Lucinda placed a key card upon the table, the whiteness of it blending perfectly against the white linen table cloth. She said nothing, merely giving him the hottest of looks. Bond picked up the card and twirled it in his fingers before standing and offering her his hand. She accepted it graciously and they headed for her room.
Inside her kisses were warm and welcoming, her fingers gliding over his muscled and toned body, and Bond felt the familiar detachment within him rise. This was just another woman who was offering herself and her body to him. But he didn't refuse. He never did, and occasionally he felt something for them. Even entering into relationships with them but they never lasted. And soon he could barely remember them, and there was always another woman to take their place. Lucinda was tugging eagerly at him, and he had to admit that she was passionate. His hands slipped under her fine blonde hair to caress the back of her neck and pull her closer to him as he slipped his tongue into her mouth. She pressed back against him, and soon she was tugging at his jacket, and encouraging him in his touches.
She was good, writhing beneath him as he thrust into her, meeting him, arching her back, gently clawing at his skin. Afterwards he held her, stroking her soft side, automatically going through the familiar gestures, kissing the back of her neck, whispering softly in her ear.
'You can't stay,' she said almost harshly. He nodded, he hadn't expected or planned to. Slipping from the bed she headed to the other room, carrying her clothes. Quickly Bond leapt from the warmth of the rumpled bed sheets and dressed in a smooth practised manner. He knew what he had to do. The papers were carefully hidden under the lining of a drawer, showing the floor plans of a scientific complex, laboratories, research areas, all neatly laid out in the rolled up blue prints. The tiny camera he carried did its work, and they were recorded. Working silently he replaced them, and turned.
Lucinda walked into the room, and he was hardly surprised to see her carrying a gun.
'Lucinda,' he reprimanded her gently, 'You don't have to threaten me to get me to leave.'
She threw him a scornful look. 'Enough, Mr. Bond.'
*
Ashleigh stood, and walked around the table to him, taking his hand and pulling him to his feet, their lips meeting in a surprisingly tender kiss. It deepened as his hands crept under her top to find the soft skin of her waist, he pulled her closer, and she wrapped her arms around him as she felt her resolve weaken once more. As James had done to Lucinda, he slid his hands around to the back of her neck, and pulled her closer, his kisses growing deeper, and more frantic. His caresses grew rough, and suddenly she gasped, as he plunged his hands into her hair he had caught the side of her temple. Stars appeared behind her eyes, and she felt the gash break and a thin trickle of blood began to slip down the side of her face. It was the wake up call she needed, and she came crashing down to reality.
'No!' she cried out, and pushed him away. She saw the flash of anger in his face, and then he saw the blood on her face. He brushed the hair back from her face, saw the freshly opened cut, and then the smear of blood on the back of his fingers. He met her eyes, and saw the doubt there, and knew she was still questioning his involvement in her accident. He reached for her again, but she jerked away and walked into the bathroom.
She was shaking. Placing her hands on the counter she breathed deeply, trying to force down all the horror that was swamping her. In too deep, you're in too deep, the words pounded in her head. Flicking her hair back from her face she reached for a tissue.
Alec was standing in the door way. His shirt collar was undone, his hair tousled. Their eyes met in the mirror. She dropped hers first. He rubbed the shadow of stubble that darkened his jaw. 'You were lost in thought,' he said.
