17. March 6th

MARCH 6TH

Waters

This is so nota good idea. Any of it. Touching her. Trading personal information. Telling her my name. And I'm still gonna do it. What the hell is wrong with me?

He couldn't stop himself from doing any of it. He was breaking the ultimate rule. His "real" self was a dead man. But, here, in this room, just the two of them cocooned away from the rain and the rest of the cast and crew, it was easy to conveniently forget they weren't really alone. Just to prove how much he'd lost his mind, his fingertips slipped up above the elastic at her ankles, softly massaging the bare skin of her calves now.

"If you tell me, do you have to kill me?" She was trying to lightly tease, but it came out more like a breathy whisper.

He smiled; his eyes still focused on where he was touching her. "Taylor. Taylor Miller." He paused."My sister…" His voice broke. He cleared his throat. "My sister called me Taj for short. So until I went into the Navy, that's what my family called me."

"Taj. I like it." She glanced down at the pillow in her grip, playing with the fringe.

Fuck it. Might as well just screw it all up at this point.

He cast a quick glance at the television, which he knew had a webcam link for Midas to watch through. Quickly, he mouthed "Stanley" at the camera, knowing whoever was on duty would turn off the camera with the prescribed code word until he signaled to turn it back on.

When he saw the black dot in the upper corner disappear, which looked like a bad pixel to anyone else, he grabbed her ankles firmly and pulled her across the leather couch until her feet were over his legs and flat on the couch next to his hips. She squawked at the surprise movement but just lay where he left her in front of him. The pulse point in her neck began to beat a little more rapidly, and he desperately wanted to cover it with his mouth. He wanted to feel her hummingbird heartbeat, knowing that he made her breathless. Mark her skin to claim her.

"Are you interested in Lazarus?"

"God, no," she laughed. Noticing his serious expression, she frowned. "I certainly like him as a person, but I'm not ‘interested' in him. Did he say I was?"

"He mentioned being interested in you, but the timing didn't work out."

"Well, I've made it a policy never to date any Hollywood types." She thought about it for a moment. "I guess maybe he had an interest not too long ago, but then I took a trip to Cairo."

He inhaled. "Cairo?"

She gave me an in. I didn't even need to come up with a line of questioning.

She nodded. "Yeah. Kent, sorry… Ka-Bar, emailed me when I was in Europe for work and asked if I could stop by the consulate and pick up a package he left behind before leaving for a mission."

He heard a clicking sound in his brain, like an edge piece was locking into place in a jigsaw puzzle that came with no picture.

And so it begins. Now, we may be getting somewhere.

He watched her closely. "Why didn't you mention to us that Ka-Bar was your brother?"

She blushed. "Well, we're both adopted, so technically, he isn't, although we might as well be siblings. I guess at the time, it didn't seem relevant. Does it matter?"

Tread carefully. Don't spook her.

"To me, personally? No. I was just curious. It came up during our workup on you, and in my line of work, people are usually quick to try and trade on relationships."

She nodded. "In hindsight, I probably should have mentioned it. I figured you all would know him somehow since he recommended you, but who I was to him wasn't all that important. Is that why you took the job? Because he's my brother?"

"I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a consideration. But if God didn't want to take the job, he wouldn't have taken it, regardless of who you were. And neither he nor I knew your brother personally."

His hands stopped their movement, palming her calves beneath her pant legs.

He switched back to the line of questioning regarding the package and her trip to the embassy. "Seems odd, though. He couldn't just have someone where he was stationed mail it wherever? You had to physically go to Egypt to pick up a package? And not from his base? Sounds presumptuous, even for a brother to ask."

"Stopping in Cairo wasn't a terrible hardship. It's where I spent a good part of my childhood, so I visited some friends while I was there. I don't get back often."

"So what was so all-fire important?"

"No idea," she admitted with a shake of her head. "I went to the consulate to pick up the package, but when I got there, the guy whom I was supposed to pick it up from wasn't there. The clerk didn't seem to know anything about it, either. By the time I had to return home, the clerk had said the guy still wasn't at the embassy, so I left my address, and he said they'd pass along the information and ship whatever it was to me when he arrived." Her expression turned thoughtful. "Thinking about it, I still hadn't gotten it by the time we came here. Guess I better email the consulate later to double-check."

"I'm sure it will turn up. I mean, Ka-Bar obviously wasn't in a panic about it, was he?"

"No." She had stretched out the word a little. She looked thoughtful at his question, though. "I'll have to email him and make sure. I mean, it must have been somewhat important to him, or he would have just waited until he got back from wherever he was to take care of it himself. Of course, who knows how soon I'll hear back from him." She nudged him with a foot. "He's like you. Can't tell anybody anything."

His fingers slid a few inches up her legs. "I told you my name."

"Yeah," she whispered. "Why?"

"Maybe I thought it would get me one step closer to seeing your sexy pink underwear," he teased.

Hands extended out to give him a shove in the chest in fake exasperation, but instead, they ended up in his grasp, and with a sudden pull, she was straddling his lap, hands held tight to his chest, looking down into his eyes. There was no way she could miss how hard he was. He searched her face, watching carefully for signs that she wanted him to stop.

"So…" he asked quietly, "if I kissed you, I wouldn't be interfering in a plan to get together with Lazarus?"

Her pupils dilated, and then she slowly shook her head.

"Or any of the other guys, either?"

She shook her head again.

Letting go of her wrists, he scrunched his hands into fists and covered his eyes. "This is a bad idea, Kubrick, but I just can't seem to stop."

"Good ideas are often overrated," she whispered, her hands sliding to clutch his shoulders.

Unclenching his fists, he reached up and gently stroked the back of his fingers along her cheek. "I don't want to hurt you. This thing between us can never be more than the moment, Kubrick. It's a rule," he confessed. "No relationships, clients or otherwise. I'm a ghost. I'm technically dead."

He let her absorb that for a few moments.

"Even if I were allowed to, I wouldn't be able to promise anyone the possibility of being permanent. Every time I get sent somewhere, it's fifty-fifty I'm coming back, probably less, and I can only ride that lightning for so long. Attachment is too dangerous. For me. For a woman or a family. Piss off the wrong person, and suddenly, someone I care about could be used against me. I can't risk it. And despite the danger and the solitary life, I love what I do. I can't change who I am, and I don't want to. Tribe always wins."

He raised his hands back in a position of surrender and looked up at her. "So tell me no. Take the decision out of my hands. Get up and walk away. Pretend this afternoon never happened," he begged.

Her eyes were glassy, but no tears fell. Instead, she reached for the hem of her hoodie and pulled it over her head, dropping it to the floor next to them. "I can't pretend this isn't here." With that, she cupped his face in her hands and brought her lips to his.

He didn't know who opened to whom, but their tongues were tangling, stroking, and she tasted so good. Like chocolate and peppermint. Mouth breaking away with a heaving breath, he held her a scant inch away, his eyes searching hers. "Are you sure? Knowing this is all it can be? While the film is going, and then it's done?"

She nodded twice.

Internally, he groaned. At least, he thought he did. Maybe it was out loud. He didn't care. He gave up.

Growling at her, he sat up and ordered, "Wrap your arms around my neck and your legs around my waist, baby."

His hands gripped the backs of her thighs to help her as she complied immediately, almost frantically, clutching him so hard he wondered if he'd have bruises on his hips later.

She was already mewling in frustration. "Look at me," he commanded.

Rotating his hard cock against the cradle between her legs, he watched as her brown eyes dilated. "That's it, baby. Hang on, and don't you take your eyes off me. I want to watch you as I grind into that sweet pussy and make you come before I even touch you."

She gasped at the sudden and unexpected dirty words from him.

"Don't look away."

He felt her lock up.

He pressed up hard into her again, twisting against her at the last moment. Once. Twice.

He watched her suck in air, preparing for the explosion, her eyes glued to his.

She began to tighten and shake, coming undone for him. "Fuck, yeah, baby, let it go. Give it all to me, Kubrick."

Collapsing onto his chest and into his arms, head on his shoulder, panting and boneless, she wailed, "Oh my God, Waters!"

"So fucking beautiful," he whispered.

As she recovered, he allowed his hands to smooth the skin of her back. He pressed soft, openmouthed kisses to her exposed neck.

And now I'm totally screwed. I started something I can't one hundred percent finish. Idiot.

Normally, he would be happy to take her to bed and make her lose all sense of time and space, but there were some things he needed to clarify before he could allow this to go further.

"I hate to ruin the moment, baby, but we need to talk."

He felt her breath freeze inside her. "What is it?"

"Relax." Pushing her off of his chest to bring their faces together, nuzzling the tip of her nose with his. "I see panic welling in those beautiful brown eyes. I'm not changing my mind. Exhale, okay?"

"Okay," she agreed. He felt her exhale, purposefully trying to relax. And failing miserably.

Brushing the hair out of her face, Waters made sure she was looking at him and completely aware of him. "Neither one of us is new to sex, but we've obviously not discussed certain factors. It wasn't like either of us woke up this morning thinking we'd be where we are right now. I just want you to know you're safe. I cleared all my physicals after my injuries two years ago, and I haven't been with anyone since then. But—"

"Before that, you were leading a parade?"

Her words stung a little bit. "That wasn't where I was going with this, but I don't know that I would have called it a ‘parade,'" he groused.

She leaned down to kiss him on the forehead, then brushed a fingertip across one eyebrow. "That's okay. I didn't expect anything different. I've been with two other men, the most recent being six years ago."

Waters took a moment to process.

What the fuck? How the hell has this woman not had a string of lovers? Definitely should have had more than two.

Not the issue. Need to tackle the real issue.

"What I was about to say was, I'm not physically prepared for this to happen. I figured if I didn't bring anything along, I wouldn't be tempted."

"Oh." She was trying not to show her disappointment.

So fucking adorable.

"No worries, baby. Tonight, we can play. But I don't want to run any risks for you, so we'll just have to wait for the really good stuff until I can run into Coxen Hole."

"That city really should have a different name, all things considered," she mumbled and blushed.

He thought about what he'd just said and started chuckling. "Yeah, it probably should."

Both were grinning as he pressed a light kiss on her beauty mark.

"I'm on birth control, but… I get it. Safer all around to both be protected."

"I promise I'll make it worth the wait."

He lowered his hands to grip underneath her ass, then turned off the couch so both feet were flat on the floor. Standing with her still wrapped around him, he headed toward her suite. "In the meantime," he growled, "no more talking except to tell me how good it feels when I make you come." His mouth crashed into hers, teeth immediately nipping her bottom lip to have her open her lips and let his tongue in to wage war on the inside of her mouth.

Once inside her room, he set her on the edge of the bed, flicking a finger and telling her to move toward the center. He made sure she complied, then he turned and closed the double doors to the War Room, flipping the lock. Returning to the bed, he followed her down onto the rumpled sheets. Kai's legs slid to dangle off the side of the bed.

Kai's neck arched as Waters lowered his mouth to her pulse point. His warm breath pressed openmouthed kisses along the column of her neck, his hands gently squeezing her breasts. He was murmuring something to her, but he was so overwhelmed he didn't know what he had said. All he knew was that the words felt as if they were affirmations, as if he were telling her all the ways she pleased him.

He went up on one knee between her legs. "Waters," she moaned as he moved off of her.

"Shh, baby. I'm still here." He moved his arms behind his head and pulled his T-shirt up and over, chest and arm muscles rippling with the action, then flexing as he folded it and lightly tossed it toward the chair in the corner of the room.

Her eyes glittered up at him, and she exhaled a soft moan. "Why is that so fucking sexy?"

Looking down at her, he asked, "What's that?"

"When men take their shirts off like that. Just grab it from behind their shoulders and whip it off."

One hand reached up to trace his ab contours, but he captured her exploring hand in both of his, gently kneading the palm with his expert thumbs. "Don't know, baby." He kissed the pads of each finger. "I don't think about guys taking off their clothes, so it's never been on my radar." He sucked the tip of her thumb into his mouth, laving the pad with his tongue, his eyes never leaving her face.

"I need to touch you. Please," she pleaded.

"Well, I guess I have to agree to that since it's way too early for you to be begging," he teased as he let go of her hand and shifted his legs to straddle her thighs. Now her hands were free to smooth over his abs, his pecs, then slide over his shoulders as he leaned down to touch his forehead to hers, her nails lightly scoring the skin she touched. His hands were also busy, gently caging her waist and softly stroking small circles with his thumbs. "So beautiful," he whispered.

She blushed at his praise, and her hips involuntarily bucked up trying to make contact with his own. "Waters," she whispered.

"What, baby?"

"More kissing, less talking."

His whole body felt like it was on fire as he kissed her forehead, both of her eyelids, and the tip of her nose, then finally settled butterfly-light on that Monroe beauty mark that drove him to distraction. From there, it was an easy reach to touch the tip of his tongue to the seam of her lips. She opened on a sigh, and he slipped inside, taking a full tour of her mouth. He stroked her tongue like he planned to stroke the inside of her channel with his fingers, and eventually his cock.

He continued to lay a trail of kisses down her body. Her chin, the underside of her jaw, the hollow of her throat, the valley between her breasts, her stomach, and finally, just above her belly button before dipping the tip of his tongue in her navel.

Watching him, she giggled at the tickling sensation as he rimmed her. "That tickles."

Slowly, he crawled part way back up her body and dropped sweet, chaste kiss after kiss across the top of her bra cups, fingertips lightly drawing random patterns on the material covering her breasts. His eyes held hers captured. "I definitely like pink." He dipped his mouth back between her breasts and gave a soft lap with his tongue to the side of one breast, then turned his attention to the other. Sliding his hands to the straps of her bra, he asked, "Yes?"

She nodded.

He slid her bra straps down her arms, using them to pull the entire garment down to her waist without unhooking it. Her nipples popped the moment he bared them to the air in the room. "Fuck me," he groaned. He framed both breasts with the palms of his hands, his mouth devouring one nipple and then the other, nipping, sucking, until Kai was thrashing underneath him. "So sweet, baby. You taste like cotton candy. Can't wait to get to the sticky-sweet parts."

"Waters, I… I…"

"What, baby?" he whispered. His tongue granted mercy to her nipple and moved away from the sensitive peak. But it wasn't really a mercy move because a moment later, he blew air across the distended tip and brought on a whole new form of torture as her skin pebbled in gooseflesh.

And when his teeth lightly grasped the bud, she gasped, her eyes going wide in surprise. Her back arched, and Waters watched in awe as another orgasm washed over her body.

"Goddamn, Kubrick," he marveled. "That was… incredible. You come so pretty."

"Please," she begged between pants.

"Please, what?"

Now he truly understood what a "hot mess" looked like. Her breath was coming out in rapid pants, her hair was a tangled halo around her head, her heart was racing, and her skin was flushed and burning beneath his touch. "I… I… oh my God, I don't know. I can't even think clearly."

"Tell me what you need," he demanded.

Her face contorted in something that looked like a mixture of pain and embarrassment.

"Kubrick, if I'm going to learn to please you, I need to know what you need. Some of it I'll learn by doing. I'll be paying attention, trust me. But if you want something specific, you have to tell me."

Her expression struggled a bit more, and then she clearly gave up with a groan. "Do that again."

Now, the smile became one of the cat who got into the cream.

"Is that all? My pleasure." And her other nipple was captured by his talented tongue.