A Witch and Her Man (Jeff and Gail) (7 page)

She shook her head, lifted her napkin, brought it up to her eyes and then set it back down without touching them. "I've told you what you wanted to know. Now it's my turn. I don't really know how to go about asking this, so I'll be blunt. You told me you were an assassin in the CIA. I want to know if you've killed anyone since you left them."

He did not speak for some time. At last he said, "Yes. Not many, but yes, I have. I won't bother trying to justify what I did, if it's even possible to justify taking another's life." He watched her visibly tremble as she absorbed his words.

"I was afraid you'd say that. The way you look at me is always kind. You're so gentle with me, even when I'm having a fit of anger…"

He interrupted. "Well you do have red hair and you certainly live up to the reputation of redheads having a fiery temper."

A hint of a smile touched her lips but then her expression turned serious again. "You're trying to change the subject. I've seen it in your eyes whenever you were lost in thought. A cold hardness. Jeff, tell me honestly, should I be afraid of you?"

"Never. I'd never hurt you." He sighed. "This discussion has gotten way out of hand. I'm not some indiscriminate killer. I pay a big personal price when it happens. I've never killed someone who hadn't destroyed others first. I think we need to talk about something else. I've told you more than I've told anyone, except Shorty." He changed the subject and they engaged in lighter, inconsequential conversation.

With their meal finished, they returned to Gail's house. Once in her living room with the door locked they came together, holding each other tightly, savoring the taste of each other's lips. He removed his jacket and tossed it on the couch. The look in their eyes answered their unspoken question. They wanted each other in a bad way.

"Are you sure you want this, knowing what you now know about me? I'll protect you with my life if needed, but we don't have to be lovers."

"Yes, I'm sure, now shut-up and kiss me." She brought her lips to his.

Their kiss was long, deep and unbroken as he backed her toward the bedroom. Jeff eagerly unwrapped her, satisfying both of their unspoken desires. He slipped her dress over her head and held her at arm's length, admiring her beauty from head to toe. Her necklace, panties, stockings and heels remained.

She let him gaze at her for a moment and smiled. "My turn." Carefully, she removed his shoulder harness and broke away from him momentarily to place it on the nightstand. When she returned, she chuckled and said, "That was the last time I intend to take my hands off you tonight." She unbuttoned his shirt and slipped it from his shoulders. Gazing at his muscular chest, her hands busily worked with the fly of his pants. He kicked off his shoes just before his pants formed a puddle at his feet.

"Okay, my turn." He backed her to the bed and guided her onto it with her legs hanging over and feet on the floor. He dropped to his knees and raised first one of her legs then the other, removing her shoes. His lips brushed along her legs. He could feel her tremble under his touch. She raised her hips as he slid her panties down, pausing long enough to slip off his boxers. He dropped to his knees and kissed his way upward, skipping from one thigh to the other. His tongue slipped between her folds and lapped at the sweet nectar there. A gasp tumbled from her lips when he sucked on her clit and teased its tip with his tongue.

Her hands twined in his hair while he kissed his way upward across the heated flesh of her stomach. When his mouth closed around one of her breasts, he felt her racing heart beat. At her urging, he moved upward to her neck to nip and kiss it until their mouths came together in a deep, luscious kiss.

He was burning with need to be inside her but delayed while he built her desire. Slowly, his hand traced her curves, feeling her soft skin beneath his touch.

"Do you want me? Really want me?" asked Gail.

"More than anything."

Her hand slipped between them and wrapped around his cock. She guided it into her. He pressed down slowly, sliding inside her, feeling her walls stretch and close around him.

"You feel so good, my little goddess."

Leaning forward, she nipped and kissed his throat while her hands caressed his back.

"You feel wonderful too."

Their hips moved at an unhurried pace. Two pelvises ground together on each stroke before parting to start anew. At last he could delay no more and erupted.

He felt her stiffen for a moment then she joined him, moaning and writhing.

When their climaxes drifted into pleasant memories, he rolled them onto their sides. He kissed, caressed and held her close for a long time, in no hurry to break their union. After a while, her heavy breathing let him know she had fallen asleep. A final thought passed through his head.
I'll never let what happened to Christina happen to you. That, I promise.

****

Gail sat across from Jeff, drinking her tea. She was wearing a loose fitting, sky-blue halter-top and short shorts that had an elastic band around the waist. The shorts were so snug, they looked like they had been spray painted on.

"Back to work for me tonight. I really enjoyed this weekend."

"So did I." He placed his glass on the table. "Gail, much as I'd like to stay here indefinitely, there are things I just can't do when I'm staying here."

She looked at him but didn't say a word.

"I want to investigate Shorty's death. I need to dig deeper and I can't do that over the phone. I'm being stonewalled by the police and the case is going nowhere. I think someone knows a lot more than they're telling. Then there is your case. I'm at a dead end there. I have few leads but nothing has happened since that night. The parents of a young woman who lives near here have contacted me and want to hire me to find her. The long and the short of it is that I need my days freed up. I need to go home and research. Staying here has been great, but it doesn't pay the bills. I've also arranged for someone I trust to take you to work and watch over you and the house during the day.

"I don't need anyone to watch over me."

"Yes, you do until I say different. Don't make this hard, Gail."

Oh Gods. He's breaking up with me.
Gail averted her eyes, pretending to be looking at some nonexistent crumb on the table. "I understand. I'll miss you a lot but I know you have other things to do," she said, with resignation in her voice. In the meantime, she was dying inside. Thoughts raced through her mind.
I knew this day was coming and although I hate it, loathe it, I understand. It was great while it lasted. Happily ever after only happens for someone else, not for me. That's why I never said I love you.

Jeff held up his hand, "Whoa. Wait, Gail. I never said I wanted to stop seeing you. Unless, of course, that's your desire. I'd like to continue seeing you as often as possible. I just won't be staying here. Our relationship will be more conventional, I hope. Rather than being your bodyguard, I'd like it to be more of a boyfriend, girlfriend relationship.

She restrained herself from dancing when she went over to the fridge to get the pitcher of tea to refill their glasses. She took a moment to wipe the tears from her eyes before returning.

Changing the subject, he jokingly said, "Couldn't you find any tighter shorts, Gail? I bet you aren't wearing any panties under them either, otherwise panty lines would be showing for sure."

"I guess you'll never know, mister, since you intend to leave and won't be here when I take them off." She laughed as she set the pitcher on the table.

"We'll see about that," Jeff said as he stood up quickly.

With a mock shriek of terror, she dodged away from his reaching hands and they began circling the table in a cat and mouse game.

She dashed into the living room with another mock shriek of fear. He bounded after her in pursuit. This time they circled the couch, both of them acting like a couple of children in a game of tag. The game came to an end when she zigged and should have zagged. One of his strong hands wrapped around her wrist and yanked her to him. Her squeal cut short when his lips pressed against hers. They tumbled to the floor, locked in a passionate embrace and then he rolled on top of her.

"Please Jeff, your gun is poking me," she said between kisses.

Using a double-entendre, Jeff returned, "Oh, I think it's going to do more than just poke."

"Jeff, it might go off," she complained.

"It more than likely will."

"Can you at least pull it out and set it aside?" she begged.

Jeff grinned. "I never pull it out unless I intend to use it and I can't set it aside, it's part of me."

It dawned on her then which gun he was talking about and she smacked him on the arm. "I'm referring to the gun you have in your shoulder holster, silly. It's jabbing me in the tit."

"Oh," Jeff replied. "That gun!"

His laughter told her he had been well aware of which gun she referred to. Rising up, he removed the holster and set it to the side.

"Better?" he asked as he settled on her again.

"Infinitely," she answered. "And Jeff, I have a warm holster just waiting for your other gun." She laughed and, cupping her hands to his face, drew him down for a long kiss.

Jeff rolled to the side and his hand slipped under her waistband to slide her shorts down. At the same time, she unsnapped and unzipped his pants, sliding them down. His boxers followed.

"Just as I suspected. You aren't wearing any," he said with a grin as he caressed her bare ass lovingly. His lips brushed over her shoulder and neck. He nipped her chin gently and finally his lips settled against hers as they shared an intimate kiss.

With their clothes half off, they made love on the floor. Removing the rest of their clothes as they stood, they retreated to her bedroom for the next round of lovemaking. Jeff grabbed his holster and placed it on the nightstand before crawling on the bed with her. Neither wanted to say goodbye, but both knew the time was approaching. They embraced for a long time gazing into each other's eyes. At last, with a final hug and deep sigh, Jeff rose.

"So, what's the guy's name? The one who will be watching me? When am I going to meet him?" she asked.

He looked at his watch. "She, Gail. The person who is going to watch over you is a she. Greta should be here most anytime. I guess we better get dressed, huh?"

She yelped as she leaped from the bed. Racing into the living room, she gathered up their discarded clothes. When she returned to the bedroom, she saw he was still lying there, delightfully naked.

Tossing his clothes on the bed, she cried, "Get dressed!" Jerking open her dresser, she slipped on panties and a bra. Dashing to her closet, she slipped on a sundress. Lastly, she sprayed herself with perfume to cover the scent of sex. Finally, she took a break to catch her breath. He still had not moved.

"Jeff, hurry! She'll be here any moment."

He looked at his wristwatch again. "Oh, damn. I misread the time. She won't be here for another hour."

"You mean I just ran all over this house in a frenzy and we had plenty of time to get ready?"

"Yeah, but it was worth it. I've never seen that cute, bare ass of yours move so fast."

"Oh, you. Sometimes you're a real shit. You know that?"

"What's the matter, Gail? Can't stand it when you're the one getting teased for a change?"

He crawled leisurely over, grabbed his clothes, dressed and slipped on his gun. "Greta is not a close friend like Shorty was, but I do trust her. You'll be fine with her when I'm not here."

****

When Greta came to the door both of them were sitting on the couch, waiting.