Jake pulled back. "What do you mean liar?"

Molly plucked the necklace away from her chest. "We both know these beads didn't come from Patience. They didn't come from some magic crystal mine, for that matter. So give, already."

"That's craz..." He didn't bother finishing. The jig was up. "Okay, Fine. How did you know?"

She pulled back, tracing a finger over his eyebrows. "I'm super insightful, possibly even psychic. Jake, there are things I've never told you about my past." She broke into a laugh at his wide-eyed look. "No, you doof! It was the beads. They were obviously plastic. There was a seam around each one, they weren't cool like stone, there were no cloudy markings on them..."

"Jesus! What are you, a detective?"

"Well, I maybe also saw them on Juliet's table and she said they were plastic, high quality plastic, though." She snorted.

"Well, I thought they would pass, at least until—"

"Why?" she cut in.

He shrugged. "I guess I never paid much attention to jewelry. I thought these beads were as good any other--"

"Why the act, Jake?" she clarified.

He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the couch. "You said you couldn't say no again and I thought that maybe, if you were there and I was there and the crystals were there, then we could see about that some more."

"Okay, but--"

"But then I couldn't find the crystals and I figured as long as it looked close enough, then..." He opened his eyes, but couldn't quite meet hers. "I guess I wasn't sure you'd go along if it was just me."

"Just you?"

"Yeah. Just me. Stupid, nervous, weirdo me." He shook his head. "Crystal me was... Well, he was kind of an asshole. But he could do things and say things that are all confident, things I can't do when I'm actual me because it's all too scary and I can't even get your shirt off and I'm so afraid you'll laugh at me and—"

She did laugh, then.

"Like now, apparently," he groaned, closing his eyes again.

"No, Jake. Look at me." He felt her hands on either side of his face. "I don't want to say no to this."

He opened his eyes and stared at her, doubtful. "Even now?"

"Nope. Want to know why?" She was smiling, staring at his lips.

He kind of didn't, not if this was working, but he had to guess. "Because the last two times kind of wore you down to the idea?"

"The last two times I was  kind of afraid it wasn't really you wanting me." She smiled and leaned in to quickly peck his lips. "Definitely still wanted you, though. As for this time, I think I want you more. I mean, it's extra cute, you putting on this stupid act, all for me." She smiled wider and ran her hands down his chest, then up his sides.

He wasn't a fan of the "stupid act" part, but the rest sounded nice. "So you want me, even without..."

"Even more, you big goof. I prefer Actual Jake to Crystal Jake."

His lower anatomy caught on before his brain caught up, then he gave her what he was pretty sure was a goofy grin, though he couldn't help it. "So you still want to--" 

"I still really want to."

He wasn't sure how to just accept this. It felt too damned good to be real. He leaned in, then froze. "You don't think we're moving too fast or anything?"

She nodded soberly. "I guess you're right. We're practically strangers. Maybe after we know each other for a few more decades..."

"I just want to make sure you're okay with this!"

She frowned. "I am. But now I'm kind of wondering if you're okay with this."

"With where you're sitting, you probably shouldn't have to wonder," he grunted.

"Really, now?" She moved back slightly on his lap. Her hand moved to his fly.

He placed his own hand over hers. "But aren't you scared?"

"Of you?" She shook her head. "I don't think I can be."

"Well, not of me, but this... I mean... We don't know what will happen and... God!" he groaned. "This was all so much easier with the magic crystals."

She shrugged. "Who says things have to be easy? And Jake," she ran her free hand down his cheek, "they were not magic crystals."

"I forgot. You think they were drugged." He chuckled.

She slapped lightly at his chest. "Like that's less insane!" She softened her hand rubbing at the spot she'd slapped, which then turned into more of a caress. "I don't want it to be easy or perfect with you."

He let out a weak laugh. "I can do not-perfect. I'm sure of that."

"Good. I want it to be messy." She grinned. "That's how I know it's real."

"You sure you wouldn't rather have sex with that other me? Because I can't guarantee that this me will be all smooth."

She giggled. "I like you better bumpy." She squeezed him through his jeans, her hand still under his.

He hissed in a breath. "Yeah. Wow. That's... You're so... Uh..."

She leaned in to kiss him. "And you thought you weren't smooth," she whispered against his mouth. "You sweet-talker, you."

He picked her up, placing her below him on the couch. "Now you're laughing at me."

"Just a little." She grinned.

He found himself grinning, too. "I can't believe we're gonna do this."

"I can't believe you still have your pants on."

"Huh?"

"I'm totally naked."

"Yeah," Jake said on a whisper. "That's awesome."

"Jake!"

"Oh, yeah." He stood and made quick work of his pants, kind of tripping over them as she giggled from the couch. By the time his boxers followed, her laughter cut off abruptly. He probably turned a color that would put that rosy quartz to shame as she stared endlessly, finally tilting her head to one side.

"Yeah... The... Um..." She waved a hand toward him. "Wow."

He wanted to say something about who was smooth now, but then that same hand snaked out to touch him.

"I guess I know what Rachel was talking about now."

"What? What did she say?" He let out a startled sort of gurgle as her hand wrapped around him, pulling him to her with a look of wonder.

"That she was amazed you weren't cockier. I get it. Compared to what I've seen..."

He pulled away... or tried. Her hand still gripped him and he was not ready to lose the contact completely. "How many penises have you seen?"

She looked up, but not at him. Her eyes searched the ceiling. "I guess... six?"

He felt strangely hurt. He supposed he had no right to. He'd seen other lady parts, after all, but not six! "Where did you see six penises?"

"I saw one in an anatomy book when I was twelve, but that was more of a drawing, then three in porn, which never does it for me, then Danny Barilla and Tommy."

He was relieved. "Fine. If we're counting porn, then I've seen—Wait a minute! Danny Barilla?"

She didn't meet his eyes. "Don't worry about it. It was nothing," she said in a rush.

He wanted to question her further, but he could only hiss slightly as she moved her thumb over the tip.

"We really don't need to talk about that right now." She stood, her hand still wrapped around him. "I think we maybe... don't need to talk."

He pulled in a shaky breath. "Yeah. I hate talking."

She nodded. "Talking sucks."

And it was suddenly completely quiet. Just eyes staring into eyes, then running over flesh, then the eyes again, then back to the flesh again because, really, they could look at eyes any time.

Molly ran the hand that was not still gripping him from his belly button to his Adam's apple. "You're so..."

"No. You are." He cupped her right breast, sliding his other hand to her hip.

And she was right. Talking did suck. There wasn't a word that described this. Molly's shuddering "Unfffh" as he moved his thumb over her nipple came kind of close. It must mean something nice because she repeated it louder as his hand moved from her hip to her curls, feeling their crinkly texture, then digging into all that hot softness underneath.

He wasn't a great judge of hot and cold right now, considering he was shivering, but her flesh felt hot. It had to be contagious. It made a slow burn creep its way up his hand to his arm, sending a chain reaction of heat through his body, squeezing out sweat as he stroked her, his breath coming faster.

Her breaths were even faster. Louder, too, when he swirled his finger around, finding a spot that made her squeak. He'd thought the spot that made her shiver was a find. This was better. If he could find this spot every day, it might not matter if he accomplished anything else. 

He finally opened his eyes, taking in her closed ones and her open mouth. She swayed backward and he reluctantly took the hand on her breast and moved it to her waist, squeezing, holding on tight. He had the feeling he was on to something before she pulled away.

He would have been completely disappointed, except her hand was still gripping him, then sliding. Her eyes bore into his as she squeezed, pulled, even twisted a little. It seemed like she was on to something now. A half-smile touched her lips and he wanted to kiss it right off her. He tried to. He got as far as leaning down when Molly was suddenly all the way down, on her knees and...

Oh, God in heaven, he was going to really and truly die.

God help him if he died before she did it.

And then she did it. His eyes slid shut as her mouth surrounded him, completely, and then...

"Mmmffaah." They were both full of great new words today. But if he wanted to assign any meaning to this word, it would herald something so good, it was terrible: the end.

"Nope! Time out!" He pulled away quickly.

TBC

*******

More naughty bits to come...