How Many Ways

Shamelessly

A/N: Man... the tea is especially good today. Let me just tell you, the way emba91 and I freaked out when she talked about Shameless in that fan Q&A.

After reading this, the brand new walk-in freezer, made of frozen Holy water will be waiting for you.

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She rubbed the towel over her face, wiping the sweat away. When she pulled it down from her face, he was standing right in front of her. Invading her space, like always. She felt her gut twist as his scent surrounded her. He let his eyes slowly roam over her, taking his time. They landed on her shoulder, looking at the way her hoodie slipped down and revealed her smooth golden skin. He brought a hand up and lightly pulled the garment up, his fingers brushing her skin as he pulled away.

He licked his lips and swallowed the lump in his throat. "You ready to head back?" he asked, suddenly feeling very aware of himself and of how close he was to her. He was staying at her condo while he was in LA to film the video. It wasn't the first time they had stayed together, but something felt different.

She bent down and tossed the towel in her bag, and slowly straightened herself. Their eyes meeting and the air snapped around them. "Yeah... Mama should already be at the car waiting for us." She said to him quietly. Her body was still humming from the way they had been pressed up against each other during rehearsal.

He leaned down and grabbed her bag, giving her a sweet smile, they walked out of the studio together and to her mother's waiting car.

**

She should be sleeping, not sitting up on her bed, in the dark at 1 in the morning. Her mind was racing with thoughts of him, she tingled from the memory of his fingers brushing against her skin. She was still scared; she was still so scared to let herself go.

She suddenly felt heat flash over her entire body. She got out of bed and removed the hoodie she had on, tossing it to the side. She knew sleep wasn't going to come easily this night, not when her stomach continues to flip, and her heart continues to race with every thought of him. She had decided before they had gone into the recording studio, that she was done suppressing her feelings. She had spent years trying desperately not to like him, not to let the feelings show.

She paced to her bathroom and splashed some water on her face. The only way the knot in her stomach would release, or her heart calm, would be to tell him. She needed to tell him. But that very thought terrified her. He really was her best friend; her favorite person and she didn't want to lose that. She didn't want to lose him. But if her mom was right, if what she was feeling for him, could be something great, something amazing. She had to cut the bullshit and try.

She dried her face, took in a long slow breath, then let it back out. This was as brave as she was going to get and there was no other time to do it but now. If she didn't, the tension between them would only get worse. She swung around and headed to her bedroom door, taking one more deep breath in, she grabbed the handle and yanked it open, then the world stopped.

He was standing there, in front of her door, a hand raised to knock. His heart leaped from his chest at seeing her standing there before him. Her falling down around her, she wore a simple white tank top and blue cotton shorts. She stepped backwards and he followed her into the room, their eyes never leaving each other. He closed the door behind him, the air immediately becoming thick.

He stood there in front of her, shirtless, in only a pair of sweatpants. She tried desperately to not stare at his bare chest, she balled her hands up into fists, to prevent them from shaking.

He placed a finger on her chin and gently tilted her face up so he could look into her beautiful chocolate eyes. His breath caught when she rolled her bottom lip between her teeth and her tongue swiped over her mouth. Just those little actions caused the most intense reaction in him, his heart leaped, and his gut twisted. The air around them almost snapping with the tension they were creating.