Romance Divas has had a promotion for their authors for the last couple years. They asked everyone who wanted to participate to write a free short story for a massive "Diva Free Read" for everyone on Valentine's day. The only requirement was that it be a romance. This is mine.

I originally had planned on making this steamy, but it turned out more sensual/sweet than steamy, so I hope I don't disappoint you in your reading.

Dale Jackson stood outside the door to his best friend's house. He knew he should just walk in, but he couldn't seem to make himself do it. She was in there. He knew she was. She had spent two years teaching in California, and now she was home. Again. To torture him.

Well, not exactly to torture him, but he knew that was what she'd do. And it wouldn't be like she intended to do it either. She didn't even know the effect she had on him. Here he was, thirty two years old and afraid to walk into his best friend's house because he was afraid to run into Drew's sister.

It wasn't that she was tall and model thin with the ability to slice a man to ribbons. No, she was short and plump, and had the nicest disposition he had ever seen in a woman. And she loved him dearly. Like a brother.

He had been trying to get around that brotherly regard she had for him for the last ten years, but no matter what he did, she still wouldn't pay any attention to him in a sexual way. Hell, he had practically paraded in front of her naked, and still she didn't do anything.

Not that he expected her to make the first move, but the least she could do was give him some encouragement. Did she? No, she went out with losers like Bill and what was the last one's name? Joe. All those damn literary types. Didn't she know there was a real man here waiting for her?

Those guys couldn't lift a fifteen pound bag of dog food without straining their muscles. Dale was capable of carrying two hundred pounds up and down a fifty foot ladder and barely breaking a sweat. In July. What the hell did she see in those guys?

Their brains. Well, he had graduated from college. He wasn't a slouch. But he sure as hell wasn't up to genius level like little Miss Sophie Johnson and her boyfriends. There was more to a relationship than intellectual conversation, though, and he was damned if he wasn't gonna show Sophie that. Soon. Someday.

Taking a deep breath, he reached for the doorknob. It was unlocked, as he knew it would be. Drew never locked his door during the day, and in a town of less than twenty thousand people, why bother? The biggest problem anyone in town ever had was the next door neighbor stopping in for coffee unannounced.

He stepped in and called out Drew's name, but no one answered. A noise in the back of the house had him walking toward the kitchen. There she was, Sophie Johnson. The object of his wet dreams since he was able to have them. The woman was made to fit the word voluptuous. In his mind she put even Aphrodite to shame with her long brown hair, bright smile and large breasts. What he wouldn't give for a night alone with her.

He must have made a noise, because she stopped in the process of pulling a pot of boiling water off the stove. She jumped, and splashed the water all over her.

He didn't even think. His emergency training kicked in and he was by her side in a second, ripping her shirt over her head.

"What the…" It was mumbled, but he didn't listen as he stared at her bared torso. It was a little red, but didn't look burned.

"In the shower. Now."

"Wha?" She struggled to get the shirt off her head as he picked her up and carried her to the first floor bathroom, depositing her in the shower and turning it on cold, full strength.

"What the hell?" Sophie managed to get out as the water began to cascade down her body. "Dale! What the hell are you doing?"

"God dammit, woman. You just spilled boiling water down the front of you. You have to stop the heat before you burn."

"No I didn't."

"I just saw you do it, and dammit it was my fault!"

"Dale, stop it. It wasn't boiling. It was barely warm."

"But-." Dale stopped. He took a good look at her stomach, it wasn't red after all. It looked unharmed. But once he started looking he couldn't stop. Sophie never wore a two piece bathing suit or anything that was in the least bit revealing. This was the first chance he'd had since they had turned twelve to see more of her than her usual uniform of jeans and t-shirt revealed.

Her chest was heaving as she breathed fast under the cold water, nipples perked to attention. They were perfect, too, just as he'd imagined them. His hands went of their own volition to the front closure and snapped it open before he could stop them.

"Dale?"

Her voice came from far away. His mind registered it, but barely. He was too caught up in what he was seeing as her breasts hung free of their restraint and he cupped them in his hands with a groan.

"Do you know how long I have wanted to do this?" His voice was husky, thick with need and desire. He knew she was going to slap him across the face any second, but this instant would be worth it.

"No. How long?"

"Since high school. When you started dating Kenny Herndon."

"But that was junior year."

"Yeah. That's when I realized you weren't a tomboy any more. That you were more than just little Sophie."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

He looked up. "How could I? We had all been best friends for years. When Kenny broke up with you, you were devastated."

"I never let him do this to me." She smiled at him as she nodded down to his hands.

"That's why he broke up with you."

"Yeah, I know."

His hands had been massaging her as they talked, reveling in the feel of her skin against his. He moved his thumb across her nipples, and they perked up even more. The sound of her sharp intake of breath had his eyes flying to her face. Her lids were closed partway, and her lips open as she breathed in quickly.

He did it again, and once again she inhaled sharply. Her eyes opened and met his. "Why haven't you slapped me yet?"

"Do you want me to?"

"No."

"What do you want, Dale?"

"I want you, Sophie."

"Here in a cold shower?"

Suddenly Dale remembered where they were. They were both soaked to the bone, and her skin was starting to turn blue.

"Oh shit." He released her and quickly turned the water temperature up to warm them both before they froze.

"Dale?"

He didn't answer her, didn't look at her. He couldn't. He knew his erection was obvious through his wet jeans, and what he had done was unforgivable.

"I'm sorry, Sophie."

"Look at me, Dale."

"No. I'm sorry. I never should have touched you like that. Never should have said that."

"Dammit, Dale, look at me."

She had taken her bra off completely and stood there, hands on her hips, torso bared to his gaze, not covering up like he had expected. Her eyes met his with a challenge in them.

"Dale, what did you mean when you said you wanted me?"

Dale swallowed. Hard. "Nothing. Never mind. I'll leave now."

"Dale. Answer me."

Suddenly he felt like one of her students caught doing something he shouldn't be doing. Her demeanor changed completely, and he didn't know how she did it. Soaking wet and half naked, she should be angry and spitting bullets. Instead, she was commanding and determined. And incredibly arousing.

Well, it was past time. It was now or never. He had spent too much of his life pining after the one woman who didn't want him. He might as well make his embarrassment complete.

"I want you, Sophia. I have wanted you for years. It doesn't matter who I am with, or where I am, it's you I am always thinking of." He reached out for her breasts once more before pulling his hands back. "It is these breasts I want to feel in my hands. These I want to taste."

"Then taste them."

His eyes once again shot up to her face. She was smiling, but not laughing at him, her look was encouraging.

"Please, Dale." She stepped closer to him and held her breasts up to him. "I want you to touch me. I need it. Please touch me, make love to me."

Dale was unsure what to do for all of a half second. He didn't care why she was saying what he had waited to hear for the last fifteen years. She was saying it. And he would be damned if he didn't take advantage of it.

With a groan he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him. She was so soft and feminine. Everything he had ever dreamed about, and all he wanted in the world.

Despite his urgency, the need for him to take her and claim her as his, Dale's mouth touched hers gently, his lips stroking in a soft caress before locking against her tightly.

She met him eagerly, warm and wet and open for him. He reveled in the feel of her body against his, her lips locked with his as his tongue delved into her mouth to taste the woman he loved.

She tasted like he'd imagined her. Soft and sweet with a hint of spice and mischief that sent his blood boiling. The water ran down his face, steam rolling off his heated skin.

Sophie pulled away. "Not here, please. Bedroom," she gasped.

Quickly, Dale shut off the water and reached for her once again but she danced back out of his reach, climbing out of the tub and laughing lightly.

"We're soaked, Dale." She pointed out as she reached for the button on her jeans.

Dale was hot and hard enough that he didn't care. But she was right. They'd just drip water all through the tile hallway into her bedroom. Faster than he could think, he divested himself of his wet clothing, grabbed a towel, and swooped her up in his arms again before carrying her into her room.

"Put me down, dummy!" She laughed at him, but he ignored her, instead, kissing her deeply until her arms went around his neck and she kissed him back.

Somehow he managed to keep moving and got them to her room where he stood her on her feet. Immediately he wrapped her in the towel and started rubbing her dry.

"You gave me a scare, woman. What the hell were you doing heating up water if you didn't let it boil?" He did his best to ignore her breasts staring him in the face as he bent down to dry her waist and then her legs. The urge to pull her to him and bury his face in her pussy was almost overwhelming, but he had just enough control to stop himself.

If this was the only chance he was going to get to make love to her, he was damned well going to make it last.

"It already boiled. It was the bottom of a double boiler and had cooled off while I made the torte."

That was enough to stop him for a few seconds. She'd made her infamous chocolate torte?

"Yes, you hound, I made chocolate torte." Her voice softened and she placed a hand on his cheek. "And yes, I made it for you."

He knew it was absurd, but his heart grew even more at the thought. She'd spent hours in the kitchen on a hot summer day for him. Even if he'd tried, he couldn't have stopped the self satisfied smile that spread across his face as he stood up.

"You'd think you're more excited about that than this." She gestured to the fact they were both standing there naked as they day they'd been born.

"Oh, no, Sophie. Nothing in the world is more important than this moment right now."

His hand went out to cup her face, much has she had his moments before. "Are you sure about this, Sophie? Do you really want this?"

"Dale, I've wanted you for years. I am not gonna turn down the one chance I have to get you in the sack. Now either shut up and fuck me, or leave my bedroom and let me pretend this was all a dream."

Dale's mouth opened in surprise. She'd wanted this for years? How could he not have known? Why hadn't she made a move on him? Why hadn't she done something to let him know?

The same reason you didn't, you idiot. You were too scared.

Dale shut his mouth and grabbed his woman and kissed her again before pushing her back on the bed and straddling her. "You and I need to talk." He couldn't make love to her letting her believe it would be a one time thing. Even though minutes before he'd been willing to take any little bit she would give him, he didn't think he'd be able to handle it if that's all it was to her.

"God dammit, Dale!"

He put his hand on her mouth and stopped her in mid tirade. He'd known her long enough to know if he didn't do it now, he'd never get a word in edgewise.

"For once in your life, you will listen to me if I have to hold the threat of withholding your orgasm over you."

Her eyes widened in surprise and some other emotion he couldn't quite read. Whatever it was was fine by him. As long as she listened to him.

"Sophie Johnson, I love you. I love you more than life itself and I have for as long as I can remember. I've wanted to make love you since I knew the difference between fucking and loving, and how empty they both can be without the right person.

"If we do this right now it will be for good. It won't be a one night fling with an old friend. It'll be the beginning of our relationship as it's supposed to be."

"Are you asking me to marry you, Dale?" Her eyes twinkled with laughter now.

"Yes. Yes, I am. Sophie, I will never let you go after tonight. Will you marry me?"

"Yes."

The word was such a soft whisper he wasn't sure if he heard it at first, but she repeated it again and again as tears ran down her face and she reached out for him.

"This wasn't how I intended to ask you." He laughed as he kissed her repeatedly.

"What were you planning?"

"I figured maybe in the next twenty years I'd get up the courage to finally ask you for a date and by the time we both were eighty, maybe I'd pop the question."

"Are you sorry?"

"Hell, no. Nothing could make me happier."

Sophie thrust her hips against his. "Nothing?"

"Well now that you bring it up."

Sophie raised an eyebrow. "I think it's been up since the shower, buddy."

Dale smiled and bent down to once again take her lips with his. He had no doubt that this was the path his life was meant to take, and that their love was meant to last. Hell, it had survived fifteen years of stupidity on both their parts. He could imagine what it would be like if they worked on it.

"You know, I've always dreamed of having my very own fireman."

"You've got him, babe. Now and forever."

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