****
Frank carted the lunch basket back to the nest easily and held open the door for Mandy. As she walked in ahead of him, he found himself watching the sway of her hips as she did. He stood stock still for the span of a few heartbeats before he came back to himself and shook his head. He shouldn't do this, it'd only hurt them both more. He had to keep her at arm's length for her own well being. He'd seen Alex get hurt by getting to close to someone and he dreaded each mission he would send Jake out on for Sasche's involvement. He had the means and ability to protect his team. His team before his own safety is the mantra he'd operated on since he'd taken over the unit.
Mandy watched him as he slipped into his own little world. She took the basket from him and set it on the desk. She could hear Alex in the gym and it looked like Jake was with her. Monica and Cody were asleep on their desks. For all intents and purposes they were alone. She looked up at him for a moment, watching his face.
Frank noticed her taking the basket from him and looked down. She was really here... Suddenly he found his arms full of soft female body.
She'd literally thrown herself into his arms and wrapped her arms around his neck. Her mouth descended on his and her legs wrapped around his hips as if to hold on for dear life. His arms wound around her waist to support her. At first he didn't return the kiss, trying everything in his willpower to stop. But he gave in, one hand gliding up her spine to tangle into her hair. His body responded to the nearness of her, the intimate nearness to be precise. However, he knew they were not alone and that bothered him greatly. With a soft growl, he pulled his lips from hers and unwrapped her legs from his waist.
"No Starlet" he whispered hoarsely. When her feet hit the floor, he finally opened his eyes and looked at her. "I can't do this to you." He placed his hands on her shoulders and pushed her back, the heels of her shoes clicking twice with the momentum.
Frank was about to explain himself when the air exploded with a loud 'CRACK' as his head jerked to the right. His cheek felt like it was on fire. His own hand came up to cover the brightening red mark of her handprint where she'd slapped him.
"What was that for?" He groaned as he rubbed his cheek.
"That... was for leaving the way you did."
Mandy looked up at him, her whiskey brown eyes flooded with tears. She'd just found him again. A year of ache and pain, putting all the pain she felt into her work and now she'd found him. She hadn't realized just how much she needed him until she felt his body pressed against hers. Now he was pushing her away again.
"Damn you" she whispered. "You will never know how badly you hurt me by what you did. And you will only get one chance, Frank Donovan, to put right the wrong you did to me." Her whisper was fierce in it's anger and pain, the unshed tears finally falling down her cheeks.
She pushed past him and headed for the door. Frank didn't turn to watch her go, knowing that if he did, he'd call her back. He had to remind himself over and over again that it was for the best that she not be in his life. She would eventually get over this pain and realize that he'd done the right thing by saving her a lot more ache and grief down the road. The basket of food sat untouched on one of the tables as Frank slowly walked up to his office.
"What do you think all that was about?" Jake whispered to Alex.
Alex's mouth was pressed together in a very tight line. They both had seen everything beginning with the slap Amanda had knocked Frank into last week with. "I don't know Jake. But I sure as hell am going to find out."
****
Frank carted the lunch basket back to the nest easily and held open the door for Mandy. As she walked in ahead of him, he found himself watching the sway of her hips as she did. He stood stock still for the span of a few heartbeats before he came back to himself and shook his head. He shouldn't do this, it'd only hurt them both more. He had to keep her at arm's length for her own well being. He'd seen Alex get hurt by getting to close to someone and he dreaded each mission he would send Jake out on for Sasche's involvement. He had the means and ability to protect his team. His team before his own safety is the mantra he'd operated on since he'd taken over the unit.
Mandy watched him as he slipped into his own little world. She took the basket from him and set it on the desk. She could hear Alex in the gym and it looked like Jake was with her. Monica and Cody were asleep on their desks. For all intents and purposes they were alone. She looked up at him for a moment, watching his face.
Frank noticed her taking the basket from him and looked down. She was really here... Suddenly he found his arms full of soft female body.
She'd literally thrown herself into his arms and wrapped her arms around his neck. Her mouth descended on his and her legs wrapped around his hips as if to hold on for dear life. His arms wound around her waist to support her. At first he didn't return the kiss, trying everything in his willpower to stop. But he gave in, one hand gliding up her spine to tangle into her hair. His body responded to the nearness of her, the intimate nearness to be precise. However, he knew they were not alone and that bothered him greatly. With a soft growl, he pulled his lips from hers and unwrapped her legs from his waist.
"No Starlet" he whispered hoarsely. When her feet hit the floor, he finally opened his eyes and looked at her. "I can't do this to you." He placed his hands on her shoulders and pushed her back, the heels of her shoes clicking twice with the momentum.
Frank was about to explain himself when the air exploded with a loud 'CRACK' as his head jerked to the right. His cheek felt like it was on fire. His own hand came up to cover the brightening red mark of her handprint where she'd slapped him.
"What was that for?" He groaned as he rubbed his cheek.
"That... was for leaving the way you did."
Mandy looked up at him, her whiskey brown eyes flooded with tears. She'd just found him again. A year of ache and pain, putting all the pain she felt into her work and now she'd found him. She hadn't realized just how much she needed him until she felt his body pressed against hers. Now he was pushing her away again.
"Damn you" she whispered. "You will never know how badly you hurt me by what you did. And you will only get one chance, Frank Donovan, to put right the wrong you did to me." Her whisper was fierce in it's anger and pain, the unshed tears finally falling down her cheeks.
She pushed past him and headed for the door. Frank didn't turn to watch her go, knowing that if he did, he'd call her back. He had to remind himself over and over again that it was for the best that she not be in his life. She would eventually get over this pain and realize that he'd done the right thing by saving her a lot more ache and grief down the road. The basket of food sat untouched on one of the tables as Frank slowly walked up to his office.
"What do you think all that was about?" Jake whispered to Alex.
Alex's mouth was pressed together in a very tight line. They both had seen everything beginning with the slap Amanda had knocked Frank into last week with. "I don't know Jake. But I sure as hell am going to find out."
****
