Page 12 of Dr. Roz Harrington
Roz shrugged, though the motion felt heavier than it should have. “It is, in a way. I could’ve walked away, but I didn’t. And neither did you.”
Sam studied her for a long moment, the weight of Roz’s words sinking in. For the first time, it felt like they weren’t speaking as adversaries or even as colleagues. They were just two people, stripped of their defenses, trying to make sense of the burdens they carried.
The silence between them was different now, less strained, more thoughtful. Sam shifted in her seat, leaning forward slightly, her hands resting on the table. Her fingers brushed against the edge of Roz’s cup, a subtle movement that Roz couldn’t help but notice.
“You’re not what I expected,” Sam said quietly, her voice almost a whisper.
Roz arched an eyebrow, her smirk returning. “And what exactly did you expect?”
“I don’t know,” Sam admitted, her lips curving into a faint smile. “Someone colder. More...untouchable.”
Roz felt her breath hitch slightly at the words. “Well,” she said, her voice softening, “you’re not exactly what I expected either.”
Sam’s smile grew, and for a moment, Roz found herself captivated by the warmth in her expression. She wasn’t used to this, to someone seeing through her armor and not recoiling from what they found.
“You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for,” Roz said suddenly, surprising even herself. “The way you care about your team, the way you take responsibility for them, it’s not a weakness, Sam. It’s a strength.”
Sam’s blue eyes locked onto Roz’s, and the air between them seemed to thicken. “You don’t have to say that.”
“I don’t say things I don’t mean,” Roz replied, her tone firm but not harsh.
The tension between them shifted, no longer sharp but something deeper, something electric. Roz leaned forward slightly, their faces just a breath apart now. She could see the faint lines of exhaustion around Sam’s eyes, the strength in her jaw, the vulnerability she tried so hard to hide.
And then, Sam leaned in, too, her hand brushing against Roz’s ever so slightly. It wasn’t intentional, at least, Roz didn’t think it was, but the contact sent a jolt through her, her pulse quickening.
For a moment, neither of them moved, the space between them charged with unspoken words and unresolved tension. Roz could feel the pull, the quiet magnetism that seemed to draw them closer despite everything.
“Roz,” Sam said softly, her voice barely more than a whisper.
Roz swallowed hard, her heart pounding in her chest. “Yeah?”
But Sam didn’t finish. Instead, she pulled back, the moment breaking like a fragile thread. She stood, her movements slow, as if she were reluctant to leave.
“Thanks for the coffee,” Sam said, her voice steady but quiet.
Roz nodded, her throat tightening. “Anytime.”
As Sam walked away, Roz stayed seated, her hands gripping the edges of her cup. She felt like she’d just been caught in a storm, unsteady, exhilarated, and completely unmoored. Andfor the first time in years, she wasn’t sure if she wanted to regain control.
Roz hadn’t planned it. If she’d stopped to think, truly think, it would have been another missed opportunity, another moment buried beneath her tightly held control. But she didn’t stop. Instead, she was out of her seat and moving, the decision made in the span of a heartbeat. Her steps were purposeful and measured, even as her pulse raced.
Sam was ahead of her, a solitary figure against the cool night air as she strode toward the parking lot. Roz tracked her easily, her sharp gaze unwavering as the glow of amber streetlights illuminated Sam’s strong silhouette. She could see the tension in Sam’s shoulders, the subtle set of her jaw. Roz wasn’t sure what she was going to say or do, but she knew she couldn’t let Sam walk away. Not this time.
As Roz closed the distance, Sam turned abruptly, her body taut and alert, the instincts of a first responder kicking in. For a second, Roz froze, her breath catching. Sam’s expression shifted, wary and guarded, but then recognition bloomed in her sharp blue eyes. Her shoulders relaxed, and there was something else in her gaze now, something softer, almost expectant.
Roz didn’t think. Her hand moved on its own, reaching up, her palm brushing against Sam’s cheek with a tenderness that surprised even her. Sam didn’t flinch; instead, her eyes fluttered shut, her lips parting slightly as if Roz’s touch had stolen her breath.
Her thumb moved next, tracing over Sam’s bottom lip, the texture soft and warm under her touch. The simple act sent a shiver racing down Roz’s spine. Sam exhaled, her breath warm against Roz’s fingers, and Roz felt the pull, inevitable and magnetic. She leaned in, her hand sliding into Sam’s hair, her fingers tangling in the silky strands as she closed the gap between them.
The kiss wasn’t tentative. It was deliberate, a claiming and a surrender all at once. Roz tasted her, the first kiss sparking something primal, something fierce inside her. Control had always been Roz’s armor, but now it unraveled, slipping through her fingers as she poured herself into Sam. She wasn’t gentle, not entirely. There was heat, command, and an urgency she hadn’t known she possessed. Roz wanted to own this moment, to own her. The thought was heady and consuming.
Sam’s resistance melted, her body yielding in a way that made Roz’s pulse hammer. Sam pressed closer, her hands gripping Roz’s hips, and Roz felt the shift, the unspoken handover of power. It wasn’t something Roz had ever sought before, but here, now, it ignited something deep within her. She kissed Sam harder, her thoughts racing, imagining all the ways she could make Sam forget everything but this, make her hers in every way that mattered.
But then the distant sound of a siren pierced the moment, sharp and jarring. It sliced through the haze of desire like a cold wind, pulling them both back to reality. Their training, their instincts, it conditioned them to listen and assess.
The spell was broken.
Roz softened the kiss first, letting it linger before she pulled back. Her fingers slipped free of Sam’s hair, reluctantly releasing her. Their lips parted last, the absence immediate and keenly felt. For a moment, they stood there, the space between them charged with everything unsaid. Roz’s eyes searched Sam’s face, finding mirrored confusion and longing in her gaze.
