From Friends to Lovers

Beth was already awake, smiling at me as I opened my eyes. "Are you OK?" I queried softly.

"I can still feel something, if that's what you mean," she grinned. "But yes, I'm fine."

She reached to touch my cheek. "I love how careful, how thoughtful you always are."

She got to her feet, opening the window. "What a gorgeous day. I don't suppose we'll get too many more now... But we do have to get all that measuring done."

"We can take our time over breakfast, anyway," I promised. "The kitchen gets the sun in the morning."

Beth nodded. "And it's your turn to cook," she reminded with a grin.

We made our way downstairs, and Beth sat watching as I fried bacon, eggs, stirred a pan of beans. "Not exactly cordon bleu," she teased. "But I can't resist a good fry-up."

When we'd finished, Beth took her turn at the washing-up, and I wrapped my arms around her from behind as she stood at the sink. "Maybe we can go for a walk, get some fresh air before we start..."

Most of the day was taken up with more measuring, just a short break for sandwiches, and at around five Beth closed her notebook with a satisfying snap. "I think that's it. We've got all the carpet sizes, same for the curtains, and we know where the shelves and stuff will fit."

She threw me a glance. "Try and bribe the pizza guy to come? Or we could go out, pick up a takeaway."

"Mm, I could murder a curry," I confessed. "And a couple of bottles of beer?"

"Sure."

I reached for the car keys. "Come on, then - you can decide on the way whether you prefer the sound of the Sarga, or the Bombay Palace..."

***

Beth surveyed the empty cartons with a satisfied expression on her face, and took another sip of her beer. "Tim," she mused, "do you think pain ever has a place in sex?"

I blinked, wondering where the question had come from. "Well, everyone says that giving birth hurts like anything, don't they."

It was Beth's turn to look surprised. "I guess one is a consequence of the other, isn't it."

"I'm sure you were in those lessons with me at school," I teased. "So, yes."

"But that's not what I was thinking about just now," Beth continued.

"What, then?" I encouraged.

"Well, I was remembering what it feels like when you or Francesca are a little bit too hard on my nipples at the crucial moment."

I couldn't help my sudden intake of breath. "God, yes. I'd have thought it'd ruin the moment, but that doesn't seem to be what happens."

Beth thought hard for a while. "It changes the feeling, like - like the difference between milk and dark chocolate?"

I nodded. "I think I get it. 'Fraid I'm not much for dark chocolate myself, especially the expensive ones - what are they, eighty percent cocoa?"

"I don't know if I could cope with eighty percent," Beth mused, and I genuinely didn't know whether she was talking about sex or chocolate. She settled the question with her next words. "But I think you could make it a little, well, darker for me once in a while."

"If that's what you want," I agreed. "Definitely it'd have to be 'in the moment', though - I'm sure you could find a way of letting me know."

Beth nodded. "I bet I can."

She got to her feet, holding out a hand to help me up. "We can leave all this, clear it up tomorrow. Right now you've got me craving something sweet..."

I followed her up the stairs to the attic room that was our bedroom for the time being, and watched as she undressed, her hands already touching her own body suggestively. I shed my own clothes, and Beth gave me a knowing grin. "Hmm, I think we can find a use for that. Lie down for me?"

I laid back on the bed, and Beth slid across me, her thighs parted invitingly. But instead of using her fingers to guide me into her, she pressed her already-wet entrance against my hard shaft and began to flex her hips, giving a quiet moan as her nub slid on me. "Mmm..."

She leaned forward, her breasts inviting, and I began to suckle her softly and use my fingertips on her nipples. She moved her hips more urgently in response, and as I gave myself to the sensation of her pressing against me, I wondered if she intended for us both to climax. But after a few moments she sat upright again, her eyes on my face as her movements alternately hid then revealed my hard tip, surrounded by her slippery warmth.

I reached to caress her breasts, use my fingers on her still-wet nipples, and her expression turned blissful. "Mm, so close."

She put her hands over mine for a moment, her fingers urging me to touch her more forcefully, then stretched her arms above her head. "Oh, Tim, now," she breathed. "You know..."

I hesitated for an imperceptible moment, then drew my fingers together on her breasts so that her hard nipples were between my fingertips. I glanced at Beth's face, her desire-filled eyes on mine, and pressed my fingers together as firmly as I dared.

Her response was dramatic, her head tipping back as she cried out, new warmth and wetness surrounding me as her hips moved convulsively. "Ohhh..."

Finally she stilled, her eyes wide, mouth open. She leaned forward, her breasts flattening against my chest, her cheek against mine. "That really stung," she confessed in a whisper, "but it felt amazing."

My voice held relief. "I really thought I might have hurt you."

"It's fine," she reassured, her fingers stroking my hair.

We lay for a little while longer, then Beth slowly sat up again, a knowing smile on her face. "Now it's your turn, maybe I can come up with something you'll like. Not too dark, I promise."

She knelt on the bed, facing away from me, and clasped her hands behind her back as though with her wrists bound. "So I'm your captive, and you've decided it's time to take me, my wishes don't have anything to do with it."

I chuckled. "I think I can work with that."

I positioned myself behind her, pressing my hardness against her entrance and thrusting into her without a pause, getting a convincing whimper from Beth. I began to move, the feel of her clasped hands against my stomach each time I pushed my hips forward adding to the realism of our shared fantasy. Beth had put her hair in a ponytail to keep it out of her face while we worked, and I reached to grasp it in my fist, pulling just hard enough to tilt her head upwards, cause her breasts to thrust out a little. I moved more insistently, and I silently admired Beth's acting ability as she feigned her body betraying her, responding despite her utter unwillingness, her hips pushing back against me, breath coming in short gasps. "Oh - mm - no," she almost wailed, and as I finally tipped over the edge with urgent thrusts, her body shuddered in its own climax, muscles rippling around me, a quiet sob in her throat.

I released her hair, and she unclasped her hands, turning to me with twinkling eyes, her lower lip caught between her teeth. "Wow... I didn't realise how much fun pretending can be."

I wrapped my arms around her. "You bet."

I stroked her hair. "Love you..."