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Alexia POV
There was something about the way that Ridley took care of everything that Alexia was obsessed with. Her entire life she'd been the one doing that. She'd been the dominant one, the one who made the decisions, cleaned up after messes of players or amongst friends. It became her identity without her actually choosing that, and so that's how people thought of her. Alexia Putellas, the Captain. Alexia Putellas, the problem solver. Alexia Putellas, la Reina.
It wasn't a burden all the time. She did enjoy it sometimes, though she was so used to it that she didn't realise just how incredibly relieving it felt to be the one looked after. With Ridley, she knew she always had a choice, and yet she still took away her burdens without even trying. She wasn't worried about paparazzi, or what she was wearing, or about her knee. Everything took a backseat because the demeanour of the Australian was very much that of confidence and an all-encompassing awareness. For Alexia, tonight was about her taking some of that burden away from her by organising their dinner, reassuring her that she was there, and just being friends... who flirted. They both enjoyed and encouraged that, though.
Their car ride was silent, but not awkward. In fact, they both wore smiles on their faces that they couldn't seem to rid themselves of. Alexia couldn't help but stare at her as she drove. Ridley had that little smirk playing around her lips; her mind clearly somewhere it was happy. She wondered if she were thinking about her.
She watched her thumb absentmindedly stroking the steering wheel and wished it were doing that on her thigh instead. But tonight, they were friends. Alexia needed a friend... as much as she wanted Ridley to pull the car over and fuck her senseless in the back seat.
Another thing Alexia wasn't used to. Wanting to be submissive. She never had before, but that's just another uniqueness she drew out of her.
On the contrary, the thought of Ridley under her was... enticing. She wondered what sounds she'd make as she came. Would she even want to be under her?
"Stop thinking about sex, Lex." Ridley said in English, smiling at the rhyming.
Alexia's eyes widened. "I... wasn't."
They stopped at a red light and Ridley turned to her and softly put her fingertips under her chin. "Don't lie to me, la Reina." She said it softly, though her eyes flashed. "Ever. Let's both agree to never lie to each other."
Alexia could feel herself turning into a submissive mess.
"Okay. I agree."
Ridley didn't remove her fingers until she was satisfied that she was telling the truth. "Good girl."
Although those words made her wet, Alexia had a moment of strength as she slapped her hand.
"That's not very 'friends' of you."
Ridley smirked as she began to drive.
Alexia continued to tease, reminding herself who she was. La Reina. "But I guess, you're usually touchy with your 'friends', aren't you?"
"I deserved that." The Australian laughed and then looked at her with that natural flirt of hers. "You don't want to be my friend?"
They both knew it was just that, a tease. A rhetorical one at that. Up until that point, Ridley had seemed to almost be avoiding sex with her for fear of emotional proximity.
She answered anyways. "We both know how that went last time."
Ridley nodded slowly. "One of my larger regrets."
Alexia put her out of her misery. "But yes, I do want to be your friend. I'd like that."
They were talking about actual friendship now, nothing else, and Ridley's responding smile was everything to her.
"I'll do that," Ridley insisted. The waiter stepped aside as she pushed Alexia's seat in and moved to sit opposite her.
He gave them their menus, read out the specials, and then left them.
"You look surprised.."
"I've never been here before," she murmured as she looked around. "Lucy has good taste."
Lucy had originally made the booking a while ago, intending on taking Blau when she planned on spending a night in London. Then the accident had happened and although they could have gone, Blau felt more comfortable at home until she could walk.
"Well she does eat a lot."
"Ain't that the truth."
There was something stress-free about talking in Spanish around people who most likely couldn't understand them. They received a few looks and in an even amount as Alexia was well-known and Ridley was... Ridley.
"What are you thinking?"
"The chicken piccata. And you?"
"Beef Wellington."
"Hm, that sounded nice."
"Would you like to share?"
Alexia caught her eye. It was a genuine request. "I'd like that."
The waiter came over at Ridley's gesture and took their order and left.
"I have a request."
"Shoot."
"I want you to let me pay you back for the physio."
"Ah. Request denied."
"Ridley..."
"No."
"Ridle-"
"Nada."
"Rid-"
"Nope."
"Lee!" She had no idea where it came from, but it certainly got her attention. Ridley tilted her head, her eyes wondrous. A few seconds of silence fell.
"Say it again," she murmured, her eyes on her lips.
Alexia took a breath. "Lee."
She saw her pupils dilate. Was she not used to nicknames? Riddles. Romeo.
"Lex and Lee, hm? And your accent makes it much cuter."
She struggled to not respond to the flirting. "Let me pay you back please?"
"No."
"You can pay for that, or you can pay for dinner, but you're not doing both."
"Watch me."
"Has anyone ever told you that you're annoying?"
"It's not a regular occurrence..."
"You're annoying."
"I think you mean 'chivalrous'."
Alexia was fighting a losing battle against a brick wall, but she could be sneaky as well. "Argh. I need to go to the bathroom."
"Don't get lost now."
She rolled her eyes and when she was out of sight, she bee-lined for the cashier and gave them her credit card for the table, insisting they use it for their meal. She left it there and headed to the bathroom so it wouldn't be so obvious before going back to the table.
She tried to hide her smug smile when she returned, though it disappeared when she twisted her knee wrong as she went to sit.
Alexia sharply inhaled a breath as she all but fell into the seat Ridley was holding. She was down by her side immediately.
"Lex..." she worried. "Your knee?"
"I turned stupidly. It's okay."
Ridley's hand went to her knee and started to feel around.
"Let me take your heels off."
"They're only small. And it's a really nice restaurant." Alexia murmured as she looked around, wondering if it looked to people like Ridley was proposing.
"Eyes on me." Alexia's eyes found Ridley's immediately. "Don't worry about anyone else. Let me take them off, please?"
Alexia nodded. Ridley was right.
She enjoyed the feel of her fingers along her ankles a little too much, not realising just how sensitive that part of her body was. Unfortunately, she was too quick for her to really enjoy it, though perhaps that was a good thing. She had already been surprised once in the bathroom by how wet she was from their car ride.
Ridley returned to her seat and patted her thigh.
"Really?"
She didn't answer, just patted it again and held her eyes. Alexia lifted her leg and placed her ankle on her thigh under the table, Ridley holding it there with a hand gripping the lower part of her calf. Her hand slid further up then, slowly, sensually, and Ridley watched her expression carefully as she did so. Alexia forgot how to breath, how to speak, how to be a human. Her expression must have said all of the above, because Ridley smirked.
Her hand stopped at her knee and began to massage it exactly where she needed, her expert fingers kneading away the tension in her soreness and increasing the tension inside of her. She could have come right then and there.
They sat in that comfortable silence while her fingers worked her knee and all around. By the time she gave her leg back, the waiter was on his way over with the food.
They ate half of their plates each, and then switched as they said they would. They talked about what they missed in Spain, about Chiquito, about flying.
Their plates were cleared while they were still talking away, just enjoying the company of each other. They didn't care that there was a hundred other people around them, nor that the sun had set, nor that outside it was now raining heavily, battering down onto the roof. They only had eyes for each other.
The waiter handed them a dessert menu, and again Alexia wasn't sure if she should, and so they agreed to just share one between the two.
"Just one menu for her, please." Ridley told him before smiling at her. "Your choice."
Her choice. Of course it was. It always was with Ridley. She didn't need long to decide.
"The éclair please..."
"With two plates please," Ridley added, Alexia enjoying hearing her Australian accent in English. He nodded and left. "The éclair? Naughty."
"You said you liked anything with custard..."
Ridley hadn't seen the menu, so she didn't know. She looked excited. "It's filled with custard?!"
"Vanilla custard, yes." Alexia felt like she'd done something right. She was proud of herself.
They returned easily to their talks, the conversation flowing easily. Watching Ridley's excited face when the éclair came out was the highlight of her night.
She closed her eyes as she took that first bite, nodding in agreement with the dessert. Alexia couldn't help but use that opportunity to take a little cream from the top and decorate her nose with it.
Her eyes opened mid roll. "Really? You're lucky you look too stunning tonight to return the favour."
Instead, she wiped it off with one finger and placed her elbow on the table, extending it towards her. It was a challenge to see what she would do in a room full of people.
And so Alexia did something she would never do in public. She took Ridley's hand in between her own and made sure to keep her eyes as she sucked the cream from the tip of her finger. The excitedly surprised look that Ridley gave her as she watched was worth it.
"Mmn. Thank you."
"You never fail to surprise me."
They finished off the éclair and Ridley called for the check. Alexia hid her smirk as she bill came, though it disappeared quickly.
"The bill is paid. Here is your card, ma'am." He extended a black card to Ridley. She thanked him as he left. Ridley winked at her and reached into her jacket pocket to retrieve another card. She held it up between her first two fingers.
"This is yours, I believe?"
Alexia's eyes widened. "What? When?"
"When you were in the bathroom, of course. You're far too predictable." She said as she winked.
Alexia snatched the card and put it back in her wallet. She needed to get better. She needed to outplay Ridley.
"I'll get you back for this."
"You'll try." Ridley picked up her high heels with her cast hand and offered her other to the footballer. "Shall we?"
It was absolutely bucketing down outside.
"England weather," Alexia grumbled.
"Happiness, remember?" Ridley gestured to her necklace. "Would you like me to bring the car right up here?"
"I don't mind the rain actually... but the puddle..."
The car wasn't far, it was just across the road, but a puddle that looked shin deep ran up the curb closest to them as the drain must have been blocked.
Alexia looked down to her bare feet and back, shivering at the cold.
"Come here." Ridley took her jacket off and put it on Alexia. She would have fought it, but she knew better with Ridley, and she was already so cold. She pulled her into her chest and rubbed her back until she was a little warmer.
"Here's my key." She said as she gave it to Alexia and pointed to a button. "When we get close, push this button."
"What? Why-"
She didn't finish her sentence before she was lifted off the ground.
"Lee!"
Ridley smirked down at her, those gold flecks dancing in her eyes. "Chivalry is never dead around me."
The rain hit them hard, but Ridley didn't falter. She walked them over to the car, wading through the now knee deep water. Alexia pressed her face to her body to shield it from the rain, though she was already soaked and almost not wanting to admit that she was enjoying herself.
She pressed the button to open the doors when they were closer and Ridley placed her gently down in the passenger seat.
"Not so bad, hm?" She shook her wet hair near Alexia's body like a dog which earnt her a slap.
They stumbled through the front door of Ridley's penthouse late at night, both soaking wet and laughing. Chiquito took one look at their rain-soaked bodies and padded away.
"I'm never getting this dress off."
At this point, the rain had moulded it to her body. Ridley chuckled. "Turn around."
She helped her shrug her jacket off and then unzipped her dress slowly as Alexia offered her back to her. She wasn't wearing a bra with it, just underwear. Ridley's hands came up and gently pushed the dress off of her shoulders, following it all the way to the ground and waiting for her to step out, which she did. Alexia was suddenly almost naked, and freezing. Her arms came over her chest to hold some heat to her body and to cover those hard nipples from the cool air in the room.
Ridley laid the dress on the table and put her jacket back on Alexia, one arm at a time, pulling her close to keep her warm and rubbing her back.
"You need a warm shower, Lex."
Alexia pressed her face into Ridley's shoulder and spoke quietly. "Thank you for being my friend tonight. I know you had things to do... but I really needed that. Thank you for the happiness."
She wasn't used to being so open and vulnerable. It felt good.
"You're welcome, Lex. Anytime." She murmured against her hair. "And for what it's worth, I would always prioritise you, because every moment with you is special. I'd happily sit and talk with you for hours and I'd feel nothing but happiness." Her cheek leant on her head. "I'm so glad I met you."
Tears pricked her eyes and Alexia's entire being relaxed into her as the Australian continued slowly. "I just want to talk to you and hear about your day. I want to be in your presence. I want to see your smile and hear your voice. I don't care if you're happy or grumpy or tired. I... want to be around you on your good days, and your bad. I just..."
Ridley trailed off but it didn't matter, the words were already spoken and finally, Alexia realised that Ridley cared for her as deeply as she did.
"Will you stay?" She whispered as she shivered.
Ridley's grip tightened. "I can't... you know I can't."
"I don't want that. I don't expect that..." She said, pulling her head back. She let her cheek graze along Ridley's jaw as she leant back to look at her. "Stay... as a friend. Just... stay."
"Alexia-" Ridley cut herself off, her expression looking anguished, like she was fighting herself.
"I want to use one of my favours. Stay the night... please."
She'd made the difficult decision for her. "Are you sure?"
Alexia nodded. "Just friends. Stay..." She put her head to her neck and sighed into her. "I'm right here. Stay with me, Lee."
"Okay." She said so softly that she barely heard it.
"Okay?" Alexia lifted her head.
Ridley nodded, the decision clear in her eyes. "I'll stay the night."
"Okay," she breathed.
"But I get to teach you how to defend yourself. And we're going to watch a movie."
Alexia returned Ridley's happy smile with a smirk. "Deal."
"Good. Go shower. Right now."
Alexia unwillingly untangled herself from the warmth of Ridley and padded her way to the shower, unable to contain her pure joy that she was staying. She showered gratefully, savouring the warmth and found Ridley in the theatre room after she'd dressed into her comfortable sleeping clothes.
Ridley was flicking through channels, also now in track pants and a shirt for sleeping, with Chiquito curled up between the couch and her leg. She patted the couch next to her when she came in. Alexia wondered if she'd chosen the theatre room as a neutral place for them to be close to each other.
"Lucy's taking me to the Arsenal game tomorrow. Do you want to come?"
Ridley pouted as she stared at the tv. "I have work from midday until late."
Alexia was disappointed, but she tried to not show it. "Maybe after then."
Ridley turned to look at her. "Maybe... is tonight and tomorrow morning's self-defence session not enough Ridley for you?"
The confidence. She thought about biting back, but she was tired and knew what she wanted to actually say was what Ridley wanted to hear.
"I'll never have enough Ridley. I'll never tire of you. You make me smile and you make me laugh. You make me happy just being around you." She rode that momentum and wrapped two of her arms around one of Ridley's, cuddling it to her chest and pressing her body into her, resting her chin on her shoulder. "And for what it's worth, I think you're a wonderful person."
She caught those dark eyes that were looking at her and mulling over her words.
"Is this okay?" Alexia asked, speaking about the way their bodies were touching from their legs, up to where her arm was cuddled to Alexia's body.
"Yeah," she breathed. Her hand was in Alexia's lap, and placed itself carefully on the inside of her thigh, her thumb stroking it like it had done to the steering wheel just hours earlier.
Alexia closed her eyes and felt her body twitching a little as she got closer to falling asleep, her body fighting her like it always did. The feeling of Ridley relaxing further just encouraged her own state of bliss, her body falling further into her. Ridley's cheek found the top of her head and rested there gently.
She felt a blanket being lifted over her, and then her hand was back on the inside of her thigh, stroking with her thumb. Ridley.
She'd dreamt of this. Of falling asleep to the smell, the feel and the warmth of Ridley. Tonight, she'd get to live that dream.
But not this minute. Her phone buzzed and she was mad at herself for bringing it. She gave a little, frustrated noise and lifted it to have a look.
"Oh... oh joder." She lifted the phone to show Ridley. "This is not good, right?"
She felt Ridley's jaw clench as it rested on her head.
"No, that is definitely not good."