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It’s an eventuality Walter has prepared for, thoroughly. In face, one might even say he’s become completely preoccupied with it over the last few months, letting it take up valuable time he should be using to plan the privatization of their business.
He’s put a lot of thought into what’s appropriate for a first kiss. How private it should be (not in front of Ralph and certainly not in the front the team, otherwise Toby will have too many questions they may not be ready to answer), how long until it’s acceptable to use tongue (one to three minutes), where he should put his hands (he’s narrowed it down to her face or her waist), and what he should say afterwards (he knows that “thank you” isn’t suitable, but it’s all he’s managed to come with).
But when it actually does happen, he doesn’t have time to think.
He stumbles out of the house just before the support beams give way and it collapses. He passes the thumb drive he’d gone in for off to Happy and suddenly Paige’s arms are wrapped around him and her lips are pressed against hers.
The team is most definitely watching, unless he’s lucky enough for the massive fire burning behind him to be a more pressing issue. And unless he’s mistaken, her tongue is in his mouth way before the one minute mark. He doesn’t mind. His hands grip her shoulders, because there’s a tiny, illogical part of him that says, if he doesn’t hold on tight, she might slip away.
She eventually pulls away, although he certainly doesn’t want her to.
"Thank you," he whispers.
It’s definitely not the right thing to say it, and in the split second before she smiles at him, he’s already beating himself up for letting those words come out of his mouth.
It’s not what he planned for, not the appropriate chain of events he’s built in his mind.
But it’s wonderful.
