“You want comedy, horror, thriller, cops and robbers? Porn?” He wiggled his eyebrows.
She rolled her eyes. “Not horror. Not porn. Anything else is okay, but I’m not up for surround sound explosions and automatic weapons.”
“Gotcha.”
When she disappeared, he decided to play it safe. After a quick search on his phone he decided on the 1992 version of Wuthering Heights. He loaded it up and went to the kitchen to look for the popcorn.
Gretchen came out in her yoga pants, cami, and her favorite short silk robe.
“You look comfortable,” he said.
Her answer was a yawn.
He chuckled. “There you have it, sports fans. She not only looks comfortable, she is comfortable.”
“I’m sorry. I’ve been looking forward to our date all week. I feel awful that I’m bailing.”
“Forget it. What do you want to drink?”
“That’s my question,” she said. “I’m the worst hostess in history.”
“Yeah, you are. Good thing for you that’s not what interests me.”
“Oh?” She perked up a little as she leaned back against the counter. “What does interest you?”
He pulled her into a full body press and delivered one of his heart stopping kisses. She slumped against him, going pliant with surrender.
He laughed softly. “You’re not going to stay awake for fifteen minutes at this rate.”
“But you’ll forgive me. Right?”
He touched a finger to the tip of her nose. “What you did for Spaz today… It was wonderful. What he needed. What we all needed really. Things have seemed so hopeless for so long.”
“I loved doing it, but I really am sorry, I’m wasted.”
True to Falcon’s prediction, she was out like a light within twenty minutes of nestling next to him on the sofa. He finished both the movie and the popcorn, turned off the TV, gathered her into his arms and carried her to bed. She woke up enough to put her arms around his neck and half helped him get her out of her robe. When he started to pull the covers up over her, she grabbed his wrist.
“No,” she said. “Stay.”
He hesitated, looking and feeling torn. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Just stay. Sleep with me in my bed.”
Falcon had no intention of making love to Gretchen for the first time when she was so groggy from lack of sleep that she didn’t know if she was coming or going. But he didn’t really want to leave either. After doing a quick systems check to see if he thought he could trust himself to ‘just sleep’, he said, “Okay.”
He switched off the lamp next to her bed, made his way around to the other side in the dark, took off his clothes, except for his jersey boxers, and slid in beside her. She immediately scooched over next to him, which made him grit his teeth with wanting. It was hours before he would normally go to bed, but he found that there was a certain pleasure in lying there awake, listening to Gretchen’s deep breathing, feeling the heat her body emitted, taking in the scent of her shampoo. Apples?
The contentment of being in bed with the woman he… had feelings for was a state so foreign he was sure he’d never experienced anything like it. As his relaxation grew deeper, he eventually drifted off.
Gretchen woke at the usual workday hour, a good thing since she’d failed to set her alarm. The first thing she saw was the sleeping form of the beautiful knight she’d invited to stay. That much she remembered.
He looked so different in sleep. So perfectly at ease it made him seem both younger and more vulnerable.
She thought she would slip away quietly and leave him sleeping, but he caught her before she made it out of bed. Smiling like the cat that got the canary, he tugged her closer for a kiss.
“No!” she said, pushing against him while she turned her head away. “I have dragon breath in the mornings. If you come closer, you will be burned.”
He laughed. “I need a kiss.”
“Tooth brushing first. Then kisses,” she said.
He looked like he was mulling that over. “Okay. You have an extra toothbrush?”
“No, but we can share. If I’m willing to tangle tongues with you, I’m willing to share a toothbrush.”
“Make it quick.”
She scrambled backward out of bed and practically ran for the bathroom. She closed the door and locked it because they weren’t at the toilet talk stage of their relationship. After relieving herself, she gave her mouth a good brushing and opened the bath door just as she was finishing.
Falcon was just on the other side leaning against the door jamb, waiting. He smiled when she jumped back and smiled even bigger when he saw that her eyes took a slow journey downward stopping at key points of interest along the way, particularly the morning wood.
She rinsed her mouth out and thoroughly rinsed the toothbrush before handing it to him, “All yours,” as nonchalantly as possible. All things considered.
He took the brush, walked to the toilet, put the seat up and was going to piss in front of her. When she said, “Ugh!” and closed the bathroom door, he laughed.
Three minutes later he emerged with fresh breath, clear eyes, a smile, and morning wood. He found her in the closet picking out clothes for the day. He took the hangers out of her hands and threw them on the floor.
“What are you doing?!?”
He pulled her into his arms and started walking backwards out of the closet, toward the bed, tugging her along with him. “Going back to bed.”
“I’m not going back to bed. I’m going to work. It’s Monday morning.”
“You can be late.”
“I cannot be late.”
“You can.” He still had hold of her when they reached the bed. “I brushed my teeth for you.”
He could see that her determination was wavering. “Well, I guess if you brushed your teeth for me…”
Gretchen was lifted off the floor and deposited on her back in the middle of the mattress before she knew what happened.
“You’re scary strong. You know that?”
“All the better to help you out of all these extra clothes.”
It was her turn to smile. “You want me out of my clothes?”
“That’s kind of what I was thinking.”
“Then sit up,” she said.
When Falcon gave her room to lift her upper body into a sitting position, she immediately grasped the cami and pulled it over her head. Since it had a built-in bra shelf, that left her bare-chested.
He stared at her breasts like he’d never seen a woman naked before.
“Gods Almighty,” he said and swallowed so that she could see his Adam’s apple move.
He face planted between her breasts and licked then nuzzled his way under and around her breast, driving her slowly crazy, before latching onto a nipple and sucking hard.
She cried out, at the same time arching upward toward him. She was, apparently, no longer in charge of her body. It was taking directions solely from him. She silently prayed for him to give the other nipple the same careful attention coupled with a hint of adoration.
“That’s good,” she said, drawing out the second word so that it sounded like a purr.
“That’s good?” he asked, using the sardonic smile that always caused a quivery reaction between her thighs. “I agree. Let’s see if we can do better.”
He kissed her enough to leave her panting. While she was trying to regain her breath, he pulled the yoga pants down her body and flung them away. He held himself away from her so that he could enjoy a leisurely look at her body. The hungry fixation she saw in his eyes made her squirm uncomfortably, which looked like a tantalizing dance, and aroused him even more.
His hand snaked up her leg going straight for the place she most wanted to be touched. Her body rose from the bed as if trying to help him find her core. When he nudged her legs open and slid a finger inside, she hissed in a breath of surprise at how delicious it felt.
And the sound of her p
leasure ramped his own desire tighter and harder.
“Sweet…” he said, not finishing the sentence before finding her lips for another kiss.
He sat up suddenly, then stood and scraped his boxers down his legs. The sight of his cock springing free made Gretchen’s eyes widen. He was pretty sure she’d seen a penis before. So he took her expression to mean that either she was afraid of his size or surprised by it. Either way he wasn’t going to delay long enough for her to overthink it.
He was back on the bed and between her legs in an instant.
“Wait! Wait!” she said.
“What?” he said.
“Condom.”
He looked around repeating, “Condom. Condom,” like he wasn’t sure what that meant. He looked down at her, “Pants.”
“Well, get it!”
“Okay.”
He practically leapt off the bed and looked around for his pants, his need making him half blind. He pulled out his wallet, threw the pants down like they were somehow offensive, and pulled out a condom.
She watched as he tore it open with his teeth and rolled it on. Her solar plexus swelled with feminine pride when she saw that his hands were shaking. Part of her felt gloriously smug that such a brave and handsome Black Swan knight stood next to her bed wanting her badly enough that his hands shook.
No further barriers, not emotions, or exhaustion, or lack of condom stood in the way of both of them getting what they’d both fantasized about so many times.
With one thrust he entered her and groaned out loud. She ground her hips and squeezed his firm behind mercilessly. He knew he was going to come too fast. So he pulled out.
“What’re you doing?” she asked, sounding a little panicked.
“Taking care of you, baby.”
He reached down and began to massage her clit with little circles and taps, while working the nipple closest to him with his tongue. In less than a minute she was hanging onto his shoulders, coming so hard she looked like she might be seizing. In the middle of that he entered her again and pistoned so that he came on the tail end of her orgasm.
He collapsed on her then rolled so that they were on their sides facing each other. His breathing was creating little gusts that moved her hair a little at the side of her face. And she was looking at him like he was a god.
“Wow,” she said.
“Yeah.”
“I’ve never…”
“Never what?”
“Never had an ‘o’ that big.”
He smiled. “Same here. You make me into a crazy man.”
“Really? Why’s that?”
He shook his head. “I don’t know. Something about you.”
All of a sudden she stiffened and her eyes went wide. “I’m late for work. Shit. How did I let you talk me into…?”
He tried to detain her, but it was a no go. She was getting up and she meant it.
When she came out of the bathroom, showered and fully dressed, she was prepared to say, “You’re welcome to stay. Long as you want, but I’ve got to go. So call me later.” But that speech never got delivered.
He was gone.
She knew she shouldn’t overthink that. It didn’t mean it was a one night stand. It just meant he wanted to take a shower in his own bathroom. That’s all.
Throughout the morning, Gretchen checked her phone for a text, becoming more nervous and out of sorts with each time she pulled the phone and saw that there was nothing. She had Guarza get her a California roll for lunch and ate it at her desk.
For the rest of the day she constantly chastised herself. You are not the woman who pines over a guy like a schoolgirl crush.
It was four o’clock when Falcon came through the Operations Office door with a knowing swagger and a twinkle in his eye, but his smile fell when he saw her face.
“Is something wrong?”
After an entire day of anxiety, finally coming to believe she’d been used for sex and discarded, her relief at seeing him wasn’t enough to overcome hours of conflicted feelings.
She shook her head, but didn’t smile. She looked guarded. “No. I…”
“What?” When she didn’t answer, he raised the hinged barrier, entered her space beyond the counter barrier, took her hand and pulled her down the hallway to the media room and, finally, inside the supplies closet. He used the light app on his phone so they could see each other.
“You did not just pull me into a supplies closet.”
“I did. Now tell me what’s going on.” She shook her head again and wouldn’t look at him. He put his finger under her chin and raised her face so that she had no choice but to meet his gaze. “Whatever it is, tell me. Just be honest.”
“Honest.”
“Yeah. Honest.”
“Okay. You left this morning. You didn’t leave a note. You didn’t call or text all day. I thought that…”
Falcon looked blank. “You thought what?”
“I thought you were done with me.”
He looked astonished. After a few seconds he laughed. “Done with you!” Her lips parted, adding to her confused look. With the hand not holding the phone light, he pulled her closer. “No, baby. I’m so not done with you. I don’t see myself ever being done with you. I’m in this for the long haul. Even if I got myself a career woman who’s not sure she wants kids.”
Gretchen’s mouth opened even further. She had whiplash. Two minutes before she’d been sure she’d seen the last of Falcon. The next thing she knew she was in a closet hearing words that sounded a lot like forever.
“Are you saying that you…?”
“Yeah. I guess I am saying that. And hoping like hel I haven’t misread signals. I hear I’m not good at reading women. So you have to tell me. Am I in the weeds or do I stand a shot with you?”
The closet door opened without warning to a very surprised second year trainee. Like a deer in headlights, he stared at them, mouth open.
A very amused Falcon finally said, “We’re busy. Close the door.”
The kid visibly shook himself. “Yes, sir. Sorry, Sir Falcon. Sorry, Director Galen.” He closed the door, leaving them in the dark again with only the phone light app.
“You know everybody in Jefferson Unit is going to know about this within fifteen minutes,” Gretchen said.
Falcon smiled. “I don’t care. Do you?”
“Not really. If a rumor was going to float that I was caught in a supply closet with a knight, I would certainly want it to be you.”
He growled. “It had better be me.”
“Okay.” She laughed.
“And only me,” he added.
“It’s only you, Kris. If that’s the way you want it, it will always be you.”
He rewarded her with a kiss that turned sizzling within seconds. Pulling away, he said, “If I don’t stop, the next kid who opens the door is going to get sex ed up close and personal.”
“Shame there’s not a lock on the door.” He nuzzled her neck and chuckled. “You working tonight?”
“Yes, but we could have dinner together first. If you’re not working all hours like usual.”
“For dinner with you, I’ll definitely manage a break.”
“Let’s don’t go to the Mess.”
“Okay. Where?”
“My place.” There was no missing the implication with the way he dropped his voice to a sexy rasp.
She shook her head. “No. I can’t go back to work looking like I’ve been rolling around with you.”
“No?”
“No.”
“I like that look on you.”
“So do I, but not at work.”
“Okay. You want to eat at K Team’s table?”
“If they don’t mind. I know the teams like to eat together.”
“They’ll be fine with it. It’s nice to have a guest sometimes.”
“Alright then. See you later.”
After one more kiss, Falcon cracked the door. There were about fifteen trainees in the media room
suddenly trying to look busy as if they had a reason for being there. He closed the door.
“What is it?” she said.
“You’d better pull your dignity pants up.”
“Why?”
“The room is full of kids come to see the spectacle of us coming out of the closet.”
She laughed. “Thanks for the warning. Open when ready.”
The two of them walked out of the closet as if it was the most natural thing in the world and nodded at the trainees on the way by, but once they were out in the hall, they heard the kids’ laughter erupt.
Falcon winked at her as he peeled away to head toward the Hub.
Sin brought Spaz to dinner and parked the wheelchair at the outer edge of the table, so Gretchen sat inside next to Falcon.
“I’m cleared for patrol on Wednesday,” Spaz told them. “Can’t wait to get back to some semblance of normalcy. I don’t really need to be rolled around, but I let Sin do it because it makes him feel useful.”
“Yeah,” Sin agreed sarcastically, “that’s why I do it.”
“I still can’t believe he got that vampire to make a music video. That is definitely a first for whoever is keeping annals these days. ‘First ever eighties music video made with a real vampire.’ And the award goes to… drum roll… Sinclair T. Harvest!”
Everybody at the table laughed.
“How’d you get him to do it?” Wakey asked Sin.
“He’s an okay guy. I mean, for a six-hundred-year-old vampire.”
“Yes, but how’d you get him to do it?”
“Just asked him. Told him about the party. For some unfathomable reason, he likes the Spazmodoc.” Spaz chuckled. “Where’s your medal of gratitude?”
“I had Operations send for an armored car to come pick it up and take it to my safety deposit box.”
Everybody looked at Gretchen as if there was a sliver’s chance that might be true. She just smiled and shook her head.
Wakey looked from Gretchen to Spaz. “You’re such a liar.”
“I’m not a liar! I’m entertaining.”
“I’ll let you know when I have a counter argument for that,” Wakey said.
“So what’s this about a special girl?” Spaz asked Wakey.
“Who told you that?” he said as his ears went bright red. “All girls are special to me.”
FALCON: Resistance (KBS Next Generation Book 1) Page 23
