They kissed passionately for a moment, Frasier pulling away reluctantly just as Roz's fingers found his belt buckle.
"Wait, we can't...." he was gasping for air, already hating himself for stopping what they were obviously getting ready to do.
"You're right, what was I thinking" Roz hastily agreed, rolling off of him as she sat up gasping for air, starting to feel embarrassed.
"We uhh... just got caught up in the moment right?" Frasier said uncertainly as he stood up, starting to rebutton his shirt. "This was supposed to be a charade and here I am jamming my tongue down her throat. She's going to think I'm taking advantage of her if I don't control myself."
"Right, yeah, just got carried away." Roz agreed as she reached for a nearby robe, feeling slightly embarrassed at her lack of clothing. "I got so carried away I forgot that this whole marriage thing is for Alice. He's just trying to do a friend a favor and I jump him like a cheap date. I'd better control myself or I'll ruin our friendship."
"So uhh see you in the morning right?" An obviously flustered Frasier said while excusing himself and exiting quickly from the room.
"Yeah, night." Roz called after him, relieved when the door shut and she could collapse back onto the bed. "What the hell was that all about?" She groaned as she looked at the ceiling trying to figure out what had just been going on, and who had been the one out of control.
Meanwhile
"I can't believe I did that!" Frasier continued berating himself as he absentmindedly picked Roz's dress off the floor and laid it over a chair with his jacket. "I just hope she doesn't get upset and think I'm trying to use her vulnerability right now to my advantage. But she did reciprocate," a small voice whispered into the back of his mind causing him even more confusion. "Probably just a natural reaction plus withdrawal from her stable of studs in Seattle" he sighed to himself as he laid on the couch and also began staring at the ceiling, analyzing and rationalizing the previous events.
MORNING
Roz woke up early, despite a largely sleepless night and crept out into the living room. Frasier was still sound asleep on the couch so she tiptoed past him to walk on the beach in the early morning light. She knew that it was going to be awkward later and she needed to clear her head before their inevitable talk. She almost contemplated leaving a note, but decided against it as she slipped out the front door.
Frasier woke soon after and realized quickly that Roz was gone. "Oh no, she must hate me." He groaned as he pulled on a t-shirt and sandals and went out on the beach to search for her. He was determined to set their friendship right before things got any more complicated.
When he saw her he had to stop a moment, she was sitting underneath a palm tree in the early morning sunrise and her beauty was breathtaking. It wasn't until she turned her head to acknowledge his presence that he continued forward and sat down awkwardly beside her.
"Good morning" he finally said softly. "How'd you sleep?"
"Morning, ok I guess." Roz's response was equally as awkward as both their minds were whirling with memories of what had happened, and more importantly what had almost happened.
"Look Roz, I'm sorry about last night." Frasier began, unable to stand the silence that was building up between them.
"I'm not." Roz took a deep breath and blurted it out before she changed her mind.
In a heartbeat Frasier's head snapped up and his confused expression was met by her dark brown eyes.
"What... what did you say?" He almost stammered wondering if he could have heard her correctly.
"Look aside from getting a little carried away at the end it went fine." Roz tried to rationalize, though suddenly she felt as if she had gone to far as she began to talk even more rapidly trying to explain what she meant. "I mean you know, Vince got some great footage and well I don't know about you but I thought our little ploy was rather enjoyable. I mean I've had much worse experiences, and well you're a really a great.... well what I mean is that kissing you was far from unpleasant, and well that I know the reasons might have been wrong but... well.... oh I give up I'm just babbling." The flustered Roz hid her head in her hands. "Shoot I thought I'd get myself out of this and I just dug myself deeper."
"I don't know what to say." Frasier was silent for a few moments as he digested this new information. "I'm flattered, and I know what you meant. I guess we shouldn't be upset just because we didn't repulse each other romantically or physically." He laughed as he put his arm around her comfortably. "And yes, you're right, it was enjoyable.... very enjoyable." He grinned as he pulled Roz's head to his shoulder.
Roz was elated that he had felt the same as she had and couldn't resist a wide grin when she looked up at him. "Well you know we are technically married." She let the sentence hang, not going any further though her meaning was clear.
Frasier emitted a deep sigh, obviously lost in thought for a few moments before responding. "Roz, I think it's time we had that serious talk we've both been avoiding."
"Yeah, what happens after all this is over?" Roz agreed almost quietly, the tone suddenly sober again.
"Our options are pretty limited you know, divorce or stay together." Frasier kind of mumbled the last option.
"Yeah, I guess our staying together wouldn't make much sense considering the reason we got married in the first place." Roz's statement almost sounded like a question.
"But a divorce doesn't seem right either." Frasier commented. "Perhaps we could get an annulment?"
"Yeah, that might work, Donny could probably help us out if Laura cannot."
"So I guess we're in agreement that we're breaking it off after the trial." Frasier said solemnly. "I wish I knew how she would feel us staying together. It's going to be hard to go back to just friends after this closeness. Oh well perhaps we can date after this is all over."
"Yeah, I just hope it doesn't affect Alice too much." Was all Roz could say. "I think I'm falling in love with him, but I can't tell him that now, it's to soon. Maybe after the trial things will have changed and we'll want the same thing."
"Well considering we're going to go back to being friends I think it would make things more awkward if we sleep together, no matter how much we may want to." Frasier reasoned, inwardly groaning even though he knew he was right.
"Yeah, you're right Fras, good thing one of us is thinking clearly about all this." Roz agreed, though inwardly disappointed that their chemistry would go unresolved.
"But you know, I don't think an occasional kiss or hug would hurt anything." Frasier said brightly, after racking his mind a few moments trying to rationalize a way that they wouldn't have to stop completely.
"True, plus that would help keep us reminded that we're supposed to be a couple, and we should act that way around people right? Look at Niles and Daphne." Roz added, helping him in the rationalization process.
"Well I think making out in the corner of Cafe Nervosa is a bit much, but I'm sure we'll have plenty of occasions." Frasier smiled as he continued to hold Roz against him as they watched the sunrise.
They grinned happily at each other, both thinking to themselves that
they had at least found a good reason, or so they thought, to still be
able to have just a little fun while keeping a no strings marriage.