Friends and Lovers

Chapter Eleven

She saw him across the room before the door closed behind her and her heart sank. Matt sent her a rueful smile from where he stood, leaning over the back of the couch to look at something Izzy was showing him on the laptop.

Well wasn't that just her luck.

Last night he'd been everywhere she turned, she hadn't been able to escape him even when she tried. Today it seemed impossible to find even a minute alone with him. Her fingers itched to pull at her hair like a mad woman. Why couldn't anything just be easy!

Mindful of Joe still looking in from the porch she resisted any outward show of frustration and turned in the direction of the front bathroom. Maybe if she stayed there long enough their friends would go away and give them a minute to figure this out between them. She shook her head in amusement, because with the way her day was going the whole group would probably knock down the door to rescue her from drowning in the toilet.

She smiled at the image that conjured.

Half way across the room she paused, an idea beginning to form as she spied the closed office door.

"I should check on the flower shop." She said turning to look over her shoulder. The words were for Izzy, but she searched for Matt's gaze as she spoke, hoping to buy herself an excuse for some time alone with him. "I'll be in the office if anyone asks" Izzy absently nodded without looking up, but it was Matt's understanding she waited for. The familiar smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth and he gave her a brief nod. Her heart fluttered at the look in his eyes and she turned to continue her walk down the hall before anyone else noticed the color she felt burning her cheeks. Heat curled in her stomach and she smiled, savoring the feeling.

The idea that Matt might be watching left her aware of her body in unfamiliar ways. The sway of her hips as she walked, the cool floor beneath her bare feet, the way her dress swirled around her legs. She wasn't as experienced in the art of desire as most, but she wanted his eyes on her - wanted him wanting her.

As a rule male attention irritated her and she found dating to be a waste of time. She had no patience for her part in the game and men had no patience for her unwillingness to be flattered with shallow praise, She craved a different game, one most men weren't willing to play. She always knew she was the problem though and with no other option she'd accepted their less than ideal relationships purely for the sake of experience.

She'd never felt her insides turned to liquid. Never felt her whole body tremble from a touch. She supposed that came from half a lifetime of fantasies and unrequited love. Even she had to admit it would be impossible for any new man to compete with that. She pushed the office door open and left it cracked behind her, hoping he wouldn't be far behind.

She craved him, her heart a hollow maw yearning for… something she was hesitant to name.

She trailed her fingers along the polished surface of the desk and took in the room, eyeing the sofa in the corner with interest. How would he react to seeing her draped across the cushions, inviting him with a smile and a come hither gesture.

She dismissed the image almost immediately, but not before she felt the rush of blood up her neck to warm her face. With her luck it would probably be Joe or Taichi walking through the door and wouldn't that just be wonderful? No it was better she remain standing.

After a moment poised at the desk she crossed the room to look over the books, touching the bindings, but not really seeing them. Her heart thumped in her ears and she strained to listen for foot steps in the hall. He'd nodded, but had he understood her intent? Sighing, she selected a hardback and opened it at random, scanning the lines of text without reading.

Was she an idiot for waiting here? The delicious tension from only a minute before was wavering as doubt wiggled through her thoughts. Her heart twisted painfully. What if he wasn't coming?

Only the two of them knew why she was in this room, she reminded herself, reeling her thoughts back in. It was likely too obvious if he followed her right away. She just needed to give him a minute. She returned the book to the shelf without ever truly reading a word and selected another, fighting the urge to pace. Maybe she should have a seat after all.

The door opened as she turned and she froze.

Matt stepped into the room and very deliberately closed the door behind him. She heard the click of the lock and her heart hammered in her chest.

Oh dear…

"Now where were we?" He said, his voice low as he closed the distance between them in two long strides. She instinctively retreated, her back bumping against the bookcase behind her. His eyes were impossibly blue as they held hers and the intensity in their depths left her struggling for breath.

He took the book she clutched to herself like a shield and tossed it aside, but she didn't even hear it land over the sound of her own heart beating. He grasped her now empty hands in his and raised them to his chest. Desire hit her gut like a fist as he pressed her palms against his hot skin.

"Is this close?" He asked, his voice barely above a whisper. He released her hands to place his own on either side of her head, gripping the shelf behind her. She gulped and nodded, grateful for the bookcase supporting her as her legs trembled. He was so close she could feel his breath on her face, feel the heat of him through her thin sundress. She'd touched him last night, but not like this. Then she'd been fighting him, shoving at him.

Now? He was inviting her to touch him… to feel him.

She broke his gaze to look at her hands and marveled at how small they looked splayed against the muscles of his chest. She wanted to keep going, wanted to run her hands over his abs and trace the muscles of his hips and back. Her hands twitched downward and the hitch in his breath nearly sent her into a puddle on the floor. This is too much, she thought wildly, struggling to control the shaking of her limbs. She wanted to keep touching him so much it hurt, the empty feeling inside her throbbing in time with her pulse, but if she started how could she stop?

Were they ready for this? Was this all he wanted from her? What came after this? How far would this go? Would everything be ok or would this make everything worse?

Desire warred with reason and left her shaking.

"I'm trembling." She whispered, hoping her words conveyed her internal struggle. She raised her eyes to see the gentle smile tug at his lips, his expression one she'd only ever dreamed would be directed at her.

"It's ok" He said, moving his hand to smooth her hair away and cup her face. "We'll figure it out."

When his lips touched hers this time it was as if the ocean was rising inside of her, wave after wave sweeping her away. She clung to him, her arms around his neck and her hands buried in his hair, pulling him to her. She felt his groan against her mouth and then his hands were on her, his fingers digging into her flesh as he crushed her against him.

This kiss was everything the chaste peck had promised, consuming her and washing away any attempt at rational thought. She didn't realize they were moving until she felt the hard edge of the desk against the back of her thighs. Without effort he lifted her to sit on the smooth surface and pulled her knees around him.

"Matt…" She sighed against his lips, leaning back to break the kiss. She needed to tell him this was too much… too fast.

"Sora…" He sighed in response, his mouth brushing hers as he followed her down. She arched into him at the whispered sound of her name . Oh she'd wanted this for so long. She couldn't believe they were really here. Matt was kissing her, touching her, wanting her. Did she really want him to stop?

With a groan she surrendered, pulling him down with her until he was half on the desk as well. Whatever came after she wanted this. She wanted him.

He kissed her with a hunger that matched her own, crashing into her like he couldn't be close enough. His hands released her thighs to support his weight and she ran her own hands over him, reveling in the feel of his bare skin.

He shifted and she could only cling to him when his mouth left hers and pressed hot against the skin of her neck. God this was really happening! Panic fluttered to life as reason once again tried to assert itself, but was quickly crushed under the force of her physical response.

So engrossed in her own desire was she that when Matt broke away suddenly she felt his absence as a physical pain, ripping away from her. She cried out and tried to pull him back, but he resisted. With a curse he pushed off the desk and strode away from her.

Left sprawled on the hard surface, Sora became aware of the closed laptop under her head first and sat up. Her legs dangled over the edge and she sat staring at the skin of her thighs against the black of her bikini bottom before her brain cleared enough to realize her dress had been pushed above her hips. Mortified, she slipped to the floor and pulled the hem down, thankful she'd had the forethought to wear her swimsuit, even if this wasn't exactly the reason she'd had in mind.

"Matt…?" She moved closer to him, but paused before touching him, surprised at the breathy sound of her own voice. Why had he stopped? She looked and felt a jolt of lust at the red marks running down the length of his back. She'd done that.

He raked a hand through his hair before turning towards her, his familiar smirk pained as he took her in before meeting her eyes.

"This" He said, gesturing between them "Is why I came inside. I couldn't have you mauling me in front of everyone."

"Me… mauling you?!" Sora stared at him, her mouth opening and closing. Matt's smirk widened and he leaned a hip against the bookcase, his eyes crinkling as he took in her expression.

"I barely escaped in time." He explained.

"You kissed Me!" Sora hissed, her frustrated hormones sparking her temper. She jabbed a finger at him. "You mauled Me!"

He reached out and caught her hand, laughing even as she glared at him. He pulled her into his arms despite her struggles and hugged her tight. Her heart pounded, blood roaring in her ears even as she tried to resist.

"But you started it." He whispered in her ear then nibbled. Her knees went weak and she collapsed against him.

"I hate you." She whispered back, even as she leaned her head back to give his mouth access to her neck. He chuckled and his hot breath caused her to shiver.

"I know," He replied, kissing down to her shoulder "you already told me."

"Well I do." She replied, breathless and clinging to him. Damnit what was happening, was he playing with her?

"Uh huh." He agreed, lifting his head to press a hard kiss to her mouth before releasing her "That's why I had to stop you from ravaging me. All that hate."

"Oh my God!" She shoved at him, but he was already stepping back out of her reach. "I do hate you!" Matt laughed, moving toward the exit.

"Understandable," He said, unlocking the door and pulling it open. "I hate myself right now." He gave her a teasing smile that made her want to throw things at his head. "But that's not how this is going to go." He winked at her. "I'm not as easy as you."

She was definitely going to throw something at him.

"You-!" She wanted to yell, but she couldn't around the laughter. She pressed a hand to her mouth to stifle it while he stood in the doorway giggling like an idiot.

"Go put a shirt on!" She finally told him, "before someone asks what happened."

"I'd just tell them you attacked me." He said, grinning, and closed the door behind him before she could find something to throw.

.