Thanks again to all the readers! You have been patient, supporting and awesome.
Evidence
Chapter 23: Finally!
Niles used the key to open the door and entered the penthouse carefully, locking it behind him.
He noticed the lights of the living room were off, and the ones in an internal corridor were on. Again, it seemed his witch was guiding him: she designed a path for him to walk and find her.
Finally, after so many years of observing and tentatively poking her now and then, he didn't have to guess if she wanted him closer. She wanted it, and she was doing everything in her reach to show him the way.
Niles let his bag by the side of the sofa and walked through the corridor until he reached the half open bedroom door.
He stopped and let himself look at CC Babcock, his former nemesis and current most-important-person-in-his-life.
She was sitting in the middle of her enormous bed, her back on the headboard, the covers on her waist, a book resting on her lap. She must have heard him arrive, because her eyes were expectant and settled on him as soon as he appeared at the bedroom door.
Their eyes locked and they just stayed there, drinking in the presence of the other, and feeling the importance of finally having all the time in the world just for themselves.
Niles felt the smile he knew he had on his eyes reach his lips at her serious and tender expression.
Aware of his reaction, CC smiled back.
Those smiles meant everything they had been trying to convey to the other since they decided to be spontaneous: acceptance, tenderness, affection, desire, recognition, invitation.
Feeling they were ready for the next step, Niles stood in a formal stance, knocked softly and waited.
CC understood the teasing and licked her lips in anticipation, 'Don't need to be so shy, Butler Boy. Come in, so you can ask about my big teeth and this plot can advance'.
He chuckled, amused by her capacity of mixing endearment, demand and playful menace, pushed the door open and entered, 'We didn't even greet properly and you already throw a Bad Wolf joke at me? My, my, Miss Babcock – I wonder about your intentions'.
She grinned openly at his answer and took the book from her lap to put it on a bedside table, 'Just thought I should provide you with new material'.
While she moved and stretched to put away the book, Niles noticed she seemed very comfortable, and much at ease: her hair was loose, brushing her shoulders; the covers slid from her waist, revealing she was wearing not just the silky red pajama top, but the matching shorts, too.
It seemed he was not the only one to choose a color that would make the other pay attention.
Niles always thought Miss Babcock was beautiful in red, and the image of her in such a homey environment while wearing something classy and seductive added to his awe at her ability to be desirable for exactly who she was.
He approached and, when she turned back to him, he pointed to the bed, 'The sensation of being kidnapped was still lingering, and now you pointed out some evidences that you intend to devour me. May I have a seat to calm my trembling limbs?'
'Be my guest', she chuckled while he sat on the edge of the bed with an exaggerated expression of thankfulness, then shook her head, 'And I was thinking you were game'.
Niles saw the obvious tenderness in her eyes contradict her challenging words, and it reminded him of her letter: they had been like this for years, saying nasty things while regarding the other with tenderness, while pretending neither could see it. Now the blindness was over, and there was no way they could go back to that.
They couldn't, and they wouldn't.
He adjusted his body to support it with his left hand, turning his torso to her, 'I am game. The fact I'm here is proof of that, isn't it?'
CC leaned into his direction, 'How is it that being sent a limo scares you, then?'
'An empty limo with a warning note', he pointed out, his left thigh following the movements of the rest of his body, getting on the bed.
Her eyes traveled by his body, acknowledging they were moving closer.
'I already said you should improve your reading skills', she lifted the covers and put them aside, coming to sit a bit closer to him. Her right hand went to touch his left one, on the bed, 'Why do you call my little note warning?'
She had licked her lips after saying that, and Niles caught himself doing the same, and trying not to look at the long legs that were now exposed, 'It was clear and accurate, and made me aware of our situation as you see it'.
He turned his hand on the bed to take hers, and extended his other hand to take the one of hers that had remained on her lap. Then, he gave the slightest of tugs, showing her he wanted to bring her closer to him.
Getting the idea, CC accepted the silent invitation and lifted effortlessly on her knees, her hands firmly on his. She surveyed the situation for some moments, and then decided to sit facing him, but with the side of her left thigh touching the side of his left one. Their faces ended up very close.
The only part of their bodies touching were the sides of their thighs, but the brush of his trousers against her short pajamas let heat go through and seemed to burn.
Niles' breathing turned a bit uneven, and CC noticed the dark blue of his eyes. Her voice went out low, 'And you agreed with what you read?'
He maintained his eyes hovering over her face, seeming enchanted by what he was seeing.
CC nudged him, to wake him up.
It worked: Niles raised his brows at her, caught one of her hands, brought it to his lips and kissed it, sighing, 'It seems you don't know the meaning of accurate'.
It was her time to be transfixed. The delicate gesture was meant to sooth, but added fuel to her desire.
It was almost impossible to resist the pull of discovering how it would feel when they made love – the mix of fire and safeness was new to her, and she had surrendered to the fact that it was uniquely related to what she felt for Niles.
His voice brought her back to reality, 'I must say I was intrigued by that part where you plan on getting alone and freezing, so I could have a reason to come here and rescue you'.
'It was not a plan', she hurried to say, her voice altered by the feeling of his lips, that were now grazing the skin of her palm, 'I hope you don't need a reason to come to me, besides the obvious one'.
'Uhm', he commented, letting his other hand reach out to caress the inside of her forearm, 'And this obvious reason… Was it described in the letter? I'm not sure I have noticed it'.
'And you give proof against your reading skills one more time', CC answered and moved to free her arm from his grasp. She intended to play the same teasing game as his, so she rested the hand on his right thigh and leaned in a bit more, her other hand resting in his chest, 'Or did you just skip the part where I say we make each other happy?'
He grinned and put a hand over the one on his chest, 'I didn't skip anything. I just wanted to make sure you were not referring to the part where you confess you're a vampire', he leaned closer, too, 'Because I'm enjoying being here with you, but I know that, when the victims realizes the trap, the game is over'.
'Uhm, that was a smooth vampire zinger', she nodded in approval, 'But I don't know if I qualify', and rested her cheek on his, 'Do I feel cold?'
He closed his eyes at the touch, 'No. You feel perfect, as always'. Niles placed his hands on her hips, as if they needed to anchor on each other, 'But we can't be sure it is not happening again, as yourself said in the letter. I better stay around'.
'So', she spoke very close to his ear, 'You plan on staying around for a while?'
He turned his head and looked her in the eyes, moved by how much she wanted to hear it from him, 'You told Miss Fine you wanted me here to serve you. I have been doing it for years, and intend to keep doing it as long as you... No, wait: I don't really care if you will let me. There's no way out – I'll do it as long as I live'.
CC grinned, once she didn't need to hide how happy she was, 'It's the least you can do after all you've put me through'.
'Me? I have been at my best behavior, lately', and, as if he needed to remind her of that, he turned his head and grazed his nose on her cheek.
'You have the worst bunch of friends in the world', she answered.
'They are your friends, too', Niles kissed her cheek, soundly, what extracted a chuckle from her. He smiled at the happy sound, 'It's time for the Ice Queen to admit she has admirers, too'.
CC smirked, 'And even when I make sure they are not around to disturb us, you keep me waiting'.
'Oh, you...', Niles started, shaking his head, but gave up commenting and filled the gap between them, touching her lips with his in the greeting kiss that was being built since they first laid their eyes on each other, tonight.
Both sighed in it, finally being able to resume the exploration of their intimacy, letting some teasing tongues to participate in the moment, arousing and bringing more tenderness than both expected.
Of course, they had chemistry and the eroticism was expected, but the mix of it and the tenderness they were sharing took them to a kind of deep desire that surprised them.
When they realized, CC had threw a leg over Niles' and had come to sit on his lap, her hands on his hair, her body moving against him as if they had done it a thousand times and knew exactly which buttons to push.
When they stopped kissing and kept just touching their foreheads, Niles managed to ask, even if he couldn't stop grinning or regulate his own breathing, 'Better?'
'Getting there', she answered in her low husk tone, 'But I'll need more to be sure you're capable of keeping me warm'.
'Uhm, I see', Niles caressed her back, 'Maybe we should reposition ourselves, so you'll show me what I can do for you'.
'Sounds good', CC pecked his lips and gave him a nasty smile while she got off of him and went back to her spot on the bed, her back rested against the headboard, 'Why don't you take off your suit? It would be a pity to wrinkle it, once you rarely find anything that makes you look half decent'.
For some moments, Niles stayed looking at her, coping with the sudden distance between them. Then, he said, 'If that is what you want'. He got up from the bed, 'I thought you would want me working in formal clothes'.
'You look good in formal, believe me', she gave him an appreciative stare, 'But this task will require you being free of any thing that could prevent you from getting close enough'.
Both knew she was not referring just to his clothes and joking about getting them off to have sex. It was about letting out all the things that could keep them separated. It was about making things different from what they were before.
Niles nodded and said in a low tone, 'You tell me when you think it's enough'.
CC felt all warm at the huskiness of his voice and the relaxed look on his face.
She noticed he was standing with his feet a bit apart and his hip to the side, in a manner that made him seem almost nonchalant while reaching out for his collar.
She couldn't quite believe how sensual it was that he was so at ease to make a show of taking his clothes in front of her.
Niles started carefully loosing the knot of his tie, 'I was wondering, while I was getting here: you gave up the idea of us going on a trip, or it was just a trick, since the beginning?'
CC's followed his hand while he took the tie away and threw it in a nearby chair, and started getting his coat off. He made sure to open it and let it slide by his shoulders slowly, his eyes never letting her face, and she had to concentrate to answer him, 'I had thought about choosing a fancy hotel – it would be quicker to arrive than a trip, giving us more time. But then I realized it would be funnier if I made it seem we were away when we were, in fact...'.
She was terribly distracted by the image in front of her: the coat was gone, and now Niles had knelt on the bed and was extending his arms for her to open the buttons on the wrists of his shirt.
He was kneeling and putting his hands out to her.
It conjured images of him offering himself to be cuffed by her.
She was assaulted by so many of her fantasies at the same time that she couldn't think straight.
'When we were, in fact?', he asked her in a low tone that didn't help at all.
'What?', she asked, her mind clear enough just for her to concentrate on the task at hand. It was difficult, because she had to deal with the buttons while trying not to acknowledge each spark she felt when her fingers grazed his skin.
'You were saying it would be funnier if it seemed we were away...'
'Oh, yes', she finished undoing the buttons, 'When we're just here, in the penthouse'.
He straightened and got out of the bed again, 'Uhum. You really wanted them out of the way, ' he started dealing with the buttons in the front of his shirt, 'The limo was a nice touch, I must say'.
CC felt the beating of her heart accelerating, 'Yeah'.
'Yeah what?', he teased.
'Uhm?'
Niles chuckled, 'You seem to be loosing focus, Miss Babcock'.
She shivered: he was advancing slowly on the buttons and calling her by her business name, with that crooked smile. It was too much, 'You're making me crazy'.
'Really?', he asked, making an innocent face and stilling his hands, 'How is it?'
CC rolled her eyes and came to him, her time to kneel on the bed, 'You want to chat, but this', she pulled him by the half open shirt, 'is distracting'.
'I see', he observed while she started finishing the buttons for him. Once she was over with it, he helped her to take the shirt off, letting his torso bare before her. He saw her flush and bring her hands to touch him, and he had to gulp down a wave of desire in order to speak, 'Don't forget I'm here to serve you'.
He finished the sentence with a very well placed kiss on the side of her neck, and she grabbed him by the shoulders, 'Serve me is to obey me, not to do everything for me', she moaned, 'Keep an open mind'.
'Uhm, I surely will', he brought his lips from her neck to her chin, and then to her mouth, where he stayed for a while, both savoring the moment.
CC noticed he was fussing with the buckle of his belt, and smiled into the kiss, stopping it for a moment to comment, 'Maybe you are too clumsy to do it by yourself', she bit his lower lip, 'Isn't it great that I enjoy taking what I want?', she put a hand on his nape and pulled him to her, to kiss him hungrily.
Niles moaned, lost in the sensations of her tongue in his mouth and her nails grazing his chest.
When he made a gesture to reach for his buckle again, he found his trousers escaping his reach and pooling at his feet.
CC parted from him and went to lie on the center of the bed, her head on one of her pillows, smirking at his surprised face, 'It's called multitasking, baby. I don't think you can manage that'.
As an answer, Niles took off his shoes and socks, got on the bed and settled between her legs. He had just his shorts on, and it reminded both of them of the night when they were like this, in his room, after the backers' party and some massage.
Her hands came to his hair again, and her calves rubbed on his. His hands caressed her sides and they moaned at the bodies moving together while they kissed.
Niles stopped to face her, 'You shouldn't tease me, Babcock. I'm a fast learner, and I can outdone anything you do, except witchcraft, as you've been practicing it for over a century'.
'At your age, I'm surprised you can still learn anything', she kissed him tenderly, 'No, wait, I'm not surprised. You already lived for so long you've seen a lot'.
'If experience is by my side…', Niles nibbled on her ear and whispered, 'then you are not but a spring chicken'.
She chuckled and grinded against him, 'Point made, Bell Boy'.
'Bonus points because I've referenced that kiss and made you answer in kind?'
'It depends on what you intend to do with them'.
'What is mine is yours, Love', Niles closed his eyes and lowered his head to kiss her leisurely.
CC let herself enjoy the moment, her hands exploring his back and going down to his ass, feeling the muscles flexing under her touch.
Niles stopped kissing her and grazed a hand on her still closed pajama top, 'May I?'
She nodded, 'You must'.
He started opening them, and sighed, 'You know… I'm having a deja vu, here'.
She smirked, 'And that is why I disconnected the phones'.
He stopped for a moment, 'You did?'
'Yes', she made a gesture for him to go on, and he obeyed, 'And I prohibited Nanny Fine of calling my cell phone, or letting Maxwell do it', she brought her hand to caress his chin, 'I can't stand the idea of that night repeating itself'.
'Miss Fine did mention a number'.
'It's a fake'.
He chuckled, and started slowly getting the sides of the shirt apart.
When her breasts were exposed, he looked at them, brought a hand to touch them with utmost delicacy and looked into her eyes.
In spite of the obvious arousal, his voice carried deep emotion, 'I should have known you wouldn't do anything in halves', he leaned to kiss her lips softly, 'I've told you before, and I'll say it again, so you won't forget it: I think you're perfect'.
Her eyes showed she was touched by his words, and she kissed him back. The closeness made them rub on each other, 'I wanted us to feel at home', she nibbled on his lower lip and put her hands on the sides of his face to attract his attention, 'Did it work?'
'I must confess the penthouse has a special thing about it. It's like being invited to enter your lair, and feeling safe about it anyway', his left hand squeezed her breast and made her moan.
CC raised her legs and crossed her ankles behind him, gluing their middles.
'Any place with you would be home', he confessed in her ear, moving with her.
'It was, even on Sylvia's sofa', CC said, in that mix of arousal and tenderness, her hands going down his back and reaching out for his boxers in a silent asking.
'Yes', Niles agreed, never stopping the kisses while helping her with his last piece of cloth.
When he was free from it, he went a bit down to give attention to her breasts.
CC moaned at the lost contact of their middles, but Niles soon compensated with his mouth on her breasts and a hand playing with her silky covered panties.
The sensations were too great, and she relaxed and let the chemistry lead the way. She loved being served; he lived to serve; they had finally admitted they fit together: everything was right with the world.
He was really talented, and soon she was taken by the desire to rip off her own clothes. To deal with that, CC grabbed Niles by the hair, bringing him up to kiss her, while she reached down – she couldn't wait to feel him in her hand.
At the feeling of her hand on his length, he closed his eyes in pleasure, and missed the moment she bit her lower lip in arousal and looked down to be sure it was not just an illusion – he was all well built, and she loved the sight of him as she had never did with any previous lovers.
It seemed being with someone special made everything brighter and bigger and better.
CC decided she could live with that, and pulled Niles for one of those kisses she was not sure were to calm or arouse.
And then she pushed him into his back, so she could straddle him and take control of the situation.
Sitting on his hips, she took off her top and lowered her body on him, 'That night when you came to the sofa to keep me warm...', she said between more kisses and a lot of rubbing, 'I wish I was awake'.
His voice sounded ragged, his hands gripping her hips, 'You would have probably slapped me, if you were'.
'Don't be so sure. There's something about the way you smell...', she started planting kisses on his jaw line, 'Let me see if this is still the same...'
'As you wish. But I had to cook a lot before coming over. Maybe you'll find traces of what I prepared for lunch tod- Ooooh'.
He had to stop talking because she had started nipping and then licking his neck, and it was his time to not being able to concentrate.
'Uhmmmmmm, Niles. Whatever it was you cooked, I'm sure it tasted great'.
He shivered and his hands moved to her thighs and ass, 'I get it you're enjoying my scent'.
'Oh, yeah...', she bit a bit stronger, 'It's a cologne... and some spice I don't recognize... and it's mostly you…', she found the perfect position to feel him hard against her and moaned, 'That's the scent I remember feeling in you when we get close enough'.
'I've wished we could get close enough more often', he confessed, his control quickly slipping away with her voice so close to his ear and her teeth and lips marking his skin.
'Me, too, believe me', she went away to look him in the eyes, 'It's the kind of thing that grow in you, once you taste it'.
Niles' eyes told her he had taken the comment on more than one sense, and he was suddenly taken by emotion again, 'Miss Babcock', he spoke, his hand caressing her face, 'I think I should tell you... You must know what you're getting into'.
'There's more than what I can already see?', she teased gently, kneeling and taking off her silky short, 'Don't you think I'm impressed enough?'
He smiled at her way of phrasing her satisfaction. Happy she was ready to listen to him, he kept the moment light, 'Yes, there are impressive things you can already see', she made a funny shocked face at that, and both chuckled.
'You have nothing to worry about', she said, rubbing her panties on his hardness, 'You're beautiful, darling'.
Niles put a hand on her breast and the other on her panties, his fingers playing with her most sensitive parts without touching them directly. There was no way they would be able to talk coherently if they kept doing that, but he still tried, 'There are lots of things that are not visible per se, but you'll find in me... ', he made an effort to keep his eyes open and focused on her face, 'Things you, and only you, make me feel'.
She smiled, 'Same here, Niles'.
The use of his name was as a signal of seriousness, both knew.
'And, in my case, I'm surprised to say those are good things', she knelt, parting her middle from his enough for her to move and take off her panties. She straddled him again, her wetness directly on his length, now, what elicited a priceless expression of awe from him. CC resumed, 'I'm not surprised because you're not worth my good feelings, let's be clear, but because I am not the kind of person to have good feelings towards anyone. And you, the most infuriating man I have ever known, was the one able to bring them up'.
'Oh, dear', he let his hands explore the still untouched skin under her navel, 'Is it the cold messing with your head?'
'Uhm?', she asked, her own hand going down to caress his tip, that was pressed against his stomach. Their hands brushed each other, and the fact they were there to explore the other's body and bring pleasure gave both a sense of almost unbearable anticipation.
Niles smiled at her, 'You're getting back to insisting you're less than wonderful. I won't let it happen again on my watch. It's time for me to fulfill my duty, here'.
CC grinned, her eyes closed and her hips moving slowly, 'That was a lame pick up line. You're lucky you phrased it beautifully'.
His hands went to her ass to help her move against him, 'I'm lucky we both have admitted we want to be together... haven't we?'
'Oh, yes. We have', she opened her eyes, looked down at him and supported herself on her knees.
She raised her hips, took him on her hand and lowered herself on him.
There was a moment of complete and overwhelmed silence, while they fought to adjust to the sensations that coursed through them.
When she was able to, CC breathed deeply and leaned to kiss Niles (fueling-soothing way), just one word escaping her lips, 'Finally'.
Her hips started moving again, and all coherent thought escaped them for the next hours.
ncncncncncnc
When they stopped doing what they had been doing non-stop for the last hours, Niles and CC stayed entwined into each other in a way that made both wonder if they still knew where one body ended and the other started.
Niles pulled the covers on them, and the gesture made CC feel even cozier, nestling against him.
They were silent, because a lot had already been said: they had moaned and cried out the other's names; they had called the other names – some of the usual ones, some new and colorful; they had voiced some desires even they didn't know they had in them, trusting the other would understand – and discovered the other understood and enjoyed them.
Now she had a leg between his, her center on one of his thighs; he had an arm on her back, keeping her close to him, while her own arm was draped around his waist.
And her head had found that nice spot between his neck and his shoulder – the same spot she had chosen on Sylvia's sofa, and that guaranteed them the beginning of a peaceful night of sleep.
Niles kissed the top of her head and whispered, 'Maybe this is not the moment to point it out...'
'Uhm?', CC adjusted herself and patted his hip, 'If it's about the marks on your neck, get used to it'.
'What? Oh, no, I've told you I don't mind', he smiled at her moaned agreement, 'I wanted to talk about your work'.
A new moan, this time as a question, while she rubbed slightly on his thigh, getting even more comfortable.
He took that as encouragement to go ahead…
(for the last hours, moaning and rubbing had meant he should go on)
…and resumed, 'Even if it feels really right to let the world outside, I don't want to… intrude', he saw her raising her head to look at his face, showing a light frown, and felt the need to explain, 'To disrupt your routine. To be the one to blame for you being apart from business', the frown increased, and he added, 'You're amazing at it, and I know how working is important to you, so...
'Oh, Niles...', CC interrupted him with a finger on his lips and a surprised expression, 'You are important to me, too. It's time for me to recognize it'.
She took the finger away, letting the tip of it caress his chin, and noticed he had his eyes glued to hers.
Then, he opened his mouth to speak, hesitated and closed it again.
Smiling, CC whispered at him, 'Spontaneity'. Then, she moved to lay her head on her hand and face him, 'Just say it'.
Niles turned to his side to mirror her, his hand resting on her hip and his face really serious, as if he was summoning the courage to speak out.
When he did, what came was, 'I love you, I want you to marry me, and I will make sure you'll never regret it'.
She blinked, this time really surprised.
He kept looking into her eyes, waiting.
'Damn', she finally said, reaching out to kiss him softly, 'You're really crazy'.
He was a bit confused by the tender actions and what seemed disapproving words, 'Is this a no?'
She smiled, 'This is a We just had lots of sex, it was amazing and at the moment I'm so crazy for you I shouldn't take life changing decisions'.
For some moments he just kept looking at her, trying to digest the information. Then, he asked, 'It means your answer could be yes?'
'Right now, it is', she said, resuming the soft kisses, 'But I won't say it, because I'm not reasonable enough to decide anything, now'.
'Oh', he said and then smiled, pulling her to him, 'When do you think you'll be back to being reasonable? I mean, your usual levels, not normal people's…'
'Not very soon, if you keep doing that', she answered at the feeling of his lips on her shoulder and his hand on the small of her back. 'But don't worry. It won't be like Maxwell and Nanny Fine – I won't keep you waiting for long'.
'Sounds great', he agreed, placing one arm under her head to bring her closer, so he could caress her hair while he continued the assault to her skin, advancing to her lobe, 'I could wait forever, but I prefer not to'.
'Me too', she shivered, 'This is too nice to let go'.
Elated by what seemed to be a very promising situation, he spoke low, his hand grabbing her and his whisper making her all hot, 'Sorry if my words were ill timed. I just needed you to know how I feel as soon as possible. I tried to tell you before we… did it, but we got distracted…', he put a hand on the leg she threw over his hip, '…and then we got more distracted, and more…'
'Thank you', she had realized he was loosing focus, spoke and captured his lips in a wet kiss. She parted their lips to add, 'It's nice of you to tell me, even if I already knew'.
'Knew what?', he managed between devouring lips.
'That you were crazy… that you had some bizarre strong feelings for me… that when I let myself share this thing with you, there would be no way back. I'm a witch. I knew everything'.
Niles stopped the kiss and looked at her tenderly, 'The evidences were there all along, weren't they?'
CC smiled, 'Yes, they were. And we've finally brilliant enough to sort them out and reach a conclusion'.
'Well, I think it's just logical, then, that we start writing a new story when we have such an interesting new plot to explore'.
She chuckled, 'Maybe you're right…'
'So?', he asked, and the way he moved his thigh between her legs suggested he was going to invest in new lines of argumentation.
'Let's make a deal', she said, making an effort to gather her thoughts, 'You still owe me slave time, remember?'
'Say no more', Niles answered, looking at her seriously, 'From now on, I'll be your slave, servant, favorite victim, lover and anything you require. I promise to overwhelm you', and he was back to the groping that made it difficult to have a conversation.
'But this way I won't be able to think and decide anything', CC argued, following his lead and taking in her hands as much of him as she was able too.
'That's the idea – no thinking. When you realize, you'll have to keep me forever'.
'Uhmmmm', she moaned, in a mix of agreement and… well… agreement, 'Spontaneity rules'.