Author's Note: Sorry for the length between updates. I got about halfway through the chapter, then just couldn't seem to get back to it. Real life intervenes. It's an extra long chapter though, so I hope that makes up for the wait.

I replied via message to those of you that I could. To the guests, I thank you for your comments. And really wish you had user names so I could converse with you more directly.

Guest: Thank you.

Xawier321-Thank you. Sorry for the wait. I hope that you enjoy this one just as much.

Guest. I'm happy to hear that. Thank you.

Guest: Yeah, it's important that their relationship isn't all drama, and that they get to enjoy each it and each other.

Guest: lol. Yep.

Guest. Sorry for the wait. I try and update in a more timely manner.

AfterGiAni Well, welcome to the story. I'm glad that you decided to give it a try. And even more pleased that you're enjoying it. I hope that you will continue to, as it progresses. And, thank you, for deciding to leave a review. It means a lot to know what people are thinking, if they're with me, or don't like the direction the story is taking. Thank you, that's quite the compliment. Maybe, one day, those other stories will see the light of day, but for now, I'm focusing on this one, and a few other fics.

Guest: Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'm working out Paige's family's reactions now, even though it's still several chapters away. Hopefully, it won't disappoint when we get there.

Em Thank you. I'm glad you're enjoying the pacing of the story, and finding it believable.

McCullers7- you ain't seen nothing, yet. The best of the sexy times is still yet to come.' I'm glad you're enjoying the story. And, I hope you continue to, as it develops.

Chapter 36

Emily and Paige had spent a lot of time laying together, since they'd started dating. It was a familiar position that they were in, Paige on her back, Emily curled up into her side, head resting against Paige's shoulder, tucked just under her chin. One hand slung around Paige's stomach, the other resting on the flat of her chest, so she could hear Paige's heart beating steadily beneath her palm. Paige had one arm curled around Emily's back, hand splayed between her shoulder blades, the other rested lightly on her hip. Their legs were tangled together, one limb distinguishable from the other only by the color of the jeans they were each wearing. It felt different tonight though, in light of what they had done. As if the intimacy they had shared added a new weight to the way they held each other. Or, maybe it was the feel of warm, smooth, skin beneath her cheek, her palm, their mostly bare torso's pressed together. She felt closer to Paige in this moment than she ever had before. Yet, she could not seem to let herself relax and enjoy the sensation. Her thoughts whirred at a pace at odds with the peaceful quiet that surrounded them.

What they had done, it had felt amazing. Paige was right about that. But, Emily couldn't help but wonder if it was too much, too soon. They hadn't been together for very long, and it seemed like whenever things got heated, they pushed the boundaries a little further each time. She couldn't help but feel like they were moving towards that final step of intimacy at an almost breakneck speed. She was attracted to Paige, of that much she was sure. And her feelings for her were growing with each passing day, but she was worried that her heart and mind were not in sync with her attraction, her arousal.

She had only ever been with Maya, before. The physical progression of their relationship as stuttered and halting as Emily's emotional developments. When they'd finally slept together, she had been head over heels in love with Maya. While those feelings had faded, it had meant everything to her, at the time.

The fact that she was not in love with Paige, (at least not yet) but felt such a strong, and every growing attraction to her, was worrisome. Being someone's first was an honor, and a huge responsibility. She didn't want to diminish that by taking the step merely because their attraction, their lust, became too overwhelming to suppress. And every time they were together, the boundaries were being pushed further, the lines getting blurrier.

She was worried they would take that step, not because they discussed it and were ready for it, but because they were too turned on to resist. Or, that they would talk themselves into taking it. They would discuss the issue to death until they reached the conclusion they wanted, that they were ready, even if they weren't.

Yet, despite her concerns that they might be making a mistake, in jumping into things so quickly, she could not deny the fact that she had liked what they had done. Or that she wanted to do it again. And, she felt closer to Paige now, because of it.

She shifted position, pulling her hand away from Paige's chest to prop her head up on it, gaze turning affectionately to the girl lying beside her. Paige's eyes were closed, her lashes fluttering, almost as if she were sleeping.

Emily might have thought she'd dozed off, if not for the furrowed brow and how she was biting her lip, the way she did when she was concentrating. She lifted her hand from Paige's waist to smooth out the furrow in her brow, frowning a little at the faint sigh that passed her lips.

It was then that she registered the slow, steady motion of Paige's hips, as she ground herself against Emily's thigh.

"Oh, my God." She let out a short laugh. "Seriously?"

Paige's eyes flew open at the sound of her voice, the expression on her face somehow managing to be both sheepish, and defiant, as her hips continued to rock.

"What?" She struggled to keep her eyes open, heavy lids drooping and twitching.

Emily shook her head, with another laugh, realizing just how far gone she was.

"I can't help it. It just…it feels so…" Instead of continuing, she trailed off, a soft whine issuing from her throat instead.

Emily hummed softly in agreement, and nodded, even though Paige's eyes had drifted closed.

"And you." Paige's lids flew open, and her gaze met Emily's with an accusing stare. "You knew about this." Slowly, the clarity faded from her gaze, her focus blurring again. "I don't understand how you're not doing this all the time." She let out a grunt and pressed down against Emily's thigh with more force, no longer attempting to be subtle now that she'd been found out. "God, Em."

Emily was torn between laughter, and arousal. The sound bubbling in her chest, because Paige was being adorably ridiculous, but dying in her throat, because she also looked insanely hot right now, with her eyes all wild, and sweat beginning to dot her forehead, her lips parted slightly, and nostrils flaring with each laboured breath. The sound that finally passed her lips a strangled sort of moan.

She can feel her own hips starting to rise to meet Paige's thrusts, and she doesn't know if she should stop herself or not.

Of course, Paige would approach this with the same unbridled enthusiasm as she did everything else. And, Emily knows that Paige was going to be insatiable from now on, seeking out this amazing feeling she's just discovered at every opportunity.

A groan ripped from her throat at a particularly forceful thrust, and Emily shook her head, clearing it of all thoughts, of all doubts, deciding to just go with it, to give into the sensations.

And to give Paige a taste of how truly amazing this could feel.

In one swift movement she shifted, positioning herself over Paige, using her shoulders for leverage, as she slid her leg firmly between Paige's thighs, pressing into her center. She rocked down, hard. Paige let out a gasp, and bucked up into her. Grinning down at her, Emily dips her head and nips at her lips, quick, rough kisses that keep her off balance and breathless as Emily continued to rock into her.

Paige could do little more than writhe beneath her, gasping, and moaning, her fingers clenching at Emily's back and shoulders.

From the tension in Paige's body, Emily could tell she was close. She pulled back, lifting her head so she could watch, unable to tear her gaze away from Paige's face as she came undone.

It was one of the most beautiful sights she had ever seen.

Paige's breathing slowed, and her eyelids fluttered open. "Hey," she said softly, a dazed, dopey smile crossing her lips.

"Hey." Emily couldn't help but smile back in response.

Paige looked so…light, so happy in this moment. Emily couldn't help but think that anything that felt this good, that made Paige feel this good, could never be wrong, never be a mistake. So what if they were moving quickly? It didn't mean that they weren't ready for each and every step they were taking. So, maybe it wasn't love, yet. Their feelings for each other now, they were real and they were deep. Emily could only see them getting deeper. It wasn't like they would give in to their physical desires and that would suddenly change. She wasn't like that. Paige wasn't like that.

"What?"

"You liked that huh?" Emily teased, pressing her thigh up steadily against Paige's, now probably overly-sensitive center, enjoying the way Paige's breath forcefully expelled from her lungs, and her eyes rolled in her head.

Paige let out a grunt, and nodded, eyes going a hazy for a moment before she shook her head and marshalled her attention to meet Emily's gaze. She offered up a broad grin, which Emily couldn't help returning.

She rocked her hips, slowly, steadily, against Paige, grinding against her girlfriend's thigh for some relief of her own as well. Watching Paige get off had been mesmerizing, but it had also left her feeling keyed up.

"God, Em," Paige inhaled sharply through her nose, as she clutched convulsively at Emily's waist. "What are you doing to me?" Her hips rose up to meet Emily's thrust.

Emily couldn't help but chuckle lightly, not just at how quickly, and readily, Paige could get worked up, but also at how adorable she looked while Emily did it. "A week ago, you were standing in my kitchen, afraid that you'd never want to have sex. With me or with anyone," she reminded Paige, as she continued to grind into her, struggling to keep her eyes open so she could watch a blush of exertion bloom on her cheeks and creep down her neck, and across her torso, and so she could watch her vision grow hazy, and sweat bead across her forehead.

"And, now…now you're insatiable." It was becoming harder for Emily to focus her thoughts, to keep her concentration on what she was saying, as the dull ache between her legs became an insistent throb, and tension coiled in her belly.

"Can you blame me?" Paige husked. "This feels fucking amazing."

A shiver coursed through her the utterance of the uncharacteristic curse word, and she huffed a laugh, struck by the appropriateness of its usage. She shook her head rapidly in response to Paige's question, then nodded her assent, too far gone now to trust her vocal chords to anything more than the faint gasps they were producing at each thrust of her hips.

Paige's grip tightened around her waist, pulling her more firmly down against her thigh, and Emily felt her walls twitch and spasm. She was close. As expected, it wasn't going to take much to push her over the edge.

A few more thrusts, and she came with a soft cry. Paige following suit a moment later with a gasp and a moan.

Exhausted and spent, Emily collapsed, boneless, onto Paige, burrowing into the crook of her neck as she struggled to regain her composure.

"You know, McCullers, you're pretty good at that. For an amateur."

Paige huffed a laugh. "For that analogy to work, wouldn't that make you a pro?"

Emily was too tired to even feign indignation. "What can I say, my brain is not exactly firing on all cylinders at the moment."

Paige pressed a kiss to the top of her head, and was quiet for a long moment before she began to shift restlessly beneath her. She took a couple of deep breaths, and then released them, as her hands began to skate idly up and down Emily's back. Emily recognized the signs of something being on Paige's mind,

"What?" She nuzzled her nose against Paige's collarbone and posed her question into the soft skin beneath her lips.

"You said some things, the other day, when we were having that conversation," Paige began haltingly.

It took Emily a moment to connect the dots on what Paige was saying.

"Yeah. Yeah, I did," she admitted. "And, my stance on that hasn't changed. I believe that sex should mean something. That it carries a weight of love, of commitment, of loyalty. And, maybe we got a little carried away today, but I don't regret a moment of it. And, I certainly wouldn't take it back." She raised her gaze, propping her chin on Paige's chest and peering up at her. "We might not be there yet," she said, putting an emphasis on the word. "But, I'm falling for you. And, I know you have feelings for me. Whatever we do, however far we go, I know that it's special. It's not something either of us are taking lightly. And, when we finally do take that step-"

"When?" Paige cut her off with a smug smirk and a quirk of her eyebrow.

"Is there really any doubt?" Emily offered up a smug smirk of her own. She felt like they were past the point of if's, and maybes, and moving towards eventually.

Paige's grin softened and she shook her head, a bashful look taking over her features.

Emily pushed herself up onto her elbows and brushed a light kiss to Paige's lips. Humming softly in the back of her throat, Paige returned the kiss, both of them keeping it sweet, almost chaste, until Emily dropped back into her position of lying against Paige's chest.

"So, you're not upset that I basically just humped your leg like a dog in heat?"

"Oh, my God, Paige." Emily wheezed as a laugh forced its way out of her throat. It was an apt, if not crude, description. Her laughter was cut short, however, by the sound of the front door creaking open, and then falling shut. Paige's eyes widened comically, and Emily was sure that she was sporting a similarly startled expression. Hastily she scrambled off Paige, her feet getting tangled up in the now rumpled quilt that rested at the foot of her bed, sending her toppling sideways and off the bed. She bit back a yelp as her side connected painfully with the floor, and prayed that the throw rug beside her bed muffled the sound. Rubbing at her stinging hip, she pushed herself up into a sitting position, her gaze finding Paige, who had rolled off the bed in the other direction and was now spinning around in circles, arms flailing.

It would have been funny, if Emily weren't feeling so frantic. Her mom could not walk in on them like this.

"My shirt, Em. Where's my shirt?" She tugged at the comforter, then dropped to her knees, feeling around beneath the bed. "I can't find it." Her voice was muffled as she stuck her entire head under the bed.

"What do you mean you can't find it? Where is it?" Emily was on her feet now, staring across the bed at Paige, who was looking back at her, a horrified expression on her face.

"If I knew where it was, I wouldn't be looking for it. Now would I?"

Emily shook her head. "Right, Sorry. Um. I took it off you and I dropped it…" She closed her eyes for a moment, visualizing, trying to remember. Only, instead of recalling where she had tossed Paige's shirt, all she got was the memory of sliding her hands across Paige's torso, feeling the soft skin that concealed hard muscles-

She was torn out of her daydream by Paige's voice, low and terse, calling her name. Her eyes snapped open to find Paige staring, wide-eyed, back at her. "Really, Em? Now is not the time."

Emily offered up a sheepish smile and shook her head, dispelling the thoughts. "Right. Sorry. I think I tossed it more…over here." She shifted down towards the foot of the bed, and felt around, fingers snagging something soft. She gave it a tug. "Got it," she called, when she recognized it was the shirt Paige had been wearing earlier that evening. She tossed it across the bed to Paige, who hurriedly tugged it over her head.

Emily's fingers fumbled with the buttons of her blouse as she cocked her head, listening for something to indicate whether her mother was making her way upstairs, but was meet with only silence for a long moment, before she heard the clatter of dishware that revealed her mother was in the kitchen. She breathed out a sigh of relief as she finished buttoning her shirt. She turned to find Paige patting down her hair, and tugging at her clothes, her motions frantic and jerky.

"Relax. She's not coming up here." Now that they weren't in imminent danger of being busted, she was feeling more at ease. She crossed the room to where Paige was standing, and gently uncurled her fingers from where they were clenched around the hem of her shirt.

Using their joined hands, she gently tugged Paige to her, and brushed a kiss against her lips. But, Paige was unresponsive. She held herself stiffly, so Emily pulled away.

"I should go."

"What? Paige. No."

"It's getting late." Paige eased her hands from Emily's grip.

"You can't go now. Not like this." Emily forced herself to let Paige withdraw, but held her gaze. "If you leave now, you're going to get home and feel like you left because what we did was wrong. You're going to feel guilty. Ashamed." And, she didn't want Paige to ever feel like that, not when what they'd shared was so special.

"I can't face your mom right now, Em. She's going to come up here, and she's going to know what we did."

"She's not coming up here. And, even if she did, she's not going to know." Her gaze was pleading, but she could see the barely restrained panic in Paige's eyes, and knew that she wasn't all that receptive to reasoning right now.

"Please, Em." Paige was practically begging.

"Okay. Fine. But, give me a hug and a kiss before you go."

She watched Paige's shoulders rise and fall as she took a fortifying breath, screwing up her courage.

"And, kiss me like you mean it." Emily said as Paige's arms wrapped firmly, but stiffly, around her torso.

Paige huffed, something between a sigh and a laugh, as she dipped her head, and pressed her lips against Emily's. It was tentative at first, and it reminded Emily of her first kiss, soft, and sweet, but also hesitant. There was something else about this kiss though, and it took a moment for Emily to place it.

Reluctant. Paige had never kissed her like that before. It left a sour taste in her mouth, and made her stomach roil uncomfortably. She bit back a sigh as she broke from the kiss and stepped out of Paige's loose embrace.

"Do you want me to walk you out?" she asked, averting her gaze, even though she could feel Paige's eyes on her. She felt guilty, for asking something of Paige that she was clearly not comfortable giving, and unsettled that, for the first time since they'd gotten together, she couldn't seem to find a way to get through to her. Normally, a kiss, a touch, a look, it was all she needed to calm Paige when things inside her head were getting to be too much for her. Which had been happening less and less lately. She'd thought that Paige was getting more comfortable. More confident.

"Em." Paige's voice was soft, pleading, as was the sudden grip she had on Emily's wrist.

For a moment she thought about denying Paige her request, the way she had denied Emily's attempt to comfort and ground her, but ultimately, she couldn't find it in herself to deny anything. Slowly, she raised her gaze to meet Paige's sorrow filled one.

"Em, I'm sorry."

"I know," she said softly, risking raising her hand and cupping Paige's cheek gently. "I'm not mad. I just wish I knew how to make it better for you. In here." She tapped Paige's temple gently in emphasis.

"You do." Paige laced their fingers together and squeezed lightly. "And, I guess I don't have to go, just yet-"

"It's okay," Emily interrupted her gently. "You don't have to force yourself to stay."

"I'm not-"

"You are. I can feel how tense you are. Here." She ran her free hand across the line of Paige's shoulder. "And here." She squeezed her side lightly.

"I'm sorry."

"Stop apologizing. It's not your fault."

She really didn't blame Paige for being freaked out about almost getting walked in on. She just hoped that it wouldn't undo the progress they had made.

"It was a close call. And maybe you're right. Maybe it's best we call it a night. Just, promise me you'll call me when you get home?"

She didn't want Paige stewing over what had happened for the rest of the evening, second guessing and doubting what they had done.

"I promise. Now, walk me to my car?" She extracted her hand from Emily's, only bend her arm at the elbow and offer it.

Emily happily took it, and gently guided Paige out of her room and down the stairs.

They almost made a clean getaway. Paige had the door open, and Emily was only a step behind, when Pam stepped into the foyer, heading towards the stairs, a cup of tea in one hand, a book in the other.

"Are you heading out now?" she addressed Paige, offering up a small, warm smile.

"Yes, Ma'am. It's getting late. And I have an early practice tomorrow." Ever polite, even when she was uncomfortable, and trying make an escape, Paige turned fully towards Pam. "Thank you, for dinner. And, everything else tonight."

"Of course, dear. Anytime."

Emily had a sense that her mom genuinely meant it.

"Goodnight, Mrs…Pam," she corrected herself at Pam's stern look.

"Goodnight, sweetie. Oh, and Em. You might want to fix your shirt before you go outside. The neighbours, you know?" She made a vague gesture towards her own torso, and Emily looked down at herself in horror, to find that she had missed a button in her frantic attempt at redressing herself, and now her shirt was askew.

Paige gulped audibly and jerked away from Emily, who only barely registered the reaction, and didn't blame her for it a bit.

"Mom. I-"

"Mrs. Fields-"

"Nothing happened."

Pam arched an eyebrow, her gaze flicking over Emily's unkempt appearance.

"Okay. Clearly, something happened. But we didn't…we're not…It wasn't that." She had a pretty open relationship with both of her parents, but she just couldn't bring herself to say the word sex in front of her mother. She just couldn't talk about that with her, the way she could with her father.

Pam held her hand, halting their words. Not that Emily had any idea what she else would say anyways.

"To be honest, girls, I really don't want to know. I remember what it's like, to be your age. So I won't tell you to stop. But, please, spare me the details." She turned to Emily. "I know you're growing up. You're almost an adult. But to me you'll always be my little girl. And, there are some things a parent just does not want to know."

"So, you're not mad?"

Pam sighed, and shook her head. "Not mad. No. I trust you're both mature enough to make that decision for yourself. And that you won't take any steps without first talking about, and ensuring that you're both ready." She shot a pointed glance at each of them.

Emily nodded, and chanced a glance at Paige, who stood stiffly and silently beside her, posture so ramrod straight it could give her father's military bearing a run for its money. Her face was also an alarming shade of red. But, she bore Pam's gaze, so Emily had to give her full credit for that. At least she didn't cut and run. An impressive feat. Especially considering Emily would, if she thought she could get away with it.

"And, I trust that you respect me enough to not do anything…untoward, in the house, when I'm home."

Emily took that to mean her mother would probably never leave them alone again. Not that it mattered. After tonight, she doubted that they would ever do anything, ever again.

She nodded, even though it wasn't really a question.

After a long, awkward silence, Pam wished them both goodnight once again and headed upstairs. Once she had retreated from sight, Emily turned to Paige, who stared back at her, looking about as shell-shocked as she felt.

"Well, that went well." She said it as a joke, but it wasn't entirely false. It had certainly gone better than she would have expected. There had been no yelling, no tears, no threats of eternal grounding.

Paige just blinked at her.

Sighing softly, Emily grabbed her hand and led her into the living room, where she guided her down to sit on the couch.

"You okay?"

Paige barked a laugh that held absolutely no humor. "Are you kidding? That was…mortifying."

Emily sighed. "I know." She didn't want to admit this to Paige, because she knew how she would react, but she was kind of glad it had happened.

Her mom had found out that they were…well not exactly sexually active but, progressing towards that, and it hadn't been a big deal. Awkward as all get out, but there had been no recriminations. She hoped that, once the shock and embarrassment wore off, Paige would see this as a positive thing. Just one more example of her mother's support of them. And that the world wouldn't end if people found out about them.

"Just be glad it was my mom, and not my dad."

"He'd be mad?" Paige sounded surprised by the suggestion.

"No." Emily chuckled softly. "He'd think it was hilarious. And we'd never hear the end of it. He'd be telling this story at every Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner from now until forever."

"Forever, huh?" Paige shot her a sidelong glance. "You're really thinking of us in terms like that?"

Emily nodded slowly. "Yeah. I mean, I know it's early yet," she added. "But, I wouldn't be with you if I didn't think we at least had a shot at it. Why? Don't you?"

Paige shrugged one shoulder. "It's a nice fantasy. But, be real, Em. We've got a year and a half of school left and then college. Who knows where that'll take us. We could end up on different sides of the country."

Emily reeled back like she had been struck. "Well yeah. But…are you saying that you wouldn't even be willing to try? If we're still together by graduation?"

She knew it was crazy to be talking about this, after only being together for a couple weeks. If she were smart, she'd drop it, just enjoy things as they were now and not worry about something that were so far off. She couldn't drop it though. She had to know.

Paige looked equally as stunned as she felt. "Long distance relationships hardly ever work, Em."

"And, fifty percent of marriages end in divorce. Are you saying you don't ever want to do that?"

"It's not the same thing."

"Isn't it? If you commit to someone, you commit to them. It shouldn't matter whether you see them every minute of every day, or a few times a year. How you feel about someone shouldn't change because of how far apart you are from them. Do you think my dad loves my mom, loves me, any less, because he's not here with us all the time?"

"Of course not." Paige looked stricken at the suggestion.

"I know you don't really think that," Emily hastened to reassure her. She knew she had a different perspective than most people on this, because of her dad. And she hoped that now, Paige got her point.

"Then, what are you saying?"

"I'm saying that I've never entered into a relationship before, knowing that it had a shelf life. And I'm not sure that I want to start now."

Paige's throat worked as she struggled to come up with a response. "Are you…are you breaking up with me?" Her voice was a bare whisper.

Emily's heart leapt up into her throat at the question, and she wished she could rewind the conversation a few minutes and put an end to all of this. It was a ridiculous line of questioning that she had started in the first place. And yet, she couldn't quite bring herself to truly regret it. Wasn't it better to know now, that their relationship was never going to go anywhere, then possibly invest two years before finding out.

"No." Even to her own ears, her voice didn't exactly sound sure. "No." She tried again, managing to come across a bit more confident. "But, I think we both have something thinking to do."

Paige stared at her with large, doleful eyes for a long moment before nodding once, then standing. She bent at the waist, to press a soft, lingering kiss to Emily's lips, then turned and strode towards the door without a word, or a backwards glance.