The B-L-T: The Bacon, Lick, and Touch
Based on a couple of tweets ...
Rated T for suggestive language. The B-L-T abbreviation describes a bacon-lettuce-tomato sandwich with toasted slices slathered with mayonnaise. My "B-L-T" references the opening scene in 1x03 and events in 1x10, but the following stand-alone is post-canon and assumes Eliza is no longer with Freddy. This story is independent of what I wrote in "George". As long as I continue writing, the following is an enthusiastic 'thank-you-selfie' to "Selfie", along with gratitude to EK, KG, and JC. The characters belong to EK.
I'm a fan of the Oxford- or serial-comma. I wrote a chunk of this story in 2 hours. Letting it breathe took a full day. Letting extra edits breathe took another day. Because "it is what it is ..."
Summary: With Henry paying attention to Eliza, they both were going to reap big payoffs.
Stepping out of the elevator, a distracted woman automatically turned right. Her head remained down, eyes on her phone, keeping track of tweets scrolling hot on her screen over the last hour.
Without looking, Eliza waved her hand by way of greeting. "Good morning, Charmonique ..."
"Good morning, Eliza."
Stopping in her tracks, Eliza jerked her head up in surprise at the very male voice.
She had been entirely focused on this morning's Twitter drama between her followers and FitBrit's followers. She and FitBrit had implicitly agreed to let their respective followers hash it out online. They even DM'ed each other and agreed to stay out of each other's way today. Tomorrow, however, would be another story ...
She turned her head towards the reception desk, but Charmonique was nowhere to be found.
"You're just in time for today's staff meeting."
"Wait ... what?"
Henry's expression grew severe, as his lips thinned into a horizontal line. He extended his hand to her, palm up. "Give me your phone."
"No way ..."
"Wayyyy ..."
She held her head up in defiance, keeping her phone away from Henry. "This time, Henry, I'm going to have to say 'no' ..."
"Please give me your phone, Eliza ..."
She would win the battle of wills, as she generally did with Henry, because as before, she was going to lick the hell out of her phone.
As she raised the phone to her mouth, Henry quickly swiped the phone from her hand.
"HEY!"
Narrowing his eyes, he looked at her in a way she hadn't seen before. If pressed, she would have described it as "extra smoulder."
He raised the phone to his mouth. He took a speculative lick, then another one, a long one across the face of her precious phone.
Brows skyhigh, Eliza stared back, stunned and astonished.
"Mmmmmmmmm," he replied, the gravelly tone shooting spikes of molten liquid through her body. He looked at her in the eyes. "Bacon."
She exhaled, opening her mouth in a small 'o'.
"And ... a hint of blueberry waffles ..."
Before she could reply, he grabbed her by the arms, and mashed his lips onto hers. He opened his mouth, as if her breath was precious life. For a brief moment, she didn't know what was happening, but when her brain finally caught up, she thrust her tongue into his mouth. He laughed into their open-mouthed kiss, and their moans marked the early jousting efforts of their dueling tongues.
When he stepped back, Eliza looked shell-shocked. She grabbed him by his hand and dragged him into his office, closing the door behind them.
She grabbed the phone from his hand. "Henry, not that I mind, but what the HELL?!"
"What? You said you liked bacon and waffles in the morning, or did I hear you wrong?"
"You heard me?
"Yes, of course, in my room back at the Saperstein estate in Santa Barbara."
"But how did you know I had bacon and waffles this morning?"
"I detect a faint aroma of bacon. And you have a smudge of blue ... right ... here ... on your cheek." He reached up and slid his thumb across her cheek.
"Uh, thanks. And you just totes kissed me. The moment was super `gram worthy, by the way ... "
"Yes, I kissed you. Very thoroughly, too, I might add. And I want to do it again." He looked unbelievably calm, which she found a little exasperating. Because she was def not calm, a big bump of the feels.
"Yes ... well ..." She tried to hide her blush. "Don't we have a staff meeting, the one you reminded me about yesterday, the very same one you insisted we be on time for?"
"The only meeting I want is my mouth to be joined with yours."
"Oh my God, Henry, what's gotten into you?"
"I want this. Look ..." He pointed at his eyes. "I'm blinking ... rapidly. I'm not going to guess by having you blink, but ... tell me you want me, too, Eliza."
"I ... I ... what if someone walks in on us right now?"
"I'm pouring out my heart to you, and you're worried about propriety? Wow, I must truly be rubbing off on you."
"Henry, the next words out of your mouth had better not be 'old and boring' ..."
He chuckled. At her glare, he continued "I wouldn't dare ..."
"No, you wouldn't dare if you knew what's good for you ..." She stuck out her lower lip in a pout.
He took in a deep breath. "Eliza, you're deflecting. And I'm not playing you. I know what I want. And who I want, is you."
Eliza let out a deep breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.
"It's about quacking time ..." She launched into his arms, and they kissed again without reserve.
In between ... "Eliza" ... wet smacks ... "mmmm" ... of their lips ... "Henry ..." and quick gasps, they remained joined. Uttering each other's names somehow made the moment more real, attaching their thoughts directly to what they were seeing and feeling.
"Mmmm, Henry," she whispered huskily. Her arousal was turning him on, and his own fueled hers. And down, down the spiral they willingly went, surrendering themselves to their feelings and to each other.
She was tugging on his tie and opening the buttons to his shirt, fingers flying everywhere and nowhere. He was stuck stationary, and all he could see was her manicured fingers slipping inside his shirt and touching him, setting him on fire.
"Henry?"
"Mmmm?"
"HENRY!"
At the urgency of her voice, Henry shook himself out of his fuzzy stupor.
He looked up, and found himself standing in front of Charmonique's desk. He saw a very concerned looking Eliza, and Charmonique with an equally puzzled look on her face.
Eliza put her hand on his arm in concern. "Henry, are you okay?"
"Uh ... yeah, my mind was somewhere ..." He couldn't believe he had imagined and fantasized that entire scenario. Either he needed a vacation, or he needed to get laid.
Or both.
He rubbed his face with his hand, pinching the bridge of his nose. He could feel the waves of concern emanating from his friend. He opened his eyes, and sure enough, those waves of concern originated from her beautiful green eyes. He put his hand on hers and squeezed. "I'm okay. Thanks, Eliza."
"Where were you? What were you thinking about?"
No fear, he thought.
"I ... I was thinking about you."
And this would be later noted as one of the few times Henry had rendered her speechless. This momentary lapse was short-lived.
"You ... you were thinking about me?" She looked over at Charmonique who had def legit heard what Henry had said, judging by the ridiculous grin on her face. Eliza made a face at her to scram, but Charmonique wouldn't budge. Henry looked over at Charmonique, and faced with the double silent barrage of Henry and Eliza, Charmonique knew enough to give up the jig.
"Okaaaaaay, time I stepped away for a moment ... uh, while you lovebirds figure things out, don't forget about the staff meeting in five ..."
The hallway remained mercifully empty, leaving only Henry and Eliza in front of the reception desk. They both saw Charmonique walk away. They turned their attention back to each other. What they didn't realize was they had somehow ended up holding each other's hands.
She was about to jerk them away, when he held them fast. His thumbs rubbed her hands, slowly, gently, and rhythmically. It was one of the most calming gestures anyone had done for her in a long time.
What he read on her face was full of questions.
"Eliza ... you had bacon and waffles this morning, didn't you?"
"How ... how did you know?"
"I smell bacon, and the rest of it was a lucky guess."
"SRS?" She asked, brows scrunched up, her voice betraying total disbelief.
Normally, he'd panic and deflect. But right here, right now, he was at ease. His open smile showed teeth. "SRSLY."
And in this moment, she understood one thing she hadn't seen in awhile and something she wanted to see much more. How she loved to see him smile; he looked years younger than the serious boring stick-in-the-mud old-guy frowny face.
"What's that look for?" Henry asked. He saw the change in her eyes, her soft look he'd describe as dreamy, affectionate, almost if he dared, loving ...
"I was just thinking, your guess was totes cray cray."
"And that's a good thing?"
"Yes, it is. And you have a beautiful smile, and how I'd like to see you smile more often." She palmed his cheek.
He met her hand with his. "Thank you. I ... I ..."
"What is it?"
"I ... It's you. I love seeing you, and I can't imagine another day without seeing you, here at work, at home, or at your home. You've gone through tremendous changes, and I know that some of them have been painful, no thanks to me. But I'm here. It's also what you've done for me, how you've made me better. I'm not a lost cause, and I need you, with you by my side."
He moved towards her, a short sweet affectionate peck on her lips.
She smiled, blushing adorably and matching the color of her hair. "Uh, what about the staff meeting, Henry?"
"Quack the meeting."
He surprised her, she had to give him that. But to hear him curse meant he felt very strongly about what they were discussing. Or about whom they were talking, which in this case was her.
"Eliza, I'm sorry for the way I've treated you."
"You weren't ready." She was always perceptive when it came to him. "But, you are now?"
"Yes, without question."
"Awesome." She hooked her hands around his neck. "I forgive you, and I'm sorry, tooooooo ..."
She leaned into his mouth during her apology, which he was more than happy to meet halfway. They kissed deeply, nibbling on each other's lips, exploring each other's mouths tentatively with their tongues. They wanted it, the sudden hunger striking them hard. They knew there was the promise of more, of something even better.
He moved fractionally from her lips and whispered. "Can we continue this in my office?"
Barely apart, she dragged her eyes from his mouth to his eyes. "Yes, please ..."
He held her free hand (because the other had her phone, duh), and led her willingly into his office.
Eliza rushed back into Henry's embrace, the sounds of giggles and muffled words trailing behind the closing door.
Thirty minutes later, the door to Henry's office reopened. By itself, this was not unusual.
But a closer inspection told a different story. Hair astray, clothes ruffled, sporting their own small silly grins, their perceptions of the world and of each other had been irrevocably rocked.
They had checked each other's appearance: shirts tucked and straightened, hair reordered and reshaped, faces free of smudges and crimson lipstick. Eliza walked out of the office, with Henry close behind. The background chatter told them the staff meeting was done, and staff had returned to their desks and offices. Eliza and Henry maintained a conversation loud enough for the other to hear, but hushed so they would not be overheard.
"You know what, Eliza?
"What's that?"
"Kissing you has made me hungry, and for breakfast, I only had ..."
"Do not even mention prunes or fruit yogurt, because if you do, I exercise my right as girlfriend and demand mandatory changes in your choice of breakfast food ..."
He laughed because he knew she was yanking his chain. "... I only had a cherry danish. You know, because it's red ... and sweet."
"Awww, sweet ..."
"But now I'm feeling ... hmmm ..."
"What? Don't leave me hangin'!"
They turned the corner towards the reception desk.
"I want a B-L-T sandwich."
"Henry ..."
"Point bees, Eliza, the smell of bacon is driving me crazy ..."
"Well, maybe, I should consider removing my clothes. Because I care about you and your needs, and I wouldn't want to drive you crazy." She waggled her eyebrows at him for full effect.
"Point one, too late! And two, your point taken. But I still think we should feed my desire for B-L-T."
"Whatevs. I don't ..."
"... And afterwards, you're going to help me feed the cat."
A knowing pause and a very knowing look passed between them. "You don't have a cat."
"No. I don't."
They stopped in their tracks, suddenly interested in their own little game of "chicken."
"Ahem."
They hadn't realized they had ended up directly in front of reception. Charmonique was seated, bright and amused at the sight before her. Leaning against the reception desk was Saperstein, whose serious eyes were at odds with a very happy look on his face.
"And where were the two of you? You missed the staff meeting."
"Uh, sir, I called Eliza into my office to discuss our recent joint marketing-sales project with E&H PharmaCo.
"Is that right ..."
"Yes, sir," Eliza piped in. "Henry wanted to make sure I had the necessary information for us to proceed. We were just touching base."
"I'm sure you did more than just 'touch base' ...," Saperstein muttered.
An evil cackle escaped from behind the computer monitor, invoking identical and simultaneous glares from Henry and Eliza.
"Well then," Saperstein continued. "Do you both have what you need?"
"Yes, we do," they answered. They glanced at each other and smiled.
Saperstein leapt up at them and smacked them both in the upper arm. "It's about time!"
"Uh, to what are you referring exactly?" Henry asked.
"Your joint project, of course! Or is there something else I should know about?"
"Nothing else, sir," he replied too quickly.
"You'd tell me if there was something else, wouldn't you?"
Oh my God, he knows, Henry and Eliza thought.
"Absolutely, sir," she added.
"Fantastic! As you were, both of you. But you'll both be present at our next meeting."
"Yes, sir. We'll be there," Henry replied. "Well then, uh ... we're going for lunch."
"Henry, it's only 10am." Saperstein was practically laughing his words out loud.
"Early breakfast, early lunch. Gotta keep the body fed to keep the brain going, I always say."
In agreement, Eliza gave Saperstein a tentative smile and "happy finger guns."
They raced down the short hallway and into the open elevator. As they stepped inside to the closing doors, they looked at each other with concern.
"Saperstein knows, doesn't he?" Eliza asked.
"Yes, I'm sure he does now. Are you okay with that, Eliza?"
"Yeah, we're legit now, right? I'm totes sure."
"Good. I'm glad."
They threw themselves into a corner for a hot embrace, another round of making out in a rush of desire to make up for lost time.
"Thank God they finally figured it out," Charmonique said, not looking up from her keyboard.
Saperstein glanced at Charmonique, then back to the elevator.
"At long last, yes. It took them long enough. But uh ..."
"Yes?"
He leaned down slightly to ask her a quiet question. "Is it just me, or do you smell bacon?"
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