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Chapter Seven:
Good 4 You
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Warnings; mentions of infidelity (again), smut, angst and fluff....very brief mention of an eating disorder.
Words:7.9k ( I went all out )
•BOSTON, MA•
"Let's go, Jake, pack your things whatever you need because you aren't staying here." Ari urges Jacob to grab his backpack as the two of them enter the child's room followed by a very angry Laurie, a social worker beside her, and a police officer.
"You can't take him! Who even are you?" Laurie crosses her arms, a distressed look on her face.
"Ari Levinson," Ari stands up to his full height, confidence radiating off of him, "I would shake your hand but I don't like you."
"Oh?" Laurie stops Jacob from packing his drawings, "you don't even know me and I don't even know you! You don't have a right to take my son."
"I know enough about you Laurie to know that you aren't a good person and we have the proof to prove that....why do you think I came accompanied?" Ari takes the drawings from Laurie's grasp and hands them back to Jacob as he proceeded to place them in his bag.
"I-I wanna talk to Andy!" Laurie cries, "where is he?"
"That won't be allowed," Ari states, "he has a restraining order against you and you are apart of an ongoing investigation."
Crying, Jacob stuff all his pajamas and his shirts, shorts, and his stuffie that his father had gifted him during their son/father day, about a year ago.
The social worker takes Jacob by the hand, leading him out of the room to leave Laurie and Ari to converse.
"Who are you again?" Laurie narrows her eyes at the tall man.
"Ari. Levinson." Ari says again, "DA of Seaport Firm, and Andy's friend, if you were a good wife you'd remember that Andy and I went to law school together....I was at your wedding...." He takes a few steps closer to her, "and what you did was awful and guess what? It's a crime to rape somebody. Therefore, you'll be seeing the inside of a jail cell real soon....and no...we don't care who your father is."
Ari slides his sunglasses back on and leaves the room.
He really doesn't care if Raymond would go after him because he was traveling with a high security team at all times, and another team was watching over Andy at a safe house where Jacob would be taken to.
Ari, the social worker and Jacob waited near the door for Laurie to come and say her final goodbye. But she never walked down.
The police officer that came with Ari, walked down the stairs.
"She said she's not coming down." He says, placing his hands on his belt.
Ari, places his hand on Jacob's shoulder, crouching down to be at his level.
"Let's go see your dad, bud." Ari takes a tissue out from his suit and hands it to Jake.
"But...but my mom.....why doesn't she want to say goodbye to me?"
Ari sighs, breathing deeply.
"Your dad is waiting for you, buddy, let's go." Ari opens the door and takes Jake's hand leading him to the state issued SUV.
• NEW YORK CITY •
Twirling around in your desk chair, you stopped in front of the large windows in your office at the new firm, here in NY.
You mentally thank Ari for setting you up here so fast.
So far, you've been loving it. You've made good friends, got out every night after work whether to drink or just out to enjoy the city, you have a cute little apartment in downtown Manhattan....you're living life the way it should be lived.
But...all that still can't help avoid the loneliness you feel at night. When it's real quiet, and you can hear your thoughts....and it's even worse when you think if Andy was telling the truth that last time you saw him.
Were you so caught up in the heated moment that maybe you chose not to believe him?
No.....that can't be...because if that's true, it means you walked out on him when he needed you the most.
Then you start thinking about how much you've been missing him; his laugh, his scent, the way he'd just want to be cuddled after a long day, how he'd love you so softly anytime the two of you were together.
Two soft knocks disrupted your intense thoughts, bringing you back to the present.
"Come in," you say out loud, turning your chair away from the window and towards your desk.
Steve enters with two bags and two cups.
"Brought ya lunch..." he smiles, closing the door behind him.
The past few days, you've been getting to know Steve and he's a very handsome, kind and funny - but he wasn't Andy.
"Oh thank you!" You smile, receiving the bag and cup from him and placing it on your desk.
Your friends are convinced he likes you, and you're starting to think it's true. He wouldn't just bring lunch to any one of his other employees...or squeeze their arm whenever they did a good job...or linger closely as you explain the events of the day for him.
"May I sit?" He motions one of the chairs in front of your desk.
"Please," you Motion your hand, scooting closer to your desk so you could eat.
"Lana told me your favorite was the taco place on the corner...so that's what I got, I hope that's alright." Steve explains, setting his cup down after taking a sip, analyzing your facial expression.
"That's more than alright....and I was craving tacos so..." you tilt your head, opening the bag and taking a deep inhale of the delicious smell.
"I've never had this place so I'm excited to try it out...." He scoots closer to your desk, hovering over his food.
"It's amazing," you say with your mouth full, after taking a big bite of your taco, the excess lettuce falling down onto the wrapper.
After realizing you spoke with your mouth full like a kindergartner, Steve laughs lightheartedly and you let out a nervous chuckle.
Feeling some wetness at the corner of your mouth, before you could react and wipe the sauce off, Steve reaches for his unused napkin and asks: "may I?"
He's so polite and you're now starting to realize must come from an educated family because he's always using these proper words like restroom, may I, yes sir, no sir, yes ma'am, no ma'am....
You nod, watching him fold the edge of his napkin and wipe off the sauce from the edge of your mouth.
"T-Thank you." You say lowly, never taking your eyes off of his as his eyes practically burned into yours.
God, how are his eyes so blue? Like two pools of the most bluest ocean you've ever seen.
He smirks at you gently, looking down at his food and finally unwrapping his taco.
"That's really good," he says also with a mouthful, mimicking what you just did a few minutes ago.
You laugh and feel better, and not as nervous.
"So, I never asked you the other day, what brings you to New York? I know you used to live in Newton and worked for Ari's firm." Steve says, wiping the edges of his mouth as he finishes his first taco.
"Have you been asking about me, Mr.Rogers?" You ask innocently, putting your cup down.
"Steve, call me Steve."
The encounter remind you of Andy, how he never liked you calling him Professor Barber, he also enforced you to call him Andy.
"And yes, I may have asked around about you.." Steve shyly looks away from your gaze, "...is that alright?"
"Hmmm, I just prefer you ask me directly, Steve." You exclaim, unwrapping your second taco.
"Okay," Steve clears his throat, too shy to continue to ask about you.
You smile and chuckle lightly, "I am from Boston, I used to work at Ari's firm as you may know and I'm just a girl from Newton, I was born there, grew up there and um, I got this job offering so that's why I'm here."
"Oh," Steve speaks watching you take another bite of your taco.
"Disappointed in my boring background?" You question.
"No, no, no," he saves himself, "I just, I got the impression that you might've been running from something."
Not a something Steve, a someone. You thought to yourself.
•BOSTON, MA•
"Daddy!" Jacob jumps into Andy's arms and Andy hugs him tight, kissing his head.
"Hi Jake," Andy sets him down and leads him further into the safe house.
Ari and the officer following close behind, walking beside the social worker.
"Is Mommy coming later?" Jacob begins asking questions, "are we going on vacation?"
"N-no," Andy breathes out, confused and looking over at Ari who raises his brows as his answer, "no buddy, you're going to be living with me for a while."
Jacob looks around and starts to process why the police have been accompanying him and his father's friend, along with a lady with a booklet in a pant suit he's never seen before - but she's very nice.
He looks at the sadness in his fathers eyes, the dark bags under them and the paleness that covered Andy's face.
His father was not well, so Jacob knew it was better to just be quiet and stop asking questions.
Jacob looks into his fathers eyes, and stepping further into him he hugs him again and Andy has an emotional breakdown.
Ari had to urge Andy to step in the house because he ran the risk of being seen by Raymond or Laurie.
But Andy wouldn't budge from his son's arms, he felt so safe, and he hasn't felt that way in a while so he just kept on hugging his child.
Even if things didn't work out with you, if you never came back to Andy, of course he'd be devastated and probably need therapy to get over you. But he'd be okay, not happy or on cloud nine as he felt when he was with you, but he'd be okay because he'd have Jacob.
And Jacob looks up to him, he knows this. After all he is his father, and Jacob's protector.
"C'mon guys, I had Gila cook us her famous penne pasta," Ari watches as Andy finally stands up, carrying Jake in his arms as they enter the house.
The safe house was actually one of Ari's homes in the outskirts of Boston, the same town where your apartment was. Ari even hired a maid for the time being while Andy got everything arranged.
"You like pasta, right Jake?" Ari runs a hand through Jake's hair messing it up and making him giggle.
"I really do!" Jacob throws his backpack and doesn't care where it lands as it shyly hops up at this strange dinning room table.
Andy sitting beside him, smiling for the first time in weeks as he watched his son wait patiently for his food.
Gila comes and serves Jacob first, gently placing a big plate of a creamy pasta dish in front of him.
But he was quick to push it aside and in front of his dad, "Eat, dad, it looks really good," Jacob slides the fork over as well.
Andy had lost a few pounds since he wasn't eating or sleeping properly, so he looked thinner than usual.
Jacob took note of this and knew something was wrong, and he needed to put his father first.
"Thanks Jake," Andy kisses his son's head and reaches for the fork, eating for the first time in days as he's survived on electrolytes and saltine crackers.
Jacob turns to look at Ari who was cheering silently behind Andy's back, watching his friend eat for the first time.
"Thank. You." Ari mouths, pressing his hands together and winking at Jake.
Jake nods, smiling over at Ari, his attention returning to the table when Gila placed another plate of pasta in front of him.
"Alright Gila, where's mine? And where's the garlic bread?...." Ari huffs, unbuttoning his suit and taking his sunglasses off as he takes a seat at the head of the dining table.
"Right away Mr.Levinson," Gila hurried to take the bread out of the oven and set another plate up.
• NEW YORK CITY •
It's the end of another long day of filling out case files, organizing cases, receiving new information and evidence, replying to emails.
Sighing as you shut your computer down, you got your things situated and your coat on as you made your way out of your office.
It looked like it was only you because Steve and Mr.Stark had left earlier today after lunch for a meeting in New York State.
Lana and the secretaries and the other paralegals left just a little while ago to get some drinks but you weren't feeling the alcohol today.
You missed Andy today, a lot more than you usually did.
Waving goodbye to the janitor as he mopped the floors , you locked your office and slid your hands in your coat, walking over to the elevator.
It was a very cold night in NYC, you felt it in your bones and across your skin as you continued walking to the bus stop.
The streets were extremely busy and there was lots of honking, people walking the streets and stores still open as if it weren't 9pm at night.
You were on the verge of tears when another bus just drove right pass you, not even acknowledging you.
It wasn't the frustration of the bus not stopping, or the cold, or the fact that you were extremely tired, it was the fact that you fucking missed Andy and Boston.
New York City seemed like another world, one you needed to get used to. It's not going to be easy though.
You saw another bus, headed to your street as it was plastered all across the front and you waved it down.
But still, like the others, drove right past you.
"Oh fuck you!" You curse, letting the tears fall.
You were still the front of the firm, when a motorcycle pulled up.
Steve hops off, taking his helmet off and in a new outfit.
Instead of a suit, he had a white shirt with a gold chain and a navy jacket on.
"Y/n?" Steve speaks softly, seeing you cry.
"Steve," you quickly wipe the tears away, acting as if nothing, "what are you doing here? I thought you had a meeting."
"I did," he smiles gently, "we just got back, it's just uhhh," he extends the word, "I left my favorite pen here."
You giggle at his flustered state, gosh was he a cutie. A blonde, tall, muscular cutie.
Truth was, Steve came back to check on you because he knows you like to stay late and finish your work. Sometimes you'll go out with Lana but other times you'll stay.
You stay quiet and raise a brow at him, letting him tell the truth that both of you already knew, on his own.
"Okay," he sighs, shyly looking down at the ground, "I came to make sure you got home alright."
"Why thank you Steve, I would've been home like 30 minutes ago but I can't catch a bus." You frown, noticing that the butterflies in your stomach were due to Steve's shyness.
You weren't used to it, Andy was much more firm and dominant with you, always clear about what he wanted and when he wanted it.
Steve was quieter with you, treated you like a fragile item, despite being a true gentleman you think he hasn't had much experience with ladies. Well, at least that's what Lana told you.
And for him to be starstruck by you the second you arrive in NYC? That means something, because according to Lana, the only romance they know of was with a woman named Peggy who ran off to be with another man, leaving Steve's heart shattered and his lady game off by -200.
"Let me take you home, it's no trouble." He motions his bike, still revving loudly.
"I'm, um," you stutter. You've never been on a motorcycle before, "I-think that's okay."
"Ah c'mon," he giggles at your soft but scared voice, "I have an extra helmet, it'll be fun." He doesn't want to push you, it's really whatever you want to do.
"I suppose I'd have to ride a motorcycle one day," you nervously smile, following him as he walked closer to his bike.
"That one day is today, sweetheart." Steve says and your feel your heart thump in your chest.
Now you were blushing, fuck, why did tall attractive men have to call you such a sweet thing?
"May I?" He asks, holding your helmet in his hand.
"Please." You respond, ducking your head a bit so he could slide it on and slide down the visor.
He puts his on and helps you onto the bike after putting your bag into the storage which was located under the seat.
You were seated towards the back and he care-freely hopped in front of you, sitting down on his bike as he's done for many times before.
"Just hold onto me, okay?" He turns to tell you, his voice a bit muffled from the helmet.
But you manage to understand, and shakily move your hands around his narrow waist, holding gently and not to hard.
He moved one of the handlebars making the bike vroom vroom, very loudly.
Looking over his shoulder to see how many cars were approaching, he took off just when the last car moved passed you guys.
Your grip around his waist tightened, obviously you didn't want to fall.
Steve drove carefully though, not as careless as he sometimes does because he knew this was your first time on a bike.
Moving through buses and taxis, Steve would drive up to the traffic light and turn to make sure you were alright.
And once he saw your big searching eyes, reflecting the many lights of Times Square, admiring the city, your hands tight around his waist - he realized just how down bad he was.
And he really didn't know you completely. It's only been a few weeks and your friend Lana has been giving him advice on how to approach you, how to talk to you to make you like him, what food places you like to buy you lunch or breakfast....anything he could do to just keep talking to you.
Turning your gaze away from the large screens, you looked at Steve and noticed he was looking at you.
He quickly cleared his throat and acted as if he were looking at the sign on the car beside you.
This made you smile, gosh was he an awkward bean. But he was adorable. You could just eat him up....
Taking off again once the light hit green, the very frisky breeze blew through body and made you shiver so you began to hug Steve to see if that would make you more warm. You laid part of your face in the middle of his back and just tightened your grip on him.
Steve was determined to get you home, safely.
He knew to follow his gut instinct to go back to the firm to see if you were there.
Arriving home, he gently came to a stop in front of your apartment building.
He hopped off first and helped you off as he held your hand tightly as he watched to make sure your feet stepped onto the ground.
"Thank you, Steve."
"Yeah, no, no problem," he stutters, letting out a shallow breath.
"I'd invite you to come in but Lana is probably walking around in her undergarments."
You decided to allow Lana to move in with you, you needed the extra cash and the company - so now you had a roommate.
Steve laughs, holding his chest.
You giggle because his laugh is contagious.
Blushing as you looked into his blue eyes, his laughing comes to a stop.
"Hey if you want, only if you want," he states again, "there's this pizza place I wanted to try, will you go with me?"
Gosh, he was adorable. Asking you as if he needed your father's permission and as if the both of you were teenagers.
You frown, remembering the loads of work that Mr.Stark wanted done by Saturday.
"I'd love to Steve," you sigh at the change of his facial expression, "but...Mr.Stark gave me some paperwork and case files I need to sort out before the big trial on Saturday."
Steve frowns, looking down at his feet. You felt so bad...he was trying really hard to get to know you.
"But....I wouldn't mind if someone were to come over with a fresh pie and some wine?"
He smiles big, bigger than you've ever seen.
Steve was one of your three bosses. There was Mr.Barnes and Mr.Stark.
All three of them had different personalities; Stark was sarcastic and very laid back but could also be bossy. Barnes was very serious and has only spoke about two words to you since you've arrived and had this death stare to everyone at the office.
Steve was also very authoritative, everyone followed orders from him without complaint but still he was very respectful towards everyone at the firm, especially the women who threw themselves at him.
He never crossed a line with any of them, not that he didn't think they were attractive it's just he wasn't attracted to them.
You've seen him a lot with a red haired woman, Lana says she's Steve's paralegal.
You were Stark's paralegal.
"I'll see you on Friday," Steve tries not too seem too excited to not embarrass himself, "and who knows maybe I can help with those tasks? I know how Stark likes his work done for a trial."
You agree and thank him for helping and giving you a ride. He waited until you were inside the building, pressing the elevator button to your floor in order to drive off on his bike to his apartment building; on the other side of town.
•BOSTON, MA•
Andy took heavy breaths at the edge of the pool.
He's finally gotten back into his favorite hobby: swimming.
Now that he got his son to safety, Laurie has been on house arrest until the trial starts, Raymond has been keeping a low profile....everything seemed almost perfect.
Except he didn't have, you.
He's been eating a lot more now, and not skipping meals or not even eating an entire day which is why he looked so ill when Jacob saw him.
"Hey man," Ari walks into the indoor pool area of the safe house, crouching down in front of Andy. Splitting his fingers so he could show him the two tickets he had in hand.
"New York City, you and me buddy." Ari nods, biting his lips as giving Andy a boyish smile.
"When do we leave?" Andy asks, walking out of the pool and letting the water fall off of his skin.
"Tomorrow night. So pack what you need and we should be on our way." Ari stands and grabs Andy's goggles that he left.
"Do you think she'll want to see me?" Andy begins to doubt, "what if she already moved on?"
"C'mon Andy, stop doubting yourself. It's only been a few months." Ari throws his friend a towel, "If she loves you like you say she does. She'll be happy to see you, I'm sure of it."
"And you know where she's living now? W-What is she up to?" Andy gulps, looking into his friends eyes.
"She's working at the Stark firm still, and she's living in a loft with a roommate. I've been keeping tabs on her, to make sure she's alright." Ari smiles, lightheartedly.
Andy gives his friend a stare, a serious and doubtful one.
"Oh c'mon Andy, the roommate is a girl, her name is Lana." Ari complains, his hands waving up to his sides.
"No I wasn't referring to that." Andy crosses his arms, "what do you mean you're keeping tabs on her?"
"Andy, I'm not interested in your girl," Ari laughs at the mean stare his friend was giving him, walking beside him he placed a heavy hand on his wet shoulder, "if you don't wanna know what's she doing or who's she's with. I can simply stop keeping tabs."
Andy stays quiet and Ari knows his answer.
"Let's go, Gila and Jacob are making brownies and I don't know if you can smell them from here but I certainly can," Ari takes a big breath, letting the chocolate aroma fill his nostrils.
• NEW YORK CITY •
Walking up to your apartment, you jingled the keys in your hands and opened the door.
"Shit!" Lana screams and follows a laughing Tom, a naked Tom, into her bedroom. They ran from the couch and into Lana's room.
Everything happened so fast, you didn't even know what was going on.
"You're home early!" Lana shouts from her (now) locked room.
"Uh....." you take a moment, "....it's 9pm, Lana. If anything it's late!" You shout back.
Sighing as you take a seat on the couch, only to sit right back up in disgust.
"Well.....I'll see you tomorrow cause I'm...busy..." Lana giggles and you can hear Tom laughing as well.
"Hi Tom," you roll your eyes, opening your fridge and grabbing a water before heading to your bed room which was thankfully on the other side of the apartment.
"Where are my manners?" Tom shouts, "hi Y/n!"
Shaking your head, you made sure to close the door of your room and just relax. Turning on some of your favorite music while you tidied things up.
You decided to de clutter your desk that you've been procrastinating on cleaning. You were just about done when you picked up a file folder and something slipped out.
*a polaroid of Andy in a hotel room*
You picked up the photo and bent down to grab it. Taking a seat in your desk chair, you ran your pointer finger over Andy's handsome face.
This was the only photo, that you thought anyone had, of him smiling. It was blurry, but that was what made it so authentic, you had caught him off guard in his natural state.
You remembered that day like it was yesterday....
"Please let me take a photo of you," you pout, your skin feeling a bit cold under the robe, considering you had nothing under, "why did you get me this camera if I can't take photos?"
You begged him for the Polaroid camera you saw at a rest stop on the highway on the way here....and Andy wanting nothing but to spoil you - he bought it of course.
He lets you straddle him, as he laid his head back on the headboard of the bed in the hotel room. Another trip behind Laurie's back....but as you kept seeing Andy...you simply didn't care about the infidelity part of it..
Andy was naked from the waist up and had the sheets entangled on his lower half.
He places his hands on your thighs, gently rubbing as he looked up at you. God you were beautiful, and did things to him, made him feel things he's never felt before.
"Smile handsome," you tell him, rubbing your thumb against his plump bottom lip.
"No." He says, trying to stay serious and not give in, "let me take a photo of you," he tries to take the camera from you.
"Nuh uh!" You chuckle, "Andrew Stephen Barber, you better smile, or else." You threaten.
He chuckles and you manage to take a photo before he sat up to grab the camera. Hearing the camera make a whirring sound, it printed and you took the polaroid out and shook it gently for the color to soak in.
"Or else what, hm?" Andy sits up and wraps his arms around you. One hand resting on your hip and the other over the globe of your ass.
"Or else, I won't let you kiss me." You come up with a weak threat in the spur of seconds.
"I can kiss you whenever I want, because you're mine," he speaks lowly, voice a raspy vibration in your ears as he picks his hand up to cup between where your jaw and neck met.
You can't help but give in, those dark blue eyes and those plump lips did something to you....you smile as you grab his chin and finally attach his lips to yours.
He quickly turned you so you'd rest on your back and you reached back to place the camera on the nightstand....you didn't need that as he kissed every inch of your skin...
Few minutes later, your robe was off and thrown to a corner of the hotel room and he was inside you in one swift move due to your arousal.
"Oh my—Andy!" You let out a breathy moan, his harsh thrust meeting against your hips, he was going so hard you had to keep a hand against his lower abdomen to at least try to control his movements.
He takes your hand and removes it from being on his pelvis and takes both of them and places them above your head, pushing them into the mattress against his.
Hotly grunting in your ear, he was sucking little love marks into your skin to keep claiming you as his. Your head turned to the side to allow him to do anything he wanted to.
His muscles were flexing as your hands roamed his swimmer muscles, and you were just in heaven, on cloud nine as he made fucked you hard — hard enough to prove that he called the shots and he was the only one who could make you feel this way....
"Y/n?!" Lana pulls you out of your thoughts. She knocked on the door before walking in.
"Y-Yes?" You quickly hide the photo in the file folder again and act busy as she entered - fully clothed.
She bounces on your bed, as if it were hers and holds her hand up with her hand as she laid horizontally.
"So....." she smirks, "....what's up with you and Rogers?"
"Nothing," you start dusting off the back of your TV and photo frames you had of your family, "just friends."
"I saw him drop you off on his bike earlier today," Lana continued. Acting if that was the most biggest deal in the world.
You simply shrug and move closer to where she was laying to dust off your nightstand.
"Y/n," she chuckles at your obliviousness, grabbing your wrist she turned your attention to her.
"What?!" You look to the side and then back to her, "he just gave me a ride, I couldn't catch a bus."
"Dude, you are so blind." She sits up, shaking her head and grabbing the stuffed teddy bear that Andy had won you one day the two of your stopped at a carnival on the way to another trip destination.
You take the teddy bear from her and hug it to your chest, she just turns and grabs a decorative pillow.
"What's the big deal?" You ask. Not seeing the reason.
"He doesn't let anyone near his bike. Absolutely no one, not even his best friends." Lana explains, "one time someone got just a little bit close to it on the street and he flipped out and held a meeting for the sole reason to warn us that no one should ever touch his bike."
Now the wheels were turning in your head...what if?
"Well...he saw I was in a time of need and did me a favor."
"Riiight," she sighs with a chuckle.
"Where's Tom? Shouldn't you be with him?"
"He's on a call. Talking about boring shit with the owner of the bar so I came here." She says, grabbing the control and turning on your TV, "so I've never asked you but...have you ever had a boyfriend that you can't see the obvious signs from a guy that is obviously interested in you?"
"No...just a high school fling," you lie, sitting beside her on your bed.
"Interesting...." She taps her chin.
•
Steve entered his condo, and hooked the keys beside the entrance.
It was quiet, just like it always was. Taking his jacket off as he entered his room, he kicked his sneakers off and placed the jacket back onto the hanger.
Taking a quick look, he mentally thanked the maid for cleaning up his room, she always left it smelling like fresh linen.
"Hey there," Nat appears at the doorway, not even scaring Steve because he's grown used to her quiet steps and knows she appears out of no where.
"Nat," Steve greets her as he walks by her and back to the kitchen.
"That's it?!" She complains, following behind the tall muscular blond.
"Why did you leave the meeting early?" She asks.
"I had something to do," Steve discreetly says, grabbing some left overs some last night and warming it up.
Nat narrows her eyes at him, trying to read him and figure out why he's been acting so strange these last few weeks.
"What's this with keeping secrets? I thought I was your best friend." Nat sits on the kitchen island, watching Steve watch his plate heat up in the microwave.
"He's like that, loves to keep to himself." Bucky enters, in nothing but sleep shorts.
"Well, look who decided to get up." Nat swings her legs back and forth on the island.
"If Stark asks for me," Bucky reaches into the pantry for some cereal, grabbing a handful and guiding it to his mouth, "I'm sick."
They were used to Bucky walking around in just shorts, since the three of them decided to live together.
Stark was married and and children so he lived in one of the city's best penthouse.
Nat did have to constantly pick up after the boys and put toilet seats down....they were grown men but god were they messy, especially Bucky.
So, a maid comes twice a week to clean the bathrooms and tidy up the rooms while Nat, Steve and Bucky are at work.
Steve and Nat watch as he goes back to his room, shutting the door with his foot.
Nat guided the conversation with Steve elsewhere, hoping he would crack and just tell her what the hell has been going on.
But nothing, they talked about their day, the upcoming events at the firm, about what's been going on in the news and he still hasn't just given it up.
Nat couldn't take it anymore, analyzing Steve and watching him eat as he sat at the dinning table. She followed and made sure to grab some wine before she sat down with him and even poured him a glass.
"What's her name?" She says out of nowhere, opening her beer.
"Who's name?" Steve says between munches.
"C'mon, Steve," Nat rolls her eyes, "the girl you like."
Steve just sits back in his chair, wiping his hands with a napkin. Giving Nat narrow eyes, how could she always find this shit out? Any girlfriend Steve had, including Peggy, Nat always found out about it before Steve even told her about it.
Nat widens her eyes, awaiting an answer from him.
"Y/n," he admits, "her name is Y/n."
"Ahh," Nat opens her mouth in delightful surprise, "the new girl at work. Nice, Steve." She praises him.
She's just glad that he's over Peggy and the wrong things she did to him.
She took Steve's heart out and stepped on it...then got onto another plane to be with the love of her life.
"Glad you're over Margaret." Nat sighs, opening another beer.
"Can we not talk about her?" Steve really gets touchy when Peggy's name is mentioned.
He's still traumatized and dealing with open wounds, but something about you that made all that pain go away...he just didn't know what it was. He just knew that he didn't want it to stop.
"Sorry," Nat places her hand up in surrender, "the new girl is hot, I like her."
"She's awesome," Steve smiles down at his empty plate, thinking of you, "I'm seeing her again on Friday."
"Mmmm, already going out on dates? I love this healing process." Nat smirks at her friend.
"The thing is, I don't know if I'm winning her over or not, she's really hard to read."
Nat sits up straight, "that's cause you needed my advice in order to win her over from the get go....but since someone decided to conceal the fact that he was seeing someone...."
"C'mon Nat, help me out here," Steve runs a hand through his gold locks.
"Here's what you're gonna do...." She leans in a bit close and so does he ready to listen in order to make you like him back.
• BOSTON, MA •
"He did what?!" Raymond sits back in his office chair, in the abandoned warehouse.
Lucio nervously sways back and forth in front of him. They haven't really had any contact with Laurie since they found out you left for New York, they thought her problems were solved....but everything had gone to shit.
He explains anyway, watching Raymond's face become red with anger.
"I'm gonna kill that motherfucker," Raymond huffs as he reaches for his gun and walks to the door.
"Boss there's something else." Lucio says firmly, but hesitant.
"Why have no idea where he is...we just know Jacob's with him."
"What do you mean you have no idea where that prick is?" Raymond declares, grabbing lucio by the collar of his sweater.
"The cops got him in the witness program, he's at one of the state's safe house, our guys can't trace him."
Raymond's nostrils flare with furiousness, "Find. Him. I want him brought here. Alive."
"Yes sir," he lets Lucio go and smooths down his shirt.
"And for the love of god someone bring me my daughter! I don't care who you have to go through or what you have to do." Raymond orders and turns his back to his men.
6 of them leaving in all black SUVs, prepared to fulfill the boss's orders.
• FEW DAYS LATER •
"Yeah, yeah," you say as Lana advises you on how to engage Steve. But you're not really listening because this is just two friends eating pizza and working on case files.
"Can I just say you look fantastic?" She says as you begin to push her.
You had some straight legged jeans on, a white tank top paired with a light gray cardigan.
"The box of condoms are in the bathroom, under the sink!" She manages to say as you push her out of the apartment and into the hallway, "have fun and get that dick girl!"
"Bye Lana! Please take your time visiting your grandma! No rush in coming back." You yell over the door and lock it, hearing her chuckle and walk down the hall.
Lana spotted Steve, carrying a wine bottle, a pizza box in the other hand and looking his absolute best.
"Mr.Rogers." She respectfully says as they pass each other in the hall. She smirked at him as she eyed him up and down, smelling his delicious cologne.
He bows his head down at bit at her, half smiling and continued to walk right by her.
You were tidying up the living room, your work stuff on the coffee table as you heard a knock.
Opening the door, Steve stood tall and strong on the other side. Holding the food and drinks.
He had another jacket on, this time it was black with a white shirt underneath.
"Hey," he gives you that charming smirk, "you look amazing." He felt his breath come back after you had taken it with your beauty.
"Thanks," you tuck a strand of your hair behind your ear, "Please come in," you motion your apartment and he enters.
"I can help you with that." You nervously say, fuck, why were you nervous?
"Oh thank you," taking the pizza box and wine you sat it down on the kitchen island.
Steve put his hands in his pockets, admiring the beautiful view you had of the city just from your living area.
"Very nice place you got here." He says, Nat's voice in the back of his mind, replaying the advice she gave him.
"Thanks, uh," you take a seat on the couch, playing with your hair to ease the anxiety, "an old colleague helped me set this up."
"Oh," he turns and notices you were sitting, he was just about to say may I? When nat's voice came back...
Stop with the polite shit, Steve. Girls like when you take initiative, instead of asking, show what you want.
He takes a seat next to you and you were surprised that he didn't say, "May I?"
"Did you like your life in Boston?" He asks, really wanting to get to know you more.
"Yeah," you say, frowning in nostalgia at the way your life used to be in Boston, "since I grew up there, I guess it'll always be home."
Steve listens to you, and smiles softly.
"I know what you mean, I grew up in Brooklyn and I guess the city never really felt the same. Not that the city is awful or anything," he chuckles at the face you made, putting his hand up, "like you said it isn't home."
"Should we try out the new place?" you ask as you walk over to grab the pizza box and wine.
It was safe to say that the pizza was absolutely amazing, and so was the wine.
"I guess you have pretty good taste, Steve." You tell him, wiping some excess sauce from the corners of your mouth with a clean napkin.
"I didn't even ask do you like pizza?" He worries he might've pressured you into eating something you don't even like.
"Of course I like pizza," you take another slice, as you chuckled softly at his worried expression.
The minutes turned into hours of you getting to know Steve and it was safe to say that you really liked him. The person he is, where he comes from, his interests.
"So you and Mr.Barnes have known each other forever?" You widen your eyes, sitting more comfortably with your legs over each other and sitting beside Steve was also grew comfortable and was man spreading on your couch.
"Yeah," he nods, "we grew up together, went to the army, and we knew it wasn't what we wanted to do so we became detectives."
You furrow your brows, shaking your head you were so confused.
"You're a detective?!! But you work at the firm....you're not a lawyer?" You think out loud.
He laughs at you, giving you a boyish grin.
"Ehh....we're actually District Attorney Detective Investigators." Steve nods proudly.
Your heart stops, or did it skip?
That's Andy's career, that's what he does back home in Boston. No - stop! You think, stop thinking and comparing Steve to Andy.
Andy is old news, that's why you're out here in the city. For a fresh start, and he may even be sitting in the couch right now....
"Y'okay?" Steve wonders why you've gone quiet.
"Yes," you confirm, "I bet you can't say that 10 times fast." You decide to lighten the mood.
He laughs again and smiles at you, gosh you're so darn cute and funny. What else could he want in a woman?
You laugh as well and get lost in his dreamy face for a second, and suddenly the air felt thick. He kept looking at you too, he felt it as well.
The electricity, the chemistry the sparks flowing, whatever you wanted to label it as, he. feels. it. too.
Your lips were like a magnet because you were slowly leaning towards him. Gosh, you couldn't help yourself, what came over you? All you wanted to do was kiss him now.
And he was going to let it happen, he was ready, he was just about to pucker his lips up a bit to allow yours to slash over his.....but then you did that thing....
You looked at his eyes and you looked down at his lips again, licking your own.
That's exactly what she used to do.
Just as you were comparing him to Andy....he was comparing you to Peggy in his own head.
Clearing his throat he sat up straight, looking over at all the case files spread out on your coffee table.
You pull away very fast, acknowledging his body language - you guess he didn't wanna kiss you.
And again it was a bit too early....maybe it was the wine that maybe Steve start looking like Andy and you just wanted to kiss him....yes it was that, blame it on the wine, Y/n.
"Here, let me help you with Stark's files," he says, looking over at you and your red cheeks, you were so embarrassed.
God, he was so stupid. How could he reject you like that?
"Yes," you try to act like nothing happen, "please."
But now things were just awkward. The both of you worked in silence.
Until he broke it and began giving you advice on his Stark liked everything organized and put together.
The awkward cloud had flown away once Steve started cracking jokes about Stark and his arrogance. And began telling you the most embarrassing things that have happened inside the court room.
"His wife called him in the middle of a trail?" You were astounded.
"Yup, in all fairness she was going into labor, but what happened was Stark somehow couldn't get his phone off of speaker and the jury heard her curse at him and say that she never wanted his dick inside her again."
"Oh my god," you laugh, covering your mouth.
"Mrs.Stark, don't play." Steve chuckles, sipping some more wine before placing it on the desk.
The two of you worked a bit more, and it felt nice to have the company. Steve was nice, this was nice, it felt normal.
This is what meeting someone who doesn't have a secret life is like.
"Want some more?" You grab the wine bottle seeing his was almost empty.
He nods and thanks you, as you pour, your eye drifted down to his lap and holy shit, he was packing.
"Uh....Y/n....uh...you're...you're gonna spill it!" Steve warns you but it was too late, you poured too much into his glass and it was overflowing onto his shirt and down to his jeans.
Thankfully his jeans were dark so it wasn't that bad.
"Shit!" You turn the bottle upside right and grab a napkin to gently tap the wet spots in attempt to dry it.
His chest was firm, but you already knew that thanks to his large biceps on his arms, along with his narrow waist and slim figure.
He smiled as you took care of him and pressed your soft hands against his shirt covered chest.
"I'm so so sorry," you frown at his ruined white shirt, now with red blotches.
"That's okay," he scoots up a bit to grab a napkin and dry your couch, even though his shirt took the most impact.
"Can I use your bathroom?"
"Of course! God, I'm sorry." You say again.
"Hey, no worries, really." He nods at you before walking over to the bathroom.
Burying your face in your hands, you shook your head. What is wrong with you?
You didn't have a chance to think more when a knock emerged on the door.
You got up, throwing away the used napkins and empty pizza box, "Lana, I need more time! We're still working on stuff." You assume Lana is at the door.
When she doesn't answer, you begin to question, she almost always has a smart reply or a sassy response.
Making your way to the door, you twist the knob and open it swiftly.
"A-Andy?"
Your eyes immediately lock with his dark ones and suddenly this wave of emotions and intense feelings took over you, covering your skin in goosebumps.
A/N: ahhhhh!!! How do you guys think Andy is going to react?! Keep in mind they haven't seen each other in a few months. So much is about to happen! I love this book and I love you guys for always voting and commenting! 🤍