Cobalt (5 page)

Madeline turned on her heels and began to stride away. If that's how he feels, she thought, he can sleep on his own. Walking across the room, she smiled, wondering how far he’d let her walk, before he called an end to the charade. She was almost at the door when she heard his voice behind her saying ‘What a way to go though.’ Slowly she came to a halt and turned until she was looking directly at the unchanged grin on his face. Her lips curved gently into a smile of their own, never fading until she was standing almost toe- to- toe with him. She looked into his eyes, and closed the remaining space between them. She studied him briefly, and then placed a light kiss on his mouth. As she drew away, she inquired, ‘Relaxed yet?’

      Rick answered coolly, ‘Not even close.’

     ‘Shame,’ she remarked sarcastically. ‘Guess I'll have to try again.’

     ‘Guess so,’ he agreed, smile wider than ever, hands resting on her hips. She leaned forward to kiss him again, but he abruptly pulled away.

     ‘I'm sorry Madeline. It's just not working.’ He shook his head and moved to the centre  of the room. He began pacing around the table.

Madeline was thoroughly confused, a feeling she didn't take too well to. She spun to look directly at him, but she went unnoticed. His attention was directed at the computer screen on the coffee table. Madeline hoped the phone would ring soon, for his sake. They were wasting time just sitting there. Madeline left Rick alone in the lounge room. Once inside the bedroom, she removed the white hotel dressing gown she had put on after her shower and climbed into the bed. She watched through the open door as Rick paced the other room. He needed something to take his mind of the problem at hand, she decided. She smiled. ‘Come to bed, Rick,’ she offered. ‘We've contacted Keslov at the Kremlin, there's nothing more we can do now. Nothing towards the case, that is...’ As with all men, Madeline thought the sight of a naked woman in his bed would gain Rick's attention. However, Rick seemed distracted. He looked over to where Madeline was busy arranging the sheets around her naked body, and then turned away. He moved to the bar-fridge and poured himself a glass of water from the jug on the second shelf. He would have had scotch, but the Russians in this particular hotel didn't believe in stocking the mini-bar with anything but vodka. Madeline scowled. This was going to be more difficult than she had anticipated. He was so preoccupied. She climbed out of the bed and crossed the two rooms, to stand directly in front of him. She took the glass from his hand, as he drank from it. Water spilled down his chin and dripped onto his shirt, soaking through to his chest. She placed the glass on the counter behind him, leaning her body against his as she reached behind him. Stepping back slightly she then ran her finger up his chin, gathering the water from his skin. Her eyes still focused on his, she slowly kissed the water from her index finger and then kissed his mouth passionately. Exercising the control she now had over him, she led him into the bedroom, undressing him as they crossed the rooms. She pushed him down on to the bed, and lowered herself down beside him. As she moved to kiss his mouth, once more, she looked into his eyes. He was close to her physically, but his expression suggested he was someplace else, mentally. Leaning back against the pillows and the headboard he stared past her to something on the wall separating the bedroom from the rest of the apartment.

     ‘What is it? I know you want to say something.’ she said, kneeling beside him, facing him.

     ‘What's taking them so long? We should have heard something by now. At least from Keslov. It’s been twelve hours.’ He turned to face her.

Madeline began to soothe him with caresses and re-assurances. ‘Be patient. Understanding the psyche of a terrorist takes time, as does evaluation, manipulation and assessment. And without my expertise they’re working at a disadvantage. Rearranging and evaluating the human psyche is
my
specialty. We’ll know soon enough what they’ve found. For now, we wait. Patiently. So, would you like me to rearrange you, mentally and physically?’ she teased, running her fingers slowly down the centre of his chest, over his stomach, and back up towards his face again. She rested her hands on his chest and leaned forward. Rick only just managed to answer, ‘Rearrange away,’ as she began nibbling at his lips, throat and down over his chest. A deep moan rose from his throat as she made her way back up his body. Her breasts rested on his well-muscled chest, as she lifted herself up and studied his face. Her hair cascaded around her face. It tickled his skin where it fell onto him. He flicked away some of the strands that crossed her face. He then abruptly, but gently grabbed her neck and cheek, pulled forward towards him, and kissed her. As he released her she pushed off his chest to sit up-right. He caught her behind the neck and raised himself to kiss her passionately, once more. Still kissing her, he slid his hands down her body, where he then cupped her breasts with his hands. Madeline watched as he rolled onto his side, and moved his head toward them. She closed her eyes as he used his mouth and tongue to tease her. She gripped his neck and shoulders with her hands. She pushed him to lie flat on his back as she straddled him and guided him to where he wanted to be, where she wanted him to be. As he sank into her, he pulled her forward – until her chest touched his – and shifted positions, so that she was on the bottom as he stroked and ultimately pounded her to her first orgasm. At least this way he could 'feel' as though he was in control, that he had the power.

     ‘My turn’ he stated.

     ‘Surprise me’ she purred.

Rick looked down at her, realising that he now had all the power, as he brought her to another shuddering climax. Madeline always made the terms: the whens and wheres of their relationship were dictated by her. Of course he enjoyed their liaisons, but it was always at her convenience. Occasionally she consented when he approached her, claiming it was because she knew he needed it. When this happened she remained passive, allowing him to vent his frustrations on her. And while today Madeline had initiated, it was Rick who had the control. Her fingernails dug into him, as he brought her to another climax. He'd never been with a woman that climaxed as mindlessly as Madeline. She always let herself go, and enjoyed the moment, when it was at her instigation, of course. Rick could tell she was happy with his technique, real happy. When she could speak, the words came among barely audible pants, and the shudders racing up and down her convulsing body were the greatest compliment a man could have. When deep inside her, he could feel her muscles desperately clenching around him, and he could have sworn she nearly passed out, her breath catching over and over again as she cried out her pleasure.

Rick lost his train of thought as Madeline began tormenting him. The one thing he enjoyed most about their lovemaking was when it was at her instigation it was give and take. When he pleasured her, she returned the favour with zest. She used her hands and mouth to stimulate his body. Wrapping her legs tightly about his waist, she ran her hands up his neck and through his silver-blonde hair. She kissed his neck, and the top of his chest. He snaked his hand under her back, and wrapping around her waist, he rolled, reversing their position. Madeline released her grip on his neck  and slid her hands to his chest. Using them for leverage she pushed herself up-right. Rick kept his hands resting on her hips, as she brought him to climax. His hands tightened their grip on her, and he closed his eyes in ecstasy.

Madeline watched the muscles in his face, neck, arms and chest tense as he reached the height of his orgasm. She traced along his jaw-line briefly before her hands clenched on his chest as her body mirrored his response. As she relaxed she moved back to her side of the bed, a smile of cat-like contentment on her face. ‘Did you enjoy your moment of power?’ she inquired when he had regained control over himself. Rick opened his eyes and looked at her. With that one sentence she had rendered him powerless, yet again. One day he'd get her for that, he vowed, silently, watching. Madeline, now completely rested, smiled as she reached over to kiss and stroke him into passion again. His deep brown eyes bore into her blue ones, but he knew he was losing the battle as his body responded to her caresses. One kiss and all his resentment was lost.

CHAPTER 8

Marcus was in a flap. Madeline had said she would contact him from Moscow, and having been out of Washington for sixteen hours, and in Moscow for about six hours, Marcus wondered why she hadn’t yet. She’s probably just giving me time to find something, he thought, as he looked around his office. He hated sending Madeline and Rick on missions together, and while Madeline had always professed that there was nothing sexual between them, he saw the way Rick looked at her. It was the same way he did – with admiration, and desire. Of course Marcus knew he couldn’t compete with Rick. Being confined to office paperwork was not helping his physical appearance remain the way it had been twenty years ago. While he went to the gym, the paperwork mounted and mounted, and what started off as four gym sessions a week dwindled down to one, if he could find the time. Marcus was also ashamed of his almost entirely bald head. He saw the way women looked at it. He wanted his hair back. He liked the way women used to run their fingers through it. He wanted Madeline to be able to run her fingers through it. It was this desire that made Marcus first consider getting plugs, or a toupee of some description. He had been tinting and colouring the sputtering of hair that ran around the edge of his skull, for some time, and saw a wig as the logical next step. He thought of last Christmas, and the secret Santa routine the office participated in every year. He remembered the gift he had received. The T-shirt reading, ‘I’m not bald. I’m a solar- powered sex machine.’ While he hadn’t been able to locate the person responsible, it was clear that those who laughed had little respect for him. Once his greatest love had been what he saw in the mirror, and he used to look quite often, now he felt he could only be complete if he had Madeline wrapped around his little finger. Of course he knew that would never happen, so he would have to settle for Madeline consenting to sleep with him. He knew that it was she who was in control. She was the only woman who could distract him from his work, just by walking in the room. Whatever she said, he did. He had tried hard not to fall into that pattern when he briefed her on the mission. He wanted her in the building twenty-four hours a day. That way he could drop in on her whenever he felt the urge, and he felt it a lot. With her in Moscow, alone with Rick, his mind wandered over what they could be doing to prevent her from calling him. Marcus wished he were in Moscow with her,
alone
.

            The intercom buzzed beside him, drawing Marcus from his thoughts, from his fantasies.

     ‘Yes, what is it?’

     ‘Sir, we have news on the situation. It’s not good.’ Lychart’s voice echoed through the phone. As Marcus listened to him, concern crossed his face. By the time Lychart finished explaining the latest developments, Marcus was convinced Madeline was exactly where she was meant to be, even if it was without him.

      ‘Send the message to Madeline, Lychart. She probably knows by now, but it will give her confirmation.’ Marcus spoke into the intercom.

      ‘Message sent, Sir. Oh and Sir, do you think you could reassign Stephanie elsewhere for the remainder of the day. She’s hindering my investigations. I don’t know why you’re training her in communications….’

      Marcus cut him off. ‘She has to stay there. With Madeline and Rick overseas, I want as many people on investigation and communication as possible. That will be all. Lychart, inform me if something else develops. I’ll talk to the President, bring him up to speed’ Marcus shut the intercom off and looked out the window across some parklands towards the rear of the Capitol Hill building. With Madeline away on this case, he couldn’t bring himself to even glance at any of the other investigation reports and case files that covered his desk. After informing President Watson of the latest developments, all that would be left for him to do would be wait. ‘Come home safely Madeline’ he thought, looking at the city sights.