Author Notes: Amazeballs! I actually managed to spell lieutenant correctly for the first time EVER without using spell-check when writing this piece of cake!
Thanks heaps to Mellow_mel for her fabulous beta work
Warning: This slice is sickly sweet…
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters below – I am only borrowing them – and will not be financially benefitting from the story in anyway. No copyright infringement is intended.
Cake – Chapter 3
Sharon pressed her back against the wall of the elevator, clutching tightly to the hand rail as she stared at her warped reflection in the metal doors; her twisted image perfectly mirrored the churning deep down in her stomach.
She was terrified.
That fear of rejection clung to Sharon as the elevator doors parted and she stepped into the dimly lit hallway. Her stilettos clipped rhythmically against the wooden floor as she strode with purpose towards Andy's apartment.
Upon reaching her destination, Sharon raised a hand and was poised to knock - but instead unclenched her fist and placed her palm flat against the door; she closed her eyes.
'What the hell are you doing, Sharon?'
She lost her nerve.
Spinning sharply on her heel, she began her retreat - yet stopped short of the elevator.
'What if he feels the same?'
Sharon took a deep breath and pushed her hand through her hair, before looking back over her shoulder at Andy's apartment door.
'I have to know.'
"Damn it." She muttered under her breath before turning once more and swiftly moving back along the corridor - this time however, she left little time for doubt; rapping against the door four times.
Sharon's heart pounded in her chest and she nervously wrung her hands as she anticipated Andy's appearance at the door. It felt like an eternity to be left alone with her thoughts; the silence of the hallway accentuating the mocking of her own conscience.
'You're being ridiculous.' 'What the hell would Andy Flynn see in you?' You are too old.' He's probably not even here; he's probably in another woman's bed right now….or another woman is in his…'
A noise on the other side of the door announced that Andy was indeed home, and before Sharon could turn her last thought into a reason to flee – he opened the door.
"Captain?" He stood in only a vest, socks and blue and white striped boxers; his hair was dishevelled and he had pillow creases on his left cheek. Sharon thought it was an adorable package, tainted only by the concern in his sleepy brown eyes. "It's three in the morning…are you okay?"
Sharon stared at Andy for a few beats; she was aware that he had asked her a question, but felt unsure of how to answer him. She certainly wasn't okay…nor was she completely ready to tell him why.
"Sharon?" He took a step towards her and his movement broke the spell.
"Not really." She answered flatly, with a tight wan smile that didn't reach her eyes. "In fact I'm quite sure I'm losing my mind…" she chuckled nervously, "…are you alone?" Sharon's question sounded a little desperate, even to her own ears; she truly hoped that he was alone – her turning up unannounced in the middle of the night was going to be difficult enough to explain, without the added complication of having to lie her way out of an awkward situation.
"Yeah," he answered suspiciously, his brow furrowed. "You wanna come in?"
Sharon nodded and glanced up at him fleetingly as she entered the darkened apartment.
Andy ushered her into the sitting room and flicked the switch for the overhead light. It blinked into action highlighting an old, brown leather couch and armchair, a cluttered dark wood coffee table and matching book shelf that was littered with books, sporting memorabilia and a single framed photograph from his daughter's wedding.
Sharon was drawn to the latter; she wondered over to the shelf and picked up the patterned metal frame, running her eyes over the smiling faces of Andy and his daughter. "Nicole is beautiful, Andy," she looked up at him where he hovered by the entrance to the room and smiled softly. "It really is a lovely photograph."
"Thanks," he moved into the room and perched on the arm of the couch, his arms crossed at his waist, "but I don't think you came all the way over here just to talk about that photograph."
Sharon dropped her gaze and placed the picture frame back on the shelf. "No. No I didn't, Andy."
"Is it Rusty?"
"No." She raised her gaze to meet his again. "It's nothing like that."
"Then what? Did you come over here to repay me for my late night visit to your apartment? 'cause if that's the case, you're supposed to be bearing a calorific treat." Andy grinned boyishly and Sharon couldn't help but smile in response. "Seriously, are you okay?"
"I'm fine Andy, I just…" Sharon paused, nervously rubbing her lips together; she looked into his eyes, searching them for an answer to her still unspoken question; it was a pointless exercise and eventually she yielded. "Did you mean it?"
"Did I mean what?" Andy asked, frown lines creasing his brow.
"That night, when you came by my apartment...when you said that I deserved better…you insinuated…"
"Oh," Sharon saw realisation dawn on Andy's features; he raised a hand to scratch the back of his head – averting his eyes from the scrutiny of her gaze. "that."
Sharon felt her stomach drop; she felt the heat rising in her cheeks. What does he mean 'oh that?'
She suddenly realised that she had made a horrible mistake.
"I'm sorry lieutenant," Sharon squared her shoulders, straightened her glasses and flipped her hair over her shoulder, "I appear to have misread your intentions; I shouldn't have come." She made to move past Andy and leave, but he stopped her with a hand around her wrist.
"Sharon, wait."
Sharon looked down with confusion at where Andy's hand gripped at her wrist; the thin fabric of her blue trench bunching under his fingers. She raised her green eyes to meet his, finding him looking right at her, his expression unreadable. "Why?"
He released his grip on her wrist and got to his feet, standing between Sharon and the door. "Because I meant it, okay?" His tone was exasperated, "but that was weeks ago."
"So…" Sharon frowned, "you've changed your mind?"
"Sharon, you've been nothing but aloof since that night; I thought we'd made a connection – we've been getting closer and thought that there might be a chance…but you just…clammed up on me."
Sharon was taken aback; were her own anxieties to blame? She hadn't been intentionally cold with Andy – but admittedly had felt uncomfortable in his presence. Deep down, she craved his company and his attention, but at the same time, in a professional capacity felt the need to put space between them. It had been a confusing few weeks.
"I'm sorry if I've been a little distant." She took a short step towards him, "You just surprised me…You dropped quite the bombshell..."
"I know," he shrugged sheepishly. "I thought maybe you were going to chew me out about it."
"Honesty, it entered my mind." She smiled weakly. "I'm your boss Andy – you must realise that if we take this further…there will be consequences."
"So there's a possibility?" He raised his eyebrows expectantly.
"I came over here to discuss it in the middle of the night, what do you think detective?"
He grinned at her sarcasm. "I know that putting the moves on my superior officer wasn't the smartest move I could have made."
"No," Sharon smiled shyly and lowered her head, looking up at him through her lashes. "No it wasn't, Andy."
"I was out of line, Sharon." Andy reached into the space between then and threaded his fingers with hers, "but I meant every word."
"You're sure?" She asked, still unsure of his affections. "Because I need to know that this isn't going to be just some flash-in-the-pan thing - that I'm not just some conquest…"
"Ahh, I see my reputation precedes me." He took a seat back on the arm of the couch and pulled her with him.
Sharon squeezed his fingers, "I'm serious, Andy; there's a lot at stake here. We are obligated to report this to our superiors and…"
"I know all that." He rolled his eyes, "Look Sharon," he tugged lightly on her fingers and she moved in closer; her clothed leg brushing against his bare knee "…I know that it's against the rules and I love my job…but I can't help how I feel."
"You're serious?" She asked softy, looking at their linked hands and trying to supress the smile that was creeping across her lips.
"As a heart attack." He smiled.
"You…you really want to try this…us." Sharon gesticulated with her spare hand in the space between them.
"I do." He nodded. "The question is Sharon, do you?"
Sharon inhaled sharply and looked into his eyes; Andy was vulnerable – his heart exposed and awaiting her decision. "I do," she said breathily as she exhaled; squeezing his fingers between hers before releasing them and bringing both of her hands to rest on his shoulders. "I really do."
Andy smiled and reached up to cup her cheek, pulling her down for a kiss; Sharon pressed her lips to his, savouring their softness against her own for the first time.
They pulled apart and he smiled up at her, his hands encircling her waist and pulling her closer still; "Even if it's sort of against the rules?"
Sharon looped her arms around Andy's neck, settling between his knees, "why don't you let me worry about the rules hmmm?" She tentatively placed a kiss to the corner of his mouth "it's what I'm good at, remember?"
She swallowed his response with a kiss.
The End!
Thanks for reading – I hope you enjoyed reading my softer side :) . I'm now off to continue my creepy MC suspense story and bring balance back to my universe!