Author's Note: My apologies for the long wait. As I said, I was moving and starting school back up. In addition, I had some personal stuff happen to me that really had my spiraling for a while. Anyone who follows me on Tumblr knows I've been on a small hiatus there as of late. But good news is I'm back and ready to go!

Felicity's outfit can be found on my Polyvore page.

Enjoy :)

….

Chapter 17: Treat Me Like I'm Strong, You Know I Am

Something soft and warm traces a path down his spine, leaving a pleasant tingling sensation in its wake. It's an inconsistent path, not quite following the column of his vertebrae, with untimed pauses in between contact. For some reason the presence doesn't startle Oliver or even put him on alert. Instead it comforts, lulls him into a hazy state between sleep and waking, blanketing him in an unfamiliar sense of security.

As the minutes pass the pressure becomes more insistent. The original, lone point of contact has become three that trace twists and turns along his muscled back without any seeming rhyme or reason. Oliver soaks it all in, humming lightly when the warmth reaches a particular sweet spot on the side of his ribcage.

"Good morning, sleepyhead."

The voice is soft, quiet as if she could somehow burst this moment of serenity with any higher decibel. She should know that hers is the sweetest song he's ever had the pleasure of hearing.

"Good morning, Felicity."

His voice is rough with sleep stuck in the back of his throat. His eyes remain shut even as the rest of his body begins to stir, begins to register the light press of Felicity's curves, her stomach and her breasts, against his naked back. It sends a thrill through him as images from the night before play through Oliver's mind like an old time movie, pausing on one frame and then flickering to the next, taking time to appreciate the way she felt and sounded and moved beneath him. The memory of his name falling from her lips as she flew apart in his arms causes his body to stir.

Felicity, he belatedly realizes, has been placing tender kisses along his back and is now gently tracing over his shoulder blade with her fingertips. They follow the gentle slopes of the ink dragon that resides there, sending shivers through him when she reaches the swirling horns that curl into his back. Felicity must notice his reaction because she does it again, this time with her mouth. He shudders at the sensation, tightly fisting the pillow beneath his head.

With one final kiss to the center of his spine, Felicity lays herself completely on top of him, legs straddling Oliver's lower back while her arms slide beneath him to wrap around his chest. She snuggles further into his back, releasing a contented sigh against his neck.

Oliver waits until their breaths synchronize and silence covers them to speak, savoring the moment before he breaks it.

"Shado had the same one. The tattoo. I got it to honor her as soon as I returned to the States, before I even came home."

He doesn't tell her that initially it had been a sort of penance, his cross to bear as a reminder for the things he's done. He doesn't tell her because that's not what it feels like anymore.

"It's beautiful. Intimidating, strong, complex…"

Felicity trails off as her fingers travel over the ink again.

"Like Shado."

"Like you."

Another brush of her lips over his skin.

The quietness of this moment, the absence of the guilt that usually drowns Oliver at the mere mention of his fallen comrade reassures him that telling her wasn't a mistake. It was the furthest thing from that.

"Mine is for my father. I had it done on the tenth anniversary of his passing away. The arrowhead symbolizes strength and the arrow itself perseverance. My dad always encouraged me to go after what I wanted, shoot straight and fight the good fight with a smile on my face. So when he passed away I needed something to remind me of that. It was a necklace for awhile, some cheap piece I found in a consignment store that my mom hated, but I wanted something more permanent so…"

He sometimes forgets that he's not the only one who's felt the pain of losing a loved one to the battles of war.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring it up."

"It's okay. I don't mind talking about him so much anymore."

Oliver shifts from beneath Felicity, reaching up an arm to pull her down off his back as he rolls to the side. It's a swift motion that she clearly was not expecting if her small exclamation of surprise is anything to go by. He pauses in his move to wrap an arm around her waist when his actions cause her to wince.

"What's wrong? I didn't hurt you did I?"

Concern quickly clouds his face as Oliver checks Felicity over for any visible sign of injury.

"No. No, I'm fine. Just sore is all. That's not your fault. I mean it is sort of; however, that would have happened with anyone with it being my first time and whatnot. Well, you're a bit larger than average but you can't help what you were born with. Not that I'm complaining because last night was incredible and wow please feel free to stop me at anytime."

Leaning forward, Oliver presses a tender kiss to her lips, relishing the way Felicity melts into it before parting from her to lovingly brush his lips against her forehead.

"Why don't you go hop in the shower? The warm water will help with the ache."

Tracing a finger over the ridges of his abdomen, Felicity smiles coyly up at Oliver.

"Will you be joining me?"

He shivers beneath her wandering hand, just skimming Oliver's body in a way that makes the hairs on his arms stand up and sends an electric current humming through his system. Felicity's hand slides lower still and he just has enough time to grab her wrist as the tips of her fingers brush the cropping of soft hairs below his waistband.

"I thought you said you were sore."

"I am. But you're not."

The words are whispered against his neck as Felicity leans in to place a slow, openmouthed kiss over Oliver's pulse point. A sharp hiss of air makes its way through his teeth and his grip on her wrist tightens. As she kisses a path from his neck down his chest, Oliver attempts to remind himself of why it's not okay to simply grab Felicity by the waist and push himself into her. It would be so easy, just to let her slide her hand inside and free him from his confines, to grasp at her tiny hips and lower her slowly, slowly onto his length.

So lost in the onslaught of desire, Oliver is taken by surprise when Felicity swirls her tongue over his nipple and takes it into her mouth.

"Felicity!"

"Mhmmmm?"

The vibrations from her hummed response resonate through his body and even though she doesn't stay there for long, the feeling remains with him. Felicity begins to steadily descend the contours of his abdomen, pausing every once and awhile to lave her tongue over a particularly sensitive spot. It takes her licking down Oliver's defined pelvic muscle for him to finally put a stop to it, reaching down to cup Felicity's cheek in his palm and guiding her to look at him.

"As much as I've fantasized about you doing that, your comfort is more important to me."

With a roll of her eyes, Felicity slides back up Oliver's body to kiss him hard on the mouth, leaving them both slightly short of breath.

"You know this whole chivalry thing is great and all, but sooner or later you're going to have to stop treating me like fine china."

Felicity slips away from him and off the bed, groaning at the movement to which Oliver gives her a pointed look.

"Okay, so maybe I underestimated how sore I am. But that still doesn't give you an out. You better be naked and in that shower with me in ten minutes or else."

"Are you threatening me?"

There's a lilt in his voice as Oliver fights to keep the smile from growing on his face. Felicity continues making her way towards the bathroom, pausing to throw a flirtatious smile over her shoulder as she pulls his shirt up and over her head. Immediately, Oliver is captivated by the bare expanse of her back and the curve of her ass, his half hard length twitching at the sight.

"Ten minutes."

Then she disappears behind the bathroom door.

It doesn't take very long for him to scramble off the bed and start following after her. However, the buzzing of his phone draws Oliver's attention before he can reach the bathroom. Quickly rifling through the pockets of his pants, which had been unceremoniously discarded onto the floor last night, he finds the device along with several text alerts.

Is Felicity with you? I came looking for her this morning and she wasn't in her room.

Oliver, is everything okay?

Damn it, Oliver. Answer me or I'm coming over.

The texts were all from Digg, the last one sent nearly fifteen minutes ago. Oliver is quick to respond, thumbs moving dexterously over the touchscreen.

Sorry. Just woke up. She's with me and she's okay.

The sound of the shower water running floats through the open door of the bathroom to his ears and Oliver is about to put his phone away to join Felicity when his screensaver catches his eye.

It's a picture of him, Tommy, and Laurel, taken by one of the photographers at his homecoming bash. They're all smiling and happy to be together, happy to be alive. It's such a contrast to where they're at now that it brings an uncomfortable tightness to his chest. He hasn't heard from Tommy since two nights ago.

The absence of his best friend hits Oliver like a freight train. They may not have seen each other as much these past couple of weeks, but they still talked, grabbed dinner or a drink when they could. To have that connection completely cut off so suddenly is almost sickening. He needs his best friend, now almost more than ever.

Without realizing it, Oliver pulls up Tommy's contact information and presses the call button. The phone rings and rings and rings until the voicemail answers. He hangs up, tries again, this time going straight to voicemail halfway through the second ring.

"Heeellllo. You've reached Tommy Merlyn. I can't get to the phone right now so leave a message and I'll get back to you when I have a minute!"

The beep on the other end of the phone signals the start of the recording but Oliver doesn't say a word. He braces himself, taking a deep breath in before blowing it out slowly and beginning to speak.

"Hey. Tommy. It's, uh, it's Oliver. I'm sure you know that. Listen, I can't keep going on not talking to you. Can we just meet up somewhere to talk? I know you're mad and probably think a whole slew of horrible things about me and my relationship, but please just give me a chance to explain. You're my best friend. I can't lose you, at least not without trying to fix this. Please, call me back."

His thumb hovers over the red 'end' button on the screen for a moment before tapping on it and effectively dropping the call. A shuddering sigh escapes his mouth, chest weighed down by the obvious way his best friend chose to ignore him. They've never really fought like this before and Oliver doesn't know what to do. Sure, they had disagreements in the past, but nothing that couldn't be settled with an apology and a good time.

"Oliver?"

Felicity's voice echoes off the tiles of the shower and through the bathroom, out to the bedroom where Oliver is still staring dejectedly at his phone. He shakes his head to clear his thoughts before answering.

"Coming!"

With one last glance at his background, Oliver clicks the button to lock his phone, the screening fading to black. He drops it down onto the bed before striding toward the bathroom, stripping out of his boxer briefs on his way and with them, for the time being, his worries over his disapproving best friend.

….

A loud knock on the, thankfully closed, bedroom door stirs Oliver and Felicity from their late afternoon nap. After their shower together, one that stayed within the PG-13 zone once they discovered how truly sore Felicity was, the two had fallen into bed together and almost immediately drifted back to sleep. These past few days were long and taxing ones and neither one of them realized how drained they were until the opportunity to sleep presented itself.

Oliver is quicker to respond to the intrusion than Felicity, automatically shifting in bed to place his body in front of hers as his eyes scan their surroundings.

"Sorry to burst your little love bubble over here but something's come up. So make yourselves decent and get out here."

"Oh God…"

Felicity groans beside him and Oliver just catches a glimpse of her heated cheeks before they disappear beneath the covers along with the rest of her. An amused chuckle escapes him as he leans closer to the general location of her head.

"What's the matter?"

"Digg knows."

"Knows that you're here? Yes. I told him so he wouldn't start worrying."

With a huff, Felicity folds the comforter away from her face and gives Oliver a blank stare.

"No, I mean he knows. He knows that you and I did the horizontal mambo last night and basking in the morning after glow. This is so embarrassing. Not that you're embarrassing or that I'm embarrassed we had sex. No, that was great, really great, excellent even. That thing with your hips? A-plus, ten out of ten would recommend. What is embarrassing is that he shows up here less than twenty-four hours after and just knows."

Felicity slides out of bed, feet hitting the carpeted floor with a dull thud, and searches the room for her clothing before her eyes widen in realization.

"And our, well your, clothes are all over the floor! Oh my God!"

Amused affection encompasses Oliver as Felicity buries her face in her hands, cheeks hot with embarrassment. He doesn't use the term adorable often but if there ever were a time to, this would be it.

Pushing himself off the bed, Oliver makes his way over to stand in front of the petite blonde, gently prying her hands from her face so that he can cup both her cheeks in his large palms. For a moment he's overcome by just how small she looks like this, his fingers almost overlapping at the nape of her neck while his thumbs stroke back and forth across the tops of her cheeks. So tiny, so fragile and yet so strong in all the ways that matter most. Remarkable.

"It'll be fine. Digg isn't going to say anything. He respects people's personal business."

Pulling her forward, Oliver revels in the way Felicity moves with him, her hands sliding up his arms to encircle his wrists and steady herself. Their lips are just a whisper away, his nose lightly bumping the glasses she slipped back on after their shower.

"Plus, he knows I'm insanely in love with you."

Oliver closes the distance between them, mouths melding against one another's in a slow kiss that ends up a little more heated than he intended. By the time either one of them pulls away, they're both pressed against each other and panting softly. Oliver opens his eyes first, taking in Felicity's swollen lips and mussed hair, the tantalizing flush that starts at her cheeks and spreads down her neck. The sight causes him to groan.

"I need to go get you your clothes or we're never going to leave this room."

"What if I don't want to?"

Another knock on the door, this one more adamant than the last, prevents him from responding.

"Listen, I'm really not trying to put a damper on your morning of bliss but it can't wait. Karen's legal team called. They want us out there tomorrow."

The words have an effect on them equivalent to a bucket of ice water.

"We'll be out in a minute."

No more than sixty seconds later, Oliver and Felicity, both fully dressed in their own clothing, are situated on the sofa in his living room, Diggle seated in the loveseat beside them. The older man has their full attention as he explains what's happening.

"As both of you know, I've been discussing security matters with Karen's team these past few days in order to ensure that nothing will happen while we're in Central City. Well, they contacted me this morning, about half an hour ago actually, to inform me that they've got it covered and want us there tomorrow afternoon so that the deposition can take place first thing Monday morning."

Silence falls over the room as the information sinks in.

"Tomorrow? That's… okay, yeah, a lot sooner than I thought but the sooner the better I guess. Just get it over with, like ripping off a Band-Aid."

Oliver has to swallow his protest, the words sliding down his throat and leaving behind an acidic taste. After everything that happened last night, all he wants to do is be with Felicity. But like it always does, the world outside has other plans for them. He just wishes that for once, things would stop moving and allow him to breathe and enjoy being happy.

"Oliver? You haven't said anything."

Sighing heavily, Oliver shakes his head to dispel his distressful thoughts, transitioning into an all business mode.

"Sorry. I was just thinking through a few things. We'll pack up our stuff and leave in the morning."

He tries to speak with as much detachment as possible, but his worries and the tension that has set in must be visible because a small, soft hand fits into the palm of his own and squeezes lightly in an offer of comfort.

"We'll leave in the morning then."

….

"Hi. We have a reservation under the last name Queen, first name Oliver."

The concierge behind the hotel desk gives Oliver a friendly smile before quickly typing the name in the system. A few more mouse clicks and the man starts to read off the screen.

"Here we are. We have you down for two adjoining rooms. One king and two queens, is that right, Mr. Queen?"

"Yes, that' correct."

"Great. I'm just going to need to see the credit card on file and…"

As the man moves through the usual formalities, Oliver takes his time to survey the lobby. It's a nice hotel in Central City, fairly close to the attorney's office they're going to tomorrow morning, and even though it's decently sized the security is tight. The reputation it has for discretion and exclusivity is one of the main reasons why they decided to stay here. Diggle and Felicity stand off to the side with their bags, her brightly colored lipstick-print suitcase contrasting drastically with the boys' black and gray pieces. The pair is engaged in a lighthearted conversation, Digg laughing at something Felicity says as she punctuates it with a wave of her arm.

"Here you go, Mr. Queen. Everything is all set. Enjoy your stay and please don't hesitate to call us here at the front desk if you need anything."

With a polite smile and a thank you Oliver takes the room keys offered to him and walks over to where Felicity and Digg are standing. The blonde genius swivels her head to look at him, ponytail flipping over her shoulder in one fluid motion and causing her golden curls to bounce against the top of her back.

"Everything all set?"

"One king sized bed for you and two queens for me and Diggle."

Oliver hands first her then Digg a small manila envelope with their room keys tucked safely inside. Felicity looks slightly disappointed at the news until he gives her a small wink. It's more than enough explanation.

"Alright, let's head up to our rooms and regroup. Your heart eyes are coming out."

"I am a thirty-year-old member of the Army Reserve. I don't have heart eyes."

Diggle rolls his eyes as he signals for the bellhop, who was politely waiting a few feet to the side, to come help them with the luggage cart as the trio begins to make their way towards the elevators.

"Sure you don't, Oliver."

The conversation ends there as they all board the elevator and make their way up to their rooms on the sixth floor. It doesn't take but ten minutes before the three of them are congregated in Oliver and Digg's room, bags unloaded and the bellhop given a nice tip on his way out. Felicity pulls out her tablet, taps on it in between swiping motions, and then nods her head when she finds whatever she was looking for.

"I compiled a list of evidence we have and explanations as to why we do. Some of it is simplified tech jargon and I may have left out the… not so one hundred percent legal parts but I think it's pretty solid. Take a look."

Turning the tablet around, Felicity slides it across the table they're gathered around for the two men to see. Oliver had been expecting some kind of bullet pointed list of evidence and explanation, but instead he finds a flow chart, indicating what to say and when and in some small side notes how. Some of them are more personal than others and it reminds him of the books he found in the tree house on the Queen property. The memory brings a small smile to his face.

"As you can see, I've left out the part about you two researching Bertinelli and started it with me making the connection between what I heard at dinner and the suspicions the police had. Then some basic details about my mother and Solvate and the personal files she had me copy. I included some of her bank statements that were encrypted but since we share blood and a family name I don't think it will cause any legal problems but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it."

It's a little concerning, the way Felicity is so willing to give herself up in order to bring Bertinelli down, to lessen the blow for her mother. But given what they know now, the only other choice would be to live in fear and guilt, knowing they could have done something but chose not to. Oliver knows what that feels like and he would never wish it upon anyone.

"So that's it then? Present the evidence and then take it from there?"

Diggle sounds a bit more skeptical about the plan, concern evident in his tone.

"Well, no. First, I want to talk to my mother."

If someone were to drop a pin in the room, they would probably be able to hear it hit the floor. Oliver exchanges a cautious glance with Digg before turning back to face Felicity.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm not going to expose a billion dollar embezzlement plot that she was involved in without telling her first. She doesn't have to like my decision but I think she should still know about it before I talk to the lawyers."

"If that's what you want to do…"

"It is."

Her gaze bounces back and forth between the two men, eyes filled with steely resolve that both of them know better than to question.

"Okay. Then Digg and I will be there to offer support."

"They won't let us sit in on the deposition but they will let us sit outside the room to wait for you. The legal office is providing you with their own personal security detail once we get there in the morning to sit in with you and stay with us for the remainder of our time in Central. His name is Rob Teller, checks out just fine with me."

Felicity snatches up her tablet again and taps across the screen a few more times without looking up.

"I'll be the judge of that. Rob is short for Robert, right? And Teller, T-e-l-l-e-r?"

A few more swipes and taps across the tablet and Felicity sets the piece of technology aside, seemingly content with whatever she set up.

"I have a few programs on there that will dig up some information on this guy. I trust you, Digg, I do, but this will give me some peace of mind and distract me a little."

Just as Oliver moves to comfort Felicity, her phone starts vibrating on the wooden table, his sister's picture popping up on the screen. The blonde quickly snatches it up and stands from her chair, hitting the answer button as she quickly addresses Oliver and Diggle.

"I was supposed to call Thea when we got here. She's probably going to have my head on a platter. I need to take this."

Without another word, Felicity turns to walk through the door into her room, pushing it almost shut behind her as she greets Thea on the other end.

Sighing heavily, Oliver sits back in his seat and drags a hand over his face.

"I don't like this. We're putting her in more danger."

His worries, fears are simple but the foundation behind them is far from it. Digg understands that better than almost anyone. Felicity may know what happened, but she wasn't there when it happened. Not like Diggle was.

"Oliver, we're not putting Felicity in any more danger than she already is. This is her choice. She would do this whether or not we agreed to come with her and you know that."

Frustrated, Oliver stands from his seat and crosses the room to the window, looking out over the busy city streets below. Taxi cabs and town cars whirl by, an external mirror of his internal turmoil.

"I know I just… Isn't there some other way to do this?"

"You and I both know this is the best plan we've got."

Oliver's eyes shut tight for a moment at hearing the truth, fists clenched by his sides as he whispers just loud enough for his friend to hear.

"I don't know what I'll do if something happens to her."

A heavy, comforting hand lands on his shoulder and squeezes.

"She's not Shado."

There it is. His greatest fear, that Felicity will some day meet the same fate Shado did and he won't be able to do anything to prevent it. The circumstances are far from being the same as they were overseas, but home has its own dangers.

"I'm going to scope out the hotel and the perimeter. Give you guys some time to… whatever. I'll be back in an hour."

The weight on his shoulder disappears as Digg steps away and gathers a few things before leaving the room, door closing tightly behind him. Felicity's voice can be faintly heard from the other room and Oliver listens in for her tone, gauging if now is a good time to go in or not. She sounds relaxed, if not a little bit tired so he gives her a few minutes on the line before walking over and gently pushing the door open.

Felicity turns her head at the sound of Oliver's entrance and gives him a small smile before indicating for him to join her on the bed.

"Thea, we've been over this. There is absolutely no reason why you need to be here right now. I know you're worried about everything but it's all going to be fine."

She's sitting crisscross in the middle of the bed, pink heels in a pile on the floor and picking absentmindedly at the fleece throw blanket in front of her. Oliver quickly slips off his shoes before climbing in behind her, leaning back against the headboard as not to interrupt her conversation.

"I promise to call you if anything happens… Yeah, I know Moira isn't thrilled about it. I talked to her last night when I came to gather my things. But ultimately it's my decision and since I'm a legal adult now she can't do anything to stop me."

That spikes Oliver's interest. He wasn't aware that Felicity and his mother had talked. Obviously she would have told his family where she was going but whether that conversation was shallow or in depth was all up to Felicity. From the sound of things it was the latter.

"Okay. I love you, too. Bye."

With a soft outbreath, she hangs up and tosses the phone towards the edge of the bed before moving to situate herself between Oliver's slightly parted legs, her back pressed against his front. Automatically his arms move to circle her waist and pull her in tight. Felicity leans back further into his hold, eyes falling shut as she turns her head to nuzzle the place where his neck and shoulder meet. Gentle fingers lightly trace over his forearms, causing small goose bumps to break out cross his skin.

"You talked to my mother?"

Felicity pauses in her ministrations, bright blue eyes opening to look up at him.

"Yeah, I did. She wasn't exactly thrilled that you were coming with me for this but she understands it's about my security more than almost anything else."

"And has… Tommy said anything to you?"

A small wave of sadness passes through her gaze, answering his question without words. Oliver glances away for a moment, looking back out the window of the hotel room.

"I don't want to talk about that right now. As a matter of fact, I don't really want to talk about anything."

Shifting in his lap, Felicity moves to place a kiss over the sensitive spot behind his ear. The action sends a shiver through Oliver as his body begins to switch gears on him. His mind quickly follows suit when Felicity's lips travel a path to his mouth, tongue seeking entrance almost immediately. He groans into her open mouth as she rakes a hand through his hair, nails scratching lightly at his scalp. The enthusiasm with which they taste and tease each other steadily intensifies until Felicity uses the hand she has at the base of Oliver's neck to yank his head back and explore the underside of his jaw.

They should talk. Lord knows they have more than enough topics to go through. But right now their need for each other is greater than their need for spoken communication. And as Felicity licks and sucks and bites at his neck, the rest of the world starts to drift away. His mother, Bertinelli, Tommy… all of it disappears and is replaced by his girl and he knows that's what this is doing for her too.

Deft fingers make fast work of the buttons on his shirt and Oliver is quick to help her remove it completely, along with the t-shirt he has on underneath. As their mouths meet once again, Oliver grabs onto Felicity's waist and hauls her into his lap. His hands move beneath the flowing material of her skirt to grab onto her thighs, blunt fingernails digging into her flesh and causing Felicity to gasp against his throat. She bites down on the skin there in retaliation as her hands hastily move to undo his belt buckle while at the same time Oliver reaches to remove the cardigan from her shoulders. They get caught up for a second as Felicity hastily pulls her arms out of the offending article of clothing but move past it when she leans back in to meld her mouth against Oliver's for a searing kiss.

There's a sort of urgency in the way they move, desperation combining with desire that heightens every sensation. Each pass of her hands or press of her lips against his skin is like a white-hot brand, marking him as hers. It's all teeth and tongues and bruising force but neither of them cares, so consumed with the need for one another, the need to forget everything else.

Their mouths part in a gasp and Felicity wastes no time in kissing a path down his chest, sliding her body further down the bed. This time when she moves to undo his pants and push them down his waist, Oliver doesn't stop her. He does, however, offer her an out.

"You know you don't have to, right?"

"Oliver, you are the only guy I have ever known to attempt talking his girlfriend out of going down on him."

"I just want you to know that there's no pressure on you – Shit!"

The feel of Felicity's tiny hand wrapping around his bare length cuts Oliver off midsentence. Her hold is gentle, a little on the lighter side but still firm enough to send him reeling, sharply sucking in air through his teeth. Already Oliver can feel a coil tightening in his gut as she begins to slide her hand along his shaft, pausing at the tip to swirl her thumb around it before moving back down again. He takes a moment of clarity to observe her face, curious expression in place as she experimentally tightens her fist around him and picks up pace. It's a little bit erratic and missing that something to really get him going, so Oliver reaches down to encompass Felicity's hand in his and help guide her movements. The increased pressure and rhythm cause his eyes to slide shut as a pleasure-filled groan fills the air around them.

"Is this… am I doing it right?"

"Fuck yes."

The words definitely do not escape him in breathy relief. Oliver Queen doesn't do breathy while getting intimate with anyone, ever. But it's not just anyone, it's Felicity. So yeah, maybe there is a little bit of air to his response.

Without warning, Felicity leans down and traces the vein up the side of his shaft with her tongue, from base to tip. Oliver's eyes slam shut against the sensation, head falling back into the plush hotel pillows as his hands fist in the sheets below him. The heat of her breath against his cock cause Oliver to shudder and a strangled groan escapes him when she presses her lips against his tip. He can feel her hesitancy in the way she moves, careful and calculated, taking a moment before each point of contact. It doesn't turn him off in the least, only serving to enamor him further and stoke the flames of desire threatening to consume him.

The second she takes him into her mouth, Oliver nearly loses it. He doesn't hit the back of her throat and she doesn't do anything in particular that would stand out from any other blow job he's ever been on the receiving end of. But the fact that it's Felicity doing this to him has Oliver harder and hotter than he can remember ever being in the past for this sort of thing. And embarrassingly enough, this sort of thing had happened to him a lot, granted at the time it was anything but embarrassing for him.

Pulling himself together, Oliver chances a look down at Felicity. The sight in front of him is enough to make a sinner out of a saint. She's on all fours, forearms pressing into his sinewy thighs and hands gripping at his pronounced hipbones as her head dips slightly to test the waters. From this angle he can just see down the front of her dress, giving him a very good view of her subtle but still present cleavage. Her brightly painted lips wrapped around his cock is one of the most erotic things he's ever seen and when Felicity glance up from him behind her thick framed glasses, loose pieces of hair falling in front of her face, Oliver can't help but growl out a curse.

Felicity hums around him as she surges forward to take him further into her mouth before sliding back to the tip then repeating the motion again. As she starts to find a comfortable rhythm, Oliver can't resist reaching a hand out to cradle her head and thread his fingers through her hair. When there's no protest from her, he begins to gently urge her on while attempting to control the longing to press forward until he reaches the back of her throat.

"Fuck, baby. That's so good."

In response, Felicity takes him deeper, hollowing out her cheeks as she goes. Oliver groans loudly and uses his hand to steady her as he rocks just a little bit into her mouth. Then, in a move that surprises even him, Felicity swirls her tongue around the head of his erection and moves a hand to cup his balls. It's nearly his undoing.

"Shit! 'Licity!"

He's helpless to resist thrusting in between her bright pink, full lips. For her part Felicity only startles slightly at the motion before continuing her ministrations. The obscene sound of her mouth sliding up and down his cock blends with Oliver's panting and wanton moans. Again she hums around him and it almost proves to be too much. Tightening his grip in her hair, Oliver can't stop himself from pushing into her mouth one last time before pulling out, Felicity's lips making a soft popping sound as his cock leaves her mouth completely.

The look she gives him, head tilted to the side, glasses askew in front of her lust-darkened eyes, lips full and wet, almost makes Oliver regret his decision. Almost.

"Why'd you stop me?"

"I want to be inside you when I come."

With a small whimper, Felicity quickly closes the distance between them to press a clumsy, desperate kiss against his mouth. He can taste himself on her lips and it calls to some primal part of him that gives his movements just a little bit more of an edge. Felicity answers in kind, biting his lower lip and dragging her nails down his naked back as their tongues battle for dominance.

Her actions say she's ready but Oliver wants to be sure, so he slides a hand in between them to cup her still-clothed sex and groans at how damp the thin cotton material is. Quickly moving Felicity's underwear aside, Oliver slides a finger between her damp folds, spreading her wetness around as his thumb finds her clit.

"Ah! Oliver!"

He loves that he can do this to her, that her body is so responsive to his touch. If it were possible, Oliver would spend the rest of his days bringing pleasure to this woman on top of him. Circling her sensitive nub one, two, three more times, he watches as Felicity's head falls back in pleasure, lips parting in a silent cry for more. Her nails bite at the muscles of his shoulders in an attempt to steady herself as a finger slides inside of her.

"Oliver, I need – oh!"

"What do you need, Felicity? Tell me."

"I need you inside me."

Oliver groans as Felicity says the words, her desire-ridden gaze burning into his own.

"Your wish, my command."

A small sound of protest escapes her as he slides his hand out from beneath her skirt but is quickly cut off by a quick and dirty slide of his mouth against hers. One of his hands reaches behind her, searching for his pants at the foot of the bed. It's nearly an impossible feat with Felicity shifting and rocking in his lap and Oliver is forced to drag his mouth from hers so that he can focus on the task at hand. Finally he's able to locate his wallet and fumbles only a second in retrieving the foil wrapper from its place in the center pocket.

"Hurry, Oliver, please."

The neediness in her breathy plea overwhelms him and Oliver is quick to slide the condom down his length, shivering at the sensation. Venturing a hand back beneath her skirt, he grasps the cotton material that's coming between him and where he wants, no needs to be and drags it down her legs. Felicity shifts to the side when he meets resistance and aids in sliding the offending undergarment the rest of the way off her legs, dress remaining on the entire time. As Oliver reaches for the hem of her skirt, Felicity grabs it and yanks the dress up and over her head in one swift motion, glasses sliding down her nose and ponytail loosening further in the process. He only has a short amount of time to take in the sight before her hair is set free completely and her glasses removed. Felicity swings a leg back over Oliver's lap and positions herself above him.

"Like this?"

"Yeah, like this."

Then she's guiding him to her entrance and lowering herself down ever so slowly as he fills her completely.

Felicity's lips part in a loud gasp at the sensation to which Oliver grunts in response. This angle is so different from their first time together two nights ago, allowing him to reach places inside her that no one has before and he knows that neither of them is going to last long. The thought is only solidified when Felicity experimentally rocks her hips into his and releases a satisfied moan in response. Oliver's hands grab onto her waist to guide her motions and assist her movements as she sucks in a breath through her parted lips.

"It feels really good having you inside me. Ah!"

Felicity braces her hands on his chest for leverage as she slides up his cock before settling herself back down. She repeats the motion only this time Oliver meets her halfway, pulling a sharp cry of his name from her mouth. Loud exclamations and incoherent noises of pleasure permeate the air as the two find a rhythm that builds and builds on the tension in their cores. Oliver plants his feet firmly on the mattress to give him more power behind the rolling of his hips. The position also allows Felicity to lean back against his legs, changing the angle of where they're joined.

"Shit, right there. That's good. That's so, so good."

Oliver grunts in agreement and picks up the pace; every once in awhile checking to make sure that he's not hurting her. She must realize what he's doing because after the fourth or fifth time that he slows them down and surveys her features, Felicity halts their movements completely.

"Stop it."

"Stop what?"

"Stop checking on me like you're expecting me to break at any second. If you were hurting me I'd tell you. So stop treating me like a porcelain doll and fuck me, Oliver."

Felicity tightens around him and swivels her hips at the last two words, sending Oliver reeling as he jerks up into her. The near silent 'yes' that hisses through her teeth and the harsh grinding of her hips against his urges him on. His large, callused hands travel from her waist to roughly palm the curve of her ass, encouraging Felicity as she rides him.

"You want me to fuck you?"

Her head bobs up and down in an enthusiastic nod, bottom lip caught between her teeth as she continues to move on top of him.

"Hold onto the headboard."

Felicity does as told, body stretching out above him in her effort to grab the wooden headboard behind his head. Oliver quickly reaches up to free her breasts from the still-present confines of her cotton bra. The minute they are in view, he takes one of her hardened peaks into his mouth, rolling the other between his thumb and index finger as Felicity cries out.

Their hips roll and press against each other, seeking out an end to the onslaught of pleasure crashing through them. Moving to pay her other breast the same attention with his mouth, Oliver reaches between them with his right hand to locate Felicity's sensitive bundle of nerves and press on it.

"God! Oliver!"

That's what he wants to hear. All the stimulation from earlier has Oliver on the edge and he needs to get her there along with him. His thumb circles her clit, teeth grazing the top of her chest and stubble roughly scraping across her skin, leaving angry red in his wake. Soon enough Felicity's movements take on a frantic pace and that coupled with her desperate little 'ah, ah, ah!' lets him know that she's almost there.

Pulling his mouth away from her, Oliver leans to whisper in her ear.

"This is what you asked for. So come on, baby. Come. With. Me."

Oliver gives a particularly intense thrust with each final word, moving his hand from her core to pull her hard against his body.

"Oh my God! Oliver!"

"Fuck! Felicity!"

Her walls clench around him, milking his cock as they fall over the edge together. And that's exactly what it feels like, free falling. She's there and he's there and the rest is just empty space whooshing by as they plunge into complete ecstasy.

For a moment everything is dark and blissful; the feel of sweet, sweet surrender enveloping them like a slow burning flame. This is what they needed and were so desperate for, a reprieve from the world where the only thing that matters is the two of them. It's the epitome of euphoria.

They continue to lazily rock against one another, trembling in the aftershocks of their lovemaking until finally, Felicity collapses on top of his chest. Her breathing comes in heavy pants against his throat and Oliver reaches a hand up to softly run through her hair as he too attempts to regain his breath.

"Holy shit… that was amazing… Does it always feel like that? After the first time I mean? Because if so… I'm going to need to mark off some recovery time on my schedule."

An airy chuckle escapes him at Felicity's comment and he can't help moving to press a kiss against her hair.

"Only with you."

"The other girls are missing out."

"What other girls?"

She beams against his skin at the response, lips gently caressing the place where his heart beats rapidly in his chest for her.

"You know, you really do have heart eyes sometimes."

Oliver emits a good-natured groan at the comment but doesn't protest further.

Because truth is, he knows he does. And he knows they're only for her.

….

Author's Note: So, was it worth the wait?

I had some aid in the form of wine for this one, for obvious reasons…

Let me know your thoughts and your feelings. They can really offer some guidance for me as a writer and I love hearing from all of you.

Thanks for reading!

Bri :)