vii. in the glow of the candlelight

It's much later in the night than Captain Raydor expected it would be when she finally slides into the front seat of her car. The six o'clock hour had been halfway over when she received the phone call from Andrea, who had asked her if she wanted to come over for dinner after work. The captain had been packing up for the day and had told Andrea she would love to; it was Saturday, and there was nothing more appealing than spending her Saturday night with Andrea after having to come in to work. But as she was about call it a day, Chief Pope had called her down to his office for an unscheduled meeting that had gone on for more than an hour. Then, once that was over, the captain had taken a trip to the Murder Room, where she went over documents with Chief Johnson and reiterated that their search for the leak was still of importance.

The day, while not abnormally tiring, has been long and Sharon's ready for a cool glass of wine and some good company. However, as she glances at the time and sees that it's already after eight, she isn't sure dinner with Andrea is still an option for the night. She'd sent the other woman a few quick text messages to keep her informed, her last one being just before she stepped into Brenda's office with a stack of files and contracts Pope had pushed on to her to bring to the Deputy Chief. She told Andrea she wasn't sure when she would be leaving and that she'd call when she finished to make sure it wasn't too late, to which Andrea responded that as long as Sharon wasn't tired, any time was okay. Still, Sharon feels the need to call to make sure Andrea hasn't changed her mind.

Before Sharon pulls out of her parking space, she slips in her earphone that's connected to her cell phone and calls the blonde. It rings a few times before Andrea answers with a, "Hey there. How's it going?"

It's instant, that sensation she feels travel along her spine when she finally hears Andrea's voice after not hearing it all day. It's comforting. "Good, good," she responds, turning onto the street carefully. "I stayed longer with Brenda than I expected, but everything went well and I'm done for the day. Have you finished the crossword?"

"Hmm," Andrea mutters. "Oh. No, I've left the rest for you. I came to the conclusion, halfway through, that you're the better half of this team and I couldn't complete it without you. So I took care of all the easy ones for you."

Sharon snorts out a laugh. "How thoughtful of you."

"I'm nothing if not thoughtful, Sharon. You should know that by now." The captain hums in agreement. "Speaking of - -"

"Yes."

"- - I decided to wait to order until I knew for sure you were going to be coming over. You sounded unsure about whether you would be able to make it tonight."

Well that answers her question, Sharon thinks, approaching the street where she'll have to turn to get to the other woman's house. "I can stop to get something on my way there," she suggests. "What are you in the mood for?"

Andrea lets out a long hum, like she's stretching; Sharon pictures her on the sofa, back curving slightly as she thinks. "A bubble bath, some candles, and a long massage."

"As wonderful as that sounds, I can't pick that up from anywhere," she responds with a slight smile.

"Mmm. No, but you could bring yourself and give me a massage. I wouldn't be opposed to that."

Sharon licks her lips and tightens her grip on the steering wheel, forcing her mind to stay clear while she drives. She doesn't imagine what it would be like to sweep her hands across Andrea's bare back and feel her skin warm beneath her touch. She doesn't imagine making the blonde moan while she kneads into her flesh. No, not at all.

Sharon clears her throat. "One thing at a time. What would you like to have for dinner?"

Andrea lets out a sound that's almost a laugh before she responds. "Surprise me."

And so Sharon arrives twenty minutes later with pad thai from that place Andrea really loves. Before stepping out of the car, the brunette checks her hair and makeup in the mirror. She applies a fresh coat of liquid color to her lips, the pale pink shade something new she's trying, and then gathers the bags she's bringing into the house. The walk from the car to the cherry wood door is short and quick; she notices on her way up the stairs that the lights are off in the living room and that there's a faint glow she can just barely see.

She rings the doorbell and hears Andrea call out that it's open after the chiming stops. Sharon lets herself into the house and closes the door softly behind her. The glow, she now realizes, is coming from the candles that are scattered across surfaces in the living/dining room area. The flames flicker and dance and create shadows on the walls. Sharon's eyes sweep across the room slowly as she walks in farther, her steps small and her skin prickling. On the table there's a cylinder candle and two wine glasses across from one another; when she walks over to it and puts the dinner down, she hears movement behind her.

"We've never had a candlelit dinner before," Andrea explains with a smile in her voice, and Sharon feels herself smiling in response as she takes in her surroundings once more and turns to face the other woman. "I thought you might like it."

Sharon more than likes what Andrea's done, and she had had every intention of saying that. But when her eyes land on the other woman, staring in awe is all she can manage. Bathed in the golden glow of the candles, the blonde is breathtaking. Andrea's blue eyes capture the flickering light of the candle, glinting as they look into Sharon's. The low lighting creates shadows on her skin, shadows which Sharon traces in her mind as she rakes her eyes over Andrea's body. The cream blouse she's wearing, casual but tantalizing with its buttons that are undone enough so there's a hint of black lace visible, is tucked into the black twill pants with a silver button, which brings her attention to the fastening for a moment longer than would be appropriate if she were to be looking at anyone else. It's a mix of laid back and sensual that Andrea captures so easily, and a mix that Sharon finds incredibly enticing.

"This is all very lovely," she says breathily, glancing around once again. "You've outdone yourself. It's beautiful, and you, you look incredible." She turns back to Andrea and, feeling a bit overwhelmed, reaches out and pulls her to her.

Andrea's breath comes out in a quick burst against her cheek when their arms wrap around each other. Having Andrea embrace her so readily, know how much Sharon loves simply being able to feel Andrea's arms around her body, is something she cherishes. It's not the first time she's felt immensely grateful for Andrea's presence in her life, but when she closes her eyes and focuses on the internal warmth she's experiencing, it's the first time she's allowed herself to mentally voice what she's been aware of for a while.

This, Andrea, the happiness that the other woman makes her feel that hadn't been expected: she doesn't want to ever lose any of it. It's been so long since someone has constantly proven that they not only want to be a part of her life but would also be a healthy addition to it. When Andrea says she can depend on her, Sharon not only believes her, she does it, she allows herself to depend on someone else for a change. She's reminded each day how much Andrea does for her; the ever-present support that Andrea offers, even in the smallest of gestures, means the world to Sharon.

It hadn't been that long ago that the idea of falling in love with someone again after everything she had gone through with Jack had seemed both impossible and unappealing. But - -

"I could get used to this," Andrea whispers into the crook of Sharon's neck, just holding her.

- - not only is she falling in love with Andrea, nothing has ever felt so right before in her life.

Later, after they've eaten their Thai and spent nearly an hour at the table, candlelight illuminating already bright smiles and fingers absently tracing each other atop the table, they move into the living room. Andrea has poured Sharon another glass - a silent invitation to stay longer - and she takes it gratefully, drinking from the glass and then setting it down. The blonde sits down on the edge of her coffee table and looks at Sharon thoughtfully, her head tilted and one of her hands resting behind her for support. Sharon's attention first goes to the stretching material over Andrea's full breasts, lingering and finding no reason to hide it, and then up to the woman's intrigue-filled eyes.

"You're thinking about something," Sharon says, partly questioning.

Andrea's brow lifts when she hums, long and deep. She's silent for a moment, still looking at Sharon with that thoughtful expression on her face, and then she sits up. "I am."

"But you're not going to tell me what."

"Somebody's insightful," Andrea teases, sweeping her tongue across her lips. Andrea then shakes her head and looks Sharon up and down without shame, one of her lengthy hums filling the silence. Her eyes travel so very slowly, making Sharon feel like she's being undressed by the other woman's eyes.

Sharon stays perfectly still until she can no longer handle it. It makes her shiver, the desire that flares up instantly. She clears her throat and brushes her hands down her sides. Andrea catches her doing this and smiles at her, holding her gaze now.

"I'm thinking about kissing you," she states clearly, evenly, and without looking away from Sharon. "More specifically, I was thinking about how many chances I've had to kiss you but didn't take advantage of the opportunity."

Sharon's insides twist into knots. Her eyes drop down to the blonde's mouth and then flicker back up. "Oh," she says, looking back down to Andrea's lips and picturing herself kissing them, feeling them for the first time against her own. The knots twist tighter.

Andrea lets out a chuckle and tilts her head in invitation for Sharon to come closer. "Should I assume that's a good 'oh'? Or would this be a good time for me to rethink what I'm about to do?"

"That all depends on what you're planning on doing," Sharon responds while closing the space between them, stopping in front of the blonde.

Andrea scoots forward and tentatively puts one of her hands on Sharon's hip. "This," she says, sweeping her thumb up and then back down. When Sharon hums and steps closer, Andrea's right hand is brought to her second hip, where it mimics the action of the left. "A little of this," she then says with a slight tremor, looking up and sliding her hands along the slender frame of Sharon's torso.

"Mmm. I think it's safe to say that was a good 'oh', then," she says quietly, looking down to watch Andrea's hands as they travel up and down her sides. The cotton of her shirt rubs smoothly against her skin, gliding along with the tender fingers that are making her body light up with electrifying energy.

When she frames the blonde's face with her hands and tilts her head up so their eyes meet, Sharon's breath forces out through her lips in a heavy puff. Muted gray-blue eyes darken ever so slightly, and Sharon can not only see the desire that swirls within them, like a cloud of engulfing smoke, but also the gentleness that she sometimes finds there when Andrea's looking at her. It pulls at Sharon's heart; the organ quivers when it should beat, a frightening feeling when paired with the wringing of her insides. Her fingers tremble, nervous energy spilling out every way it can.

Months of wanting flutter in her belly, string together and wrap around her; she can feel it all coming together as she looks down into Andrea's eyes. She hadn't expected to be nervous, not when she's thought of being able to kiss the other woman for so long, not when they've already been intimate in other ways. But she is. Her fingers still tremble as they stroke Andrea's cheeks; her heart pounds as she looks into eyes that are so beautifully open and telling and full of every emotion Andrea is feeling.

"Stand up," Sharon requests, her voice shaking. She exhales audibly and runs her hands down to strong shoulders, where she holds the other woman while bringing her to her feet.

It's amazing how easily Andrea can calm her nerves. Without saying a word, the blonde takes one of Sharon's hands into her own and brings it close to her mouth. Giving her a gentle look through half-lidded eyes, she lets her smooth lips brush the inside of Sharon's wrist. A small kiss is all it is, and yet it is essentially so much more. It's a 'we'll take it as slow as you need to'. It's an 'I want you'. It's an 'I can see that you're nervous and that's okay'. But most importantly, it's a sign that Andrea is so astoundingly wonderful and loving - and that, that washes away Sharon's nerves and leaves her with excitement and desire and adoration.

They don't say anything as they stand there, chest to chest, fingers mindlessly running up and down arms, breaths quickening and blending in the shared, limited space between the pairs of parted lips. They have no need for words when they communicate so easily without them. They sigh and smile, soft and slow; they step closer, their hearts seeming to be in a competition to see who can beat faster and louder.

Andrea's lids are heavy, and her lips are plush and welcoming. Sharon rubs her hands over the blonde's shoulders and neck, exploring the heated flesh and watching how the blonde moves beneath her, malleable, turning when Sharon presses, tilting when fingers curve beneath her chin. She traces crevices in Andrea's skin, lines and dips, feeling the history of laughs and smiles.

"Beautiful," she whispers after several moments of silence, a thought she so often has when given the opportunity to admire the other woman. Achingly beautiful, she thinks, feeling the harsh hammering in her chest cavity intensify. "I- -" Sharon licks her lips and smiles, almost shyly, taking Andrea's hand and placing it beside her sternum. "Do you feel that?" Andrea presses more firmly. "Just being near you makes my heart race."

Andrea emits a sound that can either be a hum or the start to something else. Sharon can't tell, and it doesn't matter. All that matters in that moment is the way her belly flips when Andrea smiles and cups her cheek. Sharon quickly licks her lips and leans forward, towards the mouth that she feels she already knows so well.

When they kiss, they go into it together, a slow connection of lips that were destined to meet. Soft, easy, the very first caress buzzing all the way at the back of the brunette's skull. It's slow, the way she falls into the kiss - heavy lids fall shut, shoulders relax, hips sway and lean into Andrea's, and then Sharon's lips part to release the soft sigh that is Andrea's undoing.

The tender caress of Andrea's lips against hers is incomparable to any of the sensations she's previously experienced with the other woman. Every slow stroke brings with it a new flush of heat, a new wave of pleasure that washes over the brunette's body. She slants her mouth and lets the tip of her tongue lick the curve of an upper lip; what's sweeter, the sound that Andrea exhales into her mouth or the taste that she needs more of, Sharon cannot decide. She does it again, this time lightly grasping the chin her fingers had been resting underneath; her tongue curves and licks its way into the blonde's mouth, and Andrea pulls her closer.

She catalogs everything: swiping her tongue over the ridges at the roof of Andrea's mouth makes her groan deep down in her throat; when their tongues sensually caress one another, a tremble works its way from one body to the next; her skin is wonderfully sensitive along her throat, and when it's stroked while being kiss, Andrea makes small moans that Sharon can't get enough of. Sharon has wondered so long what it would be like to tangle her fingers in silky strands of hair and cover Andrea's mouth with her own, and now that she knows, she's unable to break away for longer than a few seconds to allow air into her lungs.

She can tell Andrea feels the same need. Her kisses say finally, all soft, lingering kisses until Sharon's moaning into her mouth. Then, like the last of her self-restraint has just evaporated, she releases a drawn out groan that ripples low in Sharon's belly. Hands move with knowledge that one cannot fake, rubbing along the curves of Sharon's body with familiarity, pulling the two of them close together while stealing Sharon's breath from her mouth.

Her own hands grip and squeeze, one in blonde hair and the other on one of the hips that have been calling to her all night. Kissing Andrea is easily the most exhilarating feeling she's experienced in years. She's trembling in the arms of the other woman, her heart preparing to burst out her chest; she can't remember ever kissing someone for the first time and it not being incredibly awkward, and yet Andrea kisses her like she's been doing it all her life.

Andrea runs her teeth over Sharon's sensitized lip and pulls back while the brunette moans and licks the tingling flesh. Their breaths, hot and heavy, stutter out against damp skin. Sharon shudders, shifting on her feet, her knees feeling weak. Her eyes have yet to open, but when Andrea kisses the corner of her mouth, she's expecting it. They'd laughed about this on the phone, predicting that their first kiss would feel endless, that they wouldn't want to put an end to it. Hands splay out across her back, giving off a heat that burns through the thin layer of fabric that separates her from the other woman's skin, and then slide over to Sharon's hips. She exhales a broken breath that turns into a moan when her hips are gripped tightly.

Andrea mutters a curse under her breath and captures Sharon's lip between her teeth, nibbling and then soothing with wet sweeps of her tongue. It starts all over, this time long and deep, noses bumping and teeth colliding as they pour months of flirtation and desire into the kiss. Andrea's been thorough in every other way, so it doesn't surprise Sharon that she kisses like her goal is to make Sharon slowly crumble in the utmost pleasing way. However, it does, if only a little, surprise her that she feels like she might already be approaching that point.

The familiar heat, from the other woman's body - external - is there, as is the heat her touch creates - internal. The excitement is there, the prickling of her skin, the race of her pulse, the sparks of pleasure that make her moan and caress Andrea's body. But it's different. It's stronger, the desire, the feeling for which she cannot find an appropriate name for when her brain is turning to mush. It burns in the back of her mind, whispers across her searingly hot skin like a cool breeze. It's there when their tongues stroke and lips press. The taste of Andrea - - oh, the sweetness of her lips, the delicious smoothness that she finds when her tongue curls and licks the spot behind Andrea's teeth, eliciting the most beautiful moans she's ever heard…

Sharon is helplessly overwhelmed by it all, breathless when their lips separate. They breathe together, hands on hips and backs, stroking lightly. It's thrilling, like a warm glow has erupted inside her chest. She feels her lips, tingling and wet from the blonde's mouth, curve into a smile she has no control over.

Slowly, Sharon blinks her eyes open to find Andrea already looking at her. That warm glow in her chest burns deeper when she takes in the other woman, and she feels that heat lower, much lower. Seeing the woman she has grown so incredibly close to like this, flushed cheeks and full lips, pupils blown but eyes twinkling with the candlelight, makes Sharon ache for her so strongly that she can't help but pull her back in for another kiss.

Andrea answers with a surprised moan but kisses back fiercely, allowing Sharon to blindly walk them towards the sofa. Her mile-long list of tips on pacing and self-restraint fail her, as they have been doing throughout the night, when she pushes Andrea down so that they can sit. There's no previously learned knowledge to help tame what has been awakened inside her. Falling down awkwardly - Andrea slouched against the corner of the sofa, Sharon half on top of her -, Sharon thinks that this might be the first time she's ever truly hungered for the taste of someone. It's certainly the first time she's let it show, insistent and demanding when she licks between warm lips.

Without breaking the connection of their lips, they move themselves into more comfortable positions. Their hands begin to wander once Sharon's pulled close, first only hovering above Andrea's lap and then fully straddling her. Andrea's handsy - which Sharon's always known. She doesn't linger anywhere at first, choosing instead to map out the contours of the brunette's body as if it's her first time. Sharon's hands are just as restless, fingertips burning to trace every inch of Andrea's body - strong arms, curved hips, the outline of breasts…

"Oh my god," Andrea gulps, tossing her head back. Her neck stretches then, an offering which Sharon accepts eagerly, leaning down and covering the heated flesh with her mouth. "Oh my god," she gulps again, tangling her fingers in brown hair and pressing her neck harder against Sharon's lips just long enough to allow Sharon the opportunity to gently suck over her erratic pulse.

"You taste delicious," Sharon softly says, looking up to meet darkened eyes while she swipes her fingers over the wet skin around her mouth. Andrea responds with a long moan, and Sharon lowers her gaze.

"You're blushing," Andrea whispers with amusement, kissing one of Sharon's warm cheeks. "You know how much I love that," she goes on, kissing her way to Sharon's neck.

"Mmm. Oh," Sharon sighs, her skin growing warmer beneath the tender strokes of lips. She's incredibly still save for the fingers that flutter against Andrea's biceps.

Andrea slips her tongue out to lick at the hollow of Sharon's throat, and Sharon's pulse jumps. "I wonder how far down it goes," she continues, nosing the side of Sharon's neck. Her teeth lightly skim the sensitive skin, and Sharon tilts her head and lets out a shaky moan. "How much lower?" Her tongue sweeps over a collarbone, wet, slow, making the skin prickle. Sharon's grip tightens around Andrea's arms. "Or - -" she rubs her hands up Sharon's thighs, over her hips, up to her small waist, lets her fingertips brush the underside of Sharon's breasts, and then heads back down, " - - or do you blush all over?"

Sharon shivers at the sound of the other woman's low voice, her breath hitching when Andrea brings a single finger up to the neckline of the brunette's shirt. "Christ," she mutters, hot everywhere.

"Lower, then?" she questions, lifting her eyebrow and dragging her finger down to Sharon's breasts, pulling the shirt along with her, revealing more skin. She leans forward and kisses Sharon's chest, tentative and slow; the older woman shudders. "I bet you do blush all over," she mumbles against Sharon's breast, more to herself, watching Sharon carefully as she slowly opens her mouth and tastes the skin beneath her.

Sharon groans, too hot, too wet, too aroused.

Her hips roll, seeking, and she pulls Andrea away from her breasts and brings those wondrously soft lips to her mouth. She kisses her hungrily, palming Andrea's breasts and squeezing, swallowing moan after moan until she's panting into the crook of Andrea's neck.

"No more right now," she says, talking into Andrea's shoulder. "I don't think I can handle it," she admits, aching and pulsing.

And yet it is her that brings their mouths together moments later, after Andrea's fingers have drawn lines up and down her spine. Gavin would be proud, she thinks in the back of her mind with a mental smirk, nibbling on Andrea's bottom lip.

"Wow," Andrea exhales once they've finally stopped, grinning and breathing heavily through her nose.

Sharon feels herself laugh and then smirk. "Is that a good 'wow', Andrea?" she asks, using the same tone the other woman had used with her before they kissed.

The blonde's voice drops as she responds, "More like a 'where the hell did you learn to kiss like that?' wow."

Sharon laughs and takes Andrea's face into her hands, her laughter clearing her mind enough for her to focus on what's right in front of her. She remembers Andrea's words from earlier, the ones that had been whispered into Sharon's ear as they embraced. "I could get used to this." Sharon quiets, her eyes softening. She leans forward and places a gentle kiss to Andrea's lips, taking her time as she brushes her lips across the blonde's supple mouth. Andrea releases an answering sigh, wrapping her arms around Sharon, enclosing as if Sharon belongs within them and nowhere else.

She stays there, content, and lets her gentle kisses speak for her.

"There's nowhere else I'd rather be."

To be continued...