It took Stella a minute to remember where she knew the woman from. But eventually it came back to her, and she tried not to sigh as she realized that she was dealing with one of Flack's ex-girlfriends. Devon was busy ranting and raving about the crime she had witnessed - unfortunately, she seemed to only care about the inconvenience it had caused her and not about the victim who was lying on the street with a bullet hole in his forehead.
The detective was so caught up in her own thoughts that she didn't even notice when Devon stopped talking and just stared at her. When she did finally realize that the incessant rambling had stopped, she frowned at the woman.
"Are you okay?"
Devon frowned. "I know you."
Stella sighed. "Yeah. I was on the case when your place got broken into a couple years -"
"No," the socialite cut her off. "It's something else." She continued to stare until realization dawned on her face, and she snapped her fingers. "I've seen you with Don! That's where I know you from! You're his new girlfriend!" Stella opened her mouth to respond, though she had no idea what she could possibly say, but Devon cut her off again. Hands on her hips, the petite redhead arched her eyebrow. "Don't think that makes you special. Don has plenty of lovers on his belt. One more isn't going to rock his world."
Forcing herself to remain calm, Stella inwardly vowed to punch Flack for dating such insufferable women in his past. Glancing back down at her notebook, she finished her comments on what Devon had witnessed.
"Charming," she muttered.
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"Dinner was really good," Flack commented as he brought the last of the dishes to the kitchen.
Stella stood over the sink, washing up the dishes and setting them on the rack to dry. She looked over her shoulder and gave him a small smile. "I'm glad you liked it."
He came up behind her, resting his hands on her hips and setting his chin on her shoulder. "Something's bothering you," he said quietly.
"I'm fine."
"Don't," he whispered, squeezing her hips lightly.
Stella sighed, her hands stilling in the water. "For once, could you just not know me as well as you do?"
"But I like knowing you," he murmured. She smiled at that, and Don decided to push it a little further. "Rough case?"
She shook her head. "Not really. An enraged husband walked up to his wife's lover and shot him in the head. Open and shut."
Flack slid his hands down her arms until his fingers tangled with hers under the water. "Then what's wrong?"
She knew that she could still deny that anything was bothering her, but truth be told, Stella wanted to tell Don. They were always honest with each other, and she had gotten used to going to him when something was on her mind - he was the one person that could always put her at ease, no matter what was wrong.
"One of your ex-girlfriends was a witness."
Don sighed and closed his eyes. "Which one?"
"Devon."
He took a deep breath, bracing himself. "Did she say anything to you?"
Stella nodded. "She recognized me."
"From a case?"
"No. Apparently she's seen us out together. She knows we're together."
"What did she say, Stell?"
She kept her eyes focused on the water. "Basically? That I shouldn't think too highly of myself because I'm just another notch in your belt."
And there it was. Flack suddenly saw the insecurities that Stella had been carrying around for the past four months, and how much they pained her. Tightening his hold on her hands, he lifted them out of the water before turning her around. She kept her gaze locked on his throat, and Flack took her face in his hands until her eyes met his.
"And you want to know if we're more than just lovers?" he asked gently.
"I know how I feel," she whispered. "But -"
"I'm all in this, Stell," he said firmly. "You drive me crazy in the best possible way, and I don't wanna imagine my life without you. You're not just my girlfriend, or my lover - you're my best friend. And that is somethin' NONE of the others have been." He smiled, brushing back her hair, marveling at how long it had gotten. "You're so much more than them, Stell."
Kissing her softly, Don pulled her close, trying to convince her with his actions that there was nowhere else he'd rather be, no one else he'd rather be with. Stella wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss, sighing at the taste of him, and realizing that she was completely and utterly lost. When they pulled back, she rested her face in the crook of his neck, soaking in his warmth.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I shouldn't have let it get to me."
"You got nothin' to apologize for, Stell. Devon was the bitch." He paused, smiling. "I'm sorry I dated such awful women."
Stella laughed. "I was hoping you'd say that. Because some of them were really bad, Don."
He kissed her forehead and looked down at her. "But now I got you," he murmured.
She smiled, kissing him again. "Definitely a step up," she whispered.
