Thank you everyone for reading. This is the last chapter so far. Maybe I'll write something more in the future.
Enjoy ;*
They sat in his office, heavy silence between them. He purred them a big shot of whisky, then another. Eventually she broke the silence with a question, her voice quiet with a bit of hidden pain? Disappointment? But also with a tiniest hint of their usual teasingness. Or maybe it was just something to hear there.
"Do you plan to get us drunk before we start talking?"
"I can if that's what you want" - he smiled shyly.
"Listen, Rosalind. You're right, I was a heartless bastard but you should know one thing. Despite the fact that I really like you, and I mean it, I would still do this again if necessary. I'm the Director. I have to protect my people and organisation at all costs." Coulson wasn't sure what reaction should he expect.
She caught his eyes with hers, sending him an intense glare. "Phil, I know all of that. I'm the head of a pretty big government agency myself, remember? I just wish you would confront me in a different way, different circumstances. And for the record, your comment about my husband was way beyond the line."
The fact that he dropped his head and broke an eye contact at her comment, assured her that he was honestly sorry for his action. So she let it go. What else was she supposed to do? Be mad at him? Yell? She knew it wouldn't make any difference, so she just stayed silent again, playing with her drink.
Suddenly, something changed. Maybe it was the second shot of whisky they had just finished, or maybe the way they both looked at each other at the same time, neither of them sure, but the change was almost palpable in the air. He moved his healthy hand and placed it gently on her knee, testing the waters. Rosalind felt a sting of panic and a warning voice in the back of her head, but she didn't move away. She wasn't sure if she can trust Phil's intentions after what had happened, but the warmth of his hand sent a shiver down her spine nevertheless.
"So, you are trying to get me drunk after all, huh?" - she asked with a small smile playing on her lips.
He only smiled back innocently and was about to move closer to her, when sudden knock on the door startled them both. Phil jumped from the sofa in one fast move.
"Boss, can I come in?" - they heard Daisy's concerned voice.
Rosalind and Coulson exchanged a knowing look. They might have been as far from each other as possible right now, but Daisy would feel that something is odd. Unfortunately, what else could they do? Pretend that no one was in the room? Young agent wouldn't have asked the question this way if she hadn't known he was in there.
Coulson sighed in defeat and answered - "Yes, come on in."
She opened the door and stepped inside. She expected her boss to be alone, so at first she didn't manage to hide her half shocked, half pissed expression, when she noticed, who was in the office with him.
Daisy knew better than commenting it out loud with the sneaky woman in the room, so she just asked innocently - "Am I interrupting something?".
"Actually, I was about to leave. I don't think there's anything else we should discuss here, am I right Director?." - Rosalind decided that escaping from the whole situation is in her best interest.
"Daisy, wait here for me, would you? I will escort miss Price to her plane and be right back."
"Sure." - she didn't even try to hide the roll of her eyes as she took a sit on the sofa.
Coulson led them out of the room and started back the conversation from the office.
"Why do I have a feeling that you're escaping from me and it has nothing to do with what happened today or with Daisy's attitude towards you?"
"I have no idea what are you talking about Phil. Shouldn't you go back and find out what your young protegee wants from you?"
"She is just worried about me. I told you, we are like family here, she will be fine. Don't change the topic though. What are you so afraid of?
"Who said I am afraid of anything? I just don't want to step between you and your almost "daughter"."
In a swift move, Coulson blocked Rosalind's way out and put his right hand on the wall in front of her. They were in an empty corridor, but he still looked around to check if none of his agents is coming, before he put the bionic hand on the wall on the other side to immobilize her completely.
"I told you not to change a subject. It's not about Daisy, it's not even about my trust issues. Tell me what this is really about." - his voice was demanding and she had nowhere to hide or escape from his pinning look. She swallowed hard. He was standing way too close, his gaze way too intense.
"Phil... don't you think we shouldn't act like this here? We're in the middle of your SHIELD base and you're practically pinning me to the wall? What about keeping things professional?" - she couldn't have come with anything better at the moment. Plus, it was getting hard to keep her heart race slow. Only then, he realised how close they really were. His gaze moved from her eyes to her lips and now it was his turn to swallow hard.
It didn't go unnoticed. Seeing his discomfort helped Rosalind shake off the overwhelming feeling. She smirked and caught her lower lip with her teeth. Oh, the two can play the game.
He lifted his gaze back to her eyes, only to find the mischievous sparks in them. That was his undoing. He grabbed her neck with one hand, placing the other on the small of her back, pressing her flush against his body and kissing her hard. She responded immediately but before they had an opportunity to deepen the kiss, someone bumped into them in a hurry.
"Man, watch it!" - Hunter's voice was distant, he wasn't aware of his surroundings until he noticed the embarrassment on Coulson's and his companion's faces.
So much for keeping things professional thought Rosalind, hiding her face in her hands and sighing heavily.
Great timing we have.
The End