Hello, Hello!:) Weeell, for me today is a very special day coz exactly 1 year ago I posted "Invisible", my very first N/CC story. So for this one year anniversary I've prepared this oneshot and an update, of course, for Fabric ;) I know this is a much bigger deal for me than for you but I've never written as much for a category and I've never felt as..happy with reviewers as you guys. So thank you my lovely negs,nrfan,NIles'CC, beMMADfabulous, triple L, samanddianefan and aaaaaaaall the others of you who make writing these stories SO much more fun!;) And while I'm at it, I also wanna shamelessly plug my new Lauren Fansite that looks SO much better now: www dot laurakaylane dot de dot ki ;) I hope you'll enjoy this!:)
Disclaimer: As much as I've loved the butler and the socialite for over a year, they still aren't mine. :( (but that doesn't stop me from playing with them)
Of Cold Days and Warm Nights
It was the most terrible blizzard New York had seen in a number of years.
"It's the end of March," Maggie complained as she sat down for breakfast "I don't believe it!"
"Good news, everyone, Maggie has learned the calendar!" her brother exclaimed, earning an immediate: "Shut up, Brighton!" in return.
"Now I'm with Maggie on this one!" Fran Fine announced, who was in the dining room clad in her bathrobe, as always "The kids almost have their school holidays, maybe it's time to consider a vacation in the Caribbean?"
"I don't know, Miss Fine," Maxwell Sheffield, head of the family, shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "C.C. and I are swamped with work. I don't think this is the right time to go away..."
"Oh, Mr. Sheffield!" Fran whined and the kids chorused similar complaints of their own.
"On the other hand," Max said loudly, raising his arm to get everyone's attention "it has been rather cold lately and we all deserve a nice get-away."
"Hello, Hello!" a voice called from the corridor and Maxwell's business partner appeared at the door.
"Speaking of getting away, Sir." Niles intoned dryly.
"It's beautiful outside," C.C. continued, as if she hadn't heard him, or maybe because she had chosen not to.
Her cheeks were rosy from the cold and snowflakes were tangled in her hair, making it glisten beautifully. Immediately all eyes were on her.
"Miss Babcock, there's a blizzard outside." Fran voiced incredulously.
"I don't mind," C.C. shrugged cheerily.
"Yes, Miss Fine, don't forget, this is her natural habitat!" Niles instantly chimed in and a glare was passed between him and the socialite.
"We were just discussing the possibility of going away on vacation." Maxwell interrupted, before another verbal battle could start between the two.
"Oh how marvellous! We've been working far too much lately, we certainly deserve some time-off!"
"I'm glad you agree, C.C.," Max beamed at her "because I'll be taking the family to the Caribbean and you can book a trip too."
The blonde's expression that had been positively giddy a moment ago, suddenly hardened.
"Better luck next time," Niles whispered mockingly in her ear as he leaned over her shoulder to set down a plate in front of her.
C.C. was particularly testy the week leading up to the family's vacation. Nonetheless, and much to everyone's surprise, she turned up at the mansion on the day the Sheffields were supposed to leave.
"I just thought I'd see you off to the airport." she explained with an innocent smile, but Niles' glance made her consider her other motives; namely that she was hoping that maybe their flight would be cancelled.
"Oh that's very nice of you, C.C." Maxwell praised and with a triumphant grin to Niles, she followed him outside and to the limo.
The children were already inside and Fran gracefully walked down the icy sidewalk and slipped into the car as well. C.C., trying to do the same, slipped and lost her balance and would've unceremoniously landed on her backside, had it not been for a strong arm that had snaked around her waist and steadied her.
"I guess some women are born to wear heels," the dreaded butler's voice sounded "while others just look like cows on ice."
She was too shocked that he hadn't simply let her fall to come up with a witty retort and so she merely scrambled out of his arms and into the limo. There she found herself squished with the rest of the family, her back to the driver. Niles took his seat too and after ensuring that the Sheffields had everything they needed, he drove off to the airport. C.C. tried to block out the awful singing of Nanny Fine and the children and instead focused on the snowflakes that were dancing in the storm.
The airport, too, was filled with people, clearly dying to get away from the freezing temperatures. Unfortunately for C.C., flights from JFK were still taking off regularly and so she found herself alone with the butler much too soon for her liking, pouring herself a generous glass of Jack Daniel's.
"Seems your plan didn't work, Babs, but you should be used to that by now." Niles quipped and slid into the driver's seat.
"Just shut up and drive." she growled, snapping the privacy glass shut.
The car engine roared to life and C.C. resigned to wallowing in self-pity while nursing her drink. The steady rumbling rhythm soon calmed her and she drifted off to sleep. But suddenly there was a screech and she dug her nails into the leather of the seat as the car swerved dangerously and then came to a sudden standstill. Not a moment later did she hear Niles' worried voice on the intercom.
"Miss Babcock, are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm fine." she replied tersely "But what the hell happened?"
She could hear the grunts of pain from the front and then the privacy glass was rolled down and Niles' face appeared.
"A strong wind hit the car. I lost control of the wheel and the road was still slippery so we were pushed into a ditch."
Despite her annoyance a flicker of worry rushed over her face.
"Did you get hurt?"
"No, fine. My shoulder just suffered a blow." he said in a gruff voice.
"Well then, what are you waiting for?" she asked haughtily "Get us out of this mess!"
"You expect me to leave the car in this weather?"
"Yes, you're the servant, the lackey and I'm – for lack of a better word- the damsel in distress!"
For a moment all she could hear was snickering from the front.
"Damsel implies a fine and graceful woman and, Babs, you're neither."
"Are you through insulting me?" she hissed.
"Yes, for now. Just wanted to explain that I doubt you'll ever be in a situation where you can't help yourself."
The privacy glass separated them again before she had a chance to ask if he'd just paid her a compliment.
The next hour slowly dragged by as the silence between them stretched on. C.C. occasionally helped herself to drinks from the mini bar until something occurred to her.
"Niles!" she called, leaning forward to knock on the privacy glass.
"Yes?" his voice was muffled, as he still refused to remove the barrier between them.
"Have you called for help?"
"How stupid do you think I am, Babcock? I've tried, but the phone's dead."
"Just checking," she muttered, certain that he couldn't hear her "never know with you..."
More and more minutes passed and after a while she was not only bored to death but also cold, yet her stubbornness stopped her from contacting him again. So instead she helped herself to more alcohol, to get some heat back into her body.
"Miss Babcock!" his voiced reached her tired brain eventually. "Miss Babcock, we've run out of gas, I can't keep the car warm any longer."
That finally awakened her fully and she muttered something incoherently under her breath. They could freeze to death, she realised, yet her brain was slow to grasp the full implications of this. Niles would sort this out... he was the butler, after all. Tiredly her heavy eyelids fluttered shut again and she tried to arrange her body on the seats as best as she could, before sleep conquered her again.
Niles didn't quite know what to make of her lack of response. Considering the previous exchange between them, it wouldn't surprise him if she was merely ignoring him. But still there was this nagging feeling that something was wrong. He sighed and wrapped his coat closer around him, for the cold had already begun seeping through his clothes. He attempted to sleep, persuading himself that if he could manage that he would soon awake to find that they had been rescued. But the uncomfortable position he was in, his back roughly pressed against the side of the car, wouldn't allow it. His neck was stiff and tense and a headache was beginning to take over. Finally he gave up and decided to admit defeat, by joining Miss Babcock in the back of the car. The space there would at least be big enough to allow him to fall asleep in a comfortable position. With great effort he pushed open the door of the limousine, for the wind outside was still strong, making it almost impossible to exit the vehicle. Eventually though he succeeded and scrambled outside, the various curses he uttered disappearing in the blackness of the night in a whisper of air. He couldn't believe his eyes when he found C.C. asleep in the car, outstretched over the seats, her feet dangling over the edge. He squeezed in behind her and very carefully curled up next to her body. She stirred then, as if she'd sensed that she wasn't alone any longer.
"Niles?" she didn't face him.
"Yes," he replied quietly, his warm breath tickling her neck.
"Are we going to die here?"
Her fear was all he needed not to give in to his own. It took quite a lot to make C.C. confess such a thing and he would make sure that she'd feel safe again.
"No, we won't." he promised.
"It's cold..." she said after a moment.
"Don't think about it," he replied easily "it's your element and it can't hurt you."
Despite the lightness of his words though his left arm protectively wrapped around her waist and he withdrew sharply when he realised how much warmth had already left her body.
"You're cold," he muttered pathetically and moved closer again, trying to warm her with his body as best as he could.
"And you only noticed that now?" she questioned teasingly, desperate too to keep the mood light "Slow as always, Butler Boy."
He chuckled against her shoulder and she could've sworn to have felt the tremor of his voice on her bare skin.
"I'm sure you'd rather be anywhere than here with me." she voiced.
"Actually, Babs, you're wrong."
He left it at that, wasn't ready yet to confess more, the situation wasn't that hopeless yet. Eventually he fell into an uneasy sleep, calmed despite all odds, by the soothing rhythm of her breathing. But he awoke to find her shaking in his arms, her teeth chattering and never before had panic surged through him as strongly as then.
"Ssh," he whispered into her ear, tried to hold her still.
"I c-cant," she managed, still shaking violently.
And then Niles did the only thing he could think of. The cold air that touched her body when he lifted her coat and blouse was enough to clear her mind.
"Niles, not the time for a prank." she argued weakly but all sense of reason fled her mind, when she felt his warm lips press against her lower back.
"My hands are cold," he mumbled apologetically against her skin and continued upwards, tracing intricate patterns over her back.
It wasn't enough to chase the cold away completely but the delicate combination of his warm mouth and cold nose against her, was enough to distract her and eventually enough to create an altogether more pleasant situation further south. He pulled away to breathe on his hands, to warm them enough so he could touch her back with them. And while he rubbed small circles over it, he pressed his lips to her neck.
"You taste good," he hummed.
In response she intertwined their legs, brought him as close as she could. She could feel his fingers inching towards her stomach, craving to explore more of her and for the time being, she needed him.
"I don't want to..." he began but was unable to formulate what exactly it was, that he was afraid of.
But she understood him nonetheless. His curious fingers had reached the lace of her bra, were tracing it over and over again, as if they were afraid to discover what lay beneath.
"Do it," her voice was trembling "we might die..."
At this he growled and turned her over forcefully so that she came to lie on her back and he was hovering over her.
"Will you stop saying that?" he barked and then crushed his lips to hers.
She forgot to breathe, was struggling and yet her lips found the rhythm he was dictating. Her eyes focused on him, she hadn't realised that they had fluttered shut before, and for a moment she was stunned by the intensity in his deep blue orbs. He finally pulled away by a mere fraction of an inch and took his time to study her. Her lips were bruised and red and slightly parted and her chest was rising and falling frantically. And even as he looked at her, the light touch of their bodies was enticing him to continue what he had begun. Her lips came closer until they were grazing his, a gentle reminder of what he already knew he wanted. And yet...
"C.C.," his voice was raw and pleading.
"Shut up," she whispered and wrapped her arms around his neck to bring him closer again.
Their second kiss was more hesitant and tender, as this time they were savouring each sensation. She shifted beneath him as they kissed and only when she guided his hands to her now naked breasts, did he realise what she had done. Her nipples reacted instantly to his touch, turned into stiff peaks as he playfully teased them with his fingertips. Emboldened by this he began rubbing them between his fingers, while using his free hand to unbutton her coat and blouse. He couldn't stand just to feel any longer, needed to see as well.
"Perfect," he whispered in low tones, causing her to shudder in anticipation.
His fingers traced the silky rim of her mounds and then his warm lips devoured her. She whimpered in response and wove her fingers through his dark-blonde hair. She felt it, rather than saw it, that his arousal was as high as hers and it gave her the energy to push him away. He looked at her quietly and she could see worry in his eyes and in the light frown that had appeared on his face. But all of it disappeared when her hands found the bulk in his pants, the place where his aroused member was straining to be released. His eyes closed and a throaty groan escaped him, a sound she had never in a million years expected to hear from him, nor had she thought to be the one to cause it. But she liked it, this power over him.
"Must have been a long time if you're this desperate." she commented mockingly and traced the bulk with her fingers.
His gaze was scathing and made her stop in her tracks.
"No, C.C., that's not why."
She swallowed, nervous again, as unprepared for this situation and these confessions as he was. He found her collarbone with his lips, kissed all the way up her neck and then hit her most sensitive spot, just behind her earlobe, with the tip of his tongue. And just like that all rational thought flew out the window. Her hands reached for him again, her fingers fumbled with his belt, then with his boxers, but eventually she was rewarded with the skin to skin contact of his stiff member. With feather light touches her fingers danced over it and he twitched in return. For a brief moment her sultry laugh filled the air, but was quickly overshadowed by his growl.
"God, you turn me on." he whispered against her neck.
Her throat was suddenly dry and she felt unable to tell him that he did the same to her, so instead she undid her pants and with great effort slipped out of them and her panties. Surely he could feel it now, the warmth from her core and only a second later, his fingers found their way down on their own accord. He hummed appreciatively and captured her lips and she gasped against his mouth when she felt one of his fingers gliding inside her.
"You're so wet," he groaned as he continued to pleasure her with his hands.
"Niles," she had started to pant, her body unable to deal with his delicious assault much longer.
"Yes," he nodded.
But instead of giving her what she'd ask for he took his time and gently kissed an invisible path down the valley between her breasts to her belly button.
"Niles," she said again, this time in a warning tone.
He knew what she wanted and God only knew he wanted it too, but this could be his only chance. He didn't think that they would die, was merely afraid of C.C.'s reaction afterwards. And so his lips went lower, beneath her curls where he found her throbbing clit. He teased it lightly with the tip of his tongue but then nipped and sucked on it. He needed to hear her moan again, to hear his name leave hers lips in such a pleasured whisper and he was certain that he would crave it for the rest of his life. Her body had erupted in goose bumps and he marvelled at the image in front of him. C.C. lay moulded against the seat, her head tipped back so that he could see every inch of her perfect body. He increased the pace and nipped on her clit again and then saw how the climax consumed her. She had shuddered softly at first, but then her hips had bucked against him and she had sighed deeply. It had been quiet and gentle but unbelievably beautiful to witness and he buried his face against the soft flesh of her stomach. He felt her, was enveloped by her and gave her time to recover until he would try and attempt to make her scream out his name. Eventually her breathing calmed again and he lifted his head to give her a roguish grin.
"You didn't play by the rules," she scolded, but her eyes were warm.
"When do I ever listen to you?" he grinned in return and softly kissed her stomach.
Her carefree laugh thrilled him and for a second he even managed to forget the dangerous situation they were in. He moved away from her, so he could turn her and afterwards slipped behind her again. He ran his hand up her thigh to her waist, as if appraising every inch of skin and then settled, his lips pressed against her neck once more.
"How do you manage to control yourself?" she asked into the sudden silence.
"Because," he kissed her shoulder "I'm not doing this for pleasure alone, but so that you can survive."
"How selfless of you," she commented dryly and he chuckled.
"Well, you certainly feel warm now."
He sighed and ran his fingertips along the contours of her shoulder blade.
"But it could change any second."
Her voice was quiet and timid once more, a combination he had come to find irresistible.
"Don't worry, I won't let you freeze." he promised in a silky voice.
He kissed down her back again and lifted her left leg effortlessly to move inside her. She sighed at the welcome friction, a sound that soon after turned into louder and louder moans with each of his thrusts. He held her, cradled her against his chest, all the while loving her like he had dreamed about several times before. After his actions had become faster and a little rougher, she began moaning his name, her voice slightly high-pitched the closer she was getting. He was curious to see how far he could push her and moved his hand to her breast, pinching her nipple in the rhythm of his thrusts. Her voice grew louder and louder still until she reached the peak of her ecstasy, screaming his name, and dug her nails into the skin of his hand as she came hard. Niles followed suit mere seconds later, grazing her shoulder with his teeth as the friction that had been building up finally evaporated into pleasure. He felt a droplet of sweat passing between their bodies, but whether it was from him or from her he didn't know. He held her tight, dreading the moment in which she'd come to her senses and pull away, only that moment never came. Reluctantly he pulled away from her but only to reach for their coats and drape them over their naked bodies, he had no doubt that they'd soon feel cold again. He hugged her from behind and draped his right arm around her, while his left snaked around her waist, the palm of his hand resting on her stomach. He inhaled deeply, catching their mingled scents and added it to all the other experiences of this night.
"Niles, I don't know..." she began, but stopped, at a loss for words.
"It doesn't matter," he whispered, kissing her shoulder again "we'll figure it out."