by Nella Tyler
“Did you have a good time today, sweetheart?” he asked her in a husky voice.
“Carson did. Would you like to have an equally good time?”
“I would, indeed,” he chuckled. “Did you have anything in particular in mind?”
“Well, as a matter of fact…”
“What?”
“I was thinking…the galaxy far, far away is still set up on the grounds. They won’t show up until afternoon tomorrow to begin disassembling it,” she started.
“And?”
“Would you like to give it a try?” she tempted him.
“I would, indeed!” he laughed and taking her hand, led her outside and toward the domed structure.
Once inside, Cole flipped a switch and the interior came alive. He approached Gilda and told her in a serious, deep voice, “You must become one of us if you are to survive.”
“Oh, and how do I do that, oh, noble one?”
“You must begin by disrobing,” he told her, sliding down the spaghetti straps of her nightgown. They fell down easily; she had lost weight after her surgery, and her frail figure was only then beginning to fill out. The crimson negligee dissolved into a pool around her feet, and Cole lifted her enough to stand clear of it. With a few movements, he was also naked.
“I’m feeling a little naughty,” she ventured.
“Isn’t that why you suggested this?” he pointed out.
She shrugged, lifting her breasts high. He could not stop himself from cupping them with his hands. At the same time, his fingertips stroked her nipples, causing them to stand out, erect and inviting.
She reached downward and with a gentle pressure, she pushed Cole’s legs apart so his stance was wide. His penis answered her call, filling quickly and beckoning to her in invitation. Gilda sank to her knees and fastened her mouth down upon its length.
“Take it all, sweetheart,” he whispered.
She shook her head. “I’m trying, but you’ll choke me,” she protested and instead, filled in the remaining touch to his flesh with warm hands.
She ran her mouth and lips up and down his length, her saliva lubricating each stroke. Cole groaned at the sensation and his knees wanted to give way, but Gilda moved beneath him. She held him and her shoulders touched his knees as she raised her mouth, as if lapping up rains from the skies.
“Oh, my God,” he breathed, unable to keep his stance. He collapsed to his knees and lifted Gilda to lie upon him. She spread her legs and with her own hand, petted her clit as invitation for him to join.
Cole groaned and added two fingers to her labor, inserting them into her as she stimulated her own flesh. “God, but you drive me wild,” he told her in a husky voice.
He was answered by her musical laugh, her long hair spilling over her shoulders and onto his chest. The look on her face changed as she felt the result of her own stroking. “Oh, Cole, I’m going to come soon,” she said, as if to warn him of the impending moment.
He nodded and lifted her, setting her down upon his rigid penis, impaling her to her depths. Gilda moved her hips up and down and the sensation sent her over the brink.
“Oh, my God!” she cried, and shudders ran the length of her body, making her nipples hard as her head rolled back, exposing her long and tempting throat.
Cole rolled her over, laying her over one of the Styrofoam rock formations. He parted her legs from behind, trapping her feet with his own. Placing his hands on her bottom, he penetrated her from behind, and she screamed at the sensation.
He slowly began the pumping action as the ceiling of the dome shot stars and planets in a dizzying pattern above them. She raised her head to watch it, to become lost in the visual emptiness of infinity as Cole filled her depths, each stroke harder and faster than the last.
Just when she thought she might faint from the overload of sensation, she felt her next climax rising and called out his name. He answered with repeated pounding; one finger inserted shallowly in her anus. The sensation of multiple penetration was too much, and she dissolved in a mass of shudders.
She heard Cole cry out behind her and soon, she felt the heat of his fluids filling her; its searing lava, so long withheld, overflowing until it ran down the inside of her thighs.
They collapsed into an embrace on the floor of the dome, their eyes opened as they watched the amplified heavens spin above them. It was a moment of the ultimate; one they would never forget.
Chapter 40
Gilda awakened the next morning with a wonderful sense of relief and contentment. Cole kissed her on his way out of the bedroom and flicked his finger on her nipples as a romantic reminder. She gave him an answering grin and a deep kiss.
“I’ll be down shortly,” she told him and pushed back the covers, stretching the muscles that had been taxed the night before.
After her shower, she chose a casual outfit with jeans rolled up at the ankles and a red gingham blouse. A quick peek out the window had revealed Mrs. Crutcher and Dr. Keller watching Carson play in the back courtyard as a crew had begun to disassemble the party elements, including the domed tents. Gilda blushed as she thought of what she and Cole had done in there just hours before.
She emerged from the house with a coffee in hand, Herbert following behind with a covered tray containing her breakfast. She joined Mrs. Crutcher and Dr. Keeler after Herbert had set up a table with white linen cloth and set out her meal.
She felt uncomfortable to have someone wait on her like that; she wasn’t sure how to behave. She had the impulse to tip him, but instead thanked him with a small smile and a nod.
“How did you sleep, Gilda?” Mrs. Crutcher inquired, her motherly side emerging.
“Wonderfully,” she responded with a smile as she waved to Carson. He ran toward her and hugged her gingerly.
“Aw, c’mon, you can give me a big hug now. I’m not so sore anymore,” she told him.
“Any complaints?” asked Dr. Keeler, and she shook her head.
“None. So, Carson, did you like your birthday party?” she asked him.
“Oh, Mama, it was wonderful. I’m six now, you know.”
“Yes, I know,” she laughed.
“Doesn’t that mean I get to go to school?” he wanted to know.
“Exactly; it does, indeed. We’re going to begin finding a school for you nearby very soon. Are you looking forward to it?”
“Uh, huh,” he nodded and then with a quick hug, ran off toward the deconstruction of his party. She had to admit the spectacle was fun to watch.
Cole came up behind her, kissing her on the neck. Herbert was in close pursuit, a similar tray to her own in hand.
“Cole, is this really how you grew up?” she asked, looking out over the grounds with the fountains, trees, peacocks, and swans.
“I’m afraid so, although it didn’t seem nearly so enjoyable then as it does now with you and Carson here.”
“Aw, you’re sweet, but it must have been awesome to wake up to this every morning. Did you have your own pony?” She put her hand on his thigh and lightly stroked it, making him flush as he tried to concentrate on his breakfast.
“Yes, in the early years, and then later on, of course, I had a jumper and rode steeplechase,” he said matter-of-factly.
“Really? Can’t picture you doing that,” he laughed.
“Lots of things about me might surprise you,” he handed back enigmatically.
This gave Gilda pause for thought. Since their marriage, so much time had been occupied by her past, the kidnapping, her illness, and the move that she realized she actually knew very little about Cole as a youth. She vowed she would begin asking more questions when they were in private.
“Any old flames I need to worry about?” she teased.
Without skipping a beat, he said, “Lots of old flames around here, but none you need worry about.”
She gulped a bit at this. Jealousy was a new and unexpected emotion for her. She wasn’t sure quite what to say ,but heard Dr. Keeler chuckle next to her.<
br />
“What’s so funny?” she challenged.
“Did you think the guy had no women in his life before you? Look at him, Gilda. He’s what I understand you ladies refer to as a ‘stud.’”
Cole rolled his eyes, but never stopped eating. Gilda looked from him to Dr. Keeler to see if they were teasing her. “Of course, he’s a stud. I know that, for sure. I guess I just never considered his romantic past. Anything I should know about, Cole?”
“I plead the fifth,” he responded with a wink and Gilda pouted, folding her arms over her chest in mock protest.
Cole’s phone rang and he glanced at the caller ID. Tapping it, he said, “Call back in five minutes,” and tapped it off. Standing, he wiped his mouth and laid the linen square over the remnants of his breakfast.
“Sorry, I need to talk to this guy. See you later, darling.” He kissed Gilda and nodded to the others as he turned and headed inside. She watched him go, craning her head in puzzlement.
“He’s never done that before,” she commented aloud to the others.
“He’s a busy man now, Gilda. You’re going to have to expect there are going to be times when he will be busy and you can’t sit on his lap.”
“Oh, stop it, Dr. Keeler. You’re just picking on me.”
“About time someone did; you’ve been on me for a while now, and at the precinct, I couldn’t give you what for, being your superior and all. Now, that’s all changed, you know.”
She turned back and grinned at him. “Oh? Is that so? And just what kind of ‘what for’ are you planning to give me?” she laughed, picking up her coffee cup to take the last sip.
Carson was playing in the fountain water, letting it splash up onto his face. “Mama, look at me! I’m melting, I’m melting,” he threw his arms outward and began to theatrically crumple to the ground, emulating the wicked witch from Wizard of Oz.
“We watched that last night,” Mrs. Crutcher commented in explanation.
Gilda laughed and clapped. “Very nice, Carson. Now let’s see you fly on your broomstick!” she encouraged him.
Suddenly, she heard Cole calling her name. “Gilda! Gilda!” She turned around and saw him running toward her. “Get down! Now!” he screamed.
Gilda cocked her head, caught off guard by the contrast of Cole’s screaming and the laughter from everyone at Carson.
She wheeled around and saw, in slow motion, Dr. Keeler’s body move past her as he headed toward Carson. Puzzled, she looked around for some explanation and saw Mrs. Crutcher’s hands raise to her face. She looked back and saw Dr. Keeler, within feet of Carson.
That’s when she saw him fall forward, as though he had tripped in his haste to get to the boy. Carson was still crumpled on the ground, feigning his wicked witch’s death, but no longer laughing.
Dr. Keeler hit the ground, face down, and as Gilda started to rise to her feet, she was knocked flat to her face. The wind was knocked from her and she was stunned.
In her confusion, she wasn’t sure of the order of what happened next. She heard screaming, but the voices were both female and male. She felt pain in her chest and was struggling for breath, not only gasping for air, but to sustain the pain emanating from her lower tummy that was still healing from the surgery.
Once she was finally able, she lifted her head toward Carson and saw Cole scoop him up and immediately turn at a full run back toward her, and the house. “Stay down, Gilda!” she heard him scream.
Then there was a wall of dark-clothed bodies around her; she felt herself lifted between them, and they moved quickly toward the house.
Her thoughts were for Carson, and she screamed his name. What was happening?
They were inside the house then, but the men didn’t put her down. They carried her down a stairway — she could feel the slant as their bodies bent forward. She was propelled through a doorway and then heard a loud noise and lights came on overhead.
“Cole? What’s going on?” she cried out as she was laid down on a flat surface.
He didn’t answer her, but she heard his voice. It was a tone she’d not heard before, sharp and commanding, barking orders. She struggled to sit up, but the pain in her midsection took her flat again.
She raised just her head and looked around and spotted Carson not far from her, lying on a fold-down bunk. He wasn’t moving. “Carson!” she screamed and despite the pain, got to her feet and moved toward him.
She threw herself over him and turned his face. He had blood running off his forehead, but she felt he had a pulse, and his lips were warm when she kissed him. “Cole! Cole! Please help!”
“Ma’am, he’ll be fine, he was only grazed,” came a stranger’s voice and Gilda got a glance at one of the dark suits.
“Ma’am, please, now go lie back down and I’ll see to the boy. I have some medical training, and we have plenty of supplies. Please, ma’am, back away and let me see to him. He’ll be fine,” the voice said, a hand on her shoulder pulling her away. The hand pulled harder and she felt herself being lifted backward. Gilda threw her hands toward her son.
“No, let me stay with him!”
She was handed off and Cole was in her face. “Gilda, listen to me! Carson is fine, sweetheart. It was only a graze and barely scratched his skin. He probably passed out from fear. He’ll come to in a moment and then you can hold him forever, I promise. Now, let me look at you. I hit you pretty hard to get you flat, sorry, sweetheart. Are you hurting?”
Her emergency calm set in, and she nodded. “It hurts from the wound area.”
He laid her down on what she realized was another bunk. He lifted her blouse, inspecting her abdomen. “No blood. I’m guessing you probably pulled some of the interior sutures that weren’t healed quite yet. Gunnerson here is a medic; he’ll be with you as soon as he sees to Carson. You’ll be fine, sweetheart.
“I have things I have to attend to. I’ll be back shortly. You just lie there, still, and try to relax. Smith! Stay with her!” Cole ordered and then his face disappeared.
Gilda turned her head so she could watch Gunnerson working on Carson. She knew she had to lie still, but she was going to supervise at the same time. “Gunnerson!” she called to him. “Bring him here and lay him next to me! I’m a nurse. I want to check his vitals.”
Gunnerson was holding a vial beneath Carson’s nose and the child returned to consciousness, crying, “Mama! Mama!”
“It’s okay, Carson. Mama is right here. Everything is fine, and the man with you is Mr. Gunnerson. He’s going to bring you right over here to me, aren’t you Gunnerson?”
“Yes, ma’am,” he responded and carried Carson to Gilda’s bunk. She scooted over with a bit of pain, but her child’s welfare came first. “Bring me the first aid kit, if there is one. Where are we, anyway?”
“The safe bunker, ma’am,” Gunnerson responded before leaving to get what she ordered.
“Safe bunker? Are we under attack?” She was tremendously confused. She decided there were enough men in the room, including Cole, who were attending to things. Her job was Carson at the moment. “Can someone bring Dr. Keeler?”
Gunnerson appeared not to hear her.
“Gunnerson, I asked you to please bring Dr. Keeler?”
He looked at her and then over his shoulder, as though worried he shouldn’t say anything. “Ma’am, I’m sorry, but I can’t do that.”
“Why not? That’s one of the reasons he’s living here — to look after the family and people who live here.”
“Ma’am, I’m sorry to tell you this, but Dr. Keeler is dead.”
Chapter 41
Gilda was sitting on the edge of the bunk in shock, with Carson huddled against her. “I want to see my husband,” she said aloud to no one in particular.
“Ma’am, please stay put. He’s seeing to things. I’m sure he’ll join you momentarily.”
“I want to see my husband,” she repeated, and it became obvious that Gilda was in serious trouble. She was no longer connecting with those around her
.
Dr. Keeler is dead? she thought to herself. How can that be?
Gunnerson brought blankets and wrapped them around Gilda as she sat there, even as she pushed them away and said once again, “I want to see my husband.”
Who are we hiding from?
She leapt to her feet screaming, “I want to see my husband!”
Gunnerson unceremoniously scooped her up in his arms and carried her down a narrow hallway into what appeared to be a small sitting room with a sofa, round dining table, and chairs. A compact kitchenette was built into one wall. It was serviceable, but attractively appointed.
He put her on the sofa as another man followed with Carson. They stood in the doorway a few minutes and then Cole walked in, nodding to the guards and they left, pulling the door closed behind themselves.
“Carson, how you doing, buddy?” Cole asked him.
Gilda wasted no time. “Cole, what is going on?”
He held up a hand, signaling her to hush.
“I’m okay, I guess,” Carson offered up.
“I guess when you spun around, you must have hit your head on the fountain, eh?” he supplied a logical explanation to the child.
“Did I?”
“Yup, I think that’s exactly what happened. Tell you what, why don’t you go out there with Gunnerson, and he’ll let you pick out a snack from the kitchen, what do you say?”
Carson nodded and got up, walking toward the door. Cole winked at Gilda, opened the door, had a few words with Gunnerson, and the pair left.
Cole came back to sit down next to Gilda. “Now, listen to me before you begin asking questions, okay?”
She nodded. “Go ahead. I’m so confused I can’t think straight.”
“Yes, sweetheart, I know. So just focus on what I’m about to say.”
“Is Carson going to be okay?”
“Yes, yes. Now…I need to tell you that there are things in my military career that I’m not able to share with you. They are a matter of national security, and I’m unable to talk about them. Do you understand?”
Her eyes grew large, but she nodded automatically. She was programmed to follow direct orders.