Eye of the Beholder

Author's Notes: I am so sorry for the delay. Let it be known that I have never NOT finished a story and this one is almost over. Don't worry, there is more to come, but I'm going to start a new story so that this one doesn't go on forever. As always a big thank you to Anon, blue_lioness, Cougar, Marie, Historica and Squeegepooge for your reviews. An extra helping of thanks to Marie for leaving a critique that wasn't an attack. For all you smut lovers, you can thank blue_lioness for this chapter since I hadn't intended to write it until she said she wanted more smut.

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“Need help?” she asks from the bathroom doorway.

He glances over at her and then nearly drops the hair dryer into the sink.

“You delight in tormenting me, don't you?” he groans as a great deal of his blood heads towards his groin.

He quickly turns the dryer off and then carefully sets it down on one of the shelves next to the sink.

“I hardly call offering to help tormenting you,” she replies, trying to keep the teasing tone out of her voice and pretty much failing.

“You walked in here earlier wearing nothing but a smile and now you're wearing that,” he huffs as he tries not to look at her and she can't resist sauntering up to him.

“I only came in here earlier to get a towel to clean up all the water we left by the front door,” she points out as she picks up her brush and starts to use on his wind blown mane. “All that water would assuredly have damaged the floor had I left it there, not to mention that it was a safety hazard. The fact that you were in here isn't really my fault. I didn't make you forget to bring an umbrella.”

“Minx,” he grumbles softly, though without any real heat to it since he's completely enjoying her ministrations and his eyes close of their own accord while he hums with pleasure.

“I also believe a certain someone requested that I model this little bit of satin and lace for him when my bruises were gone,” she points out as she gently moves her body against his as she squeezes between him and the sink so as to work on another part of his mane. “And as you can see, they are quite gone.”

He makes a noise that's somewhere between a whimper and a moan and his arms wrap themselves around her of their own volition.

“I can't brush your hair out if you're holding me this close,” she points out and he can practically hear her smirking.

“I'm not interested in being groomed right now,” he purrs in that low sexy rumble of his and she can feel a jolt of electricity head to her most private place. “In fact, I intend to get it very messed up right now.”

Before she can even open her mouth, his lips and hands start to explore all of that lovely exposed skin in front of him. With a sighing moan, the brush slips from her nerveless fingers, loudly clattering into the sink. He starts nibbling on her neck and all she can do is lean into him. She's barely even aware of her own hands sinking into his freshly brushed mane as his hands caress her curves and she starts to nuzzle his ear.

His thumbs tease her nipples through the smooth material while he nips her shoulder and one of her legs slides up his. He can smell her arousal mixed with their past love making and he's pretty sure that some of his brain cells are now heading south. His hand slides down her body to the leg that's trying to wrap itself around his waist and then starts to head north again, slipping under the little negligee.

“No panties?” he questions, a smile on his lips.

“Used to have a matching pair for this thing,” she gasps as he cups her buttock in his large hand. “But some Beast destroyed them.”

“Which reminds me,” he says, his voice a sexy rumble again near her ear causing a delightful case of goose bumps all over her body. “I believe there's another pair of panties waiting for my collection.”

“I don't think so,” she pants, trying to keep some of her sanity as his hands continue to torment her. “I hid them.”

“Ooh, a challenge,” he purrs just before he starts to let her go and move towards the door.

“Oh no you don't, mister,” she snarls and she moves faster then he thought possible, grabbing him to keep him from leaving the small room.

“If it's all the same to you, please let go,” he says in a voice that's a bit strained and slightly higher then normal.

“If you think you're going to go looking for those panties after getting me all worked up, you've got another thing coming,” she growls as she gently but firmly pulls him towards her.

“I can understand you not wanting me to leave, but was it really necessary to grab me there?” he asks, trying not to whimper as certain short hairs get pulled in directions that they weren't really meant to go.

“How about I rub and make it all better?” she suggests seductively.

She puts action to words and all he can do is groan as his eyes roll back in his head. He doesn't see the self satisfied smirk on her face as she caresses and fondles his manhood to the desired hardness. He unconsciously pulls her closer to him and she gladly takes advantage of it by rubbing herself against him and nibbling on his ear, making him weak in the knees.

“Is that better?” she whispers in his ear while her hands continue to torment him. “Or should I kiss and make better too?”

Before his brain can fully comprehend what she's just said, she starts kissing her way down his chest and he makes a sound somewhere between a moan and a whimper. He's positive that he's knees have turned to jelly and he doesn't resist her when she gently steers him so that she's no longer pinned between him and the sink. She continues to test his sanity as she slowly works her way down his body and he grabs hold of that basin just to try and stay upright.

He's very glad that the toilet seat is already closed and that he is in the right position to land on it as his legs finally give out and he lands on the commode with an inelegant thump. By the time he realizes that his sudden collapse pulled him out of her reach, she's on him again with hands and lips to drive him completely nuts. Those delicate hands continue to stroke and caress him while warm lips explore his torso, slowly moving downwards and all he can do is let out a primal groan.

His head lolls back and it seems that he has no real control over his limbs as they twitch and jerk around seemingly of their own accord. His breath comes in gasped pants as she gently caresses his sack and when her lips bypass his aching length, he groans in disappointment. He swears he can hear her chuckling, but before he can so much as raise his head, those delightful lips land on his balls and he lets out a shout that quite possibly the neighbors down the hall can hear.

She softly kisses all around his scrotum and he's sure some part of him is going to explode soon; he just doesn't know if it's going his cock or his heart. When those gentle lips start working their way up his shaft, he grabs whatever he can to keep from hurting her and ends up ripping her shower curtain half way down while the distinct sound of porcelain cracking reaches his ears, though his brain is too busy to recognize either one of them. She says nothing as she continues her slow torment on his sanity and he knows that any second he's going to have a seizure of some type.

She finally reaches the tip of his hardened length, landing more of those maddening kisses around the head and all he can do is gasp for air like a fish out of water. Just when he doesn't think he can take much more, her tongue snakes out and licks him from base to tip. He pants and moans at the sweet torture until she goes down on him and then he lets out a howl that he's positive the doorman can hear while the shower curtain is torn free of a few more rings.

He can hear her take a deep breath and a second later she's swallowing him down. He can barely breathe as he feels her throat encompassing the head of his penis. He gets the distinct feeling that she's chuckling by the way she's making that hardened length of flesh vibrate as he gasps before saying a few choice words, at least choice for him. After she backs off to take in a deep breath of air, she swirls her tongue around the head of his shaft and he makes a strange strangled sound as another shower curtain ring snaps in two.

She starts to work on him in earnest and it's all he can do not to grab her, knowing that he wouldn't be able to control his strength. Her fingers find that sensitive spot right behind his sack and he nearly stands straight up, but the hold she has on his cock with her other hand keeps him in place. Whimpered moans escape his lips as he loses himself in the feeling of her mouth sucking him off and he's completely oblivious to how hard he's squeezing the items in his hands.

“Amaaaaaah,” he tries to warn, but it's already too late.

With a deafening roar, his world violently explodes as his legs kick out and his arms shove outwards while his hands tighten their grips. He's barely aware of a loud CRACK right next to him or something hitting his arm on the other side. He feels one his legs getting shoved to the side and some small part of his mind is registering that he's getting wet on one side of his head, but he's still a bit too disoriented to understand what's going on.

He finally opens his eyes and looks around and gets a face full of water for a few seconds until he moves his head. That's when he sees her desperately turning the water valves under the sink. He reaches down to help only to have small pieces of ceramic fall to the ground as he moves his hand. Befuddled, he looks at the sink to see that it's been partially ripped from the wall, snapping one of the water lines in the process and there's a sizable crack in the ceramic

He tries to reach over with his other hand only to realize that there's something on his arm. Confused, he looks over to see that the shower curtain rod has been ripped from its moorings in the wall and the curtain itself has been torn beyond use. With growing horror, he realizes that he's done some serious damage to her bathroom.

“I'm sorry,” he groans as he takes it all in.

“You might want to clean yourself up before it dries,” she states as she drops a hand towel into his lap.

He looks down at the towel, a frown on his face in confusion and then he notices that the cum is dribbling down his leg and soaking into the fur. He quickly cleans himself up, not caring to experience having his fur matted with the stuff. Once he's sufficiently clean, he finds that he's alone in the bathroom.

He carefully gets up, his legs still a bit rubbery from the experience and goes in search of his lady on slightly unsteady legs. He easily finds her washing her face in the kitchen sink and patiently waits until she's done. She doesn't open her eyes until she's done drying off and when she sees him out of the corner of her eye, she jumps. The fear he can smell coming off of her leaves him confused, upset and more than a little hurt.

“Amanda?” he asks in concern as he reaches for her and she flinches at his touch. “I'm not going to hurt you.”

“I know,” she whispers, but doesn't look at him.

“Goodness, you're trembling,” he states in concern as he loosely pulls her into arms. “Are you cold?”

“No,” she softly answers while her hands explore his chest and arms, barely touching him, almost like she's afraid to feel the muscles beneath the fur.

“What's the matter?” he asks, very concerned by her behavior.

“I've always known that you're strong,” she finally starts after about a minute of silence. “But you've always been so gentle. Even when you threw Dad across the yard, you aimed for a snowdrift so he wouldn't get hurt. I've never seen you so much as hurt a fly.”

“And now I've destroyed your bathroom,” he moans remorsefully and all she can do is nod.

“Was that you or Beast?” she softly inquires after several long moments of silence.

“Me,” he quietly admits and then briefly searches for his primal half, chuckling when he does find it. “Beast is too busy sulking to cause any problems right now.”

“He's sulking?” she questions, finally looking him in the face.

“Yes,” he confirms with a snicker. “It's mad at you for going on birth control so it's off in a corner having a good pout.”

She smiles and silently chuckles as he smiles back at her, but then her face becomes sad. A shudder runs through her body and she closes her eyes before burying her face in his neck.

“You destroyed my sink and ripped my shower curtain down,” she whispers and he carefully holds her closer. “Should I be frightened of you?”

“There are many who would say 'yes',” he softly replies as he strokes her hair. “But know this, I would rather destroy a thousand bathrooms than harm so much as a hair on your head.”

“Is that why you broke my sink?” she asks and he can feel her hands sinking into his fur.

“I can never forget what I am, not even for a moment, ” he responds as he puts a finger under her chin and makes her look up at him. “I would never be able to forgive myself if I ever caused you any pain. I promised that I would keep you safe and I shall do so to the best of my ability.”

“Even if it means holding me down so they can stick a needle in me?” she demands, the hurt very evident in her voice.

“We've been over this before, my love,” he tells her as she tries to pull away, but he won't let her. “It had to be done and you know I wouldn't have let them if it wasn't necessary.”

“And the bite marks you've left?” she retorts.

“Beast catching me by surprise,” he reminds her.

She lets out of puff of frustration before leaning her head on his shoulder while her fingers dig through his fur. He can feel her slowly relaxing against him and he gladly holds her close while his nose buries itself into her tresses. He's missed these quiet moments with her more than anything these past two months and he's not sure he could endure being apart from her for so long again.

“Thank you for that lovely home coming gift,” he whispers while her hands continue to burrow their way through his fur. “I have missed you more than can adequately be put into words and to have you do that for me...thank you.”

“Not bad for a first timer, huh?” she asks and his eyebrows shoot straight up, threatening to become one with his hairline as he leans back to look at her face.

“First time?” he questions and he can see that she's blushing so hard that her neck is turning a lovely shade of red while she tries to bury her face in his fur. “I...um...am quite impressed. How...? Where...?”

“There are actually books on how to do that,” she mumbles as she all but climbs into his fur with him. “And I had a rather enthusiastic coach who loves to give pointers...usually while I'm at work and about to go into a meeting.”

“I'm going to take a wild guess and say Doug,” he chuckles and she nods.

“That man needs another hobby than my love life,” she grumbles and he's glad she can't see the grin on his face.

“Remind me to thank him later,” he purrs as he nuzzles her hair.

“Remind me to send him the bill for fixing my bathroom,” she growls with a huff.

“I am sorry,” he whispers remorsefully into her hair as he holds her close. “I'll take care of it. I promise.”

She doesn't reply, but instead lets out a puff of air and then buries her face into the fur on his neck. He can feel the tension that's built up in her body and all he dares do is to hold her. His nose soon finds itself buried deep into her dark locks and silently hopes that his unintentional display of his powers hasn't chased her away. Whether she's about to kick him out of her life or not is of little relevance to Beast who has taken notice of the scantily clad woman in his arms.

Mate, Beast purrs.

No cubs, Hank silently reminds it.

Mate now, Beast retorts. Cubs later.

“I'd ask you if you had an umbrella in your pocket or if you're just happy to see me,” Amanda chuckles, completely unaware of the conversation she's just interrupted. “However, since we've established that you have neither an umbrella or pockets at the moment, I'm going to have to go with you're happy to see me.”

Belatedly, Hank realizes that Beast and his body have been conspiring against him again and he lets out a moan as he drops his head to her shoulder.

“Amanda, I'm sorry,” he groans while desperately trying to get his libido back under control.

“Don't be,” she replies as she nuzzles his ear, causing more blood to head towards his groin. “You don't know how good it makes me feel that you still want me.”

“Why wouldn't I still want you?” he demands, pulling back enough to see her face.

“With my track record with men, can you blame me for being worried?” she asks sadly.

“No, I guess I can't,” he responds, wanting nothing more than take away her doubt. “You must know that I will always come for you. I love you.”

“I know, but when you didn't call me...,” she starts, but drops her head so he can't see her tears, though he can smell them. “I was afraid that it was Keith all over again.”

“I would never do to you what that cad did,” he tells her fervently.

“Then why didn't you call?” she whispers, still not looking at him.

“I'm afraid I had a bit of an accident,” he admits and he can feel his cheeks heating up.

“An accident?” she asks worriedly, her head coming up to look at him.

“Yes,” he answers, knowing that she can tell that he's blushing. “I went to use the facilities in the airport and...”

“Aaaand?” she prompts when he doesn't continue after several seconds.

“And the blasted slippery thing slipped out of my pocket and landed in the toilet,” he quickly responds, his face burning with embarrassment.

“You dropped it in the toilet,” she confirms and he nods.

She tries to contain the snickers, she really does, but a few do manage to escape.

“I liked that phone, too,” he mutters with a bit of a pout.

Her face turns red from trying to suppress the laughter and she quickly has to look away while biting down on her lip to keep her mirth in.

“Go ahead, laugh,” he humphs.

“I'm sorry,” she giggles. “It's just you're so fast and strong and agile and you losing your phone in the toilet...it kind of boggles the mind.”

“And obviously amuses it,” he softly grumbles and she immediately turns back towards him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

“I'm sorry,” she tells and he lets out a puff of indignation. “I was so worried when I didn't hear from you...”

“I am sorry that I caused you such distress,” he replies as he pulls her closer. “I would have called you sooner, but I was in a rush to leave and didn't have time.”

“Why did you leave in such a hurry?” she questions. “I thought you were waiting for them to finally show you their program.”

“I got tired of waiting and did some reconnaissance of my own,” he answers and she can feel his muscles tightening. “What I found angered me beyond words and I left as soon as I was able.”

“What were they doing?” she inquires, not entirely sure she wants to know.

“I found that they were treating mutants worse than rabid animals,” he responds unhappily.

“Do you want to talk about it?” she asks, ignoring the fact that he's squeezing her a bit tighter than is really comfortable, but ignores it as best she can.

“Not particularly,” he grumbles as he buries his face into her hair.

“Then let's talk about something else,” she suggests as she nuzzles his ear.

“Like what?” he asks while he forces himself to relax.

“Like how much I've missed you,” she says as her arms tighten around his neck and her body presses against his. “I've been very lonely without you.”

“Amanda,” he moans as his hands start to caress her body and he can feel his blood starting to head south again.

“Very, very lonely,” she quietly purrs while she nibbles his ear and he can't stop the groan that comes out as she rubs herself against him.

She nips his jaw and he nearly loses it right then and there as Beast surges forward to take control. Hank manages to beat it back, but it's a near thing with the lovely distraction she's creating. She gently bites down on his earlobe and a guttural sound resonates through his chest as his arms hold her tighter.

“Hank,” she gasps a while later. “Need air.”

“Amanda, I'm sorry!” he quickly apologizes as he swiftly releases her and steps back.

“It's ok,” she assures him after hastily filling her lungs.

“No, it's not ok,” he tells her as he steps back. “I hurt you and that's never ok.”

“You caught me by surprise with a bear hug,” she responds while she moves closer and he backs away. “You didn't hurt me.”

“But I could have,” he points out as he steps as if to go around her.

“But you didn't,” she firmly counters while she quickly moves to block his path.

“But...,” he starts only to be interrupted by a finger on his lips.

“The only 'but' I'm interested in right now is the one you sit on,” she teases with a playful smile on her lips.

“Amanda...,” he tries, the worry still very evident in his tone of voice and another finger joins the first cutting him off.

“I trust you not to hurt me,” she tells him in all seriousness, staring him right in the eye.

“I...,” he begins again only to have an entire hand over his mouth this time.

“Unless you're about to tell me how you intend to drag me into that bedroom and do things Pon-Farr to me, I don't want to hear it,” she orders, her eyes narrowing slightly in challenge.

It takes a moment for her words to sink in and then he can't help himself as he starts to laugh. When he finally gets himself under control, he looks over at her and sees that's she's barely containing her own giggles.

“Things Pon-Farr?” he questions with a snicker and her grin widens. “Going Vulcan on me, my love?”

“I certainly hope not,” she retorts, happily slipping back into his arms. “They only have sex once every seven years. I don't think I could last seven minutes with you in the room, much less seven years.”

“I would quite possibly explode if I could only have you once every seven years,” he moans as he starts to nuzzle her neck.

“That would be messy,” she gasps while her head lolls to the side to allow him more access.

“Very,” he rumbles and then kisses her just below the ear causing delightful shivers to run through her body. “Not to mention the stench of all this fur burning would be most unpleasant.”

She tries to come up with a coherent reply, but he gently sinks his teeth into the large muscles on the side of her neck and all she can do is groan his name. He goes back to kissing her creamy skin, murmuring words of endearment between each little buss, but she can hardly understand him. Her brain is lost in a lust filled haze that's barely aware of him lifting her up into his arms and only pure instinct causes her arms to hold onto him as he starts to walk through the apartment with her.

He continues his assault on her senses as his lips, teeth and tongue set every nerve in her body tingling. Her senses are in overload and she lets her body go on automatic as she sinks her hands into his mane and starts nibbling on his ear again. She can't think of anything but how much she wants him, needs him and the sooner he's loving her the better.

She barely notices him putting her down on something soft until he gently pulls away from her and she can't help but whimper at the loss of contact with him. Before she can get her brain to function enough to ask him why he's leaving her, she feels his hands on the bottom of her negligee and she more than willingly lifts her arms to help him pull it off of her. She watches as he looks down at her naked body and he lets out a long, low moan.

She can feel her cheeks and a very special place between her legs heat up at his intense stare and she unconsciously licks her top lip. She finally realizes that he's placed her on her bed and she slowly lays back with her head settling on a pillow, lazily running her fingers up her flat belly to her sternum. She barely suppresses the smirk trying to get out when she sees and hears him gulp.

“You, my dear, are a very long cool drink to a man dying of thirst,” he tells her in a slightly shaky voice.

“Then unless you plan on using a straw, you better get over here before you expire from thirst,” she replies huskily as she crooks a finger at him.

He doesn't need a second invitation as he sits next to her on the bed and leans over her. She reaches up and tangles her fingers in his mane, trying to encourage him to come closer. With great deliberate care, he slowly bends down and gently kisses her.

When he makes no further moves to touch her other than his lips gently making her insane with need, she pushes herself up and him back. Slightly startled, a bit amused and really turned on, he allows her to push him down onto the bed and climb on top of him. She grinds herself against him while her own lips work their way over to his ear again and his hands finally start to caress her body.

He gasps as her teeth take hold of his earlobe and her wet womanhood slides over his swiftly hardening length. She picks up the speed as she gyrates on top of him and continues to nibble on his very sensitive ear causing a groan to escape his throat. That delightfully moist heat is quickly driving him towards the edge and he knows that it'll all be over much too soon if he doesn't get her to stop.

She's happily pushing him towards the edge when suddenly she finds herself on her back and him on top of her, his lips and hands setting her body on fire. She writhes around underneath him as he slowly kisses his way down her neck and one of his hands starts to fondle a breast, gently teasing the nipple into a hard peak. When his mouth finds the other pink bud, she arches up into him as she moans his name and grabs the back of his head.

She's in a near frenzy when he releases the nipple and blows on it, causing her to gasp and her body to break out in goose bumps. His lips are soon playing more havoc on her sanity as they make their way over to the other breast and she whimpers incoherently while his hands caress her body. She can't control her own hands from wandering wherever they can reach on him, completely mussing up his fur and making it look like he's lost a battle with a rogue hair brush.

After nearly driving her out of her own skin with the delightful sensory overload he's giving her, he slowly starts kissing his way down her belly. He gently pushes her legs apart while he continues to torture her with need using only his lips and hands. She's so out of it with lust that she wouldn't even notice if the Rockettes did a kick line through the room.

She needs him. Two months she's been without his gentle touches, his soft kisses or his incredible loving and she feels like she's dying of starvation. She can't take waiting any more and she tries to pull him up her body.

“Hank, please,” she moans as she grabs an arm and tugs on it.

“Is something the matter, my dear?” he asks, pausing in his exploration of her body only long enough to voice his query.

“Make love to me,” she begs while she continues to try and grab a hold of him without yanking on any fur.

“I'm working on that,” he replies, sounding rather amused.

“Need you in me,” she nearly whines. “Please, Hank.”

“As my lady commands,” he purrs and then carefully positions himself on top of her before sliding his hard member into her.

“Dear God, yes,” she gasps as he lets out a groan.

He lies there, perched on his elbows to keep from crushing her and she can hear him taking deep breaths.

“Hank?” she shakily queries after several moments of him not moving.

“I don't wish to put undue pressure on you, my love,” he says in a tightly controlled voice. “But if we never use a condom again, I will be a very happy man.”

“Not gonna argue with you on that one,” she pants as she tilts her hips forward. “Please, Hank, make love to me.”

“As my love commands,” he moans.

He starts to move inside of her and anything that might have resembled a coherent thought is now gone. His fur rubs against her overly sensitive skin so sensually that she unconsciously arches her chest towards him. To feel him like this, with nothing between them, it's almost more than she can take and she knows that she's not going to last long.

She clings to him as if she lets go he'll slip away from her while his thrusts move faster and faster. She can feel the fire building up in her lower belly as her cries echo off of the walls and his grunts next to her ear help drive her closer to the edge. A moment later she's screaming her release, unintentionally grabbing fur and a few thrusts later, her ears ring as he roars his completion.

She barely notices him biting her pillow as she's still floating above the clouds after her orgasm. When she finally becomes aware of her surroundings, she finds that he's still lying on top of her with his nose buried in her hair and he's making contented sounds, almost like he's purring. She smiles to herself as she gives out a contented sigh and rubs her cheek against his.

“God, I've missed you,” she whispers.

“So I was able to surmise,” he chuckles as he nuzzles her hair.

“Beast,” she grumbles, trying to fight off the need to smile.

“No, I'm Hank,” he teases as he carefully moves off of her and then lies down next to her. “Beast is less articulate.”

“Now you're just being a brat,” she retorts, her lips twitching as they try to contain her laughter.

“Guilty as charged,” he replies with a huge grin.

She lets out a huff, but he knows from just the look on her face that she's not really upset and he kisses the tip of her nose before reaching for the box of tissues on the nightstand. He starts cleaning himself up while she snuggles up beside him and he lets out a contented sigh as his other arm pulls her close. He quickly finishes mopping himself up, neatly tosses the used tissue into the trash and then settles down with his love in his arms.

It takes him only a moment to ascertain that something is wrong and with a frown he opens his eyes. He first notices that they're on top of the covers and quickly follows that with not only are they on the bed askew, his feet are hanging over the side. He sits up, much to her displeasure and takes a good look at her bed.

“What's wrong?” she asks groggily and he only realizes now that she was practically asleep.

“I never realized how small your bed is until now,” he answers as he gets to his feet, turning back to take a good look at the afore mentioned piece of furniture.

“You helped move it and you didn't realize how small it is?” she tiredly questions, propping herself up on her elbows.

“I wasn't planning on sleeping on it when I moved it,” he replies while he reaches down to help her to her feet. “I was more concerned with making sure you had a place to sleep that night.”

“I've never had any complaints before,” she grumbles, leaning against him for support.

“How many men have been in this bed?” he inquires, pretty sure he knows the answer.

“Just you and Blue,” she tells him and he looks over to see Blue precariously perched between the bed and the edge of the nightstand, pushed their by their recent activities.

“Stuffed teddy bears don't count as men,” he points out in amusement.

“For the past two months, he's all I've had,” she whispers as she buries her face in his fur.

“Oh, love, I'm sorry,” he says as he reaches up and strokes her face. “I never want to do that to you again.”

“Good,” she mumbles as she leans her face into his caress. “I don't think my sanity or my job could take it again. Speaking of work, I have a meeting in the morning and I need to get some sleep.”

“Perhaps...I should go home,” he suggests uncertainly, worriedly looking at her bed.

“No!” she nearly shouts, startling him as her arms snaking around his neck and holding onto him tightly. “Please don't go. Don't leave me.”

“Alright, my love, I'll stay,” he hurriedly assures her as he holds her shaking form to him. “I didn't mean to upset you. I'm sorry.”

“I don't mean to be so needy, but these past two months have been Hell for me without you,” she quietly tells him as she loosens her hold, but doesn't let him go. “I never realized I could miss someone so much.”

“Nor I,” he softly admits while he gently strokes her back.

They stand there silently, just holding each other, listening to the rain hitting the bedroom window in a steady rhythm. The sound is mesmerizing and soothing and he wouldn't wish to be anywhere else in the universe at this moment. When she lets out a huge yawn, he's reminded that she's requested sleep and he eyes the bed again.

“Amanda, about the bed...,” he starts hesitantly.

“If we both lie on our sides and get real cozy, it shouldn't be a problem,” she states hopefully as she moves away from him to pull the covers back.

“As my love wishes,” he concedes as he turns towards the door. “I'll go turn off the lights in the other room.”

A short time later they're spooned under the covers and it's not long before she's wiggling back into him. With bemusement he can feel her trying to push him back and he has to smile to himself.

“Going somewhere?” he queries, amusement coloring his voice.

“Do you have any more behind you?” she asks.

“No, I'm afraid not,” he answers as he holds her closer. “I'm rather precariously perched as it is.”

“Oh,” she softly says as she squirms around a bit more getting comfortable.

“May I ask you something?” he inquires after she's settled down and he no longer has to concentrate on keeping his libido in check.

“What?” she yawns and he can feel her starting to relax.

“What possessed you to buy a full sized bed?” he questions.

“Didn't,” she replies sleepily. “Was given to me.”

“Ah,” he responds.

Within moments he feels her body go completely limp and her breathing become a slow and steady rhythm. With a smile on his lips, he closes his eyes intent on following her into dream land.