This Could Get Interesting

Monday morning comes swiftly - and very early - for Peter and I. The sun is coming up and we have a very skittish model hanging out a window. She's supposed to look like she's basking in the sunrise, but she looks more like someone who is afraid of falling 16 stories to her demise.

I get as many frames as I can before she starts to cry and we bring her in. Peter walks over and yanks on the harness that was supporting her, "You weren't going anywhere, love. Go have a cigarette and calm yourself,"

He looks at me and growls, "What?"

"That was a little harsh," I put a hand on my hip.

"Yeah, well piss it. I'm not a morning person," he snaps at me.

I glance at my phone. Maggie sent me a picture of the view of the sunrise from our room and the empty spot next to her in bed. My heart aches a little.

"We've got 15 minutes before our next shoot, fancy a coffee?"

I nod emphatically.

Peter snaps his fingers at a bystander who nearly jumps out of his skin. "Did you have a good time on Saturday then?" He says, a cigarette hanging out of his mouth as he clicks a mouse and gazes at a monitor.

"Yes, thank you," I can feel my face turning bright red.

"We do that once a year. It's incredibly narcissistic, but we don't give a shit. It's basically like, we shut down the museum, put up photos we've shot, and invite only those who are somebodies,"

"I'm a somebody?" I laugh.

He looks at me, his face stoic, "Very much so, Audrey. I quite like you very much,"

This time I can feel all of the color draining from my face. "In a strictly professional way, I mean,"

The sweaty, jumpy man from before hands me a giant cup of coffee and I take a sip, burning the shit out of my mouth, "Fuck!" The coffee slips from my hand and spills everywhere. Including my bare legs.

Peter runs to another room and returns with cold, wet paper towels. He sits me in a chair and applies the coolness to my legs. In the midst of the searing pain shooting through my shins, I notice Peter staring at my knees. He takes in my legs while he gently dabs at the burns. He lifts the towels and gently blows on my skin. I can feel goosebumps all over my body. He looks up at me and we lock eyes.

Sweaty, jumpy coffee man returns with a first aid kit and administers burn ointment. Peter stands out of the way and walks into his office, slamming the door. I don't know what his deal is.

We work through the day. All the way through. It's close to midnight when I leave. The rest of the week is much the same. Maggie has cooked for me when I arrive home on Thursday night. It would've been delicious had I eaten it 4 hours ago when she made it.

I turn on the shower and disrobe. Maggie appears behind me with sleepy eyes, "I thought you said you might be home early tonight,"

"That was very optimistic of me,"

"Hm, so why are you so late?" She's very serious. I rarely see her this way. Her lips are bright red, no lipstick necessary. Her cheeks are slightly flushed and her hair is sort of all over the place. I can see her slender waist through her nightgown.

"Come in the shower with me," I smile.

She doesn't budge, "I'd like to know why you're so late,"

"I don't know what to tell you. I was working,"

"Was Peter there with you the whole time?"

"What? Of course he was. Maggie, don't be like that," I step into the shower.

She stays at the door, "We both know that you still like men, Audrey. That's threatening to me,"

"That's absurd," I put my face under the cool water and let it run into my mouth.

"I get it, okay? You're not gay, but you're not straight. So you're bi. But you have to understand that I am gay. Openly. My family loves me just the same. And the friends who couldn't handle that fact are gone. And I'm better off for it,"

I say nothing because I don't know what to say. What she's said makes sense and it scares me.

"You called your mom weeks ago and it didn't go over so well. Have you called her back? And what about your stepdad?" She sighs. "Look, it's hard and it can be scary, but sooner or later you need to pick a side. I won't stick around if I have to worry all the time that you'll relapse and find a dick, ya know?"

She walks away before I can answer.

__________________________

My mother's voicemail picks up on my third attempt to call in the last week. Peter sits down across from me, "What's the matter?" He extends his pack of cigarettes and I take one.

I take a long drag, "Nothing," I shake my head.

"Come on. You're usually so sunny. What's happened?"

"Okay, you wanna know?"

He nods.

"My mom won't talk to me because I'm dating Maggie," I take another long drag.

"Well, maybe she had hoped you would end up with a man. Who knows? You still might,"

I look at him sharply and take a breath before speaking, "I'm never wishy-washy. I've always been able to set a clear path for myself and follow it to the end. But Maggie threw a wrench in the works. I'm... confused. I have been since I met her," I'm surprised I'm being so candid with Peter.

"Look, Audrey, you're a stunning woman. You're charming and beautiful and amazing. I'm not surprised that people see you with a man more than a woman. But life doesn't always go how we planned it, ya dig?"

I laugh for the first time all day.

"Do you love her?" He asks, a little more serious now.

I say the first thing that pops into my head, "Yes," I blush and look away, "Yes, I love her,"

"I have an idea," He says, taking out his phone. He places a few calls and we set our plan in motion.

I call Maggie to come to the studio so we can have dinner together. Peter has one of the stylists fit me with a dress. It's mint green and fits like a dream. She gives me shoes to wear that match and does my makeup, too. I feel so pampered.

A table is set in the middle of the floor to ceiling window room with a candelabra and silver trays. Champagne chills next to the table and two champagne flutes hold mixed berries at the bottom.

Peter has even gone as far as dressing someone up as a waiter.

Maggie arrives at 7pm sharp. Our waiter shows her to our table where I am sitting. The sunset hits the room and gives it a pink glow. Maggie's eyes light up when she sees me.

"Holy shit," she laughs and comes over to hug me. She pulls away from me and looks me up and down, "Oh, my goodness. You clean up quite nicely," she pulls me in and kisses me. I savor the way her lips feel on mine. They fit together so perfectly.

"I felt so bad that I hadn't had dinner with you in so long. So Peter called in some favors and we are in for a five course meal," I move around the table and pull out her chair for her and sit back in mine.

We eat and talk and finish off our champagne. The sun is gone and only twinkling lights and our candles light the room now.

I take her hands in mine from across the table and pull her closer. She's close enough to kiss, "Maggie, I love you,"

She searches my face and - after a moment - leans forward to kiss me. When she pulls away, her eyes have tears in them, "I love you, too," she gets up and comes around the table, kneeling in front of me, "I was scared I was losing you,"

"Not even close," I hold her face in my hands and we kiss for a long time. She buries her face in my hair and I tell her again, "I love you so much,"

She giggles and whispers it back. It feels so good to say it. I want to say it again and again.

We head home after awhile and the butterflies in my stomach almost take over. When the sun comes up in the morning, I have quite a surprise for my beloved.

___________________________

I wake up when the light hits my face and Maggie is sleeping next to me. For a moment, I've forgotten the surprise. I run to the balcony and on the building directly across from us is a photo - blown up to cover the entire side of a building - of the moment I told Maggie I love her.

The candles and the lights of the city twinkle and she and I hold hands over the table. We are both smiling - almost giddy - and she looks stunning. The woman can't take a bad photo.

I run back to bed and wake her, "Maggie," I say, tracing my finger up and down her nose.

She stretches and smiles, "Good morning,"

"I have a surprise for you and if I don't give it to you right now, I'll burst. Cover your eyes,"

She covers them and we walk over to the balcony together. I point her right at it, "Open your eyes,"

She gasps and puts her hands over her mouth. Tears spring to her eyes and she looks at me.

"Surprise!" I am suddenly nervous that she hates it.

She walks to me and holds my face in her hands, kissing me deeply. She walks while she searches my mouth with her tongue and suddenly she's laying on top of me on our balcony futon. She kisses me over and over again and licks long and slowly from my collar bone to my jaw and back to my mouth.

I can feel her pressing into me with her hips and I reach around to grab her bottom and pull her into me. We move against each other, moaning and kissing. She pushes my nightgown up and kisses my stomach, leaving a trail of goosebumps. The heat of her tongue mixed with the cool morning air has me at the edge of my seat.

I sit up, pulling her lips to mine. I smile against her mouth, "I love you,"

She breathes a long sigh and I lay her down. I kiss her breasts, taking a nipple on each side into my mouth. I linger on the right side, then the left. I can feel them hardening under my greedy tongue and I graze each one with my teeth.

She yips and throws her head back. I squeeze both of her beautiful tits together and run my tongue across. I run my finger nails down her stomach and hook my thumbs into her thong.

Pulling the lacy material down her thighs, I take a moment to appreciate every part of her beauty. Her olive skin is so unbelievably soft. She smells floral. So fresh. I bite my way up her thighs from her knees letting her moans of approval guide me.

Letting my tongue lick the skin inside of her thighs, I want to tease her, but I can't wait. I let my tongue enter her and my lips cover her swollen clitoris down to just below my tongue. She groans loudly as I suck at her, thoroughly claiming all of her wetness for me only.

Her breathing quickens when I lift the hood of her clit and pass over it again and again with my whole tongue. I hold her hips down when I think she's about to cum, and when she begins to buck them, I grab tightly and bury my face in her. I'm licking her like this is my last meal. Like she's the most delicious thing I've ever tasted.

She's trying to get away, but I don't stop. She grips the arm of the futon and screams out, eyes shut tightly. Her body is trembling when I stop and her breath is shaky. I kiss and lick my way up to her lips again and let her taste herself on me.

We lay in an exhausted heap like this for awhile, looking at the photo and kissing. It feels so good and so right. We shower off together have breakfast before I have to go to work.

When I walk in with a huge smile on my face, Peter and I fist bump and all is right in my world.

__________________________

When I arrive at the studio the following Friday, I have two envelopes with my name on them waiting. I open one and it's a check for an obscene amount of money. The other is slightly less, but I am floored. Then I notice something in small writing in the memo. I run to Peter's office and he's at his desk.

I hold out the checks, "Severance? You're firing me?"

"Audrey, please close the door,"

I close the door and stand in front of him totally surprised.

"Audrey, I'm not sure how to say this, so I'll just come out with it. Your work is wonderful, and you are incredible. Which is why I think I'm falling in love with you,"

I feel like I might vomit.

"Working with you is such a pleasure that the late nights never bother me anymore. Your beauty and grace astound me. I respect the fact that you are in love with someone, which is why I haven't taken you on top of my desk. And anywhere else I can get my hands on you, for that matter. So, you see, it wouldn't be prudent for us to continue working together,"

My mouth is dry and I'm unsure of just how to say what I want to say, "Are you fucking high?!"

Peter looks surprised and then chuckles, " Only on you, darling,"

"But the grand gesture for Maggie, why would you help me with it?"

"Because I want to see you happy, why else?"

I'm suddenly furious. "Maggie and I are settling in here, work is going great, but because you can't look at me and think with your brain instead of your dick, it's all over?"

He walks over to me and puts a hand on the wall behind me, "That's the fire I love about you," he leans in closer.

Before I can stop myself, I slap him across the face. When I walk out of his office, everyone is staring at me. I walk past them and manage to hold back the tears until I get out of the building. When I arrive home, Maggie is on the balcony drinking tea. She sees my face and rushes over to me, holding me close.

"Oh my goodness, what's the matter?!"

I have no choice but to tell her the truth, "Peter wanted to fire me because he says he's in love with me," I sob.

She puts her hands on my shoulders, "What?"

She looks different than I've ever seen now. She's livid and it's almost scary. She turns to me and kisses my face, wiping the tears away. She pours me a cup of tea and I calm down. "Would ice cream cheer you up?"

I nod and she says she'll run to the corner store for some and be right back.

_______________________

It's been almost an hour and I'm starting to worry. What could've possibly happened? I text and call to no avail.

Moments later, Maggie walks in with ice cream and a swollen hand.

"Where have you been? Oh my god, what happened to your hand?" It dawns on me all at once, "Did you do what I think you did?"

"Punch that douche bag you work for in the face? Yup," she wraps some ice around her knuckles.

"Maggie, that's assault,"

"Don't worry about it. I went in there and got him to tell me everything he told you, recorded it, punched him in the face, and told him that if he didn't sort this out and make it right, we'll sue the shit out of him,"

I sit down with her and hold the ice on her hand.

She stares at me and with a very serious face says, "I would do anything to protect you,"

I look at her swollen knuckles, "I know,"

"The ball is in his court now. You just stand your ground. He can't treat you that way,"

I know she's right, but I also know we are happy here. I don't want to lose this, but I know now that no matter where we are, she'll love me. And I'll love her.