Undercovers Detective Ch. 02

"Hey, I'm not done!" he hollered behind me.

The elevator doors opened with a ding, and I stepped inside, but just as it was about to close, McGannon stuck his arm through the opening, stopping the door, and got in with me. I pressed on the button that would take us back to Greer's office, and waited impatiently.

"Will you just stop being so stubborn for two minutes, and actually hear me out?"

I leaned back against the cold steel, and met his eyes.

"You're not going to change my mind about this."

"I know."

"Then what's there to talk about?"

He was about to say something, when suddenly the elevator stopped with a jolt, and the power went out. Oh god, I felt like I was going to have a heart attack. I'm claustrophobic.

"What the hell just happened?" I asked in the darkness.

"Shit, I think the generators are down, but the emergency power should come on," Frank replied.

"We don't have freak storms in LA. Why has the power gone out?" There was panic in my voice, but I tried my best to hide it. It was so completely dark inside. I couldn't even see Frank's face.

"I have no idea, to be honest, but I'm sure they'll have us out of here in no time. The good thing is that they are aware we are here."

I heard a little ring and jumped. "What was that?"

"I just activated the emergency button."

"Oh—okay." My heart was racing, and I was starting to sweat.

"You're not afraid of the dark, are you?" he teased me.

I heard movement in the elevator, and huddled into a corner.

"No, I am not."

"You sure?" he persisted to mock me.

"Frank, for fucks sake, quit it. I have claustrophobia, okay? I'm on the verge of having a panic attack, and I'm sure it's very tempting for you to make fun of me for freaking out, but I'm serious—" I started to gasp for air, as my breathing quickened, getting heavier and heavier.

"Hey, relax. Alex—"

I felt a pair of hands on my shoulders, as I continued to reel out of control.

"You're okay. Look at me, listen to my voice. Focus."

I tilted my head up, and my eyes had now adjusted to the darkness. I could see his face a bit.

"Breathe with me. Can you do that?"

"Yeah," I answered, in a shaky voice.

"Deep breath, inhale...exhale...inhale...exhale...good, you're okay, Alex. Nothing's going to happen to you. I'm with you. You're not alone."

"I feel like the space is going to close in on me." This whole ordeal was triggering events I did not want to ever experience—trauma from my childhood.

"It won't. That doesn't happen inside of elevators. Just keep breathing. Inhale...exhale..."

My breathing slowed down, but I felt dizzy.

"Good girl, you're doing great."

"F..Frank...I...c...can't...c...control...my...my...br...breathing." I started to cry, and then felt absolutely humiliated for breaking down in such a vulnerable way.

"Hey, shhh...come here." He pulled me into his chest and wrapped his big, strong arms around me. "Breathe with me, Alex. Listen to my breaths; match the rhythm of my breathing. I want you to focus on that."

I held onto him, and rested my chin over his shoulder, attempting to breathe in unison with him.

"In...and out...and in...and out." His breathing was relaxed, and soothing, and after a while, my heart rate had finally slowed down. I wasn't feeling this scary sense of despair anymore.

"I thought I was going to die."

"I know," he murmured into my ear, lowering his hands to my waist.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For revealing I'm a basket case."

Frank chuckled, and whispered softly in my ear, "I've seen worse."

"You're such an ass." I smacked his arm gently, letting out a little laugh.

"Hey, this ass just saved your life."

"Don't get cocky now." I sniffled, breathed out, and just took comfort in his arms, as he held me through the silence.

"Frank,"

"Yeah?"

"I'm worried the anxiety will come back."

"Do you have your phone on you?"

"Yes."

"Give it to me."

I wasn't sure what he wanted to do with it, but I pulled back and handed it over to him.

He took my iPhone, opened up my music player, and scrolled down my list.

"Favorite song?"

"Well it's not Johnny Cash," I laughed

The bright light from my cell was shining on his face, allowing me to see his expression, as he found a song.

The music started to play softly in the background, and it was a good distraction. It was calming me.

"How did you know?"

"That music would do the trick?' he asked.

"Yeah."

"Well, you've always got that stereo on full blast every time I call you when you're driving."

I laughed a bit, and laid my head on his shoulder. "I guess you're getting to know me pretty well then."

The minutes passed, and the song continued to play.

"Frank?"

"What, Alex?"

"Partners pretty much tell each other everything, right?"

"Umm... more or less."

"If I tell you something, will you promise not to share it with the rest of the squad?"

"Alex, you don't even have to ask me that. I would never share personal things that anyone shares with me to a living soul. That's part of my moral code."

I wavered a bit, hugged him a little tighter, and then said, "My dad used to lock me in the closet as punishment when I was a kid."

"Shit... Alex..."

I wasn't sure why I told him this, but it felt like a weight was lifted off my chest in a way.

"I'm not telling you this for pity or anything. I just want you to understand why I freak out in closed spaces."

"I understand." He caressed the small of my back, sending shivers all down my body. I could smell his after shave.

"Is that your heart beating against my chest?" Frank whispered.

"I think that's yours."

My heart rate had calmed considerably, but I still didn't want to let go of his embrace. Hugging Frank felt...good.

"Are you sure?" His lips grazed my earlobe, causing a wave of goose bumps to ripple down my arms.

"Uh huh..."

"Are you feeling better?" he spoke in a gentle tone.

"Yeah," I whispered.

Our cheeks touched, and I was pretty sure my heart was racing again, as a radiating heat came off his body. This man really was incredibly good looking for his age, and I realized right then and there that I was undeniably attracted to him.

"So, are you ready to listen to me?"

"I guess I really don't have a choice. I mean, where can I run?"

We both spoke in low whispers.

"I just want you to be sure about this," he stated. I wasn't sure if he was asking about the undercover operation or our embrace.

My lips accidentally brushed against his cheek, and that's when he pulled back a bit.

Oh god, he was staring right at me, like he was calculating his next move.

I found our lips edging closer.

"Alex..."

My fingertips slid down his shoulders, and his chest, then back up over his shoulders again. This attraction that I felt was only amplifying, and pulling me in closer, like a magnet. I couldn't fight it, and I think he understood it too, because the next thing I felt was his lips softly touching against mine.

If my heart was beating erratically earlier, then surely it was fluttering as fast as the wings of a hummingbird now. I let out a soft little moan as he parted my lips and slipped his tongue inside. Fireworks were going off in my brain, my chest—every part of me felt like it was going to burst into flames. Maybe he was just completely engulfing me.

Our kiss turned passionate, as Frank grabbed my thighs, lifted them up, and gently pushed me back against the wall of the elevator. I didn't want to break the contact, in fear that the spell he was under would lift, and he would come to his senses.

"Alex... we shouldn't..."

"Don't talk," I managed to get out a few words, as I kissed him deeper, feeling more confident.

There was a soft, drumming rhythm vibrating against my palm when I placed it against his chest. We kissed in the darkness for the longest while, as our arousal increased. He would groan, and I would sigh, as Frank's hands explored my body in the darkness. He squeezed my breasts and his hardness pressed against me.

Things were heating up fast. I was about to unfasten his belt, when suddenly there was a noise at the top of the ceiling, as it opened up. A bright light shined down on us, and Frank immediately pulled away. I wiped at my lip gloss, and tried to compose myself from that mind-blowing kiss.

"You two okay down there?"

"Yeah," he cleared his throat. "What's going on with the elevators?"

"We're restoring power to get you guys out—technical problems."

I ran my fingers through my hair, and squinted when the technician shined his flashlight at me.

Why did I kiss him? Why? Why? I was so embarrassed after that kiss, I wanted to roll up in a ball and die. Frank must think I'm a tramp. I couldn't look at him when the lights went back on.

To be continued...