* * * *
"Ed ... Jesus, can't you keep this in your own apartment? I mean, I don't mind you using mine for painting but this is too much. One girl on the couch and one pinned up against the wall? For God's sake, Ed. You have to stop-"
"Hi," Leah said suddenly, cutting him off. Slowly, after kissing the painter tenderly, she unwrapped her legs from Ed's waist and started towards Nick. She held out her hand. "I'm Leah."
Nick stared at her a moment before taking her hand in his and raising it to his lips. "My pleasure, I'm sure."
A smile turned up her mouth. "So am I."
Ed leaned back against the wall, his arms crossed over his delightfully bare chest. "Lord, Nick, you do manage to ruin things, don't you?"
Ashley rose from the couch and sashayed her way over to the forlorn painter. "Don't worry, love, I'm still here."
He grabbed her by the waist, pulling her close. "Good."
She wrapped her arms around his neck and lifted a leg to hook around his hip. His hand slid down her back and under her thigh, his fingers seeming to make every muscle in her body suddenly liquidate. The leg still planted on the ground gave out abruptly. He caught her by the waist, easily lifting her up and wrapping his arms around her so that her feet were a good foot off the ground. "Weak knees," she gasped, wrapping her legs around him.
"No need to worry about that," he whispered back, kissing her chin lightly and carrying her back over to the couch.
Using the technique with which she had had such success before, Ashley lowered her mouth to his ear and began to gently nibble on the sensitive flesh of his earlobe.
He inhaled sharply and dropped onto the cushions, rolling over so that she was now straddling him.
Leah and Nick watched from the doorway of the apartment. A deep frown came across Nick's face and Leah glanced up at him immediately.
"What's wrong?"
"Where does he managed to find women like the two of you?"
Leah grinned. "We found him. And I'm in luck. Ed and a guy like you in the same apartment, go figure."
Nick looked down at her and raised an eyebrow. "A guy like me?"
Leah nodded, inching forward. "A big, strong police officer like yourself ... that's a good kind of guy."
Nick grinned and looked away. "Well, thanks, but you know I'm not a police officer anymore and .... wait a second. How do you know what I do for a living?"
Leah rolled her eyes and put a hand on his arm. "Everyone heard about that awful case with the serial killer." Ed let out a muffled groan from the couch and Leah paused to let him finish before continuing her conversation with Nick.
"We all know about it." She took a step closer so that she was completely invading his personal space and just like all the others, he didn't seem to mind.
"Wait, how old are you?" he asked suddenly.
Leah grinned. "Not twenty three."
Nick paused, then shook his head and smiled. "You're an interesting girl, you know that?"
She shrugged. "I've been told."
A giggle shot through the apartment and Leah rolled her eyes and turned to the two on the couch. "Just remember that he's still mine," she scolded before turning back to Nick. "Now, you must be famished," she began, squeezing his arm tightly. Faking surprise, Leah grabbed his arm again. "Wow ... big muscles."
Nick grinned proudly and nodded. "Thank you... and yes, I am famished. And you must be as well, after your... er," he glanced at the pair on the couch again as a feminine moan pierced the air, "exertions."
She grinned. "Absolutely. I've heard you're quite a cook."
"I try. I hope you have a taste for the out-of-the-ordinary... but then again, you were here for Ed, so..."
An indignant obscenity was hurled towards the handsome former police officer.
He offered his arm to Leah. "Shall I escort you into the kitchen?"
Leah hooked her arm through his. "Absolutely." She glanced towards the couch once again. "Should we allow for the make out bunnies?"
Ashley disentangled her arm from around Ed for long enough to give them the thumbs-up sign.
Leah giggled as Nick rolled his eyes and led her out of the room. He shut the door firmly behind him to block out any... noises.
Ed propped himself up on one elbow and stared at Ashley for a long moment. "Did I make you lose your bet?" he asked finally.
She grinned. "You did, but you know . . . I'm not too upset about that."
Ed smiled back and brushed a strand of her hair off her forehead. "Why's that?"
Ashley shrugged. "The others might have been good looking, but you're good looking and more than willing. You're into this as much as I am."
He cocked his head. "And why wouldn't I be?"
Ashley's response was interrupted as Leah banged back into the room, holding a bottle of wine.
"Wine!" she squealed, pointing at it. "Real wine!"
"It only cost $6.50," Ed drawled.
Leah bounced excitedly. "SO?"
Ashley sat up. "Real wine?"
Leah nodded. "I feel so . . . adult."
Nick appeared behind her. "You are an adult."
"Legally, yes she is," Ashley said. "Mentally ... not quite there yet."
Leah stuck her tongue out in Ashley's direction, then turned back to Nick and handed him the bottle of wine. She grabbed either side of his head and kissed him quickly, then bounced back into the kitchen.
Nick stared woozily at Ed for a few moments before grinning. "I don't know where you found them . . . but I'm so glad you did."
"I told you," Leah called from the kitchen, "WE found HIM."
Nick nodded and followed her again.
Ed grinned at Ashley. "Shall we get back to it, or shall we break for dinner?"
Ashley glanced at her watch. "They just started cooking, I'm sure we have some time left."
His grin widened. "You're absolutely right."
"I usually am." She gave him a quick peck on the lips, but he wrapped his hand around the back of her head and pulled her head down for a longer version.
"Mmm..." she murmured, licking her red and slightly swollen lips. "I'd lose any bet for this."
"Glad you like it," he drawled. "One question, however. Do you two simply go around to whoever you want and... seduce them?"
She bobbed her head up and down. "Basically, yeah."
"Oh." It was a good enough answer for him, and he claimed her mouth again, his hands playing with the hem of her skirt.
Meanwhile, things were heating up in the kitchen, in more ways than one.
Nick dipped a finger in the sauce he was cooking and held it out to Leah for inspection. She took his hand in hers and sucked it clean, pressing a kiss onto the end of his finger with a sultry gaze up at him. "Delicious," she breathed.
Nick raised an eyebrow at the girl before him. She was grinning innocently as if nothing at all had happened, then turned and went back to set the table. Her skirt swished around her knees and Nick glanced appreciatively at her legs.
"Cute skirt," he said.
Leah tossed him a smile over her shoulder. "And I'm so sure that's what you're actually looking at."
He smiled innocently. "Two can play at that game, you know."
Leah turned to look at Nick with wide eyes. "What game?"
Nick crossed the kitchen quickly and backed Leah up until her thighs hit the table. His hands dropped down onto her shoulders, one sliding gently down her spine, his fingers dancing over her skin. Leah shivered and smiled, her hands tracing up the buttons of his shirt and playing with the top button until it came undone.
Her eyes widened further. "Ooops."
Nick chuckled and pressed against her harder and she could feel his chest rise and fall with each breath. His face moved closer to hers and he leaned down to her ear.
"Dinner's gonna burn," he whispered, his breath hot against her face.
Leah closed her eyes and kissed his cheek. "Let it," she answered.
Nick smiled and pressed his mouth against her, feeling her lips beneath him.
"And Ed had you both," he breathed. "Good thing I walked in before he realized how great you were."
Leah smiled. "I'm pretty sure he'll be perfectly happy with Ashley ... trust me, I've been witness to her reducing men to puddles." She kissed him again. "Enough about them..."
Meanwhile, back in the living room ...
"Do you know," Ashley purred into Ed's ear, "that I have reduced men to nothing more than puddles before?"
The whispered fact elicited a throaty groan from his throat. "I don't doubt it," he murmured, pressing his lips against the top of her breastbone. He had pinned her beneath him and was half-lying across her, though careful not to overpower her slim frame with his weight.
She, however, pulled him closer. "I won't break," she whispered.
He paused to cock an eyebrow at her. "Good."
Ashley was suddenly very glad that she was already lying down, or she would have collapsed at the line.
"How are you still single," she gasped.
He shrugged. "Enough talking." To further his point, he slid his tongue into her mouth, stealing her very breath away. She dragged her bare foot up and down his side, trailing down his leg and pressing insistently against him. He was right, enough talking.
Leah had begun to fear that the smoke alarm would go off, if they even had smoke alarms in this time. She couldn't remember. How could she, when she could hardly think with Nick's tongue halfway down her throat. Not that she was complaining, of course... far from it. In fact, she was keeping up with the self-proclaimed chef quite well, if she did say so herself.
Or at least, she was until the kitchen door opened and Ed and Ashley appeared. "So, this is what you do when you cook, Nick," said Ed with a half-grin. "No wonder your food tastes the way it does."
Leah broke away to stare breathlessly at the two in the doorway. Ed looked a little breathless himself and she grinned at Ashley, giving her a thumbs up.
"You might as well scream 'high five!'," Nick said, smiling at them both.
Leah grinned. "Don't tempt me."
"Is the food ready?" Ashley asked.
Nick stared at her. "Isn't it obvious that we were a little ... sidetracked with other things?"
Ashley sighed and pushed Nick and Leah away from the kitchen table. "Leave. Ed and I will cook."
Nick crossed his arms from where he stood behind Leah. "Do you even know how long to boil a stuffed onion in chicken broth? Or how to fry the cow stomach in goat's milk?"
Ashley made a face. "Nope, but I'm sure I'll learn pretty quickly."
Nick paused, then shrugged. "Okay." His head dipped to Leah's shoulder and nibbled her gently. She giggled and swatted at him gently as he moved to sweep her off her feet ... literally. Nick picked Leah up in her arms and she giggled again.
"Isn't he gallant?" she asked, wrapping her arms around his neck. They disappeared down the hall, leaving Ashley and Ed alone in the kitchen.
Ashley stared at the goat's milk. "Me... cooking?"
Ed looked at her. "I thought you said you'd manage?" he asked.
Ashley handed him a spoon. "You do it," she said.
He raised an eyebrow at her. "What, do you think I only come here for the light? I can't cook!"
Ashley reached behind her to turn off the stove. "Well then, that leaves us with only two options."
"And they are?"
"Order pizza and..." she crossed the distance between them in a step and kissed him again. She couldn't seem to get enough of his soft lips.
He pulled back momentarily. "An excellent plan."
"Thank you." He wrapped an arm around her waist, crushing her against him as he showered kisses on her.
Absently, she reached for the phone and dialed. She wasn't exactly sure how she'd manage once the pizzeria answered, as her mouth was otherwise engaged, but she'd think of something.
Approximately forty minutes later, Nick heard his doorbell ring and reluctantly parted from Leah. She growled against his throat, then flipped on the light in the darkened bedroom and stood, straightening her skirt.
"I wonder what Ash and Ed have been up to?" she asked, grinning wickedly.
"I wonder who's at my door now?" Nick murmured, throwing his shirt over his shoulders and walking down the hall to the front door. Leah followed him, brushing her hair out with her fingers. Ashley came out of the kitchen at the same time and they grinned at each other. Ed followed Ashley a second later, stumbling unsteadily around the living room.
Nick opened the door to reveal a pizza guy standing there, his hand raised to ring the bell again.
He was greeted to the sight of four very dishevelled looking people and both his eyebrows raised.
"You ordered pizza?" he asked uncertainly.
Ashley nodded. "We did. Who has money?"
Everyone's eyes turned to Nick and he sighed before digging around in the closet for his wallet.
"Every time," he mumbled as he paid the pizza guy.
Ashley grabbed the pizzas and took them into the kitchen where Nick's earlier concoctions had all been disposed of.
Ashley tossed the pizza on the table. "Dig in, guys!" Ed took a seat and Ashley promptly settled down onto his lap, primly crossing her legs as he wrapped an arm around her waist. He picked up a slice of pizza and offered it to her. "Thanks, love." He took a bite after she did, chewing thoughtfully.
Ashley grinned over at Leah, who was the mirror image of herself. They'd somehow managed to snag two guys at once, which meant they weren't competing... definitely a first... and most likely a last. Not that she minded... it was great fun to drive men crazy between the two of them.
Obviously.
She kissed Ed's forehead. "Good?"
"Very. I don't get normal food much around here..."
Nick might have had a comeback, but Leah abruptly silenced him with a deep kiss that nearly made Nick choke on his bite of pizza.
Ashley chuckled and continued to chow down on the pizza they had ordered. It was very good pizza indeed . . . .
"Good pizza," Leah said a moment later, voicing everyone's thoughts.
Ashley nodded, then leaned away, watching at Nick and Ed kept eating and eating and eating. Leah poured two glasses of wine and handed them to the men, then watched with satisfaction as they downed them immediately.
"Pretty good for six bucks," Ed murmured, then held out his glass for another. Leah smiled and poured him more wine and watched as the alcohol began to take effect.
An hour later, Ed and Nick were both sufficiently drunk, both waving their wine glasses around and book looking like they were about to fall asleep at the kitchen table.
"So I tol' him no WAY!" Nick said loudly, recounting the story of how he told off his brother Frank ... countless times. "And he said 'lissen Nick, if you don do this, you're gonna regret it' and I tol' him to go-"
Leah cut off his potentially offensive statement with a quick kiss. Nick grinned and stroked her face, kissing her again.
"Thas nothin'," Ed blurted out. "This one time while I was painting this model, she walked right over to me an' said 'You're handsome, y'know that?' and I said, 'Shhh, I'm paintin' . . . then she started to take off her clothes - which is when I started paintin' nudes - and then I-"
Ashley took a similar route to cutting off Ed's story and planted a soft kiss on his chest, then on his lips.
"Wow," he murmured, eyelids fluttering and threatening to shut.
He reached for the bottle of wine once again, but Ashley swatted his hand away. Any more and he wouldn't make it past the kitchen door. "I believe that's enough for now, love."
She stood, taking his hand to lead him rather unsteadily out into the living room again. She winked over her shoulder at Leah, who grinned back at her.
After glancing at the couch, she shook her head. "I think we deserve a bed, don't you?"
"Ssssure, dahlin'." His eyes surveyed her, drunken with a potent combination of lust and wine. She led him down the hall into Nick's bedroom and pushed him gently towards the bed.
It didn't take much for him to sink down onto the mattress. She surveyed him thoughtfully. Light tricked in from the window, casting beams of soft sunlight on his half-naked form. She smiled. She'd hate to leave him.
He reached out for her. "Come're."
She obeyed, crawling on top of him and raining kisses down all over his body. "Promise me something," she whispered, her hot breath tickling his ear.
"Anythin'." His hands caressed the expanse of her legs, more of her skin revealed by the way she was straddling him.
"Don't forget me."
He yawned widely, showing his cutely crooked bottom row of teeth. "How could I? Honestly, Ashley..." Another yawn cut him off.
She slid off of him and curled up beside him, resting her blonde head against his chest as his breaths became gradually slower until they became soft snores.
Leah was absentmindedly stroking Nick's hair, running strands of it through her fingers as he continually yawned and told her random stories about being a fireman or a police officer.
"That's nice," she murmured softly, kissing his forehead. "I wish I could just sit here and listen forever."
Nick glanced up at her. "You could."
Instead of answering his unspoken question, Leah adjusted her position so that she was straddling Nick on the chair. A drunk grin lit up his face and he reached for her waist, snuggling against her. She smiled and let him hold her, enjoying the feeling of his breath on her throat. She broke away from him a moment later and kissed his forehead, his nose and his mouth.
"Did you have fun tonight?" she asked, suddenly looking very serious.
"More than I've had in a very long time," Nick answered, just as seriously.
Leah's mouth found his again and she kissed him slowly and sweetly before climbing off his lap and moving around him.
"Rest your head on the table babe," she said softly and began to gently rub his shoulders.
"Mmmm," Nick murmured, burying his face in his arms on the table. "That's feels nice."
Moments later he was fast asleep, his breathing light and soft.
Leah leaned down and kissed his cheek a final time, then left the kitchen.
She wandered slowly down the hall after noting that Ed and Ashley were not in the living room. Providing that they hadn't run off to get married somewhere, there was only one other place they could be. She paused outside the bedroom, listening for a moment before softly opening the door.
Her friend lay quietly snuggled in the painter's arms, her fingers tracing light patterns over his smooth skin.
"Ash?" she called softly. She glanced up. "Nick's asleep."
"So's he.... like a baby. The wine did the trick."
Leah nodded with a smile. "Time to go."
Reluctantly, Ashley slid off the bed, careful not to disturb her lover. Before she left, however, she bent and whispered something in his ear before pressing a gentle kiss to his parted lips. Then she followed Leah out of the room.
Once they were out in the hall, Leah squeezed her friend's hand. "What did you tell him?"
"I said, 'It wasn't a dream.'"
Leah smiled, then hugged Ashley quickly. They headed down the hallway together.
Before descending the stairs, she poked Ashley.
"What was that for?!"
"You owe me twenty bucks!"
A smile flashed across the girl's face before she took off running down the stairs. "Not if you don't catch me!"
Nick woke up the next morning and groggily rose from the kitchen table, rolling his shoulders to woke out the crick in his neck from sleeping hunched over. He stepped into his living room to find Ed painting already, the sunlight filtering onto the easel.
"What's that?" he asked.
Ed smiled gently and turned the easel toward him. Leah and Ashley smiled out at them.
Just so we remember that it wasn't a dream."
"So, does this mean you're done with nudes?" Nick asked.
Ed grinned. "Who're you kidding?"
The End
Notes: This one is *much* sappier than our other two but honestly ... who would want to leave?
"Ed ... Jesus, can't you keep this in your own apartment? I mean, I don't mind you using mine for painting but this is too much. One girl on the couch and one pinned up against the wall? For God's sake, Ed. You have to stop-"
"Hi," Leah said suddenly, cutting him off. Slowly, after kissing the painter tenderly, she unwrapped her legs from Ed's waist and started towards Nick. She held out her hand. "I'm Leah."
Nick stared at her a moment before taking her hand in his and raising it to his lips. "My pleasure, I'm sure."
A smile turned up her mouth. "So am I."
Ed leaned back against the wall, his arms crossed over his delightfully bare chest. "Lord, Nick, you do manage to ruin things, don't you?"
Ashley rose from the couch and sashayed her way over to the forlorn painter. "Don't worry, love, I'm still here."
He grabbed her by the waist, pulling her close. "Good."
She wrapped her arms around his neck and lifted a leg to hook around his hip. His hand slid down her back and under her thigh, his fingers seeming to make every muscle in her body suddenly liquidate. The leg still planted on the ground gave out abruptly. He caught her by the waist, easily lifting her up and wrapping his arms around her so that her feet were a good foot off the ground. "Weak knees," she gasped, wrapping her legs around him.
"No need to worry about that," he whispered back, kissing her chin lightly and carrying her back over to the couch.
Using the technique with which she had had such success before, Ashley lowered her mouth to his ear and began to gently nibble on the sensitive flesh of his earlobe.
He inhaled sharply and dropped onto the cushions, rolling over so that she was now straddling him.
Leah and Nick watched from the doorway of the apartment. A deep frown came across Nick's face and Leah glanced up at him immediately.
"What's wrong?"
"Where does he managed to find women like the two of you?"
Leah grinned. "We found him. And I'm in luck. Ed and a guy like you in the same apartment, go figure."
Nick looked down at her and raised an eyebrow. "A guy like me?"
Leah nodded, inching forward. "A big, strong police officer like yourself ... that's a good kind of guy."
Nick grinned and looked away. "Well, thanks, but you know I'm not a police officer anymore and .... wait a second. How do you know what I do for a living?"
Leah rolled her eyes and put a hand on his arm. "Everyone heard about that awful case with the serial killer." Ed let out a muffled groan from the couch and Leah paused to let him finish before continuing her conversation with Nick.
"We all know about it." She took a step closer so that she was completely invading his personal space and just like all the others, he didn't seem to mind.
"Wait, how old are you?" he asked suddenly.
Leah grinned. "Not twenty three."
Nick paused, then shook his head and smiled. "You're an interesting girl, you know that?"
She shrugged. "I've been told."
A giggle shot through the apartment and Leah rolled her eyes and turned to the two on the couch. "Just remember that he's still mine," she scolded before turning back to Nick. "Now, you must be famished," she began, squeezing his arm tightly. Faking surprise, Leah grabbed his arm again. "Wow ... big muscles."
Nick grinned proudly and nodded. "Thank you... and yes, I am famished. And you must be as well, after your... er," he glanced at the pair on the couch again as a feminine moan pierced the air, "exertions."
She grinned. "Absolutely. I've heard you're quite a cook."
"I try. I hope you have a taste for the out-of-the-ordinary... but then again, you were here for Ed, so..."
An indignant obscenity was hurled towards the handsome former police officer.
He offered his arm to Leah. "Shall I escort you into the kitchen?"
Leah hooked her arm through his. "Absolutely." She glanced towards the couch once again. "Should we allow for the make out bunnies?"
Ashley disentangled her arm from around Ed for long enough to give them the thumbs-up sign.
Leah giggled as Nick rolled his eyes and led her out of the room. He shut the door firmly behind him to block out any... noises.
Ed propped himself up on one elbow and stared at Ashley for a long moment. "Did I make you lose your bet?" he asked finally.
She grinned. "You did, but you know . . . I'm not too upset about that."
Ed smiled back and brushed a strand of her hair off her forehead. "Why's that?"
Ashley shrugged. "The others might have been good looking, but you're good looking and more than willing. You're into this as much as I am."
He cocked his head. "And why wouldn't I be?"
Ashley's response was interrupted as Leah banged back into the room, holding a bottle of wine.
"Wine!" she squealed, pointing at it. "Real wine!"
"It only cost $6.50," Ed drawled.
Leah bounced excitedly. "SO?"
Ashley sat up. "Real wine?"
Leah nodded. "I feel so . . . adult."
Nick appeared behind her. "You are an adult."
"Legally, yes she is," Ashley said. "Mentally ... not quite there yet."
Leah stuck her tongue out in Ashley's direction, then turned back to Nick and handed him the bottle of wine. She grabbed either side of his head and kissed him quickly, then bounced back into the kitchen.
Nick stared woozily at Ed for a few moments before grinning. "I don't know where you found them . . . but I'm so glad you did."
"I told you," Leah called from the kitchen, "WE found HIM."
Nick nodded and followed her again.
Ed grinned at Ashley. "Shall we get back to it, or shall we break for dinner?"
Ashley glanced at her watch. "They just started cooking, I'm sure we have some time left."
His grin widened. "You're absolutely right."
"I usually am." She gave him a quick peck on the lips, but he wrapped his hand around the back of her head and pulled her head down for a longer version.
"Mmm..." she murmured, licking her red and slightly swollen lips. "I'd lose any bet for this."
"Glad you like it," he drawled. "One question, however. Do you two simply go around to whoever you want and... seduce them?"
She bobbed her head up and down. "Basically, yeah."
"Oh." It was a good enough answer for him, and he claimed her mouth again, his hands playing with the hem of her skirt.
Meanwhile, things were heating up in the kitchen, in more ways than one.
Nick dipped a finger in the sauce he was cooking and held it out to Leah for inspection. She took his hand in hers and sucked it clean, pressing a kiss onto the end of his finger with a sultry gaze up at him. "Delicious," she breathed.
Nick raised an eyebrow at the girl before him. She was grinning innocently as if nothing at all had happened, then turned and went back to set the table. Her skirt swished around her knees and Nick glanced appreciatively at her legs.
"Cute skirt," he said.
Leah tossed him a smile over her shoulder. "And I'm so sure that's what you're actually looking at."
He smiled innocently. "Two can play at that game, you know."
Leah turned to look at Nick with wide eyes. "What game?"
Nick crossed the kitchen quickly and backed Leah up until her thighs hit the table. His hands dropped down onto her shoulders, one sliding gently down her spine, his fingers dancing over her skin. Leah shivered and smiled, her hands tracing up the buttons of his shirt and playing with the top button until it came undone.
Her eyes widened further. "Ooops."
Nick chuckled and pressed against her harder and she could feel his chest rise and fall with each breath. His face moved closer to hers and he leaned down to her ear.
"Dinner's gonna burn," he whispered, his breath hot against her face.
Leah closed her eyes and kissed his cheek. "Let it," she answered.
Nick smiled and pressed his mouth against her, feeling her lips beneath him.
"And Ed had you both," he breathed. "Good thing I walked in before he realized how great you were."
Leah smiled. "I'm pretty sure he'll be perfectly happy with Ashley ... trust me, I've been witness to her reducing men to puddles." She kissed him again. "Enough about them..."
Meanwhile, back in the living room ...
"Do you know," Ashley purred into Ed's ear, "that I have reduced men to nothing more than puddles before?"
The whispered fact elicited a throaty groan from his throat. "I don't doubt it," he murmured, pressing his lips against the top of her breastbone. He had pinned her beneath him and was half-lying across her, though careful not to overpower her slim frame with his weight.
She, however, pulled him closer. "I won't break," she whispered.
He paused to cock an eyebrow at her. "Good."
Ashley was suddenly very glad that she was already lying down, or she would have collapsed at the line.
"How are you still single," she gasped.
He shrugged. "Enough talking." To further his point, he slid his tongue into her mouth, stealing her very breath away. She dragged her bare foot up and down his side, trailing down his leg and pressing insistently against him. He was right, enough talking.
Leah had begun to fear that the smoke alarm would go off, if they even had smoke alarms in this time. She couldn't remember. How could she, when she could hardly think with Nick's tongue halfway down her throat. Not that she was complaining, of course... far from it. In fact, she was keeping up with the self-proclaimed chef quite well, if she did say so herself.
Or at least, she was until the kitchen door opened and Ed and Ashley appeared. "So, this is what you do when you cook, Nick," said Ed with a half-grin. "No wonder your food tastes the way it does."
Leah broke away to stare breathlessly at the two in the doorway. Ed looked a little breathless himself and she grinned at Ashley, giving her a thumbs up.
"You might as well scream 'high five!'," Nick said, smiling at them both.
Leah grinned. "Don't tempt me."
"Is the food ready?" Ashley asked.
Nick stared at her. "Isn't it obvious that we were a little ... sidetracked with other things?"
Ashley sighed and pushed Nick and Leah away from the kitchen table. "Leave. Ed and I will cook."
Nick crossed his arms from where he stood behind Leah. "Do you even know how long to boil a stuffed onion in chicken broth? Or how to fry the cow stomach in goat's milk?"
Ashley made a face. "Nope, but I'm sure I'll learn pretty quickly."
Nick paused, then shrugged. "Okay." His head dipped to Leah's shoulder and nibbled her gently. She giggled and swatted at him gently as he moved to sweep her off her feet ... literally. Nick picked Leah up in her arms and she giggled again.
"Isn't he gallant?" she asked, wrapping her arms around his neck. They disappeared down the hall, leaving Ashley and Ed alone in the kitchen.
Ashley stared at the goat's milk. "Me... cooking?"
Ed looked at her. "I thought you said you'd manage?" he asked.
Ashley handed him a spoon. "You do it," she said.
He raised an eyebrow at her. "What, do you think I only come here for the light? I can't cook!"
Ashley reached behind her to turn off the stove. "Well then, that leaves us with only two options."
"And they are?"
"Order pizza and..." she crossed the distance between them in a step and kissed him again. She couldn't seem to get enough of his soft lips.
He pulled back momentarily. "An excellent plan."
"Thank you." He wrapped an arm around her waist, crushing her against him as he showered kisses on her.
Absently, she reached for the phone and dialed. She wasn't exactly sure how she'd manage once the pizzeria answered, as her mouth was otherwise engaged, but she'd think of something.
Approximately forty minutes later, Nick heard his doorbell ring and reluctantly parted from Leah. She growled against his throat, then flipped on the light in the darkened bedroom and stood, straightening her skirt.
"I wonder what Ash and Ed have been up to?" she asked, grinning wickedly.
"I wonder who's at my door now?" Nick murmured, throwing his shirt over his shoulders and walking down the hall to the front door. Leah followed him, brushing her hair out with her fingers. Ashley came out of the kitchen at the same time and they grinned at each other. Ed followed Ashley a second later, stumbling unsteadily around the living room.
Nick opened the door to reveal a pizza guy standing there, his hand raised to ring the bell again.
He was greeted to the sight of four very dishevelled looking people and both his eyebrows raised.
"You ordered pizza?" he asked uncertainly.
Ashley nodded. "We did. Who has money?"
Everyone's eyes turned to Nick and he sighed before digging around in the closet for his wallet.
"Every time," he mumbled as he paid the pizza guy.
Ashley grabbed the pizzas and took them into the kitchen where Nick's earlier concoctions had all been disposed of.
Ashley tossed the pizza on the table. "Dig in, guys!" Ed took a seat and Ashley promptly settled down onto his lap, primly crossing her legs as he wrapped an arm around her waist. He picked up a slice of pizza and offered it to her. "Thanks, love." He took a bite after she did, chewing thoughtfully.
Ashley grinned over at Leah, who was the mirror image of herself. They'd somehow managed to snag two guys at once, which meant they weren't competing... definitely a first... and most likely a last. Not that she minded... it was great fun to drive men crazy between the two of them.
Obviously.
She kissed Ed's forehead. "Good?"
"Very. I don't get normal food much around here..."
Nick might have had a comeback, but Leah abruptly silenced him with a deep kiss that nearly made Nick choke on his bite of pizza.
Ashley chuckled and continued to chow down on the pizza they had ordered. It was very good pizza indeed . . . .
"Good pizza," Leah said a moment later, voicing everyone's thoughts.
Ashley nodded, then leaned away, watching at Nick and Ed kept eating and eating and eating. Leah poured two glasses of wine and handed them to the men, then watched with satisfaction as they downed them immediately.
"Pretty good for six bucks," Ed murmured, then held out his glass for another. Leah smiled and poured him more wine and watched as the alcohol began to take effect.
An hour later, Ed and Nick were both sufficiently drunk, both waving their wine glasses around and book looking like they were about to fall asleep at the kitchen table.
"So I tol' him no WAY!" Nick said loudly, recounting the story of how he told off his brother Frank ... countless times. "And he said 'lissen Nick, if you don do this, you're gonna regret it' and I tol' him to go-"
Leah cut off his potentially offensive statement with a quick kiss. Nick grinned and stroked her face, kissing her again.
"Thas nothin'," Ed blurted out. "This one time while I was painting this model, she walked right over to me an' said 'You're handsome, y'know that?' and I said, 'Shhh, I'm paintin' . . . then she started to take off her clothes - which is when I started paintin' nudes - and then I-"
Ashley took a similar route to cutting off Ed's story and planted a soft kiss on his chest, then on his lips.
"Wow," he murmured, eyelids fluttering and threatening to shut.
He reached for the bottle of wine once again, but Ashley swatted his hand away. Any more and he wouldn't make it past the kitchen door. "I believe that's enough for now, love."
She stood, taking his hand to lead him rather unsteadily out into the living room again. She winked over her shoulder at Leah, who grinned back at her.
After glancing at the couch, she shook her head. "I think we deserve a bed, don't you?"
"Ssssure, dahlin'." His eyes surveyed her, drunken with a potent combination of lust and wine. She led him down the hall into Nick's bedroom and pushed him gently towards the bed.
It didn't take much for him to sink down onto the mattress. She surveyed him thoughtfully. Light tricked in from the window, casting beams of soft sunlight on his half-naked form. She smiled. She'd hate to leave him.
He reached out for her. "Come're."
She obeyed, crawling on top of him and raining kisses down all over his body. "Promise me something," she whispered, her hot breath tickling his ear.
"Anythin'." His hands caressed the expanse of her legs, more of her skin revealed by the way she was straddling him.
"Don't forget me."
He yawned widely, showing his cutely crooked bottom row of teeth. "How could I? Honestly, Ashley..." Another yawn cut him off.
She slid off of him and curled up beside him, resting her blonde head against his chest as his breaths became gradually slower until they became soft snores.
Leah was absentmindedly stroking Nick's hair, running strands of it through her fingers as he continually yawned and told her random stories about being a fireman or a police officer.
"That's nice," she murmured softly, kissing his forehead. "I wish I could just sit here and listen forever."
Nick glanced up at her. "You could."
Instead of answering his unspoken question, Leah adjusted her position so that she was straddling Nick on the chair. A drunk grin lit up his face and he reached for her waist, snuggling against her. She smiled and let him hold her, enjoying the feeling of his breath on her throat. She broke away from him a moment later and kissed his forehead, his nose and his mouth.
"Did you have fun tonight?" she asked, suddenly looking very serious.
"More than I've had in a very long time," Nick answered, just as seriously.
Leah's mouth found his again and she kissed him slowly and sweetly before climbing off his lap and moving around him.
"Rest your head on the table babe," she said softly and began to gently rub his shoulders.
"Mmmm," Nick murmured, burying his face in his arms on the table. "That's feels nice."
Moments later he was fast asleep, his breathing light and soft.
Leah leaned down and kissed his cheek a final time, then left the kitchen.
She wandered slowly down the hall after noting that Ed and Ashley were not in the living room. Providing that they hadn't run off to get married somewhere, there was only one other place they could be. She paused outside the bedroom, listening for a moment before softly opening the door.
Her friend lay quietly snuggled in the painter's arms, her fingers tracing light patterns over his smooth skin.
"Ash?" she called softly. She glanced up. "Nick's asleep."
"So's he.... like a baby. The wine did the trick."
Leah nodded with a smile. "Time to go."
Reluctantly, Ashley slid off the bed, careful not to disturb her lover. Before she left, however, she bent and whispered something in his ear before pressing a gentle kiss to his parted lips. Then she followed Leah out of the room.
Once they were out in the hall, Leah squeezed her friend's hand. "What did you tell him?"
"I said, 'It wasn't a dream.'"
Leah smiled, then hugged Ashley quickly. They headed down the hallway together.
Before descending the stairs, she poked Ashley.
"What was that for?!"
"You owe me twenty bucks!"
A smile flashed across the girl's face before she took off running down the stairs. "Not if you don't catch me!"
Nick woke up the next morning and groggily rose from the kitchen table, rolling his shoulders to woke out the crick in his neck from sleeping hunched over. He stepped into his living room to find Ed painting already, the sunlight filtering onto the easel.
"What's that?" he asked.
Ed smiled gently and turned the easel toward him. Leah and Ashley smiled out at them.
Just so we remember that it wasn't a dream."
"So, does this mean you're done with nudes?" Nick asked.
Ed grinned. "Who're you kidding?"
The End
Notes: This one is *much* sappier than our other two but honestly ... who would want to leave?
