With hand poised to knock, she allowed her mind to wander a bit, wondering how many times she'd come to knock at this door over the past few months. They were countless, yet each special and each significant. He'd told her long ago to stop knocking, that it was long past time for such things. Yet their spaces were still separate, and this was his space. She didn't feel right simply walking in, even if she had taken the key he'd offered long ago.

She paused a moment longer, glancing down the hallway and out into the night through the window. What seemed like an immeasurable amount of stars dusted the dark sky, shining down their tiny pinpoints of light. So often she'd lain in his arms, staring out his bedroom window or hers, staring up at those very same stars. Each night they gave her comfort as she fell asleep, helping to push the demons inside of her to the fringe, allowing her to go on about her daily life.

Yet each day, when she was apart from him and without his reassurance of love, she felt that familiar pang of pain and despair. For so long now she'd wondered when it would go away, wondered how long it could possibly continue. That part of her life was over, and yet she still couldn't let go. Or it wouldn't let go of her. It fooled her into thinking she was "better", letting her have her moments of happiness and serenity... yet it was those very moments that made the slap in the face of their return so stinging.

Stomaching those memories yet another time, she rapped her knuckles lightly against the wood of the door. It was cool beneath her skin, and as she waited to hear the familiar footsteps, she allowed her touch to linger against it. Her face was flushed with the thoughts that brought her here. It was the middle of the night, and by chance, they'd been spending tonight apart. Normally, that wasn't an issue. They still had separate lives and hadn't quite reached that plateau of sharing as many waking hours as they had together. But tonight, tonight was different. She'd tossed and turned in bed, reaching over in vain, hoping that by some stroke of magic, she'd find him there. Each time she closed her eyes, she saw him... saw those eyes that seemed to bore to her very soul each and every time they looked at her. Those eyes that flamed with desire so often... that showed shadows of love. They showed haunting of their own. She wanted desperately to reach in and somehow pull out what it was that troubled him. Everyone had his or her pasts, and as much as she kept hers inside, she wanted desperately to help him with his. Easier to deal with someone else's problems then your own, they say. Finally, after coming to the rude realization that she'd get no rest without him, she'd tossed on sweat clothes and driven the twenty minutes to his house tucked away in the suburbs. She'd made the drive so many times that it was as though she were on autopilot. Her car knew the way, her heart knew the destination.

The door opened slowly, cautiously, and sleepy eyes gazed through the small opening. It flew open suddenly and there he was, half-naked and wonderfully sexy. Her eyes traveled over his body for the briefest of moments, seeing the book between his fingers, lingering on the bare flesh of his chest. Her breath caught at the sight of his waist, where the button of his jeans lay undone. She had to resist the urge to reach out and push them from his hips, pleasing herself, and hopefully him, right then and there.

"Sweetheart! What are you doing here? Is everything okay? I didn't expect you tonight."

She smiled softly, crossing the threshold into the darkened entryway. "I'm okay. I just couldn't sleep." Letting my eyes rest on the book in his hands, she continued, "am I interrupting something?"

"Not at all, love. Just some reading, or dozing. Maybe both," he said with a sheepish smile. All at once she was gathered in his arms. The book dropped to the floor with a thud as his hands cradled the small of her back. She could picture them in her mind... the long, lean fingers that sought out every crevice of pleasure time and time again. The ones that stroked and teased, tickling until she tossed out the empty threats of hurting him when her breath returned. She allowed her hands to roam up over his lower back, slowly making their way to his shoulders. She held him close, breathing in the familiar scent of him, clean and male. She found comfort in the familiarity and yet was in constant awe at how it never gave way to monotony. He caught her lingering on their embrace and as he pulled back to gaze in her eyes, she saw his filled with worry.

"Are you okay, Shalonda?"

"I wasn't, AJ, but I am now," she said, her words speaking volumes more then face value. He understood and tucked her under his arm, leading her further into the apartment.

The stereo piped out a low, bluesy tune, the singer's voice slow and sultry. The room's lights were dimmed, sending an almost enchanting glow throughout the room. An empty wineglass sat on the low coffee table, the blanket on the couch rumpled. He stood back as she restlessly circled the room, trailing her fingers over all the familiar surfaces, seeking the coolness of the glass and chrome. Her eyes trailed wildly, taking in all of it, allowing a slow comfort to come over her, sending the demons scattering to the far recesses of her soul. She turned slowly, letting her eyes seek out his and holding his gaze.

"AJ? Love me... please?" She spoke in a whisper, her voice almost trembling. He strode toward her, his lean legs making quick work of the space between them. She was in his arms again, feeling safe and loved. His cheek rested on top of her head, softly nuzzling her hair. She heard his sharp intake of breath as she reached for his hips, pulling him against her.

Her fingers lingered, their tips tracing along the inside of the waistband of his jeans, feeling the downy softness of his skin and the ripple of hard muscle beneath. She allowed her gaze to slip from his face, down to the bulge between them. It was always a shock to her how quickly he became aroused with her... she'd never grow used to it. Her hands trailed up over his chest, playing in the soft, dark, curls found there. The hair was so fine, like a baby's, and she loved the feel of it between her fingers. His eyes traveled over her face, taking in the sheer beauty of it. She was bare-faced, looking fresh and so sensual at the same time. Her body was hidden by the sweats she'd tossed on and yet he knew all-too-well the feel of it beneath his hands, the way she arched to meet him, the softness of her skin, the curves of her body.

His hands traveled down, reaching up under the cover of her shirt, finding the heat of her breasts unbound by a bra. He cradled them in his hands, massaging them, molding them. Her body curved to his touch, almost involuntarily, and he leaned down to tease at her nipples through the fabric. Her hands moved up to hold his head while her fingers got lost in the dark waves of hair.

She thrilled in the way his fingers teased and tormented, stroking over her and proving that each and every spot was an erogenous zone. He moved devastatingly slowly over her stomach, caressing her so lightly that she almost doubted he was even touching her. She felt the familiar ache between her legs as her desire reached new heights and knew she had to have him.

"AJ, dammit, fuck me," she said, her eyes glittering with a new danger. She'd never dare speak those words and almost wished she hadn't until she saw the surge of heat on his face. The expression that'd been, just seconds before, loving and gentle, hardened.

He guided her back against a wall, his hands tugging at her clothes and racing over her skin, leaving behind a trail of pure fire. She surged under his touch; her breath taken away at the sheer animalistic need that had taken over both of them. It was only when a cool breeze washed over her that she realized he'd taken off her clothes, leaving her naked before him while his jeans still rested devastatingly low over his hips. While she ached to reach out and touch him, she somehow knew better.

He fell to his knees in front of her and with no preliminaries, spread her legs wide and drove two fingers inside of her. She arched against him and cried out with a mixture of pleasure and surprise. He found her wet and waiting for him, her muscles already contracting with desire. His eyes searched her face and she got lost in her feelings, his fingers driving in and out of her with such force that he almost feared he'd hurt her. But she urged him on with her cries and frantic movements. Her hands hung helplessly at her sides, curled into tight fists. He could feel the telltale clenching of her pussy around his fingers and drove one more inside of her. Leaning forward, he separated her lips with the other hand and somehow managed to capture her clit in his mouth amidst the thrusting of her hips.

She was lost, falling off of a cliff into an abyss of pure pleasure. The world was left behind; AJ included, as she swirled deeper into the darkness. Her hips rocked wildly, her hands grasping desperately at air. She almost whimpered as he abruptly removed himself from her and released her clit. She was panting with desire, with exertion, and as he stood before her, she knew she needed him inside of her. Forgetting her earlier notion of not touching, she reached forward and yanked him toward her, pushing the zipper of his jeans down and nudging the fabric off of his hips ever so slightly. Beneath, he was nude, and his manhood was gloriously hard for her. She reached down to brush her fingers against it and smiled with an evil pleasure as he lunged against her and his muscle twitched under her touch. She pulled her hand away and left him aching for more, his eyes flaring with frustration.

"Tease." He fairly growled the word as he advanced, reaching down to cradle the cheeks of her ass and leveling her against the wall. Out of instinct, she pulled her legs up, hitching herself into the seat that his hands made for her. As one hand rested on his shoulder, she used the other to guide him into her. His hips pushed forward in one smooth movement, impaling her on his dick. She saw his eyes flutter closed as she enveloped him, her warmth drawing in his hardness. His groan filled the air as she let her hand linger, her fingertips tracing over his shaft as he slid in and out of her. He leaned forward, his eyes barely open, taking one of her nipples into his mouth. As he bit down with a new ferocity, she cried out in a strange mixture of pain and pleasure.

The jeans still rested on his hips, providing a strange contrast between the warm heat of his body and coolness of the fabric against her skin. Her back rested against the wall, her hand holding onto his shoulder for dear life as they both rode out wave after wave of pleasure, waiting for the final jump into ecstasy. She stared into his eyes, watching as they changed, sensing that he was getting closer and closer. She felt him swell inside of her and as he released a guttural groan, she let herself go. Their bodies strained for each other, hips bucking in desperation, almost as if in fear the other would suddenly disappear. She rocked against him, concentrating on the only thing her pleasure-ridden mind would allow... the feel of his cock sliding between her lips. It seemed like an endless shiver before their moans grew softer, the movements less frantic. Her head rested on his shoulder as he finally pulled her away from the wall, staggering unsteadily into his bedroom.

They collapsed in a pile of limbs and flesh and both were quickly lost in a sleep born of exhaustion.

*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*

She woke slowly, confused as to where she was. She looked around wildly and last night suddenly came rushing back. A smile tugged at her lips as she remembered the fit of passion they'd shared in his living room. Her body flushed with the thought of how he'd taken over, shown her the power she knew had lurked beneath the surface. She turned, hoping to cuddle into his arms, and instead found emptiness.

Not bothering with clothes, she walked through the apartment, peeking into each room and softly calling his name. Not until she reached the living room did she find him. His back was to her, a cup of coffee in his hand. A soft breeze snuck through the crack of the open sliding glass door and the sounds of morning rose up from the street below. He'd showered, judging by the damp tendrils of hair that danced in the wind, and pulled on nothing more then a pair of boxers. She moved soundlessly across the room, smiling as she stepped over the forgotten clothes from the night before. He didn't move as she slipped out onto the patio, the air caressing her skin in a way she'd never felt, the sun warming away the coolness of it. She was outside, and naked. The sight of him brought a surge to her body and she felt a strong need for him again.

She stood behind him for a brief moment, admiring the long lines of his back, the way the muscles shifted as he brought the cup up to his lips and then back down again. In one movement, she leaned against his back, her breasts pressing against his skin, her hips meeting his firm buttocks. Her hands snaked around to the front, nails skimming lightly over his chest.

"Careful hotstuff, my girlfriend's in the bedroom and she wouldn't take too kindly to you gropin' me," he said softly, a smile in his voice.

"Hmmm... I think she can loan you out for just a bit," she whispered hoarsely in his ear. She felt his body tighten and tense as she let one hand move lower, caressing his already semi-hard shaft through the softness of his boxers.

"Shalonda," he growled in warning. She ignored his tone and continued her exploration. He turned around abruptly and his eyes widened in shock as he took in the sight of her nude before him. She smiled softly, taking the cup from his hand and setting it on the table beside them. Knowing just what she wanted, she knelt before him, quickly tossing his boxers' aside.

She leaned forward, pulling him into her mouth and feeling him harden the rest of the way immediately. She thrilled in the control she seemed to have over him. His soft moans were carried away by the wind as the sun shone down on them. She felt his hands on the back of her head, guiding her as she moved up and down his shaft slowly, his fingers getting tangled in her hair. She allowed her hands to reach around to his ass, cupping his cheeks in her hands and massaging them, pulling him closer to her. His head fell back as he got lost in the soft stroking of her tongue.

She licked, sucked and nipped lightly, carrying out the pleasure as long as she possibly could. She loved holding him on the brink, feeling the throb and pulse of him in her mouth, in her hands. He delighted in her fingers tracing over him so lightly, causing his hips to lunge against her. She knew exactly how to bring him to the edge and then pull back a bit, letting the torture last and last. His hand cradled her cheek as he looked down at her, her lips wrapped tightly around the shaft of his cock, her eyes staring up at his. The sheer brilliance of their green color carried him away more then he thought was possible. She pulled away, releasing him and resting back on the heels of her feet. Her hand stroked up and down slowly, her eyes moving down as though riveted by the sight of him in her grasp. She leaned in to softly kiss the tip, her lips a breeze against his heated and aching flesh. In a single movement, she was covering him again, his cock lost in the damp heat of her mouth, her hand reaching to cup his balls and finding the soft spot just behind them that sent him rocketing over the edge.

The pent up tension exploded from him as he fairly screamed out her name. His hips rocked wildly against her, his thighs shuddering with the exertion. She never slowed her movements, never lessened her pressure on him. His heart pounded in his chest, the heat spreading through his body and carrying him away like he'd never experienced before. He thought he'd never come back to earth and wasn't quite sure if he wanted to.

Finally releasing him, she rested back again to watch him. Every now and then her hand would reach out to stroke his calf, or tickle at his thigh. She took in the sight of him, naked in the sunlight, his gorgeous body flushed with the joy of sex and his chest heaving as he fought to breath. She stood slowly, resting her head against his heart, feeling it beat against her. They embraced on the balcony, listening to the birds below, content in their love. For now, the demons were under control...