Chapter 3

The morning light filtered through the small slats of the bus windows, casting a soft glow over the cramped space. Ava stirred, the remnants of sleep still clinging to her as she blinked her eyes open, momentarily disoriented by the unfamiliar surroundings. For a split second, she forgot where she was—until she registered the solid warmth of another body beside her.

Deborah.

Ava's breath caught in her throat as the memories from the night before came flooding back in vivid detail. The heat of Deborah's touch, the sharp, commanding tone in her voice, the way she had completely taken control. It all replayed in Ava's mind, a heady mix of arousal and disbelief washing over her.

She shifted slightly, glancing over at Deborah, who was already awake and lounging comfortably beside her, propped up on one elbow. Deborah's hair was slightly mussed from sleep, but she still managed to look effortlessly composed, as if waking up next to a half-naked Ava was just another part of her morning routine.

For a moment, Ava didn't know what to say. Her mouth opened, but the words didn't come. She was too busy replaying the events of last night in her head, wondering how the hell she'd gotten here. Literally and figuratively.

Deborah, ever the one to break the silence first, smirked as she adjusted her position, her eyes lazily trailing over Ava's face. "You snore, you know."

Ava's heart skipped a beat, her stomach twisting with sudden embarrassment. Of all the things Deborah could've said, that was definitely not what she expected. "What?"

Deborah leaned back against the pillows, her expression calm, but there was a teasing glint in her eyes. "Last night. You snored."

Ava blinked, trying to process the information. "I do not snore."

"Oh, trust me, you do," Deborah said, her voice a little too casual, like she was stating a simple fact. "Like a damn freight train. I thought the bus was going to tip over."

Ava gaped at her, a mix of disbelief and mortification rising in her chest. "That's… not possible. I'm a quiet sleeper."

Deborah chuckled softly, clearly enjoying Ava's discomfort. "Sure, sweetheart. Whatever helps you sleep at night. Or, apparently, what helps me stay awake."

Ava groaned, burying her face in her hands. This was not how she had imagined the morning after would go. She wasn't sure what she'd been expecting—maybe some awkward small talk, maybe pretending like nothing had happened—but this was worse. Deborah was far too amused by the whole thing, which made Ava feel even more ridiculous.

"Can we just not talk about my sleeping habits?" Ava muttered from behind her hands.

Deborah didn't relent. "I'm just saying, it was pretty impressive. Never heard anything like it."

Ava peeked through her fingers, giving Deborah a withering look. "Are you done?"

Deborah grinned, clearly having too much fun at Ava's expense. "I'm just getting started."

Ava groaned again, flopping back against the pillow beside her, staring up at the ceiling of the bus. Of course, Deborah would be like this. The woman couldn't let anything go. It was as if teasing Ava was one of her favorite pastimes, and unfortunately, Ava wasn't in any position to argue.

She sighed, glancing sideways at Deborah, who was still lounging comfortably, looking far too pleased with herself. "So… is this going to be a thing now? You making fun of me for snoring?"

Deborah shrugged, her lips curling into a mischievous smile. "I don't know. Depends on how often you stay over."

Ava's heart did a funny little flip at the casualness of Deborah's words. The idea of "staying over" with Deborah again was something she hadn't fully processed yet, and hearing it put so nonchalantly made her brain short-circuit for a moment. She had no idea what the rules were now, what any of this meant.

But Deborah, ever the master of keeping her cards close to her chest, didn't seem in any rush to clarify. Instead, she sat up, stretching her arms above her head with a languid grace that only made Ava more aware of her own awkwardness.

"Well," Deborah said, her voice shifting to that familiar matter-of-fact tone she always used when she was about to wrap up a conversation. "I suppose we should get ready for the day. We've got a show tonight, and you've got your work cut out for you."

Ava blinked, still struggling to catch up with the shift in tone. "Right. Yeah. Work."

Deborah slid out of bed, pulling on her robe with that effortless elegance that made Ava feel like a disheveled mess by comparison. She moved around the small space with purpose, as if last night's intimacy hadn't even phased her.

Ava, still lying in the bed, stared at the ceiling, her mind spinning with questions she wasn't ready to ask.

Ava lay there for a moment longer, her brain trying to catch up with what was happening. She wanted to ask Deborah a million things, like if this was just a one-time thing or if it actually meant something, but the way Deborah had so effortlessly transitioned into their workday left Ava uncertain. She wasn't sure if this was a conversation Deborah wanted to have or if the older woman preferred to keep things as casual as possible.

Ava propped herself up on her elbows, watching Deborah move around the room, her robe loosely tied around her, exposing just enough to remind Ava of everything that had happened the night before. Her stomach twisted with a mix of desire and nervousness, but she didn't know what to say to break the tension.

"So…" Ava began, her voice still hoarse from sleep, or maybe from everything else, "…we're just… back to business as usual?"

Deborah paused, turning to look at her, eyebrow arched in that way that made Ava's pulse quicken. "What did you think?" Deborah asked, her voice smooth but with that unmistakable edge of amusement. "That we'd lie around and cuddle all day? Please."

Ava's face flushed, and she scrambled for a comeback, but her brain was still foggy. "I didn't say that! I just meant—" She hesitated, not sure how to phrase it without sounding ridiculous. "Is this… normal for you? To just—" She gestured vaguely between them. "—jump back into things like nothing happened?"

Deborah crossed her arms, leaning against the small dresser with that air of casual dominance that always made Ava feel like she was playing catch-up. "Ava," she said, her tone patient but with an undertone that suggested she found the entire conversation amusing, "we're on tour. We've got a show to put on tonight, and last night was… well, it was last night."

Ava winced at the casual dismissal. It stung more than she wanted to admit, even if she had no idea what she'd expected Deborah to say. "Right," she muttered, trying to shake off the sudden flood of disappointment. "Last night."

Deborah sighed, her expression softening just a fraction. "Look, I'm not trying to make this weird." She pushed off the dresser and walked back toward Ava, sitting on the edge of the bed. "We're both adults. What happened last night… happened. But it doesn't change the fact that we've got a lot of work to do. And I'm not exactly the 'lie around and talk about my feelings' type."

Ava looked up at her, feeling a bit deflated but also strangely relieved that Deborah was at least being honest. It was more than she'd expected, honestly.

"Yeah," Ava said, forcing a small smile. "I get that. You're not a 'feelings' kind of person."

Deborah's lips quirked into a smile, but it was brief, a flicker of amusement before she shifted her weight, placing a hand on Ava's knee. "I'm not saying it didn't mean anything. I'm just saying…" She trailed off, her gaze steady but unreadable. "Don't overthink it. You'll drive yourself crazy."

Ava chuckled, though it came out more like a half-sigh. "Too late for that."

Deborah gave her knee a soft squeeze, her thumb brushing lightly against Ava's skin in a way that was surprisingly comforting. "I'm serious. You're a good kid, Ava, but you've got this habit of overanalyzing everything. Sometimes you just need to let things be."

Ava swallowed, the warmth of Deborah's hand on her knee making it hard to concentrate. "So, you're saying… we just go on like nothing happened?"

Deborah smirked. "I didn't say that, either." She stood up, giving Ava a teasing look as she turned to grab her phone from the dresser. "But if you keep snoring like that, we might have to rethink the arrangement."

Ava groaned, flopping back onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling. "Oh my God, please stop."

Deborah's laughter was soft, but it filled the room, cutting through the awkwardness in a way that made Ava feel a little more grounded. This was how Deborah operated, always keeping things just out of reach, just ambiguous enough to keep Ava guessing. It was frustrating, but it was also what kept Ava coming back for more. She knew it was a dangerous game, one that could end with her getting hurt, but at the same time, she couldn't help but be drawn into Deborah's orbit.

The sound of Deborah's phone buzzing broke the moment, and Deborah glanced down at the screen, her expression shifting to one of mild irritation. "Showrunner wants us at the venue in an hour," she said, already moving toward her suitcase to grab something to wear.

Ava sat up, running a hand through her tangled hair. "An hour? What, did they forget to give us a heads-up?"

Deborah shrugged, slipping out of her robe and pulling on a sleek black blouse. "Probably. But that's life on the road, sweetheart. You know that."

Ava huffed in agreement, dragging herself out of bed and gathering her clothes from the floor. The energy in the room had shifted again, the intimacy of the night before fading as they both slipped back into their professional roles. It was disorienting, like stepping from one world into another in the blink of an eye.

As Ava pulled on her jeans, she glanced at Deborah, who was now fully dressed and checking herself in the mirror, adjusting her collar with that familiar air of confidence. It was hard to believe this was the same woman who had held her so fiercely the night before, who had whispered such dark, intimate things in her ear. Deborah was a master of compartmentalizing, of keeping different parts of her life in neat, separate boxes, and Ava was starting to realize that if she wanted to keep up, she'd have to do the same.

"So," Ava said, pulling her shirt over her head, "what's the plan for tonight? Besides, you know, making sure I don't snore next to your stage."

Deborah glanced at her through the mirror, one eyebrow arched. "You've got some writing to tighten up before the show. That last set didn't land like I wanted it to."

Ava nodded, already flipping through the mental notes in her head, switching gears back to the job. It was easier this way, focusing on work. It kept her from spiraling into whatever weird emotional place her brain was trying to drag her into.

"Got it," Ava said, grabbing her phone and heading toward the door. "I'll make the changes."

Deborah turned to face her fully, her expression softening for just a moment. "Ava."

Ava paused, looking back at her. "Yeah?"

Deborah's lips twitched into a brief smile, the kind that didn't quite reach her eyes but still held a certain warmth. "Don't overthink it. We're good."

Ava swallowed, feeling that strange mixture of relief and confusion settle in her chest again. "Right. We're good."

With a nod, Deborah turned back to the mirror, the conversation over, the morning already slipping into the routine of another day on tour.

Ava stood there for a moment longer, watching Deborah, trying to figure out where they stood—if anywhere. But like everything else with Deborah Vance, it was complicated. And for now, Ava would just have to let it be.

Added several new explicit FREE one-shots on our https://fictioneers.thinkific.com/pages/new-updates. (Next chapter will be up for free a day early otherwise read it here Sep 30th)

Next chapter preview:

"You're so impatient," Deborah murmured, her lips brushing against Ava's neck, her voice soft but laced with that teasing edge. "Always so eager. But you'll take this slow. You'll go at my pace."

Ava whimpered, her hips instinctively rocking against Deborah's hand, but Deborah's free hand gripped her hip, keeping her pinned in place. "I said slow, Ava," Deborah warned, her voice low but firm. "Or do I need to remind you how to listen?"

Ava's breath came in short, ragged bursts as she struggled to keep herself from moving too quickly, her whole body trembling with the need to let go, to give in to the pleasure building inside her. But Deborah was relentless, keeping the pace slow, teasing, dragging it out until Ava was on the edge of desperation.

"You like this, don't you?" Deborah whispered, her voice soft but commanding. "You like how I make you wait."