I stare at the TV, not really concentrating on the movie. There's some man in barbaric clothing moving across the screen waving his sword around like a lunatic. Something about a gladiator. It's been a week to the day since I made my offer to Gia and I'm wondering how to go about bringing it up. I surreptitiously look across at her. She's sitting there totally engrossed in the movie. I think teasing her about being "aroused" last week has brought negative karma upon myself because I'm just about gone today. When she knocked on my door today dressed in a white tank and those low riding hipster jeans... it was all I could do to stop myself from groaning. There's something about being faintly aware of women's hipbones. Gia lying on top of me, feeling them digging into me slightly. I have to stop. And I think it may have been slightly breezy outside because... Oh My God. What is wrong with me?

I glance once again at the screen trying to become somewhat involved in the movie. Horses, evil man, Roman. Do I bring it up or do I wait for her to? Is she aware that it's been a week already? What am I talking about: already? This subject has been plaguing me for the past week, wondering whether she's going to go through with it. Already? It was the slowest week of my life. Will she go through with it? More importantly am I going to chicken out of it ?I glance over at her and grimly smile to myself: chicken out? No chance in hell.

What on earth possessed me to make an offer like that? Indecent proposal. Oh, this is ridiculous. I hoist myself up out of the beanbag I'd parked my ass in and proceed into the kitchen. I flick on the kettle. Coffee. Black. Strong. Popcorn? I bend over and delve through the pantry past the Oreos, the Cheerios, the Snickers packs, the Kit-Kats. I'm noticing that my nutrition is not exactly up to scratch. Finally: popcorn. I set about making some. Butter. Salt. Corn. Pretend not to notice the incessant "Pop, pop, pop". Is it metaphorical? Tapping my foot like crazy.

"What's up?" Gia's voice interrupts my pneumatic drill-like movements.

"Huh?"

"You've been missing a while,"

"Oh, I'm making popcorn,"

"And er...is that coffee?"

"Yeah,"

"Popcorn and coffee?"

"Yeah,"

"Popcorn. And coffee."

"Yeah,"

"Taylor?"

"Yeah?"

"I think you're missing the sensory nerves controlling taste in your cerebrum,"

"Possibly," I agree. Come on Taylor just blurt it out. Just ask her. Psyching myself up isn't working, "You can go back in, I'll bring this all out,"

"Nah, it's okay. Not really watching, something about some Roman and some fighting, isn't it?" She asks. I grin to myself.

"Something about that," I shrug. I pour the water and stir, "Coffee?" I ask. I'm desperately trying to not leave a silence in our conversation. Just in case she is aware that is has been a week.

"Sugar? Milk?"

"I don' t know, check the fridge," I say. She wanders over to it, her back to me. I blatantly check out her ass and quickly give my thanks to the higher power that my fridge isn't reflective. Hmm. Nice. Round. Firm. Could deal. She turns around, milk in hand. I quickly, almost too quickly, turn back around to the mugs in front of me.

"Full cream," she states, "No low fat?" she asks. I shake my head, "Full cream," she states again and then looks me up and down, "Not that you'd ever guess. When are you going to put on some weight?"

"You have such a thing with weight,"

"Eh," she waves her hand to dismiss my comment. She does. She watches her weight like a hawk. She's healthy, she just never lets herself go above a certain amount.

"So it's been a hundred and sixty nine hours. One hour exactly over a week. Are we going to sleep together?" I've surprised myself. You know how you think about something so much and you keep willing yourself to say something but you keep chickening out of it? But then you don't think about it and suddenly it just pops out of your mouth.

"I thought you'd forgotten," she says. For the first time, I think ever, around me she's self-conscious.

"Yeah. Forgotten. That's funny." There's a long silence, "So?"

"I told you that you were on," she states. She's glancing down as she says it but then she slides her eyes up to meet mine. I lean in, placing my hands on either side of her on the bench. She is trapped between the counter and me. I know it's sick, but I like playing this power game. I raise my eyebrow. I can feel her breathing against my throat. Unlike every other time, this time she is meeting my gaze and not shifting her eyes. Not even for a second. It's making for a very passionate moment. More than song worthy.

I glance down at her mouth, aware that she's aware that I'm doing so. She licks her lips lightly, unconsciously, then realises what she's doing and draws her tongue back into mouth. Oh God. I bend my head in towards hers, pausing momentarily, giving her the chance to refuse. One banana, two banana, three banana. Nothing. Oh well. My lips come to rest on hers. Her mouth is pliant underneath mine, her lips sweet tasting. Her tongue and mine mingle and I taste her breath. This is so great. All my poetic words have escaped me and I'm trying desperately to keep my head level. It's not working. I'm drowning in this amazing kiss. Holy hell. Well, I guess not "holy "per se. It's merely an expression.

Her hand is trailing down my chest and it slips underneath my shirt. Her fingertips glide against my skin, feeling cool, and rest against my rapidly beating heart. I don't know if she's noticed, but I imagine it must be pretty hard not to. I bestow small kisses upon her, moving slowly down her neck and onto her throat, placing my hands on her beautiful hipbones. She inclines towards me and her hip makes a gyrating movement in my hand. A sound that is remarkably like a whimper comes out of my mouth. She pushes me back; she kisses me and simultaneously keeps pushing me back. She manoeuvres me into my bedroom. She abruptly breaks off and smiles a sneaky little smile. I feel her hands on my shoulders gently applying pressure. I sit down, sinking into my mattress, following her unspoken command.

Gia's head is bending towards mine and her tongue skims the skin on my throat. She pulls back, hesitantly, places another kiss on my mouth and lingers there for a moment. She and I are staring at each other. I don't think we've ever been so close - on eye level anyhow. I love being this close to her. I would have thought that I would see her as a sister but I think I have always been aware on a level that Gia is most definitely not sister like. She's my best friend. She knows me inside out. I trust her.

Gia straddles me, placing her knees on either side of me and wrapping her hands around my throat. I push her tank up and she pulls it over her head. Nude coloured, sheer bra... down boy. I tug at her bra strap and it slips off her shoulder. I bury my head in the curve of her neck and shoulder, smelling the strawberry smell of her shampoo in wafts. Her hands gently undo the buttons down my shirt and as she gets nearer to my crotch I become tenser and tenser.

As she is undoing the buttons the most seductive smile crosses her face and I wonder why I hadn't noticed earlier the extent to just how sexy she could be. She unbuckles my belt, pulling it out slowly and just as she moves down the button on my jeans her hand brushes up against my penis and I groan. In a flurry of movement her and my pants come off. The image I had earlier flashes through my mind as she lies on top of me. I slip my hand between her thighs and rub her lightly. She moans. Good sign. She thrusts her hips against mine, sending me right off into what I'm sure is heaven. Her nails are scraping against my back, a rather pleasant sensation.

Now for the hard part: The bra unhooking. I swear I've had so many conversations with guys about starting up a lingerie company just to manufacture easy unhook bras. They'd at least be popular among men. I'm fiddling. Not working. Gia stills for a second to let me undo the blasted thing. It's not working! A frustrated growl escapes my throat. How's this for a mood killer?

"Er, Taylor, maybe I should..."

"Uh, yeah," I agree and move my hands aside. I'm so turned on I can't think straight. All I can concentrate on is Gia's flushed face and that throbbing in my err...nether-regions. She reaches up and unhooks it in a split second. Practise makes perfect. I urge it off her body and push her gently so that she's now lying on her back. I lift myself up for a second, tearing my mouth from hers and run it down her breasts and towards her stomach. I tug at her underwear and remove them, whilst hastily removing my own. Before anything more happens, I reach over to my bedside table and take out a condom. She glances over at it and gives me a slight nod of the head,

"Just hurry up, please," she groans. No need to tell me, baby, I'm moving as fast as I can. I put it on, with her help (which I rather enjoy, which I must add) and position myself between her legs,

"Taylor," she breathes. I look down at her and kiss her forehead.

"It's not to late to back out,"

"I don't want to," she whispers. I smile down at her. God, she's beautiful. I place one last kiss on her lips.