From Friends to Lovers Ch. 08

When I opened my eyes, the sun had passed its highest point, and I leaned across to kiss Beth. "I'm beginning to wish we'd brought something for lunch."

Beth rolled her eyes, grinning. "All you ever think about."

She glanced towards the door through which we'd entered the garden. "I think I saw some strawberries growing, they must be from when this place was used."

I got to my feet and walked along the border. Here and there, red berries peeped out from under the foliage, and I gathered them as I went. When I returned to the blanket, Francesca was sitting up, and I offered her a strawberry. "Mm," she smiled, "sweet."

We shared the fruit, but as we reached the last couple of berries I closed my hand. "Ah-ah, I have an plan for these."

I deliberately crushed one berry in my fingers, stretching out my hand to let the juice and the remains of the fruit dribble, slide down Beth's nearest breast. I repeated the process with the other breast, then offered Francesca my fingers. She smiled, sucking them and tonguing my fingertips to get the remains of the juice, and I felt a definite stirring in my body. "What about me?" Beth teased. "I'm still all sticky."

Francesca bent to sweep her tongue across the lower curve of Beth's breast, working her way upwards, then circling the nipple teasingly. I was reminded of our first time as Beth used her fingers to move her nipple between Francesca's lips, tilting her head back and gasping. I bent to mirror Francesca's movements, and Beth moaned, parting her thighs. "Tim, if you're ready again, I want you now."

She turned her head to look at Francesca. "I promise we'll give you a very special send-off later, but right now..."

I positioned myself between Beth's thighs, entering her, letting my weight rest on her almost completely. I could still feel the juice sticky on her breasts as my chest pressed them against her body, and I kissed her, tasting strawberries. "Mm."

Francesca watched mesmerised as Beth wrapped her legs around me, pushing her hips up almost desperately. "Oh please, now, don't stop..."

I cupped her bottom in my hands, thrusting as deeply as I dared, and Beth began to gasp softly. "Mm - oh - yes -"

I reached my own release, and I saw Beth's eyelids flickering as the sensation of my warmth deep in her tipped her over the edge. "Ohh..."

Beth buried her face in my chest as we lay still entangled. "Thank you," I heard her indistinct murmur.

Finally I slid out of her arms, placing a final kiss on her forehead. "Everywhere's sticky now," she mock-complained. "Do we really have to get dressed and walk back before we can get a shower?"

I looked around again, and a mischievous grin spread across my face. "Maybe I can help there."

At the edge of the grass, by an almost totally collapsed greenhouse, there was a brass tap with a length of hose still attached. I walked across and gripped the tap, turning with my whole weight into my wrist, and there was a squeal of metal, then a steady stream of water from the end of the hose. I picked it up, putting my thumb over the end, and a fine spray of water shot into the air, catching Beth on her face and chest. She squealed, ducking, and I followed her with the spray. "That'll sort all that stickiness," I called.

"Wait till I catch you," she scolded, but she was smiling, and as I played the water over her, she used her hands to wash her breasts, then between her thighs.

"Hey," grinned Francesca, "my turn." She ducked into the spray with Beth, and they helped each get clean while I watched.

"Now," Beth strode purposefully towards me, still dripping. "You need a shower too."

I relinquished the hose to her, and she directed the spray over me. "Make sure you do behind your ears," she teased.

Finally she dropped the hose, and I turned the tap off. "We just need to dry out now."

We went back to the blanket, and Beth sprawled on her back. "Nice to get a bit of a tan - and no bikini line," she grinned.

All too soon the sun started to drop towards the horizon, and I sat up, stretching. "Sorry, you two, I think it's time we made our way back."

I touched Francesca's hand. "But there's still dinner, and afterwards..."

She nodded. "Thank you... I will never forget your generosity."

Beth brushed at her eyes, then smiled. "It's not time for goodbyes yet."

We dressed - "Let me just check nobody has grass stuck to them," teased Beth - then I pulled open the door in the wall, glancing back one last time at the secret garden. We walked back down the hotel lawn, exchanging a polite 'hello' with a couple of the other guests, and Beth chuckled softly. "If they had any idea how we've spent our day..."

When we reached the hotel, I glanced at Francesca. "Your choice for dinner - anywhere at all."

Something seemed to be amusing her. "There is one thing I have not tried - your English fish and chips."

Beth grinned. "One of my favourites, and there's a fish and chip shop on the main street."

We walked down the hill, the unmistakeable aroma of frying drifting towards us. There was a short queue in the shop, and I looked at the menu. "Mm, they have a chicken meat special, hot sauce, garlic mayonnaise."

Beth nudged Francesca, chuckling. "We can make him sleep on a sun lounger tonight..."

We ordered, and Francesca watched as paper-wrapped parcels piled up on the heated cabinet. "Free bottle of Coke," the girl behind the counter pointed towards the fridge, and I opened the door to pick one up. She transferred our food to a plastic bag, and I swiped my card. "Thanks."

"Where shall we eat?" queried Beth.

"There's a place near the river, the view's quite good."

We walked along the bridge, then down a short path to the place I remembered. There was no-one else about, and we sat at a wooden picnic table, Beth starting to unpack our bag. "Here's yours, 'Cesca, and this is mine."

She slid a flat box towards me, still pretending to wrinkle her nose at my choice, and I lifted the lid, breathing in the spicy aroma. "Mm."

Francesca dug into her fish with the wooden fork, taking a bite. "Oh, yes, this is good. You were right about the salt and vinegar."

I opened the bottle of Coke, tilting it to drink then putting it on the table. "Look, the crows are coming closer - people must throw them chips."

I tossed a chip onto the grass, and one of the birds darted in to grab it, flying off with another crow in close pursuit.

Finally Francesca put down her fork, giving a satisfied sigh. "I think I might need to walk for a while before we go back."

I gathered up the debris, scattering a few small chips and fragments of batter for the birds to come for when we'd gone. We set off into the woods by the river, Francesca breathing in the cool pine-scented air. "This is what I will remember," her voice was wistful.

She turned. "Can we go back now? It's getting a little chilly."

"Of course, darling," Beth replied.

When we reached the hotel, Francesca stood looking through the glass doors at the empty pool. "Maybe in the morning we can swim a little."

Beth sat down on the bed, patting the space next to her. "'Cesca? Come and sit with me."

Francesca joined her, resting her head on Beth's shoulder, and Beth put an arm around her. "'Cesca - you'll come back for our wedding, won't you."

I opened my mouth, then closed it again. Francesca took Beth's left hand, touching the plain gold band. "I thought...?"

Beth smiled apologetically. "We did it as a game to start with, but Tim and I are certain that this is what we want - we just have to tell our parents, then actually get married. You'll come?"

Francesca brushed at her eyes. "Of course I will."

She took a deep breath. "So I can say, congratulations?"

"Thank you," I nodded.

"And we should certainly celebrate," Francesca stated firmly, recovering some of her usual poise.

She got to her feet. "I will be back very quickly," she smiled.

As the door closed behind her, I turned to Beth with a lopsided grin. "So this wedding..."

She took my hand, running her thumb over the band I wore. "You don't mind, do you?"

I shook my head. "As long as you don't mind missing the bit where I go down on one knee."

Beth smiled. "It's fine. But you still have to get me a ring..."

Francesca tapped on the door, coming back in with a bottle in one hand, three glasses in the other. "I am glad the bar had this."

She put the bottle down, and I turned it to look at the label. "Cellini grappa - wow."

I grinned at Beth. "This stuff is pretty strong - I think I can cope, but you don't have quite the same body mass as me..."

She lifted her chin defiantly. "Are you saying I'm a lightweight?" she challenged, throwing Francesca a wink. "We'll see about that."

Francesca used a fingernail to slit the foil round the top of the bottle, then eased the cork out and poured a generous measure into each glass. "Salute," she offered.

She lifted her glass, tossing the contents back and setting the glass down with a snap. "Keep up," she teased with a raised eyebrow.

I drank, my eyes watering, but managed to empty my glass. Beth shook her head, and I saw her throat bob as she swallowed. "Another, 'Ces?"

Francesca refilled our glasses, again lifting hers and emptying it apparently without effect. Beth followed suit, her aim seeming to waver a little when setting her glass down, and they both looked at me. "Best of three?" Beth ventured, and I gave her an amused look. "That doesn't even make sense."

"Drink," she urged, and I closed my eyes, trying to pretend this was medicine. The strong spirit burned on the way down, and I put the glass down.

"Three," Beth's now unsteady voice insisted, and Francesca poured for me again. "But that's definitely my limit."

Either I was getting used to the grappa, or it had actually started to numb my throat so I didn't feel anything as I drank for the final time. "I think I need to lie down for a moment."

I made it to the bed, sprawling back on the pillow and trying to focus on the ceiling. I was vaguely aware of Beth and Francesca exchanging amused glances, then undressing, their clothes mingled in an untidy heap on the floor. "How do we get his clothes off?" Beth wondered out loud.

Francesca leaned over me, her breasts enticing, and I lifted my head to try and reach her. "Ah, not yet," she shook her head. She deftly undid buttons, her fingers seeming little affected by the grappa, and with a little difficulty she raised me to a sitting position, pushing my shirt off my shoulders. She added it to the pile, then let me lie back again. "Now, those trousers," she puzzled.

I felt something tugging at my feet, and I looked down to see Beth grinning triumphantly, one of my socks in each hand. "See, 'Ces, I'm helping."

"Very good, darling. Now, why don't you pull these while I..."

With some difficulty my jeans came off, bringing my y-fronts with them, and Beth held up her palm for an unsteady high five from Francesca. "Now what are we going to do with him?" Beth queried.

Francesca moved to the bed, propping herself on one elbow next to me. "Come over here and we'll see."

Beth walked towards us, carefully putting one foot in front of the other, and slid next to me. I thrilled as one breast flattened against my ribs, and Beth draped her leg over mine so that her mound pressed into my thigh. "Now you can't get away."

She planted a kiss on my mouth, then leaned a little further. "Kiss you too, 'Ces." Their lips met, and I watched fascinated as Beth's tongue probed wetly into Francesca's mouth, causing Francesca to gasp, deepen the kiss.

After a few moments, Francesca broke the kiss, bending to use her mouth on Beth's breast. Beth turned a little to reveal her already-erect nipple, and gave a quiet moan as Francesca suckled her softly. Beth flexed her hips, and I felt wetness as she pushed herself insistently against my hip bone. Her eyes widened, and she moved more urgently. Francesca took her mouth from Beth's nipple, instead using the flat of her tongue to sweep across it, then nipping it lightly with her teeth provoking a gasp of mixed shock and delight from Beth. I heard Beth's breathing quicken, then catch, and suddenly she tensed, shuddering, her hips bucking against me as her face betrayed obvious pleasure.

She subsided, panting, and managed a bemused look at both of us. "Wow."

Francesca nodded. "Such passion," she smiled.

Beth turned to me. "You and 'Cesca have to fuck," she reminded me, "'cause it's her last night and we promised."

She looked across at Francesca. "But we can get him really ready, can't we."

Beth surrounded my nipple with her lips, suckling and using her tongue, perhaps a little less gently than usual. Francesca took the other nipple, and I gasped. "Oh, god. Wonder if you could take me all the way just doing this?"

Every so often Beth and Francesca paused to kiss each other, and I drank in the sight of their pleasure while their breasts moved tantalisingly against my body.

After a while Beth glanced at me. "Let's see how you're doing."

She moved down. "Oh, he's definitely ready, 'Ces."

Beth used her tongue on me, catching the clear liquid that must already have been leaking from me, and she must have felt me move in response. "Oh no you don't... 'Cesca needs you to hold on a little longer."

Francesca smiled. "But one last indulgence before Tim is in my body..."

She shifted position, offering her breasts to me, and I lost myself in them, moving from one to the other, kissing, suckling softly, burying my tongue in the valley between them...

Francesca moaned. "Oh, now, please."

She shifted across my body, this time facing me, and her careful fingers guided me into her, hips lowering. I could hardly tear my eyes from the dark triangle between her parted thighs, and she began to rock slowly, Beth watching her with a rapt expression.

I reached to cup Francesca's breasts, my thumbs brushing her still-wet nipples, and a wild look came into her eyes. She moved more insistently, and I started to flex my hips, lifting in response. Francesca tilted her head back, and her mouth formed an O as her body tensed. The sensation of her muscles tightening around me finally forced me over the edge, and I pushed upwards convulsively once, again, as I released into her.

Francesca relaxed, pillowing her head on my chest and closing her eyes, and Beth stroked her back softly. My head was starting to clear a little, and I turned to kiss Beth. "Love you," her lips formed unmistakeable syllables, and she pillowed her head next to mine, reaching to turn off the lamp.