Made of Glass Ch. 11

Chapter Eleven: Vibrations

'She shakes my foundations
My world is ever-changing with her in it
She quakes me down to the core
And I live caught up in her vibrations' -- K.A.

*****

For all his experience with women, Kort had no idea what was acceptable clothing for a date.

I'm not sure this is even a good plan, he thought, glancing in the direction of the table, where he'd laid out what he needed for this particular plot. What if Ellery thought it was lame? On the other hand, was why he worrying about it so much? He was supposed to be the kind of guy who didn't do romance, who slept with women but never dated them. The operative term here, he was forced to admit, being 'supposed to be.' Kort sighed. Hardly the first time Ellery's turned my life upside down.

He gave up the ghost and settled on jeans and a simple black button down shirt. Honestly, he was more interested in what Ellery would be wearing. Lately everything she wore left him sorely tempted. And something had changed in her demeanor; she seemed more confident these days. Maybe it was only his imagination but she seemed to glow with an inner light that put some beauty into her plain features.

Kort shook himself from his thoughts. He leaned against the doorframe for a long moment, one foot in his bedroom, the other in the hallway. From here he could actually see the table.

"Well, it's too late to change my mind now," he muttered.

As if to confirm that a knock sounded on the door. He took a deep breath and went to open it. These days he'd gotten good at bracing himself for whatever she'd be wearing. Not, he thought as he opened the door, good enough.

"What?" Ellery asked, when all he did was stare.

"You ask that every time," he said, managing to make his voice teasing. "Fishing for compliments?"

She planted her hands on her hips and tossed her head. Some of her hair was in tiny braids with little silver beads on the end; the rest spilled freely down her mostly bare shoulders. She looked like starlight—even her skin had a silvery glimmer to it. I was right, Kort thought, eyeing the shimmering dark blue dress. It's more than the clothes. There's a change in her.

"You ought to know me better than that," she retorted without heat.

She stepped into the apartment. Even with her newfound confidence she hesitated just inside the door, her teeth sinking into her lower lip. Kort leaned down and kissed her cheek. He didn't dare do more than that; they might never get this date started if he let himself get carried away.

"Of course I do," he said. "Who knows you better than me?"

She stuck her tongue out at him.

He turned away before he could be too tempted. Kort crossed the room and grabbed the basket from the table. It was a heavy old thing, the dark wicker weave faded and a bit worn from years of use. Once it had belonged to his grandmother, then to his mother; it hadn't been used since his mother left though.

Ellery leaned in the doorway, a light breeze pulling at the ends of her hair. She raised her eyebrows when she saw the basket. "A picnic?"

"Well, um...if you'd rather do something else..."

"Not at all. But it might get cold out there. Hope you're prepared to keep me warm."

She smiled in a way that was probably supposed to be coquettish. Kort suppressed a smile; she still mostly managed cute rather than seductive. However when she turned to walk out the door the dress shimmied with her stride. He swallowed hard and gripped the basket tight. Just the thought of moving his hands over her skin the same way the fabric moved made him tense and well, hard.

He followed her, holding the basket in front of himself. Fortunately she didn't seem to notice.

He'd chosen late afternoon, so it was still warm and bright enough to see. Ellery walked beside him, quiet but not uncomfortably so, as they headed down to the ground floor. Kort couldn't help glancing at her from time to time, peeking covertly from the corner of his eye. She walked with more swing in her stride, with straighter shoulders and a chin held higher. Maybe her sisters are doing her some good after all, he thought. His stomach still twisted with unease when he thought of them, though.

"So, where are we going?" Ellery asked, hooking her arm through his. "I didn't exactly wear shoes for hiking, I admit."

Kort looked down at her strappy, stiletto-heeled sandals and grinned. "I like those just fine."

"I won't, if we end up trekking off to some woods in the middle of nowhere."

"Ah, don't worry, Little Red," he teased. "I'll protect you."

She looked at him, her eyebrows rising, her mouth quirking at the corners. "From the big, bad wolf?"

"Oh. No." He flashed a decidedly wolfish grin. "Not from that."

She threw her head back and laughed. Lights danced in her hair. He blinked, for a moment completely mesmerized. Then he shook himself; it was probably just the sunlight playing among those fiery red strands.

Kort led her past the garage, towards the expanse of land stretching into the distance. They walked in companionable silence, a silence similar and yet different to the ones he'd known during their friendship. Guess I'm getting used to this change in our relationship, he realized. Being around her, teasing her, all of it was becoming easy again.

She leaned into him. He caught the scent of roses and paint from her hair and thought, Okay, maybe not completely easy.

After a short while they reached the place he'd chosen. Since he'd begun living here, Kort had liked spending time in this spot. A small copse of trees huddled around a tiny pond—manmade, he suspected. In the summer he came out here with a book or his guitar, to relax under—or in—the trees. He'd never taken Ellery out here before.

"Oh wow," she murmured. "Kort, this place is beautiful."

"Yeah."

"Is it yours? I mean, the property..."

"Nah, but it doesn't belong to anyone else in the neighborhood either, far as I know."

Kort set the basket down and pulled a blanket from it. He spread the blanket out beneath the largest tree. With a great deal of care Ellery settled on the blanket, towards the edge where sunlight came through the tree branches.

"How'd you get this idea, anyway?" she asked, dropping her purse—a tiny thing that almost matched the dress—on the blanket. "It's so...un-Kort-like."

He gazed at her in mock outrage. "Are you saying I'm not romantic?"

"Yes," she responded bluntly. She raised a hand and crooked a finger. "C'mere, Prince Not-So-Charming."

Kort set down the Tupperware container he'd just pulled out of the basket and sidled over to her. Perhaps he shouldn't have gone so willingly. Sometimes he acted like she'd wrapped him around her little finger. But she crawled into his lap, wrapping herself around him instead, tucking her head beneath his chin.

"Mmm," Ellery murmured. "Much better. You're warm."

"Well, I am wearing more than a spangly blue washcloth."

"What's wrong with my dress?"

Kort fingered the fabric gently. "To me? Nothing. I expect it's going to get chilly for you, though."

"I did actually bring something to keep me warm," she said, reaching for her purse. "It's not that cold, and I didn't know we'd be outside."

"Yeah, sorry about that. I wanted to surprise you..."

"I don't mind. Let me just—"

She tried to tug something out of her purse—something dark blue and silky—but the tiny pouch refused to yield its contents. Ellery rolled her eyes and tugged harder. The cloth came out at last, unraveling from the neat folds it had been in. Something tumbled free of it and landed on the grass.

They both sat there and blinked at it curiously. Then Ellery's shoulders went rigid. Is that... Kort thought. Yes, yes it is. He recognized the remote and bullet combo; one of the girls he used to hook up with regularly had a collection of vibrators that would give toy store owners pause. In fact, this little baby was rather mild in comparison to some of the things she'd owned. I imagine I should keep that to myself, though...

Ellery's cheeks were roughly the same shade as her hair. She scrambled out of his lap and to her feet before he could catch her. Humiliation and anger burned in her eyes.

"Niamh!" she hissed.

*****

Her stomach a knot of embarrassment and rage, Ellery turned in circles, searching for her sister. Certainly Niamh would show up to see what trouble her prank had caused.

Then she remembered that Niamh didn't know where Kort lived. Which just makes me feel even stupider, she thought, coming to a halt. Oh god, this is turning into a nightmare. She couldn't look at Kort. She considered making a run for it but she hadn't exactly worn shoes suited to sprinting.

Something warm and rough brushed against her leg. She froze, going as still as a deer in headlights. Kort laid his other hand on her too and slid both along her calves. Warm frissons raced over her skin as his hands traveled up to her thighs. The material of the dress slid easily out of the way. She held her breath as he stroked the inside of her thigh, let his fingertips brush ever so lightly against her panties.

"Anger doesn't suit you," he murmured. "You're prettier when you're happy."

He grabbed her hips and pulled her into his lap roughly. A thrill went through her as his mouth covered hers. She melted beneath his hungry kisses, forgetting her anger and embarrassment. Ellery wound her arms around his neck. She opened to him, shivering as his tongue brushed hers. A warm breeze rushed over her legs, reminding her they were out in the open where anyone could—conceivably—come across them. And she thought, I don't care.

Something buzzed. That got her attention. Her eyes flew open and she tried to sit up. Kort held her in place, sprawled across his lap, one hand on her belly, the other holding something small and vibrating against her thigh.

"W-What are you doing?" she stammered.

He smiled down at her. "Just making use of your sister's gift."

"But..."

He shushed her with a kiss. She sank against him, trembling with uncertainty and anticipation. The vibrations tickled the inside of her thigh. Then he touched it to her through her panties, a light, brief touch that sent delightful tingles along her nerves. She bit her lip, trying not to whimper.

He smells good, she thought, pressing her face against his chest. Then the vibrator touched her again, another small one that made her moan. Kort teased her, brushing her lightly through the cotton until she squirmed in his lap.

When her breath was coming ragged and harsh, he finally pulled aside her panties and pressed the vibrator gently against her clit. The sensation elicited a yelp from her lips, a strangled sound that trickled off into a moan. Her body tensed as he trailed the rounded end of the bullet from her clit to her entrance and back again. Then he moved it away entirely. When he touched it to her again, her cry was even louder.

"Don't," she panted, clinging to him. "You always tease me. Don't."

"But I like teasing you," Kort responded with a chuckle. His lips brushed her temple. "I can't resist the urge, in fact."

Gathering what few wits she had left, Ellery gazed up at him. "I suppose it is easier than expressing your feelings in words," she riposted, teasing back.

She didn't know what possessed her to say it. Kort's brows furrowed. Did I make him angry? she wondered. Then he broke into a sheepish grin.

"Guess you know me too well."

He went right back to teasing her, making her ache with small touches of the vibrator. Touch and pull away, over and over and over again, until she wanted to scream. Ellery moved her hips, trying to press against it to no avail. Frustrated, she pushed Kort's shirt up and sank her teeth into his flesh; hard but not hard enough to break the skin.

He let out the sort of groan that told her he didn't mind a bit of rough treatment. Fingers tangled in her hair and pulled her head up. He cupped the side of her jaw and pressed his mouth to hers, kissing her fiercely. Kort pressed the vibrator against her clit, holding it there this time while she wriggled in his lap, moaning and keening desperately beneath his mouth. She clawed at his shoulders, clinging as the sweet tension in her body grew tighter and tighter.

Ellery dropped her head to Kort's shoulder and bit him again. If she could only keep her cries from getting too loud...

He pressed his mouth to her ear, his breath making her shiver as he murmured, "Don't. Who cares if anyone else hears you? Come on, sweetheart, let me hear you."

"Kort," she whimpered.

He inserted the very tip of one finger in her. The sensation shocked her, sent her over the edge, drawing the sound of his name into a loud, ragged scream. For a long, long moment she knew nothing but the feel of his arms around her and the glorious tremors of her orgasm.

Ellery finally opened her eyes. She blinked spots from her vision. Whoa, she thought, trying to sit back. That was...it was...well, really unfair, for one thing. Not that she minded, as such. It might be a little embarrassing to let him wreck her control like that but it certainly felt good. She just really hoped she could do this sort of thing to Kort one day. He might not be able to resist teasing her but he never really lost control, not like that.

"I love that sound," Kort whispered.

I love you, Ellery thought. Then she froze, as if she couldn't quite believe herself. Hell, she couldn't. She knew better, of course she did. Kort didn't do love relationships and really, she couldn't blame him; after her mother taking off and Hank being a dick, she didn't want to let anyone into her life that deeply.

But Kort was, had already been for longer than she even realized. Oh no. No, no, no, she thought. Ellery, you idiot. She tried to pull away again but Kort tightened his grip. His heart thudded faster than usual, though not as fast as hers; pressed this close she couldn't help but feel it. His hands curled in her hair as he rested his forehead on her shoulder.

"I used to think this little pond was my favorite place in the whole world," he said, the words almost too quiet for her to hear. "But it's not. It's wherever you are."

Her heart pounded faster in disbelief and hope. She pressed her cheek against his hair, smiling as soft strands tickled her cheek. His hold tightened further, almost painfully, as if he was afraid she'd slip away suddenly. Ellery took a deep breath, gathering up all the courage she had.

"Do you think there's hope for us?" she asked.

"Ells, sweetheart, your mother is a Faerie," Kort responded, his voice dry, less vulnerable and fragile sounding. "These days I'm starting to think anything is possible."

She settled down, content to stay in his arms, content with his answer too. Kort might not be in love with her but she still meant something to him. For now, she thought, it's enough.