Michael and Fiona share a moment.
Chapter 7
Michael had awakened early, after a sleepless night, and went to the back door of his loft, which doubled as a huge back window. He had pushed aside the heavy door to reveal a view of industrial warehouses on the waterfront. As he leaned against the door frame, he stared out onto the lavender light of dawn. Factory smoke drifted over the city in a light haze, softening the harsh outline of the rundown buildings.
Looking out over the waterfront, his thoughts drifted to distant memories. He recalled how eagerly Fiona used to respond to him when he would reach out for her back in Ireland. He would kiss her whole-mouth hungry, with a raw desire. As their relationship progressed over time, they also shared deep aspirations and life assessments as Fiona became 'the one'.
But his next assignment arrived all too soon and reality entered their world. It had not been an easy decision for Michael to leave her during that time, but people's lives were on the line.
Fiona had been asleep when he had noiselessly shut the door for the last time and walked away. He could not bear telling her face-to-face. Oh, he knew she would have put on a brave front, but inside, her heart would ache, just as his had been irreversibly broken.
Time had moved on, yet his yearnings for her had never waned.
Presently, he could hear Madeline snoring from where he stood, although she would always swear she was just "breathing loudly". Last night, his mother and Fiona had shared his large bed. He looked towards the bed and noticed only one lump.
A female voice from behind slightly startled Michael.
"You're up early, Michael," Fi said quietly, so as to not wake up Madeline. Michael did not even hear Fi come up to him. She would have made an excellent covert spy.
"Sleep has been elusive," Michael stated, quickly recovering, "I'm worried about Mom. I can't believe she was placed in danger yesterday. In broad daylight, no less."
Fi tilted her head at him, a pleased expression on her face.
"I like when you show you care about her, Michael."
"She's my mother, after all, Fi. For all her meddling and frustrating ways, I wouldn't know what I'd do if something happened to her, " he admitted.
"But nothing happened to her… because of you," Fiona reminded him.
Michael liked that he could be honest with Fi about his variable feelings towards his mother. However, one thing he wouldn't admit to Fiona is the reason why he didn't want Fi to stay here at his loft day and night.
He didn't know if he would be able to resist her.
For despite all her strong and sexy bravado, Fiona was the most feminine, vulnerable woman he has ever encountered, and that made her irresistible.
"Michael, I know you worry about her, but just treat this case like any other case." Fi brought him back to the present. Her head went back and forth as she recited a list: "… we'll just do some investigating…some breaking in…some conning…some shooting-especially some shooting…"
Michael liked listening to the lull of her low, sexy, voice.
His gaze swept longingly over her face.
Fi was caught off guard by the way he was focusing on her and stopped in the middle of her recitation. It wasn't a look of attentive listening he was giving her; it was a look of desirous yearning. She attempted to look indifferently back at him, but there was also a telltale look of passion in her eyes.
The coolness of the morning air turned sultry, as sensual tension permeated throughout the loft.
Michael hadn't expected to make a move on her, but her nearness was overwhelming. He murmured her name close to her ear, his breath a soft whisper, tantalizing her skin.
The velvety murmur of his voice made Fiona shiver. Her pulse beat wildly as Michael leaned towards her.
Michael pulled her into his arms and lowered his head as he angled his mouth over hers. The kiss, at first, was tentative. Slowly the gentleness became more urgent, as his tongue began searching hers in deep sweeps.
Fiona found herself relaxing against his hard body, accepting the tender pleasure of his kiss. She felt heat radiating from slowly within her.
At the same time, her inner voice told her this was just a physical moment in time; this was not a promise to stay. How could she allow this to happen again? She managed to pull her lips from his as she attempted to move from his embrace.
But the first blush of the beautiful day seemed to close all around them.
So instead of pushing him away, she intimately slid her palm to his lean cheek. It had been so long since she had touched him, she just wanted to feel him again. Just a second longer, she thought. Her hand attentively explored his closely-shaved stubble, as her gaze never left his.
"Michael…" she said delicately, "We shouldn't be together…like this…"
She whispered his name like a soft sigh. His left hand reached out to her cheek, the thumb making circular motions.
"It's just that you're so beautiful, Fiona," Michael admitted, his unreadable persona finally cracking.
She then felt his strong hand close around the back of her neck. Her willpower to stop this had abandoned her.
He tilted her head back and sealed his mouth over hers once more, kissing her hard this time. Fi's weak defenses crumbled, as he possessed her mouth with deep, delicious kisses. Michael kissed her as if he would devour her. Moaning, she stood on her toes, pushing herself up to him as he buried his hands in the locks of her luscious hair.
Breaking the kiss, Michael then traced kisses lightly along her jawline, finding the vulnerable area along the side of her throat. Fi closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation as he finally found the area where a pulse throbbed wildly.
She felt compelled to touch him somewhere, anywhere, as she reached up and...
"Hey! Where is everyone?"
Madeline's raspy voice reverberated throughout the huge, open loft.
Michael abruptly broke his hold, almost comically dropping Fi.
Their intimate embrace was not lost on Madeline, as she sat up in the bed. But instead of feeling embarrassed, a big grin appeared on her face.
If two people ever deserved to be together, it was her son and Fiona, Madeline thought to herself. For only Fiona could bring the contentment Michael needed in his life.
"Aren't you glad I had arranged to have Fiona here, Michael?" Madeline sounded so proud of herself.
By chance, Michael's cell phone rang, so he didn't have to answer the question. He took a deep breath and tried to collect himself. Fi looked down, cleared her throat and finger-combed her hair. She couldn't bring herself to even look at him.
If she did, she would be tempted to walk straight back into his arms.
Michael walked over to the counter to retrieve his cell phone.
"Yeah... Sam," Michael said, taking another deep breath, quite relieved to have something else to think about.
"Hey Mikey, put on your big boy spy pants," Sam's voice sounded satisfied, "I just found out the identity of your Dewey Bar guy."
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Hope you enjoyed the passionate yearnings! What did you think? Please review.
