Heritage Ch. 04

Chapter 4: Meeting de Masque

His naked form spread out on the white sheets beckoned for her to join him on the silky soft linen. Tanned arms reached out for her, well-defined by long hours of work out, displaying a gentle strength as they tightened around her waist. She felt her cheeks heat under his boyish grin as her fingertips caressed the soft mate of hazel hair on his chest. Muscles moved beneath his golden skin at her every touch; long, seductive lashes fluttered with a sensitivity she found irresistible. He smiled right into her soft brown eyes and it took her breath away. Such a genuine, warm smile dipped in the slightest bit of mischief that was reflected by his sparkling gray eyes.

Resting her palm on his chest she could clearly feel his heartbeat. Every single one. Fast, loud, hopeful and demanding. Just for her.

She hugged him close, feeling his skin slide intimately against her own nude form, the little hairs across his body rubbing delightfully against her hidden ticklish spots. She felt his growing need and arousal against the inside of her right thigh, a hot pole of flesh moistening her creamy skin with his sticky juices.

She took his lips with increasing hunger, clearly remembering the picture of the purplish mushroom-shaped head crowning his thick erection as it jotted out from the middle of his neatly trimmed pubic hair. She didn't mean to stare, but in her shocked state found herself unable to avert her eyes. The images of protruding veins straining against the soft skin of his rosy flesh had burned themselves into her mind, setting her vivid imagination on fire.

What would it be like to touch him there? Feel the heat her friends at college had whispered about radiate from his very core. She dreamed about tightening her fingers around his throbbing flesh, feeling his heartbeat through his increasing arousal, his pulse beating in her palm. Would his sensitive skin feel warm and soft against her cheek, his unique male essence taste pleasant on her tongue?

She stirred in her sleep as the images in her mind became foggy with her growing arousal, grinding her hips and rubbing the tops of her thighs together. Her lush, rosy lips parted in a seductive invitation that made Andrew groan. Propped up on one elbow he had been watching her all the while squirming on the bed and getting even more tangled in the sheets if that was possible at all.

The events that had lead to them sharing his bed were mostly a blur in his memory. He could recall anger and the feeling of loss and loneliness overwhelming him with desperation, breaking down and his heart crying out for comforting. He remembered her soft plump arms drawing him close, her soothing words and the gentle rocking that finally put his mind and body at ease.

The idea of having drifted off to sleep didn't seem all that far fetched. Since he had been left on his own he showed a growing tendency for getting moody and depressive, sleeping insane hours some days, while suffering through sleepless nights on others. But that still didn't explain how Bella had ended up wearing a pale blue top with spagetti straps with matching square-patterned long pyjama pants and waking him with enchanting little whimpers and soft needy moans from his sleep.

For the first time in months he woke with a smile on his lips. The soft, warm body in his arms felt simply wonderful. A few strands of her auburn hair were tickling his neck. Those sweet noises of delight penetrated his mind slowly, making him aware of the actual situation.

Watching her drift on the thin line that separated the land of dreams from reality, he couldn't help but notice the generous swell of her clothes clad breasts slightly rising and falling with every breath she took. Despite the fact that her top offered barely the creamy top of her cleavage to his hungry gaze, he could still see the little buds forming underneath the soft cotton fabric and blossoming into two protruding evidences of her imprudent dreams. He watched her lips part and move, pearl white teeth claiming her bottom lip more and more often once her hips had started to rock ever so lightly against the sheets.

Feeling his erection pressing desperately against the confines of his pants he realized with agony that he was still wearing his clothes from the morning.

Her soft whimpers grew louder, more needy and urgent, filling the air with erotic tension. By the time realization hit him her mounting arousal was clearly evident on her face. And right there, in front of his very eyes, though halfway hidden under the sheets, he finally saw her hand. Delicately soft and small, yet fiercely rubbing the material of her pj bottoms between her legs.

Andrew felt his mouth gone dry and his breath catch in his throat. The image of a lovely young woman in his bed made him smile, stirring naughty images in his mind and drawing his nether region to attention. But the reality of the same prudish young woman who had accused him of selling his body for sex, touching herself to some lascivious fantasy he might have been easily a part of, well, that was beyond hot.

The thought to wake her and enjoy her embarrassment had occurred to him briefly, but he soon discarded the idea. She had been though on him earlier, but also surprised him by showing remarkable compassion, not to mention that their already rocky start would hardly benefit from her shame. "Perhaps knowing about this little secret of hers might yet come handy one day," he reasoned. So instead he settled for gratifying his appetite for voyeurism and shifted a little to get a better look at the action under the sheets.

A fortunate angle provided him with a view that made him lick his lips. Bella's right hand was nestled between the tops of her thighs, three fingers rubbing along the material that covered her needy pussy. Dark curly shades held the promise of a full bush underneath the soft cotton, the slightly darkened wet covering outlining lush, puffy lips.

By the time she started to lift her hips just a little he was positively salivating. It took a considerable amount of self discipline not to touch her or make at least an attempt to taste that lucky piece of cotton that was getting soaked with her nectar. Moaning and trashing she fought for her release, getting closer and closer with every laboured breath she took. A sight of beauty and pure feminine passion. He starred fascinated and mesmerized, and for the first time the thought occurred to him that Catherine might have not been completely insane when she made up her plan for them, after all.

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Bella woke with a content smile on her flushed face, her fingertips still stroking the center of her heat through the wet cotton. She stretched with the pleasant laziness of a gratified woman, the steamy images of the things she imagined to have done to a certain mushroom shaped part of the gigolo's anatomy making her pussy throb with post orgasmic delight.

Blinking the last traces of sleep from her eyes, she sat up to find the room deserted and bathed in the soft orange glow of the setting sun.

She dropped her head back onto the pillow with relief. She knew she shouldn't have stayed with him, but there was something so genuinely vulnerable about the way he clung to her earlier that made her simply refuse to let go just yet.

After Andrew had finally drifted off to sleep she gently managed to disengage herself from his iron-grip. She had quietly walked downstairs to retrive her suitcase and took a quick shower in the bathroom down the hall. Feeling tired and worn out she got dressed for bed and headed to find herself an empty bedroom. Still, as she passed the door of her old room, she couldn't help but peak in.

"Just to make sure that he was still tucked in, " she told herself, while tiptoeing into the room to check on Andrew who had been sound asleep.

He had looked so peaceful, free from every worry and concern. Bella only meant to adjust the bed cover draped over his shoulders when he stirred and turned, grabbing hold of her waist with and arm and drawing her close. Undisturbed by her shriek of protest he just tugged on her with a frown until her body lay alongside his and he comfortably settled behind her in a spoon-like fashion.

She turned her head and eyed him suspiciously for long minutes before she had to relent. His even breathing and slow pulse confirmed that he was still asleep. With a sigh of defeat she settled down, closing her eyes and letting herself enjoy the warmth his embrace provided. It was a ridiculously surreal situation, falling asleep in the arms of her aunt's lover, but she had to admit that it felt nice to be held like that. As if she actually mattered, as if he actually cared.

"A bit more of pretending can't hurt," she murmured sleepily just before allowing her fantasy free reign of her mind and retiring to the blissfully happy world of her dreams, a place of safety and love with no barriers or limits to her wishes.

But now her tummy started to rumble in protest. It was a loud and heart felt reminder of the neglect it had been through the whole day, causing Bella soon to tie her hair in a ponytail an venture downstairs to satisfy her growing hunger.

While the thick plushy carpet had only tickled her bare feet a little, the wooden stairs and especially the cold marble of the floor made her hiss and hurry. She wouldn't get around unpacking her suitcase after all, she realized frowning and regretting not having dived in deeper to get her slippers.

Upon turning the corner to the kitchen she came to a halt and her eyes grew wide. First in confusion then fear. A dark clothed man stood in her kitchen, leaning into the big refrigerator. The long black unruly tresses of hair that cascaded down his shoulders clearly indicated that this stranger couldn't be her gigolo. His whole frame was leaner, covered by a black leather coat, his dark gloved hand providing a sheer contrast to the white door of the fridge.

Bella's heart fluttered as she glanced over to the phone on the other side of the kitchen. Unfortunately, the burglar was standing right in her way. She was just about to decide to silently paddle back into the hall and call the police from there, when he suddenly turned and spotted her.

"Oh. Hi," he said, lifting a bottle of milk from the fridge.

Bella's eyes scanned the room quickly for a weapon of her own. She ended up grabbing a dirty pan from the sink, the one Andrew had earlier used to make pancakes with.

"Just what are you planning to do with that pan, little lady?" He asked taking a few steps into her direction.

She growled at him with stubborn determination and stood her ground, despite shaking knees.

"The police are on their way and will be here any moment! If I were you I'd flee as long as I can!" she hissed back at the dark man.

They starred at each other for a long moment, bottle of milk and pan raised. She noticed for the first time the roughness of his features, making sure to memorise them as much as she was able, in case the police might need the information for a profile picture. An angular jaw topped by a protruding chin, a nose that must have been broken in the past, high angular cheek bones and a wide forehead. Glistening ice blue eyes, thin, angry lips and a stubble she easily suspected to be a week-old completed his face, framed by thick tresses of shoulder length black hair that already carried a silvery tinge here and there. If the situation would have been different any woman might have found him attractive, even if not in the classic handsome way, but more in a rough and manly manner that evokes the desire for the feel of callused hands, love-bites and iron-grips on a girls tender skin.

He seemed to assess the situation for a while then simply shrugged and returned his attention to his initial task, filling the glass on the counter in front of him with milk.

"Want some?" he asked over his shoulder just before the stabbing pain at his nape set in.

"Hey lady! What the hell ..." he tried to hold onto the counter but ended up crashing on the floor as the pain slowly turned dull.

He certainly had had his hips straddled by women in a number of ways and locations, but being ridden dead by an insane bitch in heat that threatened to smash his skull with a frying pan, well that was even to him a new and quite nerve wracking experience.

"Get off me! You ... Oh God, that hurts, you damn ...Ahhhhhh!" he cried out as she hit his struggling right hand with the iron pan. So much for a broken wrist, he thought miserably.

"What's going on here?!!" Andrew demanded entering the kitchen and not quite believing his eyes.

"She wants to kill me! Get her off for Christ's sake!!!" the injured man pleaded desperately.

"Yeah, sure buddy." Bella spat back at him. "And you! Don't just stand there grinning, call the police Andrew," she ordered over her shoulder raising the pan "I've got the burglar under control here." she declared narrowing her eyes at her victim.

"What?!" she turned confused when his hand gently settled over hers taking over the pan.

"Well, as I see you two seem to have got acquainted quite a bit without my help, but just to make things official: Bella, meet my old friend Marcus de Masque. Marcus, the lovely lady straddling your hips here is Isabella Daniels."

"Catherine's niece?" Ice blue eyes went blank in disbelief as Andrew nodded. "That is unbelievable and ... refreshing," he concluded finally winking at her and flashing a smile that would have made any predator look innocent in comparison.

She rolled her eyes before Andrew's words of introduction had registered in her mind, causing her to jump up as if the strangers loins had been on fire.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't realize," she mumbled retrieving quickly an ice pack while Andrew helped him to his shaky feet.

"Naw," Marcus waved at her, only to grimace as the pain set in as he moved his hands. "It could be worth. You could have had a gun," he pointed out, enjoying the rosy shade her cheeks took on even through his pain.

Bella frowned and trying to cover her embarrassment settled on attack.

"It was your own fault! Breaking into my house and lurking around in the kitchen ... even threatening me with a bottle! Of course I thought you were a burglar! What else was I supposed to think?"

She tried her best to sound though and accusing but ended up actually patting his arm soothingly at the kitchen table. The gentle gesture earned her a warm smile that was lacking the show effect of the previous one.

Andrew cleared his throat in the background.

"How about the man in the kitchen pouring himself a glass of milk being a thirsty one? A friend who might have stopped by? A friend I might have let in?"

Except for chewing on her bottom lip she remained completely ignorant to his words or presence for that matter.

"I'm really sorry for hurting you Marcus. I wish I didn't jump to conclusions and we had met under different circumstances. If there is something I can do to make it up to you, please let me know."

With that she stood, walked to the fridge, grabbed a yoghurt and a spoon from the drawer and left them alone.

Andrew took her place next to his friend at the table, examining his wrist.

"How are you feeling?" he enquired.

"Better. Been in worse fights, nothing broken." Marcus offered him a conspirator's wink, then just shrugged at Andrew's raised eye brow. "Little fight, little damage, little guilt. Now when she thinks big damage ..."

"Ok, you womanizer. I sure hope you'll keep in mind that she is off limits though!"

"Can't blame a man for trying, now can you?"

"I guess not." Andrew forced a smile despite the unsettling feelings seeing them together had stirred in him. "So what's brought you along?"

Marcus shrugged, sipping at his milk.

"Oh, just thought I should drop by, see how you were doing. Drag you along to the Club tonight."

"Thanks, but I've got all hands full here, as you can see." Andrew refused politely, grateful for Bella to be around for the second time that day.

"Quite the firecracker, isn't she? Who would assume with that sweet and innocent demeanor? ... Just the right kind of medicine for your self pity and sorrow. You're one lucky chap, my friend." Marcus patted him on the shoulder.

He was probably the only one to get away with talking like that to Andrew and knew how to take full advantage of his own good luck. He'd been trying in vain to get his friend back to the world and ways of the living for weeks now and was relieved to find him in a talkative mood. That girl was for sure affecting him. But then again, as he touched the generous sore lump forming on his nape, he had to admit that Andrew was not the only one.

"Yes, well, how are you doing man? Driving all the way up here just to issue an invitation ... you could have called."

They had known each other for years, business, lust and love affairs, inside out. It showed.

"Vicky's leaving. Got that promotion to San Francisco headquarters." Marcus finally admitted with a bitter sigh. "It's not like I'm blaming her or anything. Her folks live out there after all, and we've always known it was just something temporary."

"You guys have been together for what? Five years now?" Andrew pointed out, but soon realized his mistake. "So when is she leaving?"

"It's not like I would ask her to stay, or that she had asked me to come along. Anyway, she flies out tomorrow early morning. Wants to go to the Club tonight. And I'm just not in the mood for a goodbye fuck."

There was something deeply ironical in his words that just stabbed Andrew. For weeks he had been thinking that he'd give his life for one more night with Catherine, for one more perfect, magical moment in heat. And here was the mighty man of the scene in front of him, sipping milk at the kitchen table and complaining about losing his on and off casual fuck kitten to whom he'll find a just as capable replacement tomorrow night.

"Well, why don't you just get yourself a new toy Marcus! And while you're at it, how about a real life?" Andrew snapped at him angrily rising from the table.

The initial shock soon turned to amusement in his pale blue eyes. The image of Catherine's plump little niece straddling his hips floated back to his mind. She had looked so animated, full of fire and passion, all coming to life in her at the load of adrenaline that must have flooded her system in her fear. He found her lush curves enticing, her spirited nature invigorating and the pale blue girlie pyjamas she'd been wearing made him come up with shamefully arousing and intriguing ideas.

He adjusted his awakening erection in his pants, surprised to find the fabric damp. The girl might have made quite an impression on him, but he surely was able to maintain more self control than that! He sniffed curiously at his fingertips before brushing the tip of his tongue against them. The unmistakable aroma of female arousal he recognized made him lick his lips in anticipation.

"I just might get myself a new toy, my friend," he murmured walking out the door with a smug grin on his face and a predator's gleam his eyes.

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