Guilty as Sin - 12 (Patreon)

Maybe... who knows... we might be starting to go somewhere?

Slowly, but surely.

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

Chapter Twelve

Charlotte walked out of the elevator on a Friday afternoon, feeling damn good.

They’d officially made their way into the month of August, the sun was shining, and she’d had a very successful networking lunch. One that was strictly no-assistants-included – no official business was on the table, but she felt she’d made excellent headway.

And she was excited to tell Sutton about it, because she knew Sutton was going to be full of questions, especially about –

She slowed her gait as she approached her office, as she spotted none other than Caleb sitting there, perched on the edge of Sutton’s desk. Though nothing at all looked untoward or inappropriate – Caleb and Sutton were both smiling, Sutton’s cheeks weren’t red enough to match her hair – she inherently felt suspicious.

She lifted her sunglasses, scooping her hair back slightly as she settled them on top of her head, glancing between the two of them. “Hello, Caleb. And to what does my office owe this… pleasure?”

He grinned brightly at her, hopping off of the corner of Sutton’s desk. “Just came to say hi to my favorite sister.”

She rolled her eyes at him, before looking at Sutton. “I’ll take him off your hands.” She turned and opened her office door, gesturing for Caleb to enter, ordering, “Stop harassing my staff.”

Sutton’s bright blue eyes sparked up at her, clearly amused. “He didn’t cause any trouble. I’ll vouch for him.”

Caleb complied and walked into her office, but not before he made a sweeping gesture toward Sutton. “Thank you for your support.”

Charlotte gently – mostly playfully – pushed at his back to keep him walking farther inside, before she cleared her throat and looked back at Sutton. “When he’s gone, come on in. You’re going to love the updates I have.”

Sutton nodded at her. “Can’t wait.”

And that absurdly cute, excited smile on her lips told Charlotte that Sutton really meant that.

She only lingered on that smile for a second, before she stepped into her office and shut the door behind her.

Caleb was now leaning against her desk, his arms folded over his chest as he wore that wide, shit-eating smile.

Charlotte refused to even acknowledge that smile. She refused. Because she knew what it was about. How could she not, with how much Caleb loved talking about Sutton? Instead, she merely arched him a look. “I truly only have a couple of minutes for you, so if you did come here with a reason…”

He shrugged. “Just wanted to pop in and remind you of my birthday plans tonight.”

“Yes, birthday boy, I recall,” she drawled back, exasperatedly. “You’ve only texted me about it multiple times in the last two weeks, and watched me put it on my calendar last weekend. So, I can see how you might be concerned that I’ve forgotten about it.”

He held his hands up in his own defense. “Look, you’ve been so busy in the last few months, I’ve barely been able to see you. Can you really blame me? I just miss hanging out with you.”

His eyes, the same color and shape as her own, widened into a puppy-dog look. Which she was utterly immune to, having seen it her entire life.

Still, it was his birthday, and she acquiesced with a small sigh. “Yes, Caleb, of course I’ll be joining you tonight.”

She also knew that Caleb knew that she was a bit… nervous. Uncharacteristically so, because in the past, Charlotte enjoyed a night out. If there was no pressure, if there were no eyes on her, she absolutely enjoyed putting on an outfit that drew the eye just enough to her cleavage – she knew her best physical features – having a few drinks, dancing.

It was one of her favorite parts about hooking up, back when she was allowed to. Charlotte didn’t want to be on an app for a “connection,” nor was she looking for deep, meaningful conversation. It was pointless, because she didn’t want to possibly give the impression that she was looking for anything she categorically was not interested in.

Just enough conversation to make sure that the woman didn’t seem incompatible, to ensure that they were both on the same page about what they were looking for, and then make plans. To go somewhere dimly lit, with loud music – somewhere people weren’t interested in what anyone else was doing, and couldn’t see or hear anyone else’s business, anyway.

And for a couple of hours, Charlotte would let go. Not completely. Never completely.

But she could release her tight hold over herself enough to indulge. To give in to her basic, biological wants.

That enjoyment, the yearning to indulge in something like that, still very much lived in her.

But she didn’t indulge in it, not at all.

Caleb had all-but begged her to go with him and Dean out to one of the establishments Dean knew of and had been to. A club that was entirely on the down low, somewhere you could only gain access if you held a certain status or fame or were being escorted by them. A place that guaranteed anonymity and privacy.

And Charlotte knew that if she didn’t allow herself to relax and indulge a little bit – even if it meant having a drink out with her brother and best friend, dancing even if it was by herself – something inside of her would crack, at some point.

She didn’t know at what point, but she knew it would happen. Under enough pressure, the cap could pop off of anything, and while Charlotte had her pride, she didn’t fall prey to believing she was infallible.

She couldn’t help but glance at her door, out where Sutton sat. Because now, she needed to be very aware of that possibility.

“And since you were running a little late, I took the opportunity to invite Sutton along,” Caleb informed her, proudly.

Ice skittered down her spine at those words, and she froze, replaying them in her mind. No, she hadn’t heard incorrectly.

Snapping her head to face him, she hissed, “You what?”

He held his hands up, eyes far too wide. “Why do you both look and sound like you’re going to fucking murder me? I thought we were on good terms with Sutton!”

To his credit – the bare minimum of credit – he, too, kept his voice down.

“We are. But,” she glanced around, needing to double-check that her door was closed even though she’d literally just looked at it. But she could never be too careful, and the added insulation for noise cancellation that she’d made sure to be installed in her office to maintain absolute privacy only worked effectively if the door was firmly closed. Thankfully, it was. “Caleb, we are going to a fucking club. One that will, incidentally, be full of queer people.”

She tossed her hands in the air, because what the fuck.

Her brother stared back at her with the same expression. “Annnnd you’re the one that told me Sutton is queer!”

“Caleb.”

“Charlotte.”

“Are you trying to piss me off?”

“I’m not trying, but I’m apparently succeeding very well.”

“You are. It’s as though you have a gift for it,” she grit back.

“Why? You’re also the one that waxed on poetic about your talk with grandmother, and how she made you realize that if you and Sutton are going to have a great working relationship, it’s going to be personal,” Caleb shrugged, like no big deal, right? “We had Cynthia at almost every event she came to when we were growing up. Besides, it’s my birthday, and I like her. Sutton, not Cynthia. But, she was fine, too.”

Charlotte rubbed intently at her temples, starting to feel a headache beating there.

“Forgive me,” she muttered. “You’re so right. Yes, now I can remember all of those times that grandmother had Cynthia accompany her to our family parties at gay clubs.”

She dropped her hand heavily down to her side, staring at him, incredulously.

Caleb heaved a sigh of his own, as if he could in any way be the aggrieved party here. “What, do you want me to go and uninvite her?”

She could only stare at him. Was he fucking kidding her? “If you leave my office after we have a short, closed-door conversation, and uninvite her, she will obviously know it’s because of me. So – no.”

He shrugged, giving her a small wince, and was doing a fantastic job of looking incredibly innocent, she’d give him that. But she knew Caleb.

Dropping her hands to her hips, she sighed and waved him toward the door. “Happy birthday. Your gift from me in this moment is accepting you for the chaos demon you are. I’ll see you tonight.”

When he turned and left her office, she dropped into the chair and leaned her head back, blowing out a breath.

She’d already gone through that whole thing with Sutton, last week. Pulling away, behaving strategically when finding out about her sexuality – and then having Sutton shock her by handling Charlotte’s behavior with a very effective strategy of her own.

It hadn’t been something she’d anticipated from Sutton, having her manipulate a situation like she had at the spa. Organizing Charlotte’s schedule to force them into having a private conversation.

She detested how much, when she looked back on it, she found that she enjoyed it. Sutton being sweet and amiable – Charlotte enjoyed that. She felt protective over that. She deeply trusted that.

Sutton being a little sneaky, and having the boldness to put them in that situation… well. She liked that, too. Maybe a little too much.

But things were good, now.

She’d had a little panic, finding out that Sutton was bisexual. Which she felt was warranted, because it did have the potential to complicate matters for her.

However, Charlotte couldn’t change that. She couldn’t change Sutton’s sexuality. She couldn’t change that they’d already formed the basis to a genuine friendship.

And she couldn’t change that she would miss that friendship with Sutton, now, if she didn’t have it anymore. She had missed it, throughout the week.

It was so… so nice. In a way she really hadn’t known she’d needed.

So nice to have someone to simply talk to. About work, about life, given that Sutton had become privy to just about every facet of her life by now. To talk to about… nothing, even. The way they did over meals in the office or in the car or whenever.

And not just someone, but Sutton.

Charlotte had also accepted that; she wasn’t foolish enough to believe that she could put just anyone in Sutton’s position and enjoy their company.

Sutton was smart, she kept up in every conversation, whether it be on politics or books or trends. She was funny, both intentionally and not. She had an inherent social acumen when it counted – at work. And she was always herself.

She couldn’t replace Sutton with anyone off the street. And she didn’t want to.

So, she had to put Sutton’s sexuality out of her mind. Sutton herself had said that she hadn’t told Charlotte because “it wasn’t relevant.” Charlotte needed to get herself in the same headspace.

Sutton was absolutely correct; her sexuality wasn’t relevant to Charlotte.

So, she’d gotten her head on right and continued forward the way she’d been since before she’d found out.

What else could she do?

At the light tapping of knuckles on her door – Sutton’s knock, she’d recognize it anywhere by now – she cleared her throat and sat up properly. “Come in.”

As expected, Sutton popped right in, and took her place in the chair she always sat in – the one to the left – opposite Charlotte’s desk.

“I can tell Caleb I’m not coming tonight,” she said, immediately. “I don’t want anything to be weird. He was just very enthusiastic when inviting me, and Regan has been working so many nights…” She furrowed her eyebrows in a momentary confusion, before shaking it off. “So, I am free tonight, and–”

Charlotte held up a hand, cutting her off as the endearment cut through her at the ramble. “Sutton. Do you want to come tonight?”

Sutton blinked back at her for a beat, before she admitted, “Um, well, kind of. It’s been a while since I’ve gone out to do something… fun.” One of those enticing bold smiles flashed across her face, a little sassy. “I have a boss that’s kind of demanding.”

That teasing, though, was also what made Charlotte relax into this situation. She snorted in laughter before she tossed a small stack of Post-Its at Sutton, who deftly caught them. “Then I suppose I’ll see you tonight. Now, let’s go over the notes from this morning.”

And that was that.

It wasn’t a big deal.

She hung out socially with Sutton quite frequently, really. Every night when they were in D.C. The only thing different about tonight would be that they were hanging out – socially – out of the privacy of Charlotte’s apartment for the first time.

As Sutton pulled up the notes on her tablet, Charlotte glanced down at her phone as it vibrated.

Caleb – 3:32P.M.And, you know, this way in the event that I duck out with Dean, you’ll have your own friend/playmate to hang out with so I won’t feel badly that I left you alone.

Caleb did have a tendency to do that occasionally, and as much as she hated to say it… she wasn’t opposed to hanging out with Sutton tonight.

She was a little concerned, perhaps. Or, she would be concerned, if she didn’t have the self-control she knew she possessed.

But… not opposed. In fact, she thought it might potentially even be a little – to borrow Sutton’s worn – fun.

***

If Charlotte believed in any sort of higher power, she’d have been praying to it as soon as she laid eyes on Sutton that night.

Well, she did. She believed in the power of herself, and that was what she gripped tightly to as she drank Sutton in.

She completely tuned out whatever Dean and Caleb were chatting about as they waited outside of the car they’d taken to the very nondescript building – she’d have never guessed there was a club on the downlow inside – as soon as Sutton turned the corner onto the block.

She was wearing a little black dress that clung to her, and cut off mid-thigh, and had all of that magnificent red hair down over her shoulders. And to top it all off, she was wearing black heels. Like actual heels – something Sutton never wore to the office.

Desire pulsed through Charlotte as Sutton closed the gap between where they were standing, offering them a cute, sweet – slightly unsure – smile.

“Hey. Um,” she reached down and tugged at the hem of her dress, and Charlotte could see that her cheeks were pink, even with the only light coming from a lamppost. “Am I – I didn’t know what, exactly, to wear? I hope this is okay. I mean, you said club, so…?”

Everything inside of Charlotte screamed conflicted.

No! That was not okay to wear, because Charlotte could hardly stop looking at her.

But also… yes. God, yes, it was very okay.

“You look lovely,” she said, rolling her shoulders back, as she gave Sutton an affirming smile.

Because no matter what? There was never a reason for Sutton to feel self-conscious looking like that. No fucking way. And it wasn’t going to happen on Charlotte’s watch. If what she could provide to Sutton in a positive, and appropriate way was affirming her self-esteem, then… well, Charlotte actually quite enjoyed that idea.

The smile on Sutton’s lips was still small and sweet, but the self-conscious part fell away. Good.

Besides, while what she was wearing truly wouldn’t be appropriate for work, it was appropriate for tonight. Charlotte, herself, was wearing a dark blue dress with a slit up her thigh and a neckline that wasn’t too revealing but without a dingle doubt, indecent for work.

“Sutton! You look incredible, and this is exactly the kind of vibe we’re looking for tonight,” Caleb effused, breaking away from Dean to take in that Sutton had joined them.

Caleb leaned in and enveloped Sutton in an encompassing hug, one that included rocking back and forth slightly.

She locked gazes with Sutton, whose wide-eyed, baffled expression over his shoulder made her snort with laughter. She reached out and clasped her brother by the shoulders, gently tugging him back. “All right, birthday boy, that’s enough. Sutton isn’t your family member, best friend, or boyfriend, so let her breathe.”

Caleb immediately released her, hands in the air. “Just happy to see you. And,” he aimed a look at Charlotte, “Sutton and I are friends. We communicate every week.”

She rolled her eyes back. “Yes, when I am not taking your calls while I’m working, and you resort to bothering Sutton.”

He didn’t deny it.

Dean stepped in, gently brushing by Caleb as he gave Sutton a quick, perfunctory hug. “So nice to see you again, Sutton. I was both surprised and thrilled to hear about when you’d taken the job with Charlotte. I didn’t think you had an interest in politics? At least, the last time I’d run into your parents, that was the news.”

Sutton reached up, carding her hand through her hair, and Charlotte swore the way the streetlight reflected in those flame red strands, it looked like sparks were flying. Mesmerizing.

“Oh, it’s still not the plan,” she agreed with a quiet laugh. “I’m just enjoying working with Charlotte for now.”

Okay, that snapped Charlotte right back into the present. Rather than looking at Sutton with an admiring gaze, she was scrutinizing. For now?

“Wise.” Dean winked, jokingly. “Stay far away.”

Charlotte’s narrowed eyes flicked to him. Enough of that.

“All right, let’s head in,” Dean tilted his head toward the black door on the closest building on this quiet street.

Charlotte allowed both of the guys to walk a couple of feet ahead of them, as she leaned in to explain, “Caleb was very insistent on having some pre-gaming drinks before we came out tonight.”

And Charlotte, too, had one of the shots Caleb had poured for her – just the one – but it was the first time she’d had anything stronger than wine in over a year, and so…

Her eyes fell to land on Sutton’s cleavage, as she shivered at the sensation of their bare, warm arms pressing together, Sutton’s hair tickling her where it fell over her shoulder.

Sutton didn’t say anything for a long moment as they passed through the entrance of the building, and Charlotte returned the nod from the muscular man wearing a designer suit, who was discreetly standing off to the side, just after the entryway.

Sutton, she noted, didn’t look his way, and… had she not even seen him?

Charlotte shook her hair back, arching Sutton a searching look, only to see Sutton’s own gaze very intently focused down at her, her cheeks even darker red now than a minute ago. Her lips were parted slightly, like she was going to say something but wasn’t quite getting there.

And then Sutton tripped over her own feet, letting out a yelp, just as they reached the second set of doors – the entrance to the club – deep into the depths of the building.

Charlotte quickly reached for her, steadying her by catching Sutton’s hand in hers, as Sutton braced her other hand against the wall. “Are you all right?”

Dean and Caleb had both paused at the door, turning to give Sutton a concerned look, as well.

Sutton gently squeezed her hand before waving everyone’s concern away. “I’m good! I’m okay. I’m sorry. I just… I was clumsy.”

A self-deprecating chuckle escaped her, and for some reason, it made everything inside of Charlotte truly relax since she’d seen Sutton looking like this walking wet dream.

She might look like that, but it was insanely comforting that Sutton was so… Sutton. She might be wearing a dress that would haunt Charlotte’s celibacy-induced X-rated dreams, but she was the same woman that made her nerdy comments and passionately defended literature and scolded Charlotte for skipping lunch. The same woman that Charlotte spent nearly every day with.

The same woman Charlotte had a good time with.

After they walked to the bar and grabbed drinks – another shot for Caleb, wine for both Charlotte and Dean, and some sort of custom pink mixed drink for Sutton – and made a cheers to Caleb, she was entirely unsurprised when Caleb took Dean out to the dance floor within moments, leaving herself and Sutton at the bar.

She settled onto a barstool, and Sutton blinked over her shoulder as Caleb and Dean disappeared into the thickening crowd, before she turned back to Charlotte. “Um… are they coming back?”

Charlotte snorted. “Doubtful.” She tapped her hand on the available seat next to her, inviting Sutton to take it.

Sutton acquiesced, sipping at her drink as she shrugged. “I guess I just – I mean, why did Caleb want to come out as a group? He invited me out?” Sutton’s obvious disturbance by the men disappearing was infinitely adorable.

“Caleb always thinks he wants a night out as a group on his birthday,” she explained. “But once he’s had a few drinks, and he’s in full birthday boy mode, it’s all about Dean.” She rolled her eyes, both amused and frustrated at once. “He’s never been like that, before. He was very much someone that couldn’t be tied down, pre-Dean. Now, it’s heart-eyes all of the time.”

Sutton watched her, and the look on her face was entirely too perceptive – and a little sympathetic – for Charlotte’s liking.

Like she understood that while Charlotte accepted it because she loved Dean as a person, she had loved when Caleb had, too, been a fuckboy – his words. They’d been kindred spirits in that respect, back then.

Clearing her throat, she waved her hand. “It’s – whatever. It’s fine. I love Dean, and I’m glad they’re both happy.”

It sounded like a party line, but it was also true.

Sutton nodded slowly, and opened her mouth to say something, only to cut herself off with a sharp breath as a woman approached and lightly placed her hand on Sutton’s back.

The woman was on the opposite side from Charlotte, and gave Sutton a quick smile, “Sorry, just for balance,” she explained, as she then leaned in, over the bar to get the bartender’s attention.

“I – no problem,” Sutton said back with a small smile of her own, one that looked a little nervous.

The woman smiled at Sutton again, moving her hand slightly as she rubbed Sutton’s back in… appreciation? Before diverting her attention as the bartender came over to her.

Charlotte eyed that hand with narrowed eyes – a little too familiar – before she turned back toward the bar and lifted her wine. None of her business.

“Have a good night,” the woman basically purred at Sutton, as she walked away from the bar, two drinks in hand.

“I – yes, you, as well,” Sutton returned, several seconds too late to be relevant. The woman was already too far gone to hear her over the music.

Entertained – because she wasn’t going to allow herself to feel anything else, and objectively, it was entertaining – Charlotte watched her walk away, before she looked back at Sutton.

Whose cheeks were bright red, and she didn’t return Charlotte’s stare. Not one bit. She, instead, stared intently down at the bar, her lips moving silently. Like she was replaying that short interaction.

A strange combination of sympathy and amusement swept through her. “Well… that was something.”

All right, so she would comment on it and make it her business.

But she and Sutton were friends, right? And Sutton was the one that – from the get-go – had been so determined to make sure of that fact. So, it seemed fair she could comment on these things.

Sutton groaned. “I don’t know if I’m more mortified that it happened or that you saw it.”

She did a great job of keeping any semblance of a smile off of her face. Not that she was laughing at Sutton, but… she was just so damn adorable. She reached up, gently running her hand up and down Sutton’s spine as a show of support. Almost mirroring that woman, but also not, because she was here with Sutton, they knew one another.

She only realized a moment too late that making contact with Sutton, while the she was wearing that dress was just – it wasn’t wise.

Lowering her hand, she blew out a low, deep breath. Whew. Okay.

“It’s a good thing I’ve resolved not to do this whole dating thing,” Sutton stated, turning to face Charlotte, clearly pushing down her embarrassment enough to talk through it.

Charlotte slowly lifted an eyebrow back at her. “Something you proposed that I have still not endorsed, I should add. But, for the sake of this current conversation, I will indulge: why is that?”

Sutton stared at her like she’d grown two heads, before she gestured widely in the direction of the woman.

Quickly, Charlotte reached out and grabbed Sutton’s wrist just before she accidentally knocked over the tray loaded with very expensive alcohol that a server was bringing to a table, lowering it back down.

Sutton only groaned again. “See? Because of all of this! I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I might not have made smart choices when it came to dating men, but I wasn’t an unhinged, blabbering mess around them.”

“Well, women are ethereal,” Charlotte supplied, easily.

Sutton nodded vehemently in agreement. “Yes. Exactly that. Which makes them terrifying.”

“Sutton, darling, how do I say this…” She rolled her lips. “You are a woman.”

She managed, barely, to not tell Sutton she was just as physically stunning as any of the women Charlotte had scoped in this club. More, to be honest.

And even if Charlotte held no personal attachment to Sutton, or any attraction to her, that was an objective fact.

“I’m aware of that. But I’m… I don’t… how do you do it?”

Charlotte’s eyes widened, as all she could picture at Sutton’s vexation was sexual images. Doing it. Briefly, her fingers tightened around the stem of her glass, the heat lancing through her. “To be quite clear, you aren’t asking me about how women have sex, right?”

Dear lord, please no.

The dreams of Sutton on her knees in front of Charlotte, or under Charlotte and taking her fingers or strap, or – no.

Those were private thoughts, uncontrollable dreams, and they didn’t belong here. While she was in Sutton’s company.

Sutton reeled back, cheeks blushing once more. “No, I am not.” Thank god. “I’ve – uh, never mind. Anyway. I was asking how to do this.” She went to lift her hand, only to make them both realized Charlotte was still, loosely, holding onto it.

Quickly, she released her, before flipping her palm over to tightly press it to her own thigh.

Sutton brought her hand up and pointed at the bar. “Like, how am I supposed to hit on a woman? You know?”

“You’ve been hit on,” she couldn’t help but point out, incredulously.

“I know,” Sutton’s voice was pained. “Which is why it makes me feel even more ridiculous when I’m faced with the idea of hitting on a woman. My mind is – it’s blank. Like I’ve never even kissed someone before, like I’m fourteen or something.”

Charlotte nodded slowly.

Sutton was someone she cared about, very deeply. She was clearly in turmoil, and it was over something Charlotte knew how to do. Knew how to do very well, in fact.

“All right,” she determined, rolling her shoulders back and getting herself into solution-mode. “I’m going to help you. I’m officially your lesbian guru.”

“My what?” Sutton spluttered, her eyebrows lifting high on her forehead.

Charlotte wouldn’t be explaining any further. Instead, she cleared her throat and got down to business. “I want you to look around this bar, and focus on the woman you find the most attractive.”

Sutton’s eyebrows flew high on her forehead, and she shook her head, letting out a nervous chuckle. “Um… no.”

“Yes,” she stated, firmly, before she ordered, “Do it now.”

Sutton took in a long, deep breath, before she turned her head to the left and ran her eyes over the patrons of the bar. Then turned again, flicking her eyes to meet Charlotte’s for several beats, long enough for Charlotte’s stomach to tingle, to feel uncomfortably antsy.

Before she slid her gaze over Charlotte and finally seemed to pause on someone.

“The, um, the blonde? At the end of the bar,” Sutton clarified, dropping her voice to a whisper. As if anyone that wasn’t standing literally right next to them could possibly hear. Cute.

Charlotte, of course, turned to check the woman out, because she was one-hundred percent positive she could do it without being even a quarter as obvious as Sutton.

And, fine. She was… pretty.

Shaking her own assessment out of her mind, she stayed focused.

Turning back to Sutton, she instructed, “Go over there.”

Sutton reeled back. “What? No. I’m here with you – you and Caleb and Dean,” she stumbled slightly, shaking her head. “I don’t end the night with different people than I came out with. That’s rule number one.”

A sharp edge slithered through Charlotte’s stomach, and she narrowed her eyes. “Well, you’re not leaving with her.” Okay, that sounded a bit too impassioned. Rolling it back, she refocused, taking a deep breath. “All you’re doing is getting comfortable approaching an attractive woman. What you’re aiming for tonight is her number, if anything.”

“From what you told me, that’s not how you operated, so… I guess I’m confused,” Sutton pointed out, searching Charlotte’s gaze with her own.

She frowned, deeply, imagining Sutton working through any of Charlotte’s fuckboy habits. Absolutely not.

“You and I are very different; I’m not trying to make you into me. I’m trying to help make you comfortable being you.” And… yes. She liked that. She enjoyed the thought that she could help Sutton get more comfortable in her skin, even while hitting on other women.

Sutton deserved that.

Sutton’s expression gentled, a sweet smile curling at the edges of her lips. “Oh.”

That strange, atypical feeling returned to the pit of her stomach, and she shook her head, refocusing. She was on a mission, now.

“She isn’t wearing a ring, and she has an empty seat next to her–”

“How do you know? You glanced over there for, like, literally two seconds,” there was skepticism reflecting in Sutton’s voice.

Charlotte didn’t know if she’d ever been so insulted. “I know what I’m doing here, darling.”

“I guess so,” Sutton murmured, sounding a little amazed.

And… yeah, Charlotte liked that. “Now, go over there. And – I cannot stress this enough,” she paused, making sure Sutton’s endless ocean blue eyes were locked onto hers before she said, “Be yourself.”

Sutton was locked in on her, they were both locked in on this moment, breathing the same air. Before Sutton blinked a few times, seeming to catch up with the moment.

She leaned back from Charlotte. “I don’t really – I mean, I don’t love telling you – or anyone! – this, but… being myself hasn’t really helped me with women.” She appeared so exasperated.

Charlotte couldn’t help but feel entirely too endeared. “I think – no, I know. I know that you are selling yourself short.”

She did know it. It was a fact.

Sutton’s eyebrows furrowed. “Well, what do I say when–”

“You’re only going to ask if the seat next to her is available,” she instructed. “I’m not going to give you a line to give her, because…”

Well, lines could work – depending on what they were and who employed them. Charlotte had firsthand knowledge of this. But they wouldn’t work for Sutton.

“Your genuine earnestness is the biggest part of your allure,” she said, feeling that fluttering of butterflies return again for a moment at how very true that was. “So, that’s what you’ll lean into. After a few seconds, say something that feels natural to you. I’ve seen you at work events; you have no trouble making conversation with people.”

It was so interesting, when she really thought about it. The dualities that Sutton presented to her.

Sutton was charming in that authentic way, and she had no problem making conversation with so very many people when they were at work functions. Many of whom were attractive women.

But apparently when it came to attractive women in her personal sphere, it was like night and day.

Fascinating.

“You can do this, Sutton,” she affirmed, and she wasn’t giving empty encouragements.

She really did believe Sutton could absolutely charm a sapphic woman, far easier than she believed possible for herself.

Sutton slid off the stool, brushing her hands over her dress, and Charlotte resolutely did not follow the movements of her hands down her hips and thighs.

“Okay,” Sutton breathed. “I’m doing it.”

She turned to watch her go, making the mistake of sliding her gaze down the milelong line of her legs. That dress… those heels…

She ripped her eyes away – Bad Charlotte – before gesturing to the bartender for another glass.

And she wasn’t going to watch Sutton, either. Because she didn’t want it to be weird, first of all. Sutton was already anxious about doing this; the last thing she needed was for her friend or her boss – whichever hat Charlotte was currently wearing, if they could possibly be separated – watch her while she attempted to hit on someone.

And because she didn’t want the possible return of that weird feeling again. Nope. Any of those weird feelings, actually.

Sutton returned far too quickly, only two minutes later, dropping into the seat neat to her once more.

Charlotte ran her eyes over the slumped shoulders. And she felt sympathetic, she really did. Because Sutton seemed so downtrodden. But… not as sympathetic as she should, perhaps.

“Should I ask how it went?”

“I told her that I loved the rings she was wearing.”

Charlotte’s lips edged down slightly in consideration. Huh. Not bad. “Attention to her hands – great.”

A beautiful smile flashed over Sutton’s face. Just for a second. “Thank you! She told me that she thought my hair was beautiful.”

Oh, that fucking feeling – edgy and tight – slashed through her, flicking her own eyes to Sutton’s hair. Indeed, beautiful. Falling over Sutton’s pale shoulders, it looked so fucking soft. Looking at it for too long made Charlotte’s fingers itch to reach up and card her fingers through it, just wanting to know if it was as soft as it looked.

Gritting her jaw, she blinked herself out of that. “That’s a good sign,” she managed, shaking her head.

It was a good sign.

Sutton nodded, rolling her lips. “Yeah, I thought so. Aaaand then she asked about my hairdresser. So, I gave her the number of my salon. And then she told me about how she is wanting to get her hair done soon, because she is positive her boyfriend is going to propose any day now, and she wants to be ready for pictures. And the conversation ended soon after,” Sutton finished, dourly.

Charlotte’s laughter barked out of her before she could even think to stop it, chuckling harder than she had in… a while.

“Laugh it up. That’s fair,” Sutton sighed out.

Charlotte managed to tame her laughter slightly. “No, no – that’s… you did well. That wasn’t your fault; you couldn’t have known.”

Sutton put her elbow on the bar, leaning her chin against her fist, as she stared beseechingly at her. “It really is awful. How am I ever supposed to know if a woman is actually interested in me or if she simply thinks my hair looks nice? Is this how people become incels? Oh my god, am I an incel?”

Her eyes widened in alarm, and Charlotte realized in that moment – she wasn’t the only one of them that had already finished her drink.

And still she laughed again, and she reached out, gently brushing Sutton’s hair back from her shoulder in comfort – god, yes. It was as soft as it looked.

Maybe softer.

She stroked the strands between her thumb and index finger for a moment, as she assured, “You are not an incel, sweet girl. If you really didn’t want to be celibate…” She eyed Sutton up and down, before she breathed out, “Trust me, you wouldn’t be.”

“Charlotte.”

This ease that had settled inside of her – both warm and hot in equal measure – flattened into displeasure at the voice behind her.

She dropped her hand from Sutton, turning to aim a sharply arched eyebrow at none other than Vanessa Logan.

It was the only reason Charlotte could remember her by only the sound of her voice, because she’d also heard it so many times on television.

She clenched her jaw, irritation slashing through her. But they were in public, so Charlotte wasn’t about to create any sort of scene. “Vanessa,” she greeted back, curtly. “Good to see you.”

“Oh, you’re Vanessa Logan,” Sutton said, her eyes wide with realization as they flicked between Charlotte and Vanessa.

And, of course, Charlotte could never forget that Vanessa violating their NDA was the reason Sutton had found out about her in the first place. Obviously Sutton hadn’t forgotten that, either.

Vanessa was painfully attractive, something Charlotte wouldn’t try to deny, even despite their issues. She had a face that was absolutely made for television, and it came as no shock to Charlotte she’d been able to climb into a mainstream host on a talk show relatively early in her career.

She turned her full wattage smile to Sutton, looking camera-ready. “Yes, nice to meet you…?” She trailed off, offering her hand.

Sutton glanced between Vanessa and Charlotte once more, clearly unsure of what direction to take this. She tentatively returned the handshake, keeping it brief. “Sutton.”

No full name, no further description… Charlotte’s lips ticked up in appreciation, as she felt a hit of pride course through her. Good for Sutton for reading this room well, in spite of the oddness of it.

“Mhm,” Vanessa hummed back at Sutton, dismissively, before looked back at Charlotte. “I’m glad to run into you. Surprised, really surprised, but… glad. I wanted to be able to really apologize to you.”

“The meeting with my legal team was apology enough,” she stated, not backing down from her hard stare.

But, truly, who the fuck broke an NDA – one that Vanessa, for the first time in all of Charlotte’s many NDAs, had initiated?

Vanessa rolled her lips and drew in a breath through her nose. “I see. All right.” She flicked her eyes to Sutton, then back again. “Have a good night.”

Charlotte merely hummed back at her, and felt this tension rolling through her until Vanessa was out of her sight.

As she turned back to the bar, she reached out and pushed her half-full glass away; she definitely didn’t need any more of that.

“I think I’m done here,” she stated, definitively. “It no longer feels like much of a safe zone.”

Because no, she didn’t want to be approached again, not by Vanessa or anyone else from her past. Even here, where they were guaranteed privacy.

“I think that’s a great idea,” Sutton immediately agreed, before she seemed to catch herself, biting her lip as she watched Charlotte.

She flagged down the bartender and gestured to end the tab Dean had started. God only knew Dean was long gone by now with Caleb, who knew where?

“Do you… want to hang out?” Sutton asked. “I didn’t really have anything for dinner. We could get something to eat?”

Charlotte hesitated, weighing her options.

Maybe it wasn’t a good idea. Maybe.

But… they were out tonight, already. It was the first time she’d come out in what felt like forever, and it was also – as Sutton had told her – the first time for Sutton to be out and having fun, too.

And, no. She didn’t want it to end, yet.

“Yes. Let’s.”

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