"She's pregnant." She stared at her brother, her jealousy rising along with her anger. She felt a fierce protectiveness unfurl in the pit of her stomach and every territorial bone in her body wanted nothing more than to tear her brother limb from limb. "Get out." Miranda hissed.
"But Miri, I..." The younger man brushed his curly red hair from his face.
"I said out, Seth. I can't even..." Miranda exhaled a breath of frustration. "...I can't even look at you right now." She watched as her younger brothers shoulders fell. "To shirk your responsibilities in such a way is reprehensible and irresponsible and I do not want my daughters around you."
"Miri..." Seth pleaded.
"I have asked, multiple times, that you not call me that." Miranda seethed.
"Miranda, it wasn't meant to happen. I swear, I honestly think she's trying to trap me." Seth hoped his sister would see things from his point of view, if she kicked him out he would have no choice but to find a hotel or worse, head back to London. "And you know how much I love your girls, I wouldn't see any harm come to them."
Miranda bristled. "And if one of my girls was put in such a precarious situation and the boy threw a thousand dollars at her and told her to "see to it" before leaving her in the middle of the city, at night, what would you do, mmh? Oh, that's right, you would see it from the boys perspective, having just done the same." She straightened her posture and narrowed her eyes as she glared at him. "You have always got what you wanted, but that young woman deserves better than to be treated like some whore."
Seth's eyes skittered nervously to his sister. At that moment, for the first time, he could see why everyone called her the Dragon Lady. He never expected that coldness and fury to be aimed at him though. Miranda and the twins were all that was left of his family and his sister had practically raised him, working her fingers to the bone to put him through school and ensure there was food on the table. "Miranda, please..."
"I will clean up the mess you are leaving behind." Miranda turned on her heel, dismissing him entirely and swept from the room. "That's all." When Miranda reached the bottom of the stairs, her shoulders slumped.
Seth saw her take a deep, shuddering breath before moving up them slowly. Eventually, he heard the door of her study slam closed.
~x~
Andy lay in bed sobbing uncontrollably, knowing she had once again made a severe error in judgement. She'd honestly believed Seth cared about her, so much so that she allowed him into her bed after their sixth date. Admittedly their sixth date had been exactly ten days after they had met at the Excellence in Journalism awards ceremony they were attending.
The awards ceremony itself was one of those publishing events she wouldn't usually be seen dead at, knowing Miranda Priestly attended, but she had been nominated for an award for a series of investigative reports on the failing New York foster care system, a series that had seen her receiving critical acclaim across the industry she had worked hard for a place in.
Andy could easily admit she had noticed the man on Miranda Priestly's arm almost immediately. Simply because she had once again found herself captivated by the beauty of her ex-boss. When she eventually managed to tear her eyes away she had seen his amused smirk aimed directly at her.
She realised as he caught her gaze, that his eyes were a vibrant blue, just like Miranda's, but they were softer, warmer and held playfulness. They were truly beautiful. His curly red hair reminded her of Miranda's twins, although it was slightly darker than theirs. She liked how he kept brushing a curl out of his eyes as Miranda made her way through the throngs of people waiting to greet her as Queen of the fashion world, all while he danced in attendance by her side.
It was at the bar they collided. Literally. As she watched her glass of wine tip over the edges to splash his black silk tie she rushed to place the glass and the hideous award she'd received down on the bar before grabbing a napkin and dabbing the liquid coating the tie, while scanning the surrounding material to ensure no damage had been done to the Armani shirt he wore. "I'm so s-sorry." She blushed furiously as she stuttered out her apology.
"Seth, we are leaving." Miranda's voice pierced the area around them and Andy spun on her heel, blushing brighter as she caught Miranda's blatant perusal. She was offered a small nod and Miranda's lips quirked, a sign of approval. "Ahn-dréy-ah."
The way Miranda drawled her name had Andy straightening and offering a polite nod in return. "Miranda."
If her voice was a little breathless, that was to be expected, right?
She'd not been in Miranda's presence since that fateful day in Paris almost three years before.
"I see gracefulness is still not something you have attained in the passing years." Miranda's voice was soft but it was the man's deep chuckle that caught her attention.
"Play nice now, sister." He smiled widely at Andy. "Accidents do happen and not everyone knows when you are teasing."
"I do," Andy muttered, still breathless. "Sister?" She queried, gathering her wits.
Miranda rolled her eyes. "This is my younger brother, Seth." She smiled indulgently at her sibling before turning back to Andy. "He's considering settling in New York and is staying with me. Seth, this is Andréa Sachs, my greatest disappointment." With that, Miranda spun on her heel and stalked towards the exit without a backward glance.
"Wow, high praise indeed," Seth exclaimed. At Andy's look of despair and confusion, he explained. "If she came to care enough about your actions, enough for you to become a disappointment, you must be a remarkable person."
"I...uh...it's a long story," Andy stated, her eyes following the silver-haired beauty.
"How about dinner, tomorrow." Seth urged. "C'mon, say yes."
"Why?" Andy asked dubiously.
"I think I want to get to know more about the remarkable Andréa Sachs." Seth smiled.
~x~
Miranda had been fully aware her brother was seeing Andréa. How could she not be?
She assured herself it was just a harmless flirtation on Seth's part, after all, he had spent the last forty years failing to develop any meaningful connections with the fairer sex. She had told herself, when he returned to the Townhouse from his dates, that her jealousy was ridiculous.
So what if Andréa was bestowing her brighter than the sun smiles on her little brother rather than her?
So what if he had a smugness about him that bespoke of evenings spent in the brunette's presence?
So what if the scent of the younger woman on his skin made her want to throttle him with her bare hands?
She told herself, quite firmly, that she had barely let herself think of the younger woman over the years except when reading her articles. She certainly had not spent every night since her escape on the steps of the Petite Palais dreaming about her, of them making a life together.
Had she?
She knew she was lying to herself when she denied how much she had missed Andréa, but for the few moments she did so, it made her feel a little better about the situation, about the fact Seth had won the woman she loved with his innate charm and warmth. Seth didn't know that she was in love with his new girlfriend and it wasn't as if Andréa had ever been hers to claim.
She had been pleased when the thing between them seemed to come to a natural conclusion a few weeks after it had started. Seth had seemed resigned, advising her that things just weren't working out and that he and Andréa wanted different things. It was only now that she understood Seth had ended things, after meeting someone else.
As if anyone could be better than Andréa.
And now, she had no idea how to breach the distance between herself and Andréa, but she knew she had to at least try to make things right.
The younger woman was carrying her nephew or niece, a continuation of the Princhek lineage. Not that the Princhek's came from well-bred stock, the upper echelons of society. She and Seth were first-generation English after their parents fled to London and away from religious persecution in their home country. They had not had everything handed to them on a silver platter, or at least she hadn't.
Miranda could easily admit she had spoiled her four-year-old brother after gaining custody of the boy upon their father's death from liver failure when she was seventeen, and since their mother had died in childbirth leaving her, at thirteen, with her father and the baby, there had been no-one else. She had worked hard to ensure Seth had the best education, and it was true that she may have been absent more than present in those early years while she forged her way into the fashion world, but it had been for the greater good.
Upon her promotion to Fashion Editor of Runway France at the age of twenty-five, Seth had started his high school education, boarding at a rather good state school in Surrey until he was 18. He had received a position at Oxford University to study Philosophy, Politics and Economics and upon completing his degree, he furthered his education by studying business and marketing.
Sipping the scotch on the rocks she held in her hands, the ice tinkled against the Glencairn translucent crystal Whiskey Glass Stephen had left behind. She found comfort in the burn of the liquid as it seared its way down her throat.
Thinking of what Seth has asked her to do for him, of the deal he wished to make with Andréa on his behalf after she refused to abort their unborn child, she frowned. Seth was willing to sign whatever he could to waive all of his paternal rights and settle a fixed dollar amount on Andréa and the child, but nothing further would come from him and the child would have no claim on him.
Miranda threw the remaining scotch down her throat and winced as her mind settled on the final points of a deal of her own. A deal that would finally make Andréa hers, like she was meant to be all along.
~x~
"Are you're sure you want to go through with this?" Miranda's voice coiled in Andy's ear, a mere whisper as she stepped beside her and matched her stride.
Frankly, Andy wasn't sure, about anything. Tears formed in her eyes and she tried valiantly to blink them away before they blurred her vision and she fell ass over tit. "I won't get rid of it." She advised.
"Okay, then I believe we should talk." Miranda veered off to the side.
Andy stalled and in doing so she blocked someone's path. A burly man in work clothes started cussing her out and she held her hands out placatingly. "I'm sorry." As he continued to shout at her to watch where the fuck she was going, her anger rose. She prodded him in the chest. "Yo, back the hell off. I apologised, alright?"
A warm hand touched her back briefly before a large man stepped swiftly between her and the shouting man and quelled him with a glance. He turned towards her. "Miranda's waiting, Andy," Roy encouraged her, his voice suffused with warmth. He gestured to the idling Mercedes before guiding her gently away from the now subdued man and opening the door for her with a small bow. "Madam." He smiled down at her, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
She slipped into the car beside the editor, who gazed impassively out of the window and as Roy pulled into the afternoon traffic the silence between them stretched. Andy's wariness increased as they make their way to the Upper East Side and she tugged her fingers with increasing agitation until Miranda placed a gloved hand on them.
"You seem unsettled, Andréa." Miranda turned her eyes away from the window and catching Roy's eyes, gestured for the privacy glass to be raised. As it slid into place silently, she continued to talk. "Seth will not be at the house. I believe he should be settled in his suite at The Langham by now."
Andy found herself relaxing slightly and moved her hands from under the editors. she was surprised by the fact Seth was no longer at the townhouse but it didn't quite answer the questions buzzing through her mind.
Thankfully, she didn't have long to wait, although the fact Miranda was explaining things, left her a little surprised. "I told him to leave after he explained what happened." Miranda's lips pursed in displeasure. "I do not approve of his behaviour."
"How long were you waiting outside the Mirror?" Andy asked, interrupting further words as relief washed through her from the knowledge she would not face the man who had hurt her two days ago.
"I see you walk by Elias Clarke on certain afternoons," Miranda admitted. "it was easy to fathom the distance and time it would take to navigate foot traffic, between the Mirror offices and the Elias Clarke building."
"That doesn't tell me anything, Miranda." Andy rolled her eyes. "It's a simple ques..."
"Thirty minutes or so." Miranda interrupted her. "I wanted to ensure I did not miss you. I did not want to have to ask my brother for your address and I wasn't sure if you had moved in the last three years from that little walk-up you once shared with your cook."
"He was a chef." Andy pointed out. "But yes, I moved last year. I now have an apartment on Central Park South."
"Will there be enough room for a baby and all the accoutrements required?" Miranda asked curiously.
"Yeah. it has two bedrooms, so it should be fine." Andy relaxed further, pleased that she was managing to hold a conversation with the editor, yet there's still one burning question she needed to know. What did Miranda want with her after so long?
"What did you want to see me about?" She asked, finally gathering her courage to as the question as Roy pulled the car up outside the Townhouse.
"Come inside and I'll explain," Miranda responded, placing her hand lightly on Andy's knee. "Please."
~x~
"I'll sign whatever Seth wants to relieve him of this so-called burden and he can keep his fucking money." Andréa hissed as she paced the floor of the den. "I don't want or need anything from him."
"Andréa, I..." Miranda faltered when the brunette glared at her, her eyes holding her fury.
"I can do this on my own. I've made my decision and I know it won't be easy, but it's my choice to make." Andréa continued to rail as she turned her face away from Miranda.
Miranda swallowed hard as Andréa returned her gaze to her with an intensity that made her weak at the knees. "I'm sorry for the way he's treated you." Her voice was almost gentle.
"You can't blame yourself for the way he is. Seth is his own person, he makes his own choices." Andréa sat down and laid her head in her hands.
"True, but I can make sure that his child is taken care of." Miranda inched closer. "That you are. Even if you don't take what he's offering." She reached out and took Andréa's hands away from her face and placed them in her lap.
"I'll be fine." She shifted, bringing her closer still.
Miranda licked her lips, finding it difficult to concentrate on anything but Andréa's warmth as their outer thighs touched.
"You aren't responsible for me and the baby, Miranda. We're not your burden," Andréa stated softly.
"But don't you see, you are my responsibility." Miranda let her hand rest on Andy's and gazed at her. She noticed when Andréa shivered, despite the warmth of the room. "I must clear one misconception up though. In all honesty, I could never see you as a burden." She decided to use this opportunity to put her plan into place. "There is another way to do this thing, you do not have to do this alone."
"How?" Andréa breathed.
"Let me raise this child with you." Miranda made the request hesitantly and seeing Andréa's eyes widening, continued to speak quickly. "It can be our child and should someone query things, Seth can be explained away as the sperm donor so the child carries both our genetics."
"But I...you...I..." Andréa stuttered.
"I care for you, Andréa and I am not asking you to return my affection, just to let me love you and the child. Let me prove I am worthy of you, of having a place by your side as a partner." Miranda closed her eyes and waited for the response. Warning bells blared in her mind as it whispered to get that she was a silly old fool who had no right to tie herself to such a woman. Yet her body hummed with the need for Andréa's touch and as she pulled her hand away and stood, a small whimper of dismay left her throat.
"Thank you for your candour," Andréa responded gently. "But I need to go home now. I need time, to consider all we have spoken of today."
~x~
Andy reflected over the discussion she had with Miranda the previous evening and considered the offers made to her, one in particular.
The protective, almost possessive way Miranda looked at her as she declared her intentions left her awed and somewhat confused. Never, in a million years, would she ever have thought the editor was interested in forming any kind of relationship with her. Yet, she had addressed, quite firmly, her desire to do just that.
The way Miranda had spoken to her, so tenderly and eloquently, made her want what she was offering. More than she has ever wanted anything before and so, she did what she always had when facing a difficult choice and needing to clear her head. Not even waiting for Miranda's response to her thanks, she left.
As she walked home, she asked herself if she was reading Miranda all wrong. Maybe the slight touches were innocent. Perhaps the way Miranda's eyes devoured her was just a figment of her overactive imagination. She would never be able to deny just how attractive she found the older woman, there certainly was no denying the editor oozed confidence and sex appeal. What person wouldn't want someone like her beside them through their life?
There was one thing causing her concern, what man or woman in their right mind would be interested in her as she carried someone else's baby? Especially when the baby belonged to their brother. She questioned if Miranda's intentions towards her purely innocent.
She knew Miranda wasn't like her brother and a relationship with her wouldn't be easy. Miranda could be high-handed and demanding but under that was a woman who cared deeply, a woman she could see herself coming to love. But she needed time to wrap her head around that.
Settling down into her pillows, Andy sighed as her mind revisited the little moments that defined her relationship with Miranda, ending in that final farewell on the street outside Elias Clarke after being told of the words held in her recommendation to the Mirror. The small wave she had given had been her final goodbye to the woman she'd put at the centre of her world, above all others, for the previous ten months.
Deep in thought and allowing her thoughts to consider everything she thought and felt during her tenure at Runway, she finally recognised that even back then there had been a spark of something between her and the editor.
Andy frowned when the buzzer for the main door sounded. Deciding to ignore the interruption to her musings, she closed her eyes. The buzzer tore through the apartment again, and again until it was pressed in one long, set your teeth on edge, tone. She curled into a ball and closed her eyes, hoping whoever it was would take the hint. But the noise continued. Sighing, she threw off her comforter and strode to the door. Pressing the speaker on the intercom, she demanded answers with one curt word. "Yes?"
"Flower delivery for Andy Sachs." A gruff voice assaulted her ears.
She scowled. Who on earth was sending flowers?
If it was Seth, she'd take them to The Langham and tell him to shove them where the sun didn't shine. "Come on up" Andy pressed the door release and spent a few moments opening the numerous locks before letting the door swing open.
The sight before her left her stunned. Rather than the messenger she expected, Miranda Priestly stood before her, a large arrangement of flowers in one hand and a tray of coffee in the other. She was dressed casually, for her, in skinny jeans and a cashmere coat with her favourite Prada pumps finishing her ensemble.
"May I come in?" Miranda's asked.
"Uh..." Andy tried to get her herself. "...of course." She stepped to one side and Miranda entered her apartment and glanced around. "Can I take your coat?" Miranda passed her the flowers and she inhaled the scent of them as Miranda unfastened the buttons and eased an arm from one sleeve before moving the coffees to her free hand and shrugging the coat off.
Miranda glanced around again before folding her coat and placing it on a table by the door. "This is a nice place." She offered. "Can we sit?"
~x~
The last thing Miranda wanted to do was scare Andréa away, but she was not known to be a patient woman and she did not wish to tiptoe around this situation, especially when Andréa's beautiful face haunted her dreams, her doe eyes begging her to truly see her.
When she dreamt of Andréa, it was the twenty-four-year-old woman, who was once her assistant, that she saw. Certainly not the woman she had become in the intervening years. She had come to appreciate the young woman starting in the world and gaining confidence in her abilities as she navigated a fast-paced workplace and demanding boss. She had noticed the changes in Andréa back then, delighting in the growth even as her personal life went to hell. She had found herself relying on the younger woman, far more than any other assistant before her and it had hurt to turn and see her stumbling away from her in Paris.
She had seen Andréa often in the years as she travelled around the city in her Towncar or gazed out of the window of her office watching the world go by. She had followed her career closely and noticed as her writing style flourished and she came into her own. It pleased her greatly and she wondered if, one day, they could meet again as equals. She held that hope close, but then she had watched Seth and Andréa meet and all hope, buried deep inside her, had been snuffed out.
She understood she would have to exert more patience with Andréa than she usually possessed but she was willing to try for her. This was more than just getting the younger woman into her bed, although if she had her way that would happen. But she also wanted her heart and her trust. As with anything else in life, she would go to any lengths to get what she wanted, and frankly, she had never wanted anything more than she wanted Andréa, which had brought her to this moment.
Her eyes followed Andréa as she arranged the flowers in a beautifully cut glass vase, taking in what the younger woman was wearing for the first time. Her lips twitched into a smile at the sight of the other woman in an oversized t-shirt that barely covered her ass. Miranda's breath caught as her eyes roamed over the long, toned, bare legs on show and taking a sip of one of the coffee's she nearly choked when the young woman raised herself on her tiptoes to get a glass from the cupboard and the t-shirt rode up to show the swell of her pert bottom.
Spluttering, her hand covered her mouth and she tore her eyes away from the beautiful woman. Finally getting her coughing under control, she was surprised to open her eyes and see Andréa knelt in front of her, her eyes lowered as she held out a glass of water to her. Taking the water with a small murmur of gratitude, Miranda asked herself if Andréa truly realised how beautiful she found her or how much she wanted her. She believed it was likely if the slight blush rising along the younger woman's cheeks was any indication. Yet there was a hint of reservation in her expressive dark eyes.
She offered her a small sad smile before standing up and settling beside her. "I don't know if I can do this, Miranda," Andréa whispered, unable to meet her eyes.
Feeling disappointed, Miranda once again told herself she needed to have patience. Leaning closer, she pressed her lips against Andréa's cheek close to her ear. "Then I guess I'll just have to wait for a little while longer." She stood up, and catching Andréa's eyes, spoke to her from the heart. "I realise this is a lot to take in. I should leave you be."
Andréa gulped and clutched the hem of her t-shirt as her head dropped to her chest. "I'm so confused. I don't know what to do." She looked up, her eyes blazing. "What do you want from me?"
"I want no more than you are ready or willing to give," Miranda stated, moving forward to cup Andréa's face in her palms and catch her eyes. "There's no pressure, Andréa. I just want you to let me be here for you and the baby. That's all."
~x~
Andy was surprised as the weeks then months passed. Miranda remained attentive, sending flowers and little notes to let her know she was being thought of and each small gesture made her smile. Better than that were their dinners, the time spent getting to know one another. There had been one or two reports of their dates in the tabloids, and questions were met with a raised eyebrow or a "no comment".
Miranda continued to be patient with her as she navigated everything and was so considerate it left her newly awed by the woman. She hadn't tried anything and Andy hadn't asked her back to her apartment, but their connection had continued to grow. Every time she saw Miranda, she couldn't stop the butterflies that fluttered in her stomach. She was just that gorgeous. In the same breath, she was also the most pig-headed person she had ever met, insisting that she be there for every doctor's appointments and on paying to fit-out the nursery in her apartment.
As their time together passed by, it had started to become easier to picture the life that Miranda wanted, of them together, raising the baby. Even the twins, from the distance of the Californian beach house, where they were spending summer with their father, seemed happy about her reappearance in their mother's life. Remarkably enough, they'd become friends.
Leaving the Mirror offices, suddenly there were small white lights behind her eyes and everything started to go dark as the world seemingly spun on its axis. She felt warm arms steadying her. "Andréa, darling, is everything okay?"
"Miranda." Andy breathed through the growing dizziness. She became fully aware of the softness of Miranda's breasts against her back, her hands holding her close against her. "I'm okay." Miranda wouldn't let go, instead, she eased her towards the waiting car. Andy couldn't stop herself from leaning into the touch. "I'm just a little lightheaded. I skipped lunch to get my work finished." She glanced up at the editor as she slid into the car and saw Miranda had her eyes closed. Her lips moving as she counted to ten silently.
"Andy." Her name being called urgently took her attention away from the older woman, and she saw her editor, Greg, rushing towards them. Before she knew what was happening, Miranda had turned and Greg stalled at the furious glare that was bestowed on him as Miranda pushed her glasses down her nose slightly to look at him over the frames. "Andy, is everything okay?" Greg repeated the question Miranda had initially asked. "Simon said you looked like you were about to faint."
Before Andy could answer, Miranda did so. "I would like to know how it is that an award-winning journalist feels the need to skip their breaks, simply to finish her work?" Miranda hissed. "What would make someone feel that way, other than feeling pressurised to deprive herself of a very well-earned rest?" Miranda's lips pursed as she pushed her glasses back up her nose. "Studies have shown that we are more productive when we take regular breaks. perhaps you should have one of your staff investigate." She turned on her heel, ready to enter the car.
"My staff can work the hours they wish, where they wish. They aren't chained to their desks to answer every call and only allocated a fifteen-minute lunch, unlike some." Greg called out scathingly to Miranda.
The way Miranda did business was widely known in the industry thanks to a tell-all book written by an ex-assistant. It was true the names had been changed, but to anyone reading it, it was obvious who the so-called fiction was aimed at.
Miranda turned back to the man and offered him a shark smile. "I also pay my staff rather well to do their job, plus there are other perks. None of them has to supplement their income by freelancing, waitressing or bartending." She turned back to the car. "Now, it seems I must feed my girlfriend and unborn child before they both wither away into nothingness."
Andy gasped as her bosses eyes widened in disbelief. She knew her life was about to change and only time would tell if it was for the better.
~x~
Miranda was furious with herself for her slip. After all her careful maneuvering, it was likely now, if Andréa was offended by it, it may have been for nothing.
Thirty minutes after the moment on the street, upon travelling in oppressive silence towards the townhouse, Miranda was thinking of ways to make things right. As she placed a grilled cheese and bowl of chicken soup in front of Andréa, she decided to speak. " I didn't mean to..." She started.
"Yes, you did." Andréa sighed as she bit into her sandwich, chewing and swallowing quickly "While it's true you spoke without thinking, regardless of everything that hasn't been said, I know you see me as your partner and this child as yours."
"Well yes, but..." Miranda stalled as Andréa placed her sandwich down on the plate and held her hand up.
"There are no buts. You have been there at every step of the way." Andréa paused. "Well, apart from the conception, which I'm certain you're not overly bothered about."
"No, I believe that is a moment I would rather not envision," Miranda stated dryly.
"Yeah, I don't blame you," Andréa said. "I don't know if you realise just how grateful I truly am for you being here for me." She licked her lips. "I know I am not overly verbal about that side of things, but that's mainly because I don't want to make you uncomfortable."
"Andréa, do you really want this?" Miranda had to ask. "Me?" The uncertainty was driving her crazy.
"I don't..." Andréa frowned and Miranda felt her heart sink. "...I don't want to be a burden to you or to come between you and your brother."
"Me wanting to take care of you doesn't make you a burden, darling." Miranda desperately wanted to reassure her.
"You shouldn't have to take care of me," Andréa pronounced.
"You know I want this, and the fact that you are allowing me to have a place in your life is more than I could ever have hoped for. As for Seth, he knows I am serious about you and although he cannot understand the whys and wherefores, he's accepted it." Miranda told her. "He told me he should have known by my words on the night you met."
"But what does having you do all this for me make me?" Andréa turned to her, confusion clouding her eyes.
Miranda closed her eyes. There was only one word that sprang to mind. "Mine." She whispered. "It makes you mine, my darling."
Silence filled the room and Miranda heard the sound of shuffling feet. Expecting to hear the door as it slammed behind the younger woman, instead, she welcomed the heat of Andréa stepping between her parted thighs. Her heart started to pound frantically and her eyes opened when she felt Andréa's hands on her face but she couldn't meet her gaze.
"Look at me, Miranda," Andréa demanded softly.
Miranda raised her eyes, willing herself to allow Andréa to see all she felt for her and in return she saw acceptance. "It would make you mine, Andréa," she repeated. "Tell me you don't want me and we can forget all this." She offered with unyielding intensity. Andréa's lips were so close she could simply lean up slightly and she'd be kissing them. She felt the warm breath ghosting over her lips and it left her aching. "But give me hope and I'll wait however long you need, my darling. As long as I know you will be mine."
"I..." Andréa swallowed and Miranda could see her fear. "I..."
"All you have to do is say yes, Andréa." Miranda urged her for an answer.
Andréa's eyes gave her the answer she was seeking even as words failed her. She offered her a small nod and it was enough for Miranda. She grew euphoric from the knowledge Andréa wanted her too.
Unable to resist, she leaned up and her lips crashed down against Andréa's, tasting her and pushing all further reservations away.
~x~
Andy generally enjoyed sex but it was never overly important to her. Identifying as pansexual, she had certainly dabbled with both men and women over the years and knew a thing or two about pleasure. The first trimester of pregnancy had seen her sex drive fluctuate rapidly depending on the day, but now her morning sickness had disappeared, she was often horny. She felt like she was insatiable and she had found herself masturbating at least once a day, often more. Now, at almost five months pregnant, she knew that this would be a defining moment in her life. She had never been so aroused.
"You are simply beautiful." Miranda murmured as she stood studying her body after undressing her. It was as if she could see into her very soul. It felt like she was trailing her fingers in a feather-light touch all over Andy's heated skin as her eyes slid up over her rounded belly, her eyes darkened with desire. She leaned in to kiss and flick her tongue over her stomach and Andy felt herself growing wetter.
Miranda stepped back and reaching down, pulled her blouse free of her trousers and lifted it over her head easily before tossing it aside. Her trousers were kicked off quickly, leaving her in her matching lingerie.
Andy knew she had never seen anything as beautiful. Miranda's lingerie showed off her body to perfection. She knew Miranda worked out three days a week with a personal trainer and jogged a few miles on a treadmill on the morning's she did not have her P.T sessions and frankly, her body showed it. Her beautiful legs were shapely and firm and her stomach was flat. She also knew, from walking two steps behind her while she worked at Runway, Miranda's ass was bite-worthy.
As Miranda stood there before her, almost nervously, Andy couldn't stop the words tumbling from her lips. "You are gorgeous, Miranda." She moved closer, running her hands over Miranda's hips and down to her ass. "Truly stunning." Taking a shuddering breath, she squeezed the globes of flesh under her palms. "You are overdressed though, sweetheart." She swept her hands up Miranda's back and unhooked her bra as Miranda's hands moved to her waist and pushed her panties down over her hips and legs. Catching Miranda by the shoulders, Andy tugged her towards the large bed and pushed her down into the mattress.
Twisting around, Miranda switched their positions and placed a pillow under Andy's hips in one swift movement. When Andy made to sit up, Miranda pushed her back down. "Lie down." She growled. "Do you have any idea how irresistible you are?" Straddling Andy's raised thighs, she lowered her head to catch her lips in a searing kiss. "Let me." She pleaded. At Andy's nod of agreement, she moved down and spread her thighs.
Andy felt self-conscious as Miranda knelt between her legs and looked down at her for a moment before shifting and pressing her lips against her stomach. "Both of you are mine." She trailed soft kisses down, her tongue stroking the inside of Andy's thighs until she opened them wider.
Andy was in no way prepared for the way her body responded to Miranda. The touch of Miranda's lips against her made her body convulse like it had been struck by a bolt of lightning and she moaned loudly. Her body thrust up against Miranda's mouth as her tongue flicked and circled her clit. "Oooohhhhh fuuuuuck!" Andy wailed as her hips bucked. "God, so so good." She panted. "Don't...Oh, God! Don't stop."
Miranda held her hips down, her fingernails digging into the soft flesh as she moaned into her, pushing her towards climax quickly and easily with her tongue. As her orgasm crashed through her, she became aware of Miranda moving to straddle her thigh, rubbing against it until she stiffened and with her eyes squeezed shut, let out a keening cry. "Ahn-dréy-aaaaah." She fell forward, her head coming to rest against Andy's sternum. "I love you." She whispered.
With Miranda pressed against her, she felt like she had finally come home. Her hands tangled into the iconic silver hair and raising the editor's face, she offered her lips a light kiss and was greeted with a small whimper. At the sound, Andy's hold became possessive as she kissed Miranda mercilessly. They had wasted so much time, but no more would be lost.
Pulling back and stroking her knuckles across Miranda's cheek, she trailed them down her neck, marvelling at the way the older woman trembled at her touch. She looked like she was about to come undone. "You're so beautiful," Andy whispered. "And mine." She caught Miranda's lips with her own once more, deepening the kiss. "I'm going to have you. Touch every part of you. I want my mouth on you." She nipped gently at her ear. "Every delicious inch." She mumbled. "Always."
True to her word, she slipped her hand between them and thrust one finger inside Miranda, causing her to gasp. Miranda lifted her hips towards her and Andy took the opportunity to slide another finger inside her. She felt Miranda's walls clench around her fingers and twisting them, watched as Miranda unravelled under her touch. "That's it, sweetheart. I want all you can give me." Andy is breathless.
"Ahn-dréy-ah." Miranda whimpered, raising herself and crashing her lips against Andy's.
"Just let go." Andy urged, thrusting her fingers harder and circling her thumb against Miranda's clit. Every muscle in Miranda's body coiled with tension as she cried out, clutching Andy to her as she shuddered. She could feel the dampness from Miranda's tears against her chest and looking down at the silver-haired beauty, saw her eyes blazing with joy."I love you too," Andy admitted.
"Acceptable." Miranda grinned and wiped the tears of happiness from her eyes before leaning in and kissing her forehead, her eyelids, her nose and finally her mouth.
~x~
Miranda quickened her pace as she rushed down the sterile, white hallways of the hospital she had been called to.
It had surprised her to get the call from Seth demanding her presence but as soon as he'd said Andréa needed her and that the baby was on the way, she had rushed out of the budget meeting she had been attending to be by her side.
There had been no indication that Andréa was close to giving birth, not even the usual Braxton Hicks. Miranda swore once this was over, she would demand the answers as to why Seth had been at the townhouse.
Rushing into the private waiting area her name had secured for her family, she saw her daughters huddled on a sofa together. Their tear-stained faces showed their fear.
"Mommy." Cassidy jumped up and ran towards her, flinging her arms around her waist. "We were so scared."
"I know this is scary, but Andréa will be fine," Miranda reassured her youngest daughter. "The baby will be fine. Now, can you tell me what happened?"
"Uncle Seth and Andy were shouting and we heard something smash and Andy told him to get out," Caroline explained.
"After he rushed from the room, she followed. We saw her fall to her knees, clutching her tummy and we asked him to call you while we called 911." Cassidy stated.
Miranda looked at her daughter before her head snapped to the side as she heard a scream rent through the area. She pressed Cassidy back towards where Caroline was still sat and saw Seth rushing from a room further along the corridor and sprinting towards them.
She spotted his relief at the sight of her. "What the hell are you still doing out here, Miri?" Seth yelled. "Jesus, get in there and calm her down before she throws anyone else out of the room."
Miranda's lips twitched up in a smirk. Andréa had been particularly volatile in the last month or so after she started to grow rather uncomfortable as the pregnancy progressed towards its final stages. The only ones escaping her wrath had been her and the twins. "What threat did she make this time?" She asked.
"She told me to get out before she turned my balls into ear-muffs," Seth told her. "I think she might actually be crazy enough to do it too."
Miranda nodded, It was a threat she'd heard before as Andréa railed against Seth, blaming him for her growing size and the fact she was struggling to do what she wanted, including sleep and making love.
Turning away from her brother and daughters, she moved quickly down the corridor and entered the private room offering those attending a small smile before turning to Andréa.
"Well, you took your sweet time." Andréa hissed from where she was stood, folded against the mattress, her hips swaying back and forth as she breathed through a contraction.
Miranda's eyebrows rose. So much for not facing the brunt of Andréa's bad moods. Moving closer, she decided to allow the words to slide and offered a reassuring smile. "Traffic was abysmal, my darling." She dropped her purse and rushed forward to help the brunette back onto the bed and settled the sheet over her thighs.
She watched as Andréa's face screwed up and grimaced as a piercing yell rent through the room. "Get it out." She wailed. "Oh God, just get it the fuck out." The doctor checked under the sheet covering Andréa's thighs. "Oh God, how many more times must I have your hand in my fucking vagina?"
"You're doing well, Andy. You're almost there." The doctor told them. "You're ten centimetres. On your next contraction, I'll need you to start pushing."
Miranda saw the panic growing in Andréa's eyes and decided to try to take her mind off things for a moment. Sitting on the edge on the bed, she curled her knee up under her and brushed the sweaty hair from her face. "What were you and Seth arguing about?"
"He said if I got any bigger I would have to be air-lifted in a hammock and flown to the hospital by helicopter," Andréa told her. "Like a whale."
Miranda only just stopped herself from laughing. Biting her lip, she clarified things. "Like a whale?" She questioned.
"He's a fucking asshole." Andréa hissed as she rubbed her belly in a clockwise direction. "And I swear I'm going to make his bollocks into jewellery." Taking a deep breath, she clenched her jaw and pushed down, clutching Miranda's hand tightly.
"I will deal with Seth, and he shall be made aware of my displeasure." Miranda spat through gritted teeth. "I'm sure the upset expedited these events." She shook her hand when Andréa released it.
The doctor bent again and checked between her thighs. "I can see the head." She claimed. "You know, you've probably been in labour for hours without realising."
Miranda understood from experience that labour felt like your body was being twisted and wrung out from the inside, and if Andréa had missed that she was lucky. The fact was any pain was temporary and almost forgotten once the nurses placed the baby into your arms. She helped Andréa onto her knees and rubbed her back firmly for a few moments until she relaxed back into the pillows. "You are doing wonderfully, my darling. It will soon be over and we'll have our son or daughter."
~x~
"Oh god, I wanna push." Andy curled up and grabbed the back of her thighs, pushing down three times as a contraction swept through her. Miranda held her hand, wincing as her grip tightened.
"Now, take a deep breath, my darling." Miranda urged. "And relax." She demanded.
"Relax?" Andy squeaked. "I feel like I've been prodded in the vagina with a red hot poker and I'm about to shit a brick." She tried to do as Miranda suggested, relaxing her body and thighs. She shifted uncomfortably and Miranda helped to prop her up against the pillows. Irrational thoughts crept into her mind and she decided she didn't want a baby, this was all too hard. Feeling another contraction, Andy took a deep breath and tucking her chin into her chest, stared down beyond her navel as she started to push. She felt the nurses on either side of her, holding her legs as they counted down.
"Miranda, would you like to watch your baby being born." The doctor asked Miranda. "The head should crown on the next push."
Miranda caught Andy's eyes. "May I?"
Andy saw the hope in Miranda's eyes and offering her a small smile, nodded. "Go on." The smile turned to a grimace and she felt the need to push. "I'm ready." She told the room.
Taking a few deep breaths while the contraction built, she geared herself up for the next big push. As the contraction peaked she took a final deep breath and pushed with all of her might as she held her breath. She felt pressure building and expelled her breath with a cry as she felt the most intense fiery pain she'd ever experienced followed by a burst of relief. "Holy mother of fucking God." She hissed.
"Really, my darling?" Miranda chided, looking up at her. "My fiery little red-head can hear you." She grinned. "I think one small push should do it now."
"Miranda's right, Andy. Just one small push and the baby will be here." The doctor was busy between her legs. "And then another push for the placenta."
Andy closed her eyes and pushed and felt hands guiding the shoulders and torso. She felt a gush as the baby slithered free and another wave of relief crashed through her. She sighed happily when the baby cried loudly and gazing towards the end of the bed and watched as Miranda was shown how to clamp and cut the umbilical cord and the next thing she knew, Miranda was pulling her gown free and placing the baby on her chest in their first skin on skin contact. She looked down and saw the shock of red hair and reaching down, she touched the little head between her breasts. "Oh, wow."
Andy could feel herself growing overwhelmed and tears welled up in her eyes. She glanced up at the editor and her smile wavered. "A girl," Miranda told her.
"Another girl." Andy breathed, looking down in awe at the snuffling child on her chest.
She felt a small tugging and a hand kneading her uterus. "I need you to push again Andy." The doctor advised.
"Can you take your daughter?" Andy asked.
Miranda unfastened her blouse and took the baby, totally confident as she cradled their daughter against her warm skin as she moved around the room. She smiled happily as Andy did what she needed and the doctor stepped away. 'She's healthy." Miranda said. "And she has a pair of lungs on her, just like her mother." She laughed as the baby cried loudly.
"Which mother?" Andy grinned. the baby kept wailing. "Is she okay?" Andy asked as Miranda swayed slightly and hummed. The baby settled quickly.
"She is perfect, my darling," Miranda whispered breathlessly as she looked down at the child in her arms.
"She knows who her mommy is," Andy advised.
Miranda's eyes glistened with tears of happiness as she stepped closer and settled on the bed beside her. "Her mommy?" She whispered, tracing her fingers across the little button nose. "You're beautiful, my little one and I swear I will always keep you safe and love you with every fibre of my being." The baby's eyes are closed and Miranda seemed content to just stare at her little features. "I'm so proud of you, Andréa. You did amazing"
Andy grinned. "And no epidural. It happened too quick for that." She felt herself growing sleepy and her eyes closed almost unwillingly as her head pressed against Miranda's shoulder. "Marry me?" She murmured.
"What?" Andy's eyes blazed open as Miranda pulled back, her expression turning serious
"Marry me. Be my wife, Miranda." Andy asked.
Miranda shook her head. "Why now? I asked you months ago after we..." She licked her lips. "...and you said..."
"I never said no." Andy reminded her. "I said maybe one day." She shook her head. "And asking me after making love to me was a little unfair. You know I'm never in my right mind in such moments." She grinned.
"Ask me again," Miranda demanded. "Properly."
Andy beamed tiredly up at the older woman as passed her the baby and settled her against her chest. "Will you do me the greatest honour of becoming my wife, Miranda?"
"Yes, Andréa," Miranda smirked and Andy could see the joy in her eyes as she eased herself off the bed and moving towards the door, grabbed her purse from where she dropped it upon entering the room. "I suppose it is fitting I give you this now." She turned to her and opened a small velvet box and took the two rings out.
The round brilliant-cut diamond full eternity band sparkled under the fluorescent lights when Miranda placed one of them on her finger before passing the other one to her and letting her return the favour. Leaning forward, Miranda placed a light kiss on Andy's forehead before doing the same to the sleeping baby. "Mine, always." She whispered.
"I promise." Andy declared. "You, me, Caro, Cass and Callie. Forever."
fin