RP: A Practice Date is Better Than None

[shh_megan]

Date: December 31, 2004.
Characters: Ernie MacMillan, Megan Jones
Location: Her flat, then Roma's, then back.
Status: Private
Summary: Ernie changes his mind about cancelling the "date", and a good time is had by all.
Completion: Complete.

Comments

[shh_ernie]

Ernie withdrew his wand from his jacket. He'd come close to kissing Meg again while they were dancing, but the middle of the dance floor was no place for that.

After ensuring that she was holding onto him, he concentrated on their location. A moment later, they were at the top of the hill and he was a bit disoriented. Once he'd righted himself, he looked at her.

"C'mon," he said with a grin, taking her by the hand and leading her to the spot he'd found about a month ago. All of Stoatshead lay below them, lights twinkling in the buildings that were occupied and glinting off the river as it split the town in two.

"I...I haven't shown anyone else this." Hopefully, she wouldn't think it was stupid.

[shh_megan]

Megan had to watch her step in the starlight to avoid turning an ankle on the rough ground, so when Ernie came to a stop and she was able to look up, the view caught her entirely by surprise.

"Oh..." she breathed. "It's beautiful."

She took another step forward, taking Ernie's hand with her, and gazed out on the town. The moon was almost full, and there was enough light falling on the scattered buildings that the scene had a silvery tint to it.

But Meg had always been nervous around full moons, and she shivered a bit in the cool night air, giving Ernie's hand an almost imperceptible squeeze.

[shh_ernie]

Ernie was unable to help the smile that crossed his face at her words. He'd been right to show this to Meg. He watched her as she took a step forward; she really was beautiful. And not just in an outward way, she was a good person, a fun person, a warm person.

Except she was shivering. That wouldn't do at all. Ernie let go of her hand, moving behind her. He wasn't going to chicken out. Not again, he decided, as he slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her back against him.

"Better?" he whispered in her ear.

[shh_megan]

Ernie was warm, and solid, and Megan no longer wondered if this was a dream. His breath tickled her ear and she leaned into him, covering his arms with her own. Oh, this was nice.

"Much better," she said, snuggling closer. Her dress wasn't designed to be worn out in this sort of weather, and the wrap was almost more decorative than functional - Apparating usually didn't mean a lot of time outside - but having Ernie's arms wrapped around her made up for any cold she was feeling.

Slowly, she leaned her head back until it was resting on his shoulder. From there it was inevitable that she would turn slightly, trying to breathe in more of him, and if their lips were only inches apart, well, that was a pleasant side effect, wasn't it?

[shh_ernie]

"There's your building over..." he broke off suddenly when she turned her head slightly. Giving into the urge he'd been fighting since he walked into her flat, Ernie kissed her.

It wasn't the gentle brushing of lips that their first kiss was, or the flat out snog of their second one, but somewhere in between. Soft enough not to pressure her too badly, but firm enough to make his thoughts about her clear. At least that's what Ernie thought. Until he stopped thinking altogether.

His hands pulled on her waist a bit, wanting her to face him, wanting her against him, as he ran his tongue across the seam of her mouth.

[shh_megan]

Megan turned in his hands, stretching her arms up around his neck. This, this was what she had missed since last week. Her bag dropped to the ground as she tangled her fingers in his hair, pulling him down for more. When she felt his tongue touch her lips, it sent a thrill of excitement through her entire body, and her lips parted with a soft moan.

She slid even closer against him, pressing her body along his. It had been so long since she'd been held like this, kissed like this, and she wanted more.

[shh_ernie]

One arm tightened around her waist, pulling her flush against him, while the other slid up her back, under her wrap, seeking out bare skin. He found gooseflesh and, for a brief instant, wondered if she were cold. But the way she was kissing him made him forget that. Needing to breathe, he trailed his lips across her cheek to her ear, tracing the outer shell with his tongue.

"Meg..." he breathed out. "Your place?" He needed to be somewhere where he could get this damnable jacket off as well as her wrap so they could be closer.

[shh_megan]

A bit breathless, Meg just nodded. Maybe handholding wasn't too suggestive for Ernie after all. She pulled away to collect her bag and draw her wand so she could Apparate them directly into the flat. Her head swam a little at apparating so soon after they'd made the jump up to the hill, but she forgot all about that when she saw the desire on Ernie's face.

She ran her hands down his chest and under his jacket, dropping her wrap and handbag to the floor. "Ernie," she murmured before pressing her lips against his neck. "Oh, God."

The bed seemed so far, but they were only a few steps from the couch, so Megan pushed him gently in that direction, wanting to get closer and more comfortable.

[shh_ernie]

Ernie shrugged his jacket off. Meg found that spot, the one below his ear and he groaned. Without quite knowing how, he found himself stretched out on Meg's couch with her draped on top of him. Not that he was complaining. Not when everything seemed to line up so nicely. Not when her leg slid in between his. Not when she was making those noises.

All of their hands seemed to be everywhere at once. It reminded him a bit of being a teenager, the eagerness, the frantic need. However, they were adults now and that had certain advantages. One of his hands came to rest on her bum while the other one pushed back her hair, cupping her face.

He kissed her harder this time, tongue probing.

[shh_megan]

Megan had never been particularly quiet when she was excited, and the way Ernie was touching her, kissing her, was very exciting. The gentleness of his hand on her face was the perfect contrast to the heat of his mouth on hers. She slid her hands around to where his shirt was tucked, and gave it a sharp yank. As her hand touched his stomach, though, she reminded herself that this was Ernie, and he'd only just lost his virginity a few weeks ago.

She pulled away a bit, needing to see his face, but she couldn't help but shift her hips against him as she did. Her body wanted more - she just had to make sure it was all right with Ernie.

"You okay?" she whispered, sliding her hands further underneath his shirt.

[shh_ernie]

Ernie blinked. He was more than okay. He had a beautiful woman kissing the hell out of him while they were tangled together on her couch. She was rocking her hips against his and her hands were up underneath his shirt.

Then he had a brief moment of panic. Her hands were beneath his shirt. The scar. Megan knew he had a scar; she'd come to visit him during his hospitalization at St. Mungo's. However, she'd never actually seen it. If it bothered her, she'd say something, he reckoned.

His own hands had moved up to toy with the straps on Meg's dress and he slowly slid the rightmost one down her shoulder. His mouth moved to her neck and shoulder, kissing and nipping at the skin there.

[shh_megan]

Seemed like everything was fine. Better than fine, when Ernie moved her dress aside and began to kiss her bare shoulder. Megan arched her neck, biting her lip to keep from moaning too loudly, and then began to work on the fastenings of his trousers. Her legs tightened almost imperctibly around his thigh, but it wasn't even close to the kind of friction she wanted.

"Ernie," she said, a little more urgently than before. "I want to feel your hands on me... please..." She slipped one hand down, underneath the waistband of his pants, wrapping her fingers around his erection.

[shh_ernie]

'Why is she trying to hide those noises?' he wondered. Couldn't she tell that they were making him even harder? Although not quite as hard as when she slid her hand into his trousers. He bucked his hips against her.

You need to stop this.

He tried to ignore the little voice.

Ernest, you've got to put a stop to this.

Instead he moved his hand to her breast, cupping it and squeezing gently. He loved the red dress but now it was just beginning to get in the way.

Do you want Meg to avoid you for three weeks?

His eyes popped open. Fuck. He really, really, really hated the little voice. Especially when it was right.

"Meg. Meg," he said quietly. "Meg, we need...we need to stop." He couldn't believe that he was saying this. He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to control his breathing, as his hand tugged the strap of the dress back onto her shoulder.

[shh_megan]

It took a few seconds for Ernie's words to sink in, and a few more seconds for Megan to argue with herself about whether or not she should ignore what he was saying. Finally, though, she managed to still the movement of her hands. But her position on top of Ernie was too comfortable to move away until she was sure he meant what she thought he meant.

"Are you... are you sure?" she managed at last. "I'm... I'm okay with this, I mean..."

She shifted a little, her fingers squeezing around him for a second, but her mind was clearing even further, and there was no doubt about what he was saying. She was moving too fast for him - too fast period - God, she'd practically thrown herself at him, pushing him down on the couch!

"Sorry," she whispered, mortified, and began to extricate her hands and move off of him.

[shh_ernie]

Ernie sat up as best he could. Meg was moving away from him. Oh, bloody hell. Did she think he didn't want this?

"Meg," he said, grabbing her hands before she got too far away and pulling her to sit beside him on the couch. "Don't...don't be sorry. Surely you could tell that I want this." He smiled a bit. "You did have your hand down my trousers." The smile faded and Ernie swallowed hard. "What I don't want is for you to wake up tomorrow morning and...well, avoid me for the next three weeks. I couldn't bear that."

His eyes raked over her. She was mussed and flushed and really quite shaggable. He shook his head. Those were not thoughts that were helping the situation.

[shh_megan]

Megan shook her head earnestly. "I'm not like that, Ernie. I wouldn't..." She sighed a little and ran her hand through her hair. What was she trying to do, talk him into it?

Well... she did want him to stay. Tentatively, she put her hand on his knee, unwilling to give up all contact just yet. "I'm not usually... I mean, this isn't how I would normally act... on a first date. But you..."

Something tightened in her chest. There just was no good way to explain what she was feeling. It was a bizarre situation they were in, but did that mean they should skip straight to the sex because they could? Because it would be nice?

Am I seriously contemplating having sex with Ernie McMillan?

Megan raised her eyes to Ernie's face. She'd been friends with him for so long, but tonight she was seeing him as if through new eyes. There was no doubt he was someone she was willing to share her bed with. But... not if it meant messing up their friendship.

"Sorry," she said again, softly. "I didn't expect to... to want you this much."