From Friends to Lovers

Our trip out the next day was to a farm which offered every possible flavour of ice cream I'd ever heard of, and then some. Beth grinned at me as she licked her triple cone with obvious enjoyment. "Maybe we need to think again about that gym membership - seeing how much we like cooking, and our amazing kitchen, I can see us doing nothing but eat once we've really moved in."

"Well, there is one form of exercise we get consistently," I pointed out, raising my eyebrows meaningfully.

Beth smirked, but her eyes held a soft look. "True."

She reached to touch my hand. "Maybe when we get back to the house, we can find out if our grass is as nice to lie on as your parents' garden," she hinted. "The weather'll probably turn cooler soon."

We drove back up the following day, Mum and Dad quizzing us on progress at the house. "Sarah sounds nice," Mum commented. "It's good that you've already started to make friends down there."

"Especially people that aren't just students," Dad offered. "After all, you two are going to be there long-term. Have you seen anywhere that looks promising for getting jobs?"

Beth looked thoughtful. "Actually I was wondering about starting our own business - with the skills we'll have between us when we finish, there are a few things we could do, and the house has plenty of space for a home office, even for meeting clients."

She glanced at me. "If we're careful, we can hang on to some of Grandad's money to use for startup capital."

"Definitely," I nodded.

We spent a couple of days on serious packing - "We do actually have to get our uni books too," reminded Beth. Dad volunteered to drive a hire van down and back, and by Wednesday afternoon we were ready, the hallway a barely organised chaos of more boxes, cases, random items - "Oo, badminton rackets," Beth enthused. "There's plenty of space for a net."

My mind was distracted for a few moments by an image of her in a short tennis skirt, stretching for a hard-won point, and I grinned. "Sure."

Mum kissed us both goodbye - "We'll both come down and visit when you've really got things the way you want them -" and we were off, following Dad down the motorway. We gave him a tour of the house, then he helped us unload the van, Beth again supervising what went where. "You're sure you won't stay for something to eat?" she queried when the van was empty.

He shook his head. "I'd rather get home. But I'll call you when I'm back, and we'll definitely see you in a couple of weeks."

We watched him drive off, then Beth took a deep breath as the door closed. "I know we've sort of done it in stages, but now we're really, finally here."

I kissed her. "We really are. Now, are you hungry? Mum put a lasagna in one of the boxes, bless her, and I put it in the bottom oven as soon as we got here, so it'll be ready."

We made short work of the lasagna, and Beth stifled a yawn. "Gosh, I'm worn out."

My phone rang, and I picked it up. "Hi, Dad. Everything OK?"

"Fine - I took the van back, your mother's just making dinner."

"We've had ours," I grinned, forgetting he couldn't see me. "Thank Mum for us, the lasagna was delicious. And Beth says she knows what she's making for you when you visit."

"Will do - see you soon."

I put my phone down, and fought back a yawn of my own. "It's going to be a busy one tomorrow, isn't it - another reason to get an early night, as if having you in my arms wasn't reason enough..."

***

Thursday turned out to be just as busy as we'd anticipated, the furniture delivery van disgorging a seemingly never-ending stream of flatpacks. The driver caught my attention, running his finger down to one line of the manifest. "This is the biggest item, if you can tell us where you want it."

Beth looked over his shoulder. "OK, that's the bed. Master bedroom, up the stairs and turn right."

We'd already put our temporary mattress back where it belonged, Beth tugging from the top while I pushed it up the attic stairs, and we watched as the driver and his mate carefully lifted the bed up the stairs and through the doorway, returning for the mattress and then the headboard - "I've not forgotten what you said you wanted to do with that," I murmured in Beth's ear, and she threw me a knowing smile, for my eyes only.

"Right," managed the driver, obviously out of breath. "If I could have a signature, we'll be on our way."

Beth scrawled her name on the line. "Thank you so much - drive safely."

We watched the van till it disappeared round the curve in the drive, and Beth grinned at me. "I know exactly what you're thinking..."

I followed her up the stairs, ignoring the stacks of variously-sized cardboard boxes, and into the bedroom. "Let's get all this plastic stuff off the mattress," suggested Beth, already tugging at the polythene.

Finally we had all the packaging off and bundled together on the landing. "Wow," Beth breathed. "It looks even bigger than it did in the shop."

She sifted through boxes. "Right - give me a hand with this sheet."

Together we spread the sheet out, and Beth showed me how to do the corners. "And we need to put the duvet cover on."

I chuckled as Beth ended up almost completely swathed in fabric as we sorted the duvet, but finally it was spread across the bed, a couple of pillows at the top. We stood back, and Beth nodded. "Perfect."

"Want to try it?" I hinted.

"In a bit," she smiled. "So we can just go to sleep afterwards. Let's make sure everything else is where it's supposed to be first, so we can rattle through putting it all together tomorrow before Sarah gets here."

I glanced at the bed again. "Beth, darling - if Sarah does, well, if -"

I started again. "Would you feel you'd missed out on something if she shares our bed for a night or two, when we've only been in it for a little while ourselves?"

Beth shook her head, smiling. "It's fine. Wherever you and I have been together has already been 'our bed' - I know this one's new, special, but the best thing about it is that there's plenty of room."

She grinned knowingly. "If Sarah and I want to have a cuddle - or more - and leave you to snore on the other side of the bed, you won't even notice."

She tugged at my hand. "Come on - the sooner we sort everything else out, the sooner we can see if that headboard delivers on its promises..."

***

Beth stirred in my arms. "Morning, lover."

I kissed the back of her neck. "Morning yourself. Rested?"

She stretched. "Mm, yes. We'll have to call this our Goldilocks bed - not too hard, not too soft, just right."

She slid out of bed, standing in the shaft of sunlight from the window, and I felt a sensation I could only describe as 'glory' as I looked at her.

Finally my all-too-human needs brought me down to earth. "Want to go down for breakfast?" I queried.

Beth shook her head, smiling. "I thought I'd treat you to bacon sandwiches, seeing as most of the hard work is yours today."

She went down to the kitchen, and shortly I smelt an appetising aroma drifting up the stairs. Beth reappeared a couple of minutes later with a tray, setting it on the edge of the bed. "Tuck in."

When we'd finished eating, I pulled on my clothes. "OK, I'll get cracking."

Beth nodded. "I'll have a quick shower."

She grinned. "I can't believe you did such a good job of making me sticky in so many places last night."

I attempted a self-deprecating shrug. "I do try," I chuckled. "OK, come down when you're ready."

I started in the dining room, putting the big table together, puzzling over the extra leaf that extended the table from the centre. "Oh, I see."

The dining chairs were quick to assemble, and when Beth padded down the stairs she found me in the room by the conservatory. She unpacked boxes, filling bookshelves almost as quickly as I could put them up, and shortly the room started to resemble a library. "I'm glad there's a fireplace in here," said Beth. "When we have time, we can get a couple of armchairs and we'll be able to sit beside the fire and just read."

By the time we'd worked our way round the ground floor it was lunchtime. "Wardrobes and dressing table this afternoon," I nodded. "What's for lunch?"

"I put a casserole in the bottom oven - I know we're cooking again tonight, but I thought you'd need more than sandwiches."

I caught Beth up in a bearhug - "Oof," she protested, grinning - and kissed her firmly on the lips. "You're the best, you know that?"

By the end of the afternoon my fingers were starting to ache from the screwdriver, but all the important things were in place and there was a huge stack of cardboard in the small yard behind the utility. I watched Beth filling drawers, then hanging dresses. "Which one are you going to wear tonight?"

She looked thoughtful. "Just something simple, I think. I have a couple of silk dresses I don't think you've seen."

She glanced at her watch. "Talking of which, probably time you got in the shower? I'll finish this then start in the kitchen - you can take over when it's time for me to change, same as last time?"

"Sure."

I showered, tossing my dusty clothes in the hamper and finding the smart trousers and shirt Beth had left out for me. When I reached the kitchen, she had everything well in progress, and she kissed me, careful not to get flour on my shirt. "OK, my turn."

I kept an eye on things, and after a few minutes Beth reappeared, in a dark silk dress as she'd promised. "Gorgeous," I pronounced.

The sun had set, and I saw headlights turning in at the bottom of the drive. "Think our guest is here."

I went to the hall, opening the door, and Sarah's Mini pulled up on the gravel. She got out, and I smiled quizzically. "Hi, Sarah. Ah, did you and Beth work out in advance what you were going to wear?"

She came into my arms for a hug, her scent the same as before, pretty and floral. "No, why?"

"Silk seems to be the order of the day," I smiled, admiring her dress. "Come on in."

Beth met us in the kitchen, her raised eyebrows giving away that she was as surprised as I was that Sarah's dress complemented her own so perfectly. "Hello, darling."

"I remembered your gift this time," Sarah put a carrier bag on the worktop. "And wine, of course."

I opened the bottle, pouring for us all. "A toast would be good," suggested Beth. "What shall we drink to?"

"Friendship?" suggested Sarah.

"Perfect," I nodded, tapping my glass against hers then Beth's. "To friendship."

There was a hiss from the stove, and Beth got up hastily to lift a pan. "I think everything's done."

"Mm, something a bit exotic tonight," Sarah enthused as she took the first bite. "You two cook up a storm in the kitchen, seriously."

Beth threw me a grin. "Oh, we try to be pretty stormy wherever we are."

"How have things been?" Sarah asked.

Beth chuckled. "Well, it'll be our turn to give you the tour of the house after dinner. Everything's done, pretty much, Tim's worked his socks off today."

We talked as we ate, finding out a little more about Sarah. "I thought about uni," she nodded, "but this job came up and I was keen to make a start on a career. I suppose I might go in a couple of years, I could take a professional qualification or something."

Dessert was ice cream again - "Can't improve on a classic," Sarah grinned, her tongue catching a stray chocolate chip at the corner of her mouth - and we took our coffee into the lounge. "I love these sofas," Sarah ventured.

"They pull out into pretty decent beds," Beth explained.

Sarah finished her coffee, and glanced at Beth. "You ready to see what I brought for you?"

"Mm, please. Tim, you won't mind giving us a minute, will you?"

"Of course not. I'll bring the wine through, anyway."

They disappeared up the stairs, Beth stopping to get her carrier bag from the kitchen, and I heard the door of the master bedroom close. I fetched the wine and our glasses, topping them up, and settled down to wait.

After a few minutes, I heard footsteps, and Beth came back into the room, Sarah behind her, exchanging conspiratorial smiles. "Thank you, Sarah," Beth nodded, "it's lovely."

I threw them a quizzical look. "I don't see any difference."

That provoked giggles, and I shook my head, smiling. "What am I going to do with you two?"

"We can talk about that when we've finished our wine," Beth offered, picking up her glass. "Sarah, you'll be all right, won't you, seeing as you don't need to drive."

Sarah took a long sip of the dark red liquid. "Mm, thanks, Beth."

I didn't miss the implication of Beth's words, though I did still wonder how exactly we were going to get from the living room to the bedroom, so to speak. But I sipped my wine, certain that Beth had a plan.

I didn't have to wait long. Beth put down her empty glass and got to her feet. "We did promise you a proper tour, didn't we, Sarah."

We went into the other rooms on the ground floor - "Wow, so many books," Sarah breathed. "I wish I'd had time to read more."

"You can borrow anything you like," Beth offered. "And of course you can come round any time, we're planning to light a fire when it's cold."

"We haven't got a rug for this room yet," I ventured, "but it's on the list."

Beth threw me an amused glance, catching my implication. "Definitely - we'll need a nice big one, I think."

"Upstairs now?" I queried as we went back into the hall.

"Mm-hm."

As we climbed the stairs, I noticed that Sarah had taken off her shoes, and I couldn't help glancing at her feet, the nails neatly trimmed and painted a pale shade that complemented the colour of her dress.

Beth caught my gaze and just grinned. "Spare bedrooms this side, Sarah, we'll probably make them into a study for each of us. Do you want to take another look at the master bedroom?"

"Mm, please."

We went into the bedroom, Beth closing the door behind us. "En suite through there, of course - we thought we might put in a corner bath, though, room for three if they're close friends, or..."

Sarah nodded, seeming a little distracted. "Time to show Tim what you got me?" Beth queried.

"Mm, think so."

Sarah watched from the edge of the bed as Beth slipped her dress off, letting it fall in a puddle on the floor. "What do you think, Tim?"

"I..." Words failed me for a moment, then "Magnificent."

"I told you he'd be impressed," Beth grinned at Sarah.

Instead of the simple cotton panties and bra I was certain had been under her dress at the start of the evening, she was clothed in what I could only describe as a vision in deep red satin and lace, a triangle of fabric just barely concealing her mound, breasts even more tantalising revealed by the only-just-there lace of the cups. A sheer curtain of satin fell over her smooth stomach, shimmering as she moved, her navel just below the hem inviting a kiss or more...

"Earth calling Tim," Beth teased in familiar words. "Sarah, I think you broke him."

She glanced at Sarah. "Now, shall we see about your gift, too?"

Sarah nodded, seeming a little nervous. "You explain, though."

Beth stepped towards me, taking my hands in hers. "Sarah and I had a nice long chat. You know she said she'd not had a boyfriend, so there are some... experiences she's not been able to enjoy."

"OK," I nodded slowly.

"Well," Beth continued, "she's seen how we are together, and I've told her -" Beth smiled softly - "how thoughtful, how considerate you always are with me. So..."

She glanced at Sarah, getting a nod of confirmation. "So we thought that it would really help if you'd introduce her to what she's been missing."

I looked across at Sarah, her expression hopeful, her hands resting in her lap. "Sarah, you are a beautiful, kind, sexy woman. It would be my privilege."

She let out a relieved breath. "Thanks, Tim. Beth, you'll help, won't you?"

Beth chuckled. "We didn't talk about that, but of course I will, darling."

She carefully started to remove her lingerie, folding each item into a neat pile on a chair with a glance almost of regret. "But I'll wear them for you again soon, Tim," she promised.

She glanced at me, then at Sarah. "A gentleman always undresses first," she hinted.

"And comes last," I threw the tease back at her, getting a raise of her eyebrows.

I quickly shed my clothes, and Sarah leaned forward curiously. "Oh - you're -"

Beth nodded. "I really like it, for all sorts of reasons."

Sarah stretched out her hand curiously. "Can I touch it?"

Beth chuckled. "You should probably take off your dress first - things can get remarkably messy where Tim's concerned."

I watched mesmerised as Sarah reached behind her back to unzip her dress, slipping it off each shoulder with her fingertips and letting it fall to the floor in an iridescent puddle. "That was as sexy as hell," I breathed, and Sarah looked a little embarrassed. "That's a good thing," Beth threw in encouragingly.

Sarah's underwear was reassuringly simple, cotton panties with a lacy front panel and a matching bra. She stepped forward, her fingertips brushing the end of my hardness, and her eyes widened in surprise. "Oh - something sticky, slippery?"

"Means we've got him interested," Beth grinned. "Try tasting it."

Sarah brought her fingertip to her tongue. "Mm - it's a bit salty, but kind of sweet too."

I decided I'd better show some initiative, and I moved closer to Sarah, putting my hands lightly on her shoulders. "Maybe we ought to kiss now?"

She nodded solemnly, and I bent slowly towards her, watching her eyes for any hint of a change of mind, a refusal. But she only tilted her face upwards, her lips parting, and I kissed her softly, holding back from anything that might startle or overwhelm her.

She sighed softly, and I took her into my arms, the feel of her not quite as slim, boyish as Beth. "Mm," she murmured, "this feels right."

I caressed the smooth skin of her stomach, her side, then moved my hand up, cupping one breast through the cotton. I felt her nipple respond, harden, pressing into my palm, and I brushed my thumb over it, getting a gasp. "Oh... I didn't think that -"

Beth came closer, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Sarah, darling - do you -"

Beth paused, and I could tell that this was an intimate question even for her to ask. "Do you touch yourself, to feel nice, I mean?"

Sarah shook her head. "Mum always told me that was bad."

Beth shook her head a little sadly. "But I suppose it means Tim can be showing you everything for the very first time."

I brushed Sarah's other nipple, and she glanced at Beth. "Is it ok if I take this off?"

Beth smiled. "Of course, darling. Maybe let Tim do it?"

I took the hint, reaching to release the clasp of Sarah's bra with one hand, and she managed to look a little amused. "I can't even get it the first time myself, not always."

I returned my hand to her breast, cupping the soft bare flesh, and Sarah closed her eyes. "I can't believe how intimate, how beautiful this feels."

I moved my fingers to the other breast, bending my mouth near to her nipple but not touching, just breathing softly, warmly, and Sarah gave her first unmistakeable sign of response, arching her back a little so that my lips met her skin. Still I didn't rush things, waiting until she made a barely audible sound of growing desire before I moved my lips together around her nipple. "Oh..." she moaned softly, "oh, yes..."

I moved to the other nipple, placing the pad of my thumb where my mouth had been but keeping it still, and again drew a quiet gasp from her with my lips.

"Maybe you'd like to be touched somewhere else," murmured Beth, and Sarah nodded dumbly, a pinker tinge suffusing her already slightly flushed face. I slid my hand down, and as if by some unconscious impulse she moved her feet a little apart, letting me slide my fingers between her thighs. The cotton of her panties was damp, warm, and I moved to cup her mound in my palm through the fabric, fingertips pressing gently into her as I continued to give her breasts gentle attention.