That's What Friends Are For
Chapter 14
by kie

A few weeks later, Steve and I were snuggled up in bed, sated after a session of slow, lazy lovemaking. I was lying on his stomach, my head tucked under his chin, his hands moving in small circles over my back. I sighed and rolled off him.

"Where you going, love?" he asked as I slipped into the sundress I had worn that day.

"I need to go feed Sooty and get some clothes for tomorrow. I'll be back in a bit." I leaned over him and kissed him. He sat up as I pulled away.

"I have an idea," he said. "Why don't you just bring Sooty and his food over here, since this is where you usually are when it's time to feed the beast."

"Are you asking me to move in with you?" I asked, even though I knew very well that was what he was asking.

"Yes," he said. "I mean, you've been here every night for the past three weeks, most of them requiring you to go across town to feed Sooty. It's closer to work for you, and Katie has been bringing Kevin to work when he doesn't ride his bike in."

"Can I have a few days to think about it?" I asked.

"Take as much time as you need," he said. "The offer will always be open."

"Thank you," I said, giving his hand a squeeze.

"Be careful," he said as I stood up and headed towards the door.

"I will be. Want me to get anything while I'm out?"

"Breakfast for the morning?"

"OK. I'll be back"

I drove home and went through my nightly routine of feeding and watering the cat, gathering some clothes, and checking my messages and mail. As I listened to my mother complain on my machine about the fact that I still wasn't home, Sooty jumped up on the arm of the chair and rubbed his head against me. My mother nagged and suggested I call her soon or else, and I just groaned. I hadn't told my parents yet that Steve and I were seeing each other. I knew I should, but I was completely dreading it. My mother had never truly approved of my friendship with Steve. I don't know why, though. But it was quite clear that she saw him as a necessary evil. Jeff, however, she adored. She practically worshipped the ground he walked on. She was going to be more upset over our break-up than I was. Well, it was too late to call her now, and since I hadn't talked to her in a while, I should probably be sure to have a few free hours to listen to her rant about how I was wasting my life. She'd point out that most of my cousins we either married and parents, or were making six figure salaries by time they were my age, then ask why I was still just a bartender. And of course, Steve would get blamed. But I didn't care. I was finally completely happy with my life, and I knew it was because of Steve. I looked at Sooty.

"What do you think? Hmm?" I asked him, scratching under his chin. "Do you think we should move in with Steve?" Sooty jumped down and sauntered over to the door, sitting down in front of it, facing me. He probably just wanted to go outside, but I decided he was saying that yes, he did want to move in with Steve, so I gathered his dishes and litter box, squeezed him into his carrier, and headed back to Steve's house.

When I got there, I opened the screen door, set Sooty's carrier down, and let him out. Steve was sitting in the living room, his back to me as he watched something on the History Channel, so I stood where I was and watched this play out. Sooty sniffed around for a bit, then jumped up on the back of the couch and made his way to Steve. The cat sniffed his ear, and Steve looked at the cat. I watched as a smile slowly spread across his face. He reached up and started scratching Sooty's ears.

"Welcome home," he said, although I don't know if he meant the cat, or me. I walked over to the couch and straddled his lap, leaning in to kiss him.

"Wow, that was a quick few days," he said as he ran his hands up and down my back.

"You don't mind, do you?"

"Not at all. I'm very glad."

"Good, then let me get the matter of rent out of the way," I said, grinning slyly as I leaned in to nibble on his neck.

"No need to worry about that," he said.

"I know there's no need. But I really, really want to," I whispered in his ear as I ground my hips against him. I could feel him instantly react. I moved slowly against him, watching his face as he realized I wasn't wearing any panties under my dress. He strained against the cotton of his shorts, seeking my heat. I rose up a bit and slid a hand down to free him from his shorts, and he started unbuttoning my dress just far enough to gain access to my breasts. His hands caressed me lightly, squeezing my breasts up a bit and together. I let out a soft moan as he flicked his tongue against my nipples then sucked them slightly. I kissed the top of his head, and then pushed him back against the couch. Gazing deep into his eyes, I wrapped my hand around his thick, throbbing member, giving it a few slow strokes, then
pushed myself down over it. Steve inhaled sharply as I started slowly moving up and down on him. I watched his face, loving the pure pleasure I saw there. It was quite fascinating to watch, really. The way his tongue would run across his lips, the way his eyes moved under the lids, the way his nostrils flared slightly as I took his full length into me. But what I really enjoyed was the look on his face as he came, a look of both pleasure and pain. Once the slow throbbing of his orgasm passed, I slowly moved myself up and down a few more times, knowing that he was extremely sensitive. Satisfied, he soon grew soft, but I stayed on his lap, brushing bits of hair from his sweat coated forehead.

"I also charge a pet fee," he said, still wearing a dopey grin.

"I'll be sure to get that to you as soon as possible," I said as a nibbled his lower lip.

"That'll be sooner than you think if you keep doing that," he said. I gave one last little nibble then pulled back.

"What?" I asked, regarding the strange look he gave me.

"I'm just thinking about how much I love you," he said. "I love everything about you, the way your hair feels when it tickles my nose in the middle of the night, the way you look at me when I'm singing, the sound of your laughter, the way your nose crinkles when you're telling a lie," he planted a little kiss in the tip of my nose, "the way your tongue sticks out of the corner of your mouth went you work the crossword. Every little thing you do makes the most perfect feeling in the world swell inside me." I took his hand in mine and laid it over my heart.

"I feel it too," I whispered. "I just never knew what it was until these past few weeks."

He reached up and wiped a tear from my cheek with his thumb, and I gave a slight giggle, breaking the moment, knowing that it would be in my heart for the rest of my life.

"Snuggle with me?" he asked.

"Love too," I said. "Let me go shower real quick."

We quickly kissed, then I went and showered. While I was under the hot water, I thought about Steve, and I did indeed feel the most perfect feeling in the world well up inside of me. I had always felt it, and I think, deep down I had always known what it was. But now that we were together, it was stronger, more real, and with me no matter what I did or where I went. It would be with me always, I knew, no matter what happened between Steve and I, whether we were together for the rest of out lives, or if something tore us apart tomorrow. I had found the love of a lifetime, something that people search for, sometimes to no avail. I knew how special it was, and I planned to cherish it for the rest of my life.