The Company of Darkness (12 page)

Cady fidgeted nervously in the elevator, expecting Rikard’s smirky grin to be there when the door slid open, despite Ethan’s insistence that he’d left town.  But the fifth floor was empty when she stepped out, and she didn’t run into a single soul in the hallway on the way to his room.

Adjusting her blouse and pulling her hair to fall over one shoulder, she knocked, stomach tight in anticipation of seeing him again.  “Hey, I hope you don’t mind if I…
mmph
.”  Cady’s words were cut off by an enthusiastic kiss as Ethan practically lunged for her, pulling her into his arms in full view of the hallway.  She lost herself to the moment, wrapping her arms around his shoulder as he held her close, a different kind of tension setting up shop inside her belly.

“Sorry, what was that you were saying?” he asked, breaking the kiss to pull her inside the room.

“I… have no idea,” she blinked, still overwhelmed by the kiss.  It sure helped alleviate some of those doubts she had as to whether or not he missed her as much as she missed him.  The room was generic enough, but nicer than any craphole motel she’d ever stayed in before.  Not too big, a queen sized bed dominating the room with a flat screen TV atop a low dresser opposite it, and a small desk tucked into the corner.  On the desk was a pile of electronic equipment she couldn’t identify, with a surprisingly sharp image of an empty apartment on the small screen. 

Ethan wrapped his arms around her from behind, pressing his nose to her hair before she could get a better look at any of it, guiding her to the amazing view from the floor to ceiling windows. 

“You have no idea how much I missed you,” he groaned, already tugging her blouse free of the skirt. 

“I missed you too,” she smiled, leaning back into his solid embrace.  “But you can’t tear my good work clothes again.  I can’t afford to keep replacing them.”

Ethan didn’t stop trying to get her out of the blouse, but he did turn her around to have easier access to the buttons.  “I’ll buy you anything you want.”

“I’ve always wanted a pony.”

“Seems like a messy house pet to me, but whatever makes you happy,” he smiled against her lips, his fingers moving slow but deliberate as he worked the buttons and eased off her blouse.  “I promise I’ll be good.”

“No worries on that score from my end,” she said, kissing him deeper, slipping her hands under the short sleeves of his t-shirt to savor the bulge of muscle there.  While Cady had no objections to the turn of events, she couldn’t help but wonder if he was risking trouble on the job.  This was more of a distraction than she’d planned.  “What about your surveillance?  What if you miss something?”

Ethan didn’t skip a beat, drawing down the zipper on her skirt with a low hiss.  “I’m recording.”

“Who are you recording?”  The thought occurred to her suddenly and her head craned to look at the monitor again, but he blocked her view.

“It’s better if you don’t know.”

“Okay,” she allowed.  The less she knew about the stuff, the better.  But she couldn’t help but wonder – if all he was there for was to record stuff, why did he need to hole up in the room the entire time?  She opened her mouth to ask him about it, but he cut her off with another searing kiss, the urgency building as she stepped out of her skirt. 

She tugged at the hem of his shirt, gasping as he pressed her up against the cold window with the length of his body, trapping her there.  “You’re going to make the glass all dirty,” was the only thing that came out when he broke the kiss and Ethan chuckled. 

“I intend to get my money’s worth out of the room.”

Her eyes flicked to the bed, but he made no move to take her there.  In fact, he seemed far more intent on devouring her where she stood.  His mouth was everywhere, sucking at her bottom lip, nipping at her collarbone, teeth scraping across the slope of her breast, breath hot through the lace of her bra, driving her crazy. 

Cady kept trying to reach him, but he wasn’t cooperating, too bent on maintaining all the control.  When she tried harder to pull off his shirt he gave a low growl, pinning her to the window by the throat.  For a moment it was hot, being completely under his power, but after a few seconds it started to lose its appeal, his fingers digging uncomfortably into her windpipe. 

“Hey,” she croaked, when her fingers couldn’t dislodge his hand.  “I’m not really into this, do you mind letting go?”

Ethan instantly dropped the hold, snatching his hand away.  “Oh… sorry, didn’t even realize I was doing it.”  He straightened, pressing a delicate kiss to her neck, brows drawn together by whatever he saw there and she imagined it was probably a little red from the remaining sting.

“It’s okay, different strokes.  I might enjoy some other rough play, but I kind of like to be able to breathe,” she smiled, taking advantage of the lull to pull his shirt off.   

“Let me make it up to you,” he said, kissing her more tenderly, melting away her weak protest.  It really hadn’t been that bad, and she was far more interested to see what he had in mind to make up for it.  She had access to his bare chest now, but not for long as he kissed lower, spending his time on her curves, his mouth leaving tingles in its wake.  Finally he kneeled before her, looking up at her with a mischievous smile as he gently stroked the back of her leg, coming just short of her panties.  “I promise I’ll be more careful this time,” he winked, fingers brushing over the flimsy material so lightly, she wasn’t sure if she’d imagined it. 

“You um, go ahead and do whatever you want,” she breathed, transfixed by the sight of him there, holding her gaze until he leaned close enough to kiss the inside of her thigh.  Her thighs popped open a smidge wider in their own invitation, independent of her thought process, rewarded by the soft flick of his tongue where his lips had just been. 

“Whatever I want?”  Ethan arched a single brow, looking up at her, his breath hot against her waiting flesh.

“Well, you know… within…”  He nuzzled against her mound through the thin panties, making her insides clench with anticipation.  “Whatever you want,” she gasped, head falling back as his fingers tugged the material side, leaving her exposed and waiting for more. 

Her cell phone rang and Cady couldn’t care less, a whimper of disappointment escaping her when Ethan pulled back to retrieve her phone.  “I don’t care who it is,” she pouted.  What was his obsession with taking calls?

“It’s Ian,” he said after glancing at the display.  “Could be important.”

She let out a long breath.  He was probably right, best to get it over with than have him keep calling or texting her back.  “Hey, Ian, what’s up?”

“Where are you?” her brother demanded with his usual lack of charm. 

“Out with friends, why?”

“What friends?  I’m here with Penny and Kelli and they said you ditched them.”

Shit
.  “I’m out with work friends.” 

“What work friends?”

Ethan started to kiss her inner thigh again and it took her a second to remember the question asked.  “You know, friends I work with?”  He kissed higher and she tensed all over, torn between swatting him away and wanting to see what he did next.  “Is there um, a point to this call?”

“Yeah, to figure out where the hell you are.”

“I’m in the Courtyard Downtown Hotel having drinks so chill out.”   Ethan’s lips traced the cleft through the flimsy material of her panties, tongue flicking out to find the delicate bud, making her squirm. 

“Why are you in a hotel?”

“What?”  The sharp stab of pleasure made her arch against the glass, already warm from her body now, but she shook her head when he looked up at her.  As much as she didn’t want him to stop, Cady was having the hardest time listening to Ian.

“You said whatever I want,” Ethan whispered, taking great pains to preserve her panties as he tugged them down to her ankles and slipped one foot free. 

“I said why are you in a hotel?”

The rasp of Ethan’s tongue blocked out whatever Ian might’ve said next and she stifled a gasp as he devoted himself to destroying her with pleasure. 

Ian’s voice sounded more than a little annoyed.  “What’s going on?”

“Sorry, I’m a bit distracted,” she managed to get out, nails digging into Ethan’s shoulder as he kept up his tender assault.  She couldn’t do this, she couldn’t think when he did that thing with his tongue that made her see stars.  They had to stop, at least until after the conversation was over.  Letting go of his shoulder, she pulled at his hair, tugging gently to make him look up at her, but he didn’t budge, even when she pulled harder.  He just kept licking and sucking, driving her insane, trapping her against the window, attacking her with a pleasure so keen, she thought she might die. 

“Cady?”

“What?  It’s um, not a big deal.  I’m just having some fun.”
Not a lie…
  Ethan slipped a finger inside of her, curling against that one spot designed to make her lose control. 
Oh fuck…
“Hold on a sec,” she gasped, legs trembling.  She might’ve collapsed if he hadn’t been holding her upright.  Cady caught sight of their reflection in the mirror, his head bent to her most intimate place, her head thrown back, chest heaving. 

“Stay there, I’ll come and get you.”  Ian’s voice cut through the haze and panic swirled.

“No, don’t come!”

“Yes, come…” Ethan’s deep voice rumbled against her slick folds and she knew she couldn’t hold out much longer. 

“Hold on a sec…”  She hardly cared what Ian thought anymore, pressing the phone against her side, thumb jammed over the microphone hole as she came apart.  Biting her lip against crying out, her nails dug into his shoulder as she rattled and shook the window with the force of her tremors, all the while watching their reflection through half lidded eyes. 

Gradually his touch slowed, and Ethan trailed soft kisses up her body until he gathered her into his arms, holding her close.

“Cady, what the hell?” Ian demanded.

Feeling much more relaxed, Cady let out a long breath before bringing the phone back up to her ear.  “Chill the fuck out,” she muttered, irritated at him for ruining the moment.  “Don’t be stupid, hang out with Kelli, have a good time.”   There he was distracting her again, catching her free earlobe up between his teeth.  “I’ll be… fine.  If it gets to be too late I’ll crash at my friend’s house.”

“What friend?”

“Oh, didn’t I tell you?”  Ethan caught hold of her jaw, turning her head for a deep kiss and she ignored Ian’s grumblings on the line, until she did what she probably should’ve done in the first place.  “I have to go, it’s my turn to buy a round.  I’ll be home later.”  Snapping the phone shut, she tossed it onto the bed.  “Are you crazy, insane?”  Cady pushed at his chest and this time he let her move him.  “Where did that come from?”

His lips curved into a wicked smile.  “Did you like it?”

Was he kidding?  “You know I did.  It was risky though.”  Wasn’t he the one always telling her to keep her movements a secret from Ian?  But he didn’t seem to care at the moment, his hands sliding around to unhook her bra which had been missed in the crazy hurry to spare her work clothes. 

“Maybe I feel like taking a risk with you?”

“Yeah?”  She considered questioning him on the wisdom in that, but decided she trusted him to know what they could and couldn’t get away with.  “You know, one of these times we’re going to make it to the bed.”  So far they’d always fallen short, not that she was complaining. 

“How about now?”  Ethan scooped her up into his arms, carrying her to the bed and setting her gently atop the covers.  On board with the plan, she reached for his jeans, eager to reciprocate, but he shook his head.  “No, thank you,” he said, tucking her hands up over her head.  “It’s still my turn to make it up to you, and you said I can do whatever I want.  Right now, all I want to do is make you feel good.”

“Then take off the rest of your clothes and we’ll get there together.  There’s no rush this time, right?  No other place you have to be, nothing to keep us from loving each other until we pass out, is there?” 

Ethan darted a quick glance to the equipment in the corner before he let go of her wrists.  “No, there’s nothing more important than this right now,” he smiled. 

“Good, because I seriously have to pay you back for that stunt with the phone.”

“You said you liked that.”

“Okay, but next time, do you think you can wait until after I get off the phone…”

“Before I get you off?” he grinned.  “That was part of the fun.”

“I’ll give you fun,” she growled, pushing him onto his back. 

As much as Cady enjoyed their previous times together, she liked the bed a lot more.  It gave her a bigger canvas on which to take
her
turn.  Not that she made him call anyone on the phone – that had the potential for disaster.  Besides, she didn’t need the gimmick.  Ethan became her utter slave, anything to please her, including lying back and letting her have her way with him, his hands gripping the headboard to keep from touching her back.  She loved making him rock hard, making him groan and shake, and hearing the sexy noise he made in the back of his throat before he came. 

Ever the competitive one, Ethan made it up to her two more times before they collapsed in a tangle of sweaty limbs, drifting off to sleep before either of them had the chance to so much as cover up.