Would you Swallow all your Pride?

Chapter Twenty-One: Phthalo.

"You can touch me," Emma said yet again. "Can squeeze my ass, you know," she teased. And Wilhemina felt herself blushing so much that she figured kissing Emma again would be the only way to hide how red her cheeks were turning. And so she did; and Emma hummed against her lips and squeezed her waist. Venable's chest was still quivering, but she gathered enough strength and gently squeezed the fat on her hand. A giggle left Emma's lips, and with that Wilhemina allowed herself to smile a little against their kiss. She wasn't sure if Emma was a good kisser or not, but she knew it felt good. Reality had long left Venable's brain, until a very familiar scent invaded her nostrils: Floratta Blue. And it hit her how they were in the middle of the work office, where anyone could walk in, including their boss; including Billie Dean. Opening her eyes, Wilhemina pulled away. Emma frowned, but shortly it disappeared when Billie entered the room soon after.

Billie Dean had been staring at her phone the whole way; her agent had figured now, out of all day, would be the best time to send Jenny the wardrobe information about the Christmas special they were going to start filming on Friday. And so Jenny was texting her all the reference pieces and accessories and God, a red dress? Really? How cliché was that? Billie typed frantically on her phone, asking for at least a change in the main dress and a less extravagant Santa hat. Yes, they had to stay on theme, but what she did was serious business, and Billie Dean definitely didn't want her looks, out of everything, to come off as disrespectful. Honey eyes only lifted up when, from their corners, she saw a hint of purple. "Oh—" Billie Dean stopped on her tracks. And then she saw Emma, with her hand still on Wilhemina's waist. Quickly, she looked up at Venable, and her usually pristine makeup had been slightly smudged and tinted pink. The same shade of pink as Emma's lips. She gulped. Oh. Her chest got heavy all of a sudden. The hand holding her phone rested back down along her body. I don't feel good. But they were doing nothing wrong. It wasn't fair to make Wilhemina feel bad for that. "I didn't—I didn't see you guys there." She forced herself to open a smile, but it didn't come as close as reaching her eyes.

Venable stared nervously at Billie Dean. Her lips still tingled from the kiss, and suddenly she was very aware of Emma's hand on her body. She stepped to the side and fixed her posture, both hands on her cane as she stood up straight. Emma got the hint and did the same. "We're about to leave for lunch." What else was she supposed to say? Even though her heart kept on beating fast, her voice came as calm and as steady as usual.

Emma nodded. "How was the trip, Billie?"

For fuck's sake. Billie Dean gulped down all the weird anger that had begun to boil inside of her. She was furious, but with what? With Emma? With herself for allowing such a situation to affect her that much? She didn't know. And Emma meant well; she always did. Emma wasn't a bad person. "It was really nice. Thank you for asking." Her voice came out so sweet Billie almost didn't recognize it as her own. And her eyes avoided Wilhemina's, for she knew it wasn't fair to do that to herself. To stare into those deep brown eyes in the state her own honey ones were. "Well, I don't want to bother. I'll leave you guys to enjoy lunch."

"Would you like to join us?" Wilhemina blurted out before Billie Dean could take a first step. She felt Emma's emerald eyes on her, asking why was she making such an offer. But she didn't look at them. Billie Dean would have lunch alone, Venable knew that, and it just felt wrong to not invite her. Besides, Emma and her could have lunch alone any other day, right? Emma would understand it. Hopefully. And if she didn't, oh well. Billie Dean was her friend.

The question caught Billie so off guard she nearly let out a nervous chuckle. Her eyes went to Emma's, and then, hesitantly, to Wilhemina's. And did she regret looking at Wilhemina, for it only made her feelings get even more confusing. "I appreciate it, but I need to make a few calls." It wasn't entirely a lie; she did need to make a few calls. They could wait, of course, but they had to be done. "Thank you." And with that, she followed to the hallway. As soon as Billie Dean closed the door to her office she let out a sigh. Things were different.