Unstoppable ~ Chapter Ten

[bugsfic]

Title: Unstoppable ~ Chapter Ten
Authors: aussie and bugs
Rating: MA (Finally! Took us 10 chapters to get here! Sorry!)
Genre: A/U, Romance, Humor
Summary: The wedding is delayed.
Word Count: 4,700


Chapter 10:

"Water a tree, boy," said Bill, dropping Jake's leash to the sidewalk outside his boarding house.

Laura held out her car's key. "Will you drive?"

He clutched his small travel bag he'd quickly packed. "No, thanks," he rumbled.

"Don't worry. I'm used to men wanting to drive. If you crash this one, I have more," she said flippantly.

He still didn't reach for the key. "I don't drive," he finally admitted.

Surprised, she unlocked the passenger door and went around to the driver's side. "Never learned? Always at sea?"

Bill gingerly lowered himself unto the plush leather seat, tucking his bag under his feet. Jake leapt over him and took his station between the two seats. "Yeah, that's it."

As she turned the engine over, he braced one hand on the dashboard and gripped the armrest with the other.

"Bill, I haven't pulled away from the curb yet," Laura pointed out as she put the car in gear.

"Just gettin' ready, that's all," he said grimly.

Bill was surprised when they drove onto the ramp for the new Bay Bridge and didn't return to her mansion on Nob Hill. “You’re not going home to pack a few necessities?” Carolanne and Ellen always had suitcases full of ‘necessities’, and Laura's lovely appearance certainly seemed as though it would take even more maintenance.

“No. I can always buy some new dresses once we get there.” She accelerated, smoothly passing the other vehicles as though they were standing still.

Bill pulled out his pocket watch, mentally calculating how long the train had taken for their journey to Reno a few days ago. Even assuming that Laura’s automobile set a faster pace, which it definitely was now as he desperately tried to ignore the bridge's lights flashing past his window, they would still be looking at quite a long drive.

“We'll arrive early in the morning. Not the best time to go shopping,” he pointed out, frowning. He hadn't planned this elopement very well; she'd surprised him by showing up at the boarding house. But something told him he'd better keep an eye on her until they were in front of the Justice of the Peace.

“We’ll also have to stop for gas along the way.” Laura shifted her eyes. She only had six hours, at the best...Not that she didn't want to marry Bill...But she just needed more time to get used to this idea.

"Where shall we live, Bill?" she asked.

He stretched out his legs, relaxing slightly. "Well, I was thinking about asking Mrs La Cruz about gettin' a double bed--"

Laura huffed her breath. "Ooo...Kay," she said bravely.

He chuckled, reaching out to cup her cheek. "I won't ask you to give anything up, darling. Just gain one scruffy old man--"

Jake nudged Bill's shoulder with his long nose.

"Make that two scruffy old men," Bill said dryly.

Laura steered the automobile off the bridge and pointed it east toward the Sacramento Delta. They fell into amicable silence. She was discovering this was a man she could be silent around; he didn't need to be entertained.

The car wound alongside the wide river, shining black under the moon. On the outskirts of Sacramento, she stopped for gasoline, for Jake to water more trees, and to call back to San Francisco. She woke old Jaffee to tell him she'd gone for a long drive and to not expect her in the morning. He'd cleared his throat several times, but hadn't protested, ever the faithful head butler.

Sliding back behind the wheel, she said nervously to Bill, "It's all uphill from here," as the gas station attendant ran his rag over her car one more time, admiration in his eyes.

Bill nodded. "You can handle it though."

She couldn't think of a comeback and so remained silent, driving into the darkest hours of the night. The Aston-Martin climbed steadily up through the mountain passes, past the small old mining towns. There were few cars to slow their progress. The mountain air cooled and filled the car with the scent of pine. Laura turned up the heat, then accepted Bill's offer of a cigarette to help her stay awake.

The sky turned blue with the coming dawn. With each turn of her tires, Laura became more and more antsy, running through all the possibilities of--she gulped--marriage. Would Bill insist on replacing the servants? Want meat and potatoes at every meal? And of course, her lingering concerns about the bedroom kept coming to the forefront. She made a sudden decision--

"Bill," she said abruptly, causing him to jerk in his seat.

"Yes," he said carefully, sensing danger, but not sure where it was coming from.

With forced casualness, she replied, "I have a cabin on the lake up here. Why don't we pop in there? We can take a quick nap--"

He frowned.

"And I can change into something more suitable for my wedding." She put all her enthusiasm into that word.

"I think your gown is fine and it'll take ten minutes to get married," Bill said stubbornly. "Then we can nap." He patted her knee. "And get started on that honeymoon."

She bit back a retort. If she was going to be a wife, she must learn to manipulate this man to her advantage. "Really, Bill, I'm getting awfully tired," she murmured, allowing the car to drift on the road.

Instantly concerned, Bill agreed. As she turned the car toward Lake Tahoe, he decided freshening up in her little cottage would be just the thing. First rule of marriage; keep the wife happy.

Dropping out of the mountains, she followed the highway along the large lake's shoreline. Through the towering pines, Bill glimpsed glistening water of a fantastic shade of blue.

Laura turned down a drive, passing through more trees and came to a stop before a set of wrought iron gates. She tapped on her horn, blaring in the quiet morning. The door cracked open on a small cottage by the gates. A tall, balding man hurried out, tugging on his woolen coat. When he saw it was Laura's car, he quickly fastened the top buttons of his flannel shirt up to his chin and opened the gates.

She drove through slowly, then stopped and rolled down her window. "Good morning, Bagot," she said. "I'm sorry we disturbed you so early."

"Was just having my coffee and toast, Ma'am." The caretaker smoothed his remaining hair down.

"Marshall Bagot, this is Mr Adams," said Laura. "My fiance," she managed to say.

Bill stretched his hand across her to shake the caretaker's hand. After a moment's hesitation, Bagot reached into the vehicle and quickly shook Bill's hand. "Glad to meet you, sir."

"We'll be resting up, Bagot," Laura said, blase. "Then going on to Reno for the ceremony. Will you be available to drive us in the station wagon in the afternoon?"

Bagot glanced over his shoulder to the panel-sided station wagon parked by his cottage. "I"ll clean 'er up, Ma'am."

"Lovely," Laura enthused, releasing the clutch and starting to roll her window up. "I'll call down when we're ready to leave."

Driving on through the forest, Laura finally pulled the car up to a vast, rambling house made of granite blocks. Its steep roofs were covered in copper sheeting, glowing green patina in the bright sunlight. It sat beside the lovely cerulean lake, its waters swirling deep blue and green. She stopped under a high portico which sheltered a set of oak double doors.

"Here we are," she said brightly.

Bill got out of the car slowly. "Laura, just how rich are you?"

"Why?"

He tipped his hat back. "Just answer the question."

"Liquid assets or worth?"

"Laura--"

"Forty million dollars," she said miserably. "But before the Crash, it was a lot more--"

"Dear God," he said in wonder.

"Really, Bill, after the first ten million, it's all just paper."

He escorted her through the door. "That's a lot of paper, Laura." He closed the door on Jake's nose. "Let that dog chase some squirrels."

"Yes." Laura locked the door behind them and slyly slipped the key into the drawer of the entry table under her gloves.

Out of the corner of his eye, Bill saw what she did. “You get a lot of people trying to break in up here?” he asked, the hairs standing up on the back of his neck.

She gave him a enigmatic smile. “I don’t want us to be disturbed.”

She turned and looked over her shoulder. “Would you?” she asked. He stepped forward, politely complying with her request to remove her cloak.

After quickly hanging it in the closet, he cleared his throat. "So...you got a guest bedroom for me to lie down?" He snatched up his overnight bag and glanced around.

The entry opened to one large casually appointed room, rising high above a flagstone floor scattered with rugs. The wall facing the lake had tall sun-filled windows standing on either side of a massive granite boulder hearth. Large pieces of over-stuffed furniture formed a semi-circle before the fireplace. Against the back wall, a grand staircase of split logs rose to the next floor.

Laura's smile became predatory. She pried his bag loose from his hand and dropped it by his foot.

"You don't want a nap, do you Laura?" he asked reproachfully as he tossed his hat off.

The smile became a smirk. "Nope."

"Now, Laura--" His tone became lecturing. "We can run over to Reno--" He unbuttoned his overcoat.

She pushed his coat off for him. "It's my turn to be the pushy one," she announced. Her level gaze met his stubborn one. "I'm a very astute businesswoman. I don't buy a car without taking it for a test drive, or a horse without some time in the saddle.”

Her hands slid along his broad shoulders as she removed his suit jacket from his slack arms.

"Laura..." He tried to protest as he loosened his tie.

Her lips went to the small vee of skin she revealed by unbuttoning the top of his shirt. "No one knows we're here--" she murmured against his Adam's apple.

"Bagot--" His hands went to her hips, following their curves.

"He's a valued family retainer. He'll see nothing; say nothing."

As she breathed into his neck, her tongue tracing the stubble peppering his skin, her fingers burrowing through his hair, she felt his hands begin to do their own slow exploration. She always could spot that moment when a deal had turned to her advantage. She wiped the smirk from her lips and leaned back.

"Well, Bill?" she challenged him.

His eyes, deep blue with desire, darted to the stairs. "Why don't you go upstairs first--"

She laughed. "I'm not falling for that one again!”

He squinted at her like a grumpy old turtle, making her heart flip over. “Laura--”

Laura took advantage of Bill speaking, pressing her mouth onto his open one and kissing him. She flicked her tongue out, teasing his into responding.

Bill heard her small hum of triumph when he finally relented, slowly letting his tongue join and lace with hers.

His strong arms wrapped her waist, holding her body tightly--too tight to continue the undressing she desperately wanted to do, even as he was doing that thing again with his kisses. She wiggled loose, keeping their lips touching as long as possible before reluctantly freeing them. Tugging at his loose tie, she led him toward a wide, overstuffed chaise lounge. With one finger in the middle of his chest, she pushed him to sit.

He grinned up at her. "Hey, beautiful," he rasped, wonder in his voice. The morning light flooded the room, bathing them in a warm glow.

"Hey, yourself," she murmured, motioning for him to continue undoing the buttons of his shirt. He shed his shirt so quickly, her eyebrows shot up. His grin widened.

Laura undid the clasp holding the crossed flaps of her bodice, causing it to swing open, revealing the sides of her lightly freckled breasts and stomach.

Instinctively, he reached for her--

“You’re not going to insist we wait until it’s official?” Laura teased, confident now that Bill had fully surrendered.

He tried to sound tough, but his voice cracked. “I should.”

His hand slipped beneath the silken material of the bodice, opening it completely, giving him all of her to view. He caught her left breast, cupping its weight in his palm. “But you’re making a very persuasive argument,” he rasped as he thumbed her nipple until it hardened for him. “But--here? No curtains?”

Even as he protested, Bill’s slid her dress's top down her arms, then tugged it gently over her hips to pool around her high heels, leaving her in nothing but her black satin panties, garter belt and stockings. He lay his stubbled cheek between her breasts, sinking into her body's scent.

She clutched his head. "No one can see us," she whispered.

“I can,” he said, almost proprietorially. "Just you and me. Our own world."

His mouth found her nipple, grasping it between his lips, before breathing in her breast.

She sagged against him, hanging onto this shoulders, then tugging at his undershirt--she wanted to touch his bare skin too, taste it...

He released her breast long enough for his shirt to come off. His hands ran up and down her legs, cupping her calves, circling her trim ankles. His palms swept over her thighs, circling higher and higher...

"These are some great gams, darlin'," he groaned, running his tongue along her stomach.

She grabbed fruitlessly at his wide shoulders again, so frustrated that she couldn't reach more with him worshipping her body like this.

"I'll wear short tennis shorts for the rest of my life if you'll just let me touch you," she growled.

He unsnapped her garters and traced the length of her legs with the slithering black silk stockings. "You are touching me," he said maddeningly, still intent on his intimate inspection. He nosed her panties waistband lower to nip at her hip bone.

Her head swam; she really thought she was going to lose consciousness before they got to the really good part. Finding some strength, she shoved him over onto his back, him laughing all the way. Kicking aside her hose and heels, she crawled onto the wide cushion beside him, intent on his belt buckle above the promising tent in his pants.

"That's right. I was gonna take a nap," he said, putting his hands behind his head and grinning at her.

She spanned his broad chest with her nimble fingers. His pectoral muscles filled her palms and bunched when she squeezed. She squealed in delight, her tongue caught in her teeth. He chuckled in reply, capturing her swinging breasts in his big hands, his thumbs circling around her nipples.

Her giggles turned to groans. She had to remain focused...Escaping his touch and ignoring his grumbles, she returned to her task of getting rid of his pants. He'd already kicked off his shoes and toed out of his socks. After carefully pulling the zipper down over the bulge in his pants, she grabbed the waistband of his pants and underwear, and gave one great tug.

His erection coiled out, free from its bindings. She really shouldn't stare; she knew how uncomfortable that made men, but truly, this appendage was so stare-worthy, more than any she'd seen before...

Bill brushed her curls back from her face. "Like what you're seeing?"

She flushed scarlet. "I'm sorry--" She scooted away from him on the cushion, crouching like a shy child on her knees.

"Look all you want..." He reached down to cradle himself. "But touching is better."

Her breath caught in her throat. "You wouldn't mind?"

He didn't reply, but took her hand in his, and wrapped her fingers around his stout length, showing her how to stroke it. She gasped in delight.

"The skin's so soft!" she exclaimed, surprised. Her thumb gently circled the broad head. "Especially here." She captured the pearl of liquid there, spreading it on the silken skin. His hips lifted up, moving into her touch, his low moans music to her ears.

"Just like yours," he husked.

His free hand cupped her through her panties, before his fingers pushed aside the fabric, caressing her with light, teasing touches. At first he simply explored but even that was enough to make Laura pant unsteadily. No man had touched her like this. If they did anything, it was in some blundering search for entry. Bill seemed to be seeking something--

She gasped. He'd found that sensitive spot higher up. At first he just touched it lightly, causing her gasps to turn to frustrated whimpers. Encouraged, he rubbed harder, alternating between slow firm strokes and fast flicks.

Laura arched her back, moaning and grinding herself harder against his clever fingers unabashedly. Needing to support herself, she released him to brace on the cushion and push back on his hand.

"You like that?" Bill asked rhetorically, chuckling. He stroked wider, gathering moisture to spread through her swelling lips, and finally gently probed inside. Laura's eyes snapped open in shock and excitement. She spread her legs wider. Her thighs began to shake. She needed to hold on, steady herself...

Then she remembered she'd left him untended and roughly grabbed his straining erection again.

“Ow!” Bill jumped and carefully pried her fingers away. “Not quite so hard, darling,” he rasped.

Mortified by his discomfort, Laura slumped against the chaise's arm, out of his reach.

After a deep breath, Bill looked up at her. "Where'd you go?" he asked with a grin which faded when he saw her downcast head, her gaze focused on her twisting fingers. He suddenly realized, that for all her talk of past lovers, that he'd been right. Not one of those bastards had bothered to make love with her, only to do it to her.

"Come 'ere, honey," he rumbled, tugging her down to lie beside him. Still not meeting his gaze, she complied obediently.

She buried her flushed face in his shoulder, trying to stop her limbs from shaking and her heart's erratic beat. She needed to slow down. Bill had to be put off by her eagerness.

“I’m sorry,” Bill murmured, wrapping his arms around her and cradling her against him. “If you’re not ready for this Laura, just tell me. I’ll wait.”

He lifted her face, placing sweet kisses to both her cheeks, her eyelids, the tip of her nose.

Richard Adair’s words kept replaying in Laura’s mind. A lady should just lie back and let the man take all initiative. But Bill had told her to touch him, hadn’t he?

“No. I don’t want to wait. I want--” Her thoughts were confused. She wanted everything!

“What do you want?”

Bill’s kisses lowered, his tongue and mouth gliding over her shoulder blade and settling in the hollow of her neck, licking and suckling on the rapidly beating pulse point there.

“This?” he asked huskily.

Her hands dug into his soft hair again, massaging his scalp as his mouth lowered even more, skimming teasingly across the swell of her breasts before returning to her mouth.

Bill couldn’t resist another gentle exploration of Laura’s legs. He planned on carrying out a thorough inspection of them later when they were both a little less on edge. His mind was filling with vision after vision of her and her legs, all shockingly intimate: wrapped around him while he took her hard and fast; astride him while she slowly drove him to insanity; hooked over his shoulders as he drank her in...

He reached her bottom and realized through his fog that she still wore her panties. This must be rectified; he needed to feel all of her. He hooked his fingers around the elastic and dragged them down, trailing a touch across her sleek skin in the process.

Bill’s kisses were drugging Laura, making her whole body lethargic. She audibly protested when he broke contact from her mouth to rise above her.

"I'm still here," he reassured her. He lifted her hips to remove her last remaining piece of clothing, tossing her underwear toward their other discarded garments.

Rocking back on his haunches, he nudged her legs open, sliding his hands up her inner thighs. His fingers combed through her pubic hair before parting her gently, and pressing one soft, but incredibly sweet, kiss there, prostrate as a man in prayer.

At the unexpected action, Laura's breath caught, her fingers gripped at his shoulders. "Bill?"

Realizing she wasn't ready for this, he crawled back up to lay face to face with her. “You’re just so beautiful,” he assured her before he took possession of her mouth again.

Comfortable with the familiar, Laura returned his kisses enthusiastically. Bill pulled her close and swept his hands across her back. She followed suit, enjoying the broadness of his frame, the contrast of hard muscle and bone with his soft skin.

He took her hand and together, they stroked his length again, showing her the right pressure and rhythm. Assured she was ready, he slid his fingers between her legs, now slick with moisture. He lifted her leg and draped it over his hip, pulling her closer.

"You tell me," he murmured before claiming her mouth again for another deep kiss.

Reluctantly, she pulled her lips free. "Yes, Bill..."

She gently guided his erection between her legs and brought him closer with her leg wound around his hip. He pressed up as he lifted her leg higher, opening her to him.

Her shattered breathing made him still his penetration and meet her gaze. "You okay?"

She stroked his cheek with her shaking hand. "It's just... It's good."

Pulling her closer, he pressed deeper and her head fell back, exposing her pale neck to his seeking mouth.

Laura was sinking lower and lower in light-filled warm water. There was pressure in unfamiliar places, yet her limbs felt light as if floating. Refractions of sunlight drifted in the air above her. There were strong currents, his hands, his tongue, his lips, running over her body.

And then he flipped over onto his back, and she rose above him like riding a wave, the pressure now such a pleasure that she thought she was fragmenting from the sensation.

Bill placed his hands on her hips and encouraged her to rock on top of him. She soon settled into a slow tempo that had her closing her eyes and basking in each new sensation that resonated through her. Bill’s hands drifted from her hips to capture her swaying breasts, kneading them and twisting her nipples with just the right amount of vigor.

She felt the familiar tingling and glow in her limbs from her other encounters--things were progressing nicely, she thought gleefully.

Then he snapped his hips up, meeting her down thrust, and she cried out, "Oh God, Bill!" for which he gave a satisfied chuckle.

She had to feel that again. Grabbing his strong forearms for support, she dared to rise as high as possible without him leaving her body, then she slammed down to meet his surging hips.

"Yeah, yeah...Damn, this...Oh damn..." babbled Bill, his head thrashing on the cushion. Her throat already raw, Laura could only manage a raspy laugh, delighting in her power over his body.

Bill felt an unwelcome coiling low in his groin. It was too soon, too damn soon. He released her breasts to search in her damp curls at their joining. Finding that now swollen nub between Laura’s folds, he began rubbing it vigorously with his knuckle, trying to push her closer to the edge.

Her lazy half-closed eyes widened in confusion and he felt her inner muscles squeeze him tightly. He stopped his ministrations immediately, expecting the familiar reproach to come. He started to say, "You don't want--"

Her hand joined his, gripping his wrist as she pressed his fingers harder against her engorged flesh. "I want--" she admitted, licking her lips nervously. A blush rose across her freckle-dusted stomach and chest.

He didn't need another word of encouragement. Grateful that she was almost there, he could relax and surge up with deep, lazy thrusts. Her breathing hitched, and as her head fell back, he was shocked to see tears coursing down her cheeks.

"I'm not hurting you, am I?" he asked.

Planting her hands on his chest, Laura could only shake her head in denial. "Bill..."

She had nothing more to say but his name, more needy whimpers than the solid syllable. Forces overcame her limbs, her mind, her emotions, centered from where his fingers blurred against their joining. They were strong, pounding waves, roaring in her ears, drowning out her out incoherent cries and his answering admonishments, telling her how beautiful she was at this moment, how much he loved her.

She forced her eyes open. He arched off the cushion, his hips jerking uncontrolled. Now hyper-sensitive, she tugged his hand away, but the pressure inside as he seemed to grow even larger caused the quakes to continue to resound through her body.

He met her wondering gaze, and she saw his deep blue eyes flood with tears too.

She collapsed forward onto Bill’s strong body, her limbs weak and listless as a rag doll’s. Her legs were quivering and black stars flickered before her vision; she couldn't seem to catch her breath.

"Yeah," he said to her unspoken question, trying to regain control his own breathing. He was exhausted. Muscles that he hadn't used in years ached; he hadn't slept in over twenty-four hours. But instead of the expected lethargy, he was wide awake.

He gave her bare bottom a light slap. "Let's get you upstairs, cleaned up, and in bed," he commanded.

Grumbling and groaning, hardly the sophisticated woman anymore with her tousled hair and stubble-burned skin, Laura found her balance and gathered up her garments while he retrieved his travel bag. She led him upstairs to her large suite but before taking her to bed, he pulled her into the spacious bathroom.

After wetting a hand towel with warm water, he gently cleaned her, an experience she found nearly as intimate as their love making. She gripped his strong shoulders as he bent to his duties, glad he couldn't see the tears afresh in her eyes.

Finally, they found their way under the crisp, sheets. She draped herself on him rather than the mountain of pillows, but he didn't mind one bit.

He pushed back the curls obscuring Laura's features. Face down on his chest, her nose was squished against his solid pectoral muscle. She cracked open one eye at the intrusion.

Bill wasn't a man to gloat... But...

"So, are you gonna buy this super-charged roadster today or not?" he said in his best salesman's voice.

The eye blinked. Her voice was raspy. "If you move out of my sight ever again, I'll take one of my father's elephant guns out of storage and hunt you down."

End of Chapter Ten