THE TALK
by Rosebud
Michael glanced at Chris and Rita suddenly realizing that, throughout the evening, the two of them had avoided looking directly at each other. He knew he wasn't imagining the undercurrents of emotion flowing around them.
Rita interrupted his thoughts when she asked, "Would you like some more pizza, Michael?" "No, actually, I've had enough. Let me help clean up." "Really, no, Michael, I can get it," said Chris as he looked at Michael with a look in his eyes that clearly read "Leave."
Rita smiled at Michael, "Yeah, Michael, I can help Chris clean up. "Okay," Michael answered slowly, noticing Chris' eyes as she smiled at him. Not only could he see the jealousy in Chris' eyes, he could feel it radiating from him. "I guess I'm more tired than I realized anyway. See you two in the morning," he said as he got up and walked toward the door with Chris following him.
As the door closed behind Michael, Chris muttered something under his breath. Rita asked, "What did you say?" "Nothing, nothing. There's just something about that guy that bugs me," as he walked up behind Rita and put his arms around her. "You're just jealous because he's flirted with me since he started working with us," she said.
"Flirted with you, did he? Hmm, I'll have to kill him," he joked as he leaned over and kissed her cheek. "You don't care who flirts with me, do you?" she asked, hoping that he would contradict her. Chris looked at her with a wounded look in his eyes, "Sammy, do you really believe that?" She turned and pulled him toward the couch. "No, I don't. Let's talk, okay, Chris?"
Michael stood outside the door for a moment thinking of the tension in the apartment. Definitely something going on between the two of them. "Either they'd end up in the sack together, if that hadn't already happened, or if they couldn't work out whatever problem they were having, they would self-destruct and break up as partner," he thought as he slowly walked across the street to his car. Getting in, he sat back exhausted and began to think over the experiences of the past few days as he stared absentmindedly back at Chris' apartment.
Rita leaned back in Chris' arms as they sat on the couch. He began to nuzzle her face. "Rita, I can't stand this anymore. I love you, and I want to be with you. We can work this out. I know we can. I felt such a sense of peach the other night holding you in my arms and watching you sleep. I know this relationship is right. Tell me you feel the same."
Rita looked at him, "Yes, I do. I was so positive that we couldn't continue this relationship without jeopardizing our partnership. When I told you that it was a mistake, I was just lying to myself. I was afraid to face my feelings. But now I know that I love you too much to ever let you go, no matter the consequences."
"Oh, Sammy, I'm so glad you told me that. I thought my heart was going to break when you said it was a mistake. You're the best friend I ever had, and without you, my life would be empty. I think we've always known that we were meant to be together," he said as he hugged her to him tightly. "We'll resolve the job situation somehow. I just know it," as he leaned over to kiss her.
"Take me upstairs, Chris, please," she asked softly. Chris grinned at her, "Never let it be said that a Lorenzo made a lady ask twice," as he kissed her again. He took her hand as he switched as he switched off the lights, and they walked upstairs hand in hand.
Outside in his car, Michael came out of his reverie and started the car. He waited a few moments for oncoming traffic to clear and then pulled his car out onto the street. He looked in his rearview mirror again for other traffic. At that moment, he saw the lights go out in Chris' apartment. Rita had not left. He thought, "So, I was right" and silently wished them luck. Michael liked them both even though Chris had given him a hard time because he thought he had been putting the moves on Rita.
"Okay, I would have if I hadn't figured out their relationship pretty fast." But Chris' obvious feelings for Rita and jealous reaction to anyone who looked at her was evident even to him. So, it definitely wasn't going to take Harry long to realize that things had gone to another level. That is if he hadn't already. Michael sighed to himself as he drove away.
Chris sat down on the bed beside Rita saying, "If we're going to make this work, we should make some rules for the office." "Yeah," she agreed, "We've got to keep our personal relationship separate from our working relationship. Business should be carried on as usual." Chris nodded in agreement.
"No touching or making remarks that would clue anyone in. And you've got to stop being so jealous. We should keep separate places, too," Rita suggested. "Well, he said teasing her, "I probably can keep my hands off you at work, but can you do the same?" Rita laughed as she stroked his face.
Chris asked, "Do I really come across as being jealous, Sammy?" "Lately, Sam, your feelings have been obvious to any guy who gets near me. When you warned Michael off me, it just made him aware of your feelings." He whispered in her ear, "I'm sorry. I promise I'll do better now that we've talked this out."
"But," he added, "I can't imagine not being with you whenever we're off duty. So, maybe we can figure something out about the living arrangements. You do realize that eventually we're going to have to tell Cap?" "Yeah," answered Rita with a look of dread on her face at the thought, "but let's wait until the right time."
"So, it's decided. We're together, right, Rita?" "Yeah," as she kissed him. He wrapped his arms around her, "I don't want you to think this relationship is just about this," as he cast his eyes to the bed. "I know," she answered, "it goes beyond this. This is sort of like the icing on the cake."
"It's forever, Sammy, okay?" Chris asked. Rita looked at him with a small frown on her face, "It's a little frightening though. I never felt this way before. When I was involved with Eric, I somehow knew that it wouldn't last. Funny, it's so obvious now. We always came running back to each other whenever our other relationships failed. This is the only relationship that either of us have ever made work."
"Yeah, I'm scared too. But maybe that's good, Rita. It means we really value what we have. And it took Gillian to make me understand how I always came back to you. She was right. I would never leave you for anyone else.
"Be mine forever?" he asked. "Forever," she answered as he pressed her back against the pillows. He kissed her gently and looked into her eyes as he whispered, "You're sure about this." "Positive," she said as she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him to her, "Now quit talking." Chris looked at her and smiled as he began to lovingly caress her, "Yes, ma'am. Not another word."
And he kept his word.
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