By Meghan O'Brien

"If you need anything, I'm the second door on the left."

I still wondered what Reed had meant by that. Lying in bed, watching the odd shadows the moonlight cast on unfamiliar patterned wallpaper, the words rang through my head.

"If I need anything," I murmured to the ceiling. I crossed my hands over my chest, closing my eyes as my palm curled around the swell of my breast. "What would I need in the middle of the night?"

It was probably just the polite parting words of a good hostess. Reed had been perfectly attentive all weekend and today was no exception.

If you need anything...

I knew what I needed. I just wasn't sure it was what Reed was offering.

*****

Clues.

If I thought hard enough about the past weekend, I was sure to find one or two that would help me unlock the mystery of Reed. She was quiet but bold, self-confident in a way that immediately intrigued me. After a weekend full of sly sidelong glances, I was no closer to figuring her out.

Reed was my older brother's best friend. The college buddy I had thought was a man the first couple of times her name was mentioned in his anecdotes. Reed who kicked my brother's ass at basketball. Reed who drank him under the table. Reed who had to beat off the women on campus with a stick.

When I found out that Reed was a woman, I developed a secret crush on her, sight unseen. That was a few years ago, but the fascination had never faded. Anyone who could best my brother at most any challenge was made of magic, as far as I was concerned. I imagined her as a dark-haired warrior, broad-shouldered and wearing a cocky grin.

When Peter invited me to join him and his wife for reunion of old college buddies and their wives and girlfriends, I had to accept. It didn't matter that I wasn't a part of that history; it didn't even matter that I didn't understand why I was asked along. This was four days at Reed's cottage on Lake Huron and the opportunity to meet the mystery woman at last.

I'd jumped at the chance.

Reed's bedroom was the second door to the left. Right now, Wes Brown slept on the floor next to her bed. I was the only one not sharing a room with anyone.

If you need anything...

I needed to learn the taste of her tongue in my mouth. I needed to feel her solid body against mine. Or better yet, pressing me into the wall. One strong thigh insinuated between mine, a large hand squeezing my breast.

Not that I had thought about it at any great length.

Reed opened the door, greeting us with a toothy grin. She and Peter traded light punches to the arm, an exchange so macho that I had to snort in amusement. Next to me, Peter's wife Teresa giggled at my reaction.

"You laughing at me?" Reed asked, stepping away from Peter to pull his wife into a close hug.

I watched Teresa melt into the embrace, tilting my head in curiosity. I'd never read Teresa as bisexual -- or even curious, for that matter -- but I could feel her reaction to Reed. It was primal. I could almost smell it.

"Of course not," Teresa answered. She pulled back and directed a teasing grin up at Reed. "Not when you could crush me like a bug."

I looked Reed up and down. I thought Teresa had a point there. Reed's hair was chestnut-colored and not dark as I had imagined, but her body was just as strong and muscled as I had known it would be. I wondered what it would feel like to be cradled in such powerful arms.

Reed leaned down and gave Teresa a platonic kiss on the cheek. "You and I both know that I save all my crushing for the boys." Glancing first at Teresa and then, for a fleeting moment, at me, she said, "Well, all my literal crushing, at least."

I glanced over to Peter to check his reaction. He rolled his eyes as Teresa pulled back from Reed, reaching out to place his hand on the small of my back. "Give it a rest, stud," he said, smirking at Reed. "It's going to be a long weekend."

Reed reached out and poked at Peter's stomach. "Are you going to introduce me?"

Peter nodded, smiling over at me. "This is my baby sister, Aisling."

Reed blinked. "That's a beautiful name," she said. Her voice had lost its seduction, now just quiet and sincere. Part of me mourned the sudden change while the other part basked in the pleasure of being the sole focus of warm brown eyes. "I've heard a lot about you. It's great to finally meet you."

I nodded, grinning. "Likewise."

I hadn't gotten a hug at the door. I envied Teresa that. So far this weekend... Reed had touched me three times. No, four.

The first time probably didn't count. I doubted that Reed registered it like I had.

"Water, lemonade, or beer?" Reed shouted back at the semi-circle of us who sat around her patio table.

The guys answered first, in unison. "Beer," shouted the collective of Peter, Tim, Jake, and Wes.

Tim's wife nodded in agreement, offering Reed a grateful smile as she handed out four dripping cans of ice-cold beer. "Beer would be great," Jen said.

Jake's new girlfriend, Deanna, wrinkled her nose at Reed. "Water," she said, sniffing and shaking her head in distaste. "Too many empty calories otherwise."

Teresa rolled her eyes. "Lemonade," she said. "Bring on the calories. I'm married, after all."

"And love has nothing to do with calories," Peter said. He leaned over and kissed his wife on the cheek, making me smile.

"Make it two," I said.

Reed came to me after delivering a bottle of water to Deanna and a tall glass of lemonade to Teresa. She held two more glasses of lemonade, one for me and one for herself. She raised a dark eyebrow at me.

"It's an excellent vintage," she said. Her lips twitched into a crooked smile. "Minute Maid, 2004."

I accepted the glass as she handed it to me, chuckling at her words. The laughter died in my throat as her fingertips brushed against mine, damp from condensation. Reed met my eyes as our skin touched, but didn't betray any emotion at the contact that nearly shattered me where I sat.

"Perfect," I murmured, and then took a long pull of the sweet drink so I wouldn't have to say anything more. Reed had rendered me utterly incapable of cleverness.

If I was to be honest, Reed scared me. Being bankrupt of witty banter was terrifying to someone who depended upon it. She made me that way -- with a look, a smile, with throaty laughter -- she left me slack-jawed and dumb with arousal every time she looked in my direction.

For the first day and a half, I could barely speak when she was around.

There's something uniquely terrifying about seeing reality live up to a fantasy. To have the real thing surpass your wildest dreams... that's even more frightening. I had been imagining Reed for so long that some part of me had expected to be bitterly disappointed by the real thing.

From the moment she'd greeted me at the door, disappointment never crossed my mind. I suspected that if she ever kissed me, I would implode.

And if she didn't, and I never experienced those lips... well, I might just do the same.

The second time she touched me, it was deliberate. That I was humiliated at the time only put a slight damper on the memory, two days later.

"How about girls against guys?" Reed suggested, tossing the volleyball from one hand to the other.

Jake snickered. "So does that mean you're on our team?"

Reed launched the ball at his stomach, lightening-fast, snorting in laughter when it bounced off of him and rolled back to her feet. She picked it up and winked at Teresa. "I'll play with the girls."

Tim positively guffawed. "Just like college, huh?"

This time the volleyball found its mark smack in the middle of Tim's forehead. He grunted, and then lunged forward to try and steal the ball away from Reed before she could retrieve it. Too fast for him, Reed held the ball behind her back in both hands.

"If you want to tell stories, I can tell stories," Reed warned, giving Tim a smile of challenge.

Tim glanced over at his wife. "Nah, that's okay. So... girls against guys, huh? Cool."

Jen chuckled, reaching out to rub Tim's back with her hand. "Reed, remind me to beg you for some of those stories later."

"Still making the ladies beg, I see," Jake muttered. He ducked and the volleyball sailed over his head. "Some things never change."

Sans ammunition, Reed settled for kicking a spray of sand over Jake's bare feet. Giving me a quick look, she narrowed her eyes at the dark-haired man. "Some things do," she said. Her voice was suddenly serious.

"Lay off her, man," Peter piped up, giving Reed an affectionate pat on the arm. "Unless you want a spike directly to the head, I mean."

Jake nodded his assent and we split into two groups on either side of the net. We had one more player than the guys, which was probably good. I sucked at volleyball.

Reed, unsurprisingly, was fantastic... in every way. She wore board shorts and a tank top that made it hard for me to concentrate on the game. She threw her body at the ball like her life depended upon it, and between her and Jen, we gained an early lead.

I spent more time staring at the way Reed looked in her shorts than paying attention to the ball, and so when a hard spike from Wes careened towards me, I wasn't even aware of it until I was on my ass in the sand. I rubbed my sore head and watched the white ball roll away from me.

"Goddamn it," I muttered. My face burned hot at the less-than-graceful display. I planted my hands on the sand behind my hips, ready to stand up and shake off the mortification, when all of a sudden I was staring at army green board shorts and tan, muscular legs inches from my face.

"You okay, Aisling?" Reed asked from above me. A large hand reached down in an offer of help.

I stared at long, tapered fingers with dazed eyes. I wondered how they would feel inside of me. After a moment, I shook my head and looked up into concerned brown eyes.

"I'm fine," I said. I inhaled, hoping to clear my head, and took her hand. She pulled me up, catching me against her solid body when I stumbled forward on unsteady feet.

"Whoa," Reed murmured close to my ear. For a moment she continued to hold my hand, her other arm snaked around my waist. Her skin felt hot against mine through the material of my bathing suit. "Careful."

I nodded, glancing across the net and catching the smile that Peter quickly hid. "Thanks." Stepping away from Reed, I managed a shy nod. "Aren't you glad you picked me for your team?" I murmured.

Reed leaned into me and answered in a whisper. "Yes."

Beside us, Teresa picked up the discarded ball and tossed it over the net to the guys.

I shivered in my bed at the memory of Reed's warm breath tickling my earlobe.

Yes.

No one word had ever made me feel so good before.

*****

The fourth time Reed touched me, she was being polite.

"If you need anything, I'm the second door on the left."

I looked up at Reed, startled at the words. Her hand curled around mine and she gave me a brief squeeze before she pulled away. Her mouth was stretched into a now-familiar smile, her eyes intense and tender. My brother and his wife were out on the beach wrangling with their blankets; Reed and I stood at the bottom of the staircase, listening to the creaking of five pairs of feet in the bedrooms above our heads.

"I..." I faltered, hoping that Reed couldn't see the pinkness of my cheeks. I tried to figure out what she was trying to say. This was our third night at Reed's beach house. I knew where her bedroom was, and I thought she knew that. "Thank you, Reed."

She tipped her head and her smile grew crooked. "I'm glad we finally got to meet this weekend. Honestly, I feel like I already know you... Peter always loved telling stories about his baby sister."

I shrugged sheepish shoulders, nodding. "I know what you mean. I've been hearing about the infamous Reed for years. It's nice to put a face with the legend." I gave her a teasing grin.

Reed groaned. "Legend, huh? God... I hope he spared you the gory details."

I watched Reed lean her solid frame on the banister, crossing her arms over her chest. She towered over my five-foot-four-inch frame by a half foot. I guessed that she outweighed me by at least thirty pounds. I wanted to know how she would feel on top of me. Nothing that Peter ever said about this woman had prepared me for the visceral reaction I had to her.

"Peter loves you," I told her. "That's definitely colored everything he's told me about you. I came here this weekend prepared to meet an incredible woman."

"And now that you've actually met me?" Reed asked. One corner of her lip curled into a cautious grin. "Do those rose-colored glasses hold up?"

I gave her a shy nod. In the other room, I heard the sliding glass door open and Teresa's voice as she and Peter came inside. I reached over and traced a tentative line across the strong muscles of Reed's forearm.

"You haven't shattered any illusions, if that's what you're asking," I told her. I was careful with my words.

Reed licked her lips, and then looked over my shoulder where we could hear Peter and Teresa moving about in the next room. Shifting her focus back to me, she murmured, "Remember, if you need anything..."

My heart stuttered in my chest. "Thanks, I'll remember."

Reed was nothing if not polite.

*****

When I was eleven years old -- which put Peter at thirteen -- my brother gave Larry Hudson a bloody nose for kissing me on the playground after school. Poor Larry stumbled away from the scene of that stolen kiss, wailing, while I stared on in shock at my sudden protector. After that day, I was aware of two things: boys really weren't very good for kissing, and nobody was going to be good enough for Peter's little sister.

I came out to my family at eighteen. Peter was the only one who reacted with relief.

"Thank God," he'd told me. "So you mean I'm not going to have to worry about some asshole trying to get you in bed?"

I told him that women could be assholes, too. After a moment of thought, he'd regained some of his worry.

I never dared react to Peter's mentions of Reed in his many stories. I didn't want him to know how much his friend sounded just like what I wanted. So Peter didn't know about my crush on Reed, and I wondered how he would feel if he knew what I lie in bed thinking about that night.

If you need anything...

Peter liked Reed enough to want me to date her. He hadn't made a secret of that, though I wasn't sure if his teasing had more to do with the fact that we were the only two lesbians he knew or if he actually thought there could be something between us. The first time he had ever said anything to me, a couple of years after I came out to him, I was stunned.

"So you know my friend Reed?" Peter asked. He lay on his back on his childhood bed, butt pressed against the wall and legs stretched high above him. It was his idea of relaxing, and I'd seen him in the same pose countless times when we were growing up in this house.

"Of course," I answered. I straddled Peter's old desk chair, facing the bed. I couldn't see his eyes because he was staring up at the ceiling. We waited for our mother to call us down for the first family dinner we'd all gathered to eat in nearly six months. "The Amazing Reed, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound."

Sarcasm helped mask my fascination with Peter's best friend. It wasn't the most mature strategy, but it worked for me. I leaned forward on the chair, eager for whatever Peter could tell me about her.

"She's a really cool chick."

"Yeah?" I asked. He'd already made that abundantly clear to me.

"Yeah." Peter waggled his eyebrows at the ceiling and grinned. "She's a dyke, too."

I snorted in surprise at hearing that word tumble out of my brother's mouth. "Really? A rug-muncher, huh?" Inside, I was whooping for joy.

Peter tipped his head back and gave me a look of disgust. "Nice, Aisling."

"Sorry," I apologized, hiding a giggle behind my hand. "So she's a dyke," I prompted him. My stomach flip-flopped as I repeated the news. I wondered how long he'd known, and why he'd never told me before.

Peter nodded, returning his gaze to the ceiling. "You need to meet a girl like Reed. Shit... I need to meet a girl like Reed. Too bad she doesn't come in a straight model."

I sat up, scooting the desk forward closer with feet planted on the carpeted floor. When I pulled close to Peter, he tilted his head to glance over at me.

"Are you saying there's actually a person in this world who you might consider good enough for me?"

Peter grinned. "If she were interested in monogamous relationships at the moment, I just might say yes."

"Oh," I murmured. Why did my brother have to tease me with the hint of his perfect best friend? "So the one woman you'd choose for me isn't even available?"

Peter shook his head. "Afraid not. Tough luck for you, I guess."

I stood up and launched myself on the bed, digging my fingers into Peter's ribs. He howled in laughter. "Bastard," I muttered.

I wondered if Peter had invited me along on this reunion of old college friends and their partners because Reed had become available. From what I gathered, her days of playing were over. Every comment one of the guys had made that weekend alluding to her history with women had been met with a cold glare and a quiet deflection. I sensed that Reed was sensitive about the subject and I guessed at what that meant.

But was Peter really trying to set me up? I almost couldn't imagine that from my brother.

"If you need anything," I whispered up to the ceiling. I blinked, staring at the shadows that moved and shifted with the tree outside my window.

If Reed wasn't being polite, then she was coming on to me. If she wasn't being polite, that sounded like an invitation.

What would Peter think if he knew how badly I wanted to accept it?

*****

Part of my brain admonished my body for the thoughts that kept me awake. After all, if there was a chance that I could enjoy a legitimate relationship with Reed, I wanted to take it. Would I really want to be just another one-night stand in her litany of them?

The other part of me, however... I had fantasized about the idea of Reed for years. That I might have the opportunity to experience the real thing now, tonight, almost overwhelmed every bit of reason and caution my brain could throw at me.

Wes slept on the floor next to her bed. Here is where I grew confused. Reed couldn't possibly be inviting me to her bedroom when we couldn't even be alone there.

But what else might I need in the middle of the night?

Water. Aspirin. A bedtime story. There were a hundred things I might need that weren't sex, but being touched was the only thing on my mind.

It had been far too long.

"Maybe she just wants to talk," I mumbled to myself. And that would be fine, too. More than fine, really. Talking was good. In fact, talking with Reed was great.

My favorite part of the weekend so far had been talking with Reed.

"I'm going back to the house for more beers, guys," Reed said from her spot across the bonfire from me. She stood up, brushing the sand off the bottom of her board shorts with both hands. "Anyone want anything else?"

"If you could grab my sweater," Jen said in an apologetic voice. "I left it on the couch."

Reed nodded. "I know where it is. No problem."

"How about a few blankets?" Jake slurred. He grinned over at his equally inebriated girlfriend. "I wouldn't mind looking at the stars before we go in."

"Beer, sweater, blankets," Reed said. "Anything else?"

"You should bring your guitar out," Peter said. He gave me a sidelong glance, a half smile. "Show off your rock and roll prowess."

Reed opened her mouth as if to answer, but I saw an opportunity and seized it. "Sounds like you could use some help carrying stuff, Reed," I said. I stood up, smiling down at Teresa when she helped brush some sand off the back of my pants. "I need to use the bathroom, anyway."

Reed blinked, and then gave me a polite smile. "Thanks. That'd be great."

We walked back to the beach house, silent until the voices around the fire faded to an unintelligible murmur. Reed looked over at me as I crossed my arms over my chest, shivering. The combination of Reed and the cool night air had raised my nipples to rock-hard points beneath my t-shirt and I felt a little self-conscious.

"Cold?" Reed asked.

I nodded, unable to meet her eyes. Instead, I stared straight ahead at the house as we approached. "A little," I admitted.

"I'll lend you one of my sweatshirts when we get inside," Reed said.

"Thanks," I said. I managed a smile over at her, letting my eyes slide over her muscular body. I didn't tell her that I had my own sweatshirt upstairs. I wanted to be swallowed up in one of hers. "This really is a beautiful place, Reed."

Reed paused, offering me her hand so she could lead me up the deck stairs through the relative darkness. It was the third time she had touched me that weekend.

"It is," Reed acknowledged. She released my hand when we reached the sliding glass door, opening it and gesturing me inside ahead of her. "I'd rather have my parents, but they did leave me a wonderful legacy."

I stepped into the living room, turning to look at her as she came inside behind me. "I'm sorry," I murmured. "Peter told me when it happened. He was pretty shaken up by it, actually."

Reed gave me a sad smile. "Peter was my rock. He really helped me get through everything after they... were killed." She shook her head, sheepish. "He put up with a lot."

"He's very protective of the people he cares about," I said. "He's a good guy."

"He is," Reed agreed. "A good big brother, too, I'm sure." She gestured to the kitchen with a nod of her head, inviting me to follow.

"I'm lucky to have him," I said. I stopped in the doorway of the kitchen, watching Reed pull out a twelve-pack of beer and tuck it under her arm. "He was my rock, too, when I came out to my parents. I never felt alone, because I always had him."

Reed turned to me with serious eyes. This was the first time I had alluded to my sexuality in her presence, though I was certain she knew. "Your parents had a hard time with it?"

I nodded. "For a while. They're better now. They... I guess they get it now."

"My parents never really got it," Reed said. "But we loved each other, anyway." She stared into my eyes for a moment, blinked, and then shook her head. "Why don't you hit the bathroom while I scrounge up the rest of the wish list?"

I gave her a sympathetic smile. After a moment of hesitation, I reached out and touched her cheek. She looked as shocked as I felt at my boldness. It was the first time I had touched her that weekend.

"Sounds good," I murmured. "I'll be right back."

Reed gave me a dumb nod as I dropped my hand from her face. "I'll be waiting."

And she was, by the door, when I returned to the living room. She held up a faded grey hooded sweatshirt, giving me a crooked smile. "You know, I must really like you," she said.

My knees wobbled a bit on my next step, but I recovered quickly enough. I hoped she hadn't noticed how the comment had affected me. "Why's that?" I asked.

"This one's my favorite," Reed said. "I've never lent it to a woman before."

I stopped in front her, craning my neck to look up into her eyes. "I promise to take good care of it," I said.

"I trust you." Reed smiled, handing it over to me. "It's going to be huge on you."

It was. I pulled it down over my head, snaking my arms through long sleeves and giggling as the bottom brushed against the tops of my knees. "Perfect," I said.

Reed's brown eyes glittered in the dimly lit room. "Absolutely."

I could acknowledge that she was interested in me. At least, I thought she was. But what did she mean earlier, when we were standing at the bottom of the stairs?

"If you need anything," I whispered once again, remembering her brown eyes. "I'm the second door on the left." It was as if by saying the words over and over, their meaning would become clear.

Wes was in that room. Wes wasn't in my room, however. If I knocked quietly enough, he may never realize I had come to get her.

What did I need? Could I tell Reed the truth?

"I need you," I murmured to the ceiling.

*****

At exactly two in the morning, I sat up in bed and made a decision. It was almost a half hour since Reed had bid me goodnight. If I needed anything, it had better be fast.

I needed aspirin. At least, that was what I would tell Reed if I found her and it didn't seem as if she had any other motivation for her offer than politeness. If I had completely misread the situation, I needed aspirin.

I snuck out into the hallway in a tank top and thin cotton pajama pants. I wore nothing else and I hoped like hell that I wouldn't run into anybody on my way to Reed's room. I felt half-naked, excited, terrified.

I made it only a couple of feet away from the door of my bedroom before I began to doubt my decision. At the end of the hallway, the door to Reed's bedroom was closed. Behind it, she and Wes both lie, probably sleeping, and was I really going to go chance waking one or both of them up?

I had almost talked myself out of everything when I saw movement at the top of the staircase across the hall from Reed's bedroom. I turned to look, startled, and found myself staring into the dark eyes of my brother's best friend. She wore a t-shirt and boxer shorts stretched over her bulky frame.

"Hey," she whispered, moving towards me. I kept walking down the hallway as she approached, stopping when I met her in the middle. We stood in front of the open doorway of the bathroom. "Are you okay? Do you need something?"

I gave her a nervous nod, licking my lips. Reed wasn't in her bedroom. She wasn't asleep. She had been lingering at the top of the stairs, almost as if she had been waiting for me. A thousand manic thoughts and clues flitted through my mind, each one coloring my interpretation of what was happening.

In the end, I would never be certain. I could be safe, or I could take a chance.

"What do you need, Aisling?" Reed asked in a quiet whisper. She kept her eyes locked to mine, leaning imperceptibly closer to my body.

I closed the distance between us, raising onto my tiptoes and snaking my arms around her broad shoulders. "A kiss," I whispered. I didn't allow myself to stop and experience my terror. I leaned in and brushed my lips over hers, whimpering at the unexpected softness I found.

Reed barely hesitated before wrapping muscular arms around my waist and pulling me tight against her body. Her tongue eased out and played over my lips for only an instant before I parted them and invited her inside. She pushed into me, licking the inside of my mouth, walking me backwards so that she could press my shoulders to the wall next to the bathroom door.

Before I knew it, I was pinned between Reed and the wall. I gasped at the restriction of movement I felt, excited.

I moaned into her mouth, closing my eyes at a flood of wetness between my legs. When she eased her thigh between mine, boxer shorts riding up to expose bare skin to the damp cotton covering my arousal, I gripped her back with frantic fingers.

Reed pulled away from our kiss gasping. "We can't..."

"Not in the hallway," I murmured. I didn't even think as I stepped back, grabbed her hand, and pulled her into the dark bathroom just inches away from where we leaned. "Come in here."

"Aisling," Reed groaned as I kissed her again. She brought her hand up to tangle in my hair, tightening her fingers when I pushed her back against the bathroom door to close it behind us. "No," Reed growled. She forced me take a step backwards, hand still in my hair, and swiveled us around so that I was pinned against the door. She gave me a rough kiss, and then pulled away to whisper, "Better."

I whimpered at Reed's dominance. It was exactly the way I had fantasized she'd be. I turned my head as she leaned in to kiss me again, baring my throat to her eager mouth. When she found the tender skin of my neck with gentle teeth, I moaned in pleasure.

Reed didn't say a word as she continued to lick and suck at my neck, but her hands were busy. She reached up and disentangled my arms from around her neck, seizing my wrists and holding them against the door over my head. A quiet noise escaped my lips as I put up a mock struggle, inciting her to tighten her grip on my wrists.

Reed pulled away from my throat and pinned me with dark eyes. "You like this, don't you?" she asked, squeezing my wrists and holding me even tighter against the door. "Giving up control."

I nodded. "Yes," I whispered. I met her heated gaze. "I've been wanting to feel your body against mine all weekend."

Reed ground her hips into mine. "I won't even tell you what I've been wanting to do all weekend." She sounded cautious, as if she wasn't sure of my limits.

I dropped my eyes to my breasts, which pressed against Reed's stomach. My nipples were so hard they hurt. "Show me," I challenged in a whisper.

Reed's mouth fell open and she loosened her grip on my wrists. "Aisling, I..." She bent down, delivering a sweet kiss to my lips. "I really like you," she mumbled against my mouth. "I'm not sure..."

"I really like you, too," I answered. I squirmed on the thigh that she held between my legs. "And I want you."

Reed blinked and I could see the shattering of some resolve in her eyes. "I want you, too."

Just as I was going to ask her to take me to my bedroom, she growled and captured my mouth in a long, wet kiss. She released one wrist so that she could bring her hand down and squeeze my breast through my tank top. I kept both of my wrists pressed against the door above my head, surrendering to her control.

Reed pinched my nipple between her fingers, breaking our kiss to growl in my ear. Rather than say anything, Reed found my earlobe with her teeth and nibbled on the tender skin. She moved her hand from one nipple to the other, pulling and tugging them into painful hardness. My pajama bottoms were soaking wet against her thigh.

I inhaled as if to speak, but Reed released my nipple from between her fingers and stopped me with a hand over my mouth. I whimpered at her forceful move.

"You want me to show you?" Reed whispered.

I nodded. Reed removed her hand at that, stepping away from me and taking me by the shoulders. She pulled me away from the door and turned me around to face the bathroom mirror. The lights were off, but the bathroom was dimly illuminated by the moonlight that shone in through curtained windows.

"Raise your arms," Reed whispered behind me. I found her eyes in the mirror, excited beyond all reason. This was better than any fantasy I had ever had.

I raised my arms into the air.

Reed pulled my tank top up over my head, tossing it on the floor beside us. She stared at my bare breasts in the mirror for a moment before reaching around to cover one with each hand. She raised her eyes to meet mine again, and then bent down to nuzzle my neck.

"These are so beautiful," Reed murmured into my ear.

"Thanks," I whispered. "Your hands feel so good."

Reed nipped at my earlobe. "They'll feel even better in a minute," she said. Leaving my breasts with one last tug on each nipple, she slid her hands down my sides to rest on my waist. She kept the fingers of her left hand curled around my stomach while she moved her other hand up to press down between my shoulder blades. "Over, baby."

I swallowed as my throat went totally dry. It was if Reed had tapped into every fantasy I had ever had about her. My legs shook as I obeyed her quiet command, bending over to rest my arms on the bathroom counter next to the sink. I kept my head up, looking into her eyes.

Without a word, Reed grabbed the waistband of my pajama bottoms and tugged them down until they fell to pool around my ankles. I was completely exposed, vulnerable, dripping wet with excitement. My breathing picked up until I was nearly panting.

"Step out of them, sweet girl," Reed commanded.

I did as she asked, still bent over the sink. As I watched, she dropped her eyes and kicked out at my pajama bottoms, sending them across the floor to the wall. When her eyes moved again, it was to stare between my legs.

"You're wet," Reed murmured. I gasped as strong fingers reached down and grasped my buttocks, pulling me apart and opening me to her heated gaze.

"I was thinking about you," I whispered. I dropped my head as two searching fingertips traced down over my labia, and then found my opening with unerring ease.

"I was thinking about you, too." Reed's voice was low and throaty, unlike I had ever heard it before. All of the restraint between us had vanished. In its place was raw hunger, driving both of our actions. "About this." Reed said, and then drove one finger inside of me with excruciating slowness.

I lifted my head, opening my mouth as I was filled, and found her eyes in the mirror again. She stared at my face in the semi-darkness as if to memorize it. When she was inside me completely, she leaned down over my back and kissed my shoulder.

"Thank you," Reed whispered into my ear. Straightening, she pulled her finger out and then thrust inside again. The third time, she entered me with two fingers.

I kept my head up, arching my back and lifting my ass into the air for her. I kept my feet planted apart to give her easy access, holding her gaze in the mirror in front of me. I released soundless cries into the night, slipping once and allowing a loud whimper to escape me.

Reed dug the fingers of her left hand into my buttock, pulling me even wider apart. She increased the strength of her next thrust so that it threw me forward onto the counter. "Quiet," she warned in a bare whisper. She squeezed the flesh she held in her left hand, giving me a stern look. "Understand?"

I nodded, silencing my pleasure by forcing it deep inside my belly. Without an outlet, it soon overwhelmed me, causing my thighs to tremble as she continued to pump her hand against them. On the edge of orgasm, I searched Reed's face and found exactly what I was looking to find.

Desire. Affection. Interest.

"May I come, Reed?" I whispered. I gasped as her left hand left my ass, snaking around my front so that she could find my swollen clit with her fingers. My thighs trembled even more violently at the added sensation.

"Come, baby. On my hand. Quietly."

I obeyed each order, stiffening and shaking on her still-moving hands. My mouth fell open, but no noise escaped me. I pushed up with my hands on the bathroom counter, arching my back and riding the wave of pleasure until I collapsed, trembling, next to the sink.

Reed didn't leave me there for long.

Withdrawing from me with a murmured apology, Reed wrapped both arms around my front and pulled me standing. I felt weak and she seemed to sense that, because she held me with strong arms and let me lean back against her body. Reed kissed my neck, inhaling with her nose buried deep in my hair.

"I can't wait to do that again," Reed whispered in my ear.

Subtle, but the message was received. As far as she was concerned, this was not a one-night stand.

"But it's not over yet," I murmured. Turning around in her arms, I pressed my naked body against hers. I leaned up and captured her lips in a long, lingering kiss, and then I pulled back with a teasing grin.

Reed stared at me with dazed eyes. Even in the near dark, I could see the way her pupils were dilated and her nostrils flared with arousal. I didn't even think as I dropped to my knees in front of her and brought my hands to the waistband of her boxers.

Looking up the length of her body, I asked, "May I?"

Reed hesitated only a few moments before nodding. As I tugged her boxer shorts down, she exhaled and placed a steadying hand on my head. She stepped out of her shorts without my having to ask, and then planted her feet apart on the floor.

I could smell her and it made my mouth water. I stared at dark hair that glistened in the moonlight. Pushing her t-shirt up over her stomach with one hand, I leaned in close to the source of her scent.

"Don't tease me," Reed growled from above me. Her fingers tightened in my hair and she pulled my face closer to her wetness. "I want to feel your mouth."

I leaned forward, muffling my moan in her flesh as I covered her center with my lips. I gave her another long, lingering kiss, just as thorough as the one I had delivered to her mouth just minutes earlier. I traced my tongue along swollen ridges and folds, never staying very long in one place. I took my time and enjoyed the thorough exploration.

I could feel Reed's muscular thighs trembling against my shoulders as I leaned against her. I enjoyed that hint of vulnerability I felt, the evidence of what I was doing to her with my touch. I moaned into her skin, circling my tongue around her distended clit in lazy worship.

Reed began to stroke my hair with her hand. "God, baby, you're so good," she whispered. I strained hard to hear the quiet words, delighting in her reaction to me. "That feels so good, sweetheart. Just like that."

I kept up my licking and sucking, closing my eyes and inhaling deeply of her scent. I pushed my face into her wetness, groaning as my cheeks and nose and chin grew slick with it. Reed's hand tightened in my hair once again.

"Make me come," I heard from above me. Unthinking, I strove to obey the command.

Sucking Reed's clit into my mouth, I moved my lips over the distended shaft and lapped at the hard tip with my tongue. Reed jerked and groaned, leaning back against the counter as her orgasm crashed down upon her. I followed her retreat, pushing her against the counter and continuing my oral assault.

When the shaking of her body suddenly ceased, Reed pulled my face away from her pussy with two hands on my cheeks. "Baby, you'll kill me," she gasped.

I chuckled as I backed off, accepting the hands that she now offered to help me stand. I let her pull me up into a tender hug. She found my mouth with hers, kissing and licking at the slick juices that covered my lips.

Reed broke away from our kiss so we could both gasp for air, and then immediately began lapping at the wetness on my cheeks and chin. "I'd hate to have to explain that to everyone else," I whispered.

Reed pulled away, looking at me with confused eyes. "Explain what?" she asked in a nervous voice.

I gave her a reassuring smile. "Killing you."

"Oh," Reed said, smiling as she remembered her plea. After a moment her smile faded and she looked over my shoulder to the closed bathroom door. When she brought her eyes back to mine, they were sheepish. "Um, Aisling--"

I shook my head, covering her mouth with my hand. "Please don't," I whispered. "I wanted this to happen. I can't wait for next time, either."

Reed's eyes sparkled as she removed my fingers from over her mouth. She dropped a quick kiss on them before she pulled them away. "Me, too, it's just... I mean, I wasn't planning to just fuck--" Wincing, she released my hand and dropped ashamed eyes to the ground. "I mean, uh--"

I chuckled at her discomfort. "We both wanted it," I whispered to her, curling my fingers around her chin and lifting her eyes to meet mine. "Don't feel bad about it now, okay?"

"I'm just thinking that Peter would probably kick my ass if he knew what I just did to his baby sister," Reed whispered. "He's been okay with the fact that I've had a crush on you for, like, forever, but--"

"Wait," I interrupted her. "A crush on me?" I stared at her with incredulous eyes. "Why? How?"

I could almost see Reed's face redden in the moonlight. "Oh, well... uh... Peter talks about you a lot. It was hard not to... not to kind of half fall in love with you, just listening to him. And, uh..." She trailed off, lifting her eyes to mine before tearing them away again.

I smiled at the shyness I would have never expected from this powerful woman. Emboldened now that I knew we were on equal ground with our feelings, I wrapped my arms around her broad shoulders. "And what?" I whispered.

"And Peter kind of let me read some of your stories," she answered. Reed gave me a careful look. "I hope you don't mind."

I didn't mind, per se, but my face flooded with heat. "Oh God," I murmured. "Which stories?"

Reed snickered, looking slightly more confident when I didn't release her from my embrace. "Some really good ones."

I closed my eyes, groaning. "He didn't just show you the erotica, did he?" I asked. "Because I swear I do write other stuff--" I opened my eyes when Reed's arms curled around my waist again.

"He showed me some erotica," Reed admitted. "It was... it was really good."

"Which one?"

"The Surrender," Reed said. "That one was my favorite."

I bit my lip, grinning. "And here I thought you just read me as a submissive," I said. It explained a lot.

"Well, I guess I did," Reed murmured. "Literally. Or at least... I hoped that life imitated art."

I wrinkled my nose up at Reed. "Is it weird to let my brother read that stuff?"

Reed shook her head. "He's so proud of you. He loves everything you write. He knew I'd love it, too," she said. Her lips twitched into a crooked smile. "And I did. I fantasized about you after that."

I released a quiet snort. "So I won you over with my dirty stories," I whispered. Raising a playful eyebrow, I said, "I knew those would come in handy someday."

Reed shrugged, suddenly serious. "Not just the dirty stories," she told me. "He let me read others, too."

"Like what?" I asked. I couldn't help it. I was curious. Nearly everything I wrote was personal in some way, and so I wondered what Reed might know about me.

"The Long Walk Home," Reed whispered. "Aisling, I... I'm not sure I've ever read a story that I enjoyed as much as that one. It was beautiful. You... are beautiful," she said, sliding her hands over my naked back. "You're everything I imagined you would be... and probably so much more."

"I guess you'll find out," I offered. "How much more." Resting my face against her breast, I murmured, "And for the record, I've been half in love with you, too. I just never admitted it to Peter."

"Me?" Reed asked. "I have no idea why."

I pulled back. "Well, I do," I whispered. "More so now than ever before."

Reed reached out and traced her finger over my eyebrow. "Thanks for coming to find me," she murmured. "I was just about to give up on you."

"It took me a while to work up the courage," I admitted. "I’m glad I did, though."

Reed's chest rumbled with quiet laughter. "Me, too," she said. "I had just planned on maybe sneaking downstairs and talking, but... I appreciate your courage."

Reed's hands found my bottom and instantly my arousal was back. I exhaled through my nostrils, gazing up into Reed's tender gaze. "Take me back to my bedroom," I asked.

Reed shook her head. "Baby, Peter is in the room right next to yours. I can't--"

"You can," I told her. "I can be quiet."

Reed raised a suspicious eyebrow. "Oh, really?"

"You can make me be quiet," I amended, giving her a beguiling smile. I wasn't above using whatever it took to convince her.

Reed's mouth stretched into a wide grin and her hands squeezed my buttocks, pulling my body tight against hers. She gave me a kiss that left me breathless when it ended, minutes later.

"You're right," Reed said when she finally caught her breath. "I can."

And she did.

END