Kim's house was buzzing when Maja and Kim walked in. "Ladies! We're home!"

Bottle of wine already popped, food passed around, and everyone sitting on their favourtie place - the balcony. "Okay, I had to leave work two hours early and my boss may fire me. So this better be

good."

They took their seats in a respectable manner and silence fell upon them. "Okay, we have been called over here so very promptly because Kim has some amazing news." Maja introduced.

Kim slapped her arm. "Ow, ."

All eyes turned to Kim, but nothing came out. "Fine, if you're not going to say anything, I will. Kim kissed Gerald."

"What!" Erupted in the crowd.

"Gerald Anderson? As in our friend, Gerald Anderson?"

"It's not that big of a deal," she insisted.

Maja wasn't going to let her get away with that. "That's not what you were saying an hour ago. She was obsessing over it, like she always does. But this was different."

"I'm still wrapping my head around the fact that you kissed Gerald. He's our brother," Empress laughed.

"Okay, just tell us what happened," Mel said.

"It really started on Sunday."

"You've been macking since Sunday?! And kept it from us?!"

Kim ignored the comment and continued. "It started on Sunday. I was working, got a call from Mark."

"The ad exec?" Erich asked.

"No, the stalker-like male who comes into the shop every week," Maja corrected.

"I got a call from Mark, and he persuaded me to go to this party. Anyways, Ge was there. He's doing a job for Liz and Kevin and was also invited. So I leave early after palming Mark off to a cousin

of mine and my car breaks down in the middle of the road. And who comes, Gerald." She said. "He helped me out and there was this single moment under the hood where we stared at each other and..."

She paused, not being able to believe this was Gerald she was talking about.

Erich's face stayed indifferent. "And?"

"My heart stopped beating," Kim closed her eyes. "My breath escaped in a gasp, and it wasn't even Gerald I was staring at. It was this great guy who always makes me smile, makes me laugh and who I

trust."

"Did you kiss?"

"We both stopped before anything happened. But it was there, that moment that you'd think it's happen."

Mel lifted a hand. "I came to see you the next day and you told me you didn't see Gerald."

"Obviously a time of denial," Beauty laughed.

"Anyways, yesterday, I was at the Cooke wedding, and Gerald was there. You know, he didn't let anything bother us, he stayed calm and general and even cracked a joke. After the ceremony and half

way through the reception, we made out way outside and he began rubbing my back. And oh!" She moaned. "His hands work magic, I'm telling you. I never wanted him to stop. And one thing led to

another and it happened. It just happened, and it was amazing." Her eyes blurred immediately retelling the story.

"Kimmy! You're crying!" They awed.

"Guys, you know me, I don't get flustered. Men are men and kisses are kisses. But this, it's different. But then the complication arises." Her dreamy state disappeared. "At the end of the day, it's

Gerald. Okay, it's our best friend, the guys' best friend. I mean, it's easy to make a friend into a lover, but not so easy to make lover into a friend."

"You never had that trouble before though," Beauty rationalized. "But it was just a kiss."

"That's she's obsessing about!"

"What if we have this thing and the goes south and then we get awkward with each other, meaning everyone goes awkwards with each other. We do have this type of balance thing, don't we. And is

really worth messing up this balance?"

Maja reentered the conversation. "Okay, let's take a step back here. didn't happen, but you obviously have some internal, secret feelings for him. So before we get ahead of ourselves, you need

to talk to him. That's the best thing to do."

"Or, we can have a high school playback, where Kim has with a guy we haven't had with and she tells us the deets," they laughed.

When Erich got home, Gerald was there on her couch. "I thought you moved out three years ago."

"I did, but 'Chong needed to leave for a few minutes and asked me to babysit the children. Where have you been, young lady?!" He acted like a father.

"So my husband, your best friend, your honorary brother isn't home?"

"Nope," he popped his lips.

Erich took her purse and attacked him. "What did I tell you about kissing Kim? Or the girls? I told you not to do it!"

"Ow! Ow! Stop, 'Rich. 'Rich, Stop, Ow. Damn it! That hurts, it has buckles and stones! Ow, Gosh, Stop it!" He held up his hands to shield him.

"I told you not to do it! I told you to stay away from my girls! You kissed Kim stupid, and now she is stupid! I can't believe you!" She stopped and fell beside him.

"'Rich..." He sighed. "I'm not a bad guy."

Erich laughed out loud. "Really? Because I have a few sources telling me differently. What were you thinking Ge? Kissing Kim. Kim is the worst one to kiss."

"Her lips say differently," he chuckled, rubbing his own.

"Not in that sense. Men love Kim. They get her, and always come back for more. She's a great girlfriend, Ge. That's the key word - girlfriend."

"And I am a great boyfriend. Do you want references?"

"Kim is a product of romance and that's how she lives her life. She's not someone you just have with and entertain yourself. She's someone you make promises to, she's someone you fall in love

with, she's someone you commit yourself to."

"Hey hey hey," he raised his hands, palms out. "When I'm with a woman, I'm with one woman. I don't cheat. I think cheaters are bastards."

Erich sighed and stood. "If you hurt her, you're going to get more than a bag in a face. Kim is my sister, she is family. I don't care who you are, if you're 'Chong's best friend, our best friend. Kim comes

before you, and I'm not a nice girl when someone hurts someone I love. I'm warning you, Gerald, if you're going to through with this, it's all or nothing; nothing in between."

Saturday was a half day for them. Half of them didn't make it that night, the half including Kim and Gerald. Kim stayed home, just wanting to be alone, and Gerald did the same. It was great to have friends, but sometimes, even on the odd times, some need a break.

Kim was in boxer shorts and a tank top as the heat blasted in her place. The temperature was dropping signalling the heater. She took a seat on her sofa with a large glass of wine, and used her remote control to dim the lights and turn on the music. Now this was relaxing.

 "Kimberly, it's your mother!"

She didn't hear the door open, or anyone enter, which could be dangerous. But everyone needs a little danger sometimes. This was not it. Kim opened her eyes as her mother fell down beside her.  "Hi, baby. Uh oh, glass of wine, dim lights, fireplace and blasting music. You're having boy troubles."

"What!? Mom," she turned down the music. "There's nothing wrong."

"Then shouldn't you be at your friend's house? Who's house is it this week?"

"Ma, have you ever kissed a friend? Thought about someone more than just a friend?"

"All your boy friends are married or engaged. What's going on, honey." She sat up right and pushed her daughter onto her lap, her hair.

"And this boy is...?"

Kim laughed, "I can't tell you, Mom."

"Okay, what can you tell me?"

Kim took a deep breath. "There's this guy that I have known for a really long time and I've come to trust and...and one night we share this amazing moment which translates to something more amazing. And I don't know what to do."

"I know this is going to sound cliche and overused, but it's a cliche for a reason. When it comes to dealings with the heart, you need to follow your heart. No one knows you better than yourself. You can't ask me, sweetheart. Everyone has their own story to live out. But when you are ready to tell me who it is and how it ends up, you know I'm always here for you."

"You and another twelve," she chuckled sitting up. "You always know what to say."

"I hear it's genetic. Okay, well your step-father might burn the house down if I'm away too long. Don't be a stranger honey. I love you, and see you soon."

Kim nodded. "Bye, Ma." When the door closed, she figured it was time to take her mother's and friend's advice. Nothing was going to get done if she sat here wondering with her large glass of alcohol. She needed to follow her heart all the way to Gerald.

The drive didn't take longer than ten minutes, but the anticipation made it appear longer. She hesitated while she was in the car, but finally moved her feet towards the large house she's grown comfortable years over the years, but estranged in a few moments. Her hands were shaking and all the thoughts in her mind swirling. She was getting a headache. Kim was finally able to knock on his door.

There he was in all his masculine glory. He was casual attire, she noticed - jeans that he must've washed over a thousand times and a V-neck t-shirt which gave him that alluring, attracting presence. "Hi," she smiled.

"I didn't think you'd be coming up. After ten minutes of watching you psyche yourself in that car, I gave up." He moved to the left so she could enter. "I can see you're not at Mel's tonight."

She removed her coat, making her way to the living room. "Yeah, well, you're not either. I was actually working late. Another deadline."

"At home?" He threw her a can of iced tea. "Because I stopped by the shop and you weren't there." He took a swig at his beer.

He stopped by the shop? As in he was thinking about her? Okay, stop it, she prompted. If you're going to talk to him, you need to keep your head straight. "We need to talk about some stuff."

"Really? Because I think Erich a lot of the talking."

"What?"

"Oh yeah." He turned to show her the inside of his wrist and showed her a little scar. "You see that? The buckle of her bag gave it to me. When she was beating the crap out of me! What were you thinking?"

"What was I thinking? What were you thinking?" She said getting defensive. "My best friend was just trying to protect me and be a friend, something you weren't doing."

"I disagree. I think I was being very friendly."

Kim laughed. "Don't try to be funny." The calm tone was now severed. "I'm not in the mood for funny. You went all flirty with me, jumping my car, rubbing my shoulders, eating my pasta, lending me your jacket and then -"

Gerald laughed, taking a seat on his couch and putting his feet up. "Right, I should've just waved you off as I passed you on the side of the road. And as for the jacket thing, you were turning blue with the lack of snow we got. And I was hungry, so I ate you pasta."

"And the rest?"

He sighed, "You looked tired and knotted up. I loosened you up. You were okay with it at the time."

"And then?"

"Fine, there was an 'and then'. You were there, I was there, so and then happened. It's not like I jumped on you and started ripping your clothes off. And you didn't exactly try to push me off. We just...locked lips for a second or two."

"Locked lips? Are you twelve?"

"Hey, I wasn't kissing anyone when I was twelve. That was you," he shot at her.

Kim's jaw dropped. She came here all sane and calm and here he was throwing all of it back in her face with him being sane and calm. This was definitely not how she thought it'd be like, but then nothing ever is. "Well, you kissed me."

"We kissed each other."

"You started it."

"Now who's twelve?" He smiled.

"But you made the move, Ge. You got all cozy on the stairs, you rubbed my back. YOU kissed me."

He laughed. "Guilty all counts. You just have that mouth, and I wanted it." His eyes grew dark with desire, but his posture stayed cool. His hands were opened, as if he was showing her something and his feet were crossed over each other. "I thought I was pretty clear about. You didn't scream for help, so I took the bait. Hang me."

"You wanted it? Like I it was a piece of meat?" Kim fisted her hands.

"That's not what I meant." Herald uncrossed his feet and stood.

"Fine you explained the kiss, but now we're acting weird around each other. Us skipping our weekly tradition is ridiculous, don't you think. So yes, I lied. I wasn't working, but why weren't you there. This wasn't supposed to become awkward. All I'm asking is what is this. You kissed me. We kissed each other, and now we can't fulfill a tradition I started ten years ago?"

Her eyes were so vulnerable when she asked the question. Her lips pursed and there it was. The ache, the desire in his gut telling him he wanted her. He did, he wanted her. She was killing him wearing those tight leggings and an oversized sweatshirt. What was she thinking? Showing off her great legs, but hiding those luscious curves? Making him want to solve the mystery of that body being hidden.

Gerald eyes then wandered over to her hair. Those long, wavy locks teased his sensed; wanting to feel it over his body, feel his hands get tangled within them. And her neck. Everyone thinks it's the great body that gets a man going. Of course, the body is a factor, but the real deal is the neck. The curvature of her neck, all he wanted to do was run his lips over that sensitive part and hear her moan, feel her grab hold of him just to keep up. He wanted to bury himself in the crook of her neck.

All these ideas needed to turn into something. "Screw it," he muttered, walking to her, grabbing the pop can from her hands, dropping it to the floor, not caring if it was full. Gerald grabbed her, plundering her forward and up to her toes. He used his teeth, one quick, impatient bite on her lower lips that got her parting in response. Nothing mattered, not when his tongue found hers and the taste of her sizzled along his senses like a wire in the blood.

His hands tangled in her hair, tugging slightly until she tilted her head back, giving him much more access.

Stop. Can't. Shouldn't. Those were the words running through her mind, but her body rejected any thoughts. It was like being drenched in summer, the heat and the wet. All her logical, sensible, rational thought vapourized as her body leaped from frustration to shock to fevered response.

He pushed her back, not knowing where he was going, but he didn't care. All that mattered was that they were together, his door was locked and they had all the privacy they needed.

Her back hit against the wall hard. He pulled back, "Are you okay?" He felt her jump.

It didn't matter. She dug her fingers into his hair and pulled his lips back. His hands were on her back, roaming down to the curvatuve of her , then behind her thighs and pulled her up. He walked toward the bedroom, lifting her shirt and feeling her tight stomach. Oh goodness, this woman was way too much.  Kim did the rest of the job pulling it over her head, and throwing down on the floor. His shoes came off next.

Gerald dropped her on the bed, pulled his t-shirt over his head. "Is it hot in here, or is it just us?" He , unbuckling his belt and ripping it off his jeans. Kim sat up and undid his button, pulling the zipper down and helping him take off his clothes. She smiled at the half- in front of her. "Honey, don't you think you're wearing too much clothing?"

A devious smile tugged at her lips, "What are you going to do about it?"

He laughed and burned at the same time. Gerald climbed over her, claiming once again as he pulled her tights down her legs. "Are you sure you want me to answer that?"

Kim giggled as he nibbled on his favourite part of Kim's body, he found out; the sensitive part below her chin where he could feel her pulse beating for him to take her. He flipped her over so she could be on top, but instead of flipping on top, he threw her off the bed, taking himself with her.

Her body slammed on her ground, "Ow!"

"!" He said, pulling her into a sitting position on his lap. "Oh gosh, are you okay?"

Kim started laughing, "I have to sign a waver just to sleep with you," she joked.

That was exactly who she was, playing it off as a joke. Her hand cradled her back. Gerald pulled her hand away, and replaced it with his own, massaging it gently. "Oh god," he swore. "I'm so sorry."

She dropped her head on her shoulder, still straddling his lap, laughing. "What were thinking," her belly laugh was coming, she knew it. "Throwing me off the bed?!" And here it was.

He rubbed his face with his free hand while massaging her with his other hand. "I was supposed to throw you on top, not up and over. You could stop laughing," he said. "It's putting a stench to my ego."

Her laugh faltered. "What are we doing?" She finally said, passion overcoming her and rationalizing coming back to her. Kim stood up from him and started pulling on her tights.

"Well, if I have to explain, I'm not doing it right."

"No, really.  Look at us," she peered down looking at her lacy bra which barely concealed her breats.

"Believe me, baby, I was. I am. Want to keep doing that. You have this seriously amazing body, I just wanted to..."

"Yeah, I got that. You too, honey," she pointed to his radically toned abs and crazy arms. "We got off track here."

"Down the track, heading for home, from my viewpoint. Give me five minutes to mesh viewpoints. Actually give me one." He grabbed his jeans and did the same as her.

Kim laughed at his ability to keep it lighthearted. "Probably need under thirty second. But no," she pushed her hair back, watching him grin. "We can't do this. Not like this. We need to take time and think about it. Mull it over, agree and disagree a couple of times. We're friends, Ge."

"And I'll say this again, I'm being pretty damn friendly."

"Yeah we are. And we have friends who are friends. So many connections, more than I knew since last week. And as much as I'd like to say 'what the hell, let's try out girl on top, then girl on botoom and take some creative postitions on round three...'"

Gerald dropped his head, "Kimmy, you're killing me."

She laughed, " isn't a massage on the back stairs, its not a moment under the hood, or a really amazing kiss at a wedding reception. So we need to think and so on before we decide. I refuse to put our friendship on hold because right now, I really want to hop on that bed with you and try out those three positions. But you're important."

He heaved a sigh. "I wish you hadn't said that. You're important. You always have been."

"Than it's agreed. We take time to think this through, whatever it is." She walked to his bedroom door, still without her shirt on. It was somewhere in his hallway.

"You have no idea how sorry I am to see you walk away like that," he hopped in front of her to grab her shirt off the floor, and place it over her head, pulling her hair back out.

"Yeah, I do. About as sorry as I am to do it." They walked to his front door, and he opened it, feeling his body tighten at the breeze against his bare upper torso. She placed her hand on his chest. "If it's any consolation, I'm going to have a miserable night thinking about what would've happened if you didn't throw me off the bed."

He laughed, "It isn't because I'm going to have the same."

She leaned forward and kissed his lips. For three years, it's always been their way of greeting, a quick peck on the lips, too quick for anything to happen to be misunderstood. But this, nothing was misunderstood here. She wanted him and he wanted her. "Well," she broke the kiss and tapped his chest pulling away from his embrace. "You started it." She winked before walking away towards her car.

Kim made sure to sway her hips just a little more than she would've normally just to pay him back for throwing off the bed. Her entrance into her car was slowly and seductively, throwing her hair to the other side of her shoulder and reveal her neck, running her fingers down that spot he kissed. She turned her head and smiled, making her sure he dreamed that night about what he was missing.