Running into Coverage Ch. 04

Defeat washed over him as the SUV coasted along the Kennedy. Just as he got within the city limits, the front of his phone lit up. He'd forgotten to turn the ringer back on after the flight and glanced down only to release his foot from the gas as Hadley's name appeared. Marcus immediately grabbed the phone and answered.

"Hello?"

"Are you back in town yet?"

"Yeah, I'm almost home. I figured you fell asleep or something." He tried to keep his demeanor cool to see how she would react.

"I couldn't sleep. I was wondering if you might possibly be driving along Division on your way home."

The corner of his mouth kicked up. Division was nowhere near his condo. Glancing up at the exit signs on the freeway, he figured he had a mile to go in order to get off on North and do a drive by Hadley's apartment. "I think I have something to drop off right around there, so I would be in the neighborhood."

"What if you had something to pick up?"

Her statement threw him off and he repeated it to himself making sure he heard her right. "Slumber party?"

He was greeted with the familiar laugh that relaxed him to the core. "If you're lucky, I'll paint your nails."

This time it was he who snorted. "Whatever happened to showering together or sharing a hot bath?"

"This isn't a porno, it's a sleepover!"

"Well I sure as hell don't want you painting my nails." He was brimming with mock annoyance. Hadley couldn't hide the eruption of giggles as they escaped her mouth.

"I don't want to paint your nails, Marcus."

The SUV made its way up Division and turned off her side street. "Then what exactly do you want?"

"Your bed."

It was close to two in the morning and she sounded more awake than she did at noon. The corner of his mouth twitched, as if he could possibly deny her let alone deny himself getting drunk on her body. No sooner did he pull up to her apartment complex than he found her standing on the street waiting for him to get her.

As she climbed up into the cab, Marcus was about to lean over and kiss her but came up short when she crawled over and kissed him hard. He returned her kiss with fervent passion. Holding her tightly, he groaned into her mouth. Hadley was the first to pull away from their kiss. Resting her forehead against his, she whispered to him. "This has been the longest week, ever."

Marcus squeezed her tightly until she squealed with a sort of giddy excitement. "I see you packed light."

She nodded at his reference to her bag. "Of course. It doesn't take much to make fabulous happen."

All he could do was laugh and kiss her before she moved to sit in the passenger seat. A telephone could only go so far with Hadley's personality, and being so close made him realize just how much he missed her. The roads were completely cleared apart from the occasional police car patrolling the neighborhoods. Shortly after getting her, they pulled into the underground lot and found themselves heading up to his condo.

Hadley clutched her bag as they rode the elevator in silence. It wasn't as if she were nervous, because fear had nothing to do with the constant buzz her body had been feeling ever since the previous week they were together. Even as they spoke on the phone, heat exploded within her and she ached to feel him inside her again. She ached to be close with him; it was something that terrified her, and still set her reeling regardless of the consequences. The ride up in the elevator; felt like an eternity. Glancing up to see which floor they were passing, Marcus nearly groaned in protest as they were lifted above the third floor. Next to him, Hadley felt the same frustrations and looked up into his face searchingly.

Wanting nothing more than claiming her, he moved her bag to the floor. Marcus leaned down and pressed Hadley against the side of the elevator as they continued moving up. He was impatient and didn't want to wait any longer, their mouths acting on their own mission to devour each other. Hadley wrapped her arms around his shoulders; because of their height differences he stretched up taking her with him. The skirt restricted her from wrapping her legs around his waist so she settled for letting them dangle where she was able to feel his steely erection press against her middle. A burning heat rippled through her, claiming every ounce of her judgment. With skill and precision, his tongue glided across hers and was still aggressive, never giving her time to take control.

Thrusting a knee in between her thighs to hold her up, he felt her heat through his dress pants. Moving a hand lower, he kneaded her bottom and started to lift the short skirt. The elevator rocked as it came to a stop; Marcus issued a cruel curse and lowered Hadley so she could stand. Collecting her bag, she followed him to the entrance of his condo. The hallway was quiet in the early hours of the morning but she knew that inside his walls, they would be far from quiet and drip with sex.

Following her inside, Marcus took the bag and tossed it in a corner. Hadley sunk her fingers into his arm and followed him as he walked backwards toward his room, stopping every other step to pull her forward and tease her with his tongue. Moaning with every kiss, she laughed as he dodged a side table.

"We don't have to worry about roommates here."

Releasing the grip on him, she floated into the spacious room, kicking off her ankle booties. "Definitely not."

Stripping off his dress shirt, his voice dropped to a husky tone as he saw Hadley unbuttoning her jean skirt. "I kind of had my heart set on a manicure."

Her fingers stilled on the button tab, as her entire body began to shake from laughter. Risking a glance at him, she saw his brilliant blue eyes glimmering with mischief. Sauntering over, Hadley accepted his hand as it was offered. Marcus pressed each finger against his plush lips, bringing weakness to her knees. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Hadley stepped in between his splayed thighs and began exploring his mouth with open curiosity.

The skirt remained unbuttoned and as their tongues danced to a symphony of pleasure, the open fabric brushing the skin on the back of his hand, bringing some sense back to him. With her hands running through his hair, he worked the zipper and lowered the fabric down her thin legs. The room was filled with their heavy breathing and deep groans for each other. Being free of her skirt, Hadley sagged against Marcus. She felt high with an urgent need for him and felt no shame as his own body trembled. Slowly she dipped her lips to his, when he leaned forward she leaned back, eyes fluttering close when she ran her tongue along his lower lip to nibble on the moist flesh.

The instant he felt her nibble, the pressure of his arousal broke through. He wanted her, and needed to have her right then. Leaning back into the bed, Marcus pulled Hadley on top of him. She wriggled to the side as his hands groped her. Both still not completely undressed, Marcus laughed at their own rush in getting on the bed. Hadley dropped her hands and let them roam over the smooth skin of his chest. The pads of her fingers ran over his firm nipples, only to drop her lips and rake her tongue across each of them following her map of sensual travels. Marcus reached for any part of her that was closest until she scooted away. Wondering why she stopped he looked up and could have died right there.

Somewhere in her exploration, Hadley had shed her shirt and was leaning above him on hands and knees. His eyes fought the lust filled glaze as he took in her bright pink bra and grey boy shorts. Without thinking, he raised a hand and brought it to the cotton of the briefs, a finger slipping beyond the elastic band. Hadley dropped low and kissed the corner of his mouth. She took immense pleasure in playing with his mouth while his hands seemed to roam her lower half. As she delved for a taste, he would let her feast on his mouth. When she came up for air, he would stroke her breathless with the light touch of his finger on her most sensitive spots. Her body quivered with need and began to perspire from the excitement.

Letting her have enough fun, Marcus wanted to please her as much as she had pleased him. He was about to explode from her titillating kisses. His chest heaved and body shook from holding back, he managed to roll over her body and relished in her whimper of frustration. Nipping the sensitive skin of her ear, he whispered devilishly to her, "It's my turn to play."

And did he ever want to play. Hadley moaned at his words and succumbed to the very skilled caresses of his hands. "Should I start here?" Marcus licked along her collarbone while his thumb traced her jaw. "Or down here?" Hadley arched into his hard body as he got to her breasts and dropped little love bites over the firm mounds. For being as small as she was, it was often joked that she missed puberty and never grew into her own cup size. Marcus indulged on her flesh and made her feel things about herself she had never before. Before she would have hidden behind a bra during sex, now with him, she wanted him to feast on all she offered.

Unhooking her bra, he released the small mounds and brought his lips to them immediately. Out of a raging impulse, Hadley reached down and ran her fingers through his thick hair as she started to lose control. Her skin was dewy with need and he lost himself in the sweet taste of it all as his mouth closed over a tight bud. Hadley squirmed beneath him as Marcus suckled hard, almost forgetting what he wanted to do most. Releasing her breast, he moved further down the bed and lifted her legs up to his shoulders so that he could remove her panties. If the timing was different, he would have laughed at the garment but desire had gripped him and he said to hell with fun and games.

The underwear made a 'swoosh' as he flung it across the room without caring where it landed. Hadley's eyes were as dark as the late night skies, and as he looked down at her a crooked smile crept up at the corner of her swollen lips. Her legs fell to the bed but he was as quick as on the field and moved in between them, kissing her inner thighs. His tongue ran a short path up to her velvety core and when he dropped his mouth to claim her, she cried out in ecstasy.

Short frenzied pants escaped her lips as Marcus tortured her in the sweetest way. Her legs shook while her belly contracted. It was all too much for her with his deliciously brutal assault. Through his devils play she babbled nonsense and gripped his hair, her forceful pull taking his breath away.

"Don't stop! Oh please, don't stop...."

As her voice trailed and the constant flutter of her muscles, he knew she was close. With his tongue feasting on her rich nectar, a finger delicately stroked her swollen folds. Hadley's hips buckled and she cried out as an orgasm consumed her. Without giving her time to calm down, Marcus settled his weight between her thighs and slid into her welcoming body with a smooth thrust. They both groaned together at the sensation. Wrapping her legs around him, it encouraged him to angle deep. Together they created a tempo that went back and forth between each of their needs. He ached to drive deep so he gripped her bottom to find a perfect spot and she grappled his back with her nails practically drawing blood with each of her aftershocks.

With her last set, her muscles were tugging him back in as he pulled out of her. The air was thick from his grunts and her wails. With a guttural moan, he looked down into her eyes that had fluttered shut. Missing their closeness Hadley opened them to see a confused look on his face, without thinking she blinked and reached for his cheek. Marcus turned his face into her palm and surrendered himself in the sea of her body and the welcoming of her eyes. Thrusting erratically, time stopped as they shattered together. Crying out as one, Marcus gripped her hip and spilled himself inside of her.

They remained still for several long moments before he had enough presence of mind to shift his weight off of her. Sweat clung to their skin, the moment of silence was broken by Hadley's gentle laugh. Marcus looked over at her through half-slumberous eyes. "What's so funny?"

Words escaped her because she was laughing too hard. Following her gaze, Marcus looked over to the nightstand and began to fall into laughter with her. Dangling off of the Offensive Rookie of the Year award were the grey panties.

****

As the later morning drew on, Hadley woke to the aroma of food cooking. Sometime after another thrilling session of who could top who, they fell asleep against the pillows. The clock displayed it was almost ten. With great reluctance she crawled out of the huge bed and followed the delicious scent down the hallway. The television set was turned down low and naturally fixed on Sports Center.

A broadcaster could have been speaking gibberish for all she knew, but it captured Marcus' attention as he stirred eggs in a frying pan. Even from the kitchen he grumbled to the announcer as if he could be heard. "You try breaking through that line when you're not getting any blocking. Fucking idiot."

Hadley had a quiet stride when she walked and for some reason, she wished her feet had been a little louder coming into the room. Marcus had a stream of obscenities for the announcer and turned to face the screen waving a wooden spoon, but came up short at the sight of her.

She leaned against the wall leading into the kitchen, wearing his pale blue dress shirt from last night. The buttons were all together except for a sweet opening at the base of her throat. Instead of ranting at the screen, he dropped his hand to his side the spoon and spoke wickedly.

"Sleep well?"

Sauntering over, she smiled up into his face before looking at what he was cooking. "Meh, it was okay. I kept getting woken up."

Marcus wrapped his arms around her from behind and nuzzled her neck as he stirred the eggs, making sure everything was cooked through. His lips were nipping a tender spot he had been obsessed with in bed, a spot that she would kill him over if it had a mark later that day. Or maybe dig her nails deeper into his skin the next time. Pressing her back into his chest to enjoy the warmth of his body around hers, all of her typical responses were lulled by their open display.

"Funny, I did too."

"What are you making?"

"I was making breakfast in bed, but seeing as you're up that defeats the purpose."

Marcus handed her the wooden spoon while he fetched her a cup of coffee and refilled his own. "Sure does."

She gladly accepted the coffee before he guided her away from the stove and made her sit at the bar so he could plate up the scramble he'd made. Even at the stove, he moved with a grace she associated with him catching passes on the field. As he sat at her side, Hadley's eyes kept glancing over at the clock on the wall and back to Marcus in their breakfast nook. Today was the only day where she had a full day to brush off the canvas and make sure the painting was gallery ready. A familiar feeling in the pit of her stomach kept her from eating much more than a couple of forkfuls while he scarfed down two plates.

When he came back to the bar to refill her coffee, he finally caught on that she was a million miles away. "Earth to Hadley."

"Hmm? I'm sorry, what did you say?"

Marcus laughed, "I was asking when you needed to get to the studio. You did say several times this week, and I quote, 'today was the day of no distractions.'"

Shaking her head, she laughed at his imitation of her. "You are such an ass. I did say that didn't I?"

"Yeah you did. Can I see the painting when I drop you off?"

"You want to see it?"

He shrugged his shoulders while washing the pan. "Sure, you've been talking about it for a couple of weeks. It's important to you."

It was important to her, but she wasn't about to admit that to him. "You aren't going to like it, I can guarantee it."

Marcus turned to look at her searchingly. "It doesn't matter if I like it or not, you worked hard on it. You hate sports but you'll watch a game."

He had her, and knew it. All week she had been venting to him about whether or not her work would get shown in her new city. Confidence wasn't something she lacked, but this was her first presentation in Chicago and she didn't know what to expect. When Marcus asked if she wanted him there for her at the appointment she stalled, only to say no. it wasn't like her to fall back on anyone and she didn't want a single person, especially him, to see if she was rejected.

A little over an hour later, Marcus stood behind her as she unlocked the doors to the studio and slowly let him inside. The last time he had been to visit was when the roof was leaking, and that had been several weeks before. Since then she had finished a couple of pieces for clients and shipped them off. For the gallery display, the painting was something she had to create on her own without other peoples' ideas or anything but her own personal visions. She had dug deep within herself, pulling from every creative corner, making something that represented raw freedom and a personal sense of beauty.

The studio itself was small, so small that Marcus felt out of place. Standing over six-two with two hundred and five pounds that was all muscle but could glide easily, he felt cramped. Standing in the cramped space filled with easels and small tubs of paint, he couldn't help but think that he had invaded Hadley's mind. His eyes darted from side to side, catching glimpses of paint flecks on the ratty wood floors. The walls were impeccably white; the sight made him smile and then also laugh at the random canvas that hung on the wall where she smeared excess paint from each of her bushes. While she went to grab the gallery canvas, he looked over the different strokes of paint. Several types of green roamed down the ridged material. On the floor lay a cup filled with several different sizes of brushes that were amazingly clean.

In the kitchenette, she had converted the little space into a cleaning area. Brushes lined the countertop on paper towels to dry. Every inch was used, whether as a cleaning section or a color creation spot. Hadley did not believe in wasting anything. As he took in this small studio, Marcus felt as if he had entered the guarded mind of the one woman he desperately wanted to keep unguarded free.

Huddled in a corner, Hadley was struggling with moving a three foot long canvas that held a medley of colors. Marcus rushed over to her when she cursed out loud. Together they leaned the painting against the wall. Hadley stepped walked away to grab some paper to wrap around the piece, protecting it while she got from the studio to the gallery. As she had her back turned away, Marcus took a minute to take in the brooding picture that was displayed.

Heavy colors covered the canvas, deep browns and morbid reds slashed down the matting. The painting was filled with anger and frustration but brimmed with an explosion of something new. In the center, thick aluminum pieces were bunched together, the harsh panels of red that poured out of the gold foil reminding him of scarlet ribbons trailing a textured balloon. Marcus stared at the piece and couldn't believe that it had come from Hadley, someone who embodied life and was the exact opposite of what she had created. His concentration was jarred as she blew out a breath behind him.

In a soft voice that was hardly recognizable, she spoke. "What do you think?"

He didn't know how to respond. If he told her what his thoughts were, she would slug him. If not, he knew she would gladly reach for several of the paint brushes and shove them down his throat. Instead, he attempted in keeping his thoughts vague. "It's interesting."