Beneath the Layers

by Caitlyn Willows

  The door opened behind him and he turned. Midge stood in the doorway, backlit by candlelight, her face in shadows. He was struck anew by the lush curves she kept hidden from the world. Jeans and a sweater had never looked better on a woman.

  For my eyes only.

  Kurt tried to gather his scattered wits and plowed onward as she stood there waiting patiently. His heart was pounding as if he’d run a three-minute mile and not from the exertion of getting through the snow.

  “You’re going to freeze waiting for me,” he said.

  Midge laughed lightly. “I’ve got a cheery fire and you to keep me warm.”

  He shook off the snow as he stepped into the entryway and shut the door behind him. Midge pulled his coat off.

  “Get warmed up. I’ll put this over one of the kitchen chairs to dry.”

  “Your keys are in the pocket.”

  He left his sodden shoes by the door then headed for the fireplace as she walked to the kitchen. Candlelight flickered inside stained-glass votives on the end tables. An uncorked bottle of malbec with two glasses was on the coffee table. Midge had positioned the chairs closer to the fire. He sank into one and extended his hands toward the flames. She’d left the drapes open on the bay window. Hades sat curled among the red-and-green throw pillows on the padded bench, forgoing his basket. His attention was riveted to the bushes being tossed back and forth by the wind.

  “I see Hades has cast me aside for something more entertaining.”

  Midge laughed. “Enjoy it. Once you warm up, he’ll be all over you. We won’t be sleeping alone tonight.”

  “The more the merrier.” It was going to be brutal night.

  “Wine?”

  “Please.”

  He followed the clink of bottle to glass.

  “It’s my last bottle. I wish I’d bought more, but there are only so many places I can hide them from Bernadette. As things stand, I could only find the two candles. She’s clearly helped herself to the rest at some point.”

  “Bitch,” he muttered.

  “Yep.”

  Midge extended one glass to him, then crawled into the chair behind him.

  “That shit needs to stop.” He pulled her onto his lap as he scooted back. “We’re changing the locks as soon as the snow clears.” Or you could move in with me. Kurt took a sip of wine to keep those words at bay.

  She curled into him. “I called Southern California Edison about the outage. The power is out everywhere, and they don’t know when it will be restored. I do have a gas stove, so we won’t starve. With this cold, I don’t think the contents of the refrigerator will be compromised either.”

  He cupped her thigh, loving the flex of muscle under his touch. “I’m happy with sandwiches.”

  “Hungry now?”

  He loved that little tilt to her head and the way her long hair framed her jawline. The flickering flames painted streaks of orange, gold and red across her face, stoking a hot surge of desire through him. She was his for now and he was going to hold on to that with both hands.

  “Not for food,” he replied.

  Kurt took the wineglass from her and set it on the floor beside the chair next to his. Midge slipped from his lap, grabbed his hands and pulled him to the thick Oriental rug in front of the fire. He crawled over her body, breath quickening when she hooked one leg over his hip. Another fire greeted him, one he returned in kind.

  He reached to caress her cheek. She caught his hand and moved it down to her breast. He dived both hands under her sweater and found a silky shirt beneath. Surprise lifted his eyebrows.

  “Did you layer up just for me?”

  Midge slipped her fingers up his neck and into his hair. The whisper of her breath kissed his lips. “Why else? Certainly not because of the freezing temps and lack of power.”

  “Of course not.” Kurt loved the humor lighting her eyes. “I’m very excited.”

  “I can tell.” She rubbed her pelvis over his erection and kissed him, slow and deep.

  He lost himself in the wonder of her, of how she worked her fingers through his hair and let him have his way with her. Kurt deepened the kiss and clamped her ass, anchoring her to him. Midge draped her other leg around him, rocking her pussy against his cock. The temptation to come overwhelmed him. He broke the kiss and shoved his hands under the silk. Her soft gasp of pleasure sliced through him when he reached her breasts. He pushed her bra up, releasing them. He loved how they filled his palms, how she pushed herself into each squeeze, no matter how subtle or firm.

  He stroked his thumbs over her hard nipples. She arched into him, ankles locked around his waist, heels digging into his ass as she grinded over him. Kurt slowly peeled the clothing from her upper body—sweater, silk shirt, camisole, bra. He took the time to admire her then brought his mouth to her breast. She groaned when he pulled on her nipple, setting off tremors deep in his gut. Kurt took his time, loving each breast until she was writhing beneath him.

  “Damn, baby, you were made for loving.”

  “Mmm. So were you. Your turn.”

  She fisted his shirt and pulled it up. He yanked it off and returned to her breasts. She gasped when he rolled her nipple between his lips and cried out when he sucked it deep. A jolt of electricity shot up his spine and sent a surge to his balls. He grabbed the waistbands of whatever she was wearing and came to his knees to divest her of the clothing.

  “I’m about to break my own rule about stripping you slowly. All I can think about is—”

  “Coming?”

  “Yeah.”

  It was all he’d thought about for months—coming in her, on her and vice versa. He tugged the clothing down her hips. Though she offered no resistance, she also offered no help.

  “You’re really going to make me work for it, aren’t you?”

  Her soft laugh sank into his veins.

  “I can’t help it. You’re so beautiful.” Midge ran her fingers from his shoulders down over his flat nipples to the waistband of his jeans.

  “And I don’t want you to have any regrets that you didn’t take your time.”

  With a gentle push, she had him on his back. Midge leaned down and flicked her tongue over his chest, teasing his nipples to harder points than they already were. She traced her tongue over his ribs one at a time, ending at his navel.

  “More?”

  The gleam in her eyes would have made a eunuch come.

  “What do you think?” he managed to reply.

  “Oh, I think a lot of things.”

  She flashed him a naughty grin and opened his fly button. She dotted hot kisses against his bared flesh. Tooth by tooth she unzipped him. Despite the warmth of her breath, Kurt shivered. He watched, mesmerized, as she tucked her fingers in the waistbands of boxer briefs and jeans and eased them down until his cock was freed. Leaving him bound around his thighs, she wrapped her hand around his erection one finger at a time.

  “Fuck,” he gasped.

  “Soon.” She stroked him again. “You feel like hot satin.”

  He jerked beneath her touch. “Now.”

  After pushing her gently onto her back on the soft carpet, he stood long enough to remove his clothing and put on a condom. She taunted him by playing with herself—one hand fondling her breast, the other her clit.

  “You’re killing me.”

  “Never,” she replied in a husky come-fuck-me voice.

  He knelt at her feet and nibbled his way up her inner thigh until his lips brushed her curls. The scent of her intoxicated him. He raised her hips with his hands and ran his tongue along her pussy.

  She sank back with soft sounds of pleasure, hips twitching beneath his touch. He locked his gaze on her and stroked his tongue over her clit with sure, gentle strokes. Her moans became laced with her pleas for him to fuck her… now. Waiting tested his resolve because he did want to fuck now, so hard and deep their bodies made a permanent impression in the rug.

  He grunted a response and increased the pressure, licking her clit o
ver and over until she arched upward and cried out, digging her nails into his shoulders as she came. He brought her back to earth with kisses over her soft belly, all the while basking in the contentment on her face.

  “Damn, baby, you make me feel like a man.”

  Midge drew lazy circles around the scar on his shoulder. “My man.”

  Every primitive instinct screamed for him to take her, to feel her moist heat wrap him in complete oblivion. God, she was beautiful. His body pulsed, demanding to be appeased. Fucking her the way he wanted—and needed—was going to leave them both with rug burns they’d feel for a week.

  Kurt drew Midge to her feet as he stood and returned to the chair. Smiling, she straddled his lap, then sank onto his erection. A hot surge of approaching climax tried to take control. Kurt cupped her ass and anchored her to him. They fell into a pounding rhythm that threated to break the chair. Her muscles tightened around him. He managed to shove his hand between them to give her the friction she needed to come again and prayed he could hold on. She tossed her head back on a groan, her long hair tickling his thighs. Images of those silky strands against his balls demolished his control.

  “I can’t… I’m coming…”

  “I’m with you,” she gasped.

  They hit the high together and Kurt swore their hearts became one as well. He prayed harder than he’d ever prayed in his life that she truly was all he wanted her to be and not guilty of the things Anders suggested. His objectivity was shot. He’d go to hell and back to keep her warm and safe and dry…and loved. So loved.

  Wrong time, buddy. Too soon.

  Kurt wouldn’t argue with this conscience. Instead he joined the here and now, loving the feel of her head on his shoulders, his fingers deep in her long hair, and the way their hearts seemed to beat in unison.

  Hades’ hiss shattered the moment.

  They turned their heads in his direction at the same time to see someone trying to peer through the fogged bay window.

  .

  Chapter Eight

  Midge scrambled for her clothes. Kurt beat her to the door, dressed in only his jeans. A gust of wind and snow blew in, snuffing out the candles. Firelight flickered but held. She ran to the kitchen for his coat. Hades sudden presence at her feet halted her dash. He howled with distress and his puffed-up fur doubled his size.

  “I know, big guy.”

  She knew all too well. Only one person could upset him this much. Their peeper had to be Bernadette. Kurt wasn’t going to catch pneumonia over the woman. Sure enough, when she’d reached the front door, she found a footpath straight to Bernie’s door and a furious Kurt ready to beat it down.

  “I’ve got this,” she called to him. “Get back in here before you freeze to death.”

  He dropped his fist, shot a final glare at the door and hurried inside. Midge grabbed his coat and draped it around his shoulders when he stepped in.

  “Get by the fire and get warm.”

  “I’m thinking I don’t dare disobey.”

  “I’m delighted to know you have some survivor skills.” She pushed him toward the fire. “What the hell were you thinking, running out with nothing on?”

  “Whoa. When did you turn into my mom?”

  Midge slugged his shoulder. “Stop it. I’m pissed as hell and I’m not going to take another second of this.”

  “In my defense, I thought it might be that creep who tried to get in your house earlier.” He snatched his shirt from the floor and put it on.

  “No. A different creep. I cannot believe she stood out there watching us have sex. I’m mad at her, not you. I’m only irritated with you.”

  “That’s refreshing.”

  “If you don’t stop the smart-assed remarks, I’m going to slug you again.”

  Kurt chuckled and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Sorry. I rather like the fiery side of Midge Ellis. Help me warm up. You can kick her ass tomorrow. I don’t understand why she’d go out in this storm to peek in your window.”

  She turned into his embrace and tried to rub some warmth back into him. “I bet she saw you arrive and couldn’t stand not knowing what I was up to. I learned yesterday she’s been reporting my activities back to my mother.”

  He scrunched his eyebrows. “Seriously?”

  “Have you ever known me to lie?”

  He laughed. “Never.”

  She cupped his cheeks and was about to kiss him when Hades’ snarl, followed by a bright light stopped her cold.

  “That fucking bitch. Of all the nerve.”

  She stormed toward the commotion, then threw her hands up to protect her eyes from the beam that blazed from the doorway.

  “What the hell?” Kurt was by her side in seconds. The light cut his way.

  “Well, well, well.” Bernadette’s venomous tone was laced with sugar. “Our little Michelle seems to be taking advantage of the power outage.”

  “Get that light out of our eyes,” Kurt snapped. “You must be the infamous landlady. Do you have any idea how many rules you’ve broken?”

  Bernadette angled the flashlight downward, highlighting one pristine white sneaker. “I saw a half-naked man running around outside, poking around in my bushes and feared for Michelle’s safety. Rather than call the authorities, I decided I’d check up on you and make sure you were all right.”

  Her sincerity was patently false. She’d meant to intrude on whatever Midge was doing, private or not.

  “Clearly that wasn’t a good decision.” She sniffed.

  “By all means, let’s call the cops,” Kurt said. “I’m sure they could get to the bottom of this incident in record time.”

  “Yes, let’s do that.” Midge pushed in front of Kurt. “That way I can explain to them how you’ve invaded my privacy week after week, even to the extent of spying on me through my front window.”

  Bernadette turned up her nose and stepped closer. She had to tilt her head back to meet Midge’s eyes, but the aggression in her stance made it clear she didn’t feel at a disadvantage.

  “Are you insinuating I stood outside in the middle of a winter storm to watch you and your boy-toy toss around?” Her squeaky voice ruined her attempt to sound bad-ass. “Don’t make me laugh, little girl. I don’t need you or anyone else to give me lessons on how to make a man feel good.” A smile crawled over her face. “Although you probably could use a few tips yourself, or was that wig the other night a part of your call-girl repertoire? As I recall, it was a different man.”

  “Nope. Same man.” Kurt crossed his arms and rocked on his heels. “I’m shocked that a woman of your experience wouldn’t recognize role-playing when you see it.”

  Bernadette narrowed her eyes. “How dare you.”

  “No,” he said slowly. “How dare you.”

  “I should report you,” Midge told her.

  “Do I look like I’ve been outside in the bushes in this weather?” She adjusted one blonde curl, held in place by whatever lacquer she used on her hair. “I don’t go near them in pleasant weather. That’s why I have a landscaping company.”

  Midge had to concede that point. Bernadette’s elaborate coiffure was perfect, not a strand out of place. It was unlikely she could have gone outside, crawled behind the bushes to get to the window and observed the activities inside without completely destroying her hairdo. The time and effort it would have taken to repair that sort of damage was beyond even Bernadette’s maneuvers.

  Midge’s volcanic anger subsided. Her intense dislike remained. “Don’t come into my place again without prior notice and express permission from me.”

  “Don’t worry. There is nothing in your rental that interests me.” She narrowed her gaze. “Except the quality of people you invite onto my property. I demand to know who he is.”

  Midge hiked up her chin and stared down her nose at Bernadette. “He’s none of your business.”

  “Oh, but he is, especially if I think there are questionable activities going on. This is my property, after all.”
>
  She felt Kurt shift behind her seconds before he flipped out his badge.

  “Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Special Agent Kurt Davidson.”

  Despite the dim light, Midge saw Bernie’s face pale. She stood there staring at the badge, sputtering for a response before she whipped around and stomped out, making her size five shoes sound like size fourteens.

  Kurt tucked his badge into his back pocket then charged to the door and locked it.

  For all the good that will do.

  “If I thought the hardware store was still open, I’d change the locks for you right now.” He turned around, hands on hips. “It’s not my place to tell you what to do, but this shit has got to stop. If it were me”—he splayed his fingertips against his bare chest—“I’d be hunting for a new place to live.”

  Knowing he was right didn’t make it easier. “My books.”

  “I understand. I love books, too, and I’ve noticed you have an excellent collection of classics and first editions that deserve protecting and displaying.” Three strides brought him before her. “But, sweetheart, how long before she realizes the value of them and starts borrowing those as well?”

  “Then that would be stealing.”

  He spread his hands, palms up. “And what she’s doing now isn’t?”

  Kurt had a point. She brushed the growing chill from her arms.

  “I’m going to put another log on the fire,” she told him.

  “And I’ve got a mess in my jeans with this condom.”

  They were halfway to their respective destinations when the phone rang. Midge ignored it. The only person who called this time of night was her mother. The call could go to voice mail. Four rings later it clicked over with the obligatory greeting.