15

During Emily's tenure at RUNWAY she had been referred to as 'Miranda's long-suffering assistant,' 'servant of Satan,' 'the Devil's disciple' and her personal favorite, 'maiden to the fashion maven.' In all honesty though, she really didn't pay attention to any of the less than creative ways people refered to her. To her, she was the personal, first assistant to the most powerful and influential woman in the world of fashion. In her mind, the only better position to have in the world she loved was that of her formidable boss. Hers was, after all, the job million girls would kill for.

When she was new to the business, she had big dreams of becoming an editor or working as an art director. But after suffering the ins and outs of her current position, she came to realize that the knowledge and the advantages that the position offered her far surpassed anything she could dream of.

Yes, Miranda was demanding, yes, she worked long, thankless hours, yes, she had little to no social life, but, but…

She traveled the world, stayed in exquisite hotels, ate at fabulous restaurants, wore one-of-a-kind designer clothes, met famous people and best of all, she had all of the inside information about what, who and when the next big thing in fashion would be.

Her job, her passion, had become being the world-famous fashionista's right hand. And she was exceptional at her job. She knew everything about her boss. Every insignificant look, movement, noise and voice inflection, to her was information stored for any future need or want that she may require to fulfill.

Therefore, when her boss returned from her trip with the girls to visit Andy Sachs in Colorado, it was obvious to Emily that the woman who walked through those glass doors was indeed a different woman. The untrained eye would notice no change in the woman, but her trusted assistant saw it. She just couldn't identify what it was. If Emily had to name it, she would call it a glow, almost. There was a glint in Miranda's eyes Emily had never seen.

More information to store. She knew Miranda and the country singer had become good friends. Even with the age difference, Andy seemed to equal the strong-willed woman in other areas. Theirs seemed to be the kind of friendship, the older woman could enjoy, for a while anyway.

It was possible the fashionista was using the new friendship to her own advantage. It wouldn't be the first time since Emily had begun working for the woman that she had been witness to such an endeavor. The business opportunities Miranda took advantage of were what made her who she was. Honestly, this concept for the issue recognizing the women of country music was by far one of the best, most original ideas the icon had made in years. It was going to push the already famous magazine into a whole new demographic; adding new advertisers, designers, writers, and millions in new revenue. Yes, her boss was a genius.

Beneficially for Emily, she got to go to Tennessee in six more weeks. Unknown to anyone but her lover, the young Brit was a secret country music fan. This trip, for her was equal to, if not bigger than the annual Paris trip.

She found herself getting more and more excited to the closer the time came. Dealing with Amelia, Andy's personal assistant and the other singers that would be involved in the shoot was a joining of two of her favorite things in life. Fashion and country music.

'A million girls may kill for her job', but right now, with the future six weeks to look forward to, she would be willing to kill a million girls to keep her job.

The first week back from the trip with Andy found the Priestly women falling comfortably back into the routine they had set during the first stretch of her tour and away from them. She and Miranda shared their morning coffee, via the computer, discussing their plans for the day. The girls were present for their guitar lessons in the evening, along with filling Andy in about their day of school.

After the third day apart, however, the two older women could feel the strain of the distance between them on their evening call. Both hypersensitive to the other's desires and needs for the intimacy they had found in Colorado.

"God, I miss you." Miranda finally admitted.

"I know sweetheart. I miss you too." Andy replied.

"I feel empty." She sighed. "Like a large part of me has been taken away." She gazed into the brown pools watching her on the screen. "I've never felt so incomplete."

"Oh baby, I know. I feel it too. We can get through this though. I know it in my bones." Andy flashed her one of her brilliant smiles. "We just have to stay busy. Keep focused on what we will have when our time apart is over."

"Hmm." Miranda closed her eyes, only to picture images of her young lover kissing her body, touching her, making her feel alive and loved. A shiver ran down her spine and goose bumps appeared on her arms. When she opened her eyes again, she saw Andrea staring at her.

"I know what you're thinking." She grinned.

Miranda felt her cheeks warm. "You think so?"

"I do."

"Enlighten me." The editor leaned back against her headboard, sliding her laptop to rest on her thighs.

"You were thinking about me touching and kissing you. Holding you to me, caressing your oh, so soft skin. Running my lips down that incredibly sexy neck of yours."

Miranda could feel the dampness between her legs growing, the throbbing in her center aching. "I think…" she cleared her throat," I think you have a very creative imagination." She blinked slowly. "Perhaps one better left be used when we are together again."

"Are you sure you wouldn't like me to continue lover." Andy asked her in a husky voice.

"No!" Miranda squealed, an uncommon sound for her, then regained her composure. "No, thank you." She softened as she's watched the defeated looked in Andrea's eyes appear. "I only want the real thing. I only want to be touched by you. Is, is that okay with you?" Miranda allowed a bit of uncertainty to reach her voice.

Andy smiled lovingly at her. "Whatever you want my love, whatever you need."

"I need you darling. I only need you."

Miranda entered the office on the Thursday of the second week, and as per her normal routine, dropped her purse on the 'other Emily's' desk. While she made her way into her private office her orders began and Emily jumped up, with a pen and pad in hand, to follow.

"Emily, I want to meeting with you and Nigel at eleven to go over the plans for the Tennessee shoot. Move the run through to 1 pm. Have the other Emily take Patricia to the groomer, pick up the scarves from H'ermes and skirts from Calvin Klein. Get me Amelia. That's all."

Emily turned on her 4 inch heels and headed to the desk to begin fulfilling her boss's orders. She sent the slightly better than useless second assistant out to complete the needed errands and returned before her meeting with Miranda and Nigel, while she dialed Andy Sachs's assistants number.

"Amelia, I have Miranda for you. I have Amelia." She replaced the handset when her boss picked up, then dialed Nigel's extension.

"Hello Amelia." Miranda spoke professionally but friendly.

"Hello Miranda. What can I do for you?"

"We are finalizing preparations for the shoot. I wanted to confirm that everything with Andrea's schedule on your end is in order."

"It is. I have prepared a false itinerary for her. She is currently under the impression she will be spending the morning in a radio station interview, talking about the benefit. After that, her day, as far as she knows is clear to spend with you and the girls."

"That is wonderful news Amelia. Emily will continue to be in contact to confirm the other arrangements." Miranda leaned back in her leather chair. "I would like to thank you for all you have done to assist in this endeavor. I assure you I will not forget it."

"It's been a pleasure Miranda. I'm looking forward to enjoying the experience."

"We will be in contact again soon. Goodbye Amelia."

"Goodbye Miranda."

Emily and Nigel settled into the chairs in front of Miranda's desk with their files, layouts and notes in hand. The editor wasted no time. "Emily have all of the singers confirmed?"

"Yes Miranda. I have spoken with everyone's personal assistants. All have agreed to short interviews, as well as making personal donations to the Cancer research organization sponsoring the benefit." Emily pulled a list from her files. "I have to tell you Miranda, I was pleasantly surprised at the number of women who contacted me or Amelia wanting to be involved once they heard Andy was involved."

Nigel and Emily froze. A large, real smile brightened the 'Devils' face. "She does seem to bring the best out in people." Her smile turned to a slight grin. "It still amazes me how being nice can open so many doors with her."

Her fashion director in first assistant sat in awe. When she looked up at their faces she immediately replaced her iconic mask. "Now then," she continued. "Nigel you have the photos of the shoot locations."

"I do Miranda." He handed them over.

Miranda looked at each location shot, every photo given equal scrutiny. Nigel glanced at Emily, then looked back at his boss. He had never, in all their years together, seen her so focused on location shots. Normally she would glance at them and immediately hand them back to him with a "fine" or "no". At which time Nigel would continue on his way to figure out what she wanted without much input. It had worked that way between them for years, successfully. But now, this time, he could see Miranda taking in every detail. She was creating the entire shoot in her mind.

Nigel leaned back in his chair, steepled his fingers to his lips. He had not watched her do this since she first became editor of RUNWAY, determined to pull it out of its dying rut. This issue, he shivered, was going to be the best RUNWAY issue in the history of the magazine.

"Wow." He whispered, not realizing he spoke.

She looked up from the pictures, fully aware what conclusion her longtime colleague and friend had just come to. A smile tipped the corners of her lips and her brow arched. "Indeed."

Emily looked between them curiously.

"And I'm sure you have acquired the permits needed to use these locations, Nigel." She continued looking at the polaroids.

"Actually," he removed his glasses, pulled out a handkerchief and wiped them, "that formality will need to fall to you." Then he replaced his glasses to look at his boss. Not surprised to meet an icy glare.

"Excuse me?"

He smiled at her. "You see, all of those lovely locations happen to be on Andy's land."

Her eyebrow rose to her hairline.

"Yes, her extremely competent assistant seemed to know exactly what we were looking for, and well, she knew exactly where to find it."

"Very well, Emily contact Amelia and arrange for me to be at Andrea's concert Friday night. Inform her I do not wish for Andrea to know in advance." She shared and evil grin with Nigel. "Contact Cara and make her aware I will be requiring her to stay with the girls this weekend. I will return Sunday night." She looked again to Nigel. "Make sure I have all of the information I need to inform Andrea about our plans, without giving too much away. I want confirmation from every designer and model. Have we confirmed with Mascolo for the hair, and Patrick?"

"Yes Miranda. Both have cleared their calendars for the week. We need just confirm the date with them." Emily handed her a copy of the drafted itinerary.

"Good. I will have a confirmed date when I return. I trust the two of you can handle things while I'm gone."

"Of course Miranda." They spoke in unison.

"Emily inform me when the details have been arranged. That's all."

Miranda reached for her phone to call Andrea. By the time it began to ring, Nigel and Emily had left, and Emily had pulled the door closed.

"Hello beautiful." Andy smiled on the other end of the phone as she answered.

"Hello darling." Miranda could feel her lovers happiness on the other end. It filled her heart to know she was loved so deeply, and for the first time in her life, with the exception of her daughters, unconditionally.

"How is your day going sweetheart?"

"The usual. Incompetence abounds. Sometimes I wonder how I managed to get the issue to print every month."

"Aww, you do it because you are the best at what you do and because in your mind, there is no alternative." Andy loved that Miranda found a need for her to stroke her ego. To know that she was privy to the side of the mega-icon's weakness and insecurities that she allowed no one else to see.

"Flattery will get you anything darling." A truly happy smile filled her face as she turned her chair to face the New York skyline out her window.

"It's not flattery if it's the truth." Andy then spoke in her sultry voice she knew sent a chill down her lover spine. "But I'll take anything I can get." She grinned evilly to herself.

Miranda did indeed shiver at the younger woman's tone. "And what would you ask, if you could have anything?" She was beginning to like this game.

"Hmmm." Andy laid back on her bed. "Let me think. I'm sure I could come up with a fantasy or two."

Miranda swallowed hard." Fant… fantasy?" She took a breath. "You have fantasies about me?" Sure, she was building quite a mental library with her own wonderful images regarding the beautiful singer. But she never would have thought Andrea to do the same about her.

"Of course I do. Why wouldn't I?" Who in their right mind wouldn't the singer thought. "You're gorgeous, sexy, have legs to die for, a body that should be a legal, a voice to draw sailors to their fate. My God woman, your sex in heels!"

Miranda could feel her entire body blushed crimson and the heat in her center radiate through her. "I… I…" she was completely speechless. After all how did one respond to that kind of homage? "I don't know how to respond to that Andrea."

"Baby you don't have to." Andy grinned.

"Well," Miranda decided it was time to regain her composure.

Andy chuckled.

"It seems," the older woman was not looking forward to telling Andrea, what would be the first untruth between them, and it would come from her. Even though it would quickly be corrected and was a pretense to what she hoped would be a wonderful surprise, it was a lie just the same. "It seems the incompetence of my staff is again causing me to take matters into my own hands. I have to leave tomorrow to confirm locations for an upcoming shoot. I know you were going to try and come east after your show, but unfortunately this can't be postponed." Miranda closed her eyes and silently asked Andrea to forgive her. "I'm sorry darling."

"Hey, it's okay. We'll just have to plan for the following week. Miranda, I of all people understand how important your career is to you. Okay. Please know that it's okay."

"How did I get so lucky?"

"It's me that's lucky sweetheart. I finally found that one person who can understand the demands being devoted to one's career and passion can entail. I love you Miranda. Just the way you are. I don't want you to change for me, and I love that you don't expect me to change for you."

"Oh my darling Andrea, I love you too, more than you could know."

"Besides," she snickered, "it just gives me more time to create a few new fantasies. I'll expect my payment due as soon as I see you next."

"Why you cheeky little…"

"I've got to go baby. I talk to you tonight. I love you."

"I love you too darling. Goodbye."

The two women disconnected and Miranda felt a happy hum run through her as she thought about what this weekend could possibly have in store for she and her beautiful lover.