The relief was palpable in the set of Sharon's shoulders as Andy guided her out of the elevator on her floor of the condominium. They were alone—Rusty and Gus had left the wedding after they had and were spending the night at Gus' apartment—and the rest of the floor was quiet. She smiled back at him and he kept his hand gently on her waist as they walked, even as she pulled her keys out and unlocked the door.

"I'm glad Provenza agreed to the 'lunch break' wedding," she murmured as she opened the door and led the way inside. Andy silently closed and locked the door behind him; she had her purse, jacket, and heels off by the time he turned around. "They both looked so happy."

"They did," he agreed softly. He came up behind her hand rested his hand on her hips, his thumbs slipping under the fabric of her shirt. She looked back at him and he kissed her softly, a smile tugging at his lips. "Rusty's gone for the night…"

He watched her thoughts flicker across her eyes for a moment and then she kissed him, turning around so she could start undoing the buttons on his shirt. He grinned against her lips and deepened the kiss while he slipped his jacket off. He broke the contact to hang it up and led her back to the bedroom.

"You looked stunning today," he told her as he eased her shirt off and slid his hands around her back to undo her bra. "I could barely keep my hands off you at the wedding."

A bright blush crept up her bare neck and spread across her cheeks as she looked at them, her lips forming a small smile. "You didn't keep your hands off me," she replied softly as she pushed his shirt off his shoulders and let it flutter to the ground.

"No, but I didn't do this…" He slid his hands down her sides to her skirt, his fingers finding the zipper with ease. He pushed it down and she stepped out of it while his hands roamed back up to cup her breasts.

"No, you didn't," she moaned softly, her head leaning back on her shoulders while he gently moved his hands over her chest.

She managed to get her hands working and undid his pants, pushing them down as far as she could. He kicked them aside and pushed his shoes off, his hands never leaving her body. She shuddered beneath his touch and he guided her back to the bed, lowering her down before he eased her panties off. They joined the pile of clothes on the ground and he climbed between her legs, his hands moving up her thighs to her stomach.

"I didn't do this either," he whispered as he kissed up her chest. He left a series of marks low enough that they could be concealed and reduced her to soft moans beneath him. "But God, did I want to."

She reached up and ran her fingers through his short hair, her legs spreading open to accommodate his body more. He moved his hands back down her body as he sucked a few more marks onto her collarbone. When he brushed his fingers across her entrance, she gasped and pushed her body up against him, her dark green eyes meeting his.

"Andy, please," she said softly, her eyes never leaving his.

He smiled and slipped two fingers inside her, grinning at the soft moans that fell from her parted lips. He moved them for a few moments before he added a second, his other hand rubbing her inner thigh.

"Sharon, you're beautiful," he whispered, pausing his motions long enough to adjust the angle of her fingers. She pressed against them with a sharp cry, her legs bending a little to give her better leverage. "Stunning," he added.

He removed his fingers from her body and climbed over her, his hands resting above her shoulders. He kissed her as he guided himself into her body, feeling her flutter and clench around him. He was astounded that she let him into her life and bed like this and he responded by loving her with all that he could.

His mouth gently connected with hers and she moaned into the kiss as he slowly started to rock his hips against hers. She loosely wrapped her legs around him and swept his tongue along her lips which immediately parted. She moaned again and he groaned softly, her legs tightening as he continued his movements.

"Shit, Sharon," he groaned against her lips, his hips speeding up despite his attempts to keep his movements slow.

"Andy!" she gasped, her head thrown back to expose her long, pale neck.

His hand moved down her body and settled between her legs while his mouth moved to kiss along her neck. He was careful not to leave any marks here—he had made that mistake once—but his touches caused her to shiver and gasp beneath him. His fingers slid along her entrance until he reached the nub. He knew he found it when her moans rose an octave and her body shuddered around him.

"Andy!" she cried out again, her fingers tangling in the short hair at his neck. She held gently as he continued pushing their hips together, his fingers rubbing circles with his movements.

He felt her just before she came, her muscles clenching suddenly. She moaned as she went over the edge, quickly tugging him with her. He felt the aftershocks rippling through both of their bodies and he panted against her neck, feeling her breath against his shoulder. He grinned and held her close as he eased out, immediately wrapping his arms around her to hold her close.

She settled against him, her leg slipping between both of his. The sweat started to cool on their bodies and he brushed the hair away from her face, smiling at the small grin she wore. Her head came to rest against his chest and he held her closer, pressing a gentle kiss to her head.

Their heartbeats slowly started to return to normal and he sat up; Sharon shot him a questioning and slightly threatening look. "I'll be right back," he murmured, bending to press a soft kiss to her lips. "I just need to grab something."

She raised an eyebrow and watched him as he pulled his boxers back on and slipped from the room. She propped herself up on her elbows and drew the sheet over her bare body, listening to the sounds of him moving around in the living room.

He finally came back after a few minutes with a worn piece of yellow legal paper in his hand. He sat on the edge of the bed and she sat up fully, clutching the sheet to her chest. He took a deep breath, a pensive expression crossing his face briefly that confused her.

"Before my surgery a few months ago," he began softly, his fingers following the crease on the paper in his lap. It looked like it had been read and refolded dozens of times already. "There was something I should have said. I chickened out and asked Provenza to do it, but he made me write it down. I just… I didn't know when the right time would be to show you this, if ever."

As he spoke, her confusion and concern grew until it was plain on her features. She let the sheet slip down to reveal the tops of her breasts as he offered the letter and she reached for it. She shifted a little in the bed as she carefully unfolded it, her eyes scanning his familiar messy writing.

He was silent as she read, watching her eyes scan back and forth across the yellow paper. He shifted, his hands resting in his lap, unsure of what to say or do. It wasn't a long letter, but he suspected she reread it as he watched.

She looked up after several minutes, her eyes shimmering with barely withheld tears. He rested his hand on the bed so he could lean closer to her, but he was careful to give her her face as he waited for a response.

"Andy," she finally whispered, her voice clogged with emotions. "Are you… Did you mean this? It wasn't just…" She struggled for words for several moments before she fell quiet.

"I didn't write it just because I thought I was dying," he finished for her, his voice just as soft. "I wrote it because I mean it and I didn't want to die without you knowing it." He looked at her, willing her to see the honesty in his expression. "I love you, Sharon."

She let out a long breath, her eyes sliding closed for a moment. Before they opened, a few single tears slipped out and ran down her cheek. She brushed them away and then opened her eyes, meeting Andy's gentle, loving gaze. He stayed silent.

"I didn't want to say it before you went into surgery," she sighed, her head shaking a little. "It's stupid, but I needed to know that we weren't saying it because of the situation."

"That's not stupid," he told her immediately. "We've both had… difficult marriages and you've been hurt in the past. You're careful and I understand that." He paused a moment and looked down at the bed. "But I needed to tell you. Whether you return the feelings or not, I needed you to know."

"I love you too, Andy. And I've been afraid to admit it to myself, let alone say it out loud. But I do love you. I've loved you for a while." She shifted to take his hand and the sheet slipped down further.

He squeezed her hand and she gently pulled him closer. He settled against the headboard and pulled her against his chest, her body rested between his legs and she pulled the blanket close again. He kissed her head and she offered him a small smile.

"I love you," he told her again.

"I love you too," she responded softly.

She felt a small amount of freedom to be able to say the words allowed and to see the way Andy's eyes subtly lit up at the sound. She pressed her lips to his and he wrapped his arms around her, securely holding her close. They had finally solved their case, his best friend had gotten married, and he held the woman he loved in his arms. It was a good ending to a terrible week, he decided.