She carefully unlocked the front door of the penthouse and slipped inside. Her last two appointments had cancelled and she had decided to shelve the paperwork for the rest of the day. She had other plans in store. The apartment was quiet, but she smiled as she saw him curled up on the sofa with his back to her. He was obviously engrossed in a book and hadn't heard her entrance.

Quietly, she shed her trench coat and deposited her briefcase on the floor before removing her shoes. She picked up the bottle of wine and the flowers she had brought home with her and padded across the carpet in her stockinged feet. With a cheeky smile, she leaned over the back of the sofa so that she was almost touching him.
"Hi handsome," she whispered huskily in his ear. A smile slid across Q's face and he put his book down..
"Hi there yourself gorgeous." He turned his head slightly and felt her soft lips brush against his.
"I brought you something," she said as she slid her arms around him, flowers in one hand, the bottle of fine Merlot in the other.
"My my," he raised his eyebrows at her romantic gesture as he took the flowers. The bouquet was beautiful, formed from old-fashioned white roses mingled with a fresh lime-green euphorbia. The fragrance seemed to surround both of them as he lay the flowers on the table. Sliding his hand down her arm, he took the wine from her hand and placed it on the table next to the flowers. Then he turned, his eyes widening.

She wore a beguiling smile and the top of her lavender suit was unbuttoned, exposing flashes of white lace and a delicious expanse of enticing cleavage. Leaning closer, she wrapped her arms around his upper body.
"Missed you." Her warm breath tickled against his ear.
"You've been gone less than eight hours," Q grinned.
"I know and it's been driving me crazy," Marlena sighed.

They had not talked of the children, or John since the day that Caroline had been there. Marlena had skillfully avoided the subject if it even threatened to come up. In fact, she had managed to avoid much talking at all during the weekend. Instead, she had concentrated on taking advantage of the absence of distractions. It had been exhilarating, but exhausting and Gene had almost welcomed the solitude when she had taken her leave for work that morning. Now however, he was delighted to find that she was home early.

"Well, why don't we remedy that situation?" he murmured against her mouth, gently capturing her upper lip between his. Marlena responded, opening her mouth slightly as he ran his tongue tentatively along her lower lip. She moaned as his hands slid down her sides to her waist. In one single and unexpected movement, he pulled her over the low back of the sofa.

Marlena lay on her back and giggled as she looked up at Gene.
"You know," she said as she reached up to trace his soft lips with her finger, "I just couldn't concentrate at all today."
"And why was that?" he raised his eyebrows as he lowered himself onto the cushions next to her, propping himself up slightly on his elbow. Marlena rolled onto her side and found herself playing her fingers around the neckline of his tee shirt.
"Oh, I just kept thinking about the weekend," she sighed with a wisp of a smile. "And I kept finding myself wishing that I wasn't at work."

Gene grinned.
"You mean the weekend wasn't enough to sate that appetite of yours?" he murmured, hooking his finger inside the fold of her jacket and running it down over the gentle swell of her breast. Marlena shivered with delight.
"Oh darling," Marlena's laughter was throaty, sending a thrill of desire through Eugene. "Don't tell me I wore you out."
"Oh don't you worry sweetheart," he toyed with the fine lace of her bra, "I'm all rested up now."
"I'm glad to hear it," Marlena whispered as she leaned closer, "because I have plans for you tonight."
"Oh you do, do you?" his voice was barely audible, just a flicker of warm breath against her lips.
"Mmmm-hmmmm?" she closed her eyes and slid her hand up over the warm skin of his neck as she felt his lips claim hers. Her tongue quickly parted them and she began to taste him, letting him feel her moan as his thigh slid up over her nylon-clad leg.

She was panting as she moved back slightly, disengaging his fingers from her hair and lacing her own between them. Never taking her eyes from his and with a kittenish smile, she kissed his fingers.
"Why don't you finish up down here," she suggested quietly, "put those flowers in some water and open the wine. Then," her smile returned, "you can join me upstairs."
"That sounds like an offer I can't refuse," Gene kissed her fingers just as she had kissed his before settling a tender kiss on her lips.
"That's the general idea," Marlena replied as he helped her up from the sofa. She made it to the steps before she turned back. "Just don't be long will you?"
"Count on it," he winked at her and then watched her as she climbed the staircase. Turning around, he set the answering machine to pick up any calls straight away. He had a feeling they would not want to be disturbed.

It was several minutes later that he carried the open bottle of Merlot and some glasses up to the bedroom, but Marlena wasn't there when he entered. He called out her name and waited.
"In here," her voice had a lilting quality and he traced the source to the bathroom. He peeked around the door to find her smiling at him. "Come in honey."

The oval shaped bath, which was set slightly into the tiled floor, was filled with warm water and topped with fragrant suds. Candles flickered softly around the room, the subtle scent of sandalwood invading the air. Marlena came to him and took the glasses and the bottle with an enigmatic smile, placing them on the marble-topped counter. Then she moved back to where he was standing. Q had no idea what she expected, so he remained still. Marlena slid her hand up over his tee shirt and around the nape of his neck. She pulled herself closer to him, molding her body to his as she slipped her other arm around his neck. Gene wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her slightly upwards so that she could balance on her toes.
"What's all this about?" he asked quietly. Marlena smiled and kissed him tenderly.
"I just wanted to show you," she kissed him again, "how much you mean to me." The fingers of one hand busied themselves in his hair as she felt his lips on hers. "You've spoilt me so much?." another kiss interrupted the flow of conversation, "?mmmm, that it's time I spoilt you a little."
"Oh," Eugene nodded, an attentive smile on his lips. "And what did you have in mind?"

"Well first," Marlena's voice dropped to a throaty hush, "I want you to get undressed."
"No pre-amble from my Marlena, I see," he raised his eyebrows teasingly.
"You should know by now that I'm nothing if not direct," the riposte engendered a giggle from both of them.
"I wouldn't have you any other way," Gene murmured against her jaw.

Marlena shivered as she felt his warm lips travelling down her throat.
"Mmmm?Gene," Marlena managed to pull away from him slightly. As much as she loved it when he did that, she didn't want to give into her own desires?just yet. "Just take off your clothes huh?" He gave her a beleaguered sigh and then let her go.
"Okay then," he nodded but then caught her hands up in his. "Do you think you could give me a hand. I'm not at all sure that I'm capable of managing this by myself." Marlena only flashed him a sly smile as she backed away slightly. Not taking her eyes from his, she began to slide her hands back down his body. Then she rounded him until she was directly behind him, her hands on his waist. She leaned forward and nuzzled his neck whispering, "I'll help you any way you need it baby."

Gene felt almost dizzy for a moment. She knew just how to tease him, how to leave him desperate for more. She was an incredibly sensual woman, far more so than he suspected anyone who knew her imagined. Anyone that hadn't been in love with her that was.

Marlena tugged at his tee shirt from the back, enticing it from his jeans. She worked her fingers underneath the cotton as Gene untucked it at the front. Concentrating on the way he felt under her hands, Marlena worked her fingers up over the muscles in his back, her palms wandering over his warm skin. She was restrained from going too far by the fabric until, in unison with her passage, he raised his arms to remove the shirt. Marlena's hands roamed up and over his shoulders, smoothing the skin of his upper arms as they took the shirt with them.

It was all Gene could do to suppress a groan as he felt her move against him, the coarse weave of her suit rough against his skin. Matters were not helped any as her hands continued their trek after discarding the tee-shirt. Now she ran them down over his front with the lightest of touches, her lips adding to the sweet frustration as they began to explore the side of his neck. Her fingers reached the waistband of his jeans and she deftly unbuttoned him with practiced skill before helping him out of the stiff denim.

Q kicked away the jeans as he turned around. He was reaching for the button to her jacket when she stayed his hand.
"No," she shook her head with a tantalizing smile before she insinuated her fingers between him and the waistband of his boxers. "I told you, I want *you* to get undressed."
"Oh?" he laid his hands on her shoulders and then began to draw his fingers down over the lightly freckled skin of her chest. With a grin, Marlena swiftly pulled down his boxers and dropped them on the floor.
"Yes," she mouthed. "Now if you'll oblige me by getting in the bath?"

Gene climbed into the bathtub and settled down into the warm soapy water, intrigued by what she was up to. He leaned back against the curved end of the tub and watched Marlena walk back to the counter. The glow of the candlelight behind the wine bottle painted the liquid a ruby red as she picked it up and splashed a generous portion of wine into each glass. Then she picked up a glass in each hand and carried them to the tub. Gene took the one that was proffered and met her toast with an audible clink.
"To us," she said simply, "for all that has gone before and all that has yet to be."
"To us," he echoed her sentiment and then lifted the glass to his lips and took a sip.

Marlena took a small taste of her wine and then set it on the ground.
"Just a moment," she ran the back of her fingers down the side of Gene's face, "I'll be right back." She was as good as her word and the mellow sounds of soft soul music followed her back into the bathroom.
"That's better," she smiled seductively as she neared the counter once again. She picked up a small, blue glass bottle and carried it back to the bath cradled in her hands. Gene's eyes followed her every move as she sank back onto the edge of the bath, her lavender skirt riding up to expose the merest hint of pale lace.

Slowly, she unscrewed the cap of the bottle and poured a small amount of bath oil into her hand.
"Lean forward," she urged softly as she worked the oil into her palms, warming it. He obeyed and she touched her hands to his shoulders, slowly moving them over his moist skin. Her thumbs made long smooth strokes over his upper back, seeking out the tension in his muscles with her skilled hands.

Under the skilful manipulation of her fingers, Q began to unwind, letting her caress away the tautness he hadn't even been aware of. He sighed as she worked up over the muscles in his neck, her practiced fingers soothing the knots that they found. Marlena smiled as he groaned beneath her touch, rolling his neck slightly, following her sensual touch. She slid her hands down his back, thoroughly enjoying the slight warmth of friction between her palms and his skin.

Gene couldn't believe the sublime feeling of her hands on him. It was relaxing but exhilarating all at once. She seemed to be able to instinctively find the knots in his muscles, the magic of her fingers wiping them away with almost a simple touch. And aside from becoming relaxed, Gene found himself becoming rather aroused.

Applying another layer of oil, Marlena slowly stroked up over the now familiar muscles of Gene's back and over to the top of his arms. However, moving much further was restricted by her suit and when she couldn't safely lean over the bath any further, she ceased and pushed herself up off the edge of the tub. Eugene's protestations were stilled as she placed her index finger against her reddened lips.

She began swaying her hips to the music as her hands dropped to the pearlized buttons of her jacket. Never taking her eyes from him, she slowly slid the button out of its hole. He swallowed as her hands moved down, slowly separating the buttons from their holes until the jacket swung open, revealing the satin and lace panels of a white teddy.

With a wink, she slid the lapels of the jacket slowly over her freckled shoulders and let it slip down her arms to fall with a muffled clink of buttons on the tiled floor. She slid it behind her with her foot and walked back to the bath. With her hand on the edge of the tub, she leaned over to get her glass of wine, lingering for just a moment longer to give Eugene a tempting flash of cleavage. Lifting the glass to her lips, she let the warm wine roll across her tongue, imparting a delightful tingle to several of her senses. She carried the wine back to the counter and set it on the marble top, before she turned back to Eugene. Her hands moved behind her to loosen the button and zipper of the skirt before she slipped it over her hips.

Gene couldn't help the sigh that escaped his lips as she stood there, an almost shy smile curving her lips. She looked exquisite, the satin of the teddy following the shapely curves of her body up to her remarkable cleavage, while only a small, but enticing area of exposed skin was visible above the lacy tops of her stockings.

He had to work extremely hard to suppress a further groan as she began to work a stocking slowly down her thigh. By the time she divested herself of the second stocking, beads of perspiration were appearing on his forehead. Marlena picked up her glass of wine and carried it back to the tub where she knelt on the mat and leaned over the edge.
"Do you like your surprise so far?" she asked softly, her voice deep and throaty.
"Oh baby," Q shook his head, unable to voice any of the emotions he felt. He didn't really need to however, it was abundantly clear to her just how much he was enjoying it. Marlena grinned with her own enjoyment of the situation and leaned further over the bathtub. Q had to resist the extremely strong urge to pull her into the water, lingerie and all. He wanted her badly, but he figured he could wait, at least for another few minutes. Instead, he lifted his hands to her face, tracing the contours of her cheekbones with his thumbs. Marlena shivered slightly as his fingers delved into her hair and he leaned to her. His kiss was soft and sweet, his lips dancing over hers, at moments barely touching. One of Marlena's hands steadied herself against his shoulder as she turned the kiss into something more insistent. Her tongue entered his mouth tenaciously, seeking more of him, inviting him further.

As soon as he took up the invitation though, she pulled away from him. Catching his hands in hers, she lowered them to her shoulders. Her meaning was clear and Q slowly and almost reverently slid the straps over her shoulders. Marlena stood up and quietly divested herself of the teddy so that she was completely naked, the soft candlelight framing her curves and bathing her in a golden radiance.

Gene's heart beat soundly in his chest as he watched her. She was divine, like some perfect creation, actual but ephemeral all at once. It was almost as if he were waiting for her to dissolve into nothingness, to slip through his fingers when he wasn't looking. And so he couldn't turn away. He was hers for as long as she would have him and he wasn't letting go.

She held out her hand to him and he took it, taking the other one also as she stepped into the bath. Facing him, she sat down so that she was almost directly in his lap.
"Hi there," she whispered sexily as she moved her legs so that she was almost kneeling, her knees pressing against his hips, her feet brushing against his thighs.
"Hi," his voice was choked as she reached for the bottle of oil again.
"I think that I got interrupted somewhere along the way," she said thoughtfully as she drizzled the oil into her cupped palm.

Gene thought he might die when she began to work the oil into his shoulders and chest. He just wasn't sure if this would send him to heaven, or to hell, because he was having some extremely wicked thoughts. He watched her face as she rubbed the oil into his skin, her face flushing slightly as she rubbed the pads of her thumbs over his nipples. Her eyes raised to his to take in his reaction and he found himself no longer able to keep his hands off her.

He slid them up her sides and up over her breasts, brushing her already firm nipples with his fingers and palms. Marlena sighed as he caught her mouth with his, the kiss bruisingly forceful. His lips quickly left hers though and he moved downward quickly, sampling her sweet flesh with his lips and tongue. Her hands clasped around the back of his neck as she threw her head back, his teeth nipping at her skin as his lips teased her. She wriggled in the cooling water as his mouth traveled over the swell of her breasts, exploring her as his tongue dipped into the valley of her cleavage. He left a moist trail across the curve of her breast and Marlena gasped as he took her nipple in his warm mouth and began to play his tongue across it. She seemed to be particularly sensitive tonight and her moaning turned Q on even more as he toyed with her. He began to alternate his mouth and his hands between her breasts as she pulled him closer, loving the way he knew almost instinctively what turned her on.

She moaned loudly as his tongue whipped back and across her nipple while his thumb circled around the other and Gene felt her fingers clutch at the hair at the nape of his neck.
"Mmmmmphh," she muffled her cry against the top of his head as she began to writhe again. He lifted his head from her and grinned.
"Is that a hint baby?"

Marlena didn't answer but kissed him hungrily as she began to rub herself up against him. Taking the not so subtle hint, he leaned back against the end of the tub and shifted her slightly forward. Marlena moaned as she felt his hardness against her and her cry was echoed by one of Q's as he felt her beckoning him inward.

Taking charge, Marlena took him with her hand and guided him between her legs. He slid into her welcoming warmth slowly, taking his time in experiencing the sensations their bodies created together. Raising his knees slightly, he sent her sprawling against him, and taking advantage of her surprise, he began to suck on her earlobe. Her whimper was overtaken by the shudder that ran through her as he began to move his hips ever so slowly. He felt her teeth graze the skin of his shoulder as she began to move up and down. It was a moment before Marlena lifted her head. When she brought her eyes to Eugene's she found they were filled with a burning desire that both intrigued and slightly scared her.

Bringing her hands up to frame his face, she began to kiss him, slowly and very deliberately, exploring is mouth with her tongue, just as he explored her. Q's hands sank almost unconsciously to her breasts, massaging them with his palms, mirroring the movement of her hips as she rocked them slowly back and forth.

Unable to keep her mind from what he was doing to her, Marlena steadied herself against the end of the tub and moved backwards a little. Q watched her as her body swayed in the flickering candlelight, moving fractionally faster. Her eyes were closed in concentration as she set the pace, letting out an occasional sigh or moan of enjoyment as he moved his hips slightly one way or another. She gasped as he slid down the bath slightly, sending her falling forward again so that her golden hair tumbled about her face.

She pressed her lips together as the touch of Gene's hands roughened on her breasts, encouraging her to move faster. His hips did the same and she began to voice his name between labored breaths.
"Oh Gene, mmmmm," she bit her lip as he ground his hips upward. Her hands moved from the bath to his chest, pushing herself further backward at the same time that her nails began to sink into his skin. The water in the tub became more turbulent as they moved together.

Gene could see that Marlena was almost ready to come and he was past ready himself, so he slid his hands up so that they were framing her face. She opened her eyes to look at him and the expression in his eyes almost brought her to orgasm immediately.
"Oh God." She cried out as he began to thrust rapidly into her. "Oh Gene." He kept it up, slamming into her as she began to call his name over and over, moving wildly on top of him until the sound of his name rolling off her lips brought him to his own climax. He came deep inside her as she tightened around him, still moving and still whimpering.

Finally he pulled her to him and they clung together for several minutes as their bodies cooled. It was Marlena that eventually pulled back, realizing that the cold water was going to give them both chills in a few minutes. With Gene's help, she climbed out of the tepid water and then she helped him out. She draped a towel round him and then pulled one around her own shoulders. Eugene wrapped his arms around her and dropped a kiss on her forehead.
"That was wonderful," he whispered.
"*You're* wonderful," she smiled up at him, her eyes sparkling.
"Hey, you stole my line!" he kissed her gently again, this time on the lips.
"And why would I do that?" she asked him teasingly, feeling incredibly happy.
"Probably for the same reason you stole my heart," he murmured in return.

Before she could reply, his mood lightened and he took her hand and pulled her into the bedroom.
"Get dressed," he told her simply, "I'm taking you dancing."

It was without argument and less than an hour later that Marlena found herself at the Penthouse Grill. She was almost oblivious to everyone else as she sat with Gene at a secluded table in the corner. They ate little, but laughed a lot. Several heads near them turned at the sound of giggles but they lost interest when they saw the couple immersed in themselves. All that was, but one.

It was between courses that Q pulled Marlena up onto the dance floor. The music melted seamlessly from Porter to Gershwin as he slipped one arm around her shoulder and caught her hand with the other. He held it close to his chest so that she could feel the echo of his heart beating against the back of her hand. She smiled up at him as he held her close to him and began to move slowly.
"I seem to remember your dancing being a little more?. exhuberant," she teased him.
"Hmmm, well a few hundred years teaches one the benefits of moderation," he gave her a half smile, "though some I'm sure wouldn't agree that I've learnt that particular lesson." Knowing better than to press him for the meaning behind the obtuse comment, Marlena simply moved her arm further around his neck, bring her closer to him.
"Whatever?I like it," she lifted her eyebrows slightly and he smiled in response.
"Oh you do, do you?"
He muffled her murmured reply with his lips, and they kissed in the middle of the dance floor.

Separating, more out of necessity than desire, they began to dance again. Gene hummed a few bars of the music and Marlena rested her head on his chest as they slowly swayed. Then she felt the rumble in his chest as he quietly began to sing so that she could only hear.

At a table close to the door, Kristen DiMera sat seething as she watched Marlena Evans dance with her new lover. She had thought that she would be delighted to see the bitch ensnare another man, for that would mean John would finally be hers. All hers. Instead, the sight of a radiant Marlena giggling like a schoolgirl only made her more miserable.

Marlena was with Eugene Bradford, there was no doubt about that. Everything about the woman, from her low cut black gown, to the smile on her face and that damned sexual *glow* about her, pointed to that fact. She was getting it on a regular basis and still Kristen was here alone and John was God knows where. Not that it would help if she knew where he was. He didn't want her, he had made that abundantly clear.

Kristen threw another scowl at the oblivious couple on the dance floor. She didn't understand any of it. She couldn't understand how it was that Marlena could give up John so easily, and she couldn't understand what made it different for John this time. Every other time he had thought that Marlena had rejected him, he had come crawling back to her bed. Sometimes it had been slower than others, but always it had seemed to be inevitable. Until now. Until Marlena had herself a new man and there was no chance of John getting her back. It was *now* that John chose to decide he'd rather be alone than be with the woman that was carrying his child.

And every move that that smug bitch made rubbed in the fact for Kristen. Every laugh, every intimate smile, every whisper spelled out the fact that while everyone *loved* Marlena, no-one loved Kristen. No-one.

With an ugly scowl and clenched fists, Kristen resisted the urge to sweep the contents of her table to the floor. She looked at Marlena as the other woman threw her head back in laughter and Kristen knew that whatever she did, the *perfect* Marlena Evans would always be there, making her life a misery.

It was as though defeat enveloped her instantly on that realization and wearily, she dropped her napkin into the half-eaten plate of food. Propelling her chair back from the table, she pushed herself up awkwardly. No-one saw the pregnant and disheveled woman leave the restaurant in tears mere moments later.

Marlena finally led Q from the floor, pleading sore feet, and they ordered dessert. She fed him the raspberry parfait in between laughter and sips of champagne. Neither of them had any idea that Kristen had even been present, and they were perfectly happy in their blissful ignorance.

It was several dances later that they finally called a taxi. They rode home cuddled up in the back of the cab, ignoring all of the driver's attempts to engage them in conversation as they furtively made out under the cover of darkness. On the way up in the elevator, they could barely keep their hands or mouths off each other, throwing caution to the wind as they rode with only muffled moans and the rustle of clothing.

The elevator door opened mid-gasp and they stumbled to the door. Gene teased Marlena mercilessly as she had trouble, first unlocking the door to the penthouse, and then mis-punching the access code to the alarm. Finally in gales of giggles, she managed to get it right but she had no time to recover as he swept her off her feet and into his arms. She squealed as she grabbed hold of him, throwing her arms around his neck as he took the stairs two at a time.
"Gene," she gasped for breath, tears of laughter slipping from the corner of her eyes. "Gene, put me down!"
"What, here?," he asked innocently as he stopped at the top of the staircase. Marlena barely had time to react to the suspect gleam in his eye before he pretended to drop her. She shrieked even more loudly than before and reflexively tightened her arms around his neck. With fake choking sounds, he pretended to stagger. "I get?your?point," his voice was purposely hoarse and it sent Marlena into even greater paroxysms of laughter. She did, however, loosen her grip on him and he carried her to the bedroom.

With a flourish, he kicked the door open and proceeded to the bed where he dumped her unceremoniously onto the soft comforter. Marlena continued to giggle as she rolled onto her side and watched him fall onto the bed next to her. His quiet laughter joined hers as they regarded each other for several moments.

"What an elegant entrance Dr. Evans," Q said finally as the hilarity subsided.
"Why thank you," she grinned as she kicked her shoes off one by one and rolled half onto her stomach. "I *do* try."
"Mmmm, I'm sure you do," he murmured as he edged closer to her.
"You know what?" Marlena asked as she reached out and pulled on the end of his bow tie, her eyes bright.
"What?" he removed the offending tie and unbuttoned the top button of his shirt.
"I had a *wonderful* time tonight." She wiggled even closer to him, and he found himself faced with the cleavage that spilled over the low cut bodice of her dress.
"Uh?. mmmm," he dragged his eyes up to her face which was alive with amusement, "you did?"
"Oh yeah," she slid down the bed slightly and undid the next button of his shirt, "I did."
"Well that's good," he surprised her by sitting up suddenly, "because it's not over yet."

"Oh?" she propped herself up on one elbow as her query followed him into the bathroom. He came out a moment later toting the blue bottle and a white towel. "Oh, Mr. Bradford," a sly smile crept onto her lips, "I like the way you think."
"Oh you do, do you?" He set the bottle on the bed stand with a smile and slid his jacket off before he undid the cuffs of his shirt.
"Mmmmm, I certainly do," her voice was husky and full of promise as she slid the straps of her dress from her shoulders. She rolled over onto her back as she watched Gene unbutton his shirt. Her look was approving as he shed first the shirt, and then his pants.
"Roll over," he told her as he climbed onto the bed and kneeled next to her.

She did as he asked, rolling onto her stomach, propping herself up on her elbows. She felt his hands lift her long blonde hair and then let it spill delicately over her shoulder so that it hit the chintz of the comforter with a soft bump. As small shiver ran through her as his fingers brushed over her back, seeking out the zipper of her dress. She felt a small tug and then the rasping sound of the zipper as it slid downward, albeit at a maddeningly slow pace. The tickle of his fingers on her as he parted the fabric was too much for her in her intoxicated state and she began to giggle. Her laugh was infectious and Gene joined her as she dropped onto her side.

"Let me help you out of that," he offered with a grin as she began to struggle out of the dress. However, it turned out not to be such an easy task. The more Marlena moved, the more she got caught up in the dress, until finally they were both laughing too hard to do anything.

Marlena buried her face in the comforter as she tried to smother the giggles that shook her body. It was only when she felt Gene's hands brushing her thighs, that seriousness finally overtook her and she was able to look up. Without a word, he helped her up off the bed and she slid the offending garment over her hips, dropping it in a noiseless pile on the carpet. She discarded her lingerie almost as quickly and Eugene covered her with a towel as she climbed on the bed. She sat up, nevertheless holding the towel to her, and looked up at him.

"You know, I'm not that modest," she teased.
"And *you* know better than to argue with me," he replied flippantly. She smiled cheekily at him as he picked up the bottle of oil. He gave her a look that bespoke his amusement at her heightened animation "Just lie down alright?" Marlena rolled her eyes and blew several strands of hair from her eyes with one well-placed puff.
"Alright," she conceded, not too unhappily, before she promptly rolled onto her stomach.

Gene grinned as he pulled the towel from under her and laid it across her all too tempting rear. He was going to have a hard enough time keeping his mind on what he was doing without that particular distraction.

He unscrewed the lid of the bottle, set it down on the nightstand, and then poured some oil into his cupped hand. He set the bottle next to the lid and, as Marlena had done several hours before, he worked the oil into his palms.

He started at her shoulders, carefully covering her in oil, applying more when it was needed. With gentle, yet firm fingers, he began to knead the muscles in her neck and shoulders, easing the tension away with broad, strong strokes. Marlena sighed deeply as he moved lower, finding the knotted muscles and plying them with warmth and gentle caresses.

As she relaxed, it began to feel like there was more than one pair of hands. It seemed like he was touching her back everywhere, hands sliding over polished skin, soothing tired sinews. And then it wasn't just her back, but also her limbs, fingers caressing, stroking away the fatigue and invigorating her. Moreover, as the lassitude faded, it was replaced with a growing sensation of desire.

And then, suddenly it was though all of the pairs of hands and all the sensations melded into one scalding touch, firing up her senses and sending bolts of lust ripping through her body. Q moved his hands down the side of her body, brushing her breasts with the merest flutter of a touch. He smiled as he was rewarded with a moan that left Marlena breathless. He continued stroking his hands over the beautiful curves of her body, feeling her desire growing under the gentlest of touches. He reached the towel and pulled it away, continuing his trek over her rounded buttocks and down the back of her thighs. Marlena hummed her appreciation softly, as his soft hands skimmed down her legs to her feet.

Pouring some more oil into his hands, he proceeded to massage her feet, pressing his thumbs into certain pressure points that oddly only aroused Marlena more. Waves of need swept her nerves as his fingers whispered up over her skin again, almost burning at each fleeting touch. She was close to whimpering as his thumbs caressed the skin of her inner thigh. He worked still upwards with his hands until he once again reached her shoulder. He felt her shudder as his lips brushed the nape of her neck, and he brushed her thick, golden hair to one side as he began to lavish more attention on her neck.

For her part, Marlena could barely think, but for the sensations that were flooding her body. Gene's lips were murmuring over her skin, his touch inflaming her already feverish senses. She hardly heard his whisper to turn over and it was more intuitive on her part than reactionary.

One strong hand quickly pinned her arms behind her head and she gasped as he ran the other over her breasts. Gene was gratified to see the way the colour ran to her cheeks and he bent down, crushing her lips with his. Marlena tried to raise her head to get closer to him but he raised his head out of her reach and looked down at her. Her hair lay about her face like a tousled golden halo, her lips stained vermilion, the colour of desire. Slowly, almost as though he were trying to imprint everything about her in his mind, the way she looked, the scent of her, the impossible softness of her skin, he bent to kiss her again. Covering her body with his, he kissed her tenderly, his lips and tongue conveying the depth of his love for her. Marlena disengaged one of her hands from his and brought it up to his face, tracing her fingers down the familiar contours of his cheek and across to the mouth that she loved so. Gene caught the hand in his and kissed her palm as he looked down at her.

Finally, he tore his eyes from hers and concentrated his attentions on her body, once again. His mouth traced a damp path from her neck to her cleavage, and he felt her back arch as he brought his mouth across to her nipple.
"Mmmmm," Marlena murmured, the feeling of his warm, moist tongue on her depleting her of any other vocalizations. Gene circled her nipple with his tongue, before flickering it back and forth over her. Her hands, still held behind her head, gripped the edge of a soft, frilled pillow.

And then, it was suddenly verging on the edge of overwhelming. Every graze of his tongue ignited another nerve, triggering a cascade of lust that saturated her body. His teeth nipped at her, eliciting whimpers as her back arched higher. She squirmed under him, her breaths quickening into pants as he continued to play her, heightening her arousal until it was almost unbearable. And then, maddeningly, he stopped.

After a moment, she opened her eyes to look at him. He was staring at her, just taking her in.
"Make love to me," she whispered. He only nodded as he let her arms go, and quickly removed his boxers. He ran one hand over her body, slowly memorizing the soft curves of her, the way her skin was satiny soft under his fingers. Then with practiced grace, he moved atop her, resting his weight on his elbows. With his hands he brushed the stray tresses around Marlena's face and looked down at her glowing countenance. She smiled up at him, framing his face with her hands as she felt him move between her legs.

They continued to watch each other as he slowly entered her, moving inside her with almost infinite tenderness. She drew her knees up on either side of his hips and began to match his careful movements with hers. But still, she watched the way his eyes shone and the half smile on his face as he stared down at her. They remained that way for several minutes, locked in a spell that neither of them would willingly break.

Finally it was Marlena that urged Gene to pick up the pace. She had already been on the verge of orgasm once tonight before he had stopped, and it wouldn't be long until she got there again. Moving her hands around his neck, she grazed her fingernails down his bare back. She closed her eyes and threw back her head, moaning as she felt Q's thrusts quicken. Their bodies moved together in a harmonious rhythm, skin sliding against skin, sighs and moans entangling as much as bodies.

His lips on her throat were enough to bring Marlena to her first climax and she pressed her lips together as she moved rapidly beneath him. Eugene felt her nails digging into him and he thrust harder, prolonging her orgasm as much as he could. She felt divine and he wanted this moment to last forever.

It was almost finished when she was overtaken by an even more intense orgasm than the first. She began to repeat his name over and over again as her limbs twined around him. His hands were in her hair and his body consuming hers as her muscles tightened around him. The vibrations of his groans against her ear intensified her climax once again, and finally her whimpers brought him to his own. They clung together as they rode out the final waves of an orgasm that seemed to go on forever.

It was a while before Marlena realized that her foot had gone to sleep. She wiggled under Gene and opened his eyes. Without a word, he moved off her and removed the comforter from underneath them. He pulled it over Marlena and himself as she cuddled up to him. With a smile, he brushed the dampened hair from around her face and kissed her forehead.

"Thank-you," she whispered contentedly.
"For what?" he asked her as he held her in his arms
"For loving me," she replied simply before she snuggled closer to him, feeling safe and fulfilled. Gene buried his face in her hair and closed his eyes.

They fell asleep that way.

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