Chapter 11: A Kiss That Lingers

******Where We Left Off******

Felicity couldn't believe it was happening. Oliver Queen's lips were on hers, his hand holding her head steady, the other moved to her hip. The first slight touch of his lips worked like a lightning rod. Electricity seemed to course from his lips to hers. She gasped in shock.

The slight opening was all he needed. Oliver wanted to taste her—the desire seemed to push out all rational thought. His tongue swept inside. She didn't push him away. Instead, she seemed to come alive at his touch. A hunger built inside him as he kissed her, channeling the frustration and fear over his sister into the kiss. He hadn't ever let himself think of Felicity as someone he could feel passion for. However, now passion seemed like too mild a word for what he was feeling.

Oliver had always thought that when he came back to the island and kissed Laurel again it'd feel like coming home. When they'd finally been together, it had been more like an echo of home. It had felt nice and comforting, but it hadn't been the same. Now as he kissed Felicity, she was once again doing what she'd done since he met her. She was surprising him. She returned his kiss without hesitation. It wasn't awkward or hesitant like she could sometimes be. Instead, he could sense her hunger for him. It sparked his own. The kiss went deeper, hotter. Kissing her felt so right. It felt like home.

Finally, desire for breathe forced him to break off the kiss. But he couldn't bring himself to pull away. Instead, his lips lightly trailed down her cheek, resting at her neck. He couldn't help sucking on it, wanting to mark her in some way.

What was he doing? This was Felicity. This wasn't just some girl. Someone he could screw and walk away from. She was his friend. She deserved more from him. Reluctantly, he pulled back. Felicity's hand went to her glasses, pushing them up as she gaped at him, obviously shaken by what had just happened.

"Oliver?" she said, a question in her voice, her eyes. What was going on? He could see the questions in her eyes.

He didn't want her to talk, to ask questions. He just wanted to keep kissing her. It was the only thing that seemed to make sense. "I'm sorry, Felicity. Nothing is making much sense tonight. But you, you make sense," he said in bemusement. For once, he didn't feel like weighing the consequences; he just wanted to kiss her again. Maybe it had been fluke. Maybe a second kiss wouldn't feel the same. He had to find out.

Without saying anything, he reached down and put his hands on Felicity's hips. He lifted her onto the table and stepped between her legs. She was still looking a bit shell-shocked, but he knew she felt the pull between them, the connection. She didn't protest when he reached out and removed her glasses. He put them aside and gazed into her eyes. The ocean of blue captured him. For a moment, he was mesmerized, trapped in her gaze. Somehow this too brilliant computer hacker saw him. So many others never bothered to look behind the mask. They expected the playboy; they only saw the playboy. Felicity, however, saw the man he actually was. She wasn't attracted to a mirage but to him. Until now, he hadn't realized how much a part of him was craving that acceptance from someone.

The knowledge of that had him kissing her again, wanting to be close to her and needing it more than anything. The second kiss was even better than the first. Now Oliver knew how she tasted, and he hungered for her. Her lips were already familiar to him, her taste addictive. As he kissed her, he was struck with a thought. He would never get enough of her. The thought startled him, and he almost pulled back. Almost.

Felicity didn't know what was happening. She didn't know why Oliver suddenly felt a desire to kiss her. She knew that this could potentially be a bad thing. Oliver was as close to drunk as Felicity had ever seen him. But she had wanted him to want her like this for so long. How could she push him away? This might be wrong. It might be a mistake, but she didn't have it in her to refuse what he was offering her.

Oliver's hand caressed her bare belly. It moved up and pushed the sports bra up, freeing her breasts. Breathing heavily, he looked at them. Her breasts were so perfect. Without conscious thought, his hands enclosed around them. Felicity gave a hum of approval. He couldn't resist tasting them, so he bent down and kissed one of them, sucking and pulling on them hard. Now she gasped his name.

"God, Felicity. You're so perfect! I just want to taste you everywhere. I know we shouldn't. I should stop, but I..."

His words were cut off because she took her hands to his cheeks and pulled him in for an open mouthed kiss, obviously just as hungry for him. How had he waited so long to kiss her?

After several minutes, a ringing broke through the fog of passion that had engulfed them both. Oliver pulled back once again, breathing heavily.

What was he doing? He looked down at Felicity's bare breasts and felt another wave of lust rip through him. He reached out and pushed her sports bra back down. Her chest was heaving, her eyes locked on him.

"I-I think that's my phone," she bit out. Her mind was a whirlwind; she couldn't think.

Oliver forced himself to step back from her. Her hand reached out for her phone. She glanced at it. "It's Buffy," she said, flashing Oliver an apologetic look. His answering frown made her feel guilty. He turned away from her.

"Hey, Buffy," she said, answering the phone.

"Where are you? I can't find you anywhere," Buffy said.

"Oh, sorry. I stepped out for some air," Felicity said, watching Oliver.

"Well, get back in here. I need back up! Thea dragged Roy off for some alone time, and Laurel showed up. She's claimed Quentin and is shooting daggers at me," Buffy complained.

"What happened to Sin?" Felicity asked.

"She's no match for Laurel," Buffy complained. "Where are you? I'll come to you."

"No!" Felicity said a bit too loudly. "I mean, I'll be there in five. Meet me at the bar."

"Okay. See you soon," Buffy said, hanging up.

Felicity hung up her phone and hopped off the table. She still can't believe she was sitting on it making out with Oliver Queen. First a vampire and now the man of her dreams was finally noticing her. What an unbelievably strange night she was having! She waited for him to turn back to her, beginning to feel unsure.

"Ah, that was Buffy. I need to change and get back upstairs. I don't think her superpowers involve super-smelly powers, but I better not test her. I don't want to lead her down here," Felicity said.

Oliver finally turned back to her, giving her a sharp look. "You haven't told her about me, have you?" he asked.

"No! Of course not! I'd never betray you. Surely, you know that, right?" she asked, surprised he had to ask.

Oliver nodded, looking relieved. He reached out and took another drink of the bottle he'd brought down. Felicity frowned at his actions. "Okay, well…I'll be right back," she said. She headed to the bathroom, where she'd left her clothes.

Oliver watched her walk away, an ache built inside of him. He wished his life was different. In that moment, he'd never wanted to be just a regular guy more. He wished the island had never happened. He wished his dad was still alive. He wished he'd never picked up an arrow. He wished he could simply be a man who got to kiss a woman like Felicity. A woman worth fighting for. A woman who was so brilliant, so special. A woman that billionaire playboy Oliver wouldn't have glanced twice at. Now he knew her and his life was better for it. He was better. Now he knew what she tasted like, and he knew he'd never be the same. He picked up the bottle, draining it. Glancing at the door that hid the bathroom, regret pierced him. What should he do now?

When Felicity came out of the bathroom dressed in her nicer clothes once again, Oliver was gone. She walked over to the table she had just been sitting on and paused. It was hard to wrap her mind around what had developed between them. She was trying not to panic and overthink. She just wanted to hold on to the feeling inside of her. The empty bottle concerned her, but she put it out of her mind and went back upstairs to find Buffy. A quick scan revealed no sign of Oliver, but she spotted Buffy sitting at the bar chatting with the bartender.

"Hey," Felicity said, climbing up on the chair next to her.

"There you are!" Buffy said grinning. Then her eyes narrowed. "Okay, what did I miss?"

Felicity tried to contain her reaction. "What do you mean? You didn't miss anything. I just stepped out for air," Felicity said, trying to sound casual. She must have failed because Buffy smirked knowingly.

"Yeah, right. I know when a face has had some smoochies! You've been kissing someone! Who's the lucky fellow?" Buffy asked as she scanned the area.

"What?" Felicity asked, trying to act surprised.

"Don't try to act all innocent! I have a younger sister! I know the signs," Buffy said knowingly. "Who's the lucky fella? Anyone I know?" Felicity's face must've given her away because Buffy grinned. "It was Oliver, wasn't it?"

"Oliver? Why would you say that?" Felicity asked, scrambling trying to think of a believable excuse.

"Because I don't see him anywhere, and you lied to me to cover for him. And he is totally hot. If I hadn't met Quentin, I'd totally be crushing on him myself, I wouldn't even care that he was practically jail-bait," Buffy said with a wink.

"Yea, well, you're much more his type than I," Felicity said, a bit sourly as she realized the truth of that statement. Buffy was beautiful, confident, and deadly. Helena? Check. Mckenna? Check. Laurel? Felicity wasn't sure about deadly, but she was the daughter of a cop. Felicity bet she could hold her own in the self-defense department. Felicity, on the other hand, could probably talk a criminal to death.

Buffy frowned. "Why would you say that? You're beautiful, brilliant, sweet, and funny. Why wouldn't he like you? Not to mention you're loyal and a good friend," Buffy said.

Felicity sighed, deciding to confess. "Yes, it was Oliver. I don't know what happened or why it happened. Well, I guess I do. He was somewhat intoxicated, and I was…(she started to say half-dressed and realized she had no explanation she could give for that detail and closed her mouth)…well, it just happened," she said, her voice trailing off.

"That was the first time?"

Felicity nodded. "I didn't think he saw me like that at all. He has a certain type of girl he goes for. I'm not at all like them," Felicity admitted with a grimace.

Buffy gave her a shrewd look. "Maybe he's tired of wasting his time with relationships that will never go anywhere," Buffy said.

"I don't know. We didn't talk about it," Felicity said.

"Why not?" Buffy asked.

"Your call kind of interrupted," Felicity said, smiling.

"My bad! Sorry!" Buffy said with a sheepish smile. "How about I buy you a drink to make it up to you?"

"I could totally use a drink," Felicity said in relief. It felt good to talk to someone about Oliver, to not have to pretend or lie. After Buffy ordered her a drink, she said, "I'm glad you're here. You're exactly what I needed."

"A friend?" Buffy asked.

"A great friend. Someone to talk to," Felicity acknowledge.

Buffy handed her a drink and held up hers. "To friendship," she said.

Felicity clicked her drink against Buffy's. "To friendship," she echoed.

She took a sip of her drink and licked her lips. They were still swollen. Oliver's kiss lingered still. A soft smile broke out on her face. For a moment, she closed her eyes and remembered.

*****Chapter End*****