I'm completely and uberly sorry for the uber-long wait and I thank you from the bottom of my heart if you have decided to keep putting up with me. I've just had tons of things going on, and school is taking up most of my time...but you don't want excuses. So listen--this chapter is pretty short, but it is mostly fluff because I figured you guys deserved some before we delved back into the serious stuff. I had great fun writing this if I do say so myself, so I hope you all enjoy it as well.

I slowly entered the kitchen, not wanting to believe what my brain was putting together. I was still trying to decide whether to play it casual and work up to it or just confront Paige, but I finally chose the former.

"That was quite the rager," I commented, leaning sideways against the piece of counter next to her. She looked up from the dishes with a huge smile on her face.

"I'm glad you had fun…you definitely needed it." She gave me a peck on the cheek, then proceeded to load the remainder of the dishes into the dishwasher. She closed the door, started the wash cycle and turned to face me full-on. "Now that everyone's gone…" She trailed off in a suggestive way, then kissed me full on the lips. My hands automatically went for her waist but I managed to catch myself before they made contact.

"Paige, I wanted--" I started, but she cut me off with another kiss as she edged me backwards toward the bedroom. Her hands were already pulling up my shirt when we hit the bed, my knees buckling against the mattress as she came down with me.

I couldn't think straight as I inhaled her scent, her hair brushing my neck. What was I talking about before? We were under the covers now, still fully-clothed. I was digging through my memory, trying to remember what I wanted to ask Paige. It was just coming up when her tongue slid against mine, and then it was gone again. A girl just can't think under these conditions.

Paige and I had two types of makeout sessions. The first involved kissing, followed by touching, followed by loss of clothing, among other things. The second was simply kissing and exploring one another, trying to figure out the right places. This particular night happened to be the second.

Warm hands were drifting up my shirt. I was pretty sure mine were exploring Paige's back, though I was also sure that I had no control over them at the moment. I managed to clear my head a little when she went down to my neck.

Then I remembered. "Jay called." I felt Paige hesitate, but she kept going. I gripped her shoulders and pushed her up to make eye contact. "Paige, why didn't you give me the phone?"

"What are you talking about?" she asked quietly, innocently, before attacking my mouth again.

"During the party--" Another kiss. "The phone rang--" More kisses. "The caller ID--"

"Shhh," she whispered, finally ceasing for a moment. I opened my mouth to speak again but she put her finger against my lips. "Hey, there's time for talking tomorrow." She was speaking in a soft, mildly seductive voice, one that was definitely winning the battle against my brain. I put in one last (albeit feeble) attempt to say something, but then her lips were on mine and her tongue was in my mouth again.

I would spew out some clever saying to justify my surrender to Paige, but the truth is, there was none. I knew what she had done, that she I knew I knew, and that she probably didn't realize how much it had hurt me.

But I savored this night of bliss, letting my mind wander as Paige's hands did the same. As she had said, there would be time for talking in the morning.

I would enjoy what happened tonight, because based on what I expected to come, there wouldn't be another quite like this for a while.

And it was so much easier to be angry with Paige when our tongues weren't doing the electric slide.

Did everyone like that last line? At first I put the tango instead of the slide but I figured the latter made more sense. I don't blame anybody if they don't want to review, but if you feel like it it would be much appreciated. The next chapter with the real stuff will be up within the next few days, if not today or tomorrow. Again, I am really really really completely totally uberly sorry for the wait. Especially after a cliffhanger chapter. Will you ever forgive me?