Page 32 of Hotel Mallois

When Jodie opens her eyes that morning, the first thing she sees is Katherine's figure standing in front of the closet. She's facing away, and Jodie catches a glimpse of her bare skin before she slips on her shirt. She shivers and smiles, still adjusting to these new feelings.

"Did I wake you?" Katherine asks as she turns around.

Jodie shakes her head from side to side and smiles, then tries to stretch but feels every muscle in her body ache, transforming her expression into a grimace that makes Katherine smile.

"You're out of practice. Maybe we should make this a nightly routine so you can get used to it sooner," she says while finishing getting dressed, with that smile that always throws Jodie off balance.

"You'll use any excuse," Jodie quips, and when she tries to get up, she lets herself fall back as if something heavy had dropped on top of her.

Katherine can't help but let out a sudden, hearty laugh that sounds heavenly to Jodie.

"What are you doing today?" Katherine asks, sitting on the bed next to Jodie before giving her a soft kiss on the lips.

Jodie has the day off and had planned to do countless things she'd been putting off, but she feels exhausted. She sighs and takes a moment to study Katherine's features. Jodie feels a deep sense of peace when she's with her, a sensation she can't quite place, but it only happens when Katherine is near.

"I wanted to do many things, but I'm too tired. I think I'll have breakfast with you and, if you don't mind, I'll take advantage of your hospitality and stay here a bit longer after you leave. When my legs can hold me up again," she exaggerates dramatically, making Katherine laugh, "I'll go home. I need to do a deep clean and check my mailbox - I'm sure there's some unpaid bill waiting for me," she adds, rolling her eyes.

"You can stay here as long as you want. How about I make you breakfast?" Katherine asks.

Jodie raises her eyebrows, and Katherine frowns.

"What? You don't think I can make you eggs and bacon?" she asks, offended.

"Of course," Jodie mocks, "but you look so stunning in that suit that I don't want you to get it dirty. Besides, eggs and bacon are too plain, let me make something special."

Jodie gets up, wearing just her underwear, and Katherine twists the sheets between her fingers to calm her sudden urge.

The chef puts on a sweatshirt she finds in Katherine's closet and walks barefoot to the kitchen. Katherine wants to make some calls while she prepares breakfast, but those bare legs and messy hair seem like a provocation that won't let her concentrate.

"Go put some clothes on," she orders suddenly, and Jodie turns around, leaving the refrigerator door open.

"What did you say?"

"Put some clothes on or I swear I'll take off what little you're wearing and take you right here on the marble," Katherine says, her blue eyes so darkened that they appear black to Jodie.

Jodie's heart races, leaving her frozen in place. She narrows her eyes, and her lips part slowly before moistening them with her tongue as she decides she won't get dressed.

"Then you'll have to follow through," she says, and Katherine wastes no time getting to her, placing her hands on her backside and lifting her until Jodie sits on the marble counter.

This time, Katherine doesn't waste time, and Jodie doesn't want her to. She moves Jodie's underwear aside and enters her without difficulty, because Jodie is ready, and Katherine's fingers move inside her as if they were part of her. Jodie gasps before claiming Katherine's mouth, which receives her eagerly while moving rhythmically and steadily inside her, causing such an explosion of pleasure that Jodie collapses against her in an embrace and needs more than three minutes to recover.

"Much better," Katherine concludes satisfied when Jodie pulls back and looks into her eyes.

The housekeeper feels drained and wonders how she'll manage to make breakfast without falling over, but the sound of her phone interrupts her thoughts, and she has no choice but to get down from the counter to answer the call. Katherine takes the opportunity to wash her hands while Jodie answers, but she hurries over when she sees how her lover's expression changes and the color drains from her face.

"What do you mean she fell? Wasn't anyone with her?" she asks anxiously.

Katherine approaches and, although she can't hear what the person on the other end is saying, she can tell from Jodie's responses that her mother has had some kind of incident at the nursing home. When she finally hangs up, the Mallois owner has to take the phone from her hand because Jodie is shaking.

"What's wrong, honey? Is your mother okay?"

"Yes, I think so," she says in such a low voice that Katherine almost has to read her lips. "She fell in the shower and they had to take her to the emergency room because she hit her head. They gave her four stitches and now she's back at the facility," she explains with a distant look. "I need to go see her, and also talk to those incompetents to find out why there wasn't anyone with her while she was showering."

Jodie starts moving so erratically that Katherine stops her.

"I'll go with you."

"You can't, you have things to do," Jodie says nervously.

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