41
By the time they made it back to Ericka's place, the city lights had melted into the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting the apartment in a warm, dusky glow. Amanda toed off her boots near the entryway with a sigh, muscles aching but adrenaline still humming just beneath her skin.
Ericka locked the door behind them, setting her bag on the console table with practiced ease. She didn't say anything right away, just stood for a moment watching Amanda walk further inside, her black blazer tossed over one arm, hair slightly tousled from the long day.
Ericka followed behind, unbuttoning her blazer as she walked, her usual calm still firmly in place—but Amanda could feel something different beneath it. A current. An energy that hadn't quite faded with the day.
Amanda leaned her head back against the cushion, stretching her legs out and letting her body relax for the first time in twelve hours. "Okay," she said with a breathy laugh, "I'm not saying I'm a genius... but I did schedule breaks today. I just didn't take any of them."
Ericka's heels clicked across the hardwood as she made her way to the kitchen. "That's because you were too busy saving the entire production from imploding."
Amanda chuckled, eyes still closed. "I thought I'd keep things interesting."
Ericka returned with two glasses of water and handed one over, her eyes lingering on Amanda as she sat down beside her. "You didn't just manage it, Amanda. You owned it."
Amanda cracked one eye open, amused. "That almost sounded like a compliment."
"It was." Ericka leaned back, sipping her water. "You were in control. Composed. You had an answer for everything. Watching you... it was like seeing someone step into who they were always meant to be."
Amanda blinked, her throat suddenly tight. "Wow. Okay. That's... that means a lot."
Ericka turned slightly, one arm draped along the back of the couch, her gaze steady now. "It was impressive," she said. Then, after a pause, her voice dipped lower. "And if I'm being completely honest... it was also ridiculously attractive."
Amanda's brows lifted. "Oh?"
Ericka's lips curved. "The way you handled people. The way they listened. The confidence, the command of the space..." She trailed off with a shrug, but the heat in her voice lingered. "It kind of drove me crazy. In a good way."
Amanda laughed softly, setting her water down on the coffee table. "So me barking orders in black jeans and a headset does it for you, huh?"
"You have no idea."
Amanda turned to face her, her smile soft and slightly teasing. "You could've told me that on set. Might've made me even more confident."
"I didn't want to be the reason you lost focus," Ericka murmured, her fingers brushing lightly over Amanda's hand. "But trust me—I noticed everything."
Amanda leaned in, their knees touching. "And what if I told you... I liked being watched? Especially by you."
Ericka's eyes darkened slightly. "Then I'd probably tell you how hard it was not to pull you into a quiet corner and show you exactly how proud I was."
Amanda's breath caught, her heart tripping just a little faster now. "Well... we're not on set anymore."
"No," Ericka said, her voice quiet, her gaze locked on Amanda's. "We're not."
And with the tension of the day behind them, and nothing left to distract or delay, Amanda reached for Ericka's hand, their fingers threading together effortlessly.