In the morning, we both wake up late. My head isn't too bad, but Petra struggles to open her eyes. 'God, Fi. It hurts. It really hurts.' She shields her eyes as I get up and open the curtains. 'Oh no, fuck. Please.' I ignore her as I cross the room to pull my dressing gown on and try hard not to be irritated. I'm still cross at her for going to sleep on me halfway through the sex last night. Particularly because she looks quite cute with her short hair all messy over her face, and her shoulders and arm pale against my sheets. And she looks quite small and young and vulnerable, suddenly. I redirect my anger towards Diana and hope Petra won't get too hurt by whatever fooling around they're doing.

Eventually I sigh and swallow my annoyance. 'Do you want tea or coffee?'

'I want to die.'

'Can you wait till you get home for that? Those sheets were clean on a few days ago.' I go back to the bed and brush hair from her face. Her cheek is hot but soft. I have to admit, I still want her.

She turns her head to kiss my fingers, then winces at a new flash of pain in her head. 'Oh God. OK, um. Coffee, please. Black, lots of sugar.'

***

While I'm standing drowsily waiting for the kettle to boil, I think about me and Petra and what we have. Or don't have. The sex was rubbish, but was that because we were drunk? I still slightly fancy her, with her hungover, messy, morning-after sleepiness in my bed. I put coffee in the caffetière and enjoy the smell. Normally I'd have tea, but this morning I need coffee too. My housemate comes down in her dressing gown, looking as if she hasn't had much sleep.

'Oh, hi. I've bagsied the caffetière,' I say as the kettle flicks off.

She waves her hand as she watches me pour the water. 'It's cool. I'll have instant.' She pauses and grins. 'I was going to make tea. I've got someone upstairs, who doesn't drink coffee apparently.' She yawns.

I refill the kettle and set it to boil again. 'Anyone nice?'

'Quite nice.' She grins and runs her hand through her hair, her gaze focused on a memory of last night. 'Yeah, pretty good actually.' Then she looks at me again and frowns. 'Just a sec.' She goes into the hall and I hear her rooting about for a bit, then she comes back in. 'Martin. Just checked his driving licence.' She pours herself a glass of water and downs it. 'I thought he was Andy for some reason. Oops.' She frowns again. 'He looks like an Andy. Never mind.' She turns back and leans on the side, nodding at the caffetière. 'What about you? That's never just for you.'

I shake my head. 'Girl from work. We got drunk, too drunk to get up to much.' I decide to leave it at that.

'Oh dear. Not the one you were moaning about the other week?'

'Oh, God, no. Not her.' I realise I sound far too emphatic in my denial. I am over Diana, really. 'No, someone else. Just a fling. Or not even that, really.' I shrug. 'It doesn't matter.'

***

Back in my bedroom, I find that Petra has gone back to sleep. I leave the caffetière on the side and go to the bathroom, then pull on my pj shorts and a vest top, and climb back into bed beside Petra carefully. She mutters and turns over towards me but doesn't wake up. I prop myself up in bed with my mug of coffee and stare out the window at the dull wintry weather and wonder about things.

I watch her sleep and wonder why I like being in bed with Petra, despite the fact that our lovemaking has proved disastrous. I wonder why I still fancy her. I wonder where I went wrong, and whether I'm just not a very good lover. Most of my recent sexual liaisons have been less than great in one way or another, and apart from Catherine, I'm really not particularly bothered about seeing them again. But no-one's ever fallen asleep on me before. I know she was tired and drunk, but I struggle not to take it personally. I feel the embarrassment and anger rise up again, and bite it back.

I look at Petra. She looks very fragile and vulnerable where she's snuggled down under my duvet, and I find I'm not that cross really. Not at her. I actually feel a bit protective of her, even though she's only about five or six years younger than me. I again redirect my irritation towards Diana, and wonder if she's taking advantage of Petra's inexperience. I wonder about that too, and the age thing, as I've always preferred older women. I wonder if that's because when I was Petra's age, the girls I kissed, and eventually slept with, were all fumbling and inexperienced (just like I was) and it was just all a bit unsatisfactory - rather like last night, in fact. I remember what a pleasure it was when I was seduced by a lecturer in my first week at university and I suddenly discovered just how amazingly good the sex could be with an experienced lover. I wonder if I'm that person to Petra. I wonder why Diana hasn't tried to teach her, and once again find I'm very curious about their relationship. Maybe Diana likes it rough and clumsy too?

I yawn and slide back down to lie in the bed, putting my mug on the side, out of the way. I lie there, eyes closed, and enjoy the way my mild hangover starts to recede. Petra's breath flutters through my hair and is warm on my shoulder. She shifts in her sleep and her naked body touches mine, her leg pushing between my knees lightly. Her arm presses against my breast, and I like it despite my frustration. I look at her hands, her thin fingers with no rings or nail varnish or anything and the smooth, pale skin contrasting with the dark ink of her tattoo on the inside of her wrist. I shift slightly and feel her hand come to rest on my chest, just above where my breast starts to curve into my vest top. The arousal flutters lightly inside me and I feel my nipples get more sensitive. I imagine her thin fingers touching my skin, stroking my breast, playing with my nipple. I turn my head and watch her face, feeling her light breath on my cheek, coming silently through her half-open, soft lips. She kisses well, very well, so why was the sex so crap? I remember how good the kisses were, in the pub, and how sexy it was to dance with her. I'm conscious of the pressure of her arm on my breast, and shift slightly nearer her as I feel myself get turned on. Last night I was determined not to give her another chance, but now I wonder if that was too hasty. I have to admit to myself that I still want her to have me.

I concentrate on how her warm, bare body feels against me. I imagine kissing her, imagine taking hold of her gently and pulling her on top of me, stroking her leg as it presses between mine, arching my back so our breasts and nipples can brush together. I tease myself with the fantasy of her going slowly, holding back in the way I like it, kissing me more than doing anything else. I move again and my hand between us touches the curve of her bare breast. I like the smooth softness of it, and a pang of lust shoots through me. The heat begins to prickle between my legs. I also feel her arm more heavily on my breast, then I reach up and begin to stroke my other breast myself, though my top. I play with the nipple, coaxing it into arousal. I imagine it's her fingers on me, her breast brushing mine.

It feels good, very good. I let the pleasure flow through me as I study her face. I remember how sexy it felt to kiss her and feel her stud press into my nose. I enjoy the fact that she is naked, her body stretched out against mine. I move my legs a little and enjoy the way hers slides naturally between them. I shift my hips a little and try to press my heat against her thigh. Tantalisingly, her leg is not quite in the right place. Still stroking my nipple, I try to move gently into a position where I can lie against her and rub myself on her leg while still touching my breast and looking at her face. I think about kissing her and pretend that she is making love to me gently.

I can't quite get in the right position without disturbing her too much, so eventually I have to give in and slide my hand down from my breast, over my body, into my pyjama shorts. I bite my lip as I begin to touch myself, but it feels so good that I can't help but gasp.

I gasp again as the pleasure increases. I try hard not to move, but inevitably I squirm a little. But it is so good to fantasise about her, one of the more enjoyable fantasies to give in to. I've closed my eyes, so it's a shock when Petra shifts against me and whispers, 'Are you touching yourself?'

Heart thumping, I freeze and open my eyes quickly. 'Uhh...' I swallow. 'Yeah...'

She's grinning at me, with one sleepy eye gazing at me. 'That's hot.' She moves slightly, and kisses me softly. 'What were you thinking about?'

I blush. 'Um. You. On top of me, kissing me.'

She kisses me again. 'Like that?' The kiss sends thrills all though me, and I kiss back. She murmurs in surprise as I turn it into a full snog, and moves to lie half on top of me. Her leg traps my hand in my shorts between us. 'Was that all? Kissing?'

I run my free hand over her side and back. She moves against me and I can feel that she is turned on too. I run my hand over her cute bottom briefly. 'Nope.' I sigh. 'I want you to take me.'

She runs her hand down my arm and slides her hand under mine in my pj shorts. She kisses me again as I instinctively move my hips to meet her hand.

I have to break the kiss. 'Petra?' I keep my hand over hers as she begins to finger me. 'Slowly, please? Gently...' She slows down under the guidance of my hand, and I shudder in pleasure. This is so much better. 'Oh God, yes. That's good.'

I move to lie fully on my back and she moves more on top of me, and lets me guide her hand. We kiss deeply. I make an effort to use my whole body to show her what's good for me, when she does something I like. I notice that she herself is quite turned on by my reactions.

***

After a while we stop, to get rid of my top and shorts. It's good to lie back naked and pull her onto me and guide her hand back between my legs. She gazes into my eyes the whole time. 'Are you sure this is OK? You don't want more?'

I shake my head. I lean up to talk softly into her ear. 'I'm going to come, Petra. In a bit. I can feel it. This is so nice.'

'Fuck,' she whispers back. 'Really?' She starts to go faster.

I have to squeeze her hand. 'No, no...just keep going like before. That's what's so good.'

***

To her credit, she eventually learns to subdue her instinctive urge to fuck me harder, and keeps doing it just as I ask her. I kiss her and tell her how good it is as I nuzzle her neck, and eventually I let the joy overtake me and arch my body into her as I let go. I groan into her ear, and she shivers against me, gasping her pleased surprise. She holds me as I calm down, unsure what to do, then I hug her to me and kiss her deeply.

'Thank you, Petra. That was lovely.' We take our hands out from between us and hold them together, wet and sticky fingers linked on my chest.

'My God, Fi.' She keeps her lips on mine as she talks, eyes open, a slightly shocked expression on her face. 'That was so hot...the way you came...'

I kiss her again. 'Mmmm. It was really good for me.' I stroke her back. 'Do you remember last night?'

'Not really.' She frowns. 'My hangover's pretty much gone, though.' She grins. 'Is sex good for hangovers?'

'Don't know. Maybe.' The thought of Catherine flits across my mind, the thought of her littering our brief time together with medical advice in between bouts of hot sex. I push the thought of her down, because it wouldn't be good to start thinking about her too much when I know I can't have her. I focus on Petra again, and take a deep breath and wonder how much to say. The sex we've just had, the good orgasm she's just given me, has mellowed me out. I can't be cross now. 'Last night, Petra...it wasn't great, I'm afraid. So I'm glad we've had that, just now.'

'Me too.' She kisses me happily again, then nuzzles her nose on my cheek. I hold my breath and enjoy the scrape of her stud across my skin, feeling the excitement flutter inside me. 'I remember bits. Didn't you use your mouth on me?'

I sigh. 'Are you sure you remember that?' I like the way she's kissing my neck.

Her lips are soft and warm on my skin. 'Mmmm. Think so. Why?'

'You fell asleep halfway through.' I hug her to me and kiss her lips softly to show it doesn't matter.

She squirms against me, though, and breaks the kiss. She looks horrified. 'Really? Shit, Fi. I'm so sorry.'

I kiss her again, then move my hands to her waist. 'It's fine. I was cross before, but it's fine.' I move myself against her and press my thigh between her legs. 'I can't be cross after that amazing fuck you've just given me.' I watch her smile uncertainly, and kiss her again quickly. 'So. Shall we try again?'

She nods, and lets me move her over onto her back and spread her legs. As I position myself between her raised knees and kiss her breasts and tummy, I say, 'I'm going to go slowly, though. My way.'

She nods. 'OK.' Her arousal is making her breathless. 'Whatever. I promise I'll stay awake this time.'

'I'll try and make sure you do.' I slide down and kiss the insides of her thighs, enjoying her gasps of pleasure. I enjoy the way her gasp becomes a groan as I brush my lips across her wet heat and touch the tip of my tongue to her swollen clit.

***

I am a bit naughty, teasing her for as long as I can, before taking her over the edge.

When I move up to cuddle her, she kisses me deeply, pulling my tongue into her mouth and moving her body under me as if to enjoy every inch of skin touching skin.