I Knew You Were Trouble - part 4 (Patreon)

Thank you to everyone for your support on my message yesterday.

Honestly, sharing how I've been feeling and talking about things really gave me a little boost that I hadn't anticipated. But when I went back to work on Autumn/Maya, I felt more inspired and excited about writing than I have in weeks. Enough so that I finished this part!

(as a side note - I've generally been putting posts of less than 10k words pasted onto here, as the longer the posts are, the more glitchy patreon can be. But I'm going to be trying to put some longer posts here, as people have requested enjoying being able to read directly from the post, as well. If you have glitches or anything, shoot me a DM!)

----------I Knew You Were Trouble---------

Maya sighed, her bottom lip poking out with a deep frown, as she tapped listlessly at her phone.

Of course, there were no messages.

Even when they were on good terms, Autumn barely texted her – especially on weekends. Currently, when they were absolutely not on good terms, she knew she shouldn’t expect to hear anything from her today.

Still, though, she’d texted a question about one of the changes that Autumn had made to Charlotte’s upcoming work week in their shared schedule, mostly just testing the waters. Typically, Autumn would always answer a message if it was about work.

She startled back when a mug of hot chocolate, topped with a perfect swirl of whipped cream, was slid in front of her.

“Melted chocolate for your thoughts?” Gwen asked, leaning against the opposite side of the counter with her own mug cupped between her hands.

Under her oldest sister’s measuring stare, Maya refused to wilt but also decided to easily deflect. “You know, it’s really weird how you call it melted chocolate,” she pointed out. Still, she gamely took a sip – perfect temperature. Unsurprising, because Gwen did everything perfectly. “And now, you have children. Poppy is going to get mocked for calling hot chocolate melted chocolate. You’re going to scar my niece.”

Gwen held Maya’s stare, unimpressed. “I follow nana’s recipe for this. I melted the chocolate. Poppy doesn’t get made fun of; everyone in her class calls it melted chocolate now, too. She’s a trendsetter.” The pride absolutely shined through in her voice. “Now, are you going to make things easy and tell me what’s going on? Because everything about this,” Gwen lifted one of her hands and gestured in a wide circle around Maya’s face, “Screams love life problems. So, how’s Autumn?”

With that, Gwen arched a sharp eyebrow at her – still looking almost irritatingly prideful – as she sipped from her own mug.

Making a dramatic show of rolling her eyes, Maya sighed. “Why do you act like I’d be cagey about it, anyway?” She grumbled. “When have I ever not ‘made things easy’?”

“You’re right; Ruby has always tried to be more of a sneak. So?” Gwen prompted again.

Maya rolled her lips in thought.

It wasn’t like she’d deliberately been keeping what had played out with Autumn from her sisters for the last week. She’d genuinely been busy – as they always were when they were in the city for work.

And… well, she’d been really hoping that she’d be able to work things out with Autumn.

She barely suppressed a laughing scoff at her own thought, because getting anything smoothed over had been the last outcome Autumn seemed to want.

“First and foremost – to clarify – anything regarding Autumn isn’t a love life problem. It’s a sex life problem.” That distinction was very important to… whatever Maya and Autumn had started up in the last few weeks.

Gwen waved her hand. “I don’t think the clarification is relevant – given the long-face – but understood.”

Maya wasn’t going to get into the nitty-gritty with Gwen about the difference between a love life problem and a sex life problem. Gwen was a serial monogamist, who’d only ever engaged in serious relationships. Gwen had always dated with so much intention, she’d declined going on a second date with her dream girl in college because the dream girl – at nineteen – hadn’t been able to confirm that she’d want to have more than one child, in the undefinable future.

On one hand, Maya adored Gwen and thought she was brilliant. On the other, Gwen was terrifying to her. It had always been that way. Frankly, Maya wasn’t sure how she’d function, otherwise.

With Ruby, she wouldn’t have to argue about the difference between a sex life and a love life, because Ruby – though she’d now settled down – had sewed some real wild oats back in her college days. But Ruby wasn’t here, and Maya found she actually did want to talk this out.

“Okay, so, last weekend–”

“When you left my house on Sunday rather than Monday morning, because you wanted to see Autumn,” Gwen interjected, with a nod.

Maya leveled her with a look. “Not helping. Also, now who’s acting like Ruby?”

“Fair point,” she acknowledged with a wave. “Sorry, continue. I’ll zip it until the end.”

“Anyway – yes. When I left your house after dropping Tort off and went to the city, Autumn was already there. As I knew she would be.” She admitted. It wasn’t a secret – she’d admitted it to Autumn, herself, at the time. “She wasn’t, uh, super pleased to see me, at first, because apparently Charlotte knows about us, now?”

She frowned, tilting her head in thought as she ran over the last few minutes with Autumn for about the millionth time. “You know, I’m still not really sure how Charlotte knows about us, or how that came up.” No, because before she could get all of the details from Autumn’s conversation with their boss, things had gone so far off the rails. “But, whatever. Not the point. We smoothed it over. We eventually had pizza. We then eventually also had sex.”

Great sex. Then again – as she’d quickly learned in the last month – sex with Autumn was always great. The first time wasn’t a fluke, it had been a true indicator for all of their continued sex.

“Hmm,” Gwen hummed softly.

Maya narrowed her eyes. “I thought you weren’t going to interject.”

“That was hardly an interjection.”

“Well, I know how you feel about this… arrangement with Autumn; no need to reiterate.” Maya was firm on that. Which likely had also factored into not telling her sisters about the Autumn issue in the last week.

Ruby was all for Maya’s tryst, as her sisters had taken to referring to it.

Gwen wasn’t judgmental about it, but Maya knew her sisters very well. And she knew that Gwen was far more concerned about potential fallout from what was playing out.

“Afterwards, though, we were talking about Charlotte, and–”

Gwen let out an incredulous laugh. “I’m sorry, I know this is definitely an interjection, but after you had sex, you started talking about your boss?”

This time, Maya couldn’t summon any annoyance at the interruption, because she totally got it. With a long-suffering groan, she nodded. “Look, I get that it’s weird. But if I want to facilitate conversation with Autumn, Charlotte is a go-to topic.”

Maya, truthfully, wished that wasn’t the case. She’d love to be able to have other, more normal conversations with Autumn! But Autumn was so unforthcoming and guarded about… almost everything, it seemed safest to stick to Charlotte.

She frowned, her stomach sinking in dismay. “Well, Charlotte was a go-to topic. We started talking about Charlotte and her coming out later in life.”

“Ah,” Gwen hummed in understanding – Maya’s feelings on this matter had been discussed with her family multiple times.

“And Autumn…” Her frowned deepened, thinking about Autumn’s very intense reaction. “Was very upset by my comments. To the point that she stormed out of my room, cut off our sexual relationship, and would barely talk to me all week. Even at work.”

Even then, it was really only to icily mutter things to Maya.

Gwen tapped her fingers lightly against the side of her mug. “Well… it certainly sounds like Autumn didn’t take your statement as something purely about Charlotte.”

Maya stared in disbelief at her sister. “No kidding. If I only had half of your insight…” Maya snapped her fingers in mock-disappointment, before she rolled her eyes at her sister over her mug as she took a sip.

Gwen rolled her eyes right back. “I’m just stating the facts so that we can assess from an aligned perspective. So, if she took that as personally as it sounds – lay it out for me. What do we know about her?”

Blowing out a deep breath, Maya tapped her hands lightly against the countertop. “Well, I know that she went to Brown. But grew up in Ohio.”

Gwen accepted this with an encouraging nod.

“She’s really smart and structured and surprisingly funny.” She listed off, prepared to elaborate on all of those points with examples.

“Hmm, let’s keep this to relevant facts about her life rather than personality,” Gwen mused, sounding like every inch the litigator she was. “Poppy is going to wake up from her nap any second now, and as much as she just loooves to hear every word her Auntie Maya has to say, I don’t think we need her running around talking about your coworker that you’re fucking.”

“Well, we’re not fucking anymore,” Maya muttered in correction.

She’d heard Autumn’s parting words to her last weekend echo in her thoughts too many times in the last week not to.

You can consider the pause to be back on. Indefinitely.

Shaking herself out of it, she continued. Or… she tried to continue, tilting her head to the side as she ran through the Autumn repository in her mind.

“Ummm. Well. She really likes fish. As pets, anyway. She has, basically, an aquarium in her living room.”

Rolling her lips, she was forced to pause again as she wracked her mind for any other relevant information she could give to her sister.

Who aimed a baffled stare at her the longer Maya kept her waiting. “I can’t tell if you’re drawing this out because you want to keep me on the edge of my seat for some big reveal or if you actually know so very little about the woman you’ve worked side-by-side with for over a year that you’ve been having sex with for almost a month.”

“And… she really appreciates lingerie?” Maya quipped, gritting her teeth in a facsimile of a smile up at Gwen.

She could feel that it was more of a grimace, especially in the face of her sister’s absolutely unimpressed, deadpan stare.

“That’s it,” she stated, incredulously. “Those are all of the facts you can tell me about this woman. Maya.”

She tossed her hands into the air in exasperation. “What do you want from me? I’ve tried!”

Maya had tried to get to know Autumn better at just about every turn. Long before they’d ever even kissed. She’d tried to initiate personal conversations. Tried to have dinner with Autumn. And she hadn’t had duplicitous intentions; she’d just wanted to better understand and know more about the person she worked with constantly.

But she was cut off at the knees at every turn with a no.

Which was why it truly had cut deeper than Maya would have anticipated when she’d learned that Autumn hung out with Hamish. Because Maya would bet her life that if she was in the car when they were stuck in traffic, Autumn wouldn’t agree to a friendly dinner. She’d bet her life that Autumn wouldn’t ask her to take care of her fucking fish for a weekend.

And Maya just – didn’t get it. If Autumn drew the same hard line with everyone they worked with, it would be one thing. But the fact that it seemed to be reserved for Maya and Maya only… well, that did hurt her feelings. As much as she pushed past it that night, she’d continued to circle back to that throughout the week, too.

What had she ever done to Autumn to deserve being treated so differently? She worshipped the ground Charlotte walked on, was willing to be friendly enough with Hamish that he had access to her apartment, but nope, not Maya. Even when they were fucking.

“Perhaps it’s not the worst thing that this tryst is running its course, then. Do you really want to get embroiled in something, emotionally, with someone that doesn’t seem to reciprocate?” Gwen reasoned.

And under her all-knowing look, Maya very much felt like the youngest sister, as she dropped her chin into her palm. “Probably not. But it’s not an emotional sort of thing.”

“Yeah. Tell that to your mopey face,” Gwen retorted, mirroring a deep frown back at Maya for good measure.

She deliberately plastered a large, cheesy smile on. “There we go.”

Before Gwen could respond, they heard Poppy’s giggle and the pitter-patter of running footsteps down the hallway, toward the kitchen. They both turned to face the doorway in time for her to run in, followed by Tort, who was exceptionally patient and loving to her niece.

“Auntie Maya!” She squealed, running toward her. “You’re still here!”

Maya opened her arms and swept Poppy up against her. Her face was flushed, and her dark hair was all mussed from her nap, and Maya cuddled her in, taking comfort in her Poppy’s unwavering and constant love for her. “What, you think I’d leave before saying goodbye to my favorite niece?”

She turned to face Gwen, who merely sent her an arched eyebrow.

But Maya didn’t need that look to tell her that she’d lucked out on Gwen’s very serious commentary on her life choices this afternoon.

***

The following morning, Maya felt, admittedly, mildly anxious. More than she usually ever felt, especially at work or in interpersonal relationships.

But the reality was that she wasn’t sure this was going to go all that well.

She was in the office, having beat Autumn and Charlotte there – again, and wasn’t that going to chap Autumn’s cute ass? She couldn’t even enjoy that, though, given the state of things – standing just outside of the closet. Waiting.

Autumn walked in just when Maya anticipated she would, fifteen minutes earlier than they should expect Charlotte. That gloriously soft blonde hair was up in a twist – as always – and she wore one of her ironed, tailored outfits – as always. She – as always – looked… so, achingly, great.

So put-together, that Maya really hadn’t realized until after they’d started having sex how much she loved seeing Autumn disheveled.

Granted, it was also because she was the reason for it. But still.

And she waited for just a few seconds, knowing that as soon as Autumn spotted her, she’d freeze.

Three… two…

Yep. There it was.

Those sharp blue eyes landed on her, and Autumn’s determined steps faltered. The previously smooth expression on her face immediately pulled into a narrow-eyed frown, and the sight of it made Maya’s stomach churn uncomfortably.

She hated being responsible for that look.

Things had been going so well, too! For a couple of weeks, things had been so smooth. The ideal setup – nothing changed at work, and then afterhours, they’d have some of the best sex of her life.

“I suppose I should have expected this,” Autumn muttered, pointedly dropping her stare from Maya as she strode to her desk.

Granted, her desk was only a few feet away from the closet Maya was standing in front of, so Autumn had to brush by her. When she did, Maya felt like her nerves tingled, especially at the hint of Autumn’s fresh scent.

“Though, I don’t know why you’re standing over here,” Autumn continued, sounding like she was grinding her teeth at the same time she was talking, still annunciating clearly.

A very skilled woman, Autumn was. In oh, so many ways.

“Because we need to talk,” Maya asserted, firmly.

“About work?” Autumn asked, pointedly. “I sent Charlotte’s schedule update to you last night. We should be up to date on everything.” She started to unpack her bag and organize her desk for the day with sharp, precise movements. Movements that spoke a thousand words, in high volume.

They were actions and words Maya had received – loud and clear – for the last week, and only reaffirmed for her that she could not handle Autumn freezing her out anymore.

She rolled her shoulders. “Honestly, a little about work, yeah. There are things we need to discuss, whether you want to or not. And if you’d given me a chance to do it outside of work in the last week, that would have been great. But you didn’t, and I don’t get the feeling that you’re going to. So, it’s going to have to be here. We can do it out in the open.” She gestured around them, to the admittedly completely empty closed office.

Before she finished by pointing at the closet door next to her. “Or we can do it in your favorite place.”

Autumn finally turned to look at her again, eyeing Maya up and down. “I’m not sure what you think needs to be reviewed any further. In my opinion, everything has come to a conclusion.” She scoffed out a breath. “And if you think I’m going in there with you…”

She trailed off, shaking her head.

“In my opinion, we haven’t reached a conclusion.” Maya insisted. “You’re the one that said nothing between us would change anything at work, but whatever happened between us last week most definitely changed your demeanor toward me, while at work.”

Painfully so.

Maya wasn’t someone that needed to be liked by everyone. But… she was finding that she did have a big problem being so disliked by Autumn.

“Please do us both a favor and don’t deny it.” She could hear the pleading note in her own words.

To Autumn’s credit, she pursed her lips tightly and didn’t attempt to refute.

Maya counted that as a win; right about now, she’d take anything she could get with Autumn.

“Also, I didn’t realize you were the only one of us that got to claim use of the closet for private conversations at work.” She tested the waters by twitching her lips up into the slightest of teasing smiles.

But – that was still too far. Autumn wasn’t having it, and Maya’s stomach sank like a stone.

Normally, she’d give Maya a look that tried to say she didn’t find Maya amusing at all, but there was a glint in her eyes that would give her away. At least a little.

Not today, much like Maya hadn’t had that look in just over a week. Not even the hint of it. In fact, she was fairly certain if they couldn’t rectify this now, she was never going to get that look back.

Autumn darted her eyes around, as well, before she clenched her jaw. “Fine, then.” She took in a deep breath, as if bracing herself for war, before stalking closer and closing the few feet between them. Before Maya could move, Autumn reached out and gripped the doorknob, opened the closet, and gestured. “Let’s get this over with.”

This time, Maya bit back the teasing comment that – any other time – would have slipped out.

Stepping into the closet, she turned to face Autumn as she gingerly followed Maya in.

Autumn’s arms were defensively crossed over her chest, and she was leaning so far back trying to put as much distance as possible between them. It was almost comical, with how silly of a picture they must have made.

But Maya found no humor right now. And she knew, just by virtue of knowing whatever she knew about Autumn, that she had a limited window.

“First things first – I’m sorry,” she apologized, the words coming from somewhere deep inside of her. She felt them, how much she meant them, from right in the middle of her chest.

She wished that she could reach out and touch Autumn, just a soft squeeze to her hand, so Autumn could feel it, too. But she kept her hands clenched at her sides, and she didn’t.

“I really didn’t intend to upset you in any way, with what I said. I really hope you know that I’d never want to cause you harm in any way. I hope my past actions toward you in the time we’ve known one another show that. I’m really sorry that I hurt you, however unintentional.”

Autumn had softened ever so slightly as Maya had started talking, but upon her final sentence, that thick, high guard snapped right back into place before her very eyes.

“They didn’t hurt me,” Autumn snapped out, tightening the way her arms were crossed, tilting up her jaw. “They were just completely out of touch with reality, while you live in Maya-land.”

Maya bit at the inside of her cheek, feeling the comment dig sharply inside of her. “All right. I can accept that.”

She could; she truly understood where Autumn was coming from last week, and –

“What you said to me that night was fair.” She debated the words that wanted to escape next, unsure that Autumn would want to hear them, no matter what. Unsure that they wouldn’t make Autumn storm right out of the closet.

But Maya hadn’t planned to get to the office early and waited for Autumn to arrive to have this conversation just to peter out without saying her entire piece.

“And, while you’re willing to talk to me about this, I have to tell you – even if it didn’t seem like it, even if I misspoke, the reality was: I was talking, specifically, about Charlotte when I made those comments about coming out.”

Oh, boy. Yeah, she could see how tightly Autumn’s jaw was working, the way she wanted to angle herself impossibly farther from Maya. If at all possible, she was sure Autumn wished she could back right through the solid wood side of the closet.

“So that makes it okay? That you just wanted to – to impugn Charlotte?” Autumn’s ire ran deep and hot through her tone.

And something in her voice sparked Maya’s own exasperation.

She’d learned at the very beginning of working with Autumn that she had some sort of hero worship for Charlotte, and that had only become clearer over the time they’d known one another. But… come on.

“I’m trying to give as much clarification as possible, so that there are no miscommunications. If you still are going to be livid at me, that’s your prerogative,” Maya explained, before worrying at her bottom lip at how this was going to go.

But, what was the point in holding back?

“Honestly, though… yeah, I do think it should make my position more understandable when I clarify that I’m only talking about Charlotte. Because what I said is the truth: if Charlotte experienced any strife from not having any real relationships until coming out later in life, that was a problem of her own making.”

That was a stance Maya had held since long before she’d worked for Charlotte, and it wasn’t changing any time soon.

Oh, and she could see how much it incensed Autumn, her eyes absolutely glittered at Maya.

Before they devolved into the same argument as last week, Maya pushed forward. “I’m really not saying that Charlotte’s experience is everyone’s experience in life. But I am saying that Charlotte came from an incredibly liberal family – we all know who her grandmother is and what she stands for. We know she has a gay brother. Her family is liberal as hell, and has a ton of money and influence. So, no, I don’t think that it would have been a career-ender for Charlotte to have come out earlier in life. You saw the ripple effect it had when Charlotte came out a couple of years ago,” she insisted, and she knew it was true.

Autumn was a lesbian, she was in this community, and there had been an overwhelmingly positive response to Charlotte’s sexuality when she’d come out. The impact on the younger queer community, especially, had been incredible. Something… beautiful. Something Maya cherished and had felt inspired by, herself.

“So, can you please just – for a second – imagine if Charlotte had been willing to do that years earlier? Imagine the even bigger difference she could have made.”

“She didn’t owe that to anyone,” Autumn cut in, still.

“I never said she did; I said that she had the power to do so, and that she made her choices based on her priorities. And that’s fine.” She insisted, holding Autumn’s gaze intently with her own, refusing to back down from her position. “I’m not saying that I don’t respect the hell out of Charlotte; I obviously do.” As best she could with the very limited space, she bent her elbow to twist her hand around and gesture, like look where we are.

Maya would never work ten-hour days for a person she didn’t respect.

“But she’s a politician, and no politicians are above criticism. Not even from their supporters. I think it’s clear that Charlotte’s family would have supported her no matter what, and I do believe, based on all of the trends and polling data we have, that her career would have been largely the same. I understand that this is something we might disagree on, and I’m all right with that. I hope that my thoughts on Charlotte’s timing regarding her coming out isn’t going to be something that detrimentally alters our working relationship.”

Autumn was quiet for a few beats as she ran her eyes over Maya’s face.

And she waited, holding her breath. God, she wanted to put this behind them so badly.

She wanted her typically guarded Autumn back. Not this shields-on-steroids version.

Finally, after far too long of Maya’s hard pounding far too hard in her chest, Autumn’s posture relaxed. Not completely, but… enough.

Enough that Maya could feel the tentative hope poking through the uncertainty inside of her for the first time in a week.

“I can agree to that,” Autumn haltingly stated.

Even so, she still looked… uncertain. There was still something slightly off.

And Maya – maybe she should accept this as a win. Maybe this should be the moment that she backed off. If she was Gwen, she would have.

But she wasn’t.

“I really am sorry,” she reiterated, before she blew out a deep breath and decided to go for broke, “But I think it’s clear that you took what I said very personally. I’m not trying to push you for an explanation – I’m not trying to push you to tell me anything,” she quickly added, hoping to jump in before Autumn completely shut down.

As she often did whenever anything turned personal.

“I know that you don’t like to share details about your life; I get that. I mean, I’d love to know more about you, if you ever want to share.” God, she really would. Gwen’s disbelief and surprise at the fact that Maya knew so little about Autumn despite how close they were in proximity wasn’t surprising at all.

Whenever Maya reflected on Autumn, as a person, she – of course – ruminated on how intently Autumn kept any and all facts about herself to a minimum.

“But what I am saying is… I don’t actually know what topics or comments are sore subjects for you. I don’t know what is going to hurt your feelings or dredge up bad memories. You’re hardly an open book, Autumn,” her tone gentled, because she needed Autumn to know that this wasn’t any sort of attack or Maya trying to pry. It was just an honest explanation.

“You don’t ever have to tell me anything you don’t want to share. All I’m asking is for a little grace if I accidentally put my foot in my mouth. I promise that I won’t push you for any details if we stumble over a sensitive topic; you just need to tell me it’s a hard line for you, and I’ll drop it.” There was a raw honesty in her voice that she felt resonating throughout her body, and she ducked her head to lock eyes with Autumn, deeply hoping that Autumn would be able to see it, too.

She felt like Autumn understood how sincere she was, by the way Autumn’s eyes searched her own. The way her shoulders were only the slightest bit tense – basically back to normal, for Autumn.

“This isn’t me wanting to continue having sex, either,” she promised, holding her hands up between them.

She accidentally brushed over Autumn’s right hip, just with one of her knuckles, but she felt it. Just that warmth, like she’d moved too close to a live flame. She heard Autumn’s sharp intake of breath, too, and… nope.

Because that really wasn’t what this was about.

“Oh, really?” Autumn asked dryly, arching a sharp eyebrow at her.

True hope rang through Maya, though, because this look – this was normal Autumn!

She couldn’t hold back her answering grin, wiggling all of her fingers. “Do you see any finger-crosses, here? I mean it. I know I’ve been the instigator between us.”

And she had no problem acknowledging it. She wanted Autumn, and she wasn’t shy about it. She never had been. And she didn’t have any problems, in the last few weeks, in making the first move in initiating sex between them – or at the very least, making sure Autumn knew, continuously, that the offer was on the table.

“But I’m going to stop that,” she continued, honestly. “You want sexual encounters on an indefinite hold, and that’s your call. Me wanting to clear the air here has nothing to do with sex; it has to do with just – us. I don’t want to be on negative terms with you, at all. Whether we ever have sex again or not, it doesn’t matter.”

Okay, well, it was a little painful to say that. But, still, it didn’t mean it wasn’t true, despite Maya’s physical wants.

“I like and respect you; I always have. And I hope you feel the same about me. Enough that we can come back from this bad week, and be better for it with some more clear communication between us.”

She very carefully lowered her hands, making sure not to touch Autumn again.

Which, honestly, was difficult. Not only because it had so quickly become something she’d become used to, after the light touches and slight teasing – especially in this closet – but also because Autumn was no longer leaning as far away from Maya as humanly possible.

After a few loaded seconds, Autumn nodded softly. Her crossed arms fell, defenseless, to her sides. “I think we can rebound from last weeks… miscommunication, as well.”

Maya absolutely beamed, the sickening heavy feeling that had taken up residence in her stomach clearing for the first time in a week.

They stood there, less than a foot away from one another, in the closed, dim closet, and Maya could feel the air thicken between them. She knew she did.

But it didn’t surprise her in the least when Autumn quickly reached out and twisted the doorknob, flooding the closet with the bright office light.

She was sure, at some point, that hot, thick, awareness between them would fade back to what it used to be. Honestly, Maya wasn’t sure if she was looking forward to it or dreading it more, but that was a thought for a later date.

Right now, she’d done what she’d set out to do, and she felt the bounce in her step as she followed Autumn out into the office.

“For the record,” Autumn’s voice reached her as Maya approached her own desk. “I don’t think that I was acting any more negatively toward you last week than typical. Not noticeably, anyway,” she added quietly.

Maya spun around, incredulous. “Autumn, I was a woman dying of thirst in the car, and when I eyed your water bottle, you snapped at me like I was a leper!”

She chuckled at the memory. Which hadn’t been funny when it had happened last week, because Autumn’s vitriol for her in the moment had been biting.

In retrospect, it was entertaining as hell.

Autumn pursed her lips, and – there it was. That look like she almost was going to smile, but caught herself just in time from showing Maya how much she actually found her – at times – amusing. “I merely think you should have been prepared with your own water bottle.”

“We were supposed to only be in the car for twenty minutes,” she defended. “How was I supposed to know we’d be caught in traffic for over an hour?”

Autumn let out one of those haughty hmms she favored, sending Maya that look that accompanied it, and…

She merely smiled back, even after Autumn turned away, continuing to prepare herself for the day.

They were so back.

***

Maya had never known how relieved she’d be to return to the same status quo with Autumn.

Those little smiles that Autumn tried to hide in response to Maya’s comments and stories throughout the day? And yes, some of them were absolutely due to Autumn thinking Maya was being ludicrous. But they’d returned, and it was like a fucking summer day after a grueling winter.

The fact that Autumn merely turned her gaze to Maya, all narrow-eyed and suspicious when she slipped a coffee on Autumn’s desk Tuesday morning, but hadn’t thrown it out? Hadn’t even given Maya grief over it? Incredible.

The fact that Autumn murmured a quietly but hilariously scathing comment to Maya about the security guard they both loathed – a total pervert – when they’d walked into the building after going with Charlotte to a working lunch earlier? Absolute win.

By Wednesday evening, Maya felt like everything was right in the world again.

Granted, the world could definitely be right-er, if Autumn ever decided she’d want to resume their sexual relationship.

But being back to normal? Maya would happily take it in a heartbeat.

“All right, I’m heading out. I’ve arranged to go to the event with Secretary Peters; we have a lot still to discuss. Better to kill two birds with one stone. I’ve already informed Hamish that I won’t be needing his services tonight, and that he’s off-the-clock once you two are home,” Charlotte stated, as she stepped out of her office, smartly snapping the door shut behind her.

Maya looked up from her desk, admiring as Charlotte slid her hands over her dress, smoothing out the nearly non-existent wrinkles from the sleek material.

She’d meant what she’d said to Autumn – Charlotte, just like any other politician, was not above reproach. But she’d also meant that she respected the hell out of Charlotte.

She also, frankly, appreciated the fact that while Charlotte never relied on playing up her obvious beauty, that she also never shied away from it, either.

If this was anyone other than her boss, she’d have let out a wolf whistle to pump her up.

She bit it back; even if Autumn didn’t believe Maya understood decorum, she did.

Though, she did still say, “Looking great, Senator,” as she clicked her pen in Charlotte’s direction. “See you tomorrow.”

“I’ll send you the updated notes for your morning conference call by seven tomorrow,” Autumn added on.

“Thank you,” Charlotte acknowledged each of them in that sentiment, as she pulled on her jacket and strode toward the exit. “Have a nice night, the both of you.”

Maya turned her attention back to her tablet, typing out some reminders for herself in the morning. Though she did enjoy peering out the window when they accompanied Charlotte getting dropped off at an event – looking at the other politicians and bigwigs and hobnobbers – she much preferred an evening when she was able to go right home.

Autumn coughed softly from the other side of the office.

“I’m almost done over here,” she responded, scanning Charlotte’s schedule, double-checking that her meticulous color coding was correct.

She’d been so distracted by everything going on last week with Autumn, she’d mistakenly put one of Charlotte’s Sutton meetings in as dark blue – which was reserved for international calls – and had put one of Charlotte’s lunches in as hot pink – which was reserved for Sutton! Absolutely terrible.

And, obviously, Autumn hadn’t wanted to do anything related to Maya, either, because Autumn hadn’t noticed the errors when she’d looked at Charlotte’s schedule, either.

Autumn coughed again, a little louder, a few seconds later.

Maya grinned, typing in her last remaining memo to herself. “You okay? Frog stuck in your throat after seeing Charlotte dressed to the nines?” She teased, lightly.

She only ever joked with Autumn about her obsession with Charlotte when Charlotte wasn’t in the office with them. In fairness to her, it really wasn’t that much of a joke; Autumn really seemed to think Charlotte could do no wrong.

Autumn huffed out a breath, making Maya smile even wider, before she coughed once more. This time louder, and far more intently.

Confused, Maya lifted her gaze as she shut down her computer. “Not even a scold for making my comment on your adoration for Charlotte? Are you okay over there?”

Normally, following that huffy exhale, Autumn would snap a response back at her.

Right now, Autumn’s arms were crossed over her chest, and she pursed her delightfully full lips. But all she did was roll her eyes. “I’ve decided not to dignify it with a verbal acknowledgement.”

Maya rolled back in her chair, thoughtfully looking up at Autumn across their shared space. “Do you not consider that a verbal acknowledgement?”

Rather than comment on that, Autumn’s blue eyes narrowed. “I’d been trying to get your attention so that I could inform you that there was a medical conference in town today. Don’t make me regret it.”

Confused, Maya slowly shook her head. “Um, okay? Are you interested in trying to crash it, or…?”

Autumn tossed her hands in the air in obvious exasperation. “I’m telling you that the conference ended about ten minutes ago, and that there’s likely going to be a lot of traffic tonight.”

Scoffing out an amused laugh, Maya started packing up her bag. “Autumn, why do you possibly think I’d have gotten to that conclusion?”

“Because I told you that when there are things like conferences in town, and we are expecting heavy traffic, that’s when Hamish and I will stop for something to eat before going home,” she explained, measuredly.

Maya paused, just for a second, in the middle of zipping up her bag. Had Autumn used those exact words last week? Maya was fairly certain Autumn hadn’t been so exact in describing her buddy-buddy nights out with Hamish, but she could definitely have been wrong.

After all, her feelings had been hurt. Like. Really hurt, and she’d definitely reacted guided by those emotions.

Either way, she found that the lightness that she’d been operating on all day dim. She couldn’t control the deep frown that tugged at her lips as she moved her stare back down to her bag. “Well, I guess I appreciate the heads-up,” she muttered.

Autumn was quiet for a few seconds, and she used them to walk over to Maya’s desk.

So quietly, Maya jumped back in her chair, her heart racing with the shock of Autumn suddenly so close. Sure, she was still across the desk from Maya, but she hadn’t expected it.

If they weren’t in close proximity to one another due to work, Autumn typically didn’t come this close to Maya. When they weren’t engaging in any non-work-related activities, that was.

“I’m inviting you to join us,” Autumn said, her lips pursing tightly after the words left her mouth, as she stared intently down at Maya.

Who stared right back, studying Autumn closely.

Yes, she could read Autumn… sometimes. When it came to certain things. She felt like she could read Autumn very well when it came to work, to the banter and conversation they’d established for over a year.

But moments like this one were a little more difficult for her.

Because on one hand, she wanted to jump at the invite, to let herself be excited about it.

But on the other, Autumn didn’t appear excited to extend the offer for Maya to join them. She seemed conflicted.

Latching onto that, Maya dropped her gaze from Autumn’s as she stood up and pulled her bag over her shoulder. “It’s fine, Autumn. You don’t have to invite me to your hangouts with Hamish; you’re entitled to be friends with whomever you want.” Making sure she had everything she needed, she breathed out, deeply, and looked over at Autumn. “Ready to go?”

But Autumn didn’t move to grab her things. Instead, she stared at Maya, the frown etched onto her face deep with serious confusion and uncertainty. “That certainly wasn’t how you felt when you found out about my hanging out with Hamish after we dropped you off.”

Blowing out a breath, Maya shrugged. “I mean, finding out that my coworkers – who I thought I had decent, friendly relationships with – decided to hang out without me, especially after dropping me off two minutes prior… yeah, my feelings were hurt. Especially after I’d asked you to have dinner, before, and you’d always said no.” She thought that was a very understandable stance. “I’m not going to lie about that. But I also don’t want to be invited somewhere just because you feel badly now that I know.”

Honestly, it had really stung. And yeah, she had to imagine it was something personal. Why Hamish and not her?

But… she was an adult. She’d handle it.

“I’m not inviting you because I feel badly,” Autumn denied.

“Then why are you?” She pushed, searching Autumn’s eyes with her own. No, Autumn didn’t look like she was lying, but…

“I’m inviting you because I’d like you to see that it’s not some conspiracy I came up with to befriend Hamish and not you. It truly is a quiet dinner to pass some time, and it’s not a big deal. So, it’s really not a big deal if you join us.” Autumn paused, holding Maya’s gaze before she added softly, “And I didn’t really ever think about how it would seem, to you. But I do understand your perspective.”

There was something insanely, wildly appealing about Autumn in the rare moment like this – when she was being so… earnest. Maya, actually, wasn’t generally ever on the receiving end of it.

Autumn’s cheeks a little flushed, as she re-crossed her arms, and her eyebrows furrowed. But she stood firm, continuing to look at Maya with that beseeching expression.

“You can certainly feel free not to join us,” Autumn added, when Maya continued to stare back in silence. “I just wanted you to know that you aren’t being excluded.” She cleared her throat. “Especially now that our interpersonal issue has been resolved. I’d like to think that we’re in a good place. Good enough for you to have dinner with Hamish and myself. If you want.”

Maya had to wonder if the interpersonal issue that had been resolved was referring to them having sex or how mad Autumn had been at her. But she was wise enough not to ask. Especially not right now, while Autumn wasn’t being guarded or snarky.

Apparently, her continued silence got to Autumn in some way, as she shifted slightly, the crinkled lines between her eyebrows deepening, as her voice lowered slightly. Sounding more like she was admitting a secret than anything else, as she said, “And,” She cleared her throat, “Spending time with you isn’t something I necessarily dislike.”

A few seconds ago, Maya had already felt a genuine, hopeful, warm smile tug at her lips. Now, though, laughter bubbled up inside of her.

“I mean, with that warm and welcoming invitation, how could I even think about saying no?”

***

“I have to say, I’m not only glad you’re joining us just for the sake of it, but also because getting Autumn to pick a restaurant can be like pulling teeth,” Hamish half-joked, a half hour later, as he held the door open for them to walk into the pub Maya had recommended.

They’d parked outside of her apartment, and walked down a block, to what Maya, personally, thought of as the best hidden gem in her neighborhood.

Autumn shot him a half-hearted glare as she skated by. “It’s just because I truly don’t care. Have I ever complained about any of the places you’ve chosen? Have I ever proven to be a picky eater?”

“It’s not a criticism in that way,” Hamish immediately answered, in that soft-spoken, comforting way he had. “But I’m also not a picky eater.”

Maya chuckled, coming to a stop shoulder-to-shoulder with Autumn in front of the host stand. “I just can’t believe it, because I can’t imagine you not having a strong opinion about something.”

Autumn turned her glare in Maya’s direction, and it certainly seemed more intense than the one Hamish had received. “Perhaps I just am more concerned about the consequences of the choices you’ll make than the ones Hamish will make.”

Hamish whistled under his breath from behind them.

Maya held Autumn’s stare with her own for a beat too long, and… was she imagining a double meaning in Autumn’s words? She certainly didn’t feel like she was, because she felt like nearly every look and every comment Autumn made was laden with meaning.

When it came to Maya, anyway.

Clearly, with Hamish, she was far more blasé.

“Maya, hey,” Nicki’s voice drew her attention away from Autumn, as she approached the host station. “Didn’t expect to see you in here tonight.” She eyed Maya up and down, eyebrows lifting on her forehead, before her lips curled into a slow smile, as she let out a low whistle. “And I definitely didn’t think I’d ever see you looking so I-work-for-a-senator.”

Maya laughed, reaching up and swiping an errant strand of hair behind her ear, as she looked down at herself. Though this was her favorite local establishment, and though she did frequent it at least once or twice a week, she never wore her work clothes.

She struck a little, playful pose. “I mean, I’ve told you what I do for work. Don’t be so surprised.”

Nicki eyed her up and down, her mouth tugging into a considering smile. “I’m not surprised, per-se, just making the observation. You look good.”

Maya accepted the compliment with a warm, appreciative smile. “Thanks. Normally, I’d have changed, but I didn’t want to hold up my colleagues.” She gestured to Autumn and Hamish. “We’re all getting a friendly dinner after work.”

She couldn’t help but nudge Autumn’s shoulder ever so gently with her own as she commented on the friendly dinner part. Autumn did not nudge back, and – if anything – seemed incredibly stiff at Maya’s side.

Nicki swiftly grabbed three menus and tilted her head to the side. “Come on down.”

Maya led the way. “Where’s Bobby?” She asked, referencing the host that would typically be working on Wednesday evenings.

Nicki rolled her eyes over her shoulder at Maya. “Oh, you know. Got back together with Raf. So, who knows when we’ll be seeing them?”

“Ah, their favorite time to take an evening off,” she acknowledged with a yikes chuckle, as Nicki stopped next to a table and quickly rearranged the top for the three of them.

Nicki laughed a very put-upon laugh, shaking back her long, honey-blonde ponytail. “This is how you know someone spends too much time here. You know all the staff drama.” She shot a wink at Maya as she sat down, gently nudging her hip against Maya’s shoulder, before she turned to Autumn and Hamish. “Your server will be right out. It was nice to see that Maya’s illustrious career hasn’t been all a tall tale.”

Maya nudged Nicki back with her shoulder as she walked away, shaking her head as she turned her attention back to Autumn and Hamish, who were both staring at her.

Hamish with his eyebrows arched in clear interest. Autumn, who looked like she’d accidentally sucked on a lemon, as she draped her jacket over the back of her seat before pulling out her chair.

“You are a regular here,” Hamish commented, the side of his mouth quirking into a smile as he flipped open his menu.

They were sat at one of the smaller circular tables on the far side of the pub – closer to the billiards than to the bar and all of the TVs, which was exactly how Maya liked it. They weren’t seated in an equidistant triangle formation, though. More like, Hamish sat equally far from both Autumn and Maya, and Autumn…

Autumn, as she sat down, was situated right next to her.

She hadn’t realized it until just how, as Autumn settled, crossing one leg over the other, which made it slide against Maya’s before she simply… remained there. Autumn’s ankle pressing into the side of her calf, and their arms brushed with every slight movement. Even when Maya took in a deep breath.

Had Nicki arranged their seats this way, and she’d not noticed? She must have, because Maya knew that she hadn’t pulled her chair closer to Autumn’s when she’d sat down, so…

Shaking herself out of it, Maya did her damndest to ignore any of the sparking heat she couldn’t help but feel everywhere they touched. She’d always felt it, so it made sense that feeling remained even if they weren’t sleeping together.

But it had undeniably grown far more intense after the last couple of weeks.

Before, Maya could just… ignore it. It was like a slight, pleasant zing that reminded her of her attraction to Autumn. Now, after they’d had sex multiple times, that zing was far more insistent, reminding her that she not only was attracted to Autumn, but she knew how it felt for Autumn to touch her. How it felt to make Autumn fall apart – in the most surprisingly gentle, surprisingly intensely hot – way possible.

She cleared her throat, glancing down at her own menu just for something to do.

“Yeah, I mean, the food is really good, it’s super close to my place. And on the weekends they do an incredible brunch.”

Autumn hummed low in her throat, laying her menu open on the table. Her forearm – covered by her long-sleeved shirt, but still – pressing right against Maya’s on the tabletop, as she drew a well-manicured fingertip slowly down the side of the page.

Maya didn’t turn her head, but her gaze was firmly fixed upon that movement.

“Interesting that you, apparently, come here frequently enough that… Nicki, was it? Knows all about your job, but has never even seen you in your work attire.”

Her eyes narrowed as she tried to dissect Autumn’s tone. It wasn’t overtly strange; it was the same prim-proper-disapproving tone Maya had heard from Autumn a million times. But it was also different?

She glanced up at Hamish, who merely looked back at her, curiously. As if – earnestly – waiting for Maya to address Autumn’s comment.

Maybe she was reading into things, then.

“Well, I can easily come here and talk about my job without needing to come here dressed for the office,” she explained, slowly turning to face Autumn, arching her a questioning eyebrow. “Maybe you like to dress all buttoned-up and classy in your day-to-day life – I wouldn’t know – but I like to be a little less formal than this.”

She felt fairly proud of herself for that comment, and she felt like Autumn should feel good, too. No reason for Hamish to think she’d ever seen Autumn beyond a work setting.

Granted, it wasn’t like they really ever did hang out outside of work, despite their previous extracurricular activities. But last Sunday at the hotel, Autumn had been dressed, in the most delicious way possible, in a sweater that very well could have been worn to work.

Though, that other time they’d run into one another and Autumn had been wearing those bike shorts…

Maya’s stomach flip-flopped, a soft sigh escaping her at the memory. Autumn had looked really, really fucking good in those.

But she was fairly sure Autumn had only been wearing that outfit because she’d actually been on a run, so.

She could see the way Autumn grinded her teeth together. “Mhmm.”

… and apparently that was all Autumn would be saying on that matter, as she pointedly focused her attention down on the menu.

Hamish closed his, lightly tapping his fingers against it. “I know what I’m getting.”

“Me too. You know–”

“And why would Nicki presume not to see you tonight?” Autumn asked, as she kept her gaze focused on perusing the menu, still.

Again, Maya turned her questioning stare in Autumn’s direction. “Because there’s a hockey game tonight and the place is going to start filling up in about an hour and a half or so.” She gestured to the many TVs near the bar. “I generally prefer to be here when it’s a little lower-key.”

“Right. And Nicki knows that,” Autumn murmured, with a nod, turning over a page of her menu.

Maybe it wasn’t a pointed movement, but Maya felt like it was.

“Right… because she’s the manager, and is here most nights…” Maya slowly stated, wondering if she’d slipped and hit her head somewhere along the way.

Because she glanced over at Hamish, and he didn’t seem perturbed at all by Autumn’s tone or her comments.

Instead, he asked, with mild interest, “Is that all she is?”

Maya dropped her mouth open in utter shock, one of her hands heavily thudding onto the table. “Hamish! Asking a personal question? I never thought I’d see the day.”

Deferentially, he held his hands up. “I apologize, and you absolutely don’t have to answer. Just thought I was sensing something.”

Laughing, Maya shook her head. “No, I don’t care. I just thought these dinners were all work.” She pressed her knee against Autumn’s leg, intently, at her comment. Jokingly, but also… not.

Autumn pressed back, much to her absolute surprise. But she didn’t say a word.

“Oh, they usually are,” Hamish unknowingly verified Autumn’s comments. “I just know you to enjoy chatting about your life.”

She’d absolutely give that to Hamish – after all, he was the one that verbally acknowledged her tales the most when she got chatty in the car.

“Nicki is queer,” she confirmed.

Hamish aimed a droll stare in her direction. “I spend the majority of my time with lesbians… I could tell.”

“And – we flirt, sometimes,” she acknowledged. “But never anything beyond that. We kind of talked about actually getting together some time, outside of here, but our schedules are probably the least compatible of any two single adults in the world.”

Just as she finished speaking, Nicki approached again. “So sorry for the wait. Tom’s on his break, though, and I know you’re going to want to get out of here before the game, so I figured I could get you started.”

Before Maya could say anything, Autumn snapped her menu shut and jumped in.

“No need to apologize. I think we’re all ready to order?” She asked, pursing her lips, aiming a look between Hamish and Maya, before turning her direct, intense blue eyes up to Nicki.

All right, so maybe Maya hadn’t ever been missing anything when it came to these strange dinners after she was dropped off…

***

Either way, she had a good time.

Hamish and Autumn had both enjoyed their meals, which had been delivered expediently. She and Hamish had carried conversation, dipping easily between topics.

And now, she stood at one of the dart boards with Hamish, kicking his ass at 501. So, overall, she’d rate it a successful evening.

Even if her impetus for suggesting a game of darts after they’d finished eating ten minutes ago had been because of the fact that every time she and Autumn maintained that prolonged contact, she’d started to hold her breath, as those tingles started low in her stomach.

Maya had worked for a long time with Autumn without sex being a part of the equation. Without it being a viable option.

However. She needed some time, apparently, to adjust back to that.

“Thanks for not minding my crashing your post-work dinner,” she commented, rolling one dart over the other through her fingers.  

Hamish squinted in concentration at the board, his long sleeves rolled up, as he tossed a dart, before shooting her a confused look. “No need for a thanks. I just assumed if you’d wanted to join before, you would have.”

Maya studied his profile for a few seconds… huh. So Hamish didn’t seem to be aware of the fact that Autumn had deliberately never informed her about their dinners.

All right, then.

She turned slightly to be able to shoot Autumn a look over her shoulder, surprised when they locked eyes. Only briefly, as Autumn immediately looked back down at her phone, her lips firming into a tight line.

Shaking her head, she turned back to the game, narrowed her eyes in concentration, and tossed…

Nailed it.

Victory washed over her – she was only one throw away, and very confident the game would be hers in a matter of moments.

Hamish groaned. “How did you get so good at this? You have a set up in your apartment or something?”

“Not in my apartment,” she corrected, reaching out to grab her water from the table next to them. “But my parents have a whole billiards arrangement in their basement. They play in a local league, actually.”

“And that’s how she kicks everyone’s ass,” Nicki commented as she approached, tsking quietly even as she laughed. “Even so – I’ll play winner.”

“Your funeral,” Hamish joked.

Maya grinned, slyly, as she took aim and threw her final dart…

Breathing an exaggerated sigh of relief, she swiped her hand over her forehead. “Imagine you’re saying these congratulatory things about me and how great I am at darts, and I totally fucked up that throw? I’d never recover.”

“I’m positive you’d recover just fine,” Nicki drawled, as she walked over to the board and tugged out the darts.

“I’m going to keep Autumn company. See what she’s thinking about heading out.” Hamish tilted his head toward their table.

He had asked Autumn, before they’d come to play darts, if she’d wanted to leave. But Autumn had surprised them both by saying no, and that she didn’t think the traffic would be clear just yet.

Maybe the traffic was what Autumn was looking at so intently on her phone. Maya didn’t know.

All she did know was that she’d really needed to get a breather. One that didn’t include inhaling Autumn’s scent.

As Hamish turned to walked away, Nicki approached again, handing her the set of darts she’d been playing with. “So, those are your colleagues. Excepting, of course, the Senator Thompson.”

Maya laughed, pushing into Nicki’s shoulder with her own at their established bit. In which Nicki nearly always made a comment about Charlotte, accompanied by some dreamy sigh or heart-eyes. “Yeah, you know, this would totally be her kind of vibe,” she lied, deliberately obviously.

Though she wouldn’t necessarily label Charlotte as a snob, she also couldn’t imagine her ever stepping foot into a dimly lit pub and sports bar. In fact, the image was almost laughable in her mind. Not unless there was some sort of function or fundraiser here, which was what determined where Charlotte went out to eat ninety percent of the time.

“Even if she did join us, in the most unlikely turn of events in the world, you’d never be able to get close enough to her to send one of your charming smiles.” She lowered her tone, conspiratorially. “One of my colleagues is her actual number one admirer.”

Based on the way Autumn had seemed to have immediate disdain for Nicki for no reason even without Charlotte here, she could only imagine how Autumn would respond if Nicki had been giving Charlotte the same admiring looks Autumn, herself, did.

Well, truthfully, the intense protective mode Autumn had – even over Charlotte – could be kind of hot. But totally inappropriate, and the last thing Maya needed to be thinking about right now.

“Only Charlotte’s number one admirer?” Nicki asked, arching a look at Maya.

It took her a few seconds to cotton on to what Nicki was implying, and disbelieving laughter escaped her, immediately. “You mean – uh, no. I mean, Autumn’s gay but…”

Yeah, she and Nicki were friend-adjacent, but she was definitely not going to delve into discussing anything about Autumn. Especially not when Autumn was sitting in the pub right at this very moment.

Maya was the first person to know how very deeply Autumn valued her privacy, and she’d only just gotten back into Autumn’s positive side; she wasn’t going back.

With that, she very deliberately changed the subject. “What are you doing over here? Thought you had to manage the host station?”

“Tom was able to come in, thankfully. Just before the game crowd should be coming in.” Nicki lifted the hand that wasn’t holding her darts to swipe over her forehead as she breathed an exaggeratedly relieved sigh. “So, I’m taking fifteen before things get insane.”

“And you wanted to spend your fifteen-minute break with me kicking your ass… huh.” She hummed, consideringly. “Hey, far be it for me to criticize you.”

“Maya, one day I’m going to shock the hell out of you. Ever since the day you trounced me, I’ve been practicing in my off time.” Nicki rolled her shoulders, jumping in place. “One day.”

Before Maya could absolutely destroy Nicki’s ridiculous threat, she felt Autumn approach more than anything. Even before she saw Autumn out of the corner of her eye, even before she could catch a hint of Autumn’s fresh, subtle perfume – she felt this prickling awareness creep up the back of her neck.

She turned to confirm, only to halt her movements immediately. Because she didn’t need to turn more than a few degrees, before her shoulder and arm were pressed right against Autumn’s, who stood far closer than Maya would have expected her to.

That buzzing warmth shot right through her, even as she blinked in surprise, her questioning smile freezing in place. “You interested in a game?” She asked quietly, tilting her head up at Autumn.

Whose face was mere inches from Maya’s, her crystal-clear blue eyes glinting at her, those full lips pursed to the side. “No,” she answered, shortly, before she cleared her throat. “I believe the hockey game crowd that you’d wanted to avoid should be starting to arrive any moment, and I figured it would be wise to leave before that happens.”

“Ah…” Maya forced herself to look away from Autumn, quickly scanning her eyes over the pub over Autumn’s shoulder.

It was starting to get a bit busier, she guessed. But… not wildly so? Also, realistically, Maya didn’t need to leave when Autumn and Hamish decided to go, because Maya wasn’t going to be affected by the traffic one way or the other.

“Sure,” she agreed, anyway.

Because the truth was simple: if Autumn was coming to seek her out and ask if Maya was ready to go with her, then yeah, Maya was going to go with her.

There was this part of her, this undeniable part that had existed essentially since she’d met Autumn, that wanted to be closer to her. Wanted to be… considered by her. Even if it was in a manner like this – in a casual, post-work dinner with another coworker in attendance.

Had there been a part of her in the last few days that wanted more, even though she knew – for obvious reasons, now – that it wasn’t a great idea? Of course.

Especially because Gwen’s point was salient: she barely knew Autumn.

Scratch that; Maya felt very strongly that she knew Autumn, like, who Autumn was as a person. She knew Autumn’s personality traits and quirks, her likes and dislikes, and the way her nose crinkled slightly when she laughed and the way she sounded when she came.

But she didn’t know why Autumn was the way she was.

She knew what made Autumn tick, but none of the reasons behind it. And she’d be true to her word – she’d never push Autumn to know. What was the point of learning more about someone if they didn’t want to share it with you of their own accord?

And for that reason, she knew – logically – that stopping their sexual relationship was a good idea. How would Maya ever know if she was accidentally stepping onto a landmine?

Even so, she wasn’t going to pretend like she wasn’t interested in being closer to Autumn, whatever that entailed.

“Great. I’ve already paid,” Autumn informed her, before she turned to lift an eyebrow at Nicki before she primly stated, “Thank you for your help tonight.”

Maya had to bite her cheek to hold back a chuckle. So very Autumn.

But the chuckle died in her throat as Autumn smartly turned on her heel and started to walk away. Because she slid her gaze down to Autumn’s ass… and sighed.

It would really be fucking great to figure out a way to shut off this attraction.

Nicki laughed, pulling Maya’s attention. “You know, I think that there’s a lot more to your work stories that you’ve never told me.”

Maya handed back the darts. “I work for the government; if I told you, I’d have to kill you.”

She quickly caught up with Autumn, who was waiting with her jacket folded over her arm. As soon as Maya reached her, she led the way past the rapidly-filling bar area, before they emerged outside in the fresh evening air.

Glancing around the sidewalk, Maya grew confused. “I assumed Hamish would be meeting us out here? Is he still inside or…?”

Autumn tilted her jaw up as she crossed her arms and informed her, “Hamish left, actually.”

Baffled, Maya could only stare. “What are you talking about? He just left you here? Did he have an emergency or something?”

Autumn’s eyes narrowed just a bit, and Maya could see the way she was biting at the inside of her cheek. Her cheeks that appeared flushed, under the dim streetlighting. “I told him to go,” Autumn finally said.

Maya’s stomach swooped low, before erupting in that heated spark of anticipation. The one that Autumn was so good at making her feel, even when she didn’t mean to.

In fairness, Maya didn’t know – for certain – if Autumn meant anything right now.

She licked her lips slowly, taking a deep satisfaction in the way Autumn latched onto the movement. “I’m going to have to assume this isn’t how all of your dinners with Hamish end. I wouldn’t know for sure, given that this is my first time joining you, but I have to believe that Hamish – a driver by profession – leaving you to find your own way home at night isn’t the norm…”

She trailed off, slowly arching an eyebrow up at Autumn. Wanting – needing – her to confirm.

To confirm that she’d told Hamish to leave because she wanted to be alone together. To confirm that the last week and a half had been just as unfulfilling for her as it had been for Maya. To confirm that she missed touching Maya, hearing her, the same way Maya missed touching Autumn.

Autumn pursed her lips tighter, though, breaking their eye contact as she looked down the sidewalk.

Yeah, her cheeks were definitely flushed.

God, Maya wanted to push the limits. She wanted to tease Autumn. She wanted to goad Autumn into admitting what she wanted. That she wanted Maya.

But she rolled her lips into a hard line, biting it back.

They both knew how much Maya wanted Autumn. They both knew Maya was willing to make the move – whether it be liking Autumn’s profile on a dating app, verbally telling Autumn she wanted her, or jumping right into sex.

And now, after last week, they’d both seen the downside to jumping into this.

Before that could possibly happen again, Maya acutely needed to know that Autumn wanted her just as much. Enough to make the move. Enough to feel like they were on even footing.

She saw the way Autumn’s jaw twitched, as she’d still turned away from Maya to stare down the street. But she murmured, “Do you really… Maya, there is a reason you’ve never been included in these dinners.”

Her voice was so low, it made Maya shiver. The tone, the timber, skated right down her spine, and the anticipation that built with it skittered through her veins. “What’s the reason? Because Hamish didn’t seem to be any the wiser.”

Autumn turned to face Maya again, her eyes blisteringly intense. Blisteringly hot. “Because I’m attracted to you. Because I’ve been attracted to you since we first started working together, and I’d turned down all of your invitations to do anything outside of work because I knew it was the right thing to do, so we didn’t do anything stupid.”

Even though this was exactly what she’d wanted to hear, she still hadn’t expected Autumn to actually say it.

She definitely didn’t anticipate the way Autumn stepped closer to her, leaving less than a foot of space between them, and her skipped a beat as she tilted her head back to make sure she didn’t miss a second of that intensity.

“I’ll never be attracted to Hamish, so I’d never find it tempting to do something as ill-advised as having sex with him,” Autumn finished, quietly. Measuredly. Swaying slightly closer to Maya, before she seemed to catch herself.

And god, Maya ached to feel Autumn closer.

She hadn’t gotten enough in the few weeks they’d been sleeping together. Maybe Gwen’s dubious looks were right, and maybe doing this with Autumn when she didn’t know that much about her wasn’t the smartest thing.

But… she’d also never been so physically into someone in her entire life. The way Autumn could give her a single look, could walk her fingers down the side of her neck, could give a simple order and have her dripping wet should be studied.

She swallowed hard against the dryness in her throat. “Ah. And now… you’ve already done the stupid and ill-advised thing with me. Multiple times.” She surmised. “So, that’s why I got my invite. Cat’s out of the bag – so to speak.”

Autumn hummed in response, and remained exactly where she was. Close enough to almost brush against Maya, for Maya to just barely be able to feel her body heat, but not actually touching. Not moving away, either.

“Why did you send Hamish home tonight, Autumn?” She breathed.

Maybe she wasn’t going to push, but she could be direct. Maya, truthfully, didn’t know another way to be.

Autumn swayed the slightest bit closer but clenched her jaw – so tense – and didn’t answer.

“Did you have a desperate want to take public transport?” She asked, hearing the throaty wanting tone of her own voice. “Did you feel the urge to call an uber rather than take a private car?”

“Maya,” Autumn muttered, and she shivered at the way her name sounded in this moment, laced with exasperation and heat.

And even though Autumn moved an inch or two closer, and every breath Maya inhaled was an incredibly intoxicating combination of the crisp, fresh autumn air and Autumn, she still didn’t lean down and close the gap.

Instead, Autumn’s eyes were locked onto hers, and her hot breath washed over Maya’s cheek, and she could see how much Autumn wanted her.

In response, Maya’s heartrate was out of control, the anticipation threading through her, leaving her throat dry with need.

But she didn’t make a move.

Before, she would have.

Autumn absolutely took control during sex – in ways Maya was more than happy to give her – but Maya so frequently made the first move, and…

And she licked her lips, tilting her head up. “If you want something to happen between us right now, you need to make the decision. Before…” She paused, distracted by the way Autumn’s lips parted on a shaky exhale.

God, even that got her going.

Blinking herself out of it, she clenched her fists at her sides and held the line.

“Before, I would have kissed you by now. You know that. I’d have slid my hands into your hair and pulled you down against me.”

She felt herself clench at the visual she painted in her own mind. Because they both knew that after Maya would initiate that kiss, Autumn would get to that point. The point where something in her mind switched, and she took over.

“But I told you – I’m not going to initiate, this time. If you want me? If you want to fuck me, to own me so that all I can do tomorrow when I should be focusing on work is thinking about you inside of me, then you have to make the first move this time–”

She’d barely finished speaking before Autumn’s lips were on hers.

Their kisses were never slow or coaxing. It was as though the only place they didn’t need to verbally communicate to be truly on the same page was when it came to the physical. Like their bodies both were encoded to understand this.

Maya’s hands lifted, gripping at Autumn’s hips as Autumn crashed her body into hers, pushing her up against the brick wall behind her.

Grunting from the force, arousal shot through her – she loved this. This had been exactly what she’d been trying hard not to think about in the last few days. How much she’d miss feeling so incredibly desired, the way Autumn desired her. And the way she didn’t hold back an inch once she gave into it.

It was consuming. It was addictive. And even if it wasn’t smart, Maya wasn’t ready to give it up just yet.

She slid her hands up over Autumn’s back, stroking softly over the soft cotton material of her blouse. Feeling the lithe muscles underneath, separated by such a thin barrier.

Spurred on by her touch, Autumn let out one of those unimaginably soft, breathy moans as she slid her tongue along Maya’s, taking complete control over their kiss.

There were so many things about Autumn that turned Maya on beyond belief. But the one she hadn’t been able to anticipate before they’d started this was that dichotomy.

How Autumn rolled her hips roughly into Maya’s, pinning her against the wall, her tough firm and commanding, no matter where her hands roamed. On Maya’s hips, flexing and holding her still, moving up Maya’s side, as if trying to imprint the feel of her through her clothing.

And then there was that softness. The sexy but almost sweet sounds she emitted, like it was the one thing she wasn’t in control over. The way she breathed even more of them out when Maya threaded her hands through her hair, and gently stroked over her head and her neck.

It was all just so… intoxicating, and she arched up into Autumn, wanting to be closer, wanting more, wanting –

A few feet away, the door to the pub was thrown open as a slew of loud, raucous voices filtered by, breaking into the moment.

Autumn’s lips broke away from hers, though she didn’t move far. Instead, dark blue eyes blinked open at her, a raw want alive in them. One that Maya felt resonate through her.

“Why did you tell Hamish to leave without you?” Maya asked again, having not actually gotten an answer before. Her heart already pounding so hard, blood rushing through her veins, as she squeezed her thighs together tightly.

But she wanted Autumn to say it. She needed it, actually –

“Because I want to go back to your place. I want to fuck you, to own you so that you’re thinking about me, inside of you, tomorrow,” Autumn rasped in response.

Fuck, the answer made Maya’s clit throb, already starting to feel like she was one giant, aching nerve, standing right out in the open on the sidewalk.

“Let’s go,” was all she could manage in response.

She dropped her hands down, lacing her fingers through Autumn’s as she pushed off the wall and led them down the sidewalk.

Even though she could see her building, it still felt too far. Which, in turn, made her walk faster. Far faster than would be considered casual.

But Autumn matched her step for step, seemingly feeling the same heated anticipation and absolutely no patience that Maya felt.

The feeling only grew stronger in the heavy, thick silence that beat between them as they walked up the stairs to her apartment. Her hands shook slightly as she unlocked her door, especially as she felt Autumn’s hands reach out and grip her hips, pressing herself right against Maya’s ass.

“Fuck,” she breathed, squeezing her eyes closed – more than thankful that she’d already put her key in the lock.

“I’m working on it,” Autumn breathed back, low in her ear.

Blindly, she reached down and opened the door, yanking her key out as she turned around to surge up and kiss Autumn again.

Exactly as Autumn had planned, it seemed, as she met Maya halfway, kissing her with a feverish, needy intensity. They stumbled through her door, and she kicked it closed behind them, haphazardly flicking the lock into place.

It was all the semblance of sanity she could muster, as Autumn dropped the jacket she’d had folded over her arm on the counter as they walked by, directing them toward Maya’s bedroom. She followed, so grateful for how well Autumn now knew her apartment. Because Maya’s mind was completely hazy, as Autumn’s lips worked up and down her neck.

As soon as they were in her bedroom, she felt Autumn’s hands streaking down her body, gripping at the bottom of her shirt, and everything inside of her ached for it. Yes, she wanted Autumn to strip her. She wanted nothing more than this.

But the one sane braincell she still had left decided in that moment to make itself known. Apparently, her mind couldn’t be entirely turned off, even in her current worked up state.

“Autumn,” she panted, reaching down and wrapping her fingers around Autumn’s slim wrists.

She had the odd thought that she’d never touched Autumn like this, before. For someone that was so capable, who had such strong, dexterous hands – Maya would fucking know – her wrists were so, shockingly, delicate. Maya could circle them with her fingers, and she gently did.

Autumn paused immediately, eyes searching Maya’s and her concern was touchingly palpable. “Are you all right? Do you not want–”

A disbelieving, breathy laugh escaped her, and she lightly squeezed Autumn’s wrists in affirmation. “Oh, believe me, I want.”

She wanted so badly, she could feel herself dripping down the inside of her thigh. That wasn’t really the question, here.

“But, after last week, I’m trying to be… responsible,” yeah, that was the right word.

Was fucking her co-worker with whom she spent more time than anyone else in her life the responsible thing to do? No, probably not.

However, Maya felt reasonable confident that they could take steps to be better.

Slowly, one of Autumn’s eyebrows arched up. Somehow, even with this incredulous expression on her face, she was devastatingly sexy. “This is the moment you’re wanting to bring up responsibility?”

“I just – okay, maybe this is a mood killer. But I meant what I said, last time we had sex.” Before Autumn had time to possibly delve into how upset she’d been after the last time they’d had sex, Maya rushed to explain, “I mean, regarding the whole thing about how you rush out right afterwards, and the fact that I really wish you wouldn’t.”

An edge of uncertainty cut through her haze of desire, especially at how she could see the way Autumn’s eyes started to cool, and feel the way her tight grip on Maya’s shirt started to go slack.

Maya wanted to curse herself, because who the hell was she right now? She had Autumn here, making the move, wanting to resume having sex! And she was possibly throwing it away to try to be more responsible?

“I meant what I said in that – you staying to have something to drink and a conversation after you’re literally inside of me doesn’t mean we’re professing love for one another.” She stared intently up at Autumn, hoping she could see where Maya was coming from.

In no way had she forgotten the conversation they’d had before the first time they’d fucked. How Autumn wasn’t interested in relationships, how she only ever used dating apps to hook up.

She didn’t think she’d ever forget that conversation, because she’d found herself sitting in the back of Charlotte’s car, turned on beyond fucking belief, in a situation she never thought she’d be in.

“I’m not asking you to stay the night or for you to open up and tell me secrets about your life,” she continued, lightly stroking her thumbs over the soft skin of the underside of Autumn’s wrists. “I’m just asking for you to treat this like we’re… not strangers. Like we’re two people that spend a lot of time together, who respect one another, and can have a decent conversation. Even after we make each other come.”

She held her breath as she waited for Autumn’s response, torn between wanting to curse herself or pat herself on the back. Because she really did think it was a fifty-fifty chance that Autumn could simply say no, and turn and walk out of here. And if that happened, this whole sex aspect of their relationship would be over for good. She knew that.

Under her thumb, she could feel the way Autumn’s pulse skipped a beat.

Technically, she knew it was only a few seconds, but it felt like forever before Autumn slowly nodded. “I think that’s… acceptable.”

Relief washed over her so strongly, her knees almost buckled. She squeezed Autumn’s wrists once more. “Oka–”

Whatever else she’d been potentially planning on saying was swallowed by Autumn’s mouth on hers once more, and Maya was more than okay with that.

Honestly, Maya was thrilled to give right in to Autumn. To –

A sound of disappointment tore from her throat when Autumn disconnected their lips a moment later.

“Now, take your hands off of my wrists unless I ever tell you otherwise,” Autumn ordered, and fuuuck. There it was. That voice. That tone.

The one that made Maya’s entire body ache, her clit throb in demand. The one she hadn’t even known about before they’d started having sex, and now, it haunted her fantasies.

She immediately followed the command, and she felt more than saw – given how close they were – Autumn’s lips quirk into a dark, triumphant smile.

As soon as Autumn’s hands were free, she tightened her hold on Maya’s shirt once more and yanked it up over her head. Maya lifted her arms just in time for the motion to be smooth, as if Autumn had somehow silently commanded she do it ahead of time.

Her bra was gone just as quickly, Autumn’s nimble fingers reaching back to undo it, sliding it down Maya’s arms and dropping it carelessly to the floor, before her hands dropped to Maya’s pants. She undid the button and the zipper, jerking it down so intently, Maya’s hips were sharply tugged forward as well, and she couldn’t help but moan, long and low in her throat.

Because she could feel how much Autumn wanted her, by the impatience in her hands. Yes, Autumn was always in control by this point, but normally, she was even more in control of herself and her own movements than she was right now.

“Take these off,” Autumn sharply commanded, leaning in to nip her teeth into Maya’s bottom lip. The sharp pain made her hips jump forward again, rocking into Autumn’s. “And your underwear, too. Because I’d bet they’re fucking ruined.”

Maya had no shame in nodding in confession. Yes, they absolutely were ruined. She was ruined, already, her pussy aching for Autumn to touch her, fill her, fuck her – anything.

Her hands shook with desire, as she quickly kicked her shoes off and slid her pants and underwear down to follow suit.

Before she stood up fully, Autumn’s hands were on her again. Her grip firm, fingers flexing against Maya’s hips as she walked Maya backward until her knees hit the edge of her bed.

Her balance wavered, and then Autumn pushed at her again, a little rougher. With enough strength to send Maya backwards, and, yes, this was exactly it.

Autumn wanted her right now, maybe more than she had any other time they’d had sex so far. With less of her verbal commands, and more demanding, physical need, and Maya wanted it so fucking badly.

She fell onto her back, pushing up onto her elbows so she could have a good look at Autumn.

Who stood at the side of Maya’s bed, between her spread knees, simply… looking at her.

Her blue eyes were a stormy cobalt, unable to stay in one place. Darting between holding Maya’s own gaze, to staring at Maya’s chest, which was heaving, her nipples so, so hard, before staring between her legs again.

Her thighs already trembled slightly in want.

“It’s only been ten days, and you look like you’re desperate for me to touch you,” Autumn said, and it wasn’t a question, it was a statement, but she looked at Maya, expectantly.

She clenched her hands around the blankets, spreading her legs a little wider for Autumn to have a better view of her. And she got exactly what she’d been hoping for – Autumn’s gaze to land right between her legs.

Autumn’s lips opened and a strangled sound left her throat, before she pressed her lips together and darted her gaze back up to Maya’s. “That’s your way of confirming, I take it?”

Maya didn’t miss the way Autumn’s hands trembled slightly as she started undoing the buttons on her own shirt. Still standing over Maya’s body.

The muscles in her stomach quivered in need, as she nodded. “I don’t think I’ve made it a mystery at all how much I want you since we started having sex. Now, it’s been the longest we’ve gone without fucking since we started, and yes, I really, really want you.”

Maya devoured every inch of movement from Autumn’s hands, reveling in every single reveal of soft, pale skin until Autumn reached the bottom of her shirt.

Would she take it off? Would she leave it on? It was impossible for Maya to predict exactly what Autumn would choose. More frequently than not, she’d leave something on during sex.

And frankly, Maya found it fucking hot.

But there was nothing hotter than Autumn completely naked.

She exhaled in a silent victory when Autumn slid her shirt down her arms and placed it atop Maya’s bureau, before following suit with her bra. She took off her pants and underwear, too, and Maya’s breath was caught in her throat as her clit throbbed at the sight.

Then again, when Autumn paused… studied her… and reached up to let her hair down completely from the half-up style she’d worn all day. Maya’s breath hitched again, because she knew Autumn had done that for her. By now, Autumn knew how much Maya loved to see all of her long, silky soft blonde hair completely loose.

Like a piece of art, Autumn returned to stand between her knees, completely bare.

That breath escaped her in a thready exhale when Autumn leaned down and placed her hands on Maya’s knees, then slid them firmly up her thighs.

Her thumbs rested on Maya’s inner-thighs, so close to touching her, but not quite.

If she rolled her hips, then –

“Don’t move,” Autumn murmured, tightening her grip on her thighs. Her thumbs dug into Maya just under her pussy on either side, and she knew Autumn could feel how wet she was. She knew she was already on Autumn’s thumbs. “I know what you want. And I know that you’re not above trying to take it before I’m ready to give it to you. Don’t.”

Maya dropped her head back, nodding desperately, as she forced her hips to stay still.

Jesus fuck, though, it wasn’t like rocking her hips into Autumn’s touch was even a conscious decision. It was a need, something she’d have done mindlessly with any other partner.

But nothing with Autumn was mindless. Everything she did, every move she made, every word she said while she played Maya’s mind and body in the bedroom like a well-tuned instrument, was deliberate.

Maybe that was what made sex with Autumn burn even brighter and hotter than the sex she’d had with other partners. This intense intention. Everything was a choice, and everything felt so much… sharper because of it.

Autumn held still for a beat, waiting to make sure Maya obeyed and didn’t try to press herself into Autumn’s touch. When she did, a sexy smirk tugged at her lips. “I really love when you’re good for me like this, Maya.”

“Fuck,” she breathed, pressing her head hard down against her bed, willing herself to remain as still as possible.

But it wasn’t often Autumn said her name like that. She said it when she came, but that was a whole other thing.

Taking her hands from Maya’s thighs, Autumn braced herself on either side of Maya’s head as she scooted forward and pressed herself into Maya completely as she lowered herself. Her naked body on Maya’s – their thighs slid together, hip-to-hip, hard nipples against each other’s, and Maya’s eyes fluttered closed at the sensation.

One of Autumn’s hands lifted, and she landed it on Maya’s side, splaying her hand out, there. Flexing her fingers against Maya, before sliding down further, until she was gripping one of Maya’s hips.

And then, very deliberately, Autumn rocked her hips down into Maya’s, making the thigh she’d had braced between her legs drag right against Maya’s soaking pussy.

Eyes flying open, she gripped at the blanket under her so fucking hard, she wouldn’t be shocked if her fingers ripped right through the fabric.

But god, Autumn felt fucking incredible. Her hips starting a rhythm against Maya’s, and her firm thigh was a constant pressure on her clit, and the arousal inside of her was already building even without Autumn truly touching her.

“Don’t move. You stay still,” Autumn breathed against her ear, her hot breath washing over Maya’s skin, making her shudder.

Her hips very nearly bucked without any permission firing from her brain at all – because Maya wasn’t sure she was in charge of that, anymore?

But she managed, just barely, to hold back.

Her thigh trembled with the effort, especially when Autumn’s warm, soft lips wrapped around her earlobe, then bit her.

“Autumn, I need–” She cut herself off on a gasp as Autumn worked her hand down from Maya’s hip, swiftly sliding it between her thigh and Maya.

Without any other warning, Autumn curled three fingers into her, before she used her thigh to firmly back her movements, grinding down even harder into Maya. “Have I ever given you a reason to doubt that I know precisely what you need?”

She pulled her fingers out, before thrusting in again – firmly, deeply, curling her fingers into Maya in the way that forced Maya’s hips to jerk up into her.

“Th-that wasn’t…” she tried to defend herself, even though she didn’t have a firm grasp on the English language, anymore.

Autumn’s dark chuckle vibrated against her, shooting right to her already aching, throbbing clit. “You have a pass for that. I knew what I was doing.”

Then she did it again, and Maya’s toes curled, a shamelessly needy whimper falling from her lips.

Autumn stopped moving her hand, dipping her head lower to mouth at Maya’s neck. She arched her head back to give her more access, and she was shaking, sweating with the effort to not fuck herself against Autumn.

“Make yourself come against me. You want to still be able to feel me being so deep inside of you tomorrow while we’re at work? Then make it happen,” Autumn directed, before she sucked intently at the side of Maya’s throat.

The thinnest, tiniest thread of control she had left broke immediately.

She rolled her hips down against Autumn’s fingers, taking her as deep as she could, filling herself up. Uncomprehensible, mindless sounds fell from her mouth, and she couldn’t care in the least. She knew she sounded wanton, desperate.

But she was.

She absolutely was, and she was unashamed about it. Because all she could think of was crossing that line, hurtling over into the orgasm that she was desperate for. The orgasm that was building, building, building – that had been building since they’d been outside of the restaurant.

All at once, both too soon and not soon enough, she found herself at the precipice. Clenching so hard around Autumn’s fingers, she grinded her clit into Autumn’s palm, gasping and groaning, and, “I’m – can – I’m–”

In response, Autumn bit at Maya’s neck, then started fucking Maya again. Thrusting her fingers in and out rapidly, deeply, pounding into her. “Come for me, Maya. I want it.”

That was fucking great, because there was no way she could possibly have stopped it, now. Not with Autumn using her thigh to back her hand, making every hard thrust into Maya steal the breath right from her lungs.

She released the bedding, reaching up and wrapping her arms around Autumn’s back, holding tightly as her orgasm crested, washing over her.

And jesus, it was so strong, it was overwhelming. All she could do was give herself over to it, feeling her thigh shaking so hard. Reveling in the way Autumn continued to slowly, gently work her fingers in and out.

Her entire body felt like it was singing, her blood thrumming, as she came down.

Finally, completely wrung out, she melted down into the bed.

She kept her arms loosely wrapped around Autumn, enjoying the closeness. Loving the feeling of their completely bare bodies pressed together. How she could feel Autumn’s heart beating a mile a minute, even as hers started returning to normal.

Autumn’s mouth was no longer on her neck, but her breathing was quick and thready, exhaling in hot puffs against Maya’s ear.

Autumn pushed herself up so she was straddling Maya’s hips, bracing one hand on Maya’s shoulder for balance, as she gently slid her fingers out of Maya… and she watched through hooded eyes as Autumn pressed those soaking wet fingers against herself.

They both moaned, and Maya – she wasn’t sure where she wanted to look more. At the way Autumn’s eyes fluttered closed and her mouth opened on a whimper, or at the way she was touching herself with fingers covered in Maya.

She could feel Autumn dripping down onto her, and Maya hadn’t ever known she could rebound so fucking quickly, but apparently, if there was one thing to bring her back to life after an earth shattering orgasm, it was being able to feel how wet she’d made Autumn Alton.

The grip Autumn had on her shoulder was tight, fingers digging into her with increasing strength, and the flush on her cheeks grew deeper, and Maya was utterly entranced.

She knew Autumn was going to come quickly, but she couldn’t not be a part of it.

It was no secret to her by now that this was Autumn’s norm when it came to other sexual partners. The people she met on apps and didn’t know.

But Maya wasn’t one of those people. She wasn’t a stranger, she wasn’t someone Autumn would never see again.

She was someone that knew Autumn. Someone whose name Autumn chanted like a prayer when she came undone against Maya.

Someone that knew by the way Autumn’s hips stuttered that she was already on the verge of coming.

Her own breathing was almost as labored as Autumn’s was, feeling like she was having a secondhand visceral experience, and she gently stroked one of her hands down over Autumn’s hip, before pressing between her legs.

She rested her hand over Autumn’s, wanting whatever Autumn was going to give her.

And she whimpered when Autumn immediately dropped her own hand away, and dropped her hips down against Maya’s hand. She looked down at Maya, her eyes glinting and wild in a way that made her ache all over again, before she reached up and pressed her dripping wet fingers to Maya’s mouth.

She lightly stroked Autumn’s clit, giving her just enough pressure – the way she knew Autumn liked – keeping her touch slow and sweet, even as she groaned low in her throat and sucked Autumn’s fingers between her lips.

Feeling Autumn’s clit pulse against her fingers, she sucked Autumn’s fingers in deeper, flicking her tongue over them. Tasting them.

All the while, she kept her eyes locked on Autumn’s, greedy for every reaction, every minute response.

The hand Autumn had on her shoulder tightened, digging so hard against Maya she knew she was going to have a bruise, as Autumn’s hips rocked, them trembled against her hand, and –

“Maya,” she breathed, starting to shudder. “Maya.”

Those dark blue eyes fluttered closed as the sounds of Maya’s name echoed through her room. She gently scraped her teeth against the pads of Autumn’s fingertips, lightly stroking over her clit, and Autumn’s hips jerked down hard against her as her head bowed forward, and she came against Maya’s hand.

She drank it in.

Yes, she was underneath Autumn. Yes, Autumn’s hand was digging so hard into Maya’s shoulder, pushing her down into the bed. Yes, Autumn was in complete control over what, and when, and how hard, but Maya had never felt as empowered in her life as she did when she made Autumn fall headfirst into an orgasm, her name the only sound dripping from her lips.

Autumn’s orgasm faded slowly, trembling in little quakes and aftershocks as she gently rocked her hips down against Maya’s touch.

She finally exhaled deeply, shakily, as she slid her fingers out of Maya’s mouth, fluttering her eyes open. Immediately, their gazes locked, as Maya’s had been trained on her face.

Autumn hummed in the back of her throat, before she used the touch she had on Maya’s shoulder to push herself off, settling on the bed next to her.

Their arms pressed warmly together, the backs of their hands brushing, and Maya turned her head to look at Autumn.

Those full lips were gently parted as she slowly panted, looking up at Maya’s ceiling.

“So… telling Hamish to go home tonight – pretty presumptuous,” she commented, a teasing smile toying on her lips.

Autumn turned her head, her eyebrow already sharply arched. “Was it?” She shot back, lifting one of her hands to gesture around them.

Maya pushed herself up on her elbow to stare down at her. “What if I thought that continuing to sleep together was totally irresponsible?”

The dubious expression on Autumn’s face remained. In fact, it seemed to grow even more so. “You know, Maya, I was fairly certain of how this would play out.”

The teasing smile she wore melted into just… a flat-out, pleased smile, an enjoyable warmth flooding right through her veins. “Well, who am I to deny us of what we both want?”

“Who, indeed?” Autumn agreed, her own expression lightened in a way that resonated right through Maya, landing warmly in her stomach.

Autumn breathed out a deep breath, resting both of her hands over her stomach and interlocking her fingers. “So… what would you normally be doing right now?”

And, god, watching Autumn compose herself into normal-Autumn, even while they were still naked in Maya’s bed, making conversation so that she wasn’t running out of here as soon as the orgasm wore off… it was absolutely delightful.

“Right now as in, after work?” She asked. “Or right now as in, what I’d be doing after you threw your clothes on and ran out of here?”

“I have never run out of here.” Her eyes rolled. “But both, I suppose. Is it very different?”

“No,” she admitted with a shrug. “I’d probably just turn the tv on. Maybe call one of my sisters or my parents, depending on who’s available for me to pester. Make up songs to sing to Tort.”

“Perhaps you can still save those for when I’m gone,” Autumn muttered dryly.

Maya scoffed. “Those songs could be up for a Grammy one day, if I do say so myself.”

“I’ll listen to them then.”

“What would you be doing?” She asked, tilting her head down at Autumn with interest.

Was that allowed for her to ask? Did it count as her pushing Autumn? She didn’t think it should, given that Autumn had asked her the same thing. And she just… she wanted to know more. She was hungry for it.

Thankfully, Autumn didn’t seem to have a negative reaction. “I’d go home. Take care of the fish. Maybe read. Maybe run on the treadmill.” She shrugged. “Plan for tomorrow.”

The most Autumn answer in existence, and Maya absorbed it, leaning in with interest. “What kind of books do you like?”

“I–” Autumn cut herself off as her eyes wandered down to Maya’s chest.

That heat rekindled slightly inside of her at the way Autumn clearly lost track of her thoughts as she stared intently at Maya’s bare breasts.

After several long seconds, Autumn blinked and turned her attention back to Maya. “I… mysteries. Thrillers. Mostly.”

Her cadence was stilted, that tone returning.

Autumn turned her head away again, closing her eyes. “We should get dressed. Even if I’m not – in your words – running out of here, I think it’s best we maintain some sort of decorum in the aftermath, or we’ll get into a never-ending cycle.”

Maya shifted closer, just close enough to press herself more firmly against Autumn. Watching the way Autumn visibly shivered. “I’m fine with that if you are.”

She held her breath for a beat, wondering what Autumn’s response would be. Would she –

She then found herself breathless and on her back within seconds, as Autumn swiftly pushed herself up and pushed Maya back down. “Yes. But afterwards, if you want to talk, you’re getting dressed.”

“I’ll put on my robe,” she agreed, already breathless as Autumn’s mouth descended to hers once more.

Oh, yes.

They were so back.

And – if Maya dared to think it – better than before.

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