Epilogue

Miranda closed the Book and rose from her chair. Ruefully, she placed a hand on her lower back and stretched carefully. Too many hours reviewing the mock-up had left her with tired eyes and a stiff body. Miranda sniffed. She hated to be reminded of the fact that she was getting older. Luckily, she had someone in her life who made her feel young. The woman smiled.

After turning off the light, Miranda padded silently through the house and up the stairs to the master bedroom. She didn't bother to put the lights on. Instead, she entered the master bathroom and began to ready for sleep. After taking care of her skin and teeth, Miranda slipped on a slinky, midnight-blue negligee and headed to bed. Easing under the comfortable sheets and warm duvet, Miranda sighed her contentment. There was nothing better than slipping into bed after a long, productive day.

Except this. Miranda felt toned arms pull her forward into a curvy body and sighed. Yes, this was much better. The editor had quickly found that she could not sleep without Andrea by her side. The first night they'd shared a bed in Andrea's apartment, Miranda had made love to the girl. She had thought that she was prepared for such an event; however, that erroneous supposition was summarily blasted out of the stratosphere once she had touched the precious creature. As Andrea had moved beneath her, Miranda had realized she would never give her lover up.

Real life had intruded, of course. Miranda had left Andrea the next afternoon for the townhouse, her girls, and work. That night she had tossed and turned, finally calling Andrea in the middle of the night just to hear her voice. She had felt infinitely better once Andrea had admitted to being unable to sleep, too. Not that Miranda had given voice to any such plight.

Regardless, Miranda was unwilling to remain separated from the young woman after that night. Particularly since they had agreed that Andrea should work elsewhere. If she couldn't see her lover during the day, she sure as hell was going to hold her throughout the night. Since the twins lived with her during the week, Miranda could not spend her nights at Andrea's apartment. Fortunately, Andrea had agreed not only to stay at the townhouse overnight but also to convalesce there during the day. Miranda made every effort to return home at lunch as well as in time for dinner. It was the first time Miranda wanted to make such an effort to spend time with someone besides her girls.

Over the last few weeks they had discussed why and how their relationship would succeed. The love was present, evident to all who dared to look. More than that, though, they respected and cherished each other. Their goal was simple: to incorporate their lives so completely that both would always feel the other's presence even when not together. They compromised quite a bit. Well, Miranda did. Andrea was very adaptable, whereas Miranda had trouble yielding. She did, though, for Andrea.

The girls were surprisingly supportive. They had helped Miranda to develop her new-found skill of patience by asking endless questions about why Andrea was in their home and what type of relationship she and Andrea shared. After they had discussed the new living arrangements and what had precipitated the move, her girls had welcomed Andrea's presence with open arms. For that, the editor was extremely grateful.

The first morning they had sat at the breakfast nook, the girls' eyes had progressively widened as they had watched Andrea eat. Miranda chuckled. The younger woman hadn't even been eating all that much—probably a consequence of the horrible condition she had suffered when eating before the operation. Nevertheless, she had eaten toast, eggs, fruit, and bacon with her coffee. Instead of discussing their reactions, Miranda had calmly begun to eat the same foods.

She wouldn't change a single curve on that glorious body. It constantly seduced her into acting differently. Miranda wondered whether Andrea had noticed just how much Miranda had changed. All due to the sweet girl's influence.

Every couple of days Miranda made love to Andrea. She simply could not contain herself. After all, the girl was lying right next to her exuding sex appeal. All the same, Miranda controlled her actions so that Andrea would not hurt herself while she healed. Although it had been very satisfying to love Andrea this way, Miranda had been looking forward to when she'd be able to cover the brunette with her body, explore every inch with her lips, and drive her over the edge with more intense lovemaking.

Miranda had the feeling that her wishes would soon be granted.

Andrea crushed her lips against Miranda's as her body hovered enticingly. Miranda couldn't help the groan that ripped from her throat. She had waited so long to feel that full weight on top of her. She needed to feel it. Had yearned for it.

Miranda pulled Andrea forward, hissing at the magnificent feeling of Andrea's form nestling into her. The older woman ran her fingers through luscious hair, holding that talented mouth in place. She felt Andrea undulating against her and gasped as need roared through her. Hands slipped under the edge of her nightgown to tease her as they stroked up her thighs.

Miranda felt her eyelids slam closed as sensation blinded her. Soon her nightwear was discarded, but she felt only heat in the cool room. Lips mapped her upper body determinedly as fingers made their way between their bodies. Oh, how she had dreamt of this moment. Miranda tipped her head back, overwhelmed by Andrea. Her Andrea. "Andrea," Miranda uttered with a reverent tone. How she loved this woman.

She felt fingers once again traveling over her thighs, their destination unmistakable. Miranda placed her hands on top of Andrea's to stop their journey. She met confused eyes to whisper, "I need to see you, Andrea. Please, let me." After a frozen moment of indecision, the younger woman's gaze melted into adoration before sharpening once more into desire. She sat up to remove her clothes. Miranda was quick to help her.

Soon their bodies were entwined deliciously, skin slapping together naughtily as fingers drove into her forcefully. Miranda loved it. She had never acted this way in the bedroom, never felt the compulsion to lose control so completely. Yet Andrea lifted her to new heights in every aspect of her life.

Lips, so devious, so luscious, covered her breast and sucked strongly in time with the younger woman's thrusts. Miranda could not contain her responses. Groaning and panting in time to the pace Andrea masterfully set, the older woman could only hold on as her world exploded into a million pieces.

Miranda rested as she held Andrea to her tightly. Tears fell freely while her mind jumped through a deluge of hopes and fears. So much had occurred in a relatively short time. Miranda could hardly believe she was loved by someone as marvelous and sensitive as Andrea.

Hunger stirred her into action. She would no longer hold back. Flipping them suddenly, Miranda smirked at Andrea's squeak and attacked breasts that begged for her mouth. Flicking her tongue in a staccato rhythm, Miranda set out to convince Andrea that they were well-matched in this aspect of their relationship. She had been restraining herself while Andrea healed. No longer.

The impassioned woman slowly moved her lips over Andrea's torso, listening to the younger woman's gasps and moans with delight. When she neared the incision areas, she felt her lover's body tensing. Miranda ran soothing fingers up and down the brunette's sides as she murmured, "I love you, Andrea. All of you. Every little bit. Let me love you. Let me. Let me."

Andrea exhaled loudly as she writhed and arched her back. Taking this as assent, Miranda kissed the scars tenderly before continuing her downward trek. She tasted desire strongly as she neared her goal. Miranda had wanted to gorge herself with this woman's essence so badly. She had waited patiently, wanting Andrea to enjoy it as much as she knew she would while feasting on such a divine creature. Licking her lips with anticipation, Miranda settled between toned legs.

How lovely. She was so ready, so wanton. Miranda hardly knew where to begin. Recognizing that she did not have to accomplish everything right at that moment, Miranda flattened her tongue and delivered a long, slow lick from Andrea's moist opening to the sensitive nerve center. Andrea screamed. Miranda grinned.

Then she got down to the business of loving Andrea with more focused intent than she had ever directed toward any other action, not even toward running Runway. Not wanting it to end too soon, Miranda sucked on Andy's labia leisurely as she pinned the squirming woman down with both hands across her thrusting pelvis. Miranda growled as a flood of liquid urged her to suck from Andrea's opening as vulgarly as if she were slurping soup. She couldn't help it. This girl drove her wild. She needed to satiate herself with this addictive elixir.

"Oh my God, Miranda. Oh, my God. I, I…Miranda. Oh my…" Andrea muttered as her body arched and shook in time with Miranda's ministrations.

Encouraged, Miranda hardened her tongue and began thrusting just inside Andrea's opening, making sure to press on the rim with each exit. Andrea shrieked as her body began to convulse. Miranda quickened her strokes, pushing in as deeply as she could, loving how Andrea's body gripped at her as if to keep her tongue inside.

"Miranda, what did you, how did you," Andrea said brokenly. She shook her head as Miranda looked up at her. "That was incredible."

Smiling broadly, Miranda playfully promised, "This is only the beginning, Andrea. You may try to hold onto the Earth, but I intend to catapult you through the stratosphere as often as possible. That is a promise I will keep." The editor chuckled at Andrea's shocked expression.

Oh, yes. She had changed. How could she not? Lowering her face, Miranda chuckled again as she heard Andrea mutter once more, "Oh my God." Slender fingers entangled themselves within her white locks as she concentrated on doing exactly what she had just promised.

What Andrea might not realize was Miranda intended to reach this goal inside and outside of the bedroom. And she would do it. She would prove again and again just how much she cherished her Andrea. She'd been given this chance after nearly losing her. Now that she had felt Andrea's love, Miranda would never let her go. Nor would she ever leave Andrea. They were together. They would never feel alone again.

Miranda felt rather smug as she drove her lover to higher peaks. Her plan to seduce the younger woman had worked. It didn't matter that neither of them had quite realized what was happening until well after she had begun to bestow gifts on Andrea. It didn't matter that both had been flailing uselessly within failing relationships at the time. It didn't matter that Miranda had hurt Nigel or that Andrea had left Miranda. They'd both made amends for those events, anyway.

No. What mattered was that they had found each other. And they had both vowed to hold on tightly. Nearly as tightly as Andrea currently held onto Miranda's head or as Miranda held onto Andrea's hips. Miranda smiled wolfishly as she swooped her tongue over a quivering clitoris.

Yes. She might have changed, but she was infinitely better for it. As Andrea bucked up at Miranda forcefully, the editor thought of her catchphrase that communicated so much finality. Because it summed up their situation perfectly. They loved each other, and people would simply have to accept it.

That's all.

The End.