Dan hesitates, and Dawn falls asleep. But the fun doesn't stop.

I tentatively massaged Dawn's mound. It was the first time I had ever done so to a girl. Yup, I was a virgin. There, I said it.

Dawn began to to react to my massage. Her body flexing as my fingers were obviously touching the right spot. It wasn't just Dawn who was enjoying this as both my mind and heart were racing.

But then Dawn pushed my hand away. I wanted to scream, ‘no’ but just shrugged my shoulders in silent protest. I have never been able to say no to Dawn.

She was my everything.

Dawn smiled as she climbed on-top of me, meeting my lips with hers. We tasted each other. Our tongues probing and dabbing in a timeless dance. I would love to say she tasted sweet but all I could taste was butter from the toast - not romantic but it at least it was real.

She then broke from the kiss and climbed down. Laying backwards, Dawn rested her head on my lap as I sat upright on the couch. Her legs were open and my hand ran up her thigh and began to grope her womanhood once more.

But the cold reality hit home. I was abusing my position. Abusing my best friend. Apart from my closest family, Dawn was the most important person in my life. I'm surely risking the closeness I enjoyed with Dawn. If I was to do this, I had to do it properly. "I love you, Dawn."

"No need to get so heavy. Let's have some fun... and stop bloody worrying all the time."

For most men that would be a green light. But I continued to be the hesitant twat I loathed. "It would be more than just fun for me. It would be love."

"So sweet. You know, Dan? If I ever wanted to marry, I would choose a man like you."

The word, like, killed me. "Like me? Why not just me? Me!"

"I don't want to marry, Dan. Not for a least ten years. Even then, I'm not so sure. I like my independence."

My heart sank. A decade of waiting. Ten years of watching my love flirt with other men. In the twelve months I've known her, she's slept with at least two, maybe three men. Knowing that she sleeps around. I just couldn't do it. So I told her ruefully. "I don't know if I can wait that long."

"You don't have to. We can be together tonight."

"But..." With a heart filled with , I pulled my hand free from Dawn's grasp. "I need commitment. Sorry."

"Jesus, Dan." Dawn climbed from the couch. "Sometimes all a girl needs is fun. Tonight, all I wanted was to get laid."

"Dawn! That's it, you're drunk."

"Shut up, Dan. You know what? Despite what you might have thought in the club, earlier. I wanted it to be you, because... wait for it... I wanted to see if you were right? That, what I was interpreting as friendship was actually love. Love for you. "

My heart began to bleed. The pain of yet, another lost opportunity. From a position of strength I had lost control. I stood from the couch and reached for an incensed Dawn. "I'm sorry. OK? Come on... let's see if we can still work it out."

"No. It's not to be. We lack chemistry. Sorry. We're friends. That's all. Its clearer now than ever before."

I stared at the TV, not that I had any idea what I was watching. I was just in a mind of my own. Slumped on the couch I wanted to cry, but somehow battled back the tears. Dawn, now sat on the opposite couch, typed away on her mobile which kept vibrating with incoming messages. I wanted to ask who she was messaging but didn't have the courage.

Eventually, Dawn put her phone down on the dark blue carpet and curled up on the couch.

Within minutes she was snoring like a battle-hardened trooper.

Her snores as much as the heartache kept me awake. In moments like this, a wank usually helps knock me out for the night. So I climbed off the couch and left the room.

Upstairs, I crept into her loft conversion bedroom. The air was cold and still. The house was empty so as long as I kept things quiet I didn't fear being caught.

Her property was mine for the night.

Dear reader: Feel free to contribute. Always looking for new writers with their own ideas and branches.