Love Never Fail Us

By Kadi

Rated: M

Disclaimer: This isn't my sandbox, but it is my favorite place to play.

Chapter 4

Monday morning rolled around with very little fanfare. True to the agreement that he made with Taylor over the weekend, Sharon had a transfer request waiting on her desk. Andy had come in early and gotten the paperwork ready for her. She reviewed it, and felt just a little bit mournful as she signed the request. She would miss looking out her office and seeing him there, close and steadfast and only a few feet away. At the same time, there was a sense of hope and an almost giddiness that filled her as she put the finishing touches on her signature.

A second form joined the transfer request. It was the official notification that she had entered into a personal relationship with a subordinate officer. She was required to report it, and couldn't deny the relief that she felt that it was joining the transfer request. Her adherence to the rules was, perhaps, more ingrained than she originally believed.

Sharon placed the forms back in the folder and stood with it. She rounded her desk and stepped out of the office. Her people were all hard at work, wrapping the reports on their previous case while they waited for another to be assigned. Sharon let her gaze sweep the room, it would be the last time that she would see them like this, all together and untouched by the decisions of her personal life. Her eyes lingered on the back of Andy's head for a moment. He was bent over his desk, and from the several files that were stacked on it, she knew that he was already engaged in his transfer prep. She nodded once. He was approaching it without hesitation and she would do the same.

She turned and made the walk down the hall away from the murder room. She let her steps carry her to the chief's office. When she entered, the secretary in the outer office smiled at her. "He said you'd be by." She glanced at the time display on her computer. "He has a call in twenty minutes, but he's free right now. Go on in."

"Thank you, Ida." Sharon smiled and made her way back, down a short hall to where the chief's office was housed. She knocked lightly on the open door before stepping inside. Her face was carefully schooled into an impassive mask when Russell Taylor looked up at her. "Chief."

"Captain." He leaned back in his chair and waved her forward. "Have a seat." Taylor had wondered if he would see her today, or if Flynn had lost his mind. He couldn't imagine what personal reasons the Lieutenant would have for wanting to transfer, except the one that was currently lowering herself into a chair in front of his desk. He wasn't blind. Like everyone else who worked with them he had seen how close the pair of them had become. Honestly, Taylor didn't care what they did, as long as they kept getting results, and it didn't become an issue for the department. These kinds of relationships could be a problem, but really, he was enough of a realist to know that they were all beyond a certain age. A lot of people wouldn't care what a couple of officers close to retirement age were doing outside of work. It was why he had been happy to ignore it. Although, as he'd told Flynn, he did need to move an experienced officer over to Robbery Homicide to fill the slot that Lieutenant Ellison was going to be leaving behind when he retired. He was of a mind to use this to maneuver Flynn over there, and now it was happening, without his immediate intervention. Patience, he thought, sometimes things just worked out for themselves.

Sharon settled into the chair and placed the file folder on his desk. "Lieutenant Flynn informed me that he's already discussed the particulars of his transfer request with you," she said, cutting to the chase and avoiding the need for small talk or hedging around the topic. "I've signed the forms and I've pulled him back to begin working out his current cases."

Taylor fought the urge to smile. He lifted the folder and opened it. The request was on top. He should have known that she would get directly to the point. "Yes. Flynn was pretty intent on this. No chance you'll be able to change his mind?"

He was fishing. Sharon was tempted to roll her eyes at him, but didn't. "No. He and I have discussed it. I think it's a good fit for him. He's had some issues in the past, but I think this is an excellent opportunity to show that he's grown as an officer." Her head tilted. She almost sighed. "There is also the reason behind his request. I've enclosed the necessary paperwork with the Lieutenant's transfer papers. I trust that will put everything in order?"

He arched a brow as he shifted the first form aside. Sure enough, a second had joined it. Taylor read over it quickly. He chuckled. "Yes, Captain. I think that does settle it nicely." He lifted it and looked at her. "Are you sure about this?" There was something more akin to concern in his gaze. He went back a long time with all of them. The thing about working with people for a long time was that you got to know them, at least on some levels, and certain personal details came to light. "I'll still take Flynn off your hands, I need to shuffle someone over to Robbery Homicide, but after I file this there's no going back."

Sharon did sigh. She clasped her hands in her lap as she met his gaze. "Have you ever known me to not be sure? File it, Russell," she said, using his name in deference to just how long they had worked together, and the personal tone that the conversation had taken. "I hate that I'm losing an experienced officer, and I have a very short list of replacements that I expect you to approve without hesitation if one of them accepts the job. At the same time, I'm excited for Andy. He won't have my rule book beating him over the head anymore, and moving forward is something that we both want." She shrugged. "We're sure. Even if we hadn't come to this, it was still within your purview to move him. The regulation says I have to report it, it never said I would be able to keep him on my team."

"True." Taylor smirked. "I just don't care," he said, and didn't mean it to sound like disregard. "If there's anyone around here that I can trust to behave professionally, I think it's you. The jury is out on Flynn, but…" He trailed off with a grin, and leaned back in his chair again when she laughed. "I don't suppose you've broken it to the rest of your team yet?"

"The lack of yelling would be an indication that hasn't happened yet," She almost cringed. Sharon shook her head. "I'm anticipating that the transition might be a little bumpy, but this was Andy's choice. He brought it to me. After the initial shock wears off, I'm sure that he'll deal with them. They've all worked together for a long time. I don't expect that I'll need to get overly involved. I think we're cohesive enough as a division that we can handle it. If this had come a few years ago," Sharon gestured with her hands. "The outcome would be very different. The only real problem that I foresee is…"

"Provenza," he finished for her. Taylor nodded slowly. "The old man doesn't like change, and they've been together a long damned time." He chuckled quietly. "I don't envy you that conversation."

"Thanks." Sharon did roll her eyes at him then. "I'm going to remember that when he's running to you to complain." She pushed out of her chair and stood before him. "Is there anything else, Chief?"

"No." He reached out and lay a hand on the folder. "I think this covers it. I'll get it pushed through. First of the month," he reminded her.

"Understood." She nodded.

"Good." Taylor watched her walk across the office. "Try to behave yourselves until then." She cut a look at him that might have frightened anyone else, but he just grinned. She would get even with him, he was sure, but he had been waiting all weekend to toss that little zinger at her. He spread his hands at her. "My broom is bigger."

"We'll see about that," she drawled. She made a mental note that his promotion had made him a little too complacent in some areas.

When Sharon returned to the Murder Room, the sound of her heels against the tile drew Andy's attention. He turned to look at her. Their eyes met and she nodded once. It was done, then. He looked for signs of hesitation or regret but found none. He nodded back at her and drummed his fingers against his desk. His eyes swept the room before his gaze moved back to where she now stood, beside her office. He tilted his head at her in askance.

Sharon shot a look at her conference room and lifted her brows at him. They would need to make the announcement, sooner was better than later. Taylor was still the biggest gossip in the department. It wouldn't be long before news of Andy's transfer was moving along the grapevine. Their people needed to hear it from him. He shook his head at her as he stood. He walked around and sat on the edge of his desk. He clasped his hands in his lap. Sharon smiled. He didn't want any formalities or ceremony. They would keep it casual. She folded her hands together in front of her and walked over to stand at the edge of the room. This had been his choice, it would be his show.

Andy considered his words for a moment. Finally he just looked at the floor and sighed. "Hey, guys…" He waited until he had their attention. His gaze moved over them again, and he gauged the curious expressions that all of them wore, except Provenza. He looked annoyed at being interrupted. Andy ignored that. "So listen. There's gonna be some news hit the grapevine soon. Lieutenant Ellison is retiring," he began. "He's gone at the end of the year. At least that's the official retirement date. He's going out on leave in a couple of months; he's just not coming back." He'd had some health problems, but he had a bum back that was going to need operating on. His retirement had come as a result of that. "Taylor has been looking for someone to replace him." Andy hadn't realized that saying it would be so hard, but as little as he regretted the choice, the words got stuck in his throat. He had to force them out. "I'm taking it. At the first of the month I'm moving back over to Robbery Homicide."

Silence filled the murder room as everyone looked at each other. The sound of Provenza's hand, slapping against the top of his desk made them jump. "You idiot!" He stood up and glowered at his partner. "Did you bump your fool head? Why would you do something so stupid?"

As one, and with the exception of Andy, every gaze in the room moved to the Captain. She stared impassively back at them. "The Lieutenant informed me of his decision this morning. I've just finished finalizing the details with Chief Taylor," she stated.

Provenza's eyes narrowed. "Oh I'll just bet you did," he muttered. He shook a finger at Flynn. "This is probably the dumbest thing you've ever done. No one cares if the two of you…" He waved a hand at them, but couldn't quite manage to form the words. "What kind of stupid are you to take a job with more paperwork in a day than we normally see in a week? Are you out of your mind?"

Andy blinked. He scratched his head. "Wait a minute… you're not pissed I'm transferring. You're pissed I'm getting a promotion?" Which it was, essentially, just without the increase in rank. He was good with that, since it had come with a pay increase. Small, but an increase anyway, given the job would be more administrative than anything.

"Well of course I am!" He reached for his crossword and slapped it against the edge of his desk in frustration. "She's turned you into a damned paper pusher. You used to be a cop!"

"Lieutenant." Sharon arched a brow at him. Her voice dipped warningly. She would allow him to only go so far.

He glared at her. Provenza sniffed. He would accept her limitations, for now. He'd already made his opinion on the matter clear anyway. "Fine, it's his paper cut funeral. What are we supposed to do around here while we're down a man? Start letting Buzz investigate the murders."

"That would be an improvement," the younger man muttered.

Provenza shot a scowl at him. "Take him with you," he told Flynn. "We'll let Rusty run the cameras."

"Wait, what?" The boy, who was interning as Buzz's assistant turned where he stood. He threw his hands up in front of himself. "I am so not getting involved in this." He turned back to the disks he had been sorting for Buzz. "But if it pays enough," he muttered.

"Hey." Buzz made a face at him. Then he stopped. He turned to look at the Captain. "Actually, that's not a bad idea. What is the pay increase for taking over the Lieutenant's job?"

Sharon rolled her eyes at them. She folded her arms across her chest. "Gentlemen."

They both pointed at Provenza. "He started it," they said.

"Indeed." Sharon took a step forward. "We all have a lot of work to do," she said, and waved a hand at Andy's desk, "as does the Lieutenant before his transfer is complete. "I'm sure you will all join me in wishing him well with his future endeavors."

"Uh huh." Provenza snorted. "I just bet you are."

"Lieutenant." Sharon glared at him. She was completely unfazed by his smirk. "If you would like to discuss the matter in more detail, my office is right over there," she said.

She had that warning tone. The one that said he was pushing it just a little too far. Provenza frowned at her. "No, Captain. That will be fine. What I would like to do is take that one outside," he waved a hand at Flynn, "and knock some sense back into his head. Robbery Homicide, really?" Could they not have come up with a better solution than that? Every single one of them knew that Flynn and the Captain were dating, had been for a while, whether they wanted to admit it or not. It was so obvious that it was laughable. He had figured that sooner or later it would come to something like this. Provenza wasn't completely surprised, her highness did like the rules and all that, and Flynn could be an idiot where she was concerned, but bureaucratic nonsense? That was the shocker.

Sharon hummed. "Yes. It was a surprise to me as well." With that she turned on her heel and strode back into her office.

Andy rolled his eyes heavenward. He should have known that was coming. That was how your girlfriend got even with you for making decisions without her. She quite subtly, and very effectively, made sure that everyone knew it was your decision. Good god but she was wicked, and damned if he didn't love that about her. Andy pushed off the edge of his desk and stood. "Look, whatever my reasons, it's done. Not like I won't be seeing any of you again. I'll be two floors down. You won't even miss me."

They'd grown silent again. It was Julio that spoke up first. "I doubt that's true, Sir." He leaned forward against his desk, weight on his elbows. "It's good, Lieutenant. We get it."

"Congratulations," Amy said. "I'm sure it will be wonderful."

"You're screwed." Mike stood up to shake his hand. "All that paperwork?" He grinned. "Good luck."

"Yeah," Andy muttered. "Thanks."

"Don't look at me." Provenza sat back down behind his desk when all eyes turned to him. "I still think he's an idiot." He waited a beat. "An idiot who is buying everyone's drinks tonight, but an idiot just the same."

"Gee," Andy deadpanned, "I can't tell you how much your support means to me." He looked at Julio and rolled his eyes. "Fine, whatever, I'll buy your damned drinks. Just like I always do." He moved back behind his desk and reclaimed his seat. "You too, Rusty." The kid was part of the team now, at least for the rest of the summer.

"Thanks, Lieutenant…" Rusty looked over, but quickly turned his attention back to the cases he was sorting. "But uh, I have plans tonight. So… maybe next time?"

"Yeah, sure." Andy flipped the page of a file he was working on. "With Brad?" He smirked a bit to himself. He'd had an interesting phone call with Nicole the previous day. He looked up and across the room at Rusty. The kid was staring at him, mouth slightly agape. "Your agreement was with your mother. Just remember kid, what goes around, comes around."

Suddenly all of the attention in the room was on Rusty. Buzz had his arms folded across his chest and Julio had slid over in his chair. "Who is Brad?" The question was asked by the former.

"Yeah." Julio arched a brow at him. "When do we get to meet this guy? I have some questions…"

"Julio." Provenza shook a finger at him. "Now, just wait a minute…" He paused. "I'll give you a list; there are a few things I want to know too…"

"I think I might be interested in meeting Brad too," Amy chirped.

"Oh my god!" Rusty pushed his hands into his hair while his face turned red.

"Well played," Mike observed. From his desk, he shot an appreciative look at Flynn. "The best way to teach teenagers not to interfere, get even." He turned back to his desk with a grin.

"Yeah." Andy grinned. "I thought that might work. We'll see…" He turned his attention back to the file on his desk while the others worked on trying to get information out of Rusty about his boyfriend.

MCMCMCMCMCMC

They went to Alberto's after their shift ended. It was a cantina a few blocks away from the old Parker Center that the team liked to visit for celebratory occasions, or to otherwise share a meal. The place had started out as just a hole in the wall that had the best enchiladas and the hottest salsa, but its popularity had grown until it became necessary to expand the restaurant's location. It had lost some of the charm in the expansion, but it still had some of the best food in town and for those that were so inclined, the cantina also offered the best Margaritas that side of downtown.

The team was crowded around a tall table in the bar area while they waited for a table to be ready for a group their size. Already there was a pitcher of beer on the table and several margaritas had been ordered. Andy stood between Julio and Provenza, a glass of iced tea in his hand while the others enjoyed their drinks. Only the Captain and Rusty were missing; the latter had plans, and Andy wasn't sure if Sharon was going to join them. She had said that she would think about it, but there had been several files on her desk when the team, including himself, had left the murder room.

"Robbery Homicide?" Tao shook his head at him. "You know that we end up stealing most of their cases, right?"

"Less work for me." Andy grinned. "What? You thought I was looking for real advancement? Come on, Mike, you know me better than that."

"I think we all know why you transferred," Provenza drawled. He rolled his eyes at his partner. "Idiot."

Andy cut a look at him. "Don't," He warned.

"Guys never want to change," Julio observed, "unless there's a woman involved." He smirked. "Next thing we know, they're wearing new clothes, eating chick food, and getting new jobs."

Amy leaned around Buzz to arch a brow at him. "Chick food?"

"Yeah." Provenza snorted. "Healthy." Her eyes narrowed but he ignored her. "He was already doing that crap, Julio. We should've known it had nothing to do with his blood pressure. It was a woman."

"What was a woman?" Sharon's dulcet tones interrupted them as she joined the group. "I do hope that you're not insinuating that I am, in anyway, to blame for the fact that your partner is tired of you."

Andy snorted while the others laughed. He had felt a hand against his back a moment before she said anything. It remained between his shoulder blades as she squeezed in around the table. He looked down at her with a grin. "You made it."

"Well," her eyes glittered with amusement, "you were all so insistent. I decided that I would finish your time sheets later. You may or may not get paid on time, but I did get out of the office at a relatively decent hour."

"It's alright," Julio grinned. "The drinks are on Flynn tonight. We won't mind too much."

Sharon laughed. "As long as you have a contingency plan, I won't feel bad about it." Her hand moved down his back. In truth, she had been considering whether or not they were ready to be completely in the open with the others. It was rather a given that their personal relationship was the reason he was leaving the division, but confirming their suspicions was another matter entirely. In the end, she came to the conclusion that if they were going to seriously pursue anything, they had to be honest about it, with their friends as well as their families. For that reason, she leaned into his side, and reached out to slip the tea glass out of his hand.

"I'm going to mind." Andy dropped an arm around her shoulders and let it hang there. "If I don't get paid, you'll be feeding me," he warned. He arched a brow, and his dark eyes sparkled when she took over his tea. He raised his other hand to get the waitress's attention. It looked like they were going to need another, and whatever else Sharon would want to drink.

"Uh huh." Julio reached over and nudged Buzz's shoulder. "See, what did I say? A woman."

"You did." Buzz held out a hand to Amy. "Pay up."

Amy rolled her eyes at him, but she reached into her purse for the twenty that she now owed him. "You are unbelievable."

"I'm just earning back the money that I lost on you and Lieutenant Cooper," he told her.

"Hold up a minute." Julio looked between the two. "You guys actually put money on this?" He hooked a thumb at the Captain and Flynn. "Come on, it was so obvious."

"No," Buzz smirked. "I already knew about it. I said that she would come clean about it."

Amy sighed. She looked heavenward. "Thanks a lot, Captain."

"What? Amy!" Sharon's eyes were wide. "Your poor gambling choices are not my fault." She looked around the table. "Are these really the things you all talk about when I'm not around?"

"Oh no." Andy laughed. "If you had given it another five minutes, Julio would have been trying to piss me off." He kept his arm around her shoulders and pulled her a little closer. "He'd have been waxing poetic about your legs."

"What?" The detective looked nonplussed by being outed. "He always falls for it, ma'am. I can't help it if Flynn is completely predictable."

"Oh my god." Sharon turned her face into Andy's shoulder and hid it. "I should have stayed and finished the time sheets," she moaned.

"Maybe." Buzz was grinning. "But I'm not complaining." He folded the twenty in half and tapped Amy with it. "Never bet against the rulebook."

"You know what." Sharon reached across the table and took it out of his hand. "I'll take that. I have a feeling we're going to need a few more drinks, so it's going to be quite a tab." She shoved it into Andy's pocket. "If I'm going to be feeding him, I'm going to need it."

Mike shook his head while Buzz pouted. "Never admit to betting on the rulebook in front of the rulebook."

"I have a question," Provenza interrupted. He leaned against the table and stared at the couple beside him. "Why now?" That was the only thing that he couldn't quite figure out. "You've been dating for a year," he pointed out, "and now it's a problem?"

They looked at one another. Apparently they would never be able to convince any of the people that knew them that they had not spent all of that time dating. Not in the way that the others meant. Andy sighed. "You know, it just seemed like the right time to do it."

Sharon was silent. Her lips were pursed. When the Lieutenant looked at her, she shrugged. "He was driving me crazy. I can handle his feet on my coffee table," she said, and managed to keep a straight face and an even tone, "but it's those used teabags he keeps leaving in the break room. It was driving me batty. Something had to go. Since he's willing to do manual labor…"

Andy rolled his eyes at her. "You are horrible." He leaned down and kissed the side of her head. "Everyone here knows that those teabags are yours, so just don't even try it, woman."

Her jaw dropped. She poked his side. "They are not. You take that back." They hadn't yet figured out who the culprit was, but she was starting to think it might actually be Taylor.

The others watched them devolve into the banter that came so easily to them when they were away from their jobs. It was an amusing back and forth. Provenza rolled his eyes. "I should have seen this coming." He shook his head. "Throw in a little more snark and this was them five years ago. We should have known then that he was a goner."

"Oh." Julio smirked. "We knew. We just all agreed to not tell you." The Captain and Flynn had stopped and were looking at him. "What? It's true. Like I said, the legs thing, it works every time. He used to get mad because I was accusing him of actually looking, ma'am. Now he gets mad because he thinks that I am. Flynn is totally predictable."

"Just for the record," Sharon pointed out, for both of them, "you do understand how completely sexist that is, right?"

"We know." Andy grinned "They're just really nice le—" He stopped when she elbowed him. He rolled his eyes heavenward and said, much to the amusement of the others, "Yes dear."

"Hm." Sharon reached into his pocket for the twenty dollar bill. She tossed it back at Buzz. "On second thought, he can feed himself," she said, but didn't protest when he pulled her close again. Instead, her arm wound its way around his waist and she leaned more fully into his side.

Eventually, as she had expected that it would, the new wore off and the conversation drifted to other topics. Sharon ordered a glass of wine and noticed while they waited for their table that Andy had drifted behind her to what she was beginning to sense was his favorite place. He was talking to Provenza about that afternoon's baseball game while he stood with his hands on her shoulders and his chest pressed against her back. He had to reach around her for his glass, or the chips and salsa that the waitress had brought over for them while they waited, and each time he drew his hand back it would fall to rest against her waist, before eventually finding its way back to her shoulder.

They were being rather more demonstrative than she was used to, but it felt good to be able to be honest about the way that she felt. There were no more pretenses and there would be no more hiding. Their discretion at work would still be necessary, but here, they were just among friends; they were just surrounded by family.

After dinner and making sure that everyone who needed a ride home had one, Sharon let Andy put her in her car with the intention of going home. She made it only a few blocks away before turning around. She pointed her car toward Echo Park instead and drove the several miles out of her way that would take her to Andy's house. She thought of changing her mind several times during the drive, but there was nothing waiting for her at home but a lonely apartment. Rusty was out for the night, and she knew from experience that it would be several hours before he made it home.

There was also that kiss. The one that he had given her as she leaned against the side of her car while they said goodnight. She had intended to only leave him with a gentle goodbye, but while she was playing with his tie, his hands had gathered her hair back from her face. He tipped her face toward him and their mouths had hovered close, barely touching. His thumb traced the curve of her jaw, and then his lips had brushed hers. His tongue swept across her bottom lip in a teasing touch and then he had pulled away. He opened her car door for her and told her that he would see her in the morning.

She might have been a little dazed as he put her into the car. She was secure enough to admit that there was a certain sense of giddy anticipation that hovered in the air at the start of a new relationship. It was thrilling, the way that excitement tingled along nerve endings. The mind wandered, and the imagination was given wings to fly, and to dream. The future became bright and filled with colors and possibilities. They lived on earth, but there was nothing wrong with staring at the clouds. They deserved that much, didn't they? The opportunity to dream.

It emboldened her. She considered turning back, but did not hesitate in leaving her car again after parking it alongside his. Her steps were sure as they carried her across his walk and up the concrete steps that were attached to a narrow wooden porch. It stretched across the front of the old bungalow. It was only just wide enough for the porch swing that hung at the far end.

As Andy explained it, while the house was a little too big for just him, he had bought it in the early years of his sobriety because it gave him hope. It was something to work toward, that his children might someday occupy those rooms, at least part of the time. It was not a dream that was ever fully realized, but the idea of living in a small apartment had seemed depressing and far lonelier than the small, three bedroom home. There were the grandchildren now, Nicole's stepsons and any others that might come along one day. Those relationships had taken time to rebuild, but the house was there, and the dream had changed.

He was redoing the two guest rooms, painting and refurnishing. They stood empty now, which was how Sharon had found herself sleeping in his bed the night of her impromptu Martini Marathon with Gavin. He seemed like such a belligerent cynic, but he was as much a hopeful dreamer as anyone else that she knew. She loved that about him. He was such a tough guy, hot-tempered and sarcastic, but his smile could light a room. His laugh, thick and rumbling, could vibrate right through her, until she was left feeling warm and light, filled with the same sense of amusement. He wasn't known for his patience, but he had waited for her, and then he left her waiting for him while he took care to guard both of their hearts. He could be endlessly frustrating, entirely infuriating, but somehow he had managed to fill her thoughts and capture her heart. Now he filled her dreams with images of what tomorrow might look like.

She was living in the moment when she knocked on the door. It opened a minute later. His jacket was gone, and his tie was loosened but still in place. That told her that he was only just home, and must have been just a few minutes ahead of her. Sharon smiled at the surprise that lit his face. It lasted only a moment before warmth filled his gaze. She took a step forward at the same time that he reached for her. He stepped back and turned, and the moment that she was clear of it, the door was pushed closed again. Sharon's hands curled around his suspenders and she leaned into him fully as her face lifted toward his.

He turned with her as their mouths met and the wall was to her back. His hands settled against her waist and moved down to grip her hips. He pulled her against him. There was a fire and passion, and all reason was pushed aside for the moment. Her arms wound around his neck and she sought to pull him closer as she was caught up in the scent and taste of spice and man. She could only hold on through the onslaught; she shivered, and choked on a low moan when his mouth moved across her jaw to her neck. She arched her neck for him, and offered a low hum of approval when his teeth scraped across her pulse point. His arm curled around her waist and he lifted her flush against him while his tongue danced across the hollow of throat.

Her nails scoured the skin at the back of his neck as her hands moved to grip his head and draw his attention back to her mouth. She nipped impatiently at his lips and was glad for the solid presence of the wall when he pressed her into it, only to let his other hand slide up, over her ribcage until his thumb was skirting the underside of her breast. Her back arched and she pressed herself into his questing hand, and was unsure if the groan she swallowed was hers or his, or some mingled sound of desire. The heat of it moved through her, and she forgot her impatience as her head fell back. Her hands moved into his hair and she gripped his head while his mouth travelled along her neck again.

It was almost painful, but he let go of her. It was abrupt enough to leave both of their heads spinning, but Andy took a step back and put an arm's length between them. He took a ragged breath and ran a hand through his hair. His heart was beating rapidly but that was nothing compared to the heat that he was trying to push back down. When his tongue swept his lips, moistening them, he could still taste her. His jaw clenched, and although he was tempted to drag her forward, and his hands itched to touch her again, he stood still. "Sharon?"

He was watching her, dark eyes almost black. She leaned back against the wall, hands flat against it, and found her purchase in the cool plaster. Her eyes closed, for just a moment. It was only her name, thick and rasping, but filled with a thousand different questions. She drew a breath and pushed off the wall. She found his gaze again and held it. Sharon reached past him, and without looking away, she let her fingers find and flip the deadbolt. Then she stooped and picked up the purse that had been knocked from her shoulder in their initial greeting. It was only then that she walked away from him, and only so far as to drop the purse onto a chair in his living room. When she turned back, she found him standing behind her, close enough that she could feel the heat radiating off his tall from. She scraped her teeth across her bottom lip and lifted her brows at him. "I didn't want to go home to an empty bed," she said thickly.

Andy took another step forward. His hand curled around her wrist. He drew her forward and let his arm slide around her waist again. His hand settled against her hip. He searched her eyes for a moment, and found none of the hesitation that he would have expected to see. "Then stay," he said simply. His hand slipped down to curl around her smaller one, and he pulled her with him when he turned.

The path to his bedroom was familiar. She moved with him, and as their fingers twined together, a smile curved her lips. Sharon moved into his side as they made the short walk down the hall. Her free hand curled around his arm and she leaned into him. Her lips were soft against his neck. This time when she woke up in his bed, she had every intention of remembering exactly how she had gotten there.

-TBC-