"Hey Sarah!" a petite looking woman called as she approached her boss' desk.
"Yeah", the blonde replied without looking up.
"What happened?" the younger woman asked,
"What happened when?" Sarah asked finally looking up to meet the woman's face.
"On Saturday. Why didn't you come in? All I got was a text saying you were taking the day off," she replied.
"Oh, yeah, I went out with Jack and ...a friend" the blonde stopped, not sure what to call Regina.
"What friend?"
"No one, just someone Jack met" Sarah said
"Jack has a girlfriend?"
"What?! No!" Sarah laughed. "Her name is Regina and she's not Jack's girlfriend. She's just a new friend. Now, can we go back to you telling me what I missed Andy?"
"Well boss lady, you didn't miss much, just a couple of appointments that I rebooked for today and tomorrow. The rest I took care of" Andrea smiled.
Sarah had owned the bail bond's person company for years now, she didn't go out on the field as much anymore because of Jack but she had been lucky enough to find herself an amazing and competent team that respected and treated each other like family. Andrea had been her assistant and secretary for a year now and she knew she could trust her completely with her work and her personal life. She just wasn't sure where her personal life stood at the moment, not with the thoughts of a certain brunette lurking.
After her appointment later that afternoon, Sarah got into her KIA and drove home, Regina and her perfection dominating her mind. She hadn't seen or heard from the brunette since their day at the stables and for some reason she didn't understand, she couldn't figure out why that bothered her considering the fact that she'd only met the woman twice.
Sarah let herself into her apartment and headed for her liquor cabinet in the kitchen. She poured herself a glass of scotch and sat on her couch, phone in hand. She had for some reason saved/kept the woman's number with her and before she knew it she was typing a message to her.
Regina sat on her bed in her hotel room trying to concentrate on the book she was reading when her phone vibrated from her dresser. She reached out for it and immediately smiled when she saw who the text message was from :
"Miss Smith..." the text read.
Sarah sat there wondering whether the other woman would even see her message in the first place. She didn't know her well enough to understand her schedule yet here she was, half drunk and texting a woman who was no more than a stranger to her.
The vibrating of her phone jolted Sarah from her thoughts and to her surprise, the woman's name appeared on the screen with a reply under it :
"Yes Miss Bennett, How may I help you?" Sarah couldn't help but imagine Regina's voice saying those words to her and she smiled, typing her response immediately.
"I just wanted to apologize for what I asked that day at the stables. I didn't mean to pry or make you uncomfortable in any way, that was never my intention"
Regina's phone vibrated a few seconds later with the newest response from the blonde. A mixture of emotions ran through her face and thoughts through her mind. She had no idea her reaction had caused the other woman so much distress and a part of her felt genuinely awful about it. She immediately texted Sarah,
"I'm sorry if I made you feel like I was uncomfortable or anything of that sort. Its just not a subject I like discussing at all. But I'm okay, you don't have to feel guilty about asking" Regina assured her.
A minute later :
"Well in that case, let me make it up to you either way. Come have dinner at the apartment with me and Jack. It'd be nice to eat a home cooked meal once in a while. I'm sure you haven't done that since you arrived in the city and started staying at the hotel"
"Ok" Regina found herself replying. "I could use the fresh air"
A couple hours later Sarah's door bell rang. She tensed as she made her way to her to the door. Regina Smith stood on Sarah's front stoop, looking a tad frazzled. Sarah's brow furrowed as she pulled the door open. The other woman wore a black suit with very subtle pinstripes and big silver buttons on the jacket. Sarah figured that it was a traditional jacket and a skirt with black stockings underneath the short skirt. Her creamy blouse was unbuttoned enough to show off a tan expanse of collarbone and the tiniest tease of cleavage. Sarah bit her lip when she recalled the short exchange they'd had that morning before they'd left for the ranch and she almost gasped. Did anybody have the right to be that damn good looking? That sexy? Wasn't it dangerous? Shouldn't there be a law of some kind? When she glanced up, Regina was looking right at her, those deep melted-chocolate eyes sparkling even as the silence between them ensued. Then she cleared her throat.
"Umm... welcome Miss Smith" Sarah said shortly after she realized that she'd been staring the whole time. She blushed as she ushered the older woman into her dining area.
"Regina..." she smiled. "And thank you. You have a lovely home" Regina said as she took a sit.
"Thank you." Sarah said, returning the brunette's smile. "So how has your stay in the city been?" she asked, handing her guest a glass of wine and trying her best not to sound too curious or inquisitive.
"Its been okay. I've been keeping busy. That helps a lot" She lied. "What about you? How have you and Jack been? Is he in?"
"Um, no. Not yet, he's still at school, though he should have been here already" Sarah said, mostly to herself than the other woman. She then picked up her phone from her pocket. "Looks like I missed this," she continued. "He will be staying with his teacher to help her out with some school stuff. She'll drop him off after he's had dinner" Sarah said, returning her phone to her pocket and turning to face the woman sitting comfortably at her dining table.
"I'm sorry. I should have confirmed with him earlier. I'm sure he would have been here in a heartbeat if He knew you were visiting" Sarah said, already feeling the tension build at the realization that she might be stuck alone with the gorgeous Miss Smith for the next few hours.
"I was looking forward to seeing him too", Regin replied. "and you" she continued.
Sarah swallowed at the woman's words. She blushed and averted her gaze to the glass in her hand. She didn't know how to respond to that so she said the next thing that came to mind, "um, food?"
"Yeah, sure. I'll help you set the table" Regina said, smirking at the blonde's blushing face.
Time went by fast when you were having a good time. Before they knew it, it was already getting dark and Regina was shrugging into her coat that had been hanging on her chair, with Sarah walking behind her as they made it out the door.
"How did you get here? I'm sorry I forgot to ask" Sarah asked.
"I drove myself" Regina responded.
"Really?," Sarah asked mockingly. She found that hard to believe.
But to her surprise, Regina's car came to view as soon as they stepped out of the building and she slowed to indicate it was hers. Sarah followed her to the driver's side door; she could feel her behind her.
"I had such a good time tonight, Sarah," Regina said turning to face her. It was all she had before Sarah kissed her.
Regina's brain registered everything at once –Sarah's gentle hands cradling her face, her body pressing her back against the car, the way their slight height difference made her feel deliciously trapped between Sarah's body and her SUV, the softness of her lips on hers, the tang of wine still clinging to her mouth – and she had to focus hard to keep her from being completely overwhelmed. Overwhelmed, but in a good way. She wanted to remember everything she could about her first kiss with Sarah because she was certain it wouldn't be her last, she wouldn't let it be.
It wasn't a demanding kiss, but one of promise, of anticipation. One that was equal parts gentle and insistent. Her hands went up to settle on her waist, to pull Sarah's hips closer to hers, then to slide up under her leather jacket and feel the smoothly planed muscles of her back beneath the softness of her tank top.
She wanted more and she wanted to slow things down, both at the same time, and she somehow knew that Sarah felt the same way. She allowed her to deepen their kiss for several long seconds, relishing the taste and feel of Sarah's tongue as it touched hers, before she brought her hands around to her chest and pulled their mouths apart as gently as she could. One of them whimpered, but she wasn't sure who, and they stood there in the dark with their foreheads pressed together, each of them raggedly trying to catch their breath.
"My God!" Regina managed.
"I'll say."
"My God" She said again and she chuckled. She could feel Sarah playing with the ends of her hair, tickling the side of her neck, and goose bumps of pleasure broke out across her skin. Sarah rubbed her thumb across Regina's bottom lip and it took every ounce of strength she had left in her body to keep from sucking it into her mouth. She was certain that, if she pushed just a little, she would willingly and joyously have sex with her right there in front of her apartment, on the hood of her own car, and that knowledge both excited and mortified her. Cliché as it was, she had never felt such sexual compatibility with someone, ever. Not even with Nelson. Sarah and herself were going to be a bonfire in bed. She knew that beyond a shadow of a doubt. And as much as she wanted that more than anything, she was in love with Sarah and she wanted it to be more than just sex. She wanted Sarah to know who she really was.
Which was exactly why they needed to slow things down. She was afraid such heat would incinerate them both.
Her throat suddenly dry, she swallowed hard and tried to find her voice. And some logic when she spoke.
"Say Hi to Jack for me. Tell him I'll see him soon" she said as she got into her car and drove off.