Title: Aftermath
Chapter 2
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Bobby slid into the car and quickly drove off his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. At the red light, he pounded the wheel in anger and frustration.
"Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!" he berated himself. He spoiled his friendship with Sue with that kiss and maybe his friendship with Jack. How could he have lost control like that? But one touch of her lips, and he forgot everything else except the woman before him.
Much as he argued with himself, he couldn't forget the feel of Sue's lips on his. The kiss had been very sweet.
"At least I'll always have that," he remarked wryly to no one.
He sighed.
It would be very difficult to pretend everything was the same but he would do it. He had to do it.
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8:12 pm
It had been impossible to concentrate after what happened. "Let's go home, Levi," Sue had said. "I can be just as unproductive in the comfort of my own home."
"I left some dinner for you in the oven," said Lucy when Sue arrived home. "Got a lot of work done?"
"Not really," admitted Sue. "I had an interruption."
Lucy looked at her friend in concern. "Anything you want to talk about?"
"I think I'm going to think about it first," Sue replied thoughtfully. "I'll let you know if I need your advice."
Lucy's eyes widened. "You've got me really curious now. Sure you don't want to share?"
Sue shook her head.
"Okay, but you know I'm available day or night 24/7," reminded Lucy.
"Thank you, Dr. Dotson."
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Midnight
Bobby flopped spread eagle on his bed. Though physically exhausted from his workout at the gym, it hadn't helped. He was still thinking about Sue and the kiss they shared. It made him forget about all the kisses he'd shared with Darcy. Maybe that's why she left him behind. Maybe she suspected that while he loved her, she didn't have his whole heart.
He groaned.
How was he going to face Sue when she came back from her interview? Suck it up, Manning, he admonished himself. That's all he could really do—and hope that Sue had forgiven him.
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Midnight
Sleep was impossible with so much to think about. Sue sat on the couch idly stroking Levi's head as her thoughts dwelled on the kiss. When had Bobby's feelings of friendship turned into something deeper? When had hers?
She knew she cared for him. He occupied a special place in her heart accepting her as a member of the team from the very beginning and had never regarded her deafness as a detriment to doing her job. She'd appreciated his support but she'd never allowed herself to think of him as anything more than as a friend…until now.
For a second, she'd been stunned by his action then almost instantaneously realized she liked being kissed by Bobby and responded whole-heartedly. Her joy quickly turned to bewilderment when she saw the dismayed expression on his face.
Why? Was it the no dating policy? Somehow she didn't think so. Yes, the policy existed but Myles and Lucy's relationship was only one of many examples of couples that had found a way to get around it. Supervisors were known to overlook such pairings as long as the team functioned efficiently and effectively. No, that couldn't be the reason. What else could it be?
He'd given every indication from day one that he found her attractive and was interested but then David entered her life and then Darcy came into Bobby's. Both relationships had become serious but divergent interests and expectations had curtailed either one from progressing to the next level. Now David was gone from her life and Darcy had exited Bobby's. That left only one reason—Jack.
Had Bobby suppressed his own feelings for her because of Jack? She knew that everyone on the team believed they were interested in one another and to be honest, she had been attracted to him. Jack was nice, he was cute and she would be eternally grateful to him for taking her out of the drudgery of fingerprinting. He had even given signals that he wanted more but as time passed, she realized he had issues with women and commitment. She liked him…liked him a lot but as a friend and nothing more. No one believed her.
That kiss they'd shared during the Merced and Callahan case was great. However, it had been part of the undercover and nothing had come of it. Jack had been embarrassed the team had learned about it and conveniently forgot it had even taken place.
She didn't think she could forget this kiss with Bobby. It had filled her with wonder and delight and, she had to admit, confusion. How long had this been going on? When had their feelings changed from friendship to something more?
"You know, Levi, I never expected one kiss could make me feel like this." She finally gave up trying to analyze her jumbled emotions and went to bed.
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