I'm really sorry about the updates. I have been putting them up but then it's been taking hours and hours for them to appear. I have no idea why but hopefully you'll stick with it. There's lots to come.

Enjoy !

Marissa decides to return the favour

After talking with Sandy, Ryan left his study and found Marissa reading in the lounge. "So what would you like to do with the rest of the day?" he leant in, kissing her lightly. He smiled as he felt her tongue move to deepen the kiss.

"Haven't you had enough?" he laughed pulling back.

"Enough what?" she smiled knowing exactly what he was talking about.

"Enough of me? Of that?" He said kissing her lightly again.

"Never. Are you suggesting you have? Had enough of me I mean? Or that?" she asked.

"No. That will never happen." He leaned in and kissed her again, this time using his tongue to kiss her more thoroughly, leaving her in no doubt about his words. "But I thought you may want to get out of here for a while. Get some fresh air. Find something else to do?"

"What? Are you telling me you haven't enjoyed what we've been doing?" she asked teasingly.

"I didn't say that. You know very well that you only have to say the word and I'll be ready. Mind you perhaps I shouldn't admit to that."

"Why?" she asked surprised.

"Because then you might make another visit to Victoria's Secret to get something to get me 'interested'." He replied giving her one of his half smiles.

"Oh yeah. I can just see us spending the afternoon in Victoria's Secret at South Coast Plaza." Marissa said as she pulled him down to sit beside her. She moved over and sat on his knee and draped her arm around his neck and started to trace circles around his ear.

"Yeah. You could try on things and model them for me like last night and I could sit and watch."

"Remember, watching would be all you'd be able to do. There would be no touching like last night."

"What about if I used no hands?" Ryan suggested. "Just my mouth?" He smiled thinking of the possibilities.

"Uh uh" she replied and shook her head from side to side.

"Well someone would have to help you out of those things. I could be your dresser." He suggested hopefully.

"More like undresser." Marissa replied laughing at the thought of Ryan 'helping her' in the change rooms.

"Yeah. That sounds like me. It could be a new career path for me. Marissa Cooper's undresser. I like the sound of that." Ryan said as he started to undo the buttons on her blouse.

Marissa grabbed his hand and stopped him.

"What? I'm just practising for my new profession." Ryan said innocently.

Marissa started to laugh. "Can you imagine the riot we would cause if we actually walked in to South Coast Plaza and did that."

"Hmm. It is Saturday so crowd control could be a problem. I guess."

"You guess? You do realise that the paparazzi haven't given up on us just yet. They just think I'm staying with Summer. It's only a matter of time before they realise that I'm living with you."

Ryan smiled at her.

"What's with the smile? Is that funny?"

"No. I just like the sound of that." Ryan replied.

"What? That the paparazzi are going to start bugging us again?"

"No….. But when you first moved in, you were 'staying with me'. Now you're 'living with me'. Does this mean that you're not going back to Paris when the film finishes?" Ryan looked at her hopefully.

"Um…. I haven't really thought about it." Marissa replied honestly.

Ryan felt like a black cloud had suddenly passed over the sun. "Oh…I was hoping you didn't need to." He said as he pulled back severing contact with her.

"Ry. Don't be like that. It's just that it is a big decision for me. I mean….I have a whole other life over there. Friends, my job, my apartment. I can't just pretend that none of that exists."

Ryan shrugged his shoulders. He couldn't bare the thought of living without her. "I know…I just thought…"

Marissa realised that Ryan still wasn't confident that she was in this for the long haul. She looked down at her ring. She knew how much comfort, strength and reassurance she felt when she looked at it and she wanted to do the same for him. He may pretend to be this tough guy but he was just as insecure as her when it really came down to it. Julie's lies had hurt them both so much they both found it difficult to trust in their relationship again. She had to fix this. "I know what I want to do today." She stood up and pulled him up behind her. "We're going shopping."

"No." he shook his head. "I think I've sort of lost a bit of interest in Victoria's Secret." He replied, reluctantly following behind her.

"Ah. But that's not where we're going." She smiled.

"Where are we off to then?" he asked still feeling blue about the possibility of Marissa leaving.

"Where ever the best jeweller is we can find. I need to get you a promise ring."

"What?" he looked at her and shook his head thinking he must have heard wrong.

"You heard me. I just realised that you need a token of my love just as much as I needed one yesterday."

"No you don't have to." He smiled.

"I know. But I want to. It doesn't have to be a ring…. But I want to buy you something so that whenever you are having any doubts about things then you can look at it and know that I'm in this forever. I love you. And, no, I haven't worked out what I will do when the film is finished. But I do know that I can't imagine my life without you. Somehow we'll sort it out. Together. We will find a way to make it work. Okay?"

Ryan smiled and leant in to kiss her. "That's all I needed to hear. Do you know how much I love you?"

"As long as it's half as much as I love you then I know we'll be together forever."

"Half as much? It's 10 times as much at least." He smiled.

"Not possible. There's not that much in the world. But come on we've got shopping to do. And you know once I'm on a shopping mission then I'm unstoppable." She laughed.

"Is that a dare?" he asked.

"What do you mean? That I'm unstoppable?"

Ryan nodded. "Uh huh."

"Well." Marissa thought for a moment. "Yep. Unless you resort to brut force, then it is."

Ryan smiled knowingly.

"What. You think otherwise?" Marissa asked.

"Well. I just thought now might be a good time for me to do that strip you asked for earlier." He gave her his little half smile that he knew would make her melt and slowly unbuttoned his shirt while she watched. When he'd finished with the buttons he then took it off to reveal his wife beater underneath.

She knew she was staring but she couldn't help it. "You….that's playing dirty….you must really hate shopping to resort to..."

"So what's it to be?" he asked as he moved his hands down and undid his belt and then took it off, twirling it around before he dropped it on the floor beside the shirt and then moved to the top button on his jeans. He hesitated hooking his thumbs in his jeans and pulling them …down….just enough so she could see the fine trail of hair that led from his belly button down into his pants. Marissa could feel her mouth go dry waiting with anticipation for him to continue. He started to unbutton the fly on his jeans …one …by….one.

Marissa couldn't take her eyes off him. She had become fixated on his fingers watching them as they worked on the buttons. She was getting impatient. Surely he could do it faster than he was. She wanted him to hurry up. She could feel herself getting warm just watching him. "Maybe I'm delayable….. But definitely unstoppable." She smiled as she moved back towards him and tried to help him by taking off his wife beater.

"Uh uh" he said. "Remember you're just watching. No touching the merchandise. Just take a seat." He smiled as he pulled the wife beater over his head and proceeded to use it to rub over his chest and arms. She watched as his nipples stood to attention, wanting to lick and suck them. She could feel the heat in her building. This wasn't love it was pure lust. He was that good.

Marissa watched as his hand moved over his abs and pecs and then he slipped his hand down inside his jeans to 'rearrange things'. It was obvious from the log she could see in his jeans that this was having an effect on him as well. She thought she might pass out with longing looking at the stiffness in his pants straining against the denim that was just managing to keep it restrained. She could feel between her legs the first flickers of the flames that she knew were about to engulf her. It was only a matter of time until she would be on fire.

Ryan turned his back to her and moved to ease his jeans down off his hips.….slowly…..he moved them down a couple of inches…just far enough for Marissa to become aware that he was going commando and he looked over his shoulder and smiled at her. "More?" he asked.

At that point she knew he'd won. She couldn't take it any more. She needed to feel him between her legs and NOW! Otherwise she might spontaneously combust.

"Okay….You win. Whatever you want. Just do it now." She reached for him knowing the shopping trip had been definitely delayed.

---

Ryan was lying on his back naked on the lounge room rug. Marissa was lying on top of him still with her denim skirt on but all her other clothes scattered on the floor around them. She had taken her g string off in seconds and had pushed Ryan down on to the rug and basically 'jumped him'. While she was riding him, she had pulled off her shirt and bra with his help but somehow they had never quite got to the skirt. It was pushed up around her waist and since it wasn't impeding them they had left it there.

"I think I've just been ravished." Ryan stated giving Marissa a puzzled look.

"I think you have too." She smiled. "Sorry about that. I couldn't help myself. That strip was really…….I couldn't help it ….I think maybe you should do it again."

"Um. I hate to be the one to break it to you but it's a bit hard for me to strip when I'm already butt naked." He laughed.

"I don't mean right now. Later. I definitely found it a big turn on."

"So I noticed. If only I'd realised earlier the affect it would have on you, I'm sure I could have started shedding my clothes a long time ago."

"It's alright. I'll let you make it up to me. But first we have to go shopping."

"Shopping? I thought I'd got out of that. Didn't I win the dare?"

"Yes you did and are you complaining about your reward?" she smiled pushing herself back up to straddle him and rubbing her hands over his chest.

"No. Never."

"Well then, I think you have managed to delay us quite enough but now I'm a woman on a mission. Get dressed and let's go. We've got things to do."

Ryan reluctantly stood up and started to pull his clothes back on. "You do know that we are going to attract attention if we are shopping together. Someone is sure to recognise at least one if not both of us."

"Does it really bother you?" Marissa asked as she put her clothes back on.

Ryan thought about it. "I guess not. Part of me would like to shout it from the roof tops."

Marissa smiled. "Well I thought about a front page ad but I guess the roof top would be fine."

"If we're shopping at South Coast Plaza together, don't be surprised if we do end up on the front page anyhow."

"Good. It'll save us the worry of placing the ad." She leaned in and gave him a kiss. "I love you and I don't care who knows."

As Marissa started to pull back, Ryan held her and deepened the kiss. When she was totally breathless he pulled back and looked at her smiling.

Marissa waited a moment until her eyes refocused and she was sure her legs would actually support her. "Hmm. That's nice. But don't think that will get you out of shopping."

Ryan laughed. "I've tried all my tricks and you still want to shop."

"Yep. Plus I've decided I want to show you off. We've kept this to ourselves long enough."

"Yeah. A week. It's about time we let people know." He laughed still amazed at how far they'd come in such a short space of time.

"More like 7 years, if it hadn't been for my mum." Marissa said losing the smile from her face as she thought of Julie.

"Hey don't be like that. The important thing is that we're together now." Ryan wanted to change the subject. He would deal with the Julie problem later. Right now he wanted to spend some quality time with Marissa and he didn't want the thought of Julie putting a dampener on their day. "Okay. Come on. Let's go. I'm sure those shops are just waiting for us. This should be interesting to say the least."

---

They made their way to the mall and as expected they attracted plenty of attention. But they had decided to ignore it and not let it spoil their day. They noticed a few people taking photos and had a couple ask for autographs but for the most part it was manageable and most people were polite and kept their distance.

"So have you decided what you would like yet?" Marissa asked as they made their way towards the jewellery stores.

"No." Ryan pulled her hand to get her to stop and talk to him. "You know we don't have to do this. I'm not much of a one for jewellery."

"I know... but if you don't want a ring, then how about a new watch? I'd really like to get you one of the new gold Rolex's. They are beautiful and really thin and light. I did the ads for them in Switzerland a few months ago." She smiled at him. "Please. It can make up for the missed birthdays and Chrismukkahs…. And whenever you are having doubts you can look at it and know that I love you….just like I do with my ring." She looked up at him and their eyes held.

"Do you know how much I want to kiss you right now?" Ryan asked.

"Hopefully a whole lot. But I don't think the general public are quite ready for that just yet. Maybe the hand holding is enough for today. We'll work up to it." Marissa smiled as she looked into his eyes and could see the fire burning in them that she knew was just for her.

"Then just wait til we get home. You're in for it my lady." He replied.

"I can hardly wait. But come on let's go and see what we can find and then you can take me home and do another striptease for me."

"I don't think you should have too many of those or you might not think them special anymore."

"I assure you… you will always be special." Marissa leant up and kissed him sweetly on the lips totally forgetting where she was and the fact that they had just decided a kiss would not be a good idea, in such a public place.

They were both startled by the flash that went off and turned to see a photographer making his way hurriedly out of the mall and a number of people staring at them and giggling.

"Oops." Marissa said.

"Now that will probably make the front page." Ryan said. He couldn't help but smile.

"I'm sorry. I know we'd just decided not too. But it just sort of happened. I guess my brain wasn't engaged."

Ryan smiled. "Don't worry about it. I'm gathering that other parts of your body were in charge rather than you're brain."

"Yeah. I guess. Looking at you seems to scramble my brain and I can't think straight."

"Hmm. I know what you mean. I have the same problem looking at you. Maybe it's some sort of disease? And we should go home and take ourselves off to bed." He leered at her just to make sure she knew exactly what would be happening once they got into bed. "We'd hate to spread it around."

"No way buddy. Not until we've purchased my love token for you. Just make up your mind what you'd like and it won't take so long. And then we can go home to bed."

"Promises, promises…You're not going to change your mind about this, are you?" Ryan stated rather than asked.

"Nope." Marissa replied as she stopped to look in the window at some watches.

"So a watch hey?" Ryan asked.

"Yep." She smiled and continued to look in the window. "Unless there is something else that you'd prefer? We could always see what they have in leather cuffs?" Marissa said teasing him.

"I think the range is much better in Chino for those. Maybe we should wait and have a look there when we go to visit my new development. That way we could go home to bed right now." He suggested.

"I was just joking. I'm not getting you a leather cuff. I want something special." She smiled. "So let's go. The sooner we finish here. The sooner we can go home." Marissa replied and pulled him in the door of the Rolex dealer.

"I like your thinking."