DRAGONJULS Storybook
Disclaimer and Acknowledgements: See Part One
Part 10
Chapter Nineteen:
Susan looked at her ex-employer and smiled at her, once again she was attempting to put Elena in the chair to enable the child to eat properly, as usual Catherine was losing the battle. It was in its own way, rather funny, except the sheer concentration on Catherine's face made laughing a mute point.
"You need help again Catherine?" Susan smiled genuinely at the tall woman, the frustration evident on her face and a comment like that wasn't exactly going to help.
"No!" Was the forceful reply.
Susan sat down at the table in the kitchen and waited for the coffee percolator to do its business. She silently watched as Catherine tried in vein to settle Elena in the high chair and accept the harness. "Why not just ask her to settle down Catherine, in a firm tone."
Catherine looked up at Susan and her grim face told its own story. Taking hold of the baby Catherine looked into her green eyes with her ice blue ones, their glances locking, it was hard to tell who was going to win this particular battle of wills, the adult in all honesty should but..........
Jace chose that moment to enter the room her eyes went over her daughter and partner, who matched each other in a particular distinctive eye to eye contact that was like waiting for a battle to commence. Jace saw Susan, who had a whimsical look on her face as she collected her coffee, smiling at her and then went back to her observation of the two protagonists.
"Okay, which of my favourite ladies needs my help the most?" Jace smiled, as she walked further into the room and confidently over to the high chair. Her green eyes caught the ice blue in her own and Jace smiled the lines around her eyes crinkled.
Catherine was sure she'd never seen anything so comforting in her life. "Elena does." Catherine muttered and watched as Jace spoke quietly to the child and easily locked her daughter in place just as Susan had done a few days before. It was definitely not a skill she was going to acquire soon, of that she was sure.
"Hi Darling, has Catherine been too nice to you again huh?" Her daughter chuckled at the jovial voice her mother used the notes obviously a tune she could understand and decipher.
"Too nice, that's a good one Jace. Elena just hates me putting her in the harness that I know for sure." Catherine continued in a melancholy voice.
"Elena knows that she receives her meals from this chair Catherine
However, she also knows that if someone is tentative about that, then she might get away from the chair and sit on a soft lap." Jace pointed out quietly.
Catherine looked at Jace; her face was enough for Jace to know that it wasn't a concept she understood. "Are you calling me soft with this child?"
"Yes!" Jace responded equally as softly her gentle gaze passed first to her baby who was happily munching on a milk biscuit and then her partner, who looked upset.
"Well in that case, perhaps, I should leave her to you in the future." Catherine said her voice highly charged with sarcasm.
"Oh no....no way will I allow you to do that Catherine. We have a partnership here and I believe she's your daughter too?" Jace smiled at her partner and saw the uncertainty and annoyance embedded in her eyes.
Catherine considered, that and shrugged her shoulders grasped a mug of tea and walked out of the kitchen door to the porch her steps heavy on the decking.
"Was it something I said?" Jace smiled at Susan, who looked at her speculatively.
"You're not worried?" Susan asked, having assumed that Jace would immediately want to soothe the ruffled feathers after any altercation between the two of them. Catherine never looked the likely candidate to take that stance; she would probably convince herself it was a weakness.
"Worried? Yes, but not for the reason you think Susan." Jace considered the question and sat next to the older woman and drank from the coffee cup on the table.
"So, which reason would it be?" Susan asked her interest piqued at the comment from the blonde.
"Catherine will be back she dare not do otherwise Susan. Her pride is hurt that's all. I just can't seem to get her to be strong with Elena. She lets the baby have her own way all the time." Jace sighed heavily thinking about the future consequences if the situation carried on.
"Catherine says she can't hurt her by being firm. I think it's something to do with her eyes and yours." Susan smiled and poured herself another cup of coffee; Jace had taken hers unconsciously as she sat at the table.
"Oh, that old excuse! Catherine will have to learn that Elena isn't going to change eye colour in the near future and hopefully never. So the sooner she comes to terms with that, the better. There are times when Catherine is more a child than Elena, but it is kind of endearing however frustrated I get with her." Jace looked once again deep into the coffee cup her face showing her exasperation at the situation.
"You heard her story Jace. Perhaps, she can't come to terms with that part of her life and until she does, then you're going to come across this more and more." Susan said, her quiet logic finally piercing Jace's meandering thoughts.
"Would you please take care of Elena for a little while Susan? I have a wayward partner to try and convince there's life after being firm with our daughter." Jace gave Susan a wry smile and moved towards the kitchen door.
Jace walked slowly over to Catherine, who was leaning against the railing of the porch her face turned towards the stables and the mug of tea hanging loosely in her hands.
Catherine turned as she heard the soft footfall. For once she hadn't been one hundred percent sure it was Jace; her face had a pensive expression, which immediately cleared to one of veiled interest in why Jace was coming towards her. "Finished your breakfast already?"
Jace inclined her head as she neared Catherine and leaned against the railing inches from the taunt lean body she loved. "No, without you I kind of lose interest in food."
"Is that an alien in the body of Jace Bardley?" Catherine laughed at the words.
Jace chuckled at the comment. "No, but it could be arranged if you don't stop beating yourself about the head and at least try and be firm with our daughter." The bantering tone held a serious note.
"I can take the hits on the head Jace." Catherine responded, but never looked at her directly.
"Well, you might, but I can't, and I'm not prepared to keep administering the bandages every time this situation occurs." Jace said her tone taking on a rare harsh resonance.
Catherine turned her head towards Jace and saw the determination in her face, which forcefully applied the words spoken. "What do you want from me?" Catherine's voice held her distress at the situation.
"Catherine, I don't want anything from you, but our daughter does!" Jace tried to explain, her voice weary. Why wasn't it obvious to Catherine?
"Exactly what would that be?" Catherine stared intently at the green eyes that held a hurt expression.
"She needs you to be strong, not just for her Catherine, but with her! Elena needs to understand discipline in her life and the sooner you start the earlier she learns and the easier it is all round." Jace plainly stated the problem.
"I can't!" Catherine's voice broke on the words.
Jace placed a hand on the arm that trembled at her touch. "You can! Of all the people I've known in my life, you are the person that can. She needs that from you Catherine, and I need you to find it in yourself to accomplish it as well!"
Catherine shook her head and then it hung as if she was ashamed of herself. "It's hard to do what you ask Jace, she looks so like you and I can't hurt her, it would be like hurting you!" Catherine whispered, hoping her words were carried away in the slight breeze, this was hopeless and she felt so inadequate.
The silence between them became intolerable, Jace refused to comment further, Catherine had to find the solution or at least accept that she had a problem here.
"I'm a bloody fool would you say?" Catherine finally smiled weakly, her hand taking the smaller one in a firm hold.
"Yes, but you're ours Catherine, and we don't want to change that; we just want you to be yourself and all that means. If you of all people can't get an eight month old to hold still while you harness her in a chair, now who can? Would be interesting for that image to be released to the press wouldn't it? Could you imagine the headline?" Jace grinned at the sober features and saw them lighten at her banter.
Catherine looked into the smiling green orbs and fell in love all over again. Her heart beat racing at the blonde, beautiful woman that had agreed once again to hold her hand as she fought against this tide of insecurity that threatened to overwhelm her and for the simplest of things too. "I think you can be assured, the newspapers will not have access to this story Jace, can I ask one thing?"
"Certainly darling, go ahead." Jace pulled the larger hand towards her and cradled it close to her chest.
"Will you show me how?" Catherine asked the question tentatively and her eyes held a shy-questioning look.
"I will show you anything." Jace whispered and placed the hand to her mouth and kissed the palm. This aspect of Catherine, which Jace was seeing was the vulnerable side of the woman that Catherine, kept hidden deep inside. This was the side that Catherine entrusted to Jace; it was very powerful, and if used without love behind every action and word it would destroy the woman before her. This was to Jace an awesome responsibility, but one she shouldered without hesitation.
"I like the sound of that, come on lets go and have breakfast or more than one Bardley is going to be upset today." Catherine smiled and pulled her Californian into a warm embrace, and the kiss they shared was one of understanding and trust.
"Yep, wondered when you would notice the rumble in the tummy." Jace chuckled as they went towards the door to the kitchen.
"Hell, and I thought we were due a storm." Catherine narrowly avoided the punch to the solar plexus and placed a friendly arm around her shoulders, no it was going to be a wonderful day and dry too!
**********
Lisa was asleep and Jake was giving Catherine the rolling eye expression, as they both managed to stop the chuckle that would possibly wake the small redhead tucked up in bed.
"Lisa's not going to hear any more of the story tonight Jake. Guess we'd better try again tomorrow, what do you say?" Catherine ruffled the boy's dark hair and smiled at him.
"Okay, I'll go to bed. Granddad said he would come and watch me play football in town tomorrow Catherine." Jake gave her a look that was pleading with her about something she couldn't quite grasp.
"Good idea. Does he know all the rules now?" Catherine pulled herself out of the chair and bent over to kiss Lisa's cheek and whispered good night. Jake clambered gently off the edge of the bed where he'd been sitting listening to the story and nodded his head as they headed out of the door left slightly ajar as they left the room.
They both walked over to his room and went inside, he looked longingly at the new computer and Catherine had to smile at his adoring look at the machine. "Okay, you can play on the machine for an hour, no more, got me?" Catherine said and switched on the infernal machine. She'd caught him playing games early into the morning three days in a row now. So, she'd banned him this morning when he looked like he hadn't slept.
Jake swung round and hugged her, "Thanks Catherine, you're great!" The boy enthused.
Catherine smiled down at the dark head, he was getting taller that was for sure. She could concede it for the moment it wasn't school until next week, then it would be a ban late in the evening. "Well, what else did you need, I saw the look in Lisa's bedroom?"
Jake looked at her sheepishly and then gave her a shy grin. "Will you come too, to the match that is, you've not been in ages and I just wanted..........well you know!" The boy finished off lamely.
Catherine looked at him closely he rarely asked anything of either herself or Jace. Lisa was another entity altogether, she found it easy to ask for them to go places with her, but Jake, no, it was rare. "What time do you need to be there?"
"Oh, I was going to catch the bus early, the game starts at nine in the morning." He answered in anticipation.
"What's early?" Catherine persisted with her line of questioning.
Jake looked up at her his hazel eyes shining. "I need to be there by eight to practice and warm up and have the team talk that kind of thing."
"Tell you what, I'll get one of the ranch hands to drive us in and while you're having the team talk and the rest, your Granddad and I will have breakfast in town and then come and see the match. Does that sound good to you?" Catherine watched his eyes go round and his expression was wonderful to see. It was funny how simple it was to make a child happy.
"Catherine, please don't ask John Cruisal will you? I think he likes you, and Jace wouldn't be happy." The boy pointed out to her quietly, as she gave him a startled glance and nodded her head at his words her face turning a light pink at the child's observation.
"You be ready by seven thirty and I'll tell your Granddad. Do as I say about the computer, okay?" Catherine went towards the door and turned back to him, "Goodnight Jake."
"Good night Catherine and see you in the morning." Jake gave her a wide grin and then sat on his swivel chair and concentrated on the machine.
Catherine shook her head and smiled and went out of his room and towards the stairs. 'That boy was one smart child and she would certainly take notice of his quiet words of wisdom, from the mouth of babes they say.'
**********
Chapter Twenty:
Jace watched as Catherine walked quietly back into the room, and although she wasn't looking directly at her partner Jace knew those ice blue eyes had immediately tracked her in the room. 'Love you too Catherine.' Jace smiled and was surprised to find her mother looking at her in enquiry. "Sorry mother did you say something?"
Alison Bardley shook her head at her elder daughter and began the conversation again.
Catherine headed towards Jason Bardley, who was having what appeared to be an in-depth conversation with James Thompson, Alison Thornton and his younger daughter. Lucy looked at Catherine in veiled dislike at her interruption. Catherine chose to ignore Jace's sister for the time being anyway. "Sorry for interrupting."
"No, no, please join the conversation Catherine your views would be enlightening I'm sure." Jason smiled at the tall hovering woman, she seemed out of place, even though it was her own home.
Catherine inclined her head and her left eyebrow in question at the subject. "We were discussing gay marriages." James supplied for her.
A surprised look came over Catherine's features. "Well, yes I'm sure that's an interesting topic and one I obviously do have an opinion on, but I'm afraid I have to make some calls to New York and they can't wait, another time perhaps."
Lucy snorted at the remark and Catherine was pretty sure she heard her say chicken! "No problem as you say another time." Jason gave her a smile and hurled a disgusted look at his younger child.
"Jason, Jake tells me you're going to watch him play football, well I have agreed to take him into town early and watch the game also. Could you be ready by seven thirty in the morning?" Catherine smiled at Jace's father. This time he saw that it went to her eyes too, and what a difference that made.
"Sure, you want me to drive?" Jason said and watched her face.
She hadn't thought of that possibility. "Fine, I was going to ask a ranch hand but, that's an even better solution." Catherine looked at him and her eyes emitted her thanks. "I may not be back, so I'll say goodnight." She walked away towards Jace.
"Thank god, good riddance is all I can say." Lucy snapped and all eyes went towards her.
"I think that's completely out of order Lucy. Why are you so antagonistic towards her?" Jason asked his daughter; to the best of his knowledge Catherine had offered an apology for her stance of a few days earlier.
"Oh, Dad, she takes you all in. She's overbearing, that's all she knows, and she does it so well; talk about easy pickings!" Lucy said her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Well, I guess you're one guest that won't be at your sisters ceremony to Catherine in the New Year then?" James gave her a smile, and then returned the conversation back to the original subject.
Lucy looked at them and her face held a scowl, then moved away from the group and decided maybe some fresh air might not be a bad idea, for you never know whom you might meet.
Catherine gently perched herself on the arm of Jace's chair and placed an arm around her shoulders and bent down to kiss her cheek. "So, you've told the story, Lisa's asleep and you probably went back on your decision with Jake and he's playing with the computer?" Jace tilted her head back to look into the smouldering ice blue eyes above her. Alison chose that moment to excuse herself for a few minutes, leaving the two of them alone.
Catherine never released the lock of blue on green as she gave Jace a slow smile. "How well you know me Bardley." Her chuckle gave Jace all the information she needed. Her partner was in a reasonably happy mood; she'd seen her go over to the corner and Lucy's scowl at her arrival.
Jace returned the locked glance and gave a slow smile of her own. "Well, it has been almost a year and eventually, I was going to learn something."
Catherine wanted to find the words, but she couldn't. The ones she really wanted to say to this woman, maybe she never could say them. "Not as much as I've learned from you Jace." Catherine admitted huskily.
"I better finish this conversation then for you, you need to go and make some calls and might not be back." Jace watched the surprise cross Catherine's face.
"How did you know that?" Catherine rasped out. What was it; did she have it written on her forehead?
Jace laughed at her and the others in the room turned and smiled. "Easy, Constance is back in the office from the Christmas holidays and you're dying to know what gossip she has for you."
"Gossip? Jace I don't do gossip. That is for people with little to occupy them." Catherine spluttered.
"Yeah, I know and what do you chairperson's of the board do all day when you have everyone else working for you, huh? You gossip Catherine, it's common knowledge." Jace kept her expression serious she loved this part of her partner's nature she would be so...so frustrated at the accusation.
"I do not!" Catherine said her voice agitated.
Jace laughed at the red staining Catherine's cheeks. "Got you going on that one Catherine, you have to admit?"
Catherine growled and Jace gave her a sexy smile in return. "There are times when you can seriously wonder why you love someone you know."
Jace pulled her tongue out a little her face taking on an impish expression. "That so, do I need to worry?"
Catherine looked at the devilment in Jace's eyes and her grin and knew that she was once again lost in her love for the small blonde at her side. "No, you need never worry on that score; but, you're right about one thing, I need to make the calls, I'll catch up with you later in bed, okay?"
Jace smiled at the last comment. "Count on it!"
Catherine moved away from the chair and towards the door leading to the hall and surprised the other people in the room by her over the shoulder remark to Jace. "Love you Bardley, and it won't be counting you will have to do in bed later, that's a promise."
Jace turned scarlet at Catherine's choice of words and as the door closed behind her, the room burst out laughing much to the embarrassment of a particular blonde. 'I can't believe she said that!'
**********
"Constance have you decided yet who is going to be the replacements for you in New York and the African office?" Catherine had been discussing various projects and possible new ventures with her president of operations for over two hours.
"I was kind of struggling to be honest, we haven't anyone in the ranks that immediately give rise to the potential skills we require." Constance was annoyed that she hadn't been able to find anyone. Even spent numerous hours at home pouring over personal records, she still hadn't turned anyone up.
"I find that hard to believe Constance. You're telling me that we have over three hundred senior executives in operations around the world, and we can't find two that meet our requirements; come on Constance, pull the other leg please!" Catherine was annoyed with her President, this was stupid hadn't the woman checked all the files for god's sake.
Constance ran a hand around her neck in frustration; this conversation was not pleasant she'd heard the rising voice of the owner, and a small piece of her wanted to tell Ms Devonshire to go to hell! "I've checked all the files of over five hundred executives. And no! I don't think at the moment we do have anyone." Standing her ground on this issue was important to Constance. If Catherine made the choices, then she might as well give up the position.
Catherine's voice mellowed at the words. "Waverly how many hours did you pour over the records? Have you managed to keep your private life in tact?"
Constance realised her boss was trying to lighten the conversation and she smiled at her end of the line, Catherine was hard but she wasn't dense. "About three days solid; think we had Christmas dinner together and Clare went home to her mother for someone to have a decent conversation with, as mine was full of no, no, he won't do, she won't do......if you see my point."
"Did Clare come back?" Catherine had been mildly interested in this new relationship that had taken off under tragic circumstances between her president and the woman's PA.
"Yeah, she did, I think her mother talked her to death. So, she really appreciated the quiet in the apartment when she did returned." Constance chuckled as she recalled Clare's face when she'd returned home the next evening.
"I hope she wanted to come back for more than the quiet." Catherine noticed the door to the study open and James Thompson looked at her tentatively, Catherine waved him inside.
"I hope so too! Although, she has banned the laptop in the bedroom." Constance once again smiled as she remembered that conversation it had been rather interesting, especially the final outcome. No, the laptop definitely didn't stray into the bedroom.
"Oh! Now, why would that be, I wonder?" Catherine laughed and gave James a speculative look; his back was turned towards the bookcases on the far side of the room.
"Would Jace allow it I wonder?" Constance decided that as Catherine seemed to be in a bantering mood she would reciprocate.
"Laptop no, but we have an eight month old baby, who is far more intense than any computer, I can vouch for that. Elena is now residing in her sister's room for the holidays. Then she gets her own room, which sounds, like heaven to me, but I digressed here. What are we going to do about the replacements Constance?" Catherine smiled as she thought about her daughter and the recent move of the child to another room. It had been time, as she had occasionally awakened at the most inopportune moments.
"We may need to do external recruiting, 'Russell's' are pretty good in this particular market place." Constance wasn't asking permission to contact a recruitment agency, but Catherine might have ideas on a more proficient agency.
"How about you have one last ditch attempt to get a couple of names out of the computer and we can discuss it on my next visit in three weeks, okay?" It irked Catherine to go outside she much preferred to promote within the company, it made for a good employee relationship and she needed that these days.
"No problem, when you're in town would you explain to Clare why I will be spending the New Year celebrations pouring over the computer?" Constance said, her voice held a plea that Catherine wasn't too sure she didn't mean.
"I will do better than that, I'll take her out to dinner while you pour over the computer. I need to make it up to her for the disaster with Danni." Catherine knew that the woman had suffered unnecessarily with the bitch Danni making a play for Constance. Catherine felt guilty over that particular problem, she did really instigate it in a rather obscure way.
"Ah Danni, ever hear from her, she didn't by any chance send you a Christmas card?" Constance asked her boss, they both knew the potential damage Danni had very nearly caused in both of their relationships.
"Bloody hell Constance, if she had, Jace would have been stringing me from the nearest hanging tree." Catherine said with feeling, although she wasn't too sure that it wasn't something Jace might threaten if the situation had arisen.
"I know the feeling well and a hanging tree has less distance to fall than an apartment block thirty stories up." Constance knew exactly what Clare would have threatened.
"I need to go, I have a young man here who looks like he wants to have my undivided attention. Isn't that right Mr Thompson?" Catherine looked at the man who turned and gave her one of his face splitting grins.
"Oh! Yeah, James is there, give him my regards and Happy New Year to you and the family Catherine I'll hear from you soon." Constance said sincerely.
Catherine agreed the sentiments and severed the connection between them. "Take a seat James, I've been kind of waiting to have a chat alone with you since you've arrived."
"Thanks and I was too, Jace said it was probably a good time now, if it's not, I can see you another day." James looked at her in quiet attention.
"As usual Jace is right; you know something, when I lost Grace to Colin, I thought I was going to get the privacy part of my life back as Grace always read me like a book, but you know Jace is worse, it is quite disconcerting." Catherine smiled at him and watched a dark shadow cross his face at a memory that the words had evoked. It was very painful to recall some of them.
"Yeah, I know what you mean, Paul had a habit of doing that." James said his voice shook as the memory came to face him full force.
Catherine looked down at her desk, she had never been that well versed in the sympathy stakes. "Paul was a very good man, I miss him."
James looked up at her and although his eyes held tears his smile diluted the sadness. "He thought you were pretty wonderful also, you know?"
Catherine shrugged her shoulders. "I owed Paul far more than money could ever repay. He and I had a history that touched the bad parts of my life, but he also helped me achieve the happiest part in my life too."
"Jace?" James smiled as he saw the light appear in the ice blue eyes, which had shadowed at James's memories of his partner.
"Yes, I know he wanted to bring her to me when I was recuperating after the accident, but he chose to accept my wishes on the subject rather than what he wanted to do in his heart. I also know he watched out for her those months I couldn't, for that he will always have my thanks. Not that it helps when he's not here to share the good times also, but, I wanted you to know that, it was and is important that you know that this is your family now, if you chose to take up the offer."
James looked at the usually sober featured woman and watched the sincere emotions cross over her face. In her own way she had loved Paul. "I had a similar conversation with Jace, I thought this was her idea about the family, but it isn't is it, it's yours?"
Catherine gave him a speculative stare. "Does that surprise you?"
"Before I came here, oh, sure it would have. Now? No, I can see the importance you put on family and even if it isn't a blood relation, you don't appear to care about that. It's all one to you isn't it, you're just a family?" James watched her consider his remarks and she gave him the largest grin he had ever seen her give in the week they had been on the property.
"If I waited for a blood relation to have a family atmosphere, I'm afraid that I'd be dead before that happened. Family is how you make it work, be it by blood or by the simple acceptance of a person in your life. I'm blessed with several people in my life who are family in ways, that even a blood relationship would be hard pressed to forge a stronger link in my life." Catherine tried to explain, she wasn't sure she had, but it was a difficult one to put into words. She would just rather feel the bonds of the family than talk about it.
James smiled and he held out his hand to her. "I'd be honoured to be part of Jace's and your family Catherine."
Catherine gave him a dazzling smile that he was sure made the lights in the room dim in comparison. "Welcome to our family James Thompson." Holding his hand in a strong grip that she hoped conveyed her strength of purpose in the offer.
"You know James, I was thinking you have the background, how would you like to consider taking over at UCP?" Catherine started a conversation she had wanted with this man for months. After all, he was family now. Why not keep it in the family.
**********
Catherine looked up at the clock on the far wall and shook her head at the time. Jace would kill her, or metaphorically speaking she would; it was two in the morning and she was getting up early to go to the football match. Bringing her arms over her head to shift her shoulders and ease the ache in her left side, she really did need to have it checked out again, her eyes closed at the pain the stretching invoked in her body.
The door to the study opened quietly and Jace saw her partner stretch in what looked like a move right out of a jungle movie and you could see the smooth feline curves ripple in the dim light of the desk lamp, beautiful, quite simply beautiful. Walking in, she realised that Catherine must be tired; she had not even heard her approach. "You ready for bed yet Warriorson?"
Catherine shot up out of her chair in surprise and came face to face with a petite blonde in a long baggy nightshirt that clearly belonged to Catherine. Not that she ever used the garment, but on Jace the shirt would always bring back memories of the day Catherine fell in love with the blonde for the first time. "I'm sorry Jace, I needed to get some things cleared up before the New Year."
"I'm disappointed in you Catherine." Jace pouted at her and came around the desk and motioned for her tall partner to sit and she placed herself on her lap and put her arms around her neck looking directly into her ice blue incredibly sexy eyes.
"You are, why?" Catherine frowned and was captivated by the finger that stroked the lines on her forehead that the frown caused. And felt the blood rise as the finger trailed a slow path down her left cheek to her neck and down to her collarbone finally resting at the valley between her breasts.
Jace felt the heartbeat of her lover increase when she finally came to a halt at Catherine's breasts. "Well, after embarrassing me with your retreating comment and not coming up with the goods, what's a girl to think."
Catherine felt the finger tracing the top of her left breast and she knew that it wouldn't be long before she did come up with the goods and in the study too! "We could always go to bed and I'll make good on any promises I made Jace, count on it."
"Oh, I will count on it Catherine, but not tonight I believe you're going to be up early and I can see you're tired." Jace was loath to stop her seduction of Catherine, but her partner looked tired and although this was in part payback for Catherine's earlier comment, it did have it's down side for her too, mores the pity!
Catherine placed her hand over the finger that was held seductively at her breast, "I'm not that tired."
"Ah, but you would be and no way am I going to explain that to my father and our son when you can't get up in the morning, nope not me definitely not. When you marry me that's something else again." Jace teased her and watched the smouldering look be replaced by one of deep affection.
"Marry you? Have you a date in mind?" Catherine placed the wayward finger to her lips and smiled as she heard Jace's in drawn breath.
"I was....that is I.....tomorrow?" Jace said breathlessly.
Catherine laughed and pulled Jace closer to her and they looked deep into each other's eyes. "Tomorrow and the next day and the next and everyday beyond but......"
Jace saw the ice blue eyes take on a sensual look and she returned it with one of her own. "When?" her voice husky with unfulfilled passion.
"Tomorrow, New Years Eve when I'm back from the game, you and I will find a nice warm and cosy place that we can talk and not be disturbed and we will make plans. How does that sound to you?" Catherine saw the crinkle at the side of Jace's eyes and she tenderly kissed her on each side.
"Well, I know just the place for that particular venue that contains all the attributes you require. In fact it calls my name now so come on Warriorson, lets get your butt to bed." Jace placed her lips on her lover's forehead and smiled into the warm skin that intoxicated her with its perfume.
"I confirm the venue for our discussion Ms. Bardley, I could think of no better place than the one you offer me.' Catherine turned her head to look into Jace's face a sudden thought occurred to her that would be appropriate for the here and now, "Jace, we have an alarm clock don't we?" Catherine pierced the blonde with a look that seemed to search her soul for the answer.
"Yeah, we have." Jace chuckled at the suggestion; if nothing else you could always guarantee that Catherine would look at every available opportunity. Jace tugged on Catherine's hand and pulled her out of the chair towards the door. Dad might just have to rib her about a wake up call that was all, because she was sure it was going to be ringing for sometime!
"Then let us go up and set it, shall we?" Catherine teased, tenderly stroking a lock of hair away from Jace's face, then rubbing the silken golden strands of hair between her fingers while she caressed her with her eyes. With this she wrapped her strong arms about her and held her tightly against her, so that her breasts were flattened by expansion of her own chest filled with desire.
The peaks suddenly stiffened, tingling so, Jace sucked in a hungering breath. The sensation spiralled outward from both sensitive peaks filling her entire body with a spreading sexual heat that make her grow very moist. Her eyes flashed, turning a sparkling green with arousal, she huskily whispered, "Upstairs! Now Catherine!" Both swiftly ascended the steps to their bedroom and quickly closed the door behind them.
Jace wrapped both hands around Catherine's head and drew her head down to kiss her all over again, this kiss hotter, harder, fiercer, somehow, than the kisses of a few minutes earlier had been-and charged with such a sensual intensity, Jace felt it everywhere again, from the delightful tingle it left on her lips to the silvery heat of the very pit of her senses.
When the tip of Catherine's tongue probed the margins of her lips, Jace parted them straightway, allowing her lover to boldly invade her mouth, claiming it, conquering it, possessing it, her victory eliciting a breathless, drawn-out sob that Jace heard, but thought uttered by another. Weakly, she leaned against Catherine, unable to stand unaided, her knees had grown so feeble; supported by Catherine's body now, as she has so many time, until, as if from afar off, she heard a low, urgent voice growl, "I want you Jace."
"Not anymore than I want and need you darling," and kissed her hungrily on the mouth, as they fell urgently to the bed.
Catherine covered her body with kisses, beginning with her throat, her earlobes, her breasts, and on down, showering kisses over her flat belly and her thighs. "I love you Jace," a deep voice declared.
"And I you Catherine," she murmured with feeling, her bare limbs tightening their hold on her raven-haired lover. Her eyes were shinning with love and desire and with a provocation, as she showered Catherine's face with kisses that landed indiscriminately on her cheeks, her eyelids, her nose and brow.
Long after they had cried their rapture to the rafters, they still clung closely together, breathing each other's ragged breaths, matching each others thundering heartbeats, until finally both slowed, as the invigorating stillness of spent passion claim them both in a contented sleep.
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