Author's Note: I would like to dedicate this chapter to Nathalie and Tatiana. Nathalie you gave me the kick in the butt I needed to write again. Tatiana, your friendship over the years means so much to me. I hope this chapter lives up to everyone's anticipation.

Chapter Four

The line between friendship and something more blurred beyond recognition as Alex teased his tongue between Izzie's lips. She tasted so sweet. So, so sweet. Like the pink iced cupcakes he'd bought her for her birthday. He moved his mouth from her lips to her jaw, pressing tiny butterfly kisses against the delicate skin of her throat. Beneath his lips, her pulse beat faster than hummingbird wings. Alex felt his fingers start to shake as he cupped the nape of her neck in one of his hands. The other hand slowly skimmed up her arm, pausing as it neared her shoulder. He couldn't get over how soft she was. Softer than velvet. He wondered if it was all from the expensive lotions she liked to buy or if she was just naturally soft. Maybe it was both. Either way, Alex didn't think he would ever get enough of touching her. He wanted to feel more. He needed to feel to feel more. He moved his fingers from her arm to the side of her dress. The zipper was one of those that were designed to be invisible. It took a little manipulation to work it down. As the material parted more and more of her tanned flesh was exposed to his hungry gaze. He couldn't resist tugging the dress down around her waist, freeing her breasts. Lowering his head he plucked at one nipple with his teeth. He drew the little nub into his mouth, gently sucking. "Alex," she softly moaned, her fingers burying themselves in his hair. He wrapped one arm around her waist, his fingers splaying across the small of her back, while the other hand slid down her spine. She arched away from the touch, a giggle erupting from her peach glossed lips. So she was ticklish on her back. Interesting. Alex filed the information away for later. For now, he concentrated on working her dress the rest of the way down her body. It pooled at her feet, reminding him that she still wore the ridiculous heels she had put on. IF she were a bit more experienced, Alex would have suggested she leave them on. Maybe next time, he thought as he guided her toward the edge of the bed. He gave her a shove backward, chuckling as she landed with a slight bounce, her legs splayed open. God, she was hot. It was like having someone serve up his favorite fantasy on a silver platter. He could admit now. Somewhere, in the deepest recess of his mind, he had always wanted Izzie.

"Don't stare," Izzie whispered, her cheeks blazing as red as the throw pillows behind her. Crouching before her, Alex slid both his hands down her well formed calf. He wrapped the fingers of one hand around her slender ankle while he used the other to tug off the flesh colored heel. He repeated the process with the other shoe before placing his palms on her knees. Applying gentle pressure he pushed them further apart, exposing her lace covered womanhood. "Alex," she choked out lifting her head off the bed. Her brown eyes widened as he licked a trail from her inner thigh to the edge of her panties. He hipped at her clitoris through the blue lace. "Oh my God." Her head flopped back onto the bed, her fists balling in the duvet beneath her. "Oh. My. God." He nipped her again before hooking the sides of her panties with his thumbs. He dragged the flimsy material down her legs and tossed them over his shoulder. "No fair! You stole all my clothes and you're still dressed!"

"Can't have that," Alex teased, tugging his shirt over his head. He moved off the bed, unzipping his jeans. He shoved the thick material, as well as his boxers, down and kicked them aside. His heart started to pound as he reclaimed his place between her legs. One would think he had never been with a woman before. It had always been sex, and this was making love. That was the only way he could think of what they were about to do. He looked down at her, seeing her not as his best friend but as a woman he loved. He couldn't recall the exact time she ceased being his best friend. Maybe it was when he kissed her in the hall, or maybe it was all those years ago when she asked him what it was like to have sex. Looking back, he was a little amazed at how gentle he had been with his explanations. Most teenage boys would have been crude or explicit. He had told her that with the right man she wouldn't feel afraid. It wouldn't feel dirty. Who would have thought he would turn out to be that guy. He brushed his lips across her's, savoring the sweetness that always seemed to linger there. He could spend hours doing nothing but kissing her. Kissing and touching. Sliding a hand between their bodies, he stroked his fingers against her damp folds. A soft moan filled his ear as he eased his middle and index fingers into her tightness. Her hips rolled in time with the gentle thrusting of his fingers. He could hear her panting, feeling her breaths coming hot and quick against the side of his neck. It took all his will power not to replace his fingers with his dick. He wanted her to come first. To give her a taste of passion before he hurt her. It wouldn't be long. He could already feel her muscles contracting. He felt his erection jump in anticipation. Slow. He had to go slow. As experienced as he was, she was just as inexperienced.

"Oh God. Oh God. Oh God," she panted, her head tipping back as she let herself go. He waited until her breathing had slowed to a normal rate to remove his hand. He nuzzled her neck, savoring the way she felt in his arms. "Alex," she whispered, her fingers untangling from the duvet and coming to rest on his hips. "Please don't stop."

"I don't think I could, even if you asked me to," he whispered back, knowing that wasn't true. If she called the whole thing to a halt right then and there he would stop. The last thing he ever wanted to do was hurt her. He'd watched her deal with enough pain over the years. He didn't want to inflict more. It was the one thing holding him back. Hurting her. He knew most men loved being a woman's first. He didn't think he was one of those guys. Just thinking about inflicting pain, even pain that would lead to pleasure, was enough to give him pause.

"I'm glad," Izzie smiled up at him, her dark eyes twinkling. She looped one arm around his neck as one of her legs slid up and over his hip. It aligned his dick perfectly with her entrance. He could feel her swollen clit brushing against the head of his erection, teasing him with what was his for the taking. He caught her gaze with his as he nudged the thick tip of his penis between her labia. She was so fucking tight. Almost to tight. He pushed harder, her wetness making it possible for him to ease in a little further. Her lower lip started to tremble, her nails digging into his shoulder as he pushed again. This time he could feel the thickness of her cherry. A tear trickled from the corner of her eye. Shit. He couldn't do it. He couldn't hurt her like this. "It's okay," she squeaked, wrapping her other leg around him. It wasn't okay. "Alex. I promise. It's okay. It's supposed to hurt." Maybe it was, but he didn't have to be the guy who inflicted the pain. Did he? Yes, he realized, he did. He couldn't stomach the thought of another man doing what he was about to do. He buried his face in her neck, unable to watch her eyes glaze with pain as he withdrew and then thrust deep. Her cry ripped at his heart as he felt her innocence give way. The painful whimper should have killed his desire. It didn't. How could it when she enveloped his body so deliciously? He felt like he had died and found heaven between her thighs. Alex waited a moment, letting her grow use to the invasion of his body inside her's before starting the oldest dance in time. Slow thrusts in and out. Hips rising and falling as she caught on. Lips parting in moans of pleasure. Her nails scraping down his back. Quicker thrusts that made her cry out, not from pain but pleasure. His own cries mixing with her's as he withdrew and thrust one final time. He fought back a curse as he felt himself release inside her womb. It was the first time he had ever forgotten a condom. The first time he hadn't pulled out. Once didn't matter. Did it?

"Wow," Izzie breathed, her arms wrapping around him as they lay there, their flushed bodies cooling in the afterglow. "Wow," she repeated, giggling a little. She sighed in the way only a woman who had just had an orgasm could sigh. "Remind me again why we didn't do this sooner."

Alex couldn't help it. He laughed. "I don't know," he admitted. Nothing made sense any more. Not their friendship. Not the overwhelming feelings rushing through him. They couldn't go back to being just friends, he knew that much. There was something more than friendship between them. He just didn't know what.