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“I’m sorry, did I offend you, Alice?” Fran pouted, but her eyes were full of teasing laughter.

“No, it’s just that… well, there’s Jeremy, so I thought… you were straight,” Alice stuttered.

Fran scoffed. “I thoughtyouwere intelligent.”

“But you’re married.”

“Oh, Alice, don’t be naïve. I have an appetite which Jeremy cannot sate. Besides, I’m sure you’ve fucked plenty of women who claimed to be straight, but as you know, spaghetti is straight too until it gets wet. Now, do you want to fuck or not?”

Alice nodded; Fran had her atspaghetti.

She moved aside and Fran sauntered into the room. She put down the bottle and glasses, then stepped back towards Alice, who was now completely at this woman’s mercy.

“This dress…” Fran purred and ran a finger under the strap, letting it fall off Alice’s shoulder. Alice shivered at her touch and Fran lowered her head and kissed her collarbone.

“As soon as I saw you in this dress, I knew I had to have you.” Fran guided her backwards until Alice was against the wall and then she kissed her, hungry and desperate, almost feral, biting and sucking her lips, probing with her tongue. Fran tasted like Champagne and strawberries, and Alice moaned into her mouth.

Fran ran a hand up her thigh, hitching up the soft material of her dress. When she reached the top, she edged her thumb around to Alice’s soaked underwear, stroking her through the lacy material. Alice’s breath hitched.

“You’re so wet for me,” Fran growled, biting Alice’s neck as she flicked her thumb underneath the lace, and massaged the precise spot with the perfect amount of pressure.

“Oh fuck, yes. Yes!” Sparks fizzed behind Alice’s eyes as her orgasm erupted. She’d never come like this before — so quickly and from so little. But here she was, melting in Francesca Dalton’s hands, and it was fucking exquisite.

10

DOCTOR'S ORDERS

Alice’s hands still shook with adrenaline, rattling the teapot as she tried to pour the hot brown liquid into her mug. Most of it splashed onto the saucer, but that’s what saucers were for, right? She tried to steady her shaking hand with the other, but it was just as bad.

She’d texted Maggie as soon as she’d left the office.

I’ve done it — I resigned. But I got fired too. So much to tell you, you won’t believe it. Call me when you can. A x

She needed to speak to someone. Everything she’d just found out was blowing her mind. Her thumb had hovered over Ash’s number too, and even though Ash had said to let her know how it had gone, Alice didn’t want to come across as too keen, or too much.

Less is more, Alice.Even if that was a lesson from Fran, it made sense. However, Alice wondered whether, now that Fran was getting much less of her, she was craving more?

She shuddered.Fran and Jeremy were in on it together, all along. How messed up is that?She shook her head to shake the Daltons from her thoughts. Her phone buzzed on the table.Maggie.

What? Only you could resign and get fired at the same time. Can’t talk now but speak later. Proud of you X

Alice smiled at the screen and again scrolled down to Ash’s number.Fuck it.She tapped out a text.

Good news, I’m no longer an emotional wreck. I’m now a jobless emotional wreck. Wanna hang out again sometime? Lol xx

Her thumb hovered over the send button; usually she couldn’t restrain it, but this time she took a breath and backspaced.No, not now.Besides, Ash was probably still sleeping off her night shift.

Play it cool, Alice… for once in your life.She scrolled back over their text conversation from last night, her cheeks heating with fresh embarrassment as she recalled it.

She’d texted a breezy,

Hey. This is my new number!

Who is this?

Sorry, should’ve said that. It’s me, Alice.

Just kidding, I figured x