'In the prison transport van I devised a strategy - keep my head down, serve my time, and get the hell out of there. I mentally made a list of all the novels I would read to pass the time. I wasn't there to make enemies or friends. That was the plan at least. That went out the window the day I met Nicky.'
The music was loud, dance floor crowded, and a thick cloud of smoke hovered above. Alex laced their fingers together and hauled Piper toward the back corner. The crowd is dressed in varying costumes. A werewolf dances provocatively with a busty blonde cop while a bumblebee leans into a zombie next to them. That was the thing about Halloween. You could be anything you wanted to be.
"Vause!" A short red head wearing a tiny top hat stood on the ring of her barstool waving them towards her. Once they were closer Piper could see the red head was dressed as the mad-hatter from Alice in Wonderland her arm wrapped around a woman dressed as Alice. She recognized Alice as Alex's receptionist. She looks for Mel and is glad she doesn't spot her.
The mad-hatter nods at Piper. "Nicky." She points to Alice. "This is Lorna." The short brunette places her hand out.
Piper shakes her hand leaning closer to talk over the music. "Piper."
"We know who you are." Flashing Piper a sly smirk.
Piper looks to Alex who is skimming the crowd paying her no mind. "Alex!"
"What?"
"Who are you looking for?" Piper may not admit to the jealously but it is slowly eating away at her.
Alex looks annoyed at first but scoops the blonde up placing her on the stool in front of her leaning into Pipers ear. "I'm here with you, kid. Okay?" She moves far enough away to see Piper nod before whispering in her ear once more. "I'm looking for a waitress, what do you want?" She bites her lip eyeing Alex up and down. "To drink! What do you want to drink?"
"Whatever you're having."
Piper is undressing Alex in her mind when she hears Nicky speak up.
"So, uh, Blondie you own a bookstore?"
Piper turns to face the couple just as the waitress sits four shots in front of them. Alex shifts them around the table before holding her glass up.
"To Orange is the New Black!" Nicky shouts clinking the glasses together.
Piper winces as the shot burns down her throat. "Yea I do. It's called Fables."
"Why would you name it Fables?"
Piper looks at Alex when she answers. "Everyone needs a little too-good-to-be-true in life." Alex gulps down her beer and signals the waitress to bring another round. Nicky smiles amused.
Lorna introduces Piper to a few others from the publishing house. To Pipers relief none of them recognize her and she doesn't know any of them. The group laugh and bullshit about nothing and everything throughout the night. Despite just meeting Nicky and Lorna, Piper feels like she knows them already from reading the book. Witnessing Alex with a friend, someone she truly respects and cares about is new for Piper. Alex had always been an introvert with plenty of acquaintances but far too reserved to consider any of them real friends. This part of her life from prison Piper accepts with ease.
When Alex slams her fourth empty shot glass on the table and excuses herself Piper follows closely behind. Alex doesn't notice her until she is about to close the stall door and Piper invites herself in.
"Hey." Piper wraps her hands around her neck pulling her in for a kiss.
"Pipes." Alex turns away unclenching the blondes hold. "I'm not doing this, not in a bathroom stall."
Piper pouts. "Why would you wear this outfit then?" She leans against the bathroom door. "You already got the hot-sexy-fuck-me-librarian thing with the glasses all the damn time. Why, would you intentionally tease me?"
Alex laughs, unlocking the door to kick her out. "I told you its Halloween."
Piper retreats but not before throwing Alex an angry pent up glare. "Halloween is Wednesday, and next year try being a fucking ghoul!"
Piper continues glaring at Alex throughout the night which she finds highly amusing, intentionally leaning across the blonde more than necessary. Piper grits her teeth making a mental note to repay the favor. The others at the table seem to be completely oblivious to the game the two are playing. That just makes it that much more interesting for Alex.
Just before last call Nicky stumbles out of her seat. "Well I have to get going, early morning of highly stimulating grocery packing."
"Groceries? Thought you said you were a student?"
"I am. That cost money."
Piper leans on her forearms towards Nicky drawing her closer. "Do you like bagging groceries?"
Nicky lets out a loud bark of a laugh. "Fuck no! What kind of question is that?"
Piper smiles at her successful lure, Alex and Lorna watch from the sidelines. "Do you like books?"
Nicky mirrors Piper across the table, one brow arched. "What's your game?"
"I'm short staffed. What do you say about being my assistant manager?"
Nicky looks to Alex to confirm the blonde isn't just pulling her leg. Alex shrugs placing a beer to her lips. "Are you serious? We just met. You know I'm an ex-con, right?"
Piper snorts. "Does it look like I have a problem with ex-cons?" She keeps her gaze with Nicky as she tilts her head towards Alex. "The pay is negotiable and hours flexible. Think about it. Stop by Monday anytime I'll be there all day."
Nicky purses her lips leaning off the table. "You're alright, Blondie." She nods towards Alex as Lorna rounds the table hugging Piper tightly.
Once the pair are out of sight Piper spins her stool towards Alex who raises both eyebrows. "Can we get out of her now?"
"I just ordered us shots."
Piper closes the gap running her hand between Alex's legs. "Then… can we leave?"
The waitress appears with their order before Alex can answer. She slides Pipers shot towards her locking eyes before speaking. "To the women who love us, the women who hate us, and the women who lost us." Alex throws back her shot just as Pipers shot lands in her face.
She can barely make Piper out through the busy bar and the tequila streaking her glasses. Blindly, she pushes through the crowd wiping her face off with the inside of her jacket. Piper is hailing a cab when she reaches her.
"What the fuck was that for?" Piper ignores her still waving her hand out. Just before the cab stops Alex grabs Piper whipping her around to face her. "What's your problem?"
"My problem, Alex?" Piper laughs fuming. "What's my fucking problem? Oh I don't know. Maybe that you pop back in my life to what, to fuck it all up again? Is that what this is, a game? I hurt you so this is your what, payback?"
Alex's vision is blurry from the sting of the tequila and the lack of glasses but she can hear the crack in Pipers voice. For an author, Alex was shit with words when it came to Piper.
She closes the space between them silently raking her eyes over Piper. "I'm sorry." She pulls her into a passionate kiss filled with all the words she is not brave enough to say aloud. At first she can feel Piper push hard against her chest resisting until finally her body relaxes falling into the kiss, her hands winding through her hair. "Piper –"
Before she can finish Pipers index finger is over her lips. "It's Halloween, Alex. I can be anything I want. Tonight I want to be yours."
They fall through Alex's front door still tangled together. Piper has the leather top unzipped and tossed to the side as soon as the darkness of the house envelopes them, her lips still pressed against Alex trailing kisses over every inch of visible skin. She stops though when she gets a peek at their surroundings. She releases Alex as she gazes around the empty apartment. The Alex, Piper remembers always had a warm exquisitely decorated apartment. This Manhattan brownstone is updated and spacious much like her previous homes but it's completely bare aside from a few boxes scattered around.
"Where is all your furniture? Do you have a bed?"
"Yes, I have a bed." Alex pulls her by the waist. "Let me show you."
"Why don't you have any furniture?" Piper asks leaning away.
"I just moved in." Alex moves in for another kiss, before Piper breaks away completely. She turns walking in out of the empty rooms. Instead of following Alex takes a seat on the staircase removing her boots.
"I'm thirsty." She trails her fingers around the countertop before stopping at the fridge to pull the door open. "Alex, you literally only have beer and tequila!"
Alex jumps on the counter next to the fridge topless swinging her long legs. "Yeah, been busy, I have water."
"Do you have cups?"
"I'm not an animal." She gestures to the cupboard behind Piper. "I need something to pour the tequila in."
Piper fills her glass sitting across from Alex on the opposite counter. "I'm surprised you don't drink the tequila straight from the bottle. Talk about getting by on the bare essentials."
Alex hops off the counter sliding between Pipers legs to steal the water. "Prison can change ones view on essentials."
Piper ignores the comment, she doesn't want to imagine Alex that way, she lifts her chin kissing lightly then biting her bottom lip tugging it with her teeth. She reaches behind to unclasp Alex's bra gliding her fingertips across her pale skin to remove the straps and let it drop to the floor.
Alex grips Pipers thighs pulling her closer, unbuttoning her top and bra in a matter of seconds. She kisses down Pipers neck along her collar bone, tugs and bites at her breast. Pipers hand tangled in her hair head leaned backward softly moaning craving the touch she has missed.
Alex is kneeling sliding the skirt off when Piper looks down to see dark lust filled green eyes meet hers. She pulls Alex back up pressing their lips together roughly pushing herself off the counter she shoves Alex across the kitchen. Her hands fumble with the belt. She leans back irritated.
"What kinda belt is this?" Alex leans against the counter smugly watching Piper grow more and more frustrated. She slumps her shoulders looking at Alex who takes pity on her smoothly undoing the belt slipping it off and dropping it just as their eyes lock. The metal clatters against the floor as Piper resumes stripping Alex of her remaining clothes. She grips her thighs and with Alex's help lifts her onto the counter. Piper is impatient for a taste, kissing and tugging while she descends down her body, dragging her tongue along her hip bone drawing a soft moan. When she is kneeled between her legs she kisses and bites in between her thighs as Alex becomes exasperated.
"Fuck, Piper."
She looks Alex in the eyes licking her lips. "Be patient, I'm worth the wait." Her voice is low and husky, keeping her gaze with Alex she slowly moves between her legs feeling the heat radiating off her body. Alex doesn't look away, she watches as Piper dips her tongue inside of her sending waves of pleasure through her body her head darts back moaning. The noises are intensified as they bounce off the empty walls driving Piper mad as she swirls her tongue inside, gently she glides up to her clit flicking it roughly rubbing small circles. Alex arches her back moving her hips spreading her legs to give Piper a deeper taste. She is intoxicated on the sweet taste licking and sucking until she feels Alex tense beneath her. Piper moves along with Alex until her thighs clench around her painfully, she doesn't stop until she has successfully savored every drop, Alex's moans vibrating through her ears.
She kisses up her body slowly as the brunette struggles to catch her breath. Alex pulls her into a kiss, tasting her juices on Piper. She glides her hand down her side slipping inside Pipers wetness, Piper lets out a loud moan surprised. Alex wraps her free hand around Pipers neck moving her fingers rhythmically inside her. Piper buries herself in Alex's chest kneading her breast barely able to keep herself together she takes advantage of her position sliding inside Alex matching the pace against her already sensitive clit. When she feels herself coming she curls her fingers inside Alex producing a loud sigh. They move against each other in perfect harmony until simultaneously coming undone, both women collapsing into one another.
The room echoes with their soft breaths. Piper leans against Alex listening to accelerated heartbeats. She feels a kiss at the top of her head softly.
She could make this big empty house a home for Alex.
Authors Note: This fic is slowly building to the book signing but that's where things will pick up a bit and get a little more interesting. At least that's how I have it sorted out in my head but it could change. I'm sure there are a lot of unanswered questions as far as the past eight years and such but I promise all will come together in the end. Hope you all enjoy this Larry-free chapter.
Thank you all so much for reading!