Smooth music hung in the atmosphere in the bar. It was not busy, but there was a general hum of conversation. It was an exclusive place, too exclusive to be the usual rowdy Friday night affair. It seemed light but dim at the same time.
A doorman wearing gloves opened the heavy door by its polished brass handles.
"Thank you" a blonde woman said as she walked in. He took we coat and she went to the bar. She waited a moment before turning to a woman seated just down from her.
Her initial assessment 'late 30s, understated red dress, possibly a politician, though dark lipstick so more likely a businesswoman. Her drink wasn't flashy, there was only one, she was not self conscious about being in a bar by herself and she hadn't looked over to see who came in, probably not looking to pick anyone up.' She looked down the rest of her 'gorgeous shoes but still, understated. She's classy, must be rich to be comfortable in here. She's sitting at the bar so she knows this place but isn't a regular'.
"Excuse me" she said. The woman looked up. "Do they have bartenders here or is there a secret password you have to use?" She asked.
The woman smiled and looked around at the unstaffed bar. As if by magic, a bartender appeared and came straight over.
"You've never been here before?" The dark haired woman asked, sipping her drink, something on the rocks. 'Probably whiskey' the other thought.
"No." The blonde woman said "it's my birthday today, I thought this place looked nice" she said
"Ah" the other woman replied "are you meeting someone?" She asked and swirled the ice in her glass.
"I think I'm meeting someone right now" the blonde woman replied with a cheeky smile.
"Wow" the other smiled
"I know, what a line, right?" The blonde woman laughed
"Impressive. Certainly impressive enough for me to buy you a drink" she said. She turned to the bartender who stood by politely pretending not to hear the conversation.
"What will it be, ma'am?" The bartender asked.
"Dirty martini" she smiled
"Very good" the bartender replied and left
"Are you meeting anyone?" The blonde woman asked
"I think I'm meeting someone right now" she said and they laughed.
'Clever' the blonde woman though 'humorous, flattering and didn't answer my question. Maybe she is a politician.'
The drink arrived with two smaller, dark drinks in ornate shot glasses. They were on fire.
"This is called the birthday cake" the bartender said setting them down "it is expected that the celebrant make a wish, blow out the flame and drink"
Both women picked theirs up.
"Thank you for the drink" the blonde woman said raising hers
"Happy birthday" said the other. They clinked glasses, blew out the flame and drank.
Some time later the two women still sat together, legs crossed and laughing.
"Do you want another?" The dark haired woman asked
"I think I've had enough, but thank you. You're very generous, Regina"
"It's nothing, and it's your birthday, Emma" she replied
"I think I am going to go home" Emma said, picking up her handbag. Regina nodded but looked disappointed.
"I have enjoyed talking with you, so thank you for brightening my evening" she said
"You could come with me an we can carry on talking" Emma replied.
She was standing now, one hand on the barstool, leaning slightly. Regina looked at her. Her dress was black, it sparkled and was understated at the same time as showing her off. Regina looked for what she could sense but couldn't see. There was something different about her, something intangible. She was cheeky and confident but not false or pretentious. She couldn't put her finger on it, but she felt something that made her want to stay in Emma's company as long as possible.
She smiled and lifted her hand.
"Ok" she said. The bartender appeared with a leather wallet. Regina signed the bill, hardly looking.
"My apartment isn't far from here" Emma said and thanked the doorman. Regina passed him a note as she stepped through the door and he bowed his head in thanks.
The streetlight and neon signs shone on the reflections of that last downpour. Emma guided them through the streets. They passed through an ornate Victorian alleyway, past a tiny, ancient pub crammed into a corner of the square they entered.
Regina felt she was seeing a whole new side to the city she had lived in for 10 years.
They walked up a winding road past big name designer shops. Regina knew this street but not at night, glazed with the orange streetlight and deserted.
Emma lead them briefly through Chinatown.
"This is a shortcut" she said to Regina as they passed a bakery "and that is the best bakery in the whole city" she said as they passed Ho's. Regina made a mental note.
As they walked they talked about what felt like everything and nothing at all.
"What do you like about the city?" Emma asked
"It's very convenient. It's not too big but it has everything you could want" Regina replied "yourself?"
"I like its personality" Emma said.
Regina smiled. Emma seemed to have such a different outlook than her. With anyone else Regina might have found it alienating or at least annoying, but Emma was an open book. She was frank and thoughtful whereas Regina was perceptive and careful.
"I have seen a different city tonight" Regina replied "I had never noticed it had a...personality"
"We're here" Emma stopped at a wide, painted staircase. They had come out of Chinatown and down a wide and well-lit alley off a street crowded with Friday night revellers.
Regina had not expected the building to be...well...anything. It looked disused. Doubts crept quietly into her mind.
At the top of the steps Emma swiped her key fob and opened the door. The glass was dark hiding an empty lobby behind it. There was no desk, no seating area but a low table furnished with magazines Regina had never heard of.
Emma's heels clipped across the floor and she pressed the lift button.
"I don't know who leaves them there. Probably some architect or designer type." She said watching the other woman take in every detail.
The lift arrived and Regina followed Emma inside. Emma pressed 15.
"Penthouse?" Regina asked. Emma laughed "not quite".
They arrived at a nondescript door in a nondescript hallway. Regina wondered if she would get lost here. Everything looked the same.
"Here it is, home sweet home" Emma said opening the door and walking through.
Regina followed and closed the door. The apartment opened up in front of them. There was no hallway, they stood in the living room. Emma walked in and threw her keys into a bowl on the coffee table surrounded by low sofas. The kitchen was around the corner, separated by a low wall. Emma hung her coat and walked into the kitchen.
She opened a cupboard to take out two wine glasses and watched Regina take the apartment in the same way she did the hall, though her expression had grown more pleasing.
"So are you staying for a drink?" Emma asked. Regina came into the kitchen.
"That would be nice" she said. Emma smiled at her phrasing. So formal and proper even while standing in the apartment of a stranger she just met in a bar.
"Good" Emma said "red or white?" She asked.
"Red, always" Regina replied.
"Really? You don't like white at all?" Emma asked, reaching for a bottle from the rack on the wall. Regina watched her form stretch. Emma turned in time to see Regina watching her and put the bottle down.
"Do you even want a drink?" She asked
"Not really" Regina replied.
Emma walked over to the other woman and kissed her dark red lips. It only lasted a couple of seconds and she broke away.
"Are you still staying?" Emma asked. Regina nodded. Emma smiled
"Well it would be rude of me not to take your coat then" she said, untying the belt of Regina's jacket.
It was silly, and Regina usually hated silly things, but Emma had a way of being silly that just made her adorable, impossible to push away. She let her take her coat off. She hung the coat with hers on a hook on the wall.
"Do you want to see something cool?" Emma asked
"Why not?" Regina replied.
Emma took her hand and they entered another room. The lights were off and the curtains drawn. Emma let go of her hand to pull the curtains back.
They revealed a whole wall of windows and the view was extraordinary. Modern skyscrapers built a light box backdrop to the city dotted with beautiful domes, glass arcades, old red brick factory buildings that still had the lettering painted on the outside. The river that ran through the city reflected it all back, a shimmering vein. The pulse of the city.
"That's incredible" Regina said making her way to the window. S
he hardly recognised it at all. The city Emma lived in seemed so vibrant and new, juxtaposed and enticing. They stood appreciating the view for a while.
Perhaps it was the drinks, the bar, the midnight walk, the unexpected ease of being with this unknown woman or the vision before her but Regina felt dazzled, romanticising everything they did. It was unlike her, it felt alien and she did not know where it came from. She was charmed.
She looked at the blonde woman who was obviously pleased at her reaction.
"That thing you did in the kitchen" Regina said. Emma's brow wrinkled
"Kissed you?" She asked
"Do it again" Regina said. Emma smiled and leant down to kiss her. She kissed her slowly, tempting her lips open, playful and teasing.
She pressed her against the glass. They pushed and pulled and lost their clothes and Regina pushed Emma away from the widow.
"Someone could see" she said.
"So?" Emma asked.
"Oh look, a bed" Regina said as she pushed Emma back into it.
"Ok" Emma laughed falling back. Regina was on her. Emma ran her hands along Regina's thighs, her thumbs on the inside as she made her way up.
"Ah ah" Regina said picking Emma's hands up and pushing them back over her head.
"What?" Emma asked, her eyes lusting for the woman on top of her
"Me first" Regina said. Emma strained against her but stopped as Regina kissed her. First on the mouth, then up her neck, then her ear. Emma gasped as she felt Regina's teeth graze her ear then her lips and tongue apologising. Goosebumps covered Emma's body. Regina's free hand wandered, feeling, squeezing, her nails grazing Emma's reactive skin.
Regina felt Emma roll underneath her. She slipped her hand under the band of Emma's underwear.
Emma let out another gasp. Regina kissed her neck as Emma moaned. She tingled all over in anticipation. Emma rolled herself on Regina's hand, telling her what she wanted. Regina gave in and let Emma's hands go.
Emma rolled Regina onto her back, flung her underwear away and straddled her. She guided Regina's fingers inside her and rocked her hips. She bent over Regina to kiss, lick, bite whatever of Regina's skin she could reach. To both of their enjoyment she found nipples to kiss and suck.
Regina moaned and drove harder into Emma. Emma leant back her arms above her head, unable to do anything but take in that moment. Regina used this angle to rub Emma with her thumb. Emma worked faster and faster until she shook and cried out.
She fell to one side and lay next to Regina, breathing heavily.
"My god" she said "I need a minute" she said with her eyes closed
"Ok" Regina said "but that's all you're getting." Emma reached up and pulled the other woman closer.
She kissed her deeply and the agonising burn between them grew. Before long Emma was on top of Regina again.
The sky began to lighten over the cityscape. Emma was slowly, unbearably slowly working her way in and out if Regina who lay helpless to her efforts. Emma distantly noticed the light in the room changing.
"Come here" Emma said. She stood and pulled Regina to her feet. She sighed as she saw the lightening sky, she had been there for hours.
Emma stood with her back on the window. She pulled Regina closer and they kissed. Emma kissed her neck and heard a low, deep rumble of pleasure. She kissed her chest, her stomach and finally, what she really wanted.
Regina leant into the window and moaned as she felt Emma's tongue inside her. She watched the clouds illuminated in searing orange, she watched the light explode onto glass buildings and deep red manoeuvre in the sky. She tried to concentrate on the beautiful vista, to hold on as long as she could as Emma kissed and licked and sucked.
Finally Regina's outstretched hands turned to fists, her eyes shut tightly, her head went back and her back arched.
The brim of the sun burst over the top of the horizon and light screamed into the room. Regina came to a shuddering climax and gold light crackled all over her skin.
She fell, slowly and gently and Emma curled around her as she recovered her overwhelmed senses.
Emma stroked her skin as she watched city birds whirl and revel in the new day. She kissed her head and watched the night shadows of the buildings creep away.
After a while Regina stirred.
"Can I close the curtains?" she asked.
"Why?" Emma asked.
'Because it will never be this beautiful again and I don't want to watch it fade into sadness' she thought.
"Ok" Emma said, taking Regina's answer from her silence.
In the dark room they wrapped once again around each other. They fell asleep, bodies exhausted, hearts full and fingers intertwined.