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Passengers

by crASHed aka Vendetta17

Part 2

Andy had expected plenty, her imagination ranged from Miranda wordlessly storming out of their compartment, over Miranda offering a fake laugh and declaring Andy insane, up to Miranda opening the train window and wordlessly tossing Andy into the fly-by countryside. She did not, however, expect the feeling of Miranda's lips on her own. Andy was too startled at first to respond; while this was the outcome she'd dreamed about, she had naturally dismissed it as an utter delusion. Yet, here she was and Miranda's lips were soft and her scent was intoxicating to Andy. After a short moment frozen in time, Andy began to respond to Miranda in kind. She moved her lips slowly at first; still a little wary on whether or not this was indeed happening.

Miranda had a brief flash of mortification and considered withdrawing, when Andréa had shown no reaction to her kiss. But, Andréa's belated response and her own pure lust and longing pushed her on as she wrapped her arms around Andréa's neck, who in turn pulled her closer, drawing her out of her seat and effectively having Miranda straddle her lap. Miranda felt as if her heart was about to jump out of her chest and her labored breathing sounded unnaturally loud in the otherwise quiet train compartment. Andréa's hands held her around her waist, started to pull her even closer and Miranda released a helpless groan once she felt her body pressed closely against Andréa's torso. Miranda dipped her head and Andréa took this opportunity to slide her tongue into Miranda's mouth. Heat shot through Miranda's body and her stomach dropped. Andréa's taste made her head spin and she tightened her hold on Andréa's shoulders, squeezing lightly.

Their tongues continued their heated duel, all the while Andy's hands started to roam up and down Miranda's back. Miranda's groan and the first touch of her tongue had Andy's stomach turning in circles and heat was spreading all over her body. Miranda was a sensory delight and their kiss was the most erotic experience of Andy's life. She'd never before been kissed with such focused intent and yet a desperate manner. With her arousal reaching new heights by the second, Andy loathed the notion of ending their kiss. Nevertheless, she did remember their location and was aware that Miranda likely had one of her assistants running around the train, and that said assistant could come back any minute. With infinite care and regret, Andy slowed down their kiss, going back once more for a quick press of her lips against Miranda's, and finally she pulled away. While Andy stopped the kiss, she did not immediately let go of Miranda. When she opened her eyes and saw the dilated pupils of Miranda's hazy gaze, she had to stop herself from diving right back in for another kiss. Miranda had an expression of pure sensuality on her face and Andy felt her body react viscerally to such an open display of longing and desire.

"Miranda," Andy whispered, stroking Miranda's cheek and smiling at the still dazed look of the other woman.

"Andréa," Miranda voiced breathlessly, a sudden smile spreading across her features, startling Andy with its intensity.

"Wow, uh, I," Andy shook her head trying to dispel her bout of speechlessness. "As much as I would love to continue, I am sure you had sent your assistant on an errand or something?" Andy gazed meaningful at Miranda, who looked stunned for a second, then immediately withdrew from Andy, returning to her own seat. Reality had erased Miranda's smile and instead brought back the face she wore to face her enemies at Runway. Andy was having none of that behavior.

"No, Miranda, listen." Andy reached out and captured Miranda's hands. "I don't regret what happened and I know, in your heart, you do not regret it either. Please, don't let your mind talk you out of this before we ever had the chance to find out what is going on between us. To what all of this could lead to. Please, Miranda," Andy begged, refusing to lose the bliss she had just come to know.

Miranda closed her eyes and sighed. She could hardly believe how carried away she had gotten that she'd had to rely on Andréa to keep her head and remember that Emily could come back at any moment. Andréa was grasping her hands and pleading with her newly warmed her heart. It was not because she enjoyed to see people pleading with her, well, coming to think about it that wholly depended on who did the pleading, her mind interjected with a snort. No, Andréa's reaction to Miranda's perceived withdrawal showed her that Andréa cared about her, that she wanted more than just to bed her former boss.

"Yes, you are right, Andréa. Emily should be back any minute. After discovering you here, she hurried off, to try and find another compartment for me." Miranda squeezed Andréa's hands and slowly started to withdraw her hands from Andréa's grip.

"That's all?" Andréa asked wide-eyed. "I mean, you're not upset about what just happened here?" she started wildly to gesticulate between herself and Miranda.

Hearing her signature dismissal coming from a confused and utterly frustrated Andréa released something in Miranda and she couldn't stop the laugh that bubbled up from within. She threw her head back and laughed out loud, much to Andréa's continued bewilderment.

"No, I am not upset and believe me, Andréa, that was not all. But, I think it should be all for now, since we are in a somewhat public location. Once we arrive at our destination, I am sure we can pick up where we left off, don't you think?" Miranda enjoyed the blush that immediately covered Andréa's lovely features once the young woman had registered the meaning of Miranda's words.

Before Andréa could reply, the compartment door swung open, revealing a frazzled looking Emily.

"I am sorry Miranda, but this is the only compartment in the whole train that has any seats left."

"Do you believe I am interested in hearing about your incompetence?" Miranda sniffed, looking at Emily with disdain.

"No, of course not, Miranda," Emily replied immediately, glancing down at her Louboutins.

"Well, do something useful, for once. I am sure there must be coffee somewhere on this abysmal locomotive?" Miranda huffed, looking out of the window, effectively dismissing Emily who nodded and hurried away as if someone had just set her couture on fire.

"Some things never change, huh?" Andréa shook her head, suppressing a small smile.

"Why ever should they, Andréa? I do hope you had not imagined that I would magically become a nicer person after kissing you?" Miranda huffed and raised one perfectly coiffed eyebrow at Andréa.

"Oh no, Miranda, don't worry. I never even contemplated such illusions. Besides, I like you just the way you are. Bark, bite and claws." Andréa offered smiling.

"Really Andréa, you make me sound like an animal, an unruly one at that." Miranda huffed. That willful girl. She was going to give her a run for her money, and as if you'd want it any other way, her mind replied, which caused Miranda to send a devious smile in Andréa's direction.

Andréa started to smirk at Miranda's devilish expression, which quickly turned into a gigglish laugh, a laugh that spread over her whole face and made her eyes twinkle. Miranda was shocked to realize, not just, how much she had missed Andréa's laugh, but also the feeling of warmth that spread through her entire being at the sight of Andréa's amusement.

"So, uh, how…let's see. You said you were going to meet with a new designer, right?" Andréa started once her laughing spell had subsided.

"Yes, Andréa," Miranda gave her an indulgent little smile. It was adorable that Andréa seemed to still be incredibly nervous around her, not that Miranda would ever admit to finding anything adorable, naturally. Still, she could not help but feel a certain amount of trepidation at the notion that, given their tumultuous past and her own hardship with personal relationships it may be exceedingly hard for them to achieve a relationship of equal footing. Given their age difference, there always would be some basic inequality at play. Yet, that did not really mean that the age difference alone would make an equitable relationship impossible.

"Ok, so, what is your destination on this trip?" Andréa asked, continuing the relaxed small talk and returning Miranda's smile.

"The same as you, Aix-en-Provence." Miranda sighed, as her head reeled with the sheer impossibility of meeting Andréa in such a manner.

"Wow, that's quite a coincidence," Andréa's eyes went wide, and narrowed immediately, as if she was contemplating something.

"Quite, Andréa. Nevertheless, I am very suspicious of coincidences, I do not really believe in them" Miranda sniffed and turned to gaze out of the window ponderingly.

"So, maybe we could meet up, after you are done with your meeting? Or, I mean, how long will you stay here? When do you have to be back in New York?" Andréa suddenly looked worried at the thought that their time together would be cut shorter than expected.

"I am scheduled to ride back tomorrow afternoon and my flight to New York will leave the following morning. I doubt that the meeting with Placide will last all afternoon. Theoretically, we could have dinner at my hotel, if you're amicable." Miranda's gaze left Andréa and returned to the window.

"What does theoretically mean? Oh…" Andréa paused, cutting off her own question. "…wait, what did you say the name of the designer was; the one you're meeting?" Andréa asked startled.

Miranda narrowed her eyes dubiously, "Placide, Charlotte Placide. Why, Andréa? Do you know her?"

Andréa swallowed compulsively and lowered her gaze, trying to comprehend what was going on.

Charlotte? Why is she going to see Charlotte? Her mind screeched, unable to process this new information. Miranda was looking at her with one of her famous icy glares. Why did she have to be so dubitable anyway? Andy wondered. Then, suddenly, the coin dropped and she realized what Miranda was insinuating, she thought that Andy was behind all this.

Swallowing her nerves, intent on setting it right, Andy lifted her hands, to try to stop Miranda's ire.

"Yes, Miranda, I do know Charlotte. She is the cousin I told you about earlier."

Miranda's lips pursed and her eyes remained narrowed, she was about to say something when Andy interrupted her.

"No, no, listen to me, Miranda. I did not know that you would be here on the train today and I didn't know that you were on your way to meeting Charlotte. In fact, I didn't even know that Charlotte was a designer to begin with, so it would never have occurred to me that you were talking about her."

Miranda continued to eye Andy suspiciously for another, seemingly eternal lasting moments, before she huffed, in a very quiet voice,

"What do you mean; you didn't know that Charlotte was a designer? Why are you here, meeting family? Who set this up?"

"Less than two days ago, my uncle Jean literally demanded that I come to Aix-en-Province to help with a family emergency. He never even told me what it was about, just that I needed to get here immediately. He had already arranged my travel and the next thing I knew, I was leaving pretty much the next day."

"Your uncle? Jean Placide?"

"No, his name is Jean Martin," Andy replied confused. "Oh, yes, Charlotte kept the last name of her parents."

"He is a dead man." Miranda threatened, before sniffing and pursing her lips once again.

"Miranda?"

"Your uncle was the one who showcased your cousin's designs in Paris. Tell me, Andréa; were you also blatantly unaware that your uncle was a designer?" Miranda's voice chilled Andy to the bones.

"No, I mean, yes, I knew that Jean was a designer." Andy replied contrite.

"Hmm," Miranda hummed, raising a beseeching eyebrow, still not convinced that Andy was as much in the dark about everything as she was making out to be.

"We used to be close, Charlotte and I, when we were younger. But, we sort of drifted apart. I mean, I know that Charlotte always loved to draw, but as I said, I did not know she had started to design clothes."

Miranda raised another eyebrow at Andy's explanation. Slowly Andy started to become annoyed with Miranda's attitude.

"Listen, I swear, I knew nothing of all of this. It still might be a coincidence."

Now Miranda started to laugh and it wasn't a pleasant sound. "Still so naïve, Andréa. I had hoped that you would have lost some of that."

"Yeah, well, some things never change, do they, Miranda?" Andy spat out annoyed.

"There is no reason to be rude, Andréa," Miranda sniffed haughtily.

"Rude? Really, Miranda? You went from kissing me to insinuating that I somehow set this meeting up, that I had somehow manipulated you to be here. I am sorry to disappoint you, but that is just not true."

"So you say," Miranda sniffed.

"Yes, so I say!" Andy exclaimed irritated, leaning further back into her seat, trying to place some distance between herself and that infuriating, yet incredibly beautiful woman. "Besides, it is not a particularly good feeling to realize that you are not really interested in me. I mean, what was that kiss about? Was it out of pity? Or some kind of power play? Or was it an experiment? Did you want to see how far I would go in a public place?" Andy started to rage, her voice resonating loudly in the tiny compartment. Still, she couldn't prevent the hurt from showing in her features and in her ragged, almost broken voice.

"What are you talking about?" Miranda sounded honestly stunned at Andy's outburst and accusations.

"You were the one who said: 'He is a dead man,' if I remember correctly," Andy pressed out. "Fine, this may have been a set-up, and I don't really know who would be involved here and more importantly, why they felt the need to arrange for us to meet again. The fact is, even if it was a set-up, I am neither upset nor do I regret that it happened. I got to see you again, more than that; I've got to touch you, to kiss you. So sorry, but I feel no need to harm or kill whoever was behind this. But, for reason, you do, and that hurts. It tells me what happened here today means a lot more to me than to you."

Miranda stared at Andy for several moments, it was as if she was trying to comprehend who was actually sitting in front of her. Then, she started slowly to shake her head and a little chuckle broke out, startling Andy.

"You foolish girl," Miranda intoned and looked Andy dead in the eyes. "I regret nothing that happened between us. You are neither an experiment nor is this a power play. Moreover, pity, Andréa? Really? If pity was involved, I would think that it would come from you, pitying a foolish old woman who is chasing after a woman half her age." Andy tried to protest, but Miranda waved her off. "I was upset because I loathe to be manipulated and I abhor the very notion of being caught off guard. Whoever planned this did so without me having even the slightest inkling, and that is highly unusual in my world. Moreover, I take great offence, it is completely aggravating, not to mention utterly unacceptable" Miranda sniffed.

Andy could hardly believe her ears. Naturally, she knew Miranda would be upset that someone had outsmarted her. She should have thought of that. Yet, it was hard to think clearly, when such deep emotions were involved.

"Yes, that makes sense. You would be upset about this. Still, you are neither old nor foolish. And believe me, the last thing I do is pity you." The smoldering look Andy sent in Miranda's direction almost made the fashion editor blush.

"Indeed, Andréa," she replied, her voice sounding more hoarse than Andy had ever had the pleasure of hearing.

Emily chose that moment to return to the compartment, with a streaming Styrofoam cup of coffee in her hand.

"Here Miranda," she said, carefully handing the scalding coffee over to the fashion Maven, hoping to escape the lashing for getting back to Miranda in time.

Miranda was too distracted by her conversation with Andréa to even contemplate berating Emily. Instead, she waved Emily off, "Go, and find something to do with your time."

Surprised but elated, Emily nodded and quickly darted away, leaving her boss and the former thorn in her side to continue with whatever it was that they were doing.

Sipping her scorching coffee, Miranda continued to gaze at Andréa, wondering what thoughts were going through her beautiful little head.

"I believe you mentioned dinner?" Andréa smiled at Miranda, changing the subject back to something less awkward.

"Yes, I did. I will be staying at the Villa Gallici, I could let you know when I am done with your cousin, and we can meet in the lobby." Miranda suggested carefully.

"Yes, that sounds great. Do you still have your old cell phone number?"

At Miranda's nod, Andréa smiled, "Great, just let me give you a call right now and you will have my number to call me later tonight."

Miranda nodded again, feeling it unnecessary and not quite prudent to point out that Andréa's new cell phone number was already saved in her phone. Not to mention, following up with the story of how she had terrified her new second assistant with the task of finding and keeping up with Andréa's contact information.

"There, that should do it," Andréa sighed as Miranda silenced her phone call. "Now you've got my number."

Miranda raised an eyebrow at Andréa and felt a smirk threaten her lips,

"Do I, really, Andréa?" She teased.

Andréa immediately turned a very appealing incarnadine, once she appeared to realize how Miranda had interpreted her statement.

"I would think so, Miranda," Andréa answered, surprising Miranda with her daring.

"Well, we shall see, shan't we?" Miranda smiled, it was really too easy to make Andréa blush. She idly wondered if such a blush covered Andréa's whole body. This thought widened her smile and she added it to her agenda to find out.

TBC

Thanks for reading. Comments, critics and concerns are very welcome.