The Darkness We Hide

“Welcome to my humble abode,” Michelle said, unlocking the door to her small studio apartment, praying that she had put the laundry away.

To her relief the apartment was pretty much picked up if not really clean, no underwear on the floor and the like. Helping her to the sofa, Gareth knelt down and lifted her foot onto his knee.

“Let me take a look at that ankle,” he said, pulling off her slush wetted boot.

‘Please don’t let my feet stink,’ Michelle prayed as he removed her sock.

“It doesn’t look too bad,” he asked as he rotated her foot from left to right. “Does this hurt?”

“Yes,” she yelped, trying to escape his grasp.

“Yeah,” she said, calming her breathing, “that hurts.”

With gentle, but firm hands Gareth felt her ankle, manipulating it more, eliciting several more moans and muffled screams from Michelle.

“Well,” he pronounced, lowering her leg, “I don’t think it’s broken, but it looks like you’ve got a bad sprain.

“You should probably wrap this,” he sighed, sitting back on his heels. “Do you have any elastic bandages? Ace wraps and the like?”

“Second drawer,” she said pointing to her bathroom.

Gently, he moved a cushion under her foot and set it down on the sofa. Standing, he disappeared into the bathroom and soon returned with the wrap in hand.

Taking her foot gently into his hands again, he began to wrap the bandage around it with expert movements.

“You’re going to need to keep off your foot for a few days,” he said, pinning the wrap into place.

“Well,” she smirked, “thank god I have the next two days off.”

“Do you have ice packs or plastic bags I can put ice in?” he asked, returning her foot to its pillow.

“I think there’s one in the freezer,” she answered, “if all else fails there’s plastic bags in the cabinet above the fridge.”

“How about pain relievers?” he asked over his shoulder, heading toward the kitchen. “Got any of that?”

“There’s ibuprofen in the cabinet next to the microwave,” she said, sitting up a little straighter.

Nodding his head he grabbed the ice pack, medicine, and after searching the cupboards, a cup of water. Coming back to the sofa he handed her the water and pills, then gingerly placed the ice wrap around her ankle and kneeling, slowly began to massage her calf.

“That tickles,” she giggled, choking in surprise at his touch.

“Sorry,” he apologized, increasing the pressure of his fingers. “Some of the pain and discomfort can be eased by massaging the injury.”

“So,” she ventured, a warmth spreading over her as his strong hands worked the injured joint. “Do you always play the white knight to a damsel in distress?”

“Well,” he replied, moving a little higher on her calf, “I guess you could say it’s a calling.”

“A calling?” she asked intrigued.

“Yeah,” he explained, “I’m a Marine. I think that definitely falls under the white knight label.”

“A Marine?” Michelle asked.

“Yeah,” Gareth chuckled in reply, “white knight with a gun.”

Michelle’s heart skipped a beat. A Marine, she thought. Richard had been in the Marines before joining the police force.

“Are you okay?” he asked, stopping and looking down at her. He’d felt the change in her pulse and breathing, and he could feel her body shaking in fear.

“I used to date a Marine,” she breathed, her voice and body trembling.

“Did he hurt you?” Gareth asked, already knowing the answer. The scent of fear was thick around her.

Unable to speak, her throat almost too tight to breath, Michelle simply nodded as silent tears rolled down her cheeks. She hadn’t spoken about the attack in months having pushed the fear and pain to the back of her mind.

“Bastard,” he spat, his hands tightening their grip on her leg. “No man, Marine or not, should ever abuse a woman.”

Still unable to speak, the anger in his voice reminding her of Richard, Michelle wiped feebly at her cheeks wishing the subject had never come up.

“Michelle,” Gareth said softly, allowing a bit of mesmeric vibration to creep into his voice. “Look at me.”

As he spoke, his eyes seemed to change, a soft glow emitting from their depths. He slowly moved his hands up her calf, past the knee and on to her thigh. His fingers traced slow circles as they inched over her skirt and moved ever upward.

Unable to look away, Michelle could feel his hands continue their caressing path up her leg, her stomach, massaging her breasts, his thumb circling each hard nipple. She couldn’t find the will to stop him, and she didn’t want him to.

“This is the only way a man should touch you,” he purred, feeling the change in her body.

“Like this,” he continued, his voice vibrating as he lifted his hand to her face, caressing her cheek ever so softly with the back of his hand.

“And this,” he breathed as he leaned in and kissed her lips.

Michelle’s world was beginning to spin out of control. When she put her hand on his chest to push him away, she could feel his hard muscles under his shirt rippling at her touch, his nipples as hard as her own. His heart was beating frantically beneath her hands, his lips soft and supple as he pressed them against hers.

She felt both of his hands slowly, ever so slowly slip into her hair. Taking handfuls in each fist, he gently pulled her head back until she was lying prone on the cushions, her scent telling him she was as aroused as he was. With one last brush of his lips, he sat up.

Looking down at her, all Gareth could think of was that if he ever met the man who’d hurt such a beautiful creature as her, he’d kill him.

Michelle opened her eyes to find him staring down at her, his gaze searching her face. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, anything, to beg him to kiss her again, to take her to her bed and replace the memories of Richard with something new. To fill her with everything he had, to not leave her alone, but she wasn’t given the chance.

Gareth’s lips were on hers again, crushing them with a passion that she could not resist. His body covered hers, solid, but not crushing, the last thing he wanted was to hurt her. Michelle wound her arms around his neck pulling him in. She spread her legs, welcoming his weight on top of her, wanting him to take her, to feel him as close to her as possible.

As his lips left hers again, they began to trace a path down her neck all thoughts ceased. She could feel his fingers on her blouse, fumbling with the buttons, undoing them one by one.

Michelle, moaned in frustration. He was going so incredibly slow, it was agonizing.

His lips followed his hands, kissing a trail between her breasts and over her stomach. As he reached her waist line, he leaned back again and gazed down at her.

“You are so beautiful,” he breathed, his fingers touching her cheek and moving ever so slowly down her side. His voice was husky with desire, his eyes devouring the length of her.

The scent of him was more pungent now, more than his earlier earthy musky smell, she found herself willing to do anything he asked of her, wanting to do everything.

Gareth leaned in, kissing her breasts pulling her bra cup down just enough to expose each nipple which he suckled and teased while Michelle moaned with desire, wanting more and more for him to take her. With his mouth thus occupied, his hands were working to remove her skirt. With great skill he had it off, her panties soon followed.

In one swift motion Gareth pulled her up and settled her, astride his lap, his mouth still drawing gently on her breasts.

Michelle could scarcely catch her breath. Never had she known a man who could excite such sensations from her. She’d barely noticed Gareth removing her shirt and bra, her mind preoccupied with the feel of her bare, tender flesh as she rubbed against his manhood, feeling his hardened member under the rough fabric of his jeans.

Unable to wait any longer, Gareth grabbed her under the buttocks, stood and carried her across the room to her bed. Setting her down on the edge, he lowered himself to his knees wanting, needing to taste her. With gentle, but firm pressure he moved her legs apart and kissed his way up each leg until he had reached her moist opening. His tongue darted around with such speed and accuracy Michele was thrown back on the bed in immediate waves of ecstasy.

He relished the sound of her moans as he inserted one finger inside her, finding her already moist and ready for him. He began to move his tongue in languid circles, suckling her swollen mound while working her opening with expert strokes. Slowly he added a second finger relishing in her gasps of pleasure as he pushed her towards a crescendo.