Close quarters

Chapter 12

"...I wished I had you..."

When Mike confessed that, Connie felt dazed within the confines of the narrow hallway. It was as if a warm fog had descended on her and blurred the outside world.

Confusion and desire swirled inside her, making her feel helpless.

Her breath shortened as she gazed back at him. She noted how his eyes now dropped to her lips, making her mouth tremble.

"Mike… what are we doing?"

Mike wished he knew. He searched for the right words to say.

"Connie, I've imagined this moment a million times in my head…"

His words sent a shiver down her spine. She tried to control the bursting excitement at hearing those words. Looking into his fathomless eyes at close range, she could see glints of midnight coloring in his blue depths as she answered with heartfelt sincerity.

"I've ...had thoughts... of being with you, too..."

He let out a taut breath. Although he wanted so much to pull her completely in his arms, he held still waiting, his chest rising and falling in a rhythm much faster than normal.

"It's your decision to make, Connie."

She had an infinite number of reasons why she should leave, but only one why she should remain. Trying to maintain her composure, Connie could feel her heart thumping in a mad rhythm.

"Mike, I don't want to miss this chance with you…"

Her voice spoke of deep yearnings, and Mike could not believe what he was hearing. He watched in awe as her arms slid around his neck, her soft hands touching the nape of his neck. Mike felt his stomach do a flip.

There was an intimate pressure against his hip as he felt the heat of Connie's body closing in. His head was tilted down, gazing deep in her eyes.

"Are you sure?" He was giving her one last chance for a way out, "It will change everything between us..."

Swallowing hard, she looked right into his eyes as she spoke from her heart.

"Michael Cutter, I've never been more sure of anything in my entire life..."

He had been patient and understanding, but now his self -control seemed to snap. Mike leaned in and captured her mouth in a soft, open kiss. Her lips were so lush and warm.

His arms closed around her, solid muscle against her soft curves. Connie's heart pounded with a deafening roar as the kiss turned into a blaze of sensations.

Their breathing became intense as Mike's mouth became hot and insistent. Connie felt the heat of his fingertips as he brushed against her shoulder, to her throat until he reached the side of her cheek. All Connie knew was that she wanted him, she needed him.

Mike was only aware of her soft mouth burning into his. She tasted sweet and luscious He could feel her body yielding more into his as his mouth continually teased and pressed.

Gradually his mouth softened into one deep, searching kiss that stole her breath away. She sighed in satisfaction, her body relaxed as she welcomed the tender exploration. Everywhere his hand caressed on her body felt warm and intimate.

Intoxicated by the softness of her lips, Mike held her in an unbreakable hold, while his tongue sought more of her. He knew the exact moment when her leg became entangled in his. He longed to kiss and love every part of her, to give her more pleasure than it was possible to bear.

Mike's senses were reeling. All he wanted right now was to feel Connie's sensual curves beneath his fingers.

Connie's sensual curves. Connie! Words suddenly sprung up from a hidden recess in his mind. Damn, what was he thinking? He had once stated to Jack that he would never get involved with a colleague, that it was totally unprofessional.

So what was he doing here with Connie?

He had to put an end to this! After all, they were in the hallway of a workplace, dammit!

He tore his mouth away from hers as they both stood close together with ragged breaths.

"Mike?" Connie questioned, her eyes wide, confused that they had stopped, "What is it?"

His gaze moved from her seductive lips, to her flushed cheeks, to her beautiful brown eyes. Connie could see the sensual heat in his gaze.

"Connie," he answered honestly, through clenched teeth, "I…I don't trust myself with you any longer. We have to stop while I am still able…"

Connie knew exactly what he meant, but her body ached for his embrace as she now felt the coolness of the hallway.

"Yes, of course," Connie ruefully stated, still trying to catch her breath, "but...I wished it weren't so."

Connie's back had been against the wall as Mike stood hanging over her. He groaned and hung his head low as his hands formed into a fist before he stepped away.

When he looked up at Connie again, his pulse was still beating rapidly as he noted her lush-filled kissed lips. The way he looked at her made her legs quiver.

They looked at one another, their eyes still intense with unspent passion.

So now I know, thought Connie, who could still feel the warm pressure of his lips. And it was even more thrilling and sensual than she could have ever imagined.

.

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It was getting very late and they still had the case to discuss.

Mike's office offered them more space to spread out their work. However, it was difficult to concentrate when they had just shared their first intimate embrace.

Their minds were still in a hot, intoxicating haze, but the case was moving quickly and they needed to discuss it or fall behind.

Although they were the only two in the office, they could not help continually exchanging private smiles.

Mike was sitting behind his desk again. It was the first time Connie had been in his new office. She wanted to bask in his surroundings before resuming their work.

Anything that was part of Mike's life, she wanted to savor.

In contrast to his old workplace, his new office was user-friendly, all done in warm tones of beige and rust. A retro trapezoid-shaped lampshade was positioned in one corner of his room, consisting of actual curtains decorated in coordinating taupe patterns. Against one wall hung a large picture displaying flags from around the world. There were smatterings of legal journals, but nothing else to indicate this was a law office.

She sighed and then sat back in her chair, with a light smile on her face.

"What?" Mike asked with a playful smile on his face, wondering what her lovely mind was thinking.

She tilted her head as she grinned, "I was just thinking about…your office, Mike,…it's not like an office at all; it's so cozy….like being in a room in a house."

He smiled that kind of smile that showed his dimples, which made Connie want to swoon, "There is a bit of a 'home sweet home', to this office, isn't there? Definitely not my choice in interior designs for a Bureau Chief's office!"

"Now, don't get me wrong, Mike," said Connie, "This new office of yours is attractively decorated, but I do miss the little touches that made your old office oh- so- very- special…"

By the lilt in her voice, it was obvious she was being playful.

"Really now? My previous office contained little touches?" he said, attempting to hide his smile, "Do tell."

"Oh, indeed! All those special touches that were so you...that cheap steel bar frame to hang your jacket with the additional tattered shoe boxes on top, the diorama of the staircase leading to absolutely nowhere, the door-sized whiteboard that was too small to write anything, and let's not forget the ax embedded in a random piece of concrete on top of the file cabinet!"

Mike shook his head, a smile lurking at one corner of his mouth, as he responded.

"Hey! I'll have you know that ax-in-concrete was evidence in a major win for me on my first case! As for the rest...well, what you've stated is true.."

"Which part was true?" Connie asked lightly.

"...That not everyone is as creative in their interior design selections as moi." He proudly pointed both his index fingers at himself.

Connie laughed, wishing moments like this would last forever.

She took one more glance around, "…and what? They wouldn't allow you to display your infamous softball and bat?Such a shame, really. For to me, they always signified that you were having a major breakthrough regarding a case."

Mike smiled at her interpretation of his baseball props.

"The bat I purposely left behind- it was too tempting to use on my attorneys. But the baseball... now the baseball is a whole different matter,..."

He was grinning as he reached into his top right-hand drawer and produced the ball, tossing and catching it in the air, "…this baseball here is still used for clarity. However, if I am being honest here, I can clearly see everything I desire, without tossing the baseball once!"

His gaze was teasing, flirtatious, and with a rush of delight, Connie had to admit that she cherished the moments when they were not talking about cases, when they were just being themselves.

The problem was, his charm made him so appealing. Connie smiled back as Mike's disarming blue eyes watched her. Her entire body seemed to pulse in response to his gaze.

But despite the night being so magical, she needed to view Mike Cutter as merely her temporary boss.

If only she could.

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(Abby: I hope I didn't disappoint?)

(Thanks to 25th day for the screencaps so that I was able to describe Mike's new office)

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