It'd been almost three weeks since Liza and Charles had slammed the brakes on their relationship, and still, the first thing Liza did when she woke up was check her phone. She'd gotten used to the flirty good morning messages from Charles whenever they spend a night apart. Sometimes it was a simple good morning, other times she woke to a romantic quote or a slightly naughty indication of his plans for their evening. Whatever the message, his words always light a fire in her. A fire, she thought, as she flopped back onto the bed, that she had forced out.
She didn't regret her decision, although she wavered every time she saw him, every time his eyes flickered in her direction. She knew he was hurting – so was she. But she couldn't be a relationship that she had to hide. She needed to set an example for Caitlin, and lying in just about every aspect of her life wasn't what she needed to be teaching her daughter.
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A few hours later, Liza sat gazing at Charles as he led the morning meeting. It was the only time she could get away with watching him, thought she kept eyeing Kelsey out of the corner of her eye, a bemused look on her face. How had she described the overly polite exchange between Liza and Charles – two butlers in love? Appropriate, Liza thought, as she dragged her eyes away from Charles and jotted some notes on the pad in front of her.
"The Frankfurt Book Fair is next week, and this year, I've decided on a show of strength."
The words pulled Liza's attention back to Charles, and she saw the determined look in his eye as Diana protested, the hint of excitement in his smile as he insisted that this would be a "full court press", and that attendance was mandatory.
"So, Frankfurt, huh?" Liza said to Kelsey as they walked out of the conference room, her eyes following Charles across the office until he was out of sight. "Have you ever been?"
"Once. The last time Empirical sent a group over. I was still Charles' assistant at the time." Kelsey sighed as they entered her office. "It's a lot to take in and it can be fun, but don't get to excited. Diana's right, it's pretty much the most charmless city in Europe."
"It can't be that bad. It's still Europe, after all."
"That it is." Kelsey arched an eyebrow as she watched Liza's gaze out the office window as Charles crossed the bullpen to the elevator. "Let's see you try to keep your distance from him now."
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Liza leaned back into her seat on the plane, glancing out the window at the darkened city skyline, the tarmac aglow with lights. The cabin was relatively empty, only a few dozen passengers on the redeye flight from New York to Germany. A few rows back she could hear Zane and Kelsey bickering from across the aisle about god knew what, and she could only assume that Charles was in first class with Diana. She'd give anything for a bed right now, but settled for an empty row and a window seat. At least she'd be able to catch a few hours of sleep once they were in the air. Pulling out a manuscript she was in the midst of reviewing, she settled in for a quiet flight.
"Is this seat taken?"
A shadow fell across the row, and Liza looked up to see Charles smiling down at her, looking casually delectable in jeans and a well worn Yale hoodie.
"Uh, I, uh, I guess not," she stammered, sitting up, the blanket she had covering her lap falling to the ground. "Is this actually your seat?"
Charles flushed slightly as he settled into the seat next to her, leaning down to pick up the scratchy gray blanket and reaching over to hand it back to her. "I may have sweettalked a flight attendant into letting me switch seats."
"I would have thought you'd be up in first class with Diana, not slumming it in business class with the support staff." She said wryly, with a little more snark than intended.
"You're not support staff, Liza. Don't demean yourself by saying things like that. You and Zane and Kelsey, you're the best editors I have. Empirical isn't exactly on a first class budget. Diana paid for her seat upgrade herself." The words came off his tongue a little too sharp, some of his frustration bubbling to the surface.
"Oh." Liza said blankly, falling into silence as the flight attendant announced takeoff and the plane began to taxi down the tarmac. "So," she started slowly. "How have you been?
"Alright, I guess." Charles exhaled loudly, leaning his head against the headrest. "Is this really how it's going to be from now on, Liza? Polite chit chat about the weather. I'm no good at pretending, Liza. And I miss you. I want to be with you." He turned his head to look at her, saw the pain he was feeling reflected in her eyes. "I know you feel the same way. Tell me different and I won't say another word on the matter."
"If I did, I'd be lying. I want to be with you too. It's just too complicated right now. Things are all tangled up."
"Then let's untangle them, Liza." He glanced around, lowered his voice. "I feel like I waited my whole life for you, and I don't want to wait any longer to be with you. Besides the girls, besides the company, you're the most important thing in my life."
"Oh, Charles." Liza sighed, her insides warming at his words. She opened her mouth to speak again, but the plane hit turbulence as her words starting to come to her. Reaching out, she grasped his hand, squeezing hard as the plane shook.
"It's just a little turbulence, Liza. It'll be alright." Charles squeezed her hand reassuringly and reached over to grab the blanket, spreading it over their laps and intertwined hands. "I won't let anything happen to you."
Liza turned her head to gaze into his eyes. "I know you won't. But I think I'll hold on a little bit longer if that's alright."
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36 hours later Liza stood in the hallway outside Charles' hotel room, her breath shaky, her heart beating fast in her chest. She was trying desperately to muster all the resolve she had to make one of the biggest decisions of her life. She knew what she needed to do, had known sitting in that ridiculous burlesque club with some of her closest colleagues and the man that she was fairly certain was the love of her life.
Her heart had broken for him a little bit sitting in the beer hall yesterday, listening to him pour his heart out to her as he gave her a glimpse of all that he had been dealing with. Carrying the burden of trying to keep the company afloat was a weight he shouldn't have to carry alone, and all she wanted to do was wrap her arms around him and help him carry some of the weight. And maybe, just maybe, she could do just that. Maybe they could take that trip to Paris someday soon. Squaring her shoulders, she stepped up to the door and knocked.
Charles swung the door open, his face breaking into a smile as soon as he saw Liza on the other side of the door, her face ablaze with something he recognized as determination.
"I think I found a way out for you and me. For all of us. Can I come in?"
Charles leaned against the doorframe. "I can't promise I won't try to kiss you."
Liza's eyes lit up as she stepped up to him, the smell of her perfume mixing with the scent of schnapps on her breath. "Me first." And for the first time in what felt like months, she kissed him.
They stumbled back into his dimly lit room, a tangle of legs and arms as they reacquainted themselves with one another. Charles pressed Liza against the back of the door, using the weight of their bodies to slam it shut, one hand in her hair as he ran his hand down her side, his fingers skimming the edge of her dress.
"Charles," she whispered, her voice soft, breathless, her free hand reaching up to rest over his heart.
He paused, leaning his forehead against hers, taking slow and steady breaths to bring his heartbeat back under control. For a long moment they stood paralyzed, drinking in each other with their eyes. It was Liza who broke the spell, slipping from under his arm to look out the window. It was a rainy night, and the streetlamp cast a golden glow on the damp cobblestones. She turned back to him, her features cast in dim shadow. He longed to take her in his arms, yet he wished to study her beauty, memorizing every line and curve of her. But before he could say anything, do anything, she began to speak.
A few minutes later Charles perched on the edge of bed. He had lit a fire while Liza laid out her plans, her thoughts, and a warmth filled the room, a warm glow highlighting her beautiful features.
"You at Plaza? That's a lot to wrap my head around." More than a lot. He couldn't imagine not having her at the office.
"It's not just about you and me, Charles." Liza said, stepping up to him and placing her hands on his shoulders. "It's what my lie is doing to Kelsey. If I'm gone, she can breathe a little easier."
"But," he began, the pragmatic businessman taking over his thoughts. "Millennial is our biggest asset. Will it be as strong without you?"
"Kelsey's the star. You and I both know that. You saw something in her a year before I got here, and she delivered. It's her imprint."
"I'm not so sure."
Liza leaned in closer to him, running her hands through his brown hair. "Plus, not being together during working hours allows for us to be together after hours." She kissed his temple and pulled back, smiling. "And we're pretty good after hours."
Charles felt a smirk tug at the corner of his lips as Liza pressed herself against him. "Only one problem," he said huskily, placing his hands on her hips and pulling her to him . "You have a contract with us."
"What can I do to get you to release me?"
Pulling her close, he let his lips linger close to her ear. "Spend the night?"
Nodding, Liza smiled, planting another kiss gently on his lips. "If I do, we both agree I'm working for Plaza."
"Consider yourself fired." Charles whispered, before pulling her close, capturing her mouth with his. From his position on the bed he pulled her body between his legs, one hand absentmindedly reaching under her dress to graze her thigh. He wished that this moment in time would stand still. Just he and Liza, alone, together at last. Liza leaned into him, her hands leisurely trailing their way up his back, eventually entwining in his hair as their lips met before moving between their bodies to unbutton his shirt with a slow deliberation, peeling the white shirt off of his back and tossing it onto the floor.
Charles groaned as he felt Liza's hands on his bare back and he quickly slid the straps of her dress off of her shoulders, letting the black dress pool at her feet. With one swift, graceful motion he stood, gathering Liza into his arms and turning to place her onto the bed. He stretched out next to her, reaching over to push a lock of wavy brown hair out of her eyes. Liza smiled contentedly, loosely draping one leg over his and pulling him close to her as she ran her hand down his chest, toying with the zipper of his pants. She could feel the heat radiating off of him, was comforted by the familiar feeling of his muscular body. She felt so safe and secure in his harms.
Their hands began to move, seemingly of their own volition. Charles explored her body with his, freeing her from her undergarments as she did the same with his pants and boxers. Liza moaned softly as she felt his body pressed against hers, soft and rough at the same time. Charles trailed a finger over her collarbone to her shoulder, causing Liza to shiver despite the rising temperature in the room. Their fingertips left trails of fire on their skin, shivers of heat and ice coursing through their veins.
Liza sighed and trembled in pleasure as his mouth left hers and traveled over her neck, grazing her clavicle and she arched involuntarily, exposing her neck to him even further as her hands traveled over his back, over warm skin and rippling muscles.
"Beautiful," he murmured against her throat, before moving his lips slightly south to her breasts. Gradually, tenderly, he traveled wet kisses between them as he felt her pleasure growing, the feel of her body under his as she arched and curled around him.
"Don't stop," she moaned breathlessly, hooking a leg around him. They had all night, after all. They could take things slow. He seemed to spend an endless number of minutes teasing and tasting her, with one hand caressing her waist lightly, with an almost feather like touch. Charles was overcome with a sudden need to gaze upon her face, and he rose, smiling slightly as Liza opened her eyes, glazed and inundated with passion. He trailed a finger down the side of her face before reclaiming her mouth, groaning deep in his throat, delving into her possessively and completely. Liza gasped, reaching up to hold his neck with a savage grip, meeting his kiss with equal passion and enthusiasm as she curved her hips towards him.
"Lie back," he instructed, gently but with an intense strength as he guided her form back down the bed as he rolled over her, covering her body with his completely. Charles lowered his head, gently raining warm kisses over her abdomen as his firm hands fully explored her body, unrelenting but tender. Overcome with a haze of dizziness, Liza laid prone on the bed, her hands running through his hair absentmindly as he slowly undid her.
"Charles," she gasped, and he repositioned himself over her, his body pressed into hers as he twined one hand through her hair and around her neck, passionately claiming her mouth with a throaty groan. Simultaneously his other hand gasped the back of one knee, pulling her leg up and around his waist as he pushed into her, filling her completely. Liza sighed contentedly as he stilled for a moment, opening her eyes to meet his as he began to move unhurriedly, slowing building the inevitable crescendo between them. His restraint was short-lived as Liza met him beat for beat, her passion and hunger and desire matching his with an equal fervor. They surrendered themselves to the spiraling sensations of pleasure, crying out for each other as they brought each other over the edge.
They lay there for a moment, thoroughly exhausted and satiated. Charles began to move off of her, but Liza protested, wrapping her arms and legs around him.
"Not yet," she whispered, grazing a hand over his back. And while she knew her next words weren't true, and while her mind began to fill with thoughts and worries even as they lay together, she said them anyways. "We have all the time in the world."