A/N: more of that women involved in a sexual relationship stuff, so if you’re not into that sort of thing…how did you make it this far in the first place?

12: Angels and demons

Nicole awoke from a nap and smiled unconsciously, memories of what happened an hour earlier playing in her mind. Looking for a prolonged repeat, she began kissing on the copper neck that was temptingly close to her mouth. She dragged her tongue along the tantalizing throat, feeling Dane’s heartbeat under her curious tongue.

“Starting trouble again?” Dane asked in a sleepy tone, not opening her eyes. Her voice was playful and there was a smile tugging at her lips; she did not mind this sort of trouble in the least.

“I’m hoping I can finish it now,” Nicole replied in a seductive whisper. This got smoke-colored eyes to open and looked downward, noting the lustful expression embedded in emerald orbs.

“Don’t push yourself, Nick. You were exhausted. Taking the day off isn’t to exhaust you more, but to get you to rest,” the younger woman pointed out. “Besides, you might pass out halfway into this. Then we both lose!” The teasing grin on her face was precious, but it did not get the desired smile from her lover.

Nicole sighed, sounding defeated. “You’re right. I just…I want to make love to you…”

Dane sighed too because she did not get the reaction she wanted, but caressed her girlfriend’s shoulder to help lift her spirits. “Believe me, I want you too. I’d love nothing more than to spend the whole day making love to you, but we have to worry about your health first. Do you want some lunch?”

There was silence for a few moments. Hands wandered the somewhat soft form of Danny. Curious fingers traced ribs before going to Dane’s slightly pudgy sides. A smile settled on Nicole’s face as she played with Dane’s stomach and sides. She could not believe the weight that Dane put on in the few months that they had been living together. She recalled when Danny first started staying at the house and how she looked like she weighed less than a leaf, but she filled out now. She had small love handles poking out of her sides, which Nicole adored and she continued stroking Danny’s middle. Her fingers eventually wandered to the tattoos on her girlfriend’s abdomen.

“These are cute and so you,” Nicole commented. “Do you have any other tattoos I might have missed?”

Dane smiled. “I could tell you, but where’s the fun in that? Now, about lunch?”

“Can we just order something? I want to stay in bed and I want you to stay here too,” Nicole requested, hands still busy gliding over Danny’s torso. She was willing to bet that there were other tattoos, but it would be more fun if she discovered them on her own. It was something to look forward to, among other things.

“We can order. I’ll just have to get up to get it when it comes. So, you wanna watch some TV?”

Nicole nodded and scanned around for the remote for her bedroom television. She found it and turned the TV on to find something to watch. She curled back into Dane’s body while Dane was on the phone, ordering Chinese food. She did not have to ask Nicole what she wanted, knowing the lawyer’s preference already. She wrapped her arms around Nicole after she was done with that.

“Thank you, Danny,” Nicole said out of the blue.

Ebony eyebrows curled in, wrinkling a bronze forehead. “Why are you thanking me?”

“For taking care of me like no one else ever has, for loving me in a way no one else has… or will I hope.”

Dane leaned down and kissed Nicole’s forehead. “You make it very easy. Seriously, Nick, you’re the sweetest, kindest person I know. I can only hope to love you properly for as long as you’ll have me.”

“I’m going to have you forever, so you stop talking like I’m going to throw you out tomorrow. And you’re doing a damn good job in loving me. I hope you don’t change,” Nicole stated.

“I’m not going to change. Um…” Smoke-colored eyes glanced away for a moment, which caused a worried look to come over Nicole.

“What is it, Danny?” Nicole inquired in a soft tone.

“I’m kinda new at all of this talking and everything, so bear with me. But, I was just going to say…I wish you didn’t work late all the time anymore…”

Nicole nodded and now that Danny said something, she realized how unfair she had been being for their budding relationship. She was acting as if everything was still the same, but some things had changed. She had a responsibility to Danny as her girlfriend.

“I’m so sorry, Danny. I’ve been acting like we’re still roommates,” Nicole apologized, hugging Dane tightly and kissing her cheek.

“It’s okay…” Dane sounded almost child-like. She really did not want to add to her girlfriend’s troubles, but she wanted them to be able to spend time together. She liked being with Nicole so much and that feeling was what pushed her to bring up the subject.

“No, it’s not okay and I’m glad you said something. I will stop working so late. I promise. I’ll make this up to you too. Starting right now.”

Dane did not argue as Nicole went about making things up to her, starting with placing light kisses along her jaw line. Nicole worked her way on top of Dane, as she had done earlier, but she had no intention of surrendering that position this time around. She placed a deep kiss to Danny’s mouth, taking her breath away, before heading south, wanting to taste every piece of Dane.

The musician whimpered and squirmed as she felt gentle hands stroking her ribs and sides. Wet, tender kisses floated across her neck. Teeth bit down on her pulse, marking her as Nicole’s and she could only hope for more possessive marks, letting her know that she was desired, wanted, and loved. She wiggled a little more as an adoring tongue continued on it’s journey and traced a path between the valley of her breasts while hands wandered her abdomen.

“I like that you have some weight on you,” Nicole teased in a low tone. Her hands could not get enough of touching the taller woman, going over Dane’s abdomen and sides.

“Should start working out…” Dane whimpered because Nicole decided at that moment to place a long, loving kiss to her collar bone. Dane had gained a healthy amount of weight since staying with the lawyer and she had been aware of the slight bulge around her middle. She had not really cared, but now that she realized Nicole would be seeing her naked more often, she considered that she might want to start working out to have a cut body to show off. She wanted to look good for Nicole and to make sure that she would remain desirable to the attorney.

“No, you’re fine. I really do like it,” Nicole vowed and touched Danny’s abdomen as if she were worshipping the section, making her thoughts loud and clear that she really did like it.

Danny moaned from the attention and the sincerity in her girlfriend’s word. Dane moved, seeking out more of the loving touch as Nicole’s mouth continued on, as busy as her hands and just as vigil. She made her way slowly to Danny’s right breast, lovingly kissing every bit of the rise before making her journey to the center, the cherry on top. She captured the tip with generous lips and suckled so righteously that Danny hollered her name to the ceiling, trying to reach the angels in heaven from the sound of things.

“Nick!”

The auburn-haired woman smiled to herself and took a deep nip out of Dane’s flesh, earning another scream, and a nonsense word too. Enjoying the reaction where it seemed like she was zapping Dane of her ability to think properly, Nicole could not resist rolling the gem around in her mouth with her tongue. She switched sides after a while, treating the neglected mount with the same fervent attention. Dane was gone, grunting and groaning things that might have been words in other languages.

“I want to stay here forever…” Nicole thought. I want to love her forever.

While Nicole’s mouth did not seem to have any intention of leaving her breasts, her hands decided to tend to the rest of Dane. Her fingers were now on a pilgrimage, traveling to the center of all that was Danny. Affectionate digits curiously explored the blazing hot, moist altar that they planned to adore for all time. Dane pushed herself into Nicole’s hand, pleading for more with her body while her brain tried to remember words to really implore her lover.

“Nick…now…” Danny begged in a low breath. She was tempted to grab Nicole’s wrist and force her hand where she wanted it, but she managed to resist that impulse. In the past, she had done such things to plenty of girls, but right now, she instinctively knew it would be inappropriate and spoil the mood. So, she laid there, eyes pleading, body begging, but waiting for Nicole to do whatever she wanted.

“Patience, big dog,” Nicole whispered, smiling a bit. She wanted to keep going until Dane could not speak real words at all, so her fingers lightly traced the molten area that they were traversing.

“Gonna…die…” Dane was sure that she was going to die if Nicole kept teasing her. Her body wanted this, wanted Nicole in ways that she had never wanted anyone ever before. It was an intense throbbing that could only be relieved by the wonderful being on top of her. No one else would do and she imagined that no one else would ever do.

“Then I’ll take you to heaven, like you did for me,” the lawyer vowed before placing a sizzling, adoring kiss to the side of Danny’s breast.

Dane cried out as she thought Nicole finally put her out of her misery, two long fingers found their way into her center, but she soon found out that she was so wrong. Nicole began a deliberate, unhurried pace with her fingers, caressing Dane in a manner that was maddening for the musician. Nicole’s mouth, which was still attached to Dane’s breast, moved much like her fingers, painfully slow and amazingly hot. The musician began to swear in ways that would have made Nicole blush if only she was not focused solely on keeping Danny so passionately wound up. It would seem that Dane went from nonsense words to total profanity with some begging sprinkled in for good measure.

“Please, Nick. Please, Nick. Please, Nick…” Danny chanted like a prayer, going in time with each slow movement of Nicole’s hand. Despite the pace, Dane could feel pleasure all the way up to the roof of her mouth and she wanted so much more. Tears fell from the corners of her eyes, a mix of bliss and frustration.

Nicole said nothing, intent on bringing paradise to her lover, intent on worshipping Danny with all of her soul and letting Danny feel that through her touch. She wanted the musician to know that she was giving their relationship everything in her. She desired nothing more than for Dane to know that Danny owned everything that was in her. She belonged to Danny.

The redhead knew that she would not be able to ignore those pleas for long, but she tried her best. The delight surrounding her fingers was too much, the taste of the skin in her mouth was too great, everything was going to have to end soon for the simple fact that she wanted more. She wanted everything that was Danny and her hands and mouth gathered all she could before Dane’s body went into wild convulsions, letting her know that she had driven the younger woman to the point of no return. Danny had reached the nirvana that Nicole desperately wished to give her.

“Wow…” Dane muttered as she finally gained some control of herself after almost a minute. “That felt…different…” she muttered. Nicole certainly touched more inside of her than what was physical. She was glad that Nicole had stilled her fingers because she doubted that she would be able to survive that feeling a second time so close to the first.

“A good different?” Nicole asked, head resting against her new favorite place in the world, Dane’s breast.

“Great different. Thanks to you, I’m damn near certain I have a soul because I think you touched it. It might take a few more times like to confirm that, though,” the musician remarked with a tired smile. She could not believe that she just said that, but she wanted more. Apparently, making love had fried her brain, or at least her good senses because she was not sure if she would be able to live through that again...not until the euphoric feeling settled and her body came back down to Earth anyway.

Nicole smirked, looking sexy and confident. “I think I can oblige.”

Before Nicole could make good on her word, the doorbell rang, alerting them that their meals had arrived. Dane was about to move, but as she shifted, she moaned, reminding them of their positions. Nicole grinned at Dane before leisurely, teasingly sliding her fingers from their warm cocoon. The musician squirmed and whimpered, missing Nicole’s presence already.

“I’ll get the door,” Nicole stated while placing a gentle kiss to Dane’s cheek.

Danny only nodded; it was about all she could muster. She did manage a groan as Nicole took a moment to put her fingers in her mouth and lick them clean. Nicole then had the nerve to smile impishly at Dane, who was ready to leap out of the bed and take her girlfriend on the floor. Nicole seemed to know what Danny was thinking, so she quickly wrapped herself in her robe and then disappeared downstairs. By the time she returned, Dane’s mind had fully recovered and she had gotten enough of a second wind to sit up. The couple enjoyed a hot lunch in bed before cuddling together to watch some television.

Eventually, they did get out of bed to take showers. They were surprised that they were able to manage separate showers, knowing that they would never make it out of the shower if they took one together. Dane started on dinner while Nicole went to get the mail. The attorney smiled as she noticed one large envelope in the pile of mail and opened it first. She grinned wider and decided to share the news with Danny over dinner.

“I hope spaghetti is good for you,” Dane said as she brought two plates to the kitchen table.

“Spaghetti is fine, you know that,” Nicole replied, lightly slapping at Dane, who sat across from her. She then made a show of the mail in her possession.

An ebony eyebrow arched at the show. “What’s all that you got here?”

A monster grin spread onto Nicole face. “This, Miss Danny, is the mail.”

“I can see that. You don’t usually play around with it while we’re eating dinner. So, what’s the deal?”

“This…” Nicole held up the manila envelope. “…Is my first acceptance letter into a chemistry program at a grad school.”

“No way!” Danny’s mouth hit the floor. She did not think that Nick paid those applications any mind after she had to fill them out for the lawyer! She was quite happy to find out that she had been very wrong.

“Yes way. I’m not planning to go here, but I wanted you to see that I did send out the applications and hopefully the school I really want to go to will accept me for spring term. I’m going to be chemist one day, Danny,” Nicole promised with a smile that made her eyes shine.

The musician’s response to that was to rush to Nicole’s side of the table, gently cup her face, and proceed to kiss her senseless. While Nicole was left in a short daze from the long and deep show of affection, Dane planted several small pecks all over Nicole’s face. She did that until she was sure that she covered all of Nicole’s face with kisses and she then went back to her side of the table.

“Whoa…will I get that sort of treatment for all acceptance letters that come in?” Nicole asked. She could only hope that was the case.

“You’ll get all of that and more, just for existing.”

The smile that overtook the attorney’s face could not be helped and it lit up the entire room. “You are just too sweet.”

The fact was not disputed and dinner was eaten as usual. They retreated to the living room afterwards, as always. As the night drew on and bedtime came closer, Nicole was plagued by a thought.

“Danny?” Nicole turned to face the musician, who she was leaning against.

“Yes?” Danny replied, turning to lock eyes with her girlfriend.

“Um…will you sleep upstairs…tonight?” Nicole requested. She added the “tonight” at the last moment, hoping to remove any pressure that she might have placed on her girlfriend.

“Tonight and any other night you’ll have me,” Danny answered with a happy smile. Internally, she was playing the air-guitar from her joy.

They retired to Nicole’s bedroom a little after that. Dane stared at the bed as if she expected it to get up and run away. Nicole noticed and wondered if Danny was having second thoughts.

“You know…you could still go back to the den, if that’s what you want,” Nicole pointed out, hoping that her anxiety was not in her voice. It did not matter anyway since Danny could see her nervousness in her green eyes.

“It’s not that. I mean, I just know some people have a side of the bed they prefer and everything. Is there a side you want? I mean, it doesn’t matter to me and it’s your bed and everything,” Dane explained with a shrug. She could sleep anywhere…and had, so it really did not matter to her.

“It actually doesn’t matter to me either. I never really developed a favorite side of the bed…” Nicole replied with a shrug of her own. She thought that she might have at one point in time, but some partner probably took it and she learned to live with whatever side she got.

The two were quiet for a moment and then they both slid into the middle of the queen-sized bed. Dane settled on her back while pushing the pillows back; she was not used to sleeping with such headrests anymore. Nicole curled into Danny’s side, putting her head the copper shoulder and draping one arm across Dane’s torso. Dane put her arm around Nicole’s shoulders.

“Is this okay?” Dane asked.

“It’s perfect,” Nicole answered with a small yawn. “I’m glad you made me take the day off.”

“I’m glad too,” Dane admitted. They both needed it. They shared a deep goodnight kiss before drifting off into a peaceful sleep.

-----

Nicole walked into the office with a pep in her step and a smile on her face that people had not seen for over a month. Her coworkers watched her walk toward her office and they not sure what to make of her. They did have a few guesses, though, and they were not ashamed to talk about them…at least when Nicole was not in the room anyway.

“Good morning,” Nicole practically sang as she went by her assistant, who eyed her as if she had sprouted two heads.

The looked went totally by the attorney, who hummed as she went into her office. She set herself up to get to work, but as usual, before that could happen, someone came in begging for help. Nicole then did something shocking, she turned the person away—with a bright smile on her face while doing it!

“Wait…what?” her coworker asked as the words reached his brain. Nicole never said no to someone that needed her help!

“I don’t have time for that. I’ve got my own work to catch up on,” she pointed out; her voice still sounded like she was humming. She had lost a day of work after all…and what a day it was.

“But—” She shut that down before he even got passed that one word.

“Yes, I know it’ll only take a moment or something along those lines.” She waved him off. “You’ll have to solve the problem yourself, Ted. You can read as well as I can and you went to law school just like I did. In fact, you went to a better law school than I did, so you should be able to figure things out on your own. I have my own work to get to,” she stated soundly.

Her tone made her colleague, Ted, blink hard. Her voice left no room to argue and he was not sure if he had ever heard the tone before—not from her anyway. He backed out of the room, almost running into the next person that was about to come beg Nicole for help. Nicole turned that person away faster than anyone would have thought possible.

The auburn-haired woman was not going to be distracted. She was going to do her work and make sure she got home at a decent hour. She owed it to Danny. She was going to make sure to take care of Danny as best she could, just like Danny did with her.

She made good on her silent vow, leaving her office a little after five. She was able to make it home before six. She was smiling proudly and then she checked the mail, which only made her smile grow. She practically floated into the house.

“Danny, I’m home!” Nicole announced.

There was no response. The lawyer wondered if Danny was not even home yet. She was not too sure how the musician’s schedule worked…or if she had a real schedule at all. Whenever Dane talked about her day, everything seemed pretty random. She never did things at the same time consistently.

Nicole was not surprised to find Danny sleeping on the sofa. She decided to leave the musician there. She went to take her shower and get comfortable before she let Dane know that she was home early, and that she got another acceptance letter.

Dane shifted on the couch and her brain told her that she might want to wake up. Her eyes fluttered open, not panicking because her body was just too relaxed. She felt too safe to panic. Besides, after months, she knew where she was sleeping now.

“Hey, chem,” Dane yawned and smiled. Her head was in Nicole’s lap and her head was being caressed by very loving fingers.

“Welcome back to the land of the living, big dog,” Nicole teased before leaning down to plant a kiss on very willing lips.

“It is a pleasure to be here. I think I’m going to stay here too,” Dane commented while turning and burying her face in Nicole’s warm stomach.

Dane nuzzled Nicole’s belly until she forced the tank-top up just a little over Nicole’s navel. Giggles escaped the lawyer as Dane’s breath tickled her exposed flesh. She wrapped her arms around Dane’s shoulders and kept her in place, despite the tickling. Dane sighed while fond hands rubbed her shoulders.

“So, how was your day? Did the firm get shot up? How’d you get away so early?” the musician teased.

“Easy, I did my work and no one else’s. I turned away wave after wave of people as they came to beg my help. I just wanted to get home to you. You gave me strength,” Nicole whispered with a smile. She then leaned down and planted a kiss onto Dane’s lips.

“You’re giving me too much credit, chem. The Great Dane didn’t have anything to do with that. I am happy that you did all of that to get home to me,” Dane replied, smiling quite brightly. She felt beyond special at that moment and realized that she never felt this way before, not even when she was on stage in front of adoring fans.

“I’ve got something else for you.” Nicole held up the large piece of mail that she received.

Dane craned an eyebrow before reading the name on the letter. “Is that…?”

“I haven’t opened it to see if I got accepted, but generally when they’re this big, it means I’m in. I like this program and the school is respectable. It’s not too far from the firm either. Danny, you do realize that if I go back to school…we’ll end up spending less time together,” Nicole pointed out, speaking low and regretfully.

Dane smiled in a way that made her eyes sparkle and set her lovers heart fluttering. The younger woman sat up to look Nicole directly in the face. She locked eyes with her lover and refused to let go.

“Nick, I want you to do this. I’m not going to resent you doing something that I kept bugging you about. This whole thing works if you like it or not. I don’t want you to do this for me and I don’t want you to use me as an excuse to hold you back. You like chemistry, right?” the musician inquired.

“Love it…” Nicole admitted in a quiet tone.

“That’s why you should go. You want to be a chemist, right?”

“More than anything else in the world.”

“Then go back to school and make it happen! I’m going to be here, Nick. I promise I’ll be here for you, angel,” Dane vowed.

Nicole practically tackled Dane, knocking the musician back down onto the sofa cushions and attacking her unsuspecting victim with demanding lips. A guttural moan bounced off of the walls, but neither woman was sure who made the sound. Dane wrapped her arms around Nicole to press her closer while Nicole hands were working their way into the ratty white tee-shirt that Dane was wearing.

“Why, counselor, are you trying to take advantage of me?” Dane remarked with a laugh. Not that she planned to put up a fight of any kind, especially not with the way questing fingers were kneading her wanting flesh.

“Yes, so why don’t you make it easy for both of us?” Nicole replied with a grin.

“I throw myself upon the mercy of the court.”

“Wise decision. We’ll make your end swift and painless.”

Dane laughed, but she was not laughing long. She was quickly a quivering mass of flesh at the whim of her feisty girlfriend. She was glad to be at Nicole’s mercy, though, which might have explained why the silly grin never left her face. Until it was her turn away.

“It’s your time to meet a sweet demise, my dear,” Dane quipped with a rather good German accent.

Nicole giggled and shook her head, disagreeing. She put up a pretend-struggle, wiggling out of Danny’s grip once only to slide to the floor. She was pinned to the carpet by a hot mouth and a burning body. Her arms wrapped themselves around nude shoulders and pressed Dane as close to her as possible.

“Yessssss…” Nicole hissed like a snake as Dane peeled her out of her clothes.

Dane’s assault was heavy and hard; Nicole did not stand a chance. Minutes after Danny started, Nicole was screaming profanities at the ceiling while tears poured out of her eyes. Dane kissed the tear streaks while Nicole’s body calmed down after nearly passing out from Danny’s sweet touch.

“I get the feeling we got sidetracked,” Nicole remarked once she could think again.

“If this is going to be our usual tangents, I will follow you anywhere,” Dane quipped with a wolfish grin.

A taunting smile spread across an exhausted face. “Oh, so I get to hold the leash of the big dog?”

“Big, bad wolf,” Dane corrected her with a playful howl at the end before leaning down for a long kiss.

“So, I guess I’m Red?”

Dane grinned brightly. “Oh, do I get to eat you again then?”

Nicole laughed. “I should stop encouraging you. You just tainted one of my favorite childhood stories.” She then stuck her tongue out at Dane.

“Don’t you point that thing at me, Red. I know where it’s been after all.”

“I’m hoping it’ll be there more often now that I should be getting in earlier. Maybe I’ll even take another day off.”

Dane grinned and gently stroked Nicole’s bare sides. “I like the sound of that.”

“Down, girl. I can’t do it so soon after taking the day off before. Although, with the way that you keep making love to me, I might actually need a day to really rest. I will be getting in this time more often, I promise you that.” Nicole smiled as she spoke those words, thinking about how much they would both love to spend the time together.

“I’ll take that for now,” Dane stated while pressing Nicole closer to her. The redhead purred as she snuggled into her girlfriend’s warm body.

The couple eventually picked themselves up off of the floor and took a shower together. It was there that Nicole noticed that Dane did indeed have other tattoos. She had a howling wolf’s head on her shoulder. Running down the length of her spine was the word “demon,” printed as if it was something out of a medieval manuscript. She lightly traced each letter with two fingers while she was supposed to be washing Danny’s back.

“Danny, I hope you don’t think that’s true,” Nicole whispered, speaking into her lover’s shoulder blade.

“I did see myself as a demon for a while. That’s what I was led to believe and after a while I accepted it. I got it put on my back as a badge of honor, to show that they couldn’t hurt me anymore,” Dane explained before turning around and embracing Nicole. She leaned down to kiss the lawyer to let her know that everything was all right.

Nicole accepted the hug and the kiss, as well as the message behind them. They finished up in the shower after that and then they settled in for their usual routine. Dane was surprised by how much she cherished their routine. It was really the first bit of normalcy that she ever had in her life and it touched her to know that Nicole was making an effort to keep up their routine just because she requested it.

-----

Nicole was sitting at her desk, getting her work done in silence with dreams of Danny dancing through her mind. A small smile that never seemed to leave her face nowadays remained steady when the door opened without a knock. Only a few people would barge into her office and she would prefer not to see any of them, even though two of them were good friends of hers.

“Nicole, I need you to look at something for me,” Mina requested.

“Sorry, can’t do it,” Nicole answered, eyes not leaving her computer. Her fingers moved swiftly over the keys of the keyboard.

Mina blinked hard from confusion and stopped dead in her tracks. “Excuse me?”

“The Nicole help desk has been closed forever due to Nicole having her own work to do,” the auburn-haired woman replied.

“I heard you stopped helping everybody, but what about me?” Mina put on an exaggerated pout, which included poking out her bottom lip.

“I can’t help you either, Mina. I have to focus on my own work because I don’t want to be here when they close the building down like I used to,” Nicole replied.

An elegant, thin ebony eyebrow arched. “And why is that? You never seemed to mind closing the place down, unless you needed to get home to cook dinner or something like that. Who are you cooking for, girl?” A knowing smirk and a troublemaking glint appeared on her mocha face.

“I’m not cooking for anybody.”

“Well, what the hell? You need to get home early to let Danny out or something?” Mina joked, having heard Nicole call Danny “big dog” a couple of times on the phone.

“What I need to do isn’t much of your business, Mina,” Nicole hummed. Her voice might have sounded playful, but it was very clear that she was being serious.

Chocolate eyes narrowed. “You’re hiding something.”

“I’m not hiding anything at all. I just want to go home with everyone else. Why is it I should be stuck here every night because everyone keeps asking me for help? Where’s my help?” Nicole mildly snapped. Who the hell ever bothered to lend her a helping hand aside for her parents and Danny?

“Easy there, cowboy. We ask for your help because you know damn near everything,” Mina pointed out, thinking that she was giving her friend a compliment. For as long as she had known Nicole, which was almost half of their lives, everyone always asked Nicole for help and Nicole always gave it…even when she had things to do. “Damn…” she muttered to herself as realization struck her like a bullet right between the eyes.

“What?” Nicole asked curiously because of the scrunched up look on her friend’s face.

“It just hit me, we do ask you for everything. Hell, I’ve been doing it college, asking you for help and expecting it right then and there because you were always on point like that. I never thought about it because you never said anything about it. Sorry,” Mina apologized, looking at the floor and feeling like a horse’s ass.

Nicole waved her off. “It’s okay. I let you guys do it, after all.”

“This is true. If I ever noticed, I probably would’ve barked at you about it. Well, you know, if I wasn’t taking advantage of you myself at the time. Damn, I can’t believe I missed that.” Mina scratched her head a little. “Who made you stand up for yourself?” She could take a good guess.

“Why can’t I just take a stand?” Nicole countered.

“Because you don’t take a stand until someone’s pissed in your cornflakes right in front of you. This is way too early for you to be taking a stand, especially when no one’s pushed your buttons. This is Danny’s doing, isn’t it?” A pleased smile graced Mina’s face.

Nicole’s grin grew at the mention of her lover’s name. “Maybe.”

“Is that smile her doing too?” Mina asked curiously. She doubted that she had ever seen her friend smile so big and so often.

The grin now threatened to split Nicole’s face open. “Maybe.”

“Do I need to call a lunch session?” Mina inquired, smiling herself now. Happiness must be contagious.

“I’ve got lunch.”

“As always. Well, I’ll leave you to your work and your lunch, so you can get out of here at a decent hour.”

Nicole nodded. “Mina, if you really need my help, I have no problem giving it, but I doubt you really need my help.”

Mina’s face was conquered by a soft smile. “It just feels really good to get your okay on things. I don’t think you know how much people around here respect your mind, Nicole. You’re brilliant and it just makes us more secure when you stamp your approval on something. Well, some of us anyway. Others do come in here to take advantage of you. I’m happy that Danny made you stand up for yourself. Maybe one day I can meet your wonderful Danny.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, Mina. Right now, I just want to finish this.”

Mina nodded and eased out of the office, more pleased with things than she would have been if Nicole did help her out. Nicole kept her eyes on her computer, making sure to make it out of the office at the right time. She could not wait to get back home, back to her love.

-----

Nicole typed away merrily at her desk, feeling pretty good about herself. She had been leaving the office at a decent hour every night, making it home to Danny at a decent hour. Hell, sometimes, she came in before Danny did since the musician’s client list was steadily growing. Having more work seemed to make Danny happy, which made Nicole happy. It did cause a few arguments between them.

They had recently had a little spat over the fact that Nicole made dinner one day when she came in first. Danny made it seem like her domain had been invaded and started a big thing about something that Nicole viewed as very minor. It did not take long for Nicole to realize the reason that Dane was angry was because the younger woman felt like she was not contributing to the household if she did not do the everyday chores. Nicole was able to polish things over by apologizing and pointing out that Danny did a lot of things that contributed to the household.

Another small argument that they had was over the weekend when Nicole wanted to go out, but Dane—as always—wanted to stay in. Nicole was able to defuse that situation by promising nothing crazy, as she knew that was what Danny was always worried about. She also made sure the outing included some music, which instantly soothed away any left over sourness in Dane.

So, so far, their young relationship was going well. They had even celebrated a month anniversary not too long ago. It was the one night that Nicole was able to get Dane to go out without a struggle, mostly because Dane would follow her to the Gates of Hell if she was wearing a skirt and simple three inch heels.

“So far, so good,” Nicole thought with a bright smile while continuing on with her work.

Her mental celebration was cut short as her door flew open. She hoped that Mina was coming in, but that hope was short lived. She knew her father had entered her office, even without looking up from her computer screen. She silently prayed that he was not about to hand her more work.

“Nikki, what’s this I hear about you shutting you door to any and everyone that comes in here and asks you for help?” Raymond demanded to know.

Nicole blinked as she realized that she was about to be scolded; one of the drawbacks of working with her parents. Not only was she about to be scolded, but she was going to be reprimanded because one of her colleagues that the nerve to tell on her. Someone went and told her father that she was not helping people. What the hell?

“I work with kindergartners,” Nicole muttered with gritted teeth. She was not really surprised, considering the fact that many of her coworkers were just assholes that seemed to think she was their personal assistant.

“What was that?” Raymond demanded to know, not quite hearing her.

“Nothing, sir.”

“So, what’s this I hear about you being selfish? You used to be such a team player and now you’re telling people to go away because you don’t have time for them?” he inquired incredulously. His voice, though a decent volume, seemed booming to her.

“That’s not it, Daddy. Everybody comes in here everyday needing something from me that any four-year-old would be able to do. They act like they can’t do anything and it keeps me from doing my own work. You can’t possibly expect me to do my work and everyone else’s,” Nicole countered.

“I expect you to help this firm and they are members of this firm. If they come to you for help, I expect you to give it to them.”

“Even if I have to forsake my own work? Why? I don’t work with babies,” Nicole stated venomously. She could not believe what she was being reprimanded for and it was grating on her nerves in a way that she never felt before.

“No, but you work with people that respect you enough that they come to you when they need assistance. You are to give it to them because they are members of this firm and you want what is best for this firm,” Raymond countered soundly while trying to keep down the tension in his body because he was not used to arguing with his daughter.

“And what about me? Do you think any of these bastards ever offer me a bit of help when I need it?” Nicole demanded, eyes ablaze from her fury.

“You never need it. You know you were raised to give help when it is needed and you will do that. It’ll help you go far in this firm and that’s that. Now, I don’t want to hear anymore of this nonsense about you not helping your coworkers,” the father said in only a way that a father could. His voice held no room for argument and a hard finality that made Nicole just want to throw something at him.

Nicole was left seething as her father exited the room as soon as he was done speaking. Not even ten minutes later, there were people in her office, begging for her help. Slowly, but surely, time went away from her work to theirs. Only when the trickle of people stopped did she see what time it was. It took every ounce of self-control in her system to not break down and cry.

“I hate this place so goddamn much! I hate this job! I hate these people!” Nicole fumed while fighting back tears.

She packed up her things as quickly as she could and exited the office, slamming her door hard on the way out. She ended up crying in the car, unable to hold her frustration back anymore, and the only thing that stopped her was that her cell phone rang. Danny was calling.

“Hey, Nick. I was worried, even though I figured you had to work late,” Dane explained.

Nicole sniffled. “I did, but it’s so good to hear your voice.”

“Yeah? You just heard it…whoa, seven hours ago. I guess it’s later than I thought. What happened? Big new case or something? Top secret contract you’re drafting?” Dane joked a bit, hoping to lighten the mood.

“No, nothing like that. Really, it’s the same old garbage. I’ll tell you about it when I get in.”

“Okay. When are you going to be here?”

“I guess in like a half-hour. Is that good?”

“That is just enough time for me to light some scented candles, run a hot bath, make some hot chocolate—” Dane’s plan was cut off.

“I’ll be there in twenty minutes,” Nicole corrected herself.

“Baby, don’t kill yourself trying to get here. Everything will be there when you get here.”

“Including you naked in the tub?”

“I dunno. If I agree is it going to miraculously take you fifteen minutes to get here?”

“Ten.”

“Then, no, I’ll be sleeping on the couch.”

Nicole pouted. “Spoilsport.”

Dane laughed. “I’m just trying to do what’s best for you, baby. Do you want me to stay on the line while you’re driving?”

Nicole did not even have to think of that one. “Yes, please.”

“Can I talk dirty to you?” Dane teased.

“Not if you want me to make it home alive!”

The taller woman laughed and remained on the phone, without the dirty talk. Nicole made it home in one piece and collapsed into Danny’s waiting arms when she came in through the door. Dane pressed Nicole into her, making sure to hold the exhausted lawyer up.

“I’m so happy to be home! I hate my job so much!” Nicole hollered into the warmth of Dane’s neck.

“Rough day.” It was easily a statement, but then again, almost everyday was a rough day for Nick.

“I’m so sick of everybody! Can I tell you about it in a hot bath with bubbles?” Nicole’s voice was hopeful and quiet.

“Your wish is my command.” It was times like there where Dane really wished that her leg was strong because she wanted to pick Nicole up and carry her up to the bathroom. She had to settle for walking with Nicole up there while keeping the lawyer pressed against her.

The couple disappeared upstairs. Nicole took a quick shower while Dane lit candles and prepared the bath. The taller woman also rushed out to get Nicole’s MP3 player to play music while they bathed; it had a stand and speakers. Dane set the player up on the sink and pressed play as soon as it was right. Nicole exited the shower as soon as she heard the soft, classical music playing. She moved to the large tub while Dane stripped off her clothing.

The musician settled into the tub, wrapping her arms around Nicole and pulling the lawyer to rest against her. Nicole did not offer up any resistance and breathed a sigh of relief as she rested her head against Dane’s chest. She closed her eyes as she listened to Danny’s heart beating.

“You feel better?” Dane asked while rubbing Nicole’s shoulder with one hand and caressing the redhead’s thigh with her other.

“I always do when I’m in your arms. I love you so much, Danny,” the attorney replied.

“I feel the same.” There was a pause. “I love me too.”

“Oh, you!” Nicole playfully swatted at the darker female. The hit ended up being a caress when it finally landed.

“So, what kept you so long? I missed watching a cheesy movie with you. I tried watching this horror movie, but I couldn’t do it without you! Making fun of a movie by myself just seems like I’m crazy,” Dane remarked with a laugh.

Nicole chuckled. “You are crazy.”

“You make me that way. Now, tell me about your day. What kept you until crazy o’clock at night?”

“My dad. Some of my coworkers complained to my dad that I wasn’t doing their work for them anymore and he came into my office and tore into my ass.”

Dane’s face twisted and scrunched up as she tried to understand what she was hearing. “Wait, your dad got on your case for not doing their work?”

Nicole nodded. “He told me that I should help my colleagues if they need it because it was good for the firm. I was…” Tears started building in her eyes again. “He just made it seem like I was the bad person for standing up for myself…”

“Aw, chem. You know you’re the sweetest person to ever walk to the face of the Earth,” Dane declared before kissing the auburn mane close to her head.

“Well, he made me feel so bad, like I did the worst possible thing by not doing their work for them. It’s like he doesn’t even care that I’m at the firm all hours of the night because they’re too stupid to do their own damn work!”

Strong arms pressed Nicole tighter to a warm form. “It’s okay, Nick. I’m sure he does care, but he probably thinks you can handle it since you’ve done it before.”

“I don’t want to ‘handle it’ anymore. I want to leave with everyone else. I want to get home to my girlfriend like everyone else.”

“Did you tell him that?” Dane asked curiously.

“He didn’t give me a chance. He never gives me a chance. It’s just ‘do this, this, and that, and you damn well better do it my way.’ You should’ve seen the look he gave me today just for trying to argue. It’s not fair.”

“It’s okay. It’ll be okay.”

Nicole sighed and decided to just believe Danny. They stayed in the bath for a few more minutes until the water began to cool down. They ate dinner and then retired to bed. As Nicole settled against Dane’s side, she realized just how much better she felt, but there was still some underlying frustration with what happened.

“Danny,” Nicole said.

“Hmm?”

“I want to stay in bed tomorrow. How about you?”

Dane looked down at the head resting on her shoulder. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

“I’m going to call in tomorrow. I just want to be with you for a while.”

“I like that idea!” The grin that the younger woman was sporting confirmed that was true. Nicole smiled and pushed herself up to press a deep kiss to her lover’s lips. Dane moaned and pulled Nicole on top of her. Yes, she was very much in favor of the idea of Nicole calling in and them staying in bed all day. It sounded like the perfect day.

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Next time: the world comes crashing down on the two lovebirds when Tyler shows up at the door and finds out about the relationship.