Secret Santa. Chapter 8.
Title: Love At First Sight.
Author: pure_ecstasy6
Pairing: Andy/Miranda.
Rating: NC-17.
Prompt: A fic Mirandy (romance)or a Andy/Emily (friendship)would be awesome :D
Authors Note: Another chapter of my Secret Santa fic for Cammiel. Oh, and I know nothing about cars, I totally googled.
Beta: A big thanks to peetsden.
Previous Chapter: community.livejournal.com/dvlwears_prada/1703374.html
~*~
The Next Day.
"Well, if the brakes are squealing when you push down on them, then you're probably looking at new brake pads." Andy said, phone held to her ear, listening as the female on the line began speaking again. She had dealt with this woman before and was used to the incessant chattering.
"Well, then theres the whole zig-zag thing when I brake." The blonde said.
"Zig-zag thing?" Andy asked, frowning, trying to work out what the woman could mean.
"Yes, when I brake, the front wheels do this zig-zag thing."
"Not sure what you mean by zig-zag as that would mean the car is actually turning to one direction for some time before going in the other direction." Andy replied.
"Oh well, yes, I suppose you're right."
"Perhaps you mean more of a shake/shimmy?" Andy asked. "If so, then the first thing to change is the rotors. If not, then something is loose in the front end that is causing the steering to drift. Possibly the steering and suspension components, but when I last worked on it I checked all this over and everything was fine when you left. It seems like it is a brake system problem." she said and continued. "Is it pulling to one side then hard back or just all over the place? It could be as simple as warped rotors or could be a brake caliper problem or even a proportioning valve problem. Even rust in the brake lines will cause the vehicle to pull to one side then once pressure pushes through it will correct itself, pulling straight." Andy knew the blonde woman on the other end would have no idea what she was talking about and it amused her.
"Well, you're the expert here Andy," The blonde replied with a laugh causing Andy to smirk. "What do you think it is? Should I bring it in for you to look at?"
"Yeah, bring it in later this afternoon or tomorrow sometime and I'll give it a look." Andy replied, writing down that she would be expecting Katie sometime in today or tomorrow. She finished up the call before hanging up the phone with another laugh. She looked at her cell before picking it up and she opened a new message and began typing one out.
She typed out several messages to Miranda but wasn't happy with how any of them sounded. With a sigh she placed her cell back down on the table before going over to a car she was fixing and started replacing the brake wheel cylinders, trying not to worry about not having heard from Miranda since witnessing a private argument between Miranda and her husband.
~*~
A Few Hours Later.
Miranda looked out the window to the building of "Richie's Auto Mechanics" as she tried to gather her thoughts. They were scattered and she was still unsure of what she should say to the brunette, and what she was even doing here.
Sighing, she decided that because she was here she might as well go in. "Roy, wait here, I should only be a few minutes." she informed her driver before stepping out of the car door that he held open for her, and walking into the mechanics shop.
The older woman spotted Andrea kneeling on the ground by the wheel of a car as she worked on taking it off the vehicle. "Andrea." she said softly and watched as the brunette looked up over her shoulder at her.
"Hey, Miranda." Andy said.
The older woman watched as Andrea's lips tugged into a wide smile. "About last night." she started softly.
Andy waved a hand. "Oh, don't worry about it. It's none of my business." she replied. As much as she wanted to know if Miranda's marriage was as happy as the older woman made it out to be, she couldn't ask, it would be rude. "I'm sorry I came upstairs in the first place. The twins said it was alright and I believed them."
"My girls said you could go upstairs?" Miranda asked.
Andy nodded. "Yeah." she replied, hoping she wouldn't get the redheads in trouble.
Miranda sighed and briefly closed her eyes. It would explain why they had been out of bed when she had gone back upstairs. "That's my daughters, always pulling pranks on my assistants," she rolled her eyes. "They would have thought you were my new assistant." Plus they would have done anything to stop that argument that had been going on for over half an hour between Stephen and I. She thought, really wishing that she could open up to the brunette. She knew that there was nothing stopping her, that Andrea would listen to her, but it was her pride that got in the way.
For so long she'd worked hard to master the wall she had put up around her, and now this beautiful brunette was challenging her, bringing the wall down whenever she was around, and it was all very new to Miranda.
If the older woman was honest to herself, she was afraid of opening up, giving her heart over to the brunette, for it to only get broken. She wanted to believe that Andrea was different from the rest, but she couldn't be sure until she truly knew Andrea.
"They wouldn't be the only ones who thought that. Everyone I came across yesterday when I was running the errands for you, all thought I was your new assistant." Andy replied. "Honestly, until that moment I didn't realise just how famous you were." she said, looking up at the older woman again. "They were all praising you, saying how amazing they think you are at what you do. And everytime I heard them say, I agreed with everything they said. You, Miranda, are such a beautiful and sophsiticated woman, and I admire you greatly." she said, her heart pounding the whole time.
Miranda's heart was pounding just as fast as the brunette's from Andrea's kind spoken words. She had been a little taken aback by the words and knew in that moment that Andrea had an attraction for her, and that it ran deeper more than just a passing fancy. "Andrea, I-" she was cut off by the sound of out of tune singing of Kesha's Take It Off song coming from out the back of the garage.
Andy couldn't help the laugh that bubbled up from out of her at hearing her workmate’s singing along to the song. "Sorry about that. One of my work mates just got engaged, they've been celebrating nearly all morning."
Miranda frowned. "Why aren't you out there celebrating with them?" she asked, curiously.
"Work to be done, I guess." Andy replied, with a shrug. She finished taking the wheel off and stood and began pushing it towards a pile of other used ones, with Miranda following behind her.
"Surely you're able to take some time off to have some fun?" Miranda questioned, as she followed Andrea, not able to take her eyes away from the brunette's behind and the glimpse of pale skin she saw from where Andrea's waiste as she lifted up from her bent over position.
Andy let the tire fall down with the others before turning back to Miranda. "Nope, too much work in here to be done." she replied. "Surely you understand that with the demands of the magazine?" she said, before walking back over to the car she was working on.
"Yes, I understand." Miranda replied. She was about to continue before a woman with a mohawk and tatoo's covering her bare arms walked over to them.
"Andy, you sure you don't wanna come back out here and join us? All this can wait until later. We'll all come out and do it together." Andy's workmate Gypsy said.
"Sorry Gypsy, but I gotta continue on this car before working on the Audi that is supposed to be ready early tomorrow morning and I've still no idea what's wrong with it." Andy replied, knowing it was going to be a long night for her.
Gypsy frowned. "Well, if you change your mind-" Andy cut her off. "I know where to find you, yeah, I get it."
The other woman nodded before turning to look briefly at Miranda and then walking back outside.
"So, are you still alright to come to this showing on Thursday?" Andy asked, as she started putting on a new wheel.
"Yes, I'm looking forward to it." Miranda replied, watching as Andrea smiled at her words.
"Brilliant. So am I." Andy replied.
Again, before either could continue, the sound of heels clacking on the ground was heard before a blonde came into sight.
"Hi Andy!" The blonde said. "I hope you don't mind me coming in but I thought now would be better than putting off any longer."
Andy looked up at Katie and nodded her head. "That's alright. Just give me a sec and I'll take a look at your car." she replied.
Katie nodded before turning to the older woman, her eyes popping open. "You're Miranda Priestly!" she said before gasping. She watched as the older woman nodded wordlessly before she turned back to the brunette. "Honey, you didn't tell me you knew Miranda Priestly!"
Miranda pursed her lips as she watched the blonde woman interact with Andrea. The woman had an obvious attraction for the brunette and Miranda wasn't happy with this one bit. Though she noted that Andrea seemed pretty oblivious to the attention she was getting.
"I think I will leave you to it." Miranda suddenly announced.
Andy looked up to Miranda and frowned. She didn't want the older woman to leave and was annoyed at Katie's bad timing. She got up from the ground. "I'll walk you to the door." she said softly, and started walking away from Katie.
"So, 7 on Thursday night?" She said once they were standing by the door.
Miranda nodded. "Yes, that's acceptable." she replied, donning her sunglasses even though it wasn't sunny outside.
Andy smiled. "Well, have a good rest of your day then." she said softly, briefly touching the small of Miranda's back.
Miranda revelled in the small touch before she stepped through the doors. "Yes, you too." she replied, before she walked over to the waiting towncar and got in.
Andy watched as Miranda left before she turned and walked back inside over to Katie. "Let's check out what is wrong with your car." she said, the blonde woman smiling at her in reply.
Miranda, from where she sat in the towncar that was still parked out the front of the mechanics shop, she could see through a window and could see Andrea and the blonde woman. She could have growled when she watched the blonde woman lay a hand on Andrea's bare arm, while she laughed at something the brunette said to her, which Miranda bet hadn't even been funny. She turned to look at Roy in the mirror. "Go!"
~*~
Thursday Evening.
Miranda opened the door and was face-to-face with Andrea who, in her opinion, looked extremely beautiful. Wearing simple tight black skinny jeans, a metal head tshirt and she could see she was wearing a black tank top underneath and a black blazer over the top. She had a small black bag hanging from her right shoulder and a fedora, also black.
The older woman then took in two necklaces Andrea was wearing. One was half of a heart which was broken and another had a small silver ring that hung from the silver lace.
On her feet, Andrea wore red heels that gave Andrea's all black look a nice touch.
"Hey there, you ready?" Andy asked, pulling Miranda from her appreciation of Andrea's clothing choice.
Miranda looked up into Andrea's eyes. "Yes, lead the way." she murmured.
Andy smiled back at her, and stepped aside on the front steps for Miranda to walk down the front steps. "You look crazy beautiful, by the way." she said ever so softly as Miranda stepped by her.
Miranda blushed at the brunette's words. "Thank you." she murmured. "I could say the same about you."
"Thanks." Andy replied just as sofly as she walked beside Miranda towards her car, a dark red with a black front, 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer. She opened the passenger door for Miranda and closed it when the older woman was settled into her seat before she quickly went around to the driver's side, donning her hat, before getting in and putting the keys in the ignition to start the engine.
~*~
"How did your customer go the other day when I left?" Miranda asked curiously as she walked with Andrea around the gallery, taking in all of the amazing work while she spoke with the brunette.
"Yeah, it went alright. I finally figured out what was wrong with her car, which was good." Andy replied.
"Mm. That's good then." Miranda replied. "You do realise she's attracted to you." she murmured to the brunette, when they stopped to look at a particular painting.
"What?" Andy asked, her eyes widening and turning to stare at the older woman. "No way. She has a boyfriend!" she replied. It never even crossed her mind that the blonde could be attracted to her. Sure, she was a flirty woman, but most of the blondes she'd come across were.
"Andrea, you should know it isn't going to stop somebody being with someone else even if they have a partner." Miranda replied.
Andy sighed. "I guess you're right. I'd feel bad though, for the person's partner." she replied.
Before Miranda could reply, they heard a voice from behind them.
"Well, well, if it isn't The Miranda Priestly."
Andy turned around and grinned when she saw her brother. "Hey Bri." she said, before turning back to the older woman. "Miranda, this is my brother Brian Kinney."
Miranda wasn't able to help the slight widening of her eyes as she stared at the familiar male in front of her. She got her shock under control and pursed her lips. "Brian, always a pleasure." she murmured.
The man grinned.
"Wait, how do you know each other?" Andy asked, looking between Miranda and her brother.
"Brian here had a fling with Nigel a few years ago." Miranda replied, glaring at Brian.
"Judging by the look on your face I'm guessing it didn't end well?" Andy asked.
"Yes, you're correct." Miranda replied, turning back to Andrea.
Before anyone could say anything more, Miranda watched as a young blonde wrapped his arms around Brian's waist. "Hey babe." he said softly. She watched as Brian smiled down at the boy that couldn't be more than eighteen or nineteen years old.
"Miranda, this is Justin, Brian's boyfriend." Andy said, politely introducing the blonde.
"Yes, I gathered." Miranda replied, watching Brian and Justin together. She did have to admit they made a rather good looking couple, but she still couldn't believe that Brian Kinney was Andrea's brother.
"Art openings are such gay occassions." Brian said, looking around the place.
"Mm. Especially now you're here." Andy said with a grin.
"Ha ha." Brian replied, sending Andy a glare.
"So, have you looked at my work yet?" Justin asked, drawing Miranda from her thoughts.
Andy shook her head. "Not yet, we're slowly making our way around." she explained.
Justin nodded. "Well, be sure to let me know what you think!" he said, smiling brightly at both Andy and Miranda.
Andy nooded and smiled back. "For sure. I bet it's amazing!"
"It defintely is." Brian replied, turning around in Justin's arms to kiss the blonde.
Andy rolled her eyes at their mushy affection towards one another. She turned and softly laid her hand on Miranda's arm. "Come on, let's go look over here."
Miranda looked at Andrea and nodded before she followed the younger woman around the gallery.
~*~
"They're so very open with their relationship." Miranda said, noticing Brian and Justin kissing in the corner of the building.
Andy laughed. "Well, I guess when you love someone you want to show the world."
Miranda guessed it was because she'd never had that sort of love that made her want to shout it from the rooftops.
"I'm trying to think if I can remember Brian telling me about is fling with Nigel." Andy said, as they made their way around the large room. "I think I slightly remember, but I wasn't home much when I was younger."
Miranda wanted to be able to ask Andrea why she hadn't been around her brother and family then, wondering what it was that had so obviously happened to put the sad look in Andrea's eyes. "Mm. Well it didn't end on good terms, and left Nigel with a sour taste in his mouth towards Brian."
Andy cringed. "I better not mention Brian to Nigel anyday soon then." she said, before catching Miranda's eye again. "I hope you're not uncomfortable with him here?"
Miranda shook her head, and waved a hand. "Of course not."
"Good." Andy replied, smiling again. "Ah, this is Justin's." she said, when they came to a stop in front of it.
"It's rather exquisite." Miranda murmered.
Andy smiled, "Yeah, I agree." she replied, but she wasn't looking at the painting, she was looking at Miranda.
Miranda saw from the corner of her eye, and her lips curled upwards. "You aren't even looking at it." she said softly, turning to catch Andrea's brown eye's.
"I saw enough of it to know it's great." Andy replied.
Before Miranda could reply her phone rang in her coat pocket. "I'm sorry." she said.
"It's cool." Andy replied, "I'm just gonna get another drink. You want one?"
"Please." Miranda replied, smiling as she watched the brunette leave as she raised the phone to her ear when she saw it was home calling. "Hello Charlotte?"
"Mummy, Charlotte's unwell and needs to go home." Miranda's daughter Caroline said on the other end.
Miranda frowned. "What's wrong with her, sweetheart?"
"She thinks she got food poisioning." Caroline replied.
"Can you put her on please?" Miranda asked.
"I would but she's in the first floor bathroom and she's making gross as sounds and I don't want to go in there." Caroline replied.
"Okay, well just go upstairs in case she's contagious and I'll be home soon." Miranda replied.
"Is everything okay?" Andy asked, watching Miranda run a hand through her coiffed hair.
"No." Miranda sighed. "The Nanny has become ill, and I've got no one else that could look after my girls. I'm afraid I'm going to have to go."
"Let me walk you out then." Andy said, putting down her bottle of beer and began walking towards the entrance with Miranda.
They stood on the sidewalk silently for a few seconds, just gazing at one another, before Miranda broke the silence. "Would you like to walk me home? It is afterall only a couple of blocks away and a lovely night out."
Andy smiled, thinking that it was a brilliant offer. "I'd love to."
~*~
"Well, I guess I'll-" Andy began but stopped when the front door was pulled open. "Mummy!" Was chorused by both twin red heads.
Andy smiled as she watched them interact with their mother, thinking they were quite adorable.
"Hey! Your Mum's new friend!" Caroline said when she spotted Andy.
Andy smiled. "I sure am, kiddo. And who might you be?"
"I'm Caroline, and this is my sister Cassidy." Caroline replied, smiling brightly.
"It's very nice to meet you Caroline." Andy said, holding out her hand for a shake, before doing the same with a shocked Cassidy. She wondered what that was all about, but couldn't question on it because they were talking about.
"You should come inside! We're about to make gingerbread men!" Cassidy said.
"Are we just?" Miranda asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Well, we had been about to with Charlotte, but then she went to puke." Caroline replied.
"Ah, yes. Has she gone home?" Miranda asked.
Both girls nodded.
"Good. Now, how about we go inside and get cracking on those gingerbread men!"
"Are you coming, Andy?" Cassidy asked, looking over her shoudld at the brunette, who still stood on the side walk.
"Oh, I should be getting back." Andy replied.
"Nonsense. Come in and have a coffee?" Miranda replied, and raised an eyebrow, waiting and hoping that the brunette would say yes.
"Yeah! You can help with the gingerbread!" Both twins said, smiling brightly and hopeful up at Andy.
Andy found as she stared at the girls' smiles, and Miranda's, that she could don't say no to them. "Sure. Sounds great!" she replied, smiling one of her million dollar smiles, and followed the Priestly's in their townhouse.
~*~
"Oh wow, I can't believe how much of a mess we made with the flour!" Andy said, still chuckling as she looked around the kitchen that looked like a bomb had exploded in it, as there was flour all over the place, on the walls, floors and countertops. "The girls had a fun time though."
Miranda chuckled. "Mm. That they did." she replied, thinking back to their flour fight and their joyful laughter. It was a very nice change than how they usually were when Stephen was around.
Tonight, with Andrea, the house was much more relaxed. Miranda couldn't remember a time when it had been like that, where she and her girls had actually spoken more than a few words to one another. She was about to say something when she noticed scars on the inside of the young womans arms, over the veins on the inside of her elbow. She was surprised that she had never seen these before, and realised that it was because whenever she stood with Andrea, she was on her left side, the marks not in her view, or she was wearing a long sleeve top. The scars on her wrists however she realised were always covered, until now, with a wrist band, she just never fully paid attention to these little things because she was always so fully concentrating on Andrea's face and beautiful brown eye's.
"I think I'll just go take this top off and put my others back on. Don't want to be getting any flour anywhere else." Andy said, breaking Miranda from her thoughts.
"Yes, that's fine. My study is three doors down on the left. Or the first floor bathroom is the first door on the right." Miranda replied, pulling herself from her thoughts, knowing that if there was something Andrea needed to tell her about the scarring, then she would in time.
Andy smiled at her. "Thanks. I'll be back in a tic."
Miranda watched as the young woman stepped out into the hall way, stopping in the sitting room to get her blazer and other shirt before heading down the hall, obviously going to use her study.
She turned around and looked at the state the kitchen was in, and chuckled again. It was going to take her all night to clean it up. She stepped over to the oven and saw that there was still a few minutes left on the gingerbread until it was done, so Miranda headed down the hall, thinking she had given Andrea sufficient time to put on her other tops.
Stepping in front of her closed study door, she rapped her knuckles on the wood before opening the door, and the sight on the other side had been one she hadn't been expecting.
Andrea stood by her desk with nothing but her bra on the top half of her body, as she talked on the phone.
"Yes, that's fine, take as much time off as you need. Just make sure you get better soon!" Andy said into her phone, before exchanging a few more words with her work mate, before hanging up. "Oh, hi." The brunette said when she spotted Miranda at the door.
"I'm sorry." Miranda said, adverting her eye's from Andrea.
Andy grinned. "How's the gingerbread coming along?" she asked, as she wandered over to the couch where she had put her other tops.
"They'll be ready soon." Miranda replied. "Thank you for helping the girls and I."
"I had a good time." Andy replied. The best time, in fact.
Miranda couldn't help when her eye's wandering Andrea's body again, who began putting on her blazer, keeping her other clean, flour-less, shirt off. Her eye's went to the brunette's clevage when Andrea bent down to grab her phone, where she'd dropped it on the sofa.
"You're beautiful." She blurted before she could stop herself.
Andy was sure she hadn't heard right, and looked up to search into magnificent blue eye's that were like the ocean, eye's that she knew she could easily lose herself in. "Thank you." she said, not sure what else she should say, because it had been a while since she'd had such a compliment directed at her that was genuine. Usually the person giving her a compliment just wanted to get in her pants. Very few had succeeded the chance to do so.
"I didn't pick you as the type to have a tattoo." Miranda said, noticing the ink on Andrea's chest. She could make out that it was someones name, and when she looked closer she saw the name Emma in fancy writing with a rose around it. There was writing underneath also but from where she stood she couldn't make out what it said. "Who is it? A past lover that I am unaware of?" she questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh, ah no." Andy said, briefly looking down at the tattoo. "My sister." she said, before wandering over to the door to walk past Miranda, but the older woman stopped her.
"Sister? I wasn't aware you had one?" Miranda replied, having stepped in front of Andrea to stop her from leaving. She frowned as she thought about this new piece of information she just got from the young woman. "Andrea, why haven't you mentioned your sister to me before?" she asked. She could tell that the brunette didn't want to be having the conversation, and it was making Miranda even more curious.
"Look, can we not talk about it right now?" Andy snapped.
Miranda pulled her head back and stared at Andrea in shock, this new side of Andrea wasn't what she'd been expecting.
Andy saw the shock in Miranda's face, and she closed her eyes with a sigh. "I'm sorry." she breathed. "It's just.. it's a hard subject for me to talk about. Please understand."
Miranda nodded, feeling herself soften again in front of the young woman, at the sadness she heard and saw in Andrea's voice and eyes. "Of course. If you ever want to talk about it, or anything else, please know that I am here."
Andy looked up into Miranda's gorgeous blue eyes and smiled. "I know. Thank you." she replied. "Now let's go check on the gingerbread!"
~*~
"They smell really good!" Andy said, as she placed them on the cooling rack.
"Hopefully they taste it." Miranda said softly.
Andy laughed. "I'm sure they will." she said, looking up and gasped when she saw how close she was to Miranda. She knew that she should take a step back, putting a safe distance between them so she wouldn't do anything that Miranda might not want, but her legs wouldn't move.
When Miranda heard Andrea's small gasp, she looked up into brown eyes and knew instantly that she'd gasped at their closeness. She knew that if she were to move a little her lips would be touching Andrea's. Her eye's fluttered closed just as Andy's lips were about to reach Miranda's, both women heard the girls' voices coming from down the hall.
"Are the gingerbread men ready to eat yet?" Caroline and Cassidy asked excitedly as they bounded into the room and stopped near both older women.
"Not yet, sweetheart." Miranda replied, before she tried to get her breathing under control.
"But they'e on the tray!" Cassid said, seeing them near the older woman.
"Yes, they have to cool down." Miranda replied.
Andy, on the other hand, had turned around and tuned out from the conversation that Miranda was now having with her daughters. She closed her eyes, and placed a hand over her chest where her heart was beating quickly from everything she was currently feeling, as her fingers run over the ink she had there. She couldn't believe that she had nearly kissed Miranda Priestly! The woman she had been crushing on since they met only a few days ago. She then realised that she shouldn't be here, that this was too wrong, she shouldn't be wanting to get involved with Miranda who had Stephen and her daughters to think about.
"When can we eat them then?" Caroline asked, standing impatiently by the counter.
"In a couple of minutes." Miranda replied, before turning her head to watch as Andrea ran a shaking hand through her brunette hair.
"Um, I'm- I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to go." Andy announced. She could feel an onslaught of tears coming on, and knew she needed to get out of there as quick as possible.
"But you'll miss out on eating one of the gingerbread men!" Cassidy said, not hearing the shakyness of Andy's voice.
"Yeah, they're nearly ready! Can't you stay a little bit longer?" Caroline continued.
Miranda, meanwhile, frowned. She could hear in Andrea's voice that the young woman was close to crying, and she was confused. Things had been going well, what had upset her?
"Sorry girls, but I gotta run. Maybe you can save one of them for me?" Andy replied, turning around to face the girls with a polite smile.
Both young girls nodded. "Of course, Andy!" Caroline said.
"Will we see you again soon?" Cassidy asked.
"Ah, not sure girls." Andy replied. "Anyway, enjoy your gingerbread!" she said, before turning to make her quick exit, high tailing it down the hall. Her plan of escaping quickly thwarted when Miranda stopped her at the front door.
"Andrea, what.." Miranda trailed off, hoping Andrea got where she was going, because she really was unsure of what she should say.
Andy sighed, and looked down to the ground, as she gathered her thoughts, before looking back up to Miranda, her eyes connecting with blue ones. "Look, I think you're absolutely amazing, and I have this massive attraction towards you, and I want to kiss you so bad, that it hurts."
"Why? Why does it hurt?" Miranda asked, searching Andrea's eyes for an answer that she so desperately wanted to know.
"Because you're a married woman, Miranda. I don't want to be the other woman that gets involved with someone who is married." Andy explained. "You understand, don't you? I just can't.." she trailed off with a sad sigh, tears now trailing freely down her cheeks.
This was one of the reasons why Miranda's feelings went so very deep for Andrea. She was kind and compassionate, and she actually thought of others feelings and how a specfic action could hurt anothers feelings. Before she could collect her thoughts and reply, Andrea's hand was on the door knob.
"I'm sorry." Andy breathed, gazing into Miranda's eyes, before she leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on the corner of Miranda's mouth. "Maybe I'll see you 'round." she said, before opening the door and stepping out onto the cold side walk, leaving the only woman that would ever understand her, the only woman she knew could ever own her heart, behind, as she sobbed the loss of a lover she hadn't even had the pleasure of being with, and never would.
~*~
TBC..
Author: pure_ecstasy6
Pairing: Andy/Miranda.
Rating: NC-17.
Prompt: A fic Mirandy (romance)or a Andy/Emily (friendship)would be awesome :D
Authors Note: Another chapter of my Secret Santa fic for Cammiel. Oh, and I know nothing about cars, I totally googled.
Beta: A big thanks to peetsden.
Previous Chapter: community.livejournal.com/dvlwears_prada/1703374.html
~*~
The Next Day.
"Well, if the brakes are squealing when you push down on them, then you're probably looking at new brake pads." Andy said, phone held to her ear, listening as the female on the line began speaking again. She had dealt with this woman before and was used to the incessant chattering.
"Well, then theres the whole zig-zag thing when I brake." The blonde said.
"Zig-zag thing?" Andy asked, frowning, trying to work out what the woman could mean.
"Yes, when I brake, the front wheels do this zig-zag thing."
"Not sure what you mean by zig-zag as that would mean the car is actually turning to one direction for some time before going in the other direction." Andy replied.
"Oh well, yes, I suppose you're right."
"Perhaps you mean more of a shake/shimmy?" Andy asked. "If so, then the first thing to change is the rotors. If not, then something is loose in the front end that is causing the steering to drift. Possibly the steering and suspension components, but when I last worked on it I checked all this over and everything was fine when you left. It seems like it is a brake system problem." she said and continued. "Is it pulling to one side then hard back or just all over the place? It could be as simple as warped rotors or could be a brake caliper problem or even a proportioning valve problem. Even rust in the brake lines will cause the vehicle to pull to one side then once pressure pushes through it will correct itself, pulling straight." Andy knew the blonde woman on the other end would have no idea what she was talking about and it amused her.
"Well, you're the expert here Andy," The blonde replied with a laugh causing Andy to smirk. "What do you think it is? Should I bring it in for you to look at?"
"Yeah, bring it in later this afternoon or tomorrow sometime and I'll give it a look." Andy replied, writing down that she would be expecting Katie sometime in today or tomorrow. She finished up the call before hanging up the phone with another laugh. She looked at her cell before picking it up and she opened a new message and began typing one out.
She typed out several messages to Miranda but wasn't happy with how any of them sounded. With a sigh she placed her cell back down on the table before going over to a car she was fixing and started replacing the brake wheel cylinders, trying not to worry about not having heard from Miranda since witnessing a private argument between Miranda and her husband.
~*~
A Few Hours Later.
Miranda looked out the window to the building of "Richie's Auto Mechanics" as she tried to gather her thoughts. They were scattered and she was still unsure of what she should say to the brunette, and what she was even doing here.
Sighing, she decided that because she was here she might as well go in. "Roy, wait here, I should only be a few minutes." she informed her driver before stepping out of the car door that he held open for her, and walking into the mechanics shop.
The older woman spotted Andrea kneeling on the ground by the wheel of a car as she worked on taking it off the vehicle. "Andrea." she said softly and watched as the brunette looked up over her shoulder at her.
"Hey, Miranda." Andy said.
The older woman watched as Andrea's lips tugged into a wide smile. "About last night." she started softly.
Andy waved a hand. "Oh, don't worry about it. It's none of my business." she replied. As much as she wanted to know if Miranda's marriage was as happy as the older woman made it out to be, she couldn't ask, it would be rude. "I'm sorry I came upstairs in the first place. The twins said it was alright and I believed them."
"My girls said you could go upstairs?" Miranda asked.
Andy nodded. "Yeah." she replied, hoping she wouldn't get the redheads in trouble.
Miranda sighed and briefly closed her eyes. It would explain why they had been out of bed when she had gone back upstairs. "That's my daughters, always pulling pranks on my assistants," she rolled her eyes. "They would have thought you were my new assistant." Plus they would have done anything to stop that argument that had been going on for over half an hour between Stephen and I. She thought, really wishing that she could open up to the brunette. She knew that there was nothing stopping her, that Andrea would listen to her, but it was her pride that got in the way.
For so long she'd worked hard to master the wall she had put up around her, and now this beautiful brunette was challenging her, bringing the wall down whenever she was around, and it was all very new to Miranda.
If the older woman was honest to herself, she was afraid of opening up, giving her heart over to the brunette, for it to only get broken. She wanted to believe that Andrea was different from the rest, but she couldn't be sure until she truly knew Andrea.
"They wouldn't be the only ones who thought that. Everyone I came across yesterday when I was running the errands for you, all thought I was your new assistant." Andy replied. "Honestly, until that moment I didn't realise just how famous you were." she said, looking up at the older woman again. "They were all praising you, saying how amazing they think you are at what you do. And everytime I heard them say, I agreed with everything they said. You, Miranda, are such a beautiful and sophsiticated woman, and I admire you greatly." she said, her heart pounding the whole time.
Miranda's heart was pounding just as fast as the brunette's from Andrea's kind spoken words. She had been a little taken aback by the words and knew in that moment that Andrea had an attraction for her, and that it ran deeper more than just a passing fancy. "Andrea, I-" she was cut off by the sound of out of tune singing of Kesha's Take It Off song coming from out the back of the garage.
Andy couldn't help the laugh that bubbled up from out of her at hearing her workmate’s singing along to the song. "Sorry about that. One of my work mates just got engaged, they've been celebrating nearly all morning."
Miranda frowned. "Why aren't you out there celebrating with them?" she asked, curiously.
"Work to be done, I guess." Andy replied, with a shrug. She finished taking the wheel off and stood and began pushing it towards a pile of other used ones, with Miranda following behind her.
"Surely you're able to take some time off to have some fun?" Miranda questioned, as she followed Andrea, not able to take her eyes away from the brunette's behind and the glimpse of pale skin she saw from where Andrea's waiste as she lifted up from her bent over position.
Andy let the tire fall down with the others before turning back to Miranda. "Nope, too much work in here to be done." she replied. "Surely you understand that with the demands of the magazine?" she said, before walking back over to the car she was working on.
"Yes, I understand." Miranda replied. She was about to continue before a woman with a mohawk and tatoo's covering her bare arms walked over to them.
"Andy, you sure you don't wanna come back out here and join us? All this can wait until later. We'll all come out and do it together." Andy's workmate Gypsy said.
"Sorry Gypsy, but I gotta continue on this car before working on the Audi that is supposed to be ready early tomorrow morning and I've still no idea what's wrong with it." Andy replied, knowing it was going to be a long night for her.
Gypsy frowned. "Well, if you change your mind-" Andy cut her off. "I know where to find you, yeah, I get it."
The other woman nodded before turning to look briefly at Miranda and then walking back outside.
"So, are you still alright to come to this showing on Thursday?" Andy asked, as she started putting on a new wheel.
"Yes, I'm looking forward to it." Miranda replied, watching as Andrea smiled at her words.
"Brilliant. So am I." Andy replied.
Again, before either could continue, the sound of heels clacking on the ground was heard before a blonde came into sight.
"Hi Andy!" The blonde said. "I hope you don't mind me coming in but I thought now would be better than putting off any longer."
Andy looked up at Katie and nodded her head. "That's alright. Just give me a sec and I'll take a look at your car." she replied.
Katie nodded before turning to the older woman, her eyes popping open. "You're Miranda Priestly!" she said before gasping. She watched as the older woman nodded wordlessly before she turned back to the brunette. "Honey, you didn't tell me you knew Miranda Priestly!"
Miranda pursed her lips as she watched the blonde woman interact with Andrea. The woman had an obvious attraction for the brunette and Miranda wasn't happy with this one bit. Though she noted that Andrea seemed pretty oblivious to the attention she was getting.
"I think I will leave you to it." Miranda suddenly announced.
Andy looked up to Miranda and frowned. She didn't want the older woman to leave and was annoyed at Katie's bad timing. She got up from the ground. "I'll walk you to the door." she said softly, and started walking away from Katie.
"So, 7 on Thursday night?" She said once they were standing by the door.
Miranda nodded. "Yes, that's acceptable." she replied, donning her sunglasses even though it wasn't sunny outside.
Andy smiled. "Well, have a good rest of your day then." she said softly, briefly touching the small of Miranda's back.
Miranda revelled in the small touch before she stepped through the doors. "Yes, you too." she replied, before she walked over to the waiting towncar and got in.
Andy watched as Miranda left before she turned and walked back inside over to Katie. "Let's check out what is wrong with your car." she said, the blonde woman smiling at her in reply.
Miranda, from where she sat in the towncar that was still parked out the front of the mechanics shop, she could see through a window and could see Andrea and the blonde woman. She could have growled when she watched the blonde woman lay a hand on Andrea's bare arm, while she laughed at something the brunette said to her, which Miranda bet hadn't even been funny. She turned to look at Roy in the mirror. "Go!"
~*~
Thursday Evening.
Miranda opened the door and was face-to-face with Andrea who, in her opinion, looked extremely beautiful. Wearing simple tight black skinny jeans, a metal head tshirt and she could see she was wearing a black tank top underneath and a black blazer over the top. She had a small black bag hanging from her right shoulder and a fedora, also black.
The older woman then took in two necklaces Andrea was wearing. One was half of a heart which was broken and another had a small silver ring that hung from the silver lace.
On her feet, Andrea wore red heels that gave Andrea's all black look a nice touch.
"Hey there, you ready?" Andy asked, pulling Miranda from her appreciation of Andrea's clothing choice.
Miranda looked up into Andrea's eyes. "Yes, lead the way." she murmured.
Andy smiled back at her, and stepped aside on the front steps for Miranda to walk down the front steps. "You look crazy beautiful, by the way." she said ever so softly as Miranda stepped by her.
Miranda blushed at the brunette's words. "Thank you." she murmured. "I could say the same about you."
"Thanks." Andy replied just as sofly as she walked beside Miranda towards her car, a dark red with a black front, 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer. She opened the passenger door for Miranda and closed it when the older woman was settled into her seat before she quickly went around to the driver's side, donning her hat, before getting in and putting the keys in the ignition to start the engine.
~*~
"How did your customer go the other day when I left?" Miranda asked curiously as she walked with Andrea around the gallery, taking in all of the amazing work while she spoke with the brunette.
"Yeah, it went alright. I finally figured out what was wrong with her car, which was good." Andy replied.
"Mm. That's good then." Miranda replied. "You do realise she's attracted to you." she murmured to the brunette, when they stopped to look at a particular painting.
"What?" Andy asked, her eyes widening and turning to stare at the older woman. "No way. She has a boyfriend!" she replied. It never even crossed her mind that the blonde could be attracted to her. Sure, she was a flirty woman, but most of the blondes she'd come across were.
"Andrea, you should know it isn't going to stop somebody being with someone else even if they have a partner." Miranda replied.
Andy sighed. "I guess you're right. I'd feel bad though, for the person's partner." she replied.
Before Miranda could reply, they heard a voice from behind them.
"Well, well, if it isn't The Miranda Priestly."
Andy turned around and grinned when she saw her brother. "Hey Bri." she said, before turning back to the older woman. "Miranda, this is my brother Brian Kinney."
Miranda wasn't able to help the slight widening of her eyes as she stared at the familiar male in front of her. She got her shock under control and pursed her lips. "Brian, always a pleasure." she murmured.
The man grinned.
"Wait, how do you know each other?" Andy asked, looking between Miranda and her brother.
"Brian here had a fling with Nigel a few years ago." Miranda replied, glaring at Brian.
"Judging by the look on your face I'm guessing it didn't end well?" Andy asked.
"Yes, you're correct." Miranda replied, turning back to Andrea.
Before anyone could say anything more, Miranda watched as a young blonde wrapped his arms around Brian's waist. "Hey babe." he said softly. She watched as Brian smiled down at the boy that couldn't be more than eighteen or nineteen years old.
"Miranda, this is Justin, Brian's boyfriend." Andy said, politely introducing the blonde.
"Yes, I gathered." Miranda replied, watching Brian and Justin together. She did have to admit they made a rather good looking couple, but she still couldn't believe that Brian Kinney was Andrea's brother.
"Art openings are such gay occassions." Brian said, looking around the place.
"Mm. Especially now you're here." Andy said with a grin.
"Ha ha." Brian replied, sending Andy a glare.
"So, have you looked at my work yet?" Justin asked, drawing Miranda from her thoughts.
Andy shook her head. "Not yet, we're slowly making our way around." she explained.
Justin nodded. "Well, be sure to let me know what you think!" he said, smiling brightly at both Andy and Miranda.
Andy nooded and smiled back. "For sure. I bet it's amazing!"
"It defintely is." Brian replied, turning around in Justin's arms to kiss the blonde.
Andy rolled her eyes at their mushy affection towards one another. She turned and softly laid her hand on Miranda's arm. "Come on, let's go look over here."
Miranda looked at Andrea and nodded before she followed the younger woman around the gallery.
~*~
"They're so very open with their relationship." Miranda said, noticing Brian and Justin kissing in the corner of the building.
Andy laughed. "Well, I guess when you love someone you want to show the world."
Miranda guessed it was because she'd never had that sort of love that made her want to shout it from the rooftops.
"I'm trying to think if I can remember Brian telling me about is fling with Nigel." Andy said, as they made their way around the large room. "I think I slightly remember, but I wasn't home much when I was younger."
Miranda wanted to be able to ask Andrea why she hadn't been around her brother and family then, wondering what it was that had so obviously happened to put the sad look in Andrea's eyes. "Mm. Well it didn't end on good terms, and left Nigel with a sour taste in his mouth towards Brian."
Andy cringed. "I better not mention Brian to Nigel anyday soon then." she said, before catching Miranda's eye again. "I hope you're not uncomfortable with him here?"
Miranda shook her head, and waved a hand. "Of course not."
"Good." Andy replied, smiling again. "Ah, this is Justin's." she said, when they came to a stop in front of it.
"It's rather exquisite." Miranda murmered.
Andy smiled, "Yeah, I agree." she replied, but she wasn't looking at the painting, she was looking at Miranda.
Miranda saw from the corner of her eye, and her lips curled upwards. "You aren't even looking at it." she said softly, turning to catch Andrea's brown eye's.
"I saw enough of it to know it's great." Andy replied.
Before Miranda could reply her phone rang in her coat pocket. "I'm sorry." she said.
"It's cool." Andy replied, "I'm just gonna get another drink. You want one?"
"Please." Miranda replied, smiling as she watched the brunette leave as she raised the phone to her ear when she saw it was home calling. "Hello Charlotte?"
"Mummy, Charlotte's unwell and needs to go home." Miranda's daughter Caroline said on the other end.
Miranda frowned. "What's wrong with her, sweetheart?"
"She thinks she got food poisioning." Caroline replied.
"Can you put her on please?" Miranda asked.
"I would but she's in the first floor bathroom and she's making gross as sounds and I don't want to go in there." Caroline replied.
"Okay, well just go upstairs in case she's contagious and I'll be home soon." Miranda replied.
"Is everything okay?" Andy asked, watching Miranda run a hand through her coiffed hair.
"No." Miranda sighed. "The Nanny has become ill, and I've got no one else that could look after my girls. I'm afraid I'm going to have to go."
"Let me walk you out then." Andy said, putting down her bottle of beer and began walking towards the entrance with Miranda.
They stood on the sidewalk silently for a few seconds, just gazing at one another, before Miranda broke the silence. "Would you like to walk me home? It is afterall only a couple of blocks away and a lovely night out."
Andy smiled, thinking that it was a brilliant offer. "I'd love to."
~*~
"Well, I guess I'll-" Andy began but stopped when the front door was pulled open. "Mummy!" Was chorused by both twin red heads.
Andy smiled as she watched them interact with their mother, thinking they were quite adorable.
"Hey! Your Mum's new friend!" Caroline said when she spotted Andy.
Andy smiled. "I sure am, kiddo. And who might you be?"
"I'm Caroline, and this is my sister Cassidy." Caroline replied, smiling brightly.
"It's very nice to meet you Caroline." Andy said, holding out her hand for a shake, before doing the same with a shocked Cassidy. She wondered what that was all about, but couldn't question on it because they were talking about.
"You should come inside! We're about to make gingerbread men!" Cassidy said.
"Are we just?" Miranda asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Well, we had been about to with Charlotte, but then she went to puke." Caroline replied.
"Ah, yes. Has she gone home?" Miranda asked.
Both girls nodded.
"Good. Now, how about we go inside and get cracking on those gingerbread men!"
"Are you coming, Andy?" Cassidy asked, looking over her shoudld at the brunette, who still stood on the side walk.
"Oh, I should be getting back." Andy replied.
"Nonsense. Come in and have a coffee?" Miranda replied, and raised an eyebrow, waiting and hoping that the brunette would say yes.
"Yeah! You can help with the gingerbread!" Both twins said, smiling brightly and hopeful up at Andy.
Andy found as she stared at the girls' smiles, and Miranda's, that she could don't say no to them. "Sure. Sounds great!" she replied, smiling one of her million dollar smiles, and followed the Priestly's in their townhouse.
~*~
"Oh wow, I can't believe how much of a mess we made with the flour!" Andy said, still chuckling as she looked around the kitchen that looked like a bomb had exploded in it, as there was flour all over the place, on the walls, floors and countertops. "The girls had a fun time though."
Miranda chuckled. "Mm. That they did." she replied, thinking back to their flour fight and their joyful laughter. It was a very nice change than how they usually were when Stephen was around.
Tonight, with Andrea, the house was much more relaxed. Miranda couldn't remember a time when it had been like that, where she and her girls had actually spoken more than a few words to one another. She was about to say something when she noticed scars on the inside of the young womans arms, over the veins on the inside of her elbow. She was surprised that she had never seen these before, and realised that it was because whenever she stood with Andrea, she was on her left side, the marks not in her view, or she was wearing a long sleeve top. The scars on her wrists however she realised were always covered, until now, with a wrist band, she just never fully paid attention to these little things because she was always so fully concentrating on Andrea's face and beautiful brown eye's.
"I think I'll just go take this top off and put my others back on. Don't want to be getting any flour anywhere else." Andy said, breaking Miranda from her thoughts.
"Yes, that's fine. My study is three doors down on the left. Or the first floor bathroom is the first door on the right." Miranda replied, pulling herself from her thoughts, knowing that if there was something Andrea needed to tell her about the scarring, then she would in time.
Andy smiled at her. "Thanks. I'll be back in a tic."
Miranda watched as the young woman stepped out into the hall way, stopping in the sitting room to get her blazer and other shirt before heading down the hall, obviously going to use her study.
She turned around and looked at the state the kitchen was in, and chuckled again. It was going to take her all night to clean it up. She stepped over to the oven and saw that there was still a few minutes left on the gingerbread until it was done, so Miranda headed down the hall, thinking she had given Andrea sufficient time to put on her other tops.
Stepping in front of her closed study door, she rapped her knuckles on the wood before opening the door, and the sight on the other side had been one she hadn't been expecting.
Andrea stood by her desk with nothing but her bra on the top half of her body, as she talked on the phone.
"Yes, that's fine, take as much time off as you need. Just make sure you get better soon!" Andy said into her phone, before exchanging a few more words with her work mate, before hanging up. "Oh, hi." The brunette said when she spotted Miranda at the door.
"I'm sorry." Miranda said, adverting her eye's from Andrea.
Andy grinned. "How's the gingerbread coming along?" she asked, as she wandered over to the couch where she had put her other tops.
"They'll be ready soon." Miranda replied. "Thank you for helping the girls and I."
"I had a good time." Andy replied. The best time, in fact.
Miranda couldn't help when her eye's wandering Andrea's body again, who began putting on her blazer, keeping her other clean, flour-less, shirt off. Her eye's went to the brunette's clevage when Andrea bent down to grab her phone, where she'd dropped it on the sofa.
"You're beautiful." She blurted before she could stop herself.
Andy was sure she hadn't heard right, and looked up to search into magnificent blue eye's that were like the ocean, eye's that she knew she could easily lose herself in. "Thank you." she said, not sure what else she should say, because it had been a while since she'd had such a compliment directed at her that was genuine. Usually the person giving her a compliment just wanted to get in her pants. Very few had succeeded the chance to do so.
"I didn't pick you as the type to have a tattoo." Miranda said, noticing the ink on Andrea's chest. She could make out that it was someones name, and when she looked closer she saw the name Emma in fancy writing with a rose around it. There was writing underneath also but from where she stood she couldn't make out what it said. "Who is it? A past lover that I am unaware of?" she questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh, ah no." Andy said, briefly looking down at the tattoo. "My sister." she said, before wandering over to the door to walk past Miranda, but the older woman stopped her.
"Sister? I wasn't aware you had one?" Miranda replied, having stepped in front of Andrea to stop her from leaving. She frowned as she thought about this new piece of information she just got from the young woman. "Andrea, why haven't you mentioned your sister to me before?" she asked. She could tell that the brunette didn't want to be having the conversation, and it was making Miranda even more curious.
"Look, can we not talk about it right now?" Andy snapped.
Miranda pulled her head back and stared at Andrea in shock, this new side of Andrea wasn't what she'd been expecting.
Andy saw the shock in Miranda's face, and she closed her eyes with a sigh. "I'm sorry." she breathed. "It's just.. it's a hard subject for me to talk about. Please understand."
Miranda nodded, feeling herself soften again in front of the young woman, at the sadness she heard and saw in Andrea's voice and eyes. "Of course. If you ever want to talk about it, or anything else, please know that I am here."
Andy looked up into Miranda's gorgeous blue eyes and smiled. "I know. Thank you." she replied. "Now let's go check on the gingerbread!"
~*~
"They smell really good!" Andy said, as she placed them on the cooling rack.
"Hopefully they taste it." Miranda said softly.
Andy laughed. "I'm sure they will." she said, looking up and gasped when she saw how close she was to Miranda. She knew that she should take a step back, putting a safe distance between them so she wouldn't do anything that Miranda might not want, but her legs wouldn't move.
When Miranda heard Andrea's small gasp, she looked up into brown eyes and knew instantly that she'd gasped at their closeness. She knew that if she were to move a little her lips would be touching Andrea's. Her eye's fluttered closed just as Andy's lips were about to reach Miranda's, both women heard the girls' voices coming from down the hall.
"Are the gingerbread men ready to eat yet?" Caroline and Cassidy asked excitedly as they bounded into the room and stopped near both older women.
"Not yet, sweetheart." Miranda replied, before she tried to get her breathing under control.
"But they'e on the tray!" Cassid said, seeing them near the older woman.
"Yes, they have to cool down." Miranda replied.
Andy, on the other hand, had turned around and tuned out from the conversation that Miranda was now having with her daughters. She closed her eyes, and placed a hand over her chest where her heart was beating quickly from everything she was currently feeling, as her fingers run over the ink she had there. She couldn't believe that she had nearly kissed Miranda Priestly! The woman she had been crushing on since they met only a few days ago. She then realised that she shouldn't be here, that this was too wrong, she shouldn't be wanting to get involved with Miranda who had Stephen and her daughters to think about.
"When can we eat them then?" Caroline asked, standing impatiently by the counter.
"In a couple of minutes." Miranda replied, before turning her head to watch as Andrea ran a shaking hand through her brunette hair.
"Um, I'm- I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to go." Andy announced. She could feel an onslaught of tears coming on, and knew she needed to get out of there as quick as possible.
"But you'll miss out on eating one of the gingerbread men!" Cassidy said, not hearing the shakyness of Andy's voice.
"Yeah, they're nearly ready! Can't you stay a little bit longer?" Caroline continued.
Miranda, meanwhile, frowned. She could hear in Andrea's voice that the young woman was close to crying, and she was confused. Things had been going well, what had upset her?
"Sorry girls, but I gotta run. Maybe you can save one of them for me?" Andy replied, turning around to face the girls with a polite smile.
Both young girls nodded. "Of course, Andy!" Caroline said.
"Will we see you again soon?" Cassidy asked.
"Ah, not sure girls." Andy replied. "Anyway, enjoy your gingerbread!" she said, before turning to make her quick exit, high tailing it down the hall. Her plan of escaping quickly thwarted when Miranda stopped her at the front door.
"Andrea, what.." Miranda trailed off, hoping Andrea got where she was going, because she really was unsure of what she should say.
Andy sighed, and looked down to the ground, as she gathered her thoughts, before looking back up to Miranda, her eyes connecting with blue ones. "Look, I think you're absolutely amazing, and I have this massive attraction towards you, and I want to kiss you so bad, that it hurts."
"Why? Why does it hurt?" Miranda asked, searching Andrea's eyes for an answer that she so desperately wanted to know.
"Because you're a married woman, Miranda. I don't want to be the other woman that gets involved with someone who is married." Andy explained. "You understand, don't you? I just can't.." she trailed off with a sad sigh, tears now trailing freely down her cheeks.
This was one of the reasons why Miranda's feelings went so very deep for Andrea. She was kind and compassionate, and she actually thought of others feelings and how a specfic action could hurt anothers feelings. Before she could collect her thoughts and reply, Andrea's hand was on the door knob.
"I'm sorry." Andy breathed, gazing into Miranda's eyes, before she leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on the corner of Miranda's mouth. "Maybe I'll see you 'round." she said, before opening the door and stepping out onto the cold side walk, leaving the only woman that would ever understand her, the only woman she knew could ever own her heart, behind, as she sobbed the loss of a lover she hadn't even had the pleasure of being with, and never would.
~*~
TBC..