So as we creep up on Chapter 30 I wanted to say thanks to everyone who's been reading along the way, especially those of you who take the time to review. It's great that people still read, and I hope there's enough plot mixed in with all the mindless shagging to keep you going!

Thanks!!

--

It took Alex a few minutes to realize she wasn't sleeping in her own bed. Gene was curled up, his back to her, one leg kicked back between her ankles. It was only when she opened her eyes and saw the plain white sheets and the plain grey walls that she remembered she was at Gene's.

She wriggled her back closer to his, content just to lie next to him. There were so many things about Gene she still didn't understand. She thought she understood him as a cop. Big, blustery. More clever than he'd admit to anyone. She didn't know if it was because he wanted people to underestimate him, or if there was another reason she hadn't quite realized yet. She suspected a bit of both. Just looking around his flat last night gave her all sorts of new information about him. She didn't know where she'd expected him to live, but this was so completely unassuming that she'd been surprised.

Gene shifted, interrupting her thoughts. She felt him roll over, his mouth on her back, his breath on her shoulder. An arm swung around to pull her closer.

"Morning, love" his hand slipped up to a bare breast, cupping it idly, finger teasing her nipple.

"Good morning." She could feel him hard against her behind and reached a hand between them, gently stroking him, smiling to herself.

He groaned. "That's good. That feels good." Breathing faster he slid his hand down over her hip, pushing a finger inside her, his hand cupping her arse. "Bloody hell you're wet" he murmured into her ear, continuing to work her, slipping out to tease her clit, moving back and forth as Alex moaned encouragement.

"Oh, yeah, Gene, don't stop," Alex threw one leg backward, over Gene's hip, freeing his stiff cock to rest between her thighs. She began stroking him again, evidence of her own arousal frustratingly close, wetting his straining tip. She wanted him badly this morning.

He laughed, propping himself up on his elbow and shifting down slightly, giving him better access before his fingers went back to work. "D'you want more Alex? Want me to make you come?" She moaned, her hand on his, working her together, "Oh god, oh yes, yes, make me, make me." Her voice was breathy, barely words. "Or would you rather have my dick inside you?" he growled, pulling out his fingers while pushing her hand away, thrusting his hips so his head just entered her, teasing.

Alex cried out in frustration "Yes! Oh god Gene, inside me. Deeper, please."

"Deeper?" "Unnngh, please, Gene." Sitting up on his knees, Gene grabbed Alex by the hips and pulled them into the air. Slowly he entered, "Deeper?" "Yes, god yes." In one motion he drove fully inside her, curly hairs tickling her arse. "Unh. You're so bloody tight." Stopping to adjust so he didn't come suddenly, he pulled back and began thrusting, slowly, methodically, each thrust to the hilt. Alex clenched and released with Gene's controlled motion and he begged her for more. "God, Alex, can't…" he cried out, his thrusts erratic as he climaxed, thrusting hard with each release. He stopped for a second, then began again, "Not done, Alex" as he reached around, finger teasing her clit, thrusting steadily until she cried out. "More Gene, more, so close, ahhhhh!" as she climaxed, pushing back against him, taking him again.

Gene leaned forward, resting on one outstretched arm, breathing hard. Pulling out, he lay on his back, guiding Alex into his arms as they dozed off again.

--

"Morning." Gene said, waking a second time hours later, Alex tucked into his arm.

"You said that earlier." Alex smiled up at him from his shoulder. "And it might be afternoon already."

"Really?" He looked disappointed.

"Did you have plans today?"

"Not really," he coughed out. "Eat something, shag you, go back to sleep. All that's really left is to eat something." He rolled her over onto her back.

"Gene!" After rolling his tongue wetly over her nipples until they peaked into his mouth, Alex moaning quietly, he quickly ran his tongue down her stomach to her still tender clit. "Oh, god," she raised her hips toward him, "What are you doing?"

He stopped. "I hope that's a bloody rhetorical question." Gene returned his attention to her pussy, licking, humming, tongue wide, strong against her clit, parting sensitive folds. Alex propped herself up on her elbows to watch him, giggling when his actions made slurping sounds.

"It is really not polite to laugh at a man performing a service such as this. Do you mind?" He looked at her with one eye.

She laughed again. Every stroke of his tongue tickled and she couldn't stop herself.

"That's it then." Gene, abandoning his original goal, climbed over her, catching her wrists with his hands and pushing them over her head, tight to the bed.

Still giggling, Alex felt a rush from his move to dominate her, even playfully. The nerve endings he'd abandoned tingled with desire as he rubbed himself against her. "Now what, Gene?" she whispered, begging him with her eyes.

He dipped his mouth to her ear. "Wrap your legs around me, Alex," he whispered back.

Alex obeyed, tilting her hips toward his straining erection. "Are you hard, Gene? I can't reach." She could feel the head of his cock rubbing against her clit and she was shaking from the sensation. She knew how hard he was and she wanted to take him, wanted to tease him. "I'm hard, Alex. So bloody hard." He teased back, wanting to plunge into her, holding back until she begged him. "Now Gene, please, oh god fuck me," she moaned and wriggled, arms pinned to the bed by strong hands. With her legs wrapped around hip she thrust her hips toward him as he entered her and they moved together, grinding, thrusting, begging. "More Gene," "So close Alex, stop me, slow down" "No god no, don't stop, I'm coming, come on Gene, harder" He felt her contract as she climaxed, back arching toward him, hips thrusting against him as he followed, pouring into her with a final growl.

--

Alex watched Gene make tea, fumbling around his kitchen. He'd done it in her flat often enough, but she was experiencing a peculiar pleasure watching him in his own space. She wanted to spend more time with him here, where he lived. Maybe that would help her understand him better.

"So Alex, should I bring clothes for the week?" He interrupted her thoughts.

"What?" she shook her head, she hadn't heard him.

"To stay with you. This week. Can I?" He turned to look at her, eyes questioning.

"Sure, if you want to. You don't want to come back here? Spend some time at your place"

"Not really." He went back to the tea, avoiding her eyes.

"Why not? It's a nice place. We could come here sometimes."

He shrugged. "I s'pose. It's not really a nice place."

"I could help you unpack. You've been here two years."

He grunted, not saying anything. "I'll think about it." He set two mugs on the table.

Gene stared at the table as they drank their tea, Alex wondering what was going on in his head.

"Alex," he finally spoke. "Seems a bit late to be asking this question." He stopped. "But we never…I mean, should we be…should we be using protection?"

She almost spat out her tea, laughing. "Gene, don't you think it's a little late to ask me that?"

"Well I said that!" He got up from the table. "It's just, in all the rush, I never asked. 'N you never said anything. I guess I just assumed you were takin' care of it." He stood up from the table and walked into the bedroom.

What had got into him? Alex stared at his back. When he didn't come back she followed him in.

"Gene. I can't have any more children." He was rummaging through the wardrobe, throwing clothes on the bed. She sat down.

"What d'you mean? You have a daughter." He gave her a puzzled expression.

"Yes. But there were some complications after, and I can't have any more." It tugged at her a little, but it was true. She shrugged, smiling sadly at him.

"Oh." He turned back to his wardrobe. "Too bloody old anyway" he mumbled, pulling shirts from the wardrobe.

Alex turned back towards him. "What did you say?"

He looked at her. "Didn't say anythin'."

"You did. You did, you said you were too bloody old. Too bloody old for what? Do you want children Gene?"

He gave her a slightly panicky look. "No, no! I don't. Maybe I did, once, but I'm too old now." He stopped. Looking a bit defeated, she thought. "But you're not. I'm older than you. I thought you might want…I don't know what I'm thinking." He turned back to his clothes, packing away what looked like a week's worth.

"Gene? What's got into you? You're behaving a bit odd."

"Am I?" He dressed, pulling on trousers and a white shirt.

Alex walked towards him, slipping her arms around his neck. She was wearing his shirt from yesterday, unbuttoned, and nothing else. "What's the matter," she asked quietly.

He accepted the kiss she offered, avoiding eye contact. "Nothing. Really, nothing. Thought about a lot of things over the last few weeks." He buried his face in her neck. "I missed you and I thought I'd really messed it up."

Alex wondered if that was all, but let it go. "OK, I'll get dressed." Maybe it was odd for him, her being in his flat. If he'd never had someone here before. Maybe he didn't want her here.

That must be it. She'd kept at him since they got here about staying here. Maybe he really didn't want her over. Well he'd have to get over that, she decided. If they were going to be a couple, a real one, he'd need to get used to having her in his flat. She shook her head, pulling on her clothes.

"Gene, I'd like to do some shopping today. If you want you can drop me off and I can get a taxi back to my flat. I can meet you there later."

"Shopping? What for?" He was collecting a number of ties from their resting places on chairs. She laughed as she watched him pull one out from under the telly.

"Well, I haven't done any washing, and I am desperate for clean knickers at the moment."

"If I come with you do I get to pick them out?" He wiggled his eyebrows at her, smiling for the first time since they'd got out of bed.

Alex laughed. "Certainly Gene. If you can spend three minutes in the lingerie section, I'll wear whatever you like."

"Just might, then. Ready to shove off?"

--

Parking near the department store, Gene walked with Alex toward the entry, stopping to look up at the building.

"Gene?" Alex turned when she realized he'd fallen behind. "Everything OK?"

He scowled and followed her in. "Can't believe I'm bloody shopping."

She kissed him on the cheek, grabbing his hand. "You're not. I am. You're coming along to fondle my knickers, remember?"

"Mmm," he nodded, frowning somewhat playfully. "Right."

Gene had to admit, she didn't waste any time and didn't get too distracted by other items. Not for the first time, he was reminded that she was not like other women. By the time they left she had a dozen new pairs of lacey knickers in assorted colors of which he had completely approved, three bras, some silk nightshirt he had tried to talk her out of, as he suspected he was just going to rip it off her anyway, and a few new tops, all very low cut.

"That was only mildly painful," he sniffed as they left.

Alex hooked her arm through his. "Thanks. You're a good sport. And I never would have bought those tops without you. Did they look OK?"

"Your tits were practically fallin' out of them," he teased her. "They were perfect. Can we get some dinner now?"

"Yes. Or we could pick something up and I could cook, if you like?"

"More shopping? No thank you." They walked for a bit, finally stumbling across a pub Gene approved of. "This'll do."

They ordered food, taking their drinks to a table in the back. Gene gulped half his pint instantly.

"Have you given any thought to my offer of helping you to unpack? We could spend next weekend at your place. Unpack, smarten it up."

"Smarten it up? What's wrong with it?" he snapped.

"There's nothing wrong with it Gene, it's just - you've said you didn't like it. It just doesn't really look like you live in it. You might like it better if it was more comfortable."

"Oh, and your place looks like you live in it? Full of Luigi's cheap fixtures and fittings. Have you moved anything or yer own in there?" He leaned back, cigarette in his mouth. "You've been here a year, when are you movin' in, Alex?"

"It was just a suggestion Gene." She backed off, not sure why he had become so angry so quickly. "And I don't have anything to move in, Gene." How could she explain it? The idea of lying to him was unthinkable, but he could never know this truth. It made no sense to her, it couldn't to him. Wasn't her whole existence here a lie? "I don't have anything Gene. After my divorce I was left with very little. My ex-husband took everything. I imagine it felt like the flat was a temporary move, so I never did anything about it. I some ways I still feel like it's temporary."

"Temporary, Alex. Right. I wonder how that feels, having your entire life pulled out from under you. Not knowing what to expect. Making a change without 'avin' any idea what happened to your life, or what might happen." He finished his beer, and went to get another.

Alex watched him go, realization dawning on her. They really were just the same.

"Gene, I'm sorry," she said when he sat down again. He'd brought one for her too.

"When I moved down here I took the first decent place I found. Just wanted to get away. It was all I needed." He lit another cigarette. "I don't want to unpack Alex. I don't want to do it up. It's not good enough anymore." He looked away from her, muttering to himself. "Not bloody good enough."

Alex couldn't tear her eyes away from him. "Gene, it could be."

He shook his head. "No. You don't understand."

"Then tell me. You can be so frustrating sometimes! How can I know what you're thinking, what you need, if you won't tell me?"

Gene gave her a tortured look. "It's not good enough for you, Alex."

"Good enough for me? What, it's not a three room flat above a smoke filled wine bar?" He could be unbelievable sometimes. "Is your head stuck so far up your arse your brain is no longer getting any oxygen? Where do you think I live?" Her hand slammed the table.

"Yes, Gene, you and I come from two very different backgrounds. But everyone's life changes. How you meet those challenges, Gene, is what decides your life. It doesn't have to be all about the past."

"And how are you meeting those challenges, Alex?" He blew smoke in the air.

"I don't know. I'm not sure I've started yet." She reached across the table for his hand. He tangled his fingers in hers. "But I hope it's with you, Gene."

She watched as his face changed from the indignant anger he managed so well to the softer Gene he kept deeply buried. She knew how lucky she was that she saw so much of this side of him.

"Alex, I want…" he looked at the table. "I don't want you to help me do up my flat, or unpack, because I want to move." He stabbed out his cigarette, clearing his throat. "And I want you to move in with me."

Alex felt her eyes widen. What? "Live with you?" it came out a whisper.

He nodded. "Wanted to ask you before. Even started looking around, see what I could afford. If I could find some place you might like. Then, well, I buggered it up. Accused you of, well, you know." He sighed. "You c'n say no. I'll understand."

"You want to live…us…together?" She suddenly felt like she no longer understood words.

Gene shifted uncomfortably. "I understand if you don' want to. But promise me you'll think about it first? A day, at least?"

"You don't think we'd kill each other?" She wanted to say yes. Jump across the table, throw her arms around him.

"Maybe," He laughed sharply. "Couldn't be worse than now, could it?" He gave her the shy smile. The one he never used, ever. Just for a second. Then it was gone, his pout back in its place.

"Let's get out of here." Alex got up and gathered her shopping bags. Gene followed her out.

Alex had enough time to think as they walked silently for the few streets to the car. Gene opened the door, and she threw her shopping bags in with his bag full of clothes, catching him by the wrist before he could walk to the driver's side.

"Gene," she cupped his face in her hands, pulling his mouth to hers. He put a hand to the back of her head, holding her to him. They kissed for an eternity, gently, tongues light against each other's lips.

"Yes."

--

Gene parked the Quattro on the street behind a yellow Cavalier.

"Isn't that Ray's car?" Alex asked as they got out.

"I think so. What's 'e doing 'round 'ere on a Sunday night?"

Suddenly, the car started bouncing rhythmically.

Gene flashed her a maniacal grin, walking quickly to the car. "Oi!" He banged on the back window, barking in his biggest voice, "You two cut that out or I'll do you both for indecent exposure!"

The car stopped bouncing. "Right, Guv!" Ray called out from the back.

Alex couldn't help laughing at them both as the car started bouncing again.

--

Gene sat naked on the bed, leaning back on his arms, legs stretched out in front of him. Alex was going to live with him and now he was terrified. He could be a real arse to live with. Her ex husband was certainly a posh bastard with no respect for anyone. Gene respected people. He respected Alex. He could make this work. Unfortunately, at the moment, fear was winning the battle with his sex drive and he couldn't even get a hard-on. Promising to change into something new from their afternoon shopping excursion, Alex had taken her bag into the bathroom and he was waiting for her to return. He hoped she went for the matching sapphire blue bra and knickers. Oh yeah, that would do. He closed his eyes, picturing her in them, feeling the familiar ache start in his balls. Better.

--

Alex changed in the bathroom. She pulled out the days catch of lacy undergarments and decided on the blue set. He seemed to like that when she picked it out. She looked at herself in the mirror. Living with Gene. It was terrifying. Could she really be around him all the time? They worked together. You've practically been living with him anyway. But it's different, you know it is. Come on, you can do it Alex. You love him. He may take some breaking in, but it's not like he's never lived with a woman before, right?

--

"Gene?" His eyes flew open. The lace barely covered her nipples and he watched them peak as she climbed over him. Straddling him with her knees on the bed, tits in his face, Alex bent to kiss him as he lifted one hand to her cheek. He pulled her down, kissing her mouth, her chin, the hollow at the base of her neck. Alex moaned encouragement as his tongue played lightly along the edge of the shimmery blue lace and as he teased one full erect nipple into his mouth, Gene's performance worries disappeared. She held his head to her breast and began rocking against him, the delicate lace that shielded him from entry grazing against his now erect cock made him jump. "Bloody hell. Those things are gorgeous." His hand slid over her behind, pushing the thin string down. "Now get them off," he growled.

Alex slid backward off the bed, standing for an instant and as she pushed her knickers off Gene pulled her down onto his lap. "Fuck me Alex," he pushed a finger inside her, wet, warm. "I know you're ready."

He moved his hand to the small of her back. "Mmmmm, I'm ready too, Alex." She slid easily over him, spreading her legs wider as he pushed up into her. "Oh god, yeah." "Let me," she purred in his ear as she began to move over him, pushing his arm back to prop himself on the bed. Gene watched her as she rode up and down, her arms resting on his shoulders, her face moving towards ecstasy. "Oh Alex, so good, so close" his hips moved lightly as she rode harder, faster, coming closer. "Gene, oh god, Gene" She pinched her nipple, so close to his face, and he ran a tongue over it, sucking it into his mouth as he began to lose control of his thrusts. "Now, Gene, now, god." "Oh yeah, oh Alex, uuunnnghh!" Gene felt her spill over him seconds before he came, one arm holding her closer, pushing himself deeper.

"Alex," he panted, rolling them both to the bed. "When we live together, we'll still shag like bloody teenagers, right?"

She lay on top of him. "Gene, we shag much better than bloody teenagers."

He laughed, wrapping her in his arms.