Day Four
Having given up on the idea of sleep, Ryan reluctantly untangled himself from Catrine and made his way quietly into the living room. Although the brilliant morning sun had tipped over the horizon, he still had a few hours before they'd be beckoned to rejoin the Kings.
Flipping on his laptop, he sat at the table to begin enacting a plan he'd spent the past few hours composing in his mind. It was still only a shell of an idea, but there were some things he knew with certainty.
He needed to buy himself more time with Catrine. The use of the word buy in this instance was literal. He needed to re-negotiate this as a business arrangement with the Vultures; he intended to extend her contract. That part was fairly straight forward as long as he could put his feelings for her aside and meet them on their terms and conditions.
Perhaps more tricky was that he needed to find the capital with which to complete this transaction. And fast. The leasing of a pleasure slave always required proof of full, up front payment, before anything more was discussed. His company had fronted the funds to procure Catrine as part of his meeting expenses. He certainly didn't have quick access to the kind of cash this extension would require.
Thinking on this, he pursued a few different ideas to get him what he needed. He inquired with his boss about an advance on his intended bonus. He posted a note to sell his car. He put out a feeler about procuring a loan against his flat. He'd give any or all of these over to keep her close to him. He sent out a few messages pursuing all three possibilities not sure exactly which would come through the quickest.
They also needed to make a smooth departure from the building that afternoon, slipping away without rousing suspicion of his intentions. Even if he could buy a few more days on her contract, he had no idea what he'd need to do to keep her safe in the future. Send her away? Run away with her? Disappear together? He was certain there were networks for this sort of thing, but it certainly wasn't something he could just inquire about on the street. This was a whole new world of trouble that he'd need to puzzle out.
Sighing and leaning back in his chair he decided their only course was to take things one step at a time. Closing his eyes, he rubbed his temples with his fingers, his body weary with the combination of fatigue and anxiety.
Soft hands pressing against his bare shoulders interrupted his thoughts. He relaxed as Catrine began kneading his tense muscles, her fingers pressing deftly against each pressure point, releasing his stress. She moved expertly along his shoulder blades and across his upper arms, stroking him with her palms. She watched his head sag a bit and he leaned deeper into her touch, the sign of his relaxation encouraging her to continue. Gently, she tipped his head back so it rested against her breasts and she ran her fingers through his scalp, before methodically rubbing along his forehead. She repeated her motions until he was practically putty in her hands.
He tipped his head further so he could gaze up at the woman standing behind him. As their eyes met, he was treated to her full and relaxed smile.
"Good morning, angel." He said to her.
"Good morning indeed." She said back, her smile widening before she leaned forward to kiss him softly on the lips.
"Thank you. That felt really great." He said as he reached back to grab her arm, seeking the leverage to pull her around the chair and into his lap.
"That's something they taught you though, isn't it?" He asked, a tinge of guilt behind his question.
"Yes..." she answered as she met his seeking hand with her own. "But, it's okay," she reassured him, "I've learned a bit of good stuff along with all the not so good stuff."
She stepped sideways, following the direction of his gentle tugs, before curling herself across him. She sank into his lap completely, relaxing as he tucked his arm tightly around her, hugging her close. With his free hand, he brushed his fingers through her hair pulling it over her shoulder. They stilled as they came face to face. He stared into her deep brown eyes, reflecting on his feelings for her.
How she could endure so much and still be so warm, so vital, was baffling to him. She had such beauty and such grace. But, more than that, it was this profound optimism and ability to carry on despite such dire circumstances that made her so totally irresistible to him. She was so refreshingly genuine. He found her exhilarating.
He couldn't resist the temptation of her being so close to him. He loved feeling her curled against him; a perfect fit against his body. The memory of her wrapped around him last night only deepened his desire to hold her close. He leaned forward, finding her soft lips with his own as the words he had said to her so many times already crossed his lips.
"God, you are so amazing."
He pressed his kiss more forcefully, sweeping his tongue sensually against her lips and into her mouth. He groaned as she opened herself to him, leaning forward to increase their connection and brushing her fingertips across his jaw line. He curled his fingers around her soft hair and kissed her thoroughly, enjoying everything about the way her body reacted to his touch. In the freshness of the morning, without the emotional struggles she had felt yesterday, her desire for him was pure and uninhibited.
She pressed suggestively against him, sitting forward and wrapping her arms around his neck. As she shifted, it freed up more of her body for his exploration. He happily tightened his hands against her back and under her bottom. She was rewarded with the sensation of him hardening beneath her as they continued to kiss.
Drifting across her back, his fingertips pulled at the t-shirt she wore. His own t-shirt, he thought with satisfaction, as he noted that she had chosen to wrap herself up in his clothes again. He glided his way across the soft skin of her back, tickling her slightly and causing her to make sweet sounds against his mouth, before he continued exploring, stroking gently against her ribs.
His palm gently cupped her breast as his thumb brushed her nipple. She yelped as he felt them stiffen under his touch. He pinched one gently, rolling it between his fingers, eliciting a deep moan from Catrine. His other hand joined the first, cupping both breasts in his hands, massaging them softly and stimulating her gently as her body undulated in his lap.