This We'll Defend

"I'm saying that I liked it."

"Oh," I managed to say meekly, feeling myself blush even more. I didn't know what else to say. She paused once she realized that her left hand was near my stump. Curiously, she glided her hands down, comparing my two legs altogether. As the other one felt my own human flesh, the other felt the cold metallic prosthesis. She let them linger, her fingertips felt like feathers over my dress pants.

"I'm saying that you've open my mind to what intimacy suppose to feel like. More importantly, what it's like to connect to someone who you have feelings for. And the connection is...undescribable. The times we've spent together inside and outside the shop made me feel lost, but at the same time, I felt at home with you."

She laughed as she glided her hands up and down my legs nervously.

"Do you know how crazy that sounds? Lost and feeling at home with you? It sounds completely bonkers, but it's true. The times we've talked and the times my fingers touched your skin, they were electrifying. I was exploring in a completely different world, but it was familiar at the same time."

Carefully, she lifted her right hand and tried to navigate for my face. Without saying a word, I gingerly grabbed it and placed it on the side of my face. I let out a ragged breath as her fingers started to glide down and across my skin. Her other hand pushed my leg away. I spread my legs apart in response, letting her whole body wedge in between them.

She gave me a smile, her chest heaved up and down.

"You take my breath away, Alice," she said almost in a whisper.

With that, I became undone.

I leaned forward and placed a small kiss on her lips. Once she realized what I've done, both of her hands flew up and pulled my face into a deep and desperate kiss. Our lips crashed into one another. At one point, one of us moaned, but I couldn't tell if it was me or her.

My hands clutched on to her as if I was holding on to my dear life itself. My whole body was on fire. Gently, I pushed her away and hopped off from the stool. For a second, I stood there and studied her. She was just as flushed as I was, maybe even more.

"Alice?" she whispered with a hint of uncertainty. I wanted her badly that my whole body started to ache. I went to her and kissed her forehead, then whispered in her ear.

"You're so beautiful. I want to take things further, but...the question is do you? Because if we do, I don't think I can stop."

She gave me a small chuckle and bit my earlobe.

"'Put your hands on my knees, she said, and think of me as a book you've been dying to read.'"

I shivered, recalling the quote from the book she was reading a couple of months back. It brought goosebumps throughout my body. In response, I grabbed her hand and pulled her through her apartment, down the hallway and to her bedroom.

The room was dark, but I managed to find a single lampshade on top of her dresser. Before we know it, we stood facing one another at the foot of the bed.

I've never felt so nervous. Here I was, in front of the most beautiful woman I've seen and I was losing my cool. I felt like a teenage all over again. Nonetheless, I wanted her to feel what pure intimacy felt like.

I pulled her into my arms once again and kissed her deeply. She shivered and her body relax against mine. My hand navigated her back and slowly pulled her dress zipper down. Then, I grabbed her hair and pulled it free. The little hairpins from her hair dropped to the floor.

I pulled back a little bit and rested my forehead against hers. My fingertips trailed her collarbone before revealing her scrumptious perky breasts. She gave me a soft moan and decided to abandon her dress and shoes altogether. Smiling, she then sat at the edge of the bed and inched her way backwards at the center of it. Eagerly, I pulled my tux jacket, shoes and socks off, then crawled into bed with her.

She bit her lower lip once she sensed my presence, reached out and grabbed a handful of my dress shirt, and pulled me into another kiss. Her hands desperately unbuttoned my shirt and pulled it off me. Before my mind registered what she has done, she managed to take my bra off, too.

I grunted a bit uncomfortably as the weight and pressure of my prosthesis made the whole scenario almost painful. Luna registered my shift in mood and asked me what was wrong.

"I just need to get my prosthesis off, that's all," I replied and rolled onto my back. Luna sat up and put my hand on my stomach with urgency.

"Let me?"

Without answering her, her hands undid my belt and pulled my pants down. The mere sight of her undressing me was so intimate and surreal. It made it impossible for me to think any coherent thoughts.

She crawled her way between my legs and glided her hand down my legs. I sat up silently, admiring the view and getting hotter, wetter by the minute. Once her hands felt my prosthesis, I murmured instructions to her, guiding her hand whenever she felt lost or uncertain. A couple of minutes later, she managed to doff it off. I technically still had my panties on, but without my prosthesis and stump exposed, I felt utterly naked in front of her.

"Lay on your back," she lovingly whispered. "I want to 'see' you."

Silently, I obeyed her and felt her hands roam on my skin. I felt restless.

I felt like one of her sculptures once again, molding and smoothing me out like clay. I gave her a soft moan, my body becoming more restless by the minute. She paused for a minute and squeezed my thighs.

"Am I making you hot?"

Her voice was husky with desire.

"Yes."

She gave me a satisfied smile, hovered over me, then leaned down. I met her halfway and kissed her with all my might. As soon as her chest made contact with mine, she moaned and flopped down. In return, I hugged her close, my fingers clawed her back desperate for more contact. My legs were intertwined with hers and I could feel her body getting hotter by the second. I couldn't take it anymore.

I flipped her over. She gave me a delighted laugh and squirmed underneath me. Then, her laughing stopped once my lips made contact with her neck. It was one of my favorite part to tease in a woman among other parts. Immediately, her legs pulled me closer, her hands squeezing my muscular back and choked at the ceiling. It was highly possible no one had ever gave her neck the attention it craved.

"Fuck," she whispered. My hand crawled its way to one of her breasts and squeezed. She arched her back in return. "Oh, fuck..."

Her breathing was uneven as I trailed kisses down to her chest. As soon as my mouth wrapped its way around her nipple, she gave a sharp inhale. Her hand went up and pulled my head down more, her other hand on mine.

I twirled, sucked, and alternated between each breasts, but I sensed she was getting impatient. I, on the other hand, wanted to take my time making sure her body got the attention it needed. Ultimately, I wanted to give her the attention she has been neglected to. As soon as I trailed my kisses down her stomach, she was practically pushing me further south to the most neglected part of her body.

"So impatient," I murmured, whirling my wet tongue around her navel. One of her hands clutched the bedsheet. Under the faint light, I could tell how white her knuckles were from squeezing it too hard.

"Please..." she begged quietly as I put feather-like kisses on her abdomen. She gave a silent sigh. "Just...finish me."

I gave her a low chuckle and gently bit the skin above her navel. She gave a frustrated growl.

"I'm..."

I licked upwards and bit the skin on her upper abdomen.

"Not..."

I went to her side and licked her goosebump filled skin. I held her pelvis down to prevent her body from turning over.

"Done..."

I nipped above her hip bone while my fingertips simultaneously slided painfully slow down her other side.

"Yet."

I kissed my way down to her thigh. She bit her lower lip. Even with her panties on, I could see and smell her arousal. It was intoxicating and amazing to see just how drenched she was from the torturous teasing I put her through. I snapped her waistband. She bridged her pelvis up in response.

Quickly, I pulled her panties down and threw them to the ground. She started spreading her legs apart eagerly, but at the same time I sensed a hint of hesitation. I wondered what was going on inside her mind of hers.

"You're so beautiful," I sighed, gliding my fingertips down her inner thighs. "I could do this for hours, you know. My lips on yours, teasing, touching, making love, everything."

I grinned and replaced my fingertips with my tongue. The hesitation I sensed from her was long gone. Gently, I palmed her soaking sex. She squirmed even more.

"Alice, I swear to fucking god," she whispered up to the ceiling. "Finish me please!"

I chuckled and gently bit her skin an inch away from her clit. I did it a couple of times and twirled my tongue around her sex. She whimpered and desperately grabbed my head. I grabbed her thighs, and lovingly circled her hip bone with my thumbs.

"What do you want me to do?"

"To go down on me."

She urgently pushed her head towards her sex, but I resisted.

"I'm already down here, Luna," I cooed. She growled in frustration.

"Make me cum," she blurted out, her chest heaving. "Please."

Her fingers tugged my hair hard. I grinned.

"As you wish."

With that, I started to feast. As soon as my tongue made contact with her clit, she gave one long sultry groan. Her other hand went up to her breast and squeezed while the other stayed tangled in my short hair.

I feasted, my tongue moving in a circular and vertical manner. I grabbed her hips tightly, afraid to lose contact for one second. To say she was drenched was an understatement. I could feel her juices run down my chin and down her thighs. It made me very hot seeing how hot she was.

Minutes have passed and I could feel her tense up even more. She was close, I could feel it. I put more pressure on her clit and increased my speed. She attempted to bridge her hip, but I held her down as she cried out in pleasure. Her grip on my hair tightened, then seconds later she released me as her body flopped down to the bed. She shivered as my tongue continued to lick her clit in a slower manner.

"Alice..." she whispered.

I craned my neck up when I heard my name and wiped her juices off my chin. Slowly, I crawled up her body, trailing soft kisses on her abdomen and chest. Weakly, she hugged me close, feeling her hot and sweaty body against mine. Lovingly, I wiped away strands of hair on her face. She gave me a soft smile in return.

"That was...something."

I grinned and rested my forehead against hers with my eyes closed.

"Something good, I hope," I whispered. She gave me a low chortle and bit her lower lip. God, I love the way she bit her lip.

"Definitely more than good. Thanks for that."

"For what?"

She gave me a confused look.

"For the experience, silly."

I grinned some more and gently bit her lower lip. Then slowly kissed her deeply as my hand made its way down to her sex again. Gently, I cupped it, feelings its wetness. I found her opening and unhurriedly slid a finger inside of her. Her body jolted from the unexpected intrusion and made a small choking sound at the back of her throat.

"You think this experience is done, baby?" I whispered seductively back. I went to her ear and bit her earlobe. "I'm not done with you yet."

She shivered and arched her body once I inserted another finger inside her. I went to her neck and sucked hard on her skin as I simultaneously started to fuck her. She cried out and hugged me close, her body danced beneath mine, her nails scraped against my bare back. I'm certain she left a lot of marks there. I didn't mind. The more, the better.

It has been a while since I made love with a woman and the fact that I was having one with Luna made the whole scenario even more nerve wrecking. I didn't want her to feel unsatisfied by my not-so-experienced hands, but the way she reacted to my every touch, every lick and kiss, makes me feel like the most experienced woman on earth. With our naked, sweaty bodies intertwined together, we were one. How she felt I felt, too.

I felt her body tense up again and I knew she was close to another orgasm. Her hands went everywhere, desperately trying to pull me closer. A few seconds later, I felt her tighten around my fingers. Her back and neck arched again. Every muscle around her neck strained, her jaw clenched, she let out a raucous moan that I'm sure the neighbors heard. I hissed as her fingernails dug deeper into my skin. In response, I sucked the skin on her neck hard. She choked and trembled.

A few moments later, her body relaxed and her breathing eventually went back to normal. She shuddered one last time as I pulled my fingers out from her. Then, she gave a soft chuckle as my lips put feather-like kisses on her neck and chest.

"Fuck," she whispered, her hands sliding up and down my back.

"You're welcome," I whispered back and flopped down beside her, my body facing hers. Her body turned towards me. She gave me a concerned look.

"What about you?"

"I don't mind. Tonight, it's all about you."

"Oh, please. I might not see you, but I can feel you. I know for a fact that you're just as wet as I am."

She was right, of course. My panties were still drenched with arousal, but I didn't mind if she reciprocated or not.

"I am, but I don't want to push you into doing something you're not quite comfortable yet. So, I don't mind."

Her look softened, her lips curved into a smile. She inched closer to me as her hands navigated my face once more. I closed my eyes, feeling her touch.

"You're so sweet," she murmured more to herself than to me. "A perfect gentlewoman."

"That's debatable."

"And humble, too."

"Also debatable."

"Of course I'd want to reciprocate," she said huskily. I blinked, my heart did a little flutter. She grinned as she pushed me gently to my back.

Her hand rested on my chest and for a second, she hesitated. Then, ever so slowly, she traveled further south.

"I don't have patience to tease you right now, Alice. All I want is to make you cum."

I quivered as her hand trailed goosebumps on my skin. My breath quickened as soon as her fingers touched the elastic band of my panties. She inched even closer, her body clinging to my side. I hugged her close and put a small kiss on top of her forehead once she rested it on my chest. Motivated, her hand slipped under my panties and touched my wetness. It was getting harder and harder for me to breath.

She explored a bit, listening to my breathing, feeling the way my body reacted to her touch. Then, I shuddered once she found my clit. She stopped exploring and slowly rubbed it. My body stiffened and I opened my legs even more.

She lifted her head and kissed the side of my face. I gave her a low growl and kissed her desperately as if my life depended on it.

"I'm guessing I'm hitting the right spot," she whispered hotly into my mouth. She quickened her pace and I groaned into hers.

"Definitely."

She grinned that little grin of hers. Minutes went by and I felt myself getting close. She must've felt the shift in my mood and quickened her pace more.

Then, release.

Shuddering, I gave a low groan, I felt her smiling against the side of my face. Minutes more have passed and I found myself kissing her unhurriedly as if we had all the time in the world. She cuddled to my side, burying her face in my neck, her hand idly explored my skin. Soon enough, my eyelids became heavier by the second. Before we knew it, we cuddled underneath her blanket in silence and we slowly drifted off to sleep.

Her hand, however, had other plans. It continued on exploring my chest, neck, arms, and abdomen a couple of times into the night. Her touches were faint and delicate, but I felt them even in my dreams.

Yet again, I felt like one of her art pieces in her studio, feeling like I was her greatest masterpiece yet. Under her skillful hands, I felt like I was molded into another one of her sculptures.

David was to Michaelangelo, Venus de Milo to Alexandros of Antioch, Aphrodite of Knidos to Praxiteles.

And Alice was to Luna.

------------------

A couple of months have passed, and I found myself sitting alone in a booth at Annie's Coffeeshop. I can't believe how much time has passed. Looking out of the window, I admired the view of people scurrying across the street. I took a sip from my cup of coffee while my other hand held another caffeinated drink. Before I knew it, I felt something on my lap. Startled a bit, I looked down and saw myself looking at a playful german shepherd.

"Sorry if I'm late," a familiar voice suddenly said. "I didn't realize how many students I now have until Amy pointed it out to me."

Luna, looking beautiful as usual with her brown v-neck cropped sweater and black pants, slid inside the booth right beside me. I greeted her and kissed her cheek. She flinched.

"Gross. I'm all sweaty. Plus, I'm pretty sure there's clay somewhere on my face."

"Baby, there's always clay on your face."

She gave me a face. I smirked.

"But I don't care," I added, kissing her temple. "I'd kiss you either way."

It was her turn to smirk. She elbowed me playfully on the ribs.

"Sweet talker."

"I try my best."

After our intimate night together those many months ago, we started dating a week after and became official a week after that. Eight months have passed and we're still going strong as ever. There were times when Luna hinted about moving in together, but we both knew we had to be patient. With my busy work schedule and her class schedule, there was barely enough time for us to actually get together and go out. We unknowingly alternated which apartment we sleep at sometimes, but we currently like our independence too much.

Maybe one day we'll live together, but regardless of it all, we still like the way things are between us.

Luna's reputation within the art community blossomed after her art pieces were displayed at the gala. Art dealers and art enthusiasts bought some of her pieces ever since that night, and she has been in their radar ever since. Additionally, more people have been signing up for her sculpting classes for the past months. "At this point, we'll need another room to accommodate the amount of students coming," she stated.

I, on the other hand, am still a cop with the same old routine catching bad guys, busting suspicious drug or gang activity, and keeping the peace, which I don't mind. I still go to my group therapy, to Luna's and Amy's art classes, and I've been reading more books. I ran my first half-marathon on July and I'm planning on running my first marathon soon.

Nevaeh and I became best of friends. She invites me to her family Sunday barbecues so often that her kids began calling me Aunty Alice. Even her husband nicknamed me Big Al. Once or twice a month, I visit Ashley's grave, sitting and talking in front of her gravestone for hours. Cid and I still communicate and rendezvous at June's Diner. We're still fighting the good fight.

There were times when I visit Tasha's foster home and greet the energetic child. The staff knew me and the events that happened last year, so they were comfortable letting me be alone with Tasha. A couple was interested in adopting her and even though the adoption process was tedious, I was still glad and optimistic about her future.

A small smile crept its way to my lips and I unabashedly looked at the beautiful artist, who was taking a sip from her cup, her fingertips on a book filled with braille. Even to this day, she never ceases to surprise me. She managed to help me refine my sculpting skills inside and outside of her class. Who knew my clumsy hands could make a small sculpture that oddly looks like an actual elephant.