Title: Trust
Rating: R, for sexual references
Disclaimer: The characters of Cold Case belong to CBS.
A/N: Not really a St. Patrick's Day piece, and it's a little OOC I would think. But do enjoy, and please review!
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"What are you doin' here, Lil?"
The blonde detective didn't even look up from her drink at the sound of the voice. "Getting a drink." She downed the last of the burning liquid from her shot glass, gesturing for the bartender to pour more. "So leave me alone, Scotty."
She felt her partner slide onto the barstool next to her, and she graced him with a glare. Pretending not to notice, he took a look around at the sea of green. Leprechaun hats. Shamrock confetti. Great, he thought wryly. An Irish pub. "Why aren't you at the usual?" Scotty asked, opting not to criticize her for her choice of a bar.
"Nobody here."
By nobody, he knew she meant other cops, other friendly faces. "There's a party at the office and Vera brought some green cookie…," the Puerto Rican began, trailing off at the hopelessness look in her eyes as she tossed a five onto the table. "Trust me Lil, you couldn't have known," he finished instead, following her out to the street.
The dark-haired detective couldn't see the expression on her face, but he could tell that the pale skin of her cheeks had flushed a deep ruby. Idly, Scotty wondered if she knew she looked beautiful when she was stubborn. Which was most of the time.
"I could have, Scotty," her voice had a slight break to it, from what Scotty didn't know. "I could have stopped him then-" Lilly stopped walking, tears he didn't know she was crying running down her face. Shivering in the cold March air with the thin green blouse she was wearing, the image of a scared ten-year-old stood there instead of a fiery young woman.
Without a second thought, he wrapped a side of his coat around her shoulders, bringing an arm to lie gently around her waist. He felt her entirely too-thin frame freeze, then relax almost reluctantly in his embrace.
"I can't trust anyone," her voice said in quiet resignation, fragility settling onto her features. She didn't move from the comfort Scotty was giving, something she would normally have done after scolding him for making her seem weak.
His heart broke into pieces. It was his fault. The rapist's fault, Patrick's fault, Kite's fault, Christina's fault. His fault especially. But he wanted her trust now, wanted her to believe it, wanted her-
"Let me walk you home," he offered.
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Somewhere between the dark alleys of Philly and her door, something had changed. Once the door clicked close, he had her back pressed against the dark wood, her leg wrapped around his as she straddled his thigh.
Lips pressed together hungrily, almost needy; the pent-up sexual frustration came to a head as she loosened his tie around his neck and he slid her blouse down her shoulders. Raw hunger nipped at their insides as he slid a hand up the inside of her thigh. At this point, all rational thoughts and worries flew out the window, her bra unfastened and his shirt lying messily on the bedroom floor. Fingers stroking her gently, tongues dancing, throaty moans reaching his ears-he ignored the fact that she was leaning on his friendship tonight, and he was here screwing it all away.
Somewhere between temptation and release, they took the time to savor each other, knowing that they might never get another chance to.
An hour later, the hormonal haze had lifted, leaving their legs tangled underneath the sheets and his arms holding her protectively against his chest. The breath hitched in her throat as a finger trailed lazy circles on her thigh, lips kissing her neck, hand cupping her breast possessively, lips kissing her-
Somewhere between his touches and his words, she was enjoying this.
Oh god.
She froze, panic rising in her heart, instincts telling her to run. She couldn't do this-not to Scotty, the damaged breaking someone else apart-
A warm kiss broke into her thoughts, his dark eyes showing concern, showing affection-no, he couldn't. What about their friendship, their partnership-
Another reassuring embrace and she let her doubts slip away slowly.
Maybe she could trust someone after all. Just this once.