As Doris departed from Olivia's office the morning after her tryst with Blake, the hotelier's advice ran through her head over and over again. Go back and talk to Blake. The mayor's original plan, not that there had been much of one, was to ease out of the redhead's bed and back into her usual life as if nothing had happened. While she couldn't deny that Blake had made her feel things the night before that she hadn't felt in years, Doris wasn't naïve to the potential consequences of any continued involvement with the town's most notorious gossip.
It would be political suicide, Doris acknowledged. An open relationship with Blake Marler meant that she would certainly be abandoned by her political party, that she could kiss her hopes of reelection goodbye. Hell, she'd be lucky to find a position with the District Attorney's office, given all the bridges she'd burned over the years. All of her hard work, the endless scheming and maneuvering necessary to get to where she stood today would be for nothing. Was she willing to give up her status and position for the sake of a fling?
But that's not all you're afraid of, is it Dori girl? What if this isn't just a fling? Doris remembered the events of the night before. Joking with Blake at the gala, the moment when their lips met in the elevator, holding the beautiful redhead in her arms throughout the night. The intensity of the pleasure they had gifted each other with was so exquisite and so overwhelming, even the next day. This was already more than just sex. At least, it was to Doris. That's why I wrote her that note, against my better judgment.
These troubled thoughts continued to furrow Doris's brow as she rounded the hotel corridor towards the elevators – where she suddenly bumped into Blake.
"Hey," Doris managed to whisper, catching her breath after the unexpected sight of Blake. She smiled at the redhead's slightly disheveled state, knowing that Blake must have dressed in a hurry. Doris was tempted to reach out again to run her hands through the tangle of Blake's hair, but managed to stop herself. Just barely.
If Blake was surprised to see Doris again so soon, she recovered quickly. "Hi," she smiled shyly, leaning her hip against the wall. Her eyes roamed the mayor's suit, which was wrinkled from having been thrown on the floor. She reached out, just as she had done the night before, to remove a piece of lint from Doris's shoulder. "Looks like you had a wild night," she teased.
Doris's knees went weak for a moment and she wondered if Blake knew the effect she was having on her. Fresh from the shower, the redhead smelled clean and her skin was flushed. All Doris could think about in that moment was taking Blake's hand and leading her back to the suite so that they could make love for the rest of the day.
Shaking her head, Doris tried to center her thoughts in order to gain some control over the conversation. "Do you have a minute?" she asked after clearing her throat.
Blake checked her watch. "Sure – I just have to be at Company by nine."
"Good!" Doris practically shouted. "I mean, good," she said a little more quietly. "I just wanted to say that I enjoyed our time together last night."
Blake made a face that Doris thought was somewhere between surprise and joy. "Me too," she answered back, nodding her head and moving in closer.
Doris took a small step back before the redhead could completely invade her personal space. "I just…I want you to know that I don't usually do that."
"Sleep with redheads?" Blake asked coyly, her eyebrow raised. "I heard that blondes were more your type," she teased. Doris looks cute when she's flustered, the redhead thought to herself.
The mayor smiled, looking down at her shoes. "No. I mean, I don't usually sleep with women who, technically, are in an excellent position to hurt me." She looked up at Blake before making a face of mock alarm. "Wait! Who says I like blondes?!"
Blake laughed at Doris's joke before reaching for her hand – she couldn't stop herself. "So you think I'll hurt you?" she asked, looking up at Doris through batted eyelashes.
"Occupational hazard," Doris shrugged, "as I'm sure you'll remember from your time in politics. They say that the country's gotten more progressive, but not from where I stand. This is still a hot button issue for most of my constituents – Springfield isn't exactly San Francisco."
Blake looked down at their joined hands, at the intimate nature of their fingers entwined together. She wondered why her heart was pounding. "I know you don't think of us as friends. The truth is that we're barely acquaintances, despite the fact that we've known each other for so long. Most of the time, I'm just your waitress. But I …"
Doris interrupted Blake by lifting her chin so that they were suddenly looking each other in the eyes. "I don't need you to make any promises. I've been around long enough to know that people will hurt each other if there is profit to be gained," she said quietly, thinking about the time that Olivia, now her best friend, blackmailed her in order to move up Phillips's court date. "I just want you to know that my job is everything to me – something I worked for my whole life. Now that Ashlee's in California, that's even truer. I'm just not ready to give that up. Not yet. If you care about me, even a little bit, you will keep this to yourself. For now."
"I understand," Blake nodded, her heart suddenly filled with dread.
Doris nodded back, letting out the breath she had been holding. She tapped the down button on the elevator and the women entered, riding in silence down to the lobby. Just before the doors could open, Blake quickly turned to kiss Doris on the cheek.
"Meatloaf special today – your favorite. Stop by if you get hungry," she whispered in the mayor's ear before departing the elevator without looking back.
Doris stood rooted to the spot as the elevator doors closed in front of her.
Blake drove out of the Beacon parking lot, lost in thought. She berated herself for flirting with Doris – it would only complicate things. But for some reason, the redhead couldn't help herself. Regardless of what she had planned, she couldn't deny the way her heart raced when Doris stumbled upon her in the hallway outside the elevators. How she had momentarily longed to ease the mayor out of her suit and back into bed…
BZZZ BZZZ BZZZ
Blake looked down, startled by the buzzing of her phone. "Yeah?" she answered, annoyed and frustrated when she saw who was calling.
"Do you have it?" The voice was masculine. Deep and serious. Deadly serious.
"I told you, I need time to review the film."
"I'm starting to get impatient," the voice threatened.
"Listen, I have a shift at Company now. I'll be in touch tonight – I promise."
"Just remember what's in this for you… I think you'll find that the reward is worth the cost." The voice laughed menacingly.
"I know, I know," Blake answered darkly, shaking her head. "I won't forget."
"Be sure that you don't," the voice intoned before dropping the call.
Blake pulled into the lot at Company, shaken. Suddenly sick to her stomach, the redhead wondered if she would be able to go through with the plan.
As Natalia watched Doris Wolfe covertly sneak out of Olivia's office at the Beacon that morning, she did her best to tamp down the jealousy that flared in her heart. Olivia and Doris had always shared an unusual kind of friendship and while Natalia was grateful that Doris had been there for Olivia in her time of need – where would they be if she hadn't? – something about their kinship made her uneasy. Doris was rich and powerful and snarky and tempestuous… just like Olivia. They almost had too much in common for Natalia's liking.
She let herself into the suite and made sure she was smiling by the time Olivia looked up from her paperwork.
"Well, this is a nice surprise!" Olivia shook her head, laughing. "In fact, it's been a morning of surprises."
"You forgot your lunch so I thought I'd drop it by. Chicken and rice – your favorite." Natalia grinned and set the lunch bag down on Olivia's desk. "And what do you mean it's been a morning of surprises?"
"I don't think you'd believe me if I told you," Olivia laughed again. She rose from the desk and approached Natalia, wrapping her arms around the younger woman's waist.
"Doris got lucky last night!" she exclaimed.
"She did?! With who?" Inside, Natalia was secretly thinking, Thank God.
"Guess…" Olivia kissed her wife.
"Olivia…just tell me. Please." Natalia kissed Olivia back with enough intensity that the hotelier acquiesced.
"Blake Marler."
"Oh no she didn't!" Natalia exclaimed. "I had no idea…"
"Me neither!" Olivia took a seat on the bed, pulling Natalia down to sit beside her.
"So…" Natalia uttered, her eyes still wide.
"So is right!" Olivia laughed again.
"I mean…does that mean that they're…together…or dating?" Natalia asked quizzically, trying to find the right words.
"I don't know. Doris left this morning before Blake got up, but I told her she should go back and talk it out. They need to figure out…what they are, if anything. It's… complicated, obviously."
"It sure is," Natalia agreed, stroking Olivia's hand absently.
"I hope she doesn't get hurt," they said simultaneously.
"Me too," Olivia agreed. "I mean, I hope Doris doesn't get hurt. You were talking about Doris, right?"
"Well, no. I mean, yes. I mean…" Natalia rambled. "I hope neither of them gets hurt. But this is probably Blake's first time with a woman and she's likely feeling vulnerable after her break-up with Frank. I hope Doris didn't take advantage of that. I mean, Doris told you herself that she wasn't ready to be out yet, which indicates to me that this whole thing was just a fling…"
Olivia gritted her teeth, trying not to get mad at what Natalia was implying about her best friend. "Maybe. But, if you think about it, Doris is much more likely to be hurt by this. What are the chances that Blake is interested in anything more than some tipsy experimentation? It's not nice to tease the lesbians…"
"Oh, I don't think Blake would do anything like that…" Natalia began.
"Really? You don't know Blake's history; not like I do."
"And you don't have a history?" Natalia challenged.
"Point taken. But I still say you're too trusting…" Olivia shook her head.
"It's a good thing for you I am!" Natalia laughed.
Olivia smiled at her beautiful wife before turning serious. "Well, Blake had better not hurt her. If I find out that this is all just some…I don't know…"
"Calm down," Natalia insisted, stroking Olivia's cheek. "Let's just see how this plays out. Maybe it will be the best thing that ever happened to either of them."
"You are a hopeless romantic, Natalia Rivera," Olivia sighed, leaning into the brunette's touch.
"You bet I am," Natalia agreed, with enthusiasm. "Besides, what's the worst that could happen?"
TBC