Title: The Whole Night
Pairing: Bella/Alice
Word count: 8,979
Rating: M
Summary: Alice needs to leave her single life behind.
Venturing out with her brother, she finds more than she expected
in a pair of warm brown eyes.What started out as a physical
need may, in fact, be more.

On this particular Friday night, I find myself standing in front of the hallway mirror, running my fingers through my hair, arranging it so that it's situated just right. Smoothing down my black t-shirt, it looks good, no wrinkles. My favorite pair of dark jeans are hanging low on my hips (or lack thereof) in just the right fashion. Due to the fact that I'm vertically challenged, I cuff the bottoms, and all is well in the land of symmetry. Black hi-top Chucks, tied and knotted once more, just for good measure. You may leave the house now, your hotness.

You look like a million bucks. You're going to meet someone special tonight. This is what I'm telling myself as I've been single for way too long and tonight I've decided will mark the end of that era. I will find a hot lady and I will bed her. Who even says shit like that? Me, that's who.

Needing to get laid, coupled with a little persuasion by my brother, has me standing in front of the mirror primping and perfecting. I'm ready to hit the streets of Chicago, that is, if he ever gets his ass out here.

"Edward! I'm ready! Let's go! Now! Please!" I yell down the hall, and just because I constantly worry about this, I add,"Oh, and do not wear a black shirt! We are not the fucking double-mint twins!"

I check my clothes again for wrinkles or lint. I might have a slight case of OCD. Fine, I have more than a slight case, but only about a few things, not everything. That would make me exactly like my brother. He's a fucking freak show on legs. At least I can hide that shit and seem normal enough to the outside world. I don't think he even tries sometimes.

Other than the tits and the cock-n-balls, we are pretty much the same person. We both have green eyes, short hair that always has a mind of its own, otherwise known as "the freshly-fucked look" and is an odd mixture of copper and light brown,that I don't think is supposed to exist in nature. I dye mine black because that's how I roll. Basically, I am the female version of him – only hotter.

Finally, he comes barreling down the hall, the sound not unlike a herd of baby elephants. "Keep your panties on, Alice, I'm ready." He's wearing a white v-neck shirt with his favorite jeans that have more holes than not, and the same black shoes that I am currently wearing.

"First of all, why are you trying to steal my style?" I give him the evil eye. "Secondly, I don't wear panties, you know this. Even without x-ray vision I can tell you that we both are sporting Hanes boxer briefs, the underpants of champions. I have been buying them for the both of us since we were teenagers."

"Yeah. Okay, Alice. Why don't you add that to the list of things to never tell other people, especially those you plan on meeting tonight and paying to come home with you," he retorts. He thinks this is funny, so wrong he is.

"Oh, hey, I completely forgot to mention this to you earlier: fuck you."

"You're such a lady."

"I could say the same to you."

I'm done with this conversation. "Seriously, let's go before I chicken out and I'm in my pajamas on the couch watching reruns of Everybody Hates Chris," I plead with him.

"I just have to check the locks and then we can go," he says as he's walking away from me. He's always locking and unlocking all the doors in our loft. Like I said before, freak show on legs.

Eventually we make it out to the street and head towards Boystown. Even though the name doesn't exactly fit the scenario that I'm looking for, a gay neighborhood in Chicago is a gay neighborhood in Chicago, it's all the same. Usually where there are gay boys there will always be gay girls, most likely playing pool because lesbians have a thing for hitting balls with sticks. It's true.

We grab a cab and are now on our way. I hate riding in cabs; I can never watch where we're going because it scares the living shit out of me, the way cabbies drive. I keep my head down. Currently I'm flattening out each and every wrinkle I find in my jeans.

Edward is chuckling at me under his breath, so I punch his thigh, hard.

"Jesus Christ, Alice!" he screams like a little girl.

"What? Did that hurt?" I ask.

He sighs. "Can we not revert to our twelve-year old selves for one night? I plan on bringing a nice boy home, and you will not ruin it for me. This means there will be no angry-folk-music-loving-flannel-shirt-wearing-lesbian act tonight, understand?" he says, trying to sound authoritative, and failing.

"Yes, brother dear, I will not pretend to love Melissa Etheridge in front of you and your man candy this evening," I promise him.

"Good."

"Good," I say in return, and smile my sweetest, most insincere smile.

Once we arrive at our destination, Edward, being the utter gentleman that he is, extends his hand to help me out of the backseat, and then he pays for the cab. This is the part I like the best about hanging out with him. He always pays. What's not to like? Exactly.

This tiny hole in the wall, aptly named, The Closet, is our favorite hangout, when we...uh...hang out. The bouncer checks our IDs and we are in like Flynn.

It's dark, crowded, sweaty, and loud. I like it. It's easy enough to go unnoticed if that's what mood I'm in or just as easy to get noticed. I think I'm feeling the latter this evening.

First and foremost, it's time for drinks. "Brother, what do you want?" I yell in his ear.

"Heineken, please," he yells back, and he hands me some cash. He's the best.

I bulldoze my way up to the bar and order our drinks. Amazingly enough, I was actually waited on in less than twenty minutes. Occasionally there can be long wait times when you have boobs, and you're in a bar full of gay dudes. I order my favorite local I.P.A., grab our beers and head back through the crowd to find Edward. He's standing with his back to me talking to someone, so I nudge him in the back with my elbow to get his attention.

He introduces me to his new friend. "Jasper, this is my little sister, Alice. Alice, this is Jasper. He just moved to Chicago."

"Hey, Jasper, good to meet you." He nods his head in greeting. His light brown wavy hair is pulled back in a short pony tail and a few strands are hanging in front of his eyes. They're a deep chocolaty brown, they're almost pretty.

He shakes my hand, and his grip is firm and not sweaty. I like him already.

"Nice to meet you, too, young lady. My sister's around here somewhere. I'll introduce you when I find her," he replies. I shrug and tell him it's no big deal. Is the southern drawl for real? We'll see if it still around after he's had a few drinks.

Jasper and my brother are getting along swimmingly. I stand there, very much like a third wheel, sipping my beer and scanning the crowd while they flirt unabashedly. There aren't very many women here tonight. This is a downer. I'll have to drink more, so that I can have fun without the prospect of getting some lovin'.

After I chug my beer, I squeeze Edward's arm to get his attention and tip my head towards the bar. He looks at Jasper, who then nods back, and Edward then holds up two fingers. I salute him.

I trudge my way back through the crowd and up to the bar. I stand there trying to look as bad-ass as possible so that I get some service, when my entire body is suddenly slammed into the wooden rail and the air whooshes out of my chest.

"What the fuck?" I rasp. I turn around to see what drunken douche bag just knocked the shit out of me, and I am met with fumbling hands, long brown hair, and beautiful girl.

"Shit, I am so sorry. Are you OK?" she asks.

I just stand there staring at her pretty face and saying nothing. Come on mouth, you can do it. Spit it out. I blink a few times. "Um, my mouth isn't working. I mean, yes, I'm OK. Are you OK?" I sputter.

She laughs and it's pretty, too. Wow, you're so lame right now.

She rolls her eyes. "I almost gave you a concussion and you're asking me how I am?" And now she's laughing at me.

"I'm glad I amuse you." I'm trying to suppress my smile, but it's not going so well.

I can tell she's trying to decide if I'm joking or if I'm just being a total bitch. I let her off the hook. "I'm only joking."

"Thanks, I figured as much," she says.

Oh, snarky and pretty. Good combination. Not to mention the gorgeous brown eyes, the sweet heart-shaped face, flawless skin with just the right amount of freckles, and the poutiest lips I've ever seen.

I realize there's silence between us and we're openly staring at each other. Ogling is probably more like it.

Brain and mouth function finally returns. "Um, I'm Alice. It's nice to meet you."

I somehow manage to properly route the signals from my brain to my arm and we shake hands. Hers is warm and soft, and she holds on a little longer than I expected. My spine feels tingly at the contact.

She shakes her head as if to snap herself out of a daydream and says, "Bella. I'm Bella. I just moved to the city with my brother. He's around here somewhere." She scans the crowd, looking for what I assume to be Jasper. "That wouldn't be Jasper would it?" I ask her.

She tilts her head to the side in this really cute way, while biting her bottom lip and says, "Yes, it would be actually. How do you...?"

Explain yourself before she thinks you're a freaky psycho stalker. "My brother Edward, he's over there, is talking to him." I point to the spot currently occupied by our brothers.

"He mentioned that he just moved here with his sister. I just put two and two together," I continued, getting nervous now. Since when do I get nervous around girls?

I don't want to say anything stupid or offensive. I don't want her to go away.

"Well then, why don't we go join them? We can get cozy and properly acquainted," she says.

Is she flirting or am I just being a pervert? I'm not entirely sure at this point, so I just nod my head in the affirmative.

"Do you need another drink or are you done for the night?" I ask.

"Done for the night? No way! I definitely need another one. Considering I just spilled mine in the process of almost knocking you out." She looks embarrassed and it's so endearing. "I'm way too sober for meeting new people right now." Her smile is melting my insides.

"Well, let me buy you a drink then. A welcome-to-the-neighborhood celebration?" I offer.

"That's really sweet of you. I'd love a beer, please. Anything local. I like to support the smaller breweries. They treat beer-making like an art form," she says.

Um, marry me? Have my babies? "No problem, I'll surprise you," I say. I'm fucking swooning right now. Is this girl for real? Or have I finally cracked and created an imaginary perfect woman?

We have our drinks in hand and are making our way over to Edward and Jasper, who are now literally inches apart from each other. I've learned this is how boys introduce their penises to each other in public places. What could be so important that you have to stand so close and whisper to each other? Are they trading stock tips? Doubtful. I smack Edward on the ass and he jumps about five feet in the air.

"Really?" he says angrily, and glares at me.

"That doesn't work on me, just so you know," I quip. "Edward, this is Bella. Bella, this is my brother Edward." I turn to Bella. "And you're familiar with Jasper, right?"

"Yes, Jasper and I go way back," she laughs.

Score!

"Nice to meet you, Edward." she says, and extends her hand out to shake his.

Edward, who is usually really smart, stammers out the following at an achingly slow pace, while rudely pointing at everyone: "Oh, so you met my sister, and then I met your brother, and we're all gay. That's so weird and so interesting. And so weird."

"Wow, Edward. Way to showcase your social skills," I say, and roll my eyes, yet again.

"For the record, Bella has neither confirmed nor denied her gayness. I, for one, am putting my money on a life of lesbianism, but that's just my fine-tuned gaydar speaking."

"I didn't know I had to declare my gayness." She's joking. I hope. "Yes, Alice, you are correct. I am a sexual deviant extraordinaire. What gave it away?" she asks.

I like how she says my name.

"Honestly, the 'Ani Fucking DiFranco' t-shirt made it obvious to me. But only chicks notice that sort of thing. Edward probably figured you were gay because he saw you checking out my ass," I joke.

She turns beet red instantly, and her eyes are wide as saucers. She just puts her head down and laughs. I am really digging the lip biting. She should keep doing that.

"Soooo...anyway. Anyone up for a game of pool?" I ask.

"Pool tables are all full. I'm kind of done with this place, it's getting too crowded," Edward interjects.

I know what he's really saying. Good cover, though.

"We're the newbies here, so what do you guys suggest we do?" Bella asks.

This is too easy. "Why don't you guys come back to our place? We have plenty of beer, and we can chill. Have you guys ever played PaRappa the Rapper for Playstation?" I can feel Edward rolling his eyes at me as I am saying the words.

"I'm positive that neither of them has ever heard of that game. You are the only person on the planet that is obsessed with a rapping puppy."

"Shut up. Can you read their minds? No, you can't. So let them speak for themselves," I say indignantly.

"Actually, I would love to. I have no idea what that game is, but I'm always up for checking out musically inclined dogs," Bella says. She's mocking me, and I love it.

"Sure thing, me too. Let's get out of here," Jasper adds. He so wants to do my brother. I'm happy for them, even though it makes me a little nauseous, I really am.

Edward leads the way out of the bar, Jasper following behind him, and Bella right behind Jasper. Time to check out the goods. Holy hell, for a skinny white girl she sure does have a robust rump. Her dark jeans accentuate her body in all the right places, and I am finding no issue in this area. She is totally swaying her hips and it's like a mating call. I want to make out with her in the worst way.

The four of us squeeze into a cab, and I make Edward sit in front. He is my bitch until he finds a way to get back at me, which he inevitably will. Jasper is sitting by the passenger door, with Bella in the middle, and me at the end. Our legs are touching and it's making the already fluttering butterflies go mad inside my belly.

Jasper and Edward are staring out their windows watching the passing cars. I can't help but wonder what Bella is thinking right now. The mood in the car is quiet and full of expectation. I wonder if they have the same feelings for each other that I currently have for Bella.

I'm not sure where to put my hands, so I just lay them in my lap. Bella reaches over, grabs my left arm, and turns it so that my forearm is facing up.

"What does this mean?" she asks, tracing my tattoo.

"It's a Mayan symbol for the Earth." I barely get the words out. I mean, she's touching me, how could I possibly function right now?

She's continues her trek up and down my arm and my breathing has accelerated. The thumping in my chest is surely audible.

"I like it. It's so unique. It suits you." Then she smiles at me. Oh yeah, she's flirting.

"Thanks. I kind of have a tattoo addiction. I have a lot more," I say lamely, and continue nodding even though I've stopped speaking.

"Well you'll have to show them all to me sometime."

"Yes. OK," is my winning reply. Is it hot in here? Christ. Are we there yet? I can't believe I want to get out of a confined space with this girl, but it's starting to overwhelm me and I need a little room to breathe.

"Right here is good," Edward tells the driver. He pays him, and I open the door to get out. Taking a lesson from my brother, I decide to try out a little chivalry. I look at Bella as she's starting to put her foot on the pavement and I extend my hand. Her mouth lifts at one corner, and she's trying to suppress a smile. I take her hand and help her out of the cab.

"Thank you, you're such a gentleman," she says.

"I do what I can," I say, and now it's my turn to try to hide the shit-eating grin on my face.

"You guys live here?" Jasper speaks up. "This looks like an old, abandoned warehouse. The kind where mafia guys bring their hits because there won't be anyone around to hear the screaming," he adds.

"Jasper! That's no way to talk about our new friends' digs. I bet you the inside is amazing. Now apologize," Bella reprimands. She handles the brother situation just like I would; you have to beat them into submission.

"Sorry, guys. Sometimes the filter isn't always available. I meant no disrespect," he says.

Edward, trying not to laugh, says, "None taken. Come on, let's go inside." He's using his sexy voice. Good luck Jasper.

He grabs Jasper's hand, and then leads us in to the lobby of the building.

Bella's right; the outside looks sketchy, because, well, it is. She is also correct in her assumption that the inside does not mirror the facade, because we wouldn't be living here otherwise. When we were looking for a place to start over, Edward and I decided that this would be the perfect spot for us to set up shop. It's a little secluded in this neighborhood because no one wants to move here yet. It's "up and coming" as the developers say. I don't really worry about walking around by myself during the day, but I also wouldn't be hanging outside the building after dark on purpose, either.

We pile into the elevator. It starts its five floor ascent. Cue sexual tension. All four of us are leaning against the rails of the elevator staring down at the floor. I don't know about the boys, but I'm ready to attack Bella at the first moment we're left alone. I certainly hope she feels the same way. If not, that could be awkward. The elevator dings and we're stepping off.

"Welcome to casa de Cullen," I say as I unlock the door. I'm such a dork, and to make matters worse, I then bow and extend my arm, inviting them in. Everyone files in, and I flip on the lights.

"Wow. This place is great. It's so light and open," Bella says, scanning the loft. "I love it."

"What were you expecting, a dungeon with a torture chamber? We would have provided waivers before we let you inside if we had planned to beat you with whips and chains tonight." What the fuck am I saying? Did I just say whips and chains? I've known her for a total of two hours. Maybe I should try to rein it in a little.

She laughs heartily, and I realize that Jasper and Edward are missing. Wow, OK. So I guess they aren't wasting any time.

"Umm, can I get you anything to drink? We have beer, wine, water, milk." Did I just offer her milk? How about some chocolate chip cookies or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?

"A beer would be great. Thank you."

"Right this way, Madame," I say. She follows me into the kitchen, and I grab us both beers. I'm rummaging through the drawer trying to find the opener when I feel her reach around me.

"Here, let me. I'm good at finding things that are lost and buried," she says.

I'm sure what she just said holds some real significance that I cannot even begin to process right now. Her proximity has rendered me useless. She smells so good. It's a heady combination of a flowery perfume, nighttime air, and girl. Don't sniff. Whatever you do, do not sniff her.

I look over my shoulder and we make eye contact. I could lose myself in her brown eyes. They're deep and rich and warm. "Be my guest."

I move out of her way and watch her sort through all of our kitchen utensils. She finds it within seconds.

"You're like some kind of stealthy kitchen ninja. Very impressive."

"Thanks, I have lots of hidden talents. Finding a bottle opener just happens to be one of them," she replies. Then she winks.

I am so dead, barely holding in the urge to kiss her now. We will drink our beers in an awkward yet comfortable silence, and then I will make my move.

We both lean against the granite counter top side by side. Bella is the first to crack.

"Umm, so you and your brother live here together? Is it just the two of you?"

I am watching her long slender fingers play with the mouth of her bottle. "Yeah, it's just the two of us." We are teetering towards a touchy subject, but I don't show it and I will just change direction if she starts fishing.

"It's a really funny coincidence that you and your brother just moved to the city to live together as well. I didn't think that there were all that many homo brother/sister combos out there," I tell her with a smile. I couldn't say anything right now without smiling.

"I agree. I've never met anyone else with the same situation before, either. We had to get out of Forks. It's a tiny town in Washington. When you're from a place with less than four thousand people you find out pretty quickly that you're only safe while you're still a kid. If you're gay, I mean. Once you're out of high school there are literally no prospects. That is, of course, unless I wanted to join the local church and get re-programmed, then I'd have a dozen potential suitors to choose from," she says.

This makes me laugh hard and I almost spit beer out of my nose. "Sorry," I choke. I grab a paper towel off the roll and wipe my mouth.

"Here, let me get that." She grabs the towel from my hands and starts to dab at the corners of my mouth. It's a very intimate moment, and again, I don't know what to do with my hands. Reaching behind me, I set my beer down on the counter. Tentatively, I place my hands on her hips. She doesn't protest. We're looking directly into each other's eyes. We've been playing this game all night. Who will look away first? It's difficult to keep it up; I want to look down so badly. I don't have to wait long because she looks away first.

I place my finger under her chin and tilt it up ever so slightly. "Please don't look down. I like looking at your eyes." Where this courage is coming from, I have no idea. My heart is beating wildly in my chest and I'm sure I'm going to pass out at any moment.

"Thank you. You're very sweet."

"You're welcome."

She looks like she wants to say something, but is hesitating. She's being so quiet. Maybe she's just as nervous as I am? I don't know if that's possible, considering I haven't been with anyone in over a year and that I have never done this kind of thing with a person I've just met. Or attempted to do this kind of thing, I guess.

"Um, I just want to try one thing. Is that ok?" I ask in a small voice.

"Anything," she says, and I think she means it.

Anything. Well, that is helpful information. "I'm going to hold you to that," I joke.

She just smiles.

I close my eyes and tilt my head. It takes a millennium, but I lean in and our noses are touching, our hearts are beating rapid-fire, and I can feel her breath on my face. Slowly and surely, I move just a fraction of an inch closer and place a kiss on the corner of her mouth. I can feel her smile under my lips. Instant courage. I take her bottom lip in between mine and pull just slightly. She moves closer and presses herself against me and my hands encircle her waist.

"Do that again, please," she whispers.

"My pleasure."

This time I hold back a little less and I capture her mouth with my own. It's harder this time, but still yielding. We are moving together now and she is braver than I am. She slips her tongue out and runs it along my bottom lip. I'm no dummy. I return the favor and within seconds, my hands are in her hair and our tongues are colliding.

I feel, rather than hear, her hum of satisfaction. I am a rock star. I slide my right hand up her side, over her shirt and stop just underneath her breast. "Is this OK?" I whisper against her mouth.

"Don't ask. Just do," she says.

Mental note made.

This feels like heaven. Being wrapped up in her and just kissing. It's euphoric and frightening all at the same time. I move my hand further. Brushing my fingers slightly over the swell of her breast, I cup her and press my hand down, brushing my palm over the peak. She moans. I was wrong before. That is heaven.

"Does that feel good?" I say against her mouth.

She just nods her head and stops kissing me. Resting her forehead on mine, she then rubs her nose along my cheek and eventually down to my neck. Her arms are resting on my shoulders, and her hands are in my hair and it is bliss. She places a tender kiss on the skin where my shoulder begins, and I'm lost. My hands are now moving of their volition. Cupping her breast with my right and her ass with my left, we are now in full blown make-out mode.

I don't know how much time passes. Maybe six minutes? Maybe six months?

She's taller than I am, though not by much, still, she has to bend down to kiss me. I am only offering this for her benefit. I swear. "Do you want to go somewhere more comfortable?"

"Yes, please," she says.

"You are so fucking polite," I laugh at her, and plant a soft kiss under her jaw.

"Shut the fuck up. I am not," she laughs, and pushes me back a little.

"Come on." I grab her hand and she intertwines her fingers with mine. Yes, I like this a lot.

We are walking down the darkened hallway to my bedroom and unfortunately we hear things no sister should ever have to hear. Good Christ. I will have to have a family meeting with Edward and remind him that just because the walls are made of concrete, we still need to control the volume when having the sexy times. Loud music has more than one purpose when you live with your sibling.

"Um, this is my room," I say. She just shakes her head at me and rolls her eyes.

"What?" I ask.

"Don't be such a silly dork. You know I want your body by now, so stop being nervous and just open the fucking door."

"OK, I take it back. You are a rude bitch. Now get your hot ass in my bedroom," I tell her.

She giggles. Oh, that's nice. I hold the door open for her, and she walks in front of me. This is an opportunity not to be missed, so of course I slap her ass. She yelps and holds her hands behind her in defense, but it's too late. She turns around with narrowed eyes and puts her hands on her hips. She does the bitch brow very well.

"So now that you've got me here, what are you going to do with me?" she asks.

So coy. So hot. "Well, firstly, because I'm such a nice person and I don't want to torture our brothers, I'm going to lock my bedroom door, and then I'm going to turn on some music, quite loudly."

"Oh? Why so loud?" she asks. There's that sexy smirk again.

I gather up every ounce of courage and stomp down every bit of nervousness in my entire body. I step forward so that I'm mere inches away from her and whisper into her ear, "I wouldn't want anyone else to hear you when you're screaming my name."

Her sharp intake of breath makes my knees weaken. "In that case, please do," she whispers back.

My hands, no longer governed by my brain, somehow have already found purchase around her waist. I pull her into me and she comes willingly. I kiss her lightly, no tongue, just soft lines and smooth curves. She is warm and comforting. I kiss across her jaw and down her neck, and if it's possible, she tastes even better here. She has her arms around me and is holding onto me so tightly. I have never felt so wanted in my entire life.

It's too quiet. Our breaths are ragged and getting louder by the second. I pull away from her and she looks worried.

"Are you okay?" she asks.

"Yes, I'm okay. Better than ok." I can't help but look down when I say this, "Um, what would you like to listen to?"

"I'm sure I'll like anything you pick. Surprise me," she says.

"OK, but no complaining if you don't like it," I tease.

"You have my word. Scout's honor. I'll even pinky swear," she giggles.

"Weirdo," I laugh. I walk over to the iPod dock sitting on my dresser and scroll through the playlists. Yes, this will work perfectly. I press play.

"In honor of your shirt."

we can touch

touch our girl cheeks

and we can hold hands

like paper dolls

"You're such a funny girl. Come back over here," she commands.

we can try

try each other on

in the privacy

within new york city's walls

I make my way back over to where she's standing, looking at the black and white photos that line my walls. "These are amazing. Did you take them?" she asks.

I keep a little distance. "No, definitely not. My mom took all of these. She was a photographer." I really don't want to talk about this right now. I come closer and wrap my arms around her from behind. I splay my hands across her stomach and plant kisses up and down her neck.

we can kiss

kiss goodnight

and we can go home wondering

what would it be like if

if i did not have a boyfriend

we could spend

the whole night

"You know this song doesn't exactly fit the scenario here, right?" she says in a really fucking sexy voice. "I don't have a boyfriend or anyone else to go home to. Also, just so you know, I just might be willing to spend the whole night."

"Is that so? Well, you are forthcoming with information. I'll have to remember to reward you for all your honesty."

She laughs lightly and lifts her arms up in the air. For a second I'm not sure what she's doing. Welcome to the party, dumb shit. Take her shirt off! I roll my eyes at myself.

"Are you sure?" I hesitate. "I don't want you to feel like you have to do anything tonight. I mean, believe me, I want to...to do things...with you. Of course, I do. We can just hang out, though." I have diarrhea of the mouth.

"Oh, well I just thought it would be easier to reward me if I was naked."

Now my eyes are rolling back in my head, but for a different reason altogether. She just said "naked".

"This is true. So good of you to think of it," I say.

"Hey, you back there...with all the talking. Take my clothes off."

"Yes, ma'am." I breathe in deeply.

I grab onto the hem of her shirt with both hands and guide it up her arms and over her head. I let it fall and it pools on the floor at our feet. My earlier exploration of her body in the kitchen, gave away the fact that she wasn't wearing a bra, but seeing her bare in front of me was breathtaking. "You're beautiful." It just comes out of my mouth without warning.

She looks at me over her shoulder. "You can only see my back. How do you know if I'm beautiful?"

"I just do," As I say this, I slowly spin her around so that I can really see her. "See, I knew it." She blushes and tries to look away. "Don't do that. Please, look at me," I ask, and she does.

She is courageous, sexy, smart, and funny. There must be a catch. I'm not going to look for it tonight, though. Tonight I'm going to live in the moment and have awesome sex with this gorgeous creature.

"Thank you," I tell her. Keeping ours eye locked, I place my index finger at the hollow of her throat and slowly follow an imaginary line down through the space between her perfect breasts. And I leave a trail further down to the soft taught skin of her stomach until I reach the barrier I was looking for. I use one hand to unbutton her jeans and pull down the zipper.

"May I?" I ask for permission, even though she told me to "just do". I want to be sure.

"You may," she says in the quietest voice.

I use both hands and shimmy her jeans down, and in doing so, caress the skin of her hips. She steps out of them, and she's left with only the tiniest black panties with one red bow in the center along the top.

"Sexy underwear. Did you wear those tonight with a purpose in mind?" I tease her.

"I'll never tell," she says.

"Hmm. Maybe I can get it out of you, we've got lots of time." Lots of time indeed.

"I would never bet against you. More importantly, though, what I want to do now is get you out of these clothes." Yes, please.

I put my arms up and give her a nod. "Go for it."

She steps closer and pulls my t-shirt off. I'm not wearing a bra, either. These are the things you can get away with when you're small-chested and spending a Friday night at a bar full of gay guys. Bella and I both apparently feel the same way.

"That's much better," she says. She's taking her time, and inspecting my bare skin. I see her eyeing my tattoos, and her eyes are alight with curiosity. "This one right here, what is this?"

She's running her fingers along my side, and I know why this one has caught her attention. "You like this one?" I ask.

"It's beautiful. The detail is amazing. What's the meaning behind it?" She's trailing her fingers along the branches, and her touch is sending an electric current through my body.

I want to tell her more, but instead I keep it simple. "It's the tree of life; it represents our connection with the earth, and also protection and strength. I have a thing for nature, I guess." I laugh quietly.

"It looks like it was painted on your skin. I think it's my favorite so far. I will have to do more research," she says, and winks.

"Research away. You'll hear no protest from me. However, maybe we can save that for later? I'm feeling a little overdressed right now."

"Well, we can't have that." She reaches for the button on my jeans. "Now for the rest." God she is so sexy. She makes quick work of them, and now I'm standing in front of her in nothing but my boxer briefs.

"This." She pushes a finger underneath the band of my underwear, pulls it forward, and lets it snap back. "Is fucking sexy. I could look at you all day like this."

Now I can feel my blush. No one has ever talked to me like this before. It's an amazing feeling.

Now that we're both pretty much naked and the anxiety has all but diminished, I am feeling extremely brave. I close the distance between us and put my hands on her shoulders, pushing her into a sitting position on my bed. Instantly, she puts her hands on my waist and looks up at me from under her lashes.

"These need to go. Now," she says.

She pulls down my last remaining piece of clothing, and I am bare in front of her. I step out of them and kick them aside. She runs her hands up the backs of my thighs and a trail of goosebumps follow her fingers. She stops at the swell of my ass, cups both cheeks, and pulls me closer. I hold on tighter to her shoulders to steady myself. She buries her face into my stomach and kisses me tenderly.

I feel her hands come around to the front of my thighs, and she spreads my legs apart just slightly. I am whimpering just at the idea of her hands anywhere near me like this. I am watching her and I have my hands in her hair. I brush through it with my fingers, so soft and silky; it feels so nice in between my fingers. She props herself up with one hand and with her other, starts to slide it ever so gingerly up my inner thigh until she is mere inches away from my pussy. I cannot control my breathing at all at this point. I might hyperventilate if she keeps this up.

now use both hands

oh, no don't close your eyes

i am writing

graffiti on your body

i am drawing the story of

how hard we tried

i am watching your chest rise and fall

like the tides of my life,

and the rest of it all

and your bones have been my bed frame

and your flesh has been my pillow

i am waiting for sleep

to offer up the deep

with both hands

She looks up at me and asks, "Alice, do you want me to touch you here?" Such a simple question.

No hesitation. "Mmmhmm. Yes, please," I whisper.

"Good girl. You know, you can have whatever you want baby, if you just say please," she purrs.

Oh my god. I am going to spontaneously combust. "Okay," I say. I am putty in her hands. She could ask me for anything right now and I would give it to her.

She teases me for what seems like an eternity before bringing her fingers to where I want them. She trails one finger the rest of the way up towards my stomach, and runs it along my pubic bone. Trailing her fingers back down my inner thighs, she then, so fucking slowly, traces down the length of my slit. Unable to control it, I moan, loudly.

"Yes, please. Yes," I whisper. I can barely keep my head up. My hands move from her hair down to her breasts and I fondle them softly and slowly, sliding the pads of my thumbs over her rock-hard nipples.

She then uses two fingers to separate the folds and opens me wider. This feels fucking fantastic.

"Oh god, please. Please,"I beg. I will fucking milk the use of that word dry. If she would just continue. The anticipation is killing me.

"You like this baby? You like it when I stroke your pussy? Hmm?" she asks.

You better fucking believe I like it, and that dirty talk is going to kill me. "Yes, yes, to everything." I am going to cum soon.

"What about this?" she asks as she simultaneously inserts one finger inside me.

"Oh, yes, yes. Please," I beg again. I'm sure that my moans have now overruled the music that's playing.

"You are so wet for me, baby. Did I do this to you?" she asks as she trails kisses from my neck to my shoulder. Where did this vixen come from? I am never letting her leave.

She continues pumping her finger inside me at a steady pace.

"You know you did this to me. Please don't stop," I plead.

"I won't stop. Not until you cum for me."

"More. Please. I want more." I hope to god she will give me more.

"Tsk tsk tsk. Let's not be greedy, Alice. Sometimes less is more." She is toying with me.

She quickens her pace, and I can feel her nipples harden even further. I pull on them both because I have to do something to make her feel good.

"Mmm, I like that," she says. "You're making me so wet right now. I can't wait to feel your fingers inside me."

"I wanna kiss you. Please let me kiss you," I beg her.

Immediately she leans back so that I can lean down, supporting myself with both hands on either side of her. I am practically bent over now, and the feeling of her finger inside me is even more intense.

"Ohhhmmm..." I moan as I kiss her mouth. We are tongues and teeth and lips and there is no distinction between us now. She is kissing me back so hard, and I just can't take it anymore.

I feel the tightening deep in my belly and I tell her as much, "I'm gonna cum, Bella, so hard."

"Yes, baby. I wanna feel it. Don't hold back, let it go."

I am so close, tightening, constricting. Yes, yes. Here it comes; I can't feel anything now except for the piece of her body that fits inside me. I am delighting in the friction it's providing.

My orgasm barrels through me as fast and hard as a fucking freight train. Holy shit. I collapse onto her and she holds me tightly.

"Jesus fucking Christ, Bella. You are really fucking good at that," I say breathlessly. I attempt to stand up and my legs feel like noodles.

"Well, thank you. I do aim to please," she says while batting her lashes.

"And please, you did. I think you've earned yourself another reward," I say as I clamber up onto the bed, and sit back on my heels. "Up here, now." I point to the pillow.

"Yes, ma'am," she says repeating my earlier words.

She complies easily and crawls over to the head of my bed and lies down. Her hair is splayed beautifully across my pillows, and I'm sure they'll smell like her in the morning. I may never wash those pillowcases again.

She's lying with her knees bent and closed while her hands are playfully massaging her breasts. I scoot closer to her and grab both of her ankles and slowly slide my hands up both of her legs in unison. Her skin is soft and smooth, and I don't ever want to stop touching her. I kiss each knee tenderly as my hands travel up to her calves,and then to the tops of her knees and I slowly pull them apart. There is no resistance and now I can move closer to where I want to be.

She lets her legs spread as far as they can go, and I hover over her, dropping my head down to kiss her lips softly. I can feel the warmth radiating from her pussy and it makes me shiver. I kiss her passionately and slowly, and when I finally need to get air, I let go. She whimpers and it makes me smile.

she says forget what you have to do

pretend there is nothing

outside this room

and like an idea she came to me

but she came too late

or maybe too soon

i said please try not to love me

close your eyes, i'm turning on the light

you know i have no vacancy

and it's awfully cold outside tonight

"You are an amazing woman, Bella," I tell her sincerely. "I can't believe I have you in my bed."

"Believe it, and if you're lucky, maybe you can have me in your bed again," she says with no hesitation in her voice. I have no words for her.

I lean down and kiss her neck, running my tongue slowly in circles and she moans, pressing into me. I kiss my way across her collar bone and down to her breasts. She has her hands in my hair and the feeling is indescribable. We are just caressing and kissing and it feels like I'm on fire.

I take her nipple into my mouth and pull slightly as I lick and suck. I press myself into her and she moans again. Such a beautiful sound. I can barely wait to have my fingers inside her.

I move over to her right breast and give it the same love and affection. She's writhing and panting beneath me, and I am so close to just giving in and plunging my fingers into her. I kiss my way down her stomach and when I reach her belly button, I hear her giggle.

Looking up at her I ask, "Something funny?"

"It's just ticklish right there. I'm sorry." She's trying not to laugh.

"Oh, you're sorry? Ticklish, huh? Where? Right here? Or wait, was it right here?" I move my mouth over her belly button and dip my tongue inside, and she arches her back and squeals with delight. "Ahh, there it is. That's the spot." She tries pushing me away so that I can't do it again. I grab her wrists and move back up the bed, holding them in a criss-cross above her head.

Leaning in closely, I whisper against her mouth, "Behave Bella or else."

"OK, I will. Just please don't stop," she begs me.

"Be a good girl and you'll get what you want." I kiss her hard and make my way back down the bed. "Now, where was I?" I tease.

With her legs spread wide, I grip both sides of her panties and pull down, she lifts her backside, so that I can pull them all the way off. I can smell her and I can see she's dripping wet for me.

"Absolutely beautiful. I told you didn't I?"

"Yes. Please, Alice. I can't take much more," she cries.

the heat is so great

it plays tricks with the eye

it turns the road to water

and then from water to sky

and there's a crack in the concrete floor

and it starts at the sink

there's a bathroom in a gas station

and i've locked myself in it to think

I don't want to torture her any longer. I lean down and place a soft kiss on her clit and she groans. I will never forget that sound. Luckily, this song is loud and, hopefully, no one but me will hear her passionate cries.

and you'll stop me, won't you

if you've heard this one before

the one where i surprise you

by showing up at your front door

saying 'let's not ask what's next,

or how, or why'

i am leaving in the morning

so let's not be shy

She has her hands in my hair, running her fingers through the longer layers. This makes me feel so good, so wanted. Such an intimate act, something only a lover would do. I decide to return the favor. I flatten out my tongue and take a long, slow lick along the length of her pussy, and she moans, a long loud sound.

"Mmmm, that's it, right there," she purrs.

I lick and suck her clit at a maddeningly slow pace. She's so wet, and her clit is so hard. I want to drive her crazy and bring her to the brink. She's writhing frantically beneath me and lifting her hips to my mouth. Her sounds, her movements, and her warm, sweaty body is turning me on so much. I want to reward her, like I said I would, for bringing me so much pleasure.

"You taste so sweet and you feel so amazing. Am I making you feel good, Bella?" I ask.

"Yes, yes. It feels fucking fantastic. Please, I want more."

"Since you asked so nicely..." I trail off, and put my tongue inside her. She bucks off the bed and cries out.

"Oh god! Oh god!"

She likes this. I keep it up, darting my tongue in and out a few more times, and then surprise her by burying two fingers inside her in one fast, smooth motion.

"Oh fuck! Alice! Yes, fuck me!" she screams.

She feels fucking amazing; her walls are tight and slick with her arousal. I continue pumping in and out of her, and she contributes to the motion by bringing her hips down at the same time.

"You like it when I fuck you, don't you, Bella?"

"Yes, oh god, yes, fuck me, fuck me harder. Please!" she yells.

One last thrust and I add another finger; I slam into her pussy hard, just like she asked for. I pound into her. I can feel the muscles in my arm growing tighter, burning slightly with the effort. She's moaning endlessly, her breaths ragged and harsh.

"I'm gonna cum, I'm gonna cum so hard. Oh god, please, please, don't stop." she says.

I won't stop, not until she explodes. I can feel her tightening around me. "That's it, baby, let it go, cum for me," I tell her.

"Yes, yes, yes...oh god...yes, Alice, yes!" And her body erupts around my fingers with the most intense orgasm. Her breaths are heavy and her eyes are closed, her arms spread out amongst the pillows. She looks so serene.

Crawling back up to the head of the bed, I hover over her. I kiss her deeply, and she kisses me back with just as much force. I've apparently made her very happy. She's rubbing her hands along my sides and down my back. The contact is heavenly.

"That was...just...wow," she says.

"Thanks, I think." I laugh at her.

"Sorry, you fucked the brain cells right out of me."

"I'll take that as a compliment," I say.

She pulls me down to her and cuddles into my arms, her back to my front. Even though I'm holding her, I feel safe and comforted.

I nuzzle my face into her hair and I feel myself getting very sleepy after awhile.

"Can I ask you a question?" I whisper.

"What is it?" she says. "You can ask me anything."

"Um, will you stay with me tonight?"

She doesn't answer right away; instead she reaches back and holds my head in her hand, pressing her warm palm across my cheek. It's impossible not to lean in to her touch.

"I hadn't planned on going anywhere. I know we don't know each other that well, but I feel very connected to you already. I want to know so much more about you, Alice."

I feel a weight lifted off my chest; she doesn't want to leave me yet. I hold her tighter. "I feel connected to you, too. It makes me really happy to hear you say that," I tell her, and turn my head to kiss her palm.

"I would love nothing more to fall asleep in your arms and wake up with you in the morning. I have plans for you anyhow," she says, and I can hear the smirk in her tone.

"Awesome."

"Awesome? What, are you thirteen?" She's laughing at me.

"Shut up. It is awesome." I reach down and pinch her ass.

"Ouch! Stop that!" She bats at my hand.

"Let's go to sleep now. Before I have to beat you," I say.

"Promises, promises."

i am waking up

in her bed

i sing 1st avenue

the open window said

always late to sleep

late to rise

lying here watching the day go by

in the living room

there are people on the carpet

having stupid conversations

just to hear themselves talk

and i am drifting through

i am heading for the kitchen

i am thinking of her fingers as i walk

A/N: All Songs by Ani DiFranco: 'The Whole Night', 'Both Hands', 'She Says', 'Shy'.