After making sure Piper got into her house safely, Alex turned around to walk back to Three Doors Down. She is still breathing heavily and her heart is pounding away in her chest after the kiss she just shared with Piper. Alex has kissed her fair share of beautiful women in her lifetime, but she can honestly say that this one was different in the most awesome way.
Normally, if a date ended with a kiss like that, Alex would have closed the deal and fucked the girl senseless, slipping out in the middle of the night so she didn't have to deal with the morning after. Alex does not really do relationships, she prefers to keep things casual sort of "friends with benefits" if you will. With Piper, Alex finds herself craving more. There is a deeper almost inevitable connection that Alex already feels with this woman that she has only known a little over twenty-four hours. Of course she wants to have sex with her, but she does not feel the need to jump into bed. Plus Piper is new to being with a woman, so she wants to take it slow. "Whoa, where did that come from," Alex mutters to herself as she nears the bar, "Since when does Alex Vause take things slow?" At about 11:00, Alex walks back into the bar rubbing her hands together from the cold.
"Hey Vause, back so soon? I didn't expect you back until at least 2:00 A.M. what with the way the two of you were eye fucking over there all night and everything!" Nicky teased from behind the bar. "Shut up Nicky, everything is not always about sex you know," answers Alex. "Okay who are you and what have you done with Alex Vause?" Nicky chuckles, "Have you been brainwashed or something?" Alex sighs and simply says "It's different with her—she's different," and she walks toward the back to begin the weekly inventory before the weekend leaving Nicky staring wide eyed and open mouthed after her.
Piper is lying in her bed thinking about her kiss with Alex. She has never felt that way after a kiss before. Piper thinks back to all the kisses she has had in her lifetime, from the first one with Andrew Spiellmann when she was twelve, the many men and women she kissed at parties in college, to the final kiss she shared with Larry three days ago and not one of them made her feel the way she did after kissing Alex. Just then a text comes through, it is from Alex.
Alex: Goodnight Pipes…Sweet Dreams
Piper smiles at Alex's second use of the nickname tonight,
Piper: Goodnight Al
Piper drifts off to sleep holding her phone to her chest and smiling.
Piper wakes up a half hour before her alarm feeling incredibly rested. When she remembers the rather steamy dream she was having that included Alex and some whipped cream, she blushes and gets out of bed. She decides since she is up early, she will go for a run before work. Piper pulls on a pair of black running pants, a gray sweatshirt, and her favorite pair of Brooks running shoes before setting off on her three mile route. The weather is surprisingly mild for mid-December as her phone says that it is 42 degrees. Piper pushes herself to the limit and finishes the three miles in just over 22 minutes. That left just enough time for Piper to shower and grab some breakfast before heading to work.
Fridays are usually pretty easy days for Piper at work because the doctor likes to get an early start on his weekend and never schedules any appointments past 2:00. This should allow Piper enough time to get everything she needs to done before Alex arrives to pick her up at 7:00. Once the workday is over, Piper schedules an appointment for a manicure and a wax. She wants to be properly groomed and presentable if this date goes the way she hopes it will.
Next, she pulls up the contacts on her phone and begins scrolling through to the R's. Reznikov—there it is. Piper hits send and waits for the call to connect. Galina "Red" Reznikov has been a sort of mother figure to Piper since she spent most of Piper's childhood working as the cook for the Chapman family. While Pipers own mother is often cold and aloof with Piper, Red is just the opposite, very warm and always ready with a great big hug. Red left the job with the Chapmans when Piper was seventeen to realize her dream of opening her own restaurant, but has always kept in touch with Piper and Cal. She named her restaurant Red's Russian Steakhouse, and the food is always to die for. Red answers on the third ring.
"Piper! What a surprise, how good to hear from you! How are you?" says Red in her thick Russian accent.
"Hi Red, I'm great. How are things going with Dmitri and your restaurant?"
"Dmitri is wonderful and our restaurant is doing very well also. You know it has been way too long since you have been by to see me…"
"Yes, I know that is why I am calling actually. I know it's Friday and last minute, but do you think you could squeeze me in for a reservation for dinner tonight at around 7:30?"
"Of course we can squeeze you in, will it be for you and your fiancé—what's his name…"
"His name is Larry, but we aren't together anymore Red," Piper speaks hurriedly, "but I will be bringing someone special with me tonight."
"Great, I can't wait to meet this special someone, I will have a special table ready for you tonight at 7:30," answers Red.
"Thank you, I really appreciate this Red. See you tonight!"
With that taken care of she decides to text Alex with some details for their date.
Piper: Hey about tonight…
Alex: You're not canceling on me are you?
Piper: NO! Absolutely not!
Alex: Okay, where are we going?
Piper: It's a surprise- but you are not a vegetarian are you?
Alex: No, I'm definitely a meat eater
Piper: Good, oh and casual dress is fine—see you at 7:00
Alex: Ok can't wait.
Piper arrives back home at about 5:00 and decides to relax in a bath before getting ready for her date. Piper lights some candles and pours her favorite Popi bath salts into a tub of warm running water before settling in to soak. About an hour later Piper is looking through her closet trying to decide what to wear when she finally settles on a pair of tight gray pants, a red off the shoulder top, and a pair of suede ankle boots. She is just putting the finishing touches on her makeup with a deep red lipstick to match her top when she hears a knock at her door. Her heart begin to beat faster in her chest and she gets a giddy feeling that she hasn't had since she was a teenager heading out on her first date. Piper ran to the door, took a deep breath, and opened the door.
Nothing had prepared her for how hot Alex would look and she just stood there staring for a minute before Alex said, "Uh Pipes, you think I could come in, it's kinda cold out here?" Piper blushed and apologized, "Of course come in, you look amazing by the way." Alex was wearing a pair of tight leather pants and as she pulled off her jacket, Piper saw she was wearing a deep green halter style top that was exactly the same shade as her eyes. She had winged eyeliner, blood red lips, and those sexy secretary glasses she had on last night. "You look pretty hot yourself Pipes," said Alex as she let her eyes travel all over the length of the blonde's body. She grabs Piper's hands and pulls her close for a kiss. The kiss quickly deepens and Piper brushes her tongue along Alex's lips seeking entrance as she starts running her hands through her raven hair, while Alex lets her hands roam down to Piper's hips. They continue to kiss for several more minutes until Alex smirks and pulls away. "I have been thinking about doing that again ever since I left last night," whispers Alex in that sexy voice of hers, "but I think we should get going before I rip off your clothes right here in your kitchen!" Piper's eyes widen as she looks at her clock, "Holy Shit! It's 7:15-we have reservations at 7:30!" Piper grabs Alex's hand pulling her out the door.
"So where are we headed? I have my car parked right down the block, or are we going to walk?" asks Alex.
Piper smiles, "We are going to a restaurant owned by a very dear friend of mine. If we walk fast, I think we can make it and not have to fight all the Friday night traffic."
Piper grabs Alex's hand and the women set out on the ten minute walks to Red's Russian Steakhouse.