At night he had a nightmare: his hero, Derek Storm, was hanging by a thread over a precipice. And for some reason Derek was dressed in his, Castle's, clothes: the same shorts and polo shorts, hair, stylish glasses. And the hero was not just hanging over the abyss, he was sliding down into it long and painfully, and every crevice, every vein in the rock, every protruding ridge that his tortured hands grasped in vain was in front of his eyes. And as he plunged lower and lower into the abyss, feeling the incredible weight in his shoulders, he saw the blood oozing from his fingers, the veins in his arms bulging and nearly bursting, and the cloudy veil covering his eyes. The horror took his breath away, and he could not utter a word. And there was no hope of salvation: he turned toward the abyss, shuddering and sweating, and something dark enveloped him in a dense, impenetrable cocoon. And in that same cocoon he slid somewhere down as his fingers unhooked. Once, just once, he noticed an unidentifiable female figure on the ledge, but it was definitely not Paula: taller, a bit larger at the hips, and a different shade of hair. And the woman had a gun on her, too-she held it confidently in her hand-but that was all the hero could see. Because he was swallowed up by the inferno...
Castle jumped out of bed as if stung and immediately put his feet to the floor: his girlfriend did not even move, breathing was smooth and monotonous. With a shaking hand Rick adjusted a wet, sticky bangs, ran his palm across his chest and forearm: urgently needed a shower.
Castle glanced at the wall clock: it was about four in the morning, and dawn was already mastering the bungalow. Now that he was awake, there was a chance to reflect on the damn dream and fill in a page or two. Yes, Paula had not deceived him: the thought process had really begun, though it didn't smell like love, but that didn't matter. The process itself was important.
Castle put his slippers on his feet and staggered into the shower. He would have to find his laptop, take the steak and fruit with him, and make coffee. Time permitting...
Sitting in the kitchen in a chair by an ajar window, Rick enthusiastically pounded on the buttons of the laptop, and suddenly he felt a hug: it was Paula, bored with solitude, pressed against him with her whole body. Cheek to cheek, hands on top of hands, cool after the shower: her skin was nonetheless burning, confidently arousing his partner, and Castle felt with his shoulder how neat and firm her breasts were. Which was supremely excellent and delightful: in a split second he was all over with nervous goosebumps, and "buddy" reminded him of himself with a springy, impatient thrust.
- Have you written much, Ricky? - her warm lips brushed against his earlobe, and her left hand traveled down to his groin, stroking and tracing his taut body. - Were many lines born? I tried for you, didn't I?
- I... it... - with a sudden boiling lust Castle almost could not speak. - Just... sketches... Just... foreplay...
- Foreplay? - Haas gently took the notebook from Castle's hands to put it on the table, and she herself moved to face him and knelt down. - So let's make the process a little more...
...The oral kiss was gentle and tender. While Castle, shuddering and moaning, dug his fingers into the armrests, Paula kissed the shaft, licked and nibbled his testicles, bringing his lover to a powerful orgasm. And when he wheezed and convulsed in sweet convulsions, she continued to lick and kiss there, rubbing the secret all over herself. And then she pulled the flaccid lover by the arm, inviting him to follow her.
- Your turn, Castle. Show me Derek Storm's class!
She dragged Castle into the bedroom and flopped down on the crumpled bed so that she could roll over onto her back. Her shoulders and back, wriggling like a lizard, she rested her head on the pillow and willingly spread her legs. And without even touching her body, Castle felt the burning heat inside his partner. There, between the intimate, tactilely familiar folds, it was definitely hot and humid, and this suggestion of Paula's was sure to translate into a curl of history, that very unfinished chapter. And Castle already knew roughly what he would write and how.
He knelt on one knee by the bed, and his left hand rested on Paula's silken thigh: she immediately covered his hand with hers, and the gentle shaking of his fingers invited him to coitus more than a scream. And still holding his hand, Castle moved to the bed and lay down between the girl's slender, mannequin-like legs. And there he was, a neatly trimmed curly "triangle," and Paula was already breathing and whimpering familiarly. And she is already shivering with impending passion, and the spicy secret, drop by drop, escapes onto the cool linen.
And Rick slid across the bed, and grazed his tongue, his lips, greedily and passionately, to those delicate, coral folds: the last time it had been so sensitive was a long time ago. With her, with Paula, and no one else after her, Castle had never had such a desire, but with Haas he had.
And Rick penetrated his tongue into the remotest, most sensitive corners, and murmured and squelched, massaging and arousing, and grateful, passionately wriggling Paula, running her fingers through her partner's short, sticky hair, arched back, with her heels resting on his back, and shrieked, and sighed often, and juicy, profane words came involuntarily from her lips...
And then came the orgasm, powerful, prolonged, dazzling and bright, and Paula cried out, and cried out in her chest, and, obeying the enticing movement of her hands, Castle covered the girl with himself. His jaw went a little numb from the indescribable effort, but his other organ was raring to go again. And the helpless Paula, shaking her body under the sharp thrusts, only relaxed, dreamily smiled, hugging his friend by the neck, and Castle passed out, barely slipping off her steaming body...
He woke up alone when the sun, judging by the clock, had already passed noon. It was not hot in the bedroom - Paula had set the air conditioner when she left. And she had thoughtfully brought her laptop from the kitchen. He closed his eyes, remembering the dream and the hot embrace, and his hands reached for the machine: the battery was still charged, but Castle did not have time to take the charger - impatience overwhelmed him. As soon as he opened the file, he immediately tapped the keyboard. Now Rick wrote down in the abstract, the main things, the essence of the chapter, leaving the juicy details for later. Yes, later, everything would be described and colored, and even the sucking under the spoon of hunger was not a priority. And Castle made it, sketched it out before the laptop beeped and went out. Just then Rick got out of bed to charge the battery and track down Paula. To thank her, in every way...
- How is Mr. Storm? - Paula was lounging in the sun, in her panama, goggles, and swim trunks, waiting for him to wake up. - What of his adventures? Is the end in sight?
- That's better,- Castle grinned and stroked his rumbling belly. - Is there any steak left from last night?
- I let myself worry about us, but breaking my nails on the rind wasn't part of my plan. It's all ready to go.
Castle readily gave his friend a hand, trying not to be distracted by her bare breasts, and Paula appreciated that. They ducked into the bungalow, and while Castle scratched the back of his head, trying on the rich table, Haas went to get a shirt and shorts.
After a while they were seated opposite each other, and Castle was silent for some reason. That didn't escape Haas.
- You look strange, Rick,- Paula gazed into his face. - Is something bothering you?
- Y-yes,- he hated lying to her. - The night before you found me in the kitchen, I had a creepy dream. It was long and painful, and I was hanging over a chasm until I dropped down, and I think it was a sign.
- A sign?
- A sign!
- Do you believe in dreams?
- I believe in a lot of unusual and paranormal things, and that's why the dream worries me. It is as if it foretells a fall, a failure of Storm's scheme and a collapse of the gathering. That's how I see it.
- Hmm,- Haas leaned back in her chair. - Maybe you're getting yourself wound up for nothing. When you look ahead, you anticipate current events, but that doesn't mean you have to write this and that. Be proactive, Castle, give it your all, and then time will tell.
- You think? - uneven lines of sadness creased his forehead. - What if...
- No ifs, Rick, and you let me read what you wrote...
... they spent the next three hours of the afternoon in heated arguments at the laptop, Castle on the couch with a bottle of water, Paula next to her with her legs tucked under her. And she clung to every phrase, every word in the text, but she listened to the arguments and did not interrupt. And when, more or less, the finale loomed, Paula pursed her lips:
- Okay, Castle, I want to go to the sea. We need to change.
Paula jumped to the floor first, and Castle looked after her, and he was overwhelmed with gratitude. In fact, Paula had sacrificed herself for him, not distracted by feelings, but only giving herself to her body. Though, after such a hot weekend, something might still stir in her soul, but they had made a vow to each other. And he would do anything to make Paula feel good, so that they'd turn in the text on time, and she wouldn't have to blush for him. Tonight, he will caress her like he has never caressed her, and let it be their triumph. And who knows what kind of woman was in his dream. Maybe a new muse, maybe love, and it may be months, or even years, before this one is unraveled. And now he will go to that wonderful woman, Paula, who is waiting for him outside, and may God forgive him...
...They disembarked from the ferry on the evening of the third day: a cab was already waiting for Paula. And the agent did not look formal and austere at all, but rather at home: the bare minimum of makeup, loose hair, a little tired and peaceful look. И... a smile: soft, direct, a little shy. For a long time Castle had not seen Haas so calm, serene, smiling at who knows what.
- What?- and he cocked an eyebrow in confusion. - Do I look wrong?
- No, Castle,- she shook her head. - You look amazing. Not to mention the rest of you.
And Paula stepped toward him, trying not to meet her partner's eyes: she touched her forearms with her hands, smoothly bringing her hands up to the lapel of her shirt. In a few slight movements, I shook off nonexistent dust particles, adjusted the collar, which was already perfectly upright, and, lastly, gently patted my partner's cheekbone.
- I did the best I could, Castle. The rest is up to you, Rick. I'm waiting for the results.
- I know, Paula,- and their hands joined in a gentle handshake. - Thank you, and it will be a chapter in your honor. A very hot chapter, and we won't be ashamed of it...
- I believe so,- she turned away, her voice trembling, the moisture on her eyelash flickering. - Good-bye, Rick. Time is of the essence.
She unhooked her fingers and tapped her heels, heading for the cab, and Castle... Rick shifted the bag with the laptop in his right hand, and only when Paula left, leaned against the handrail, looking at the light waves washing the was a strange feeling: he got just a giant charge of emotion, which he lacked with Ursula, but at the same time, there was a persistent feeling of discomfort in his soul. As if he, Castle, had just committed a mortal sin, but this woman, his agent, who could both demand and forgive, had done a lot for him. And more than that, but Castle would never tie his life to her. Alexis' persistent dissatisfaction with Paula's community had contributed greatly to this, and Martha had spoken of Haas with disdain and resentment. So the question of a close relationship resolved itself.
Even the fact that they were both good in bed did not mean a complete, one hundred percent common ground, and Rick did not want to deceive his partner's hopes, nor to deceive himself. Most importantly, he was honest with her, promised nothing of the kind, and Haas appreciated it. That's why, the morning before she left, she said that she would remain his agent as long as she could, and her occasional coming Ray was certainly not an obstacle to it. And now that her emotions were running high and the long-awaited file was in her laptop, there was only one thing left to do: tie the poignant chapter to the overall text. And then all would be well.