Fic - DWP - Like Family Pt 4
“That’s all?” Emily hissed as soon as they were out of Miranda’s earshot in the safety of Nigel’s office. “That’s bloody all? Just, I’m taking off and here you deal with it…” She turned to her companions. “Is someone drugging her again??”
Serena gently commanded Nigel. “Fill us in.”
“Not drugs.” Nigel licked his lips. “Miranda told me she’s been seeing someone. She wants some time with them… and the girls… as a family... ”
“A family?” Serena was startled. “Who?!”
Emily snorted. “Are you blind? It’s Andy Bloody Sachs.”
“They did seem to have a rapport just now in the office. But then they always did…” Loathing at first, and then something, more. Serena considered the option. “And we haven’t seen her here in how long? She was making plans for next week though. She’s obviously not going anywhere.”
“A few months…since we’ve seen Six around here…” Nigel nodded. “But that doesn’t mean much. Andy not knowing about Miranda’s vacation is odd, if they really are together, but the timing would be right.” He admitted. Emily wasn’t the only one to notice a change in their illustrious leader’s demeanor over the past several months.
None of them realized that Andy knowing about the security camera installation was as telling a clue they could get.
An exasperated sound escaped Emily and she threw her hands up in the air. “Oh, my Gawd…I don’t have time to think about it now, even if I wanted to.” Her eyes widened. “We’re actually going to have to run the magazine until Miranda gets back!”
Nigel and Serena looked at each other and in silent accord moved to either side of Emily, each taking an arm, just before the irate woman’s knees buckled.
“Get her to the couch.” Nigel instructed.
“Send someone for some cheese.” Serena murmured.
Once prone, it didn’t take long for Emily to regain consciousness. The same problem remained. “How are we going to do this?”
Nigel looked at Serena and shrugged. “The best we can.”
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Andy was stepping onto the subway car heading to the dry cleaners when her cell phone vibrated against her leg. “Yes. Listen Miranda I’m…”
“Never do that to me again!”
“…I’m sorry.” She managed to say before the line went dead. She looked at the signal strength on the phone, four bars, so the call hadn’t dropped. Oh God, she hung up on me, she’s really mad. She quickly typed in a short text message and sent it before they hit the tunnel. She pressed the phone against her forehead, willing her thoughts to travel the same path as the text. Please Miranda… please don’t be too mad…
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M.
I love you.
A
Miranda glanced at her phone screen. The three word text message caused her teeth to grind. Why is it so impossible to stay angry at Andrea? She could at least keep the girl in suspense for a while. Like those endless seconds when she thought their encounter had been caught on the security cameras, watched, oogled by the drooling guards. Like they didn’t do that to Andrea anyway, the guards were notorious for leering at the gorgeous women passing through the lobby. And no one was more gorgeous than Andrea.
Setting her phone aside, Miranda returned her attention to the layouts. And even as she went over them she called out through her open door. “Emily.” The incompetent one eventually showed up in front of her desk. “Send a memo to Security and have the camera’s removed from this office. That’s all.” She didn’t even bother looking up to see if the girl left, she knew she had, the odiferous perfume that the girl seemingly bathed in began to clear. That’s another thing I love about Andrea, she always smells so wonderful, even after she’s been running.
Miranda wanted to leave so badly she could taste it, but her wants were secondary to Runway’s needs. It was unacceptable to sacrifice the quality her professionalism demanded, for a few extra hours with Andrea. It was, however, very, very tempting.
Yet another example of what Miranda wanted and what she got being two different things.
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Andy worked on some articles for a while and then realized how late it was getting. She found James’ number on the contact sheet on top of Miranda’s desk and called him.
“Oh.” He said. “Yeah, I’m gonna take the girls to dinner and then to a late movie. It will probably be eleven or so before I get them back home.”
“Ah…” Andy wasn’t sure she liked the girls staying out that late, but they were with their father and it wasn’t a school night so there wasn’t any reason to object. She could hear their excited voices in the background; they were debating on where to go to eat. “Okay then, I was just wondering about dinner really.”
“Um… Andy?”
To her surprise he sounded apologetic. “Yeah?”
“I should have called to let you know my plans. Sorry about that.”
“Uh… sure, no problem. I knew they were safe with you, I really was just wondering about dinner.” Andy was disconcerted by the man’s tone. Like she was someone he would have to check with regarding the girls. Sometimes she felt like she was, but she wasn’t sure she actually had the right to feel that way. They were Miranda, and James’ children after all.
“I’ll have them home later.”
“Sure.” Andy smiled into the phone. “Have fun.”
She ended the call and sent a quick text to Miranda.
M
Dinner?
A
The reply made her nervous.
No
Just ‘No’, Andy thought. Okay, I can deal with this. She’s still angry. That thought made her heart hurt a little. The idea of going back to Runway, to apologize, was quickly squashed. Miranda was busy, beyond busy, and going there would just make things worse.
She looked in the freezer and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. Peggy had left the usual dinners, family sized. On the weekends all they had to do was pop them in the oven and voila, they had a meal. But tonight it was just her, and Andy wasn’t really in the mood for a giant serving of chicken and rice.
On a whim she picked up her phone and ran through her contact numbers. Pushing the connect button, Andy wondered if this was the right thing to do or not. “Jo? You up for a quick beer? I won’t keep you late.”
“Yeah, I’m off tonight.”
Andy heard Jo’s hand go over the phone for a second and a muffled conversation before the detective’s voice returned. “Where do ya wanna meet?”
They agreed on one of their usual hang-out spots and Andy grabbed her coat as she headed out the backdoor.
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Andy picked at her basket of fried delights.
“So, you gonna tell me what’s buggin’ ya?” Jo dredged a fry through a sea of ketchup.
“I did something I shouldn’t have done.”
Jo nodded and swallowed her bite. “Ah… the old lady’s mad at you then?”
Despite her mood, Andy smiled. Only Jo could call Miranda an ‘old lady’ and not make it sound bad. “Actually, she’s not mad….she’s, angry.”
Wincing at that distinction the detective nodded again. “Ouch.”
“Yeah.” Andy tore some of the breading off a fat shrimp and bit into the crunchy texture, tossing the shrimp back into the basket. “No kidding.”
“I’m no shrink, but, you wanna tell me about it?”
Andy did want to tell Jo about it. That was why she’d called the detective instead of Lily. Jo was probably the closest thing in the world she had to a kindred spirit. Jo was a girl from the wrong side of the tracks that fell in love with a rich, powerful woman…well, they were kids at the time. But their dynamic was similar to her relationship with Miranda and Andy felt much better after she talked to Jo about things. She just wasn’t sure she should talk about this. “I would like to tell you about it, but I’m not sure that I should. She might not like me discussing it with someone else…anyone else.”
“Ah... so sex is involved.”
Andy sat up straighter. “How did you know that?”
Jo laughed. “I’ve dealt with that kind of attitude before.” Brilliant blue eyes twinkled at her friend. “Blair hates it when I tell anyone anything about our sex life.”
Andy rolled her eyes and laughed. “But you tell me all about it all the time.”
Chuckling, Jo took a pull on her beer bottle. “Yeah, but Blair doesn’t know that.” Jo took a stab at the problem. “So was it, bad or what?”
Andy shook her head and closed her eyes. “It’s never bad! Good grief…”
“So it was good.”
Andy thought back to the desk, let a shudder pass through her and smiled. “It was fucking amazing.”
The detective’s eyebrows rose significantly. “Okay… so what’s the problem?”
“It was in her office.”
Grunting, Jo’s lips twitched. “Someone catch you?”
“Oh God no! I’d have died of embarrassment if they had.” Andy sighed. “I was, um… bent over her desk.”
Jo bit her lips together to keep from laughing. When she managed to get herself under control, she nodded. “Well, I can tell you Blair’s desk has seen some action too.”
Andy grinned at her friend. “I know. You told me.” She ran her fingers through her hair, ruffling her bangs. “The thing is, afterward, I reminded her of the security cameras that had been installed.” She watched as Jo’s mouth dropped open. “Yeah, I think her heart nearly stopped… really Jo, I don’t think anyone else noticed, but she was scared. I didn’t let her hang too long, before I told her that they’d been disabled while I was there… but it really did scare her for a minute, and she hasn’t really spoken to me since. At me…not to me.” Andy fished her phone out and explained. “I texted her about dinner.” She held up the phone. “This was the response.”
“No.” Jo hissed a breath through her teeth. “Double Ouch.”
“She’ll be late tonight. I should wait up and talk to her, shouldn’t I? Not just go on to bed and pretend like it didn’t happen…. I need to talk to her… right?”
“Andy, I’m older than you are, but I’m not going to give you advice on this one. You know her better than I do, do what you think is right for you guys.” Jo finished her beer and pushed the basket of cold fries away from her. “Talking is usually best though.”
Taking a deep breath, Andy nodded. “Yeah, I know.” She also pushed her basket of too cold food away from her. She put a few bills on the table and reached for her jacket. “Thanks for the sympathetic ear.”
Jo shrugged. “What are friends for?” She was a bit concerned as Andy wobbled slightly when they stood. “You gonna be okay to get home?”
“Yeah,” Andy assured her. “I’ve only had two beers… it’s the heels that make me wobbly.”
Jo laughed. “I don’t know how you walk in those things.” Her thoughts turned to her wife. “Blair can practically run a marathon in them!” She glanced at her watch. “Speaking of which, I’m gonna be in trouble myself if I don’t hurry.”
“Yeah… the girls will be getting home soon.” Andy smiled. “Hey, maybe I can convince…M…” She looked around. “…the old lady to have you guys over for dinner some evening.”
“Yeah?” Jo smiled. “Blair would love that, she’s always wanted to meet, Her.”
“I’ll try to set it up.”
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“Hey girls, didja have fun?”
“It was great, Andy! You should have been there with us!”
“Nah…” Andy waved off that suggestion. “You needed to spend time with your Dad.” She ruffled their hair. “We can go another time.”
“We can?” Cassidy was amazed at that suggestion. “We never go anywhere.”
“That’s not true,” Andy corrected. “We went to the park last weekend.”
“Yeah,” Caroline admitted that was true, but she agreed with her sister. “But we don’t go together very often.”
Smiling a little sadly, Andy winked. “Well, we’ll see what we can do to change that, eh?” If the paparazzi will let us. She gently urged them upstairs with a hand on each of their backs. “Go get ready for bed now… if you hurry maybe your Dad can tell you good night.”
“Cool!”
Andy chuckled and spoke to James. “If they hurry they might be able to make it to bed before they fall asleep.”
James laughed and nodded. “Yeah, I had to wake Caroline up during the movie.” He handed her a shopping bag. “Here are all the souvenirs they got at the Zoo.” He hesitated, running his fingers through his salt and pepper hair. “I’m um… glad you’re here for the girls. They seem to… like you a lot.”
“I love them.” Andy sat the sack down and steeled herself. “I love all of them.”
“Yeah, I get that.” James sighed. “I do too, you know?”
“I know.” The difference is, Andy thought. Miranda loves me back. I hope.
Voices from on high stopped the adults’ conversation. “We’re ready.”
Andy smiled and gestured for the man to follow her. “C’mon. Before they fall asleep.”
James nodded and followed the young, very young, woman upstairs. He hoped Miranda knew what she was doing because this, had a lot of potential for hurt. Miranda was a grown woman and could take care of herself, but he really wasn’t sure what he would do if the situation began to hurt his children.
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Miranda breathed a sigh of relief as the door to the townhouse closed behind her.
Another late night, but the magazine had gone to the printer’s before the deadline and this month’s issue would be in stores, and mailboxes, on time. Miranda climbed the stairs slowly, thinking about the past few months, and the young woman in their bed. As soon as the issue had been finalized, her thoughts had turned fully to Andrea and their life together, both past and future.
It hadn’t taken very long to stop thinking of Andrea as a ‘girl’ and think of her as a ‘young woman’ most of the time, and almost everything was now ‘we’ or ‘our’ or ‘their’ instead of ‘mine’ or ‘my’ in Miranda’s mind. Andrea had been living at the townhouse long enough now for Miranda to know she didn’t want that situation to change any time soon, if ever. It still amazed the Editor how quickly and well they had adapted to each other. Andrea also seemed quite at ease in their domestic situation. Miranda knew though that the young woman was becoming a little agitated at the secretive nature of the arrangement. Most notably, keeping this part of her life from her parents was beginning to wear on Andrea. She’d seen the look on her partner’s face after a phone call from ‘home’.
Quietly entering the bedroom, Miranda slipped through the darkness into the bathroom. She wondered how the young woman’s parents would take the news. It would hurt Andrea if their reaction was less than favorable. Sliding into bed, she smiled as a long lanky arm automatically curled around her. She whispered quietly, “Andrea, are you sleeping?” Soft lips kissed her shoulder.
“No.”
“Mmmm…” Miranda shifted to a more comfortable position against the brunette.
“You still angry?” Andy had worried about it most of the evening.
“No,” Miranda admitted. “I was though, shocked at the thought at first, and then shocked that you would do that to me… scare me like that.”
“You know I’d never let anything like that happen if the cameras were on.” Andy shuddered. “There is already too much compromising footage of me. I’d never put you in that kind of situation.”
“How did you manage to have the cameras shut off?” Miranda had wondered about that for a while this afternoon. What was the point of having them if anyone could just walk in and ask for them to be disabled?
“I talked to Jeff.” She rolled her eyes when Miranda didn’t seem to know who that was. “Jeff, is the head of security, he’s been at Elias-Clarke for years. He’s an ex-cop with a lot of buddies still on the force. He knew all about the Judy thing, and he knew from his police friends about the cameras in my apartment. I told him that it had really freaked me out and it felt really creepy to be in a room with cameras… so I asked him if he could shut the cameras off while I was in your office… I told him it wasn’t like I was dangerous or anything… and I’d only need them off for the half hour or so we were going to be having lunch so he agreed to do it for me.”
“How… accommodating of him.” Miranda shook her head. “I knew you had some kind of magic.”
“It’s not magic,” Andy snorted. “I just…”
“Bat your big brown eyes and smile…” Miranda spoke quietly. “Trust me Andrea, your eyes, your smile… are magic.”
Andy chuckled. “Sweet talker.”
“Shhh… that’s a secret. Anyway what can I say, I just know those eyes.” Miranda peered through the darkness and swallowed hard as the big brown eyes in question took on a mischievous glint. “Uh… Andrea?”
“What can you say?” Andy shifted. “I know exactly what I want to hear.” Andy rolled and straddled her lover, looking down at the beautiful face framed with soft white hair. “Question is… how exactly am I going to get you to say it?”
She slowly unbuttoned the top of Miranda’s pajamas. “I mean, I could…” Leaning down she ducked her head into the open shirt, warm mouth caressing the first breast she found there. “Or I could…” She moved slowly down the expanse of skin to kiss along the curve of ribs found there. “Or maybe…”
“Andrea!” Miranda lost all patience with the indecisive girl. “Shut up and kiss me!”
“What a great idea.” Andy grinned and slowly removed the bottom half of the pajamas Miranda wore. “I think I will do just that.” Shifting farther down the bed, Andy gently began kissing Miranda’s toes. She looked up the length of Miranda’s body at the blue eyes glaring at her. “Oh, don’t be that way, Miranda.” Andy teased. “You know you love it when I move glacially.”
Laughing, Miranda’s head hit the pillow. “Andrea.” She gasped as hot lips brushed the back of her knee. “This…this is fire, not ice.”
“Mmmm…” Andrea nodded, her brown hair brushing the inside of Miranda’s thighs. “Lava then.” She smiled against the sensitive skin under her lips and tasted the heart of the volcano.
Miranda automatically reached up to the headboard and grasped the iron bars there tightly. “Andrea…” Her eyes closed as the feel of Andy’s mouth on her and the sounds she was making overwhelmed her senses. “Andrea…” It was maddening, she knew what the girl wanted and clenched her teeth, unwilling to give her the satisfaction so soon.
“Andrea…”
Andy looked up, grinned and almost commanded. “Say it.” She watched Miranda’s nostrils flare and the white head shook once. Shrugging, the dark head lowered; back to its task.
“Oh God… Andrea!” Miranda lifted off the bed trying to get closer, but the girl moved with her. “An…” Speech was lost to her for a moment.
Again, Andy looked up, desire shining in her darkened eyes. This time her words were not a command, they were more of a breathless sort of prayer. “Say it.” Her head bowed as her Goddess complied.
“Pl… Please.” Miranda surrendered. “Please, Andrea.” Hips rose and were steadied by Andrea’s arms. “Oh, God… please.” It never failed to amaze her, the unbelievable need Andrea invoked in her. Miranda would never have thought it possible for someone to reduce her to begging. Andrea could though, with a look, a touch, a kiss, Miranda was lost, found, torn down and rebuilt all within the span of a heartbeat. Miranda gave in to it, reveled in it, for Andrea; only for Andrea. “Please.” The young woman didn’t respond verbally, but her talented tongue swirled in a delicious pattern. Miranda gasped and, in a very few heartbeats, cried out as every muscle in her body clenched.
Andy eased Miranda back onto the bed, finishing her journey up the satiated body. She snuggled next to the older woman and sighed contentedly. “I love you, Miranda.”
“Mmmm…” Miranda concentrated on breathing. “It’s times like this that the word love becomes woefully inadequate.”
“You say the sweetest things.”
“Shhh…” Miranda’s lips twitched as the familiar protest escaped into the darkness. “That’s a secret, remember?”
“Oh yeah.” Andy grinned. “So what’s my punishment for spilling the secret?”
“Hmmmm….” Miranda laughed, shifting to straddle her young lover. “You know I’m just not sure. There are so many things I could do….” She slowly unbuttoned the top of Andrea’s pajamas. “I mean, I could…” Leaning down she ducked her head into the open shirt, warm mouth caressing each breast there with loving care. “Or I could…” She moved slowly down the expanse of skin to kiss along the curve of ribs found there. “Or maybe…”
Andy realized that Miranda was mimicking her earlier moves and, between waves of desire, she congratulated herself. Damn, I’m evil. She felt soft hair brushing the inside of her thigh and her breath hitched. Evil is good. She thought and reached up to hold the iron bars on the headboard. Oh God, evil is So Good… The sensations traveling through her concentrated and built just below her navel. Unlike earlier in the office when she had to be quiet, Andy didn’t restrain herself now. As the wave of pleasure hit and washed over her, she cried out.
“Mirand…ahhhh…”
On to Part 5
http://akasarahsmom.livejournal.com/7703.html