Letting go of her hand he walked over to the fridge and made another attempt. "I've got Juice, water, milk." Glancing up he met her eyes. "What do you want?"
"Juice would be good."
Taking out a couple of glasses he gave up on his plan of her making the conversation, she seemed absolutely resolved not to do it. "Sorry about no wine - stupid butler." Maria cracked a smile.
Seeing her smile Michael was more hopeful, handing her a glass of juice he asked, "so you wanna sit?" Maria seemed to hesitate; she then walked slowly to the couch. Unfortunately she kept walking and moved past the three-seater couch and sat on the single armchair. "You cleaned." She observed, continuing her deviation from Michael’s plan.
Michael sighed "Yeah, it needed it." Michael needed to get another smile, something that would assure him, settle the silence into something comfortable. Only problem was he hadn't practiced making Maria smile.
"So…" Maria took a sip and met his eyes. "Nothing."
"Nothing?"
"Hadn't planned a subject…" Michael smirked.
"Oh." Maria seemed to be taken back by this. The fantasies were returning to Maria, he didn't want to push her away Maria stood slowly. Should she go over to him? No, not yet… she needed to know where they stood so that she wouldn't over-step the new boundaries. "I need to know Michael… what we are, where we stand; what um, you think we…"
"Stand?" Michael was having a hard time, he wanted her to continue to come closer, but yet at the same time knowing she deserved an answer. "Where do you want us to… um, stand?"
"You know what I want. I just don't know what you want."
"I want, well…" Maria sat on the couch next to him, she knew this was tough for him. But she definitely deserved this explanation, or definition, or whatever. Michael breathed deeply; he tried to get it all sorted out in his mind. "I want to be together… Like Max and Liz are now."
Maria looked into her hands. "Because Max and Liz are together." She stated sadly. "So when they break up, we do too. We’re always going to be joined at the hip with them? Do the exact same thing they do, all the time."
"No." Michael reached out and touched her hand. "We're separate… the, um thing… I'm hoping for, it only includes you."
"Hoping for? What is it… what are you hoping for?"
"Well if I know what you want like you say I do, then it's the same."
“A wedding ring?” Michael coughed on the sip he had just taken while Maria chuckled. Splattering slightly from the shock of what she had said Michael turned to see a deceivingly angelic face. "We'll go slow on the dating-couple thing…" She grinned.
"And slow on the physical-couple thing…" He remarked back with a gentle smirk.
Pouting Maria moved closer and brushed his lips with hers. "Hopefully not to slow…"
Grinning against her lips Michael pulled her close. "Oh thank God."
~~~~~
Sitting with her legs stretched over Michael's lap, Maria was planting hot and heavy kisses along his jaw-line.
Wrapping his arms tighter around her Michael found her lips and claimed them keenly. Parting Maria's mouth and deepening the kiss Michael leaned her back onto the couch. "Is this okay?"
"Yeah," Maria breathed wrapping her arms around his neck.
Taking his hands from her back, he slid down next to her body. Moving slowly he brought his body over hers, continuing to kiss her; one hand rested under her, cradling the back of her head while the other travelled down towards her hips, resting them against the curve of her hips he rubbed small circles over her skin.
Maria moaned, she loved the way his entire body was stroking against hers, his body moving at the same rhythm as his tongue and hands. The rubbing of his chest against hers had caused her nipples to tighten and she was overwhelmed with heat as his tongue travelled along her jaw and neck, than lower with little licks and nips. His breath was hot and it clouded her brain when he made open-mouthed kisses on her collarbone.
Michael tasted Maria's scent and became hungry for it. She was moaning and rocking her hips against his. The rasping was causing his stomach to knot and spread warmth through his body. He didn't want to rush her, but he didn't completely trust himself to pick up on any signals that she wanted to stop. "Just um, tell me… if, if you want me to stop." He mumbled into her ear.
Meeting his gaze she whispered, "not yet." Smiling, she opened her legs so that she could feel the friction that they were creating where she needed it the most, "keep going." Wrapping one leg behind his she bent the other over his hip and pulled him closer.
Michael kissed her deeply, moving his hand from her hip he slowly moved it up her side. He had never dared to go this far before in the past, but when she had opened her legs he knew she wanted more, with this knowledge he became braver. If she wanted to go a bit further he would. Maria suddenly started rocking her hips faster, rubbing her inner thighs against his hips. Maria felt his hand move slowly towards her clad breast and rocked harder as he palmed the flesh around it. His hand was confident, and when it cupped her breast a pleasured hiss escaped her lips, his hand moved away quickly. "I'm sorry."
Maria opened her eyes confused. "What? Don’t stop…"
Michael couldn't believe the size of her pupils. He smiled and rested his hand on her breast again, moving the other hand from the back of her head to stroke her cheek and asked tentatively "Are you sure this is okay?"
"I trust you to stop if I ask you too." Smiling she lifted her chin slightly. "Don't worry. I like it..." She cast her eyes downwards, gazing quickly at his occupied hand and continued, “no one’s ever touched me there before.”
This answer made Michael very pleased. He loathed the thought of other’s touching her, the news made him feel special. Running his hand down her cheek he cupped her jaw and said; “We’ll just figure things out together then…”
Maria smiled at his pride; she knew he was delighted that they were learning together – she was too. As he gently moved his hand on her jaw to around behind her shoulders, she moved her hands down his chest to take hold of him around the waist. Resting her hands on either side she asked a little timidly; “Can I touch your skin?”
Michael swallowed hard. “God Yeah.” Smiling she tugged on the bottom of his shirt and slipped her hands under so they rested just above his hips. Cocking her head she motioned for him to lean closer and kiss her. Kissing her lips he automatically started moving his hand up and down over her breast revelling in the plumpness under his palm, as he did she stroked his sides and rocked her hips against his that soon joined her in the motion.
Hugging her close with one arm while the other arm rubbed against her ribs as its hand teased her breast. She felt his finger rub the nipple and her womb clenched and moisture released at the touch. The material of her top was restricting and as he rolled her nipple with his thumb and forefinger through the fabric she whimpered. He repeated the action on her other breast and she grew frustrated As her hands rose Michaels heart beat faster. He rubbed his lower body faster and felt knots build up in his gut, he new that feeling, he harden. Maria had moved so she was now cross-legged and facing him, she didn’t leave though. “That’s okay if you want to stop.” She said towards the wall.
“*Want*… to… stop.” He repeated in shock.
She looked up. “You didn’t? Then why? … I mean, what hap–”
“I… I was losing control…” he stammered self-consciously.
Maria blushed “I know.”
“You knew?” Michael questioned in disbelief. “And, and you didn’t mind?”
Maria glowed a deeper red. “No, I like it, the rubbing… the feel of your…”
Michael flushed visibly and a jolt went to his groin continuing to harden it. “Does it hurt?” Maria asked before she could stop herself.
Michael’s head shot up. “Hurt?”
Maria licked then bit her bottom lip, rubbing it then with her upper lip. An action that made Michael need to look away; unless he wanted another bolt of desire. “I mean… um… are you okay… you know, to continue… um –.” This was an uncomfortable topic, but secretly Maria had always wanted to discuss these types of things with him.
“Continue?” Michael couldn’t believe what he was hearing it was turning from the most embarrassing situation to the best, He hadn’t scared her, she wanted to talk about this stuff, go maybe further. “You want to?”
“Yes.” Maria moved closer preparing to pull him back down onto her. Reaching towards his shirt collar she was stopped with an open fist. Taken back she looked down, she had misunderstood him, “you don’t want to.”
“NO! I mean - I do, it’s just we don’t have to. I told you we’ll go slow and I meant it.” He paused and looked into her deep green eyes. “I don’t want to rush you, but I don’t think I can hold it together… and I just, well I…”
“Michael. Do you trust me?”
“Yes, of course, I mean I…” Maria held up her hand to silence him. It was funny how *he* was the one ranting nervously.
“We won’t do anything we don’t feel comfortable with doing yet, okay?”
Michael looked down into his hands, more assured of what they were doing but still timid about actually doing what ever they were about to do. “Okay. So what to you want to do?”
Maria leaned forward; “Explore.” She whispered into his ear.
