the darkness. James traced her face with his palm, let his hand trail down her arm, clasp her hand and lead her into the house. Closing the door behind them, James directed Alex to the living room, while he let the dogs out into the yard. "Can I get you something to drink," his voice erupted from the kitchen. Alex jumped briefly at the noise. "No thanks," she declined. James re-entered the room, deciding against a beer and left it in the kitchen. He stood briefly, outlined by the kitchen light, staring at her there in his living room as she watched the stars and moon play in the sky above. Alex could see the dogs playing in the yard, chasing the fireflies. She had caught his motions out of the corner of her eye and watched his reflection in the darkness of the window as he approached her. Alex took deep breaths to calm the rush of raw emotions that threatened to consume her. Halfway across the room, James stopped again in his tracks purposefully making her unreachable. "Tell me what you're feeling, James," asked Alex still with her back to him. "You mean, why aren't I honest with you?" "Why aren't you honest with yourself? "Alex, don't you know that every time I look at you I see my second chance at a future. A future filled with children and commitments and all the things I've long denied that I needed. I look at you and I see somebody that can make me feel alive again. I'm astounded by your beauty and strength. And every time you look at me it feels as if you're staring into my soul. Don't you know how hard it was to let you go last week? If I took one kiss from you, one caress I would be lost forever. I could never let you go to another man," James declared. Sighing, he took the final steps he needed to embrace her shoulders with his hands. Alex trembled at the touch. The urge to turn to him was too strong. A part of her wanted to run from the pure physical power and sexuality that was consuming them but another part realized that she was desperately in love with James and would stay with him forever if he asked. "James," she whispered finally, "I feel what you're feeling. I know I've felt it since the day we met. When we danced together, I wanted nothing more than for you to ask me to go home with you. I wanted to feel your lips touch mine, to feel you inside me. " "Alex, are you sure these are things you want from me?" Alex spun quickly around and was face to face with him finally. She had expected him to triumph at her statement, not question it. James had let go of her shoulders when she turned and now gripped her arms to prevent her from leaving him. He felt her confusion, he too was confused. She talked about sex and he talked about love. "What," she asked incredulously. "Are you sure these are the things you want from me," he repeated, "Alex, you're a beautiful woman and a man would have to be nuts to turn you down. But, I want to know whether you just want sex, like with Grayson, or the love I can give you. " Alex had worked her arm free and the hand lashed out against his face. "How dare you," she hissed, "how dare you judge my needs separate from your own? You who goes around sleeping with women like it's his God given right." James caressed the offended cheek and watched as her temper unleashed. "Damn you! I came here because I love you and wanted you to know and you humiliate me. You treat me as if I'm some slut going from man to man while you fuck Francine in your office. Damn you," Alex shouted, turned and grabbed her purse before attempting to flee the room. James took three long strides and cut Alex off halfway across the room. Grabbing her arm and jerking her against his chest, James looked down into her angry and flushed face. "Let go of me," she demanded trying to twist away from him. "No," James said evenly, "I cannot and will not let you go, Alex. You're right, I shouldn't have judged you. My sins are far greater than yours. But it was like a knife to my heart to find out you had slept with Grayson. At night when I closed my eyes, I would see his hands on you and hear you breathing heavily with him inside you, making love to you, feeling what I should have been feeling. He knows what it's like to feel how soft your skin is. He knows how sweet your lips are. He knows what it's like to have you hold him inside you and scream his name." "No, James, he doesn't. " "What," James questioned, letting go of her arms. James sighed and shook his head at his foolishness. The fact that she was here with him alone in his house, should have been enough for him. But he questioned it and her. "Never once did I utter his name. It was you I begged for to give me my release. It was your name on my lips, James. Yes, Grayson may know all those other things, but he doesn’t know what it's like to hear me speak his name in passion. “ James looked into her eyes and saw the truth of her words. She had indeed had sex with Grayson, but she had imagined it was him. Alex saw the pain retreat from his face and be replaced by embarrassment. She knew that that would be the final point to get through to him. Alex let her hands move to James' chest and rest there as they continued to stare into each other’s eyes. "James, I do love you. There is nothing I wouldn't do for you at this moment. But until it is over between you and Francine, we can't take this any further. I want you more than anything, but I won't play second fiddle. " "Alex, I love you too and you don't need to play second fiddle to anybody. I told Francine that it was over this afternoon. " Alex looked up into James' face and smiled. Noting that the fight seemed to have left Alex, James leaned down and tenderly placed his lips on hers. James moved a hand along her back, caressing it and then bringing to rest on her hip as the other hand brushed against her face and interweaved itself into her red hair. Alex leaned heavily against James, dizzy from the kiss and protested mildly as he began to withdraw his lips from hers. "Your kisses are so sweet, Alex," whispered James against her cheek as his mouth sought to recapture hers. Blazing a trail from her lips to her neck, Alex caught her breath as James let go of her and led her to the couch. Lowering themselves onto the couch and James gently laid himself atop her. Capturing her lips once more, James trailed his free hand across her chest, feeling her nipple awaken at the attention. Caressing the enlivened bud, James freed Alex's lips and traced lingering kisses on her throat, following the column back to her lips. Alex was losing control of her emotions. She wound her fingers into James' hair as he moved from her lips again to capture her breast in his mouth. Soaking the cloth, James nipped the nipple with his teeth, while his hands grabbed at the shirt, trying to remove the impediment. Alex, sensing his frustration, sat up abruptly, and removed the shirt freeing her breasts. James inhaled sharply at the sight of her flawless skin and pert breasts unrestrained by a bra. "Alex, you're beautiful," James sighed taking a breast in his hand and brushing his thumb against the heightened nipple. Alex trembled at the intimate touch and allowed James to lay her back on the couch. Running her hands over his back, James kissed Alex again and lowered his head to taste her skin. His lips and mouth forged hot path of kisses making Alex moan in ecstasy. James reached Alex's navel and stopped at the top of her jeans. Briefly looking up in askance and seeing no hesitation coming from her, he undid the button and zipper exposing more of her. Alex gasped as she felt James' mouth laying feather light kisses on her abdomen. She had felt the rush of cool air as her jeans were undone, but hadn't expected the kisses. His hands explored her waist as he continued the assault with his mouth. Alex wriggled underneath him as his hand brushed against a ticklish spot and giggled. James stopped and looked up suddenly. "Sorry, that tickled," she laughed. "Oh it did," said James beginning to tickle her. "Stop, I give up, stop," she begged wiggling out from underneath him and onto the floor. James sat there at watched as the giggling subsided and the passion returned to her eyes. Alex moved onto her knees and knelt in front of James. He watched as she moved her hands onto his legs slowly moving them up his thighs. Alex positioned herself between James' legs, her breasts still bare, as she moved her hands towards his crotch. Alex gently shoved James back down into her previous position and straddled his waist while placing teasing kisses on his lips. Sitting back up, Alex unbuttoned his shirt and threaded her fingers through the mat of hair on his chest. Alex bent over and took one of his nipples in her mouth and teased it with her teeth. James inhaled sharply at the sensation of her mouth on his chest. He reached underneath her form and caressed a nipple as she continued to pelt him with kisses. "Alex, stop," James pleaded. "What," she asked sitting up suddenly. James sat up and Alex, sensing his discomfort, stood up off of him. “Are you sure," James asked. "Most definitely," Alex answered. Their hands were a flurry of motion that raced to undress each other. James' shirt was quickly discarded and soon their jeans were lying in a crumpled heap beside the couch. James' hands roamed her back, side and finally eased up to capture her breasts. He fondled the responsive nipple that had hardened again under his touch. James' had known that her skin was milky white but the silkiness sent rushes to his loins. Alex stroked his smooth back and reveled in the scratching of his hairy chest. She inhaled sharply to feel calloused hand had moved between her breasts and was again brushing a thumb against the nipple. They moved silently to the couch and he eased her silently into the cushions once more. James glanced up into her eyes seeking reassurance as his left hand slid down her belly. Alex gave no protest and only arched her back pushing her hips to his probing fingers. James reached across Alex's underwear and stroked her inner thigh feeling the heat that was generated there. Feeling his probing fingers at the apex of her thighs, Alex arched her back, seeking the release she desired. James stopped his search and began to trail hot kisses across her belly, to her breasts and finally her mouth. As James embraced Alex and kissed her, she could feel the hard bulge that had increased as their passions had. "James," she whispered as he moved from her mouth to her throat, "can I return the favor.“ James was not so much surprised as he was delighted that she sought to please him as well. He skillfully moved her to situate himself on the bottom. Alex straddled his hips and placed soft kisses on his cheeks above his beard. She moved her hands to the soft fur that covered his chest. Alex stroked his nipple with the soft palms of her hands and lowered her head to taste his sweet flesh. James had watched while she explored his body. He threaded his fingers into her vivid red hair and played with the strands as they surrendered their bodies to the love they shared. Alex moved her hips, still clothed in her underpants against his rigid member. She skillfully moved his hands lower towards his abdomen, while placing kisses where her hands had been. "If I do something wrong tell me," she said. "You couldn't do anything wrong," he reassured her as she returned to ministrations. Alex slid her hands and hips further down so that her hands were resting on the edge of his underpants. Cautiously, Alex reached inside and loosed the primal being housed there. James inhaled, smelling her perfume and their passion, as she rubbed her hands over the pulsating member. Together, they shrugged off their underwear and laid naked on the couch entwined in each other. "Alex, I want this done right," he whispered to her, "I don't want to take you here on the couch like high school kids. I want you so bad right now I could burst. But here is not right. " Alex giggled softly knowing that the evidence of his passion throbbed against her right thigh trying to gain access to a warm place. "Let's move upstairs," he said, standing and handing her his shirt to prevent her from being chilled. Alex took the shirt gratefully and let him lead her in a semi-nude parade through the house. James led Alexandra by the hand back down the entrance way to the stairs. He paused to lock the front door and kiss her lips. Alex was shocked by the bareness of the house. The bedroom was efficient almost lonely. The mattresses seemed brand new as Alexandra laid herself down and watched James move around the room, dimming the lights and putting a soft station on the radio. "You look like Cheshire cat. Do I please you," James asked as he noticed the smile on Alex's face. "Yes, you do," she replied honestly, "I like the affect, but the mattress is a little stiff." A frown creased his face, "I don't sleep here. The bed is too large for just one. I wanted the king size, I got it and now it's too large. " "Did you, I'm sorry, did you buy it for Jean?" "Yes, I thought the house and bed would make her happy. I was wrong. " "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked. " "It's okay," he said crawling in between the flannel sheets, "Can I ask you about Grayson?" "It was spontaneous. I didn't expect it. And it could have been prevented with a cold shower." "Did you enjoy it?" "Not really. I couldn't stop thinking of you," she