Lisa was leaning on her windowsill with her chin in one hand when Roy tapped on her door and came in to say goodnight. She smiled and turned to pull him down beside her on the foot of her bed. She wasn’t in the mood to let him get away with a kiss in passing, tonight.

Roy puzzled her lately. She was reasonably sure that she was making it clear he was welcome, but he still moved very slowly with her. She’d have said hesitantly, if it weren’t for the way he kissed, in fact. He kissed her like he wanted to taste her heart on his tongue, like the texture of her mouth would answer life’s deepest questions.

And then he drew back.

Lisa tightened her arms around him, as she felt his loosen at her waist. She was tired of this. “You don’t have to stop, you know,” she pointed out, softly.

And there it was again. That flash of uncertainty in his eyes. It made even less sense right at the moment than usual, considering what she’d just said. Unless…

She loosened her own hold a little. “Unless you don’t want to, of course.” It didn’t come out quite as lightly as she’d hoped, but it was probably close enough.

And then again, maybe not. His arms tightened around her, hard enough to pull her a few inches over her blankets and snugly against him.

“That isn’t—” The protest was sharp, and cut off just as sharply. She felt the quick breath Roy took. “It isn’t that,” he said, more calmly, “it’s just that I’m…” Dark eyes turned away from hers and his voice dropped to a mutter. “I… never have. Before.”

Lisa’s jaw dropped; she couldn’t help it. The faint color across Roy’s cheekbones as he cleared his throat didn’t help. The Conqueror of the Typing Pool, The Thief of Girlfriends, had never… “Really?”

He twitched at the incredulous question, and Lisa found herself torn between hilarity and utter smugness. She managed to stifle the outright laughter, but her mouth curled up in a grin as she leaned back into him. All hers. “Well, that’s all right. I have.”

Roy’s eyes shot back to hers and he opened his mouth. Paused. Closed it again. This time she couldn’t hold back the giggle and the look he gave her was rather jaundiced. She leaned her head on his shoulder and slid her fingers through his hair. “It really is all right,” she said, more softly. “More than all right.”

“Well. Good.” His fingers played with the hem of her pajama top.

She was silent for a moment. “Why didn’t you?” she asked, at last, running a finger down the worn texture of his undershirt. “I mean, you must have kissed them.” Her tone turned wry. “You’ve clearly had practice.”

For once he didn’t preen. “It was… too dangerous. To have any of them that close. And the women who were willing to have something completely uninvolved never really appealed to me.” He smoothed a strand of her hair. “None of them were anything like you.”

Lisa thought she might be blushing, and the way Roy’s eyes softened made it all the more likely. On the other hand, now that she knew he wasn’t actually reluctant…

She spread a hand against his chest and leaned in to steal a kiss, light and coaxing. Roy answered her slowly, as if he wondered just what she wanted to do now. Fair enough. She slipped her hands under the edge of his shirt and slid her fingers along his lowest ribs; his breath caught short against her mouth and she drew back with a questioning look. After a long moment his lips curved and he lifted his arms to let her tug the shirt off.

She smoothed her palms back down his chest, letting herself take her time and appreciate the texture of his skin. His breath hitched again when she reached his stomach, and his own hands tightened where they’d settled on her waist. One hand lifted, though, and Lisa shivered as his fingertips traced the open neck of her top, settling on the first button.

“Go ahead,” she whispered, answering the tilt of his head.

He undid the buttons with studious care, but heat rose under the hesitance in his eyes when she shrugged it off. That heat pleased her; she wanted more of it. Lisa stood to shut the door against inquisitive canines and let her pajama pants drop from her hips before she turned back to him. His head tilted back to see her face, eyes wide in the low light; his hands came up to find her hips as she rested her hands on his shoulders. She took a long, smiling breath. His hands were warm and she could feel their strength, even through this delicate grip.

She slid a knee onto the bed and pushed him back until she could settle over him. They were both breathing a little quickly, now, she could feel his chest rise and fall under her as his hands moved up her back; when she leaned down for another kiss he caught her mouth with fierce intensity in return. Heat tingled through her and a small sound of approval hummed in her throat. Her fingers traced over his chest, marking the hard lines of muscle, gently circling a nipple, dipping over his collarbones, and a soft gasp answered her.

Lisa made herself slow down as his hands smoothed over her ribs and his thumbs stroked the curve of her breasts cautiously. She’d been lucky her first time; Roy should be, too. She leaned up on her elbows to let him explore. The careful brush of his fingers started small shudders low in her stomach, and her eyes half-lidded in appreciation.

“Lisa.” The whisper drew her attention from his hands to his face, and her lips parted. Roy was looking at her—at nothing but her—with a focus she’d only ever seen when he faced mortal danger. Except that, where his eyes were cold, then, they were warm now.

“I’m here,” she whispered back, the only answer she could find to the depth of that look.

Roy caught her close and buried his face in the tangled fall of her hair. “Yes.” His voice was low and husky.

Lisa had to swallow hard. She’d hoped all along that Gracia was right, that Roy did feel something deeper than simple respect or even affection for her; but she hadn’t truly expected such naked confirmation. The renewed slide of his hands down her back and legs was welcome; it was a much simpler pleasure.

Her own hands were impatient, now, seeking down his body to strip off the last of his clothes. His gaze on her turned heavy and sultry as she settled back against him, completely skin to skin. Her lips curled wickedly, and she straddled his hips and rocked against him. They gasped together.

“Roy. Now?” She didn’t want to push him too fast, but heat was lapping through her again and she wanted very much to feel more of him.

His gaze flickered, uncertainty struggling with straightforward desire in it. “If… yes.”

She pressed a quick kiss to his throat. “It’s all right.” The assurance was a little breathless. She pushed herself upright and reached down to guide him. His hands locked on her thighs and his eyes widened as he started to slide into her. Slowly his head eased past the first tightness and Lisa released a soft moan as the sensation turned smooth. A harsh indrawn breath from Roy answered, and a tiny laugh escaped her.

His eyes, on her, were wide and blind and deep with something like shock as she rocked up and back down, and his hips slowly flexed to meet her. Pleasure shivered up her spine and caught low in her throat—pleasure at the hardness stroking heat through her body and, more, at the fire and darkness and wonder in Roy’s face.

“Roy…” She broke off with a moan as he slid deeper, and smiled through parted lips as she felt his hands sliding up her body and over her breasts. “Oh, yes.” Her fingers kneaded against his chest and she started to move more strongly.

Full pleasure sang through her each time their hips met, rising in slow waves. It was hot and sleek and good, and Roy’s voice ran through it like a velvet ribbon, calling her name, tugging at her. She caught one of his hands and guided it down until his fingers brushed her clitoris. Sharper pleasure shot through her and she arched. “Mmmm, there.”

A shadow of the accustomed calculation, the usual smile, crossed Roy’s face, and his fingers stroked her softly, testing. She let her hand rest over his and rode the sensation as fire coiled through her, slow and thick. His heartbeat was speeding, under her palm, rapid as her breath, and she let go and let her body lead the way. Pleasure swelled and rose and rose again, and her voice caught in her throat as it surged into something overwhelming and snatched her attention away from anything but the flooding heat as her body tightened.

She felt Roy arch under her, taut; heard him groan. She stretched, over him, and laughed. “Now, Roy,” she whispered. “Don’t stop.” A hard thrust answered her and she gasped approval as it drew a slow aftershock from her body. His movement was faster, now, and she smiled as it turned ragged, and tangled her fingers with his. His hands clutched hers as if she were an anchor.

He dropped back against the bed, and she slid down over him, breath slowing again.

She had a small urge to tease him, to say There, that wasn’t so bad, was it? But his expression, still rather amazed, stopped her. Instead she simply wound her arms around him and snuggled against his shoulder, taking enjoyment in the warmth of his skin against hers. His fingers found her hair and combed through it slowly, soothing her to the edge of sleep.

At least until he said, “Do you want to get married?”

Lisa sputtered a bit, pushing herself up on one elbow to stare at him. He returned it with a look of mild inquiry.

“Or children,” he continued, sounding perfectly serious. He frowned a little. “I suppose I should have asked that earlier…”

“No, that’s… I… take care of that,” Lisa assured him, a bit dazed. She stared some more. “You… children?”

“Well.” He cleared his throat. “If you want.”

She couldn’t help smiling at the uneasiness lurking under his tone. “I’ve always liked children better when they’re someone else’s, actually,” she observed. She leaned against his shoulder again, laughing at the relief on his face.

His fingers traced down her arm. “And marriage? I would ask in a more suitable manner,” he added, sounding rather disgruntled, “but you never like that, and this is about as direct as I can manage.”

It took a few moments to get ahold of herself again. “I think this is quite suitable,” she told him, when she could speak without giggling. And then she really thought about it. “Yes. Something small, maybe,” she said, slowly. And, more quietly, “My mother might come.”

It was Roy’s turn to lean up on an elbow, frowning at her tone. “Lisa?” His hand cupped her cheek.

She pressed her fingers over his lips and shook her head. “I dealt with it a long time ago, Roy. They never approved, that I followed you; I know perfectly well they won’t start, now.” Despite the firm words she had to swallow a lump in her throat.

He gathered her closer, just a bit awkwardly. “Well. We’ll see,” he murmured against her hair.

Lisa blinked back the wetness in her eyes and rested against him. In a minute she’d tell him to let go so she could draw up the blanket from the foot of the bed.

In just a minute.

TBC