by KL Hughes
“Not at all,” Elena said, moving in to press a kiss to Lucas’s cheek. “I stand by my word choice. Have a good day, munchkin, and I will see you this evening.”
“Lickstick, Momma.” Lucas stuck out his tongue as he wiped at his cheek where a perfect imprint of Elena’s lips remained. He giggled as she stuck her tongue back out at him.
“I love you.” Elena ran a hand through his hair lovingly.
“Love you,” he said right back.
Elena shot her mother a glare even as she leaned in to kiss Nora’s cheek. “Bye Mother.”
“Have a good day at work, dear.” Nora smiled smugly. “Lovely to meet you, Allison. I look forward to our next visit.”
“Uh, yes ma’am,” Allison said with what she was sure was an awkwardly lopsided smile. She reached out and patted Lucas’s back. “See ya, bud.”
He waved at her as he laid his forehead against his grandmother’s temple. “Bye Alson!”
Elena hooked her hand around Allison’s elbow and tugged her along. “Come, Allison,” she implored, leading them hurriedly back toward the car.
“Holy shit,” Allison muttered but managed to hold in her laughter until they made it back inside the car.
* * *
“It wasn’t that bad,” Allison said as Elena drove them through the busy New York streets.
“Yes,” Elena agreed, “and that is only because I put an end to it before it even began.”
“Would she really have interrogated me?”
“Oh, most certainly.” Elena nodded. “Ranging a number of topics, I’m sure.”
“Well, I guess we dodged a bullet then, though I’m wondering if…” She hesitated, drumming her fingers on the console as she stared at Elena. “Nah,” she said after a minute, shaking her head. “Never mind.”
“What is it?” Elena asked, glancing over at her.
“It’s nothing. Never mind.”
“No, tell me,” Elena said. “Please.”
Allison sighed as she picked at the frayed parts of her holey jeans, her head ducking down a bit. “Fine,” she muttered. “It seemed like you really didn’t want your mom to know about us, not that I think that there is an us, but I guess that’s kinda what I’m hoping for. Anyway, I’m just wondering if you want me to deny it too, because—”
Confident in where this was headed, Elena laid a hand on Allison’s knee. Her voice was soft and quiet as she filled in the gaps. “You were wondering if it was because I am ashamed of you?” she asked.
Allison nodded without looking at her. “I mean, it would make sense.”
“Absolutely not.” When she stopped at a red light, she reached over and tucked her index finger beneath Allison’s chin. She lifted Allison’s head and turned it to face her. “Please believe me.”
When she felt Allison nod into her hand, Elena offered her another small smile before dropping her hold and turning back toward the road. As she drove them nearer and nearer to Allison’s dormitory, Elena explained, “I simply did not want my mother drilling us for answers that we have yet to even possess. This, whatever this is between us, is very new.”
“Yeah. You’re right. Sorry I asked.”
“You don’t have to be sorry, Allison,” Elena told her, driving around the block from Allison’s dorm to find parking. “I can understand why you would ask, but I will have you know that status and wealth have never mattered to me. They are unimportant where my love life is concerned.”
“Really?” Allison asked. “Because it was pretty obvious that all the dates Vivian set you up on were hella rich.”
Sighing, Elena pulled into an open spot and shut off the engine. She and Allison relaxed back into their seats, turning to face one another. “Yes, well, that was Vivian. She gave me no say in the matter, though she does know my feelings on that particular issue. It is simply that she and I have little extended or personal exposure to people outside of our own social class. She likely chose people from her daily life and work.”
“Yeah, I guess that makes sense,” Allison said.
A tender silence developed between them as they continued to stare at one another. Allison’s gaze very obviously raked slowly up and down Elena’s body, and Elena smiled and shifted in her seat. She leaned over the console, Allison meeting her halfway, and nuzzled her nose against Allison’s. “I suppose we should talk about last night,” she whispered.
“Yeah.” The word was hardly more than breath as it floated from Allison’s lips and faded in the inch between them.
Elena’s heart raced, and both women’s breathing audibly quickened as they drew together like magnets. The air inside the car turned thick and hot as the heat radiating off of them filtered through it and caused small droplets of sweat to bead at their temples and on their palms.
Allison nodded as she scooted a little closer, her nose brushing Elena’s again. “Yeah,” she whispered again. “We should—”
Elena devoured Allison’s words before the sentence could ever be finished. They both moaned softly, little whimpers escaping their throats as they met in a kiss, just as fiery as the first. Fingers itched against moist palms before finding their way up arms and slender necks and twisting into hair.
Their lips slid together in perfect harmony as they touched one another gently, almost reverently. Their hands explored tentatively and the press of their mouths cycled experimentally from soft to hard to something that was somehow both. Elena reveled in it, in the innocent heat of that moment.
When they parted, a shy smile played at Allison’s lips. “I thought you wanted to talk.”
Elena smirked. “Among other things.”
Shaking her head, Allison laughed and said, “So, I know you gotta go, but can we talk soon? I mean, will I see you again soon?”
“I would like that,” Elena agreed.
Their hands slipped down one another’s arms before slim fingers laced together.
“Me too.” Allison waggled her eyebrows and poked Elena’s side. “I guess I should go then before my sheer animal magnetism has you dragging me into the backseat.”
“Oh yes. Do relieve me of the terrible temptation, dear.”
“I’ll see you soon,” Allison said. She pecked Elena’s lips once more before hopping out of the car and bending down to wave through the open window.
Elena nodded. “You certainly shall.”
* * *
“We kissed,” Elena blurted as soon as Vivian answered the phone. “Twice. Well, more than twice, but basically twice.”
Vivian squealed like a thirteen-year-old girl, needing no further information to know what Elena was talking about.
“Do try not to burst my eardrums, Viv.”
“Sorry. I freaked out, but I am drowning in my excitement over here! It actually worked!”
Vivian smacked a hand over her mouth, realizing what she’d said, but it was too late to take it back.
“What actually worked, Vivian?”
“Uh, that’s not important right now.” Vivian waved a dismissive hand, even though Elena couldn’t see her.
“Vivian,” Elena hissed, and Vivian let out a heavy sigh. She knew there was no distracting Elena or getting her to drop the issue. She assumed she would eventually have to tell her anyway.
“Fine. But please keep in mind that all of what I am about to tell you led to this wonderful lesbian love you’re feeling right now.”
“Vivian!”
Vivian confessed in one rushed exhalation: “I may have purposely set you up on specific dates to steer you in Allison’s direction.”
“Excuse me?” Elena asked. “What exactly do you mean?”
Chapter Seventeen
“Uh, well, how much time do you have?” Vivian asked.
“I am headed into the office,” she said. “You will meet me there and explain yourself.”
“What?” She glanced around her office. “Elena, I can’t. I have to work too, you know.” This was not the entire truth. Her team was more than capable
of handling her responsibilities in her absence.
“Is that supposed to deter me from demanding your presence?” Elena’s voice drawled over Vivian’s phone. “Because honestly Vivian, I believe you can do much better in the way of excuses.”
“You’re probably right.” Vivian knew it was pointless to argue or deny anything. “But I haven’t been awake that long, so my creativity is lacking.”
“Then shall we bypass the nonsense and simply agree that you will be in my office within the hour?” Her tone of voice made it obvious that her words were more of a command than a request.
“Uh, well, let’s see,” Vivian began but was quickly cut off by a loud and enduring sigh. She could hear the anger in that sigh.
Elena was not the type of person to hash things out over the phone. She liked to be face to face, if for no other reason than that she could be much more intimidating in person—what with her power suits and her authoritative stances, her sharp enunciations and her icy glares.
“Vivian Abigail Warren, do not test me. I haven’t a clue as to what exactly you have done, but I believe I can safely assume from your willingness to avoid me at all costs that I am not going to like it. As such, I suggest you be more agreeable, because I can guarantee that if you are not in my office within the next hour and with a perfect explanation for whatever it is you’ve done, you shall surely be sorry.”
Vivian snorted with laughter even though she could tell Elena was seriously angry. Her friend’s speech got even more severe when she was angry—long, harshly enunciated sentences and a threat or two tossed in. Still, Vivian couldn’t help pushing her buttons sometimes. “Oh? What are you going to do to me, Elena? Disinvite me from Christmas dinner this year?”
“Worse.” Vivian could hear Elena locking her car and making her way toward the elevator. “I doubt you would even want me to say it over the phone.”
“Damn.” Vivian sighed, tapping her nails against her desk. Give me a hint.” They had a tendency to play horribly embarrassing pranks when they were upset with each other. “Like, would it be worse than the time you abandoned me at that gala with the buck-toothed guy that kept spitting on me when he spoke and so I lied and told everyone that you left because you had diarrhea?”
“I still cannot believe you did that.” Elena groaned. “And yes, much worse.”
“Shit. I’ll be over in around twenty minutes depending on traffic.”
“Wise choice.”
* * *
As soon as the elevator jolted to a stop and the metal doors pulled apart, Elena tore through the office, her heels clicking furiously as she went. Various workers flitted around the busy environment, several ducking out of her way as she lit a fire through the room with her pace. They had all seen her in a mood, and none wanted to provide her any reason to direct her fury at one of them.
They peeked over their cubicles or gawked at her from behind papers, printers, and coffee cups. Some even whispered behind their hands as she passed, likely wondering what had set her off. Elena had a reputation for being a bit of a hard-ass at work, though she knew her employees respected her completely; well, most of them did.
She was demanding. She liked to assert her authority but she was also fair. She offered her employees massive bonuses during holidays, an adequate number of sick days, constructive feedback on their ideas and designs, even if they were of a poorer quality, and enduring respect. She rarely stooped to verbal blows with an employee, though it was common knowledge to stay out of her way if she entered the office with steam practically spewing out of her ears—much like today.
“I suggest you all stop gawking!” Elena snatched a cup of coffee from her personal assistant, who shot to her side as soon as she came off the elevator. “These shows do not run themselves, nor do the lines design themselves! I want sketches on my desk within the hour and pitches scheduled before lunch! This is a place of business, people, not a goddamned zoo. Get to work!”
Elena rarely cursed, but she was hardly in the mood for people’s staring or whispering today. She had begun her morning in complete bliss, only to have it possibly shattered by whatever it was her best friend would soon be confessing.
The entire floor exploded into activity at her words. Nearly every walking, breathing creature in the room spiraled into action—running back to their desks and jumping into their work. The place was like a swarming cloud of bees, all of them spilling back into their hive.
A few attempted to wish her a good morning, to which she merely nodded, and then, of course, Wendy, the resident suck-up, popped in front of her.
“Good morning, Ms. Vega!” she said. “You look wonderful today. I’m loving this ensemble. Classy yet spicy. It’s fabulous.”
Elena arched a brow at the woman. “A spicy Latina? How original of you, Wendy.”
Wendy deflated on the spot before slinking off to her desk.
Elena paid the hive no further mind as she glanced over the various papers handed to her by her assistant. When they reached her personal office, Elena crossed to her desk and dropped the files onto its surface, along with her coffee. She handed her jacket to her assistant, who hung it on the rack in the corner and closed the office door.
“Bad morning?”
“Strangely enough, Darla, no,” Elena replied, “but possibly worsening by the second.”
“Would you like an aspirin?”
“No, no, dear.” She shook her head as she moved to stand in front of the massive transparent wall of windows. She propped her hands on her hips and sighed as she gazed out on the enormous city she had always called home. The view calmed her.
“Vivian will be dropping by within the hour,” she said. “She and I will need a bit of time to discuss a rather important and private matter. Thus, I will need you to secure the pitch board by the time she arrives, and make sure I have no pitches scheduled before ten. Rearrange them if you have to, and if Elliot fights you on it, which he undoubtedly will, tell him that I have already reviewed his designs and have sent him an email with my thoughts. Then, schedule his pitch last.”
Darla smirked as she made a note in her pocketbook. “He’s not going to like that.”
“Precisely,” Elena replied with a wicked grin. “I could use the amusement today.”
Darla chuckled. “Shall we review your messages now then or would you like to wait until after Vivian leaves?”
“Let’s hold off.” Elena dropped into her cushy black chair and tapped her mouse to wake her computer from hibernation mode. “I have several emails to attend to first, unless there is anything pressing?”
“Nothing pressing, ma’am,” Darla told her, which instantly earned her a pointed look from her boss. “Sorry. Nothing pressing, Elena.”
Elena smiled. “Six months, and I still have yet to break you of that habit.”
“I’m working on it.” Darla laughed and turned to leave Elena’s office, then whirled back around. “Oh wait.”
“Yes?”
“There was a message about the newest model for the Spring Social line,” Darla informed, tapping her pen against her pocketbook. “Her agents would like confirmation that her new contract will be sent over with the included adjustments that were agreed upon prior to her first formal fitting and shoot.”
“When is the fitting?”
“In two weeks.”
“Very well, yes.” Elena nodded as she clicked to open her email inbox. “Have legal send the adjusted contract, and, Darla, have them double-check to ensure that the particular caveats we discussed are included and clear prior to sending.”
“Will do,” Darla said, making another note in her pocketbook. “I’ll head down to legal then. I should be back within the hour.”
“Thank you, dear.” Elena scanned through her emails as Darla quietly exited her office.
As soon as the door closed, Elena’s eyes shot to the clock on her desk. She had been in the office only fifteen minutes, which meant Vivian would hopefully be arriving soon. Not knowi
ng was driving Elena mad.
* * *
Allison was surprised to discover her roommate’s absence when she finally tore herself away from Elena’s awesome car, and Elena’s intoxicating scent, and Elena’s soft hands, and Elena’s perfect mouth, and returned to her dorm. Then she remembered that Macy switched from her evening literature course on Fridays to the early morning time-slot on Wednesdays. She liked going out on Friday nights too much to spend those evenings trapped in a three-hour class that did nothing but bore her to tears.
Allison grumbled, disappointed. She needed someone to dish to but resigned herself to getting ready for the day. After a quick shower, she threw on some clothes, grabbed her books, and headed out into the quad. She had a nine a.m. seminar she would actually be early for. However, when she reached the auditorium where the seminar was held, she found nothing more than a stark, white piece of printer paper taped to the door and marked with a bold-faced notice:
Dr. Warner’s Integrated Seminar, SW 443, 9 AM, CANCELED
“For reals?” Allison groaned. She had walked all the way across campus for this class. Great. She pulled out her cell and checked to see if she had gotten an email notification of the cancellation and had simply overlooked it, but there was nothing—her inbox was empty. “The hell, Dr. Warner?” She glared at the notice. “This is what friggin’ email is for!”
She trudged back to her dorm and collapsed onto her bed. She had a good four hours before her next class, so she closed her eyes and tried to force her brain to quiet long enough for her to get a good nap in. Only about thirty minutes passed, though, before the door burst open and Macy popped into the room, kicking the door closed behind her so that it slammed, all loud enough to wake Allison. She jerked up with a snort, wiping at her mouth.
“Oh, sorry mate.” Macy laughed and tossed a red-and-white paper bag onto Allison’s bed. “Didn’t know you were sleeping.”