So here's bonus chapter for the night - although it's only a short one. Enjoy!

Chapter 18.

Joey woke and felt Lauren pressed up behind him, her arms around his waist. He smiled as he felt her hands splayed across his chest and stomach. Within minutes of him waking he felt her lips pressed against the middle of his back. He rolled over to face her, seeing her smiling face and kissing her softly. "Morning," he said as he pulled away from her again.

"Hi, baby." She replied.

"How are you feeling after yesterday?"

"I'm okay." She said, "Part of me is relieved they now know. It's like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders."

"I'm glad about that." He said, observing that she did seem a little brighter today than she had been.

"I've been thinking too." She told him with a grin.

"Oh, have you indeed?"

"Yeah." She shifted closer to him, "I thought maybe you could try what you were showing me last night..." she whispered, suddenly looking not as confident.

"Are you sure?" He asked and she nodded.

"Kiss me, Joe," she said to him.

"Your wish is my command," Joey smiled, eagerly ready for the task she'd assigned him. He shifted closer to her, his hands cupping her face as his mouth worshipped hers. After a minute or so Lauren's hands came up and covered his own and Joey pulled away from her, worried he'd gone too far. It seemed that wasn't the case as she launched herself at him, winding her hands around his neck and pulling herself to him so she could kiss him again. Her move surprised him but not as much as when he reached for her and pulled her against him. It was at this point he realised she was no longer wearing his T-shirt. In fact, if his hands weren't deceiving him, she was just wearing her knickers. That thought blew his mind and he pulled away from her.

"Surprise..." she whispered, blushing slightly.

"Babe, are you sure?"

"Yes, Joe." She stared into his eyes, "So, I believe you were about to tell me about foreplay..." she said, her face turning innocent.

Suddenly he wasn't so sure she was as naive as she'd made him think last night, "You are a little minx, Lauren Branning." He teased her, smiling widely. His arms were wrapped around waist and he pulled her close to him, hoping his body didn't react too fervently when she was pressed against him. A hand brushed up her back, settling between her shoulder blades. "I'm actually nervous," he chuckled and she giggled in response.

"Do I scare you, Joey?"

"Oh yes." He said and she was shocked by his answer, "I've never felt this way about anyone before. I'm scared I'm going to ruin it somehow." He admitted.

"Just think about the next few minutes and we'll worry about the rest later."

"Yes boss." He said. He kissed her briefly on her lips but then moved down her jaw and kissed just in front of her ear. He heard her moan and his mouth smiled against her skin. Her neck became the next place for him to focus on and as he did his hand moved round to the front of her body, gradually climbing again until it was cupping her breast. She stilled in his arms and he thought she'd changed her mind like she had last night and then she arched her back slightly so she was pressing against his hand more. He pushed her back so she was lying on her back as his mouth sucked on the skin of her neck. He lifted his head and met her eyes, "You still okay?"

"Yes." She told him with a smile.

"Good..." he told her softly. His lips found her neck again but this time he moved slowly down. He took his time, needing to make sure she was really as okay as she'd just said. Using patience he never thought he possessed he continued descending until he was at the top of her breast. He paused again then continued, exploring this new part of her body she'd revealed to him. He took his time with her but moved to her other breast, hearing her gasp as he pulled her nipple into his mouth. Her hand wove through his hair and her nails scratched at his scalp as the pressure inside her climbed. Lauren brushed her hand over his shoulders and she ran her foot up the outside of his leg. It was Joey's turn to gasp as the sensations that ran through him caused the erection he was currently sporting to throb almost painfully. "Lauren..." he breathed against her chest.

Her hands clutched at his shoulders and he moved up her body so he could kiss her mouth. Both of them were breathing hard by this point and as Joey deepened the kiss and brushed his hand over breast, it was enough to push Lauren over the edge. He held her in his arms, rolling onto his back and pulling her with him.

"Oh my god..." she breathed against his chest several minutes later.

"I take it that was good then?" He said, a smirk clearly on his face.

"Don't get too cocky, Joe." She scolded him but her choice of phrasing just made him roar with laughter, soon to be joined by her as she realised what she'd said.

"Thank you..." he told her softly once their laughing had died off.

"What for?"

"Letting me do that for you..." he whispered.

"Nobody else could do that but you, Joe."

Joey held her in his arms for quite some time, his arousal eventually fading away. "I guess we should be getting up," he said to her gently.

"Don't want to." She murmured. "You're going back to work today, aren't you?" she asked him.

"Yeah but I should be finishing early. I haven't got to do clear up so I should be back before you go to bed."

"So you'll be able to join me?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I think I could be persuaded..." he said as he kissed her.

TBC

A/N: So to quote Lauren... "Surprise." What did you think? Now it turns out I'd miscounted the number of chapters left... there are still two to go. Wonder what will happen next...? Back tomorrow.