Chapter 3

"Thanks again for coming to the wedding," Andy had ducked in to Sharon's office to thank her again.

"It really wasn't a big deal, Andy. And you didn't have to send me flowers." She motioned towards the vase of assorted flowers.

"I just wanted to thank you." Andy shoved a hand in to his pocket and shrugged.

"I told you, I enjoy weddings. And I enjoyed it very much." Sharon glanced back down at her paperwork as she spoke.

"Perhaps we could do it again?" He asked, not really thinking through his words.

Sharon paused and glanced back up at him. "You want to attend another wedding with me?"

"No, I mean…would you care to join me for dinner sometime?"

Sharon thought through this invitation. She was still a married woman and the idea of dating someone, even if it was just a dinner – which she didn't feel were his intentions at all – felt wrong. "I am still married."

"Oh, come on. You know I like Jack, but you two haven't seen eye-to-eye for years. Come on, I'll be respectful of your marriage." Andy grinned.

Sharon shook her head, "one dinner."

"Great!" Andy smiled. "I'll set something up for us. I'll even get Provenza to babysit."

"Rusty's not a child," Sharon coolly glanced back up.

"I mean, I'll make sure Rusty is looked after so you won't have to worry about him." Andy calmly corrected himself.

"Good, thank you." Sharon's eyes, however, were distracted by the entrance of D.D.A. Hobbs. She was in a smart, deep emerald green dress and a black blazer today. She looked ready for court. Their eyes met and Sharon gave her a gentle smile, nodding for her to enter.

Flynn took this disinterest as his time to leave, though he did not look upset by Sharon's silent dismissal. Andrea once again avoided his kind smile as she entered Sharon's office.

"What was that about?" Andrea couldn't help the curiosity that had sprung up upon finding Flynn in Sharon's office.

"Oh, I believe I've just agreed to an adulterous date with the Lieutenant." Sharon shuffled her paperwork and sat it on the corner of her desk. "You look smart today." Sharon smiled at her visitor.

"Th-thank you." Andrea was thrown off. So Sharon and Andy were dating now? But of course, they would be a lovely couple. Yet, Sharon was complimenting her? "So do you."

Blue eyes unabashedly looked Sharon over. Sharon felt her skin warm and she quickly looked down again. She cleared her throat. "I'm glad that we figured out the situation before the press had a field day with it."

"I am, too. I just wanted to come by and go over a few things for court today." Andrea smiled.

"Good," Sharon glanced at her watch and realized court was in less than an hour. "I've really missed working with you." The admission was surprising.

Andrea gave her a half-smile. "I have as well."

…

Andy Flynn arrived at exactly seven o' clock, looking handsome in what appeared to be a new tie and tailored black pants, but no jacket. The casualness of the outfit threw Sharon off and she found she quite enjoyed this look on him. She watched him look her over in her black dress and dark red heels.

"You look stunning," Andy's eyes tracked up her body, stopping at her chest.

She rolled her eyes and pushed at him. "This is dinner, Andy Flynn."

"And a movie. I thought you'd like to see a foreign film. It looked good." He shrugged and waited for Sharon to look her front door.

"I love foreign films." Sharon grinned and followed Andy to the elevators.

…

Andrea stared out across her small patch of backyard, smoke swirling above her head. She reached for her glass of wine and tried not to think about how empty her house was without her children…and without her ex.

After taking a sip of her favorite red she inhaled on her cigarette and turned back to her most recent case notes.

Though as she reviewed them – a simple misdemeanor that should be a simple open and close case with enough evidence to prosecute and win – her mind began to wonder.

She couldn't help but wonder if and when and how Sharon's date with Lieutenant Andy Flynn was going. She kept having an image of the Captain in a striking tight dress that hugged her every curve, and some sexy heels. The image was distracting and slightly disturbing when her made up image of Sharon was found sitting next to Flynn at some fancy Los Angeles restaurant. He probably looked rather dapper, as he usually did – Andrea had to admit – and probably looked even better seated next to the sexy Captain.

"Oh God, "Andrea groaned and pulled in the last of her cigarette, angrily butting it in an ashtray. She downed the rest of her wine and slammed closed her case file. She wasn't going to get any more work done. Not with the image of Sharon all dolled up for Andy Flynn.

God, she hated that Sharon had to matter to her in that way. She'd sworn off straight women years ago, but she always seemed drawn to them. She was a glutton for punishment it seemed. She wanted the unobtainable, the coveted straight woman who would never like her back in the way she truly deserved.

But that didn't stop Andrea from sinking down on her couch, turning on a horrendously acted porno between two women – a guilty (occasional) adult indulgence -, and let her hand slid down in to her pants. She was unsurprised by the moistness her fingers met.

It had been too long since she'd been with a woman. Too long.

…

Andy Flynn pulled up to the front of Sharon's condo building and killed the ignition. They had fallen in to a comfortable silence as they'd gotten closer to her place. She shifted a bit in her seat, feeling not uncomfortable, but perhaps…uncertain of what came next. She was thankful that Andy had respected her space and had not attempted to touch her knee or hold her hand during the movie, or even after in the car.

But now they were in front of her condo and they were about to part. Sharon undid her seatbelt and turned to smile at Andy. "Thank you for tonight, it was…nice."

"It was," Andy nodded.

"I would perhaps have you walk me to my door, but I'm sure Rusty will be up waiting for me." Sharon shifted in her seat.

"I understand that." Andy took off his own seatbelt. "But I can open the door for you." He moved to get out of the car.

"Oh, really. You don't have…" Sharon trailed off as she watched him walk around the car and open the door, holding out his hand for her. Sharon laughed and took his hand, allowing him to help her out of the car. "Thank you."

"Now, I respect that you're a married woman, but I would very much like to kiss you goodnight. Do you think that's possible?" He had kept her hand in his.

She kept her eyes focused on the ground, considering his proposition. She was still a married woman, and even though she hadn't let Jack touch her for almost a year now – there had been a desperate patch the year prior where she'd let him have sex with her one evening when they got drunk together – she still had to respect her own leash she had placed on herself. And she wasn't sure she wanted to break her marital vows with Andy Flynn. At least not yet.

She let go of his hand as she turned her face up to him. "I like you, Andy Flynn, but…"

"But you can't." Andy smiled, but Sharon could see the slight bit of hurt in his eyes. "I can respect that. For now." He winked.

Sharon patted his arm. "Thank you, Andy. It really was a lovely evening." Smiling, she turned away from her lieutenant and entered her building. She felt relief from a tension she hadn't realized she was carrying. Wasn't Andy an attractive man? Shouldn't she feel compelled to kiss him after he'd wined and dined and entertained her for the evening?

Sighing, Sharon made her way up to her condo and entered to find Rusty asleep on the couch. She slipped out of her heels and moved to wake him. She didn't want him to sleep on that awful couch all night – that duty was reserved for her husband.

"Hey Sharon," Rusty smiled up at her as she gently shook him awake.

"Hey," Sharon sat on the couch where Rusty made room for her.

"Did you have a good time with Lieutenant Flynn?"

Sharon rolled her neck and sighed. "It was nice."

"Did you kiss?" Rusty slyly inquired.

Sharon rolled her eyes. "No."

"Because you're married?" Rusty ran a hand through his hair and yawned.

"Yes, and…yes." Sharon nodded. "You should go to your own bed."

Rusty sleepily nodded and got up to go to his own bedroom. "Night, Sharon."

"Night." Sharon watched him go to his bedroom and then checked her e-mails before heading to her own.

The evening had left her feeling at a loss. She should like Andy Flynn for many reasons: he was attractive, attentive, affectionate…but she didn't feel that spark, that excitement that she so desperately wanted to feel with someone.

Perhaps one date wasn't enough to base this feeling off of, but so far she longed for something more if she were to break her marriage vows.

…

Andrea exited the courtroom feeling better than ever. She's just successfully prosecuted the damn sucker who, more than likely, had some gang affiliation, but whom had been put away for car theft. The second leg of the investigation would soon link him to drug trafficking, but for now they had him in jail for a good, long while.

Andrea was surprised to find, upon her exit, the always beautiful Captain Raydor seated on a courtroom bench, phone pressed to her ear. She was wearing black pumps, black suit pants and a silky white shirt and patterned black and white cardigan. Her eyes were concealed behind those delicious glasses of hers and Andrea felt their eyes connect as her focus came to those black frames. Sharon smiled at her and waved her over, clearly cutting off her phone conversation.

"What are you doing here, Captain?" Andrea inquired, pausing mere feet from her.

"Finishing up a case with Rios." Sharon put a hand to her head as if demonstrating the headache of working with the younger woman.

"Can't be that bad. Was she successful?" Andrea tilted her head to look down at Sharon, having the most indecent of thoughts.

"Well, the juries out for a brief recess. They reconvene again in ten minutes. I just came out to make a call to Provenza. We caught another case early this morning." Sharon sighed and stood. "Did you just get out of court?"

Andrea nodded, "I did."

"Did you win?" Sharon pointedly looked at the younger woman.

The blonde smiled. "'Course I did."

"Good. Let me buy you a celebratory coffee, then." Sharon nodded towards the café several feet away.

Andrea had another appointment fairly quickly, but she couldn't say no to the Captain. She could never say no to the woman who looked so fucking gorgeous every day and was beginning to slowly drive her insane with unreasonable want. "Sure."

Sharon's smile brightened and she led the way. Once drinks were acquired, the two women stood at a tall table.

Andrea felt the burning desire to ask the question that had been plaguing her for some time now. She didn't get to see Sharon that often and the opportunity to know, to hear what she had to say gnawed at the Counselor. She felt her question could come across as friendly interest, and so she swallowed back her nerves and just asked. "How was your date with Flynn?"

Sharon looked rather taken off guard by the question, as if she'd forgotten it had ever happened. "Oh, it was nice." She shrugged and swirled honey around in her tea. "He took me to a foreign film. God, I haven't been to one of those in years." Sharon smiled.

Andrea feigned a smile. Damn, it sounded like it had gone well. Her stomach sank a little, but she knew it shouldn't matter in the least. Sharon was a colleague after all. A straight colleague. Nothing more.

"Well, are you seeing anyone, Counselor?" Sharon asked as she sipped her tea.

Andrea's smile faded and she shook her head. "No, no I am not."

Sharon gave her a sympathetic smile. "Well, we're both already in important relationships. Our work." She winked. Andrea laughed, feeling more at ease again. "Well, I should get back to court. I'm glad I ran in to you." Sharon let her hand rest on Andrea's arm and smiled up at her. "Congratulations on your case."

"Thanks," Andrea awkwardly patted the back of Sharon's hand, trying not to notice how soft it was, and just as quickly as their encounter had begun, it ended.