Matt brushed himself off, pissed beyond belief that he'd rolled with the suspect into the rather large puddle in the construction yard their suspect had run to. Matt had easily tackled the suspect, but found himself rolling down a slight hill while trying to subdue the man. They ended up in a puddle that Matt knew had ruined his clothes.
"Bleedin' 'ell," he said to Ronnie."What's the matter, Mattie-boy? You aren't trying to impress anyone are you," Ronnie said, winking at his younger partner.
"Not me. I just hate that I now have to change and I've possibly ruined this set of clothes," Matt said, hoping Ronnie would believe him.
He didn't. "I'm a trained detective, son, I know you're lying," he said.
Matt was about to respond with some smart-assed reply when he saw their Guv walking toward them.
"They offer mud baths at the spas in Highgate. You don't have to try to make your own," DI Natalie Chandler said. Matt muttered a curse under his breath as Natalie and Ronnie laughed at his expense. "If you lot don't need me right now, I'll go home and change," Matt said.
"Go on, son. I can take it from here. Don't come back till tomorrow and you can fill out the paperwork," Ronnie said.
Matt nodded an agreement. He normally hated paperwork, but if it got him home and out of these wet clothes, he'd do it. He walked to the car and drove himself headquarters and went to his car and drove home.
He rushed up to his flat and entered his bedroom. He stripped off his wet clothes and stepped into the shower. He let the water run over him and was so relaxed he didn't hear his front door open.
"Matt, are you home," she called out. Ronnie had called and said he was in a right state when he left. Something about him having fallen into a puddle during an apprehension and he was pissed. She stifled a laugh at a wet Matt Devlin cursing the situation, mud dotting his clothes and body in various places. "Matt," she called again.
She heard the shower running and figured he'd made it home and was showering. Now she was in a spot. Did she go into the washroom and announce her presence to him, or did she go out and knock on the door several times and let him allow her into the flat.
She pondered her options for about half a second before, finally, deciding to bite the bullet and go into the washroom.
"Matt," she called.
Matt turned off the shower and caught the sound of someone calling his name. He wrapped the towel around his body and stepped out of his shower and came face to face with Alesha Philips. Alesha couldn't help but stare. Matt Devlin was a site in clothes, but seeing him standing there in nothing but a towel was another site indeed. His hair was all natural, as it were, and Alesha had never seen a more desirable site in her entire life.
"I was coming by to check on you and didn't know you were home until I stepped in here and saw the shower. I wanted to see if you were OK after what happened. Ronnie was a bit worried about you," she said.
"What did Ronnie tell you," he asked.
"You had a little accident with a suspect and you went home. He didn't get into details and I didn't ask anything. He told me he wanted to check on you himself but he was busy cleaning up. I told him I'd drop by and he gave me a key. You are fine, right," she asked, speaking quickly because she was still recovering for viewing Matt in a towel.
"It was nothing, Lesh. I'm fine. You can go back and tell Ronnie that I am fine and I'll be back in the morning. This day was just wrong from the start and I'd like to forget it," he said. He noticed Alesha was still standing in the same spot and hadn't made any gesture to move.
She noticed he was looking past her, so she, finally stepped out of the washroom and into his bedroom. He walked past her to his dresser. Alesha exited out the door and went into his living room. Something was definitely off about Matt and she wanted to find out exactly what it was. She parked herself on a chair that could be seen when Matt exited his bedroom and waited.
He emerged a few minutes later, dressed causally in running pants and a Manchester U long-sleeved shirt. He looked over at her and when he noticed she was still there, he sighed.
He should have known that Alesha wouldn't leave until she found out what was bothering him. The problem was, she was what was bothering him.
He'd had a date for that evening, but his date had canceled on him a few days ago when she had dropped by his flat and saw him walking out the door with Alesha. She had dropped off a statement for him to go over in preparation for trial and he had walked her out to wait with her while she caught a cab, since she refused his offer of a ride home. Alesha had said something really sweet and he wrapped her in a hug before she left. Despite the fact that he did truly want more out from her, he didn't think she felt the same way. Apparently his former girlfriend thought he was stepping out on her and promptly ended their relationship. That hadn't bothered him. What had bothered him is that she threatened to tell everyone that he was a two-timing bastard and to get the name of the woman and slander her as well. He tried to talk to Ronnie about it, but Ronnie had reminded him that he did care for Alesha. If Matt refused to do something about it, that was his problem. Then he'd had the mishap with the suspect and his day was shot.
Alesha continued her silent sentry in the chair as Matt tried to figure out what to say in this situation. He went into his living room and sat down opposite her on the couch.
"Lesh, I've just had a bad day. My girlfriend decided to break up with me because she thought I was cheating on her. Then I fell into a mud puddle while apprehending a suspect and was just at my end for the day. Then Pete's widow called me for some advice about this guy she'd been dating and it all just hit home for me again with what happened," Matt nodded her head. She understood what he was saying, but wasn't sure that was the entire story.
"You're holding out on me, Matt," she said. "Why'd she think you were cheating on her. The few times you've talked about her, she seemed like a reasonable girl."
"She came to surprise me that night and saw us hug. She thought you and I were having a secret liaison. I told her nothing could be further from the truth; that it wasn't possible with us. She didn't believe me and is making it her personal mission to make me out to be a horrible person and the 'other woman' a horrible one as well," Matt said.
When Matt said it wasn't possible for them to be together, Alesha's heart broke. She wanted nothing more than to be with Matt Devlin, but he'd just confirmed what she'd always suspected and feared, but hoped she was wrong.
"Well, you're right, but why won't she believe you," she asked.
"I guess my reputation, but I've never stepped out on a woman when we were dating. I don't understand. I keep finding woman, but they all seem to be wrong for me," he said.
Alesha shook her head. She didn't know what women were finding wrong with Matt, but she knew they must be crazy. She thought he was perfect. Even the flaws he had were adorable enough to make her forget. She got angry with him at times because he could be self-depreciating. If he couldn't see how wonderful he was, how did he expect others to see what she saw?
"It's her loss Matt. Any woman should be glad to have you. I know I would," she said."Of course you'd say that, Lesh. We're mates," he said, staring at her. Alesha got off the chair and sat next to him on the couch. "I mean it, Matt. If you were the one that I was dating, I'd never take you for granted or assume the worst without asking," she said.
She put her hand on his shoulder and almost jerked back at the spark of electricity she swore she felt when she touched his shoulder. She thought Matt felt it too, because he jumped slightly at her touch.
She started to remove her hand, but Matt took it in his. "Lesh, please, don't toy with me. Not today of all days," he said in a low, husky voice that caused Alesha to go mad. He leaned close to her when he said those words and she felt his breath on her neck. She couldn't help but shiver at this.
Matt caught her shiver because he didn't release her hand, just leaned closer and kissed the tender flesh below her ear.
Alesha stifled a moan. She couldn't believe that one little kiss by Matt was driving her to the edge.
She pulled back and looked in his eyes. "Don't toy with me, Matt Devlin. I won't be made a fool of later," she said.
"I'd never, Alesha. I want to be with you. I think I always have," he said.
He raised her chin and placed a simple kiss on her lips. Alesha returned it hungrily and soon they were kissing passionately on Matt's sofa. When Matt's mobile rang, it brought them back to reality and Alesha couldn't believe what had just happened. He was going to ignore the phone, but Alesha jumped up off the couch and bolted toward the door. Matt stared after her, disappointed beyond belief that their encounter had been brief and ended with her running out the door. 'How am I supposed to tell her how I feel now,' he thought to himself.
He answered his mobile and mentally cursed Ronnie for ruining his dream.
***Don't worry, I won't end it here. I'm just having a little fun!*** -mereditholiver