tended to become - and besides, Sharon had always appreciated people getting straight to the point.
Her eyes widened in surprise momentarily before she recovered the passive mask she usually wore. One eyebrow remained quirked as she regarded him quizzically, however. He squirmed a little under her gaze, wondering if maybe he had overstepped - until he noticed the smile playing at her lips and he instantly relaxed.
"I am, actually," she said eventually, moving her chair ever so slightly so that she sat imperceptibly closer to him. "What did you have in mind?"
"I'd like to take you out tomorrow afternoon." He was confident now, leaning towards her and closing the gap between them even more.
"Where are we going?" She was intrigued now - he wasn't usually so cagey when it came to taking her places, be it the ballet with family or dinner by themselves.
"It's a surprise," he grinned, before abruptly standing and heading towards the door. "I'll pick you up at three."
Andy turned to her as his hand rested on the door handle.
"Dress casual," he instructed with a grin. He opened the door then and stepped through, only for his head to reappear a second later. "Oh, and wear flats." Andy winked at her and disappeared again, closing the door behind him, leaving Sharon bemused and chuckling, shaking her head as she replaced her glasses and busied herself with the next pile of overtime requests.
Sharon laughed aloud as they pulled in to the parking lot at Santa Monica Pier on Saturday afternoon. She had figured out where they were headed about ten minutes into the journey and she was genuinely touched by Andy's thoughtfulness. She hadn't even realised that anyone else had been paying attention to her conversation with Amy yesterday - but evidently he had, and he wanted to do something for her. She was unused to receiving unprompted kind gestures from anyone, but as she watched Andy out of the corner of her eye she realised that from him, it meant even more. Because he meant more to her than most people.
Her eyes sparkled with amusement and affection as Andy cut the engine and turned to face her. He so loved to hear her laugh. He reached across to hold her hand and for a moment she didn't trust herself to speak as emotion overwhelmed her.
"Thank you for this," she murmured eventually, her eyes never leaving his. His thumb caressed the inside of her wrist and he squeezed her hand gently.
"Come on," he said softly. "Let's go explore."
The next few hours were spent wandering among the various delights that the pier had to offer, before they headed for the attractions of Pacific Park. There, they were surrounded by families and young people enjoying the weekend and the good weather. Sharon found herself smiling and laughing at the enthusiasm all around them, often becoming lost in her memories of bringing her own children here when they were small.
Andy watched her closely, smiling every time her eyes lit up at some long-lost memory or new-found treasure. Yes, this had definitely been one of his better ideas, he decided. He found himself enveloped in a warm yet enticingly exciting sensation, and not for the first time he realised that it was simply being around her that was causing it.
Stopping at one of the food carts that was scattered around the park, Andy quickly ordered and paid for two snacks. Sharon had wandered over to stand far back from the crowds, her eyes fixed on the ferris wheel as it turned slowly, silhouetted against the brightness of the sky. He made his way over to her, presenting her treat with a wink.
"Cotton candy?" she asked, wide-eyed, before releasing a giggle.
Andy nodded seriously.
"You can't come to the pier and not have cotton candy. It's the rule - and I know what you're like about the rules."
He grinned as she mock-glared at him, before taking his offering with an exaggerated sigh. He watched her as she ate, smiling widely when he noticed that a small piece of the finely-spun sugar had attached itself to her without her realising.
"What?" she asked, gazing up at him questioningly.
"Uh, you have a little something…"
Andy reached across and gently swiped the errant piece of cotton candy from her nose with his thumb. They smiled shyly at each other and he was about to withdraw his hand when her fingers curled around his wrist, holding him in place. Her green eyes locked onto his much darker ones as she slowly brought his thumb to her mouth. The exquisite tension that had been building between them for so many months now was all focused on this one movement, the sounds and smells of the park around them disappearing from consciousness as she pulled his digit between her lips, sucking the sweet morsel gently from his skin.
He moaned involuntarily as her tongue swiped across his thumb, before she finally released it from her mouth with a tiny grin. The pull that she was exerting upon him was irresistible now and he began to move towards her, slowly closing the gap between them, when a familiar voice made him jump.
"So. This is what you call being 'just good friends', is it?"
Closing his eyes briefly in a mixture of annoyance and embarrassment, Andy turned to face his daughter. Delighted as he was to see her - especially when it was unplanned like this - her sense of timing was absolutely terrible. Something she had inherited from him, evidently.
"We are friends," Andy stated firmly, kissing Nicole on the cheek as she greeted him with a quick hug.
He suddenly realised that Sharon still held his wrist and he moved to pull away. To his enormous surprise, however, she stopped him, slipping her hand into his instead.
"Very good friends," Sharon added, smiling at the look of incredulity on his daughter's face as she, too, received a warm embrace. "Are you here with the boys?"
Nicole rolled her eyes (in a perfect imitation of her father that made Sharon smile fondly) at the rather obvious change in subject, but decided to let the matter drop for now.
"They're on the ferris wheel with their Dad." She indicated the ride with a tilt of her head. "I don't like heights," she added, pre-empting Sharon's next question. "You'll come and say hello, right?"
"Of course, I'd love to see them!" Sharon answered enthusiastically.
Nicole grinned.
"We'll meet you by the ferris wheel in a minute, Nic," Andy added, a slight movement of his eyes indicating that his daughter should give them a moment alone.
With a sly smile at her father and his good friend, Nicole turned and wandered away with a wave.
"Don't be long!" she called over her shoulder, causing both Andy and Sharon to chuckle in response.
"Well. That was awkward," Andy said after a moment, facing Sharon once more. He discarded the forgotten snacks in a nearby trash can and turned to her again. Her hand was still clasped in his and she seemed to have no intention of removing it - which was just fine with him. "So…friends?"
"Very good friends…"
Her voice had dropped to a much lower timbre than usual. Her eyes were focused on his lips now and he felt his heart rate increase as she took a step towards him. He squeezed her hand gently in his as his other hand came up to softly stroke the curve of her cheek. Lowering his head, he brushed his lips gently across hers in the lightest of kisses. Sharon melted into him instantly. The height difference between them was magnified in the flats he had made her wear, so she stood on her tiptoes, letting go of his hand now so that she could wrap her arms around his neck as she deepened the kiss. His arms around her waist held her to him as his tongue tentatively entered her mouth, tasting the sweetness of the cotton candy and another, far more delicate flavour that he decided must be Sharon herself. He liked it.
Breaking apart after a minute or so, they smiled at each other warmly. Pressing another kiss to Andy's lips, Sharon finally spoke.
"We should go meet Nicole and the boys."
He nodded and she started to walk away, before finding herself pulled back into his arms. He dropped a kiss firmly to her mouth, swiping his tongue briefly across her bottom lip in what they both knew was a promise of things to come. He grinned at her then and took her hand, tugging her in the direction of the ferris wheel.
"Come on then, let's go."
Having spent a wonderful hour or so with Nicole and her family, Andy and Sharon excused themselves. She readily agreed when he whispered into her ear, asking whether she wanted to take a walk before heading home. Saying their goodbyes to the others, they left the pier behind them and headed down onto the sand.
They strolled along the beach holding hands, fingers entwined together, until the noise and lights from the pier had faded into the distance. Andy lowered himself to sit on the sand, facing the ocean, tugging her down to sit between his legs. She came willingly, snuggling comfortably in his arms, her back against his chest. The movement caused her oversized sweater to slip, exposing her shoulder to the slight chill that was now blowing in across the water. His hand came up immediately to fix the problem, but in the event, that wasn't what actually happened.
He only meant to tug the sweater up so that she was covered again, but as soon as his fingers made contact with her soft skin, he was lost.
Before he could stop himself, his lips were pressed to her bare shoulder. His fingers lightly brushed her hair aside, making her shiver as he trailed soft kisses up to her neck. Leaning back into him, Sharon rolled her head to the side, exposing more of herself to his wandering mouth as she released a quiet, throaty moan. It was quite possibly the most intensely erotic sound he had ever heard, and he tightened his arms around her waist, feeling himself harden in response to the sound.
Lifting his head slightly, Andy nuzzled her hair, breathing in her exquisite scent as he placed tiny kisses against her ear. Shifting a little, Sharon turned so that she sat sideways in his arms, her legs tucked underneath her and her head resting in the crook of his neck. He leaned his head down to her immediately, capturing her lips in a passionate kiss. She closed her eyes and moaned again, parting her lips for him as his hand started to caress her neck, his thumb stroking the hair at her temple.
Needing more contact, Sharon rose onto her knees in front of him and placed her hands on either side of his face before pressing her lips firmly to his once more. He pulled her flush against him as her tongue delved into his mouth, his hands sweeping her sides before slipping carefully underneath her sweater. She pressed her body into him as her fingers slid into his hair, running through it gently before her arms wrapped around his neck. He was straining uncomfortably against his pants now, desperate for an even closer touch, skin to skin.
The tiny part of his brain that was still capable of coherent thought suddenly realised that this might be getting out of hand. Reluctantly, he broke the kiss, his hands coming to rest on Sharon's hips as he fought to control his breathing. Her hands moved to cup his face again as she rested her forehead against his, her eyes closed and her breath coming in ragged gasps.
"Do you want to…" Andy started as soon as he had recovered the power of speech.
Nodding, she cut him off.
"Yes."
"Should we…"
"Your place."
She opened her eyes and grinned at him then. Returning her smile, Andy quickly pushed himself off the sand, holding his hand out to help her up. Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, he tucked her in to his side and set a fast pace back to the car.
The ride back to Andy's home was torturous, full of stolen glances and brief yet meaningful touches. Their hands were on each other again as soon as they were out of the car, frantic kisses and desperate caresses exchanged on their faltering journey to the front door.
Once they were inside and Sharon was pressed up against the wall beside the door, everything suddenly stopped. Andy drew back and gave her a look of such heartfelt longing that she felt tears begin to sting at the back of her eyes. Lifting her hand to his face, she ran her fingers lightly across his jaw, her thumb caressing his cheek softly. He reached out to her and silently took her hand, pulling her away from the wall and into the house.
It took an enormous effort on his part to control himself long enough to make it to the bedroom - and he almost lost it when she grabbed him in the hallway, unable to wait any longer and pulling him down to her for a lingering, sensual kiss as her hands slid underneath his shirt and across his skin. Still, he persisted. As heated as things were, this was their first time together. It was something he had wanted - something that they both had wanted, he was sure of that now - for a long time, and it needed to be special. She was worth the effort to make it special.
Reaching the bedroom, they undressed each other slowly, eyes and fingers wandering across newly-exposed flesh for the first time. Finally both naked, his lips descended to her neck once more, burning a path across her already heated skin as they lay down together on the bed.
For the longest time, Andy explored her body with all of his senses, relishing the sounds she made as he licked, sucked and nipped at her skin. Several times he brought her right to the edge with his fingers or his mouth before moving on to somewhere new, never allowing her to fall off, until she was writhing beneath him, desperate keening cries leaving her lips. He was painfully hard now, longing with his whole being to be inside her, but he needed this to be about her. That was why he was with her today in the first place, after all.
Sharon, it seemed, had other ideas.
Crying out as his tongue swept between her legs one more time, she could stand his teasing no longer. If he carried on like this, he was going to drive her completely insane. Summoning all her strength, she took advantage of his journey back up her body to slide out from beneath him, pushing him onto his back as she did so.
Straddling him, she leaned down to brush her lips against his softly. Then, she sank down onto him, closing her eyes at the blissful feeling of him finally being inside her. She began to move immediately, his animalistic groans only intensifying her own pleasure as she rested her hands on his chest, her nails scraping lightly across his skin.
"Oh, God…Andy…Oh, God!"
Sharon's release, when it finally came, took her by surprise. She threw her head back, grinding against him as she rode out the most exceptional orgasm of her life.
Andy watched her, transfixed. He thought she might just be the most beautiful creature he had ever seen, and while he might have imagined her in this situation more than once, his mind had never done her justice. He groaned and gave himself over to the intense sensations as her muscles pulsed around him, drawing him unstoppably towards his own climax.
With a loud cry, Andy emptied himself inside her, his warmth flooding her, prolonging her own pleasure in turn.
Finally spent, Sharon collapsed on top of him, her head resting, as it had earlier that evening, in the crook of his neck. He held her to him with an arm around her slender waist, pulling the sheet up to cover their sweat-slick bodies.
"So," he murmured as their breathing returned to something resembling normal and his fingers combed through her hair. "Friends?"
She lifted her head to smile at him, pressing a kiss to the side of his mouth.
"Very good friends…" she agreed.
"Sharon." His voice was suddenly serious and she propped herself up on her elbow so that she could meet the intensity of his gaze. "I love you."
His eyes searched hers as he uttered the words, terrified of scaring her off, but needing her to know all the same. She traced the line of his jaw with her index finger and smiled down at him.
"I know." She captured his lips in a soft, sweet kiss. "Andy…" She hesitated, before being reassured by the look of sheer adoration in his face. She smiled again, her green eyes sparkling. "I love you, too."