Rainy days never say goodbye
To desire when we are together…
The song played on the radio as Andy pulled into the parking lot of the event hall where the reunion was taking place. Sharon didn't think she heard that song since the late 80's but she liked it nonetheless. As usual, even the slightest hint of rain reminded her of Jack. Melancholy spread inside her body, making her skin cold and her heart beat irregularly. The sound of puddle water splashing the outside of the car and on the front seat windows drew her away from her daydreaming; this had to stop, she thought. She had to keep her mind in the present rather than going back to the past, to a relationship that was long gone. It was unfair, she realized as she turned her gaze to look at Andy; she was here with another man, whom she liked and he was very sweet since the moment he picked her up, and all she was doing was thinking about her husband, who didn't even deserve to be referred to as 'a husband' most of the days.
"Is everything okay?" Andy wondered.
"What?" She felt her blood rushing into her face, knowing that he caught her in her useless brooding mood. "Yeah, I'm fine."
"You're sure? You seemed to zone out for a moment," Andy smiled; the affectionate timbre of his voice engulfed her like a sunny day.
"I was just thinking about the rain," Sharon spoke slowly, stretching out the words on her tongue.
"Rain makes me glum too," Andy smiled. She turned to look at him. He seemed to be anything but glum; he looked happy, and calm.
"I'm not so used to days like this," Sharon responded.
"Well, I am an East Coast boy, so rain doesn't really do anything to me. It's just another day, just a different weather." Sharon's mouth opened, as if she wanted to say something and she suddenly realized that she was staring at him like an idiot.
"I'm an East Coast girl myself, Andy," she said, and he smiled.
"I would never be able to tell," he grinned. "I was always under the impression that you were a Beverly Hills kinda girl, whose daddy is a politician or something." His words made her burst into laughter. She was perfectly used with people thinking that she grew up as a spoiled rich girl. "So where did you really grow up?" Andy smiled and even in the dark she could see he was blushing.
"I'm from Columbus, Ohio. And just FYI, my parents were bakers. They owned a very successful bakery, actually," she smiled.
"Does that mean you're good at baking?" Andy changed the subject.
"Both of my parents are extremely talented at baking. People used to say that I inherited both their talents combined," Sharon shrugged. "My parents wanted me to go to a confectionary school."
"Really?" Sharon watched a wide smile spreading across Andy's face.
"Why are you smiling?"
"You don't seem like the kind of woman who can live her life in her kitchen," Andy remarked.
"You're right. I am definitely not that type," Sharon agreed. She really appreciated it every time when other people, especially men acknowledged that she was not a 'housewife" type or a baker, or any other profession which was usually considered feminine.
"So, how did you get to LA?" Andy wondered as he pulled into an empty parking spot.
"I applied to all the universities across the country. I got a generous scholarship from USC, so that's where I went. I met Jack on my second year of college; we got married 2 years later and we stayed here," Sharon gave him the shortest version she could possibly come up with.
"It's inspiring," Andy smiled as he went out of the car and circled it, to open the passenger door for her.
"The story of how I came to LA is inspiring?" Sharon arched her eyebrows and accepted his hand, and got out of the car.
"No, the story of how you became such a strong and powerful woman is inspiring. I think it takes a lot of charisma to get to where you are today. Your parents must be proud," Andy entwined his arm with hers.
"I think they are still a little disappointed that I didn't follow their footsteps," she replied as they started walking towards the entrance.
"Are you the only talented baker among your siblings?" Andy wondered.
"I'm an only child," Sharon replied, and suddenly stopped in her tracks.
"Are you okay?" Andy looked at her worriedly.
"No, something is wrong," she said. "I'm feeling a bit wobbly." Andy opened his mouth to say something, but before he could utter a single word, they both heard a loud snap sound and Sharon lost her balance, plummeting to the ground, right into a rather large puddle of rainwater. Andy was not quick enough to catch her and she hit her head on the pavement. "Sharon?" he kneeled down by her side, not caring that his pants were getting wet. Sharon was conscious and the dress she was wearing under her coat was soaking wet.
"Don't worry, I'm not hurt. It's just my heel. I think I broke it." Andy threw a look at her feet. One of her 4 inch heels was detached from the sole of her shoe, which he assumed was the reason why she fell. He turned back to look at her.
"You hit your head," he said. Gently wrapping his arm around her waist, he helped her up.
"Can you walk?" Before she was even able to answer, she nearly stumbled again. "Let's go back to the car," he said. Sharon gave him a quick nod. Standing in the rain with one broken heel and a twisted ankle were not going to do her much good. Putting her hand on Andy's shoulder, she removed her shoes and they walked the short distance to the car. Andy opened the door for her and she took the passenger seat. "I'm gonna take you home, unless you want me to take you to the ER instead?" Andy suggested.
"No, my foot will be fine," Sharon sighed. "But… I don't really feel like going home," she scrunched her nose and Andy would never tell her, but he truly thought it was the cutest face he's ever seen her make.
"Do you want to come over to my place? We can order dinner and watch television," he offered.
"Sure, that sounds great, Andy. Thank you," she smiled at him and placed her hand on his shoulder, then patted on it affectionately.
Andy unlocked the door to his house and turned the lights on. Leaning against the door-frame, Sharon examined the entrance hall and noticed a poster with the serenity prayer. It was written in a childish handwriting and was decorated with water colors.
"Nicole made it for me, when she was 8," Andy smiled when he saw where Sharon was looking. "And this poster always helps me stay sober, even on bad days. It reminds me of everything I sobered up for," his voice was always emotional when he spoke of his children, but Sharon has noticed the sadness that crept into his voice which was slightly unusual.
"This is lovely, Andy; and I'm sure Nicole is very proud of you and of your sobriety," she said. She wished her children could be proud of their father the way Andy's daughter was. But Jack was still an addict, actively seeking out the thrill, maybe not in alcohol, but in cards and horse races, and slot machines. Her kids did not have a father like Andy; all they had was an absent father, who would gamble their trust funds away, if given the chance.
"Come in," Andy said and helped her into the house, noticing the swollen bruise that started forming on her ankle. He helped her out of her coat. Noticing that her dress and hair were completely soaked and so were his clothes and hair. "Do you want a change of clothes, maybe?" he asked. Sharon looked down on herself. Her light blue dress stuck to her skin and stained with mud in a few places. It was a little embarrassing, now that she thought of it.
"If you have anything my size, I'd really appreciate it," she replied.
"Sure, hold on," Andy walked down the hall and came back seconds later; he handed her a knee-length robe. "That's what I have. I hope it's okay," he said.
"I guess it's better than a wet dress," Sharon smiled.
"The bathroom is down the hall, second door to the left. You can put the dress in the dryer and if you need a towel for your hair, take one from the bottom drawer," Andy said. Sharon gave him a quick nod and limped towards Andy's bathroom. She closed the door behind her and leaned against it for a moment. Reaching for the zipper at the side of her dress, she pulled it down, feeling the grating sound of the zipper as it slid down. She pulled her arms out of the straps and pushed the dress down, leaning against the sink as she stepped out of it. After slipping into the robe, she picked the dress up and examined it. It was completely wet, but she knew that putting it in the dryer would ruin it. She'd have to let it dry on its own and then see if dry cleaning could salvage it. She squeezed some water out of her hair into the sink and sighed; her hair usually became fluffy and stringy as soon as it dried if she didn't straighten it right away. She looked at her reflection in the mirror, and tried to see as much of her body as possible in an attempt to make sure that the robe was tied tight enough and that it wasn't too short before she left the bathroom and limped back to the living room. "I was about to call a search party," Andy grinned as he gently took her hand and led her to the couch. "Here, lift your foot," he shoved a throw pillow under her ankle and examined it. "Let me get you some ice," he said as he got up and disappeared in the kitchen. "What do you wanna order for dinner?"
"Whatever you feel like eating. I'm not picky," she called out as she leaned into the backrest.
"How about Chinese?" he offered as he came back to the living room and sat down on the couch beside her.
"Chinese is fine. You can get me whatever you're getting for yourself, Andy." He placed an icepack on Sharon's swollen ankle and she hissed in pain. "I'm sorry. Maybe you should go to the doctor. It looks bad."
"I'm sure it looks worse than it really is, but I'll get it checked tomorrow," Sharon replied.
"You do that," Andy said as he dialed the number of his favorite Chinese restaurant. "How about your head?" He placed a finger under her chin. "Do you feel dizzy or nauseous?" he gently touched her forehead.
"No, it doesn't even hurt," she brought her hand to her forehead as well, resting her fingers on his. "There isn't even a bump."
"No, it seems okay, but if you start feeling bad, tell me and I'll take you to the ER." Sharon nodded slowly and Andy moved his hand from her forehead. The spot where he previously touched suddenly felt cold in an unpleasant way.
"I'm so sorry that you missed the reunion because of me," she sighed. "I know you really wanted to go."
"It's okay. I was just looking for an excuse to spend time with you outside of work." The rosiness that spread across Andy's face as he spoke did not escape Sharon's eyes.
"You did?" Sharon's blood rushed to her cheeks. It was silly for two middle aged people to be blushing so uncontrollably over the idea of spending time together; and yet, Sharon could feel a tenacious flutter in the pit of her stomach as she realized that the feeling was mutual. She looked up at him, taking in the dreamy expression that spread across his face. "Andy, can you help me?" she sent her hand upwards and he took it. In a swift motion, she pulled him down, and he stumbled, landing on the couch next to her.
"What did you do that for?" he sighed but his eyes lighted up when he saw her smirk.
"So I can do this," she leaned forward and her hand grabbed the collar of his shirt, pulling him downwards towards her. She did not need to prompt him any further; his lips found her own and he brought his palm to cup her face, his thumb caressing her jaw. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, enjoying the warmth of his body against her own. He sucked her bottom lip into his furnace of a mouth and his hand slowly slid down her side, not finding a place to settle. Her breath hitched; it's been so long since she has been even slightly physical with Jack and she has never before allowed herself to indulge her passion for anyone else, even after her separation. Andy pulled away from her and looked at her, his fingers tenderly moving a strand of hair away from her forehead. Her skin was rosy and she was practically radiating under him.
"You're beautiful," he said in a breathy voice. She smiled and brought her palm to rest on his cheek. His face was warm and a little flush.
"Close your eyes," her voice was soft and engulfing, and Andy obliged. She looked at him for a brief moment before letting her fingers to travel across his face and map it in a way her eyes could not. Her fingers came to a rest on his mouth and she tenderly rubbed his bottom lip with her thumb. Andy pressed a kiss to the tips of her fingers and her hand moved to cradle his cheek. "You're beautiful too," her voice was almost a whisper. Andy opened his eyes and looked into her emerald gaze. He never realized before that the color in her eyes was so rich; different hues of green and silver blended together and sparkled like an expensive gemstone.
Leaning down, he covered her mouth with his again, drawing an excited gasp from between her lips. She hummed into the kiss and the room became hot around them. Andy nudged his lips between hers, spreading them open and letting his tongue glide against hers. She hummed again, this time louder and he swallowed the sound, alternating between strokes of his tongue inside her mouth and sucking her lips into his own mouth. His name escaped from between her lips, the last syllable of his name drawling on the tip of her tongue like a moan. Her heart raced inside her chest, and as Andy's lips descended from her mouth to her jaw line and further down to suck at her pulse point, she arched her back and let out an aroused moan. Andy's lips kept moving downwards, drawing her flesh into his mouth every few seconds, his teeth grazing her skin in a way that made her quiver under him. He looked up when his lips reached the collar of the robe.
"May I?" he asked. Sharon let out a soft hum, followed by a shy 'yes'. "Are you sure? We don't have to do anything you don't want." Sharon nodded slowly and untied the belt of the robe, slowly pulling it open and exposing her turquoise bra and matching panties. She winked at him and a silly smirk spread across his face. She noticed the lustful way his eyes scanned her body; he looked at her as if she was a golden goddess, a sight to behold. Grabbing his tie, she pulled him downwards until his face was just an inch or two from hers; she could feel his breath on her skin and she took her bottom lip between her teeth. Andy looked utterly shocked and Sharon panicked for a moment, when she remembered that he suffered from high blood pressure. She was sure excitement could make someone's blood pressure rise and the last thing she wanted was to make Andy faint.
"Are you okay?" She asked softly and caressed his cheek.
"I'm fine, it's just…" His voice trailed off. "You're even more stunning under your clothes than I imagined you to be," Andy confessed. Sharon could feel her face becoming warm. Her lips uttered an inaudible 'thank you' and she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a kiss. His lips were feverish and she let her tongue tease his own. His hands came around her and he pulled her body towards him, slowly sliding the robe off her shoulders and to the couch.
"Your shirt is wet," she whispered between kisses. "We better get you out of it." He groaned in response and her fingers came to his chest, quickly undoing his tie and unbuttoning his shirt. Once the shirt was off, Sharon briefly broke the kiss to pull his undershirt over his head and throw it on the coffee table with an excited giggle. The skin of his bare chest was moist and he shivered a little. "Are you cold?" her voice was sweet and soft. "We better get you warmed up, then." She grinned and her lips started travelling south, leaving a wet trail on the skin of his neck and collarbone. She pushed him backwards, just enough so he was reclined comfortably against the backrest. She gave him a sultry little gaze before letting her tongue circle his nipple and then covered it with her mouth. He let out a deep groan and she could feel his chest vibrating under her tongue as the sound came out. His hand went into her hair and his fingers combed through it, getting tangled in the soft yet not-quite dry locks. Sharon hummed around his nipple, caressing it with the tip of her tongue at the same time. Her hand preformed similar wonders on his other nipple and the feeling of his pulse speeding up under her mouth and hand sent a wave of warmth all the way down to her core. She moaned, surprised by the sudden peak in her arousal and the sound made Andy make a similar noise. She raised her eyes to meet his again, her hand now travelling further down, caressing the soft muscles of his stomach. She could tell he indulged in more pastries than he should have, but something about this little imperfection made her even more excited about him. Reaching for his belt, her hands quickly unbuckled and unzipped his pants, her mouth leaving the nipple and following her hands.
"Sharon," Andy's voice was breathy. "Stop," The words surprised Sharon and she pulled away from him quickly, her green eyes filling up with question marks. "I want it to be right," he said. "You deserve for our first time together to be amazing and the couch is not the right place for it."
"Well, we can always move to the kitchen table," Sharon joked.
"I believe we are both past the age where the kitchen table would be comfortable for us," Andy replied and his hands came around her middle, gently pulling her on top of him.
"Was it ever comfortable to begin with?" Sharon smirked as she pressed a quick kiss to his lips. "If you show me the way to the bedroom…" her voice trailed off and she got up from the couch, hissing in pain as she placed her injured foot on the floor. Andy looked almost panicked when he saw the painful expression that spread across her face.
"Hold on, let me," he got up from the couch and lifted her in his arms, carrying her to the dark bedroom. "Do you want me to turn the lights on?"
"No, I like it this way," Sharon said. Andy put her down on the bed, and lay down by her side. They looked at each other silently and an invisible force drew them close again, their lips locking and molding together, their tongues burning with passion. Sharon's hand slid down Andy's arm, until her fingers found his. His hand was soft and bigger than hers, and she enjoyed the gentle way he wrapped his fingers around hers. He let out a moan, and it vibrated against her tongue and made her shiver with excitement. Catching his bottom lip between her teeth, she smiled. He opened his eyes and looked at her, his hand leaving hers and climbing not so chastely to cup her breast through her bra.
"You know, I really like seeing you in these," he smiled, and could feel her erect nipple through the padding of her bra. He couldn't help but thinking how aroused she must have been if her nipples hardened so fast, with him barely touching her. "But I'd really love seeing you without it, what do you say?"
"Well, if you want to see me naked, you'll have to do something about it, won't you?" Sharon teased; she arched her back, so her breast pressed into his palm further and let out a long and flirtatious moan that Andy was sure was meant to seduce him. It definitely worked. He felt the blood rushing to his groin and an excited gasp came out of his mouth. Sharon turned slightly on her side, to allow him to unclasp her bra and he happily obliged, quickly getting rid of the lacy item and letting it drop on the bed beside them. His eyes were immediately drawn to her breasts. Even in the darkness he could see the round swells and the hardened nipples. He cupped one full breast, rubbing his thumb over her pebbled nipple. A soft whimper escaped Sharon's mouth and he rubbed it again, enjoying the way her body wriggled under his touch. He bent down and took the other nipple in his mouth, teasing it with his teeth before giving it an impassioned suck that made Sharon emit sounds that he never in his life imagined a human being could make. His mouth left the nipple and started moving downwards, kissing the underside of her breast, and leaving a wet trail on her skin. His hand was faster than his mouth and was already halfway down her stomach, heading rather quickly to the junction of her thighs. Sharon's breath got stuck in her throat and a chocked whimper escaped her lips. Andy smiled against the skin of her stomach and dipped his tongue into her navel, feeling her hand digging into his hair and holding him there before allowing him to continue his journey downwards. His fingers were already between her legs, caressed her inner thigh, his nails slightly tickling the soft flesh he found there. A soft purr formed in the depth of Sharon's throat and she felt it strumming her vocal chords and lacing with a moan before leaving her lips. Andy's hand inched up her thigh as his lips reached the hem of her panties.
"You are so sexy," he whispered against her skin and she shuddered, her back arching off the mattress. He slid his palm up her thigh and his fingers hooked in her panties, his mouth descending along with the lacy undergarment. Sharon sounded a soft, whiney hum when she felt the hotness of Andy's mouth against the skin of her bare mound and as his fingers slid between her folds, meeting her slick arousal. Andy raised his head ever-so-slightly and locked his gaze with hers, his tongue inching closer to her sensitive spot. She gave him a quick nod and spread her legs, exposing her core. Andy's lips continued their path downwards until they were met by the musky taste of Sharon's fluids. His tongue ghosted over her clit, giving it a tentative lick; Sharon let out a long hum and Andy drew the nub into his mouth, flicking his tongue against it. Sharon's reaction was an almost-violent thrust of her hips and a wild groan that made Andy suck on her clit with fervor. The scream that left Sharon's mouth made him aware of the way the material of his pants tightened against his cock and his own arousal that was curling through his stomach like an untended hunger. He grunted around her nub and she responded with a similar sound, her mouth falling open and a string of gasps and moans coming out of it and filling the darkness around them. With a moist pop sound, Andy's lips and tongue left her clitoris and his fingers replaced it. He felt her hand tugging at his hair and pulling it away from her center.
"Come here," her voice was thick and breathy. She pulled him on top of her, and captured his lips, tasting herself on them. His fingers remained on her clit, massaging it and sending jolts of pleasure through her body. Her hands slid down his body and came down to his pants, pushing them downwards, along with his boxers. Her fingers fluttered on his cock before her hand came around it and started rubbing up and down his length, her thumb gliding over the head and making him thrust against her hand.
Andy's lips spread open and rubbed against her open mouth, their gasps mixing in a divine harmonious unity. "Andy," her mouth was barely able to utter his name in between her gasps. "I'm re… oh!" she tilted her head backwards and it pressed into his pillow as she felt the pressure in her lower stomach growing stronger. Andy's fingers quickened their pace against her bundle of nerves, making it hard for her to articulate whatever it was she was trying to say. Her hand released its hold of his cock and grabbed his side instead, her nails burrowing into his skin. A string of incoherent murmurs left her mouth in between gasps and moans. Andy watched her face as she came closer to her orgasm, her expression strained and free at the same time, her lips agape, tears pooling in her eyes, getting caught between her long lashes. A guttural cry escaped the depths of her throat as she fell over the edge and her body sank heavily into the mattress. Her arms came around his neck, drawing his down to her. He could feel her warm and damp breath hitting his bare shoulder.
"You are so beautiful," he said for the umpteenth time that night. She hummed something into his shoulder as she rode down her orgasm. He felt his skin becoming wet where her face came in contact with it and heard a sniffle coming from her. "Sharon, what's wrong?"
"I'm okay," she sobbed.
"You don't sound okay," Andy rolled off her and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close to him.
"It's nothing, Andy," she buried her face in the crook of his neck. "It's just been a long time since I've done this, and I'm a little em…" she sniffled again "…emotional."
"Long time, huh?" Andy asked. "How long?"
"Over a decade," the words came out of her mouth as a cry. Andy kissed the top of her head and pulled her even closer, feeling her tears falling on his skin now, almost scorching it. He could understand her need for release, both physical and emotional. It must have been hard to abstain for such a long time. Despite the fact that he has never gone longer than a few months without sex after his marriage ended, he could see how having sex again would be overwhelming and maybe even terrifying for her.
"Take your time, cry as long as you need, then," his voice was soft. His hands climbed up her back and into her hair, twirling one strand around his finger and letting her cry it out. He was not sure how long it took before her sobs ceased, but after a while, she laid silently, her head resting on his chest and her eyes staring through the window at the rain.
"The food never came," her voice was barely audible as she spoke.
"I never pressed the 'send' button," Andy replied. "We can still call them."
"I'm not really hungry," Sharon replied.
"Yeah, me neither."
"Andy," she propped herself up on her elbow and looked at him. "I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"You took care of my… uhm… needs; but I never took care of yours," even in the darkness, he could see her flushing as she voiced the words. He loved how innocent she could be sometimes.
"Don't worry about it, Sharon," Andy smiled and cupped her cheek. "You trusted me with your body and with your emotions and that's what matters."
"It matters to me," she replied.
"Well, you can still do something about it if you'd like," he teased her.
"Not tonight, please?"
"Whenever you want, little Ray; don't stress over it," The old nickname from their days in the academy made the corners of her lips curve upwards. Andy placed his finger under her chin and leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. "Come on here," he said and she lay down by his side, spooning against his body. He pulled the blanket over the both of them as they watched the rain through the window, the drops glistening in the moonlight. "I want to know, have you ever seen the rain," Andy sang into her hair, his arm tightening around her. "I want to know, have you ever seen the rain…"
"Comin' down on a sunny day," she joined him, her voice too soft for the gruff song and yet so pleasant to listen to. "I love this song."
"You're the only woman I know who knows this song," Andy smiled. "Remember that really rainy day when we were still in the academy and we sat with your guitar and sang it?"
"Oh God, I can't believe you remember that," Sharon smiled as she recalled the day he was talking about.
"Do you still play?"
"No. I sold the guitar in order to pay some of Jack's debts and never bothered buying a new one after he left."
"I have a guitar, hold on," he got off the bed and slid into his boxers as he left the room. She heard him rummaging in the next room and a few minutes later he walked back into the room and handed her a guitar. "Do you remember the tabs?" he wondered.
"No," she replied as she pulled herself into a seating position, securing the blanket around her body as she took the guitar from him.
"Wait a moment," he said and located his pants on the floor and fished his iPhone out of the pocket. He searched for something on the internet and then handed her the phone. "I hope these are good." The tabs for the song appeared on the screen.
"You'll have to hold it up for me if you want me to play," Sharon said. Andy took the iPhone from her and held it up in front of her. She strummed the guitar a few times, trying to get the right tone. She was a little off-key, but Andy didn't seem to mind. He looked at her with an admiring gaze; it was the same way he used to look at her when they were still rookies and for the duration of the song, they were both in their 20's again, watching the rain and singing about it.
They were asleep when the rain stopped, their bodies entwined. The guitar was discarded on the floor by the bed and its strings shone in the moonlight. When they wake, they will be middle-aged again, but the song will still remain in their heads, under their skins, in their joint hands and their racing hearts. It was their song, and so it will remain.
THE END
A/N: I hope you enjoyed this fic. I'd like to thank you for reading and I would love to hear what you thought about it, so please review or PM me.
The songs mentioned in this chapter are "I Like Chopin" by Gazebo and "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?" by Creedence Clearwater Revival. Also, the song mentioned in the previous chapter is "Singing in the Rain" by Gene Kelly.