The Layered World Pt. 07

"Aiiaee! Brute! I hate you!"

For a minute or two, their coupling was wild and noisy, full of threats and gutter words. At the same moment, they gave up the play and relaxed into each other.

He stroked firmly into her low moans. "Jay, loving you is such wonderful fun..."

He turned them and asked, "Did you come? Do you need more?"

She laughed and squeezed, "Afraid Kelly will catch us like this?"

He swatted her tough rear. "You've all watched me with each other. Maybe we should stay like this to give her incentive to join?"

Another squeeze. "With you, lover, almost anything goes. But today, with bodyguards lurking, I think it is time for a shower." She walked away, wagging her rear at him.

He thought about the bodyguards, wondering whether they had made a move on his PA, and if so, what she had done about it. They both looked capable of giving her good loving, and he had told the PA's more than once that they were free to indulge other lovers.

After her shower, Sybil relaxed in a robe on the sofa, while Jay fixed two gin and tonics, going light on the gin because he wanted to discuss an idea with Sybil. Hugh had already scanned the rooms and found them clean, so he felt he could talk logistics with his PA, while not mentioning Orange directly.

Clinking their glasses, he said, "Now that certain stresses have been dealt with, may I discuss a matter of some urgency?"

"Come here and give me a kiss. We can discuss anything you wish."

"You will recall we talked earlier about a work location outside of metro areas? Natalie has made arrangements for that in New York, but it occurred to me that after our current experience in Spain, and with assistance from Allan, we might think of an outpost here?"

She looked at him critically, "You are impressed by our young man from Yale?"

"He has performed flawlessly. What do you think about changing his employment arrangement to full time with us, and part time, very part time, with the agency?"

"Allan would accept in an instant, but Branscomb will be boiled in oil by his Langley bosses."

"What if Anthony dropped a hint that Tim would be welcome at Six?"

Sybil was shaking with mirth, head in hands, when Kelly burst through the door. "We are all set."

Looking at them, freshly showered and Sybil laughing, she asked, "What is going on? Have I interrupted a tender moment?"

Sybil looked up, still laughing, and said, "You are too late for that!"

Jay said slowly, "We are discussing work. I just made a suggestion that Sybil finds laughable." He tried a frown.

Sybil pounded on his shoulder, "No, no, it is not like that at all! Fix yourself a drink, Kelly, and help me handle him."

"What shall I tell my helpers about dinner?"

"Will they be insulted if you turn them loose, saying you need to attend a work session with your boss over room service food?"

"No, but they do need to be brought into the plans from today forward."

"Yes. You can tell them that is one purpose of the meeting."

When Kelly came back from conveying those instructions, Sybil had her nose in the room service menu.

"Do you have any particular food desires?"

"Go ahead and order for me. I'll just duck into the shower."

Sybil was standing and pulling Jay up. "Go to her. Give her more reason to need a shower."

Moments later, she could hear through the not quite closed door, "Jay? Oh, now?"

Soon, Kelly was warbling loudly and Sybil was smiling from ear to ear.

After a loud screech, she heard, "You are a beast!" as the bathroom door closed.

When they returned, she had finished ordering and was sipping her drink. Kelly was in another of the fine terry robes, and very pink.

She said, "You are not supposed to laugh. I was very needy."

"Why do you suppose I sent him in there?"

Jay asked, "What kind of drink may I make you?"

"Sherry, please. When in Rome..."

Kelly turned to Sybil, "What was going on when I came in?"

"The young man who joined us in Madrid, the one who is a new recruit to the CIA, has turned out to be a fabulous help, and already said, in jest to the girls, that he was quitting the agency to join us and romance them."

The young ones are hot for him?"

"Totally. He has been in their bed the last several nights and Jay now calls them The Three."

There was a quiet knock, followed by Emily and Hugh, both in robes. Emily said, "I told him informal dress was permitted. Are you eating in?"

Sybil nodded, "Please join us, but you need to call down and increase the order with whatever you would like."

Handing a glass of sherry to Kelly, Jay seated himself. "Kelly, having gotten you here for next week's meetings, it seems a shame to send you right back to California. Why don't you stay here and take charge of our temporary outpost as we begin our special project. Your helpers would be useful as well, if you think they have earned our trust."

She leaned to kiss his cheek. "That marvelous brain is still going a mile a minute. I will have to tune up my California Spanish. What about the others? Is there a game plan?"

"It needs to be confirmed, but the outline is that Sybil, Sam and Natalie return to their home bases after next week. There is plenty of backlogged work. Hugh and Emily will be needed in London as well, to maintain close contact with British intelligence. You, Jennifer and Scarafina will find a location for an instant office, possibly here in Zaragoza, which has good communications. Allan and I will assist, but once the project has initiated, he and I and the number girls will be wherever we are needed, and probably moving around to distract watchers."

Sybil added, "Poor Allan will be stretched to keep up with CIA curiosity, especially after the fireworks start. They get very irritated when they are not on the inside of an operation."

Jay smiled, "Yes, but he is amazingly skilled for a new operative. And I can run interference with Tim." Hugh nodded his approval of the proposed arrangement.

Their dinner arrived and conversation lapsed. Sybil checked her email and said, "There is a note from Allan saying he was just advised of a large explosion in Beirut an hour ago. Nothing about the target so far."

Jay wondered, "That is not likely to affect our meetings is it?"

Sybil leaned on his shoulder. "No, I think not. But the fine food, and the fine loving, and the long hours are making me sleepy. Have we done enough work for today?"

Hoisting her, he said, "Yes. I am taking you to your bed."

She said to Kelly, "Leave a note for the helpers and sleep with us."

When he returned, Kelly cuddled with him under the sofa comforter. Emily was tight with Hugh on the other sofa.

"It is very nice to be in your arms again."

They shared a long, warm kiss. "I had a stray thought. What if we fly your mother to London? A reserve soldier?"

"You are so full of ideas. That is a good one, and will make tongues wag at the CIA."

"Talk it over with Sybil in the morning. Maybe a good cover story would be that she is seeking a UK outlet for her wine."

"You ARE fired up! That was very rough loving I just received. Are your stresses reduced?"

Emily beat on Hugh, saying, "See. You are not to worry when you work your woman hard."

With a growl, she was seized and carried through the door to the adjoining suite. Hugh paused and inquired, "A run at 5?" Jay agreed, "Yes."

Kelly had reached in his robe and discovered he was as hard as she could remember, another reminder of his amazing endurance.

He rumbled and his fingers found a stiff nipple to pester. "Have those two helpers been after you?"

"We had a talk. I said that I had a serious boyfriend and was off limits. I also told them that if we encountered interesting and available women, they were free to chase."

Teasing her breast, he said, "I think I would like to be working for you."

"Yes. Of course, you may take me to your bed."

Detouring to the ensuite, the beautiful sleepy woman barely got her teeth brushed, supported by his comforting hands on her hips. In bed next to Sybil, her only words before sleep were, "Jay, hold me. This is wonderful."

(Cont'd in Part 8 - Allan Becomes a Seagoing Double Agent)