Chapter 19

Irv was asked to decline from his position at Elias-Clarke.

Miranda never thought she'd see the day. But it had arrived. He was gone.

But in his place came an unknown, all the way from Italy. She was absolutely stunning, but fierce at her job.

Natalie Valencia was the perfect business woman.

She was a gorgeous forty something with legs for days; long, flowing brunette hair; a chic, up-to-date wardrobe; and personality to boot.

She invited Miranda out to dinner to introduce herself and talk some business. They hit it off wonderfully. And Miranda decided she much preferred Natalie over Irv. They talked over several glasses of wine and a light meal. The whole while Miranda found that she felt an equal to her younger boss, and Natalie, in turn, knew that Miranda had the experience and expertise to help guide the whole corporation. However, Miranda wouldn't dream of leaving her post as Editor-and-Chief of Runway.

"No, no, I'd never consider moving up at Elias-Clarke. I've worked too hard for my position and if I left the magazine would suffer." Miranda sipped her wine and registered the green eyes that flashed before her. Natalie was looking her over. She felt suddenly uncomfortable; this quite reminded her of her dinner with Christian and she did not want to repeat that dinner.

"I see, well you're over-qualified, really Miranda." Natalie grinned and delicately cut her chicken.

"I wouldn't say I'm over-qualified for your position, if anything I would be under-qualified. I know how to put together a magazine, not piece together an entire corporation." Miranda smiled.

"Well it's not that much different." Natalie grinned.

"What did you do prior to this?" Miranda inquired, feeling as if she'd done most of the talking all evening.

"I worked at a similar corporation in France for awhile. I gradually worked my way up the ladder and was recognized, and then asked to come overseas, over here. I feel they wanted a woman in the position."

"Women do it better." Miranda laughed and raised her glass, wondering exactly how many she'd had. Her comment was dripping with lesbianism, and she could see that her new boss quite possibly leaned that way. But she wasn't going to fall for it. She had Andy waiting at home. Andy who…had just texted her?

"That is true." Natalie nodded, a sly smile playing at her lips. "Call?" She noticed Miranda looking down at her phone.

"Text, do you mind?" Miranda glanced at her new boss.

"No, not at all." Natalie shrugged.

Miranda flipped open her phone and read the message,

'I'm going to bed soon. I hope you get here before then….Where are you anyway? Weren't you supposed to be home an hour ago?'

Miranda let her mouth pull to the side, shit, she'd forgotten to tell Andy about the impromptu dinner. What would she think?

"I need to make a call, would you excuse me?" Miranda felt bad leaving her boss, but she needed to explain. "It's my daughter…" Miranda lied.

"Oh, of course. Go ahead." Natalie waved her away.

Miranda excused herself from the table and dialed Andy as she walked away, to the front entrance. Outside, she waited for Andy to pick up while lighting a cigarette.

"Hey baby, I was just about to go to bed…are you working late?" Andy sounded relaxed, happy. Miranda wished she were there with her. Glancing down at her watch she realized it was almost 9:30. Time had gotten away from her.

"No, I'm sorry I forgot to call. My new boss invited me out to dinner and I knew you had that interview at 7, so I didn't want to interrupt, and then I forgot to call." Miranda was bound and determined to get it right this time. After all, Andy and hers relationship was quite serious now.

"Oh, it's all right." Andy didn't sound concerned. "I just got back a little while ago. The girls were up doing homework and I just grabbed something out of the fridge to eat."

"All right, well I should be home soon. And don't you dare go to bed without me." Miranda laughed, taking a final puff of her cigarette.

And as soon as she returned to the table, she told Natalie that she had to get home. The girls needed her.

"I understand. Go, go. I'll see you at work tomorrow. Don't forget the meeting tomorrow at 11." Natalie reminded Miranda, taking the bill before Miranda could even insist on paying.

"I won't." Miranda grinned, though she had a feeling the meeting would be dull and she might have to cancel…for a run through, or something. But now she promised Natalie she'd be there, kissed her on the check goodbye and headed home to Andy.

That night, when Miranda returned home, Andy was waiting for her, in bed. She let Miranda kiss her passionately before pulling away to inquire about her meal. "Is she beautiful?" It was as if Andy could see through Miranda.

"Gorgeous, but not my type." Miranda shrugged out of her blazer and kicked off her heels.

"Oh really. Then what might your type be?" Andy laughed, watching as Miranda crawled on top of her, libido clearly up and running.

"You." Miranda grinned, allowing all jealous thoughts of Natalie to dissolve from Andy's mind.

~*~

The only moment that Andy felt the slightest bit jealous occurred one night when old wounds surfaced.

A party. It always had to be a party. Natalie had insisted Miranda attend, for it was simply a perfect opportunity to be seen. It was a party to highlight the release of Spotlightunder Elias-Clarke. The instant Andy heard the name of the magazine; she knew who would be there.

"I don't want you going to that party." Andy exclaimed, rubbing her face cream deeply into her pores as Miranda undid her earrings and stepped out of her heels. Andy had practically moved in, but had insisted she keep her apartment for moments when she needed to focus solely on work. Thus Miranda had insisted she help pay the rent, and Andy hadn't been able to complain though she sensed Miranda wanted her to move entirely in with her; but Andy wouldn't consider it until Caroline was completely comfortable with the idea.

Miranda shifted and studied her eyebrows in her mirror. "Why?" She simply inquired, seeming to know where Andy was going with this.

"Why? Because Miranda. He's going to be there." Andy hissed, turning to face Miranda.

"Well it's not as if I'm going to," Miranda began pushing her panty-hoes down, "fuck him in front of everyone at a party." And as she reached down to collect her hoes she gave Andy a sideways grin.

"That's not even funny, Miranda." Andy didn't laugh. Instead she made her way into the bedroom.

Miranda followed after, undoing her skirt as she walked. "Darling, I won't even talk to him, if you don't want me to. Though some might find that rather odd, I mean me not speaking to the creator of-"

"I want to go with you." Andy resolutely stated.

"What?" Miranda hummed as if she hadn't heard, stepping out of her skirt and reached for the buttons on her shirt.

Andy looked right at her. "You heard me."

Miranda sighed, not liking this conversation. They had been together for almost four months. Within those four months, and days prior to their actual relationship, they had not showed up on the paparazzi radar. No blogs, no gossip columns, no pictures, nothing. It was quite baffling actually, and Miranda wasn't sure how it had gone under the radar for so long. But to actually bring Andy to a party with her would open up all the secrets, everything would surface and people would be hounding her, harder than when her first couple of marriages had dissolved in very public fashion.

"Miranda?" Andy was trying to get her attention.

She turned and went into her closet.

"Miranda!" Andy was serious about this.

"We've never done such a thing before, and I'm just not-"

"I don't have to hang on your arm, Miranda. I can arrive of my own accord, I just want to be there. With you. Especially with him being there." Andy had followed her into the closet.

Miranda turned from rummaging through her pajama drawer. "You mean you don't want to be seen with me?" Her voice was sincere, she seemed grateful for this.

"No, I like them not knowing. I mean, it'll come up someday, I'm sure, but for now it doesn't need to concern anyone but us. I quite like it this way." Andy shrugged, pulling a pair of satin pajama pants out of Miranda's drawer and handing them to her.

Miranda smiled and moved past Andy, back to her bathroom, stepping into the pants as she walked. "I do, too." Miranda agreed, turning the water on to brush her teeth.

"So I can come." Andy approached Miranda from behind and kissed her bare shoulder.

Miranda sighed, turning to face Andy as she brushed her teeth in large circular motions. She seemed to think it over for a second and then rolled her eyes and nodded yes.

A smile spread like fire across Andy's face and she pressed a quick kiss to Miranda's cheek.

~*~

And sure enough, Clinton Russell was there.

He was quite dazzling and handsome up close and personal. Though knowing that Miranda had slept with him, quite angered Andy and she avoided him at all costs.

She watched from the far corner of the dimly lit room, as Miranda mingled. She had yet to talk to Clinton, but Andy knew it would only be a matter of time before the two came together. And she wasn't sure she'd be able to watch without flying over and possessively stealing Miranda away and kicking him in the balls.

As of now, Andy sipped her champagne and watched Miranda circulate with Emily and her newest assistant at her heels. Miranda chatted with Natalie and her husband momentarily, before Miranda moved to talk with James Holt and several other well known people.

It wasn't until later that Clinton and Miranda crossed paths. Andy watched as Miranda reached for a glass of champagne, turned, and found Clinton right behind her. Andy noticed Miranda plaster on a fake, yet professional smile. She nicely greeted him, extending her hand for a brief touch.

Everything seemed fine, until he leaned in and whispered something into her ear. Somehow Miranda's eyes found Andy and she widened them, clearly in annoyance. It immediately calmed Andy, and she easily saw that Miranda was unaffected by Clinton's charm. When he moved away from her she graciously smiled at him and then excused herself away from him.

Andy watched as Miranda cautiously ducked out of the party, slipping out a side door and on to what seemed to be a fire escape. Andy knew it was a cue for her to join her outside to smoke. Miranda had taken to ducking out of parties for a cigarette, not wanting the public to know about her habit. Andy demurely made her way across the room. As she was about to slip out the door, she felt an arm pull her back in.

"You can't go out-Andy?" Emily's piercing eyes and fiery red hair caused Andy's heart to race and her palms to sweat. Clearly Miranda had set up security that would bar people from catching her out on the balcony. Shit, now Andy was going to have to explain herself.

"Hey Emily." Andy tried to act cool and casual.

"What are you doing here?" Emily looked quite surprised, put-off by Andy's sudden appearance.

"Miranda…uh…she asked me here. You know, to mingle. I just thought I'd sneak off and talk to her for a quick second…" Andy felt silly trying to lie, but Emily didn't look like she was going to let her past.

"No, no. Miranda specifically asked that no one follow her outside. You can wait here until she comes back in." Emily seemed quite confused as to why Andy would want to go outside with Miranda.

"But I need to…I was just about to leave. I need to speak to her. Quickly…"

"No. Go mingle or something." Emily sputtered into her champagne glass, waving Andy away.

And just as Andy was about to scream and shout, frustrated that Emily wouldn't let her through to see her lover, Miranda opened the door and pulled Andy out into the cool night. Emily frowned, and then found herself face to face with Miranda. "When I say keep people from coming outside, I don't mean Andrea." Miranda snapped and then shut the door, taking an inhalation of her cigarette.

Andy pressed a quick kiss to Miranda's willing lips as they stepped out of view from the doors window.

"What was he telling you?" Andy inquired, taking the cigarette from Miranda.

Miranda just shrugged and watched as Andy inhaled. "I honestly wasn't paying attention." Miranda fluffed her hair and cleared her throat. Andy frowned at her, knowing she wasn't telling the entire truth. Miranda sighed, "he was whispering about our night together and how he missed me, or something, and how he wants to do it again." Miranda honestly answered, stealing her cigarette back. "I told him, sweetly, 'no, never, ever'."

A slow smile spread across Andy's lips. She leaned in for a lingering kiss. "I'm ready to go." She whispered as they pulled away.

"As am I." Miranda nodded, butting her cigarette with her Jimmy Choo.

And quickly they slipped back into the party. Miranda quickly whispered, "I'll meet you in the car." And with that she was mingling her way to the exit. Andy made a hasty exit, ignoring Emily and her questioning glare.

Andy texted Roy, the only person, apart from a select few, who knew about their relationship. He knew if he leaked such a story his job would be on the line, and so he didn't speak of it. He merely ignored it. Though he and Andy quite liked one another.

When she slipped into the backset Roy greeted her with a smile through the rearview mirror. "How was the party?"

"Lovely," Andy smiled. "It was odd just being there for the sake of being there. I didn't have to remember anyone's names for Miranda, or follow her around. I just had to stand there. And ironically I recognized almost everyone in the room. They just could care less about who I am, which is just fine. Fine for now." Andy grinned and Roy smiled through the review mirror at her.

"As it should be. Once the paparazzi gets a hold of this, Miranda and you will be bombarded with people." Roy shyly reminded her.

Andy sighed, "I know. It's unfortunate. She doesn't deserve all that press. Nor do her girls." She lamented, watching the exit of the building for her lovely partner.

"The girls seem to like you." Roy pointed out.

"Really? Caroline has been on my case since I started…well…" Andy smiled; Roy caught on.

"I overheard her in the car the other day saying how she didn't mind you much anymore. She sounded quite used to you being around."

"Really? Are you sure that wasn't Cassidy?" Andy looked at Roy, feeling surprised and slightly relieved to hear that Caroline was taking the relationship better.

"No, Cassidy was trying to get her to admit she liked you."

"Ah." Andy grinned; her heart suddenly pounding faster than normal when she saw the silver-haired woman exit the building, her blackberry pressed firmly against her ear. She was adamantly talking to someone. As she entered the car, Andy caught the tail-end of the conversation.

"No, no…I will not accept that. I want those prints redone before tomorrow…yes…YES. You do realize you have exactly 48 hours before it goes to….well then do it!" And with that she angrily hung up the phone. Andy didn't move, didn't touch her, didn't react. She let the moment pass and finally Miranda turned to her, and in one sweeping gesture she lunged forward and pressed her lips feverishly against Andy's. "I watched you all night," she panted through messy kisses, "I wanted to touch you," her lips trailed over Andy's neck. Roy put up the partition.

Andy moaned against Miranda's hungry attack. She felt Miranda's hand reaching for the bottom of her gown, fingers running over pantyhose, trying to find a way in. It was messy and Miranda seemed frustrated as she finally let her fingers graze over Andy's bare clitoris. Fingers moved, moved against Andy's increasingly wet, tender center. She couldn't believe Miranda was fucking her, roughly at that, in the back of the car. With Roy in the front seat.

But before Andy could get a release from Miranda's unfocused fingers, Miranda pulled away and returned unceremoniously back to her side of the car. And just like that Andy was left unfinished.

"Miranda…" Andy could hardly get her name out. She slumped against her side of the car, unable to move, her body in complete shock. She couldn't believe Miranda had begun it if she wasn't going to finish. "Miranda," Andy panted.

"I can't, right now, Andy." Miranda breathed back, her eyes closing in an attempt to calm her frayed nerves.

"Can't…fuck you." Andy sighed, regaining some semblance of control over her body.

"Excuse me." Miranda turned to face her.

"I said FUCK you." Andy exclaimed, her voice surprisingly still soft. "You can't do that."

"I am in no state to be having sex with you, I'm sorry I began it, but I cannot finish it. Not right now." Miranda calmly retorted.

And Andy sighed, realizing that Miranda was clearly pissed about a work matter and she had attempted to take her frustration out on Andy. She also realized the woman had enough self control to calm herself before continuing.

"Come here." Miranda sighed, after a moment.

Andy glanced over at her, as if she were asking her to get out of the car. "What?"

"Come here." Miranda's voice was breathy.

Andy slowly, reluctantly came towards her and their lips pressed together in a languid kisses. Miranda was trying to pacify her, she knew, and against her will it was working.

Miranda would get her off later that night, and it would be wonderful, heavenly, delightfully sinful. But right now, in the back of the car, it wasn't happening.

~*~

And that night, once Miranda had gotten herself under control, she made love to Andy until she was nearly sore between her legs. And she loved it.

~*~

The next morning, the Caroline was late to rise. No one seemed to notice that she had missed her chance at going to school with Cassidy. Roy had already gone on without Caroline. The only person who noticed was Andy, who wasn't to be into the office until much later that day, and so she'd lazily strolled past the girls room in search of Patricia, who she had thought about taking on a walk that morning.

But as she peered into Caroline's room, she noticed the girl was sprawled across the covers, completely asleep.

Andy glanced at her watch and realized it was almost 9:30. She needed to be at Dalton, not sleeping.

With Miranda already at Elias-Clarke, and also not wanting to worry her, Andy entered the room and gently shook Caroline awake.

Caroline rolled over and sleepily began to wake up. She frowned when she saw Andy hovering above her.

"Caroline, you're late to school." Andy whispered, watching as the girl began to more fully wake up.

"Oh shit." Caroline's voice was raspy, she flung the covers off the bed and raced into her closet. There was no time for a shower, so she pulled her red hair into a quick ponytail, and somehow managed, in five minutes, to look better than Andy looked in an hour. She supposed it was because Caroline was young.

"Do you want me to make you breakfast?" Andy asked, moving to leave the room.

"No, no time."

"All right, I'll get a car to take you to school." Andy began to leave, but Caroline stopped her, fear and panic etching her features.

"Please don't, then mom will know." Caroline looked so worried, she clearly didn't want to disappoint her mother.

"Well then what do you want me to do?" Andy frowned.

"Will you take me?" Caroline's comment took Andy by surprise.

"Of course, but I don't have a car…or…"

"I don't care. I just don't want to use public transportation alone." Caroline grabbed her backpack and raced down the stairs, Andy on her heels.

Andy had just enough time to slip into her shoes and grab her coat before she was being pulled out of the townhouse and out to the street. She was expected to hail a cab, which she did. After giving the cab very specific directions on how to get to Dalton (for if she hadn't he would have driven them around a loop to get there) they were on their way. Caroline's leg kept bouncing, she was ancy and nervous.

Andy's hand was calmly placed on top of Caroline's knee and the girl looked over at her, her mother's blue eyes staring directly into Andy's brown ones. "You'll be fine. And I won't tell your mom if you don't." Andy smiled.

And for once, in the four months she'd been with Miranda and her family, Caroline actually smiled at her. Grant it, it was a quick smile, but a smile none the less. And Andy began to see that Caroline could, quite possibly, come to like her. Maybe.

And in no time, Caroline was bounding up the stairs of Dalton and into the school. Andy watched her until she disappeared, and then allowed the cab to take her back to the empty Priestly town home. The home she was beginning to feel was where she was truly meant to be.

As she stepped in the front door, she realized that, even in the silence, she was very comfortable within the Priestly home.

TBC... :D