The fluorescent lights of the precinct felt almost blinding as Riley stepped through the glass doors, her heart still racing from her first night undercover at the strip club. The adrenaline was beginning to fade, replaced by a mix of exhilaration and uncertainty. Detective Jackson walked beside her, an easy smile on his face, clearly riding high on the night's success.

"Hey, you did great out there!" he said, slapping her on the back. "You really know how to handle yourself. I mean, that was some impressive flirting."

"Yeah, well, it was necessary," Riley replied, forcing a smile. She appreciated Jackson's compliment but couldn't shake the tension from earlier. She'd managed to push the drunk guy away herself, but it hadn't been easy.

As they approached the break room, she spotted Luke leaning against the wall, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. Riley's heart sank slightly. She hadn't expected him to be waiting here, and she certainly wasn't in the mood for another lecture.

"Jackson!" Luke called out, his tone sharp, cutting through the chatter in the room. He pushed off the wall and stormed toward them.

"Luke-" Riley started, but before she could get two words out, Luke's fist had connected with Detective Jackson's jaw. Riley stepped back in shock as Derek stumbled back, grabbing his face.

"Maddox, what the hell, man!" He demanded angrily, advancing back toward him. Riley jumped in front of him.

"Both of you need to calm down."

Derek looked at her incredulously. "Calm down? He just punched me in the fucking face!"

Luke growled, and Riley pushed him back again.

"What the hell were you thinking, letting her handle that guy on her own?" Luke yelled, grabbing everyone's attention in the precinct. Riley wanted to shrivel up and die with everyone's eyes on her.

Jackson scoffed. "I was right there, Luke. She managed it just fine."

"Fine?" Luke's voice rose, drawing even more attention. "You think it's 'fine' to let a rookie get cornered by a drunk who doesn't know when to back off?"

Riley looked between the two men uneasily. "Guys, come on. I'm fine. It's over now. Let's not make this a big deal."

But Luke wasn't backing down, turning to her. "You think this is just about tonight? You put yourself in a dangerous position, and I'm not going to just stand here and pretend like it's okay!"

Before Riley could respond, a loud, authoritative voice cut through the air.

"Officer! Detective!"

Everybody froze as Sergeant Donnelly stepped out of his office looking very unhappy. He took a moment to scan the room, then pointed at the three of them. "Maddox. What are you doing here? You are to steer clear of all law enforcement until your undercover assignment is over."

Luke clenched his jaw, saying nothing. The sergeant looked between them for a moment, then barked, "Jackson, Maddox, my office! Torres, hit the showers."

As Riley turned to walk away, she felt Luke's eyes on her, a mix of pride and worry that left her feeling unsettled. This argument might be over for now, but she knew the underlying tension between them was far from resolved.

_________________________________________________________________

Later, in the locker room, Riley felt the weight of the night's events settle in. She stood before her mirror, the adrenaline wearing off, replaced by anxiety and uncertainty. She changed back into her regular clothes, but the tension from earlier hadn't dissipated.

She knew she'd have to get used to this. She knew. You didn't get far in undercover situations without having to stomach some uncomfortable situations. But as she stood silently, looking at herself in the mirror, she could almost still feel the drunk man's hand on her waist, his grip on her arm. She'd scrubbed herself raw in the shower, trying to get off all of the glitter, and the stench of alcohol, but she still felt dirty.

Luke entered moments later, his expression tense. He leaned against the wall behind her. "Riley, we need to talk."

She sighed and resumed brushing her hair in the mirror, not turning to look at him. "I'm getting tired of talking to you, Luke. You're like a broken record. You're not even supposed to be here."

She saw his jaw flex in irritation in the mirror behind her.

"I'm just trying to make sure you're okay."

Riley huffed. "I'm fine."

"Fine?" He pushed off the wall, stepping closer. "You think almost getting cornered by some guy in there is 'fine'? That's not how this works, Riley. You don't have to deal with that just because you're undercover."

Riley shook her head, her heart pounding as she walked past him, throwing some loose items into her duffle bag. "You're just mad because you can't control the situation. I'm not some damsel in distress, Luke. I'm a cop. I'm here to do my job!"

"And I'm trying to keep you safe!" he countered, frustration boiling over, as he followed her across the room. "You think I want to see you like this? It kills me."

"I know exactly what I'm doing," she retorted, pushing past him to grab a towel from her locker. "I can handle myself."

Luke's jaw tightened, the vein in his temple pulsing as he struggled to keep his temper in check. "Clearly!" he scoffed, arms thrown up in exasperation. "You had to throw a drink in a guy's face, Riley. That's not exactly what I'd call 'handling' it. You think you're invincible because you managed to flirt your way through a shift?"

Riley whirled around, her heart racing, not just from adrenaline but from the frustration building between them. She stormed forward, poking him in the chest with her finger angrily. "Flirting got me information that you weren't able to get in the entire month you've been working the case! Maybe if you stopped treating me like I'm made of glass, you'd see that!"

His eyes narrowed, the intensity between them crackling like electricity. "You're not invincible, Riley. I can't just sit back and watch you put yourself in danger. I care about you too much to let that happen."

"Oh, so now you care?" she shot back, arms crossed defensively. "Is that why you're constantly breathing down my neck? Why can't you just trust me?"

Luke's voice rose, echoing in the small space. "You think I'm being overprotective because I don't think you can handle yourself? It's because I can't handle losing you."

The weight of his words hung in the air, and for a moment, Riley's bravado faltered. They stood silently, breathing heavy, so close that Riley could feel the heat coming from his body. But anger surged back as she met his gaze. "You think I don't know what it's like to lose someone? You think my past doesn't weigh on me every single day? I'm not going to let fear control me. That's why I became a cop!"

Their faces were inches apart, the tension thick and palpable. "You're not going back there," he said firmly, as if the declaration would somehow make it true.

"Watch me," she shot back, defiance burning in her eyes.

In a flash, Luke closed the distance between them, grabbing her wrists and pulling her closer. The intensity of his gaze held her captive, and before she could react, his lips crashed against hers.

The kiss was electric, full of pent-up frustration and undeniable chemistry. Riley's initial shock melted away, and she found herself kissing him back, her free hand moving to his chest, feeling the firm muscle beneath her fingertips. It was a moment of reckless abandon, a collision of everything they had been fighting about.

The locker pressed into her back as Luke's large hand came up to the back of her neck, cradling her head and trapping her between the cold metal and the hard lines of his body. Her lips parted with a breathy moan, inviting his tongue in to collide with hers and deepening the kiss. His other hand moved to her waist, his strong arm wrapping around her with a deep, unbelievably hot, groan. He kissed her like he was a man drowning and she was his only source of oxygen.

Somewhere in the back of Riley's mind, a sole rational thought banged against the walls, begging to be set free, but Riley ignored it and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. She could feel him everywhere, and yet she wanted more. Need pulsed through her body as he devoured her like a man starved, and she devoured him back with equal intensity.

They finally broke apart, both breathless, as Luke rested his forehead on hers, a thumb absentmindedly tracing a line on her cheek as his other hand rested on the locker beside her head, caging her in. His eyes were still closed tightly, a tortured expression on his handsome face, as if holding onto the moment before reality came crashing down around them once again. As if he was struggling to regain control of himself. Riley studied him, lips parted, heart pounding.

Never in her life had she felt a desire like the one that was coursing through her body in that moment. Never before had she experienced something that felt so raw and desperate and right.

But it couldn't happen again. It shouldn't have happened in the first place. He was her training officer. Not to mention that they were both undercover.

Riley's anger flickered beneath the surface. "What the hell was that?" she breathed, eyes wide in disbelief, as she pushed on his chest, making him take a big step backward.

Luke ran a hand through his hair, looking as stunned as she felt. "I don't know," he admitted, voice low. "But I can't just stand by and let you do this without trying to make you understand."

Riley tipped her head back, leaning it against her locker, shaking her head in disbelief. "You can't keep me from doing my job just because you're scared."

Luke said nothing, his jaw clenching and unclenching. The way he was looking at her- the intensity in his eyes, the way he looked like an animal ready to pounce again- was nearly enough to break the thread that her self-control was already hanging by.

"Maybe I just need a little space," she said, her tone softer now.

"Riley..."

"Just give me a minute," she interrupted, turning away to compose herself. The kiss lingered on her lips, a reminder of everything that was unresolved between them. With one last look, she turned and left.