This has been good so far. I almost feel like giving myself a little pat on the back.

We moved the balloons away from the TV and have been watching a movie while eating cake and drinking beer. It's all very relaxing but Faith has that effect on me. Being around her is relaxing since she's so laid back now.

After we were done with the cake we kept a distance between each other on the bed but that was over an hour ago. I've slowly been inching toward Faith until we got to our present position: pressed against each other with her arm around me and my head on her shoulder. The movie was her choice which means it's a scary one so I think my position is justified. I'm the one jumping and hugging her tighter 'cause I'm scared.

It's not like it's a sign we want something more or anything.

"So we can make this a thing."

That's the first thing she's said in awhile so I turn my head to look at her. "What?"

"You know," she starts and she seems a little nervous, "hanging out just the two of us without the rest of the gang . . . and not patrolling."

I almost wanna keep looking at her but I'm kind of nervous about what she just said and I have a feeling she is, too, so I don't. It's almost like she didn't want to say it because she didn't know how I would respond. I'm trying not to think about that though. It's better to concentrate on how close she's holding me to her.

"I'm not gonna complain if that happens."

"That's cool."

We don't say anything else, concentrating on the movie instead. I honestly can't think of anything to say because right now all I want is to feel good and Faith is definitely making me feel that. There isn't a way to describe what I feel beyond that. It involves too much thinking.

"So is me getting to finally see you naked part of this birthday celebration?"

I don't answer her right away and when I don't she quickly moves our bodies so I'm on my back and she's straddling my waist. Faith looks down at me with a smile and I can't help but give one back. She looks really hot right now with her hair hanging down around her face.

"You drive me nuts, you know?" She leans in so our faces are only inches apart. "The fact that we fool around but we're always interrupted or there's not enough time really sucks."

The fact that she's so close is driving me nuts and I pull her down to me, pressing her lips against my own. I can feel her smile against me before simply concentrating on kissing me which is exactly what she should be doing. She's also moving her hand down my side which feels pretty damn good . . . until she starts tickling me.

"Faith! Stop it!"

She laughs along with me as we roll around on the bed and I try to get her to stop. I'm not sure how long she keeps going but soon her hands on just on me as we concentrate on the kissing again. It becomes passionate quickly and I'm getting more and more turned on.

We can't do anything like this at the house because everyone would try to figure out what we were doing or give us advice or try to dissuade whatever we're doing from even happening. That's not what I want at all. It would completely mess up the fun we're having. We only go so far outside because it feels weird so every time Faith tries to get my clothes off when patrol is slow so I'm just not having it.

"We gonna keep going this time?"

She stops us from moving around on the bed, instead keeping me semi-trapped underneath her as she places light kisses on my lips. The look she has on her face is a mixture of determination, desire and a little bit of fear. I know she's afraid of us not taking the last step, the only step we really have left.

"Is there anything or anyone around to stop us?"

Faith looks into my eyes for a few seconds before practically jumping off me. It's almost a little shocking because it feels a little like rejection but then I'm being pulled up with her. Before I can even ask what she's planning my shirt is off and her hands are on me.

"I don't know how slow I can go 'cause I want you so bad right now," she says.

I hold her face in my hands so she'll look into my eyes. "I think we can manage."

The way she smiles isn't something I can put into words. It's sweet, sexy and romantic all rolled into one. We lean in and meet halfway as we kiss softly, not moving away from each other for a few minutes. It's only when I finally need to break away to catch my breath that we stop and then Faith starts to kiss down my neck and her hands go right to the clasp of my bra.

I'm gonna be naked long before she takes anything off.

"Faith, you've gotta start taking some clothes off."

She whips her shirt off at that remark, revealing a lacy black bra underneath. Faith doesn't stop there either, unbuttoning her jeans and pulling them down, kicking them off to the corner of the room. This is the least amount of clothes I've ever seen her in, bra and panties, and I can't take my eyes off her.

Faith really is beautiful.

We start kissing again and Faith's hands move down to the button of my jeans instead of trying to get my bra off like before. I concentrate on moving my hands over her smooth back, feeling the muscles under her skin, while she starts to ease my jeans over my hips. I help by wiggling out of them while we continue to focus on each other.

When we break away again I can tell Faith wants to pick up the pace but I'm not ready to do that just yet. Instead, I decide to distract her with gentle touches as I move my hands over her body. As my hands move I can hear her breath hitch in her throat and when I place a hand over her heart I can feel it beating like crazy. I can't believe I'm the reason for that.

Of course, while Faith has gotten a little more patient since we've gotten to know each other, it doesn't mean she's gonna stand around and let my fingers explore. After a couple minutes her arms are around me again and she kisses me softly.

"I don't know about you but I really don't wanna just stand here all night," she says as she takes my hand.

We climb back on the bed and Faith is almost instantly on top of me. She looks down on me and when our eyes meet I see so much more than just want and I have to say, I like what I see. Once we finally have sex, I don't want it to be a onetime thing and I don't want things to get weird. That's not what I'm seeing right now.

She places a hand against my cheek and smiles. "You're so fucking hot I can barely stand it."

And she has a way with words. "You know just what to say, Faith." I smirk. "You're not so bad yourself."

Faith leans down and we kiss softly, almost gently. It's a little different from the normal making out and groping we do but this time we know we're not stopping. I wrap my arms around her and make it so we're touching almost everywhere. It makes it very obvious that we still have some clothes on.

Since she's the one on top of me I take the opportunity to get my hands on her back and unclasp her bra. She chuckles a little against my lips as it falls away from her body. Faith moves away at that and sits up, straddling my waist, so she can take it completely off.

The sight of Faith topless, especially with how she's leaning over me slightly, is making my mouth water. She knows it, too, and quickly pulls me up into a sitting position. Her lips are on mine and we kiss deeply as she gets rid of my bra, tossing it to the side. Then I feel her hands moving over me.

Without breaking away, she lowers us back down onto the bed but then she does and looks into my eyes. I want to ask her what she's thinking but I don't wanna be that girl. You know, the one that wants the huge declaration before any sex is had. That's not what we're here for tonight and I can see everything I need to in her eyes anyway.

She grins and winks at me before lowering her head and beginning to place kisses down my neck to my collarbone. I guess her fear of not being about to go slow enough isn't a factor right now since she's seems to be taking her time. Her hands and lips are moving all over me and I can't stop the quiet moans that are escaping.

It's a good thing we're not back at the house.

Once she reaches my breasts my moans get a little louder. Faith takes special attention to each nipple and my hands end up in her hair while she's busy sucking on them. She really seems to know what she's doing.

Faith moves lower and then her hands are on my panties, pulling them down. It's then that I realize my eyes were closed because then I open them I see Faith grinning as she removes my panties. Then she looks back at me and her eyes are completely black.

"All I can think is 'wow'," she says quietly and I wonder if she even meant to say that out loud.

When I really look into her eyes I suddenly really need her. Like, now. "Faith, get naked and get up here."

Those panties are off before I can blink and then she slides up my body, causing both of us to moan out loudly. She feels amazing against me and I haven't even gotten to explore her body at all but I wanted to let her be the one in control for a little while.

It is her birthday and all. Kind of.

"I think about this every night when we have to go our separate ways," Faith says in between kisses. She's starting to move against me and I can feel her hand begin to move down my body. "Don't you?"

"Yeah," I admit. When we're making out and then get home and have to go to bed alone is not something I like at all.

For someone who wasn't sure that she could slow down, Faith isn't exactly going fast now. Instead, her hand is inching over my skin like she's trying to memorize the feeling. I know that's what I'm trying to do. I'm not sure the next time we'll be able to get away from everyone again. Tonight I told everyone we were going out clubbing. It wouldn't be a stretch for us not to come back until morning.

What happened for the next few hours is both a blur and burned into my brain. We explored each other every way we could and enjoyed every second of it. First we went slow than quickly moved to fast like Faith had said would happen then moved back to slow. Hands and lips moved everywhere and Faith discovered sensitive spots I didn't even know I had. Then again, maybe it was Faith. All I know is that I've never moaned that loud when someone's kissed my wrists before.

We both came repeatedly until we just couldn't anymore and then fell asleep all wrapped up in each other. I couldn't sleep much though. I couldn't have been asleep for more than an hour and now I'm awake, watching Faith sleep as I enjoy the feeling of her arms wrapped around me.

I can still taste her on my lips, too.

This isn't the first time I've seen Faith sleeping before but I've never seen her look so peaceful. She looks so relaxed but maybe that's because we've finally gotten some release.

And what a release it was. Faith has the most masterful hands of anyone I've ever been with.

I move a little and Faith moves against me as a response. I can hear that her breathing has changed slightly and I have a feeling that she's starting to wake up, too.

"You need to go back to sleep," she mumbles. "I can't with you moving around and I'm not ready to go another round yet."

I can't believe she just admitted that. "Did I tire you out, Faithy? What happened to all your claims of slayer stamina?"

She opens her eyes then and tightens her hold on me. "I know you're just as tired as me."

That's true but I kind of liked just watching her sleep. "Yeah, but I was basking. Don't you ever bask?"

"Nah, I get off and get out for the most part," Faith says. "I do like this though . . . you know, using you as a pillow. Comfortable and I can grope you in my sleep and it's all okay."

"So this was . . . fun."

Faith immediately completely turns to me and grins. "It was more than that, B." She leans in and kisses me. "We're definitely making this a thing."

The thoughts about dating and being a couple start to enter my head but I try to push those away for now. I want a few more nights like this before entering that territory. "We're gonna have to find some good excuses to do that."

"We'll think of some."

We start kissing again but it's more gentle and soft than anything. I'm just as tired as Faith so I don't have the energy to start anything yet.

Faith breaks away after a few seconds. "So you think we can get some room service in a few hours?"

"I think we can arrange that."

"And have a little naked fun in the shower before we leave?"

"Yeah," I agree as I smile. She is so cute right now.

She pulls me as close as she can and while I want to make fun of her that she's basically admitted she likes to cuddle, I keep my mouth closed. I don't want her to let me go. "We should get a little more sleep then."

I can only nod as she gives me a light kiss and then relaxes against me again. I close my eyes when she does and sleep comes quickly, along with those couple-y thoughts.

I don't think those are going away any time soon.