One Night Only

Part 26

Lindsey tried reaching Stevie several times after she'd kicked him out. He didn't understand, what had changed so drastically. One thing he did know was that he could no longer be related to Lauren's father's case. If someone followed him, he could deal with it, but now that Stevie was involved, Lindsey had firmly decided to remove himself from the investigation. 

The following morning, with a speech prepared in his mind, Lindsey arrived at the office and headed straight to see his boss. He knocked first and waited for a response from the other side of the door. Lindsey entered the room and Jeffrey sat back in his chair, knowing he was about to hear something he was not going to like.

"What brings you in here so early in the day?" Jeffrey asked, while Lindsey approached his desk and took a seat. "You've got some news to share with me? An update perhaps?"

"I can no longer work on this case." Lindsey decided it was best to just out with it. 

"Excuse me?" Jeffrey frowned, leaning forward, his attention captured. "What do you mean by that exactly?"

"You can hand over everything to Greg, you can reassign it to someone else, I don't care." Lindsey shook his head. "Things have gotten completely out of hand."

"And whose fault is that?" The question didn't need to be answered, both men knew, who was to blame. "I'm seeing a completely different side of you, Lindsey."

"I'm seeing a different side of myself, too." That he could agree with. "I finally know, what's it like to care about someone else other than myself."

"Oh, you're not about to tell me, you're in love." Jeffrey scoffed, leaning back against the leather. 

"I am." Lindsey nodded. "I broke off my relationship with Lauren."

"When the hell did this happen?" Jeffrey gritted his teeth. "What made you think, you were authorized to do that?"

"Authorized?" Lindsey's eyes grew wide. "This is my life, Jeffrey. I understand that I've made a mess of things, but I've finally met a woman, with whom I see a future. I'm not going to let my job get in the way of my happiness."

"You must tell Ms. Lynwood that you've made a mistake."

"You are not listening to me!" Lindsey exclaimed. "I am done!"

"I used to consider you as one of the most professional men I've ever met, Lindsey. You do realize that you could lose your job?" Jeffrey raised his eyebrow, hoping that a threat like that would make Lindsey reconsider. 

"She's being followed, Jeffrey. I'm not okay with that. I don't want her to feel unsafe because of what I do for a living." Lindsey pointed at himself for emphasis. 

"Big deal." Jeffrey shrugged, which only seemed to anger Lindsey.

Breathing heavily, Lindsey said, even though he was planning to keep this information to himself. "She's pregnant. She's carrying my child. I'm not willing to take such a huge risk. I would never forgive myself or you if something happened to my son or daughter." Finding that out, shut Jeffrey up. Being a father himself, he understood Lindsey's position. "I'll quit if I have to."

"Don't be so dramatic." Jeffrey fought back an eye roll. "You do understand the losses you'll cause?"

"I'll pay you back." Lindsey shrugged. "I'm telling you, Jeffrey, and I mean it - I'm done." 

Jeffrey remained silent, he sighed heavily. When he didn't say anything else for a minute longer, Lindsey got up to his feet and headed for the door. Reaching for the handle, he stopped, when Jeffrey spoke up again.

"You're on an unpaid leave of absence until further notice."

Lindsey didn't look back as he walked out and shut the door behind him. Entering his own office just a few doors down, Lindsey gathered his things and headed for the elevator. Lindsey took big strides towards his car. He got in behind the wheel and pulled out of the parking lot, taking a turn to drive to Stevie's workplace.

"I'm outside your office. Please, come out, when you can. If not, I'll come and find you myself."

Tossing his phone on the passenger's seat, Lindsey sighed and sat back in his seat. No response came. Ten, twenty minutes, nearly an hour had passed, when his eyes caught her walking towards him. Lindsey sat up straight and turned to his right, when the doors opened and Stevie climbed in beside him.

"Thank you for coming to see me." 

"What do you want?" Stevie avoided looking at him, she resisted to cover his hand with hers, when he placed it on her thigh. "I thought, I made myself clear."

"I want to understand, Stevie." Lindsey said. "You just... you yelled at me to get out and I don't get why."

"Maybe because you're a liar? Maybe because you haven't told me anything about yourself? Maybe because you toyed with Lauren for your fucking job? That doesn't scream a good, honest man to me, Lindsey." She shook her head. "I can't trust you. How am I supposed to know that I'm not some sort of an assignment, too? How can I be with you, knowing that you might have to get into another woman's panties just because it's what you do for a living?"

"I know that I haven't told you a lot about myself, I do, but I couldn't." Lindsey reached for her hand and Stevie didn't pull away immediately. "I'm sorry, for everything. I truly am. The way I used to live before I met you, it worked for me. I was happy, I thought it was enough, but I'm no longer than man, Stevie." He insisted. "I would never jeopardize us just to get further in my career. I love you."

 "And I can't say that I believe you. I'm not comfortable with what you do, Lindsey." She sighed, shaking her head. "Not that I really understand, what it is that you do."

"Well, I might have to start looking for another job anyway."

Stevie frowned, facing him. "What are you talking about?"

"I came here from my office. I told my boss that I'm done with this case, I told him that I broke up with Lauren. I told him that I got you involved and I'm not going to put you at any risk. I was ready to quit, so you and I can be together." She sat, her lips sealed, and Lindsey desperately wanted to know, what was going through her mind. "I don't know, how else to prove to you that my feelings for you are sincere." Lindsey looked down, when he felt her fingers lace through his.

"You were going to quit for me?"

"I'd do anything for you." He swore, bringing her hand up to his lips. 

"Come over to my place later tonight, after work." Stevie said. "I have to go now."

Lindsey nodded, he couldn't ask for more. Before she got out of the car, he leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to her lips, from which she didn't pull back.