"That's quite the honor," the doctor responded, typing the toxicology report. The detective smirked at her diligence.
"It's black tie," Jane added.
"We will need to get your uniform pressed," Maura stated, eyes still on the report.
The brunette shifted and leaned over the desk, weight heavy on her hands, slated in a domineering stance. She spoke, voice low and raspy, "The only 'pressing' my uniform should experience is against you, Doctor Isles."
Who did she think she was, that Bethany. Sure, it was great Chloe had made friends at the vet clinic but did that mean Chloe needed to hangout with them three times a week?
Beca huffed as she absentmindedly clicked through her premade loops. She looked at her phone for the seventh time in the past thirty minutes; still no response to her inquiry about what Chloe was doing after work.
Ugh, she outwardly grunted and repeatedly clicked the start of the loop over and over again. She was frustrated, she felt ignored.
"Easy there, Pitch, you're gonna start a fire with that finger," Amy scolded.
Beca glared at her before reaching for her phone. She opened Snapchat. There, Chloe had posted to her story. Beca, perplexed she hadn't received a snap directly, pressed the redhead's icon. The image covered the screen and Beca's jaw dropped. Chloe's recently manicured feet rested in the lap of the brunette woman she had been spending time with. The caption, movie night, sat in the lower corner while bubbling hearts emitted from the very large, flatscreen TV.
Ice and fire flooded Beca's veins.
"Are you fucking kidding me," she shouted at the screen. She snatched off her headphones and threw them on the desk. She scoffed loudly and stood abruptly. Slamming her laptop closed, she reached for her bag and began packing.
"Jeez what's got your panties in a bunch?" Amy asked from the kitchen, bowl of noddles in her hand.
"Nothing," Beca spat.
Amy eyed her skeptically, "ehhhhh."
"Don't," Beca demanded as she slung the satchel of over her body.
"Mmmhhhh," Amy changed pitch.
"Amy!"
"You saw her snap didn't you?"
"She didn't ask if I wanted to tag along."
"You don't even like movies, Beca," Amy reminded her.
Beca didn't have a retort.
"You've got a bit of something on your face," the Australian said, taking a step closer to Beca.
Beca wiped at her face and looked at her palm. Nothing. She did it again.
"It's right there," Amy pointed, entering her personal space. "It's green."
Jealousy.
Beca slapped away Amy's hand and gave her a death glare. After a beat she stepped back and opened the door.
"Where you headed, Shortstack?" Amy asked unfazed.
"Out." Slam!
She raised an eyebrow and took another bite of noddles.
Later that week, Chloe sat at the front desk in the clinic, Bethany to her right. Both women typed away on the keys. The front door bell sounded.
"Welco- Beca!" Chloe nearly shot up out of her chair. "Hi!" That smile again.
"Would you like to go out?" Beca blurted as though she was commenting on the weather.
Chloe knitted her brows in confusion, the words not processing. "Like a date?" She heard herself ask.
"Yes."
Beca's breath stopped as she was met with a brilliant smile.
"I'd love to." It was Beca's turn to smile. "When?"
"How about now?" Bethany interjected, a sly grin on her lips. "I'll cover."
Silence.
"I'm serious, go!"
Chloe sprung from her chair and grabbed her bag.
"Oh my God, thank you, Beth! Really thank you."
"You're welcome."
Chloe slipped her arm into Beca's, snuggling close as they turned to leave. "Tell Kelly I owe her one."
They two left arm in arm, heading towards the metro.
"Who's Kelly?" Beca asked.
"Bethany's wife."
Beca stopped in her tracks. The green evaporated from her body as the realization came. It had been a set-up.
"Come on," Chloe tugged. Beca pouted for a moment, narrowing her gaze. Chloe rolled her eyes.
"Drop it," she stepped close, brushing her lips against Beca's ear. "And maybe I'll let you watch me change."
Chloe had the passenger-side window fully opened. The wind danced and played happily with her loose curls; now a strawberry blonde— Beca would point out—ever since Chloe had begun spending so much time out in the sun.
It had been nearly four years since the USO Tour and the two women had actively pursued their respective careers. Beca, a professional music producer living in LA, was on the rise, listed on Forbes 30 Under 30 list to watch while Chloe was in the last year of veterinarian school. The older woman had been traveling across the country working on her practicum at dude ranches for the humane handling of steers and horses.
Currently, Beca and her were on a ten and a half hour road to Trinity Center, a popular ranching region in Northern California. Beca slouched in the driver's seat, city slicker attire replaced with a tank top, unbuttoned flannel shirt, and faded skinny jeans. Her hair was tamed with French-braided pigtails, thanks to her counterpart riding shotgun. Chloe wore a pair of cut off sweats, a loose cotton T-shirt, and sports bra; a rest from her typical jean clad cowboy attire, hat included—which Beca had not been able to get over.
They were six hours in, having stopped once for lunch and a stretch. The proposed road trip masquerading as a "break from the city" Beca claimed she needed before starting her next project.
In reality, it was an excuse to continue her time with Chloe and their pseudo relationship.
Amy had called them out within the Bella thread, dubbing their relationship as "sandpapering": neither needed for the whole project (relationship) but there to finish each other off. Neither ever fought her about the term. It was oddly accurate to how they were. Both were significantly important to the other but unwilling to give up or hinder the other's endeavors to make a true relationship work. They figured their true time together had come and gone but at least they could enjoy each other's company before the next "right" person stumbled along. They were also "idiots" according to the Aussie, and, on occasion, a drunk Aubrey Posen.
Checking over to the brunette, Chloe spoke.
"Need a break?"
"Yeah," Beca answered honestly. "Wouldn't mind setting my eyes on a different stretch of ass-phalt." She gave a side glance. Chloe giggled and rolled her eyes.
They were minutes outside of Sacramento, Capitol city of California, when Chloe sweet talked the smaller woman into stopping for a photo at the Tower Bridge. She needed new photos for her desk once she returned to New York.
"Didn't you get enough photos when you were in Oklahoma and Montana," Beca poked as she put the Subaru into park.
"Well yeah," Chloe replied, unbuckling her seatbelt, "none of them have you in them." She smirked and slipped out of the car.
Beca eyed her coyly before exiting the driver's seat. She stretched and popped her back.
The two made their way over to the bank and positioned themselves to have the bridge in the background. They cuddled, cheek to cheek, and snapped a series of photos. Some modeleque, some with smiles, Beca even planted a kiss to Chloe's temple in the last one.
They didn't waste too much time after the photos. They grabbed another round of food and reloaded in the car. Chloe took the driver's seat, Beca the passenger.
They drove, fries and chicken tenders in hand, and lap. Chloe held her tenders on her thigh while her fries sat between her legs. Beca used the dashboard to hold her tenders while she devoured the last of her fries.
"I should have gotten a larger serving," Beca commented with a full mouth.
"You always say that," Chloe retorted.
Beca eyed the cup between Chloe's legs.
"Don't even think about it," Chloe challenged.
There was a beat before the brunette shot her hand to covet the redhead's fries.
"No!" Chloe shrieked and grabbed Beca's wrist.
They fought for a brief second until the cup tumbled to the floorboard.
"Becaaa!" Chloe whined.
"Oops."
The taller woman huffed and the ride became quiet. Beca wiped her she mouth and cleaned off her hands.
"I'm sorry," Beca finally broke the silence.
Chloe offered a dissatisfied hmph.
It took Beca all but a second to plan her next course of action. She shifted closer to her driver and reached over, placing her right hand on Chloe's thigh. She leaned in and whispered seductively into Chloe's ear.
"I can make it up to you." She trailed her fingertips up and down the exposed skin.
A raised eyebrow questioned Beca's ability.
"Hmm?" Beca implored, rubbing small circles close to the apex of Chloe's legs.
Subtly, Chloe opened her legs, granting the producer access. Beca smirked, almost giddily, and cupped the redhead fully. Chloe gasped but kept her eyes on the road. She cleared her throat and pretended the desired effect hadn't happened. Slowly, Beca began kneading, adding pressure to Chloe's mound through her shorts.
The smallest of whimpers left the redhead's throat.
Beca traversed her hand up and down knowingly, touching Chloe more fully, Chloe spread her legs a little wider.
Beca bit her lip as she stole a glance to Chloe's face, cheeks now flushed with excitement. Looking back down, Beca's adjusted her right hand to toy at the hem of Chloe's sweats.
"Mmmm," Beca moaned, fingertips brushing skin. Chloe arched into the touch.
The faction of moment led Beca to dip below the fabrics and come into contact with wet, warm silk.
"Oh my," Beca teased.
Chloe was still aroused from their morning sex, as her essences easily coated Beca's fingers.
Chloe pressed her hips forward trying to gain more contact. Beca surprised her by dipping two fingers into her wetness.
"Ohh," Chloe groaned at the sensation as it covered her body with electricity.
Languidly, Beca moved in and out of the woman next to her, glancing at the road before returning her attention to Chloe's face. She moved her thumb to play with her clit. Chloe's mouth opened in a silent moan as her grip on the steering wheel tightened.
The pace Beca set began to increase, Chloe's mewls and moans spurring her on. It was at the next mile marker that Beca's movements boarded "dangerously distracting" as she feverishly pleasured Chloe. She could feel the woman's wall clenching around her fingers and the sounds emitting from all parts of the redhead's body were indicating she was close.
"Oh fuck," Chloe hissed. "Don't stop," she demanded, her own hand coming to grab Beca's thigh.
"Shit," she gave another moan and arched.
"Oh, God, Beca," Chloe panted as her orgasm shook her. Beca watched on in awe.
A few moments later, and many miles below the speed limit, Chloe cleared her throat, urging the woman to remove her fingers. The brunette removed them and brought them to her mouth.
"Am I forgiven?"
"For what?" Chloe teased satiated.
Beca smiled and sucked a finger clean.
"Oh and by the way," the producer added with a glint of smugness in her eyes as she smacked her lips. "I'll be staying at Coffee Creek if you'd like seconds."
She met the wide eyes of the redhead with a smirk and winked.
Beca sat slumped in her couch, nursing another whiskey and coke, flipping through the channels. No quality content for 8pm on a Sunday. She should have gone out with the rest of the crew but she really needed some "me" time.
Her phone buzzed and illuminated on the coffee table. She glanced down and saw Stacie on the text ID. Sliding open the message several little bumble bees danced around the screen. The three dots showed indicating Stacie was typing more.
Stacie: *bumble bee emoji*
Stacie: B
Stacie: B!
Stacie: !
Beca: WHAT
Stacie: Get your hand out of your pants and get down here!
Beca rolled her eyes before taking another sip of her whiskey and responded.
Beca: Nah
Stacie: But drinks! *martini glass emoji*
Beca: I've got one, thanks
Stacie: LOL ONE! That's rich, Beca!
Beca: Hey I'm a grownup I can have more than one.
Stacie: You're sorely missing out
Beca: In this heat!? Nope don't think so
Stacie: Just wear less clothes
Beca: Doesn't work for me *shrug emoji*
The brunette took a deep breath, the whiskey slowly seeping into her, coaxing her into the beginnings of intoxication.
Racking her brain, Beca tried to decipher her text clues.
Stacie: *whip emoji*
Beca: *owl emoji*
Stacie: Aubrey
Beca: shut the fuck up
Stacie: I *poop emoji* U NOT
The image loaded to Beca's text window. Low and behold there was Stacie, arm slung over the blonde, both smiling into the camera. Aubrey's head rested cozily against Stacie's, their eyes shining with excitement and martinis.
Stacie: LOOK
Beca: I see! Tell her I say what's up loser
There wasa pause in the woman's messaging, giving Beca a moment to think of some good comebacks.
Stacie: "Bite me"
Beca: Pass.
A new message alert popped at the top of Beca's screen.
Chloe Beale
Beca blinked and instantly touched her name.
Chloe: Hi!
Beca: Hey yourself
Chloe: Glad I didn't wake you.
Beca: Chlo, it's 8. And you know I don't sleep
Chloe: I still have a difficult time remembering the time zones.
Stacie Conrad
Beca switched between her two conversations.
Stacie: She's got news!
Beca: she pregnant?
Chloe Beale
Chloe: I helped deliver a calf today. Something I never thought I'd get the opportunity. It was awe-inspiring. It has the most beautiful, big, brown eyes.
Beca: Awww. So beauty *smile emoji*
Stacie Conrad
Stacie: Guess who's staying out at their new facility to help train!
Beca: *blonde woman emoji*
Stacie: *bell emoji*
Stacie: Guess who's gonna come stay with her!
Chloe Beale
Chloe: I really liked your last release. Shawn's got such an emotional grasp on his singing.
Beca: Thanks! He's such a blessin to work with too
Maura sat in her bed, propped up, printed journal in one hand, pen in the other. Her eyes traversed over the overused jargon and charts when the sound of someone in the kitchen finally drew her attention away from her feigned attempt to make sense of the paragraph. She listened, thinking it was Angela.