Chapter Nine

"What are you thinking about?" Liz had observed Red now for a few minutes. Even though they were enjoying a rare moment of shared quietness...she, reading her novel, the man, watching an old noir black and white movie on the set which had caught his attention. She studied him absently.

Liz knew Red wasn't really 'watching' the show though. He was looking at the screen but...

"You're miles away, aren't you." She smiled gently over to him for she had caught him off-guard, a rarity in itself. "Are you worried about Heather?"

"I wasn't thinking about that." He returned her smile. "Am I neglecting you?"

"Red, you don't have to entertain me." Liz untucked her legs from beneath her, swinging the slender appendages about on the spacious lounger. "Is there a problem? Can I help?"

"No problem with me. I have conquered my demons." The man held out a hand. Liz lay her novel aside, crossing to the divan to take a seat close to him as Red had indicated she should. "Actually, I was thinking about the 'cop guy'." He shared his thoughts. "He's messed up in his head over a woman. I feel for the guy." It was sighed heavily, memories had surfaced. "It's not a good place to be."

"What do you mean?" Liz turned those blue eyes his way. "Not a good place...how?"

"A guy's conscience gets the better of his instincts." Red nodded sagely. "He makes mistakes cause he's trying to do 'the right thing' for everyone concerned."

"Is that what you did?" Red rarely shared anything he thought might remotely upset or trouble her, Liz was aware. That he seemed disposed to do so now, meant the world.

"For a very long time, yes." The man admitted quietly.

Liz's eyes were suddenly sad.

"It had nothing to do with you, baby." His own gaze softened two-fold. "You had me at 'kiss my ass, Reddington.'" he quipped. "There's just some lines that are difficult to cross for a guy. Messes with our heads to think about shit that might happen... if we do."

"Like what?" She knew some of the issues, of course. "Red does it really matter? What others might think or say? It's your life, not theirs."

"Well, for him..." Red realized, in Jim Brass' case, "that's a viable factor." He shrugged aimlessly. "He has superiors, higher-ups, he must answer to." Red would hate to be in that predicament. "But there's more." He spread his hand out. "For me, it was...should I get you involved with the dangers my lifestyle brings, for one. A big one, you'll understand."

"I chose to be a FBI agent." Liz reminded. "I knew about the dangers involved with that vocation."

"Yeah, but looking back recently...Carver...Costa?" Red's face grew grim.

Liz countered. "The Stewmaker.. Anslo Garrick...the DMV guy?"

Red tried to hold his smile for the 'Glenn' reference. "...Most...Blacklisters that I pulled you into, or in the case of Carver and Costa...psychopaths that would never have crossed your path otherwise. Do you think that is easy for me to live with? That knowledge? It isn't Lizzy."

"And you gave me...Francis and Baz and Nora and Antonio and Maria...and you." Liz stroked his cheek lovingly. "An entire family I never had...and a man I love so deeply, I can't take a breath without thinking of how much he means to me each and every day. Fair tradeoff in my world, Reddington." She kissed him tenderly. "So...kiss my ass." She teased, throwing his words back at him.

"Are we still speaking metaphorically here or..." He dropped his gaze to the space between her legs. "You know I'm game for the other, sister."

She giggled her affection. "Stay on track...brother." She scolded. "We're being serious here, aren't we?"

Red settled in time. "It just brings back unwanted memories of a time when you were out of my reach." He lowered his head, his fingers massaging her's fretfully, a deep scowl on his face. "I remember the poignancy I felt. So close and yet...not being able to allow any real emotions to emerge. It's a piss-poor way to live, Lizzy, let me tell you."

"I was falling in love with you all that time, Red." The woman realized. "I just didn't know it and yes...it was painful at times." She confessed her own weaknesses willingly. "I was confused and fighting my feeling for you so hard."

"Because you knew of the pit falls as well."

"Because...I didn't want to love someone who held that much power over me."

Red lifted his head jerkily. "...What?"

The woman shifted a hesitant gaze. "It's scary, finding someone who can turn you inside out with just a look." She sought him out, her eyes gentle. "To give over that much trust is...a big step. One I'm so glad I took, Red. You've never once let me down. Not once."

Red's heart swelled. "And I never fucking will, baby."

"I know that." She lay her head on his shoulder, snuggling closer. "And if the 'cop guy' has found someone like we found each other, then more power to him." She lifted her head to seek out his gaze. "You should help him if you can. It's a wonderful thing. Finding that 'right' person...isn't it?"

"It's the best thing in the fucking Universe." Red kissed her forehead paternally feeling anything but toward this woman. "You make me hard just by opening that beautiful mouth, did you know that?"

Liz's palm flattened intimately over the ever-growing bulge in his dark slacks. "I do now." Those blue eyes lifted with a hint of mischievousness that made the man smile.

"Yeah?" He challenged, his own hand covering the smaller one, pressing slightly. "What are you going to do about it?"

She lifted her mouth and her arms about his neck, inviting a kiss. "Well, I don't know, Sailor." She whispered. "This is a pretty open venue we're sitting in." She indicated the broad daylight filtering into the opened drapes of their room. "Anyone can just stroll by and look in those windows."

"Exciting, isn't it." Red hadn't even bothered to look at the windows behind them. "It would be pretty damned embarrassing to find you with your head between my legs, sucking me off, hum."

"It sure would." The woman licked her lips suggestively, the innocent blue eyes blinking up at him. "Why...what would people think?"

"They would think...what a fucking lucky bastard." Red mused openly, his forefinger tracing the fullness of her mouth sensually. He leaned, his lips parting her's, the tip of his tongue flicking her's erotically. "But, I'd pay you good money to blow me, right about now. Is all I know for certain."

"How much money?" She moved...closer, her leg easing across his thighs, raking his cock to full arousal in the process.

"How much do you need?" He whispered huskily, directly into her mouth.

"Oh, I don't need any." She pursed her lips, caressing his lovingly. "Just interested to see how much you think it's worth."

Red chuckled throatily. "Right now?" he shifted about, grimacing slightly. "A new Lamborghini sound like something you could use?"

Liz's fingers unzipped his fly ever so slowly, her gaze holding his. "I don't want another new car." She lowered her lashes, which swept her flushed cheeks. "I want..." She whispered seductively. "This..." Her fingers wiggled inside his silk shorts, curving about his hardness. Red held his breath, closing his eyes to the wondrous emotions infiltrating his mind and body.

He grunted his growing involvement. "Yeah?" He was finding it difficult to articulate. "How do you want it?"

"Anyway, you want to give it to me." Those full lips caught his hungrily. The woman moaned her growing passion, moving her breasts to his chest as she ground her body eagerly against his hard torso.

Red's arms encircled the slight body encouragingly, as he moved into that wondrous sphere.

Suddenly, the woman halted all proceedings, pulling back slightly, her wide blue eyes staring vacantly up at the man. "Red?" She seemed absolutely set upon discussing whatever had popped into her mind, to Reddington's dismay.

"...Yeah?" He scowled down at her, ready to be somewhat objectionable if this 'delay' was going to be something with which he had to contend. "What?"

"You ever think about weird things, just out of the blue, say?" She seemed more than earnest he answer the question. The man tried for patience...

"...That's Francis' department, isn't it?"

"...No, I mean it." Liz appeared a little bemused. "...It just occurred to me. I don't know how the concept of oral sex came about...do you?"

"...Excuse me?" He warmed to the change of topic. "Suppose you enlarge on that statement." He encouraged, his arms once again going to the tiny waist.

"...Well, just think about it." That cute nose grimaced slightly. "The premise alone is rather off-putting, if you really give it any consideration, don't you think?"

"No." He told the truth, his eyes dropping to where their bodies connected. "Not from a male's point of view."

"No?" She was intrigued, her brain obviously running with that one. "Explain."

He held his grin. "Well, think if it this way." He set his mind to a 'delay', sighing lightly. "Say Cave Man Og is out doing his daily thing..."

"Hunting and Gathering." Liz nodded she was following so far.

"Oh no. He...is hunting. The little woman is left behind to do the 'gathering." He pushed buttons for Lizzy was a modern woman above all else, he knew. "Woman's work."

She hesitated, her eyes narrowing but, "For the sake of argument then...alright."

Red was slightly disappointed she hadn't risen to the bait. He always enjoyed a rousing spar before making love with this woman, after all. "Say, this particular morning, all was not well back at the old cave dwelling. The little woman..."

"Stop calling her that."

"...Og's better half was in a singularly bad mood. One, Old Og could not understand." Red continued his tale almost gleefully, warming to the story now. "He had done his duty to her several times the previous night, after all."

Liz cut him a scolding stare. "What is her problem, then?"

"Exactly what old Og wanted to know." Red shrugged well-defined shoulders, pulling an innocent face. "So, he's out in the forest, tracking this big, fucking antelope and he sees the thing approaching a sweet, innocent little doe."

Liz held her amusement. "Um hummm."

"The doe is skittish and a little stand-offish at first but then old Og notes that the antelope, circles around and kinda starts licking at the females' nether regions." Red really warms to the tale at this point.

"Seems the antelope is smarter than the Cave Man, at this point." Liz offered her view on the matter.

Red's tongue flicked to the inside of his mouth to keep from commenting on that one. "So over time, the antelope slips the doe his dick, shoots his wad and goes about his merry way."

"Antelopes are such callous pricks." Liz drew in an even breath for the way of things.

"Yeah, the insensitive bastards. So anyway," Red looked down Liz's top, his eyes deepening considerably, his voice lowering to a soothing caress. "Og goes home..."

"Empty handed?"

"No, he had his cock in his hand." Red wasn't about to be outdone here. "So, he goes home, emulates the scene with the antelope with good results...insists the little woma...Sheila return the favor..."

"Sheila?" Elizabeth did not even bother to hold her grin.

"But Sheila discovers licking Old Og's cock doesn't have quite the same effect, although he seems okay with her efforts at first." Red put his finger over those pouty lips, silencing the woman, offering over a sincere scowl of disapproval for his story being interrupted. For he sensed, she was about to do just that. "So, she ups the ante, sucking the bastard off."

Liz bit the inside of her mouth to keep from laughing.

"There you old fucker." Red finishes with a flourish. "Try that on for size, she says to Old Og. And they all live happily ever after. And the practice has been passed down, generation to generation from that day forward. Simple process really...if...one thinks about it carefully and concisely for long enough."

"Which you have done, I see." Liz dimpled. "Hey, do you realize, we have solved a centuries old mystery?"

"What shall 'we' tackle next?" Red asked politely. "I wonder. The Phaistos Disc?"

"You don't think I know what that is, do you, Oh Smug One." Liz sensed.

Red waited overly patiently, for...he didn't, in reality.

"It's a clay circle thingy dating from the second millennium BC Bronze Age. It's of Minoan design and no one can decipher the symbols written on it to date." the woman was supremely proud of her knowledge of such an archaic matter. "It was found on the Island of Crete, Smart Ass."

"You never cease to amaze me, woman." He chuckled his delight.

"And what's more, I don't think antelopes' mate with does." She didn't.

"Antelopes are like Francis, they mate with any and all species." Red advised sagely. "Did you forget the alien blow up dolls he won at the carnival down at Mark's place?"

"Wonder what he does with those?"

"Best not to question 'why' in Francis' world." Red had learned early on. "He might just offer over an explanation."

The silence came and it was a most comfortable one for the man. "Still musing or can we go back to what we were doing before you so rudely interrupted."

"What were we doing?" Liz feigned ignorance, taking on a innocent air.

"I was wanting to play antelope and young, innocent doe."

"I'm not innocent any longer, thanks to you, fella." Lizzy put her arms about his neckline, scooting down into the confides of the massive divan upon which they sat, well...half-way reclined now. "But, I'll do my best to play the part expected of me."

"You always do, little pussy."

Liz gasped her shock. "Don't call me that in mixed company."

Red glanced about the area which was free of any other occupant. "Are we being taped?"

Lizzy giggled. "I felt I should put up the pretense of objection."

Red settled alongside the outstretched form, his palm curving to her waist. "Wouldn't it be fun if we were though? Being taped, I mean. We could watch it later down the road and critique my performance."

"Ohhh." The woman's purr sent nice chills down his spine. "I like the way you think, Mr. Reddington."

"Our own little porn fest." Red warmed to the notion. "I so enjoy watching in the mirror, as you are aware." His palm fitted perfectly to the curve of her ass cheek as he massaged his property intently.

"I am aware, yes." Liz's mouth parted his lovingly, the kiss soft and passionately arousing. "Red, you're making me so wet."

"That's my job, baby." The tip of the man's tongue flicked sensually into Lizzy's mouth, playing tag with her own, his breath warm and clean. "Gonna make you cream so hard. I love doing that." His hands reached under her top, searching out the plump mound of a breast which he kneaded zealously, his fingers teasing the pert little nipple in open affection. "I dream of doing you in my sleep, were you aware?"

"Is that why you wake up so hard?" her mouth felt like an extension of his own, the whispered teasing causing the man's cock to harden now, as Lizzy hoped it might.

"Exactly why. And then what happens?" He murmured in a husky whisper.

"You move close to me and let me feel it." she squirmed beneath the man's weight which was half on, half off lower body as she parted her legs for him to settle more comfortably between. "And then y-you touch me and I..." She swallowed hard, her lips eagerly feasting on his full, responsive ones. "I just..."

"Yeah." He breathed out a rough sigh. "Me too. Come on, baby..." he glanced down, his hand slipping into the band of her tight jeans, working effortlessly downward to the small fluff of springy curls directly over the vee of her valley. "Spread for me."

Liz complied, moaning softly as his fingers slid between the heated crease of her opening, his middle one easing into the snug hole, working upward into the tight cavern.

"Fuck that feels so sweet." Red caught her mouth, thrusting slowly in and out of the pulsating depths below, a few meaningful strokes. "Hot little pussy." He smiled languidly, rasping his delight.

Liz arched to his administrations, her breath coming in short, succinct gasps against his cheek line.

"I need some room...unzip these." He motioned his meaning and the woman instantly complied, wiggling the jeans down her thighs. Red leaned, pushing them out of his path as his mouth covered the lace of her panties, his tongue lashing into the sides to slip about the pink flesh he so coveted. He held tight to those shapely hips, marking his territory as he found the spot he needed to find.

A warm and wet nirvana where he could spend the rest of his days. The man grunted his growing delirium, snuggling closer.

Liz reached, moving the offending material out of his way. She was rewarded with several flicks of that teasing tongue over the sensitive nub of her clit.

The woman groaned happily, lifting to his efforts, holding his head from movement. "Y-Yes...just..." She fought to catch her breath. "T-There."

"I want to fuck you." He growled his growing hunger. "Is that what you want?"

She mewed brokenly, panting her request. "H-Hurry!" she didn't mind pleading at this point. "I'm so ready for you."

"Let me see for myself." He lifted slightly, thrusting rhythmically into that convulsing little slip and slide. "I can feel you contracting." he smiled slowly. He eased his finger deep inside.

"Don't stop." She whined her dismay as she felt him shift away from his pastime. "What are you d-doing?"

Red chuckled lowly, the sound easing up and down her arms, producing goose flesh. "Gonna fuck you raw, baby. We've discussed this." The man gently shoved her thighs wider, settling between them, hastily extracting the instrument he would need for the procedure. "I thought the issue was settled and done." He placed his engorged head to the giving surface of the small opening, his brow furrowed intently upon the action.

"Red." She pouted up at the handsome face.

"What?" He halted mid-shove, sensing a problem.

"You...you were doing so well...down there." The pout turned into a 'mean frown'.

He held his smile. "I'll do better..." He eased down the straining shaft of her small tunnel, closing his eyes to his rising ecstasy. "In...here." His gaze dropped to his activity, deepening for the sight afforded him. "Ohhh, baby. That is so...arousing. You should see it."

Red began an ever so slow thrusting movement, inching deep inside the swollen hollow then pulling back, enjoying the journey. He nuzzled out a peak nipple, suckling hungrily on the sensitive flesh, his hand squeezing a lush mound erotically.

In seconds, Liz had forgotten all about his past transgressions, her mouth eagerly active on the leathered skin of his neckline wherever she could comfortably reach. Her nails raked gently down his back and up his muscled arms, her legs wrapping securely about the thickness of his thighs to hold the man close.

Red's movements increased to a hurried frenzy as the emotional onslaught besieged his mind and body. Being inside that volcanic chasm took him places he could only imagine in the real world.

Liz's breathing was becoming more shallow as she joined him in the almost violent love-making this session had produced. The constant slide of his penis against the walls of her vaginal wall felt so good, his thickness filling her to capacity. His hands holding her's tightly, clenched above her head, his heavy breathing and soft, almost reluctant groans of release a source of amazement for the woman.

She forgot about the fact, he was taking her in a very public venue. That guards often walked past those windows behind them. That anyone strolling the grounds might happen upon their illicit moment.

Had she remembered, it probably would have made the session better, were that possible but when in Red's arms, with the man giving her his full, undivided attention...when he was so intimately involved with her, nothing else seemed all that important.

There was only this man and his lips on her's and his arms enfolding her into a magical world created just for her. There was his passion, his aura...the power of his presence, all directed toward her.

Those coarse, raspy endearments, the whispered sharing of very private realizations he shared.

Carried Liz along on a phenomenal ride.

"It's so close." The guttural grind issued from his throat and his fingers tightened almost painfully on her captured hands. "Take me there, Angel..." the gravelly order seared into Lizzy's mind. "Make it happen..."

The woman was getting very, very good at following his directions. She knew how to please him now. She knew what he liked and how he liked it.

She proceeded to 'obey' the rough hewn command in each and every way this man himself had taught her...

It took only seconds for the man to find his release. Liz joined him in the exotic ritual, enjoying the rather hedonist gasp of pleasure Red allowed escape his lips for she knew she had produced the depth of that raw, primitive sound.

Lizzy allowed her body to come down naturally from such a wondrous high, a secret smile of smugness gracing her mouth for a brief second. In the beginning, she always doubted her abilities to please this man.

Surely, it was allowed occasionally, to be a little congratulatory, a little self-indulgent in a narcissistic way, where a man like Red Reddington was concerned.

"Ohhhh, shit." Red sighed his bliss, laying his head between two very cushy breasts, catching his breath from all the exertion of seconds before. "Just...fuck, Lizzy." He pursed his lips, caressing a nearby mound, his hand reaching to lovingly fondle the heavy mass. "That was a good one, baby. You...did so good."

Liz cuddled his head to her, smiling happily. "I had a little help."

Red chuckled lowly, sighing again. "I don't want to move from this spot...not ever."

It was Lizzy's turn to chuckle. "Well, I do. I'm getting hungry. You make a girl work for it, Reddington."

Red lifted his head, his eyes seeking her out. "Should I leave a couple bills on the dresser when I leave or...just send for room service."

Liz gave over an old-fashioned look. "Couple of bills, my ass." She scoffed. "You better leave a wad but, yeah." She was flexible. "Room service is nice, but Nora will kick your ass if you don't show up at the table she will be setting for tonight's dinner."

"She scares me but in a good way." Red struggled up, grunting slightly. "I can take her. Or at least, I can have Baz do it for me."

"It's why he gets the big bucks." Liz philosophized, accepting a helping hand. She hastily pulled her jeans back into place, casting a wary glance out the massive windows. She primly situated her top. "Remind me to put up some drapes there." She crinkled her nose.

"Not gonna do that." Red kinked his back this way and that. "But I will buy a more comfortable sofa for in here. I'm getting too damned old for this shit."

"I'll let you know, honey...when you are." Liz took his hand leading the man to the master bedroom. "We just have time to shower before we eat."

"I was going to eat you." He teased, if only to get a reaction. "But you seemed in too much of a hurry, so..." He shrugged aimlessly.

"Me?" The response was immediate and incensed to his amusement. But at Red's laughter, the woman settled. "Butt head."

His chuckled died a natural death. "I'll make up for my shortcomings later tonight, promise."

"Oh, I know you will." She promised right back with a look that kinda warmed the cockles of Red's heart. His grin widened.

"I hope Nora isn't serving antelope." Liz cut a mischievous glance the man's way which produced another throaty laugh from the man.

"If she is, we will be all prepared for the 'small talk' about the table, won't we."

"Until I see your theory in print, maybe we should keep it to ourselves for the time being." Liz thought it best. "Og and Sheila would want it that way, I think."

Red's eyes fell to the swish of her ass. "Accuracy in reporting is important, I suppose."

"Tell that to any major new association outlet these days." Liz grumbled. "Don't get me started."

Red knew how disappointed the woman was in the news agencies these days. "I like when you get all fired up over an issue...it carries over to the bedroom later on."

Liz shook her head. "That's not what gets me fired up, Sailor."

Red suddenly realized. Just how much he enjoyed his life these days. How different his world was with Lizzy in it.

He hoped the Cop Guy would someday, be able to think along similar lines.

Oh well, that was a bridge that would be crossed when the timing was right. Red found himself looking forward to a good dinner and an even better time when he turned in this night. It was beginning to be that way every night of late.

He knew he was blessed. He got it.

He really did.

He had waited a long time for these days to come. He wasn't sure if he deserved them, but he was not about to turn them down. He would ride this amazing turn of the tide for as long as God allowed.

Life was good right now. Life was great, as a matter of fact. He wondered briefly, as he stood, watching his wife undress for the shower...if the Cop Guy's days would turn out as good.

Why it mattered was a puzzle to Red. That it mattered...was an even greater one.

He sighed mentally, beginning to unfasten the buttons on his shirt. He smiled over at Lizzy, his eyes taking in the beauty of the young, fascinating form.

Yeah...life was fucking good.