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Riley groans at the steady stream of sunlight that breaks through the curtains covering the room's window. It probably wouldn't be so bad if she wasn't facing said window. But she is. And it's annoying as all hell, having the sun right in her face even if it is somewhat obscured.
Rolling onto her other side so she's facing the inside of the bed, her brows furrow slightly when she's met with something solid, and she knows it's not the wall. It's much too warm to be the bedroom wall. She cracks one eye open, finding a familiar mop of blonde hair and a face that she's come to really appreciate.
Memories of the previous night come flooding back and she can't hold back the smile that pulls at her lips. Last night finally happened. She won't deny that she'd been wondering for a while if things between her and Mac would ever move past being just friends. She was trying not to get too hung up on him, telling herself that if he never felt the same way about her that she feels about him that she'd be fine. She's been trying so hard to convince herself, to not let her emotions get the better of her. Doesn't help that she's been stuck in quarantine with him the last few months.
She'd been searching for her own place earlier in the year, had been planning on moving out as soon as possible so she wouldn't have to see him and Desi together anymore. But then he and Desi officially called it quits after the whole Codex ordeal so the other woman wasn't coming around anymore. So Riley held off on moving out so she could be there for Mac. Even if she does have feelings for him, he's her friend first and foremost.
It didn't take long, though, for her to come to the conclusion that she needed space from him if she was going to at least try and get her feelings under control, especially if he didn't feel the same way about her. So the apartment hunt continued and she managed to find a good one that's fairly close by — she doesn't want to completely avoid him — and well within her price range.
But then the pandemic hit, and the quarantine was ordered, and she had to push back moving out of Mac's place. Thankfully the landlord of the apartment was more than willing to keep the place open for her once the quarantine is lifted. On top of that, she's had to deal with her deepening feelings for Mac while being stuck in close quarters with him. Which hasn't been an easy thing to do.
And then everything came to a head last night, just another night of them sitting out on the deck drinking beers and talking. It's been one of her favorite parts about the quarantine, getting to spend one-on-one time with and get closer as friends. Occasionally Bozer will join them, but last night was one where he did not, instead deciding to go to bed early for whatever reason.
It's only slightly difficult to remember how things between her and Mac escalated, though she's going to partially blame the alcoholic assistance for how things progressed, no doubt giving her the liquid courage to finally make her feelings for him known.
Details are fuzzy. All she can really remember is that one moment they were out on the deck like usual, talking and laughing and enjoying the beautiful evening view. And then the next she was straddling his lap and kissing him deeply while her fingers found their way into his hair. He'd let it grow out a little during the lockdown, and she can't say that she hates the way she's able to run her fingers through it.
At some point during their very heated making out, they ended up in Mac's bed, their clothes tossed haphazardly to the floor and their limbs tangled together beneath the sheets. She'd definitely be lying if she said she wasn't thrilled that they finally ended up here.
The one thing she's worried about with all of this is their friendship, that now that they've slept together their entire dynamic is going to be off. She's worried that they won't be able to work as well together anymore, that things are just going to be weird all the time now. She doesn't want things to be weird.
She stills as Mac shifts on the bed, instinctively pulling the sheet closer to her chest.
Mac's eyes slowly crack open and the tiniest of smiles graces his lips. "Hi."
She smiles back. "Hey. So...last night…"
He nods. "Yeah. It was...pretty amazing. Which isn't all that surprising, considering how amazing you are." He smiles softly, a look in his eyes that she's not sure she's ever seen from him before.
She ducks her head as she blushes, staring for a moment at the mattress beneath her. When she looks back up, Mac is still smiling at her. "What?"
He shakes his head. "Nothing. I'm just glad that this happened."
"Me too." She hesitates only for a moment and then leans down to press a quick kiss to his lips. "And I'd have to agree with your assessment of last night being amazing."
He chuckles lightly. "Yeah? Well, I think I might be starting to forget how amazing it was. I may need a refresher course."
She can't help but laugh. "Some genius you are." Her smile softens and she closes the space between them again, one hand coming to rest on his chest to help steady herself.
Mac responds quickly to her kiss, wrapping an arm around her waist to pull her down closer. His other hand cups the back of her neck, pulling her even deeper into the kiss.
She moans into the kiss, allowing herself to relax against him and get completely lost in the moment. Being with Mac like this is so much better than she ever could have imagined it would be. And she has definitely imagined it. She just doesn't plan on admitting that to him just yet.
Pulling back when she remembers the need to breathe, she lies back down on the bed, snuggling close to him with her head resting comfortably on his chest. She smiles when his arms snake around her, keeping her close. Her eyes slowly flutter closed, though it's more from peace and comfort than it is from being tired.
"Hey, Riles, can I ask you a question?"
She hums in response, shifting a little.
"When...when exactly did you start having feelings for me? I don't think you actually told me last night."
She lets out a small breath and sits up on her elbow, looking down at him. "Honestly? I don't really know. I think it sorta just crept up on me. And then it hit me one day how I felt about you. That I wanted more than to just be friends with you."
"Oh. When did you realize?"
"The bomb in Germany," she tells him without hesitation, the memory of that day flooding into her mind. "After we hugged, and you grabbed my hand, there was just this...moment, I guess, where it all kind of fell into place. But I was still with Aubrey at that point so I tried to push it down. But it was still there underneath everything."
The look on his face shifts. "It couldn't have been easy, then, for you to see me and Desi together."
She sucks in a slow breath, pulling her lips in tight. "It wasn't. It honestly sucked. A lot. I tried to deny how I felt about you, didn't want to get hurt again. But then moving back in here, and being locked in together, it really didn't help things. Which is why I was apartment hunting, so I could get some space and try to process everything."
"I'm sorry."
She shakes her head. "It's okay. It wasn't your fault. You didn't know how I was feeling because I didn't tell you."
"Right."
"Your turn," she says to him, nudging his shoulder a little. "When did you realize your feelings for me?"
He takes a deep breath. "About a month into quarantine."
She pauses, her eyes going wide. "Wait, seriously?"
He nods. "Yeah. When we were in the kitchen talking after I dropped the glass. We were just sitting there, and there was this moment where it was quiet, and we were looking at each other and I just...I don't know. Something clicked into place. I realized that maybe there could be something between us, but I got scared. So I went for a jog."
She blinks. "Wow. If only I'd known. I almost confessed my feelings for you right then. But I got nervous and I chickened out and then you left."
He raises a brow and gestures between their bodies. "So you're saying we could have been doing this a lot earlier?"
She laughs and shakes her head. "I don't know. I don't usually jump into bed with someone right away. I like to get to know a person first before I sleep with them."
"Good policy."
"Yeah. Which is probably why this happened when it did. I already know you. I didn't need to take my time and feel things out."
He smiles. "I know what you mean."
She smiles back but then it falters just a little as she shifts on the bed so she's sitting up more. "Hey, can I ask you something now too?"
He nods. "Yeah, of course."
She takes a deep breath, preparing herself for whatever his answer might be. But she needs to know. "Is this...all of this, what's happening right now between us, is this real? For you? Because if it isn't, please tell me and we can forget it ever happened."
He smiles, shifting so he's sitting up on his elbow, reaching out with his other hand to gently cup her cheek. "Riles, I have never felt anything more real than what I feel right now. Trust me, I would not have gone through with what happened last night if I didn't plan on it going somewhere. You mean way too much to me to have this just be a one-night stand that I never think about again. I want this with you, Riley."
Riley can't help the grin that pulls at her lips at hearing his words. Never did she actually think he'd say words like that to her, that she'd actually be here right now in his arms. It's an amazing feeling that she never wants to let go of.
Without another word, she closes the space between them to kiss him, pouring everything she's feeling into it, hoping that the message gets across. She lightly pushes on his chest, getting him to lie back down so she's hovering over him.
A low rumbling interrupts the kiss and she pulls away laughing, dropping her head momentarily.
Mac laughs with her. "Sounds like someone's hungry."
She looks up at him with a smile. "Guilty. Should we go get some food? Might be a little late for actual breakfast, though."
He lets out a wistful sigh, running one of his hands up and down her thigh. "Mmm. Part of me wants to."
"And the other part?"
He smiles. "Wants to stay right here and keep kissing you." His stomach betrays him then, letting out a low grumble.
"Sounds like you'd rather have food more right now."
He chuckles. "As long as I don't have to cook."
She snorts in laughter. "Yeah, don't worry. I don't think either of us wants to risk you burning the place down." She leans forward to give him a quick kiss and then tosses the covers off her body as she climbs out of the bed. She grabs for the closest shirt she can find, which just so happens to be one of Mac's flannels, and pulls it on, doing the buttons up halfway so her sports bra is just barely showing.
"Where are you going?"
She smiles at him over her shoulder. "To get some food. You coming with?"
"Is that all you're gonna wear?" he asks, a tiny smile on his face.
She shrugs. "I didn't think you'd mind."
"I certainly do not." He crawls out of the bed, wearing nothing but his boxers, and crosses to the door to pull it open for her.
She presses a kiss to his cheek as she walks past him into the hallway, eager to get some food in her stomach. She laughs loudly when Mac's arms encircle her waist from behind, making it much harder for her to walk. His warm lips pepper kisses down her neck and along her collarbone that's exposed beneath the collar of his shirt that she's wearing, making her giggle. She leans her head back against him as they walk, albeit a little awkwardly with their bodies bumping together with every step.
"You know, you'd better be careful," she remarks with a smile. "A girl could seriously get used to this kind of attention."
"Well then it's a good thing I don't plan on stopping," he says back in her ear, sending a shiver down her spine.
She smiles, spinning around in his arms and looping her arms up around his neck. "Has anyone ever told you that you're quite the smooth talker, Angus Macgyver?"
He just chuckles, dipping his head to kiss her slowly, his arms tightening around her waist to bring her closer.
Riley digs her fingers into his hair when he tries to pull away, deepening the kiss and breathing deeply. She smiles against him, letting out a low moan when his hands slide down her backside and grip her thighs. She uses the extra bit of leverage his hands offer to hoist herself up, wrapping her legs tightly around his waist.
"It's a good thing Bozer's such a heavy sleeper," Mac remarks as he breaks away from her lips to kiss down her neck again, all while carrying her slowly down the hall toward the kitchen. Though she's not sure if either of them really has food still on their minds.
Grabbing his head in both her hands, she pulls it away from her skin and smiles. "Do me a favor and don't talk about your best friend while we're making out, okay?"
He chuckles. "Sorry. I'm just saying that it's a very good thing for us that he's a heavy sleeper. Because you, Miss Davis, had a very difficult time staying quiet last night."
She scoffs and tugs lightly on his hair. "Like you were any better."
"Honestly, you were both pretty terrible at being quiet. I almost ran to the gas station at two am to get bleach for my ears. I can never unhear that."
She and Mac both freeze at the same time, their eyes locking onto each other and going wide at the sound of Bozer's voice coming from the kitchen. That is the last thing either of them wanted to hear right now, and it has effectively killed the mood.
Unwrapping her legs from around Mac's waist, Riley slides down his body and lands on the floor, slowly turning around to face her friend. She suddenly feels completely naked despite having a shirt on. But it just barely reaches the middle of her thighs, so it's really not that much better.
"Bozer," she speaks up, shifting a little on her feet and folding her arms tightly over her chest, holding the top of the shirt closed as she does. "What are you doing?"
"Getting coffee," he responds, lifting his mug just enough for them to see. "And trying to think of ways I can erase a certain memory from my brain. Seriously, some of the noises drifting through the walls, I didn't even know those were possible for a human being to make." He shakes his head as he lifts his mug to his lips.
She can feel the heat rushing to her cheeks at the memory of exactly what Bozer's talking about, her eyes going wide yet again. She can hear Mac chuckling quietly behind her so she reaches back to smack his chest with the back of her hand, shutting him up. "Sorry if we woke you up," she finally says.
Bozer waves her off. "Don't worry about it. I mean, it would have been nice not to wake up to all that, but I'm happy you two finally figured all this out," he says, setting down his coffee and gesturing between her and Mac. "I mean, seriously, you guys, I thought I'd have to intervene at some point or something."
"Wait, Boze, hang on a second," Mac speaks up, moving to step forward but clearly thinking better of it and staying behind her. "Since when are you such a light sleeper? For as long as I've known you you've always been able to sleep through anything."
Bozer rolls his eyes. "Man, did you really think I'd want to make you feel bad by waking up every single time you were working on a project so late at night?"
"I would have stopped if I'd known."
Bozer raises a brow. "And have me be the one interrupting your genius mind from cooking up its latest contraption?" He laughs. "Good one, Mac. I learned to deal with it just fine, and I'll keep dealing with it. Might have to buy myself some heavy-duty earplugs now for however long the rest of the quarantine is, but it's a small price to pay for you two finally being together." He breathes deeply and smiles brightly with his hands on his hips. "It really is a wonderful day. I made pancakes and set some aside in the microwave if you want them, you're probably pretty hungry." He moves past them down the hall and into his temporary room, bringing his coffee with him. He claps Mac on the shoulder as he goes past, the bedroom door closing tightly behind him.
Once they're alone again, Riley turns around to look at Mac, her bottom lip bit between her teeth. "I definitely did not want to start the morning like that."
He lets out a breath. "Neither did I. You still want food?"
"Please." She follows him into the kitchen and hops up onto one of the counters, her legs lightly swinging back and forth as she waits.
Mac turns toward her with a plate of warmed-up pancakes and laughs. "What are you doing up there?"
She shrugs. "Better vantage point."
"To do what?"
"This." She smiles as she reaches out to cup her hand around the back of his neck and pull him closer until he's standing in between her legs. She takes the plate from him and sets it aside, wrapping both her arms around his neck. "Now, isn't this much better?"
He smiles back, letting his hands fall to her waist. "I certainly don't mind."
"Good." She pulls him even closer and kisses him, burying her fingers in his hair and smiling against his lips when he moans. She wraps her legs around his hips to keep him in place as she deepens their kiss. Mac's hands run up her legs, pushing on the hem of the shirt to settle high on her thighs. He squeezes lightly, eliciting a moan from her lips.
He pulls away after a moment, his breathing heavy as he rests his forehead against hers.
"Why'd you stop?" she asks breathlessly.
"Because I have a question for you. And I want to ask you now before I forget."
She quirks a brow. "It can't wait until later?" She lightly scratches his scalp, smirking when he lets out a low moan, his eyes closing and his head falling back.
He breathes deeply and looks at her. "No, it can't. And I know what you're trying to do."
She blinks a few times and drops her legs from his waist, feigning innocence. "What am I trying to do?"
He chuckles, reaching up to grab her hands and hold them in her lap. "Can I talk, please?"
She laughs lightly. "Yeah, sorry."
"Thank you." He takes a deep breath. "I know that before this whole pandemic happened you found a place of your own and got all your stuff packed up, but I really like having you here. And now that we're dating, I was wondering if maybe you'd want to stay."
She opens and closes her mouth a few times and then smiles. "We're dating?"
He shrugs, rocking back on his feet. "I mean, I was kind of hoping we were. I really like you, Riley. And I meant what I said earlier, I want this with you. I'm all in."
Her smile widens. "Me too. But I think that it's better if I have my own place while we adjust to this new dynamic, especially once quarantine is lifted. However," she says, tugging him a little closer and wrapping her arms around his torso, "once my lease is up after a year, if you and I are still going strong, then we can certainly revisit this conversation. The chance that I'll say yes to your request is very high, though."
He smiles, leaning forward to give her a quick kiss. "I think I can live with that."
"Good. Now let's eat, because I am starving."
He chuckles. "Of course." He gives her one more kiss and then grabs the plate of pancakes out of the microwave to carry them over to the kitchen table.
She stays on the counter for a moment longer, watching as he grabs plates and utensils and then some toppings for their pancakes. She has a smile on her face the whole time, finding it just a little crazy that they're actually together and he genuinely wants to be with her. There's a small part of her that's worried it's all just a dream and she'll wake up in bed alone and still be pining quietly for him.
But the larger part of her knows that isn't the case, that this is reality and it's so good and she's happier than she's been in a long time.
"Hey, Riles, you gonna come eat?"
She smiles over at Mac and nods. "Yeah, sorry. Just thinking." She hops off the counter and moves to join him at the table.
"What were you thinking about?"
She shrugs as she sits down, grabbing a couple of pancakes and setting them on her plate. "Not much. Mostly about how happy I am right now."
He smiles softly. "I'm pretty happy too. I've got a good feeling about us, Riles. A really, really good feeling."