Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Mark of the Phoenix ❯ Chapter 5

“Mark of the Phoenix”

Chapter 5

~***************************************~

*Disclaimer: The world that this story is set in and all characters therein belong to Square-Enix. This fiction piece is strictly a non-profit exercise of creativity and entertainment for people (like me) who can't get enough of this world and the characters.*

~***********************************************~

 

Reno cleared out one of his drawers for Cissnei to use whenever she was at his place, and she likewise did the same. It only took a couple of days for him to recover enough to be active again and the two of them enjoyed their time off together. By the time they returned to work, Cissnei felt that no man had ever gotten to know her body as well as Reno had. It was hard passing him in the hallways or giving him a report without thinking of all the things they had done together, let alone all the things they had yet to do. The spark of lust and amusement in his green-blue eyes when he spoke to her hinted that his mind was on the same thing.

 

The one thing Cissnei worried about was that Reno would treat her differently on the field, now that they were dating. While his protective attitude toward her didn't bother her very much anymore, she didn't want it to get in the way of their jobs. She was pleasantly surprised when he called her into his office and gave her an assignment that was potentially dangerous but didn't assign additional backup for her. His ponytail was hanging over his right shoulder and down his chest as he finished putting her papers together and stood up to give them to her.

 

“You know the drill,” he said as he handed the documents to her, “You case the place, wait for your moment and bring the guy in. If it gets too hot, you call for backup or leave it for a better opportunity.” A glimpse of concern lit his eyes for a moment but he clamped down on it and gave her one of his wild grins. “Watch yourself, doll.” Elena was assigned as her partner for this mission, so he felt a little better about it than he would have if it had been a solo assignment.

 

She smiled at him and gave him a swift bow of respect. “I'll do my best.” This assignment was a retrieval mission, but recipients rarely came quietly. “I'll report back to you as soon as I have results.”

 

“Lookin' forward to it,” Reno answered lightly. Dropping his authoritative demeanor, he added, “I wanna take you out for a couple of drinks when we clock out tonight. You up for it?” He had that look in his eyes again…the look that made her think unprofessional thoughts.

 

“Of course,” Cissnei answered softly, lowering her eyes as he cheeks warmed. She heard him laugh softly and she looked up to see his delighted grin. “What?”

 

“You're transparent, baby.” He winked at her, prompting her to flush further. “I like it.”

 

“God, is it that easy to tell what I'm thinking?” She blurted before she could stop herself. She wondered if the other Turks could read her train of thought every time she looked at him.

 

Reno shrugged and flipped his long ponytail back over his shoulder. “Maybe I'm just seeing it because my mind's on the same thing.” His eyes raked her petite form hotly, admiring the way the Turk uniform fit her slender curves. “Yo, One look at you and this guy'll probably come along willingly.”

 

“I doubt that,” she snorted, but she was grinning all the same at the compliment. “Are you coming down for lunch? I should probably eat something and find Elena before I go on the assignment.”

 

“I'll try to make it down there before you head out,” he said with a little sigh as he gestured at the stack of papers on his desk. “I've got a shit-load of paperwork to catch up on though. Get yourself something to eat. If I miss you, I'll see you tonight.”

 

She nodded and left his office. Reno stared after her and as soon as she was gone, his smile faded and he frowned. He sighed and shook his head. “Shit's harder than I thought it would be,” he muttered to himself. He'd known it wouldn't be easy to send her out on any assignments that involved possible violence or gunfire, but he hadn't realized just HOW hard it would be. It was taking everything he had to keep from assigning himself to her mission as her partner, just to be there to protect her.

 

~Get over it, man. Cissnei was raised by the Turks and she's got even more experience with this lifestyle than you do. She can handle herself.~

 

He kept telling himself that but the fear didn't go away. He wondered if Cissnei ever worried about him the way he was worrying over her. Thinking of the look on her face that night he got shot in front of her, he assumed she must. The redhead gave himself a mental shake and forced his concentration back to the paperwork he needed to finish. They were Turks. Like it or not, the uniform came with high risks and everyone who wore it understood that.

 

~****************************~

 

Cissnei sat with Elena in the cafeteria and tried to keep her mind focused on her first assignment since returning to work. The two women chatted about mundane things, with Elena gossiping as usual. Cissnei didn't really mind the blonde's gossip, though she wasn't sure how much of it she believed—especially the rumors concerning Rufus Shinra. The President had been assassinated—supposedly by Sephiroth—during the time Cissnei and Reno were on vacation. The Ancient that the company had captured for Hojo had escaped with the help of Avalanche. Now Rufus was taking over and the buzz about him was rampant.

 

“I don't believe he's never cried,” Cissnei said with a shrug as she speared some pasta with her fork and brought it to her mouth. “Maybe not as an adult, but everyone cries at some point in their life.”

 

“That's just what I've heard,” Elena said. “Tseng knows him better than anyone else though. I've only ever met him at a few meetings. Do you think he'll do a better job running the company than his father did?”

 

Cissnei chewed her food, swallowed and shrugged again. “I hope so,” she said reluctantly, thinking about how Rufus's father had assigned Reno to drop the plate over the slums. “He probably couldn't do much worse…but you never heard me say that, got it?”

 

Elena's brown eyes were wide and she nodded. “I feel the same way, to be honest.”

 

Cissnei caught sight of Reno entering the cafeteria with Rude and she froze and stared dreamily at him before she could stop herself. Elena noticed the look on her face and she turned in her seat to find the source of her distraction.

 

“Ah-ha,” Elena said with a smirk of satisfaction when she spotted Reno talking to Rude as they walked to the buffet. “There's your honey. Sooo, how is he?”

 

“How is he what?” Cissnei asked coyly, taking a sudden interest in reading the ingredients of her can of soda.

 

“Oh, come on,” Elena chuckled. “You were just eye-humping him. If you weren't already dating him I'd say you've got a major crush, but since you two are together he must be a tiger in the sheets to keep getting looks like that from you.”

 

Cissnei was grinning in spite of herself. “If I'd had a mother growing up, I'm sure she would have said that ladies don't kiss and tell.”

 

“Why not?” Elena countered, giving Reno an intrigued look before turning her attention back to the brunette. “Guys talk about it all the time. Throw me a bone, okay? At least you're getting some.”

 

Cissnei choked with laughter and shushed the blonde. “They'll hear you!”

 

Elena raised her eyebrows expectantly and crossed her arms over her chest. Behind her, Reno had spotted the two women and he gave Cissnei a wave and a little wink, making her pulse quicken.

 

“Better tell me before they come and join us,” Elena warned with a smirk. “Or I'll just keep asking right in front of him.”

 

Horrified by the thought, Cissnei pitched her voice low. “All right…he's amazing, okay?”

 

“I need more than that,” Elena insisted. “Does he go down on you?”

 

“All the time,” Cissnei muttered, crossing her legs and flushing at the memory of the last time Reno's tongue had teased her clit to the point where she was screaming his name. Had it only been last night? It felt like longer. “And yes, he knows how to work his tongue,” she added softly, biting her lip.

 

Elena grinned like a cat given a bowl of cream. “Does he warn you before he comes or does he just do it in your mouth?”

 

“Elena!” Cissnei's eyes were bugging out.

 

“What? I'm a starving woman, so humor me a little!”

 

“How about I just buy you a smut book or something?” Cissnei offered, feeling like she was shrinking in her chair.

 

“Ahem,” Elena said impatiently. “Look, they've almost finished selecting their lunch. You've only got a couple of minutes.”

 

“He warns me,” blurted Cissnei. “Every time, in fact, but I don't stop. Happy?”

 

Elena sighed and got a dreamy expression of her own. “I'm so jealous,” she said. “I'd be lucky to get a guy that does even one of those. I've never had one that does both. Hmm, if you had to pick between a guy that goes down on you and one that warns you when you're giving him head, which would you choose?”

 

“Depends on how good he is at giving head himself,” Cissnei said hastily, not really thinking about her answer.

 

Elena burst into giggles. Cissnei made another shushing motion as her boyfriend and his partner approached their table.

 

“And what are we talking about?” Reno asked as he pulled out a chair next to Cissnei and sat down.

 

“Warning systems,” Cissnei answered coolly. Elena chuckled.

 

Reno looked at her curiously as he reached for the salt and pepper. “Warning systems, eh? What kind?”

 

Cissnei shrugged. “You know, burglar alarms and stuff. Elena's is pretty old and I was just telling her she should upgrade.”

 

Reno shared a look with Rude. “So with all the giggling and shushing, you were talking about house alarms?” He grinned when Cissnei blushed lightly and shrugged again. Deciding not to embarrass her, he played along. “Yo Rude, you're pretty good with security systems. What's the hottest brand on the market now?”

 

“Watch Dog,” answered the bald man between bites of his calzone. He swallowed before going on. “You can arm and disarm it from your keychain, so you don't have to run out of the house before it goes off. It's got a motion detection system, a backup power generator, twenty-four hour service and stealth cameras you can set up at your doors so you can see who's coming to visit. They'll also install a panic switch in the bedroom if you ask for it.”

 

Elena blinked. “I might have to look into that.” Even though they weren't actually discussing home security, it sounded too good to pass up…especially living alone in the city.

 

Cissnei nodded in agreement. If she had a house she'd probably want a system like that for it. “How do you know so much about things like that, Rude?”

 

He took a quick drink from his juice and shrugged. “I like electronics and I used to work in security, before I joined the Turks.”

 

Reno finished seasoning his green beans and started eating them. “So Elena,” he said after having a bite and swallowing, “you've got your orders, right?”

 

She nodded. “We can go in my car. I've been to that part of town before so I know just where the package location is.”

 

“Good,” Reno said. He avoided saying more, sure that if he did he'd fuck up and say something that Cissnei would take as patronizing. The brunette had a knack for detecting when he was being overly protective, even when he did his best to be nonchalant.

 

~**********************************~

 

After finishing lunch, the two women went into the parking garage and got into Elena's car. As the blonde started the engine, she noticed her companion biting her lip.

 

“What's the matter, Cissnei?”

 

Cissnei sighed and looked at her sidelong. “Tell me the truth…do you think Reno treats me differently than the rest of you?”

 

Elena quirked an eyebrow at her. “Well, you are his girlfriend. Of course he's going to treat you a little different, even at work. I don't think that's something he can really help.”

 

“But that's what bothers me,” Cissnei persisted, “what are people going to think when he gives me a high-pay assignment, or if I screw up and he doesn't come down as hard on me as he would another Turk?”

 

“So you're worried that people might think you're sleeping with him to get special benefits?” Elena smirked. “I don't think you've got to worry about that, Ciss. Everyone in the organization knows you and we all know you aren't that sort of person. If Reno gives you special treatment it's on his head, not yours.”

 

“I guess so,” the brunette agreed reluctantly. “But I've always thought he treated me a little differently than everyone else, even before we started dating.”

 

Elena's smirk grew as she turned out of the parking garage and onto the street. “I guess since you're together now I can finally say something. Reno's had it bad for you for a while…we all knew it even before he did. I don't know why it took him so long to wake up and smell the coffee, but there you have it.”

 

Cissnei smiled a little. She wished she had known all this back when she first got her crush on Reno. If she had, maybe she would have gathered the courage to make a move and they would have been dating long before now. She wouldn't have gotten so enamored with Zack then and maybe his death wouldn't have hurt her so bad.

 

“I think it's hardwired for most guys to be protective of girls anyhow,” Elena went on. “Hell, when I'm out on assignment with any of the guys, they always watch my back more closely than each other's. The last time I went out with Rude there was a firefight and he shoved me to the ground and covered me before he even considered the other guy that was with us. I don't think they can help it and let's face it; we're working in a boy's club. There's like a five-to-one ratio of men versus women in the Turks and twenty years ago I'll bet the only jobs women could get in the organization were office related.”

 

“That's a good point,” Cissnei agreed. Now that she thought of it, most of the guys in her organization were protective of her on the field. Reno was just more so.

 

“So you're going to stop obsessing over this, right?” Elena said with a glance and a little smile at her.

 

“Right,” Cissnei conceded.

 

~At least as long as Reno doesn't overdo it.~

 

~***************************************~

 

“There's our guy,” Cissnei matched the photo on the assignment papers to the man walking up to the door of his house. “We should park across the street and wait a minute. If we rush in too fast we might spook him.”

 

Elena nodded in agreement and pulled up to a parking meter cattycorner from the target's house. The two women waited for him to go inside before getting out of the car and approaching the house.

 

“We should split up. I'll circle around and keep an eye on the back door, just in case,” Elena suggested softly as she clicked the safety off her concealed gun. “You've got a more wholesome look than I do so I think you should try to talk to him first.”

 

Cissnei chuckled. Everyone thought she was so innocent looking. Elena was right though; her appearance could work in their favor. “Okay, that sounds like a good idea.”

 

Elena walked towards a music shop half a block down from the target's house. It wouldn't do for him to see both of them coming for a visit. She'd have to backtrack and keep an eye out for cameras. Most residents of the upper plate had security in their homes, so maneuvering herself for an intervention was going to be a bit tricky. Of course, if the target knew anything about the Turks, he'd recognize Cissnei's suit and any plans for subtlety would have to go out the window.

 

Cissnei stopped on the front porch and waited for a moment before knocking, to give Elena a bit of time to make it around to the back. She subtly checked her piece, took a deep breath, and rang the doorbell. It took a few moments for the door to crack open and the familiar face of the target peered out at her from behind it. He was a reasonably good-looking man in his early thirties with dark blonde, collar-length hair and fair skin. He was average in height and thin but not lanky. The company wanted him brought in because word had spread of his work with materia fusion and they wanted to recruit him.

 

The man looked Cissnei up and down, curiously at first and then with growing suspicion. “Can I help you, Miss?”

 

“Derek Adams?” Cissnei said in a soft, unthreatening tone. He nodded slowly and she continued; “I represent a government agency that's taken an interest in the work you do. I'm here to ask you to come with me for a job opportunity.”

 

His expression of suspicion grew into one of alarm. “If the government wants to offer me a job, they can call me first and talk about it. No offense, but I don't hop into cars with strangers who show up on my doorstep telling stories about government job opportunities, no matter how sweet and pretty they are. I think this is either a prank or a cover for something sinister.”

 

He spoke like one who had been in danger before and had good reason not to trust anyone. Cissnei guessed that her company wasn't the first to approach him about his work. “Sir, I understand how suspicious this sounds, but I'm offering you a great opportunity. If you'll just come with me and—”

 

“I'm closing the door now,” the man interrupted, “you'll have to leave.”

 

Cissnei had anticipated this reaction and she was prepared. She wedged her foot in the doorway, the hard leather of her shoe protecting her foot as the door struck it. “I can't do that, Sir,” she said apologetically as he gaped at her in surprise. She slammed her shoulder against the door while he was off his guard, her training enabling her to strike with enough force to break the chain lock without injuring her shoulder. She pulled her gun as the door flew open and at the same time, her target came to his senses and reached behind his hips to draw a concealed gun of his own.

 

“Don't make me shoot, girl!” The scientist hollered as he backed away and took aim. He saw her weapon emerge from within her blazer and his eyes widened.

 

Cissnei understood his expression and actions and she quickly dropped to the floor just as he fired. She felt the bullet buzz over her head like an angry bee and her first instinct was to return fire. This was a retrieval mission though, and she didn't have time to aim for crippling her opponent. Instead of firing, she rolled to one side and twisted nimbly on the floor. Before he could fire at her again she swung a leg out in a sweeping motion and struck him in the back of his knees.

 

He went down on his stomach with a grunt of expelled air and his gun flew out of his hand. He immediately began to scramble for it and Cissnei shouted an order for him to stop, but he didn't listen. She lunged at him and grabbed the back of his legs, pulling with all her might. He kicked wildly at her and she gave a breathless cry of pain when his shoe struck her in the ribs, just hard enough to bruise and knock the wind out of her.

 

There was the banging sound from the back of the house, followed by the sound of hard-soled shoes pounding on the polished wooden floors. Mr. Adams evidently heard it too and came to the accurate conclusion that Cissnei had a friend coming to help her bring him in. He started to take aim at her again—whether to shoot or gain an edge she didn't know. She reacted swiftly, her instincts taking over. She kicked out and caught his gun hand with the heel of her shoe, disarming him once again. The weapon spun away only a short distance and he cursed and dove for it again.

 

Before his hand could close over the gun, another patent leather shoe kicked it away, far across the room. He looked up and found himself staring down the barrel of another gun, held steady by a blonde young woman.

 

“Don't move,” the blonde said firmly. She kept her eyes and her gun trained on him while she asked her companion if she was okay.

 

“I'm fine,” Cissnei answered as she got to her feet. She also aimed her gun at the target and gingerly pressed against her sore ribs with her free hand. “Just a little bruised.”

 

“Since when is kidnapping part of the government's hiring program?” their captive asked in a harsh, nervous tone.

 

“Since the work they want done is too important to take `no' for an answer,” Cissnei answered with a little smile. “I'm sorry sir, but you'll have to come with us now. If we have to, we'll knock you unconscious but I'd rather have you come peacefully and let us escort you to the car.”

 

He stared at her, then at Elena. His throat worked as he swallowed nervously and Cissnei felt sorry for him. She knelt beside him and looked him in the eye earnestly. “Mr. Adams, I promise you that if you come with us and hear what our organization has to offer, nobody will get hurt. If you refuse, we'll have to bring you in anyway and they'll force you to cooperate. Please, be sensible.”

 

He licked dry lips. “I want to see some identification before I agree to do anything,” he demanded.

 

Cissnei obliged him, keeping her eyes on him as she reached into her blazer with her free hand to fish out her wallet. She flipped it open and showed him the picture ID she kept under the windowed card sleeve. When he saw the ShinRa logo and the Turk rank, the color drained from his face and he swore.

 

“I…I guess I don't have a choice,” he said faintly.

 

Cissnei shook her head. “I'm sorry, you really don't. So are you going to stop resisting?”

 

He nodded jerkily and took a deep, shaky breath.

 

“Lie down on your stomach and put your wrists behind your back,” Elena ordered.

 

“Y-you don't have to cuff me,” he protested.

 

“It's nothing personal,” Cissnei explained, “it's just precautionary to ensure you don't do anything rash and try to jump out of the car or get us into a wreck. Once we're inside Headquarters we'll take the cuffs off of you.”

 

He bowed his head and nodded, then obeyed Elena's instructions and allowed Cissnei to secure the handcuffs around his wrists. The two women put their weapons away once they had him secured and they helped him up and escorted him out of the house and to the car. Cissnei even retrieved his house keys from the hanger in his living room and brought them with for him, locking his house up on the way out. Elena had damaged the lock on the back door but they could send a locksmith over to replace it for him.

 

Once they were in the car and heading back to Headquarters, Cissnei called Reno on her cell to report their progress. “It's Cissnei,” she said when he picked up, “we've got the package and we're on our way back with it.”

 

“Did ya have any trouble getting it?” Reno asked. ~Are you okay?~

 

Cissnei heard the underlying question in his voice and she smiled. “Only a little. Nothing got damaged.”

 

“Great,” Reno said in a lighter tone, “bring it to the orientation room as soon as you come in. Good work, kiddo.”

 

“Yes Sir,” Cissnei answered. “Thanks.” She hung up and replaced the cell in her inner pocket.

 

~************************************~

 

Reno went to the “orientation” room as soon as he was finished with the filed he had been going over when Cissnei called. It was actually the interrogation room, but for security purposes the Turks spoke in code anytime they discussed business over the phone, even when they knew the line was secure. Part of the training to become a Turk involved getting into the habit of learning and using code terms. It was second nature to anyone that earned the right to don the suit.

 

Cissnei and Elena were already there with the captured scientist when he arrived. He was sitting at the table with his hands free and a glass of water sitting in front of him. Restraints weren't necessary because he would be shot dead by either the Turks or the two security guards in the room before he could move, if he were stupid enough to try anything.

 

“Derek Adams, right?” Reno asked as he shut the door behind him and approached the table.

 

The man nodded and studied Reno with a look of faint recognition. The redhead smirked at him. “Yeah, you know me from somewhere. I'm the one that's been keeping an eye on you and getting the info for our people. You've probably seen me at that bar ya like going to after work.”

 

“So that's why you had to send a little girl to get me, instead of coming yourself,” Adams said with as much courage as he could muster.

 

“Hey, she kicked your ass, didn't she?” Reno countered with a wink at the brunette. “What's wrong with you anyway, pal? I can think of worse things than getting picked up by a pair of pretty ladies.”

 

“It's the reason I object to,” grumbled the scientist. “Just get on with it…what do you people want with me?”

 

“It's pretty simple, yo,” Reno turned the seat across from Adams around and straddled it, propping his arms on the back of it as he peered across the table at the captive. “Ya sign a contract to work with our science department for a couple of years. In exchange you'll get paid an obnoxious amount of money and you and everyone ya care about won't get hurt. By the time your contract's up you'll probably have enough money to retire early, man. Think about it.”

 

“You want me to help ShinRa design weapons, don't you?” Adams murmured with a twist to his lips. “I suppose if I refuse, you'll have anyone unfortunate enough to know me murdered in cold blood.”

 

Reno shrugged. “Something like that, yeah. Only, there's more too it than that. Ever hear of a little thing called national defense? Who fronts the bill when terrorists hit? Who keeps everyone powered up and safe? There's a lot of good stuff you could be doing by working for ShinRa. Try to see the big picture. You can make materia use and fusion safer for everybody and make a mint in the process. That's better than getting your fingernails yanked out and getting all your friends and family killed, right?”

 

Adams shivered involuntarily as Reno's flashing, sea-green eyes promised him that he wasn't exaggerating about the price of refusal. “How do you know I won't tell about the work I did for your company when my contract is up?” he dared to ask.

 

Reno huffed a laugh. “What, materia fusion? It's nothing new and ShinRa isn't the only company doing it. We're just the best at it and we're making sure it stays that way, got it? You won't have the clearance to see or hear anything confidential. Hell, even we don't know all the company secrets, yo.”

 

“So what you're telling me is that you can guarantee I won't be murdered once I've fulfilled my contract?” Adams inquired warily.

 

“Not by us,” Reno agreed. “Unless you poke around where you don't belong and turn into a liability, that is. Just do your job and stick to your own business and you'll make it through this just fine.” He reached into his blazer and the scientist tensed, half expecting him to pull a gun and shoot him. Reno noticed and smirked. Instead, the Turk produced a document, neatly folded lengthwise. He placed it on the table and slid it over to Adams, while at the same time lifting a pen out of his breast pocket with his other hand and offering it.

 

The captive opened the document and looked over it, then looked up at Reno and the two women. Slowly, he reached for the pen and took it. He wrote his signature on the line at the bottom of the contract and dated it, then laid the pen on top of it and slid the paper back toward Reno.

 

“Great doing business with ya,” Reno said lightly as he picked up the contract and his pen. “We'll have someone drive you home and we'll call ya in a couple of days and send a car for you when we're ready for you to come in and start.”

 

~************************************~

 

After finishing up with the newest addition to the corporation, Cissnei and Elena took turns giving their reports to Tseng. Elena went first and Cissnei went in after her.

 

“He's ready for you,” Elena said with a little smile and a wave as she exited Tseng's office and walked past the brunette. “Great job today, Ciss. I'll see you later.”

 

“You too,” Cissnei replied. She walked through the office door and closed it behind her. Tseng was standing at his elaborate, Wutaian crafted desk and he motioned for her to have a seat in one of the chairs situated before it. She gave him a little bow and crossed the room to take her seat and placed her report on his desk.

 

“You both did well today,” Tseng said as he sat down in his swivel chair on the other side of the desk and looked over the written report. “The President is pleased and so am I. You've resumed giving the quality of work we've come to expect of you, Cissnei.”

 

The brunette took the compliment demurely. “Thank you, Sir. Elena's help really made it go smoothly.”

 

“Perhaps so,” Tseng replied as he threaded his fingers together over the files, his dark eyes thoughtful on her. “Elena tells me you were handling it well enough on your own, though. She may have expedited the retrieval but she has assured me that you would have been successful if she hadn't been there.”

 

“Maybe,” Cissnei said modestly, “but I'd have gotten a lot more bruises in the process.”

 

Tseng smiled. “Don't sell yourself short, Cissnei. Your associates don't simply pay lip service when they compliment your skills.” He scanned her slender frame briefly and his smile faded. “You were injured. Have you been to the medical facilities yet?”

 

“Oh, it's only a bruise where he kicked me in the struggle,” Cissnei assured him.

 

Tseng unthreaded his fingers and scanned her paperwork again. “It says he kicked you in the ribs,” he said as he looked back up at her again. “What feels like bruising could be a fracture. Are you certain you don't need to be examined?”

 

Cissnei nodded. “I'm sure, Sir. I've had fractured ribs before so I know what they feel like. It's just a bruise.”

 

Tseng nodded. “Very well, then. You know your own body best, after all. Unless you have unfinished work you need to complete, feel free to clock out and go to payroll for your commission on this assignment, Cissnei.”

 

~********************************~

 

She couldn't say it wasn't a relief to pick up her commission from the payroll desk. The flat pay was good and she'd gotten paid leave when she took her vacation, but the larger lump sum of the assignment payment made her feel more secure. Cissnei had been keeping a private savings account for years, for emergencies and to build a retirement fund. One thing she'd learned over the years was that there was no telling what would happen from one day to the next.

 

After picking up her check and clocking out, she went to Reno's office to see if he needed help with anything. She was looking forward to spending time with him tonight—they hadn't more than a moment's privacy all day. He was on the phone with someone when she walked in and he gave her a quick smile and motioned for her to lock the door behind her. She did so and crossed the room to have a seat on the lounge against the left wall.

 

“Yeah boss, no problem,” Reno was saying. “We're getting him started in a couple of days. Okay, you too Sir.” He hung up the phone and swiveled his chair to the side, waggling his eyebrows at Cissnei.

 

“You off the clock now?” Reno asked.

 

She nodded.

 

“Good. Come here.” He grinned at her and patted his lap.

 

Cissnei smiled as she got up and approached him. “You don't have to wait for me to be off the clock to do that when we're alone,” she said as she slid sideways onto his lap and put her arms around his neck. “It isn't like I'll report you for sexual harassment.”

 

He kissed her softly and his hands went around her waist. “I know but I've gotta maintain some kind of professional attitude in my position.”

 

“This from a guy that hardly ever wears his uniform according to regulation,” she teased as she bent her head and planted a kiss on his exposed clavicle. “I'm not complaining though; I think it's sexy the way your shirt is always unbuttoned.” She gave him a kiss on the lips before moving her head down again to kiss his throat. She slid her right hand into the open collar of his shirt and caressed the smooth skin of his chest, drawing a soft groan from him.

 

“Damn, baby…how am I supposed to get this paperwork finished with you doing things like that?” Reno's voice was husky as she planted soft kisses on his neck and ran her fingertips over his chest.

 

“You've still got a lot to do?” Cissnei suppressed a sigh of disappointment.

 

“Yeah,” Reno grumbled. “I know I said we'd go out for drinks when we finish work tonight but I'm gonna have to work late.”

 

“Can I help with any of it?” She caught his earlobe between her teeth and tugged, grinning as she felt his rising erection press against the bottom of her thigh.

 

Reno's eyes unfocused briefly in response to the ear nibbling and it took him a minute to comprehend the question. “Nah, but I've got some scotch in the cabinet. We could have a drink or two here if ya want.”

 

“Sounds good,” she agreed. He helped her off his lap and started to get up, but she put a hand on his shoulder and shook her head. “I can pour the drinks, Reno.”

 

He nodded and tried to concentrate on his paperwork while she went to the cabinet to do it. Her scent lingered around him and if that wasn't distracting enough, the boner tenting his trousers certainly was. He listened to the sounds of the cabinet opening up and glasses clinking together and he wondered if it was a good idea to have a woman he couldn't keep his hands off of in his office while he was trying to work.

 

After a few moments, he heard her approach again and she leaned over him from behind and set down a glass containing familiar amber liquid on his desk. Her lips brushed against his ear as she leaned over him and her breath fanned his face.

 

“There you go,” Cissnei murmured. Her hands rubbed his shoulders and he closed his eyes. “You're pretty tense, Reno. Are you sure some of this can't wait until tomorrow?”

 

Reno reached out and took his drink, bringing it to his lips and taking a hefty swallow. He shivered as the potent liquid burned his throat. “God, you don't know how much I wanna blow off this work and take you on this desk right now,” he said seriously.

 

Cissnei giggled softly and her small, clever hands slid down the front of his body and began to undo the rest of the buttons on his shirt. “You could put the work on hold if you want.”

 

~Shit, you little minx!~ Reno's breath caught and he tried to calm his flaring libido.

 

Usually it was Cissnei that kept her head on straight and tried to keep their work and their relationship separate, but tonight she was on fire. It was on the tip of Reno's tongue to ask if she was ovulating or something. What remained of his common sense warned him that saying something like that would not only be un-romantic, but likely offensive to her.

 

“Honey, if I put this off and start on you I'm not going to want to stop and I'll just end up having more work to do tomorrow,” he gasped in a rush as her fingertips grazed his ribs and slid lower.

 

“Not even a quickie?” Cissnei purred. She popped the button on his trousers with one hand and cupped the hardened bulge between his legs with the other.

 

Reno lifted his hips into the touch involuntarily and cursed. He turned his head and tilted it back, sliding one hand into Cissnei's hair to cup the back of her head and draw her mouth to his. His tongue darted in hungrily as her lips parted and he groaned. She returned the caress of his tongue with her own, while her hand massaged his straining package through his pants.

 

“Hold it,” he panted, breaking the kiss. “The Prez is gonna have my hide if I don't get some of these finished tonight, Cissnei. Dammit, I'm gonna have a hard enough time concentrating now, but if you keep going I'm really gonna lose it.”

 

Cissnei did stop, but only so that she could spin his chair around to face her. “Let me just ease some of that tension,” she whispered as she dropped her hands back onto his shoulders and let them slide down his exposed chest and abdomen. “I'll let you work after that, I promise.” God, she was horny. She could take care of that problem herself if she couldn't wait for him to clock out, but she wasn't willing to leave until she got the satisfaction of hearing him moan her name and feeling his body tense with pleasure.

 

“Hey, you know my motto is `ladies first',” Reno tried to argue, but the sound of his fly being unzipped distracted him and the feel of her warm hand gripping his cock and easing it out of his pants blew away his last coherent thought.

 

“Maybe I think gentlemen can go first once in a while,” Cissnei sighed sweetly. Her soft lips made their way down his neck, chest and stomach as she slowly went to her knees before him. Her hand released his dick long enough for her to push his thighs apart, then it resumed its slow, steady stroking of the length.

 

Reno had no further arguments. Even if he had, he wouldn't have been able to articulate them. Typically, he worked on getting her off first and intercourse usually followed—not as much for chivalry as she might think, but to assure she'd be in the mood and ready for him. He loved sliding into her hot, tight pussy and that was usually what was on his mind when he initiated sex, so naturally blowjobs weren't something he got very often. He loved them as much as any other guy…especially the way Cissnei gave them. He just had a hard time holding his orgasm when he was getting sucked off and he hated to wait for recovery to have intercourse.

 

He moistened his lips with his tongue and looked down, watching her head move lower and lower until she reached her goal. He felt her breath stir his pubes and he combed his fingers through her soft hair, tense with anticipation. When her lips slid over the head of his throbbing sex his breath caught…then her tongue lapped gently at the tender little hole in the tip and he nearly jumped from the sensation. His hands trembled and his mouth went slack as she drew him slowly and teasingly into the warmth of her mouth, suckling as she did so.

 

“Ciss…nei…” He couldn't catch his breath and it expelled from his lungs in a huff as she pulled back and let his cock slide out of her mouth to the cap, only to suck it back in firmly. Her bottom teeth gently and teasingly scraped the underside of his member as she drew him back in, just enough to stimulate the nerves and give pleasure. One of her hands slipped under the organ and cupped his balls as she began to take him in and out of her mouth in a steady rhythm.

 

“Oh fuck,” he panted as she picked up the pace of her rhythm and the force of her sucking. She did it gradually, letting the sensation build in order to bring him to a more intense orgasm. Her hand massaged his balls as she worked her mouth over his cock and her other hand rubbed his left thigh as if soothing him. He kept stroking her hair, barely refraining from pulling it.

 

Cissnei had honestly never loved sucking a man off this much before. Reno never grabbed her and he always kept the motions of his pelvis controlled so that he didn't ram himself down her throat. The sounds he made when she got him off like this were so sexy and gratifying that it sweetened the whole experience. He had plump balls—she enjoyed the feel of the ovular shaped set in her palm, and she loved the way he reacted when she gently squeezed them during oral sex.

 

She relaxed her throat further to take him in as deeply as possible and she knew he was getting close when his breath began to hitch and his thigh muscles tightened and trembled. Her loins ached with arousal and desire as his musky scent filled her nostrils and his grunts and throaty moans increased in volume and frequency.

 

“Good,” Reno moaned softly, “God, that feels so fucking good, baby…I'm close…oh Cissnei, it's so…close…”

 

He seemed to run out of breath at the end of the last sentence and she felt his balls tightening up in her hand. She gave them a squeeze and deep-throated his rigid length as his ass lifted off the chair and he yanked his hands out of her hair to grab onto the sides of his seat. The hot gush of his release went down her throat as his dick pulsed in her mouth and she gulped it down, managing to swallow most of it. What little got on her tongue didn't bother her. Not that he tasted like honey, but compared to previous boyfriends Reno seemed much less bitter and salty. Maybe it was his diet or maybe it was the chemistry they shared…either way, she loved to swallow for him.

 

When the last of his seed was expelled and his spasms stopped, she released his sated cock from her mouth and gently tucked it back into his pants, zipping them back up before looking up at him. His face was beaded with sweat, his lips were parted and gasping and there was a flush of passion spread over his cheeks. His blue-green eyes were heavy lidded as they looked into hers and strands of his vivid hair hung partially over them. He looked beautiful to her.

 

Cissnei smiled sweetly up at him before getting to her feet and reaching for her own glass of scotch, which she had set aside on the other side of his desk. She took a swallow to rinse down the evidence of his pleasure and she felt his arm go around her waist and hug her. She placed a hand over his and her heart swelled when she felt him rest his cheek against the small of her back. It was odd how a man that could put a bullet in someone's brain without blinking could be so sweet and grateful in the afterglow of sex.

 

~I think he's always going to be a paradox to me, but I don't mind. That's part of what always made him so fascinating and seductive to me. Well, that and the fact that he's a sexy fox, but I don't pant over guys just because they're hot to look at.~

 

“Do you think you can work now?” Cissnei asked in a soft, teasing voice after taking another drink.

 

“Mmm, I'm definitely more relaxed now,” murmured Reno against her back. “I think I need a cigarette after that one, though. God, that mouth of yours…” he nuzzled the spot his head was resting against and squeezed her again. “Tell you what, since my place is closer to work than yours, why don't you head there when you finish your drink? You've got clean clothes there, right?”

 

Cissnei nodded. “Yeah, I've got a work uniform hanging in the closet and some undies and casual clothes in my drawer.”

 

“Cool. Why don't ya go there then? You can have a few drinks, watch something on the tube, order something to eat…whatever ya want. When I get home the first thing I want to do is give you some payback, yo.”

 

Cissnei laughed and turned around to face him. “Trying to get rid of me already?”

 

“Only so I can get this work done and have some free time to ravish ya,” Reno said with a shrug. “Seriously babe, if you keep hanging around here I'm just gonna get hot for ya again. The sooner I get this shit done, the sooner I can get home and have your toes curling.” He grinned at her and stood up, putting his arms around her. He kissed her and he noticed that she wasn't parting her lips. He broke the kiss and looked at her, realizing for the first time that she always did that after giving him head.

 

“Hey, does it ever bother you when I kiss you after going down on you?”

 

She parted her lips and stared. “I…what?”

 

His mouth quirked. “It's a pretty simple question, doll.”

 

“Well, no. I like being kissed.”

 

He nodded. “Then you shouldn't be so skittish about kissing me after ya give me head.”

 

A blush rose in her cheeks and she averted her eyes. “I just thought guys hated to be kissed after that.”

 

He chuckled and cupped her chin. “Maybe if you had it all over your lips and face, but it don't care if there's a little aftertaste. Now give me a good kiss.”

 

Cissnei was surprised but Reno had already proven he was anything but typical. She obliged him and caressed his tongue with hers when he kissed her deeply. By the time he broke the kiss again, she was pressed tightly against him and vehemently wishing his work was finished for the night. He traced her swollen lips with his fingertip and smiled seductively at her.

 

“I'll see you later tonight, babe. Now get going, before I get myself in trouble.” He patted her bottom and gave her one last, quick kiss.

 

“You'd better hurry,” Cissnei shot over her shoulder as she walked to the door, “I'm in trouble myself, if you know what I mean.”

 

Reno grinned and watched her go. He could tell by her walk and the flush in her cheeks that she was horny and frustrated. He'd fix that as soon as he got home. “Remember the bareback rule, Ciss.”

 

“Oh, I will,” she promised.

 

~**************************************~

 

-To be continued