Beginnings - SF2 Read Online Free

felt about me. If there was any chance in the world that I could be with you I wasn't going to blow it."
    "But I wouldn't have known if you just had casual sex, Ryan. And besides I didn't have any claim on you."
    She leveled her gaze and stared deeply into her friend's eyes for a long moment. "I would have known, Jamie. Casual sex didn't have any interest for me once I thought I could have a real relationship with you. Actually, Ally called me the week after our little chat about being together. I had dinner with her but I told her all about you and explained that I couldn't have sex with her or anyone else until I knew where I stood with you. And let me correct one little thing, Jamie, you've always had a claim on me," she said as she crossed over to her chair and kissed her soundly. "You just didn't always know it."
    "Whoa," Jamie said as she pulled away from Ryan's smiling face. "I think we need to set some ground rules for the physical side of this relationship, because that kiss almost made me forget my principles!" Ryan returned to her seat as Jamie began, "Let's start with tonight. Will it bother you to snuggle in bed?"
    "It'll bother me if we don't!" Ryan said with wide eyes.
    "You don't know how relieved that makes me," Jamie said winsomely. "Part of the reason I eventually decided to sleep with Jack was just so we could lie in bed and cuddle. But even though he did it, you could just tell it wasn't his idea."
    "You are in luck, Ms. Evans. I am a certified cuddle - a - holic. I absolutely, positively love to cuddle and I do it with every person who will let me. And it doesn't have to be connected to sex either. I cuddle Caitlin when we nap together, and I've even been known to snuggle up to Duffy when I'm feeling touch deprived."
    "Excellent," she gleefully replied. "Since we're not going to have sex right away I think we need to stay away from each other's umm…erogenous zones," she said with a fierce blush. "Is that okay?"
    "Jamie, do you really think I could touch your erogenous zones and stop there? That's an obvious rule."
    "How about hugging?"
    "I'm in favor of as much hugging as I can get."
    "Done," she agreed. "What else should we cover?"
    "How do you feel about indirect hugs, say for instance, sitting on my lap?" she asked with a crooked grin.
    "Don't you mean sitting on each other's laps? Shouldn't this be an equal partnership?"
    "That's a very good point," Ryan said as she walked over to the chair and climbed aboard Jamie's small lap. "Umm, I like this," she enthused as she tried to ignore the strangled breath Jamie was trying to take. "How about you?"
    "HELP!" she finally cried, much to Ryan's howling amusement.
    "I'm not putting you down Jamie, but I weigh a lot more than you do. It just makes sense that I'll be the sittee and you'll be the sitter. Let's switch."
    As soon as they did so, Jamie enthusiastically agreed that lap sitting was not only allowed, it was a clear requirement. "God, this feels good," she mumbled into Ryan's terry cloth-clad shoulder. The rhythmic trailing of Ryan's hand through her hair, the clean sweet smell of her skin and the warmth of the fireplace were combining to relax her so thoroughly that she feared she would fall asleep right where she lay. "We could just stay right here," she sleepily suggested.
    "I could do that," Ryan agreed as her fresh minty breath ruffled the blonde hair hanging over Jamie's eyes.
    "I've never felt safer or more secure," she said softly. "I just don't think you could make me any happier."
    "Mind if I try?" she asked with a dangerously raised eyebrow.
    Jamie felt most of her sleepiness leave her body as she cautiously shook her head.
    Ryan pulled her in a little closer and effortlessly stood. Jamie's arms tightened reflexively around her neck as they crossed the room to stand by the bed. Squatting down just a bit Ryan reached down with her free hand and deftly pulled the covers back. She leaned over and softly deposited the small woman right in the