“My God, Bailey. You’re so beautiful,” Piper said watching the water cascade over her backside. She stood up suddenly, taking her hand and pulling her without protest out of the shower and to the bedroom, where she captured her mouth with her own and tenderly maneuvered her until she was lying in the center of the bed.
She devoured the mouth under hers and her desire stirred powerfully as Bailey returned the attention with equal enthusiasm. Breathing heavily, Piper pressed into the body below hers, placing fiery kisses on her neck and breasts before she anxiously, but with determination forced Bailey’s legs apart with her knee, bringing it up to gently press against her sex. She instantly covered the resulting gasp with her mouth and bit her lower lip tenderly.
“I’m going to make love to you,” Piper said wantonly as she withdrew her knee from between her legs and began a slow, very attentive journey from her mouth to her belly. Her arms leaving a tender trail down her waist and hips, stopping at the knees and going under to encircle the legs on either side, providing her access to the place she most wanted to be.
“Piper,” Bailey said nervously, breathing heavily.
“Shhh,” Piper soothed, placing a kiss on her pubic line. “Relax, and let me love you,” she said softly as she rubbed her chin back and forth through the soft hair below her face.
She placed several strategic kisses on the insides of her legs, carefully avoiding her sex and paused lovingly with it centered inches before her eyes. “You’re very beautiful,” she said letting her tongue snake out and gently caress her.
“Oh my God,” Bailey said loudly and jerked away from the contact but Piper’s arms held her in place.
“Piper,” Bailey said worriedly. “I’m scared.”
“Hush,” Piper said gently. “You taste wonderful,” she whispered returning to her explorations.
Piper felt tremors running powerfully through Bailey’s body and smiled when her back arched and she gave herself over to the attention. She lovingly caressed the folds beneath her tongue and when Bailey’s breath started to become erratic, she relinquished the hold on her hips and brought her hands up to rest on her breasts, her fingers gently teasing at the nipples. Smiling, she could feel her struggling.
“It’s okay to let go,” Piper said soothingly and returned to her task with a fresh determination.
Bailey’s hips began to grind into the contact and Piper smiled as she suddenly went very still.
“Oh God,” Bailey said loudly and Piper pressed her mouth firmly into her sex to feel her release, wrapping her arms around her legs to keep her from escaping.
Bailey’s breath became loudly audible, her moans growing louder until they merged into the scream that was her release. Piper smiled as she lost control of herself and slowly brought her face away, marveling excitedly at the tremors running the length of Bailey’s body and placing several kisses on the inside of her legs, starting a trail upward. She looked up sharply when she heard a sob and was startled to see her wiping tears from her eyes.
“Are you okay, baby?” Piper asked tenderly.
“Yeah,” Bailey said hoarsely.
Piper smiled and lay down beside her, kissing her neck and chest lovingly. She brought a hand up and tenderly brushed the hair away from her face. “You’re so beautiful,” she said quietly.
She pressed her cheek into Piper’s hand. “That was the most incredible thing I’ve ever experienced,” she said honestly still flushed and breathing heavily.
“I love you, Bailey,” Piper said, placing a gentle kiss on her mouth.
“I…I can taste myself on you,” she said in wonder as Piper withdrew.
“Yes, you can,” Piper said with a smile, dropping a hand back to Bailey’s sex. “You’re very wet,” she added as she brought back a glistening finger and inserted it into her mouth. “And you taste wonderful.”
Her breath hitched and Piper found herself in a tight embrace as Bailey buried her face into the crook of her neck, feeling a moisture on her shoulder that she knew were tears. She let her cry and caressed the soft skin of her body until she began to taper off.
“It’s alright,” Piper said softly but then smiled mischievously. “How far is Martin’s room from here?”
“Why?” Bailey asked curiously.
“Because it would be embarrassing if he ran in here to see what all the screaming was about,” Piper said teasingly.
“Shut up,” Bailey said indignantly and squeezed Piper tighter, emitting an embarrassed chuckle.
Piper smiled in amusement, continuing to caress her until she felt a kiss on her neck and she was released.
“I never imagined how fantastic that would feel,” Bailey said softly.
“It felt wonderful to show you,” Piper said with a smile.
Bailey blushed and quickly changed the subject. “Did you leave Nancy a note?” she asked looking away.
“Yeah, she’s usually gone four or five days at a time,” Piper said smiling at her bashfulness. “Do you have a place I can hang some of my things?”
“There’s room in there,” Bailey said, pointing across the room to a door.
“Do you mind if I put my things in there?”
“Not at all,” Bailey said with a stretch.
Piper grinned desirously as her eyes roamed over the extended body next to her. “I’m going to finish my shower that was so rudely interrupted,” she said teasingly with a quick kiss.
“Okay,” Bailey said happily and watched her hop from the bed and disappear into the bathroom, smiling widely when she left and burying her face into a pillow excitedly.
———
Piper emerged from the bathroom in her underwear about half an hour later to find Bailey still reclining on the bed.
“You gonna stay there all day?” Piper asked amused.
“I was thinking about it,” Bailey said with a yawn.
“You’ll have to feed me soon, I’m getting a little hungry,” Piper said with a sly smile. “Although, the snack I had earlier was delicious.”
Bailey pulled the blanket up over her head. “Be quiet,” she mumbled from underneath the covers.
Piper chuckled and hopped onto the bed to poke at the hidden lump. “Go take a shower, goofy,” she teased. “And think about what you’re going to fix me for dinner.”
“Okay,” came the mumbled response and she suddenly flew out from under the covers and ran into the bathroom.
Piper giggled at her as she got up from the bed and rummaged around in one of her bags to find a pair of sweats and a T-shirt to put on. Once dressed, she turned her attention to the rest of her luggage and smiled as she began to unpack. She walked over to the door that Bailey had pointed out and found a large walk in closet. She laughed at all the black clothes that lined one side of the closet and she wondered why Bailey clothed herself so darkly. She browsed through them curiously, noting that Bailey didn’t seem to own anything that even remotely resembled a dress. Considering that revelation, she turned to the large empty rack on the other side of the closet and decided that was where she would hang her things. She ran an inquiring eye over the rest of Bailey’s belongings but stopped when she found a tall, narrow shelf that held a gleaming oriental sword. Examining it closely, her eyes followed the length of the blade to a stainless steel, oval shaped hilt attached to a slender pommel wrapped tightly in black leather. She curiously touched the edge of the blade, finding it cold to the touch and quickly withdrawing her finger with a hiss. She put the injured finger in her mouth and dealt with the totally uninvited contemplation of wondering how many people had died under the touch of the blade. It seemed an unnecessarily brutal weapon in an age of technology and she wondered why Bailey would favor it. With a sigh, she turned from the weapon and began the task of unpacking her belongings.
She was almost finished when Bailey came out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel and beamed a smile at her as she dug some underwear out of a dresser drawer. Piper stopped what she was doing and sat down on the end of
the bed.
“Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure,” Bailey said turning to face her.
“Why are all of your clothes black?”
“Because it’s simple,” Bailey said honestly. “When I buy stuff black is a color that’s always available.”
“Is that the only reason?”
“Yeah,” Bailey said with a shrug. “Well, that and I read somewhere that black goes with everything. Although I do have a couple of white shirts, some blue jeans, a pair of white sneakers and some clothes with designs on them.”
“Yeah, I liked the vest you wore to go dancing in,” Piper said with a grin. “Can I ask you another question?”
“Okay,” Bailey said, turning her back bashfully to put on her underwear.
“Bailey,” Piper said amused, “you don’t have to be shy. I don’t think you have anything that I haven’t seen at rather close range.”
“Hush,” Bailey said putting on her bra and Piper could see a blush on the back of her neck. “What did you want to ask me?”
“Don’t you own a dress?”
“No.”
“Why not?” Piper asked curiously. “I bet you would look stunning in a pretty dress.”
“I haven’t worn a dress since I was a little girl,” she admitted. “I guess I haven’t had an occasion to wear one since.”
“I see,” Piper said sadly. “Can I ask you another question?”
“Okay.”
“Why the sword?” she asked bluntly and she could see Bailey stiffen a little.
“Do you really want me to answer that?” Bailey asked quietly.
“Yes.”
“Because being female, I have a power disadvantage to your average male. The sword acts as an equalizer. Besides being a devastating weapon, it keeps distance between me and anyone who desired to harm me,” Bailey said tonelessly.
“Is that the only reason?”
“There are several reasons,” Bailey said. “That’s just one of them.”
“I saw you beat up that guy in the bar,” Piper said. “He was easily twice your size. You don’t seem to have a power disadvantage.”
“I used his own weight against him,” Bailey said. “Skill can overcome a lot of things, but if I’m outnumbered and at close quarters I could easily be overpowered. The sword allows me to quickly dispatch my way through a crowd when the use of a firearm would be unwise or impractical.”
“I see,” Piper said thoughtfully.
“Why would you ask me that?” Bailey asked nervously.
“I was just curious,” Piper said. “You’ve lived through a great deal.”
“Yes, I have.”
“I’m very sorry you had to,” Piper said emotionally.
Bailey walked over and sat down next to her on the bed. “Piper, I’ll answer any question you ask of me, but there are things I wouldn’t want you to understand,” she said quietly. “Believe me when I say it’s a knowledge that you can live without.”
“I just wanted to know more about you.”
“You know more about me than anyone in the world.”
“That’s not what I meant, I just wanted to know more about how things were like for you.”
“No you don’t,” Bailey said. “To exist solely to murder is not anything you want to study.”
“I just love you, Bailey,” Piper said taking her hand. “It’s difficult to imagine you as the person that file described.”
“I am that person,” Bailey said sadly. “When I have to be.”
“You’re my heart,” Piper said bumping her with her shoulder, bringing a hand up to rub her back and running into the ever-present necklace. “Do you ever take this off,” she asked pulling on the end of it.
“No. It’s all I have left of my father.”
“I’m sorry,” Piper said and quickly changed the subject. “You ready for tomorrow?”
“Not really,” Bailey said. “I’m glad you’re coming with me.”
“I wouldn’t dream of not going with you,” Piper said with a smile. “What are you fixing for dinner?”
“What do you want?”
“Hamburgers,” Piper said with a determined nod and Bailey chuckled.
“Hamburgers it is then,” Bailey said getting up and putting on sweats and a T-shirt. “Join me in the kitchen when you’re ready,” she added with a smile over her shoulder as she walked out of the room.
Piper watched her go with a smile that rapidly turned into a thoughtfully sad expression as she considered what Bailey could have been if her life had turned out differently.
“My heart,” she said softly rising from the bed to finish unpacking her things.
IV
Hush, Hush, Keep it down now,
Voices carry.
—A. Mann
“Hello,” Martin said tentatively when he spotted Piper sitting at the kitchen table.
“Hi,” Piper said brightly.
He smiled as he entered the kitchen to find Bailey over the stove. “Want a burger?” she asked.
“Sure,” he said pleasantly and he took a seat across the table from Piper.
“I’ve been told you’ve already met,” Bailey said casually. “But Piper Tate, meet Martin Satterfield.”
Piper beamed a smile at him and he returned it. “It’s very nice to meet you,” he said politely.
“What happened to your hand?” Piper asked pleasantly.
Martin threw a quick look at Bailey who shrugged indifferently. “I got shot,” he said uncomfortably.
“Why?”
“A gentleman thought I wasn’t talking fast enough so he decided to speed me along.”
“Is that when you met Bailey?” Piper asked curiously.
“Yes,” Martin said. “Very shortly thereafter.”
“Here you go,” Bailey said, depositing a plate in front of him and he quickly started to dress his burger with the fixings on the table.
“Why did you come to Bailey?”
Martin threw another look at Bailey who ignored him and he surmised that he was on his own. “Because I thought we could help each other,” he answered hesitantly.
“How so?”
“I knew where her family was and I knew that I’d be safe with her.”
“Ah,” Piper said as Bailey sat down in the chair next to her.
“Martin, we’ll be leaving in the morning but will return tomorrow night,” Bailey said. “Is there anything you might need before we leave?”
“Not that I can think of,” he said, glad for the subject change. “Where ya going?”
“British embassy.”
“Great,” he said happily.
“Do they know Martin’s here?” Piper asked Bailey who nodded to the affirmative. “Is he safe alone?”
“Yes,” Bailey said. “They can’t afford attention and they wouldn’t risk it anyway.”
“You said there are people working for C-Corp that also work for this Organization,” Piper said. “Couldn’t they get in here?”
“No,” Bailey said. “Only I can enter or exit this floor.”
“Oh,” Piper said considering. “Do you know who these people are downstairs?”
“I’m in the process of finding out.”
“How are you doing that?”
“I’ve someone looking into it,” Bailey said taking a bite of her burger.
Piper mulled that over for a moment. “Mr. Anderson?”
“Yes.”
“Where do you know him from?”
“You could say I saved his life,” Bailey said. “Speaking of Mr. Anderson, he informed me yesterday morning that he had overheard some rumors.”
“I heard them too,” Piper said reluctantly. “Are you okay with it?”
Martin looked on confusedly as they chatted with each other trying to grasp what they were talking about.
“I could care less what they think or might even know,” Bailey said dismissively. “My only concern is how it affects you.”
Piper chuckled. “I was worried about how you would take it.”
“I told you before it’s what you think that matters to me,” Bailey said. “Did anyone give you any grief?”
“Not really,” Piper said uncertainly.
“What does not really mean?” Bailey asked suspiciously.
“Well…” Piper said hesitantly and Bailey raised both eyebrows for her to continue. “…Julio Martinez. He has a problem with me anyway and I think the rumors have added a little fuel to his fire. He was in Knoxville the other day as part of the sales team and he needled me a little over dinner.”
“I see,” Bailey said. “And?”
“Bailey, it’s not important,” Piper said dismissively.
“Tell me.”
“It’s no big deal,” Piper said unenthusiastically. “I ran into him yesterday when I was leaving and he made a comment and a vulgar gesture. I can deal with it.”
“What did he say?” Bailey asked her eyes narrowing.
Piper sighed. “Nice catch, Piper.”
“What kind of gesture?” Bailey asked and Piper hesitated with a quick glance at Martin.
“Uhm… Martin, could I get you to look away for a moment?” she asked with a slight blush.
“Sure,” Martin said with a grin and turned in his chair.
Piper sighed and looked at Bailey who was watching closely and with a roll of her eyes she let her tongue hang out and lapped it at her.
Bailey looked at her in befuddlement. “What does that mean?”
Martin had to clamp down on the chuckle that bubbled up with the question and he was glad he wasn’t facing them. He could hear Piper whispering but wasn’t able to make anything out.
“Who’s his supervisor?” Bailey asked peevishly.
“Kurt is I believe,” Piper said. “He said he would speak to him about it, but that was before I heard all the talk yesterday.”
“I see,” Bailey said tonelessly with a look at the clock on the microwave. “I’ll be right back,” she said abruptly rising from the table
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