Chapter Text
"What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder."
Mark 10:9
It finally arrived in the mail on a Thursday afternoon in December.
Sharon Raydor walked into her office, shut the door, and opened the envelope in anticipation. She pulled out the documents and read the court order.
In the case of Sharon Raydor v. Jackson Raydor, the petition for dissolution of marriage has been granted.
She skimmed the rest of the document and allowed it to sink in. The biggest mistake of her life began 30 years ago standing in front of a priest and saying the words “I do.” It was rectified today on a piece of paper signed by the judge with the words “It is so ordered.”
She heard a knock on her door, and without looking up, she said, “Come in.”
The door opened, and she looked up into the eyes of the man who had unexpectedly become her best friend. “Hi Andy. What can I do for you?”
“Are we still on for dinner tonight? I’m looking forward to letting you try my famous lasagna.”
Her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes as she said, “It’s a date.”
Andy Flynn got a cheeky grin on his face and said, “A date? I thought we didn’t go on dates because you’re a married woman.”
“Andy, I didn’t mean that kind of date. Sorry. I’m a bit out of sorts this afternoon. My divorce was finalized today.”
“Are you okay, Sharon?”
“It’s weird. It’s been a long time coming; I should have done this twenty years ago. I used my marriage as a shield, even after it was so obviously over. Now that I don’t have it anymore, I feel a bit exposed.”
Their conversation was cut short by Provenza sticking his head in. “We have a murder.”
The murder was solved in record time, complete with a confession and a deal by 5:30 PM. Sharon addressed the team. “Good work, everyone. Let’s call it a night. The paperwork can wait until tomorrow.”
Sharon packed up her bag, texted Rusty to let him know that she would be late and that there were leftovers in the refrigerator, and walked to her car. She stopped at the grocery store, picked up a bottle of sparkling cranberry juice, and drove to Andy’s house.
When she arrived, she walked up the steps to the door, stood on the porch, and hesitated. She gathered her courage and knocked. The door opened, and she was greeted with a most welcome sight. A bolt of desire hit her as she saw Andy standing there with a grin on his face. He had rolled his sleeves up to his elbow, removed his tie, and unbuttoned a few buttons on his shirt.
Sharon took a deep breath and chastised herself for having such thoughts about one of her subordinates. She smiled and said, “Hi, Andy. I brought some sparkling cranberry juice.”
“Come in, Sharon. I’ll get started on making the lasagna in a few minutes.”
Sharon walked in and glanced around the living room. It was decorated for Christmas, with wreaths, garlands, and a decked out tree. She followed Andy into the kitchen, leaning in the doorway while Andy put the juice in the refrigerator. Andy joined her in the doorway and smirked. “What?” Sharon asked.
He pointed upward. Sharon glanced at the ceiling and saw that they were standing directly beneath a sprig of mistletoe. She blushed bright red. Andy said, “I know how much you like the rules, and I seem to remember a rule that if two people are standing under mistletoe, they’re supposed to kiss.”
Sharon shifted uncomfortably. She was afraid that if she kissed him, she would let slip her attraction to him. That simply wouldn’t do. But she also didn’t want to hurt his feelings. She finally decided that a chaste peck on the cheek would solve the problem. She leaned in, aiming for his cheek. At the last minute, Andy turned his head to the side, and their lips met.
Sharon was stunned for a moment. Before she had a chance to process, Andy deepened the kiss. She moaned involuntarily, giving him a chance to slip in his tongue. They continued until they needed to come up for air. Sharon was about to apologize when Andy returned for round two. Almost as if they had a mind of their own, Sharon felt her hands slip underneath Andy’s shirt. Simultaneously, she felt his hands reach bare skin on her abdomen.
Sharon felt Andy’s hot breath in her ear as he whispered, “Bedroom?”
Without thinking, Sharon nodded. She followed him down the hallway. When they reached the bedroom, they began shedding their clothing and then fell together onto the plush king-sized bed.