Valentine's Fic Exchange: No Wonder I Fired You 2/2
Andrea had been staring at Miranda for the past ten minutes or so. While definitely better than the hollering, it was disconcerting. Why, just having the girl this close after so long was disconcerting. There had been a time when Miranda took Andrea’s presence in a room for granted, but that time had long since passed. She sure felt the woman’s presence now, in a most alarming way.
Miranda could still feel Andrea’s fingers against her cheek, and just the thought made her skin heat up. She trained her eyes on her hands and jerkily spun the gold ring still resting around her finger. This wasn’t happening. This just couldn’t be happening.
Miranda caught a movement and looked up, just in time to watch Andrea reaching out and gently stroking some hair behind Miranda’s ear. A most familiar warmth traveled down her spine. “What are you doing?”
“Um… I’m sorry.” Andrea’s tension showed at the corners of her wide lips, but she didn’t move back. This was ridiculous.
“I don’t care to hear whether you are sorry or not, Andrea. I want to know what it is you think you’re doing.” Miranda swallowed and tried to get herself under control. Focusing on the stinging pain at her temple worked for approximately two seconds before her full attention turned back to the young woman in front of her.
“I don’t know.” The soft admission was followed by a cool hand resting against Miranda’s cheek, and the simple touch made the small hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She stared into the wide eyes of her former assistant. Andrea was so young, so very obvious with emotions Miranda was sure were going to end in utter disaster, but right now Miranda just couldn’t stand moving away from her. She turned her head slightly and closed her eyes as she nuzzled into the soft palm.
“You’re drunk, Andrea.” Her voice wasn’t half as dismissive as she’d wished it would be.
“Yeah.” There was silence as Andrea gently caressed Miranda’s cheek, seeming to explore her skin beneath careful fingertips.
If there was only less time, Miranda mused, Andrea would never have been able to gather the courage or even desire to do this. She was drunk, yes, but it still took visible effort to touch Miranda at all. She cursed the dirty hole they were both apparently going to starve to death in, and her own seeming inability to resist temptation when it so blatantly presented itself to her. When Andrea gently tilted her head up, Miranda’s only reaction was to lean in a bit closer, and seconds later she felt soft lips against her own.
It was wonderful and painful at the same time. Miranda twined her fingers into Andrea’s thick hair as they both deepened the kiss, the younger woman wrapping an arm around Miranda’s shoulders and pulling her closer. Miranda kept her eyes closed, and for a moment she forgot her surroundings as she drowned in pleasurable sensations. Andrea’s warmth made her head spin.
The kiss came to an end, as all things must, and Miranda sighed as she opened her eyes to meet Andrea’s gaze. The young woman looked confused.
“I’m not sure I even like you. After what you did to Nigel…”
Miranda blinked up at her, slowly running her fingers through soft strands of hair.
“There is something you like, quite obviously.” But Miranda herself currently had no theories as to what that would be. Andrea was still way too naïve to take advantage of Miranda’s fame, or power, and that realization left Miranda empty-handed. The editor was hardly the best option for casual relationships.
“Seems like it.” Andrea sighed, but then she hugged Miranda close and kissed the top of her head. The leather of her jacket creaked softly against Miranda’s ear, and she suddenly felt very small as she hesitantly rested her head on Andrea’s shoulder.
“So, do you think you have moved on to better things?” She experimentally let out a warm breath of air on Andrea’s neck and smiled as she felt the younger woman shiver.
“Not really. But at least I get to write.” Andrea shifted and Miranda stiffened for a few seconds before her companion settled again, both arms around her now.
The sun would rise in a few hours, and by then hopefully someone would come around to fetch them, but right now dawn seemed very far away. Miranda ran her fingertips down a few scratches on Andrea’s jacket, lost in thought. When Andrea kissed her again she felt something within her unravel.
--
“Andrea. Andrea!”
Andy groaned. She was hung-over and everything hurt. On top of that, Miranda was haunting her dreams again.
She shifted, only to realize that she was not located on a bed, or even a couch. “Wuh?”
“There is a ladder.” Miranda’s voice was softer now, which was good since her lips were almost brushing against Andrea’s ear as she spoke.
Andy sat up with a jerk, wild-eyed. “Oh shit!”
“Indeed. Eloquent as usual, I see.” Miranda rolled her eyes and let Andy go, crossing her arms over her chest. In the early dawn light she looked quite dirty, and the hair at her left temple was clotted with blood. Despite this, she somehow still managed to look regal as she glared at Andy.
“Uh… ladder?”
“Yes. Ladder. Now use it.” Miranda grabbed hold of Andy’s jaw and turned her head toward the corner of what was now very obviously a cellar. A rusty iron ladder was bolted to the wall, leading up to what must be a trap door of some sort.
Andy was about to ask why Miranda didn’t do it herself, but she was getting more clear-headed by the second. Carefully, she removed Miranda’s hand and met her blue eyes. “Alright, I’m going.”
“Good.”
Andy studied Miranda’s stony expression, and the way she still held Andy’s hand. Then she smiled brightly, suddenly feeling very happy. “I’ll be back.”
--
A week had passed since Andy had left a very tired Miranda in her town car and made her way home to her ratty apartment in order to write an article about an exhibition she could barely even remember. Nothing still made any sense whatsoever. Miranda was not gay. Andy was not gay. They were certainly not gay for each other. She didn’t even like Miranda, for God’s sake, and she had long suspected that Miranda was incapable of liking anyone at all. Except that nothing of that seemed to be true anymore. She had been unable to think of anything but Miranda for a whole week now.
No amount of alcohol had ever made Andy more than briefly bisexual, and now she was suddenly having daydreams about another woman’s breasts? It was frustrating. Also, it was incredibly stupid, since whatever spell Miranda had been under that night (quite possibly in the form of a concussion) had undoubtedly passed and she would most likely step all over Andy’s heart if she ever dared contact her again.
Andy sighed and rubbed her forehead, closing her eyes. At least their little fall into the cellar hadn’t made the papers.
Andy’s cellphone buzzed, and she sat up on the couch, her heart suddenly beating very fast.
“M-Miranda?”
“Yes.” Andy shivered just from hearing the sound of Miranda’s voice, and she clutched her cell tightly.
There was silence, then, and just as Andy started to wonder if the fashion queen had hung up the phone, she spoke again.
“You may come to my home. If you wish.” Andy gaped, speechless. “Please.”
“O-okay… um... when?”
“Now.” The connection broke, and Andy was left staring into thin air for countless seconds before glancing at her cell phone. 6 pm. No time to lose.
--
Only an hour had passed when Miranda heard knocking on the door downstairs. She placed The Book on the table in front of her and closed her eyes briefly, grounding herself. It was possible this was one of the greater mistakes in her life, but it was done. Andrea was here.
And she had chosen her clothes wisely, Miranda noted as she opened the door and let her in. Underneath her leather jacket she was wearing a black tunic held together by a brown belt. Loose trousers covered her legs and partly concealed what appeared to be Vera Wang boots. Miranda recognized the brown cap Andrea was wearing from her Runway days. Not bad.
“Miranda, I…”
“Shhh, not now.” Miranda closed the door behind Andrea and then gently but firmly pushed her up against it. Miranda didn’t want to speak. Not right now.
The editor curled her fingers around Andrea’s neck and pulled her head down, kissing her fiercely and pressing herself against the younger woman’s warm body. Andrea let out a surprised sound that transformed into a groan, and Miranda smiled against the soft mouth as arms snaked around her shoulders. She hadn’t been wrong.
It had been a long time since she had kissed anyone like this, and it was very liberating. Her lips parted to let Andrea’s tongue explore her mouth, just to return the favor a moment later. The taste was exquisite. Andrea’s cap was discarded, as was her jacket and then her belt. Miranda purred when she felt hands grabbing her rear, and when a thigh pushed in between her legs a second later she groaned deeply, breaking the kiss. Andrea let out a breathy giggle and kissed Miranda’s ear, sending an electric current down Miranda’s spine as she pressed closer.
It was unfamiliar - yet very familiar - to feel a woman’s body against her own, to feel Andrea’s breasts in her hands and follow the gentle curve of her hips. Andrea’s lips were so soft as they pressed against her neck, and the expanse of skin Miranda’s hands uncovered was smooth and pale.
Miranda was the one with her back against the door now, panting as Andrea trailed small bite marks up her neck. She was uncertain whether she could have remained standing hadn’t it been for the arm holding her tightly pressed against the younger woman. Her knees felt weak as Andrea pulled up her skirt around her hips.
She felt hesitation, then, and a warm breath of air in her ear. “Is this alright?”
“Please.” Miranda laced her hand into chestnut hair and buried her face against Andrea’s neck as the thigh pressing up between her legs was replaced by suddenly demanding fingers. Miranda’s hips began to move in a fast rhythm and she leaned her head back against the door, moaning with pleasure as fingers slid over wet folds. When Andrea almost forcefully spread her legs wider and pushed two digits inside of her, no more was needed. Miranda’s brain short-circuited as her insides started to convulse.
When she opened her eyes, still out of breath, Andrea was watching her with wonder in her brown eyes. Her now bare chest was heaving, and Miranda realized that her hand was still grabbing one of those delicious breasts. She smiled and pressed her lips against the younger woman’s in a brief kiss, humming quietly.
“Let’s go upstairs.” Her voice was a bit deeper than she’d intended, and she cleared her throat, noting with embarrassment that she was blushing.
Andrea kept her pressed against the door for a little while longer, her eyes intently focused on Miranda’s face, but then she pulled back. The white-haired woman let out an involuntary sound when soaked fingers slid out of her, but then she simply pulled down her skirt and dragged her new lover upstairs.
--
Andy followed in a daze. Except for the time Miranda’s spoiled twins had played their little trick, she had never set foot upstairs, and even now, as her eyes were inadvertently glued to Miranda’s ass as the woman led the way into a tastefully decorated bedroom, it felt as if she were breaking several federal laws at once. At least five.
Miranda turned around in front of the bed and gave Andy a smile that settled right in the pit of her stomach. It wasn’t a nice smile, not exactly, but Miranda’s blue eyes were gleaming and Andy gravitated towards her. The editor’s white hair was in slight disorder, but the huge amount of hairspray she normally doused it with made sure that it wasn’t beyond repair. Her grey silk shirt was open in invitation, and Andy let out a quiet whimper. She stepped into the older woman’s arms, pressing against her warmth. She needed to be touched, right now.
As Miranda’s fingers started to work on the buttons of Andy’s pants, the reporter nibbled on an ear. “I never knew you were…”
“I’m not.” Miranda glared up at her as she let Andy’s pants fall to the floor.
“Then how do you explain this?” Andy lifted her eyebrows, a smile lingering on her lips as she ran her fingers through Miranda’s short hair and glanced pointedly at the perfectly manicured hand that seemed to have taken up permanent residence around her breast. Not that she minded.
Miranda just rolled her eyes, but she looked amused. “Shut up and kiss me.”
--
Andy wrapped her arms around Miranda’s neck and pulled her down for another searing kiss, her back arching as she tried to stay in contact with the decidedly evil woman who was presently pulling away again. Miranda loved to tease, and by now Andy was so tightly strung that she had started to see spots. Both of them were covered in a sheen of sweat, Miranda’s fingers lodged between Andy’s spread thighs as she was once more bringing the younger woman closer to her climax.
“Miranda… please…” Andy looked beseechingly into devilish blue eyes for a few seconds before whimpering and closing her eyes again, hot lips leaving marks on her exposed neck. She could feel Miranda’s wetness against her thigh as the other woman ground against her and excitement built in her lower stomach. This time, Miranda didn’t pull back and instead let her fingers delve deeper and curl inside of Andy as her thumb rubbed in maddening circles at the apex of her folds, and it was enough to push her over the edge. Andy buried her face in Miranda’s hair with a soft cry.
--
Later that evening, when they were lying on the bed in a moment of restful silence, Andrea said, “What now?”
That was exactly the question Miranda didn’t want to answer. She nuzzled into Andrea’s warm shoulder and stayed quiet for a long while, but then she sighed. “My divorce was finalized today. The twins will be home tomorrow.”
“I meant…”
“I know what you meant.” Miranda grimaced and made an effort to make her voice softer, stroking her fingers over Andrea’s bare shoulder. She could get used to this. “I don’t know.”
And she really didn’t. She had never been in a relationship with a woman, not to mention one half her age, and her track record with men was not the greatest. On the other hand, she couldn’t stand the thought of breaking this off.
Since it was apparently the night of uncomfortable revelations, Andrea murmured, “I’m sorry for leaving in Paris like I did, Miranda. I just got scared.” When Miranda didn’t respond, she continued, “I just didn’t want to end up alone.”
“Well, congratulations. You didn’t.” Miranda pursed her lips and briefly wondered if she would get away with murdering Andrea. Perhaps she could convince Roy to bury the body in the backyard.
“I did anyway.” Andrea let out a small, sad laugh and hugged Miranda closer. “I guess I’ve just changed too much.”
At that, Miranda shook her head and propped herself up on her elbow to meet Andrea’s gaze. “You have simply grown into a remarkable woman, Andrea. If your friends cannot see that, they are idiots.” She stroked a strand of hair from Andrea’s still moist cheek, and very quietly added, “Besides, perhaps…” She nervously licked her lips. “Perhaps none of us ended up alone.”
The million megawatt smile those words earned made Miranda’s breath catch, and she quickly added, “Now don’t read too much into this, Andrea.”
Andrea’s smile grew decidedly worrying in its intensity. “What, that you’re actually a…”
“Andrea, I believe there are better things you could do with that mouth of yours.”
“Like what? Because I’m pretty sure whatever you’re suggesting would make me a…”
“Oh, just shut it already.”
Fin