CREDIT TO-- archiveofourown.org/users/Phantom_Serenity/pseuds/Phantom_Serenity

The reception was in full swing. I don't think I've ever seen everybody so relaxed and happy. It's been a long, rough year for all of us. Seeing the whole gang together was lovely. The fact that it all took place at someone's wedding made us even happier.

As I'm watching the dance floor, sipping my champagne, suddenly I feel it. That tingling under my skin. He's watching me, looking at me. This happens every time. "You should just go over and kiss him," Melissa whispers, a knowing smile on her face. Evidently she's known my feelings about him from the start. "He'd love it."

Shaking my head, I finish the champagne and wave for another. "No way in the world I'm doing that," I groan. "Especially not here in front of everybody." This embarrassing crush can't take over my life. If I acted on it, and he turned me down, I'd probably end up leaving this job. And I love my work so much. Not only because it lets me see the man I love, but it's fun and satisfying. I'm turning towards Melissa again when I hear our names called out. Lauren comes over and tugs on our hands, pulling us toward the dance floor. He's out there with everyone else of course. Everyone is laughing as they move to the music. Somehow I end up pushed closer to his body. I try to not react. I won't look up at him. If I do, I know my eyes will give it all away.

After cake is cut and served, suddenly Tom is by my side. "Come on love, dance with me," he begs. With a laugh, I join him. He pulls me close, and I can smell his cologne. "Nice to be with everyone while not in costume, hmm?" His comment makes me laugh, and just then I see a flash of light. The photographer captured the moment just right. I know I'll need a copy of that.

I've got a funny feeling
The moment that your lips touched mine
Something shot right through me
My heart skipped a beat in time
There's a different feel about you tonight
It's got me thinking lots of crazy things
I even think I saw a flash of light
It felt like electricity

The song ends just about the time that my legs are ready to collapse. I can feel those eyes on me again. Tom is leading me off the dance floor when I hear "Hey sweetheart, you havin' fun?" Before I can answer, Jeff catches me up in his arms, laughing as he kisses me. "You look gorgeous, ya know." My blush gives away my embarrassment, but he doesn't let me protest. "Don't you dare argue with me. I know what you're gonna say, and just don't. I won't stand for it."

Rolling my eyes, I playfully stick my tongue out at him. "You're too much, Jeff. Don't start." He swings me around a little before settling me in a chair and grabbing champagne for us both. "Just drink up and enjoy the night, gorgeous," he chuckles, winking before walking away.

You shouldn't kiss me like this
Unless you mean it like that
'Cause I'll just close my eyes
And I won't know where I'm at
We'll get lost on this dance floor spinning around
And around and around and around

It's getting late now. I'm trying to decide if I'm ready to take my leave and head up to my hotel room. It's a relief to know that we all have rooms here so none of us have to drive home tired and half tipsy from all the drinks. As I'm considering my options, Norman comes up to me. "May I have this next dance, milady?" The word makes me giggle, and I take his hand happily.

"As you wish, sir." He leads me out and then pulls me closer. There's not as many people on the dance floor now. I can feel that gaze on me again. I'm trying not to shake and tremble. I don't need Norman asking questions. He'd be asking questions, possibly be almost as bad as Melissa is. Our bodies lean closer. Soon my head is resting on his shoulder as we sway.

"You look gorgeous tonight," he murmurs, spinning us slowly. "Looking good for anyone particular? Or was this just your usual stunning self?" His words make me laugh, but I only shrug in reply. No need to admit that I did take a lot of time to make sure I looked just perfect. A tiny seed of hope had sprung that maybe tonight I could make enough of an impression. But I don't know if I've even captured the attention long enough to gain any real consideration as something more than a friend.

They're all watching us now
They think we're falling in love
They'd never believe we're just friends
When you kiss me like this I think you mean it like that
If you do baby kiss me again
Everybody swears we'd make a perfect pair
But dancing is as far as it goes
Girl you've never moved me
Quite the way you moved me tonight
I just wanted you to know
I just wanted you to know

With a kiss to my cheek, the song is over and Norman leaves. I walk to get my purse and then make my way over to say goodbye to Melissa before leaving. Turning one last time, I see those eyes locked on me. I manage a soft smile, waving my fingers before heading to the elevators.

I ride up to my room alone. The silence is welcome even as it hurts. Silly me, hoping that tonight something might actually come of my unrequited love. Inside my room, I kick off my heels and groan. Do I want food? Do I dare open up the mini bar and just blot out my troubled heart for the night? Before I can decide, there's a loud knock at my door. Someone is evidently insistent on talking to me.

Opening the door, I freeze. He's standing there, tie undone, staring at me.

"I gotta talk to you."

I'm still standing in the doorway, almost shocked that he's appeared like this. Stepping back, I let Norman enter. "What about your date? Won't she be wondering where you are?" The words come out a little too harshly. He must know that I've never been a fan of that woman. Seeing her with him tonight had almost made me turn around and leave.

"She's not my date," he grumbled. "Just came as friends." He's pacing almost nervously, a tiger in a cage. Occasionally he pauses to look at me. Then he turns and starts his circuit around the room again.

"You wanted to talk? What about?" I'm tired, and more than a little heartsore. If he's here to talk about work I might just cry. I take a slow drink of water as I'm watching him. If he wants to talk, he needs to hurry before I embarrass myself either with tears or throwing myself at him.

Looking at me, he whispers "I couldn't stop watching you tonight. I know you saw me. You gonna just ignore me?" I'm confused by this. How was I ignoring him? I had been only too aware of how he had watched me. My goosebumps all night proved it. "You know... you gotta know..." Clearing his throat, he finally crosses the room to gently caress my cheek. "I didn't wanna let you go when the song was over. I wanted to kiss you for real." As his thumb glides over my skin, he smirks. "That red lipstick was driving me crazy." Then without any warning, he pulls me close and kisses me.

I want to melt in his arms. This must be a dream. I have to be dreaming. Feeling his fingers starting to tangle in my messy curls, I pull back slightly. "You just wanted to kiss me?" The question sounds silly, but it's the only way I can think to ask what I'm needing to know. I have to know if this is for real. I have to know if he's only wanting one night, or if he's giving me something special.

With a smirk, Norman leans in close to my ears. "Oh, I wanted more than that kiss. I want to pull that dress off so that I can show you exactly what I've been dying to do to your body. I want to lay you down right here and cover your body with kisses. I want to taste you until you scream. And then I want to make love to you till neither of us can walk." I can't help shivering in anticipation as he continues "And in the morning I want to do it all again."

He answered all my fears with those words. "You want me." I mean to ask this, but it comes out more as a plain fact. It's clear by the heat in his eyes that he wants more than a fling or some sort of mutual agreement for release. "Norman, I've been in love with you for over a year now," I whisper, looking down as embarrassment heats my face. "If this happens, its not just for tonight. I can't take that. Either you're in or you're out."

The hot stare softens a bit, and he adoringly strokes back my hair. "I'm in," he answers firmly. "All in, love. All of me." Those lips that can smile sardonically are now curved tenderly as he kisses a trail down my jaw and neck. "All of me, for all of you."

Whimpering, I lean back, pulling us till my back hits the wall. He follows eagerly, teeth beginning to tease me and draw more groans from my lips. "Norman... Norman..." As I beg, he reaches around to tug at the zipper of my dress. I let it fall easily. Tomorrow I can be hesitant and take my time. But not tonight. Tonight we need each other too desperately.

He hitches one leg around his waist as I start tugging at buttons. Somehow I manage to not rip them off even though my hands are shaking. His shoulders lift and sag to allow his shirt to hit the floor. "Don't kiss me like this unless you mean it," he whispers, a bit of nervousness finally showing.

In reply I pull him closer, biting his bottom lip. "Baby kiss me again," I plead. With that he spins our bodies till we land on the bed. Our foreheads end up banging against each other, making us laugh and cracking the tension from earlier. Gently I kiss the spot that is red from impact. "Sorry, honey, I'll be gentle," I tease, making him smirk again.

Instead of answering me, he starts biting his way along my body. His hands work quickly to pull away my bra and underwear. "I'll take my time tomorrow," he mutters. "Tonight I need you." Then with a tone of warning, he growls "I may not be gentle."

The warning only makes me love him more. It's so tempting to laugh it off, but I know better. "I want the bruises," I tell him. "That way I know I'm not dreaming all this." Then I grin, biting down where his shoulder and neck meet. "I promise I'm gonna leave my mark as well, honey."

A growl slips out that might be the death of me. Pinning my hands over my head, he slips two fingers inside me. "Oh hell you're wet love. God, so wet." The words hiss out as he works a bit, readying my body. My fingers flex as I whine, needing to touch him. But he only laughs before his teeth find one hardened nipple. "You're perfect, love. I want to see you cum like this. Do it, cum for me."

Even if I wanted to, I couldn't stop myself. My body lifts from the bed as I cry out for him. He watches with pride and lust mixing in his features. Shuddering, I beg "Please, Norman... god please don't make me wait any more. I want you, I need to... to feel you please!"

His smile heats up as he kisses me again. "God I've got so many thing I wanna do with you. But I gotta have you now," he groans. His pants and boxers end up in a tangle on the floor, and soon he's again hovering over me. "You're sure? After this there's no going back," he warns. "I don't share what's mine."

God, his tone soaks me with lust and desire, and yes, complete love. "Then it's a good thing I'm yours," I tell him. With a kiss I wrap my legs around his lean body. "I mean it. No going back." Something happened when we danced tonight. I know now that with that one action, we got right here. And it's right where we belong.

Smoothly he begins to enter me. The slow movement is torture, both of us desperately holding back. Once we've begun, life will never be the same. Our eyes meet as he's finally sheathed deep within me. Shaky breaths leave us both before he begins gentle thrusts. Every muscle in his body is shaking. Is he holding back? I won't have it. Leaning closer, I bite him, bearing down to leave my mark. "Like you mean it, honey," I whisper. With that, all control is lost. His hips snap against mine. All movement is deliberate and rough. He won't stop now, and neither can I. Desperately I claw along his shoulders, hoping to somehow ground myself. But I'm already flying too close to the sun now. All restraint is melting away. I begin begging and pleading, knowing that just one more stroke... one more thrust... Suddenly I'm screaming, body freezing before I thrash under him, knowing mercy will not come yet.

He watches me with pride before starting up again. "One more, come on baby," he urges. "You're gonna cum for me again." Hitching my leg up higher, he moves with more confident now, sure in his actions. Clearly he's a fast learner, and he won't forget just what I crave. When I begin shaking again, he grins and starts again with those hot kisses. "Yeah, come on," he growls. "Once more for me, god I'm close... gotta..." I scream his name, clenching around him as heat and pleasure shoot through me. He shouts my name almost triumphantly before burying his face in my neck.

We gasp for breath together as we come down from our highs. Slowly his head lifts, that shaggy hair unable to hide the light in his eyes or his grin. "Well now you got my red lipstick all over you," I tease.

Naughtily he teases "Not all over just yet, but there's time." I swat his shoulder even as I laugh. Then he rolls our bodies till we are cuddled close, laying on our sides. "I'm not leaving," he states, with barely a hint of hesitancy. "I need to hold you."

"That's not all you gotta do." I laugh at his confusion before I cup his cheek. "Baby kiss me again."