by Ellie Norton
"Fine, come over, I'll make you some dinner," Emma said, and I could hear the irritation in her voice.
"You don't have to do that. I can pick up something," I insisted, knowing that I really wanted nothing more than to curl up in Emma's arms, but unable to just give in. We hadn't actually spent a night apart in over a week, and while I didn't relish the idea of sleeping alone, I didn't want Emma to think I was too clingy.
Emma paused before speaking. "Did you eat lunch?"
"No, I forgot," I answered, my voice coming out softer than intended.
"I see," She said and I could hear the anger in her voice. "Rachel, get over here now. You need a better meal than fast food," She snapped out and I knew the order came from my mistress and not my girlfriend.
Heat shot through me, and I immediately responded with, "Yes, Mistress."
I heard a startled gasp through the phone. Emma's voice was softer when she spoke again. "I'm sorry, Rachel. I know you're at work."
"I know, Em. It's ok. I just need five minutes here and then I'll come over." I said realizing that I wasn't the least bit upset about her dominating me through the phone.
"Thanks, I'll see you soon," Emma said.
I knew she was beating herself up, so I cheerfully said, "See you soon. I love you, nerd."
She let out a startled chuckle and her voice was happier as she replied, "I love you, too."
We hung up and I quickly saved the new tracks, shooting Darrin an email with the first song, which still needed some polishing, but would at least give him an idea of the direction I was headed in. I packed up my laptop and headed out of the building, absently noticing that I wasn't the only one working late. As I got into my car, I realized how tired I was feeling. It had been a long day without enough food and I felt exhausted. I rolled my windows all the way down, hoping that it would help keep me focused on the drive to Emma's house. Luckily, the studio was only a few exits up the highway from her house and I pulled into her driveway less than half an hour later.
I stumbled tiredly to the front door and rang the bell. It opened less than a minute later. Emma took one look at my tired eyes before pulling me into a hug. I relaxed into her arms and let out a contented sigh. "Thank you, Emma," I said softly.
She kissed my temple and let go of me. "You're welcome. Get settled and come into the kitchen when you're ready." When I nodded, she moved down the hallway to the kitchen. I put my laptop case next to the door and pulled out my phone to quickly check my email. I was surprised to see that Darrin had responded. I shot a quick glance in the direction of the kitchen, and decided I had the time to check the email.
It read: Sounds great, Rachel. I really like the direction you're going. I can't wait to hear more. –Darrin.
I smiled and turning off the sound on my phone, I slipped it back into my bag. Once I had done that, I moved to the side table and lifted my collar into place around my throat. I let out a sigh as the stress and focus of the day melted away. It left me feeling as though my body was heavier and my mind felt a little fuzzy. I shrugged the feeling off and went in search of my mistress. She was just pulling a casserole out of the oven when I walked into the kitchen.
She glanced over at me and smiled. "Go ahead and have a seat at the table. I'll bring you over a plate."
"Thank you, Mistress," I answered, slumping into one of the chairs. I watched as she put together a plate and got a glass of ice water and brought them over to the table, sitting them in front of me. It looked incredible. "Thank you, you really didn't have to do this," I said appreciating her.
"I know, Rachel. But I wanted to. Go ahead and eat," she said before moving off to pour herself a glass of wine.
I took a bite and moaned as the flavor exploded across my tongue. The casserole had cheese, potatoes, some veggies and ground beef. It was the perfect comfort food. "This is amazing. Thank you, Mistress," I said when she sat down across from me.
"I'm glad you like it, my pet," she replied with a smile. I had my mouth full of another bite and just nodded at her. She watched me eat for a while before saying, "Rachel, I can understand getting lost in your work, but will you try to remember to stop for food occasionally? I don't want you to get sick."
"Yes, Mistress. I'm sorry. I'll set alarms if I have to," I answered.
She smiled, "Alright. What were you working on all day that had you so absorbed?"
I grinned. I felt steadier and had more energy, so I slowed down so I could tell Emma about it. "Have you heard of Brian Zane?"
Emma's eyes widened. "Yeah, he's one of those Disney Channel pop stars, right?"
"Yeah," I smiled. "But his popularity has been falling recently, so they are having me try to help him find a new sound for his next album."
"Oh, Rachel that's awesome," she said excitedly.
"Yeah, I think so. I have a meeting with him on Wednesday to show him some demos. That's what I was working on today. I just got completely lost in the work," I said apologetically.
She brushed off my apology in her excitement. "I'm so proud of you, this is incredible."
"Thanks," I said, smiling.
After I had finished eating, I washed my dishes while Emma stored away the leftovers, claiming she'd have it for lunch the next day. It was a really nice domestic feeling that made my heart flutter. I really liked being with her this way. I only realized I was grinning when Emma asked me why.
I blushed, "I—uh—I, um, was just thinking that I like doing this with you." I gestured vaguely around the kitchen.
Emma's smile was instantaneous and she crossed the room to wrap me in her arms. "I like it too, Rachel. Come on, I wanna cuddle on the couch tonight."
I gave the sink one final wipe from the rag before drying my hands on a towel and following her into the living room. Part of me was disappointed that we wouldn't be going into her playroom, but mostly I was just grateful that my mistress wanted a quiet night. After we were situated on the couch with me laying mostly on top of Emma, I let out a contented sigh and whispered, "Thank you, Mistress."
Emma kisses my temple and said, "You're welcome, my pet. I thought we both might like a quiet evening."
I smiled. "I think that sounds wonderful." I snuggled closer to her, and as she flipped through the channels on the TV, I felt the energy from my late dinner begin to dissipate. My eyelids drooped and my thoughts slowed. I was warm, well-fed and safe in my mistress' arms, and I let myself drift off into sleep.
Sometime later, Emma stirred beneath me and I sat up. "What's wrong?" I asked.
She smiled lovingly at me, "Nothing, Rachel. I just want to go to bed."
"Oh, ok," was all I could manage to think to say as she took my hand and led me to her bedroom. I tried to immediately crawl into bed to fall back asleep, but Emma insisted on taking off my clothes first. I clumsily helped as best as I could. When I was naked, I crawled onto the soft mattress and curled on my side, watching my mistress undress with eyes that would barely stay open. As soon as Emma slipped, under the sheets, I curled into her and dropped back into sleep.
Tuesday progressed much like the day before, with the exception being that I actually remembered to eat. I wasn't ready to call it quits when I stopped for dinner, but I was ready to go home. I called Emma as I drove back to my apartment. I couldn't keep the smile from my face when she picked up.
"Rachel, hey I was just about to call you." I could hear the smile in her voice.
"Hi. I was actually calling because I'm going to grab dinner before I head home to finish working from there. I didn't want you to worry. I even ate lunch," I said.
Emma chuckled, "I'm glad. How much work do you still have to do tonight?"
I did some quick calculations. "Um, probably three or four more hours, give or take. I'm hope to have the first three songs from Brian's demo done before I meet with him tomorrow. But the third one is only about half done."
"Hmm," She murmured and I knew she was planning something. I shivered as the first thrill of anticipation washed
over me. After a moment she said, "Would I be too much of a distraction if I brought you some dinner, and then hung out while you're working?"
I grinned, "Probably, but I'd really like it if you would anyway."
"Ok, see you in a bit," she chuckled
"Hey Em?" I called into the phone before she could hang up.
"Yeah?"
"Will you please bring me pizza?"
She groaned, "Rachel, that is so bad for you."
I tried and probably failed to sound completely serious as I said, "I know, Em, but I was really good and had salad for lunch so I could indulge in pizza for dinner."
She sighed, "Alright. I'll get you pizza. Do you still like pepperoni, green peppers and mushroom?"
I was shocked, "Yeah, how did you know that?"
She chuckled. "It was your favorite in college."
"And you remembered all these years?" I asked.
"Yeah…well, I'll see you soon, Rachel," she said in a rush and she hung up before I could even respond. I didn't know what had just happened, but it seemed that Emma had been interested in me for a lot longer than she had let on. I grinned, tonight was going to be fun.
When I got home, I quickly changed into sweat pants and a tank top so I would be more comfortable when I was working. I quickly loaded up my computer and pulling my headphones on, started working. I was so absorbed that I didn't hear Emma knock on my apartment door. I didn't notice her come in, or put the pizza down in the kitchen. I jumped about a foot when her soft hand landed on my shoulder.
"Jesus Christ!" I yelled, jerking off the headphones and leaping to me feet.
"I'm sorry, Rachel. I thought you noticed when I came in. I didn't mean to scare you." While her voice sounded contrite, I could see her amusement in her eyes.
I scowled. "It's alright." I put a hand to my chest, trying to convince my heart to slow down.
Emma wrapped her arms around me, and placed a gentle kiss on my lips before saying, "I really am sorry."
I sighed, relaxing into her arms and leaning my head on her shoulder. "It's fine. I just got absorbed, you know?"
"Yeah, I know. But it's time to eat." She said smiling down at me.
"Ok, I just gotta save this," I said, moving out of her arms to lean over my computer.
"Will you play it for me when we're done eating?" She asked shyly.
I grinned, "Sure, I'd love to get your opinion."
"Thanks," she said, moving into the kitchen to grab a couple of beers from my fridge and the pizza.
We settled down on the couch and began eating. I watched her eat, biding my time. I waited for her to reach for a second slice before asking, "So, why did you remember my favorite kind of pizza after all these years?"
Emma blushed, her eyes going wide. She dropped the pizza back into the box and reached for her beer. I waited, and eventually she asked, "You're actually going to make me say it, aren't you?"
I grinned, "Yep."
She sighed, and her blush deepened. "Because I've had a crush on you since you pledged our sorority," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
I was surprised. "Seriously?" I asked.
"Yes," she said and took another long swallow from her beer.
I reached out a put a soft hand on her arm. "Em, I had no idea."
She set her beer on the coffee table and turned to me. "I know. It's one of the reasons I was so hard on you that year. Plus, I was incredibly jealous of Harold."
"I'm sorry," I said, not knowing what else I could say.
"It's alright, Rachel. I have you now," she said with a small smile.
I returned the smile. "Yes, you do. But I still can't believe you remembered my favorite pizza order."
She huffed. "Well, some of us have a good memory for details."
I could tell that I'd offended her, and I wracked my brain for something, anything I could say to ease her hurt feelings. And then the image of her at the activities fair popped into my head and I smiled. "The first time I saw you, you were wearing a red dress and had on these small strappy three inch heels. And you called me a bitch for saying sororities were lame."
Her eyes widened. "You remember that?"
I smiled, "Yeah, you could say that you made an impression on me."
She smiled in return. "You made an impression on me, too."
"Thanks for the pizza," I said when we had finished eating.
"You're welcome," she said smiling at me. "Can I hear the songs now?"
I chuckled, "Sure. I'll get them set up, would you mind grabbing me another beer?"
"Ok," she said happily and she moved off to the kitchen.
I watched her for a moment, grinning. I was so fucking lucky. She turned around with two fresh beers and raised an eyebrow when she saw me watching. I blushed and quickly turned to my desk.
"What were you looking at?" She asked smugly as she handed me my beer.
I shrugged. "You," I answered simply.
"Really?"
"Yeah. I was thinking about how lucky I am," I said, turning to meet her gaze so she could see the truth in my eyes. Her smug expression immediately melted into a grin. I smiled at her but spoke again before she could say anything. "So, I'm going to play the original first, it's a decent sample of his current sound, so you'll have a better idea of where I'm trying to take him."
Emma put an arm around my shoulder in lieu of being about to get sappy with me. She smiled at me and said, "Alright, go ahead." She listened intently to the song. When it ended, she said, "I can see why his sales have gone down. That sounds exactly like every other pop song on the radio."
"I know, right?" I said as I pulled up the altered version. "Ok, so here is my version of the same song." I felt a little nervous as I pressed play. I didn't know if Emma would like it. I carefully studied her face as the song started, but she was smiling before the end of the first measure. I let myself take a small sigh of relief.
When the song ended, Emma sat grinning at me. I shifted uncomfortably, I really needed her to say something, anything. Then she spoke, "Rachel, that's wonderful. It sounds great.”
“Do you really like it?"
She nodded emphatically. "Yes, Rachel I love it. I could imagine listening to that on the radio. It's just awesome."
I grinned, "Thanks, Em."
She smiled and asked, "Can I hear the second one?"
I laughed. "Sure," I agreed and played the two versions for her.
When the songs ended, she just said, "You're amazing."
I smiled. "I know." She rolled her eyes and gave my arm a light smack. "Ow! Ok, ok, thank you. I'm glad you like the songs."
"I really do. Now get to work," She said with a smile.
I rolled my eyes, "Yes, ma'am."
Emma huffed before leaning down to purr in my ear, "The sooner you finish that song, the sooner I can have my way with you." She gently bit my earlobe and I shuddered against her.
I was instantly wet and I gasped out, "No fair, I've still gotta work."
She chuckled, "Work fast, love."
"I will, but then you're gonna be in trouble, Em. I don't have to be anywhere until my 2PM meeting with Brian," I called after her as she moved over to the couch.
"Good," she called back before turning on the TV.
I had to take several deep breaths to calm my raging libido before I was able to focus back on the music. Hours later, I finally put the last touches on the song and emailed it to Darrin. I groaned, stretching from being bent over the computer for so long. I moved over to the couch and had to smile when I saw that Emma had fallen asleep. I leaned down and pressed a soft kiss on her forehead. She didn't react at all, so I carefully slid my arms under her and carried her over to my bed. Emma snuggled into my arms on the short walk and I smiled. I let myself a single moment of victory that I hadn't dropped her, before I carefully removed her jeans and bra. I didn't feel right stripping her when she was asleep, but I didn't want her to be uncomfortable either. My own bra joined hers on the flo
or and I turned out the lights and crawled into bed, spooning around my girlfriend. I smiled and let myself drift off to join her in sleep.
Emma's grumpy voice woke me the next morning. "You didn't wake me."
I opened my eyes to see that she was laying on her side with her head propped on a hand. I reached out to run my fingers along her cheek. "You barely moved when I carried you to the bed and pulled off your jeans. So, I figured you needed the sleep."
"You carried me?" She asked, her eyebrows shooting up in surprise.
I grinned. "Yeah."
She smiled, "I'm sorry I missed that."
I rolled my eyes. "If you'd been awake, I wouldn't have done it." Emma pouted and I smirked. I rolled over to grab my phone to see if I had any new emails.
"What's up?" Emma asked.
I shrugged. "I just wanted to see if Darrin has emailed me back with any changes he wants in the last song before my meeting later."
"Oh, did he?" Emma asked, laying her head on my shoulder. Her fingers began to trail over my hip and heat began spreading slowly through my body.
I kept my voice light as I said, "He did email me, but he likes the song. So you have about three hours to stop doing that."
"Really? Three hours, huh?" Emma asked, her voice mocking.
I grinned, reaching up to fist my hand in her blonde hair and pull her down to meet my lips. I moaned into the kiss when Emma's hand slid between my legs. Immediately, she pulled back, breaking the lip-lock.
"You're wearing too much clothing," She said, even as her hands were yanking my tank top over my head.
I had to agree with her, pulling her own shirt over her head and trailing kisses down her shoulder as she pulled off my sweatpants. As soon as we were both naked, our bodies crashed together. We hadn't touched each other this way in two days and we were both in a near frenzy as we drove each other towards ecstasy. I felt like an addict in need of a fix. When we both lay panting after the first release, I turned to face Emma, chuckling.
"What's so funny?" She asked.
"I think I'm addicted to you, Em. No matter what I do, I just can't seem to get enough of you."
She grinned, "I know, me too."
"This is crazy right?" I asked, still unable to believe the way I responded to her touch.