Slowly closing the journal, Brittany set her pen down, leaned back into the couch, and looked up. The dark TV screen in front of her was just reflective enough to show her the image of herself, smiling goofily like a fool. She didn't care. She'd just kissed Santana Lopez. She felt giddy. Restless. And she knew she didn't want to spend this evening alone. Happiness like this should be shared.
Her first thought was obviously of Santana. How amazing it would be to just have dinner with the woman. But then, she had played it so coolly in Santana's office. She had lost some control and taken some back, and Brittany kind of wanted to hold on to that feeling just a little while longer. In the end, she decided to call one of her close friends, Christine. She and Christine had been friends almost ever since Brittany had moved to the city. They'd met on a bus of all places, and Christine had recommended the coffee shop Brittany now loved so much. They'd talked and become friends. Just like that.
With everything that had been going on recently at the law firm, Brittany hadn't spoken to Christine in a few weeks, but that never really mattered with them. They'd just sort of pick up where they left off. And Brittany could think of no better night to call up her old friend.
Digging through her purse, she found her cell phone and dialed the familiar number. She really hoped her friend was free tonight. On the third ring, she heard Christine's happy voice come through the line.
"Hey, stranger! I thought you'd died."
Brittany chuckled at the lighthearted way in which she said it.
"Well, I'm glad to see you mourned properly," she retorted quickly. She heard Christine laugh.
"It was a hard loss. But I see you've been brought back to life! What's up, Britt?"
"Oh, not much. Just got home from work, and I wanted to see what you were up to tonight. Are you free for dinner? I haven't seen you in weeks!"
"Got too busy for your old friend Christine, huh? Umm, actually I am free tonight. I was already thinking about ordering Chinese...you down?"
"It's Chinese, Christine...of course I'm down. My place or yours?"
"Tell me your order. I'll grab it on my way to you."
Brittany smiled. Being friends with Christine was so easy and uncomplicated. She gave her order and hung up shortly after. The blonde was so glad to have company tonight.
About half an hour later, she heard a knock at her apartment door and opened it to let Christine inside. She stood at the threshold, her familiar goofy smile in place, her flaming red hair tousled all around her face.
"I bear gifts!" she chirped, holding a plastic bag in one hand and a wine bottle high in the air in the other. She marched in like she was leading a charge. Brittany just chuckled under her breath and closed the door behind her.
They sat on the floor around Brittany's coffee table, setting out food and pouring cheap wine.
"So...how's it going these days, Chris?" asked Brittany after they'd gotten settled.
She finished chewing a bite of lo mein before she answered. "Oh, same as always, I guess. Work...bills...boyfriend...can't really complain too much."
"How is Justin doing? He started that new job recently, right?" Christine and Justin had been dating for years. They were practically like a married couple.
"He likes it...sucks he has to travel so much, but it makes him happy. We still get to see each other about every weekend, and hopefully soon, he'll be able to stay home more often."
"I'm really glad he likes it. New jobs can be tough to get adjusted to," Brittany said sagely. She remembered her first day at the firm. She hadn't understood half the words that had come out of Mr. Perkins' mouth. Law terms were either Latin or otherwise complicated and long. It had definitely been an adjustment.
Seemingly reading Brittany's thoughts, Christine asked her next question. "How are things at the law firm? You've been there almost a year now, right?"
"A little over now, actually. Things are definitely...interesting," she said slowly, thinking of the feel of Santana's lips, her hands tangling in blonde hair. "Never a dull day."
"You still work at the same firm? I swear, last time we talked, you said it was a bit boring," Christine said with a curious expression.
"Same firm...it's just been...different...lately." Santana Lopez whimpering in Brittany's ear, pushed up against a door. Different indeed.
"Still liking your boss? He seemed really nice when you first got the job," prodded the redhead before taking a sip of her wine.
The little smile that had been playing at the corners of Brittany's lips grew smaller, and she thought of Mr. Perkins again. And the accident.
"Oh, Christine...he, he passed away a little over a month ago. Got into a car accident on his way into work one morning. It...it was awful."
Christine set her glass down quickly and held a hand over her heart. "Brittany, I'm so sorry! That's terrible. I know you really liked him."
Brittany picked up her glass and took a sip of her wine. The sweet taste was strangely a good contrast to the tangy Chinese.
"I did," she said simply.
A few moments of silence passed between the girls. Brittany ate more of her dinner just to have something to do.
"So hang on, you said you're still at the same firm...do you have a different boss now? Did they just switch you over to one of the other attorneys?"
"Nope. Just hired a whole new person, actually."
"Do you like him? What's he like?"
Brittany knew why Christine automatically assumed her new boss was a man, and it made her smile. The firm was notorious for having great lawyers—great lawyers who were all men over 60, played golf on weekends, and had summer timeshares in the Hamptons.
"He's a she," she smirked at her friend. "My new boss is a woman."
"Really?" Christine asked, surprise dominating her tone. "How young?"
"Around my age, I guess. She just graduated a few years ago."
"Well, that's cool. Do you guys have a lot in common then?"
Brittany took another bite of food to allow herself time to think about that. Does she have a lot in common with Santana? Well, they do have the uncontrollable hots for one another. There's that. But somehow she didn't think that's what Christine meant.
"I don't really know," she finally said honestly. Christine's eyebrows furrowed together at her from across the coffee table.
"What do you mean? Music, books, food? What's she into?" Teasing the crap out of her receptionist.
"No idea," Brittany said, looking down at her plate. She was starting to feel full. "I, uh...I don't know much about her."
Christine seemed to sense something in Brittany's tone, because she added consolingly, "She hasn't been there long...maybe she's just shy."
Brittany knew that was completely wrong, but she let the subject go. She just wanted go back to feeling giddy and careless. They didn't speak any more about Santana the rest of the night. They talked about whatever else crossed their minds—a little more about Christine's boyfriend, Christine's job, how obnoxious it was to put a bracelet on with one hand, and why some dogs bark at inanimate objects. The important things in life.
By the end of the evening, and with nearly the entire bottle of wine gone between the two of them, Brittany was feeling very content. Sometimes you just need an old friend, some good Chinese food, and some cheap wine. When it was finally starting to get a bit late, Christine helped Brittany clean up the coffee table and decided to head home with the promise of hanging out again soon.
She hadn't been gone five minutes, and Brittany was just about to get ready for bed, when she heard a knock at the door again. She gave a quick glance around the room to see if Christine had left her purse or something behind, but she saw nothing.
When she opened the door, Brittany looked down into fiery dark eyes and had to remind herself to breathe. Santana Lopez was at her door. In her suspenders. And in her button-down with a few top buttons undone. And she now looked very much in control. Brittany gulped. Fuck, this woman is hot.
"S—Santana."
Santana smiled an evil smile at her stutter. Brittany gulped again.
"Would...would you like to come in?" The blonde willed herself to be cool. She was failing so miserably.
"No, thank you, I can't stay. I just came by to...give you an assignment." The sinful smile was still on her face. It was magnificent.
"An...assignment? What...what do you want me to do?"
Santana leaned in toward the blonde and grabbed the front of Brittany's own button-down with both hands, gently pulling Brittany's ear towards her lips.
"Think about me tonight. And when you do, just know that I'm at home getting off to you."
Oh shit. Brittany briefly considered just passing out right there on the floor.
Somehow she managed to remain standing, but her knees were wobbly, like she'd just gotten off a roller coaster or something. As it was, her next breath did come out brokenly. Santana seemed fully aware of the effect she had on Brittany, because when she pulled away, her wicked grin was back in place.
"Good night, Ms. Pierce."
Brittany's brain was in overdrive. Herheartwas in overdrive, and she could feel the pulsating beat all over her body. She tried hard to force words out of her mouth. Surely there was a logical response to "good night," wasn't there? It didn't really matter either way. Santana was already gone. Damn.
Control sure did feel good—for all five minutes she'd had of it back at the office.
Brittany closed the door numbly. Did Santana Lopez just say she'd be getting herself off tonight? To Brittany? Instant suspicion arose in Brittany's thoughts, and she slowly opened her door back up just a little. She peered through the small crack with narrowed eyes, waiting for Santana to pop back around the corner and start laughing.
Nobody was there.
Think about me tonight.
Damn right she would. Brittany made her way back to her bathroom to take a hot shower, where she would be sure to think about Santana until the water ran cold.