It was just before midnight when two very well-fed women entered the big house in Silverlake. They put their several plates of "for later" food that Ruth had insisted that they take with them in the refrigerator. The baggies of cookies and candy landed on the counter.
Dinner went well. Quin's discomfort was soon replaced with a deep warm feeling, as she was welcome once again into the Ross family. She had apologized to each of them through out the day and evening as opportunities presented themselves. Quin was surprised as each child had hugged and kissed her, forgiveness obviously an easy concept for the innocent. Tom and Ruth had been cornered during yet another diaper change. They had assured her that no amends were required except one.
"Stop being an ass, and come to dinner more often." Tom had said as his wife nodded agreeing with his less than tactful demand.
So it was with a much lighter heart and conscience Quin McKee returned home. It was a smoldering libido that now surfaced as she watched Vivian bend over to greet Mike. She had yet to take the initiative to make love to this beautiful woman that had gifted her life with the love and joy that she hadn't known is three years of misery, sorrow, and regret. She took mental and physical stock of herself. She wasn't one hundred percent just yet, but more than enough ready for some gentle love making on a cool Thanksgiving evening. Quin hoped that Vivian was of a similar mind as she came to stand directly behind the detective, admiring the heart-shaped rear of her love. Her right hand reached out and her fingers skimmed the surface of the long brown skirt that was stretched over the surface of skin that Quin wanted oh so much to feel directly. There was a soft gasp of surprise from the blonde that was followed by a soft moan as Quin used both of her hands to pull shapely hips back, bringing that luscious rear end into contact with her own rapidly heating center. She made a slow circular move with her own hips against Vivian eliciting another moan from her own lips. With out speaking a word she eased her hands up a bit causing Vivian to stand. She was reminded of the first time the blonde had touched her in this same kitchen just a few weeks ago as her fingers found the zipper to the skirt and lowered it with a delicious sound that promised superb things beyond. As the skirt fell from Vivian's hips she let her hands dip into the warm space on either side of Vivian's center, her fingers and thumbs forming a triangle over delicate lace panties. A mental image came to Quin as she framed her desired destination. She had to tilt her head up just a bit to whisper into the blonde's ear, "I want to feel all of you." Her hands began to roam then of their own will, eliciting all sorts of wonderful sounds from Vivian. "Let's go to the bedroom." A breathy ‘yes' was Vivian's only answer as she turned in Quin's arms and took the PI's lips in a passionate kiss.
They made slow progress to the stairs. The stops were frequent as they lost the ability to walk and kiss at the same time in some instances. Then there were the full body presses against convenient walls and door jams. Neither woman even noticed as a giggling Maggie, followed closely by a grinning Quang emerged from the basement into the hall almost colliding with the couple locked in a desperate tangle of limbs and lips. Quang's grin faded to a gape.
"McKee!"
Shit! Quin pushed a partially clothed Vivian behind her. "Quang!"
Maggie blinked several times then offered a shy, "Hi Sarge." Accompanied by a small wave as she slinked behind Quang.
Vivian blushed to her toes and waved back, "Hi Mags." Then a small smile in the thin man's direction, "Quang."
Quin rolled her eyes, "Well now that introductions are over, where in the hell did you two come from?" She shifted to cover as much of Vivian as possible while closing the front of her own shirt that somehow had come unbuttoned.
Quang threw his head toward the basement door.
"You and Maggie in the basement?" Vivian asked with a giggle.
"Please." Quin rolled her eyes again at Vivian's question, "Don't ask for details."
Maggie whispered something in Quang's ear then trotted her sheet covered form to the kitchen. Quang watched her go with a small smile, which was quickly lost as he found himself pressed against the basement door by a somewhat annoyed Quin McKee.
Vivian took the opportunity to turn the corner and lope up the stairs. Quin watched her go with a grin of her own before turning back to her associate. "What are you doing here Quang? I thought you had a dinner date. That's what Anthony said."
"I did. We came back about three hours ago." Quang shrugged his shoulders, "One thing led to another…"
"No details Quang." Quin warned.
The Asian man smirked.
"Why not use the guest bedroom Quang? You practically live there anyway." Quin asked as she eased the pressure off her associate. "Did you have to defile my couch?" A silent shrug answered her. "Fine." She released the thin man and sighed. "Just please try to keep it down." A silent nod and a fake serious gaze acknowledged her plea. Her eyes rolled for the third time in as many minutes. "Go." She backed away shaking her head and watched the boxer short clad man excitedly side step into the kitchen.
Vivian took the opportunity to slip into the shower. She silently cursed herself for not having some sort of sexy lingerie on hand, she hadn't been thinking of seduction when she had packed for the stay at the PI's house. She frowned a little. She had been upset with the woman when she had packed to begin with. Now she was just a little miffed, but that was quickly waning as her body sang with arousal and her lips tingled with the memory of recent heated kisses. Her fingers brushed over the sensitive skin that had moments before been attached to Quin McKee causing a smile and a blush to flush her body from head to toe.
Quin had entered the large master suite to find the bedroom empty. She heard the shower come on and deduced that Vivian was in the bathroom. She was a PI after all, and deduction was her forte. She gave a quick whiff to herself by lifting her shirt from her chest and inhaling deeply. Not bad, she thought, but a quick shower in the hall bathroom wouldn't hurt. She gathered a soft white t-shirt and headed off.
Vivian emerged from the bathroom expecting to find a waiting Quin. Instead she found an empty bedroom. She was slightly disappointed her grand nude entrance was a bust. A small sigh escaped her lips as she went to her bag that was perched on a small couch in the seating area of the room. She rummaged until she found a simple white tank top and pulled it on. She also found her last pair of clean underwear. She had just pulled them on when she heard Quin's comment as the brunette entered the room and crossed toward her.
"Hmmmm, cotton briefs... I like a girl who is all about comfort." Quin finished toweling her hair with her good arm. Her right shoulder was still a little tender for such activity as she found out when she first tried the maneuver in the bathroom. She tossed the towel onto the floor, making a mental note to pick it up in the morning. She continued her stride toward the blonde.
Vivian blushed a bit in embarrassment, again cursing herself for not having something sexier. She tugged at the hem of her tank top.
Quin reached out and stopped her. "Hey, come on…" She took Vivian's hands in her own and brought them to her lips, kissing each one in turn. "I like them, have a whole drawer full of them in fact." She released Vivian's hands and replaced hers on the blonde's hips hooking her thumbs in the elastic waistband of the plain white underwear. "Besides, I don't think you'll need them until morning." Her hands moved around and inside the cotton barrier. She tilted her head and captured Vivian's lips at the same time. They shared a delicious moan as their bodies melded together and Vivian found her self being maneuvered backwards toward the bed.
As they fell into the soft feather bed together, facing one another, Vivian came to her senses. "Wait!" She raised her hand and gently pressed Quin's injured shoulder creating a little space between them. "I want to talk for a bit."
"The communicate thing from earlier?" Quin asked.
"Yup. Comfy?" A quick nod answered in the affirmative. "Okay. Now…" She reached out and brushed a shaggy bang from Quin's forehead, "…What's your favorite color?"
Quin looked puzzled.
"It's not a hard question Quin. What's your favorite color?" Vivian questioned again.
"Blue." Quin answered softly.
"Mine is dark green. What's your favorite morning drink?"
Quin smiled, "Pepsi."
Vivian's nose wrinkled, "Pepsi?" A one shoulder shrug was her only clarification. "Fine. What's your favorite flower?"
"Wait. You didn't say your favorite morning drink." Quin admonished.
"Oh right. Coffee, black."
"That's so butch." The brunette teased warming up to the conversation. "Snap Dragons."
"It is not butch. It's a requirement of life. My flower is Violets."
Quin was furiously making mental notes, "What about your favorite male and female actors?"
Vivian grinned, "Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. I would give birth to either one of their love child."
Quin laughed out loud.
"What?" Vivian blushed as the PI kept laughing. "Aww, come on Quin."
The brunette relented with one last little giggle, "That was so cute. Umm, Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant, and I seem to be too late for birthing love children." Another round of giggles ensued from the PI.
Vivian slapped Quin playfully on the hip, "You're mean." She whined, but was unable to stop the smile that crept onto her lips.
Quin settled down again, "Sorry. Let me think of another one." She reached over and ran her index finger across the skin of Vivian's collarbone taking note of the slight shiver she caused. "Favorite smell?"
Vivian allowed the touch as she thought, "Sage."
"Vanilla." Quin smiled as Vivian mirrored her touch, she cursed the t-shirt that was between her and feeling Vivian's touch directly.
Vivian smiled softly, "I need to tell you something." Quin's smile started to fade, "It's not bad." She added. "I don't think its bad anyway, but it is important." Clear gray eyes blinked at her in silence. "Okay, so I'll just say it right? I mean I was the one who started this whole communication thing right?" A blank silent stare answered her. Sheesh Vivian out with it already, you're scaring her half to death! "I love you." Silence. "I mean, I am in love with you."
Quin shook her head as if to clear it. Then a smile started to form and she felt her eyes begin to swell with tears. "I need to buy a lottery ticket in the morning."
Vivian frowned, confused by the brunette's reaction.
Quin cupped her lover's cheek and sniffled as she lost her composure for the second time that day. She made sure to lock gazes with Vivian. "I'm the luckiest person alive to find and know love twice in a lifetime." She smiled softly through her tears, "I'm in love with you Vivian Walsh." There wasn't much space to cross to seal her oath with a kiss.
Vivian melted into the intimate contact as her heart raced with the knowledge that Quin returned her love. She didn't know when she was divested of her top, or exactly how Quin's left hand had found its way past her underwear. She just knew that it all felt wonderful. Better than wonderful. Vivian was hard pressed to think of a word to describe just how it felt. Her hands had their own agenda. Quin wasn't wearing any underwear, so the task of unclothing the brunette was a simple matter of breaking contact long enough to yank the yard of cotton over Quin's head.
Quin growled then groaned as she was maneuvered by Vivian to disengage her hand from the very warm, moist, place she had decided she wanted to stay forever. The cool air of the room chilled her wet fingers while her t-shirt was not so gently pulled over her head, catching on her ears and receiving an extra hard tug before it finally found its way to someplace on the floor. She looked down on Vivian and decided the detectives remaining garment had to go now, because she wasn't going to be interrupted again. She sat and simply took in the curves and angles of Vivian's womanly form fully exposed before her. Then her hands and mouth traced the path her eyes had just blazed.
A long, languid moan passed Vivian's lips ending in a whispered plea of more of everything that Quin was doing. Something was different this time. Something more was happening. Vivian's analytical mind raced with pleasure and questions. She decided to go with pleasure as Quin's tongue traced the curve of her ear.
Quin's nervousness faded with every moan and every shiver that Vivian elicited. She had only ever made love to one other woman in her entire life. She had been worried if she would be able to give Vivian everything she deserved, everything she wanted. It seemed that love was all she felt and was all she was able to channel at the moment as she did her best to physically manifest that one overpowering emotion. She could feel Vivian tighten around her fingers and wanted so much to reach the pinnacle with the blonde. A slight shift down. A leg lifted and draped over a firm thigh. A rhythm as old as time. "Come with me." She said through clenched teeth.
Powerless to do anything but comply with the request, Vivian arched and went rigid as the wave of ecstasy crashed over her. The blonde detective registered Quin's release just seconds later. Their breathing seemed to cease for a few moments. Total silence engulfed them for a long moment. Then almost at the same instance they both gasped for air, collapsing back to the mattress and clinging to each other as they whispered words of love.
Tom Ross fidgeted in his seat as he stared at the empty desk across from him. This was his first day back to work off leave and Vivian's final Psych interview before she would be released to return to duty. Then it's back to business as usual. He thought as he picked up a retractable pen and began clicking it, settling into a beat that matched the song stuck in his head. Who knew Blondie songs could get imbedded into one's brain so easily? A sharp fwap of a box hitting the desktop opposite him interrupted his personal meanderings. "What's this?" He asked Vivian as the blonde started to unceremoniously began to shove her personal effects off the desktop into the box.
"I'm not fit for duty." The sentence was bitter.
Tom stopped in mid click, "What?"
"I'm not fit for duty. It seems that my lack of remorse for killing Franklin means I'm incapable of performing my job." She moved onto emptying drawers. "Fuck them. The bastard had ruined the lives of dozens… hundreds even. He murdered a police detective and her unborn child." The drawers slammed shut, "I Quit!"
Tom stood and rushed around the joined desks, "Viv, come on now, take a few weeks to decide."
Vivian grabbed up her box, "A few weeks? No. I know what I want to do. I don't need to think any more." She paused then set the box down. She gathered Tom into a fierce hug, "I'll never be able to repay your kindness. You'll always be my best friend." She kissed him softly on his rough cheek. "I'll call you in few weeks. I need some time." She had the mind to place her service revolver and badge on her desk before once again taking up her box. She left without another word.
Quin sipped at the pot of simmering chili that she had been cooking on for the last three hours. She let the spicy gravy set on her tongue for a bit to ascertain her next seasoning move. A dash of cayenne and a bit of salt went into the pot. She stirred it and took another taste. "Perfect." She declared as she moved to the large chopping block to finish grating cheese and chopping additional onions. A timer went off on the oven signaling that the corn bread was finished. She checked her watch for the time as she answered the timer and shut off the oven. She cracked the oven door a bit to let the heat out, leaving the corn bread to stay warm. Now all she needed was a lunch partner.
Vivian sat in her car a few doors down from Quin's house. She had pulled over at first to gather herself. A minute turned into thirty minutes. She finally questioned herself as to why she was stalling. Was she going to have to defend her decision to quit to Quin? Would Quin judge her? She sighed, it doesn't really matter what she thinks does it? It's not like we're living together. She narrowed her eyes at herself in the visor mirror, "Coward." So I quit my job. She shrugged. There are other jobs. She reasoned. Maybe she'll take me on as a partner. "Ha!" Not with the ever trusty Quang at her side, she doesn't need me. Sigh. "Fuck." She pounded the steering wheel. Okay, okay…let's get it over with. She started the car and pulled two houses down and into the long drive making her way to the back. She parked in her now customary place and paused once again.
Quin smiled at hearing Vivian's car pull up. She set the small kitchen table and placed the chili and cornbread in easy reach to the two place settings. She poured two large glasses of iced tea, setting out the sugar bowl next to Vivian's place. She smiled to herself then adjusted the napkins and silverware so that everything was perfect. Then she waited.
And waited.
Her smile faded to a thin line. She went to the back door. She moved the curtain aside and peered at Vivian's car. She could see the detective sitting in the driver's seat. She watched for another five minutes before grabbing her sweater and exiting the house.
Vivian startled at the tap on the window. She couldn't help but smile at her lover who motioned for her to roll down her window. "Hi." She greeted thinking she sounded lame.
"Hi back at ya." Quin replied as she looked past Vivian at the box on the passenger seat. She blinked twice in understanding then smiled at the blonde, "I cooked." She informed, "Chili and corn bread."
Vivian could feel tears well up in her eyes, "I ummm… I quit." She tapped the box next to her with her hand, "All I have to show for fifteen years."
Quin pulled on the door handle, swinging the door open, "You have plenty to show." She extended her hand inside the car, happy that Vivian didn't hesitate to take it. She pulled gently and the detective followed. "Want to bring that in?" Quin motioned to the box.
"Naaa, I can get it later." The tears that had threatened to fall seemed to disappear.
"Okay." Quin closed the car door after rolling up the window. "Lunch is getting cold."
"Mmmm." Vivian vocalized, as another muscle seemed to relax under Quin's touch. "Don't you want to know what happened today?" She asked dreamily as the heel of Quin's palm worked a knot out of her lower back.
"You'll tell me when you're ready."
"I have to admit I'm kind of surprised by your lack of interest." Vivian murmured.
"I know you did what was best for you." Quin frowned as she came across another knot. "You need to relax your back Vivian, or this won't work." She felt the blonde sigh beneath her. "Better." She commended.
"The Psych said I was remorseless. She said I need to re-examine my ethics and morals. Turns out I may not be very empathetic towards the criminal element."
"Shoot first; ask questions later?"
Vivian hissed as Quin hit a sore spot just under her shoulder blades. "Something like that."
"Is that how you feel? Act before thinking?"
"Isn't that what you do?" Vivian retorted a bit harshly.
Quin's hands paused. "Are we going to talk about me now?" She sat back on her heels still straddling Vivian's thighs. She took a deep breath. "Okay. Let's talk about me." She rolled Vivian onto her back and settled back onto the blonde's thighs. "We're talking about what I do right?" Receiving an affirmative nod she continued. "What I do is cross every line drawn. I break rules. I put myself and those around me in danger and hope for the best." She leaned down until she was sharing air with Vivian. "What I do is reckless disregard for the written law." She snarled, "I am not a cop with an oath. I'm a private citizen."
Vivian flinched. "I…"
Quin placed her fingers over Vivian's lips. "NO. You listen to me Ms. Walsh. You turned this conversation this way so you listen to me." She removed her hand, "I am not anything like you. You are the law. You live and breathe it. You protect it and cherish it. Do I think you would shoot someone without thinking, without knowing the truth?" Quin paused and made sure that she had Vivian's full attention. "I don't believe for one moment you would act before thinking." She then softens her tone "You don't feel remorse for killing Franklin." She leaned in and stole a soft kiss. "You feel what you feel. Remorse is probably low on the list as far as Franklin is concerned. I know I feel nothing but satisfaction, fucker got what was coming to him." She stole another kiss. "When you figure out what you feel then you'll be at peace about it. Until then I'll be right here, and after you decide I'll still be here. Now flip over so I can finish."
Vivian leaned up and indulged in a long kiss before turning back onto her tummy and relaxing into Quin's touch. "I love you." She proclaimed softly as she finally let the tension of the day go.
Quin smiled and placed a kiss on Vivian's shoulder, "I love you too. Now quiet, I'm working here." And work she did until Vivian fell asleep. She joined her lover in blissful slumber moments later.
Vivian woke slowly the next morning. She rolled away from the sunlight that was streaming through the curtains at the head of the bed. She nearly rolled off the edge of the bed in her endeavor to escape the bright rays. She risked one eye and was greeted by a large alarm clock that shouted at her with large red numbers that it was one pm in the afternoon. She has to think on that a moment until it registered that she had been sleeping for nearly fourteen hours. Her bladder made itself known and she grudgingly got out of bed. She tested her legs and back and found that for the first time in months she felt nothing but rested. Gone were her aches and pains. She smiled to herself and filed the skill of masseuse as one of Quin's top reasons she was a keeper. A quick bathroom trip and an equally quick hunt for clothing of any kind had her ready to meet the day. Well what was left of the day…. She found Anthony in the kitchen working on a large ledger at the kitchen table. "Where is everyone?" she asked as she tested the side of the coffee pot to see if it was still hot, finding it with sufficient heat she poured herself a cup in her mug. Quin had designated the large blue mug as her own personal coffee container. She smelled the dark liquid letting the bitter steam fill her lungs before taking the first sip.
"People sometimes get out of bed before one in the afternoon, and then they have places to go and things to do." Anthony watched the detective and shivered as she took the first drink of the black coffee that had been standing on a hot plate for eight hours. "You people are heathens, dip coffee makers and that pathetic over ground dirt you call coffee is an abomination."
Vivian took a long drink and licked her lips letting an exaggerated ‘yum' ease from her mouth.
Anthony snorted in disgust. "There's a letter for you." He held up a plain white envelope.
Vivian eased into a chair beside the dark man. "Who's it from?"
"I think if you open it you'll find out."
Vivian scowled "Fine." She took the envelope as she sat at the table. She regarded the young man across from her, "Want to talk about it?"
Anthony pursed his lips and shook his head. "I'll be okay."
"Does Quang know how you feel?" Vivian asked as she slipped her finger under the edge of the loosely sealed envelope opening it.
"He's with Maggie. He's also so wrapped up in the custody case."
The detective nodded knowing that much of Quang's time was being devoted to a new romance and the possibility of gaining custody of his little girl. Vivian smiled softly opening the letter inside and recognizing Quin's eloquent script. "He and everyone else wonder why you're being so snippy and sometimes, especially to Maggie, downright mean."
Anthony flinched. "I didn't realize."
Vivian took the dark man's hand, "Talk to Quang, stop blaming Mags. She's a good person. I'll admit it threw me a bit seeing them together, Maggie comes off a little…"
"Butch?" Anthony offered.
Vivian laughed, "Well yes, stern would work too. I really thought she was family." She scratched the side of her head, "But just because I don't see the attraction between the two doesn't mean that I will interfere, and it also means that I won't treat either of them like crap for simply breathing. This is your problem Anthony."
Anthony nodded, "And to think I didn't want to talk about this." He squeezed the blonde's hand, "Thanks Vivian.
"You're welcome Anthony."
"Ummm, how did you know what it was?"
"That you're pining away for Quang? Easy, you're family." She laid the letter in her hand flat on the table and took up her coffee mug again and started to read.
Vivian,
I was called away this morning on business. A car will arrive about 2pm to pick you up. You don't need anything. I love you and will see you soon.
Q.
She glanced up at the clock on the wall, "Fuck, its nearly two now!" She stood nearly knocking over her coffee mug that was expertly fielded by Anthony. There was a polite knock to the back door. "Fuck!" She threw up her hands and stepped to the back door. She yanked it open startling the young woman standing there in full chauffer regalia.
"Ms. Walsh?" The little blonde asked.
"Shit. Yes. I'm not ready."
"Ms. McKee said to bring you as you are." The chauffer looked her up and down, smirking at the Sponge Bob pajama bottoms and pink fuzzy slippers.
Vivian placed her hands on her hips and tapped one of the fuzzy slippers. "Ms. McKee huh?" She looked over her shoulder at Anthony who offered a shrug. Vivian's eyes closed and she sighed, "Okay Okay." She conceded, "Let's go." She walked out the door following the little blonde who led her to a large beige Bentley. She whistled low, "Ms. McKee knows how to hire a car."
"Oh it's not hired." The chauffer informed while opening the back door of the car, "It belongs to her."
Vivian's eyebrows rose, "Oh really? And I suppose you work for her exclusively?"
"Yes ma'am. When Ms. McKee is in the Los Angeles area I coordinate her transportation." She waited for Vivian to settle in the back of the car then closed the door.
Vivian let her hand wander over the soft leather of the back seat that seemed to be warmed from below. In fact the interior of the car was a perfectly comfortable temperature. The driver settled into her seat on the right side of the car. "Ms. McKee is something else." She said to herself as the car pulled from the drive. She let her self relax and enjoy the ride. It wasn't long before they pulled into a back gate at LAX. Soon the car came to a stop inside a large hanger. Her car door was opened moments later. She stepped out and found the air suddenly cold. Before she could complain there was a jacket just her size being wrapped around her shoulders. "Thanks, I'm sorry I didn't get your name."
"Gwen." The woman offered. And held out her arm indicating where Vivian was to go.
Vivian moved in the direction indicated. As they made their way through the hanger Vivian recognized the classic Thunderbird she drove on Thanksgiving, she paused as they came upon the bullet ridden Chevelle. "Is it going to be fixed?" She asked.
"Yes ma'am. I'll be starting on the repairs next week. It'll be good as new."
Vivian smiled and nodded as she started walking again, "So you're in charge of all these cars?" She indicated the hanger space with a wave of hand. They passed a trio of classic Corvettes and Vivian whistled once again in appreciation eliciting a giggle from the petite blonde next to her. Her jaw simply dropped as they exited the hanger they were in into the adjoining hanger where several restored WWII fighter planes stood on polished concrete. Each plane had its own spotlight. "Holy crap! Are these hers too?"
Gwen nodded "She likes her toys."
"I wouldn't call them toys. Do they work?" She asked as she skimmed her fingers over the wing of a plane.
"Yes ma'am. She had the Mustang up just this morning." Gwen pointed to the shiny aircraft just yards away.
"No shit?" Vivian asked. There were obviously many things she didn't know about her lover.
"No shit, ma'am." Gwen replied with a grin.
They continued their walk until they exited the hanger. Sitting on the tarmac in front of the building was a sleek Leer Jet. The engines were on creating a loud whine. Vivian looked at her escort who simply motioned for her to ascend the steps that were extended from the plane.
"Enjoy your flight ma'am. I imagine we will meet again. Have a nice Holiday." The chauffer projected above the noise of the jet.
Vivian climbed the steps and the stairs along with the door closed behind her, all of the sudden it was very quiet. She could still hear the whine of the engines, but it was seriously muted as opposed to the noise outside. She looked about the lavish cabin and shook her head. Quin McKee was a stranger to her. She was startled by a quiet ‘hey' as the stranger in question entered the cabin from what she assumed was the cockpit of the plane. "Hey yourself." She replied while settling on the leather sofa. Quin sat next to her. She turned and looked at the woman she thought she was doing so well at figuring out. A thin frown laid claim to her lips.
"What's wrong?" Quin asked as the plane moved forward a bit. She reached across Vivian and fastened her seat belt.
Vivian scowled, "I can't pin point just one thing. Maybe I can start with why I'm on a private jet with no clue where I'm going."
Quin strapped herself in, "I wanted to whisk you away for Christmas, and we're going to Chicago."
Vivian's frown deepened, "You could have asked me."
"What's the fun in that?" Quin smiled nudging Vivian's shoulder with her own. Her smile faded as Vivian's frown persisted. She reached to a table at the end of the sofa and picked up a phone. She said two words and the plane came to a stop. "I'm sorry. Ruth kind of indicated you didn't have family and I thought you might like to meet mine. As insane and inappropriate they are, I thought it would be fun."
Vivian sighed, "It sounds like fun. But asking me would have been better." She took Quin's hand, "I've never been on a plane." She chuckled, "I have never been out of the state."
"Well, umm… we could drive if you don't like to fly." Quin offered.
Vivian laughed, "Quin, how would I know if I like it or not?"
Quin smiled, "Point taken. Okay how about this. We'll fly there, if you hate it we'll drive back. Fair?"
The blonde nodded and smiled, "Fair." She agreed. "Get this plane rolling again." She ordered. Quin complied with another phone call. She held tight to the brunette's hand as they rumbled down the runway and rose smoothly into the air. She let out a held breath and smiled at her lover who was watching her closely. She smiled and nodded indicating she was okay. "We need to talk Ms. McKee."
Quin shrugged her shoulders, "Okay."
"Well say something Quin. Tell me about all this." Vivian waved her hands indicating the aircraft, but was actually indicating much more.
"I'd thought Tom and Ruth would have told you."
"Tell me what exactly? That you're some sort of millionaire playgirl with more money than sense? Sheesh Quin, I really haven't got a clue here. I get a note, get hustled off by a little blond tart, get the nickel tour of the classic car and aircraft hall of fame, then hurried onto a friggin private jet where I find my lover dressed in an impeccable Armani suit, chilling champagne, and ready to sweep me off to Chicago for the holidays. If they had this information and didn't tell me, then I need to rethink my friendship with them. There is a fair warning clause to unconditional friendships isn't there?"
Quin stared in dismay at the babbling woman next to her. Once Vivian had finished her tirade she was at a loss as to which question to address first. She swallowed heavily then squared her shoulders. "I'm not a playgirl."
Vivian gaped at the brunette. She tried to speak but was unable to form a sentence. She finally sat back into the couch and crossed her arms.
"I'm sorry Vivian." Quin said softly unhooking her seatbelt and moving to one of two leather chairs in the cabin.
Vivian examined what had just occurred to her in the last hour. She questioned why she was acting the way she was. What was so wrong with being swept off her feet, literally, for a winter holiday? She admitted she would have preferred to been asked, but the surprise was okay, and she would like to know more about Quin McKee. Meeting her family would be nice. She shook her head and looked over at the obviously pouting woman across from her. She unhooked her seatbelt and grabbed up the champagne bottle along with the two glasses. It was just a couple of steps before she was in front of Quin. "Hey. Ummm… I'm sorry for over reacting. I'm just a bit overwhelmed, and there seems to be a lot…" she looked about the opulent cabin, "… and I mean a lot that I don't know about you Ms. McKee. So how about we open this bottle and you start filling in some of the big holes, so when we get to Chicago you're family won't think I'm some sort of gold digger."
Quin looked sideways at the tall blonde. Vivian smiled at her and she couldn't help but smile back. "I'm sorry. I should have asked you and I should have told you more about myself." She received a soft kiss for her admission. "I'm not sure where to begin."
Vivian worked the champagne open and poured the two glasses offering one to Quin. "Just give me enough background so I can get through dinner." She tapped her glass against Quin's.
Quin smiled and started her tale. Vivian made a mental note to kick Tom Ross's butt when she saw him next. He certainly could have filled me in on some tiny details. Oh well, to experience life one must live it. Vivian Walsh was about to live a whole lot of life.