The sky was already a cloudless black; the first few stars had appeared, as if someone had thrown a handful of silver across the edge of the world and now there they hung, strung up between the moon and the Earth, lazy and shining, tempting and burning up, a picture of the future framed between the curtains of Serena's bedroom.

She struggled to draw in a breath. Her lips were parted and dry, and she looked up at Bernie with wide brown eyes that seemed, in that moment, to be fearful of everything. She could tell just by the way that Bernie was looking right back at her, with mirrored fear and want, that she could never be apart from her, not even for a moment, without finding herself in physical pain. That was the moment. That was how you knew you were in love, she supposed. All you had to do was imagine a life without the other person, and if the thought alone made you shiver, then you knew. And she did shiver, suddenly, violently, against Bernie's chest.

Still either side of her Bernie's arms were there, solid, strong. She reached up, finding herself holding onto the other woman's sleeves as though she was holding on for dear life.

She could barely swallow. Had she been this nervous all those years ago when she had lost her virginity? She couldn't remember, couldn't think clearly enough to even recall the boys name or how old she had been. But she imagined this was similar; this state that she was in, with her entire body seeming to vibrate as though completely out of control. She felt suddenly so unprepared, and yet, with that one look up to Bernie, she conveyed everything, and she knew that the other woman understood...was probably even feeling a similar way herself though she did much better job at hiding it.

The whisper of a smile twitched at the corner of Bernie's mouth. She leaned in and kissed the rise and hollow of Serena's cheek, felt the intake of breath as she ghosted a kiss against her lips, and then, almost immediately, she kissed her again, slowly still, but more firmly, using her weight to push her gently back against the door.

Still Serena's hands held onto Bernie's upper arms, holding stiffly onto the fabric of her shirt. It excited her, being held against the door; the weight of Bernie pressed flush against her sent a shock of intense pleasure through her chest and down to between her legs. Not to mention the flex of her arms beneath her hands, and the kisses. Oh! The kisses; long soft sweet kisses, kisses that tasted of Shiraz and cigarettes, and something that was just Bernie. Kisses that moved from nervous trembling lips to open-mouthed kisses that threatened to burn them up alive.

Finally Serena's hands – shaky as they were – traced the creases of Bernie's shirt up across her shoulders whilst she moaned against the other woman's mouth. She eased her fingers into her hair, blunt nails against her scalp teasing blonde waves, and then to her face, her cheeks, then down, falling to her waist, tugging her closer, kissing her more deeply.

All this while Bernie hadn't moved her hands from where they were, pressed hard against the door. All this time she had fought the urge to hold Serena's own hands above her head, to hold her there and make love to her as she had every night in her mind before she fell asleep.

She felt the hem of her shirt begin to rise, and one by one Serena's hands were on her bare back, just above the waistband of her jeans, moving back and forth, fingers stiff and jolting, her whole body quivering.

The hands at her back moved once more, around the curve of her hips to the front of her jeans, squashed between the two of them, fumbling with her buttons, successfully undoing two before Bernie pulled back, breathless.

Serena whimpered, leaning in to kiss her again, but instead Bernie leaned her forehead against hers, steadying herself with a breath. How beautiful Serena looked, in the smudged warm light of the room; short dark hair and even darker eyes, lips pinker and fuller and waiting for more.

She ached, every bit of her ached to be touched so that she could hardly bare it.

With deceptively calm movements Bernie pushed the red shirt from Serena's shoulders, the material catching at her waist and then falling to the floor with a soft expulsion of air. She shivered as Bernie moved back a fraction of an inch and ran her hands the length of her arms before seeking out the hem of the black top that she still wore. She was soft and unmoving, like liquid frozen into place, glistening and begging to be touched.

With only a slight wobble of her wrists, Bernie gently eased the top up over Serena's head, a soft smile of adoration as she raised her arms obligingly, allowing her to undress her, the black top joining the red upon the floor.

This was different than it had been this morning, this was with the light on, and nothing could be hidden; not the little glances to each other mouths, the flickers of indecision and apprehension, the heavy rise and fall of their chests. In fact, Bernie felt so exposed that she wouldn't have been at all surprised if she had been able to feel the very beat of Serena's heart beneath her skin at every touch.

She drew Serena in against her, holding her, kissing her just behind her ear whilst she undid her bra, and slipped it from her shoulders, her hands, tossing it blindly into the shadows.

Serena struggled to inhale, a nervous smile all she could manage.

"Are you OK?"

It was the first time that Bernie had spoken since she had eased Serena up against the door, and somehow it was a relief to hear her voice, to remind herself that this was Bernie, Bernie who she loved and craved and wanted in such a terrifying way.

"It's a little one sided..."

She answered with a nervous laugh, her head to one side, quite enjoying the brief flicker of Bernie's eyes from her mouth to her breasts.

The blonde cleared her throat ever so quietly, arced an eyebrow, and with fingers that just glanced Serena's waist, she began to undo the buttons of her own shirt. Her movements were clumsy, but finally the shirt fell open, and she held her arms behind her back, tugging the sleeves from either wrist before it fell to the floor behind her. Serena couldn't help but marvel at the expression on Bernie's face; a look of determined concentration, eyes anxiously averted, and the slight twist of her waist as she tugged the black vest top up and over her head, her hair bouncing back against her jaw showing a million different shades of blonde all at once.

"Wait-"

Her hand glanced against Bernie's, halting her as she made to undo the clasp of her bra.

"Let me?"

Without waiting for a reply she stepped closer, wrapped an arm about Bernie who's eyes were upon her, curious and wondering whilst Serena's other hand pressed gingerly against her chest as she undid the little silver hooks, feeling the fabric give and begin to fall away from her body.

"One handed? I'm impressed..."

Bernie's voice low at her ear made her shudder, and she smiled, turning her face up to meet her as the bra was tossed aside.

"Eager to please..."

It was somehow better than Serena had imagined, the moment their upper bodies came together. This wasn't the blurred movie scene of her imagination, this was real, with imperfect bodies marked and indented by underwear and straps, worn by age and, in her case, too much Shiraz.

She caught the glitter behind Bernie's eye, looking down between them, the catch in her breath and the heady thrill of anticipation. Suddenly she felt the hurried stab of self-doubt. Bernie...her body...was better than she had imagined, if such a thing was possible. She was toned and taut, and even the scars of her past upon her skin didn't sully her. But what did she herself have to offer? A body that was fast becoming something she felt she was losing control of, just that little bit softer and curvier than she would have liked...

"Better?"

Bernie's voice broke through her cloud of fears. Serena opened her mouth to speak but only the whisper of a noise emerged.

"There's no rush...Serena."

Oh how she said her name, all at once, as though she had been holding her breath, a whisper as Serena's fingers brushed the zip of her jeans.

"After that little show in our office? I'm not about to stop now..."

She murmured, her voice weak, eyes set firmly on the task at hand, lowering Bernie's zip, and steadying her by the arm as the other woman bent to wriggle free of the tight jeans.

"You are quite incredible..."

"The view's not bad from where I'm standing, either."

Bernie made to reach out for the zip of her trousers but she caught the flinch of apprehension and paused.

"What is it?"

"Oh look at you, you're all straight lines, and I'm...well...round."

Bernie laughed unexpectedly.

"Round?!"

She cleared her throat, realising suddenly that Serena was genuinely concerned that she might not be what she had expected...or wanted, and the thought made her chest ache.

"Come here..."

She stepped back and held out a hand.

"What? Why?"

Serena's words were soft yet alarmed and she looked down to Bernie's palm as though she wasn't quite sure what it was she was offering.

Without a word Bernie took it upon herself to take her hand and lead her over to the bed.

"Lay down."

She was gentle, and quiet, drawing her closer, crawling back onto the bed until she let their hands fall so that Serena could join her, laying back stiffly against the headboard.

"I love you."

Fingertips traced the curve of her cheekbone to the line of her jaw to her chin.

"I love the dimple in your chin, your smile...the sound of your laugh and the way your eyes light up when you're thinking something inappropriate..."

Her touch moved lower still to the dip between ribs and hips.

"I love your curves..."

She smiled suddenly.

"And I...think it's pretty safe to say, that I will continue to love you with or without your trousers on."

She concluded, and Serena couldn't help but laugh, her cheeks rosy, eyes lowered for a moment as she drew in one breath after another.

Bernie's fingers moved up higher, ran over the swell of her left breast, her thumb merely brushing her nipple as her hand moved higher and she leaned in, tilting Serena's face to meet her own, kissing her so softly upon the lips.

Again her hand crept lower, moved from the soft line of her jaw to the even softer skin between her breasts, smiling into the kiss as Serena shifted, arcing her back into her touch and gasping and shivering as her nipple caught and stiffened between Bernie's index and middle finger, her hand moving, tugging, and then releasing, cupping the weight of her breast and breaking the kiss to run her lips across the beautiful rise of her throat and the shadow at the base of her neck.

There was nothing in that moment except Bernie. Every inch of Serena's body throbbed and hummed with an ache that almost made her sob. She tossed her head to one side, eyes closed, and slowly, blindly, she reached for Bernie's hand that encased her breast and pushed it lower, lower, until their fingers stilled together above the fastening of her trousers.

Bernie raised her head, lips parted, her breath coming fast.

"You sure?"

It was barely a whisper. Serena laughed a breath of a silent laugh that almost hid her whispered 'yes'.

It seemed to take forever for Bernie to fumble with the button and draw down the zip, and even longer for her to hook her shaking fingers into the waistband to ease them down, pausing for Serena to raise her hips.

And then there was nothing between them but the smallest slips of fabric, and Bernie was drawing her in, closer, holding her, her fingers in the short dark hair behind Serena's ears.

Their bodies sliding together was something of a new sensation. Without thinking she raised her leg, her thigh pressing unexpectedly between Bernie's causing the other woman to jerk suddenly.

"Sorry!"

She pulled back, her thigh hot and damp, and there was a look upon Bernie's face that she had never seen before; a pained frown, the gasp of a trembling breath at her lips. She was beautiful, and wanton, perfect and tempting.

Boldly she ran a hand to Bernie's lower back and moved closer, shifting her thigh more firmly between Bernie's, experimenting by rolling her hips against her once more so that Bernie's eyes closed and she tilted her face into the pillow, her frown deepening. Bernie pushed against her only slightly, her breath catching, her eyes opening just enough to meet Serena's eyes, holding her gaze as she moaned through an exhale.

Slowly they shifted, legs intertwining, bodies straining against one another's thighs, kissing slowly, desperately.

Bernie's hand drifted to her hip. It settled there and pulled her closer. She inhaled sharply. She was flush against Bernie, breast to breast, nipples gently brushing one another. Must she be so perfect? Her with her blonde hair and beautiful, beautiful lips...She splayed her hand against hers, both their hands together. A smile twitched Bernie's lips, and once more she began nuzzling her neck with delicate kisses; so faint that they were whispers.

Serena was flushed and aching. Bernie's mouth a burning heat that kissed her throat, suckling and grazing her teeth against her flesh, the bitter taste of perfume on her tongue. Tthen to her breasts from her collar bone, a biting kiss, tongue slipping over each stiffened nipple, back arching, the back of her hand cast limply across her mouth, gasping and writhing, crying out against the bitten skin of her hand.

Bernie's arm slipped between them, her hand flexed, fingers drawing an invisible line across the waist band of her underwear before brushing back and forth over soft downy skin, only the very tips of her fingers dipping beneath the elastic, making her skin flutter.

Gently she rolled Serena onto her back, lying on her side next to her. She kissed her gently, slowly and felt Serena gasp into her mouth as her fingers moved lower, pausing every so often to give Serena a chance to pull away.

The elastic was tight against her wrist as she reached down further, watching Serena's expression crumble as she cupped her with the palm of her hand. She was suddenly very still, so desperate to be touched that when Bernie began using her middle finger to stroke up and down Serena gasped and whimpered, and parted her legs, Bernie's fingers pushing into hot wet slippery skin.

A low guttural gasp pressed into the pillow, eyes shut tightly, lips parted. She couldn't stop wanting that pleasure, enjoying the sound of her own short breaths in the quiet night air. More. Over. Again. She was disappearing into searing hot pleasure a little more each second, so thin, so frail, a wisp of smoke dissolving into ecstasy. Surely she would vanish altogether, and there was no way to stop her. It was Bernie, all Bernie...Bernie's hand flexing between her legs and it was Bernie's name she breathed as she came, bucking and rolling her hips hard against Bernie's hand, wanting her deeper, harder, until everything else fell away, and she fell back against the bed, blind and hot and struggling to breathe.

"Bernie..."

She whispered, eyes still closed.

"Bernie..."

It was a smile through a breath. Bernie Wolfe was electricity, and she, in her presence, was the whole world set alight.

-.-

I will update again tomorrow. Thank you SO MUCH (again) for the reviews 3 xxx