Wow, I love how much you guys are loving this fic. I'm so glad as it was a favourite to write.

Chapter 11

The meal was relatively event free if you count throwing bread rolls between the tables as event free. It mostly took place each time the waiters weren't looking but they did get caught out once or twice.

The food was very gourmet and more style over flavour but it was filling enough and Molly noticed that Sherlock even ate something for once...he really was playing his part well; which brought her back to how tactile he was being. She knew they were playing their roles but he really hadn't had to put his hand on her knee when they were waiting for the main course and he certainly hadn't had to let that hand slide mid-way up her thigh; his fingers circling against her inner thigh in such a distracting way whilst he was chatting to Vic across the table.

Well, she figured two could play at that game. She decided to offer him some desert and as he took the cream off the spoon she asked him for a kiss so she could taste it too. His eyes narrowed very slightly but he gave in to her request and she couldn't help but dip her tongue into his mouth. She felt him react ever so slightly, his grip on her neck tightening imperceptibly and when she pulled aware she noted that his eyes were dilated.

She didn't put it down to much more than a purely physical reaction and she even internally berated herself for taking advantage of him. She blamed the wine. She was glad these people were not her normal group of friends because their whole lives seemed to revolve around alcohol; that and drugs.

She'd already seen Phoebe, Tom and Freddie sneak off mid-meal and all three had come back sniffing and wiping their noses and then acting just that little bit happier and louder than normal.

Crunch time came when Vic leant forward and nudged Sherlock. 'Fancy a sniff...if you know what I mean.'

Molly knew exactly what he meant and she bit her lip as she worriedly looked in Sherlock's direction to see his reaction. She saw him swallow almost nervously and he hesitated before he replied in the negative. 'No, I'd best not. My problem is I don't know my limits...that and Molly would kill me.'

Vic tutted. 'I'd say you don't know what you're missing out on but you do. Ah well plenty more for the rest of us. Liv?'

Liv nodded and followed him out along with Helena who was sitting at another table, George refused. Molly turned back to Sherlock to congratulate him but his expression stopped her. He looked positively furious and he threw his napkin on the table before pushing his chair back with a loud scrape.

'I need some air. I'll be back in a minute.'

Molly couldn't help but watch him leave with concern. She'd never seen him around drugs before and if she were honest she had no idea how they made him feel. The most she'd ever done herself was smoke a bit of cannabis at Uni and she'd hated it. She'd hated that she wasn't in control and that when her friends wound her up she didn't quite know if they were joking or being truthful. She'd never been even tempted to try anything stronger and once she moved on with her studies and saw first-hand the damage that drugs could wreak on the human body she was set for life in her beliefs.

She waited for him to come back and when he didn't she decided to go and look for him.

She finally found him outside in the shadows, smoking a cigarette. She supposed as addictions went this one was marginally better. As she picked her way across the gravel, cursing her stilettos, he turned to see who it was before turning back to continue his perusal of the river. Molly could just make out the rippling sounds as well as still hear the laughter and conversation coming from the bar and restaurant.

'Hey. Are you alright?'

'Yes of course, why wouldn't I be!' Came the snappy response.

Molly didn't say anything, she didn't need to, she just waited for Sherlock to see how much his response reflected how not alright he was.

In the end he sighed and flicked away the remains of the cigarette before turning to face her. 'I apologise Molly, I...well, maybe saying no was a little harder than I expected it to be.'

She didn't want to give him a lecture, she knew that he knew the pros and cons and ultimately each time he said no it was his decision and his alone. He had probably had enough lectures to last him a life time and beyond so she just slipped her hand into his and squeezed showing him her support.

He looked down at the connection between them and when he looked back at her she felt confused about his expression. On anyone else she would have said that it was desire but maybe she was reading too much into it. Maybe it was just gratitude, friendship.

He brought his other hand up and brushed her hair back a little as he cradled her face and it was only when he softly said her name that she realised he was going to kiss her. She could only assume that one of the group had come out behind her so she gave into his kiss.

Just as it had earlier the kiss deepened and Molly felt as if she were losing herself in him. She let her hands come up to wrap around his neck, feeling his curls brush against her knuckles and she moaned as he dipped his tongue into her mouth mirroring her actions from earlier.

She knew she ought to pull away to try, at least in a small way, to protect her heart but she couldn't. She was finally kissing the man she'd wanted for so long and she couldn't help but want to pretend that it was real...that it was all real, that he might actually have feelings for her.

The kiss seemed to last for longer than Molly had expected and she knew she needed to break off, to catch her breath and try to sort her emotions out. When she did Sherlock just moved his mouth to her neck and she heard herself audibly groan at the feel of his tongue on her skin. It was only then that she heard voices behind them.

'Hey you two love birds...'

'Bloody hell Sherlock, get a room...'

'We're off for a swim in the hotel pool...you with us...come on it'll be a laugh.'

The last voice was Liv's and she caught hold of Molly's hand as the group went past and pulled her along. They were carrying a couple of bottles and some glasses and were laughing and loudly shushing each other as they made their way into a walled courtyard which held a covered pool.

Vic and George started to wind back the cover as Liv pulled her dress over her head. When she saw Molly's shocked expression she laughed. 'Come on Molly...not like you're a prude, we all saw your tequila exhibition. Come on, I bet the water will be gorgeous and warm.

Molly looked round to see Sherlock stood by one of the tables opening one of the bottles of wine and watching the proceedings. She kicked off her shoes and went over to dip her toes in the water, surprised to find that Liv was right, the pool was heated and did feel very inviting.

There was a splash as Liv and Phoebe jumped in and shrieks as they surfaced and caught their breath...maybe it felt warmer to the foot than to the whole body.

She could see Tom and George starting to strip down to their boxers and then Vic, Freddie and Helena turned up carrying yet more wine and even a plate of stolen snacks.

'Are you coming in?' Molly asked Sherlock. He just raised an eyebrow and smirked. 'What do you think? You go in if you want to.'

'Come on Molly, persuade him...I bet you know how.' Vic laughed at Sherlock's scowl.

She suddenly realised she had free licence to tempt him. She chewed on her lip for a second debating the ethics of it but who was she kidding, after the kiss they had just shared she wanted more.

She made her way over to him and turned her back to him, moving her hair out of the way. 'Do you mind...'

He didn't reply but she felt him catch hold of the zip and slowly pull it down, opening up the dress.

'Thanks.'

She slipped out of it and put it over one of the nearby chairs then she walked back up to him. She saw his eyes skitter across to the inhabitants of the pool who were all now splashing about and enjoying themselves. Then he looked down at Molly and said her name in a tone that was supposed to put her off. Instead she took it as a bit of a challenge as she bit her lip and looked up at him through her eyelashes. Could she do this? Could she stand here half naked and persuade Sherlock to do her bidding?

She rested her hand on his chest feeling the warmth of him through his tight shirt. Finally she got to do what she'd always wanted; she undid his buttons one by one.

After the third he moved to catch her hands pulling them away and she leant forward and kissed his chest. She moved her mouth upwards and felt him shuddering slightly at her assault. As she reached his neck he released her wrists and she moved back to his shirt pulling it from his trousers as his hands fell onto her back sliding over her exposed skin. She felt him groan...it seemed to sink into her bones and she suddenly wasn't sure if she was persuading him to go swimming or to have sex or both.

As she finally opened his shirt she moved her hands to his back and stood on her tiptoes so she could reach his mouth. His eyes were barely open as he looked down at her and he didn't hesitate to meet her half way into yet another blistering kiss.

She felt him shuck out of his jacket and she was so tempted to jump up and wrap her legs around his waist...it was only the noise of the others behind them that kept her from taking it further because Sherlock himself didn't seem to be putting up any resistance. In fact, she realised, his hands were on her backside, pulling her against him and she could feel him physically starting to react to their actions.

She pulled away from him a little and opened her eyes trying to bring herself back to reality. Sherlock leant his head against her shoulder and breathed out a quiet, 'good God Molly, you're killing me.'

She tried to get back into character and she pulled away laughing. 'Go on, come swimming...please.'

He looked up and shook his head but the smile on his face told him she'd won and she felt a little giddy from it. She climbed into the pool and let herself sink into the water as she watched him undress until he was just wearing a pair of grey jersey shorts which didn't leave a lot to the imagination. He was either big or she'd had had more of an impact on him than she'd realised.

Finally he joined her in the water pulling her back against him for another kiss. This time, with the buoyancy of the water she did wrap her legs around him and she could feel him pressed up against her, rubbing her deliciously. The kiss was slower and more languid and it left Molly aching with longing for him.

When he broke the kiss she moved her lips to his neck as his hands moved across her ribs before he tickled her making her shriek. Then he laughed and in a low, sexy voice warned her he could get his own back for her persuasion; she had five seconds before he'd dunk her. Then he let her go.

I hope you're enjoying all the fun and games. Summer and swimming outdoors seems a long time ago now as I sit here looking out at the frost and waiting to see if it snows. Anyway, if I get snowed in it will give me more time to write so it's all good. Let me know what you think and what the weather is like where you are xxx