108
Amanda was sprawled across the couch, her laptop open but untouched, a half-empty glass of water sitting on the coffee table.
She had meant to finish reviewing deadlines for the next week, but her mind kept wandering.
The day had been long, and for the first time in what felt like forever, she let herself just breathe.
Her phone buzzed beside her. She glanced down, expecting a work notification. Instead, her breath caught.
Samantha.
The name blinked on her screen, pulling up memories she hadn't touched in months—late-night talks, laughter in crowded cafés, the kind of easy friendship Amanda thought would last forever until life had pulled them in different directions.
She hesitated for a long moment before unlocking her phone.
Hey, it's been a while. I was just thinking about you. How have you been?
Amanda read the message twice, her thumb hovering over the keyboard. A part of her wanted to ignore it—life was complicated enough without weaving in threads from her past. But another part, the part that still cared, couldn't let it go.
She typed slowly, deliberately.
I've been... good. A lot has changed.
She stopped, staring at the blinking cursor. That was an understatement. Everything had changed—her job, her living situation, her relationship with Ericka. The thought made her chest tighten.
Finally, she added:
Can we talk?
Her heart beat faster as she hit send. Almost immediately, the reply came.
Of course. Where?
Amanda sat up straighter, chewing her lip. She could suggest a coffee shop, or dinner somewhere neutral—but something inside her resisted. If she was really going to tell Samantha the truth, she didn't want to do it in a crowded public place. She wanted her to see this life she had stepped into.
She stared at the message field for what felt like forever before her fingers began to move.
I moved. I'll send you the address.
Another pause, longer this time. She pressed her phone against her chest, debating, then
exhaled and finished the message.
Come over tonight — there's something I need to tell you.
The moment she hit send, her heart gave a sharp little jolt. This wasn't just catching up. This was Amanda choosing to open a door to someone who had known her before Ericka, before the secrecy, before everything shifted.
And she couldn't help but wonder—what would Samantha think when she saw where Amanda was now?
Amanda hesitated, her fingers curling against the wood of the frame. "I, um... I heard from Samantha today."
At the mention of the name, Ericka's brow arched ever so slightly. The faintest cooling in her gaze shifted the air between them. "Samantha?"
"Yeah." Amanda swallowed. "She reached out, said she'd been thinking about me, asked how I've been. I told her... things have changed. And..." Amanda forced the words out with a rush of breath. "I gave her the address. I told her to come over tonight."
The silence stretched between them, long enough that Amanda's heart thudded against her ribs. She could feel the weight of Ericka's stare pressing into her, searching.
Finally, Ericka leaned back, crossing one leg over the other in a measured, elegant motion. "You want her to see your new life," she said—not as a question, but a statement, even a challenge.
Amanda's throat felt dry. She gave a small shrug, her voice dropping. "I don't want to hide anymore. Not from her."
Ericka studied her for another beat, her eyes unreadable. Then she rose, smoothing her hands over the sides of her fitted dress, the movement precise and deliberate. "Alright," she said quietly but firmly. "Then let's not hide anything."
______________________________________
The soft chime of the penthouse intercom broke through the stillness. Amanda's stomach flipped. She moved to the console, pressing the button with damp palms to buzz Samantha in.
Moments later, the elevator doors opened with a quiet chime, and Samantha stepped into the penthouse.
She stopped just past the threshold, her eyes going wide as she took in the sweeping expanse of the space, the floor-to-ceiling windows spilling the city skyline into the room, the polished marble floors, the subtle but undeniable air of wealth and taste.
"Wow," she breathed, her voice hushed with awe. "This is... definitely not your old apartment."
Amanda laughed lightly, trying to ease the tension thrumming through her chest. She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "No. Things are different now."
Samantha set her bag down on the nearest chair, her gaze still wandering. "Clearly." She turned back, grinning. "So where's the boss lady? Don't tell me she's too busy to even say hi."
Amanda opened her mouth to respond, but the sound of heels on hardwood cut through the room, measured, confident, deliberate.
Samantha's head turned instinctively, just as Ericka appeared.
She stepped from the hallway like she'd been waiting for this entrance, the golden light catching in her dark hair, her black dress hugging her body in all the right places.
Every step carried weight, each click of her heel steady and commanding.
Ericka wasn't just walking into the room, she was claiming it.
Amanda's breath hitched. Her eyes trailed from Ericka's heels up the length of her toned legs, over the curve of her hips, the sharp line of her waist, the way the dress clung to her chest and shoulders before framing her face.
Her lips parted slightly, a whisper slipping out before she even realized it.
"Damn," Amanda murmured, not caring that Samantha heard her. She glanced sideways at her friend, her voice warm and bold. "She's beautiful, isn't she?"
Samantha's eyes widened, caught off guard but unable to disagree. "Stunning," she admitted softly.
Ericka's lips curved into a faint, knowing smile as her gaze locked onto Amanda's. Without breaking eye contact, she closed the distance between them, her heels clicking softly until she stood directly in front of her.
Her hand slid around Amanda's waist, pulling her in with effortless certainty. And then, without hesitation, she kissed her.
It wasn't polite or fleeting. It was slow.
Purposeful. A kiss meant to be witnessed, to leave no doubt.
Amanda melted into it, her hand sliding up Ericka's arm, fingers curling into the fabric at her shoulder.
Their mouths moved together with a hungry familiarity, deepening as Ericka tilted her head and pressed closer, her thumb stroking possessively along Amanda's hip.
The kiss lingered, growing heavier until Amanda finally pulled back, breathless, her cheeks flushed. She turned toward Samantha, her grin playful and unrepentant.
"Sorry," Amanda said lightly, her tone teasing. "I couldn't resist."
Samantha stood frozen, lips parted, eyes flicking between the two of them—shock, curiosity, maybe even a flicker of disbelief written across her face.
Ericka, however, didn't let go. Her hand stayed firmly at Amanda's waist, her presence solid and unshaken as she finally turned her gaze on Samantha. Her voice was smooth, deliberate, and tinged with quiet familiarity.
"It's nice to see you again."