Thank you...
There is something beautiful but also strange from the comfort that ignites in being held so lightly and carefully. They dance with his hand on the middle of her back and his other hand holding hers. Her other hand rested along his shoulder. Their bodies close enough for him to inhale her perfume and for her to enjoy the light fumes of his cologne. They both embrace the comfort of being lead and the other obeying, somehow switching their daily roles.
Andy slowly pulls away but not letting go of her hand with a smile he gestures towards their table with the tilt of his head. Sharon smiles but feels a little disappointed in losing the warmth from his touch. He continues holding her hand, slowly leading her around the other couples dancing.
As they reach their table he releases her hand. She makes her way to her chair, ready to take a seat.
"I was hoping you would continue dancing with me. I just need to undress a little." He smirks while removing his jacket. Then reaches for the bow tie he says his daughter asked him to wear.
She smiles, "Here, let me help you with that." He moves his hands away and hers slowly begin to untie it. He can't help but breathe in her perfume again, it's only been seconds since he had her close, but he still missed it. This sends a confusion in him; it is his boss, the woman he once despised. Then he feels the tie slip around his neck, pulling him away from his thoughts. She motions for the top most button of his shirt. He has a feeling that she knows he can undo it all himself but he lets his Captain undress him anyway.
The button comes undone and he says what he's thinking," I love your perfume," in the quietest voice.
She looks up, while resting her hands lightly along his chest near the collar of his shirt. Her eyes meet his gaze and she smiles. This makes him blush just enough that she may not notice. He wasn't supposed to say that out loud he thinks.
"Better?" She asks still smiling.
"Just, perfect." He says. She has a feeling that his response has nothing to do with the amount of clothes he has on but her...no, I'm his boss. She stops herself from drifting off. This makes her realize what her hands have been up to and begins to pull them away when one of his hands grabs one of hers. He turns around and walks towards the dance floor, using his hold of her to lead once again.
He pulls her in lightly and lays his hand just slightly along the small of her back sending chills through her body and returning the warmth she longed for. She places her other hand behind his neck and now their bodies are just close enough sending a feeling like the one of a breeze brushing across your skin on a hot sunny day. It makes you want to stay around longer because it feels just perfect.
She feels his hand bring more heat to her back and their bodies touch each other enough to allow her to whisper in his ear that she loves his cologne smell just as much as he loves her perfume. But this thought makes her react and instead says, "Andy?" In the smallest whisper.
He responds with a small movement of his head. Like if she just pulled him out of a place far from where he's dancing now.
"It's getting late, I don't think it is convenient to leave Rusty alone for too long." She says, quietly not yet a whisper but low enough to let him feel a low breath along his neck. She pulls away, too fast for him to respond or even to give him a chance to breathe her in one last time.
Andy says his farewell to his daughter while Sharon only watches from afar. She notices they both turn and look at her and this makes her slightly uncomfortable so she starts making her way out the door. The fresh air suddenly makes her remember how far things went tonight. It replaces the comfort of breeze with a cold realization. There is a chill through the air that makes her miss Andy's hands even more. She shakes the thought out of her mind, she can't think of him that way.
She jumps slightly at the feel of something placed across her shoulders and even though it isn't anything compared to the warmth of his hands it stops her from shivering. She turns around and sees he placed his jacket along her shoulders. Andy is not smiling but happiness is showing through his eyes.
"Thank you, it was getting chilly. I seem to have forgotten my shawl after the whole pot roast in the oven situation earlier this evening." She says closing his suit jacket from the inside by holding it together with her hands not looking at him but down towards where her hands meet.
"Thank you for waiting for me, I was worried you had picked up another fella." He places his hand on the middle of her back causing her to shiver slightly. She looks up at him and with his grin she knows he felt it and is pleased he can cause that reaction in her body.
The drive back is quiet but not awkward. Only bringing up Nicole and how happy she looked, what kind of music they enjoyed and Rusty. Andy pulls into a parking spot. She expects to say her goodbyes there but instead he quickly turns the car off and comes around and opens the door for her.
They arrive at her apartment door. She turns around to face him as they stand outside her door. She wants to invite him in but knows that Rusty will be inside waiting for her.
"Thank you Andy, I had a wonderful time."
"I am glad you enjoyed yourself, thank you for being my buffer and making me look so good." His words are honest.
She can't resist smiling at him. This was a Lieutenant on her team and she knew that he wasn't only trying to be polite anymore but she just could not think straight and was beginning to have no reason but be open to his flirting.
"Good night," he says slowly turning and walking down the hall. At that moment she realizes she has left her purse in Andy's car with the keys but decides she'll knock for Rusty instead of waving Andy back for the risk of flirting back. She raises her hand to knock and she notices she is still wearing his jacket.
"Andy." She calls after him. He turns around in his tracks looking a little confused.
"Your coat." She gives him a weak smile. He walks back towards her and she moves towards him too.
"I thought it looked better on you Captain." He says smiling and reaching out his hands to reach for it but running his hands slowly around the jackets collar and bringing it closed around her. The light touch makes her swallow a knot in her throat.
She gently pulls it off exposing herself once more in her dress he takes the view in completely. He can still feel how he held her while they danced, their way their body's connected and how comfortable it was to be in each other's arms. He is disappointed knowing this is all he has left of tonight, it isn't enough for him.
He drapes the jacket over his arm and steps in closer to her and she halts him by saying, "I also left my purse behind in your car." If you can please take it to work tomorrow, or maybe I should say later today. It has my keys and phone." When she finishes she realizes his forward movement has been changed with two steps back. Although this was not her intention she is happy for the coincidence because this night has drifted too far.
She turns around and taps on her door. They hear shuffling inside and Andy turns away saying goodbye. Her eyes drift after him, watching him; admiring him.
There are little answers to Rusty's never ending questions about the night, he finally gives up; saying goodnight and retreating to his room.
She removes the pins from her hair and the curls fall across her face, she removes her dress and slips into a white robe that ties at the waist and rests above the knee. She left her heels at the door replacing them with slipper boots. She walks to her bathroom and starts the shower, hoping that it could bring her comfort. The doorbell rings. She leaves the water running afraid that whoever it is will ring again and wake up Rusty. She moves quickly across the condo and opens the door only slightly and sees Andy. She opens the door completely forgetting her outfit.
"Andy?" She says a little dazed and confused.
"Just thought you would rather have this now then later," he says holding out her purse. His eyes glisten and he makes no intention of being subtle while he admires her from head to toe.
She grabs the purse nervously, his eyes not going unnoticed. "Thank you Andy, you didn't need to make the trip again. I had already called Detective Sykes if a situation is to arise to call me at home until further notice."
He listens to her but he is still distracted by how she can make a robe look so sexy and elegant at the same time. She shifts on spot reality dawning on her that he isn't the only one staring. She swipes the curls out of her face and pulls the robe tight across her chest where her breast were slightly exposed just seconds before. He notices her feeling slightly uncomfortable and steps closer to her and leans in a little.
Quietly he says, "How is it that you look this great when I just left you here three minutes ago?"
This takes her by surprise and she lets out an adorable nervous chuckle. Sharon is searching for words to say and a definition to define what he meant by all his comments tonight. This was the second time he said she looked great; he had also mentioned she smelled good.
But then again she could also say the same about him standing there with his shirt sleeves pulled up to his elbows, his shirt unbuttoned a little more from the top, he still looked as good as he did when he picked her up and she had to admit he smelled delicious. She couldn't say any of this out loud and shouldn't even be saying it to herself; she is flushed. Her only thoughts were that the shower would never bring her the heat she felt with Andy and his company and his light tender touches. But she was his boss. Stop. Just stop, she tells herself.
She brushes back a curl that falls across her face, "Good night Andy. Thank you again, I'd invite you in for coffee but Rusty is in bed and I have a shower waiting for me."
He smiles stepping towards her. She doesn't move he reaches out his hand and tucks the curl behind her ear. Sharon closes her eyes, one finger slowly and gentle like a feather running across her cheek. Then she hears him say good night. She opens her eyes and he was walking away, she turns around to head inside.
Andy turns around to give her legs one last glance as she closes the door behind her. Her weight falling on the door with her head turned towards it, she slowly bangs her forehead on the door, making a hallow tap. She knows that all that has happened with them today was not all by accident nor innocent. She didn't know what it was she felt but she knew Andy was feeling the same thing.
She hears steps behind her and looks back. "You okay?" Rusty asks while rubbing his eyes.
"Perfect." She says drawing closer to him. "I'm going to shut that shower off and what do you say me and you have some ice cream?" She says smiling at him.
"Ice cream? It's one in the morning Sharon. You are not okay. What is going on? Did something happen?" He asked both worried and confused.
She reaches for his shoulder only gently tapping and walking pass him to her bathroom while saying, "Everything's great pull out the ice cream I will be right back."
He turns on the spot and looks at her then towards the door where just a minute ago she was banging her head and moves to the kitchen to take out the ice cream, still confused but not willing to give up this moment of rebellion Sharon decided to have.
Sharon reaches her bathroom, runs her hand under the water, it was burning hot. Yet it doesn't make her draw her hand away it only confirms her thoughts. It will never ignite the fire that his hands and company did today.
