Breaking the Rules: Chapter Two
He didn't need to open his eyes to know he wasn't alone or even at his own apartment – he could feel her arms draped around him, feel the way she was nestled into his chest, and it was now clear that at least a part of him knew there was no going back after this.
They just had one problem – their jobs.
It wasn't just a little problem either, this was big. He had been warned – they would be separated as partners if there were any romantic feelings between them, and that was something that he knew neither wanted. Once he realized what he'd been feeling at that time and what it meant, he took a step back and put on the brakes.
A little less focus on the socializing aspect, more on the work partnership.
This, of course, was before their most recent kiss – the night she stood before him, nervous but willing to bare her soul around her feelings, which had ultimately led to them sharing a kiss that left him longing for another.
The pull was strong, at least for him.
Without trying to wake her from what appeared a deep sleep, Jamie slowly slid his body out from underneath her and slipped out of the bed. He took a breath in that moment, looking down as she laid with her stomach flat against the mattress, with the sheet leaving her upper body slightly exposed.
This was going to test him to the limits.
Wanting her and knowing they can't take it any further.
Or, taking it further and going on as if they weren't together.
Ugly choices.
Eddie stirred a bit before opening her eyes, and then was partly surprised when she reached for him and only felt an empty bed. Because of this, she lifted her body upright and became a bit startled, right as she noticed the sheet was hovering around her waistline. Grabbing the sheet with her fingers and wrapping it around her body, she quickly searched the room for Jamie.
There he was, near the doorway, stepping back into the pair of jeans that had been beside her lingerie.
He obviously didn't realize she was awake.
"Is this your way of saying, this was a 'friends with benefits' kind of night?"
From the doorway, a smirk spread across Jamie's mouth while he shoved both hands in each of the jean pockets, just as he turned back to her. There was no way he could deny – she was beautiful in the morning, especially with the way her hair hung around the shoulders and her skin glimmering off the sunlight from the window.
The day was going to be pure torture.
"What do you mean?" he asked playfully, even though he knew exactly what she meant. It was his fault – he flirted with the idea of them having a friends-with-benefits sort of relationship, allowing them to enjoy the benefits of being together without having to risking their jobs.
Not one of his finer moments.
He knew it wouldn't work, just as she did.
Eddie didn't give him the satisfaction of an answer, knowing it was pointless. He was teasing, wanting her to be the one to break this barrier between them from professional to personal. They had a big decision to make – where did they go from here?
The smart decision would be to request a transfer.
They already saw first-hand what being in a relationship can do to a partnership. Neither of them wanted to walk that line; however, the thought of spending 8-10 hour days with someone other than each other wasn't something they wanted to turn away from easily.
They wanted to be sure about what they were doing - like the questions they asked on their date at the lounge – Did he think about what they were missing out on? Did she think about what they were giving up?
Rewards or the risks – which would win out?
The wheels were turning in his head as he watched her closely, tightening the sheet around her body and slipping out of the bed, moments before moving toward him. There was a little bit of an uneasy feeling between them now, as they had obviously crossed a line they weren't supposed to cross.
"We…uh…are expected back at the precinct in less than an hour," Jamie spoke, a bit nervous.
She nodded slowly, holding the sheet as tight as possible. Despite the layer wrapped around her naked frame, it didn't seem to stop him from taking a quick glance downward. "I guess you better go and I should shower."
He nodded in agreement.
Before she turned from him completely, though, Jamie reached for her upper arm to stop any further movement. He wasn't even sure what to say in that moment, as it was clear that neither of them had any answers about where they were going to go from here. All he knew was, it was evident that putting on an act of a platonic partnership, one that wasn't too convincing in the first place, was bound to get people suspicious.
Eddie then felt his hand slide back to her shoulder blade as she stepped into him, leaving very little space between them. "Remember what I said – there is no going back for you."
Nodding, his eyes darted down to her mouth and up again. "Trust me, I know."
Jamie then dropped his hands from the shoulder blade to the lower back, interlacing both of his hands together as he settled in and pulled her even closer. She felt just right in his arms, and he didn't want to think about what it would mean without her to have his back out there daily, let alone being the one to have hers.
His eyes kept shifting in a triangular motion around her face, and before long, he had leaned in a little closer until his mouth finally brushed against hers. It started out slow and tender, using each passing second to draw her further inward.
The moment she deepened the kiss, she felt the sheet start to slip.
This motion caused her to pull back and gasp ever so slightly, leaving his arms to drop to the side and away from her body. "Precinct. We need to get to the precinct." Eddie rested her forehead against his for a few seconds, and then finally, she pulled away and walked around him, heading in the direction of the bathroom.
Once the door closed behind her, it took everything in him not to find an excuse to join her.
Jamie walked through the halls of the 12th precinct, knowing that he was about to spend at least an 8-hour shift with Eddie in the patrol car on the beat. And then, they were supposed to go back to the restaurant, meet up with the couple they had targeted on their undercover assignment the night before.
Before he made it to the men's locker room, though, he was stopped by a woman.
"Are you Reagan?"
For a split second, Jamie had a flash of the first time he met his partner, Eddie Janko. She was straight out of the academy, and while the situation wasn't the same, it was all in the phrasing and the way she talked.
Get it together.
He had to figure out how to get Eddie out of his mind – he'd see her soon enough.
Finally, he shook off the thoughts of Eddie and turned his attention to this woman, possibly an assistant DA that worked with his sister, Erin. "Hi," he said with a smile. "Yes, I'm Jamie Reagan."
She flashed a smile in return. "I'm Kelly – do you happen know where I can find the Sargent on duty last night?" she saw the curiosity in his facial expressions. "It's regarding a case we're working on, and I need to double check a few facts. It's crucial if we want to save this woman's life."
Jamie shrugged, "You might be able to find him down the hall, to the left and three doors down." The woman thanked him with a huge smile, leaving him to grin a bit as he told her that he was glad to help.
As the woman disappeared, he caught Eddie leaning against a nearby wall, giving him one of those looks that told him that he may have enjoyed the interaction a little too much. Of course, he didn't think much of what he was doing in the moment.
"See something you like?" Eddie teased, walking toward him.
He did, just not the person he knew she was referring.
Eddie knew the rest of their day would be spent together, with the majority side by side in a patrol car, and nothing to do but sit in silence, trying to forget about their night together. They'd shared a kiss here and there before, but last night, she memorized every inch of him.
All Jamie could hope for that day was a little street action – domestic disturbance, gang violence, anything to keep his mind focused on their jobs and not each other. At least during their time on the beat.
The night, however, he knew he was in trouble.
He'd probably spend part of it holding her in his arms on the dance floor, depending on what type of progress they made with the couple. If they were lucky, however, Eddie would put on one of those amazing dresses she owned and show this man that he wasn't about to con her, not in the way he'd done with so many women.
Eddie was smart, tough, and someone he respected completely.
He'd told her as much when Josh threw her to the curb – she should be proud that she 'kicked ass', and anyone that was with her should feel the same. He'd wanted her to know she was nobody's consolation prize, especially never to him.
"You left your t-shirt behind when you left," she whispered, stepping a little closer but still keeping a close eye on all the officers and higher in rank that were coming and going. The last thing they needed was to get caught, separated from each other by one being moved to another precinct.
Jamie too was cautious of the conversation.
"Are you sure it was mine?" he asked, hinting that it could have easily belonged to Josh, or maybe even one of her boyfriends before him. It wasn't as though she hadn't dated in the years that he has known her.
"It is yours," she continued at a whisper, "It has your scent."
He hadn't exactly planned to leave it there, he didn't think that far ahead; however, now that he had, there was no reason he couldn't go back that night and pick it up. "Maybe I'll need to stop by again."
"If this becomes a habit…"
Jamie bit down on his lower lip, trying to tone down what was going on between them. Luckily, none of his family worked in his precinct. If they did, they'd see right through him, or maybe they already have – especially Danny and Erin.
"No habit, promise."
Eddie couldn't hide her smile; although, she tried to glance away to do just that.
Jamie noticed the dress bag in her arms, and as she crossed him on her way to the women's locker room, he stopped her for a moment. "Whatever you plan to put on for our assignment tonight, just know that I plan to take it off you later."
…