My apartment had never looked smaller. Or dingier. And even alien to me. I stood in the middle of the open-plan living room/kitchen area and made a full circle. Behind me, Miranda gazed at my belongings and secondhand furniture with interest.

"I know it's not much," I said, cringing inwardly. Compared to her white-blue-gold home, this was truly slumming it. It was that I was ashamed of it. Far from it. Being under rent control, this was a steal. It was located a short distance from the subway station, and it was—or had been—my home.

"You have made it cozy, Andrea," Miranda said quietly. "I know what the housing market is like in New York, and for you to manage this space on your own, it's remarkable."

"Thanks. I actually love this place, since it made it possible for me to stay in New York, and keep working at Runway. If it had been more expensive, I might have had to move—perhaps back to Cincinnati."

Miranda shuddered. "Perish the thought." Walking up next to me, she placed a hand on the small of my back. "Have you thought of what you want to bring to the townhouse?"

"I don't know." I shrugged. It wasn't easy to envision any of my belongings in Miranda's perfect home. "It's not like we share the same interior designer." Chuckling, I went into the bedroom. I glanced back at Miranda through the indoor windows between the rooms.

"Let me help you." Miranda took off her coat and hung it over a chair together with her bag. "Clothes would be the first thing. And perhaps if we pack up some books and things with sentimental value?"

"Sentimental value?" I stared at her. Who was this person?

"Don't look at me like I grew antennas. I know some items have special meaning." Miranda gestures toward the closet. "May I?"

I winced, as I can't remember which state I left it in. "Sure. Just don't faint," I muttered. I couldn't help but compare it to her closet where the racks were electrically operated, and everything immaculately sorted by Miranda's housekeeper.

Miranda raised her eyebrows and opened the closet door. It was a standard-size closet for this type of apartment, and when Nate moved out, I had been able to fit more clothes that I'd borrowed from the Closet at Runway.

Miranda perused the crowded space with interest, and I decided to let go of my strange embarrassment. So what, if this was beyond inferior to Miranda's space? 99% of all people had an inferior space compared to Miranda Priestly.

"This is a good selection," Miranda said and nodded. "You've done well when choosing clothes from the Closet and mixing them with your own purchases. You've developed a style." She shot me an amused look. "Despite my initial assessment years ago."

I remembered. '…and you have no sense of style…no no, that wasn't a question…' "Glad you think so."

"I would like to see you in more color, but that's just an occupational hazard. I can't help having an opinion." Miranda turned and sat down on the bed. I had made the bed when I was here last, which was a small blessing. "Come." Miranda patted the mattress."

I walked over and sat down. She immediately put her arm around me and kissed my cheek. Not a fast peck or air kiss, but a slow, nuzzling kind of kiss that gave me goosebumps.

"Mm," I hummed and closed my eyes. It had been a long day, emotionally speaking. I was still not over how Kay had blindsided me, but being in Miranda's arms smoothed over everything.

"Andrea," Miranda murmured against my neck. "I know this is, has been, your home. I truly understand that. And I'm grateful for it. I have a question though…"

Pulling back so I could meet her eyes, I nodded slowly. "Sure. Shoot."

"As we intend to keep this apartment until you feel like giving notice on the lease, I would like to make some memories here too. I find I dislike this 'mine and yours' reasoning. I would prefer if we began calling everything 'ours'. If you want."

I had to smile. "You want to call a studio apartment in Brooklyn ours?"

"Yes, but I'm starting to see that you might think it's a terrible idea." Growing opaque, Miranda's eyes didn't show any emotions. "It was just a suggestion."

Kicking myself for being so wrapped up in my thoughts that I missed important cues, I tugged Miranda close. Her pretty silk blouse felt like water under my hands. "Are you kidding—it's a great idea. I was just taken aback. And a bit slow on the uptake."

"I'll say." Softening against me, Miranda proved once again just how sensitive she could be, at least when it came to me.

"What memories did you have in mind?" I asked, wanting to pull her away from the place she went whenever the walls rose around her.

Miranda's cheeks colored. "You have a perfectly adequate bed, if a bit narrow. Then again, I wasn't thinking of sleep." She looked at me through narrow eyes, a glance I recognized well by now. It was easily done as my body responded immediately.

Sliding down on the floor in front of Miranda, I ran my hands up her legs and in under her skirt. The soft rasp of her stockings sent tingles up my arms, but it was nothing compared to how I felt when I reached the silky skin above them. I pushed the pencil skirt further up, not bothered by if I wrinkled it or not. "Something like this?" I asked and ran my fingertips along Miranda's folds through her lace panties.

"You c-catch on quickly." Miranda leaned back against her hands on the bed.

"Raise your hips." I still pushed at the skirt. "I need access."

"Oh, God." Sounding breathless, Miranda raised her hips and helped me bunch up the skirt around her waist. Her beautiful hips and thighs were on display, black lingerie and all. I hummed and tugged at the stunning La Perlas. When they lay discarded next to me on the floor, I pushed her legs up and to the side.

Miranda whimpered under her breath. She had a firm grip on my duvet and tugged at it when I gently parted her folds.

"You are so beautiful, so damn sexy," I murmured as I moved closer and bent to plant a kiss on the soft tuft of hair at the apex of her thighs. I blew gently against her wetness, and this made her draw a hissing breath in between her teeth.

"Andrea." She rolled her hips toward me.

I didn't respond but instead spread the wetness everywhere. She grew rigid when I accidentally grazed her anus, but I bent to kiss her folds, distracting her. I was never going to do anything she wasn't comfortable with. She was my entire focus as I began flickering my tongue over her swollen clit.

"Oh…Andrea… please," Miranda murmured. "Please, oh please."

I kept up the caress with my fingers while I looked up at her. "Inside?"

"Yes!" It wasn't as much a command as it was a desperate wish. Miranda fell back onto the bed and reached toward me. She smoothed my hair back from my face and stroked my forehead and cheeks. "You make me lose what's left of my mind," she said, her voice raspy.

I slid two fingers into her instead of a reply. Feeling how wet she was, I immediately added a third. As I began thrusting, slow at first and then faster, when Miranda gave a short wail, I closed my lips around her clit. This was almost enough to make me come without direct touch to my body. Her scent, her taste, it was all I wanted at this moment. I craved her in all kinds of ways. I wanted her so much, and to claim this part of her, since she belonged with me.

"Just looking at you makes me so hot," I said against her. "I want you so much and it's still surreal that you let me." I flattened my tongue against her and massaged her clit harder and faster, as I picked up the same speed with my fingers inside her. When I curled them, I must have hit the exact spot, since she cried out and then slapped a hand over her mouth as she came. Wave after wave clenched my fingers, and more moisture coated my chin as I lashed at her clit with my tongue. I slowed down when her tremors began to subside. Miranda was now completely listless. I trembled all over and couldn't stand to wear a single stitch of clothes. I got naked in mere seconds and then climbed onto the bed and unbuttoned Miranda's blouse. Thankfully her bra had a front clasp, and I removed that with rather impressive speed.

"An—drea…" Miranda pushed herself up and I helped her out of the skirt.

"Stockings?" I asked and rested my hand on her thigh.

"Off." Miranda raised her legs, one at a time.

Naked, we lay together on the bed, slowly caressing each other while Miranda found her bearings.

"You said once that you fantasized about me in this bed." Miranda had recovered quickly. "I want to hear about that."

"Hm. Really?" I tried to stall, even if I knew that Miranda could be like a terrier with a bone.

"Yes." Miranda placed a hand on my chest and her chin on top of her hand. Peering at me through her sweaty bangs, she looked at me with expectation.

"It was one way of dealing with my feelings. Remember, I was beyond certain I was the only one feeling the way I did. You were way out of my league. Out of reach." I pushed Miranda's hair out of her face.

"So, what did you do to alleviate the stress…and all those feelings?" Miranda didn't take her eyes off me.

"I fantasized, as I said, and touched myself. It was that or having to take bathroom breaks during the day to get myself off." I smiled wanly. "A girl's gotta do, and so on, you know."

"That's just it. I don't know. I mean, what you did, exactly. Can you show me?" Miranda blinked slowly and I knew I could never deny her. If there was anyone I trusted with my vulnerability, it was her.

"If you want," I said and freed myself. Reaching into my nightstand drawer, I pulled out my small, but effective vibrator. "This little thing uses air pressure. Sometimes I use this, sometimes my fingers."

Miranda eyed the device. "That looks unassuming."

"It's small, but it packs a punch, so to speak."

"That hole looks ominous." Miranda tapped the silicon-clad hole at the top carefully.

"It has ten different levels. It's not like it's a full-on vacuum cleaner."

Miranda gasped and swatted my arm. "Andrea!"

It was delightful to shock Miranda in all innocence. "I just wanted to make sure you knew. In case you like to try it."

"No…I prefer your touch." Miranda kissed my shoulder.

"I prefer yours. That doesn't mean it can't be fun." I ran a finger down between her breasts to her belly button.

"Fun." She sounded surprised. "Never quite entertained the idea that sex could be fun. Passionate, pleasurable, all-overshadowing, all the things you make me feel…but fun?"

"Not ha-ha fun, but fun as in interesting and experimental, if you haven't been into toys before." I wasn't sure what to think, because Miranda seemed so worldly, and was by no means a prude in bed.

"I have had it suggested, but in ways that not only turned me off the device in question but the person as well. Granted, it was a lot more elaborate than that little thing." Miranda cleared her voice.

"You know me," I said and put the small vibrator aside. "I only showed it since you asked what I did to take care of myself when dreaming of being in your arms became too much. Sometimes, using that was what I needed, sometimes it was just my hands." I pulled Miranda closer.

Melting into me, with a soft, tender smile on her lips, she kissed me and deepened it until I could barely breathe. "I'm not afraid of trying a toy with you, darling. I think imagining you touching yourself because you were attracted to me is just hard for me to take in. I never would have guessed that. Not by a longshot."

"Oh, trust me, I could feel rather desperate. Especially if we had spent long hours in the town car. Being right there with you, but for all intents and purposes, I might as well have been in another state. I didn't think I'd ever be part of your life outside of Runway." I hid my face by her neck and kissed the fragrant, damp skin.

"So much pent-up desire," Miranda said, out of breath. "I hope you aren't of the impression that you were the only one who had to resort to taking things into your own hands. I was in the same car, in your presence. A girl half my age, my employee, whom I surmised was straight, and who once fell asleep with her head on my shoulder."

"Oh, God. I thought I was fired for sure." I half sat up and looked down at Miranda where she rested against the pillows. "I woke up and you were calmly going through some papers and scrolling on your cellphone. I was afraid to move."

"I knew the exact moment you woke up as you stopped breathing for half a minute. I told myself I shouldn't play along, but I was dying to see what you would do—how you would get out of the situation."

"And I thought I was going into cardiac arrest. Then finally I had to sit up. In my mind, the least I acted as if anything was amiss, the better." I remembered how terrified I was, but also how I looked at Miranda and merely said, "Sorry about that. I hope you are all right."

"You may have thought you were unreadable, but your eyes were like dark brandy, and your lips dam and slightly trembling. The way you looked at me made it impossible for me to even fake being annoyed." Miranda smiled. "You have no idea how close I came to cupping your cheek and leaning in to kiss it." Miranda tugged me down on her shoulder again. "And then, when Roy finally dropped me off at the townhouse, I walked straight into my bedroom, locked the door, and discarded my clothes where I stood. I didn't even have time to move over to the bed. I fell to my knees and took care of business right there on the carpet."

"Jesus." I stared at the woman I loved. "Oh my God, how I wish I would have been there."

"So did I. It was a thoroughly lonely moment." Miranda rolled me onto my back and parted my legs with her knees. She was now on all fours on top of me, and her greedy mouth pressed open-mouth kisses on every part of me she could reach. I ached so much and was desperate to come. She murmured words I had never heard her say before, and all I could do was hold on and surrender to her caresses.

When she cupped my folds and pressed her palm against my clit, I whimpered and bucked against her hand. To my dismay, she removed it and leaned sideways. Returning to face me, I saw she was holding my little vibrator.

"This thing charged?" She asked and turned it over.

"Yes. I think so." What was she up to? Miranda's gaze was hot, despite the cool colors of her eyes.

"Then I think I need to broaden my horizon." She winked at me, making me smile. "From what I've read, it's always important with enough lubrication." She ran a finger along my folds. "Check."

I had to chuckle. This was it. She was able to relax and have a little…fun. She pressed the half-hidden buttons and her eyes widened when she realized how it operated.

"Oh, God." She turned it off and then placed it perfectly over my clit. She moved my hands and placed them on top of the toy. "You will run this, but on the lowest setting. Tell me when you're close."

She parted my legs further and entered me with several fingers. I arched my back and managed to start the vibrator. It jolted me as Miranda curled her fingers at the same time, rubbing firmly at my G-spot. I cried out, not caring about the paper-thin walls in my building. "Miranda…Oh, God!" I arched and rolled my hips against her, nearly losing the grip of the air-pressure-operated toy. It was different this way. My body recognized Miranda's fingers, her kisses on the inside of my thighs, and the toy was merely some pleasant background noise, urging me on.

I had no concept of time, but I only think it was a matter of a minute until I felt the tremors begin. Frantic, I yanked the toy away. "Please. I'm coming, Miranda."

"Good girl." She moved up and placed her mouth over my clit and the top of my labia. Flicking me with her tongue, she drew completely new sounds out of me. I tried to remember to breathe, as the waves crushed in on me, rolled me around, drowned me, only to cradle me, rock me, and protect me.

I lay in Miranda's arms with my eyes closed, my body humming still. "Miranda," I whispered. "I've never felt this happy. I just want you to know."

She stroked my long hair from my face. "Ah, there you are," she murmured huskily. "I hope you realize that the same is true for me. These moments with just us, are precious. And I'm still trying to fathom how you make me feel." She kissed my forehead, obviously unphased by how sweaty I was. "I love you."

I pressed my lips to hers. "I love you too."

We lay still together, and I was content in listening to Miranda's heartbeats. She seemed genuinely relaxed, which I started to understand was rare even outside of Runway. I closed my eyes for a moment and felt Miranda cover us with the duvet that had been pushed down to our feet earlier.

"Just rest for a little while, darling," she murmured and snuggled closer. "It's been a day…"

It had, and it wasn't over. Miranda was right though. We could easily take care of the rest of what today brought us if we just rested a little here—together.

Continued in part 22.