“I can’t believe we didn’t get caught.” Allison leaned her back against the elevator wall. Elena stood next to her, their shoulders brushing, as the doors of the elevator slid shut and they began the long ride up to Elena’s office.
Elena smirked, watching her next to her in the reflection cast upon the door opposite them. “There are many perks to my job, dear, but one of the best is that when I say something is off limits, no one dares go near it. I made sure my assistant knew that the studio was to be left alone before you and I ever even left the office. I’m sure everyone avoided it like the plague, though I did lock the door to be safe.”
As they laughed, their shoulders brushed again, and Elena’s fingers twitched at her side. She itched to touch Allison again. There had been embers burning between them since they met, but after their little escapade in the studio, a fire now blazed, bright and overwhelmingly hot. Elena didn’t know if she wanted to throw a bucket of water on it to offer herself some relief or fan the damned flames and make them grow higher.
The fashion industry was a hive of homosexuality, so it was likely no one would care beyond a little water-cooler gossip. It was more that Elena prided herself on being professional and collected at all times, especially in front of her employees and colleagues. As such, she and Allison were dutifully, excruciatingly, keeping their hands to themselves.
“You think anyone heard us?” Allison asked, nudging Elena’s arm with her elbow. A goofy grin painted her lips. “I mean, you were pretty loud.”
Elena let out a staggered breath, the air stuttering over her lips. She closed her eyes and sucked in fresh air through her nose, her stomach stirring and flipping. She wanted to deny the claim, but she knew that it was true. She had hardly been able to contain herself with Allison’s head between her legs, with her making Elena feel things she hadn’t felt in a terribly long time, if ever. Elena had no shame, but it would be rather embarrassing if others in the building overheard her moans and cries of pleasure.
Allison rubbed her pinky finger against Elena’s hand where it dangled between them. “I’m just kidding. I mean, I guess it’s possible that someone heard us, but they would have heard us, not just you.”
Elena took another deep breath as images flashed through her mind and the sounds of their lovemaking filled her ears like it was happening all over again. Her stomach fluttered pleasantly, and a deep throb sparked to life between her legs. Clearing her throat roughly, she clenched her thighs as she leaned her back against the wall and cursed herself for not masturbating more often. Surely she would not be so flustered and easy to excite if she had indulged in a little self-play more often during her four-year stint of abstinence.
Her goofy and adorably blunt lover was not making matters any better. Allison’s mere existence in such a small space, occupying the same air as Elena, made her spine tingle. It didn’t help that Allison seemed to want to continuously make mention of their earlier activities in the studio.
“Hey, come on,” Allison whispered, snapping Elena back to the moment. “I wasn’t trying to embarrass you or anything. I was just teasing. I’m sorry.”
Elena, again, said nothing. She sucked in another sharp breath and shook her head, but Allison didn’t seem to get the hint.
“I actually thought the sounds you made were really sexy.” Allison grabbed Elena’s hand and squeezed it before letting go. “Like really sexy. I seriously almost got off on those sounds alo—”
Allison’s back slammed into the side wall as she stumbled from her position, Elena’s mouth suddenly devouring hers. Her hands claimed her flesh, nails digging into the back of her neck and the curve of her hip. A guttural moan escaped her as Elena sucked the breath right out of her lungs, the woman’s tongue teasing hotly at her own. Allison latched onto Elena’s sides and yanked her even closer, so close that any third party witness would have thought them desperate to be one.
Itching fingers slipped down from Elena’s sides to the woman’s thighs. Allison’s hands dug into the backs of Elena’s thighs almost viciously when Elena’s teeth sank into her bottom lip and ripped a trembling moan all the way up from Allison’s toes.
In that moment, Elena was fairly certain that Allison Sawyer would, at some point, be the death of her. She thought this crazy and nearly unbearable tension between them would at least slightly abate after their first time together, but it only seemed to increase and intensify. That first incredible physical connection between them was passionate and heated and beautiful, and Elena didn’t even care that it happened on the floor of a studio because it was the most intimate she had ever been with another person. The way Allison looked at her and touched her was riveting, and Elena was still reeling from how perfect their first time had been for her.
The only issue was that she didn’t want to stop. She now wanted Allison more than ever. Just the smell of the woman surrounding her was enough to make her blood boil. Apparently, scratching the itch only made the itch worse. That had never happened to her before, but Elena didn’t want to fight it. She wanted to dive into those heated waters head first and never come up for air.
Allison kneaded the soft, pliant flesh of Elena’s thighs, drawing little whimpers from her slender throat. Elena sucked roughly at Allison’s bottom lip before releasing it with a pop and hotly whispering, “You still taste like me.”
Elena let out a soft yelp that quickly evolved into a moaning shudder of pleasure as the hands at the backs of her thighs suddenly jerked upward and jolted her feet right off the elevator floor. Allison lifted her with ease and spun them so that now Elena’s back was the one thudding against the wall with a bang. Elena’s head swam dizzily as the action caused a wave of heat to roll right through her before flooding at the apex of her thighs.
“Oh,” she hissed, “yes.”
Elena’s legs wrapped tightly around Allison’s waist, and Allison shuddered. Her back lurched forward as Elena’s skirt rode up and the heat between her legs met with the trembling plane of Allison’s stomach, separated only by the thin materials of Elena’s underwear and Allison’s shirt. Their kisses were passionate and scorching as they panted into one another’s mouths and Allison used her hips to make gentle rocking thrusts between Elena’s legs that had her almost whining.
Allison sprang away from Elena so quickly that Elena nearly hit the floor as the elevator chimed its arrival on the thirtieth floor, both caught off guard given that neither had felt the machine rock to a gentle stop. Elena caught herself, heels smacking roughly against the elevator floor. Both her face and Allison’s were heavily flushed as they quickly patted at their hair and smoothed down their clothes.
The elevator doors slid open to reveal a single person waiting. As soon as she saw him, Elena stiffened her spine and kept her jaw rigid, determined to show that she was nothing if not completely composed. The man stared at them for a moment, his eyes tracking over the slight wrinkles in their clothes, especially those marring Elena’s skirt. His lips pursed as he stepped onto the elevator. “Afternoon, Miss Vega.”
“Elliot,” she replied with an acknowledging tilt of her head before practically shooting out of the elevator. She heard Allison choke out a quick “Sup?” before darting out of the elevator to follow her.
* * *
As soon as Allison closed Elena’s office door and looked at Elena, they both burst into loud laughter.
“Oh God,” Allison said, “that was so damn awkward.”
Elena held her stomach as she laughed and nodded her agreement. “I think he knew.”
“He definitely had an idea,” Allison said. “He probably would’ve asked if he wasn’t so afraid of you.”
“He has always been afraid of me,” Elena gloated. “He honestly cannot stand me, but he is the type who prefers to let that be known behind closed doors and behind my back.”
“Yeah, typical,” Allison grunted. “There are way more people like that in the world than there are people willing to say stuff to your face.” She sighed as her laughter waned, but then the image of the awkward elevator exchange drifted through her mind again, and she burst into loud laughter all over again.
“What?” Elena asked.
“It’s nothing,” Allison said. “I just keep seeing it in my mind. Your face was so red.”
“Yours was just as red,” Elena countered, wiping at the tears that had developed in the corners of her eyes.
“And you were just like, ‘Elliot,’” Allison said, mimicking Elena’s rigid posture and cold voice before cracking up all over again.
“Oh yes, dear,” Elena drawled, “because ‘Sup?’ is so much better.”
Allison grabbed her phone from her pocket. “Wait, wait. Say that again. I have to get that on camera.”
Elena smirked and shook her head. “No.”
“Come on,” Allison whined, offering the woman her signature charming grin. “Please?”
“Not a chance. That crooked smile of yours has no sway over me, dear.”
“Yeah, right,” Allison said as she strutted over and wrapped her arms around Elena’s waist. “Don’t deny it, Elena. You find me totally adorable.”
Elena’s eyes practically sparkled as Allison danced her around. “Is that right?”
“So right.”
“Hm.” Elena narrowed her eyes, pretending to contemplate the claim.
Allison winked at her and waggled her eyebrows ridiculously. Elena rolled her eyes in response but said, “You may not be entirely wrong.”
“See?” Allison bragged, leaning forward to kiss the slender column of Elena’s throat. “That’s what I thought.”
“Allison.”
“Hm?” Allison hummed against her throat.
“We have to stop.”
“No we don’t.”
“Oh, but we do.” Elena sighed. “I actually have a bit of work to do, and I, unfortunately, cannot put it off any longer.”
Allison groaned into Elena’s neck as she squeezed the woman tighter, breathing her in. A moment later, though, she relented and pulled her face from Elena’s neck. “Okay,” she said, “but if you expect me to be able to help you out with anything, then you’re going to have to stop smelling so good and looking so good and tasting so good and sounding so g—”
Elena pressed an index finger to Allison’s mouth to quiet her. “I get it, dear.”
Allison snorted with laughter and kissed Elena’s lips. “So, what can I do to help?”
“I don’t actually believe there is anything,” Elena replied. “It’s mostly paperwork and a meeting that I need to be present for. You are welcome to stay and wait for me, Allison, but it will likely be incredibly dull and we won’t have much opportunity to interact.”
Allison sighed as she scratched at the back of her neck and pondered what to do. She didn’t want to leave Elena, because she was still on one of those clingy highs after the bonding and the sex and then the almost-sex and all the little playful moments and laughter. She pretty much wanted to crawl inside this date and live in it. At the same time, she didn’t want to be in the way or anything, nor did she want to just be chilling on the couch in Elena’s office, twiddling her thumbs.
“Well, damn,” she said. “I don’t really have anything else to do.”
She pulled her phone back out and glanced at the time only to see that she had a text message from Macy, likely just checking in. She opened it and read the short message.
Still alive. Bit dusty. Tired. The hell are you?
Allison snorted at the typical hung-over-Macy text. Though Allison couldn’t hear her voice or see her expression, she knew Macy was grumpy. She had never seen anyone as grumpy when not feeling well as Macy.
“Macy just texted me,” Allison informed Elena, turning the phone around to show her the message.
Elena arched a brow, confused, and Allison laughed.
“Yeah, I know. Just wait until you meet her.”
“And when will that be?” Elena asked, brows knitting together and eyes widening. It somehow managed to make her look both nervous and excited about the idea.
“Do you actually want to meet her?”
“Of course,” Elena replied. “It’s the least I could do after unleashing the storm that is my mother and Vivian on you.”
“Well, really, it was more like they unleashed themselves.”
“True.”
“I get that you think you should meet her,” Allison said after a moment, “but I mean do you really want to? Because I won’t make you; at least not so soon.”
“No, no,” Elena told her, shaking her head and pulling Allison close again. “I want to. She’s important to you, so this is important to me.”
Allison hated the burning sensation in her throat as Elena’s words actually managed to choke her up. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep any tears from welling up in her eyes, but they came anyway. She sucked in a cool breath and nodded, not wanting to say anything, for fear that her voice would crack. But when Elena stroked her cheek, Allison’s chest practically concaved, and she knew she had to get away for a minute. She moved quickly and wordlessly away from Elena and into the private bathroom attached to the woman’s office, closing the door behind her.
* * *
Allison cursed at herself in the mirror of Elena’s office bathroom as the woman’s words echoed through her mind over and over. She blamed her stupid post-sex hormones or whatever for the sudden urge to cry, but Allison knew it was really just because it was incredibly nice to have someone who cared about the things and the people that she cared about simply because she cared about them.
She glanced around the bathroom and was surprised to see that the room was fully stocked, and not just with the typical items. There were two complete makeup kits, the top-dollar stuff of course; makeup cleansing wipes; face and body lotions and exfoliating washes; various nail polishes and remover; cotton swabs; Q-tips; nail clippers; toothbrushes; toothpaste; mouthwash; and more. Allison was pretty impressed. She reached for the makeup cleansing wipes and pulled one out. Her makeup was a little smudged from the sweating in the studio and now the watery eyes that Allison refused to deem as crying. She contemplated simply cleaning away the smudged bits and touching up her makeup afterwards but decided to just wash her face bare and leave it that way until later. It wasn’t like she ever wore very much makeup anyway—foundation, a thin layer of eyeliner, a bit of eye shadow, and some mascara.
Allison scrubbed her face clean and took a deep breath before heading back into the office where Elena was busy typing away on her computer, a thin pair of crimson-rimmed glasses perched on her nose. Allison’s stomach bubbled and fizzled pleasantly at the adorable sight.
Elena glanced up at the sound of the bathroom door opening and smiled at Allison. She pulled the glasses off her face and laid them on her desk before swiveling in her chair to face Allison. “Hi.”
“Hi,” Allison murmured.
“I see you utilized a few of my many supplies.”
Allison nodded. “Yeah. You have a whole arsenal in there.”
“I used to spend many nights here when I first took the position,” Elena said. “The restroom is actually quite tame. I used to have an entire section of my office blocked off with a crib and changing table for Lucas.”
“Yeah? I bet that was cute.”
“I don’t know about ‘cute’.” Elena said. “Convenient, though, yes.”
Allison crossed the distance between them and dropped to her knees in front of Elena’s chair to be more level with her; that, and it made it easier to slip her hands over Elena’s thighs.
Elena smiled at her, eyes roaming over Allison’s face, and Allison felt full of so much in that moment that she could hardly breathe. Elena reached out, and Allison felt her brush her fingertips over the faint bruise between her eyes.
“Almost completely gone,” Allison said. “I keep bruises for a long time. I guess because I’m so pale. I don’t know.”
“I still feel terrible about that.” Elena rubbed over the flesh again.
“Don’t,” Allison said. “It’s a funny story that we can tell people one of these days.”
“One of these days,” Elena whispered. “Do you plan on being around for a while?”
Allison reached up and caught Elena’s wrist. She pulled the woman’s hand down from her forehead and pressed a kiss to the center of Elena’s palm. “Is that what you want?”
Elena was silent for a long moment, her gaze intense as she held Allison’s eyes. “In this moment, Allison,” she whispered, rubbing her thumb gently against Allison’s chin, “it is all that I want.”
Allison let out a gentle sigh, relieved. She had always been a runner. The system had taught her how to detach, how to remain at a distance. It taught her to love only the sounds of things and people fading into the distance as she moved forward, moved on. It taught her to be on her own, but with Elena, it felt easy to stay. It felt natural. The woman had come blazing into her life like a wildfire in a sensible pantsuit, and Allison had been willing to burn ever since.
Allison leaned her head into the soft flesh of Elena’s palm and nodded. “Then yeah,” she whispered, “I plan on being here.”
* * *
“Are you sure you don’t wanna walk me down to the first floor?” Allison asked, offering Elena a mischievous little grin. “Another loooooong ride on the elevator.” She waggled her eyebrows.
A loud laugh left Elena’s lips. “I think it is best if we avoid the elevator for the time being.”
“True,” Allison said. She rocked on her heels, stalling. She wasn’t quite ready to leave. “I should probably take the stairs. Last time I rode in that elevator, some hot brunette attacked my mouth.”
Elena pinched Allison’s arm. “Rumor has it that you did not resist.”
With a cluck of her tongue, Allison shook her head. “I don’t know who told you that, but they were totally telling the truth.”
Elena smiled and pulled Allison into a gentle embrace. “Thank you for today.”
Allison shook her head in answer. “Thank you, Elena. This was all you, and I loved every second of it.”
“I did as well.”
“Well, good.”
They pulled apart and stared at one another a moment longer before Allison said, “All right. I’m gonna go hang with Macy, but when you’re finished up here, give me a call, yeah? I’d like to see you again before the night is over, if that’s okay with you.”
Elena nodded. “I will call you.”
“Okay good.” Allison pressed a quick kiss to Elena’s lips before turning to go. She turned back just before she stepped out of the woman’s office and said, “Oh, and Elena?”
“Yes dear?”
“We should visit your studio more often.” She winked as a wide smile stretched between Elena’s crimson cheeks, and then slipped out of the office.
