Ahh, so it would seem that some of you enjoyed the "cookies" scene and asked if there would be more. Rest assured, that while I cannot promise more of that specifically, I am racking my brain for creative Doccubus moments that I hope will entertain you all. As usual I love the feedback from you all and I look forward to them after each posting. I love some of the suggestions, too, so keep them coming!

Chapter 10

It's Sunday and the weekend is nearly over. Kenzi is passed out on the sofa mumbling something about pancakes and vodka after another late night out with Hale, so to get some alone time, the lovers head out to picnick in Central Park. It's sunny and still cool enough to enjoy the afternoon without getting all sweating when snuggling. On a blanket under a large, blooming tree, the couple are lying in each other's arms as they take in the sights of families, friends and couples enjoying this perfect New York City day.

Propping herself up on an elbow, Bo takes a bite of one of the delicious cookies from last night. A mischievious smile appears at the recollection of the whole "baking" experience last night, while her eyes rake over the blonde beside her. She recalls that sparkle in her girlfrend's eyes when Bo throws her down on the bed. They way the blonde looks up at her through brown lashes, watching the brunette slowly unravel from between her legs and that sexy, satisfied smile the blonde gets when Bo finally comes undone, screaming Lauren's name from the pleasure of her tongue.

Bo considers how far they have come in such a short time and it really feels like they have known one another for years, as they mesh seemlessly into one another's lives. The blonde has such a powerful hold on her heart, it's as if a spell was cast over her and she never wants to lose this feeling. Struck by the strong emotions of the moment, Bo's expression turns serious as she finds herself struggling to speak, "Lauren?"

Her tone causes the blonde to look up quickly with concern in her eyes. Bo is frozen in place, lips parted like she is about to say something, yet no words come out and she is unable to comprehend why it's so hard to say what she so clearly feels.

"Babe? You alright" Lauren asks, quickly falling into doctor mode, her mind already assessing the situation in the manner she has been training for years. She sits up and cups Bo's cheek, her eyes searching for answers as she scans over her girlfriend.

"Umm...nothing" Bo pauses again, glancing downward before rising to meet Lauren's worried gaze. "I just...uh...I think I love..."

The blonde's breath catches at the word coming off her girlfriend's lips and she finds herself holding her breath as she waits for Bo to finish her sentence. After a brief, but agonizingly long pause, Bo can't seem to finish for fear that she may push things too fast "...these cookies," she ends her thought with a sheepish smile over taking her. Unable to voice her real thoughts, she takes another bite and looks away in embarrassment.

Lauren studies the brunette's sudden change in demeanor and let's out a sigh that's part relief at the fact there is no emergency, and part disappointment at the verbal detour. The blonde is pretty certain she knows what Bo really wants to say. It's the same thing she has been toying with in her head, something she is afraid to committ to, despite their obvious connection. Is it too early to say those three little words, she doesn't really know, but it has never felt so right and she finds more and more times where she really wants to say it. She really can't fault Bo since she hasn't had the guts to say it either.

Slender fingers reach under Bo's chin to direct the brunette to face her once again. Lauren locks her hazel eyes with Bo's dark brown ones as she leans in slowly. Still holding the cookie near her mouth, Bo braces herself as the blonde's lips part, but a they never reach her. Instead of the expected kiss, Bo looks on as Lauren takes a bite of Bo's cookie, never breaking their gaze as the blonde smiles softly, "I think I love them too."

She gives Bo a peck on the cheek and pulls the brunette back down onto the blanket with her.

Bo grins knowing what Lauren meant. Even if they both still have trouble verbalizing it, their actions definitely speak volumes, so the brunette knows that when she is truly ready, she will have no problem saying it many times over, and hopefully, for the rest of her life.

XXX

Monday looks to be a dog. After hanging onto her girlfriend as long as possible this morning, Bo is now bumming over the blonde heading home for the week after work tonight. Plus, she still hasn't heard from the clients regarding their meeting so she starts to worry that the opportunity has been lost. Trying to busy herself with the ad campaign as though it is still on, early afternoon rolls around and the brunette is losing focus. As much as she would like to head home, the idea of the blonde not being there saddens her.

"Maybe I'll meet up with Tamsin at the bar," she thinks to herself as begins collecting her things. She packs up her work, planning to revisit it tonight in the comfort of her own home, preferably in her pajamas with some wine.

Just as she was going to call it an early day, the receptionist pages her, "Ms. Dennis, Evony from Morrigan Liquors is on the line, and she says she doesn't have all day."

The tone in the receptionist's voice causes Bo to snicker, but as she picks up the phone, her heart jumps into her chest knowing how much is on the line here. As she begins to speak, Bo tries to sound calm and collected, "Evony, so nice to hear from you."

"I am sure you are happy to her from us. Listen honey, some things have come up and we will be passing through the city in about two hours. We will have some time to spend listening to your little spiel."

Bo was stunned. That was like...now. Could she get it all together on such short notice? She was really planning on having time to get ready for the meet after it was scheduled."In two hours?"

"Yes, is that a problem? If you can't do that then I am afraid you may be out of luck, dear. I know your little company may not be able to handle the demands of power companies that are constantly on the move. We are ready to get this settled so we can move on to other things."

Feeling the panic build in her chest, the brunette manages to push it back and exude her usual confidence. "Of course it's no problem. I have had everything ready for days now. I have just been waiting on you. I look forward to seeing you both at 6 PM. I think you will find that we are more than capable of taking care of all your needs, Evony."

"Looks like we will find out then. We look forward to hearing your pitch. Don't make this a wasted trip, honey. Time is money."

With that, the woman hangs up the phone, those last few words taking some of the air from Bo's confidence.

Evony is certainly intimidating and according to the intel, she is beautiful and gets what she wants. Her partner, Ryan Lambert, is a handsome playboy. The two do everything together, have a warped idea of fun and appear to be "friends with benefits" when it suits them. Together, they co-founded the brewery and have built it into a multi-billion dollar company.

Her heart racing with both excitement and nerves, her brain scrambles for all the things she needs to get done. Bo fumbles through her drawer to find her phone, stopping to jot down a few notes to help her get organized. Thank goodness she keeps a few extra of her fine suits here, as she would not have time to go home and change.

Bo quickly gives Lauren a call, promising to give her a heads up before showing up at the Dal with clients. Ever the planner, Lauren wants to mentally prepare herself for Bo sitting side stage working her clients while she works the stage. Receiving no answer, she leaves a message and sends a text that she may be in tonight with the new clients in a last minute meeting. There isn't much time between now and then, so she hopes her girlfriend checks her phone soon.

Dropping her phone she runs to Hale's office to deliver the good news. Busting through his door, her startled boss jumps up, "Whoa now! Where's the fire, Bo?"

Breathlessly, Bo fills him on the meeting that is to happen in just two hours and runs through all of the things she needs done by then. After a "good job" and "good luck" she darts back to her office to rehearse her pitch and review their files. Morrigan Liquor is the second largest liquor company in North America and this will be no easy feat. The brunette hopes that her charm, the slogan and the background from Tamsin, she will be able to land her companies biggest client to date, and get them on the fast track to the big time.

XXX

The pitch seems to go well, and Bo feels her confidence surge. They did like the ad campaign and they appeared slightly surprised at that fact, as if they expected it to bomb. Now, it's time to woo them. A power couple such as these two have to be pampered and Bo definitely plans to show them she can run with the big dogs in that department. Evony enjoys seducing anyone and everyone and Lambert, as he prefers to be called, is a boob man. Seeing as how sex and booze are two of their favorite things, the Dal is the perfect place to go.

The place is surprisingly busy for a Monday, which is a plus for Bo since it looks like the place to be. For a strip club, it is very clean and really leans more toward a high dollar clientele with fine furnishings and décor. Lambert and Evony follow behind Bo as their private hostess leads them to the VIP seats where drinks are waiting. Looking around the establishment, they both nod approvingly and seem to enjoy the atmosphere, the women and most definitely love the personal attention from the staff. Evony compliments Bo on knowing their favorite drink and for having everything ready when they arrive. The brunette is reminded that "people with of their stature don't wait for anything."

Bo smiles and responds as though that was a given. When she turns for her seat she rolls her eyes to herself, disgusted at the realization that these are the kind of people she will be dealing with on a regular basis after she closes this deal.

Doing her best not to look for Lauren, Bo hopes that her girlfriend got the message so that she isn't taken by surprise when she comes out. The brunette chastises herself for not thinking to have Trick relay a message when she texted him that she would be in tonight with her most important deal ever, but then, everything was a blur as she hustled to get it all together in the short time frame.

She takes a deep breath and returns her focus to the two people beside her who seem to be enjoying the waitress. Evony is very flirty while Lambert likes to ogle the girl's cleavage and brag about himself.

Internally, Bo comments, "Does that shit really work? What a douche!"

Bo certainly caught him stealing a few glances at her rack, but it's hard to get mad when it's one of her closing tools. The brunette notes how funny it is that all these "big wigs" are alike, regardless of gender or the amount of money at stake.

Enduring their perverted comments about what they would like to do to each of the dancers, Bo hears a familiar tune. Her breath catches as she sees the blonde enter the stage. She does her best to prepare for the comments she knows are soon to come from the two beside her. Knowing how she reacted last time she saw Lauren dance, it is going to be a long couple of minutes controlling the temper she is certain will want to rise.

As the blonde begins her dance, Bo's mind catapults back to that fateful day they first laid eyes on one another and how ever since that day, she has never been happier. She shakes out her thoughts, realizing that she is now sporting a goofy grin. She can only hope the couple didn't notice, as she doesn't want them to have any leverage against her.

The couple seem equally enrapt with Lauren as she mesmerizingly moves her lithe body in the gold thong in time with the music and masterfully uses the pole. She really does make it look easy and the way she disconnects herself from the audience almost gives it an air of a fantasy, like she is dancing through your dreams without a care.

Bo notices as the two whisper and nudge one another as Lauren begins to work the stage. Finally turning her eyes their direction, the blonde's eyes obviously widen and she almost loses the beat when she sees the brunette sitting there. Bo's heart drops when she sees it, knowing her girlfriend did not get her messages, but Bo holds onto a neutral expression, trying not to give anything away.

The couple shoot her a quick, curious look before turning their attention back to Lauren, who has decided to focus on them and not Bo. The performance couldn't end soon enough for Bo or Lauren as the blonde hustles off stage. Bo finally releases her breath, feeling a bit light headed from the tension she was holding onto. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees them staring at her.

Bo turns her attention to the pair, smiling as if she hadn't a worry in the world and hoping to get out of here soon. She is sure Lauren is upset, but she did try to get her a message. "So, would either of you like anything? I know you didn't get to have dinner, I have a wonderful place I could take you if you are hungry."

Evony and Lambert give each other a look, seemingly communicating telepathically until the dark skinned woman grins in a way that makes Bo uncomfortable, even though she can't say why.

"Well honey, this is a fine establishment, with some very fine items on the menu, none more so than that last blonde. I do believe we would like to have her for dinner" her voice dripping with a dark seduction that Bo has never encountered.

Bo sits speechless as Evony and Lambert exchange knowing smiles and look back to Bo, waiting for her to deliver.

"Are you wanting me to set up a threesome for you...with the blonde" she asks in disbelief.

She does many things to close deals, but she is not a pimp and she damn sure has no intention of Lauren doing such a thing, not that she would be interested. She is suddenly feeling way over her head here, her mind reeling to find a way out that could get the deal and satisfy the client without involving her girlfriend. "I am afraid I do not pay the girl's to have sex with my clients."

"Oh dear, no one said you have to pay her. You are a closer, right? You simply persuade her that this would be a really, really fun time with no strings attached. Maybe we will leave her with a little gift, but that would not involve you, unless you would like to join us?"

"Okay," Bo thinks, "we have officially moved to crazy town now. How did we go from zero to royally fucked up in three seconds?"

"I will see what I can do, but Trick runs a pretty strict house here and the girl's know the rules." Bo heads toward the back corner like she is headed to her own death. "What the hell am I going to say to Lauren. I can't ask her have a three-way to close a deal. I won't ask her to do that, I would freak out and I am sure she would not be happy about it either. God, these two are a piece of work Tamsin was right. Why is she always right?"

Bo asks Bruce if she could speak to Lauren for a moment, but he declines. "Bo, you know the rules."

"But it's important. Can she just come right here? We can talk through the curtain." Bo glances back at the pair who are watching her with huge smiles like a dog on show. She is really dreading these next few moments, but if she can just get through this, she hopes to have a shot at closing the deal.

"Bo what are you doing" Lauren whispers, her head sticking out through the curtain, concern written all over her face. "You know I can't talk, and why didn't you tell me you were coming tonight?"

"I tried. I left you messages, it was really last minute. I was hoping it would be a day you weren't working. You were great by the way," she whispers back.

Bo's soft smile makes Lauren relax and the initial shock of seeing the brunette fades. "I don't have much time, babe, what do you need?"

Bo cautions to glance back at her table, but she does so anyway with a smile, as if she is trying her best to get the blonde to comply. Her look causes Lauren to look their way as well, seeing the couple watch their conversation in delight.

"What's going on Bo" the blonde asks suspiciously, unable to ignore the nervousness of her girlfriend.

"Well, um...I am trying to find my way out of this pickle I am in..." the brunette tries to explain.

"Which is?" Lauren prods.

"Which is...my clients, umm...well they are pretty fucked up people..."

"And?" the blonde demands, losing her patience with this conversation.

"And...they wanted me to persuade you to go to their hotel with them, but I..."

Lauren is livid as she doesn't even let Bo finish. "What?"

Trying to calm the blonde down and avoid a scene, Bo shushes, "I would never ask you to, babe, I..."

Bo is quickly cut off by the furious blonde, "I can't believe you would ask me to have a threesome with a client to close a deal, no matter how big it is."

"What? No! I wasn't..." Bo scrambles to get the word out but she is promptly cut short once again.

"Let me make it easy for them to understand, babe" her words drip with disdain. "You tried your best to close this deal, but this girl isn't some cheap whore" Lauren slaps her girlfriend hard across the face, before abruptly running back to her dressing room.

Bo stands there stunned for a moment and as she turns dejectedly back to her table she sees the pair laughing hysterically. "Perfect. Just a perfect night" she mumbles.

Relieved that Trick has given her the early shift tonight, Lauren grabs her things and throws on some clothes, hurrying out the back door of the club toward the train station. Tears fall freely down her face, she has never been made to feel so cheap and her heart is breaking that it was caused by the brunette. Suddenly feeling thankful that she didn't say those three little words, she reminds herself why she has stayed single all this time. Drama. She doesn't want the drama. She just wants to be a doctor.

When Bo arrives abck at the table, Evony calms her laughter to the point she is able to talk again. "Well, you sure closed that one, honey! The look her face when you...oh and the look on your face when she slapped you...priceless."

Lambert jumps in, "I guess you should get bonus points for trying to persuade your own girlfriend into a threesome with strangers, although I am not sure that goes over very well in a new relationship" he starts to laugh hysterically again as the two fall over one another.

The brunette is infuriated that she let herself be set up like that, and they knew Lauren was her girlfriend. Now look at them, laughing at her expense, she is disgusted. She probably just lost the best thing that ever happened to her over their sorry asses and trying to be a hero.

Evony sees the fire in Bo's eyes and smirks victoriously. "Oh, relax honey. If you have the balls to ask your own girlfriend, one I hear you are gaga for, to do that for you, then I think we found our new champion. What do you think Lambert?"

The man smiles and nods, "I think we have. I think Bo is just the woman to take us to the next level with our new products and to re-launch the old ones. Congratulations Bo, and don't worry about it. There are plenty of other hot fish in the sea."

Bo stands in stunned silence. She apparently won the battle, but victory feels empty. She worked so hard to accomplish this feat and validate Hale's confidence in her. She really believed that she wanted this, but thinking she may have lost the only prize she really cared about is all that's on her mind at the moment. She reaches her hand up and touches her cheek where Lauren slapped her.

XXX

Resigning herself to return home and become a spinster, Lauren flips her hoodie up and buries her hands in her pockets as she collapses into a seat at the back corner of the train car. Pulling her phone out, she forgot that she put it on silent when she went to the library. She scrolls through the text messages from Bo, taking some solace that the woman did indeed try to notify her.

"Hey babe! Last minute meeting scheduled with the new clients. May be by tonight"

"This could be my big break! Send out some good energy. Miss ya"

"If I don't see ya tonight, know that I will be thinking of you. TTYL"

With tears in her eyes, Lauren deletes the texts and goes to her voice mail. There is one from Bo, which she deletes without listening. Hearing the brunette's voice is not what she wants right now. She feels broken inside, but she is angry at herself for worrying about Bo right now. Did she over react? She didn't let Bo talk... but no, just the fact that her girlfriend felt it was okay to voice the suggestion makes her feel sick to her stomach.

She quickly scrolls through a few messages from Kenzi and her mom, she comes to a number she doesn't recognize. Pushing play, she places the phone to her ear and listens curiously.

"Hello, I am Mr. Martin from the Neurological Sciences and Research Development Committee. I am calling for Ms. Lauren Lewis to inform you that you have been selected for our work study program beginning June first. Congratulations, Ms. Lewis. Contact me tomorrow at 425-369-3627 to schedule a meeting. Have a good night."

Breaking down, she begins to sob uncontrollably and curls up into a ball, thankful that the car is relatively empty tonight. Anger overtakes her. She should be ecstatic, instead she feels horrible because of Bo. One thought manages to bring her relief, with the money she has saved up, she can quit the Dal right now. Lauren never has to go back to that city again.

XXX

Yes, I know, but call off the cavalry, If you noticed my little character mistake from Ch. 1 to here, I have already fixed it. The original rival ad exec is now Aife. (Thanks Chris and Ki75une). Yes, I am aware that is not what most of you are upset about. LOL