Popcorn Love (24 page)

Elena’s heart raced, and both women’s breathing
audibly quickened as they drew together like magnets. The air
inside the car turned thick and hot as the heat radiating off of
them filtered through it and caused small droplets of sweat to bead
at their temples and on their palms.

Allison nodded as she scooted a little closer, her
nose brushing Elena’s again. “Yeah,” she whispered again. “We
should—”

Elena devoured Allison’s words before the sentence
could ever be finished. They both moaned softly, little whimpers
escaping their throats as they met in a kiss, just as fiery as the
first. Fingers itched against moist palms before finding their way
up arms and slender necks and twisting into hair.

Their lips slid together in perfect harmony as they
touched one another gently, almost reverently. Their hands explored
tentatively and the press of their mouths cycled experimentally
from soft to hard to something that was somehow both. Elena reveled
in it, in the innocent heat of that moment.

When they parted, a shy smile played at Allison’s
lips. “I thought you wanted to talk.”

Elena smirked. “Among other things.”

Shaking her head, Allison laughed and said, “So, I
know you gotta go, but can we talk soon? I mean, will I see you
again soon?”

“I would like that,” Elena agreed.

Their hands slipped down one another’s arms before
slim fingers laced together.

“Me too.” Allison waggled her eyebrows and poked
Elena’s side. “I guess I should go then before my sheer animal
magnetism has you dragging me into the backseat.”

“Oh yes. Do relieve me of the terrible temptation,
dear.”

“I’ll see you soon,” Allison said. She pecked Elena’s
lips once more before hopping out of the car and bending down to
wave through the open window.

Elena nodded. “You certainly shall.”

* * *

“We kissed,” Elena blurted as soon as Vivian answered
the phone. “Twice. Well, more than twice, but basically twice.”

Vivian squealed like a thirteen-year-old girl,
needing no further information to know what Elena was talking
about.

“Do try not to burst my eardrums, Viv.”

“Sorry. I freaked out, but I am drowning in my
excitement over here! It actually worked!”

Vivian smacked a hand over her mouth, realizing what
she’d said, but it was too late to take it back.

“
What
actually worked, Vivian?”

“Uh, that’s not important right now.” Vivian waved a
dismissive hand, even though Elena couldn’t see her.

“
Vivian
,” Elena hissed, and Vivian let out a
heavy sigh. She knew there was no distracting Elena or getting her
to drop the issue. She assumed she would eventually have to tell
her anyway.

“Fine. But please keep in mind that all of what I am
about to tell you led to this wonderful lesbian love you’re feeling
right now.”

“
Vivian
!”

Vivian confessed in one rushed exhalation: “I may
have purposely set you up on specific dates to steer you in
Allison’s direction.”

“
Excuse me
?” Elena asked. “What
exactly
do you mean?”

“Uh, well, how much time do you have?” Vivian
asked.

“I am headed into the office,” she said. “You will
meet me there and explain yourself.”

“What?” She glanced around her office. “Elena, I
can’t. I have to work too, you know.” This was not the entire
truth. Her team was more than capable of handling her
responsibilities in her absence.

“Is that supposed to deter me from demanding your
presence?” Elena’s voice drawled over Vivian’s phone. “Because
honestly Vivian, I believe you can do much better in the way of
excuses.”

“You’re probably right.” Vivian knew it was pointless
to argue or deny anything. “But I haven’t been awake that long, so
my creativity is lacking.”

“Then shall we bypass the nonsense and simply agree
that you will be in my office within the hour?” Her tone of voice
made it obvious that her words were more of a command than a
request.

“Uh, well, let’s see,” Vivian began but was quickly
cut off by a loud and enduring sigh. She could hear the anger in
that sigh.

Elena was not the type of person to hash things out
over the phone. She liked to be face to face, if for no other
reason than that she could be much more intimidating in person—what
with her power suits and her authoritative stances, her sharp
enunciations and her icy glares.

“Vivian Abigail Warren, do
not
test me. I
haven’t a clue as to what
exactly
you have done, but I
believe I can safely assume from your willingness to avoid me at
all costs that I am not going to like it. As such, I suggest you be
more agreeable, because I can guarantee that if you are not in my
office within the next hour and with a perfect explanation for
whatever it is you’ve done, you shall surely be sorry.”

Vivian snorted with laughter even though she could
tell Elena was seriously angry. Her friend’s speech got even more
severe when she was angry—long, harshly enunciated sentences and a
threat or two tossed in. Still, Vivian couldn’t help pushing her
buttons sometimes. “Oh? What are you going to do to me, Elena?
Disinvite me from Christmas dinner this year?”

“Worse.” Vivian could hear Elena locking her car and
making her way toward the elevator. “I doubt you would even want me
to say it over the phone.”

“Damn.” Vivian sighed, tapping her nails against her
desk. Give me a hint.” They had a tendency to play horribly
embarrassing pranks when they were upset with each other. “Like,
would it be worse than the time you abandoned me at that gala with
the buck-toothed guy that kept spitting on me when he spoke and so
I lied and told everyone that you left because you had
diarrhea?”

“I still cannot believe you did that.” Elena groaned.
“And yes, much worse.”

“Shit. I’ll be over in around twenty minutes
depending on traffic.”

“Wise choice.”

* * *

As soon as the elevator jolted to a stop and the
metal doors pulled apart, Elena tore through the office, her heels
clicking furiously as she went. Various workers flitted around the
busy environment, several ducking out of her way as she lit a fire
through the room with her pace. They had all seen her in a mood,
and none wanted to provide her any reason to direct her fury at one
of them.

They peeked over their cubicles or gawked at her from
behind papers, printers, and coffee cups. Some even whispered
behind their hands as she passed, likely wondering what had set her
off. Elena had a reputation for being a bit of a hard-ass at work,
though she knew her employees respected her completely; well, most
of them did.

She was demanding. She liked to assert her authority
but she was also fair. She offered her employees massive bonuses
during holidays, an adequate number of sick days, constructive
feedback on their ideas and designs, even if they were of a poorer
quality, and enduring respect. She rarely stooped to verbal blows
with an employee, though it was common knowledge to stay out of her
way if she entered the office with steam practically spewing out of
her ears—much like today.

“I suggest you all stop gawking!” Elena snatched a
cup of coffee from her personal assistant, who shot to her side as
soon as she came off the elevator. “These shows do not run
themselves, nor do the lines design themselves! I want sketches on
my desk within the hour and pitches scheduled before lunch! This is
a place of business, people, not a goddamned zoo. Get to work!”

Elena rarely cursed, but she was hardly in the mood
for people’s staring or whispering today. She had begun her morning
in complete bliss, only to have it possibly shattered by whatever
it was her best friend would soon be confessing.

The entire floor exploded into activity at her words.
Nearly every walking, breathing creature in the room spiraled into
action—running back to their desks and jumping into their work. The
place was like a swarming cloud of bees, all of them spilling back
into their hive.

A few attempted to wish her a good morning, to which
she merely nodded, and then, of course, Wendy, the resident
suck-up, popped in front of her.

“Good morning, Ms. Vega!” she said. “You look
wonderful today. I’m loving this ensemble. Classy yet spicy. It’s
fabulous.”

Elena arched a brow at the woman. “A spicy Latina?
How original of you, Wendy.”

Wendy deflated on the spot before slinking off to her
desk.

Elena paid the hive no further mind as she glanced
over the various papers handed to her by her assistant. When they
reached her personal office, Elena crossed to her desk and dropped
the files onto its surface, along with her coffee. She handed her
jacket to her assistant, who hung it on the rack in the corner and
closed the office door.

“Bad morning?”

“Strangely enough, Darla, no,” Elena replied, “but
possibly worsening by the second.”

“Would you like an aspirin?”

“No, no, dear.” She shook her head as she moved to
stand in front of the massive transparent wall of windows. She
propped her hands on her hips and sighed as she gazed out on the
enormous city she had always called home. The view calmed her.

“Vivian will be dropping by within the hour,” she
said. “She and I will need a bit of time to discuss a rather
important and private matter. Thus, I will need you to secure the
pitch board by the time she arrives, and make sure I have no
pitches scheduled before ten. Rearrange them if you have to, and if
Elliot fights you on it, which he undoubtedly will, tell him that I
have already reviewed his designs and have sent him an email with
my thoughts. Then, schedule
his
pitch last.”

Darla smirked as she made a note in her pocketbook.
“He’s not going to like that.”

“Precisely,” Elena replied with a wicked grin. “I
could use the amusement today.”

Darla chuckled. “Shall we review your messages now
then or would you like to wait until after Vivian leaves?”

“Let’s hold off.” Elena dropped into her cushy black
chair and tapped her mouse to wake her computer from hibernation
mode. “I have several emails to attend to first, unless there is
anything pressing?”

“Nothing pressing, ma’am,” Darla told her, which
instantly earned her a pointed look from her boss. “Sorry. Nothing
pressing,
Elena
.”

Elena smiled. “Six months, and I still have yet to
break you of that habit.”

“I’m working on it.” Darla laughed and turned to
leave Elena’s office, then whirled back around. “Oh wait.”

“Yes?”

“There was a message about the newest model for the
Spring Social line,” Darla informed, tapping her pen against her
pocketbook. “Her agents would like confirmation that her new
contract will be sent over with the included adjustments that were
agreed upon prior to her first formal fitting and shoot.”

“When is the fitting?”

“In two weeks.”

“Very well, yes.” Elena nodded as she clicked to open
her email inbox. “Have legal send the adjusted contract, and,
Darla, have them double-check to ensure that the particular caveats
we discussed are included and clear prior to sending.”

“Will do,” Darla said, making another note in her
pocketbook. “I’ll head down to legal then. I should be back within
the hour.”

“Thank you, dear.” Elena scanned through her emails
as Darla quietly exited her office.

As soon as the door closed, Elena’s eyes shot to the
clock on her desk. She had been in the office only fifteen minutes,
which meant Vivian would hopefully be arriving soon. Not knowing
was driving Elena mad.

* * *

Allison was surprised to discover her roommate’s
absence when she finally tore herself away from Elena’s awesome
car, and Elena’s intoxicating scent, and Elena’s soft hands, and
Elena’s perfect mouth, and returned to her dorm. Then she
remembered that Macy switched from her evening literature course on
Fridays to the early morning time-slot on Wednesdays. She liked
going out on Friday nights too much to spend those evenings trapped
in a three-hour class that did nothing but bore her to tears.

Allison grumbled, disappointed. She needed someone to
dish to but resigned herself to getting ready for the day. After a
quick shower, she threw on some clothes, grabbed her books, and
headed out into the quad. She had a nine a.m. seminar she would
actually be early for. However, when she reached the auditorium
where the seminar was held, she found nothing more than a stark,
white piece of printer paper taped to the door and marked with a
bold-faced notice:

“For reals?” Allison groaned. She had walked all the
way across campus for this class. Great. She pulled out her cell
and checked to see if she had gotten an email notification of the
cancellation and had simply overlooked it, but there was
nothing—her inbox was empty. “The hell, Dr. Warner?” She glared at
the notice. “This is what friggin’
email
is for!”

She trudged back to her dorm and collapsed onto her
bed. She had a good four hours before her next class, so she closed
her eyes and tried to force her brain to quiet long enough for her
to get a good nap in. Only about thirty minutes passed, though,
before the door burst open and Macy popped into the room, kicking
the door closed behind her so that it slammed, all loud enough to
wake Allison. She jerked up with a snort, wiping at her mouth.

“Oh, sorry mate.” Macy laughed and tossed a
red-and-white paper bag onto Allison’s bed. “Didn’t know you were
sleeping.”

“What’s this?” Allison asked, reaching for the
bag.