Any author's notes from the person who wrote this gift fic have been removed to prevent any identifying information being revealed. The individual author can post this story to their own profile, complete with intended A/Ns, after the 26th December. We hope this gift fic is enjoyed by all – but mostly for the person it was written for. Thank you to this author for taking part in the first Sookie's Secret Santa fic exchange. Due to the number of participants it will be impossible to post all of the stories in one day - don't worry, everyone will get their gift before Christmas Eve :o)
Santa's little helpers
Blakes Boogie & Jan of Arc xx
Sookie's Secret Santa fic exchange
Recipient: Smittenkittens
Category: All Human/Alternative Universe
Characters: Alcide, Jason and Jessica
Words: 7,000 complete
Rating: M for Non PC language and lemons.
Summary: Jess is a painter with a bright future, Jason is her boyfriend and Alcide is his flatmate. As the saying goes, 'two's company, three's a crowd,' or not, as the case may be.
(The characters are British, as is the language, slang, situations and the places. The age of consent in the UK is 16 years old and the legal drinking age is 18. Drugs are bad kids, just say no! Having a threesome when drunk and stoned is probably illegal in your jurisdiction.)
Vermillion~ Red
Jessica had been painting for hours, she'd got up extra early, flung on the first clothes she could find, a creased sundress and pumps, grabbed a handful of breakfast cereal put it in a mug and dived straight into her studio, a purpose built gazebo at the bottom of the garden.
She was putting the finishing touches to her latest painting, a portrait of her father, Bill Compton. Her step-mother Pamela, had commissioned it earlier in the year and she wanted to get it finished before she left for London and Goldsmith's University in the New Year.
She made a few changes, altered a few things slightly then stepped back to admire the results, wiping a smudge of paint across her cheek. She'd caught him perfectly, she thought, she must remember to take a photograph and upload it to her profile on Goldsmiths website so her tutors could see it.
Pam taped her on the shoulder, startling her, and offered her a cup of coffee, "Jessica, it's nearly seven o'clock, you've been painting since dawn. Oh my, that is very good."
Pam moved towards the window so she could see it better, nearly stepping on a box of oil paints, "you are very talented, Jessica, Bill will be very pleased."
Pam had paid for the painting in cash; it would be enough to prevent Jessica from starving for a few months.
Jessica threw herself into Pam's arms, "thanks Pam, you are da bomb!"
"I have no idea what that means but thank you anyway," she pushed Jess away gently but firmly, "darling, please, this suit is cream linen and it will crease," she pulled a tissue out of her handbag and wiped a spot of paint off the end of Jessica's nose, "you need a bath and your hair is a terrible mess, please let me treat you to a haircut," she crinkled her nose, Jess was a beautiful girl who didn't make the most of what she'd been given, "and you need to eat, come to dinner with us, you deserve it."
"I can't, I'm meeting Jason."
"Oh yes, Jason."
Pamela knew a bad one when she saw one, "you will be careful won't you Jessica?" She pressed a small box into Jess's open palm.
"What's this? Eww." It was a packet of condoms, "Pam!"
"One can never be too careful Jessica; one slip up could cost you your career." She wagged her fingers at Jessica, "a baby and the unsocial hours of a painter do not mix."
"I'm not stupid, I don't want kids till I'm at least thirty," she took the condoms, sticking them in the top pocket of her duffle coat, "listen, I've got to go," she pecked Pam on the cheek, "don't wait up."
"We won't, we're going away for the weekend and will be back on Sunday night. No wild parties, I've just redecorated, no boys, no drink and absolutely no drugs. Have you got your keys and purse?"
Jess had the habit of locking herself out and having to wake them up at three in the morning. Pam fished in her purse and handed her a couple of twenty pound notes.
"Yes Pam, oh thanks!" she tucked the money away next to the condoms and her keys, "I've really got to go," she said apologetically, she liked Pam.
"Go; tell me all about it on Monday."
Having Pam as her step mum hadn't turned out as bad as she thought it would, she was young enough to understand what was going through Jess's mind and old enough to care. What Pam saw in her 'stick in the mud' dad was anyone's guess.
"Cool."
Pulling her coat around her she grinned as she spotted the text from Jason. He'd just finished his shift and he wanted her to meet him at his flat around 8pm. She clasped the phone to her chest and smiled, tonight was the night, at last she was going to have sex, she was one of the last girls in her class at college to lose it and she was determined to do it in style.
"Bye Pam, bye dad." She shouted up the stairs as she raced for the door.
Bill looked up from his laptop as the door shut with a bang, shaking the house, "where is Jess going in such a hurry, I thought she was dining with us tonight?"
Pam fastened the clasp of her bracelet and reached for her dress, "zip me up would you darling." She smiled into the mirror as he zipped her up slowly, dropping kisses on the bare skin of her neck. "I did ask her to join us but she said she was going to see that awful Jason creature."
"I hope to god she's careful, a child would kill any chances of her making it as a painter and he'll think all his Christmases have come at once. I worry, even though she thinks I don't."
"She'll be fine."
A shadow passed over his face, "she's just like her mother."
"She has her mothers creative side and your loving nature, be proud of her Bill, she's a credit to you."
It still hurt even after all these years; Lorena's desertion had been sudden, unexpected and heartbreaking and had left him alone to bring up a small baby. He'd received a cheery post card a year later informing him that she was in Los Angeles and would like to see her daughter. He'd sent a solicitors letter to the return address on the card, informing her that he had custody, wanted a divorce and she was to come nowhere near either of them. He had heard nothing from her since then apart from the odd birthday and Christmas card and a brief scribbled note on high days and holidays.
"She thinks money grows on trees, the cost of university and a Masters could break me financially, it's not been a good year. Business is down, I've had to lay two people off already."
"We can sell the house if we need to and move into the city, it'll be nice to be near our friends and this place will be far too big for two people when she leaves."
It was only a short trip to the outskirts of town by bus and Jessica spent the whole trip grinning from ear to ear. The bus stopped a few streets away from Jason's place; she got off and made the short walk to his flat. A neighbour let her in and she made her way up the three flights of stairs to his bachelor pad, as he laughingly liked to call it.
Alcide, Al, as he liked to be called was sprawled out on the sofa, channel surfing. He was wearing a lose purple muscle vest and grey tracksuit bottoms which were hanging so low round his hips Jessica could see a light feathering of curly brown hair, his sandaled feet were resting on the arm of the sofa. There was a six pack of Budweiser, a bottle of Jack Daniels and a copy of FHM (the swimsuit edition featuring Carmen Electra) on the coffee table beside him. His gym bag had been slung in front of the gas fire.
He looked up and gave her a disinterested smile, Jason's teeny bopper girlfriend was of little interest to him.
"Hey Jess."
The small flat was a terrible mess compared to Jess's ultra neat, professionally decorated, minimalist family home. The floor was covered in magazines, clothes, shoes, cans of beer and take away trays, underneath all of that was a mouldy green carpet. Moth eaten curtains hung at the windows and every wall was painted a dull regulation magnolia.
"Sit down, take the weight off."
He gestured to the sofa without taking his eyes off the television. Jess shook her bag off her shoulder and looked for somewhere to put it down. The coffee table was covered in booze.
"Jeez you guys are slobs. I mean do you ever clean anything?"
"You offering?" he drawled, visions of her wearing a maid's outfit and wielding a feather duster floated through his mind.
"Hell no!"
She picked through the wreckage on the table, the keys to Alcide's black Mitsubishi Shogun were in the fruit bowl next to his wallet, a packet of orange, glow in the dark condoms and his balled up socks.
"Hey have you got a new tattoo?"
He ran his hand through his thick curly brown hair, shaking out plaster dust and pink cement mix. He'd spent most of the day waiting on a delivery of building materials and when it'd arrived it had been wrong, the building supervisor had thrown a fit and the client had threatened to sue everyone in sight as the job was already a month behind.
"Yup."
He had a drag of his spliff and put it in the ashtray, all he wanted to do right now was get drunk, watch footie and go to sleep and not necessarily in that order.
"It's nice," Jess ventured, unsure what to say next as she examined the tattoo; thick black lines swirled up his upper arm and finished at his collar bone.
"Yeh," he had a slug out of his can, "it's not finished yet."
"Does it mean anything?"
"Nah, I just liked the design." He flexed his arm and winced, the skin on his arms was still very sore, "it cost a packet."
"Did it hurt?"
"It hurt like hell."
But it hadn't hurt as much as his ego was doing right now. He'd been dumped, again, she didn't want to be tied down, it wasn't him it was her.. Blah, blah, fucking blah. You treated women nicely and they walked all over you, you treated them like Jace did and they were all over you like a rash.
"Al?"
"What?
Jess dropped her coat on the back of the sofa and plonked herself down next to him, she always felt like such an awkward fool when he was around, spouting gibberish and acting weird, she'd had a crush on him for a while, it was more lust from afar really.
"Where's Jason, is he in?" She could hear his stereo playing but there was no sign of him, it would be just like him to drop in at the pub on the way home and she'd be left making small talk with Al for hours.
Alcide looked over his shoulder and grinned, "he's in the bath, he's just finished work." He picked up the remote and switched the tv over to Sky Sports 1, "the Derby is on tonight, United versus City. You staying over?"
Jess shrugged, "I suppose so," it looked like it was going to be boring evening. Al and Jason would get drunk and shout at the telly all night.
"Shall I order a take away?" he flicked a couple of menus at her, "Indian, Chinese or pizza, take your pick."
None of them looked very appetising, "pizza I suppose."
Al stuck his hand down the front of his pants and re-arranged himself, she caught a flash of curly hair and his very generous manhood, she looked away and blushed.
"I'll order it in a bit. A Mexican hot for me, a chilli beef for Jace and a vegetarian for you, right?" he wrote the order down on a piece of scrap paper, "do you want garlic bread, cheesy garlic bread or chips?"
Her stomach rumbled and she remembered she hadn't eaten all day, "all three, and make the pizza a special with anchovies, extra ham and extra mushrooms. Throw in a bottle of Coke as well, I can't drink JD neat."
"So much for being a none drinking vegetarian." He added the extras onto the list, "isn't it your birthday soon?"
"Yeh, I was seventeen on Christmas day."
"Seventeen huh? How sweet it is."
"You're not much older than me!" She nudged him in the ribs. "Twenty five is nothing."
"Yeh, but I'm a working man with my own contracting business and you're still a college kid."
Now he could get a closer look she was a stunning looking girl even in a paint covered sun dress with charcoal smudges on her face and flecks of yellow paint in her bright red hair.
Jess picked up the keys to his Shogun, "I want to learn to drive," she sighed, "dad won't teach me, he says the last time he took me out in the BMW I made him nervous, and he won't spring for lessons. He says I have to pay for them myself. I asked Pam but she said there was no way she was letting me near her Mercedes."
He snatched the keys off her, "well I ain't teaching you either, no one drives my car but me. Get Jason to teach you, it don't matter if his car gets scratched."
Jason drove a battered black pick up truck with flames painted on the doors. She'd been incredibly embarrassed the first time he'd come to pick her up from home, Bill hadn't looked too impressed either; Pam had raised an impeccably plucked eyebrow and said nothing.
"What did you get for Christmas kiddo?"
"Enough with the 'kiddo' Alcide," she said tartly as she tossed the car keys back into the fruit bowl, "Christmas was pretty boring. Dad got me a gift card," she rolled her eyes; she'd been hinting madly about driving lessons and tickets to see Lady Gaga for months. "Auntie Sookie sent me pink mohair teddy bear; I swear she still thinks I'm ten or something."
"How is Sookie?"
"She's fine, the business is going great."
Sookie wasn't really Jess's aunt, she was more of a family friend, she'd moved to the States a few years ago and was busily opening branches of her interior design business all over the east coast.
"I mean, hell, a pink teddy bear, I'd have preferred a new mobile, this thing is shit." She tossed her phone onto the coffee table, "stupid thing keeps switching itself off, dad won't get me a smart-phone on contract."
Alcide yawned and stretched, "you want it all given to you on a plate huh? Driving lessons, a car, insurance, brand new phone, that shit don't come cheap, kiddo."
"Yeh, I want it all, who doesn't? I belong to the 'me' generation."
Alcide laughed long and hard, "you ain't a baby no more, that's for sure," he scratched his arm pit, "here," he handed her a can of Budweiser.
"Happy birthday."
"I'm not legal yet, dad will pitch a fit if he finds out I've been drinking."
"There are some things you can do legally."
"Ugh Al, don't."
He'd been flirting with her for a while on and off, she was tempted, really tempted, he had a hot body, but she was seeing Jason and it wouldn't be fair.
"I'm with Jason, remember."
Alcide's mobile bleeped impatiently, he picked it up and checked his messages. "Aww shit."
Jess played with his car keys; no doubt it was one of his never ending procession of girlfriends.
"Trouble?"
"It's my sister, Debbie; she wants a lift into work in the morning, her car died on her again."
Jess shrugged, "whatevs."
"How's Eric?"
A rapid change of conversation was needed, things were getting uncomfortable and he had no idea why.
"Eric? I've no idea where he is, dad doesn't talk about him much anymore. Since Northman Industries went bust and all that stuff about the Bachmann enquiry he's kept a low profile."
Eric had been one of Bill's more high profile clients until it had turned out that one of the branches of his business was arms dealing. Eric had been photographed getting drunk with the wrong dictator, at the wrong time with a high profile cabinet minister. The result had been the Bachman enquiry. Eric was unstoppable; he'd be back, Terminator style before too long.
"How's your Ma?"
"Lorena? She's as bat shit crazy as ever, she sent me a cheque for twenty quid for my birthday and forgot to sign it. I'm going to have it framed."
Alcide was silent for a moment, he knew from the sketchy details Jason had given him that the subject of her mother was a sore point.
"Is she still acting or whatever it she does?"
"Yeh, she's in Moscow at the moment, she's in a play by some Russian dude; the hen house, the dog house, the cat house? I don't know. She rings me at stupid o'clock, talks for thirty seconds and promises to ring back later and talk more which she never does."
"What are you studying at Uni?"
Jess fiddled with the hem of her dress, "I'm doing a BA Honours in Fine Art and then hopefully a Masters at the Royal Collage of Art."
Bill was happy to pay for her degree at Goldsmiths but was digging his heels in about shelling out for a Masters as well, the cost would be eye wateringly expensive.
"And what will all that lot qualify you to do?"
Alcide had left school at 16 and had gone straight into the family business as an apprentice builder, when his father had died a few years ago he'd taken over the business completely and built it up to be a very successful going concern. Going to University was fine if it actually equipped you to do something useful. He might not know a Picasso from a hole in the wall but he sure as hell knew that most artists died poor, lived alone and usually went nuts in the process.
She shrugged and looked puzzled, "I'll paint of course, I want to spend a year in Italy when I graduate, Pam has a villa in Provence," her eyes lit up at the thought of painting in the beautiful Italian countryside, "I can't fucking wait!"
"Daddy will be pleased at having to shell out for all that lot, no wonder he won't buy you a car or a new phone."
"Shut up Alcide."
"You two look cosy," Jason wondered in, a towel round his waist, he looked like a cheeky version of Cupid, all he lacked was a bow and arrow. He plonked himself down between the two of them, broke open the six pack and handed the beers out.
"Beer dude? Jess."
Alcide took one, glad that Jason had arrived and the odd mood had gone.
"Cheers dude, don't mind if I do."
Jason leaned over and gave Jess a big sloppy kiss, "hiya darlin' you look hot tonight."
"Thanks," she giggled and blushed, she only had time to put a bit of lipstick on and brush her hair, she was glad he'd noticed. "When are you back at work?"
"Tuesday, this will be the first weekend I've had off for months. Dude, you are going to the pub later aren't you? Me and Jess have got plans."
"Dude it's the derby, United versus City, I've ordered pizza and brought beer."
"Ah shit I forgot about that. Well, me and Jess would like some time alone, you dig?" he winked furiously over jess's head, "you getting me dude?"
"Dude, I'm watching the footie tonight."
"When does the match finish?"
Alcide picked up the telly page and scanned it slowly, "half nine," he tossed the magazine onto the floor.
"Ok dude, soon as the match finishes you are going to the pub, K?"
"Eh? Oh, Ok, sure, I can crash at Lafayette's place."
Not that he'd get much sleep, Lafayette's flat was party central, all welcome night and day, bring your own beer and sleeping bag.
Jason slipped his arm round Jess's shoulder, "nice one Al."
Jess giggled and settled back into Jason's arms her eyes catching Alcide's for a brief moment before they both looked away.
9.45pm
The match was over, the pizza had been eaten and the beer had been drunk. Jess was lying with her head on Jason's lap and her feet across Alcide's legs; he'd been absentmindedly massaging her feet since the start of the second half. She burped loudly, an excess of garlic, cheese and anchovies were disagreeing with her something chronic.
"I'm bored."
She was slightly drunk and a little buzzed from the joint that had been passed round, not used to either, she was feeling bold, brave and ready for some excitement.
"Jason," she bellowed, "take me to bed or loose me forever!"
Her foot accidentally kicked off the cushion on Alcide's lap and he jumped like a scalded cat, he'd had a raging hard on for over two hours, he crossed his legs and hoped that neither of them had noticed.
Jess had a drag on the spliff, "it seems a shame to waste that Al," she ran her finger up his thigh, "why don't you come to bed with us?"
"What?"
"I said, 'why don't you come to bed with us?' You're hot," she pointed at Jason, "and so are you," she pointed at Alcide, "if I'm going to lose it, why not to two hot guys?"
Why hadn't she thought of this before, hell it would shut Arlene Fowler up forever, the girl thought she was the bees knees 'coz she had a regular boyfriend and a regular sex life.
Jason looked thoughtful, "well I don't know. I ain't touching your dick dude, no way."
"Hell to the no. You're my flatmate and brother from another mother, kind of."
Jessica giggled again, the beer had gone straight to her head, "put rubber gloves on if it bothers you that much, just do me, k?"
"Who's bed?"
"Mine," Alcide said, "I put clean sheets on the bed this morning." He trailed off at Jason's horrified expression. "I like clean sheets," he threw a beer can at Jason's head, "I ain't a slob like you, dude."
"Dude!
Jess clapped her hands together, "perfect! It's meant to be."
Alcide's mind was reeling at the thought of a threesome, hell, today might not be such a bust after all.
"Woh!"
She pinched the joint out of Alcide's fingers, re-lit it and had a deep drag, held her breath and exhaled a cloud of blue smoke, "oh man, that's good gear. Give me a couple of minutes to get myself ready."
With a giggle she leapt off the sofa and ran off for the bedroom, shedding clothes as she went.
"Oh dude, we are so fucked."
Alcide fist bumped Jason with grin, "So fucked."
10.15pm
Jessica lifted her dress over her head and tossed it over her shoulder, she wasn't wearing any underwear, she never did. She licked her lips, "come on boys, get it while it's hot!"
Her eyes widened as Alcide striped off, the vest went first, he had a great body and his tan didn't end at his waist, he was a light golden brown all over. Jess had a mental image of him repairing a roof in a pair of skimpy shorts. As he shrugged his tracksuit bottoms off it became apparent that he wasn't just a pretty face, he had a generous, no, a gracious plenty! His cock bobbed as he climbed onto the bed. He growled at her and grinned at her wide eyed expression.
"Oh boy!"
Jason, not wanting to be left out, stripped off and jumped on the bed, Jess was too transfixed by Alcide's beautiful naked body to notice, she'd seen Jason naked plenty of times when they'd made out.
"Ok gorgeous. Let's get this show on the road."
Alcide placed his hands on her hips and leaned in for a long slow kiss; his tongue met hers and he kissed her gently and passionately, Jason flipped her hair out of the way, put his hands on her shoulders and nibbled on her neck. She could feel his cock bumping urgently against her lower back.
"Christ, I can't believe I'm doing this."
"Believe it."
Jason hand slipped round her waist and down between her legs, fingering her clit, the other cupped her breast and rolled the nipple between his fingers as he nibbled and sucked on the soft skin of her neck.
"Oh, that feels so good!"
"So fucking good."
Alcide not to be left out kissed her again, his hands roaming restlessly over her body; she had gorgeous boobs with rosy pink nipples that just begged to be played with.
He debated whether to get Jace so drunk he passed out or alternatively hit him over the head with his Gibson guitar. No, the guitar was his pride and joy next to his car, beer it was.
"Dude, no touching!"
The two men's hands met on Jess's left boob and they leapt apart as if they'd been electrocuted.
Jason leaned over, thoroughly unnerved and switched the stereo on, "we need some mood music. How about," he flicked through his CD's, "Barry White or Santana?"
"Nnnnng."
"Nnnnng."
"Santana it is then," Black Magic woman wafted out of the stereo.
Jessica was too busy kissing Alcide to care; he was a good kisser, a very good kisser. He nibbled on her lower lip, gently swirled his tongue round her mouth and more importantly kissed with his eyes shut, a blissful expression on his face.
"Dude, don't bogart my girlfriend."
Jessica giggled and turned round, "don't be jealous Jace, you're still my number one."
She turned around and kissed his shoulder, looking up at him as she worked her way down his chest. This time it was Alcide's time to groan, Jess was waggling her bum at him very enticingly and perilously close to his cock. Taking her hips in his hands he leaned over and kissed her back.
"Not yet, wait a little, huh?"
Jessica took Jason's cock in her mouth and sucked gently, her tongue licking the tip as she sucked. Alcide, stumped for what to do apart from the obvious reached round and started to play with her clit, lightly slapping her ass as he did. His reward was an appreciative wiggle of the hips.
"So dude, we each get off, you go, then I do the business with Jess yeh?"
Jess was so hot and wet, she'd been rotating her hips as he played with her, if he wasn't careful he'd come too soon.
"Dude, concentrate, a hot girl is sucking your dick."
"Ah yeh, hell yeh!"
Jessica concentrated on sucking Jason's dick as Alcide played with her clit, she'd had plenty of orgasms (on her own) but nothing had felt like this, Alcide had surprisingly gentle and talented fingers, he slipped a longest finger inside her and pressed gently on a sensitive spot.
Waves of pleasure rolled over her body and she smiled and closed her eyes.
"Oh my god."
Jason was awfully close, he was moving his hips more urgently now, his eyes closed his hands behind his head, a happy smile on his face.
Jess moaned in time and felt a wave of pleasure crash over her just as Jason came in her mouth with a shout that echoed round the room. They both collapsed in a heap.
"Oh man."
Alcide lay down next to them, "I feel like a third wheel dude."
"Not for much longer."
Jess smirked as she licked her way down his chest, her tongue flicking at his nipples, tracing the outline of his six pack, dipping into his navel and finally agonisingly, running her tongue up and down his cock as her hands cupped and rolled his balls in the palms of her hands.
"Oh my fucking god!"
It took all the control he had not to come, right there and then, Jess took Jason's hand and slipped it between her legs and bumped him with her bum till he took the hint.
Jason had a different technique entirely, it was nice but somehow not as pleasant as when Alcide was doing it. She waggled and wriggled on his fingers hoping that he'd give her as much pleasure as Al had just done.
"I need a beer."
"Nnng."
"Nnng."
Jason hoped off the bed and headed for the kitchen. "Anyone else want one? No, alrighty then."
"Baby," Alcide whispered, "switch around."
"Huh?"
Alcide switched her round, put her leg over his shoulder and buried his head between her thighs. He gave thanks that she'd shaved her bush into a cute heart shape so he didn't have to contend with great mouthfuls of hair.
Jess griped his bum tightly digging her fingers in to his skin, "Holy hell!"
His tongue was as talented as his fingers; he licked her like a lolly, then gently parted her flesh and tongued her clit as his fingers got busy playing with her sensitive spots. Jess shuddered and wriggled, he was exciting and relentless.
She broke away from his cock, looked deep into his big brown eyes and whispered, "Al, I want you to be my first."
"Mkay."
Jason hopped back onto the bed and switched on the tv, "hey, Match of the Day is on the telly, sweet! Hang on, what am I supposed to do while you too, ya know?"
Jessica's hand flailed about in the air before finally settling on his cock, pumping and twisting it just how he liked.
Jason settled back onto the pillow and had a slug of his beer, "hey, works for me. Ahh yes, that's the spot!"
12.15am
Jason was slumped against the pillow, mouth open and he was snoring, a half open can of Bud listing to one side in his hand.
Alcide poked him in the ribs, "he's asleep."
Jessica giggled into her hand, "how long has he been out for do you think?"
"I don't know, he's had at least six maybe seven Buds, he'll be out cold for the rest of the night. He never could hold his beer."
"Oh dear." Jess bit her lip as she traced the shape of his shoulder with her finger, "dear, dear, dear me."
"We should stop and we should wake him up."
"Yeh, we should do that."
Alcide leaned over Jess and threw a sheet over him. "He'll be fine till morning. Come here."
Alcide was a passionate lover, he kissed every inch of her, concentrating on her nipples, teasing and stroking and licking till she was thrumming with pleasure and every nerve in her body was screaming.
"I want you. Now!"
Alcide opened the drawer of his night stand and pulled out a box of condoms, "you have the choice of sensitive, ribbed, flavoured, coloured, glow in the dark or plain?"
Jess peeked over his shoulder at the drawer, there were six boxes of condoms, chewing gum, clean socks, boxers and a well thumbed Penthouse.
"Way to kill the mood Al, how many girls have you had in here?"
"I'm a single guy, I like sex and I don't want to risk having any babies or getting any diseases."
Jess shrugged, "how about that one?" she pointed at the purple one, it looked less scary than the others somehow.
"Good choice," he ripped the packet open and stopped what he was doing when he saw her rapt expression, "do you want to put it on, some chick's kind a dig doing that."
"Ewww, no."
The thought repelled her, she didn't like the smell of condoms and the thought of touching a cock encased in purple latex was just.. yuck!
"It's very big," was all she could manage, "will it fit?"
"Jess, are you sure about this? We can stop now if you want, it's no big. I ain't one of those guys who'll push the issue."
She wrapped her arms round him and kissed the nape of his neck, "I'm absolutely sure I'm sure."
There was an awkward silence as he turned and lay down beside her, his eyes, dark brown pools in the half light of the bedroom. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Jess?"
"Kiss me Al, kiss me like you mean it eh?"
"You absolutely sure about this?"
"Are you chickening out on me?"
Never one to refuse a challenge he rolled her over onto her back and buried his head in the soft skin of her neck, nibbling and sucking and biting a little.
"Tell me when you're ready," he whispered in her ear, "just give me the word Jess."
He paused over her, suspended in mid air, his cock resting on her thigh, he was so ready, so, so ready.
Jess scratched her nails down his back, "do I wave a flag or blow a trumpet or something?"
"No, baby, not quite."
It felt very odd lying underneath a man, Al was heavy, but the weight wasn't unpleasant, it felt kind of nice to be held and she could admire the definition in the muscles of his arms and chest as he hovered above her with a pained look on his handsome face.
"Jess!"
She put a finger to his lips, "shush, I want, I want to remember this moment."
"Ok." he croaked, his forearms were shaking with the effort of keeping him upright and his cock felt like it was going to either deflate humiliatingly or explode prematurely.
Jess kissed his chest, licking at a nipple, "you smell nice," she said dreamily as Jason snored a few feet away.
"Nnnng."
His armpits smelt of male and chocolate smelling lynx aftershave, his chest smelt of saddle soap and suntan lotion.
"I'm ready, I think."
He lowered himself down onto and inside her, slowly, slowly, slowly until he was fully sheathed inside her then he started to move, slowly, slowly, slowly.
"How ya doing?"
Jess didn't know how she felt, it had hurt a little but not as much as she thought it would, it felt ok, she hadn't seen any fireworks yet and the earth wasn't moving. Why did Al have such a weird scrunched up expression on his face? He looked like he was having a fit or something.
"I'm good," she said uncertainly, "carry on, do you want me to move or anything." She had an experimental wiggle of her hips.
He yelled, scrunched his face up even more, yelled again and collapsed on top of her panting and moaning, she felt something twitch and there was a curious sensation then nothing. She wrapped her arms round his shoulders and when it seemed like he'd passed out or something she tapped him on the shoulder with her finger.
"Al, Al, Al! You're kind of heavy."
"Sorry baby," he rolled off her, a stunned expression on his face, "next time it'll be better, baby, I promise."
He kissed the only available piece of her he could see, her collarbone, "much better."
"Oh, ok. So, is that it then?"
It had been nice, like riding a bike on a summer day, or going for a horse ride on the sea shore but not as spectacular as some of her friends had said it had been for them.
"Give me minute or two and we can have another go if you like."
Jess crawled out from under him and grabbed the nearest shirt she could find, buttoning it quickly with one hand while she tied her hair back with the other, "it's kind of late, I should be going."
"Oh ok. I have this effect on woman, they sleep with me and then flee into the night, my sister says it's 'cos I'm a knob."
Jess leaned over and brushed her lips against his, "it's not you, it's me, I have a lot to think about, I like Jason and I don't want to hurt him."
"I want to see you again."
She felt a complex swirl of emotions; embarrassment, sheesh, she'd just lost it to her boyfriends flat mate, happiness, she'd finally lost it! Misery, what the hell was she going to tell Bill? And oddly, she felt smug that she'd managed to snag a guy half her girlfriends would kill to get next to.
"It's late and it's pissing it down outside, there's no buses this time of night and I can't drive you home, I've had way too many beers."
He rolled onto his side, "stay here, you can have the bed, I'll have the sofa, Jason can stay where he is."
"That's very sweet of you Al, but I can't throw you out of your own bed."
"Don't worry about it, it happens a lot."
"What?"
"Nothing, come back to bed."
Now was not the time to tell Jess that Jason was knocking off his bosses daughter, Crystal Norris, she'd been the reason he'd been doing so much 'over time' and also why he'd been 'working late' for the last six weeks.
Jason didn't believe in condoms, he liked to go bareback and judging by the box Alcide had found in the bathroom a few mornings ago, that was the reason that Jason's pick up had mysteriously sprouted four slashed tires and a cracked windscreen. Calvin, Crystal's father was an old fashioned man, Alcide expected a visit pretty soon, Calvin's men could be pretty persuasive, he'd had dealings with them before and it hadn't been pretty.
Jess climbed back into bed with him and slid under the sheets, "what are you thinking about?"
"Nothing baby."
Jess snuggled into his side, "why don't we all sleep here."
Al put his arm round her, "and I guess we'll have to sort this mess out in the morning?"
"Yes, I suppose so."
"You are going to break up with him aren't you?"
"I guess so." She said uncertainly, she liked both men; Jason was funny, the life and soul of the party and a good friend, while Alcide was passionate and intense and 'got' her, why did she have to choose between them, why couldn't she have both of them.
"It's probably for the best." He took her in his arms and pulled her close, kissing her tenderly. "We'll tell him together, eh? You and me."
"I don't know."
She wanted to paint, to draw how she felt and see it on paper, "have you got a pen and paper, anything will do."
"Eh? Err, sure, there's a pad and pen in my briefcase in the living room."
Jess leapt out of bed and raced into the living room returning a minute later, sketching furiously as she walked, her brow furrowed with concentration.
"I need to get this down on paper."
"Get what down?"
"How I feel. I draw what I feel."
This was new, none of his other girlfriends had ever wanted to draw after sex, they'd usually sleep, talk, eat or argue with him but none of them had wanted to draw, "Ok."
She tucked herself into the crook of his arm and carried on sketching as he fell asleep beside her, the images coming thick and fast.
Provence, seven years later..
Jess finished the painting just as the baby beside her stirred in his moses basket. He was just over ten months old and ready for his feed, she put her brush in the jar of water by her elbow, lifted him out and put him to her breast.
The villa behind her was a hive of activity, the hammering and banging had been going on since early morning, there was a shout and the noise stopped abruptly, it must be lunchtime she decided, a long siesta this afternoon would be nice.
Alcide, a silhouette in the Provencal sun, dropped a kiss on the baby's forehead. "How are my favourite girl and my favourite boy doing today?"
"Good, I finished painting just as the little one woke up." She took the glass of iced tea he offered her and sipped it happily. "The commission is finished, what do you think?" She turned the easel round so he could see the picture, it was a pretty landscape done in pastels for a local ex-pat couple.
"Hell baby, I don't know anything about art, that's your department."
"Philistine."
He bent over and wrapped his arms round her shoulders, "pretty much, that's why you love me plus I don't blow smoke up your butt."
There was the sound of giggling and Jason raced past, buck naked, after his latest flame, a pretty tourist after some fun in the sun. Jessica swopped the baby over and smiled at her sleeping son. It had never been established who the baby's father was and both men by mutual agreement had decided not to press the issue.
Pam had said the baby looked like Alcide as he had his brown eyes, Bill had said the baby was Jason's as he had his curly blonde hair and cupid bow mouth.
It didn't matter too much, the baby had been brought up by Bill and Pam with Alcide and Jason just a call away, while she completed her Masters. In her final year she'd been nominated for a Turner prize, Bill and Pam had nearly died of pride at the ceremony.
Jess, Alcide and Jason had relocated to Provence a few months later. Jess preferred the warm weather and was happier painting in the sunshine, Alcide was happy to commute between Britain and Italy and Jason, well, Jason did whatever it was that he did with the exuberance of a Labrador on heat.
"You ok baby, you look a bit tired."
She took his hand and placed it on the slight swell of her belly, "Al, I'm late, I think I'm pregnant."
And this time there would be no doubt about who the father of the baby was.
