Friends or Lovers

He pressed his warm lips to mine gently, but I had enough of tentative kisses. If Marty was really in love with me, I had waited long enough, knew him long enough to forget waiting. My heart pounded in my chest as I threw my arms around his neck, deepening the kiss with a gasp.

That was all the encouragement he needed. With a groan he dragged me back towards the ratty old sofa that had been in my possession since our college days and served as my napping sofa in the studio. I was more than happy to follow.

I started pulling at the buttons of his shirt. I may have popped a few in my enthusiasm but whose counting. He had already helped me off with my thin, long sleeve sweater by the time I was straddling his lap. The sweater flung somewhere over his shoulder.

I had my hands firmly wrapped in his hair. How I loved the feel of it in my fingers. I tried to pull him back into the kiss but he held me firmly away so that he could burn my skin with his darkened gaze. "What?" I questioned. "Sink or swim. Right?" I whispered.

His eyes widened in surprise then warmed to love. "Absolutely." His arms tightened around my waist while he pressed his face into my chest. My arms wrapped naturally around his head trying to press him closer into my body.

The mood suddenly changed. The urgency slowed to a smoldering heat. Marty pressed his ear to my chest to listen to my thundering heartbeat. I rubbed my face in his hair, trying to feel everything in my tingling body.

I felt Marty's fingers searching for the clasp of my bra.

Insecurities reared up in me and made me stay his hands. "Wait." I said. I pulled his hands away and brought them forward to hold them in front of me. "Please, wait." I whispered. I couldn't look at him, so I stared down at his hands.

Crap! I thought I could do this. I was breathing hard and completely aroused but I couldn't do this. My fantasy was blooming in front of me and I just couldn't turn off the doubts in my brain. What the hell was wrong with me!

"Lily." Marty said calmly. He pulled one of his hands from my grasp and cupped my cheek gently. "Lily, please look at me."

Reluctantly, I raised my gaze. His face was flushed and his lips curled up into a gentle smile. His eyes only shone with love. There was no doubt in them. None. "I love you." He said simply. "I love you, Lily." He repeated.

His thumb caressed my cheek soothingly. "You're a beautiful woman, Lily. In all ways and I love you. I want you, but I won't rush you into anything." He said calmly. He was so confident and sure of himself. How did he do that?

I'm sure he could see the conflict and insecurity in my face and I sighed resignedly. "I don't ... I can't... Ugh! I can't even string a thought together." I shook my head. "I want this, Marty. I really do. I love you. I do. But.." I shrugged and looked down again. "My heart's desire is staring me right in the face and I can't even let myself have this moment of happiness. I can't let go." I moved off Marty's lap and sank back on the sofa, my eyes closed.

The room was very quiet for a few minutes. I felt Marty move on the sofa and soon I felt him slide in next to me. He lowered his head to my shoulder and carefully curled himself around me. "No worries, love. I'm not going anywhere." He rested his hand on my belly and softly stroked the soft pudge. No urgency, just comfort.

It started to rain again. Loud enough for us to hear it thrum on the roof.

"I was talking to my mom the other day. She reminded me of when we had this really crazy December storm when I was around nine." He talked softly, reminiscing on that long ago winter. He told other stories about growing up. About his family, his terrible cousin Danny that had thrown a rock at him and cut his head open. He had to get five stitches on that day. About his favorite dog, Dunder and how she used to sleep with him every night and how she died in his arms when he was 14.

It was all very funny and sad and...comfortable. This was how it always was with Marty. Effortless.

So why couldn't I just forget that my tits sag and that my belly has never been flat and that my ass should have it's own area code. If Marty wanted to be with me...then he would be with all of me. If he was ok with my self doubt, my pessimism and my obsession with not being good enough, then I would try to accept that maybe... just maybe, I deserved this incredible man who was sending tingles and sparks from my scalp to the tips of my toes.

In the dimming light of dusk and the rainstorm, I began a gentle stroke his thigh. I twisted slightly and pressed my nose against his throat, inhaling his delicious scent. This, I could do. I could appreciate the smells, tastes, sights and sounds that were Marty. My hands caressed his chest, his thighs and the hard muscles of his arms that remained relaxed and still, draped around me.

"God," I murmured "you feel so good." I nuzzled my cheek against his neck and ran my nose along the edge of his strong jaw. Finally, I laid my palm lightly against his cheek and tilted his face to me so that I could taste his lips again. He let me kiss him, only moving enough to allow me entrance and accept my tongue's exploration.

After a few tentative passes over the crotch of his pants I began to lightly rub my hand over his rapidly hardening member. It was so hot and it shifted slightly in my hand. I squeezed it more firmly and pressed my hand over the length.

Marty groaned deep in his throat. "Lily!" He pressed his hand over mine, stilling it in place.

I froze. "Sorry, did I hurt you?" I kept my lips on his, our breath mingling in our mouths.

I felt his lips smile on mine. "No, not exactly pain, but if you're not planning to take this anywhere you might want to ease up." He chuckled.

I smiled back and started stroking again. "Who want's to stop? I'd have to be an idiot to want to stop now. I mean I've got the sexiest man alive, practically naked and telling me he loves me. A girl would have to be stupid to..."

I suddenly found myself on my back, Marty pressing my arms over my head his nose just inches from mine. "You talk too much." He growled, a teasing gleam in his eyes. His lips silenced anything I was about to say. The steady rain and our ragged breathing were the only sounds that were heard for several minutes.

His chest hair was rubbing my nipples roughly causing delicious sparks to shoot through me. An errant thought flew through my mind, how had my bra come off? The thought was gone as soon as Marty's lips found my earlobe. I didn't know that was one of my erogenous zones, but my toes curled and I shuttered with pleasure.

My hands roamed his strong back and I caressed down to his ass. I grunted irritably, "Why do you still have your pants on?" I tried to push them down but his full length was covering me and I couldn't push very far.

Marty huffed a laugh, "I can remedy that." He was off of me in a flash pushing his pants off as fast as he could. My hands flew to my own and I struggled to push my jeans off. "Let me do that." he pushed my hands away and my pants were whipped off of me.

He kneeled between my legs his arm propped up on the back of the sofa looking down at me. There we were looking at each other naked for the first time. I don't know what he was thinking in that moment but I could only stare in wonder. He was so beautiful. His face and chest were flushed with excitement, his hair tousled from my searching hands. His nipples were hard and showed through the crisp sprinkle of hair across his chest. I followed the line of hair down his hard stomach to the trail that led to his penis.

I swallowed nervously. I realized I was staring at his hard penis rising from a light thatch of curly brown hair and I looked up to see that he was staring at me. His eyes wandered over my body with a look of ...what? Wonder? Hunger? Love? Lust? All of the above? Is that what was in my eyes as well? I certainly felt all those things, I just couldn't bring my self to think that he would think the same for my soft, roly poly body. "Lily." He whispered. "I want you." He gave me a questioning looking, giving me one last chance to stop this.

I struggled with my response. I could have made some flip comment, or surprised him with a mushy poetic phrase but what came out surprised even me. "Love me." I said, my voice calm and sure.

Relief, humor and mostly love shone from his face. He reached his hand out and gently placed it between my breasts. He held it there for a few moments feeling the pounding of my heart. Then he began sliding it down my stomach until he finally came to rest over the dark hair on my vulva.

How he knew that this slow torture would set me on fire, I don't know, but I was sure I would burst into flames at any moment. His hand was trembling when he finally dragged his fingers lower, parting the soft lips and pressing two finger gently into the folds. His fingers were instantly coated with my juices. I had never been so wet and aroused. I could feel the liquid slipping out of me and dripping down to my ass.

He pressed further until his fingers found my weeping hole and slid home. My back arched "Oh, god!" I gasped. "Marty!" I grabbed his wrist, I don't know if it was to stop him or help him, but I was already on edge and he was driving me wild. I managed to pull myself up and grasp his shoulder pulling him closer, "You can check the oil and kick the tires later! I want you now!" I was gasping and trembling on the brink.

In seconds he was pressing me on my back again his whole body covering me. I felt the smooth head of this dick press open my labia and lodge in the opening. I wrapped my arms and legs around him our bodies pressed together as one being. He began sliding his hardness into me until it was seated deeply inside. He held there for a moment and waited as my body rippled with pleasure. I squeezed my vaginal muscles and flexed my abdomen, coaxing him to move with me.

I needed him. I needed him to push and pull, hold me tighter, press into my body, kiss me, caress me and stare into my soul. I needed all that and I wanted to give all of that to him. All of that and more.

I felt suspended in this moment. Every cell of my body felt everything and I was in heaven. Slowly all the tingling pleasure began to gather together and concentrate in my core, moving down to center where we were so intimately connected. I gasped and trembled as the intensity began to overwhelm me. My hands clenched and tried to pull him even closer, trying to fit myself into his skin. "Oh, god!" I panted. A moan escaped my lips as my orgasm engulfed me. I had never felt anything so intense. Marty held very still as I rode the tremulous waves that caused my back to arch and my core to clasp onto his penis like it would never let it go. I lost track of time and I may have blacked out for a brief second.

My pulse was pounding in my head as I was finally able to open my eyes and found Marty staring down at me with a look of wonder and a little bit concern. I found my voice at last, "What the hell was that?" I panted and laughed at the same time, jolts of pleasure shocking my sensitive pussy causing small aftershocks to rumble through my body.

"Wow." he breathed. "Are you alright?"

I chuckled at his bemused expression, "More than alright, stud." I teased. I pulled his face back down to me, shooting my tongue out to lick his lips, "Are you going to finish what you started or did I scare you off?" I tightened my knees and flexed my pelvis trying to coax him to start moving again.

He chuckled, "Yes, ma'am." He brought his lips firmly to mine and began moving in me again. He built back up to his previous rhythm. "That was the sexiest thing I've ever seen. This is so perfect. You're amazing, love." He breathed in my ear. "I'm ...close, Lily." His motion began to falter and his forehead creased with effort. "Should I...?"

"Hush, Love. Just let go." I encouraged him and clenched my muscles to help him tip over the edge. He took two maybe three more thrusts when his own orgasm over came him and his back arced over me.

After a few moments he relaxed letting his weight fall on me gently, his face pressed into my neck, a sigh of contentment escaping his lips. "Lily." he whispered.

Marty raised his head and we stared into each others eyes, contentment and love apparent in the look.

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Epilogue - 5 years later

I stare out of the kitchen window at the pounding rain. I always remember that rainy afternoon that Marty and I first made love when the weather is like this. The happy memory brings a smile to my lips. Our relationship hasn't always been as idyllic as that long ago afternoon but having been friends for so long made the hard times easier.

We've talked about marriage but neither of has felt that it's a priority for us. Neither of us have the drive to become parents and now that I'm well into my 40's it doesn't seem that I'll be following that path either.

We got a dog that we named Peaches. She's become my constant companion when I'm in the studio. We nap together on the ratty old sofa, every now and again. Marty and I have tried making love on that lumpy couch but the bed is much more comfortable.

About a year ago I lost a bunch of weight, but a year later, I've found most of it again. Marty doesn't seem to mind either way.

I hear him coming in the front door. His steps are heavy from standing most of the day at the office and a half day in surgery. I would recognize his footsteps anywhere.

"Hello, beautiful." He says coming through the kitchen archway. I can see his smiling face in the reflection of the darkening glass.

*************Thanks everyone for waiting. Enjoy.****************