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Lacey never thought herself to be complicated. Spontaneous, free-spirited, even a bitch sometimes (okay, a lot of the time, but that reputation too had its advantages.) But definitely not complicated. Everything about her was simple. Simple in terms that she did what she wanted and never let anyone think otherwise. She did what she wanted, she went where she wanted, she did whomever she wanted and she sure dressed however she liked. Nothing' complicated 'bout that.
Maybe the other people sometimes thought so about her, that there was some kind of trick to her. That her blunt, straightforward demeanor was hiding something different beneath the surface. That was not the case. What people saw – they got. Some needed a hard lesson, a proper Lacey 101 to learn that truth. Gold learned that the hardest. Kept woman or not, no one ordered Lacey around. Gold really should be counting his blessings that it was his car and cane that took the brunt of Lacey's displeasure. It could have been worse. Much.
Another reason that some of these people thought of Lacey as a different person was because… she was, apparently. Lacey had no memory of being anyone but herself, however she had heard the story. About magic, Dark Curses, fake personalities and travelers from other dimensions. It was all rather crazy and laughable, still enough had believed in that superstition to make it a reality of living in Storybrooke. Lacey let it slide. Eccentricities of a small rural town. Part of the local customs. When in Rome and all that.
Though, Lacey did find some things that made her less convinced it was only superstition. There were letters and notes written not in her familiar handwriting. Lacey was left-handed, which made her penmanship sharp and orderly, leaning to the left, but the notes she found were in beautiful, flowing cursive. There were receipts written out to Belle French with the same bank account number as her on her own credit card, which had Annalace Collard written on it now – the same as the nameplate next to the doorbell to her apartment. Everything seemed to be as if Lacey had always been there and yet there were traces of this 'Belle' person hidden throughout any and everything Lacey owned.
The most egregious example being her wardrobe. Filled to the brim with dresses, blouses, skirts and a wonderful collection of high heels, it nonetheless felt a bit out of sync with who Lacey knew herself to be. For one, she would never wear yellow. And yet there were dresses and shirts and an assortment of garments in all shades of yellow in that wardrobe. She would never wear pastels or cardigans. Or little hats with flowers in them. There was an alarming number of items not up to muster. Too bright, too innocent, too dolled-up-teenager, too retired-old-grandma. For some reason that was beyond her, Lacey hadn't just thrown out all the clothes she would never wear and instead just shoved them into the furthest corner, into that big wooden chest, and out of the way. Now, her closet was a lot less full and in dire need of diversifying. And that was how she found herself on the mission to scour every single shop there was to find in town. Not that the array of choices was incredible, but she would manage somehow.
It was another hunt for new clothes that brought her face to face with someone curious. And that someone, in turn, made her think… was she more complicated than she thought?
Ruby Lucas, also going by 'Red' . Waitress and seemingly a part-time superhero.
Easily dismissed out of hand at first, Ruby had warranted a second look. Lacey first spotted her in the Diner and the sight was quite worth further and closer inspection. But she was with Gold at the time. The man was useful and jealous, there was no need to rock the boat just yet. Their explosive parting of the ways was still to come. But even then this tall, lanky brunette had caught Lacey's eye. Another curious thing was that she sure did notice how Ruby would look at her. The glances, the sadness and the longing weren’t disguised well – or at all, really. Intriguing. The girl probably knew this Belle, whoever that was. Was it all that Ruby now saw in Lacey? Was she sad that Belle was gone or was there more to it? Lacey had seen a gleamer beyond the sadness, the tiny little ember of something not even remotely innocent. A glimpse of something more primal, sealed and caged by the societal norms, but more in-tune with Lacey and her own inner beast. It's just that Lacey let hers roam free and not be hidden.
Then one day, Lacey saw Ruby help locate and rescue a spooked cat for an old lady. The little rascal had jumped out of her arms at the sound of a honking car, zipped away and wormed his way in-between the wall of a shop and a bench. Well, some would have called it a bench, but Lacey called it a ridiculous monstrosity. Cast whole out of dark metal and polished to an almost glossy sheen – the bench was a mix of gothic architecture and modern metal sculpture. One of the few testaments left to the old eccentricities of the Mayor still remaining in town. The thing about the bench was that it was, in a word, massive. It wasn't even bolted to the pavement or the wall, what would be the point? Lacey felt her heart give a bit of a painful squeeze as she heard the pathetic little meow of the kitten wedged up against the wall, somewhere underneath all that metal. He was probably stuck or too scared to try and get out on his own. And then Lacey proceeded to witness something incredible. Ruby Lucas jogged up to the old lady, obviously dressed for running – sneakers, leggings, sporty singlet, hair pulled up in a long ponytail and a music player strapped to her bicep. They exchanged a few words and then… then Ruby had rolled her shoulders, squared up and picked up the freaking metal monstrosity! She moved one of its corners away from the wall, retrieved the kitten and put it back again. Lacey gawked. It felt like she was the only one who had truly seen what had happened as every other bystander just kept on moving. The old lady continued thanking Ruby as she emptied her water bottle in a few long gulps. And Lacey also kept staring up until Ruby bid the old lady goodbye and went back to her run. Yeah, that indeed was an amateur superhero, for damned sure.
The first real face-to-face encounter (besides the occasional visit to the diner) happened only a few days later in the one and only Storybrooke boutique. The shop was tucked into an alcove along the furthest end of the Main Street. It had no need for any fancy advertising to stand out as the competition for this establishment was pretty much nonexistent. The top people of the town would be shopping here anyway. Lacey rubbed shoulders with the Mayor, the new ADA and Head Nurse in here. Not that it was completely exclusive. Catering only to the elite would put the shop out of business, owing to the tiny number of said elites living in town. Thus the owner made a smart decision to be more inclusive, both in price brackets and the selection of the merchandise. Lacey had met the owner on many occasions by now. Thin and tall platinum blonde in her thirties, Margot had the looks of a model right off the catwalk, but also the eyes, hooked nose and attitude of a bird of prey. Naturally, she and Lacey got on like a well-matched pair. Lacey learned that Margot was the stepsister of that plain Ella girl, a recent mother getting ready to marry her own provincial 'prince'. That relation was the least interesting thing about Margot, really. But what was beneficial about being friends with the proprietor of The Midnight boutique was that Lacey got tips on when the new inventory got in.
It was on such an occasion she had run into none other than Ruby Lucas. Their chance encounter had been surprising and intriguing and promising. Yes, very promising as far as Lacey was concerned. Though, a lot of it was laced with a fair dose of awkwardness. Which, again to Lacey's surprise, only increased her interest. Pulling different reactions out of Ruby was as easy as it was to see what she was thinking. The poor girl had no poker face at all.
Still, that first look was quite something. The one Ruby had when Lacey threw open the curtain of the changing cabin and they found themselves nose to nose. That look was priceless. Ruby had not yelped or yelled or waved her arms or even tried to attack the intruder. Her eyes became huge and she opened her mouth – but no sound came out. Ruby had all the appearance of a fish out of water, completely at a loss as to what to do with the situation. Which gave Lacey a few seconds to react first. She honestly had not done it on purpose, it was just that this cabin was on the left, behind the row of clothing racks and with another full-length mirror right next to it. Lacey always took this cabin. And she probably would have apologized for the intrusion immediately, but.. well, the view halted all her thoughts right off. Lacey knew Ruby was attractive, that was clear from one cursory look, yet there was only so much a few side-glances could possibly reveal. And revealed she was, my oh my! Ruby was trying to pick out a new outfit, judging by the assortment of shirts and pants and other items waiting on the hooks inside the cabin. The unfortunate consequence of poor timing was that at the moment the curtain had been drawn open, Ruby was in-between outfits. Well, unfortunate from Ruby's point of view, that is. From where Lacey was standing – it was quite the lucky draw. Ruby was barefoot, standing on the carpet and clad only in a two-piece lingerie set. Deep-red with lace and nice detailing, it was obvious Ruby was matching it to the new items she was thinking of buying. And… damn. Damn!
Lacey racked her eyes up and down Ruby’s body as if an invisible force was in charge of her eyes and head. Long, long lean legs, slender hips, the absolute flat plane of the stomach with abdominal muscles flexed in response to the shock; the lines and curves of the chest, the tense muscles of those shoulders and neck and then – finally, all the way up to that sharply cut jaw, nose and cheekbones, and those wide, wide eyes. Damn. Damn! If there was this inkling of an idea running silently at the back of Lacey's brain before, then in this moment it had materialized into an inevitable, unavoidable certainty – Lacey was going to seduce that girl. She had to .
Catching herself, she closed the curtain and turned away.
"Oops, sorry about that! That's usually my cabin. I wasn't expecting to see anyone there. My bad."
The words floated off Lacey's lips while her mind was already sketching and planning. The decision to bed this girl was made on the spot and her mind was already on the case even before Lacey had the time to truly digest what she saw. The game's afoot, cannons loaded and the train has left the station. As such instead of leaving, Lacey kept talking through the curtain: complimenting the fashion choices Ruby was making and ranting about her own indecision with the newest additions to the boutiques selection. Whatever small spark of genius in Lacey's head prompted that course of action, it had been right on the money. Ruby came out of the cabin, dressed, embarrassed, but not completely alienated. Lacey apologized again, she was not above relinquishing a piece of her pride if that was going to get her in this girl's good graces. Amongst other things. And, after all, she was the one who barged in, even if on accident. Lacey gave Ruby another once over, trying not to show how much she was enjoying the pink tint of a blush over Ruby's cheekbones.
"Listen. I feel like I owe you compensation or some shit. How about a coffee as an apology, my treat?"
"No-no, that's fine! I'm not mad, you don't have to…" stammered Ruby, but Lacey cut her weak protestations off with narrowed eyes and a decisive nod.
"I insist. It's only fair. And we can chat, too. Not many people with decent fashion sense in town, you know. I'd be a fool to let the opportunity pass by."
When it became clear that Lacey wouldn't take no for an answer, Ruby relented. They went to the Diner, as it was the closest and most convenient destination, picked a spot out of the way and sat down. Lacey had to put a moratorium on all things waitressing. She really had to since Ruby kept glancing at the girls serving food or at the entrance to the kitchen. Their conversation was awkward at first, and not just because of the mishap earlier. But Lacey was anything if not inventive and determined when it came to going after someone she laid her eyes on. It took a bit of effort, but Lacey managed to break the ice enough that Ruby felt at ease. She still caught herself staring or making a passing comment once in a while that was not about Lacey and then having to backtrack. Lacey didn't mind. Whatever that 'Belle' was to Ruby, she was important. Well, Lacey was not one to back down from a challenge. After a while in the Diner, Lacey paid the bill and they left, however before they parted ways Lacey brought up the restocking at The Midnight she got a tip from Margot about. It was to happen in a day or two. Lacey once again complimented Ruby's taste and style, which got her an embarrassed, but genuinely proud smile. So Lacey moved on to the next part of her cunning plan. She suggested that they should go together. Help each other out. A few tips and a different view would not hurt, right? Would Ruby leave Lacey in trouble or could she possibly help a girl out? Of course, the amateur superhero that she was, Ruby agreed.
That date ended up not going as smoothly as setting it up had been. Neither did the one after. Lacey planned her seduction to take one date. Two at most. But she underestimated Ruby Lacas. Lacey heard something about how the people in Storybrooke changed "after the curse", whatever that meant, and how Ruby was the wild one back then. But this Ruby was a tough nut to crack. Helpful, enthusiastic, unsure of herself and a little bit oblivious. At least, to what Lacey was doing.
The first time they met up, Lacey used the excuse of having missed breakfast to get Ruby to sit down for brunch with her before they would go to The Midnight. She knew Ruby would be concerned and on top of that Lacey had seen this girl eat. It was a small wonder how Ruby could keep her impressive physique with the voracious appetite she displayed. They talked a little bit more and Lacey could feel the awkwardness dissipating completely. Yes, there were these contemplative looks from Ruby from time to time, like she was not quite entirely sure Lacey was who she was. Like there just might be someone else hiding behind an excellent sense of humor and self-assured attitude. Lacey knew, of course, what it was about. But there was nothing to find by digging deeper or whatever. Lacey was not complicated. And that was all there was to it. She wouldn't hold it against Ruby for now. However, at some point dwelling on the past should be replaced by looking to the future. Which Lacey had grand plans for.
After brunch they went to The Midnight and browsed the racks together. Ruby was the first to try on the new items. And Lacey made sure to show her appreciation. Even more leather pants and a sleeveless blouse or two were right on the money, very much in tune with Ruby's current style. Though, one shift dress Lacey had to veto. It could have worked with its above the knee length and the material being thin and almost translucent, enough to tease the lines of Ruby's figure while remaining free flowing. Put a belt on it, accessorize with boots or heels, a high-waisted leather jacket, jewelry – and it would have killed. What caused Lacey to shut the dress down was the color and pattern: pale white, close to pastel and with an assortment of small birds depicted here and there without much order to it. Yes, this sort of a walking crime-scene had no place to be worn by Ruby. Lacey thought she heard Ruby murmur something about "Snow would have liked it," after she sent her to change, but Lacey dismissed it. It was about to be her turn, and she had been preparing.
The thing of it was… Lacey specifically had chosen badly. She had sabotaged her own outfit selection on purpose. To both prove that she was in need of Ruby's help and soften any blows Lacey could have caused with her own critique. So this time she tried on a few dresses that looked rather out-of-place on her. One black and white piece was gorgeous, but tailored to someone much taller than Lacey. So the hem ended up around her mid-calves when it should have been just below the knee and the waistline was all wrong. Lacey saw the twitch at the corner of Ruby's mouth and the momentary sparkle in her eyes, but in her defense she managed to suppress the laughter and was much more sympathetic after the initial reaction. Another dress was just the opposite. It was black, the fit and cut was perfect, it hugged Lacey's figure in all the right places, and ended high enough above the knee to be enticing, but not too high to be inappropriate for a social function. The problem was with the designer. What possessed them to put a red heart on the abdomen area with the words "Peace, Love, Heart" written in it? What, indeed. Lacey turned this way and that way in front of the mirror, loving the reflection over her shoulder, but hating whenever the tacky sign would appear. She almost forgot her mission in her outrage at the pompous idiot from Paris or wherever the designer was from. Thankfully, Ruby agreed with her assessment wholeheartedly. There are good places for signs like that and there are bad ones. Saying that, Ruby pointed at herself and Lacey had to agree. Ruby had showed up to this date in a tattered t-shirt with a snarling leopard underneath her maroon jacket. And yeah, she was pulling it off.
At the end of the day, Lacey went home empty-handed, but Ruby had a new The Midnight-branded paper bag on her arm. That caused the superhero to become sad and apologetic, which was sweet, but Lacey put a stop to it right fast.
"Stop with the sad puppy-dog eyes routine, doll. There's always next Friday, right? Or are you thinking of giving up on helping poor Lacey out? Leaving me by my lonesome on my hunt after you've got your prey all packed up?"
Ruby had shaken her head furiously at the suggestion.
"No? Still in?" Lacey felt there was no need to hide her pleased look. "It's brunch on Friday then."
As they parted to walk in different directions, Lacey could have sworn she noticed a demure smile still playing over Ruby's lips.
Lacey had made a point of dropping by before next Friday had arrived. She got take-out. An innocent enough coincidence, right? Lacey used that as an excuse to rant with Ruby again about that clueless designer. She even got Ruby to make a few jabs of her own accord. And then a few days later she perchance (and entirely by happenstance, yes, of course) was walking right past the corner that just happened to be on Ruby's early morning jogging route. The badly hidden surprise on Ruby's face at finding Lacey up and about before noon was expected. Lacey knew her own reputation, but it was only half-earned. Lacey partied hard and she worked just as hard on herself. Yes, after a wild night she'd crawl into bed at sunrise and not get up until past noon, but on any other day she got up early and exercised properly. Lacey had no intention of letting her killer figure slip in any way. And it was not a burden either. Lacey had no problem getting hot and sweaty to give her body a proper workout. That little revelation seemed to give Ruby a few new thoughts, the nature of which was easy to read on her face. And that was precisely the point.
Those 'accidental' run-ins were a good excuse to start a conversation. Though, Lacey was careful not to overdo it. She sure did not want to be mistaken for a stalker. Her game was of strictly consensual variety and for mutual benefit.
Friday arrived and as promised (or threatened) Lacey showed up for early brunch. By that point Ruby met her with a smile that was becoming more and more familiar. They found themselves so invested in the conversation, from small talk to the rather deep dive into appreciation for vintage cars, that over an hour had flown by after brunch and they were still sitting in the booth. It should have surprised Lacey. Should have made her pause. But she was having fun, and giddy at the seduction game progressing according to plan. Smoothly.
Finally, they left and made their way to The Midnight. Again, Lacey insisted Ruby should go first. And damn, the girl really did have great taste! Picking a winner on the first try! Ruby tried on a pair of high-waisted pants, deep dark-blue and tight-fitted. There were zippers stitched into the sides at an angle, decorative obviously – no way anyone could use pockets with how skin-hugging they were. She paired it up with ankle booties, a white crop top with a red logo and a sheer black shirt unbuttoned and off one shoulder on top. To say that Lacey could not hide her appreciation (that was way beyond friendly) would be an understatement. She looked Ruby up and down a few times over, smirking to herself as Ruby shivered when Lacey reached up and untucked a lock of her hair from where it got trapped under the shirt. Ruby coughed in the charged silence, catching herself, then hurried into the changing room mumbling about getting the pants and top. Lacey was smiling like the proverbial cat that was about to get just as proverbial canary. It was her turn next.
Lacey used a different strategy this time. She started out with a loser again. Though, maybe half a loser was a better way of putting it. The dress was cut to her figure, just about, the hem ending exactly at her knee with a little slit on the side where the zipper began. It was sleeveless and with a high neckline, plus the zipper ran along her side, not the back. The problem with it was that it was bisected into two parts at the waist. The top of the dress was black and soft like velvet, it was also a hair shy of being completely translucent. It showed some shadowy curves through the black material and left enough to the imagination, too. In contrast the skirt of the dress was… a generic dark gray skirt. Plain and flat. The contrast between the parts of the dress was unsettling. It was as if there was a mix up at the factory and two separate designs were stitched together. Even the black stockings Lacey wore underneath were no help. Top for the wild night at the club, the excitement of music, dancing, drinks and teasing promise of more; the bottom – for spending another nine to five at the office in a tiny cubicle. Needless to say: Lacey hated it. She loved the top, but the way the bottom part ruined it made Lacey hate the top too. Ruby sensed her displeasure and branded the dress as the devil right away. Which made Lacey more grateful than she cared to admit. This clothing try-on ploy was envisioned as nothing more than that – an excuse to get Ruby to engage and let Lacey work her seduction magic. But the more they did this – the more fun it became, growing dangerously close to a genuine companionship. Lacey had a feeling they would be compatible as individuals, beyond just the physical attraction. Still, the way they clicked, fast and better than anyone else had before… that was a touch frightening. In the same way your stomach drops on a roller-coaster. Someone else might have slowed down or even recoiled completely, but for Lacey that spike of adrenaline, the threat and risk had turned to excitement. Life would not be worth living without a few risks and putting it all on the line in hopes of rolling a hard six once in a while.
Lacey let herself be consoled and cheered up with a contest of who could come up with a more creative insult for the designer. And five minutes later they were laughing so hard, their make-up had required some touch-up. Lacey made sure hers was impeccable again before she tried her second outfit. She glanced at Ruby checking her reflection next to her in the same mirror. Ruby was so focused on the line of her mascara, she pulled her lips out to make a perfect little circle. Lacey chuckled at the rather cute expression, gave confused Ruby a wink and disappeared behind the curtain.
When she reappeared it was to the startled intake of breath and then the softest little "oh" .
This was her trump card for today. For this outfit she went all out. Lacey had taken off the stockings, got her legs gloriously bare – moisturized to the point that they shone with a healthy glow. Then she threw on the items that were her weapons, checked her reflection, fluffed up her thick curls – and walked out as if on a catwalk.
Seeing Ruby's eyes become wide and her mouth hang open was excellent. Lacey would have high-fived herself if that wouldn't have ruined her entrance. Lacey knew how she looked from where Ruby was standing and she was looking good . She put on a pair of black heels with straps around the ankle and a tan trench coat. But not just any trench coat. It was short. Extremely short, ending about her mid-thigh. And while most of it was light tan material like that of a typical trench coat – the long sleeves, the front lapels and underside of the collar were leather, black smooth leather. In combination with dark buttons it gave the coat some amazing contrast. Lacey had tied the belt in a loop tightly around her waist. She made a few more steps, black glossy stilettos – a challenge for her balancing skills and not even a little bit comfortable, but so worth it! Lacey stopped at the arch beyond the open curtain of the changing room, leaned on it for a moment. She moved her legs, gliding one calf against the side of the other, all while not taking her eyes off Ruby. Who was still stunned speechless. Lacey chuckled and advanced on her. One step, another, heels forming a single line and hips swaying. She placed her hands on the coat and gripped the lapels, pulling it slightly further apart and revealing more of her cleavage. Ruby closed her mouth with a loud clunk of her teeth and gulped.
"Hey, Ruby, remember how I barged in on you in this very changing room? I was truly sorry about it, but I also couldn't help noticing your taste in lingerie. And it is simply sublime. Think you can give me a few pointers? Right now."
Ruby's eyes snapped from darting all over her figure to Lacey's face. Now, in addition to the gobsmacked expression, her cheeks began to rosy with a blush. Lacey bit her lip and reached for the belt.
Ruby took a step back.
"No, that's not– You don't have to– I'm not good at that kind of advice and it's not necessary the right time– Agh!" Ruby began to babble, throwing her hands up in a surrendering or maybe shielding gesture.
Lacey was faster, though. Her nimble fingers got the coat open and she threw it off in a flash. Ruby stumbled backwards with her hands covering her face and, tripping over the little pouf, fell over onto her back. Lacey couldn't help herself. Her laughter sounded open and unrestricted. When Ruby, with her legs still stuck on top of the pouf but with her back on the carpet, chanced a glance through her fingers – she groaned and let her head fall back on the carpet. Lacey laughed harder.
There was no lingerie under that coat. Well, there was, but it was under another minidress, one short enough to hide under the coat. It was black and patterned with bright red rose buds all over. The cut was deceptively simple: the dress had a plunging decolletage with the smallest off-shoulder sleeves allowing for most of Lacey's neck, shoulders and upper chest to be uncovered; the top of the dress flowed into a tightly fitted sash at the upper waist and then into a double skirt, one on top of the other. It was sexy as hell and kind of cute at the same time. Lacey liked it, even more so knowing Ruby's favorite color and the implication red roses always held – of passion and desire.
Lacey walked over and held out a hand for Ruby to take. Together they got Ruby off the floor.
Lacey ran her hands up and down Ruby’s open arms, "Shhh. I was not expecting a reaction this good! Sorry, not sorry. You know, if it wasn't this easy to tease you, I wouldn't have done it. But. Since you're so prone to tripping over yourself, and I do not wish for that forehead to get a scar," Lacey gave Ruby a soft, little poke between her eyebrows, "the next time. There might just be no carpet to soften the landing. So if you don't want me to tease you like that, you should say so now and I promise I won't."
Ruby blinked like a confused puppy, tilting her head to the side. Then she chuckled to herself and shook her head, making that beautiful mane of hers follow the energetic movement.
"Strangely enough, I don't really mind. You took me by surprise, that is all. But I guess, that was the point. It's okay. Will teach me to stay on my toes," Ruby smiled, somehow mixing shyness and eagerness in one simple gesture.
Lacey grinned back at her, gave Ruby a slug in the arm and said, "That's the spirit! Now how about you give me a hand? I want to try these other heels on and I'm afraid I could repeat your spread-out-on-the-floor performance stepping out of these stilettos."
Ruby obediently walked with Lacey to the mirror and another pair of heels waiting there – black and with a bright red strip going from the inner side all the way along the outer sides, from the nose to the heel. These shoes were somewhat lower in profile, though not many could compete with the stilettos Lacey had on. Holding onto Ruby's hands Lacey had stepped out of her shoes and stood barefoot on the carpet. She glanced up to offer Ruby a grateful yet teasing smile, but it was in that moment that Lacey noticed something eye-opening, making her momentarily forget about everything else. It was Ruby. It was the sudden intake of breath, the slight squeeze of the hands held, the instinctual leaning in just a bit closer, and finally the gleamer in Ruby's eyes, the widening of her pupils. Right then and there Lacey knew – she had found something precious, an Achilles' heel, another little thread to pull on in her mission of seduction. Lacey wiggled her toes, enjoying the feeling of the soft carpet and being released from the beauty-prison of those monster heels. She glanced up again to her utter satisfaction. Ruby wasn't looking down at her anymore. She was much more interested in studying something on the ceiling, but it was plain to see how much her neck had tinted with a rosy blush. Lacey chuckled to herself and slipped into the new heels, gaining some of the lost inches. It wasn't the time now, but she sure filed it away for the next date. So instead Lacey let Ruby collapse onto the pouf and catch her breath as she made a show of walking around and even doing a few twirls in the new dress-shoes combo. After leaving The Midnight, they laughed about the day's events, Ruby walked Lacey home and that was the end of it.
The Friday the week after rolled around and there was no longer a need to check – their meetings for brunch and shopping had become an expected occurrence. They met up at the usual time and sat in a booth that became theirs and talked over eggs and coffee and pancakes. It would have been a staple of an idyllic, wholesome date, filled with enjoyable small talk, laughter and good food. It would have if not for one little detail: the fact that Ruby would cough, blush and try to (once again) avert her eyes from the plunging cleavage Lacey was putting on display in her dress. Which made it less wholesome, but just spicy enough for Lacey's taste. Plus, it was entirely too easy to tease Ruby with an 'accidental' repositioning every few minutes for Lacey not to succumb to the temptation.
Naturally, no date can be perfect. There was a rather unfortunate moment at the start, when they were just getting into their order of food and drink. A middle-aged woman walked into the Diner and, having taken a good look around, made her way directly towards Ruby. She barked a quick greeting and listed her usual order-to-go to Ruby, with a special addendum of putting a rush on it since she had a meeting with the Mayor in an hour. The woman glanced around as she said it, apparently taking account of who noticed and paid attention to her important agenda. Ruby smiled, nodded and made to jump out of the booth, but she was stopped by a steely hand on her arm. Both Ruby's and the woman's eyes traced from the hand up the arm, to the shoulder and all the way to Lacey across the booth.
The woman was faced with the ice-cold blue eyes and an expression lacking any politeness or warmth. In a deadly calm voice Lacey informed her that Ruby was not on shift and that she should ask for service elsewhere. The woman huffed and began a plainly rehearsed tirade. Though, before the woman had time to get past the patented 'who do you think I am?' routine, Lacey had interrupted her with a raised hand.
"No, I have not the slightest clue who you are. Not a name, no nothin'. And why would I?" Lacey said with a cold, cold smirk, bordering on cruel, "You're obviously not important enough for me to be aware of you. But no worries, next time I'm having dinner at Regina's, I'll make sure to ask if any little peasant has been pestering her lately."
The diner was silent. You could hear a coin drop. The woman was standing there on the verge of hyperventilating, all red and white in patches from anger, humiliation and a healthy dose of fear. Although before said coin dropped, a gruff voice interrupted the tense silence. Granny was standing at the counter glaring at the woman and calling to her that her usual is ready. The woman turned back to Lacey, who was already busy with her plate as if the woman standing a step away had ceased to exist. With another loud huff the woman held her nose high, grabbed her order, left the payment on the counter, and strolled out without a thanks or goodbye. The silence lingered a moment, then the hubbub of the diner resumed with a few extra laughs here and there. Granny grumbled, exchanged looks with her granddaughter and left for the kitchens. Ruby herself was sitting there open-mouthed and gaping at Lacey.
"You really should not sit there with your mouth open like that. Unless you're suddenly developed a craving for flying bugs. In which case, by all means," lazily mentioned Lacey around a fork-full of pasta.
Ruby closed her mouth with a 'clang' of teeth coming together. Lacey chuckled.
"Don't look so surprised, mate. I knew you would have jumped up and ran to service that entitled hag, whoever she was, and on your day off, too! Well, not gonna happen when I'm around. These people seem to be perfectly alright with riding you to death like some horse that's disposable and you're too much of a superhero to not let them. I don't intend to see you collapse from overwork. Riding should be a pleasurable experience. I'll show you one day."
Ruby, still processing the whole thing, murmured, "Sorry? What?"
"Never-you-mind that," Lacey waved her hand, then began to play with a loose lock that had fallen out of her messy side-ponytail. "I'm more interested in your hobby right now."
Lacey brought up her theory about Ruby being a superhero, about the few bouts of heroism she had witnessed, and she found it amusing how embarrassed Ruby had become. She mumbled something about just being helpful and it not being a big deal, but Lacey halted any and all of Ruby's attempts of undermining her own deeds. Lacey firmly stated that Ruby deserved as much recognition as any remarkable person such as herself (and Lacey, naturally) ought to receive, and that she should really get more used to taking credit and enjoying resting on the well-deserved laurels once in a while. Lacey thought Ruby had been genuinely pleased with such a forceful defense, though Lacey was mildly aware that it had also surprised the both of them. She was in no mood to dig deeper into it, so one change of topic later they left for The Midnight.
As it had become tradition, after browsing the racks on their own, they met up at the same changing cabin and Ruby went in first. It had not been long before she emerged, changed and smug. And boy had she something to be smug about! Lacey gaped. For the first time since she orchestrated this whole shopping routine, Lacey momentarily forgot about her goal. Yeah, sure, Ruby was always attractive and her fashion choices were spot-on nine times out of ten, but it had never before hit Lacey in the gut quite like then and there. And it wasn't anything spectacularly special either! Ruby had chosen washed-out gray skinny jeans, a pair of glossy heels made out to look like gray marble and a white sleeveless t-shirt. The t-shirt had some curious designs with symbols of the Greek alphabet printed on it. At the same time, it was also a tight fit – going up to Ruby's neck, but leaving her arms and lower abdomen gloriously bare. Speaking of which, the skinny jeans Ruby chose sat rather low on her hips – resulting in the strip of skin showing between the hem of the shirt and the jeans to be… a lot. The jeans were rolled up once – and for some unfathomable reason it made Ruby's legs look longer, drew the eye to the stroll of her legs and movement of her heels. Ruby really relished the reaction, uplifted in the validation of her choice of an outfit. She walked back and forth with a hand on her hip, even made a sharp turn – her hair cascading around her shoulders. In addition to everything else, once Ruby began walking the movement made the t-shirt move and just relentlessly tease with glimpse after glimpse of her belly button. And then, for a theatrical finish, Ruby made an extra step towards Lacey, leaned forward and pulled at the collar. Her face was awash with confidence for a change and her eyes were sparkling.
Lacey felt herself mouthing an impressed "wow". Right then and there the mission to seduce that woman grew into something more. Lacey had no idea just how much of an amazing sight it would be to see Ruby bloom, fully settle into her own element. There was something holding her back before. Ruby had said that "during the Curse" she was a different person and now it was hard to figure out what parts of her were her own and what was "fake". Lacey understood some of the metaphorical meaning (as she got used to the way people of this town loved to speak in riddles half the time), but not all. The important takeaway was that Ruby wasn't sure of who she was. Lacey could bet she knew who she was supposed to be in the eyes of the others, judging by how Ruby was regarded and routinely taken advantage of. Still, there was inner conflict underneath her eagerness to please, to be helpful, to be seen. It was there, hidden, any time Lacey would look, really look. It should have been obvious for anyone paying attention that Ruby was adrift, lost to the winds and the whims of others. And yet this woman, this sexy, confident, know-my-worth woman standing before Lacey was not the same. Something changed, shifted interceptably over the time they had this game going. Lacey shook herself out of her stupor, letting more locks fall out of her side-knot. Perhaps, there were more benefits to reaching her goal than she had counted on.
Ruby practically floated back towards the changing room, throwing over her shoulder a quick, "I'll be getting these since you have shown such enthusiastic approval, mate . Your poker face sucks, by the way," with another flick of her hair.
Lacey found herself laughing at the jab rather than being offended. Odd. How strange, indeed. There was this warmth spreading about her body and she was surprised to discover herself to be giddy for the next part of the plan. Not smooth and supremely sure in her ability to seduce. Not suave, dangerous and primed – no, she felt giddy! What was that about?! Huffing at no one in particular, Lacey waved the ridiculous notions off. It was no time to get bogged down with silly stuff. Ruby just walked out of the changing room, a bunch of bags on her arms.
Lacey winked at her and said, "Good picks, gotta give it to you. Thing is though, now I just have to top you. Let the best mate win."
Ruby looked up, startled, "Top who? Wait, win? Is this a game with stakes now?"
"Spoilers," said Lacey and disappeared behind the curtain.
This was to be her triumph. A quick one-two punch to seal the deal. And she came prepared.
The first outfit was already picked. Lacey even wore golden jewelry to match. She pulled on a white tank top. It was seamless and on the shorter side, ending half-way down her sternum. It could even be mistaken for a tube-top, the white strings were so thin. And, of course, with the way it was clinging to her skin, there was no place for a bra. Lacey exchanged a sly grin with her own reflection. The trousers were next. Belted, tailored and high-waisted, they wrapped tightly around her waist and fell down from there in smooth, ironed out lines. Overtop Lacey put on a blazer. It was slightly oversized and not tailored to a woman's figure, which was the whole point of this combo. Both the blazer and trousers were the same tan color, just like her winning trench coat was. Together, the suit was transforming. Not concealing the feminine curves, but giving Lacey a powerful, commanding presence. And that was before she utilized her secret weapon. Lacey looked down at the classic white Puma sneakers. In profile their soles were low and flat as a board. Putting them on Lacey had to give it to the famous name emblazoned on the side – they were comfortable. Lacey stood up, bounced on her toes and heels a bit, and looked at her reflection. Her reflection was just what she thought it would be. But expecting, even seeing herself in the mirror was one thing, actually wearing the whole outfit was another. It was an odd feeling. This was, in a way, close to her usual style, but also entirely different. If Lacey had been putting this ensemble together before this thing with Ruby, she would have gone for heels with these pants, probably tailored to her figure blazer or maybe even a vest instead. The competitiveness that had been a hidden undercurrent between them had pushed Lacey to experiment more. Not to mention that secret weapon she discovered last time. Compared to her heels and boots, which made her feel taller, more imposing, caused her walk to project this aura of amused superiority, compared to that flat sneakers made her… not relaxed, not casual, not whatever other people say when talking about clothing made for comfort. Sneakers made her fluid. Gave her a different balance, like a stalking panther – always ready to pounce.
She had removed the elastic band and shook her hair out, pinned the right side to go smoothly back behind her ear – to make the golden hoop earring visible and break up the symmetry. Lastly, she checked her makeup and found nothing out of place. When next she threw open the curtain and walked out, Lacey felt on top of the world. Even though she lost quite a few inches in height, she retained her edge. The unpredictability and the danger, the freedom and the attitude – it was all still there, lurking beneath the change in attire. Lacey made a few steps, flipped the blazer open and put her hands in the pockets of her trousers. She was trying to hide a winning grin and suppress the urge to have a triumphant, villainous laughter moment. All because the girl that was waiting for her entrance had been stupefied on the spot. Ruby was looking and that was about all she was doing. She had frozen mid-stride, her feet suddenly glued to the floor and arms suspended in time. Her lips began to form the same circle of "oh", Lacey quite enjoyed before. Lacey made another few steps, raised and shook her hands so that the oversized sleeves would bunch up higher up on her arms. Then she put one hand on the back of her neck. Her other arm extended towards Ruby and gave her a thumbs up sign. There was a beat and then under the gaze of those wide, wide eyes, like the tradition of Ancient Rome would dictate, Lacey's thumb began to rotate, all the way until it pointed to the ground.
"You lose, mate."
Ruby shivered and hissed. It was as if someone had splashed her back with cold water. She let out a huge breath and made a tentative step forward. And then another. And another. They stood so very close now. Lacey dropped her arm and let it find refuge in the pocket of the trousers. Lacey knew she used to look up at Ruby, she remembered. Even with her heels on there was a little bit of a difference there, and some of the times Ruby would be wearing heels herself, making the difference more noticeable. But it never had been like this. Not with Ruby wearing these cute black booties with quite a bit of a heel and Lacey being in flat sneakers. Not with them standing this close, less than half a step away and barely a breath apart. Looking up at Ruby was a wholly new experience. That eager, companionable puppy was gone. The confident in her ability to help, but unsure of her worth superhero was gone too. The Ruby Lucas Lacey was seeing now was all new. Relaxed and ready to pounce at the same time. With hooded eyes that were deep and sure and absorbing, feasting on everything. That angular face that was calm and open – not a trace of worry in it, making the smallest of creases that would appear in-between the eyebrows or at one corner of the mouth disappear. No, the look on that face was smoldering and wholly captivated, but also made more beautiful by the rosy blush appearing on those high cheekbones and creeping up the neck. Their eyes met and disengaged, roaming over faces and bodies, but being inevitably drawn back up to lock in a heated stare again.
The space between them had grown smaller. The air thinned. Time stopped. Their lips were moving closer. Their hearts picked up their beats. Ruby's phone was ringing somewhere far away. Their hands reached out to find new purchases and grip on the clothing. Ruby's phone was still ringing. Their breaths intermingled, being felt on the skin of cheeks in the softest caress. Ruby's phone was ringing. Their eyes darted down and up in that charged second right before the lowering of eyelashes and closing of eyelids and finally the press of lips and…
And Ruby's phone was ringing!
They sprung apart as if the tiny sliver of air between them suddenly became boiling. Time resumed its loud tick-tock rhythm, barreling from one second into the next in a cacophony of fright.
Ruby whirled around away from Lacey, digging in her pocket for the phone. Lacey breathed out through clenched teeth. She was not sure what emotions were winning the battle inside. Anger at the interruption so close to the finish line? Confusion at the intensity of anticipation, the moment just before the kiss that somehow felt sharper, heavier than what in Lacey's experience a lip-lock was supposed to be? Eagerness to continue from where they left off? Apprehension at how different this seemingly simple seduction was unfolding? Lacey narrowed her eyes at nothing in particular and pursed her lips. This was not how she dealt with things. Lacey was not like the others. She was free, unbothered by the agonizing inner turmoil the normals were so fond of. It was time to uncomplicate things. Lacey wanted what she wanted and that was that. The how was a matter of conviction and planning. And the why was of no consequence. Come hell or highwater – no matter, Lacey was always more into living in the moment anyway. Let the others tremble at the thought of an uncertain future, but not Lacey. With one more breath, her face relaxed. The furrowing of eyebrows smoothed out and lips formed a sly smile, returning to the sassy confidence far more befitting of Lacey than the pinched face of doubt.
Lacey looked at Ruby and let the hushed phone conversation she was having filter in. It was clear immediately who she was talking to. There was also no need to be a genius to figure out what it was about.
And sure enough after hanging up, Ruby turned around and apologetically explained that one of the waitresses called in sick and Granny was asking for Ruby to cover. Of course, Ruby agreed to switch her day off to tomorrow, which meant she had to run back to the Dinner. Right away. As any true superhero ought to. Ruby looked both regretful and determined. Most likely bracing herself for whatever explosive reaction an unpredictable girl like Lacey was undoubtedly capable of. She was keeping her distance and was just shy of putting her hands up in a calming gesture, as one would do when faced with a wild animal all of a sudden. But Lacey also saw how Ruby's eyes darted around her figure once more, landing on the sight of magical footwear and then very quickly back up to her face. The blush and that deepness in Ruby's eyes had not quite dissipated yet. The green has not quite reclaimed its place around the dilated pupils. The superhero could not shake Lacey, no matter the interruption, no matter what.
Lacey smiled. Then she laughed. Without a care in the world, she stepped up to Ruby, let her palms dance up and down the bare arms.
"It's fine, Ruby. No need to fret. I get it. Granny needs you and you're way too much of a superhero to even think of letting her down. I get it. Family is important. To be honest," Lacey let out a small sigh, "I am a bit envious of you. You have a real family bond with Granny. All I have is a disappointment of a dad I never see or talk to. So yeah, I envy what you have. It's important."
Lacey glanced up, into Ruby's eyes that were soft and big and a little bit in awe and bristled under that look. She shook her shoulders and adapted her haughty expression again.
"Don't get the wrong impression, Missy! Don't go expecting me to repeat that to anyone else! Especially not Granny! And if you're gonna to tell a soul, you'll regret it! I mean it, Ruby! I have a reputation to keep."
Ruby had laughed at that threat, losing her 'fight or flight' pose in favor of absent-mindedly playing with a lock of Lacey's hair. Lacey was sure Ruby herself had no idea what she was doing and it was not the time to call her out on that just yet. Instead of putting pressure on Ruby right now, Lacey suggested the same course of action Granny did. To reschedule. If Ruby's day off had been moved to tomorrow – that's when they should hang out. Lacey did have an important errand to run in the afternoon (there was no errand), but she would be free in the evening. Would Ruby care to pick her up at, say, seven sharp?
No more convincing had been required. Ruby agreed with visible enthusiasm, beaming all of a sudden with the power of a thousand watt smile. Lacey blinked, trying to focus up again, but it was a bigger challenge than usual. There was a certain warm weight pooling at the base of her spine and it was not the time or the place for that. Not that Lacey would have minded, she was in no way risk-averse to sneaking one or two quickies in public, but this game was not finished. Not yet.
The phone began to ring anew. Lacey chuckled and shook her head.
"Go! Get your new wardrobe addition, pay up and be on your way! We don't want to let Granny down."
Ruby gave her another blinding grin and ran off.
The tick and tock of time moving towards the date had been insidious and deceptive for Lacey. The ticking would speed up one moment and slow down to a crawl – the next. She had planned, she had prepped, she waited like a patient hunter for her prey to spring the trap and she got agitated to the point of pacing. It was annoying to say the least, being thrown from one extreme to the other. Lacey attributed her nerves to the fact that it was going to be done soon. Tonight. The final, finishing touch to reach the goal. And yet when the doorbell rang, the jolt that pierced her heart was still there.
Opening her front door Lacey was met with a familiar view. Ruby Lucas, all in her element. She looked stunning in tight blackwash jeans, boots with a modest heel, a red off-shoulder shirt, tied in a knot at her waist, and a short leather jacket on top. Her hair was as always cascading around her shoulders in a dark mane. Her makeup was soft and natural, save for the brightness of that red lipstick. And, of course, the power of Ruby's smile was palpable, reflecting the mirth in the form of little golden flecks in the green of her eyes. It was a sight Lacey got used to and still was surprised by. Though, the change in those eyes was what kept a pointedly innocent smile on Lacey's lips.
Because the dancing golden flecks of fun and excitement were devoured by deep, wanton darkness as Ruby raked her eyes up and down Lacey's figure. And there was more than one reason why. Lacey was wearing her hair up, in a messy knot at the top of her head with only a few loose locks framing her face. Her left wrist was the home to a stylish square watch with black leather band, around her neck hung a square pendant with a black stone on a leather cord and there were square earrings in her ears – all of matching design. Lacey's figure was wrapped tightly by a blue stretch minidress. Her legs were bare below the hem line and upon her feet were those very same classic white Puma sneakers from the day before.
Looking up into Ruby's face and noticing the familiar blush appearing, Lacey was internally congratulating herself with a job well done.
Putting hands on her hips, Lacey looked Ruby up and down with theatrical seriousness and said, "What? You're not that much taller. I can still take you."
"Oh, um… Sure. with enough silver jewelry, I guess… It could be a fair fight."
Lacey grinned. Not missing a beat, she leaned forward and added, "I never said 'fight'. "
Ruby, who was just leaning against the now closed door, shook herself out of the mesmerized staring. She cleared her throat and began speaking awkwardly, avoiding looking at Lacey altogether. Ruby babbled on: an overly long greeting, unnecessary explanation of why they were meeting and what had happened yesterday (the events Lacey was present for), a few random remarks about the weather and then finally all about how nice it was that Lacey was her friend . Lacey's eyebrows rose, then furrowed. Which went ignored by Ruby. She was now playing with her own fingers and smiling off into the distance. There was something very sweet about Ruby talking about how she never had many friends, and none that had understood the parts of her that Lacey got.
Lacey chuckled, but could not let her dig that hole deeper than it was already. Stopping Ruby with a raised hand, Lacey asked plainly what Ruby was expecting they were going to do today. Ruby tilted her head like a confused puppy, then said they had planned to hang out today. Like friends ought to. Ruby had to cancel on Lacey and she was supposed to make it up to her friend, she always did so. Whatever Lacey would want to do today. What are friends for? Friend, friend, friend.
It was like a mantra Ruby couldn't help herself repeating. And Lacey was not sure how much of it was obliviousness and how much – Ruby trying to convince herself it was all that this was. Well, that was not in Lacey's plans. She tilted her head to the side and regarded Ruby with both amusement and fondness.
"You know, I actually was going to invite you in. Even prepared to make a little show out of cooking for you, Ruby. And, yes, I do know how and I'm not all that bad at it. But now I have changed my mind. You were so adorable misunderstanding what this was, I feel compelled to make it abundantly clear and get it through that thick head of yours," Lacey smirked, taking a step forward, all the while looking up at Ruby from under her eyelashes, "We are not friends. We have never been friends. I have been flirting with you from the moment we met. And you had been flirting back, knowingly or not, you have. Those shopping trips and meals we had together? Those were dates. And I have high expectations of what will happen tonight. So if you don't mind, I think we'll skip the dinner and go straight to dessert," Lacey paused, letting the full power of her attraction shine through her eyes – sparkling with smugness and mirth, and deadly serious at the same time, "I'm gonna climb you like a tree. Right fucking now."
Ruby had only a moment to gape at her before Lacey jumped her. Quite literally. Lacey jumped into the air, certain and safe in her knowledge that Ruby would catch her. No matter how startled she was, Ruby was a superhero and saving people was as instinctual for her as breathing. Sure enough, Ruby had stepped into Lacey, catching her with an arm around her back and another – clutching at her thigh. Lacey happily wrapped her legs around Ruby’s waist and interlocked her ankles.
Lacey leaned in, her arms draped over Ruby's shoulders, and husked hotly next to her ear, "Red, hey, Red?"
The shiver and shaky intake of breath from the recipient told Lacey all she needed to know about her last and final trump card – the nickname. She grinned and pressed herself closer.
" Red , you really should check out my dress. I know you want to. I want it too. I wore it 'specially for you. That… and nothing else."
With that, Lacey let her teeth close around the earlobe. The combination of words and teeth had pulled an honest to god whine out of Ruby. On instinct, Ruby's hands began to roam, hesitant and slow. That was a good first step, but the full-body flinch Lacey felt as it went through Ruby when she confirmed the absence of any further barriers underneath the dress – was better. The material was stretchy and thin enough to feel Lacey's skin, the smooth warmth of it, through the back, where one of Ruby's hands was. Aiding in the effort was the other hand, which had crept up Lacey's thigh, underneath the hem of the dress and further to grip one of those very bare cheeks. Lacey grinned into the long, dark hair. Those hands were sure to leave bruises and that's exactly how she liked it.
Lacey shifted back, reclining in her secure position being held by Ruby and her own crossed legs. She raised one hand off of Ruby's shoulder and swiped the dark mane of hair out of the way. She cupped the side of Ruby's face, relishing the dazed expression upon it – eyes hooded and so dark they almost lost all the green in them, the blush spreading on those high cheekbones, the lax jaw and mouth slightly open.
Lacey waited a bit just so that she could catch Ruby's eyes fully, then as she had the full attention Lacey spoke, " Red . I have promised to show you what pleasurable riding is like, do you remember? Though, I am not into doing anything that is not wanted. But you want me, right? You wanted me for a long time. You want all the things I can do to you and all the things you could do to me, don't you, Red? "
Lacey rolled her hips into Ruby's stomach as a demonstration and a guttural moan was her reward. She chuckled, seeing how Ruby was apparently beyond words. Lacey's hand moved to get a firmer grip on Ruby's jaw. Her thumb traced along the point of the chin, up towards the red, red lips. It moved over, smudging the perfectly applied lipstick and ruining the sharp outline. The pad of the thumb teased over the lips, then dipped in… which Ruby accepted. She bit lightly on the pad, then licked it. Lacey smiled.
"Let's make this very simple. If you shake your head, I'll back off. We can stay friends or not see each other ever again, whatever. But if you nod… if you nod I will make you mine. I'll devour you whole. I'll plunge you in the depths of pleasure you have no idea existed. Tell me what you want and you shall have just that, Red ."
There was a moment of silence, only filled with labored breathing and the tension from interlocked eyes and tightly pressed together bodies. Ruby slowly opened her mouth a bit wider, let Lacey's thumb delve deeper and sucked on it. She breathed out through the nose, nostrils flaring… and gave a shaky nod.
Lacey let out the little laugh she had been holding. It felt good. Winning. Getting what she wanted. The triumph of a well-executed seduction. Better yet, the best were still to come. In all the meanings of the word. Lacey let herself enjoy the feeling of holding Ruby's face like that for another heartbeat or two. Each little flick of Ruby's tongue against the pad of her thumb was a promise to be fulfilled. The tension rose higher, like the bowstring right before letting the arrow loose, just before the too-tightly-wound-up cord would snap.
There was another heartbeat.
And then Lacey was devouring Ruby's mouth.
It was not gentle or slow or reserved. The kisses were hungry, fast and not holding back. Lips, tongue, teeth. Lacey would dive deep, make Ruby slightly weak at the knees with the demanding tongue. And then she would back off, taking quick kisses, sucking and biting on Ruby's lips. Lacey would let Ruby's mouth chase hers, keeping her just out of reach for a few seconds – until a growl low in Ruby's chest would become a whine. Only then would Lacey take another kiss, conquer Ruby's mouth entirely. It was an intoxicating feeling: having this powerful woman right in the palm of her hand, helpless, caught – Lacey's . Yes, it was. And whatever other desires or plans or wants besides the carnal kind Lacey might have had… Well, those would not complicate things either. Because this wasn't and Lacey was not. Feeling Ruby's hand delving deeper under the hem of her dress, while still managing to hold her up, Lacey knew it was time to move on.
Giving Ruby's lower lip a quick bite, she murmured against them, "Take me to bed, Red … No, wait… Ah… The kitchen table is closer."
Ruby compiled. She made the few steps it took to get to the table, swiped whatever was still on it and layed Lacey out upon the surface. Though, it was not long that Lacey spent on her back: no more than a minute it took her to sit up, hike her dress up, pull it over her head and chuck it behind her. It wasn't yet time to switch roles, not for the first display Lacey had been prepping for. She ordered Ruby to undress and gave her a hand with relentless eagerness. And soon it was Ruby who was the one writhing on her tip-toes, gripping at the table as Lacey remained seated, trapping Ruby between her legs, letting Ruby lean into her – with one hand scratching long lines into the skin of Ruby's back and the other – trapped between her thighs, giving her pleasure. Silence of the apartment for the many hours after was swallowed by moans and sighs and screams and creaking of overexerted wood.
It took several orgasms and one of the table legs falling out for them to switch places. Lacey could not have cared less about the furniture as she substituted it for the floor and rode Ruby's face to a mind-blowing release. She only remembered about the unlucky table in the morning, having found Ruby in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on the fixed kitchen table and making breakfast at the same time.
As they were having breakfast together, Lacey thought about that comment Ruby made when they first met, seemingly such a long time ago. The comment about how Ruby wasn't 'getting' Lacey. About how she was so complex and so unlike this 'Belle'. At the time Lacey gave that comment no mind. But as their dates became more frequent, as she started upon this route of seduction… The idea of Lacey being the complicated one kept popping into her mind, no matter how ridiculous it was. Or maybe. Maybe it was because it was so ridiculous that she kept being reminded of it.
Lacey thought about it again a week later when some new items arrived at The Midnight again and, as it became tradition, they went on a shopping date. She thought about it during the date, as they were trying on different outfits and giving each other tips. She also thought about it after the date. Especially that evening. With Ruby on her back on the bed, her arms above her head – handcuffed to the frame. With Ruby there – dressed only in the garterbelt, stockings, sweat and smudged makeup. And Lacey, leaning over Ruby, holding her legs up and pistoning with the strap-on like a machine. She thought about the complex dance, the give and the take, of a well-executed seduction. And, listening to Ruby's howl and seeing her face awash with pleasure, Lacey thought about how fulfilling the reward was.
That dance was indeed complex. And it was finished. Lacey was not complicated. She never thought herself to be. She did what she wanted. And she did whomever she wanted. And never let anyone think otherwise. What could be simpler than that, hmm?
To be continued...