As the Neighbors

"Yeah, right!" Felicia guffawed into the phone as she chatted with her best friend, Cassie. She placed the lasagna noodles in the pan for dinner that night. "There is no way he's going to be interested now. We've been friends for over 2 years and he's been broken up with Summer for more than seven months. What on God's green earth makes you think Daniel is going to succumb to my advances now? Shit! It's just a dinner!"

"Hell, you don't have to get pissy with me, hon," Cassie grumbled back. "I'm just saying that no man agrees to drive a hundred miles for dinner, and then asks to stay the night knowing you have only one bed…no man on God's green earth does that by mistake. He wants a little dessert, too," Cassie mimicked her.

"Sorry, I'm nervous," Felicia apologized. "You know how long I've had my eye on Daniel. I'm tired of feeling like I'm throwing myself at him. The whole time I've known him, he's been telling me I'm too much of a flirt. Pretty boy, or not, I'm past that stage now, and I sure as hell don't want to set myself up for deflated expectations. Who knows if he's even going to like this lasagna, let alone my lingerie."

"Well, take it easy and have a good time. I'll let you get back to finishing up dinner, goodbye," Cassie answered, not wanting to provoke anymore nervousness on Felicia's part. She didn't always have profound words of wisdom to offer, and her advice was more often cliché than not, but Felicia knew Cassie would do anything for her and whenever she could help, she did.

It wasn't entirely true that Felicia had given up hope on Daniel, and she knew it. Despite several attempts to skip the double entendres and the long, gazing grins, she had never been able to totally refrain from toying with Daniel. He was simply too intriguing. Felicia had always secretly thought Daniel was too attractive a catch for her, but she didn't find him intriguing in a mysterious-stranger way. They'd been friends for quite some time, which was precisely the reason she was curious about him. How did he kiss? How did he taste? What went through his head all those times she had given him massages sans his shirt?

Daniel had never given her any reason to believe that he wasn't sincere within the friendship or in his compliments. The few times he'd played along with the silly flirting had also seemed legit. Still, his hugs were always short, and he'd been stone-cold clear about just how much banter he was willing to take.

Last weekend in a phone conversation, though, Daniel had given Felicia every reason to think someone else had invaded his body, and that someone seemed almost as curious as Felicia.

"Would you like to come down for dinner Saturday night, hon?" Felicia tossed this off casually, as she often did.

"You know I'd love to, but I wouldn't be able to make it down until late that evening, and I don't want to have to drive back up here the same night."

"Well I don't mind taking the floor for an evening. I'll let you take the daybed if you'll share your company." She chuckled.

Daniel's retort blew Felicia away. "Well, I don't mind sharing the bed too."

Felicia let the words bounce around her head for a few seconds before breaking the silence with a sassy response. "Maybe you should reconsider that offer, Daniel. Are you sure you can trust me alone in bed with you all night?"

She thought to herself that Daniel was surely making an empty proposal. The mere thought of lying next to him inflamed her whole body.

"I'll come down, and we can work out the sleeping arrangement when I get there," Daniel answered, more timidly than Felicia expected.

Daniel was a man of few words, usually quiet. Never before in their friendship had he said anything that had affected her so greatly. She was no longer sure that this was an empty proposal. Was he insinuating that he didn't want Felicia to come to bed with trustworthy hands? How exciting, and frightening all the same, it was for Felicia to think about adding a sensual component to their friendship.

"Okay, that sounds great," Felicia chimed in, trying not to sound too baffled after her long thoughtful pause. "You bring the whipped cream, I'll bring the strawberries for dessert," she snickered nervously.

Knock! Knock!

Daniel was at her door before Felicia had time fix her hair or freshen up her face. It had never mattered much before. But tonight, though, she wanted to look the best she could without making it too terribly obvious how much work she's put into the evening. She opened the door and invited him in.

"Hey hon, come on in. How was the…" Felicia's voice staggered mid-sentence when she saw the two cans of whipped cream clutched in Daniel's hand.

"Oh fine, it was late enough that traffic wasn't a problem. It's still a long drive to come and visit you though," Daniel hinted, fishing for some empathy.

Felicia took the whipped cream from Daniel and smirked. "What a romantic gesture, shall I put them in some water?"

"You got what you requested m'dear," he retorted.

"And just how many strawberries did you intend on eating, Daniel? Did you have other uses in mind?

Daniel just smiled and asked, "Is that lasagna I smell in the oven?"

"Yeah, have a seat. It's almost done. How was the drive?" Felicia repeated herself nervously.

"Traffic was nasty. I tell ya, the things I go through to spend time with you," Daniel poked, anticipating a quick retort.

"Is it me or my cooking, Daniel?" Felicia yelled from the kitchen before she brought out two plates of lasagna, accompanied by tossed salad and garlic bread toasted to perfection.

Felicia and Daniel played a few more rounds of flirtatious bantering while they finished their food and watched a movie. She'd chosen a saucy foreign flick, which in turn made Felicia saucy as well. Daniel's otherwise fidgety hands gave Felicia a thank-you massage through most of the movie. Felicia wondered if he was copying her own less-than-subtle moves. Usually, she was the one giving the massage.

Felicia leaned back to rest her head in Daniel's lap and found the answer to her question greeting her in the back of the neck. She turned around slowly and flashed Daniel a long, knowing smile.

"Thanks for dinner," Daniel said, a bit unstrung.

Felicia continued smirking and provoking him, "You're cute when you're nervous, Daniel." His big brown eyes captured her attention a few seconds longer.

"What do you mean, nervous?" He eyed the room from corner to corner, unable to look Felicia in the eyes. Then rather unexpectedly, he leaned closer and pressed his lips to hers. Daniel took her grin as a little boy would step up to a playground dare.

Felicia responded in kind with her eyes wide open. She'd spent so much time anticipating Daniel's first kiss that she hadn't given much thought to how she might respond to it. Her insecurities pulled her away from his lips.

To avoid the awkwardness of the moment, Daniel offered to take Felicia out for a drink. By the time they'd been seated and had ordered, the two friends were back to their friendly flirtation. They joked and reminisced about how they'd met in that very same restaurant, just off the highway.

Felicia tried to turn up the heat a bit by working her straw slowly in and out of her mouth. It was an obvious womanly wile, a very cheap tactic. By the flush on Daniel's face, it proved effective.

The ride home was quiet, as both had many questions on their mind. What exactly would the sleeping arrangements be that night? And who would make the next move after such an awkward kiss?

Once back at the apartment, Daniel laid down on the bed and turned on the TV. "Mind if I take a quick bath, hon?" Felicia questioned.

"Not at all. I'll just catch a sitcom and let my food settle." Daniel seemed relieved to have some time alone.

Felicia walked into the bathroom and left the door just a hair ajar. She hoped Daniel would realize that if he positioned himself just right, he could see the tub perfectly. Perhaps he'd even find the boldness enough to walk in. She filled the tub and stepped over the side. "Ouch!" Felicia yelped. The water was much warmer than she'd judged

"What are you doing in there? You okay?" Daniel laughed as he surfed the channels.

"Oh, I'm fine, just got the water too hot." Felicia looked up and noticed that Daniel's sight had found its way through the crack in the bathroom door. Both of them blushed and turned away. It took a few minutes for Felicia's body to acclimate to the water, but then she was able to lay back and relax. This break from the constant thrill she'd been feeling all evening gave way to a deeper physical desire. She couldn't resist fantasizing about Daniel joining her in the tub while she bathed herself. Her wandering hands lingered long over intimate spots, letting her slippery fingertips dash in and brush against her clit. She looked up again to make sure Daniel wasn't peering in, then drew her fingers to her nipples. They felt mountainous between her thumb and index finger. Compared to most any other time she touched herself, they were totally out of proportion to the size of her breasts, and it spoke volumes about just how excited she was. She wondered how she would survive the night if Daniel didn't take an interest. It wasn't the hot water that seared her skin, but the thought of lying next to her long-time friend that sent her libido through the roof.

Realizing she'd been relaxing in the bath longer than she meant to, Felicia pulled the plug. Still deeply entranced in an anticipated fantasy, she watched the water drain. Nervously, she toweled herself off and wriggled into the red and black camisole set she'd hung up well in advance, in full view. While Daniel may have just been calling her bluff about sharing more than dinner and a movie that night, Felicia purposed to ensure that he would sorely want everything he'd alluded to.

Next, she danced a coquettish jig out from behind the bathroom door. She gave Daniel just enough time to take in a glimpse of her new outfit before turning out the light and sliding into bed. It was a difficult feat to give each other adequate personal space in a rickety day bed. Felicia was extraordinarily tall for a woman, and Daniel was well over six feet. Finally Felicia just threw her arm over Daniel and snuggled up behind him.

"Mmmmm," he sighed happily, just like the times when she gave him a long oiled massage.

"You comfy, hon?" Felicia questioned him.

"Oh yes, and thanks for dinner Felicia. It was really good." Daniel tiredly answered her, making obviously fidgety small talk.

"You're welcome, and it was my pleasure, Daniel," Felicia answered assuredly. She positively did enjoy cooking for him, and the compliments were an added bonus. Felicia began rubbing Daniel's temples to give her own anxious hands something to do.

It was comfortable and yet scintillating to touch Daniel while in her familiar apartment. She could look in any direction and see shadows of picture-framed memories of times they'd shared together.

Before long, Daniel had been seduced to sleep by Felicia's gentle touch. Dammit, she thought to herself. Not only was it well before her bedtime, but she had no chance of getting up without waking Daniel. Granted, it wasn't too unfortunate a position to be in, snuggled up next to a man with such a beautiful body. Hours passed by, listening to the ticking of her old-fashioned alarm clock, the low hum of the refrigerator, and her apartment manager upstairs in his kitchen, rummaging for a late-night snack.

Every second as she watched him sleep, Felicia fought the urge to do more than run her fingers through Daniel's hair. She wanted to feel every inch of his body, not just his neck and shoulders, though she'd memorized them well. She found herself bemused by the silly way his lashes moved when his eyes twitched.

The intensity was finally too much, and Felicia mindlessly stroked Daniel's stomach, her fingers brushing up against the tip of his rock solid penis. Taking the chance that he might be somewhat wakeful, she ran her fingers lightly down the length of his shaft, and cupped him beneath with a feather-light touch. Many times she'd pictured this as she'd massaged his neck and shoulders. With her hand still gently in place, she squeezed again, stirring Daniel a little.

"You're not asleep, are you?" Felicia whispered.

Daniel shifted and turned his entire body to face Felicia, his fully erect cock steadfastly positioned against her thigh. Felicia couldn't help but whimper. It was such an exciting relief to finally have awakened him.

"How much sleep did you expect me to get when you kept running your soft hands up and down my body?" Daniel's familiar voice interrupted Felicia's fantasy.

"I'm sorry…I...I…" Daniel stifled Felicia's stammer with another anxious kiss, more fevered than the first one. This time Felicia didn't pull away. Instead, she wrapped her arms back around Daniel and instinctively pressed her nails firmly into his firm back. For two long years she'd waited for that kiss, and finally it felt right for both of them.

Felicia continued stroking Daniel's cock. She memorized every ridge and vein, just as she'd memorized the curves of his shoulders. Her grasp matched his every thrust. Several times she thought he was close enough to cum, but he held off. After half an hour had passed, Felicia stopped and whispered in Daniel's ear.

"Don't be afraid to tell me what you like, hon. I don't mind a little direction. Is there something you want that I'm not doing?" On one hand, Felicia didn't want to press Daniel's boundaries. On the other hand, reason told her that any red-blooded man with his turgid cock in her hand was most likely desiring more than a hand job. Still, Daniel had scolded Felicia for her flirting one too many times for her to feel comfortable in being more forward.

"I just don't want to dirty your sheets. I know you just washed them." Daniel gasped with a bashful look.

"Well, I see a couple of remedies for that concern." Felicia quickly extinguished her own fears, as well as a chuckle fighting for escape. She gazed up at Daniel with an assured smile. "I could grab a towel…" Felicia grinned wider. "…or we could take a more effective route."

For a few moments Daniel looked puzzled as he looked back down at his familiar friend who'd turned into a turned wanton siren. Felicia crouched between Daniel's legs and firmly pursed her lips against the tip of his cock, just as other tight portals of her body might do. Daniel was no thicker than most men she'd seen, but definitely longer than any other. Slowly she drew him into her mouth, taking him as far back as he would go. He was in so deep she couldn't taste the pre-cum dripping down the back of her throat. Instinctively she swallowed and Daniel moaned in agreement.

Felicia too began rocking her dampened chasm against Daniel's knee with enough pressure that it twitched with each motion. Her silky red panties were sullied with desire. Willfully, Felicia slid her lips up and down Daniel's tall member. For a few moments, she couldn't resist rubbing him against her soft cheek, looking back up to his face again for reassurance that he was comfortable with the situation.

At last, Felicia pressed herself down again, expecting to grind against Daniel's slick knee. Instead her swelled lips were met with his agile fingers. With ease, Daniel found Felicia's swollen clitoris and made her jump at the initial touch. The surprise gave way to a rapacious desire, shocking every fiber of Felicia's being with a bawdy lightning bolt.

She again wrapped her lips around Daniel's penis. This time he thrust back, taking from her the pleasure he'd been too shy to ask for all along. He touched her with a determination she'd been craving for years. The moment Felicia came to that realization, she discharged a primal scream so wild the natives of the African jungles might have heard.

The intensity also moved Daniel so much that he couldn't wait for her to go back down on him. He came all over Felicia's smiling face, and unashamedly so.

The following moments were completely silent. They both just lay still, holding each other, both of them wrapped in a rhapsodic feeling of release. Finally, Felicia found the slumber she was looking for.

* * * * *

She awoke the next day to the sound of Daniel rustling the wrinkles out of his clothes. "Goodmorning, Gorgeous, Nice hairdo!" She giggled as he tried to comb down the waves on top of his head.

"Yeah, it looks like you go to the same stylist," Daniel laughed and pointed back.

"Would you like me to make you some breakfast, hon? Felicia asked

"Nah, you already made me dinner. I've got lunch plans and a long drive ahead of me today, too, but thanks for asking." Daniel glanced around to make sure he wasn't forgetting anything and opened his arms up for a goodbye hug.

She got out of bed to meet his embrace at the door. It was a short hug, but considerably longer than most they'd shared. Felicia stood there smiling expectantly, hoping for a kiss before Daniel darted out the door. It seemed appropriate after the night.

"I hope there's nobody in the hallway when I leave."

"Why? None of my neighbors know you. What do you have to be ashamed about, anyway?" Felicia questioned

"Nothing to be ashamed of, I suppose. You were pretty loud last night, though. I know you've told me before that you were noisy, but I never expected you to…" Daniel stopped mid-sentence and smirked.

Felicia blushed profusely. "I wasn't that loud, was I?"

"Why don't we ask those neighbors you're always complaining about? You've told me time and time again that these walls are thinner than paper."

"I have no trouble throwing a little karma their way. Let's just hope my manager doesn't question you on the way out."

Daniel ended the conversation with a quick peck on the lips. "Bye hon, I'll talk to you later."

"See ya!" Felicia waved as Daniel sprinted down the hall. She knew he was nervous, but she was feeling a little ungrounded herself. Still, Felicia knew the feeling would pass. She didn't understand why, but somehow she felt that the previous night would be the only intense one she'd share with Daniel, and she was settled with it.

She walked into the kitchen and pulled open the refrigerator door to find a bite to eat. There she found two tall cans of whipped cream and the strawberries she'd prepared the afternoon before. She helped herself to a large helping of both and dreamily reviewed what she had just experienced with Daniel. She was glad they hadn't needed to pull out the props. It was a memory shared between two friends that needed no extra frills.