The Christmas Invasion

"Oops - I guess those sheep aren't all out the four wise sheep then. Let me see..."

Digging through the box, sure enough. The Keepers of the Sheep. Looking at his setup, he realized that it couldn't work. Taking the sheep aside, he put one by the trough, a shepherd looking on. He freed the camel and thought it would probably be safe over by the ox on the far end of the stable - even a lanky thing like it couldn't step on Jesus from there. Besides, it'd have to get through the wise guys. He put a shepherd and a sheep by the camel so it didn't feel all left out, though. The last sheep he put in the camel's stall, shepherd very close behind it. He thought that sheep looked a bit nervous.

Rearranging the astrologers, he put one by the angel on the roof. Wait, that's astronomers. He put him back with the other two, in a conga line over by Joseph.

"There we go. Shepherds are found. I had to move the sheep though to get them all in. Better?"

Frowning for a minute, he shook his head.

"There must be another layer somewhere - that's one and a third sheep per guy...they aren't very efficient. Maybe the other sheep are in the Advanced Set with the other camels, the extra angels and the devil figurine looking all thwarted and whatnot. Ah well...nativity complete...ish."

Ginnie got the last santa in place and flipped over, landing with a bounce next to Alec. She studied his handy-work with a silly grin and found his take on the traditional nativity refreshing.

"It's perfect."

She curled her feet up on the couch and pulled them close to her bottom, with a little twist of her upper body she was snuggled comfortably against Alec.

"You know I think I used the wrong word a moment ago. Did I say astrologers? The wise men weren't fortune tellers they were astronomers, they studied the heavens for patterns not to find the future."

Her head dropped to Alec's shoulder and she snuggled a bit closer. She was happy to stop the decorating for a bit and simply be near her beloved. The thought of calling him more wandered briefly into her head and left just a quickly. She did not think she was ready to call another man husband, even if almost two hundred and fifty years had passed since her first husband had died. It was that dead thing that pushed the idea from her head. Though if Alec ever asked she would tell him yes.

Contemplating the difference between astrology and astronomy, Alec smiled. It really did boil down to the same thing in a lot of ways...it was just one set of conclusions was scientific and the other one mystical. Either way, way back then it would have been getting paid for laying on your back in a field and looking at stars, writing down your take on things. Anyone who could milk the system that well was welcome to their riches in Alec's book. Sure, there was probably a lot of tradition involved, likely hallucinogenic drug use in there as well, but still.

"I'm not too sure what the difference back then would have been...but astronomer sounds more official and less new-agey, so we'll keep it. Well, except for that fellow in the crazy robe. I'm betting he was an astrologer. Maybe he did some tea leaf readings, too. Certainly had a crystal ball...I mean look how the other two have kind of shuffled away from him and are talking among themselves."

Alec moved the figures as he made the story up.

"Yes, that Balthazar really is a strange one, mate, but his results are quite good. We ought to take him to meet the Spiritual King of All Humans. Oh, but what if he tries to read his tiny little palms or something? It is ok, the King is still a baby and he likely won't remember when he gets older."

Letting the figures alone, Alec leaned back, situating himself in a way that would be a bit more comfortable for Ginnie. Angling himself so that she would be on a slight incline, he made the nook in his shoulder she seemed to enjoy by putting his arm up and around her. In that moment, he realized that if he were a larger man that the space would not exist, and their entire physical dynamic would be different simply because he'd worked out more in a lifetime he couldn't remember. He wondered what Balthazar would have had to say about that.

Abandoning his musings, he turned his attention to her hair, fingers on his raised arm trailing idly through it of their own volition. He'd not made a conscious thought to do it - it was simply as if he were wired on a most basic level to do the simple action. Some people were nail-biters - he was a fingers-running-through-hairer. That really didn't have a ring to it at all...he could see why people never mentioned such a quirk. Kind of a mouthful.

The next subject he really didn't want to bring up, but he needed to get it off of his chest. Fidgeting a bit, he tried to figure out how to mention it. There really wasn't a good way.

"Um...I'm sorry I was so strange at Fallon and Cyrus' party. The whole little outburst and leaving the table like that. My covetous got a bit out of control and I wasn't sure how to handle the situation, so I panicked. Usually I am a bit more together than all of that, so I was embarrassed."

He almost wanted to go on and apologize for being a thief and a liar and how he wanted to be a better person sometimes...but that wouldn't be strictly true. He wanted to be a better person to and for Ginnie, but he didn't really care too much about altering his behaviors for anyone else. And he rather enjoyed being a thief. Ok, he was somewhat obsessive and overly prideful about it, sure, but the enjoyment was what the whole deal broke down into. If he didn't like it, he wouldn't do it.

He wasn't sure where to go from there, so he opted for the 'I-was-just-thinking-idly-about-it' face. He didn't particularly want to admit that he was having moral dilemmas surrounding whether or not he should steal from a friend. He didn't like the idea of ever having that conversation. So he'd just keep that self-control locked in and make sure it never happened.

Ginnie sighed softly as his fingers played with her locks. She loved that little gesture and found it comforting. His words brought her eyes up to his face, she gazed at him rather perplexed and took a moment before answering.

"Covetous? About what?"

She ran over the events on the evening in her mind and tried to figure out what in the world the man had to be jealous of. The only thing that she kept coming back to was Cyrus proposal to Fallon. He had left the table shortly after that, but that would mean... How strange that their thought patterns coincided like that. Or perhaps it was something higher than coincidence.

He really couldn't work his way through this one without getting into business aspects and the greedy, ugly bits of his personality that he liked to just keep from the radar. That kind of sucked.

"Well, it is kind of...well, the ring is what set it off, really. It kind of catalyzed some of the things that I lack, and some that I have too much of."

He really had no idea how to even dress this up in a way that would be remotely acceptable in polite company. This whole honesty thing wasn't all it was cracked up to be. Well, in for a dime, in for a dollar.

"I mean...the issue of jewelry kind of hits delicate territory with me. You already know the line of work I am in...some specific to gems and gemstones. Gems are generally a good way to pay the bills since they can be downgraded to remove identifying marks and still sell both rapidly and safely. Since they are always well-insured, the loss is non-existent to the former owner, as well. A ring like that is a prime target, and coping with the natural reflex was a bit ugly.

It also gave me an opportunity to view the emotions in real people involved surrounding some of the products I cause to be produced or relocated. That was a bit strange, since it was in people I know. Layering the two together made for a somewhat distracting mix.

Finally, it put into focus the fact that I don't even really know your feelings on marriage. To me, it has always been a somewhat strange human institution, so I didn't give it too much thought. A financial institution based off of emotional ties. In a very real way, our lives are already married - we work together, live together, we're financially separate, but since neither of us really has to worry about money it isn't an issue - we purchase for each other without thought...I was also embarrassed because I had never even considered to ask. I never even considered asking, since I'd made the assumption that our kind didn't do such things, which made me feel guilty and uncaring.

So I guess it all came to a head - my greed rose its ugly head, and forced me to deal with the fact that, even for the barest of moments, I had considered stealing from someone within our circle. Obviously, I wouldn't, but the reaction was embarrassing. The same instance saved to illustrate my lack of foresight in matters emotional, and then underlined it with the fact that I don't even know what you feel about marriage. I'd simply assumed it obsolete for our kind, but I should have asked. Then, instead of facing the situation, I panicked."

Well, that was a mouthful. Staring off at the wall, Alec realized he'd avoided eye contact the whole time. Thinking about it, he was still not ready to look back and risk seeing judgment. The wall was plenty interesting, and provided an interesting bit of insight. How could he be so good at gifting - the painting - with rich emotion and creativity, but not even think to ask her thoughts on emotional institutions? The 'I'm 6' excuse only went so far, after all.

"So I felt pretty poorly through the whole thing. In the moment I felt like a dirty robber that lacked compassion toward his lover. I mean, academically, I know that's not true - I'm an expert technician who unleashes hell on insurance companies and is head over heels for someone he was lucky to draw into his life. I just forgot that part, and it wasn't how I felt right then."

How odd...at the end of the explanation, he realized that he'd faded color from his vision and drastically reduced his tactile senses. Was it a subconscious attempt to make the bad feeling go away? Interesting. He'd have to watch that in the future - if how he was in his mind could affect his perceptions of the world, it could be dangerous.

Having said his bit, he relaxed and pushed slightly on his senses, returning them to a more normal state. He could once again feel the silk of Ginnie's hair between his naked fingers, the soft curve of her form against his side. The colors of the painting came back to life, as if they'd never left. Inhaling, he took in her scent and let it out as a sigh. Not knowing what to expect, he looked to her for a reaction.

Ginnie sat very still for what seemed like much too long. Thoughts swirled in her head, but they lacked form and substance. She closed her eyes for a moment, took a deep breath, inhaling the scent that was uniquely Alec. That relaxed her and she was able to better grasp the thoughts in her head.

"There are things in life that trigger certain reactions, regardless of your state of undeath. I know who and what you are and never has it bothered me. I am content to be ignorant of the details as I am sure you are content to be ignorant of the details of my work outside of Duibne. It is not a matter of emotion to me, but ethics, though that seems terribly skewed if I think to long on it, so I choose not to think on it at all.

Emotional states are a much different ball of wax. I have been married, I married my sire as a human and remained married to him for twenty years until his untimely true death. I do not think I want to call another man husband in the true sense, with a ceremony and rings and papers. I fear that if I call a man husband I will loose him and that may be silly and irrational, but I don't want to loose you.

Marriage is more than a financial contract Alec it is a promise between two people to love honor and cherish each other, no matter what comes along they will be there for each other emotionally, physically and yes financially. It is a sacred thing between a man and a woman, that shows the world their commitment. I don't think the world needs a ceremony and a ring to know I am committed to you and you to me. However, should you ask me to be your wife I would gladly walk down the aisle to you and promise before God and the world to love you until death us do part. I love you, with every ounce of my being,a nd I know that you love me just as much and that is enough for me.

As to the rest, well..." Ginnie lips curled into an impish little grin as she uncurled her body and slid up and over Alec's until she had her knees on either side of his hips.

"We'll just have to punish the dirty robber and show him the meaning of a compassionate lover." Her voice had gone low and a little raspy, as she leaned closer to his lips with each word. Sex was probably not the perfect solution, but it was the most fun and would bring a smile to his sad eyes. When her lips had barely touch his, she struck quickly, biting into the soft flesh with one fang, then sucked gently on the wound. Her tongue slid deeply into his mouth when the wound no longer bled for her. A soft moan rumbled in the back of her throat at the taste of his slightly spicey blood and the taste that was pure Alec blended together.

After her description of marriage, Alec nodded.

"I don't think we need to show the human world our commitment. It isn't any of their business. As for our world, I think it is understood that we are what we are. If it isn't, I know a lovely lass who can get me a high caliber rifle with which I can explain it at very high velocity. I don't need a human ritual to tell the world what I know instinctively."

As she slid up his body, he got a bit confused...he was being rewarded for his confusion? No...probably for seeking the answer to his confusion and being honest. Maybe that whole 'honesty is the best policy' thing wasn't too far off - more sex was always good!

When her voice hit that tone, his body began to react immediately - it was like she'd programmed in pleasure protocols into his brain over the last year. When that tone was present, it was time for systems to go fully operational. As she slid over him, she leaned in for the kiss. Preparing for the silky softness of her lip, he discovered that they were made of ivory - very sharp, poky ivory. Gasping a bit involuntarily, his body twitched with the shock - he'd been warned, but his mind had still been processing old data. Silly mind, time for an upgrade.

With the gentle suction on his lips, Alec slid his hands up her body, reclining more as he went, his head coming down slowly onto the arm of the couch. Using his torso as a counterweight, he pivoted on his ass so that they were now laying on the couch instead of sitting straddled on it. His whole body had the tingly sensation of blood exodus - that little flush of pleasure and tingle of warning that tells you that something might not be right but it sure feels like it should be...

As she deepened the kiss, he held her more tightly. With all of the activity around Shay's change, they hadn't had as much time as usual together. It had been taxing his subconscious, but it was relieved to see that nothing had changed. Just been put off a few days. But he surely didn't want to think about their charge. There were long expanses of lovely skin concealed beneath unhelpful clothing. Someone ought to see to that. That someone was Alec.

Ginnie's body responded to his touch and gentle rearranging of their position, by speeding her breathing and moistening her panties. She finally pulled away from his lips, to trail kisses along his jaw, down his throat to the collar of his sweater. She began to wriggle down his body so that she could get beneath the sweater, when her hand knocked into one of the santas and sent him tumbling to the floor. The couch suddenly seemed very crowded and she crawled off its confines and her lover.

Quickly pulling him to his feet, she lead him to the bedroom and their bed. She pushed him, rather roughly, onto it's surface and climbed back on top of him. Her lips found his again while her fingers worked their way inside the softness of his sweater.

The alteration of her breathing clearly announced that there were further activities to come. Alec was not worried when she got up - he knew where they were headed. On the way, he glanced back at the wayward Santa - it looked like he'd bounced safely and was undamaged.

He never knew about the etiquette of taking off clothing on the way to the bedroom. It would be more efficient, but it seemed like it was one of Ginnie's favorite parts, and seemed a shame to deprive her of it. He knew he rather enjoyed unwrapping her - maybe it was the same for her in relation to him. He didn't see the joy in unwrapping a skinny, scarred pale body, but was very glad that she did. Still, he always felt he was getting the better end of the deal in that department. I mean, she had soft curvy bits! How could you NOT like those? It simply defied logic.

Arriving at the room, he smiled briefly at her before he was unceremoniously shoved through the air and onto the bed. Bouncing once, he landed in a fairly comfortable place, landing just shy of the pillows. Shifting slightly, he made sure the small ridge of blankets at the small of his back was smoothed out as she climbed back up the length of his body. Her hands were quickly inside his sweater, her lips back with his. Pushing hungrily into the kiss, he knew it would be gone soon - that sweater was coming off quite shortly, and that would mean disengagement. Hoping to hop directly to that detachment, he slid his arms down her body, along each long curve, resting one on each of her hips. Placing his thumbs along each bony ridge of her hips, he used his strong grip to push and pivot her hips down, grinding them together at their connection point. It was a bit strange with the feeling of so much fabric between them...it was like the physical equivalent of a suggestive whisper in the hallway on the way back to the room...merely a clear hint of things to come.

Her fingers slid over the scars of his belly, she had no idea why she liked those ridges of flesh, but she did. It was most likely because they were simply a part of Alec. She played there for a moment, until he ground her hips into his. She moaned and left her play to push his sweater up. Reluctantly she pulled her lips from his so that she could push the fuzzy material up over his head to be tossed to the floor.

Her fingers splayed over the newly bared flesh as her lips went back to his. they remained only briefly as she returned to her interrupted trail of kisses. She made her way along his jaw, down his throat, adding little bites in with her kisses and licks. Her trail stoped at the top of the first scar. Her tongue slid from her mouth to trail down the length of raised skin, then moved to the one beside that, and she made her slow wet way along each of the scars patterning his belly.

When her tongue came to the first that dipped below his jeans she darted beneath the fabric and moved on. When she had no more lovely skin to play with her fingers went to the button and zipped to bare more flesh to her seeking tongue.

Each kiss was a tiny gloss, each nip a sharp surge of sensation that tingled through his skin, along his spine and into his brain. The message was clear - love, compassion, mating, possession, fulfillment. Bonding. Oneness. A light in the storm after being lost for, after losing a lifetime. 'I really ought to get some of this down on paper - Harlequin would make a mint,' Alec thought. Sighing, he ran his hands through her hair as she kissed her way down his chest. If he couldn't use his lips, he would use his fingertips. Brushing one hand gently through her hair, the other played along her earlobe, touching lightly before venturing along her cheek and lashes. He tensed involuntarily for a moment when she reached his belly.

It was strange, the way that she attended to his ruined flesh. The buckled ridges in the radiating starburst pattern that covered his abdomen were a horrid thing to behold. Even in his infant days he was aware of the monstrosity in those marks, but this nigh-perfect form above him didn't merely acknowledge or accept them, she loved them and doted on them. Even the very sense of touch was disturbed through the pattern of ridges and valleys - one point would be totally void of feeling, another would be as if a raw nerve, all input amplified. In many ways, they were Alec's most honest feature. Some things he understood as clearly as a master. In other areas, he was completely senseless and blundered about in a flailing ignorance.

If she could accept them, so could he. Cautiously, he enervated the area, waking the damaged and scrambled nerves. The feel of her tongue was strange. One moment was moist silk sliding down his belly, the next a wad of wet nails, the next merely the feel of warmth of breath, a distant pressure, a book in braille, a touch of a tongue. There it was. Even in the wreckage, there was still a touch of reality, a hope for healing. What a strange revelation to have while the woman you love licked the area where you should have a bellybutton...laughing, Alec brushed both hands through her hair. He didn't have a belly button, so did that mean he could kill Macbeth? No man from woman borne? His mind was as scrambled as his flesh.

When she reached his waistline, he started to move to help her, then remembered his earlier thought. Don't rob your lover of enjoyment. That was the lesson he was to learn. Instead, he looked lovingly down his body at her, wishing he could kiss her. That would come in time. The best thing about being dead was that you had all the time in the world. Instead, he started whispering all of his thoughts to her in French. She didn't understand it, but she seemed to like the way the sounds played upon her ears. He left out the Shakespeare, though. He thought tossing a Macbeth in with French might be a dead giveaway as to how bizarre his thought processes were.

The language of love poured over her as he whispered. She had wanted to learn french and knew a few words, but she decided not knowing what he whispered was ever so much better than knowing. She maneuvered so that she could push the jeans down his hips and thighs, scooting down the bed until she could pull them off and toss them across the room. They hit the wall with a thump and slithered to the floor. She gave a small giggle, and began to kiss her way up his leg, back to where she'd left off.

She kissed and licked her way across his lower abdomen to the waistband of his boxer shorts. They were a new addition to his wardrobe and she liked them much more than the briefs he had worn before. This particular pair was a dove gray silk. She kissed him through the supple fabric, until she reached his manhood. She placed a small kiss on the tip that strained against the silk, before pulling the boxers from his body and tossing them away.

She sat back on her heels for a moment and simply looked at him. He was not a perfect specimen of men, she had seen her fair share of perfect bodies, but his held an allure for her that she did not think would ever die. She crawled back up his naked form, her hands trailing along his skin, until she could place her lips to his once more.

Relaxing his hold on his senses, he let them fall back to normal. The sensation of clothes coming off was sometimes nice, but every now and then a strange pulse would be accompanied and he was enjoying these moments too much to let an unpleasant one slip in. Sure, it was selfish, but he had to look after himself too, right? When his jeans hit the wall he started a bit - he'd forgotten that he still had the ceramic blades in the seams. They didn't seem to have damaged the wall, so no harm done. Grinning at her giggle, he looked a question at her as she started working up his leg.

With the angle, he couldn't really see much of what was going on - there would be a brief spot of pleasant sensation, a brief ticklish tingle winding its way up his body. Reaching down, he took one of her hands, weaving his fingers through her. When she reached his waistband, he remembered he was wearing one of the new pair - while watching his surveillance of the Mullar clan, he had overheard one of Holly's friends say that boys looked silly in 'tighty whiteys,' so he'd made the change. Apparently she'd been right since things had...changed a bit...after the transition. Generally, boxers were more comfortable, but when active, Alec still preferred briefs to keep from anything jangling about. Briefs were never kissed, that was for sure. Thank you, boxer shorts.

A slight shift in weight and a sudden movement later revealed him in all of his pale...well, perhaps glory was too strong a word. Nudity would have to do. And he certainly was. And she still gave him that melting look that made the base of his spine tingle, made him want to speak in a soundless language only to her. The moment ended, the transition began. She was sliding her smooth smooth skin up his long body. Reaching to meet her, he directed her unnecessarily to his lips.

The kiss was certainly worth the wait, and getting there had been half the fun.

She pressed her body to his, but longed to feel his skin against her own. Carefully she wrapped her leg around his and her arms around his shoulders and flipped them over, effectively changing their positions.

"It's your turn, love."

She drew him down for another kiss, then left him to his own devices.

Raising an eyebrow, he smirked crookedly at the declaration. In a very bad German accent, he sat upright on her clothed body.

"Ze tables hast turned now, mein herz. Ze pleazure chall last vun zouzand yeers!"

Laughing his best evil laugh, Alec hopped off the bed and to the closet, pulling out a belt. Looking at her with a glint in his eye, he couldn't hold it in. He broke down into giggles, dropped the belt and walked back to the end of the bed.

"Just kidding, love. Germans are crazy."

Sitting down off the end of the bed, he started rubbing tiny circles on her feet with his fingers, gently at first and with increasing pressure. He liked the ritual, and enjoyed doing it even on nights that wouldn't lead to anything. But he had ulterior motives tonight, and a bit of mischief in him. As the tension in her feet relaxed, he reversed his fingers, drawing them lightly over the bottoms of her feet, then with a bit more force. Noting the pressure required to elicit a twitch response from her feet, he continued his pleasant circling of her feet and toes.

Getting up, he kissed her way up her shinbone and sat down on her thighs, facing away from her. Grinning over his shoulder, he began rubbing down her shins, moving down the bone and toward her feet. Arriving at the ankle, he lay his body down as flat as he could along her legs while remaining seated. He lightly kissed the top of her feet, then proceeded to run his nails lightly over the bottoms of her feet. He'd overheard from the same surveillance feed that gave him the tip about boxers that tickling was just another form of foreplay. He'd never really tickled anyone, so this would be a trial run.

He was somewhat surprised at the intake of air she gave when he started tickling in earnest - he'd never heard the sound before! As he continued, her twitching and struggles gained force. In the case of someone as seasoned as Ginnie, it was quite dramatic - despite wrapping himself around her legs, he was easily tossed unceremoniously from the bed. Scratch that idea.

She looked as if she was about to say something, but he didn't give her time - he pounced back onto the bed, lightly colliding with her body, sliding his arms around her and kissing her hard and full on the mouth. Chuckling, he said

"It seems my source was wrong - I'll have to make it up to you now."

She lifted an eyebrow at him when he went into the closet and came out with a belt. Sometimes he just completely confused her with his sense of humor. This was one of those times. The grin and head shake turned into a small moan as he began to rub her feet. Her feet never hurt for very long, but it just felt amazingly good for him to do that small thing for her.

Then the bastard started tickling her. What the hell? So she played rodeo bronco and bucked his ass to the floor. She opened her mouth to say something and was pounce and kissed silly.

"I should say so, Slick."

Then she found herself melting under his attempts to make it up to her.

Smiling, he stayed wrapped around her and leaned his head in. Breathing in the air by her ear, he just did that for a moment - just inhaled her in, matching his respiration to hers. When he felt like they were on the same rhythm again, he ran the bridge of his nose along her neckline and along her jawbone. Sliding an arm out from under her, he ran his fingers delicately over an eyebrow, kissing her cheek in time, then the corner of her mouth. Kissing her lightly, he traced light spiral patterns down the outside of her neck, and down the line of her body. Deciding that her top was restricting his freedom of tactile exploration, his hands negotiated with her body and her top, bunching it up to her neck. He paused a moment to admire the prize revealed before helping her pull free - it must be more difficult with longer hair. Especially when semi-pinned down.

Sliding down her body a short way, he stopped and studied her collarbone a moment - the particular angle was rather fetching, and the line of it stunned him for a moment. Grinning, he ran his free fingers along its edge.

"It really isn't fair. Even your bones are pretty, love."

Running his hand lazily down her body, he paused above her breast. He enjoyed teasing her nipples, handling the curves, but it seemed like the wrong moment. Passing around the peak of the mound to the outside with his hands, he kissed her chest, unclasped her bra and slid down a bit more. The lines of her abdomen were always interesting, and could tell a lot about her day. She'd been a bit stressed lately, so her upper muscles were a bit tight, the lower a bit loose and her ribs were tight through the middle. Gently rubbing her belly high along the ribs, he smiled and said

"You've been tense...do you want to hold onto it or let it go?"

Ginnie gave a small chuckle. "God gave abundantly to me right down to my marrow.[/i]

She lay still basking in the feel of his fingers and lips upon her body, the way he knew what her body tired to tell her but she was too stubborn to listen.

"I'd like to let go, please."

There was a hint of pleading in her voice, as she looked down her body at his hands upon her belly.

Smiling, he nodded once, pulled both hands free, leaned up her body, placed his hands on her cheeks, breathed in slightly and kissed her. He tried to force all of his love and passion out through his lips - he had no idea if such a sentiment worked, or if it even made for good form, but it seemed the thing to do in the moment. Lingering, lip to lip, he breathed out across her teeth. He gave her a peck on her lower lip and slid down her body, stopping with his chest above her pelvis. Shifting her body around so that his legs could rest on the floor, hers dangled free. Kneeling between her long limbs, he leaned forward and put his ear to her bellybutton. Reaching his hands up, he began rubbing his thumbs along the edge of her ribcage, splaying his fingers lightly across her skin as his thumbs worked her diaphragm. As he used his thumbs to work the muscle, he increased pressure subtly with his fingers, altering her breathing, slowing it down. Audibly matching his respirations to hers, he listened on her stomach for the changes...they came, slowly, as her stomach relaxed. Lifting his head, he smiled. Moving his hands down along the sides of her body, he rubbed with the meat of his hands along the softer portions of her belly, and found that other than the central muscle group, they were pleasantly relaxed. Leaning back a bit, he moved his weight to give a bit more of a downward motion, and pushed lightly on the tense muscles. They were a hard group to work, so he took his time, watching her eyes for hints of change. If her enjoyment reduced, he would abandon that pursuit and move on.

Untabbing her pants, he backed up, sliding them down to pool around his knees on the floor. Smiling at the high cut over the hip, he recognized the panties - he was glad he'd made at least one good selection. He knew the bras had been good, but he'd had help. That didn't count.

The muscles relaxed, he leaned down to listen again. Her breathing was still nice and slow...time to pick it up again. Moving his arms beneath her legs, he tilted them so her heels rested slightly on the bed. Rubbing gently the outsides, he placed a kiss on each knee. Sliding his hands down the inside of her thighs, he gently pulled aside her panties and ran one finger lightly over her clitoris. She was relaxed and still ready - his earlier antics hadn't thrown the set, that was good. Sliding his hands up the backs of her legs, he angled her legs straight up into the air. Checking to make sure that the fabric had not returned to its former position, the corner of Alec's mouth quirked up. Taking a tiny step forward, he placed the head of his penis between her legs, rubbing the underside lightly along her folds. At the feel of the moisture touching his body, he was drawn magnetically inside her. He'd intended to tease a bit more, but his body had other plans...it had waited long enough.

Her body fell easily into the rhythms he set for it with breath and hands, and the stress of the past week that had made its home in her body's core began to seep away. His chest against her pelvis kept her body well aware of the next stop on the road, but she was content to linger here for a while.

Slowly, every ounce of tension drained from her body and she found herself fully relaxed beneath him. It was magic to her the way his fingers achieved such things. Her pants were finally removed and she welcomed his touch eagerly, small animal noises sounding in her throat as he moved aside her panties and touched her most intimate of places.

Half of her lower lip was pulled between her teeth as he slid in to her. She had not realized she was so ready for him. A soft moan sounded in the back of her throat as he reached the depths of her.