CHAPTER THIRTEEN

"Irissssss!!" Brass nearly yelped. He couldn't believe the sensations flooding through his being. Where had she learned to...? He grasped at her shoulders trying to keep the rhythm she'd created. She was taking him to the brink when…

Her attention suddenly shifted as Brass felt he was going over the edge and beyond the point of no return, grateful that she had spared his life at the last minute. She lazily stretched herself out beside him and playfully rubbed her foot up and down his leg.

"Am I hired?" she purred.

Jim's breathing remained gasping and ragged for a few minutes before he could say something in reply. "That was unfair, honey. Hired? Heaven help me if I ever fire you."

He rolled over to pin her suddenly. "Turnabout's fair play," he said to his quarry. His fingers moved languorously over her soft skin, as he bent to kiss the nape of her neck, then shoulders, and then front of her chest. Brass began to untie the straps holding the chemise in place, his desire to explore acute now. Iris's breathing was different now too he noted with satisfaction. Her chemise came away with one deft flick of Jim's hand and went sliding off the bed.

"No fair, lover, your britches remain in place," Iris complained.

"Not for long, sweetie," Brass said in reply, moving quickly to remedy that situation.

Brass drew Iris back close as he began to rain a series of wet, slow kisses beginning on her upper chest as he continued to explore her torso. Unable to help herself, Iris was making little gasps that told Jim what he wanted to know. He made his way down to her stomach area, but he wasn't stopping his descent. Gently, he slid his hand between her thighs, Iris nearly bucking him off the bed at his touch. She quickly voiced an apology at her involuntary reaction.

Jim grinned at this response. She was a like a finely tuned instrument and he wanted to have her singing, literally. Before she could escape him, he bent to give back what Iris had done for him and then some. He was thorough and left no part of her unexplored. To his delight, Iris was pretty vocal about it and not afraid to say what did or didn't feel right. Was she really from the Midwest, as girls from Jersey were more like this? However, he left her just short of full satisfaction as she had him.

"Job security?" Brass asked, before sweeping down to claim Iris's lips in a long, searching and penetrating kiss that muffled her reply.

"Can't talk with my mouth full, ya know! Oh, yeah, you've job security for life as a matter of fact. Wow-whoa-whew!" Iris finally managed, as Jim gave a low laugh.

Brass drew her close again as they molded themselves to one another. "All the way, babe," he said before kissing her hungrily again.

"Uh, Bear, before we get there..." Iris said haltingly, "I need to 'fess up about something."

"Yeah, hon," Jim replied, planting a line of slow kisses down the side of her face.

"I…I…I've never before," Iris said softly as her voice trailed away.

Jim's last kiss froze on his lips as he gazed down at Iris, the full realization of what she'd just said impacting him.