I Never Knew (Until I Looked Into Your Eyes)

by Cheeyathebard

Yes, it's a fake dating fic, and we all know what's going to happen... but isn't it fun reading how they get there? Bechloe.

"I'm sorry… what? What did you say?" Beca laughed, sure she'd misheard the request.

"We think you should get married." Beca's manager, Theo, stared at her, eyes deadly serious. "Your reputation is tanking, and we need something… happy and exciting… to bring your fans back.

The singer blinked. "But how can I get married? I'm not even seeing anyone! AND my reputation is NOT tanking because of anything I did. Those photos are FAKE! I wasn't anywhere NEAR that girl!"

"You and I know that," the man replied in his lilting British accent. "But this would be something to tame the rumors and show you have a level of stability in your life. This is a career-destroyer, Beca, and we have to do something."

"But…" Beca ran her hand through her hair in exasperation. It was a terrible idea, but also a good one. "Oh my God, please don't make me marry someone I don't know!"

Theo chuckled. "No, I wouldn't do THAT," he said, "But… I do have someone in mind that you might be willing to work with."

Beca was so distracted, she didn't hear the office door opening. "Who, Theo? Who would not only be able to stand me enough to live with me, but also would want to do this for me in the first place?"

"Me," a soft voice said. Beca froze and then whirled around to greet a familiar face.

"Chloe," she whispered, a broad smile stretching her lips. Then she was grasping handfuls of a soft, grey Barden University hoody as her old friend almost knocked her over with the intensity of her hug. "Chlo… oh my God! What are you doing here?!"

The redhead chuckled softly into her ear. "I think Theo was just getting to that."

The brunette looked back at Theo and her lips pressed into an angry line. "No fucking way," she said, pointing a finger at him. "There's NO FUCKING WAY I'm going to let you do this to Chloe." Then she turned back to her friend. "How are you even here? I mean… Honey… you have vet school and…"

"I graduated this year and I have my license for California," the redhead said, frowning as if it was something her friend should already know. Beca's face remained blank. "I… I sent you an invitation to the ceremony. It was a couple months ago."

It took everything in Beca to not start screaming at her assistant, Margo, who was finding something very interesting out the window. "Oh," she said, totally devastated. "I didn't get it. If I had, I would have been there, Chloe, I swear."

Margo cleared her throat. "You had a prior commitment," she said weakly.

Beca scowled at her. "Get out."

"Ok," Margo replied, mentally making a list of new agencies to apply to as she left the room.

The brunette felt like crying but instead, pulled her friend into another hug. "I'm so proud of you, Doctor Beale," she said, as she felt the redhead melt into her arms. "I really would have been there if I'd known."

"I know," Chloe replied. "I have a video of it, if you'd like to see it?"

"I'd love to. Tonight... ok?"

"You have dinner with Khaled tonight," Theo interrupted. "Both of you do."

The urge to scream was almost overwhelming, but Chloe's hand on her back, caressing gently, snapped the singer out of it. "It's ok, Becs," she said. "I know what I'm getting myself into. We lived together for years so I know where all the skeletons are buried."

"How much are they paying you?" Beca asked. "Because I can guarantee you it isn't enough." She glared at Theo. "No amount is enough!"

The redhead shrugged. "Actually, they helped me find a job at a nice vet clinic, close to your house, and they're paying all my moving expenses from Atlanta. I didn't need anything else. And I get to stay here even if we don't end up getting hitched. I'll just have to find my own place to live." She winked and grinned. "There's no contract or anything. In fact, they were kinda pissed I wouldn't sign anything." Beca smirked at her, impressed with her best friend's negotiating skills. "So, this is completely up to you and me. I'm more than willing to do this for you, Becs."

Beca looked at Theo, who nodded his encouragement. "Khaled expressed his concerns about the whole stability thing and the only thing I could think of was to say you were in a quietly committed relationship. And the only person I could think of, who might have been able to pull it off at short notice, was Chloe. So tonight, you both have to convince him that you love each other."

"Oh my God," the singer groaned into her hands. "I don't want to do this to you, Chlo."

Theo's face turned super-serious. "He's talking about terminating your contract as both an artist and a producer."

Beca's face blanched and she almost threw up.

Chloe just chuckled softly. "Come on, Becs. We can do this. We know each other inside and out. Let me help?"

The singer had so many reservations but just nodded and took solace in that. If there was anyone in this world that she wouldn't really mind fake marrying, it was Chloe.

Xx

Chloe and Beca were walking along Beca's private beach to the rear of her house. The sun was shining, and the redhead's blue eyes were shining just as brightly. The singer loved them so much she almost couldn't look away, but she stopped them after a while and took a seat in the sand, waiting as Chloe joined her.

"So… tell me?" she said. "How did Theo hook you in?"

"He didn't really have to," the redhead replied a little sheepishly. "It was a short while before graduation and… I didn't know what I was going to do. I didn't want to stay in Atlanta alone and going back to New York or Oregon didn't feel right either so… it kinda seemed like fate when Theo called me."

"Mmm…" Beca nodded.

"He told me what was going on with you. I mean… I'd read some of it on various social media platforms and I knew it was bullshit, but I didn't know how to help you. When you didn't return my calls or RSVP my graduation invite, I wasn't sure what was happening."

"I'm so sorry about that, Chloe," Beca said. "I really would've been there if I'd known."

Chloe reached out to caress the singer's cheek with her knuckles. "I know that now. In fact, I think I knew all along. I was just kinda hurt at the time. But speaking with Theo, I realized that… your life isn't exactly your own, these days."

"Yeah," Beca agreed. She wrapped her arms around her knees and hugged them. "I'm really tired, Chlo. I feel like I'm constantly fending off shit with just a tennis racquet, so I can't help but still get splattered."

Chloe laughed and Beca grinned at her. "Eloquent as always, Ms. Mitchell."

"Indeed, Doctor Beale." Beca turned her head and rested her cheek on her knees as she gazed at her friend. "Are you sure you want to do this, Chloe? It'll mean living in this house with me, in my bedroom. It'll be paparazzi constantly hounding you and interviews and wedding planning."

"And PDA," Chloe added. "I know you're not crazy about that."

"W-what?" the brunette's eyes widened.

"You're going to have to be affectionate with me in public. You're going to have to kiss me and let me kiss and touch you. And we're going to have to start at this dinner tonight."

For a long moment, Beca didn't say anything, but then she nodded slowly. "Yeah," she replied. "That's ok."

Red eyebrows shot up and a smirk lifted the vet's lips. "Wow, you've changed, Miss Don't-Touch-Me-Or-I'll-Kill-You."

But Beca just smiled in return as she got up and dusted the sand off her seat. "When did I ever stop you touching me, Chlo?"

And the singer was right. Chloe couldn't think of a single occasion when Beca had stopped her. Protested and grumbled adorably, yes, but genuinely stopped her? Never. "Huh," she said in wonder as she got up to join her friend.

Xx

It was approaching seven. Beca's driver had dropped Chloe back to her hotel a couple of hours earlier with a promise to be back to pick her up and she was just finishing getting ready when a knock sounded at her door.

"Just a moment please!" she called as she tried unsuccessfully to get her earring into her left lobe.

"Want a hand with that earring?" a voice she knew as well as her own called back and Chloe laughed softly as she went to answer the door. But when she opened the portal, she and Beca just spent a few heartbeats gazing at each other. "Holy shit, Chlo," Beca finally said. "You look…" She paused and shook her head.

"Beautiful…" Chloe breathed. "That dress, Becs."

"Stunning," Beca finally settled on. She cleared her throat then. "Earring?"

Chloe grinned and stepped back to let her friend into the room. "I don't know why I always have so much trouble with the left side," she said as Beca took the small diamond stud and slipped it into place before attaching the back. "Thanks, Beca."

The younger woman placed a gentle kiss on her cheek and then stepped back. "Twenty-nine years old and you still need help getting dressed," she teased gently. "The back of your dress is open."

"Oh, right," the vet laughed. "I couldn't reach the zip… um… would you mind?" She turned and offered her back to her friend. Beca got just a little closer and smoothed her hand up Chloe's spine as she lifted the zip, making sure it didn't catch on her skin and hurt her. Then the singer slowly fixed her friend's hair into place, and the redhead took and released a deep breath under her touch.

"We should go," Beca said then. "Khaled is a stickler for punctuality."

"Do you know who'll be here tonight?" Chloe asked, a little nervously.

"I honestly have no clue. I normally never know until people arrive," Beca chuckled. "But you know what? Don't be nervous because everyone is going to love you, Chlo."

The redhead smiled and took Beca's hand to squeeze it gently. "I guess this is it," she said. "From here on out, we have to convince everyone that we're in love with each other."

The singer nodded and squeezed back. "We can do this. I know we can. And…" She leaned in and kissed her friend's cheek again. "If this goes tits up, thank you for trying to help me."

Xx

It was most definitely the fanciest restaurant Chloe had ever been to. Their car had dropped them right outside the front door and Beca had immediately taken Chloe's hand, as they slid out, bringing it to her lips to kiss it before tugging her gently up the steps to the main entrance. Word seemed to have spread that there were celebrities inside, so there were photographers waiting for them. The redhead instinctively lifted her hand to shield her eyes from the sudden flashes while the reporters called out to Beca.

"Beca, are you here for DJ Khaled's dinner?"

"Sure am," Beca smiled.

"And is this your date for the evening?" another reporter asked.

For a moment, Beca froze but Chloe broke out her most beaming smile as she nodded. "Actually, I'm Beca's girlfriend, Doctor Chloe Beale."

"MD?" one of the photographers asked.

"DVM," the redhead clarified. She received a blank look. "I'm a vet," she went on. Again, a blank look. "Animal doctor?"

"Ooohhhh," the man said and a lot of follow up questions were yelled in their direction. But then Theo appeared and placed a hand on both women's backs.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, please contact my office if you have any further questions. Thank you." He guided Beca and Chloe into the restaurant with a smile. "Ok, Ladies?"

"Yeah," Chloe smiled. "Wasn't so bad."

Beca just snorted but didn't say anything as Theo led them across the dining room. To Beca's surprise, there was only Khaled sitting at a table alone, nursing a glass of whiskey. He got to his feet as he spotted them. "Beca, Chloe," he said taking their hands in turn and squeezing them gently. "A pleasure. Theo, drinks for Beca and Chloe. Please, have a seat, Ladies."

Chloe smiled as Beca held out a chair for her. Then the redhead kissed her feather-lightly on the lips before taking the seat. "Thank you, Baby."

The brunette took a breath and then smiled broadly as she took her own seat. "So… Khaled, what's up?" Beca asked. "Theo kept us in the dark about why you wanted to meet."

"Things have been tough for you, Beca," Khaled replied as he sat down again. "The paps have been making up a lot of things."

The singer nodded. "Yeah. It's been very tough."

"But Theo tells me things are looking up for you. Things in the form of the beautiful Chloe here, so I wanted to meet her."

The redhead smiled and nodded but didn't say anything as Beca took her hand and laced their fingers together. "I'm the luckiest woman in the world," Beca said. "I guess Theo told you that Chloe was a Bella and we've known each other since college?"

Khaled nodded. "He did."

Chloe leaned in a little then. "Beca and I reconnected, and we've been dating for about a year. I've never been happier." She looked down then. "The long-distance thing was hard though."

"Thank God for FaceTime," Beca agreed seriously.

"Long distance?" the rapper repeated.

Just then, their server came, and they took a moment to look at the menu before placing their order.

"You said long distance?" Khaled said again.

"Oh, right," Chloe nodded, keeping everything as close to the truth as possible. "I was at vet school in Atlanta. I graduated this year and immediately got my license in California so I could join Beca here. I missed her so much."

The man nodded. "Why didn't you tell me you were dating Chloe, Beca?"

Beca didn't have to pretend to feel awkward. "You know how I am, Dude. I'm weird about stuff like that. Private."

"If we'd known, we might have been able to put a wrench in the rumor mill by leaking her identity."

This time, the brunette didn't have to fake looking annoyed. "I had no intention of dragging Chloe into that bullshit. Who I love, is no one's business."

Chloe looked at Beca adoringly, rubbing her thumb over the soft skin of her hand. "I love you too," she murmured. Then she looked back to Khaled. "The truth is, I was uncomfortable in the beginning about going public but... I'm sure now and I'm in this for the long haul."

The big man nodded. "So, are you going to go public now?"

The redhead smiled softly. "I think we already have. I introduced myself to the reporters outside, so I guess the cat's out of the bag."

"You may have just made your life more difficult, Chloe," Khaled said.

Chloe looked at Beca and nodded. "Maybe... but Beca is worth it to me."

For a long moment, the singer gazed back, searching Chloe's eyes. She couldn't see anything but honesty in them and it brought sudden tears to her own. Even if it was all fake, it had been a long time since anyone had made her feel like she was really worth anything. Chloe always had, and the crushing feeling of regret landed squarely on Beca's chest as she wished she'd been a better friend to Chloe; wished she'd been better at staying in touch; wished she'd returned those phone calls instead of letting them fall down a huge list of to-do items she always had. "I'm sorry, Chloe," she blurted out.

Chloe tilted her head, glancing nervously at Khaled. "For what, Becs?"

Beca blanched as she realized she'd used her outside voice and scrambled for a reply. Then a perfect truth presented itself to her. "For freezing outside when I was asked who you are. I... it's hard for me to be open like that in public but it doesn't mean I'm hiding us or anything, I swear."

The redhead's eyes were infinitely gentle as she leaned closer and pressed their foreheads together. "I know," she replied. "And it's ok. We'll just take this slowly, Baby."

Theo had stayed quiet the entire time and he was impressed by the show Beca and Chloe were putting on. It obviously meant something to Chloe that Beca be ok, and he was glad he'd approached her, even if he had to suffer the eternal wrath of Beca Mitchell. Maybe she'd thank him for it someday.

Or not.

The rest of the meal went off without a hitch and, at about ten, Beca excused herself and Chloe for the evening, citing an early next morning in the studio. They left the restaurant hand-in-hand, to find their car waiting for them outside. Chloe slid in first, tugging Beca in with her and making sure the paparazzi got some good shots of her pulling her friend into a kiss as the door closed.

Beca's hands were gentle on Chloe's cheeks, and they were still kissing as the car pulled away and... the brunette kinda forgot to stop until a soft chuckle against her lips broke her haze of burgeoning arousal. "Beca," Chloe said softly.

The singer immediately pulled back. "Oh, God… sorry... um... that was... So..." She cleared her throat of its huskiness, then hit the privacy screen button and waited as it lifted into place between them and their driver. "You were amazing tonight, Chloe."

Beca hoped the flush to her cheeks and slightly ragged breathing weren't too obvious but, when she looked at Chloe, she noticed that the vet wasn't unaffected herself. Her eyes were half-lidded, and her pupils were dark.

"You too," the redhead replied, taking, and releasing a deep breath. "Do you think we convinced him?"

Just then, Beca's ringtone for Theo sounded out, making her jump, and she rolled her eyes as she answered the call, smiling then as Chloe rested her head on her shoulder.

"Well?" she said. "Did he go for it?"

"Yeah," Theo replied. "So, if you and Chloe are in, I think we can start organizing some public appearances."

Beca felt like she needed to talk to Chloe some more, so she made a non-committal noise. "Just... give us a chance to talk, ok? I'll call you tomorrow."

"Alright," Theo replied. "Night."

"Night," Beca replied, then stabbed the End Call button and tossed her phone back into her purse.

"What do you want to talk about?" the redhead asked then.

"I have some concerns about what this might do to your reputation and..." Chloe's laughter made the singer stop and frown.

"What reputation, Becs?" the vet grinned. "I'm a nobody. No one has a clue who I am outside of being your fake girlfriend. It'll be fine."

Beca nodded. "Ok... but, I think we should also address the elephant in the room. Chloe, are you actually... um… ok with the physical stuff?"

A lazy smirk flattened Chloe's lips. "Yep." She tilted her head, eyes bright. "Did the way I kissed you just now not give you a clue? I do actually enjoy kissing women, Becs."

Beca laughed a little. "Got to experiment in college after all, huh?" she teased.

Chloe shrugged. "Actually, it wasn't just..." The redhead looked down, smile gone. "I was in a relationship with a woman for eighteen months," she confirmed. "But it didn't work out."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Chlo," Beca breathed, sudden understanding striking her. She pressed her hand gently to her friend's chest. "Did she break your heart?"

"She cheated," the redhead said, tone restrained as her hand lifted to cover the singer's. "I don't stand for cheating, so I ended it." She took a shuddering breath. "I'm still getting over her but... it is what it is."

Then she smiled as the brunette laced their fingers together. "Chloe," Beca said softly. "Are you absolutely sure you want to do this? Once we're in, it'll be very hard to get back out. I need you to understand that before you fully agree."

Chloe nodded. "You're my best friend," she said. "And I'd do anything for you, Becs. I'm absolutely sure."

"Then," Beca replied, just as seriously. "Let's do it."

The vet laughed and shook her head. "Ok!"

Xx

The next couple of days were a whirlwind of adjustment, ending with Chloe moving out of her hotel, into Beca's house; into Beca's bedroom. It was a large airy space with a four-poster California king-sized bed and two pairs of French doors that opened onto a breezy outside deck. Chloe joked that they could fit all the Bellas on the bed. Beca made a terrified face, making her friend laugh even harder.

Then the vet made a comment about the acoustics being great for Titanium in the huge shower in the bathroom and Beca choked on her own awkward laugh. Chloe just smiled and kept exploring.

"You know, technically, you don't actually have to sleep in here with me," Beca offered sheepishly. "There are plenty of guest bedrooms."

Chloe just grinned as she walked backwards across the bedroom with her arms wide. "If I'm gonna be dating you and then married to you, I want the full experience." She sobered a little then and dropped her hands. "Besides, what about long-range lenses? We can't slip, Beca, or it'll turn into another bad story for you."

Beca swallowed, then she ambled after her friend. "So… um... what if... if you wanted to like... bring someone home or something."

"I won't," the vet replied, gazing out a picture window. "I'm not looking for... that... at the moment, Becs. I... um... need some time to heal."

Chloe sighed as her friend's arms came around her waist from behind to hug her. "I'm sorry you got hurt, Chlo. I wish I could fix it."

"Thanks," the redhead replied, resting her hands over her friend's on her stomach. "But just being around you has always been a balm for my soul. I'll be ok."

Beca felt tears stabbing at her eyes; wasn't sure why, but she just blinked rapidly to dispel them. Then she grinned a little. "I have a gift for you."

Chloe turned in her arms, eyes alight with surprise. "Really?"

"Yeah, it's a welcome to California and thank you for taking this crazy ride with me, gift." She took Chloe's hand. "Come on." They strolled outside together, mindful of the fact that the movers, home designers and gardeners were around. "Close your eyes," the singer requested, and her friend bounced a little on her toes in excitement as she allowed herself to be blindly led further around the outside of the house.

"I love surprises!"

"I know, Love," Beca replied, and she saw a light shiver run through the redhead's body as she gently squeezed her hand. "Wait here just a sec and no peeking."

"Ok, Babe."

The brunette was only gone a moment, then Chloe felt something easing into her fingers. "You can look now."

Chloe opened her eyes and looked down at her hand. In her palm was nestled a set of car keys. Then she looked at the garage in front of her to find a white BMW convertible pointed right at her. She looked at Beca in utter shock. "No!"

The singer grinned. "Yep."

"NO!" Chloe yelled, jumping up and down as excitement exploded out of her.

"Yep!" Beca's grin just widened.

"Are you frickin' kidding me right now?!"

"It's yours, Babe." Then Chloe flung herself at Beca and the singer was being hugged to within an inch of her life. "Woah! It's a car, not a major organ, Chlo."

"But it's my dream car!" Chloe almost screeched as she pulled back and looked at the vehicle again. "The one I've always wanted!"

Beca's face gentled. "I remember." Her mind flashed back to all the times they'd talked about that very thing back at Barden. It had always been Chloe's when I make it car.

Those two simple words took the wind right out of the vet's sails, and she just gazed at her friend for a long moment. Then she stepped into her and kissed her, lacing one hand gently into her dark hair and pressing the other to her jaw.

Beca wasn't expecting it. At all. And she squeaked in surprise before finally remembering she was supposed to kiss Chloe back. And what a kiss it was. She moaned softly as the redhead's tongue slipped into her mouth, and met it with her own, drawing a moan from Chloe too as they tilted their heads to kiss each other deeper.

They heard a sudden wolf whistle then and eased apart to laugh together. Chloe's face was flushed and joyful, and she pecked Beca's nose as she wiped a smudge of lipstick off her top lip with her thumb. "You are SO getting laid tonight, Mitchell," she stated before bouncing away to get into her new vehicle.

For a second, Beca's mouth dropped open. Then she looked around and realized a small group of staff had gathered to see her girlfriend's... friend's... reaction to the gift. And she knew that what Chloe had said was just for show.

And it felt kinda...

But she just smiled then and went to lean on the door as the vet's eyes roamed over the dash, and she pressed buttons and turned knobs. "It has a full tank of gas and it's fully loaded. You wanna take a test drive, Beautiful?"

"Can we? You're not too busy?" Chloe asked.

"I took the day off," the singer replied with a shrug. "I wanted to be able to give you my full attention."

For a moment, the redhead didn't say anything, but her eyes lowered to Beca's lips for a split second. Then she cleared her throat and nodded. "You're very sweet, Becs." She patted the seat beside her. "Let's go!"

"Oh shit, you know what?" the singer said as she slid into the car and buckled her seatbelt.

Red eyebrows lifted. "What?"

"I have an important meeting tomorrow and I remember how you drive. Please try not to kill me."

Chloe laughed hard at that and poked her friend. "Screw you, Mitchell. I'm a great driver!"

"Mmmhmmm... we'll see," Beca replied, then grabbed the door handle as Chloe peeled out of the garage and down the driveway.

They drove for a couple of hours, Beca giving Chloe directions and pointing out things to see along the way as they sang at the top of their lungs to whatever was on the radio, and when they finally ended up back at the house, Chloe parked in the garage and turned off the engine. Then she turned to look at her friend. "You didn't have to do this for me," she said softly as she tucked Beca's windswept hair behind her ear. "I'm not really your girlfriend."

Beca looked down. "I wanted to. You've given up so much for me."

The redhead's mouth dropped open a little. "Do you really...?" She closed her mouth and shook her head. "That's not true," she replied then. "As much as I wanted to help you, I didn't blindly agree instantly to Theo's offer. I did think about it, and I realized that it was also an opportunity for me. Atlanta was... it was too full of memories, Becs, both good and bad... and I needed to get out of there. I thought about going back to New York, but it didn't make sense for me to go alone. The last thing I wanted was to go back to Portland. I love my family an' all but..." She shivered. "I couldn't be that close to my mom again."

Beca laughingly agreed. "Definitely not."

The redhead looked down at the steering wheel, tracing her fingertips over the BMW logo. "So, I thought about when I had felt safest, happiest and most stable in my life, and I realized something else. It surprised me... and yet it didn't.

"What was it?" Beca asked, hanging on Chloe's every word.

"I realized that, where I felt all that, wasn't a place. It was a person." For some reason she couldn't look at Beca. "It was you." She smiled a little. "I know that's totally sappy, even for me, but it's true. When the opportunity arose, I just wanted to come back to my best friend."

Hot tears were stabbing at Beca's eyes again, but this time, she let them fall. "I missed you, Chloe," she said. "So much." The feeling of regret was there again. She couldn't believe she'd let so much time pass without talking to Chloe. Beca hadn't even known her old friend has been in a relationship and hurt so badly. Even with her busy celebrity life, she should have stayed in touch more. It was killing her, but she knew all she could do was be there for Chloe now.

The vet took a shuddering breath and swallowed hard. "So," she said then. "How about finishing the tour of the house?"

Xx

Beca had hardly stopped laughing all evening. Chloe had been regaling her with stories about her experiences with animals over the course of her training and she walked through all the scars she had on her hands and arms from various bites and one horrific attack from a tiny kitten who'd instantly hated her. The vet had been a little miffed over that one. Animals normally loved her.

Chloe leaned over to grab an egg roll and she chewed thoughtfully as the brunette caught her breath and topped up their wine. They were on their fourth bottle. "I hope this new practice is good," she said. "It looked swanky on the website and the vet who interviewed me seemed nice."

"Nervous?" Beca asked.

The vet shrugged a little. "I've interned a few different places. They tend to all be the same underneath. You just have to learn the individual processes."

"Gotta ask you a question, Chlo. You know how to castrate animals, right?"

Chloe blinked a little but nodded. She was starting to feel fairly tipsy. "Yeah, why?"

Beca nodded, face deadly serious. "I have a short list of men I'd like castrated please."

The vet collapsed into laughter. "Uh... Baby, I think that would just get me arrested. And orange really does NOT go well with my hair."

"Sorry... but it'd be SOOOOO worth it," Beca deadpanned again. Then she realized that Chloe had called her Baby… and they were alone.

Chloe seemed to realize at the same time. "Sorry," she said sheepishly. "I didn't mean to call you that."

"Hey," Beca bumped her gently with her shoulder. "Look, Chlo, I think we need to just relax. It's no harm calling each other pet names if it makes it easier. I mean… it's not like we've never called each other a cute name before."

"True," the vet agreed with a smile. "Ok. Thanks." She lifted an eyebrow then. "So, why do you have a list of men you want castrated anyway?"

Beca shrugged, looking down into her wine glass. "They're men who thought they were God's gift to women…" She looked up to meet Chloe's eyes. "To me."

"Are they men you dated?" the redhead asked carefully.

"Not exactly," the brunette shrugged again.

"Hookups?" Chloe ventured again.

"Something like that." Beca gazed off into the distance. "Remember when we in Europe and you spur of the moment kissed Chicago?"

"Yeah," Chloe nodded.

"And then you basically spent the following two days in bed with him?"

Chloe giggled. "Yeah, I do remember that."

"It was like that…. but in my case, with the kissing came the telling."

"Becs…" Chloe was somewhat shocked.

"It's lonely on the road, Chlo. And I was drinking a lot back then."

"Becs," Chloe said again, this time much softer.

Beca smiled and then shrugged. "I learned valuable lessons those first few months."

The redhead scooted closer to her, resting her head on her shoulder. "My medical kit is in the closet," she said. "I'll take care of them for you." Then she chuckled. "I think I'm a little drunk so probably shouldn't do it tonight though."

Beca lifted her arm and wrapped it around her friend's shoulders. "As well you should be. We're celebrating Bhloe's return with cheap Chinese food and even cheaper wine. What more could we want?"

"If there has to be a ship name, can it be Bechloe instead?" Chloe asked, making a face. "The other thing sounds too much like there are penises involved. Not that I have anything against penises."

"Yeah…" Beca chuckled. "You're right."

"And I most definitely don't have anything against strap-ons," the vet added honestly.

Beca cleared her throat gently, blushing an interesting shade of pink. "Um… good to know. Did you pack one?"

Chloe just grinned.

It was shortly thereafter when Beca started to yawn. "Ready for bed?" she asked.

The redhead set her empty glass on the coffee table and nodded. "Yeah, a lot happened today, huh?" She paused a moment, then leaned in to kiss her friend's forehead. "Thank you again for the car, Beca."

"You're welcome, Babe," the brunette replied. "I really want you to be happy here."

Chloe got up and offered a hand to her friend, pulling her to her feet when she accepted. "I already am," she replied. "Now, how do you want to do this sleeping thing?"

"Well," Beca said slowly. "Normally I get undressed, put my pajamas on, lie down and close my eyes. I thought I remembered you doing it that way too?" She laughed then, as the vet pouted adorably. "Come on, Beale. We've slept in the same bed together hundreds of times. "Fuck, a year in New York together, we slept on that tiny bitch of a futon three-hundred-and-sixty-five times!"

"We weren't dating in New York," Chloe grinned, raising an eyebrow as if daring Beca to come back at her. But Beca couldn't. She didn't want to. So instead, she just took Chloe's hand and toted her to the bedroom. "Bedtime for Bechloe," she said.

Chloe giggled as she stumbled a little. "You know," she stated. "I woke up a ton of times with your boob in my hand."

Dark blue eyes rolled. "I'm aware."

"You have great boobs, Becs. Really."

"I'm aware of that also," the brunette added with a little smirk as her friend giggled again. "Now come on, Drunkie."

Chloe managed to get herself into her pajamas, get her teeth brushed and then into bed. "Hey, Becs?" she said sleepily. "Can we have the French doors open? I'd like to listen to the surf."

Beca came out of the bathroom, smiling affectionately. "Sure." She went to open them but, when she turned back to her friend, Chloe had already dozed off. Beca left them open anyway and climbed into bed next to her. She reached out and tenderly brushed her friend's hair back from her forehead. "Goodnight, Beautiful," she whispered. "I'm so glad you're here."

Xx

"How are things going with Chloe?" Theo asked as he swung on the back legs of his chair. Beca suddenly had this evil desire to tip him over.

"Fine," she said instead. "Chloe and I are like peas and carrots. We always have been."

"And she's ok with the plan for the first public appearance?"

The brunette laughed this time. "Beale LOVES baseball. She'll have a great time, plus it's pretty low key. I'm not expecting us to be the center of attention when there'll be so many other celebs there."

"And how's her new job going?" Theo asked.

"She comes home smiling every day so… I think she likes it," Beca shrugged.

"Or maybe that smile's just for you?" her manager teased. "You two are so cute together."

The singer shrugged again. "She's always been like that," she said, taking his words at face value because she had to. "She's always been a ray of sunshine. I used to be even more of a prickly bitch than I am now. It was Chloe who made me somewhat social."

"I'll have to thank her for that," Theo replied seriously.

"Send her a gift basket," Beca smirked. "She likes chocolate and bath bombs." She looked at her watch then. "I should get going. Don't want to be late for the game and I need to get out of this monkey suit first."

"Ok," Theo agreed. "Love to your better half!"

"Yeah, yeah," Beca grumbled as she headed out.

Xx

"Shit," Chloe swore as she dropped her earring and watched it bounce under the bed. She got onto her hands and knees to look for it, just as Beca ambled into the bedroom and the brunette paused, her eyes glued to a perfect ass, covered in tight-fitting Levis, and folded her arms with a grin.

"Wow, now THAT'S a view for sore eyes," she teased.

Chloe almost bumped her head as she backed out from under the bed. "Beca!" she whined, tugging on her baseball shirt to straighten it. "Stop!"

"Stop LOOKING at your ass or stop commenting on it?" the brunette laughed. "Whatsematter? That dreaded left earring again?" Chloe looked down and her bottom lip began to quiver as tears rose in her eyes. Beca was across the room instantly, helping her to her feet with a look of utter dismay on her face. The vet's hands were shaking, and the brunette held them tenderly as she looked into her friend's eyes. "What's wrong, Chloe?"

"Remember that sweet little dog I told you about, the one that was hit by a car?"

Beca nodded. "The little Yorkie?"

Chloe nodded back, tears slowly slipping down her face. "I lost her. I did everything I could… but she didn't make it."

"Honey, I'm so sorry," Beca replied, hugging her close. "What can I do?"

"Nothing, sorry," the redhead replied, wiping at her cheeks, and easing back in embarrassment. "I'm just being ridiculous. And, dammit, I just put fresh makeup on."

Beca murmured softly. "Chlo?"

Pale blue eyes tracked to hers as Chloe's hands went to the front of her silk blouse to touch the buttons. "Yeah?"

"Let's just take a breath, ok? What can I do?"

"You're already doing it," the redhead whispered. She slowly leaned closer, pressing her forehead to Beca's shoulder, and just letting the younger woman hold her again as she took a hitching breath. "Kara never understood. She always said they were just animals and to get over it."

Another reason for Beca to hate Chloe's ex. "She didn't understand your super-kind heart," the singer whispered back, right into Chloe's ear.

"No," the redhead agreed, as she eased back to meet Beca's eyes. "She didn't understand me at all. Not like you do." They just gazed at each other for a long span of heartbeats, then Chloe smiled. "Um… we should go, right? Why don't you change while I fix my makeup and find my earring?"

Beca nodded, hardly able to breathe, but she went to get ready anyway, heart pounding in her chest like she'd just run a marathon. Twenty minutes later, they were ready to leave and Beca held Chloe's hand as they trotted down the steps from the house to meet their driver. Beca had originally intended on driving them herself, but Chloe had reminded her that she couldn't have more than one beer if she did, and the brunette had instantly changed her mind.

The drive to the field took about thirty minutes and Beca groaned as she saw the throngs of reporters already there at the entrance. "Shit," she murmured, taking Chloe's hand, and squeezing gently. "This is going to be a circus."

"It'll be ok," Chloe soothed. "Just smile and wave."

"Are you ok?" the singer asked gently as she saw her friend's other hand move toward the door handle.

"Yeah," the redhead smiled. "Thanks for asking and… thanks for earlier." Then she opened the door and slid out of the car, pulling her girlfriend… friend… with her.

Beca stayed close, wrapping an arm around Chloe's waist and they both smiled and waved as a million flashes went off around them.

"Chloe! Chloe!" one of the reporters yelled. "How do you feel about the stories linking Beca with an underage girl in Arizona?!"

Beca felt Chloe stiffen under her arm, but the vet didn't say anything and just continued smiling as if she hadn't heard anything. Then they strolled to the entrance, where Beca beeped them through the turnstile with the tickets on her phone. She laced their fingers together as they walked, looking for their section. "You did great, Chlo," Beca said. "That question was a pretty low blow."

"That was less fun than the first time," the redhead replied with a sigh.

"I should have gotten a box," the singer sighed in return. "They have private entrances."

Chloe elbowed her gently. "A box?! Hell no! The players wouldn't hear me yelling shit at them from all the way up there."

"Uh… Chlo?" Beca began nervously but the vet just laughed and elbowed her again.

"I'm just kidding, Becs. Don't worry, I won't embarrass you."

Dark blue eyes rolled, and Chloe laughed again as she found their row and tugged her girlfriend along it to their seats. Then she wrapped her arm around Beca's shoulders and kissed her temple. "Put your hand on my thigh," she whispered. Beca's fingers twitched but her hand stayed on her own thigh. "It's ok," the redhead said. "This is our first real public outing. We have to sell it, Becs."

"You're so much better at this than I am," the singer whispered in return, but she let her hand slide onto the older woman's thigh to caress it with her fingertips. She thought she heard a little gasp from Chloe but when she looked at her, the vet's eyes were on the players warming up on the field. So, she leaned into her and relaxed, closing her eyes as Chloe absently ran her fingertips through her dark hair.

It was a good game and Chloe kept her yelling to a minimum, as promised. They'd had a few beers and some hot dogs, and it felt like old times, when they'd gone to see the Atlanta Braves years previously. Chloe had looked adorable in her Braves shirt back then and she looked just as adorable in her Angels shirt today. Beca was a little struck by how Chloe was still the most beautiful woman she'd ever seen. Then those blue eyes were on her and Chloe was saying something, but Beca couldn't hear with all the sudden noise around them.

"Hmmm?" she asked, blinking.

Chloe leaned closer. "Kiss cam," she said and then she was kissing Beca gently and appropriately for the number of kids gazing up at the giant screen. Beca hazily heard their names echoing around the ballpark.

"MUSICAL ARTIST AND PRODUCER, BECA MITCHELL WITH HER PARTNER, DOCTOR CHLOE BEALE."

Chloe buried her face in Beca's shoulder and giggled. "Well, THAT was aca-awesome." And the singer couldn't help but laugh. It bubbled up out of her with such hysterical joy that Chloe looked at her like she'd grown a second head. And then Beca kissed her with a little more passion this time. When they eased apart, the vet just smiled broadly. "What was that for?" she asked. "The kiss cam wasn't on us."

"Maybe I just wanted to show you that I can be the one initiating the kissing," the brunette said happily.

Chloe pursed her lips. "Fair enough," she said and then snuggled her girlfriend… friend… closer.

Xx

"OH MY GOD, THAT'S BECA MITCHELL!" Beca heard as she scooted into a bathroom stall, dying to pee.

"BECA PEES TOO!" Beca yelled back jokingly as she locked the door, not sure why, except the joy in her chest wouldn't let her keep it in.

"LOVE YOU, BECA!" she heard then and her smile just grew bigger.

"LOVE YOU TOO!" she yelled back.

"YOUR GIRLFRIEND IS SO HOT!" one of the other girls yelled.

"I KNOW, RIGHT?!" the singer laughed. She finished and exited the stall to wash her hands, then burst out laughing again as a line of girls trailed after her like ducklings. She signed autographs and took selfies with them, then grinned charmingly. "I'd better get back to Chloe. I promised her Dippin' Dots. Thanks, Guys." She made a heart with her hands and then a peace sign to let them get more pictures, then turned to stroll to the nearest Dippin' Dots cart she could see. Chloe's favorite had always been the rainbow ice flavor, so she bought the biggest size and carried it along with two spoons and two more beers back to her girlfriend… friend.

Chloe.

The woman who smiled so brightly as she sat beside her that the singer was glad she was wearing sunglasses.

"You were gone ages," the redhead said. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah," Beca nodded as she passed Chloe a beer and the Dippin' Dots. "Just bumped into some fans so I signed some autographs and took some pictures. They said you're hot, by the way."

"They did not," the vet scoffed.

"Sure they did," the brunette replied. "You totally are, Chlo."

Pale blue eyes stared for a long moment. "You… you think I'm hot?" She looked down then. "Sorry, that was stupid. I forgot for a second."

But Beca's fingers eased under her chin, gently lifting her face so she could see her eyes. "No matter where we are, Chloe," the singer replied sincerely. "You're always the most beautiful woman in the room."

"Oh…" Chloe blushed a little. "Thanks, Becs." She took a long swallow of her beer and her eyes focused back on the diamond, but she kept her hands to herself.

But Beca couldn't and when she let her hand stray to the older woman's thigh again, the truth of her heart, yelled right in her own ears and she could no longer ignore it.

I'm in love with Chloe.

And then Chloe's hand was softly covering hers.

Xx

Chloe yawned widely as she dropped onto the bed to untie her shoelaces. "That was so fun," she said. "I haven't been to a game in so long. We should go more often."

"Sure," Beca replied amiably as she kicked off her sneakers and jeans and pulled on a pair of soft shorts.

Chloe had pulled her phone out of her pocket, and she was staring at the screen. Then she looked at her friend. "Wow, Beca," she said. "You're trending on Twitter."

Dark blue eyes rolled. "What is it this time? Did I eat a baby or something?"

"No," Chloe laughed. "Hashtag becaball, hashtag bechloe. They're both trending. There are hundreds of photos of you with fans at the ballpark." She clicked on a video and covered her face with her hand as she listened.

LOVE YOU, BECA!

LOVE YOU TOO!

YOUR GIRLFRIEND IS SO HOT!

I KNOW, RIGHT?!

Beca grinned as she pulled her bra out from under her shirt and moved to the bed to sit down next to her embarrassed friend. "Toldja."

Chloe shook her head a little. "I thought you were joking."

"Nope," the singer replied. She pulled back the bedcovers on her side and climbed in, displacing the vet who moved to finish getting undressed. "I was totally serious. Nice to have adoring fans, huh?"

Chloe scoffed a little. "They're your fans, not mine."

Dark eyebrows lifted. "Hashtag bechloe? Sounds like they're OUR fans now, Babe."

The vet got into bed, and clicked off the lamp, plunging them both in darkness. They lay shoulder to shoulder staring at the ceiling for a while, then Chloe turned onto her side, one hand tucked under her cheek. "Did you really mean what you said?" she asked quietly. "About me?"

Beca didn't have to ask her what she was referring to. "Yeah, I meant it," she replied, just as quietly.

Then Chloe was leaning closer and raising herself onto one elbow. She placed a soft, chaste kiss on her friend's lips. "I think you're beautiful too," she said, then quickly rolled onto her side away from the singer.

Beca didn't sleep much that night.

Xx

Chloe was feeling a little overwhelmed and she held Beca's hand tightly as they moved along the red carpet. They were both dressed up to the nines and surrounded by cameras and reporters because Beca was one of the stars of the evening. She'd been nominated for multiple Grammys, both for her own album and as a producer, and tonight was the big night. Beca would finally find out if she'd won anything. She was also the opening act for the show and had been in rehearsals for days.

Chloe couldn't have been prouder of her.

"Chloe," a reporter called out. "This is your first time at the Grammys. How are you feeling?"

"I feel amazing!" Chloe exclaimed, tossing her red curls over her shoulders. "And so, so proud of Beca."

"I haven't won anything yet, Babe," the singer said with a charming smile.

Chloe pecked her lips and grinned. "Just wait," she said with a wink. It held a subtextual energy that the reporter picked up on and he laughed a little.

"Have fun, you two."

They continued along the carpet until a staff member wearing huge headphones approached them. "Miss Mitchell, we need you backstage," he said. Then he indicated an usher. "Paul will make sure Doctor Beale gets safely to her seat."

Beca nodded, then turned to her girlfriend… friend. "That ok, Chlo?" she asked.

"Of course." Chloe leaned in and they kissed gently, causing a flurry of flashes around them. "Break a leg, Baby."

"That's mostly for theater, Love," Beca grinned, leaning in again for one more peck. "That one's for good luck." Then she was being swept away in a crowd of staff and Paul was offering his arm to the vet.

"If you'd do me the honor of allowing me to accompany you to your seat, Doctor Beale?"

Chloe smiled and inclined her head gracefully. "Thank you, Young Sir," she replied playfully as she took his arm and walked with him through the lobby and into the auditorium, where he left her at a small table with two plush seats. An open bottle of champagne was chilling in a silver bucket and another usher came to pour her a glass.

"Good evening, Doctor Beale," he said as he filled her flute. "I hope you enjoy your evening." Then he leaned in a little closer and smiled. "Hashtag bechloe," he whispered, and the vet laughed softly as he bowed a tad and went on his way.

The tables around Chloe were starting to fill up and she spent some time chatting with people she'd never met before until the announcer informed everyone that the show was about to start. The vet settled down as everyone took their seats and the house lights suddenly lowered, leaving the auditorium mostly in darkness.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," the announcer said dramatically. "Four-time Grammy Award winner, Beca Mitchell."

The audience started applauding and then Chloe's breath was stolen right from her chest as a single spotlight centered on a lone figure on the stage. Beca had changed from her evening gown and heels into knee-high, laced leather boots, a leather miniskirt, vest and biker jacket… and the vet's mouth literally went dry at how sexy she looked. And then Beca's eyes found her, and a tiny smile lifted her lips. A smile just for Chloe and suddenly everything was slamming into focus. Chloe's chest suddenly ached with knowledge, and she pressed her hand to it as the truth of her heart overrode everything else in her brain.

I'm in love with Beca.

Then the music started. Beca flipped her jacket off one shoulder as she bucked her hips into the microphone stand and began to sing.

And Chloe was lost to the swelling of her heart... and the ache between her thighs.

Xx

It took only a few minutes for Beca to show up at their table after she'd finished her performance and Chloe had regained most of her normal function by then. "Hey," the singer grinned as she dropped into her seat, a half-full bottle of water in her hand. She looked slightly flushed and sweaty, and she hadn't bothered changing out of the leather stuff.

"Wow," Chloe said, blue eyes a little wild. "You were incredible. I've never seen you so… intense before."

The energy between them made Beca lean across the table, and Chloe met her halfway to kiss her. "Glad you liked it," the brunette winked as she pulled back. "You can show me how much later on, when we get home."

All the vet could do was nod and Beca chuckled. Then she poured herself a glass of champagne and took a few sips before entwining her fingers with the Chloe's on the tabletop. They sat like that as they watched the rest of the show. Then it was near the end and the final major awards were being announced.

"Nervous?" Chloe asked softly.

"A little," Beca admitted.

Beca ended up losing to Taylor Swift and, ironically, DJ Khaled and then came the final award for Best Female Artist. She'd never really wanted to be a singer, but she didn't for a moment regret the direction her life had taken, and when her name was called, all she could think about was how much Chloe had helped her to get there. She got up, aware of people screaming her name around her, but she only had eyes for Chloe. Beautiful, kind, wonderful Chloe. The love of her life. Beca pulled her into her arms and hugged her hard. "I love you," she said into the older woman's ear. "For real. Chloe, I'm in love with you. I don't want to fake this anymore."

Chloe squeezed her harder and then Beca was walking up onto the stage to accept the statue from Miley Cyrus. She held it up for a moment, then set it on the podium. She had prepared something in case she won but she threw it out without a moment's regret.

"Thanks," she said. "This means more to me than you'll ever know. I owe my career so far to some awesome…" She grinned. "And aca-awesome people. And I'm grateful to each one of you. You know who you are." She looked down at Chloe who was crying and nodding. "And I owe my happiness to my girlfriend, Chloe, who I love more than anyone else in this world. In fact… she IS my world." She lifted the statue once more. "Thanks again."

She followed an usher off to the side of the stage as screams and applause almost deafened her. Then she had to wait for the final award to be announced before the show ended and she was able to look for Chloe again. She skipped out on the press and interviews and finally found her. The vet was outside, leaning against the limo that would take them to the afterparty, but when she spotted Beca, tears spilled down her cheeks again. The singer walked quickly to her and pushed her back against the car, pressing her face into the taller woman's neck as Chloe's arms came around her to hold her tightly. "I'm sorry," she said, voice muffled. "I'm sorry for just dropping that on you. But I couldn't… I couldn't NOT tell you how I feel about you anymore."

Chloe grabbed her hand and pulled her around a corner to where they'd have a little more privacy. "Becs…" she whispered. "I love you too. I've been so blind and… God, I'm an idiot for not…"

And then Beca was kissing her for real… deeply, passionately, and freely… kissing her with her whole body as she pressed her inti the brick wall. Chloe's knees almost gave out and she moaned softly as gentle hands roamed over her. "I don't want to go to the afterparty," Beca said then. "I just want to be alone with you, Love."

Chloe nodded and then put her lips to her girlfriend's ear as she grasped the lapels of her jacket. "I want you," she whispered. "I'm already so wet from watching you perform in all this sexy leather." Then she suckled Beca's lobe. "Take me home?"

Beca took her hand and, moments later, they were making out in the back of the limo as it hurtled toward their beach house.

Xx

One Grammy Award and a trail of clothes along the hallway from the front door to the bedroom, left them both naked, and Chloe gasped as Beca pushed her roughly against one of the bed posts, licking and kissing down her neck to her collar bone and lower to scrape her teeth over her rock-hard nipple.

"Yesss…" Chloe moaned as the singer's hot mouth sealed over her breast and suckled her. "Fuck…Becs…" she whimpered.

"I love you," the brunette groaned as she moved to Chloe's other breast and let her hand roam south to brush between the older woman's legs. Chloe was soaked, thighs tacky against Beca's fingertips as she explored slowly, then dipped between her folds to find her swollen and ready.

"I love you too… but I don't think I can stand up anymore," the redhead admitted, grasping at the post above her head, and Beca smiled as she wrapped her arms around the older woman's waist and lifted her onto the bed. She eased on top of Chloe, gently parting her thighs with her knee, and then rocking her own thigh down onto her.

The redhead closed her eyes and bit her bottom lip as her back arched. "Oh my God," she whimpered, reaching her arms over her head to grab onto the headboard as she lifted her hips to meet Beca's downward thrusts. She felt gentle pressure against her neck and then Beca's breasts were caressing her skin as she nipped at Chloe's pulse point.

"Mmm…" Beca moaned softly. She shifted a little to press her center to Chloe's thigh, grinding down onto her as she slowly slid her fingertips against the redhead's clit.

Chloe's arms came around her, holding her close. "Please…" she whimpered again. "Please Beca… I need…" Beca kissed her so deeply that the vet felt it all the way down to her toes and the throbbing need between her thighs intensified tenfold.

And then the younger woman closed her eyes tightly as she slowly slid two fingers into her lover. Savoring every second of the sensation. Chloe's groan was deep and filthy and Beca's clit throbbed with need as she started and held a slow, deep rhythm, driving the redhead higher and higher with each thrust and curl of her digits. She slowly glided against the redhead's thigh, soaking it with her own need as she pressed even closer to her. "You feel so good, Baby," she murmured into the vet's ear. "So hot and wet for me. I need to feel you, Chlo. I need to feel you come around my fingers."

Chloe pulled her in for another filthy kiss, arching up into her and Beca felt the first strains of her own orgasm, so she eased back. She wanted to pleasure the love of her life first. She knew the vet was close. She could feel it in the tightness around her fingers; could see it in the flush and glistening sweat on the older woman's skin and hear it in the sounds of her rapid breathing. And she wanted more. So much more. She wanted to feel Chloe come undone.

She put her mouth to Chloe's ear again and sighed softly. "I want to make love to you for the rest of our lives," she murmured. She eased back a little to find Chloe looking at her with such adoration in her glistening blue eyes that it almost made her cry. She pushed her fingers inside her as deep as she could, moving her thumb to caress over the redhead's clit. "I love you, Chloe."

"I lo...love you too," Chloe groaned. "Oh FUUUUUCK!" Her orgasm was sudden and so deeply intense, it pulled a desperate cry from her. The pulsing sensation around Beca's fingers made her close her own eyes and moan, and she slowed her movements, rubbing gently against her lover's walls and clit as she eased her through the pulses inside her. She was vaguely aware of the sting of Chloe's nails as they dug into her back, but it was nothing compared to joy she was feeling from her head to her toes.

She started to rock slowly against the redhead's thigh again, whimpering softly as the older woman's hands found her breasts and caressed them as she caught her breath. But after a few moments to recover, Chloe was suddenly rolling them over and kissing Beca like she'd never been kissed before. The singer could barely keep up with the probing and sliding of Chloe's tongue and she couldn't help but smile when the redhead pulled back suddenly and looked at her with a perfectly arched eyebrow. "Why the hell have we not been doing this for years?" she asked, eyes shining with joy of her own.

"Because we weren't ready," Beca replied. And then Chloe was kissing her again and she was lost to the arousal building up in her body once more. It was a little embarrassing actually, how quickly the vet brought her to the edge without even touching her below the waist, but hazily, in the back of her conscious mind, she reckoned she'd been ready for more than a while now.

Chloe chuckled as she pinned Beca's hands above her head on the pillow and bit erotically at her breasts. "You're already close," she murmured with a please little smirk. "I can tell."

"Shut up, Dude," Beca grumbled, and the redhead laughed, easing up on the intensity a little so the singer could catch her breath.

"And you're unfairly hot," the older woman added as she nipped at Beca's collarbone and then licked a path down to her navel. "I mean... look at you. I've always loved your boobs. Guess that's why I used to grope you in the middle of the night when we lived together in New York." She reiterated her point with a double squeeze and a waggle of her brows.

Beca couldn't help but laugh. She'd had no idea that Chloe would be this playful... or chatty... during sex, but it was just another thing she instantly loved about her friend... girlfriend. Then the vet's mouth was on her nipple, and she moaned softly as her clit throbbed again. Chloe's swirling tongue and tugging lips made Beca's back arch, and she moaned again. "Chlo..."

"Mmm... yes?" the redhead teased, stopping all attention to Beca's trembling body. "Can I help you?"

"God..." The singer was rapidly running out of patience. "Chloe Beale! Will you please just fuck me?!"

Chloe laughed and nodded. "Yes, Ma'am." And then she was inside Beca, kissing her wantonly and deeply and passionately and with all the things the brunette had only dreamed of. Beca was shaking, hips bucking as her lover's fingers found just the right spot inside her and she cried out... begged... for the release she so desperately needed.

And Chloe wanted that for her too. She thrusted her fingers harder, rougher; taking and giving at the same time; filling her lover until she could hardly stand it anymore. She NEEDED Beca to come. Chloe's voice was a needy growl when she spoke into the brunette's ear, biting at the lobe and tugging. "Fuck, Baby, you are SOOOO sexy."

And that was it. Those few words were what pushed Beca over the edge, and she came undone like she'd never before, sobbing her pleasure toward the heavens as her hips bucked underneath the love of her life. It felt like eternity, but it was still too short, and when Beca finally collapsed back onto the mattress, she felt like she might never catch her breath again, as beautiful as the face gazing down lovingly at her was.

Chloe smiled as she pressed soothing little kisses to Beca's cheeks and lips. "You ok?" she asked softly.

"I... uh..." The singer had to wait for her brain to stop melting out of her ears before a little giggle sounded from her. "Wow."

"Mmmhmmm," the vet agreed as she rubbed noses with her. Then she moved a little to the side, snuggling on the singer's chest with one thigh slung across her. Beca's hand came into her red hair, scratching her scalp gently as they just let their hearts settle. The brunette was still trembling, and Chloe caressed her stomach gently until her body calmed.

They didn't say anything for a while. Then Beca turned her head and kissed Chloe's forehead tenderly. "I love you," she said simply, and the redhead nodded, dropping little kisses on her collarbone.

"I love you too."

Xx

They couldn't keep their hands off each other. Out together, they were as restrained as was publicly acceptable but alone, they spent long hours in bed, making each other scream and then whispering words of love to each other. They took walks on their private beach, dipping into the ocean in bikinis they'd rather not have been wearing, and kissing in the water under the bright, yellow sun.

They were tanning one Saturday afternoon, on colorful, oversized towels, when Beca turned her head to look at her lover. "Chlo?" she said, hoping the redhead wasn't asleep.

Chloe's lips lifted into a little smile. "Mmmm?"

"Theo... um... well... he brought up the whole marriage thing again yesterday."

"Mmmm..." Chloe said again, eyes still closed behind her sunglasses.

"And I wanted to talk to you about it." Beca was inexplicably nervous, considering it was a fake wedding, she was referring to.

The vet took her sunglasses off and rolled onto her side, propping herself up on her elbow as she gazed at Beca and played with one of the strings holding the brunette's bikini top closed "I've been thinking about that," she said. "Becs, I don't want to get married for Theo or for your reputation, and at this point, I don't think we need to."

Beca hummed her agreement. "Right."

"But if someone were to... you know..." She tugged on the string a little harder, tempted to pull it all the way open. "Ask me for real at some point, I might consider it."

The brunette swallowed as Chloe rolled onto her back again and replaced her sunglasses, a little smirk on her lips. Beca didn't say anything, but she couldn't think about anything else for the rest of the afternoon.

Later that evening, they were eating dinner in the kitchen when Beca's phone rang. She sighed and picked it up but Chloe, seeing it was Beca's manager, snitched it out of her hand and answered it for her.

"Hello, this is Beca's assistant. How can I help?" she said sweetly.

"Hi, Chloe," Theo chuckled. "Is she available?"

"No, I'm afraid not," the redhead responded. "She's busy trying to figure out a way to tell her manager that she and I are in love for real, and together now in every sense of the word." She paused then. "Theo, we don't want to get fake-married. End of story." Beca's eyes widened, and she slapped her hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter. There was silence on the other end of the phone. "Still there, Mister Manager, Sir?" Chloe asked innocently.

"Good," Theo replied, chuckling a little. "I was wondering how long it would take you two to figure it out. The heart eyes between you on the USO Tour were ridiculous."

Chloe didn't say anything for a long moment as she wondered the same. "Um… Bye, Theo," she said, then shrugged as she tossed Beca her phone back. "Done."

Beca just blinked at her for a moment, then got up to round the table and straddle her lover's lap, holding her jaw as she looked into her eyes. "God, I love when you take charge like that," she said huskily as she slowly leaned in to capture her girlfriend's bottom lip between her teeth and tug. "It's sooo hot."

And then Chloe was growling softly and pushing her plate out of the way so she could sit Beca up onto the edge of the table to strip her of her shorts and underwear. The redhead lowered herself to her knees and parted the Beca's thighs to kiss her center and then slowly lick a stripe along its length.

Chloe grinned then as the brunette's hands tangled into her hair and she wrapped one arm around Beca's waist as she slid her other hand under shirt to palm her breast. Demanding hands pulled Chloe's hair, spurring her on, and Beca trembled as her lover kissed her intimately and then sucked on her clit until she was coming with her head tipped back and one foot propped up on Chloe's shoulder.

The vet got to her feet and pecked Beca's lips, smiling smugly at the sight of blown pupils and a heaving chest. "Mmmm... dinner was great," Chloe said, licking her lips. "But dessert was better." Then she headed for the bathroom to clean up while Beca slid off the table onto shaking legs.

"Holy fuck," she murmured. "That woman is going to kill me." She put her underwear and shorts back on and took her seat at the table again before fixing Chloe's plate back in front of her seat. She poured them both more wine and when her lover came back, they shared a quick kiss before going back to their meal.

Chloe looked very pleased with herself as she finished her lukewarm pasta and Beca couldn't help but laugh. "You're so adorable and sexy," she said. "And I gotta tell ya, Chlo, your oral skills are exceptional."

Bright blue eyes twinkled a little. "Thanks, Becs."

For a long moment, they just stared at each other, two pairs of blue eyes locked. The redhead licked her lips reflexively...

And then Beca was crawling across the table into Chloe's space again... intent on having her dessert too.

The End (for now)