Questions And Answers...

I can't go through this again...

"Yeah.. all good." He gave her a brief smile, but it lacked conviction, and she saw right through it. Stella opened her mouth to say something, but he had already walked out, leaving her staring at the closed door, a troubled frown on her face.

Kelly meanwhile ran a hand through his hair and headed to his office, shutting the door, pulling the blind down, hoping that would discourage any visitors. He sat down heavily on his bed and stared into space, willing his mind to think of anyone but Stella Kidd. Casey was right. Kelly did love her. But he didn't want to be in love with her...or with anyone. He shook his head as if that would rid the voice that challenged him. He had sworn off that being in love thing resolutely after Anna..though he had recently started to wonder guiltily if Anna had been that type of love because Stella had always been there in his head throughout.
But what he had said to Boden had been the truth.
He couldn't go through it again.

♡♡♡♡♡

"I saved you a plate." Stella was standing behind the counter, nursing a cup of coffee.

"Thanks." Kelly automatically touched her hip as he walked past, which made her smile.
She loved it when he did that.

He had just gotten back from a squad call, and they had missed dinner, so Stella had made sure to keep some back for them.

Stella sat down at the table to keep him company, but he walked past the table with his plate without stopping.

"Paperwork... better get it done." He was lying. Kelly was no good at lying.

Stella nodded, her heart dropping.
Yep, there was definitely something up with him. The teasing glint in his eyes was missing when he looked at her. In fact, she was inclined to think he was avoiding her. First, he had rainchecked their Milwaukee brewery trip, consigning it to a 'maybe sometime never,' and then he hadn't carpooled with her today saying he had academy after shift but he had definitely told her last shift that he didnt have any classes there this week so there was something wierd going on with him.
As much as she didn't want to admit it, she had recently started thinking that maybe he was finally moving her out of the friend zone, and had been loving the increasing closeness between them, even thinking that maybe.... She shook her head.... she was NOT taking her head down that road. It was enough that she tossed and turned most nights, turned on by explicit memories of when they used to have sex and the knowledge that he was in the bedroom a few feet away did not help her tightly wound up nipples or the ache between her legs.
So fucking up her head over him was a definite no no. Sex definitely. Love...no!

♡♡♡♡♡

"Morning....". She was in the kitchen a few hours after shift in just a T and panties. This was nothing new. They both often walked around in underwear in the morning, but he couldn't stop staring at the way the black material hugged her cheeks, when she turned around to get a cup.
Why couldn't she cover herself up, he thought irritatedly. But his dick was talking another language. One which was definitely not on the same page as that thought, and insisted 'no seriously Stella, don't cover up!'

"Coffee?" She held up the pot and when he nodded she poured him a cup, putting it next to him. She smiled at him and his mouth responded automatically, swallowing up her half sleepy doe eyes, a ridiculous desire to use his thumb to iron out the faint indentation of her pillow on the top of one cheek where she would have been asleep on her face.

After a suspended millisecond she hopped onto the stool, long legs dangling down, one foot pointing downwards, idly drawing circles in the air. He remembered those legs wrapped around him. Abruptly turning away he swallowed and moved to stand behind the other side of the counter. Down boy! There was only so much his sweats could hide.