This fic is for all of those that secretly ship Irv and Miranda, enjoy.
She stood staring out the window and down at the street below.
Irv noted he only saw her like this when she was worried.
He was curious as to why she hadn't mentioned anything over lunch. He had gone through the usual routine of giving her hell during the board meeting. As always he would give her what she wanted and then some.
He continued to watch from the doorway, lightly stroking the velvet Cartier box before placing it under his arm.
Irv hoped she would like it.
He was confident that it would suit her taste as she currently wore the diamond hoop earrings he had purchased for her several weeks ago.
"You're staring." Miranda stated bringing her gaze to rest on him. He felt nervous under the intense blue hue of her eyes. He quickly squashed the feeling.
"Well, I can't help it. It's not everyday I get to be in the presence of such a beautiful woman."
She rolled her eyes playful as she went over to the small sofa he followed sitting next to her.
He placed his hand on the side of her face tracing his thumb across her bottom lip.
She couldn't resist letting her eyes fall shut. It was the editor's little secret but she melted under this man's touch. His caresses were always tender reverent almost. A sharp contrast to the brutish nature in which her husband handled her.
Miranda opened her eyes to find that his irises had darken the deep brown orbs were nearly obsidian in color. They were soft and caring as if he could sense her distress. He never asked questions but seemed to know when she needed silent support.
She couldn't help but relish in the fact that she felt seen.
He saw beneath the facade; he had fractured the ice and when faced with those freezing, murky depths didn't run. He hadn't judged and frankly she was surprised at all that she had shared with him that first night where the lines became blurred.
He knew more about her than her husbands ever had.
She closed the distance between them her knee against his.
He responded by wrapping his free arm around her small frame and pulling her into his side as he gently guided them back on the sofa. Her head landed softly on his chest and she snaked her arm around his mid-section.
Irv tighten his hold his grip almost becoming possessive as he took the opportunity to present his gift.
"What's this?" She sat up and took the box. Slowly she opened it.
She was speechless as she stared at the diamond necklace. It was simple, elegant something her favorite, Audrey Hepburn would have worn.
He sat up hoping he had not made a mistake.
"Do you like it?" He sounded unsure of himself. The lack of confidence was very uncharacteristic of the executive.
Miranda focused on him her teal colored eyes were sparkling and in that moment Irv knew he would have done anything she asked.
"It's beautiful, sweetheart."
His heart skipped a beat at the term of endearment. The two were not overly affectionate nor did they address each other by such terms but Irv was starving and what ever she was willing to give he would gladly accept.
She continued her voice in a whisper, "you don't have to buy me gifts. I can't keep accepting them."
Miranda attempted to close the box but was stopped.
"Yes, you can. Put it on. I'll help," he gently removed the necklace from the satin lining, "turn around."
Miranda complied shifting her weight and presenting her back to him.
"It's our anniversary. We first met twenty-two years ago today."
He fastened the clasp and caressed her slender pale neck before bringing his hands to her shoulders.
The chairman placed a chaste kiss just below her ear causing her to chuckle.
"You remember the day we met?"
She shifted turning to face him a small smile on her lips.
"Yes, I even remember what you wore."
She looked away laughing before she brought her gaze back to him. Irv was graced with a genuine smile that made her face light up; his breath hitched.
"Thank you," she whispered the smile slowly fading from her lips.
There was a moment of silence between the two before she positioned herself against him as before and the two laid back clinging to one another.
Irv embedded his left hand in her snowy locs as he wrapped his arm around her waist pulling her closer.
"You know, I didn't like you when we first met."
He didn't take offense. Even in London, she was known stateside. Her reputation had proceeded her and he had not been happy with her appointment to the New York division.
He laughed, "I didn't like you either then, but now," he hesitated before finishing, "I love you."
He whispered the ending so low that if Miranda hadn't been lying on his chest she wouldn't have heard him.
The editor pushed herself up and out of his arms her hand still over his heart.
"I'm in love with you Miranda." He stated firmly suddenly feeling bold.
"What am I supposed to do with that Irv?" She asked. The question was asked without malice her tone had taken on a certain sadness.
He placed his hand atop hers lightly stroking it.
"Nothing. I just thought you should know."
Miranda stared at him, briefly she entertained thoughts of a life with him. Normally, she wouldn't give in to such daydreams but she could see him fitting into her world so easily.
He was a man that came with no complications no preconceived notions of what she should be. He wasn't into the fantasy of The Snow Queen, Miranda Priestly.
With him, there was no pretending.
He wasn't like Stephen. Her current husband didn't offer much beyond how the two looked in photos. He was photogenic, tall and resume wise he was perfect. Their courtship had been a romantic novel come to life, but after the vows the mask fell.
For the corporate lawyer, she was a conquest a trophy to add to the top shelf of a case that was littered with them.
Miranda was well aware of what she was signing up for the night he proposed. Any sane woman would have ran cut her losses, instead she leaned into what was familiar the drinking, the mood swings, and even the bouts of violence were home.
She met Irv's gaze, his eyes were stormy and had shifted from obsidian to a slightly hazel hue as he stared at her through thick oval lenses. She was the first one to break eye contact the emotion she saw was too much.
It overwhelmed her.
Miranda closed her eyes needing to ground herself.
Her eyes fluttered open allowing the tears she had been trying to hold back to fall.
Instead she brought her attention to the far wall trying to focus anywhere and on anything but him. Slowly, he sat up continuing to hold the hand that was on his chest.
With his free hand, he gently cupped her chin bringing her gaze back to his. He saw that her cheeks were damp.
"I didn't mean to upset you."
"No, you did nothing wrong." She whispered gently placing her lips on his.
He deepened the kiss and she placed her other hand on the front of his trousers. He began to unbutton her blouse carefully exercising restraint not to rip the garment and expose the hot flesh he so desperately needed to touch.
Andrea stood listening to the exchange.
She had returned to the office after a night out with Nigel and Emily needing to retrieve her laptop. In the excitement and their boss' out of character act of letting them go early on a Friday, all had been forgotten as the two assistants walked out in shock.
When she saw the light coming from Miranda's office she thought of going in and checking on the editor until she heard Irv's voice.
The fights between the two were legend and Andrea's mind had gone to the worst possible scenarios imaginable. Out of habit she had squared her shoulders ready to intervene if needed.
What the brunette wasn't prepared for were the words that had been spoken between the two.
She was too taken aback to steal a glance and only stood off to the side watching their reflection in the glass door. The gentle caresses and the softly whispered I love yous from older man made the young woman's head spin.
The two figures grew closer until they merged into one. It was only when she had watched her boss straddle the chairman that she dared peek.
She watched as the silk blouse was pushed down the woman's arms until it was thrown to the floor. Andrea covered her mouth as she took note of the faint bruising on Miranda's upper back and she wondered which of the two men had put them there.
Andrea ruled out Irv as she witnessed how Miranda clung to him. She had never seen the feared fashion maven so desperate and needy. She held onto him like a woman that had found a life line.
Andrea knew she needed to leave but continued to watch until she was assured the two had become lost in one another. Their cries of frustration and passion becoming indistinguishable.
She left the office and took the stairs for the first two flights before taking the service elevator to the lobby.
The assistant wasn't sure what was going on but she knew if this affair was to get out her boss' reputation would suffer as it always did for women in these scenarios. She would lose everything.
Andrea's mind was made up she would protect Miranda at all costs.
Irv became angry as he stared at the fading bruises on her upper back and left side as he watched her dress. He said nothing. The last time he questioned the marks around her neck she had angrily dismissed him avoiding him for a little over a month.
Those weeks without touching her and only seeing his love across a conference room table had been absolute hell. As much as it pained him, Irv agreed not to make that mistake again. Losing her would be the end of him. So, he settled for business lunches and stolen moments in empty closets and offices.
He looked on in awe after she finished dressing the editor looked as if she hadn't been touched. Not a strand of hair was out of place and he had an urge to run his fingers through the silky strands.
Miranda went behind the glass desk and pulled her purse from the bottom drawer and walked to him and stopped. She brought her hand up to touch his cheek before leaning in her soft lips connecting with his.
He accepted the chaste kiss as she quickly pulled back. She left him standing in the middle of the office.
In the elevator she took a deep breath she was shaking and jumped when her cell began to buzz. She didn't need to look at it to know that it was Stephen. Once in the town car, she pulled out her cell. Fifteen missed calls from Stephen and several text messages.
She sighed.
Miranda wouldn't bother reading them and could only speculate as to how much violence she would have to endure when she returned home.
She watched the people passing by from the car window. With the girls gone for the week there was no reason to bother going to the townhouse. She softly spoke an address and Roy made the necessary detour taking her in the opposite direction.
She decided on delaying the inevitable a little longer.