Designated (Book 2): Designated Quarantined

by Cooper, Ricky

  The water ran between them, sliding along their skin gently. She pulled him closer to her; Janet slowly caressed his slick glowing skin, slim petite hands running over Derek's chest as she leant her head against his back. The thumping of her soulmate's heart filled her as she drank in his warmth.

  Baker turned, his hands sliding over her shoulders as she looked up at him. Water-drenched trails of her hair clung to his heat-flushed skin. As his hands grazed over her arms, Baker felt his heart flutter, his soul relishing the feel of her tender skin beneath the calloused and torn skin of his palms.

  Slowly, with a tenderness he rarely showed, Derek traced his lips over hers. His eyes slid closed, her scent and taste filling all as he gently traced his fingers along her spine. His touch left a glowing trail of fire that spread through her, filling Janet with an irrepressible urge as Derek cupped her firm buttocks, lifting her from the tiled floor.

  Janet's legs closed round him as she threw her weight against the warm pillar of strength clasped so closely to her loins. Her lips closed over his as they fell against the smooth, cold marble. Fevered tongues danced, their embrace all consuming, ever tightening as they held each other. Derek's fingers traced the crease of her backside as he felt himself grow, the warmth of her sex hot against his stomach as she ground herself against him.

  The searing heat of her inner core seeped forth as she bosomed against him, her breathing drawing deep as she clutched at his flesh.

  Breaking away, Baker traced a path down her neck, his teeth nipping at her skin as they joined; frantic panting filled the room as he felt Janet engulf him, her sex swallowing him whole as she tossed her head back.

  Sparkling pearls of dancing light flew from her hair as Janet raised her pleasure-soaked face to the falling wall of water, heat bouncing over her closed eyelids as she felt Derek move within.

  Her mouth opened, a strangled gasp leaving her as Derek lowered his mouth, the soft pink nub of her nipple caught between his lips as he thrust into her. His teeth tugged at the sensitive bud as he pushed himself ever deeper into Janet's wet, silken folds. She writhed as he moved within her, her core igniting as she felt Derek slip ever further into her very being.

  Janet felt his fingers dig into the supple flesh of her buttocks as he speared into her. Janet gripped him, completely drawing him in as she tensed, squeezing his tender rod as he filled her once more.

  Her legs slipped from around his waist as he released, her hands splayed against the wall as she turned. Janet's slim, toned legs spread as he entered her once more, her head dropped as she gasped, her voice lost in the deluge of pleasure as her breath heaved with every thrust. Derek clasped her hips in his hands, her buttocks slapping against him as he drove forth once more, driving himself deep into her embracing warmth.

  The sound of their wet bodies colliding filled the space entirely. She screamed as Derek thrust forwards, driving himself into her entirely, his throbbing member delving deeper into her all-encompassing core. A growl slipped from deep within his throat as he drove into her, his body coiled like a spring, his buttocks tensing as his body burned with desire.

  Janet shuddered in her climax, her silken folds clasping Derek's pulsing rod as her back arched, driving him over the edge. The growl pouring from him turned into a guttural roar as he released, sending his spreading warmth deep into her.

  They sank to the floor, his member still encased in her warmth as they lay entwined. She slid off of him, her body rolling over the cold tiles as she curled in closer, resting her head against his chest as he kissed her wet hair.

  'I love you, you know that.'

  She nodded, strands of her flaxen hair clinging to his skin as she pulled him close, her emerald eyes locking with his as she gently kissed him. She rolled away from him, rising from the cold, water-drenched floor. A soft squeak flirted with his ears as he watched her slip slightly, his body tensing as he readied to catch her. Her backside swayed in front of him as she walked towards the misted glass panel door. She glanced over her shoulder, a mischievous sparkle in her eyes as she winked at him before disappearing through the swirling wall of steam.

  He watched her go as he pushed himself into a sitting position, raising his face to the wall of water as it beat down upon him. He opened his mouth, feeling the hot droplets strike his tongue and teeth. His head dropped back against the tiles with a clunk, the mild flare of discomfort making him shiver. He pushed himself up from the floor as he spat out the lukewarm water. Running a hand through the briar that covered his lower jaw, he couldn't help but grin; even after the events of the previous twelve hours, she had still found it within her.

  A chuckle left him as he reached for a towel; a thought striking him as it slithered across his mind. The images of a much younger woman clasped around his waist as they made love for the first time in the locker room of his old secondary school, the push button showers dancing to their rhythm as they let themselves drift on the currents of their adolescent desires.

  Gemma Robinson. A smile tweaked Derek’s lips. She always was a bit more outgoing than the others at that school were. Shaking his head, he wrapped the towel around his waist and stepped from the bathroom.

  Janet glanced up from the bed, her nubile body glistening with the silver glaze cast over her as moonlight streamed through the open window. She shivered as the soft kiss of the warm spring winds washed over her; a smile curled her lips as she crooked a finger, beckoning Derek to her. Fire danced in his eyes as he took in the winsome sight that lay upon his bed, the curves of her lithe form drawing him in as the towel fell from about his waist.

  He crawled across the satin sheets as he made his way to her. Janet's eyes widened as she watched him, the muscles bunching and curling as he crept like a cat across her body. Her eyes traced every contour as she let her fingers wander across his sculpted form. She felt the pull of his chiselled body as she slid her hands down his back. Digging her nails into the firm flesh of his thighs, she smiled as he let out a short surprised gasp.

  As their lips met once more, the spell was shattered as red lights danced over the monitor on the bedside cabinet, the plaintive wailing of their child cast asunder any chance of once more uniting as a couple.

  Derek sank to the bed with a soft mirth-laced sigh. 'I guess twice was too much to ask for.' Janet traced her index finger over his abdomen, flicking the end of his diminishing erection, making him jump as she lifted her hand away.

  'It's nice to know you can still stand ready when called though. I was beginning to think I would have to throw grenades at you for the rest of my life, just to get some attention.'

  Derek snorted, laughter bubbling up from his stomach as he pulled on a pair of jockey shorts, the form-fitting boxers leaving little to the imagination.

  'You get comfortable while I see what our darling bundle of joy wants.'

  Derek moved towards the door; Janet watched his backside as she stretched, her toes curling as she let her body work itself loose. Derek watched her from the corner of his eye as she relaxed into the memory foam mattress, her nude form silhouetted against the light of the moon.

  'Damn, I am lucky.'

  His softly muttered comment drifted through the room as the door whispered shut. Janet smiled as she muttered a lilting reply to herself, sinking deeper into the sheets.

  Derek lifted Maria from the cot, her tear-stained face flushed beetroot red as she continued to cry. Cradling her against his shoulder, he bounced slightly on the balls of his feet as he softly whispered, trying to calm his fretful daughter. Derek's mind cycled through all the possibilities as he continued to move about the small room, his fingers stroking the crown of her head as she continued to cry. Discarding one problem after another, his nose twitched, the scent of warm excrement pervading everything as he felt the heat radiate through his hand.

  'Ah, should have really checked there first, hey sweetie?'

  Padding across the room, he laid her down on the high-sided table, the pop studs on her baby grow snappin
g open as he pulled with one hand. Dropping his right to the drawer next to his hip, he pulled out a bottle of talcum powder and a clean nappy as he held Maria's legs up. With smooth practised movements, he discarded the soiled nappy, wrinkling his nose at the smell as he dropped it into the bin by his foot. The wipes were cold and damp to the touch as he lifted her bottom slightly, wiping away the dark brown smear covering her pink cheeks.

  'How can one baby produce so much crap? What does your mother feed you when I ain't here?'

  Maria wriggled at the sound of her father's voice, her still pink-tinged face crinkling as she yawned, the reason for her crying already forgotten as she gazed at the face above her. A soft burbling gurgle left her as she felt herself move. With a tender, practised motion, he wiped her clean, the soiled and stained wipes joining the nappy at the bottom of the bin as he slid the fresh nappy into place. A small white mist enveloped her nether regions as Derek peppered her bum and legs with a dusting of talcum powder, a soft sneeze drifting up from his daughter as she wrinkled her nose.

  Lifting his child free from the confines of the table, he carried her drowsy, sleep-limp form to the cot; setting her down gently, the brush of his lips across her forehead made her stir as he whispered a soft goodnight. As he stood once more, he flicked his hand across the mobile perched over her, setting the mass of floating cartoon animals spinning as the lullaby filled the room.

  The door to his bedroom clicked shut, the silent soft-close hinges dampening the sound to a dull clunk as the flat panel door connected with the frame. Stripping his boxers off, Derek tossed them onto the stool in front of Janet's vanity table and slid beneath the covers. A slightly irked smile tweaked his lips as he gazed at the softly snoring form of his wife, her legs tucked up as she curled into the duvet, pulling it tight around her as she slept. Derek slid into the bed, his arm snaking its way over Janet's soft, flat stomach, the rippled reminder of their daughter's recent entry into the world etched into her skin. His fingers traced the lines radiating over her sides, the soft yet jagged lines covering her like the claws of a tiger.

  Laying his head down, he kissed her shoulder before closing his eyes and edging slowly into a fitful sleep.

  Monmouthshire

  Wales

  The ground swallowed him whole as he dropped, the slick walls around him flashing past in a blur of bouncing torch light, the dazzling display of stroboscopic light making his stomach jerk slightly.

  'I cannot believe you talked me into this.'

  A deep rolling chuckle echoed up from below him as he dropped to the floor with a thunk, his feet shooting from under him, showering the other with a spray of ice-cold water as they laughed.

  A sharp groan issued forth as his coccyx collided with a ridge of wet granite. The cave stretched, the hollow black maw drinking in the beam of his helmet-mounted torch as he gazed from one side to the next. His footsteps echoed around them as they ventured further into the twisting cave system.

  'Okay, huni, you got your locator on?'

  She stared at him, the pale yellow glowing halo of light making her squint as she listened to his reply echo off the walls around them. His words reverberated through the air until they chorused through the air, filling the silent cavern with a rolling wall of babbling voices; their formless words making her skin tingle as she looked about her.

  His voice held a slight tremor as he replied, the words clipped and quick as she took his hand and pulled him further into the cave. A small smile slipped across her features as she led him through the slowly encroaching maze of tunnels, all the while the trembling in his hand and voice grew.

  'Alexander Richards, you're not scared, are you?'

  A flicker of pride-stung annoyance crossed his features as he pulled his hand away a little too sharply, leaving Susan more than a little perturbed. His eye caught the look as it skated through hers, the mixed pot of anger and worry, coupled with the slighted hurt of a lover on the cusp of scorn.

  Pushing his male pride aside, Alex sat his backside into the soupy mess of silt and ice water in the bottom of the small cavern.

  'Truthfully, more than a little. I don't do tight spaces very well. I have had ways of dealing with it. But this… it's a little more than I am used to.'

  She looked at him, her head cocked slightly to one side as he spoke. The look on her face was a mix of annoyance and empathy. She reached out a hand and pulled him to his feet, the water pattering to the floor as it slid from the seat of his heavy reinforced caving suit, the coarse fabric grating slightly against his skin.

  'Do you want to head back?'

  His face held a dark look of determination as he squeezed her hand slightly, the simple act of assurance and comfort saying infinitesimally more than words ever could. Nodding, Susan turned, letting his hand fall from her grip as they pushed on. Their lights danced over the walls, the shimmering pools of white glazing over the crevices and crags as they moved on in the system.

  'So tell me, wonder woman, how does a desk jockey go from punching a keyboard all day to sliding through the cracks and crevices of nature's stone innards?'

  Richard's eyebrows rose as she simply shrugged, her reply short and tart on her tongue.

  'Why do you have a job that involves, guns, bombs, and making things explode?'

  Alex smirked, stepping forwards and running his hand over her backside as they neared the connecting tunnel. Crouching low, he swallowed slightly, his mouth as dry as sandpaper; he fell to his hands and knees and began to crawl.

  'That is a very good question. I couldn't stand them as a kid—too noisy and cumbersome, but I guess once you try something and find you're good at it, well you can't see yourself doing anything else.'

  A soft chuckle echoed off the walls as he realised just what Susan had done, turning his own question against him and finding her answer in him.

  10

  Bude, North Cornwall

  Cory Farm, Stanbury Cottage

  The soft crunch of gravel filled their senses, the warm scent of powdered stone and warm soil soaking their minds as they made their way to the small beachside cabin. The low veranda sat warm and enticing as they made their way forwards. The hushed almost scrupulous movements of the waiting staff was the only thing to break the silence as he hurried ahead of them, their cases held in his hands as he scampered up the small ramp and to the door.

  Stopping at the foot of the non-slip ramp, he smiled; the soft tugging of his lips at the corners of his mouth made his eyes twinkle as she stared up at him. The vibrant hue of her eyes made him feel like a small child as she brushed her hand over his. Leaning down, he cast a soft, fleeting kiss over her cheek. Turning, he made his way back to the car and the two black plastic crates perched on the back seat. They sat heavy in his hands as he carried them to the cabin, his booted feet thumping against the slate tiles of the veranda as she turned, her chair hissing slightly as it skimmed against the sand under the wheels.

  The sparkle in her eyes made him pause; a gentle smile played over his face as she turned away. The staff member held the door open for her as she rolled on into the spacious interior. Nodding his thanks, he set the cases down on the table as the young man handed her the door keys and bade them goodbye.

  'Not a bad place; fairly squared away, but they could have dusted.'

  Davies ran a finger over the fireplace's mantel as he turned back to the low-lying coffee table. He sat, simply staring at the two black cases as the clock over the fireplace ticked away, filling the slowly dimming silence; the only other sounds around him were the bubbling of boiling water and the soft humming of his companion.

  The dull rumble of rubber over wood made him look up, her slim raven-haired form gliding towards him as she balanced a tray on her lap, the cups clinking together gently as she pushed herself along.

  Anna's lilting accent made him smile; try as he did to hide it from her, it kept melting into his features, pulling the world-weary scowl from his face. She lifted the tray from her lap as he pushe
d the two black boxes aside, sliding her chair closer to the low-slung settee. She swung, suspending her weight on her hands as she shifted herself onto the small sofa. She curled her body into his after adjusting her position on the soft feather-filled cushions. He brushed his fingers against hers as she snapped the locks open on the cases.

  The spring-loaded hinges pushed the lid back with a heavy clunk as it hit the top of the table. They both held a mild almost sarcastic grin as they gazed upon the black plastic crate's contents. The muted grey coveralls gazed up at them, the minute network of squares covering its rip-stop surface. She lifted the suit from its resting place, the heavy slash-proof fabric grating against her fingertips as she let it drape over her lap.

  'Before you ask, babe, it is the same suit we wear, minus the impact resistant plates and reinforced joints; also the integrated water bladder in the back is missing, and if you look at the cuffs or neck, they aren't sealed from fluids.'

  It fell from her grip, crumpling into her lap as she reached into box once more. The heavy square block sat in her palm as she tested its weight, her hand bobbing in the air slightly as she looked at it. The loosely woven loop of cord batting against the back of her hand, the steel clasp cool against the pinched skin of her wrist.