The next morning arrives faster than both of them would have liked, and Rachel is up early getting ready for work. Mike doesn't make things any easier by joining her in the shower, and kissing her neck while she tries to put on her makeup. He tells her he is going to spend the day outside, as it is beautiful weather and he has spent so many days without freedom. Rachel arrives slightly late to work but with a huge smile on her face, and when Jessica spots her at her desk, she comes in to greet Rachel.
"Good morning, I take it?" Jessica questions with a knowing smirk on her face, and Rachel can only blush.
"Yes, definitely," Rachel answers, and the older woman nods at her in acknowledgement before returning to her usual all-business demeanor. She works until lunchtime, when she promised Mike that she would meet him in the park for a quick lunch.
Running a few minutes behind schedule, Rachel is at near jogging pace when she approaches their designated meeting spot, but the sight before her stops her dead in her tracks. Mike is sitting with a very attractive blond whom she has never seen before. This mystery woman is laughing at something he says, throwing her head back and tossing her hair in such a way that Rachel is certain she is flirting. Rachel narrows her eyes at the woman as she takes in her fiancé's appearance. He is dressed simply in khaki's and a black shirt, and she can see his bright blue eyes even from where she is standing. He looks amazing, and her mouth goes dry as she walks towards them.
Hearing her high heels on the concrete sidewalk, Mike glances up, a smile registering on his face as he realizes that it is her. He turns to the stranger, "Liz, this is Rachel, my fiancé," he explains, and Liz stands, extending her hand to Rachel.
Rachel shakes Liz's hand hesitantly, gazing at Mike and attempting to ask him silent questions with her eyes. Only Mike isn't paying attention to her, his eyes instead focused solely on Liz. She reaches for Mike suddenly, grasping either side of his face in her hands and pulling him towards her roughly. She presses her body firmly against his and kisses him soundly, parting his lips with her tongue. They continue kissing until she pulls away, smugly satisfied at his dazed expression.
"Hi," she smiles at Mike.
"Hi yourself," he replies, a faint blush on his cheeks.
"It's nice to meet you," she says to Liz, who then walks away awkwardly, her cheeks tinted red with embarrassment.
"Wow, Rachel," Mike says to her, "What was that for?"
"I just missed you is all," she explains, pecking another kiss to his lips for good measure before sitting down on the bench in the same spot Liz occupied just moments before.
"Well you can miss me anytime you want," Mike quips, and she smiles, trying to contain the surge of jealously she felt at seeing him with Liz. "You didn't give me a chance to introduce you to Liz properly," he adds. "I know her from high school, and we just ran into each other here while I was waiting for you."
"Oh," Rachel nods, showing him that she's listening.
"Yeah isn't that funny?" he asks, oblivious to her inner turmoil. "I haven't seen her in years. Such a weird coincidence. So, how was your morning?" he asks, switching topics.
She launches into an update on the case she's working on and her law school classes, and soon the butterflies leave her clenching stomach. By that afternoon she has all but forgotten about Liz.
Mike walks around the city for most of the afternoon, and returns to the apartment with bags full of groceries, intending to make his famous spaghetti sauce and pasta for dinner. He is putting the groceries away when he hears a knock at the door. He opens it to reveal his ex-girlfriend Jenny, who brushes past him and into the living room.
"Um, hi?" he greets her questioningly.
"Mike," she replies, studying him. "I'm sorry to drop by on you like this, but I had to see you. I heard that you were in jail and then a friend of mine said that you might have gotten out, and I needed to see for myself."
"How do you know where I live?" he asks.
"Google," she replies, glancing around the apartment. "Nice place," she tells him before sitting down on the sofa.
"Thanks," he answers, sitting on the other side of the couch. "I'm really fine, no worries," he assures her. "How have you been?"
"I'm ok," Jenny responds, smiling weakly. She studies him for a moment before continuing. "You look great," she adds.
"I'm engaged," he states matter-of-factly.
"Rachel?" Jenny asks, and he nods. Jenny stands and begins to pace the apartment. "I figured you would end up together after we broke up, but I didn't know for sure if it would last this long. I mean, all of this had to have been hard on her. And I don't know, I guess I was hoping that you'd be single. I mean, I'm the one who knew you before all this. I really knew the real Mike, not the fraud, and I loved you. What we had together was special, and I just thought maybe..."
The sound of a key entering a lock interrupts Jenny mid-way through her speech, and both she and Mike turn to see Rachel standing in the entryway. "What's going on here?" she asks, a hint of anger in her voice.
"I just stopped by to check on Mike," Jenny explains hastily, "I heard he'd just gotten out and I wanted to make sure he was ok."
"I don't think that's really your place," Rachel replies coldly. "I think you should leave now," she adds, gesturing to the door.
Jenny nods, clearly uncomfortable as she shuffles towards the door. "Think about it," she says to Mike as she closes the door behind her.
Rachel folds her arms across her chest as she turns to face Mike. "Do you want to fill me in on what the hell just happened?"
"Jenny came by. I didn't invite her. I don't even know how she found me. She just invited herself in," Mike explains.
"What does she want you to think about?" Rachel wonders, using air quotes as she echoes Jenny's words.
"She said that she and I had a connection. She figured you would have dumped me by now with all that's happened," he answers. "There's nothing to think about, I love you."
She stares at him for a long while, silent. "That's twice today," she finally says.
"What are you talking about?" he asks.
"Liz, and then Jenny. Do I need to put a sign on you that you're unavailable?" she shakes her head. "I can't help but wonder how many times this happens that I'm not around to witness."
"Guys hit on you all the time," Mike interjects.
"They hit on me because they like the way that I look. It's not the same thing. You have this thing, call it charm or charisma. It's not the same thing as wearing a tight skirt and heels."
"What, are you saying I'm not pretty?" he jokes, but she frowns.
"I just hate when other women hone in on what's mine," she tells him.
"You're so sexy when you're jealous," he replies. "Maybe I should call Jenny back in here and—"
She cuts him off with a kiss, "Shut up."
"It's only my charm," he grins, pecking her on the lips. "Is it working?" His eyes sparkle in amusement as he looks at her.
And despite herself, she has to smile. "Yes, damn it," she admits, smiling back at him. She pulls him down for a passionate kiss, tugging his black shirt up and over his head. He picks her up and carries her over to the bed, their lips still firmly attached.
She breaks the kiss, staring at him intently before her lips curve into a smile. "Looks like we need to get you a collar for your finger telling the world that you're my property."
"I like the sound of that," he laughs, covering her body with his own.
A/N: I'm not really sure where to go next with this story. So let me know what you think and if you have any ideas for what should happen next, if anything. Thank you for reading!