Guilty as Sin ch 10 (Patreon)

I have been looking forward to this chapter since I started writing this story.

--------- Guilty as Sin -----------

Chapter Ten

Charlotte rolled her eyes at herself as her car pulled up to Sutton’s building.

Charlotte – 6:23P.M.I hate to ask this but – can I come up and use your bathroom before we go to the event?

No, she didn’t want to have to go up to Sutton’s apartment and use her bathroom – despite the fact that Sutton had stayed with Charlotte in D.C. and that they’d crossed the line into a friendship-type territory, leaving her town car to go upstairs to Sutton’s apartment to use the bathroom before an event felt… over the line.

But more than anything, she didn’t want to arrive at the event and have to beeline to the restroom. That would be worse than this, and thus, the question.

Tonight’s event was a big deal, and she didn’t want to waste any of her pre-speech schmoozing time by waiting in some bathroom line.

… and quite frankly, she wasn’t entirely certain she’d be able to wait that long.

Sutton – 6:23P.M.Are you already here?! I’m not done getting dressed, yet.

Sutton – 6:24P.M.But yeah, I mean, of course you can

“We’ll be out in a few minutes,” she informed her driver, who nodded at her in the rearview.

She glanced down again as Sutton texted her with her apartment details as she climbed out of the car and took a moment to look around.

Though she’d dropped Sutton off here before, she hadn’t done so since their whole… friendship thing. It was different, now. Now, she was curious on a personal level.

As she walked through the lobby and to the elevator, she found that curiosity continued. The building was older than her own, which didn’t surprise her. She’d deliberately sought out something newly renovated, with the ideal hope that she wouldn’t have to worry about anything being broken or needing replacements any time soon. She didn’t have the time.

But Sutton’s building was far from broken down, despite being a little older than Charlotte would prefer for herself. It had a lovely old-fashioned brick charm to it, and something about that felt very suited to Sutton, she decided.

Anticipation buzzed through her, undeniable, as she walked up to the door to Sutton’s apartment. She didn’t quite know what she pictured, but… something homey. It was odd to realize but with the exception of Dean, she hadn’t been to someone else’s home in years.

Well. A home belonging to someone she wasn’t going to fuck, anyway.

She didn’t know whether to wince or scoff out a laugh at herself. Both because she could recognize her own fuckboy – Caleb’s choice of words – behavior, but also because god, she missed sex.

She’d deleted SapphicSpark nearly an entire year ago, and –

She startled when the apartment door was opened only just as she’d reached her knuckles up to knock.

And the smile that tugged at her lips as she went to greet Sutton completely froze in place.

“Hey! Sorry, I wasn’t trying to be, like, crazy,” Sutton said, breathing out a laugh as her cheeks flushed. “I just wanted to make sure I got to the door before Regan realized someone was knocking.” She turned and looked over her shoulder. “I’m hopeful that I’ll be able to spare you from her scrutiny, but I can’t make any promises.”

Charlotte dipped her gaze over Sutton, who was in her final stages of getting ready, clearly, still unable to actually respond the way she needed to. Like a normal person.

But it was glaringly apparent to her right now that she’d been missing a whole section of Sutton’s wardrobe.

Sutton typically wore preppy, office-appropriate outfits. Very cute, just edging on the right side of fashionable. And in the few evenings that Sutton joined her at an event, she’d worn dresses.

Dresses that were far from preppy, that outlined her subtle curves and long legs. Dresses that Charlotte could – inappropriately, but… oh, well – picture down to the last detail.

That was what she’d been prepared to see tonight, as well.

She hadn’t been prepared for this.

For Sutton standing in front of her, wearing tapered black pants with a pale blue shirt tucked into them, the lines clearly crisp and freshly ironed. The buttons weren’t completely done-up, not – not the way they should be for a work event.

With the way Sutton had turned to look over her shoulder, the tendons in her neck stuck out and Charlotte could so vividly see herself biting –

No. NO. That was for dream-Charlotte, and dream-Charlotte only.

Sutton turned back to face her, a sweet, bright laugh on her lips. “I think we’re good. But, again, I can’t make you any promises.”

Her voice dipped to something conspiratorial, and Charlotte managed a small smile in return, forcing herself into normalcy. Sutton was her assistant. She was her friend. She was straight.

“I didn’t imagine you’d be wearing a suit tonight,” she couldn’t help but comment, even as she inwardly rolled her eyes at herself.

Sutton frowned, adorably, as she glanced down at herself. “Uh – is that okay? I just assumed… I mean, I just assumed that I should wear something that kind of lets me hang out in the background while you wheel and deal.”

Charlotte arched a sharp look at her, an incredulous laugh bubbling up. “You think that suit makes you look nondescript and as though you belong in the background?”

The color rose high in Sutton’s cheeks as she looked down at herself, clearly with a critical eye. “Uh. I thought so. But I suppose I’m doubting it now that you said that. I could change…?”

“No,” Charlotte immediately pushed out, shaking her head. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

The reality was that Sutton was a five-foot-nine, red-haired, blue-eyed vision. She wouldn’t blend into the background either in a suit or a dress, and that was a ludicrous notion for Sutton to even believe.

If Sutton wasn’t her assistant, Charlotte would let her know that.

But Sutton was her assistant, so she bit that comment back.

Not that she would intend for it to be flirtatious or sexual, but she wasn’t going to put either of them in that position. Especially not now that Sutton knew she was a lesbian.

And, god, what a nightmare scenario that could be. Sutton believing that Charlotte, her gay congresswoman boss, was hitting on her.

They might be friends, but Charlotte was not an idiot.

She cleared her throat to regain Sutton’s attention, as she prompted, “The bathroom?”

“Oh! Right. Yes. Come in.” Sutton shook her head at herself, tugging the door open a little wider to usher Charlotte in, before leaning around her to quietly close it.

Charlotte, as someone who was in full control of herself, did not inhale at all during that moment.

Sutton turned and led her down the short hallway, passing by a small kitchen/dining area, then through the living room, and into the longer hallway on the other side of the apartment. “Like I said in my text – I didn’t really expect you this soon?” She darted her eyes down at her watch on her wrist, digging her perfect teeth into her bottom lip. “I thought I had another fifteen minutes before you’d arrive.”

“Probably because I said I’d be here by six-forty,” Charlotte affirmed for her with a reassuring smile.

Sutton’s relief was apparent as it slid over her face. “Okay, good. I really wasn’t sure if I’d mis-remembered. So, I’m not running late, then.”

“No, you’re not. I’m running early, because I want to take advantage of the first hour of mixing and mingling.”

Which was also why she had to fucking pee at Sutton’s apartment, because she’d gotten ready and all-but ran out of her own apartment in her haste to leave as soon as possible, and had only realized that she’d skipped the final step of going to the bathroom while she’d been in the car.

“Okay, no problem. I just have to put the finishing touches on, and I’ll be out and ready to leave in five?” She gestured to one of the doors a few feet away that was ajar. “That’s, uh, that’s my room. But – yeah, I’ll meet you in the living room,” she stiltedly said, glancing between Charlotte and her door.

Amused, she slowly nodded. “That sounds like a plan.”

Sutton waved her hand at the door closest to them, which was open a few inches. “That’s the bathroom.” She rolled her lips and rocked back and forth on her feet for a second. “So. I’ll go finish getting ready, then.”

“Wonderful.”

As she slipped into the bathroom, she shook her head with a small smile.

It was moments like those that made her truly think that Sutton really was so… darling. Just as she’d referred to her a few days ago, when Sutton had returned from picking up lunch.

The endearment had escaped Charlotte, unplanned, several times. But she didn’t regret it.

Perhaps it wasn’t the most professional term, but she didn’t feel strictly professional about Sutton. She felt invested in her, as a person. And hearing Sutton describe the relationship she’d been in – rather, the toxic situationship she’d been taken advantage of in – had made her feel oddly protective, in a way Charlotte wasn’t used to feeling.

But she knew Kyle Summers – even if by reputation for the most part. And she knew Sutton, on a personal level. And Sutton Spencer was far, far too good for him. In every possible way. Even if Kyle was objectively attractive, Charlotte could admit that as a lesbian, Sutton was still out of his league.

If anything, learning about Sutton’s romantic past made Charlotte feel even more certain that they truly should be friends. Because it would be over Charlotte’s dead body before she’d encourage Sutton, as her friend, to date someone like Kyle.

Sutton was so very kind and sweet and thoughtful, and Charlotte wanted to believe that Sutton now, as an adult, likely wouldn’t make the same mistakes she’d made as a teenage of who to trust with her heart. But even so, she was just so… darling. And she deserved to know that.

Who better to drill into Sutton’s mind the kind of standard she deserved to find in a man than a lesbian? Even Charlotte, as a lesbian that didn’t idealize romance, knew what standards women like Sutton should have.

Sutton not realizing that in that suit of hers she was a knockout? Darling.

She’d never been more certain in her life that she’d come up with the most perfect nickname.

After washing and drying her hands, she paused to peer in the mirror. In spite of her rush out the door, her makeup was flawless, her hair was curled and styled exactly the way she wanted – she’d learned very early-on in the political game, during her college internships, that her physical appearance was a double-edged sword.

Charlotte appreciated self-awareness and honesty, and could thus admit that she knew she was an attractive person. But that also came hand-in-hand with people discounting her intelligence and underestimating her. She always walked a fine line in terms of her appearance. Put-together and made-up enough that she couldn’t be dinged by anyone for not caring enough about her presentation, but not so much that people automatically didn’t respect her because of it.

She opened the door to go to meet Sutton in the living room, pausing to flick off the light switch.

Only to stop immediately short, eyes widening as shock stampeded through her, as she realized she wasn’t alone in the hallway.

No, about a foot away from her stood a woman she had to imagine was Regan.

Though she might have been a couple of inches taller than Charlotte, that wasn’t the case while Charlotte was wearing her heels. Which she appreciated.

Her long, dark hair was pulled up in a ponytail, and she wore a pair of denim overalls with a sports bra underneath. But her most distinct trait was her smile.

She smile in a way that made Charlotte immediately feel on-edge.

It wasn’t nefarious or malicious, but… knowing.

Rolling her shoulders back, Charlotte refused to be cowed by a fucking look, by a woman wearing a sports bra as a top. She smiled back, one of her friendly-but-polite specialties. “Ah, you surprised me.”

Code: had she been waiting for Charlotte to come out of the bathroom? It seemed like she had been.

“Regan Gallagher, I presume?”

Regan lifted her hand to her chest as she emphatically confirmed, “The one and only. I mean, that I know of. There might be more of us out there, theoretically.”

Yes, Charlotte decided in this moment. Everything she’d ever heard about and inferred about Regan was the truth.

“And you are Charlotte Thompson,” Regan asserted a beat before Charlotte could properly introduce herself.

“I am.” She kept this same smile on her face, wondering what, exactly, it was that Regan believed she was seeing that made her smile so widely.

“I thought I heard Sutton sneaking around out here, but I didn’t expect to see you,” Regan informed her, tilting her head curiously.

“Ah, well, I had to use the restroom before we go to our event tonight,” she explained the obvious, gesturing over her shoulder.

Regan’s eager excitement was belayed all over her expression as she ignored Charlotte’s explanation. “I’m just so thrilled to finally be able to meet you.”

“At long last,” Charlotte drawled, “After you submitted such a wonderful application to be my assistant, and all.”

Unlike most people Charlotte knew, who would have some sort of sheepish response to her wording and tone, Regan didn’t miss a beat. If anything, she smiled brighter. Like it was highly entertaining.

“And after I’ve made you some breakfasts, too.” She doffed an imaginary cap. “So, you’re welcome for those.”

“Deeply appreciated,” she returned, studying Regan closely.

Frankly, Regan seemed like a very loose cannon to her. She shared a quality with Sutton that Charlotte could clock immediately – they both had a very serious, intent honesty about them. A quality she’d learned via Sutton that she enjoyed in a person.

But where Sutton’s honesty was quiet and earnest, Regan’s was very clearly carefree and unafraid, and something about that made her feel a little unsure.

Especially as she wondered… had Sutton shared the truth about her sexuality with Regan? She knew Sutton hadn’t told her parents, but Regan, she knew, was closer to Sutton than anyone else.

That could explain this knowing look, but it was far from comforting.

“I can’t believe we haven’t met before you needed to come in and use the facilities. I mean, when my best friend is working with a congresswoman, you’d think I’d have had the opportunity to rub elbows before now,” Regan scoffed, like right?!

Charlotte’s eyebrows rose, because –

“No, actually,” Sutton cut in, exasperation – though, Charlotte could read Sutton fairly well by now, and that was a very fond exasperation – coloring her voice as she stepped out of her bedroom and joined them in the hallway. “Because Charlotte is my boss, and I don’t want to get fired.”

Regan tossed her hands in the air. “Fired? I’m the reason you were hired!”

“That’s not true,” both Charlotte and Sutton stated in unison, immediately.

Something about that made Charlotte smile, as she locked eyes with Sutton. Who smiled back.

But neither of them were smiling wider than Regan, who sighed, loudly. “And look at you both, now. All because of my application.”

“We’re leaving now,” Sutton stated, shaking her head.

“I’ll wait up,” Regan returned, easily, before she wiggled her eyebrows and let out a low whistle at Sutton. “Also, hubba hubba, babe.”

Against her better instincts, Charlotte let her gaze follow Regan’s, looking Sutton up and down once more.

And… indeed, hubba hubba.

The finishing touches, as Sutton had referred to them, had pulled everything together. Sutton had added a black, tailored blazer and adjusted the blue button-up underneath to pop against it appropriately. Her eyes, too, popped with the splash of color. She’d done her hair in an intricate braid, tugged over her shoulder – another splash of color, the red against the black drawing Charlotte’s eyes like a moth to a flame.

In the few minutes apart, Sutton had put on a bit of lipstick and some perfume, and…

Charlotte’s stomach swooped low, a blast of heat working through her, as her stomach clenched.

“And you believed you’d fade into the background,” she teased, shaking her head.

Sutton had rolled her eyes with a hint of a pleased smile at Regan, then blinked widely at Charlotte, her smile also widening. She ran her hands down over her blazer, shrugging. “Ah… well, I guess we’ll see.”

“You will only see that you’re going to have all of the richy-riches there eating their hearts out,” Regan cut in, before giving her a cat-call.

Sutton blushed deeper, turning her attention back to her friend. “I’ll be home later.”

“Unless someone scoops you up,” Regan wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

Charlotte frowned immediately in disdain at that comment.

Sutton wrinkled her nose. “What? Stop. You know this is for work,” she hissed, darting a look at Charlotte.

Who nodded in approval, pursing her lips. Good, that was absolutely the correct way to respond.

Regan lifted her hands in defense. “Hey, I’m just saying.”

“Well, you’re just saying something totally out of line in front of my boss,” Sutton muttered, darkly.

And – huh. Charlotte lifted her eyebrows at Sutton, a pleasant rush thrumming through her. She’d never heard that tone from Sutton and there was something about it that she very much enjoyed.

“Fine, I retract my statement. I will absolutely see you home tonight, and I’ll be waiting with bells on.”

“Great,” Sutton wryly returned, blowing out a breath as she turned to look at Charlotte. “Ready?”

“Very,” she answered, with a small but genuine smile. Yes, she was very ready to leave… whatever this situation was. Keeping that smile on, she turned to Regan. “It was lovely to meet you. You were everything I’d imagined you to be.”

“Ditto, to both,” Regan shot back without hesitation, still giving Charlotte that grin. “Be safe you two.”

Charlotte didn’t expect the way Sutton reached out and linked their arms together, swiftly turning Charlotte to face away from Regan, their sides brushing together. But she wasn’t complaining about it.

Sutton maintained the leading touch until they exited the apartment and started toward the elevator, and they were standing close enough for Charlotte to feel the deep inhale Sutton took in. “I’m so sorry about that,” she murmured, unlinking their arms so she could turn to face Charlotte. Her blue eyes were wide and apologetically imploring.

Charlotte waved the apology off, squeezing Sutton’s hand briefly as she dropped her own to her side. “Please, we’re heading to an event full of Manhattan-based CEO’s. Regan isn’t even close to the energy I’m expecting to have to match. Besides, she has made me breakfast,” she joked, mostly because she didn’t enjoy this concerned frown on Sutton’s lips.

And, it worked. Victory slid through her as Sutton grinned. “Yeah, she loves bringing that up.”

As the elevator doors opened and they stepped in, Charlotte utilized the fact that they were alone to clear her throat and ask, “Does she know? About… me?”

Immediately, Sutton and her perfect, honest expression looked stricken, and she shook her head. “No, definitely not.”

Relief trickled through her – why had she even doubted it? Sutton had done nothing but be the epitome of trustworthy.

“Why?” Sutton asked, tilting her head. “Did she…” She coughed, and… blushed? “Say something to you?”

Charlotte stared at Sutton for several moments, trying to decipher her expression. If Regan didn’t know about her sexuality – and she did believe Sutton about that – then… what was Sutton concerned about Regan saying to her?

“No,” she answered after several moments. “She didn’t. She was just a little… odd.”

Yes, that felt like the right word.

Sutton nodded, her posture relaxing slightly. “Okay. Yeah. Good.” She let out a quiet titter. “That’s just, you know. Regan.”

“Right,” she murmured, studying Sutton as the elevator doors opened into the lobby.

Regan, she supposed, wasn’t the only aspect of the last few minutes that was a little odd.

***

It turned out that not only was Sutton great to have at events because of her ability to work a room – a big reason why Charlotte had hired her.

But, as she was learning in the first hour since arriving to the fundraiser tonight, it might be even better to have Sutton by her side with the added bonus of being her friend.

Not only had Sutton done all of the prep Charlotte needed, running through all of the heavy-hitters and their personal info that Charlotte wanted to rub elbows with, but it also meant she got a lot of comments like –

“I just – how did that woman become a multi-millionaire by creating a business that is based entirely around being a “boy mom”?!” Sutton leaned in close to whisper-yell.

Her hot breath washed over Charlotte’s ear and her neck, and her breath caught in her throat as the sensation sparked through her.

No, that was Bad Charlotte.

She released the air trapped in her lungs and silently congratulated herself on the fact that it wasn’t shaky in the least. And then, a moment later, she was able to register what exactly Sutton had said, and an embarrassingly loud bark of laughter escaped her, before she quickly reached up to cough into her hand and muffle herself.

She shot Sutton a surprised look, that she meant to be reproachful but she knew it didn’t land. Not when she was so amused.

“You, Sutton Spencer, are terrible. Surprisingly terrible.” She gamely tried to school her features. “Hilariously terrible, but still terrible.”

Sutton’s responding smile was bright and beautiful, and her blue eyes gleamed with it, having clearly taken pride in making Charlotte laugh.

“Look, if she’s a boy-mom that wants to support the Charlotte Thompson train, then…”

“Choo-choo?” Sutton supplied, helpfully.

Charlotte chuckled, bumping her shoulder against Sutton’s. Her bare shoulder against the soft fabric of Sutton’s blazer, anyway. “Choo-choo, indeed.”

She glanced down to check the time – less than ten minutes before the speeches and auction items would start. “I’d say we’ve done quite an admirable job thus far. Want to grab some champagne and head to our seats?” She suggested, nodding toward the bar on the far side of the room.

Before Sutton could answer, though, Charlotte’s attention was snagged by Ted Wilkins. He’d just entered at the front of the room, and, perfect. She’d done her research yesterday to ensure that he’d be here.

“Actually,” she started, flicking her gaze back to Sutton, fixing on a quick smile. “I just need to make a quick call to the office. Why don’t you grab us the champagne and I’ll meet you over there in a minute?”

Sutton’s easy smile immediately fell into a frown. “A call to the office?” She echoed. “What call?” Her eyes widened. “Not that I’m, like, trying to question you or anything. I just, um, I didn’t think there was anything at the office that needed to be handled today?”

There it was, that edge of self-doubt in her tone. Like she’d somehow, for the first time since working for Charlotte, done something incorrectly, and was ready to fall on her sword for whatever possible infraction she could have committed.

Sweet Sutton. The sweetest, really, and that set the steel sliding through Charlotte’s veins, even as she shook her head, giving Sutton a quick, reassuring smile. “You didn’t have anything on your docket. I…” She quickly wracked her brain to think about something she would handle, herself, now that Sutton truly had taken over just about all of her inter-office communications. “Merely wanted to check in with Lyana, in regards to the meeting she was setting up for me in D.C. next week.”

Sutton was still frowning at her, seemingly uncertain about Charlotte’s explanation.

And, so, fine. Charlotte didn’t really know what work-related thing she would need to check on that Sutton would be unaware of, at this point.

But wasn’t that the beauty of being the boss? It was wrong to have inappropriate dreams about Sutton, but it was perfectly fine for Sutton to not be in the loop on everything she did.

“I’ll be quick. See you in a minute for the champagne.”

With that, she turned and headed in toward the archway Wilkins was loitering in. She glanced over her shoulder, quickly, just to make sure Sutton wasn’t watching.

And she wasn’t. Of course she wasn’t. Because Sutton wasn’t inherently suspicious, which Charlotte deeply enjoyed about her.

But – as it was now very apparent to her – that could also be something that could harm Sutton, especially while she was playing around in the political realm.

After Sutton had informed her about Kyle, Charlotte knew a brief face-to-face with Wilkins tonight was a must.

Yes, she wanted to work in tandem with Wilkins, and she knew he wanted to work with her on some potential initiatives as well. He’d been the one to reach out to her, wanting to curry some political favor on the federal level.

And Charlotte was always willing to play ball… provided her own stipulations were met.

“Senator Wilkins,” she greeted as she approached, gaining his attention from where he’d been typing out a message on his phone. “Nice to see you in person, rather than merely over a zoom call.”

“Congresswoman Thompson,” he greeted, tucking his phone away before offering his hand. “I was hoping to run into you tonight.”

She took his offered hand, controlling the tempo and firmness of the handshake, before releasing him. “Yes, I was certain I’d run into you while you were in the city.”

He nodded slowly, and she could see him working through his memories of their last few conversations, before asking, “Ah… I wasn’t aware you knew I was in the city? It’s a quick visit,” he assured, “If I had plans to be here longer, I’d have set up a meeting with you.”

“I have no doubt,” she returned, easily. “And no, you aren’t forgetting anything. Actually, I’d had a member of my staff run into a recent hire of yours. Kyle Summers?”

Wilkins nodded. “Right, yes. That’s actually why I’m here – easiest place to call in all of my new hires for my fundraising team. Kyle isn’t here tonight, but–”

“That’s great, actually,” she cut in, because this was time-sensitive.

She’d known coming into this event that she couldn’t approach Wilkins with Sutton by her side. She would likely have been self-conscious by the fact that Charlotte was playing offense here on her behalf at minimum, and at maximum would have been mortified and tried to outright stop Charlotte from doing so.

So, she needed this to be brief and to the point, before Sutton realized she wasn’t making a brief call.

“The reality, Senator, is that while I would love to provide support to you – not only with your current education initiative that we’ve been talking about, but future legislation as well – the reality is: I’m not willing to work with Kyle Summers. It’s come to my attention that he’s exhibited some heinous behaviors toward young women; I’m sure if you did some digging beyond a basic background check, you’ll be able to verify.”

Wilkins’ surprise was obvious, as was his displeasure at being confronted with this, unexpectedly at a public event.

Which Charlotte was unsurprised by. But the reality was she didn’t have time in her upcoming weeks to working in meetings to handle this delicately, and Kyle Summers didn’t deserve delicate handling.

Wilkins pursed his lips, glancing around them, before letting out a long, deep breath. “I see. I don’t hire or fire employees on baseless claims–”

“They aren’t baseless,” she cut in, sharply.

She could so easily see that expression on Sutton’s face, that deeply doubtful, self-conscious, shamed expression, and she knew from that alone that Kyle Summers was a piece of shit.

… and she’d had some other digging done, as well. Just in case there was any pushback.

“I’d be happy to send you the several reports I’ve gathered on him, tomorrow,” she offered, maintaining that firm, unyielding tone, keeping it wrapped in a friendly smile. “Meanwhile, I’d very much like to remind you that you’ve consistently won elections on the basis of being a man that believes women. I very much think it would be worth your while to maintain that stance given your upcoming election next year. Especially with Kelsey Freemont so hot on your heels in your district.”

Wilkins narrowed his eyes at her, gritting his teeth, as he glanced around them once more, clearly trying to ensure no one had overheard anything she’d said.

“I will, of course, be happy to champion not only your education program, but also heavily endorse your re-election. Provided that you are the type of man – the type of politician – that lives up to your word.”

And, there it was.

Kelsey Freemont was similar to Charlotte in many ways. A younger woman, hungry to climb the ladder. She’d held several roles in city government offices upstate, and she’d made it no secret that she was looking for a move to the state senate in the next election. Charlotte had already received a meeting request from her, so her threat wasn’t even actually baseless. She’d have made the same statement even if it were baseless, but Wilkins didn’t need to know that.

“I’d be happy to see your reports on Summers,” he relented, a little stiffly, after a moment.

The thing about Wilkins, really, was that Charlotte believed – at his core – that he wouldn’t like to work with Kyle. Even if he didn’t personally care too much about how shitty of a person he was, Wilkins was a PR master; he’d hate to have his illustrious reputation that he’d spent decades building, marred by Kyle.

Charlotte just needed to force his hand a bit. And she was more than happy to do so.

She smiled wider, nodding at him. “I’ll send them first thing.”

And that was some admin work she would definitely be doing without Sutton’s knowledge.

“I appreciate you taking such a keen interest in the integrity of my staff,” Wilkins murmured, clearing his throat as he rolled his shoulders.

Ah, typical. Trying to regain control over some of the narrative that had played out.

Charlotte merely lifted an eyebrow at him, mildly agreeing, “Of course. Vetting the staff members of people that I could, potentially, have very beneficial working relationships with is of the utmost importance to me.”

There it was. The slight narrowing of his eyes, and the acceptance of what she was saying – if he rid his team of Kyle, he wouldn’t have to court Charlotte politically, anymore. And wasn’t that what these events were truly all about?

“I appreciate such dedicated attention and reliability in my colleagues.” Wilkins offered her his hand once more. “I should find my seat soon.”

“As should I,” she agreed, shaking his hand once more. “I’m glad you and I are on the same page, and I look forward to chatting with you soon.”

As she turned back into the room of schmoozers, she felt an fettered sense of accomplishment. The same feeling she so frequently had after making a deal, really. She did love when things went her way.

But this felt extra special. A little extra pep in her step was undeniable, as she scanned her eyes over the room, looking for Sutton.

Granted, she’d known Wilkins likely wouldn’t be a hard sell; it wasn’t like Kyle Summers was a wunderkind. If the choice was between working with him or working with Charlotte, she’d been reasonably certain who Wilkins would pick, if he wasn’t an idiot. Which she didn’t believe he was.

And wasn’t it perfectly lovely to have that confirmed?

Aha – her eyes fell on the back of Sutton’s head across the room, just to the left of the bar.

As she worked through the crowd over toward Sutton, she couldn’t help but feel… lighter. Like she’d done something actually good tonight, other than rub elbows with the city’s elite and secure donations.

As she approached from behind Sutton, she could hear her laugh, which made Charlotte grin a little wider.

Sutton truly was an incredible asset to have at events like this. She did know how to interact with people in this world, so naturally. And it was always so genuine.

Just like she seemed to be having a genuinely nice time chatting to the woman standing in front of her as Charlotte approached. Wonderful – not only had Charlotte just secured a personal little deal, but Sutton seemed to be networking on her own.

She cleared her throat as she sidled up to the pair, gesturing at the extra champagne glass sitting on the bar top next to Sutton. “Is that one for me?”

“Charlotte!” Sutton whipped her head to face her, clearly surprised, and… that was an odd response? Given that they were here together, at a work function?

Curious and amused, she slowly arched an eyebrow. “Sutton?”

Sutton’s cheeks blushed, deeply, and she reached up to tuck an errant strand of hair behind her ear, dropping her gaze from Charlotte’s. “Um,” she coughed, rolling her shoulders back as she seemed to get control over whatever was in her mind.

Interesting…

Sutton cleared her throat and gestured at the woman she’d been talking to. “This is Alia Haddad. Alia, this is Representative Charlotte Thompson.”

Charlotte focused on this woman – Alia – for the first time, taking her in. Like herself and Sutton, she was also one of the younger people in the room, thirty at most. And incredibly beautiful, with her long, dark hair falling down her back, in a figure-fitting green dress. Her lips curled into her own genuine smile. “So nice to meet you.”

And it was. She did love to see young women being successful in this sphere, as it was so often overrun by men. And Charlotte would always rather engage in conversation with a successful, appealing woman.

Alia’s smile was just that – bright and appealing. “You, too. I followed your campaign closely – very impressive.”

“Thank you.” She might not have known why Sutton had a strange vibe when she’d approached, but she was happy with the introduction. Unsurprisingly, Sutton had sought out someone Charlotte might enjoy a conversation with. “My apologies, but I’m not overly familiar with your work…?”

She darted her gaze toward Sutton. Not in reprimand, but confusion. Because this was part of Sutton’s job at these functions, and she was very good at it. At giving Charlotte the low-down on everyone. In a situation like this, Sutton typically would have introduced Alia with a nod toward what her work was or why she was at the function. And she had to believe Sutton knew those details, given that they were just in conversation.

Sutton’s cheeks turned pink as she spluttered on her sip of champagne, clearly realizing her misstep. “Oh!” She coughed, her eyes watering.

Baffled and concerned, Charlotte reached up instinctively to rub her hand over Sutton’s back as she coughed, staring intently at the side of her face. “Take a deep breath in, there you go.”

Sutton quickly reached up to swipe her hand over her eyes. “It’s – I’m – sorry.” She managed to take in a real deep breath, as she gave Charlotte an imploring, apologetic look. “I’m sorry,” she repeated again.

Charlotte’s lips tugged down in a dismissive frown. “There’s no need to be sorry.”

“I mean, yeah, there is?” Sutton countered, closing her eyes briefly, as she shook her head, seemingly trying to get her head in the game.

Alia hummed softly, but it was enough to re-gain Charlotte’s attention, as the other woman looked between her and Sutton, a small smile on her face.

“Alia, um, she works at SapphicSpark. It… it’s a dating app,” Sutton informed her, sounding more uncertain of herself than she ever sounded when they were at work events.

For the briefest of moments, everything inside of Charlotte froze. Because just the mention of SapphicSpark in a work environment felt so very wrong. Work was one part of her life, SapphicSpark was a very, very different part. And they didn’t ever mingle, not even in conversation. Because why would they?

So, perhaps that was why Sutton was being weird? Because she knew about Charlotte’s sexuality, but she hadn’t wanted to give anything away to Alia.

Even that, Charlotte found, was kind of adorably endearing about Sutton. She’d wanted to make Charlotte and Alia’s interaction so not-weird and give absolutely nothing away, that she’d made it the strangest introduction of the evening.

“I’m not actually a CEO,” Alia cut in with a whisper, darting Sutton a… a wink?

Some of the affectionate warmth Charlotte had just been feeling started to fade into a protective suspicion.

“My mom is, and I’m here as her plus-one.” Alia continued. “She’s… somewhere.” She glanced around, but didn’t seem to look too hard. “She enjoys the networking aspect a lot more than I do.”

Charlotte slowly sipped at her champagne, eyeing Alia as she tried to size her up. That wink had been – something. Charlotte, unlike Sutton, wasn’t naïve, especially not when it came to queer women.

“Interesting decision, then, for you to be your mother’s plus-one at networking events, no?” She asked, keeping her voice light, but her tone was direct.

It wasn’t a new concept, people enjoying these sort of events to hit on young, attractive assistants that got lost in the shuffle.

Well, too bad for Alia – not Charlotte’s assistant.

Alia shrugged. “Eh, I love to observe people. She and I will do a debrief later, based on the things she worked through and the things I’ve observed. She seems to find that useful, and I have a decent time doing it.”

Charlotte hummed in acknowledgement.

Alia seemed to be telling the truth, but there was something about the look in her eyes that rubbed Charlotte the wrong way.

And that something was that her eyes continuously landed on Sutton, like they were magnetized to her.

Alia’s phone buzzed in her hand, and she glanced down at it. “Ah, my mom has found our seats in the other room, so I should head in.” She locked her phone and looked back at Charlotte. “It was great to meet you.”

“You, too,” she returned, warily.

The alarm bells in the back of her mind sounded even louder when Alia turned her attention back to Sutton, and her smile widened. Yes, that was absolutely, undeniably, a smile of interest.

“Sutton, it was so lovely to see you, again,” her voice dipped ever so slightly into a different tone – one that set Charlotte entirely on-edge. Especially as Alia glanced toward Charlotte, and rolled her lips tightly, as if trying to think over her next move.

Charlotte arched a sharp look at her.

If there was something Alia didn’t think was appropriate to say in front of her, then she shouldn’t be saying it.

“Well, you now have my number. I know before it wasn’t the best time, but – I’d love for you to use it. Any time.” She reached down and gently ran her fingertips over the back of Sutton’s hand, before she turned to go.

And – excuse the fuck out of her?!

Fine, the touch hadn’t been aggressive or even, technically, inappropriate. But Charlotte was a professional sapphic flirt, and she knew it when she saw it, even if it was subtle.

“Yeah, bye,” Sutton managed to utter several seconds later, as Alia had already started walking away.

The color was high in Sutton’s cheeks and she was clearly embarrassed, and Charlotte worked to unclench her jaw, so that Sutton didn’t believe she was in any way to blame.

“That was completely inappropriate of her,” Charlotte stated, quietly, as she maneuvered to stand right in front of Sutton, ducking her head to make sure Sutton was looking into her eyes. “And I want you to know that I will not tolerate someone making unwanted advances on you at a work event,” she assured.

The last thing she wanted was for Sutton to feel uncomfortable or objectified when she came to a function with Charlotte. It was unacceptable.

She couldn’t necessarily blame Alia for being interested. Obviously.

But Alia clearly knew Sutton was here, working. Alia was also here for fucking work! And Charlotte was Sutton’s boss. Who did something like that in front of someone’s boss? Just because, what, Sutton had been being kind and making conversation as she’d waited for Charlotte to “make a phone call”?

“I’m, actually, going to have a word with her,” she stated, decisively.

Only to find herself stopped short when Sutton quickly reached out and grasped her by the elbow. “No, wait! Stop. Don’t.”

Charlotte stilled, and turned back to face Sutton, as she reached up with her other hand and gently landed it on the back of Sutton’s. “I’m not in any way insinuating that you’ve done something wrong here. I want to be very clear about that. You should feel comfortable being able to make casual conversation with someone at a fundraiser without someone deciding it’s okay to hit on you afterward.”

Sutton’s grip on her bare elbow tightened, enough to really draw her attention. No, it wasn’t painful in any way, but it was firm. There was a quiet physical strength Sutton possessed that Charlotte had obviously been overlooking.

“No, that’s – god,” Sutton breathed out, tightly closing her eyes. “You don’t have the whole picture. Alia – she’s not – I mean. It was a little… overt? But she’s…”

Deeply intrigued and a little concerned, she gently stroked her thumb over the back of Sutton’s hand. “Yes?”

Sutton’s electric blue eyes opened once more, and her face was riddled with uncertainty.

“I didn’t just meet Alia tonight,” she said, softly, eyes searching Charlotte’s. “We, um, we’ve met, before. At an event. A SapphicSpark event.”

For several long seconds – far, far too long – Charlotte could only stare at Sutton in confusion. The pieces she was being offered didn’t quite fit together.

“It was speed dating, actually,” Sutton explained, before she groaned, and used her free hand – the one not making an indelible impression on Charlotte – to rub over her eyes. “It’s embarrassing, I know, and I was – um. No. Sorry. You don’t need to know all of the details.”

“I don’t,” she echoed, faintly, staring down at where Sutton was holding her arm. Where her own hand rested on Sutton’s.

“You just need to know that I met Alia that night, and she was really nice, and we had a good conversation. So, we saw one another tonight, and it was surprising, because her name hadn’t been on the list I received. But she’s – she didn’t make me uncomfortable at all, and it, uh, she, or, I guess, the advances? Weren’t… uncalled for,” Sutton finally finished in a ramble, sounding like she wished she world would swallow her whole.

Charlotte could only stare, still, tracing her eyes slowly up. Over Sutton’s visible clavicle right where her shirt was unbuttoned, and over her neck, and into her piercing blue eyes that were staring so imploringly into Charlotte’s own.

She’d once felt like she’d wished the world would swallow her whole, when interacting with Sutton. When she’d come out to her.

And now…

“I want to clarify so I’m not mistaken: you’re telling me…”

Her heart thudded in her chest, anticipation coursing through her, and she didn’t want to hear what was coming next. So much so, that she had to make Sutton actually say it, just to be sure.

“That I’m bisexual,” Sutton murmured, offering a weak smile in her direction, laden with nerves. “That whole, silly ramble was all to say that I’m bisexual. I should have just come out – ha, right – and said it, I know. It didn’t have to be this whole thing, but I didn’t – it felt like there needed to be this lead-in explanation? I don’t know. I’m sorry it was so drawn-out. And that I’ve now made this weird.”

She cut herself off, clearly biting at her cheek, as she stared at Charlotte with wide, questioning eyes.

And Charlotte – Charlotte was…

Stunned? Was that the right word? It seemed like the only word that came even close to what she felt right now.

Like her world just bottomed out from under her.

That was the only way to describe this feeling. Well, it was the only way to describe whatever feeling she could actually name.

This – this was not good. No, she decided that she did not care for this revelation at all.

As if Sutton’s touch had literally burned her – and in a way, Charlotte was starting to feel like it inexplicably was – she dropped her hand to her side and curled it into a fist, before stepping back from Sutton, so her hand also fell from Charlotte’s arm.

“No, you didn’t make anything weird,” she assured, faintly, before she tightly pursed her lips. “And thank you, for telling me.”

“I… yeah.” Sutton shrugged, offering a small, nervous smile. “I just – uh, given this whole, ha,” that nervous titter of laughter escaped again, “Situation… Anyway. Now, you know.”

“Now I know,” she echoed, faintly, her thoughts still whirling.

Sutton being her straight friend-slash-assistant that Charlotte harmlessly had occasional lusty dreams about, that was one thing. It was easy to laugh at herself, to shame herself over that. Even putting aside their working relationship, Charlotte, categorically, did not lust after straight women in any serious capacity.

The fact that Sutton, apparently, might not be completely horrified by Charlotte’s dreams… that was another.

Of course, as her boss, Charlotte was positive that Sutton would be put off by Charlotte finding her attractive. Just as Charlotte was put off by the fact that she felt that way.  

Realistically, this didn’t change anything. She knew that.

She knew that.

“We should go in,” she managed, nodding her head toward the direction where everyone else was heading.

Sutton was frowning at her, big blue eyes wide with obvious confusion and concern. “Okay. Yeah, you’re right. Everything is about to start.”

Charlotte gestured for her to go first, which Sutton obliged.

As soon as she’d taken a few steps, Charlotte downed the remainder of her champagne in one big sip.

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