1 comments/ 26983 views/ 14 favorites More Than Friends Ch. 02 By: CWatson A note to the observant: Almost all city names are false; they were taken from a variety of fantasy sources. All characters are based on real people, so it is no coincidence that they are the strongest part of the story. Names, and sometimes personality and personal history, have been modified to protect the innocent. The events of this story, however, are complete fiction. Quote Attribution: the line of song Heather sings is from Joni Mitchell's Big Yellow Taxi. Used without permission. Passersby watched as a man and a woman walked towards Safeway, talking and laughing. The bystanders's impressions of the man were that he was tall, possibly brushing six feet, and probably underweight. His arms and chest lacked the defined musculature typical to men his age. That didn't seem to bother him, though. He walked with one hand spaded in his pockets, taking the long strides his legs allowed. He wore loose, unadorned clothes in shades of grey and beige and blue; their solemn colorings leant him dignity. He had dark hair and dark eyes that some found disturbing--he sometimes gave the impression of being able to see into a person's secrets. He wore glasses, round-lensed in a day when most young men seem to prefer those narrow rectangular lenses, and he had a warm, infectious smile. The bystanders's impressions of the woman were that she might be a fashion model. She had the classic American good looks: long blonde hair, currently loose and being played with by the dancing wind; eyes of strong, fearless blue; a smooth, perfect face. She was somewhat shorter than the man she walked beside; she let her arms swing wide, sure of herself and her place. Her clothes were of a brighter color than her male companion's, but they were still plain and unpretentious, adding to her air of self-sufficiency. Some might have wished she had more curves to her, an increased swell to her hips or a more prominent ass or perhaps larger boobs; some might have been satisfied with her as she was. Her face was beautiful, and when she smiled, it shone like a beacon of light. Most of the bystanders figured the man and the woman were friends. Surely she could do better than this slightly-slouched, slightly self-conscious man. Besides, their ages suggested they attended college, and Besaid University was right across the street. All sorts of things happened in college. Certainly weirder things than these two being friends. Most of the bystanders would have gone along assuming the man and the woman were friends, except for the single incongruity of their holding hands. Their banter was that of friends: the comments made in alternate yells and whispers; the easy laughter; their confidence around each other. But the hands... They linked the two tightly together, as though they were one person. They emerged from the supermarket ten minutes later with a bag suspended from between their joined hands. No one knew what to think. Some of the passersby shook their heads. Some of them smiled, remembering their own days in love. Some had more important things to attend to. The man and the woman didn't care. They were in love, and the world was their oyster. Colin Watson and Heather Norwellyn took the extra precaution of hiding the box of condoms in the middle of the plastic grocery bag. There was no reason to hide their love, but just as little reason to broadcast it to the public. Colin in particular had once had an embarrassing incident where someone saw through the translucent plastic of a grocery bag and made comments on what was inside. He was eager to avoid such an experience, especially since it was obvious who the condoms would be used with. Heather had suggested buying lube, but Colin had shaken his head. "I already have it." And then proceeded to relate the embarrasing incident when someone saw through the translucent plastic of the grocery bag. It had taken Heather a couple of minutes to stop giggling. "Besides," he said, "judging from the puddle you created, I don't think you'll need it." "What if you wanted to go somewhere that doesn't produce puddles," she asked him, and his eyebrows jumped to his hairline. They had actually gotten groceries; the on-campus store bore a superficial resemblance to a 7-11, but it was sorely lacking in good varieties of soda and potato chips and candy, which were Colin's daily fare. He ate almost incessantly sometimes. Heather wondered how he managed to keep himself so trim. "It's my metabolism," he said, giving her a wry smile. "I love sugar, so I guess my body got used to dealing with lots of it. I used to be pretty hyper, remember? It took me practically until high school to calm down. I wish I was fatter. I need insulation from the cold. If it drops below fifty-five degrees, I freeze my ass off." "Well, I don't think you'll be having that problem tonight," she told him as they boarded the elevator. "Well, yeah," he said disingenuously. "I mean, it's May." She rolled her eyes at him. "That's not what I meant." He grinned and kissed her nose. Heather and Colin were glad that Colin's roommate, a shy and sometimes annoying creature, had gone home for the weekend. It gave them all sorts of flexibility they never would have had otherwise. Like the option to have the sort of long, private talks that had led them here in the first place. Colin unloaded the bags while Heather used her cell phone to call her parents. "Hi, Mom? It's Heather... Yeah, I'm at Besaid University with Colin. I dunno, how late can I stay out?... Oh, I dunno... Well, we're doing a lot of talking. We've found out some things about each other that are, well, surprising." Colin, finished, came up behind her and put his arms around her. As he did, she jumped. He did too, yanking his arms away, but she reached out and put his arms back. Her concentration, though, was on the phone now wedged between her ear and shoulder. "Yeah," she said. "How did you know?" Colin blinked. How did Mrs. Norwellyn know what? "...Well, okay," Heather said. "Yeah, he said it was obvious too, but clearly it wasn't, because I missed it... Yes, Mom, I remember. For a while you wouldn't shut up about it." She launched into a credible imitation of her mother's voice. "'You should date Colin, he'd be good for you. Do you remember your friend Colin, you've known him since first grade. Who wouldn't be attracted to you? You should ask him out.' ...You did too sound like that. ...Okay... Okay. Uh. Okay, Mom. Thank you. 'Bye." "What'd she say," Colin asked. Heather turned around in his arms, her face a picture of astonishment. "She said I could come home whenever I wanted." Colin blinked. "What, like..." "No deadline," Heather said. "She said I could do anything I wanted. Even not come home until tomorrow." "And what was that about dating me," he asked. "Well," Heather said, tossing her head to clear her face of hair, "she said we'd started dating. Like, it wasn't even really a question. She just knew." Colin felt his eyebrows climbing into his hair. "Really." "Yeah," Heather said, "and she seemed really pleased about it, too, she was like, 'Well, I've always said he was the man you should choose, and now you see I'm right.'" "And knowing that, she completely disbanded your curfew," Colin said. "She basically said it was okay for you to stay here all night if you wanted." Heather nodded, her eyes wide. "Yeah." "You know," Colin said, "your mom is either completely insane, or the coolest person ever." "Probably both," Heather said. "I think she trusts me to know what I'm doing. Like, she doesn't think she needs to look over my shoulder or anything. She knows I'll be fine." "And you are," Colin murmured. Heather smiled, but the double entendre had passed him by; there were other things on his mind. "My mom isn't like that at all. She constantly doubted me. And so I constantly doubt me, too." He looked up. "I wonder if we're seeing a trend." "Well, when we have kids, we'll remember to have confidence in them," Heather pronounced. "Wait," Colin said. "We're gonna have kids?" She grinned. "Well, you seemed serious about that whole marriage thing. What's the obvious next step?" "Well, yeah," Colin said, "but one step at a time. First you gotta teach me to be a good lover and all that." "Oh, true," Heather said, grinning. "I had forgotten about that." Colin picked up the box of condoms from his desk and rattled it at her. "Oh yeah," Heather said with a guilty smile. She giggled. "It's kinda funny. I'm so used to us just sitting around and talking a lot. Now suddenly there's all this, you know, other stuff we can do." "Well, we can still sit around and talk," he said. "I mean, we've got plenty of time." She smiled. "I know. But, I kinda wanna get started too. I dunno what it is. Normally I'm not, like, eager for sex or anything, but with you... Maybe 'cause I know you're gonna be a good lover." "And because I love you," he said, drawing her close. "Yeah, that too," she said. She flashed an uncertain grin. "I can hardly believe this is all true, you know? I keep half expecting I'm gonna wake up and it'll have been a dream. It's like, everything is perfect. How could this possibly be real?" "Don't tempt fate," he said, smiling, "I'd rather stay asleep." They kissed, gently, reveling in the pleasure of their unity. Her breath was warm, her lips soft and pliant. Her arms snaked around his neck; his hands rubbed up and down her back. "I love you." "I love you." As they had before, they stripped off their clothes as they stood before the bed. They faced each other, naked, unashamed, and kissed again, letting their hands roam across each other's flesh, feeling flanks and muscles and shoulders. He enjoyed the warm sensation of her breasts pushing against his chest. When they broke, she could feel his erection beginning to bump at her thighs. She giggled. "Looks like someone's ready for action." "What, and you're not," he teased. "Hardly, loverboy," she said, grinning. "Give me five minutes's work and I'll be ready for that sucker." "Well, I suppose we should get to work then," he said, mirroring her smile. "And this time I do get to go down on you." "Wouldn't have it any other way," she said. As they lay down, she asked, "Have you ever done it before?" "Going down on someone? Yes." It had been in that pernicious, abortive little relationship with Selena. "I actually had a lot of fun with it. I guess she wasn't so happy." Not twenty-four hours after that one experience, she had broken up with him. Heather knew this, and her eyes were shadowed; but she did not mention any of it. "I guess I don't have to explain to you what everything does, then." He shook his head. "Internet. Think I've studied it enough." She laughed. "Well, then, Mr. Watson, consider this your final exam." "Uh-oh," he said. "I don't test well. Especially on these multiple choice things. I'm okay with essays, though." He looked at her in consternation. "Are there essays involved?" She broke up laughing, and when she was done, she pulled him down on her to kiss her. "I love you, Colin." "I love you, Heather." They began to kiss again, stoking the fire in her body that would gradually become that all-consuming blaze. He let his hands roam across her torso, sliding gently across her breasts, teasing her with featherlight touches. He kissed her neck, under her ear, the corners of her eyes, eventually returning to her mouth. She took one of his hands in her own and deposited it deliberately on her right breast. Taking the hint, he let it remain there. For a moment he simply cupped her breast, feeling her nipple begin to respond; then he pressed on it gently, kneading it with his palm. He let her nipple rest in the groove between two of his fingers and rubbed them gently up and down. She made approving noises, raising up to meet him. His mouth left hers and began a meandering journey down her body. She felt the wet feathery touch of his lips again and again, moving in minute increments across her neck, down her throat, along the line of her collarbone. She had never quite realized that all of these places could be erogenous zones, but the fire within her burned hotter with every touch, no matter where it was. Then he reached his other nipple, and for a second a discovery burned in her mind: clearly, some places were more sensitive than others; she simply had not been aware that all places were sensitive. But then his mouth latched around her left nipple and sucked, a slow drawing motion, and thought was fed to the fire, to keep it burning. She felt dampness between her legs and knew her time was coming. He seemed to know it too, for he moved away from her breasts--a little quicker than she might have liked--and headed south towards the place where things really seemed to matter. She felt his tickling touch graze her stomach, and then the line of her waist, and she pushed her hips upward. Here. Go here. And he did, with gratifying swiftness. A final few kisses planted themselves amidst her pubic hair; and then she felt his tongue, slipping up and down her pussy lips. She moaned in pleasure, opening her legs wider. "You seem to know your way around there," she said. She felt the puff of breath as he laughed. "Not really. Every girl is different, after all, and there's still no guarantee I'll be able to make you come." She smiled to herself. Colin was understating himself a little bit. True, he wasn't very well acquainted with the geography, but he had hoped for this day for a long time. He was deeply concerned with Heather's sexual welfare; he wanted to make her come; and from his exploits on the Internet he knew, at least in theory, how to do so. Of course, theory is a long way from practice. But at least I've got the chance to try it out. Using his fingers, he spread open her feminine flower and got his first good look at a woman's vulva. Heather's inner lips were engorged with blood and wrinkled a little, and beyond that he could see her clitoral hood and her perineum. He knew he could probably get to her anus as well if he wanted. He wasn't sure where her vaginal opening was, but he knew it wouldn't be too hard to figure it out. He began to run his tongue around her vulva, licking the smooth skin, feeling its texture--a little spiky because of her trimmed pubic hair--and its taste--reddish and warm, a little salty. She didn't seem appreciative, however, so after a few moments he moved to her inner lips, which she did like, according to her reaction. "Uh, Heather, could you scoot up on the bed some? My feet are gonna end up on my roommate's desk, there's not much room down here." "All right," she said, and scooted. "Anything specific I should know about this area," he asked. "Focus on my clit," she said. "Well, besides that," he said, smiling. "Put your fingers inside me," she said. "I can touch your clit directly, right?" "Yeah, but be careful," she said. "It's delicate. Not like you guys with your cocks." She giggled. "You're the bull and I'm the china shop." He laughed with her, even though it didn't make much sense. She knew it didn't. Who cared. He began to focus his attentions on the top of her slit and the little white nub that was cocooned there. She crooned under her breath. One of her hands went to her breasts and played there; the other went to the back of his head, ruffling his hair. He ran one finger up and down her slit, probing for the opening to her pussy. When he found it, he slid it in. Heather gasped and pushed back, wanting more. Pretty soon he had added a second finger. He stroked in and out, and her hips rose to meet his thrusts. And all the while he continued to lick her clit, now faster and harder. "Colin--" She gasped for breath. "Suck on it. Suck on my clit!" Suddenly he understood how close she was, just from hearing the sounds she was making, from the frantic bucking of her hips. He was rather surprised; some of his friends had complained that it took them close to an hour to get things finished. Some of those friends had been girls. But none of them had been Heather, who was evidently far more acquainted with orgasm than any of them. He formed his mouth into a little O around her clitoris and sucked, applying himself to it directly. All at once her hips stopped moving; instead they pressed up to him and stayed there. He let his fingers keep going in and out, applying stronger and stronger suction to that little nubbin at the top of her slit. Suddenly he realized he wasn't using his tongue, and, without breaking suction, let it flicker out and begin to caress her bud. And that was all it took. Her voice rose: "Colin-- Colin--" and then burst in a wordless outrushing of breath. He felt her pussy muscles spasming, contracting around his fingers, and marvelled at the sensation. Her hips quivered for a moment and then lost tension; they crashed back down to the bed. Her hand on the back of his head pushed him down after her, and he followed her, latching back onto her clit, as she spasmed and pulsed and the fire burned itself out deep within her. Heather found herself sprawled across Colin's bed on her back, one arm across her breasts and the other lingering somewhere near her crotch. The smell of her own sex was strong in the air. She felt sweat across her body, slowly drying; soon, she knew, she would have that half-dirty, completely-satisfied feeling that always came with strong exercise or with sex. Colin was lying beside her with his arm just under hers. There was a strangely bemused smile on his face. "Wow," he said. "I can't believe that worked." "What," she said. "I always thought it would take a lot more work to get you to come. Work, that's not the right word. What is the right word? Anyway. I mean, they say it takes women like four times as long to get off as it does men. I didn't know you were different than that." Her brain was starting to kick into gear. "Well, that's an average figure, isn't it? Maybe I'm on the fast side." "Yeah, I guess, but y'all ought't've warned me first," he said, giving her a kiss on the cheek to take the sting out of the comment. "Well, normally it takes a little longer than that," she said. She rolled over to face him. "You're a natural." He smiled at her. He had his own opinions. She kissed him, moving into his embrace. Something tasted different. She realized belatedly that she was tasting her own juices on his face. It wasn't too bad. "I guess you've had orgasms before," he said. "Did... Did anyone ever give them to you?" She nodded. "Bobby did, once or twice. He wasn't very good at it." "How many people have you been with," he asked. She giggled. "People? I'm not that experienced. Just two--not counting you, of course. Trent was the first person I fooled around with, but I didn't have sex with him. Just Bobby, and then whatshisname... Cal." He nodded. She had shared most of the details of most of her boyfriends with him; he had heard all those names before. There had been so many names that, for a while, he had kept a file on his computer listing every guy she'd dated and relevant details about each. It was hard to keep track when turnaround time could be as little as three weeks. "So, you're special," she said, smiling at him. "Well, that's good," he said, smiling. "I like being special." "In fact," she said, "you're so special that you deserve your reward." She reached between his legs and took his cock into her hands. It had begun to go soft from the cessation of their actions, but even as she touched it, it began to pump back to life. "Why," he said, "what is this I'm getting into now?" A smile danced across his face. More than Friends: Ch. 02 Note- This story has very little sex and this chapter has none. ***** Janice tried to ignore her feelings but they only weighed heavier on her as with the passage of time, it began to sink in that she had lost Edward in every way possible. Now that he and Yvonne were living in the same city and dating they were no longer communicating via mails. So, of course she was cut off from Edward's life except for whatever news she would get from Yvonne during their calls. As difficult as it was to hear the intimate details of their relationship it was even more difficult to accept that she had lost her friend. Even though Yvonne had once assured her that she would tell Edward the truth about all the years of communication between him and Janice she was unable to keep her word. Like Janice she began to see how Edward may consider it a deception and feared that it would alter his feelings for her. When Yvonne asked Janice to continue to keep her secret she found there was no way for her to refuse without confessing to the truth of her own feelings; she saw no choice but to agree. ***** The first few weeks that followed were tough but Janice gradually came to accept the fact that Yvonne and Edward were together now. She tried to find love or at least a good pen pal, but, eventually she gave up on trying to find a substitute for Edward; what they had shared, they had taken over a decade to build and it wouldn't just happen overnight with a new person. Run out of all other options she chose to immerse herself in the only thing left now, her work. Janice directed all her passion into her work and it paid off. Before her year was up she received an offer for her to complete her internship program at one of the global leaders in architecture firms. This was the company in Philadelphia she had mentioned to Yvonne on several occasions in the past. She had thought it would take several years before she could get her foot in their door so she was thrilled and upset with the timing of it all. She knew she had the option of staying in France and completing all three years of her internship at the firm she currently worked at. But it wasn't what she wanted. Janice felt she would be acting foolishly to pass up working at the company of her dreams over something, she didn't even know what to call her thing with Edward, which never was and never could be. ***** "Oh-my-god!" screeched Yvonne in the phone when she heard the news from Janice. "This. Is. Incredible!" "I know. I can't believe they made me an offer." said Janice. "Oh yeah, that's great too. I'm just excited that you're coming here." "Yes, that'll be nice." said Janice sincerely. She did not need Yvonne for emotional support in the same way Yvonne needed her but she was practically her sister and her best friend. She had missed hanging out with Yvonne and doing the crazy things she allowed herself to only do in her company. "I thought I was gonna be the one delivering the good news today but yours got mine beat." "Really? What was your news?" "No biggie. Just that I'm moving." "You are? When did this happen? I thought you were doing really well there." "Well, I'll have to move out of here if I'm gonna move in with Eddie, won't I? "You're moving in?!" "Yes! Eddie asked me to move in. We've been dating each other exclusively for a while now and I'm over at his place so much that he asked me to move in." Janice sat down as she processed this new piece of information. "That is big news." "I'm a big girl now, Jan." Janice knew that moving in was a huge deal for Yvonne who had never lived with anyone other than her parents or Janice till date. She had never even lived with a roommate let alone a boyfriend. "So when're you moving in?" "Next month, most likely. Work is crazy right now. I'm always busy. It's one of the reasons why living together felt like a good idea; it's been really tough trying to make time for Eddie." she explained. "So, when do you get here?" "Another six weeks or so. I'm going to have to settle on an apartment for when I get there." "Why don't you move in here?" "Your apartment?" "Yes. I just renewed my lease two months ago so you could move in here." "I doubt I could afford to pay the kind of rent you do though. I'm just an intern you know." "Yeah but you'd save on the security deposit and you won't have to spend any money on buying new stuff for the place because I won't be taking anything other than my personal items." "Hmmm... That does sound good." "Plus, this way you'll be holding my place for me in case things don't work out." "Why do I suspect that's your primary motive here?" "Because you know me?" Janice couldn't help but chuckle. "Okay. I'll hold your place till your lease runs out and then I'm moving into something more suitable to my modest budget." "Fantastic." "I've gotta get back to work, Yves. Congrats on your big news." "You too Jan. Bye." Despite the jokes it was clear to Janice that her friend was deeply in love with Edward for her to even consider moving in with him. Yves and Eddie living together! Janice was glad she had over a month to digest that piece of news. ***** Janice exited the airport and looked around for any sign of Yvonne. It took her two minutes to spot the leggy blonde bombshell in the crowd of people. Yvonne was waving like a crazy person and running towards her. "Jan, you're here!" she said, grabbing and hugging her. "Gosh! You look spectacular. Love the bangs." Part of the changes that Janice went through while abroad had included a new hair style. For years she had shown a preference for shorter pixie styled cuts while now her dark hair cascaded down her back with long bangs in front that served to accent her large hazel eyes making her appear less like a kid and more like a sultry young woman. "Thanks." said Janice as she was whisked off to the car park along with her trolley of bags. They got into Yvonne's car and drove to Yvonne's old apartment. Throughout the way Yvonne kept telling Janice how good it was to see her and how much she'd missed her. Janice was content with watching the road ahead and listening to Yvonne talk. For her, there was something comforting in the familiarity of listening to Yvonne excitedly ramble on while she sat quietly beside her. Soon enough they were at Yvonne's old and Janice's new place of residence. The terrace apartment was on the sixth floor. For Janice the best feature of the place was the little terrace garden. It was a small space with one diagonal half littered by pots and the one half had a garden bench and a couple of chairs around a coffee table. The whole space was sheltered by loosely draped overhead sails that added a touch of whimsy to the space. Janice was thrilled to see that the plants were not all dead during Yvonne's absence. "This place is really great Yves. I can't thank you enough." "Hey, like I said earlier, you're doing me a favour by holding it for me." "Speaking of... how are things with Eddie?" "How? Well, we've been living together for a month now so things are no longer new and exciting but they're nice. I mean, I think it's nice. I'm just so busy with my work most times he's free. And I really don't get much about Eddie's work so at the end of the day when I get home I don't really enjoy talking about all those things... But the sex is good He's very-" "Okay. TMI." "Gosh! A year in France and you're still a prude. I thought you'd come home and teach me a trick or two." "I could teach you a trick or two... about architectural design." "Design me an erection I could mount and then let's talk." "I don't think you could handle any erection I would design- as it would be monumental!" Both women burst out laughing knowing exactly how cheesy each of them had sounded. "I think Eddie's going to ask me to marry him." "What!" Janice felt like the wind had been knocked out of her and sat down. "Yeah. You know when he asked me to move in I thought he was actually going to ask me to marry him." "Huh?" "Around two months ago I found an engagement ring in one of his drawers. It looked like a recent purchase- not one of those heirloom pieces." "So, what did you do?" "Nothing; I thought I'd wait for him to ask." "So, did he?" "D'uh! Don't you think I would've called you as soon as he did?" "Yeah. Dumb question. Sorry." "I guess he's waiting for the right moment or something." "Probably." Janice spoke absentmindedly as she closed her eyes trying to control the tailspin she felt her mind going through. "Oh you poor thing!" cried Yvonne, "You must be exhausted and here I am yammering on. You rest now. We'll meet tomorrow for a proper catch-up. Eddie came by yesterday and stocked the kitchen with some basic groceries so you won't need to worry about that for at least a couple of days. You'll find some menus in the kitchen so you can call for dinner." Janice was touched. "That was really thoughtful of you. Thank you." "Actually it was Eddie's idea." Yvonne explained before giving Janice a quick hug, "It's good to have you back Jan. See you tomorrow. Bye." "Bye Yves." After Yvonne left Janice spend some time just standing under the hot shower. She didn't bother with dinner instead she wrapped herself in a comfy robe and dived into her bed. She hoped that sleep would take care of the ache in her limbs as well as her heart. ***** The next morning Yvonne arrived with breakfast on her way to work. She sat with Janice talking while she finished her coffee. "So, I'll come by around six thirty to pick you up." said Yvonne getting up to leave. She and Edward were taking Janice to their favourite restaurant as a way of welcoming her to the city. "Are you sure it's not a bother? Just give me the address of the place and I'll meet you there." "No, you're on my way. Just don't keep me waiting." "Okay. I'll be down and waiting for you." Janice wasn't comfortable with the prospect of meeting Edward so soon, but she was aware this wasn't something she could put off indefinitely while he was living with her best friend in the same city. She thought it best to just get it done and over with as soon as possible. ***** Sometime after lunch Janice got a call from Yvonne on the home phone. "What's wrong with your cell phone?" Yvonne sounded annoyed. "Nothing. I just haven't gotten around to getting a local number yet." "Oh. Okay. So, I was calling to say that I'm sorry but I can't pick you up for dinner." "No?" asked Janice trying not to sound relieved, "That's okay. We can do this another time soon" "I'm not cancelling. I just can't pick you up to take you the restaurant. I've got to meet with a client that'll take me to the other side of the city, so I'll see you straight at the restaurant instead." "Oh. Okay." "I'll text you directions. I mean, grab a pen and paper and I'll give them to you." Janice noted down the address. "So we'll see you there at seven." said Yvonne before hanging up. ***** "What's going on with you, Ed? Everything okay?" Dara O'Brien was worried about his colleague Edward Dupont. They had just finished a meeting with their senior VP where Edward appeared flustered when questioned by the VP. Recently it looked like Edward's focus was always scattered. He had even overheard a couple of analysts complain that Edward was unable to offer them the guidance they needed to do their job. He knew it wouldn't be long before Edward got into serious trouble at this rate. "Oh no. Everything is fine." Edward knew where his friend's concerned stemmed from. He himself was wondering why everything felt like more of a struggle. Maybe I'm just losing my edge. He thought to himself. "How's that girlfriend of yours? Is she treating you good?" asked Dara while crudely mimicking the act of fellatio with his hand and mouth. Edward snickered. "Is that the only reason why a man may be off his game?" "It's not the only reason but it's the only acceptable one in my book." "We live together now." "Oh yeah? How's that workin' out for you?" "Different than I'd imagined..." "Is that good or bad?" "Just different. That's all." "Huh? Okay, whatever. Wanna go grab some drinks before heading home?" "I can't, I'm meeting Yvonne and a friend for dinner at seven." "Where are you guys going?" "To The Mayflower Kitchen." "You've still got time and there's a Flannigan's just next door to it. You can have a drink." They left their cars n the office car park and walked to the bar that was only a couple of blocks away from their office. Dara ordered a pitcher for himself and settled in a booth beside one of the street facing windows. Edward sipped on his beer slowly while Dara gulped his down. They were both associates at the same firm but shared little in common outside of work. They were friends mostly because they could stand each other better than they could the rest of their colleagues. They would get together some time to drink or watch a game but that was the extent of their friendship. "Check out this li'l hottie." Edward followed Dara's gaze outside the window and noticed a dark haired woman on the pavement outside, pacing back and forth. She wore a simple high waisted red lace dress- short enough to show off her toned legs but long enough to keep it classy. Her dark hair fell half way down her back. They were unable to see her face but she had the kind of presence that made you wish she would turn just so you'd catch a glimpse of it. She kept looking at her watch and then at the street. It was obvious she was waiting for someone. "Look at that ass. Doesn't it just make you want to just reach out and squeeze?" asked Dara gesturing with his hand Edward didn't look. "You enjoy the view; I'm a spoken for, remember." "Man did anyone tell you that you're no fun since you got a girlfriend?" "You never knew me before I had a girlfriend." Edward replied, laughing. "She's been out there for close to twenty minutes," Dara stood up abruptly, "If the front is half as good as the back I'm taking her out right now." said Dara. "She looks like she's waiting for someone." "So?" Dara asked, pushing his reddish brown hair away from his forehead and giving him a smug look. "Women can never resist me." He stated and walked out of the bar. As Edward watched him approach the mystery woman he had to admit to himself that Dara was an attractive man who knew how to charm women. And as annoying as he found his bragging the fact remained that he had yet to watch Dara fail. ***** Dara bumped into the woman from behind making her lose her balance and drop her purse. She steadied herself and glared angrily. "Watch where you walk!" Even though she looked mad at him Dara thought the woman looked absolutely adorable with her wide hazel eyes and bow shaped mouth. He was sure that she had mustered her meanest look but it was no more terrifying than a baby's smile would be. He bent down, picked her purse and handed it to her. "I'm so sorry. I was looking at my phone and didn't see you there." When she didn't respond he put out his hand. "Hi, I'm Dara O'Brien." The woman nodded but didn't say anything. She turned her attention back to her watch and then the street. "So, you look like you're waiting for someone." "Yes. I'm waiting for a few of my friends." "Looks like they're not coming." She gave him a puzzled look. "How would you know?" "I've been watching you standing out here for a while." "And yet you couldn't see me a minute ago?" she asked sarcastically and then looked away. "I'm sorry I couldn't think of a better way to approach you." "Hello usually works fine with me." "Okay then," Dara stepped away from her and then turned around and walked toward her with his hand extended forward. "Hello! I'm Dara O'Brien." "And I'm still not interested." "What?! You haven't even heard what I'm offering yet." "Okay, what are you offering?" "The pleasure of my company." He said with a shit-eating grin on his face. When all he got was a roll of the eyes he changed his strategy. "Look, me and my friend are in there having drinks. Instead of standing out here alone you could join us while you wait. And if your friends don't turn up and you think you don't hate my company you can grab dinner with me instead." ***** Edward saw that it was almost time for Yvonne and Janice to arrive. Dara looked like he was making progress with the woman outside because they appeared to be deep in conversation. He thought he may as well head to the restaurant. He paid the bill and walked out of the bar. Outside, the woman looked towards the bar, then her watch and the street before she made up her mind. "Okay. Lead the way." Dara turned to head into the bar and saw Edward walk out instead. "You leaving? We were just coming in." "Eddie?" Edward looked at the woman standing behind Dara. He was certain that he had never seen her before and yet her face was awfully familiar. Of course there were only two women who had ever called him Eddie. "No!" said Edward as realisation sank in. Her smile grew wider and she nodded as she watched him recognize her. "Oh my god Jan, you're all grown up." She blushed and smiled at him. Janice felt like her heart was beating so fast. Of course she had seen pictures of him over the years but pictures were one thing and seeing him in person was another. She was fighting every instinct within her to fling herself at him and wrap her arms around him like she used to when they were kids. Edward felt like hugging his old friend. But she was a grown woman now and they hadn't kept in touch all these years. He wasn't sure how appropriate she would find it. So instead he grabbed her hand and shook it vigorously. "Oh my god. I can't believe it's you. Weren't you supposed to be coming with Yvonne?" "Yes. There was a change in plans. Yvonne asked me to come here are seven." "It's just six forty-five." "Is it? I must've not set the time correctly..." she said fiddling with the hands of her wristwatch. "I was out for so long thinking maybe you guys weren't coming." "You two can continue your happy reunion; please don't mind me here." Dara spoke with faked outrage. "Dara, this is my friend Janice Walker. She's the friend I was supposed to be meeting for dinner." "Well, hello Janice! Looks like your friend showed up after all. We'll have to do dinner another time." "Yeah. Looks that way." she replied. "So why don't you give me your digits and we'll make this happen." "Sure." said Janice casually and then wrote down a number on a piece of paper and handed to him. "Bye now." She looked at Edward, "Shall we go in?" Edward was a bit taken aback to watch Janice so casually give her number to someone she just met. He made a mental note to have a talk with her later to warn her about Dara's philandering ways. He smiled to himself- something about Janice had always brought out the protective instinct in him. For him, she was always the baby of their little group. "Yeah, sure." He said and held out his arm for her. "Bye Dara. See you tomorrow." "You too Ed. And Janice you best keep yourself free this weekend." said Dara before walking away. Edward and Janice headed inside The Mayflower Kitchen and sat at the bar while they waited for Yvonne to show up. Edward observed Janice as she ordered herself a drink. "You look the same." "You think I still look like an awkward little thirteen year old girl?" Janice asked leaning closer to him. Her face was serious but her tone was not. Edward watched her- there was none of the awkwardness of her younger days and she had certainly grown up physically he noted as his eyes swept over her curves. He felt embarrassed and ran his fingers through his hair, smiling sheepishly. "Not exactly." More than Friends: Ch. 02 "Well you look kinda the same too, Eddie." she said smiling. "It's so nice to hear you call me Eddie again after all these years. You were the first person to ever call me that. And then Yves caught on just from listening to you." "Yeah and then some of those boys in the neighbourhood would tease you, calling you Eggy because of it." "I didn't mind them. They were idiots." He looked at his watch and then pulled out his phone. "So, what did Yvonne say- is she coming?" "She just asked to meet here directly as she had to go see a client first." "Okay. I'll make a quick call to see why she isn't here yet." Edward stepped away from the bar to call Yvonne and returned in a few minutes. "She's asked us to start without her as she's running late. But she should be in time for dessert." "We could leave if you like and do this another time." "I don't see why. We're here and we have loads of catching up to do. Mind you, I may end up doing all the talking because thanks to Yvonne I was kept updated on most of the stuff you were doing over the years." Janice didn't respond instead she just smiled and followed him. "Sure Eddie. I'd love to hear all you've been up to." Especially this last year, she said to herself. Edward let the Maitre De know that they were ready to be seated and left instructions for Yvonne to be shown to their table when she did eventually arrive. They quickly glanced at the menus and ordered the specials- more interested in the person they were with rather than the food. They started off talking about their childhood and then work. Edward was surprised at how easy it was to talk to Janice. Because of Yvonne's letters, he felt like he already knew her even though he was meeting her after years. Initially he was surprised by how much she appeared to know about him but then it struck him that it was only natural for Yvonne to have shared with Janice about Edward the way she did with him about Janice. Another thought struck him- something that had bothered him for a while. He thought now was as good a time as any to ask her. "I have to ask you something." She heard the change in his tone which was more serious now. "What is it, Eddie?" "Why didn't you ever keep in touch?" He hadn't meant it as an accusation but that was how it came out anyway. Janice took a deep calming breath before speaking. "I could ask you the same question." It struck Edward for the first time that the he had been remiss too. "It's okay." Janice said, "I get it. You've always had a crush on Yvonne." He was sure she couldn't have meant it as an accusation but that was how it sounded nonetheless. "Hello! I was worried that you may have left." Edward and Janice snapped their heads in the direction of Yvonne's voice. They had been so busy talking they had lost track of time. Both looked in astonishment at their plates and saw that only their dessert sat there untouched. "Come on kids. It's closing time here. Let's go next door and get sloshed." Yvonne spoke pulling on Janice's arm. She dragged her to Flannigan's while Edward settled the bill and followed. By the time he reached the bar the women looked like they'd already downed a couple of shots. "Come on Eddie. Get in here." Yvonne told Edward handing him a shot glass. "I'll pass. I was in here earlier with Dara. You and Janice knock yourselves out." "Pffft. Did anyone tell you you're no fun since you got a girlfriend?" "Just today." He watched Yvonne's brow arch. "Dara thought I was no fun for not wanting to squeeze Janice's ass." Since Yvonne was seated between the two and the place was noisy Janice was unable to hear what he said. Yvonne snickered. "When did he meet her?" "We were here earlier. He spotted her when she arrived and immediately made his move." "Hmmm. Interesting." She turned to Janice, "Enough drinking. It's time to dance now." She jumped off the barstool and began swaying. "Nooo." Janice sat and watched Yvonne dance seductively oblivious to all the eyes in the room checking her out. Yvonne pointed her finger at Edward and crooked it motioning that he come towards her. When he just smiled and looked away she pulled Janice to the floor. Janice could barely stand up she was woozy and disoriented. "Thank God! The room's stopped spinning." she exclaimed loudly to the person supporting her. "Yvonne I think it's time to leave." Edward had him arm around Janice supporting her but it didn't look like she was aware of it. Begrudgingly Yvonne agreed. Edward walked with Janice and gently let her into the backseat of Yvonne car. He took the keys from Yvonne before getting into the driver's seat. Janice had a vague idea that they were moving but she was too sleepy to open her eyes and since she was in the company of people she trusted, not too worried to bother trying. ***** "Hey sleepy head, time to wake up." Janice heard Edward saying. She opened her eyes and saw that they were halted outside the garage way of a house. She rubbed her eyes and looked around. "Where are we?" "Home." said Yvonne. Watching the confusion on Janice's face Edward supplied, "Our home. Yvonne thought it best to bring you here." Janice blinked and looked at her confused. "I thought it would be fun for us to have a sleepover like we did when we were kids." said Yvonne while getting out of the car and shakily making her way towards the doorway. Edward came around and held the door open for Janice. She smiled and took a step to follow Yvonne but wobbled and would've gone down if not for Edward sliding his arm around her waist to steady her. Janice accepted that she was drunk. "Thank you. I'm so embarrassed." Her words came out slurred- at least that was how she heard them. She held on to Edward with both hands but still couldn't seem to steady herself. "We've all been there some time." Edward said to her before casually picking her up in his arms like one would a child and followed Yvonne into the house. Yvonne watched the two and snorted, "You just carried her over the threshold. Why don't you ever carry me around like that?" It was obvious that Yvonne was joking but Janice couldn't differentiate in her drunken state and started to struggle to get down forcing Edward to hold her tighter against him lest she fall. "Shushhhh." He said to her in a gentle soothing voice. "We're almost there." Janice felt small and safe in his arms. She closed her eyes and inhaled his scent. Edward kicked open the bedroom door and put Janice down in the middle of the bed. He pulled the covers open and tucked her inside. He gently pushed her hair back away from her face and got up to leave. "Thank you," she said without opening her eyes as she turned to curl up on her side. In this position she looked small and meek to him, just the way he remembered her. "Goodnight Janice. We'll see you tomorrow." Edward "The guest bathroom is to the right of the hallway. We're in the bedroom upstairs should you need anything." Yvonne hugged her over the covers. "G'night" Janice was already fast asleep when Yvonne and Edward left the room shutting the door behind them. They went up to their room quietly undressed and fell asleep as soon as they hit the bed. ***** Janice woke up early next morning with a pounding headache. She had no idea where she was or how she got there. She dragged herself out of the bedroom and looked for clues to her location. Pictures hung along the hallway helped her conclude that she was in Edward and Yvonne's house. She looked around and managed to find the bathroom. She desperately wanted to shower and change but she didn't have any clothes to change into. She realised she would just have to wait till Yvonne woke up for that. She went to the kitchen and decided to make some breakfast for everyone while she waited for them to wake up. ***** Edward was the first to wake up. His day started earlier than Yvonne's so he usually let her sleep in. He showered and changed before heading downstairs to the kitchen. The sound of sizzling bacon reminded him of his house guest and made him regret not coming down sooner. "Good morning." "Hi there," said Janice while continuing to work. "How can I help?" She looked up at him and smiled. "I'm pretty much done here but you could help me with something else." "Yeah?" "I desperately need a shower," she crinkled her nose. "I need some clothes to change into. I was hoping Yvonne would be up so I could borrow hers." "Yvonne is never up this early- at least another hour for her. But, lemme grab you something of hers to wear. Any preference?" "I don't care as long as it fits." Edward laughed and ran up to the bedroom. He looked through Yvonne's stuff and saw it would be useless and Yvonne was much taller than Janice. He picked up a t-shirt and a pair of shorts. He didn't know much about bra and panty sizing so he rifled through Yvonne's drawers looking for anything that was new and unused. "Here you go." He said handing her the clothes. "Why don't you shower and change and I'll clean up the rest till you're done." "Thank you. I'll be back in no time." "Take your time." Edward watched her practically hop away to the bathroom. He shook his head and smiled as he thought about how grateful she appeared for what he'd given her instead of being upset at their thoughtlessness. Janice had a bath and felt like a new person. Her head no longer hurt and her stomach growled hungrily. She tried the clothes Edward had given her but they were a misfit. She didn't bother even trying the bra as she knew the cups would too small for her. Yvonne and Janice had shared lots of things over the years but clothes had never been one of those things, she remembered. She didn't see any choice but to change back into what she was wearing earlier. She returned to find that Edward had cleaned up in the kitchen as well as set the table. "What happened?" he asked noticing that she was wearing the same clothes as earlier. "They didn't fit." "Not even the t-shirt?" She shook her head rather than explaining how she couldn't have stepped out in just a t-shirt. "Sorry. I really haven't figured out the whole sizing thing with women. I'm sure Yvonne will find you something when she wakes up." "Don't worry. I'll just change when I get home in some time." As they sat down for breakfast Edward suddenly remembered that he was supposed to talk to her about something important. "Janice I know you probably find Dara very attractive but I have to tell you-" She put down the fork that was midway to her mouth. "What are you talking about?" "Your date, with Dara..." he saw the puzzled look on her face and continued, "my colleague from office who you gave your number to?" "Oh him... I didn't give him my number." "What do you mean?" "I don't even have a local number yet." It was Edward's turn to be confused. "I gave him a fake number." He burst out laughing. "What I'd give to watch Dara's face when he realises that..." "I'm not the first person to use this strategy." "No, but definitely the first for Dara." Janice shrugged her shoulders. "Had to happen sometime, right?" Yvonne came down to breakfast wearing a tank and shorts. "Good morning, my lovelies." She said and settled in the chair next to Janice. She grabbed a piece of toast and a few strips of bacon from Janice's plate and proceeded to eat. "So, what was all that laughing about?" she asked between bites. "Remember I told you yesterday about how Dara was hounding Janice as soon as she spotted her?" "Right." "Turns out she gave him a fake number. Only he doesn't know that, yet." He chuckled. "Why?" Yvonne asked Jan. "Looks like I'm going to have to take charge of your love life." "What's that supposed to mean?" asked Janice. "Just that you can't keep pushing away great guys all the time, Jan." Yvonne didn't want to make Janice uncomfortable by pursuing the topic now but she decided to fix Janice up with Dara. After all, Dara was sexy, smart and had been friends with Edward ever since he moved here- he would be just the kind of guy who could help Janice loosen up and have some fun. Over the years Yvonne had watched her friends socially cut herself off from those around her. She never dated unless Yvonne forced her to and in all the years she didn't have a single boyfriend even though she was quite attractive. She loved Janice like a sister and wanted her to also find happiness with someone the way she had unexpectedly found it with Edward. "Alrightey. It's time for me to get ready for work. What are your plans for the day?" Edward looked at both the women for their answers. "I'll be leaving for work within the next hour. Janice can stay here till we get back and then we can have a home cooked dinner so she can throw caution to the wind and get wasted properly tonight." "Yvonne I think I need to return to my apartment. I have to unpack and settle -" "Jan, you're not starting work for another week. So I don't see why you gotta get all this stuff done today." "Yes, but I need to -" "I'm meeting you after almost a year. I missed you. Don't you wanna spend some time with me?" Before Janice could respond, Edward intervened, "Yves- baby, in case you haven't noticed she's still wearing the same clothes as yesterday. She needs to go home to change, if nothing else." When he heard no objection from his girlfriend he continued. "Give her a few days to settle in and acquaint herself with the place... She lives in the same city now, no need to hold her hostage." Yvonne looked at her boyfriend and knew he was talking sense. "You, mister, are the perfect boyfriend." She turned to Janice. "Alright my butterfly, take flight but please come stay with us this weekend. I know once work starts you'll have no time." Janice flashed a broad smile. "Sure" ***** A short while later, Janice was sitting besides Edward in a cab headed towards her apartment. They had agreed that he would drop her off on his way to work. "Thank you," she said quietly while sitting as far away from him as possible. "No problem," he said, "Yvonne likes to get her way. Sometimes she forgets to think about the other person." Janice was well aware of how self-involved Yvonne could get, especially around her- she had years of experience dealing with it- but she didn't know how appropriate it would for her to say so to Yvonne's boyfriend. "So, you and Yvonne- you know she's never lived with anyone but me and her parents." "Yeah, moving in was a big deal for both of us." "And a year ago you two had never even met. This love story may not have even happened if not for you co-incidentally moving here." "Janice," The changed tone alerted her that he was about to say something important. She turned in her seat to face him, "my moving here was no coincidence." "What do you mean?" "I worked my ass off... I've been working my ass off for years trying to find a way to be in the same city as Yvonne. I realised long ago that I wanted to be more than just friends." Janice was glad she was seated as she felt like someone knocked the wind out of her. "You did?" "Yes, but I didn't want to have to put her through the stress of a long distance relationship. When I moved here I had already picked out the ring." Janice struggled to draw in breaths as the implication of what he just said hit her. Everything around her appeared to be blurry and she could feel this tightening in her chest like a vise closing in. She wanted to open the door and jump out as she gasped for air. Fortunately the cab halted in front of her apartment building just as she was rolling down the windows. "Your apartment's here." Edward said nodding towards the building they had stopped in front of. "You have a great day. See you soon." Edward watched Janice practically run out of the cab and into the building. He wondered about her odd behaviour but attributed it to her need for a fresh change of clothes. ***** Janice stumbled out of the cab and raced to the elevator. Everything around her was blurry as she fought to hold back the tears. By the time she reached her apartment the battle was lost and she was reduced to a teary mess. He wanted more. He came here with a ring. She spent some time crying and feeling miserable even though she knew it couldn't change anything as Yvonne and Edward were together now. She reminded herself Edward had always had a crush on Yvonne and he would most likely not have felt the same way if he had known it was her. She would just have to find a way to move on with her life. She showered and changed. Feeling like a new woman she called the airline company to see if they were any cheap flights to Syracuse that same day or the next morning. She had planned on visiting her father during the holidays or asking him to visit her after she had settled in but she needed to get away right now and there was nowhere else for her to go. She boarded a flight the same evening hoping that going back to where it all began would help her get a handle on her emotions before it was time to return. ***** Dear Readers, Thank you for your encouraging comments thus far. I hope this chapter didn't disappoint. Please vote and if possible comment on what you did or didn't like. Subdued_Passion. More Than Friends Ch. 02 "Heather-- Heather-- I'm gonna come soon--" She smiled up at him again. She could tell from his breathing and the stiffness of his cock that it was going to be soon. She latched onto the head of his penis, applying strong suction, and rubbed her tongue across its underside. "Oh, God, Heather-- Oh!--" She felt the first spurt against the back of her throat and jumped a bit--it never failed to startle her when a man came in her mouth. But even as she tasted the first jolt of his warm, salty cum on her tongue, the next came, and she began to swallow, doing her best to keep up with him while still applying some sort of stimulation. She lost track of how many times he squirted, because she was still moving, stroking the head of his penis, licking the underside of his shaft, as his groans faded and the fire burned down. She continued to lick him gently for a minute or two, delicately cleaning every inch of his cock with her tongue, as he came down from his high. Then she scooted back up to the top of the bed, where he threw his arms around her and kissed her soundly. "That was intense," he said, grinning. "Well, I'm glad you enjoyed it," she said primly. "You swallowed?" he asked. When she nodded, he said, "You didn't have to." "I know," she said, smiling. "But I don't mind. It's a good source of protein." He laughed. "Protein. Right." When his laughter stopped, he gave her a direct look, serious and intense, and when he said, "I love you," she knew he meant it. She was a little shaken by his intensity. She forced a laugh. "Not just because of the blowjob, I hope." "No," he said. "Because you're a good friend. And because I've seen you in bad places and I've seen you get your ass out of there all by yourself, without needing anyone's help. And because I admire you and the strength that you show." He smiled. "And yeah, you give great blowjobs." Now it was her turn to be serious. "I never thought of myself that way." She made a disbelieving laugh. "When people tell you they look up to you, you know, it's... It's like, so startling, so completely irrational. You don't believe it for a second." She looked up at him. "But then I hear you talk that way and I think... Hey, what if it's true? What if I really do have something to admire? Besides, like, my tits and ass and all that." "A lot more besides that," he reassured her. "Well." She smiled at him. "It's a different feeling. But it's nice. I feel like I can do anything." He held her close, and she clung as tightly as he did. "I'm gonna go turn off the lights," he said eventually, and yawned. "It's... It's getting late." He got up, went over to the light switches by the door, and shrouded the room in darkness. Enough light came in through the windows, from the streetlights outside, for him to see, and he made his way back to the bed and its rumpled comforter, which Heather was slithering under. "I take it you're not going home tonight then," he said. She gave him a radiant grin. "What, you really think I'm going to pass up the chance to spend the night with the man I love? It's not like I've had one before now." "Well," he said, returning her grin. "That makes two of us." "You've never had somebody there?" she asked. "With you, at night?" He shook his head, halfway under the covers. "No." She looked at him with something akin to shock. "Wow. That sucks." "I know," he said, his voice resigned. "But at least now there's someone here." He settled down next to her. "I was starting to think I'd reach twenty without ever having someone to hold at night." "Well, not if I can help it," she said, smiling. She took his arm and put it around her. He was silent for a moment, and she could see from his face that he had something important to say. "I..." He hesitated, stumbling over the idea. "I can't help but feeling like I owe you something. I mean, here I am, I've had sex for the first time after years of making do with my hand, I'm in bed with the most beautiful woman I know, who also happens to be my best friend... I am, like, the luckiest man alive. There's gotta be a hook somewhere." A smile flitted across his features. "You know, fine print or something." "What are you saying," Heather asked him. Colin's mouth opened and closed like a fish's. He searched for words. "Well-- I feel like you're getting the short end of the stick here," he said. "And that kind of makes me feel bad. 'Cause you deserve better than that. I mean, I should probably make it up to you or something." She laid a finger across his lips. "Don't think that." He didn't reply, in deference to her wish for silence, but his eyebrows went up quizically. "Colin, I can explain it all away in about three words: I love you." She kissed him. "Sure, yeah, you've had more orgasms than I have. Sure, it was your first time but not mine. But that's okay. I don't care if there's an imbalance, and if you really do, I'll tell you how you can make up for it. But it doesn't bother me. If it makes you happy, I don't mind." "Well," he said, "I want to make you happy too." "Then we should both be very happy together," she said, grinning. He drew her to him and kissed her. She moved in closer, until their bodies were pressing together. He ran his hands across her back, over her shoulders, through her hair; her hands wandered similarly over his body. His came to rest, eventually, on her buttocks; he lightly squeezed them, and then drew her hips even closer to his, so that she could feel his hard-on, jutting out at her pelvis. "Mmm," she said. "Do you want?" "Do you want?" he asked. "I'm, like, all cummed out already." "Surely you have a little left." "Well, I suppose. I don't think you ever completely run out. But I've never tested." An apologetic smile. "Once is enough for me, generally." She giggled. "You are like a girl sometimes! It's so surreal. Sometimes you act just like a guy, and then there are other times when I think you've grown boobs or something. I never know what to expect." He grinned at her. "Well, you better not have a problem with it, because I'm not going to stop." "Oh no?" she said playfully. "No," he said. And then, thinking, Might as well take the final plunge: "I'm actually rather proud of it." "You are so shitting me!" "No, I'm not!" He stuck his tongue out at her. "You look at the way guys act. They talk about women like they're sex objects. They don't have any common sense. The only reason they keep their grades up is so that they can go to the parties and get drunk. It's ridiculous. I don't want to be like that, and I'm proud to be not like that. And if it means I end up acting like a girl... Well, that's fine with me. At least I'm not thinking with my dick." She was silent for a time, looking at him, turning these new thoughts over in her head. "That's what I like about you," she said. "You have courage. You have these values of yours and you stick to them. And you're not ashamed of them. Even something like thinking like a woman." He shrugged uncomfortably. He didn't see what the big deal was. So he stuck to his guns. So what? "It's different," she said. "Well," he said, "some time during elementary school, with everyone laughing at me no matter what I did... I tried to do the things that other people were respected for, and it didn't work. And I realized that, no matter what I did, people would still laugh at me. Getting their respect just wasn't an option. So I figured that if I couldn't please them, I might as well please myself." "Yeah, but-- Don't you see?" she said. "The values you chose... Not everyone would have decided to be honest and compassionate and intelligent like you are." He blushed. "You flatter me, madam." "You know it's true," she said, giving him a fond smile. "Well." He shrugged. "That's who I want to be." "And that's different," she said. He smiled. "Okay, okay, you win." The last word was interrupted by a yawn. "Boy, it's getting late. I don't know about you, but I am like completely..." He took a good look at her. To judge by her face, it might have been noon. "Jeez, where do you get all this energy?" She gave him a malicious grin. "Probably because you owe me those orgasms." "Can we defer to tomorrow? Not that I don't want to go down on you. I love doing that." The plain honesty in his voice made her smile. "But I don't think I'd be much use to either of us if I fell asleep with my face in your pussy." "All right," she said, "tomorrow." Now that she thought about it, she was kind of tired. Sleep would probably be a good thing. Especially here, in Colin's arms. "Good night." "Good night," he said, giving her a kiss, and they snuggled together, their bodies close, their arms wrapped around each other. Sleep washed over them in a silent wave.