When she woke up the next morning she was pleased to feel that her boyfriend's body was still beneath her head. Raising her head to look at the clock and seeing that it was nearly nine so she was relieved that it was Saturday and she didn't have work. Paul was still fast asleep so she rested her head back on his chest and thought back to her Friday night, they had made fast animalistic sex on the couch before eventually making their way up to her bedroom and then they made slow passionate love eventually falling asleep wrapped up together.

Stephanie rolled off her boyfriend's chest and reached to check her phone that she had left beside the bed when she was getting ready for dinner last night. Apparently her brother had sent her a text last night so after reading that she was tapping out a quick reply to him when she felt a pair of soft lips kissing her bare shoulder, "Good morning."

"G'morning. Sleep well?" He slipped his arm around his girlfriend's waist and pulled her back against his chest pressing a gentle kiss to her cheek.

His lips felt so good against her skin and she liked being in his arms again, there was something incredibly comforting about the way that he held her. Quickly losing interest in her phone she dropped it to the bed so that she could turn around and push her boyfriend back on to his back hovering over him, "I slept very well thank you. How about yourself?"

"Yeah, good." Licking his lips as he looked up at her he was trying so hard to form a coherent sentence because his mind immediately went back to last night and the memories of how good she looked above him.

The fact that her boyfriend was struggling to maintain eye contact made her smile, "What's wrong Paul? If you didn't sleep well then you don't need to say that you did, I won't hold it against you."

Hands palming her hips he couldn't help but smile at her, "Far from it. I slept really well with you in my arms and after our activities last night, I am just struggling to be polite and not hit on you immediately because I don't want you to think that now we have gone that far I expect it all of the time."

Like it mattered to her if they had sex all of the time, she wanted him last night and she most certainly still wanted him this morning. Leaning down she pressed a soft lingering kiss to his lips before she rested her forehead on his, "It's funny but I was going to say that exact same thing to you."

Paul slipped his leg between his girlfriend's bending it to rub his thigh against her pussy loving the way that her mouth dropped open and a moan left her lips, "If we are thinking the same thing then I assume that you don't have a problem with me doing this?"

She bent her knees a little further to get more pressure on the place she needed it the most, "No problem at all." Allowing her boyfriend's leg to tease her she pressed her lips against his and melted in to his touch and his kisses.

Lost in her boyfriend's touch she was quickly getting hotter and was more desperate for his touch. The room was silent apart from their moans until suddenly the sound of her cell phone ringing broke through the silence drawing her attention briefly away from her boyfriend.

The moan that left Paul's lips when she pulled away was one of frustration but he still felt guilty for allowing his frustration to show, "If you need to get that you should."

"Paul . . ." She didn't want to get the call but she did want to know who it was. Shooting him an apologetic look she looked at the screen and frowned, what the hell was Emily doing calling her so early on a Saturday morning?

He could see the tension in her face and the way that she was torn between the two. "So who is it?"

"Emily. I want to know what she wants, I also want you."

He didn't plan on going anywhere so collapsed back on to the bed, "As long as you aren't on the phone for an hour then take it."

By now the phone had stopped ringing but she could call her back, "I love you handsome. I promise that I will make it a really quick call so that I can get back to focussing entirely on you." She fell on to her side on the bed facing her boyfriend as she scrolled through her contacts looking for Emily's number.

"Steph, I just called you."

"No shit Sherlock." Giggling softly she took hold of her boyfriend's hand and played with his fingers, "I just missed your call so thought I would call you back immediately to see what it is that you want."

"I haven't heard from you all week and I wondered if you were coming to Scott's dinner tonight? I have to confirm the numbers with the restaurant."

Fuck, she had completely forgotten about it being Scott's birthday and how Emily had organised that all of them were going to go out to dinner together. "Uh, hang on." Quickly putting the call on mute she had a question to ask of her boyfriend, "It's Scott's birthday dinner tonight, I forgot to confirm with Emily if I was going or not. I don't know what to do."

Scott was one of his best friends and although he didn't know he had moved here it would be a good opportunity for him to tell everybody. "We could both go. I could come with you as a surprise."

"Are you sure you want to reveal to everybody for certain that we are together? I know we kind of hinted at it but nobody knows anything more than that."

"I'm sure if you're sure." He wasn't sure if she was sure, he had to tell people he had moved here though, "Maybe if you're not comfortable outing us to them then I can just come as a friend."

He was too cute for words. "I love you. Be quiet whilst I tell her, I think you'll be an amazing birthday gift for Scott." Once she was satisfied that he was going to be quiet she took the phone off mute, "Sorry about that, I couldn't remember when I was supposed to be having dinner with my family. I am free tonight, I will come. Where is it?"

Emily had been convinced that she was going to say no so she was actually surprised when she said yes, "Awesome, I will text you the details. It is going to be Scott, myself, Sasha and her fiancé and then Sean is apparently going to be bringing his girlfriend also, nobody knows much about her other than they have been together for a few months so it should be interesting. I look forward to seeing you later."

"Bye Ems."

As soon as she ended the call Emily stared at her phone, her friend was acting really strange.

"Everything okay baby?"

"Steph's coming tonight."

Staring at his wife like she had lost her mind he took a seat beside her, "Isn't that why we invited her? I mean because we wanted her to come."

"Well yeah but even when I basically said that everybody else will be coupled up she didn't blink, she had no problem with it at all. I know that she was hanging out with Paul a few weeks ago but neither of them have indicated that things were anything more than just putting the past behind them."

"Maybe putting the past behind them is what she needed to move on and be happy again? Maybe she has started dating again so doesn't even care that she will be a gooseberry to us all. Who really cares though? It will be nice for us all to be together again but it is a shame that Paul still lives in California and can't join us."

"One day we will all hang out together again, I don't know when but it will happen before you die old man."

It wasn't quite his birthday yet so he didn't have that to use as an excuse as to why she should be nice to him but he still shook his head at her, "There is like three months between us, I'm not that much older than you are."

Cuddling up to her husband she wrapped her arms around him, "I'm sorry . . . old man."

Placing her phone back on the bedside table Stephanie rolled over to come face-to-face with her boyfriend again, "So where exactly were we?"

Paul pulled his girlfriend on top of him so that she was straddling his one leg again allowing him to bend his knee to rub against her, "Somewhere right about here but it's okay if the moment has passed."

With her hands braced either side of her boyfriend's body she rocked her hips back and forth against his leg, "I'm definitely still in the moment if you are."

A groan fell from his lips as wetness began to coat his thigh at her movements, "Fuck yes I am." Fisting his hand in her hair he roughly yanked her head down so that he could mesh their lips together in a rough but passionate kiss.

Collapsed on top of her boyfriend's body Stephanie was struggling to breathe and move, all of her limbs felt like jelly. "Well I have been well and truly fucked."

"You say that like it is a bad thing."

She would move to look up at him if she actually had the strength in her limbs to do so. "It isn't a bad thing but I would really like to have the strength to move by lunchtime."

Raising his head he kissed the top of her head and trailed his hand up and down her back in what he hoped was a soothing motion, "I'm sorry baby, I didn't mean to make you so uncomfortable."

"I am not uncomfortable; I just don't have the energy to move an inch. I don't mind not being able to move as you are really comfortable and I enjoy being close to you but by lunchtime I am going to be really hungry."

"You and me both. Before we go to dinner tonight I have to go back to the hotel to change so I don't mind if you kick me out when you are bored of my company and then we meet up at the restaurant tonight."

How could he possibly imply that she would ever be bored of him? She would probably be bored without him as she really was enjoying spending time with him and didn't want them to part but she also didn't want to be a clingy girlfriend and they needed space as they had only just gotten back together and now sorted things out after their first big problem so the last thing that she wanted to do was make him stay. "You could leave after lunch? Unless you want to leave sooner?"

"I really don't Steph, I am enjoying this."

"Good answer." Pressing a kiss to his chest she closed her eyes and held him close.

It was just after seven when Stephanie arrived at the restaurant, she hadn't expected it to take so long to get across town but she managed to get there in the end. As she climbed out of her car she spotted her boyfriend getting out of his, after locking her car she closed the distance between them and pressed a soft kiss to his lips, "You look very nice."

Pulling back from the kiss he took a moment to admire his girlfriend's outfit, she had a beautiful navy dress that came to mid-thigh and had a lace detailing along the hem and around the neckline and she had it paired with a leather jacket and a simple necklace that looked oddly familiar. His hand lifted to raise the necklace to look at it closer which is when he noticed that the necklace was familiar because it was the necklace that he had given her, "I can't believe that you still have this."

"Of course I still have it, I have never taken it off but you just haven't seen it." She wasn't entirely sure why she said all of that but luckily he didn't seem phased.

Hearing her say that she hadn't stopped wearing it made him feel good and he didn't expect it. "I honestly expected you to throw it out so that has surprised me but in the best way possible. Shall we go in and do some more surprising?"

A soft smile adorned her face as she took his hand leading him to the front door where he stayed just outside as she made her way inside. "Hi, I'm here with the party under the name Hall."

"Ah yes, they have been waiting for you, follow me."

As she followed the waiter inside the dining room she was petrified but her fears melted away when she heard a chorus of people calling her name, "Shh, you will disturb everybody."

"Pfft, like I care. We haven't seen you in forever." Sasha just glared back at the waiter who glared at her, "What? We will be quiet now."

Everybody around the table laughed at Sasha's antics as almost everybody took their turn hugging Stephanie and telling her how good it was to see her.

Once she had been hugged by all of her friends Stephanie bit down on her lip, it was now or never. "So before I sit down, I wondered if it was okay if I brought my boyfriend along? He is just outside and doesn't mind if he can't stay, I just decided last minute that maybe tonight was the right time."

Scott, Emily, Sasha and Sean all exchanged confused looks as they had been convinced that there was a chance for Stephanie and Paul to reconcile, they had also never heard her mention a boyfriend before let alone be serious enough about him for them to meet him. "Is that why there is an eighth placing?"

"Yes, I asked them to tentatively set one hoping that you would be okay with this." As she stared at one of her closest friends she tried to work out what she was thinking but couldn't see anything.

Being his birthday celebration Scott decided to be the first one to speak up, "I have no problem with it, unless he is an asshole and then he is out because it is my birthday and I don't want drama."

"I promise he will be on his best behaviour if you all agree." Taking a quick look around the table she took note of all of the nods, "I will be back now." She scurried away from the table as fast as she could; her chest was so tight it felt like she couldn't breathe so she was grateful of the fresh air that hit her face as she stepped outside.

"What did they say?" His girlfriend had gone awfully pale so Paul couldn't help but be concerned about what had happened.

Both of her hands took hold of his tightly, "They have no problem with my boyfriend joining us. Are you ready to do this?"

"I am always ready around you." It was only once he had finished speaking did he realise the double meaning to that but luckily for him his girlfriend hadn't as she began to pull him inside.

It was only a short walk from the entrance to the table; she spotted everyone talking amongst themselves at the table as they waited for her so it allowed them to creep up to the table without being noticed. Stood beside the table she kept a tight grip on her boyfriend's hand, "Everybody I would love you to meet my boyfriend, his name is Paul."

"Paul?" Everybody thought the coincidence of names was funny but that was before they actually turned around, when they did turn around they were so excited to see their best friend that they didn't hear the tuts of disgust from the people around them.

He couldn't help but smile as the girls attacked him with hugs, "Did you miss me?"

Sasha slapped his arm, "How could you not tell us you were visiting for the weekend?"

"Who said I was visiting for the weekend?" Leaving that hanging in the air he moved to shake Sean and Scott's hands, "Happy Birthday man."

Scott had listened to what his friend had said to the girls so as he embraced him he whispered, "Moved here?"

Giving one of his best friends he gave him a knowing smirk but stayed silent and moved to embrace Sean. Once he had embraced everybody he went to sit down but noticed that the people around them were giving him dirty looks he decided to try and smooth things over with them all. "I'm sorry about that. I have been living in California for over six years so nobody expected me to be here tonight." That seemed to soften their mood so now he could sit down and enjoy spending time with his friends, "So what have I missed?"

"What have you missed? I think you mean what have we missed? Last time I checked you were living in California and were single."

"This is your birthday dinner, it isn't about me." Secretly reaching beneath the table he took his girlfriend's hand in his and squeezed it gently.

It felt good to Stephanie to be surrounded by her friends and with her boyfriend, this right here for her was everything and she wouldn't change it. When Paul took hold of her hand squeezing it gently she couldn't help but blush a little and smile softly, he really knew how to make her feel special.

It was Scott's birthday dinner and as it was all about his birthday then he planned to play on it. "Excuse me, birthday boy here. I want to know what is going on so stop trying to wriggle out of it."

"Okay fine. I moved over here about two days ago as we are opening a new office the week after next. I would have told you but it was a very rushed move so it was the last thing on my mind. Mainly I am here for Stephanie, work is just a bonus."

"Awww." All of the women melted whilst the men pretended to gag, "Yuck."

"Enough. We will catch up in the week so can we tonight focus on the birthday boy please?" He just wanted to get the focus off of himself, he was helped by the waiter appearing to take their orders but from that point on they all relaxed and had a nice evening together, their first as a group since before he moved to California in College.