A/N: Thanks so much for reading, this is my first published fic so I am open to constructive criticism...enjoy!

It was all a ruse, an act. It was a fabricated moment, an effective diversion. It was the means to an end. It was just business, a part of the job. They were just doing what had to be done. He knew, now that it was over, there would be no resulting awkwardness, no meaningful exchange of looks or longing glances. He knew that she would treat him no differently, she would act the way they always had. Like nothing had happened, because nothing had. They were just doing their job. She would not acknowledge that the plan had inevitably spun out of control, that what was intended to be a kiss simply for show had turned into so much more.

He had known kissing Kate was a stupid plan, had even told her that it was stupid. For as much as he wanted to kiss her, and he really wanted to kiss her, he was terrified in equal measure. Kissing Kate, even if it was just part of a plan, would be more meaningful than any other kiss he'd ever engaged in, he was sure of it.

He was right. It was extraordinary. She was extraordinary.

The knowledge that she would brush off one of the most earth-shattering moments of his life might have broken him...but there was the memory of that sound. The small sound she'd made as they kissed, half moan, half whimper-torn from somewhere deep within her, a place that she never allowed him to see.

That one moment, as he tasted her gasp on his lips, was the most honest moment they had ever shared. Her hands had speared through his hair, echoing the desperation of his own fingers tangled in her curls, determined to revel in this stolen scene while it lasted. Her teeth just barely grazed his bottom lip...

They would go back to normal, it wouldn't mean anything that she would ever admit to, but she couldn't take back that one moment of truth, that one small moan. She could hide behind her career, her boyfriend, his reputation-but he'd heard it once and he was going to savor the memory until he got the chance to coax that small sound from her again. The next time it was not going to be initiated by a ruse. It might be a long time coming. He could be patient. He was holding out for magic.

A/N: I know...the 'Knockdown' kiss has been done a thousand times already and will be done a thousand times more...i just couldn't help myself :)