The evening had gone well after Conrad had helped her. They all had fun, enjoyed the feeling that the alcohol had left in their throats, told old stories and laughed. She was happy with the way the evening had turned out. She had finally told her friends what had been going on with her lately. Had finally let someone see behind the facade and had been able to pour out her heart.
Much later, after three in the morning, she had found herself on the balcony of the restaurant with Henry. All the other guests had long left and she had just said goodbye to Isabelle and Juliet, who had to be back at work in a few hours. That left just her, Henry, Mike and Conrad. She looked around trying to spot the other two, but couldn't find them anywhere. 'Probably the two of them were still at the table, holding onto the whiskey bottle and talking about some senator who had apparently screwed up again.' She had to grin. Somehow she found it amusing to think that Mike, even when he was drunk, was still capable of discussing politics. With Conrad, it didn't surprise her. It was practically written into the job description as leader of the Free World that even under great alcoholic influence, a clear head had to be kept. She herself had needed some time to get used to the daily and comparably large consumption of alcohol within her working hours while sitting in meetings or negotiations.
"A beautiful night, don't ya think?" Henry's words snapped her out of her train of thought. She turned her head back to him and looked into his eyes. When his gaze met hers, her breath caught briefly. Absently and distractedly, she murmured an "Mmm," while her thoughts continued to be on his bright eyes and the tingling sensation that was spreading through her body. "Mmmm, that it is. Beautiful." She wasn't quite sure herself what her statement was referring to. The night was truly beautiful. A tepid summer night, with crickets chirping in the trees around them and the stars visible. But also the feeling he triggered in her was beautiful. So was the deep look into his eyes. She sighed, forcing herself to emerge from her thoughts, enjoy the moment in its full gravity and get a conversation going.
"So, and you got divorced two years ago?" She could kick herself, why had she said that? Why was that the first question in her mind? Technically, she knew why, but wasn't ready to admit it to herself. After all this years… She was about to apologize when Henry already cut her off. "It's all good. Yeah, two years ago. I, um, we didn't make each other happy anymore. In the beginning we tried so many things, couple therapy and group education classes, as well as a trust course, but what can I say, even though we had given everything, the feeling didn't go away. And one day we decided we deserved more than that."
"Couples therapy?" Elizabeth's interest was piqued. She hadn't been to a therapist herself in a very long time, but Andrew had. She had heard about couples therapy, but had never really imagined going to one with Andrew. Especially since she hadn't really been sure if she really wanted their bond and points of contact to deepen again.
Henry rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment, then answered a bit sheepishly. "Well, I've been in therapy before, a lot has happened in my life," he smiled innocently at her before continuing more in jest than in earnest, "You know, starting with the transfer in the company in an other department..."
Elizabeth's eyes grew wide and she looked at him, startled. "Oh, oh Henry, I'm so sorry about that! I..." "Hey, it's all right, it was supposed to be funny," he tried to reassure her, but she could see right through him. "Henry, no. There's…," She swallowed and then decided to tell him about the threats from his wife to her. She would do anything to explain to him that it had not been her will, but that she had had no choice, "Henry, I," But Henry still held up his hand defensively. "You don't have to explain yourself. Elizabeth, it's fine. Really. I believed you had your good reasons. Please, you don't have to do that, so that I feel better."
"No, Henry. Listen to me, please." She couldn't screw this up now. 'Put all your cards on the table, Adams. All right, maybe not all. Leave out the one about your crush on him.' "Back when we worked together, I had a few run-ins with Patricia. And let's just say, not quite very nice ones. She made it very clear that she wanted me to transfer you. She threatened to make my life miserable." After a short pause waiting for his reaction, she averted her eyes from him and looked uncertainly at the floor in front of her. Very softly, she whispered after he still didn't say anything, "She was worried we were getting too close." When he was still so painfully silent, she considered looking up again. Maybe he hadn't heard her...
Her last sentence kept running in his mind. "She was worried we were getting too close." Part of him cursed his ex-wife for threatening the woman in front of him, the other part could understand her. 'Who knows what you'd do, McCord.' He thought to himself. "She was worried we were getting too close." Especially since Patricia had had every right to be. He had always admired Elizabeth Adams. She was a powerful, confident and stunning woman, who managed to make everybody feel important and who actually cared about others. If he said he had never had a dirty dream with her, he would definitely be lying. Especially since Mike B's call, his thoughts drifted to her more and more often. "She was worried we were getting too close.", "She was worried we were getting too close.", "She was worried we were getting too close." The more often the thought crossed his brain, the more certain he was that there was something more. He felt a pull in his groin like he hadn't felt in a long time. Slowly, he lowered his head a bit and searched for her eyes. "She was worried we were getting too close."
'It's now or never McCord' Hoarsely and in a low voice he spoke, "Elizabeth?," she had lowered her chin again. And he reached out and placed his fingers under her chin, after quickly sweeping his gaze around them once. ‚God, he felt for that woman…' Carefully, he motioned for her to look back up and look him in the eye. "Elizabeth," he gathered all his courage and formed his next words with deliberation. "Was she right?"
He felt her tense and repeated his question, „Was she right? Were we getting too close?" He stared in her eyes, definitely searching for an answer in them. She stared back, not saying a word, and he was able to see all their moments together flashing by in her mind. Moments when they were both happy, relaxed, sad and desperate. Moments when they had laughed together, sat together on the floor in front of the armchair in their office in the middle of the night, trying to connect the right dots to find the terrorist group before they could spread fear and hate, evenings when they had been out to dinner together, talking about the current cases and smiling about their co-workers. Moments when they had both been themselves, when everything seemed to be fine, when the world was suddenly light and carefree.
He saw her close her eyes and felt her swallow. The movement of her skin under his fingers, jacked a shiver down his spine and he couldn't help but imagine what she would feel like. Skin on skin, movement on movement. Her skin under his palms, her skin under his lips. He leaned down further for a moment, the pull in his groin increase in strengh. His lips just inches from hers, he paused and whispered in a raspy voice, "Elizabeth, I'm going to kiss you now." She closed her eyes and thrust her chin forward a little, barely noticeable if he hadn't had his fingers on her chin. „Please," it came as a whimper from her. Slowly he pressed the last few millimeters toward her as their lips collided.
Her lips tender and full. He brushed his lips against hers, before he pulled back. Giving her the chance to end things. As she didn't move, he went in again. As soon he had touched her lips, Elizabeth leant in. He let his tongue run along her lips as his hands settled on her cheeks and pulled her to him. It didn't take a moment and her hands had made their way to his head as well. One hand ran through his hair and the other nuzzled the back of his neck. A moan escaped him. He changed the angle in which he leaned his head to the other side and elicited a small moan from her as well. Their tongues met tentatively and his hands worked up through her hair, holding her in place afraid she would pull away
To lost in another, they didn't notice Conrad, who had just said goodbye to Mike and stepped into the double doors of the balcony to say goodbye to Elizabeth and Henry as well.
When he saw the outlines of two people hugging each other tightly. A smile played around his lips as he recognized them. Her golden hair shone in the glow of the moonlight. 'His Bess.' A lonely tear escaped his eye as he knew Elizabeths background and even of her unspoken crush on Henry. A Tear full happiness and joy for her. Back then, when he had asked her to come to his office to explain why he was holding the application to transfer Dr. McCord and it was signed by her, he had cross-examined her. He had been so sorry to see her suffer so, his delight for her was only greater now. She had looked so hurt, so heartbroken...
He heard footsteps behind him and turned in time to block Mike's view of them. "I know I said I wanted to go home, but," Conrad strode back into the room and gestured for Mike to go ahead, "what do you think about a repeat of this," he pointed to the empty whiskey bottles on the table, "in a bar?" Briefly, he considered what he would answer if Mike asked him what was up with Elizabeth and Henry, but his concern was unfounded. Mike seemed to be in his own world, not really noticing what was going on around him anymore. As he stumbled down the hallway to the side entrance of the restaurant, he slurred, "Conrad, I'm tired." Conrad smirked and put his hand on his shoulder as they stood in front of the car line. "Come on then, I'll take you home. A warrior knows when the battle is fought, right?"
As he watched Mike pull into the back seat of the SUV, he took another quick glance over his shoulder. Bess and Henry were nowhere to be seen. A smile was on his lips as he thought about it. 'Bess, your little secret is safe with me. Please, please, enjoy it. You deserve all the happiness in the world.'
The feeling of his lips against hers made her feel complete. When she was out of breath, she leaned her forehead against his and whispered, „Take me home."