Between a rock and a hard place
Chapter 17. Whenever she wanted (Epilogue)

They were on the couch, and the kissing had gradually become more intense, wet and passionate. They embraced, seeking greater contact.

After what happened in Isobel's office, they parted ways, awkwardly promising to see each other later. Jubal went to present his new statement, which he used as an opportunity to plead vehemently in Isobel's behalf. Something of it must have done some good, because Reynolds sent her home for the day, but told her that the next day she could return to her position.

Hardly had Isobel arrived home, when Jubal knocked on her door and she invited him in, but they stood in silence, not knowing what to say to each other.

Despite how they had kissed earlier in the office, Jubal had initially struggled to bring himself to do it again. So he had just looked into her eyes, just captivated.

Isobel had taken solace in now being able to see the immense affection in Jubal's gaze. She had let herself go and caressed his cheek affectionately.

To Jubal's great satisfaction, Isobel's eyes and demeanor no longer hid what she was feeling, making his heart race. Irremediably attracted, he leaned over and kissed her with the utmost gentleness. They hugged each other slowly, and for a long time, their lips were meeting with soft sweetness.

Isobel had led him to her couch and they had continued there, between tender caresses.

Neither could tell which of them had changed the game. It was simply that their need for each other had continued to grow. By the time they wanted to realize it, the kissing was fiery and they were tentatively exploring each other's bodies.

Running a hand up from Isobel's thigh, up her hip and over her waist, Jubal reached a breast and slid his hand over it over the top of her blouse. Isobel sighed heavily.

Still kissing her, Jubal opened a couple of buttons. With a very deliberate movement, he slipped his hand up her cleavage until it was on one of her breasts and cupped it with his whole palm, fondling it slowly over the bra, then using his thumb deftly. Isobel moaned. How good he was at doing that. It was delicious, but she stopped him. Jubal looked at her a little worried.

"I want you to let me…" Isobel whispered with a tentative smile that reassured Jubal and made him smile in return.

She wanted him to touch her, but this time she needed to be in total control. And show Jubal that she could make him quiver as much as he always made her tremble.

It took some effort on Jubal's part, but he didn't argue. He put his hands back on her waist and offered his mouth for Isobel to kiss.

She could not resist. At first, Isobel restrained herself, but then she became more and more ardent and provocative. Overcome, Jubal pulled her eagerly against him. Almost involuntarily, he slipped his hand between Isobel's firm thighs, regretting that today she was wearing pants instead of a skirt.

The ascending caress almost made Isobel forget what her plan was. But no. This time she wasn't going to let him. She broke the kiss and, meeting his eyes, gently took him by both wrists and pulled his hands above his head. She held them firmly to the back of the sofa. Jubal let her do it but gave her a questioning look.

"I said, leave it to me," Isobel insisted. She rose briefly and straddled his thighs; bringing her mouth close, she tempted him with her lips.

He tried to kiss her but Isobel wouldn't let him. She held him with one hand and began to unbutton his shirt. When she opened it all the way, she ran her palm sensually over his chest. Jubal found the whole thing oddly exciting.

Isobel went to release her wrists.

"Are you going to behave yourself?" She asked first, somewhat suspiciously.

She wasn't sure if she was achieving the desired effect.

"Yes, ma'am," he assured her, with a breathlessness that Isobel found quite encouraging.

When she released him, Jubal kept his arms raised, as if he were bound.

Isobel leaned over him and gently brushed his ear with her lips, sucked his earlobe. Then she began kissing his neck while, careful not to touch his burns, she enjoyed caressing his torso with both hands and hearing him sigh. As Isobel's lips descended down his chest, she further grazed his nipples with her fingertips. Jubal shivered and couldn't help but groan. He clenched his fists fighting the urge to return the attentions.

Isobel looked at him in pleasure, and replaced her fingers on his nipples with the tip of her tongue. Her hands headed south.

Jubal was already panting when she reached between his legs and began to touch him over his clothes. Isobel's desire skyrocketed when she found him in a state of complete stiffness. She ran her hand over him, basking in his warm, firm touch. Jubal squirmed against his nonexistent restraints.

"Damn it, Isobel," he gasped, "I would have preferred if you had actually tied me up," Jubal wailed; he didn't know how long he could resist that sweet torture.

Isobel found that wonderfully suggestive. She looked at him biting her lower lip. "Maybe some other time," she replied, "If you ask me nicely…"

She continued to lick and caress him. For a while longer, Jubal was unable to say anything, only feel. "There are other things I want more..." he finally managed to say, despite his shortness of breath.

Isobel nibbled on a nipple causing Jubal let out a loud gasp. "Oh, really?" she asked teasingly.

Jubal needed a few moments to answer.

"I want to taste your skin too" he begged, pleading.

Isobel felt herself swelling at the burning desire conveyed by his hazel eyes and deep voice. If it was something he wanted so badly...then it fell within her plan to make him enjoy it. Isobel decided that she should not deny him.

Looking him in the face, she opened her own blouse and groped herself both breasts with sensual movements. Clinging to the back of the couch, Jubal's eyes nearly popped out of his sockets. Even more so when Isobel raised herself up on her knees and pulled down her bra cups. It was delicious for her to see that unsatisfied hunger in Jubal's stare.

She moved closer, bringing one breast within reach of his mouth. He didn't hesitate for a second, taking her nipple with his lips and gently brushing it. It was the first time Jubal had done that to her, and Isobel found he was outstanding. But it was nothing compared to when he began toying with his tongue. Isobel clung to his head and began to moan. Jubal, impossibly stimulated by those delicious sounds, alternated lustfully between both breasts, licking and sucking. His avidity was such that, much to Isobel's delight, it was undeniable that he was enjoying doing this as much as she was.

Suddenly, Isobel noticed that Jubal had wrapped his arms around her and was caressing her back and hips. She didn't stop him because it was especially nice to feel him holding her against him like that.

But a little later, she pulled back to stare him in the face again. "You said you were going to behave yourself," she admonished him.

Panting, Jubal spread his arms wide and pulled his hands away with obvious effort.

Isobel nodded, giving him credit. "That's right." Hers hands cupped his face, capturing his lips ardently. "Now, come to my bed," Isobel whispered into his mouth, making him growl. It seemed to Jubal that she had taken pity on him but actually, Isobel was quite desperate as well.

They stood up and, still kissing, made their way clumsily towards the bedroom.

In the hallway, Jubal could not resist and leaned her against the wall. Isobel allowed him to demonstrate his desire, nudging and rubbing his body against hers, while Isobel finished removing his shirt. Well, she almost ripped it off. It was very satisfying to feel the way he ran his hands up and down her thighs, her buttocks, her entire body, that he could barely control himself. Isobel realized that was part of what she wanted to achieve.

As Jubal began to remove her pants with trembling hands, she actively helped him. Before he was tempted to touch her between the legs, Isobel pulled him into her room.

She sat him on the edge of the bed. Jubal bit his lip hard when he saw Isobel kneel in front of him. And she was starting to undo his belt buckle, then undoing his pants as well. She slipped a hand inside and carefully felt underneath his underwear, making him gasp. Slowly, she freed his member from any garment. The delicate way she touched him to accomplish this made Jubal shudder.

Thinking about how to begin, Isobel paused for a moment.

Seeing her hesitate, Jubal became concerned. "You don't have to do this if you don't want to..." he said hoarsely, because he was actually dying for her to go through with it.

Isobel looked up with piercing eyes and began to slide her hand slowly but intensely over him. Jubal's breathing became very labored.

"I have to return the favor…" purred Isobel.

For heaven's sake... Those black eyes... That touch. Jubal was about to burst into flames.

"I- I didn't do it this morning to do a favor," he gasped. "I did it because I really wanted to do it."

Isobel blinked and pondered for a moment. "Even better," she stated, licking her lips sensually in an irresistibly enticing gesture. "I'll do it too because I want to." And she leaned over him, taking him in her mouth.

Throwing his head back, Jubal's eyes immediately rolled back at her words and at the intensity of what Isobel was doing to him. Skipping her instructions, Jubal couldn't help but stroke her head, gently entwining his fingers through her soft hair. She did not stop him as she seemed absolutely focused on what she was doing.

With an effort, Jubal looked down. The combination of that vision with the sensations of her warm mouth and skillful tongue was almost irresistible. It was terribly erotic for him that Isobel was savoring him in such a devoted way. He had forgotten what it was like to have someone you are in love with do something like that to you with such enthusiasm.

Without pausing, Isobel glared at him salaciously from below. Jubal was unable to suppress it any longer, and began to moan, louder and louder. And that made Isobel burn with desire and apply herself even more.

Before long, she was pushing him so far over the edge that Jubal, before he completely lost control, had to pull Isobel to him, drawing her to him and sitting her on his lap.

Her face was somewhat upset. She had been striving for him to finish in her mouth but Jubal hadn't let himself. She had to get compensated in some way. Pressing against him, she trapped his arousal between them teasing him even further. Jubal kissed her wildly, and he felt Isobel smile against his lips.

Jubal needed more. He leaned back, laying them both on the bed. He shrugged off Isobel's underwear with impatient movements, ready to pounce on her next.

But Isobel stopped him by finishing undressing him completely, and straddling his hips.

Anxious, Jubal went to turn the tables, but then Isobel held him by the wrists again, against the mattress. And to his own surprise, he let her do whatever she wanted to him. He didn't know why, but it was terribly inciting for him to be at her mercy like that.

As Isobel slowly eased him in, Jubal let out a deep moan. She looked at him with narrowed eyes of sheer delight. And she began to move on him.

Still holding his wrists, Isobel's hips rode him relentlessly. She sought his climax in the most demanding way from the first moment, determined to subdue him completely. But, curiously enough, what she succeeded in doing was to give Jubal a prolonged and sustained pleasure that made him grunt deliciously and writhing beneath her with a transfixed expression. Watching him enjoy himself like this for so long, at the same time as she felt him inside her, was too much for Isobel. The tension grew uncontrollably within her and suddenly, before she achieved her goal, she could do nothing to prevent sudden flashes of lightning bolts from coursing through her body.

Before the violent spasms of ecstasy inside Isobel threw him into the unfathomable precipice of his own, Jubal spun them around, lying on top of her, making himself enter even deeper. The delight in Isobel's surprised exclamation and in her face, he found tremendously arousing, but Jubal remained motionless, searching her eyes for confirmation that she was okay with his taking the lead.

A part of Isobel felt frustrated that she had not been able to repay all the gratification Jubal had given her the night before and that very morning, but then her gaze locked on his. She realized that this dynamic of debts and payments made no sense between the two of them.

Because now Jubal wasn't really going anywhere. Isobel could have him whenever she wanted, and he could have her. And they had all the time in the world.

The way Isobel wrapped her arms and legs around him, the passion Jubal found in her eyes, would have been more than enough answer for him. And ultimate show of trust.

But in addition, Isobel cupped his face with both hands. "I love you," she murmured and kissed him tenderly on the lips.

Caressing her cheek, Jubal responded in awe to the kiss, his heart overwhelmed by that confession that a part of him had still feared he would never hear from Isobel's mouth.

His body started to move, yearning to melt completely with her.

The fire he summoned, swept over Isobel hard and fast, but she held back to keep up with him and stoke Jubal's as much as she could.

He was trying hard to make her enjoy it again without losing control, although Isobel wasn't making it easy for him. The way she was clinging to him, the way she was undulating her body against his, begging for more, was maddening. He bit her neck voraciously.

Isobel felt Jubal's movements becoming impetuous and irresistible. A thick cloud of ecstasy was enveloping her.

With a flash of inspiration, Isobel stroked Jubal's nipples. She began to hear him growl, and it almost swayed her. Almost reflexively, she pinched rhythmically. He didn't need anything else. His body couldn't resist it and the rapturous sensations swept over him.

It was wonderful for Isobel to feel him shudder violently, to become undone inside her, to hear him moan desperately with pleasure.

And only then, Isobel let herself got carried away too.

·~·~·

Catching their breath wasn't proving easy for either of them. Jubal knew he should withdraw from on top of Isobel, but staying together was too pleasant a feeling. He was still shaking. He gently brushed Isobel's hair back from her face, gazing raptly at her radiant beauty.

Isobel was still sighing with narrowed eyes from the recent rush. "Wow... This was..." she couldn't finish. She noticed Jubal resting his lips tenderly on hers and looked up. He seemed simply overwhelmed.

"Isobel..."

He was just struggling to say something. Languidly, she stroked his back and the nape of his neck affectionately. She ran her fingertips over his forehead and cheek, admiring his graceful face. It was striking how dear his features were to her.

"Tell me..."

"In case..." Jubal took a deep breath. "In case you had any doubts, I love you too..." he declared plainly.

Isobel's heart hammered in her chest so hard, she almost got worried. "I think you should know that I'm not going to get tired of hearing you say that anytime soon..." she warned him, a bit uneasily.

Jubal's pleased smile and the reverence with which he kissed her managed to reassure her. "Fine... Because I do intend to tell you that very often."

Surrendered at last, Isobel kissed him back with immense sweetness. "So do I to you, amor mío. So do I."

~.~.~.~