Soul Mates: New Beginnings by Ravenhawk

Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Joss Whedon. Neither I nor the website on which this story appears receive any compensation for this work.
Distribution: The Mystic Muse: http://mysticmuse.net
Anywhere, just ask.
Feedback: Yes please.
Spoilers: AU in season 5.
Grouping: Willow/Tara/Xander

Summary: Willow and Tara decide to invite someone else into their relationship.

Willow finished the last bite of her rice and pushed the bowl away from her. She sat back a little in her chair and looked across the table at her girlfriend, who was just eating the last of her lunch as well.

"You're welcome," Tara replied. She only briefly returned her smile before lowering her eyes and quickly gathering up the dishes. Willow watched, frowning slightly, as she turned and carried them into the kitchen of their apartment.

Something was wrong. Tara had been acting strangely all morning. Willow had no idea what the problem was, but she was starting to get worried.

Deciding that she couldn't let this go on any longer without saying something, Willow stood up from the table and stepped into their living room. She took a seat on the sofa and waited. A moment later, Tara emerged from the kitchen and Willow spoke up.

"Tara, honey," she called out, "come here." She gestured to the space next to her on the sofa. After a moment's hesitation, Tara crossed over and sat down next to her.

Willow studied her girlfriend for a moment. Her posture was tense and she wouldn't look her in the eye. What could possibly have made her so uncomfortable?

"You've been acting strange all morning. Ever since we got up," said Willow. "All through our classes this morning, you've been…preoccupied with something. What's the matter?"

Tara looked down at her hands, folded in her lap. Her brow creased and, if anything, she seemed more tense than before. It was a long time before she finally spoke.

"Tara," she said earnestly, reaching out and taking her girlfriend's hands, "you know you can tell me anything." She hoped she would talk about what was bothering her. In the nearly a year they'd been together, Tara hadn't kept anything important from her – well, except for that whole thing about thinking she was a demon, but that really was understandable.

When Tara spoke, her voice was barely above a whisper, and she didn't meet Willow's eyes. "Last night, I had a…dream. It was…intense. Erotic."

"Oh." Willow was momentarily surprised, then relieved. The way Tara was acting, she thought it'd be something much worse. "Well, there's nothing wrong with that," she reassured her. "I mean, it happens sometimes."

Then a thought stuck her. "Was it about someone we know? Was it…was it Buffy?" Willow could understand why Tara might feel a little awkward about that, even though it was totally understandable – Buffy was very attractive. She'd certainly entertained a fantasy or two about the blonde Slayer herself.

"No, it wasn't Buffy," said Tara. "I'll…I'll tell you who it was about, but you have to promise you won't get upset."

Tara looked her in the eye, and Willow could see the nervousness she was feeling. She paused for a moment, and when she finally spoke, her voice was barely above a whisper.

Willow was momentarily shocked into speechlessness. "What? Xander?" she finally exclaimed when she'd gotten her voice back.

Tara's face fell, and she turned away quickly. "I knew you'd be upset," she said quietly.

"No! No, Tara, I'm not upset," Willow babbled hurriedly. "Please don't think that. I'm just surprised, is all. I mean, I…I didn't think…I just didn't think, you know, you were attracted to guys." It was true – they'd had several conversations about people they found attractive, and Tara had never mentioned any guys before.

"But I'm absolutely not upset with you," Willow finally finished, reaching out and laying a hand on Tara's shoulder. When her girlfriend turned around to face her, Willow gave her what she hoped was a reassuring smile.

After studying her face for a moment, Tara tentatively returned her smile. Willow could tell that she was still nervous, though, so she leaned forward and pulled her into a hug. A moment later, she felt her girlfriend relax in her arms, and she inwardly sighed with relief. She really didn't want her to feel guilty about this – it wasn't like she'd done anything wrong, after all.

Willow pulled away and looked Tara in the eye again. "So, are you okay?" she asked. "I mean, you seemed really uncomfortable all morning."

"I'm fine," Tara replied. "I was just worried about…what you would think. But the dream…Well, it was really nice, actually," she finished, blushing slightly.

Willow's curiosity was piqued, but she didn't say anything. She didn't want to seem like she was prying into something so personal.

"The dream…You were in it too," her girlfriend said quickly, her blush deepening.

"I was?" she squeaked. At Tara's answering nod, she continued, "You mean…me, and you, and Xander…?" Tara nodded again, looking down in embarrassment once more.

"Okay, baby, you have to tell me about this dream," Willow said emphatically. So much for not prying. But there was no way that Tara could tell her something like that and not give her the details.

"So what…" she began, but trailed off when she happened to glance at the clock on their living room wall. She'd lost track of time during their conversation and their afternoon classes were scheduled to start in just a few minutes.

Tara glanced at it herself. "You're right," she agreed, standing up from the couch as Willow did and heading over to the door. Willow followed close behind, picking up her jacket and her backpack.

As Tara was reaching for the door, Willow laid a hand gently on her arm. "We'll talk about this later, okay?" she said.

"And Tara, honey?" she continued. "Remember, no matter what, I'll always love you."

Her girlfriend smiled, and the beauty of it was still enough to make Willow's heart race. "I love you too," she breathed, before leaning in and giving her a quick kiss.

They exited together and hurried outside. Fortunately, the UC Sunnydale campus was very close by – which was one of the main reasons they'd chosen this apartment – and they were just barely able to make their class on time. They found seats just as the professor was getting started, and Willow settled in and prepared to take notes.

But she soon found that she couldn't concentrate. The images that her conversation with Tara had conjured up haunted her for the entire afternoon.

Xander stood up from his chair and stretched. "Well, it's late and I'd better get going," he declared. "Thanks for having me over. It was fun," he finished with a smile.

Willow also rose from where she'd been seated next to Tara on the couch. "Xander, you come over almost every day, you don't have to keep thanking us," she replied, answering his smile with one of her own.

It was true. When they didn't have to meet at the Magic Box for Scooby business, which was thankfully rare these days, Xander would usually come by their apartment after he got done with work. Sometimes he'd bring dinner, other times Tara would cook, and after they'd eaten, they'd watch TV or movies together or just talk.

It had started a few months earlier, after Anya left. She and Xander had had a brief relationship, but things hadn't worked out between him and the ex-demon. After Willow had found out, she'd suggested to Tara that they should try to spend some time with him. The truth was, she'd felt a little guilty about how they'd drifted apart after high school, and she hated the thought of him spending his evenings moping and feeling lonely.

Tara had agreed, and Willow had been pleasantly surprised at how well things had gone. Not only had she and Xander rediscovered their close friendship that she'd missed so much, but Tara had warmed to him very quickly. The three of them had gotten along so well that what had started as something designed to take Xander's mind off his breakup with Anya had turned into a pleasant routine for all of them.

"Well, you know I don't want to overstay my welcome," Xander chuckled, bringing Willow out of her reminiscing.

"Don't worry about that," Tara said quickly and sincerely. She stood and glanced at Willow before turning to smile at Xander. "We like having you around."

As Willow nodded in agreement, Xander's grin broadened. "Well thanks," he said happily.

They walked to the door together and said their goodbyes, Xander giving each of them a quick hug. As she always did, Willow warned him to be careful – vampires hadn't been too much of a problem lately, but even so, nighttime in Sunnydale was still dangerous – and closed and locked the door behind him. Tara stepped into the bedroom, and Willow turned out the lights and followed after her.

They took turns getting ready for bed. Willow went first, and while Tara was brushing her teeth, she undressed and got into bed, propping herself up on one arm and waiting for her girlfriend to join her.

Soon after, Tara stepped out of the bathroom and smiled when she saw Willow waiting for her. Willow watched her as she stripped, her gaze lingering on her nude form. Her girlfriend's beauty still made her heart race, and she couldn't suppress a small shiver of excitement as Tara slipped into bed with her.

Willow rolled over onto her side as Tara turned to face her. She scooted in closer to her and wrapped her arms around her girlfriend, giving her a long kiss. The sensation of Tara's body against hers was electric, and she ran her hands up her back, luxuriating in the feel of soft, smooth skin under her fingertips.

After a long moment, Willow pulled away from Tara slightly. "So…" she whispered, pausing to give her earlobe a gentle kiss, "tell me about this dream you had last night."

"Willow!" Tara blushed slightly, but didn't turn away, instead holding her gaze momentarily. "You really want to hear about it?"

Tara hesitated briefly. "All right," she said finally. "It…wasn't really very long. Just a few minutes probably.

"It started with the three of us in here. You and Xander were undressing me…touching me…kissing me…"

"Go on," Willow prompted, placing a kiss on Tara's neck and running her hands down her back to caress her ass.

"We got in bed, you laid down next to me…you kissed me, and Xander…" She trailed off then, blushing once more.

"Yes," Tara whispered. "I really did." She was clearly still a little uncomfortable.

"Baby, it's just a fantasy. You don't have to feel guilty about it," Willow reassured her. She pushed on Tara's shoulder gently, and her girlfriend rolled over onto her back.

"I have a little confession to make," Willow began, tracing her fingers up Tara's body to her breast.

"What is it?" Tara's words were followed by a soft moan as Willow's fingers found her nipple and pinched it softly.

"I've been thinking about what you told me," she murmured. She leaned in and kissed her lightly on the cheek. "About you and me, together with Xander…" She kissed Tara again, on the lips this time. "I've been thinking about it all day…and it makes me so wet."

A look of surprise crossed Tara's face at that admission, but before she could say anything, Willow rolled on top of her and kissed her passionately. She moved one hand upward and ran her fingers through Tara's soft hair as she slid her tongue into her mouth. Tara wrapped her arms around her, caressing her back and pulling her in closer. Their nipples brushed against each other and they both shivered at the sensation.

Willow pulled away from Tara slightly and rained kisses upon her face and neck. "I love you, baby," she whispered.

"I love you too Willow…God, I love you so much," Tara breathed as Willow kissed her way down her chest. She caressed her full breasts and ran her tongue over one of her nipples before taking it in her mouth and sucking on it softly. Tara moaned and arched upward toward her, running one hand through her hair.

As Willow continued to suckle and tease Tara with her tongue, she slid one hand down her stomach, between her legs. She parted her folds and stroked her clit gently. Tara gasped and writhed underneath her, and Willow smiled at her reaction.

The feel of her girlfriend's body underneath her was exhilarating, but Willow ignored her own growing need for the moment. She rolled to the side slightly, propping herself up on one arm while her other hand continued its ministrations between Tara's legs. She looked down at her, blonde hair pillowed beneath her head, her face flushed and her chest heaving, deep blue eyes staring back at her with desire.

"Baby…I want you to do something for me," she said, her finger rubbing slow circles on Tara's clit.

"What do you want me to do?" Tara replied quickly, her voice shaking slightly with need.

"I'm gonna fuck you, baby," said Willow, her voice low. "I want you to close your eyes and imagine it's Xander. When you feel my fingers inside you, I want you to imagine it's Xander's cock."

Tara hesitated briefly, then nodded. Willow smiled down at her, and she returned the gesture before closing her eyes.

Willow slid two fingers into her, and her girlfriend moaned loudly, her muscles clenching around her. She started fucking her slowly, Tara squirming on the bed beneath her.

Willow could see she was already close to orgasm, so she sped up, thrusting her fingers into her harder and faster. She used her other hand to caress one of Tara's breasts, rubbing and pinching her nipple. She ran her thumb over her clit and Tara gasped loudly.

Tara's body tensed as her climax overtook her. "Oh, Xander!" she moaned, her inner muscles spasming around Willow's fingers. Willow felt a sharp pang of desire as she heard her girlfriend call out his name.

Willow slowed down momentarily, but she wasn't done with Tara by any means. Soon she was thrusting hard into her again, and a few moments later, she cried out again as her body shuddered with her second orgasm.

Tara opened her eyes and looked up at Willow, a contented smile slowly making its way onto her face. Willow smiled back at her, slowly withdrawing her fingers and bringing them to her mouth, relishing the sweet taste of her girlfriend's essence.

After giving Tara a moment to catch her breath, Willow laid down on top of her and kissed her again. Her body was tense with unsatisfied lust and feeling her girlfriend's skin against hers only fed the flames of her desire. "Tara…I need you, now," she pleaded, and Tara's answering grin was full of promise.

Willow rolled over onto her back and spread her legs as Tara sat up next to her. Tara lowered her head to her chest, and Willow gave a deep, prolonged moan as Tara took her nipple in her mouth, sucking on it and swirling her tongue around the tip.

Tara lingered on her breasts only briefly before kneeling between her legs. She kissed her lower lips softly, probing inside her gently, and Willow cried out as she felt the first touch of her lover's tongue on her clit. Willow's head rolled back, and she gripped the bedsheets tightly, squirming around as Tara licked her.

A few moments later, Tara entered her with her fingers. The moment she felt her girlfriend penetrate her, a powerful orgasm rocked Willow's body. All thought faded for a moment as she was carried away on waves of ecstasy. As awareness slowly returned, she realized that Tara hadn't let up, and soon after she relaxed, her lover had her moaning again.

Willow closed her eyes, all sorts of erotic images involving Tara and Xander flashing through her mind as Tara's fingers and tongue brought her to a second and then a third climax. Finally, her girlfriend withdrew from her, and Willow laid back, utterly spent as Tara moved up to lay beside her. Willow turned and snuggled against her, and Tara gave her a long, slow kiss. She could taste herself on her girlfriend's tongue.

As Willow drifted off to sleep, cuddled up against Tara, she idly thought about how nice it would be to have a certain someone else sharing their bed as well.

Willow looked over the two sets of bookshelves Xander had just finished assembling in their living room. He'd really done a good job – these shelves hadn't been bought at a store, Xander had made them from scratch from finished wood he'd brought over. He definitely had a nice touch with woodwork.

"They're beautiful, Xander," said Tara, walking in from the kitchen to stand beside Willow. "They're much nicer than our old shelves. Where did you get them?"

"Oh, we got done with the interior of the building we're working on a couple of days ago, and we had some leftover wood. It wasn't enough to be worth sending back, and I remembered that you'd talked about wanting new bookcases, so I grabbed it up." He grinned. "Being the supervisor does have its privileges."

"Well, thank you. It was really nice of you to make these for us," Willow said happily.

"It was no problem at all," Xander replied. "Now just let me move them up against the wall here," he continued, turning toward the first bookcase.

"No, I've got it," he declared. He lifted one bookcase and maneuvered it up against the wall. He paused for a moment to catch his breath, then repeated the process with the other one, setting them next to each other.

Willow watched him as he moved the shelves. They were obviously heavy, and Xander's arms strained with the effort of moving them. She could see the muscles in his chest flexing through the light T-shirt he was wearing, and her heart started beating a little faster at the sight. She briefly pictured him taking it off, wondered what it would feel like to walk up and run her hands down his bare chest…

She stopped herself before her thoughts could go too far down that road. It wouldn't do to get all hot and bothered in front of Xander.

However, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Tara was staring at him as well.

"There we go," Xander said, stepping back and looking the shelves over one last time. "Now all we have to do is put the books back." He glanced over at the neat, orderly piles of books on the other side of the living room.

"Oh, we'll take care of that, don't worry," Willow said hastily. "You've done plenty already."

"Yeah, we can do it after dinner. Which I'd better go check on," said Tara, turning and heading for the kitchen. "It shouldn't be too much longer, by the way."

"Great," Xander called out as Tara left the room. Then he gave an exaggerated sniff. "Although I might not be very pleasant dinner table company," he concluded with a chuckle. Between their new bookcases, and hauling their old shelves down to the dumpster, he'd done quite a bit of work this afternoon.

Willow smirked. "Why don't you take a quick shower before we eat?" she suggested.

"Good idea," Xander said, nodding. "I'll just be a few minutes." He turned and headed for the short hallway leading to the bedrooms and the bathroom, and a moment later Willow heard a door close and the water start running.

She walked into the kitchen, seeing Tara standing in front of the stove, carefully watching the stir-fry she was making. She moved up behind her girlfriend and wrapped her arms around her waist. Tara turned toward her, and Willow gave her a quick kiss.

"So, I saw you checking him out," Willow said softly. Tara tensed a little at the words.

"No, baby, it's okay," Willow quickly reassured her. "I'm not upset. I mean…I was doing it too," she finished in a whisper.

Tara blushed and ducked her head a little. "Yes," she replied quietly, stirring the meat and vegetables in the pan before her.

The admission excited Willow. It had been a few days since Tara had had her dream about Xander. They hadn't talked about it after that night, but Willow had noticed her girlfriend looking Xander over more than casually a few times since then.

Willow had had her suspicions, but finding out that there was more to this than just a dream, that Tara actually was attracted to Xander…The possibilities were…intriguing, to say the least.

"What?" Tara's tone held a mixture of surprise and amusement. "You glued his lunchbox shut?"

"Yep," Xander answered proudly. "And I did a fine job of it too, if I do say so myself."

Willow smiled at the musical sound of her girlfriend's laughter. After dinner, they'd put the books away and moved to the living room, and Willow was seated on one end of their couch with Tara snuggled up against her. Xander was leaned back at the other end, half-turned to face them, one leg resting easily on the cushions.

Willow wrapped her arms around Tara's waist and relaxed against the pillows piled behind her. She liked this, this atmosphere. It was nice. Comfortable.

"No matter how hard they tried, no one could get it open," Xander continued with a grin. "So Tommy Wilson had to share the teacher's lunch. He had to sit up at her desk and eat it with her. Kids were making fun of him over that for weeks afterward."

Willow smiled at the memory. Xander had gotten away with it, too. They'd spent the next recess together behind the school building laughing about it.

Tara giggled again. "I probably shouldn't be laughing at this," she said, "but that is funny."

"Hey, he deserved it," Xander protested. "After the way he teased Willow about her hair."

Willow nodded. "Yeah. I was the only girl in our class with red hair, so I got teased about it a lot." Even now, the memories still came with a touch of embarrassment, but she also remembered how Xander had always comforted her afterward. Those were much happier thoughts.

"For a while," Xander interjected. "But they all learned their lesson and stopped eventually. When it came to defending Willow's honor, there was no prank too childish for me," he finished, puffing out his chest in mock pride.

Seeing his exaggerated pose, Willow and Tara both dissolved into laughter. Xander raised an eyebrow at this, and for a moment, he seemed torn over whether or not to be offended. Soon enough, however, he was laughing along with them.

There was a brief silence afterward as they all caught their breath. "So…" Tara said after a moment, "you've told me all these stories about when you were kids. What about high school? What was that like?"

"Yeah, but after that, it got a lot more interesting," said Willow. "And, you know, dangerous.

"But even then, Xander was still watching out for me," she continued softly, thinking back on all the dangers they'd faced together. She looked up and met Tara's eyes. "I can't even remember how many times he saved my life. If I was in trouble, he'd always come charging to rescue me. It didn't matter how dangerous it was," she finished, looking over at Xander fondly.

Tara, too, gave Xander a big smile, and he shifted a little, clearly not entirely comfortable with the praise. "Well, I mean, I…" he began.

"Don't," Willow said, cutting him off. She knew what he was going to say next and she didn't want to hear it. "Don't say it wasn't a big deal. Xander, you risked your life to save me. Lots of times. Don't pretend it was nothing."

She disentangled herself from Tara and rose from the couch, stepping over to the other side where Xander was sitting. "Come here," she said, holding out her hands. Xander stood up and she pulled him into a tight hug, holding him closely for a long moment.

Finally, she pulled away, giving him a soft kiss on the cheek. She smiled at him happily, and he returned the gesture. She didn't say thank you – he already knew how grateful she was. It was one of those things that was unspoken between them.

Tara also stood and gave Xander a brief hug. "Yeah," she said, stepping back and taking Willow's hand, "facing down vampires and demons? Not very many people have what it takes to do that. I mean, most people would just run away."

"Well, you both do it too. So whatever it is I have, you have it too," Xander pointed out with a chuckle. "But thank you," he finished sincerely.

He glanced at the clock on the wall. "I'd better get going," he said. Willow turned and took note of the time; it was fairly late, later than she'd thought it was. She'd totally lost track of time during their conversation.

"Okay. But you guys have to tell me some of those high school stories sometime," Tara said with a grin.

"Yeah, we will," Xander said as they walked to the door. "Anyway, thanks for dinner."

"We'll see you tomorrow. And be careful!" Willow admonished as he stepped out into the hallway.

"Don't worry, I will be," Xander reassured them. "Goodnight." With that, he turned and headed for the stairs. Willow closed and locked the door behind him and followed Tara back into their living room.

As they sat down on the couch together, Willow sighed softly. "That was fun," she said, turning to face Tara.

After a moment of silence, Willow spoke again. "So…Want to talk about what we were discussing before? In the kitchen?" she said slowly.

Tara turned and looked at her seriously. "Okay," she replied. She was clearly a little nervous, and Willow moved to sit next to her, laying a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

Smiling in gratitude, Tara took Willow's hand in both of hers and moved them to her lap. She looked down at them for a moment, absently stroking Willow's palm with her thumb. Willow waited patiently, not wanting to make her any more uncomfortable than she already was.

"I'm attracted to Xander," Tara finally admitted. "That dream…it wasn't just a random thing. I've been…noticing…him for a while now."

"Well, I…I wasn't sure about it," Tara replied. "I mean, I've never…felt this way about a guy before. But after that dream…Well, after that, I was definitely sure," she finished, looking up and giving Willow a quick smile.

Tara didn't seem to be quite as embarrassed about this as she was the last time they'd talked. That was definitely of the good; maybe she'd gotten used to the idea of finding Xander attractive.

"Tara…" Willow began tentatively, "there's something I have to tell you." She'd been wondering how to broach this subject for a while now, but finally decided it was best to just come out and say it.

"I told you before that I had a huge crush on Xander for a long time," she said, looking her girlfriend in the eye and gauging her reaction. At Tara's answering nod, she continued.

"Well, what I didn't tell you was that, back in high school, in our senior year, we kinda…had a little…affair.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you!" she added hurriedly, before Tara could speak. "But things were totally over by the time you and I met and I didn't want anything to be awkward between you guys and I hope you're not upset with me," she finished, taking a breath. She still had a tendency to babble a little when she was excited or anxious.

"Willow, honey, I'm not upset," Tara reassured her. "I mean, it was in the past. There's nothing to be upset about."

Relieved, Willow gave her a quick hug. When she pulled back, Tara favored her with another of her beautiful smiles. Only this time, there was a touch of mischief in it.

"So, you and Xander had an affair?" she asked, emphasizing the last word just a little.

"Well, not an affair," Willow replied. "All we did was kiss and fool around a little. We didn't actually have sex. Although…" She paused briefly, thinking over what she was about to say.

Well, if she was going to be honest, she might as well tell her everything. "I wanted to. I mean, we were both involved with other people and we knew that what we were doing was wrong, but still…I really wanted to, and I think Xander did too. And if we hadn't gotten caught, by Oz and Cordelia, I think we eventually would have.

Tara gave her hand a comforting squeeze, and Willow smiled at her in return. She'd been afraid that this conversation would go very differently, but Tara was being very understanding. She felt a little guilty for not having more faith in her girlfriend.

"So…" Tara said slowly, her smile broadening a little, "was he a good kisser?"

"Oh yeah," Willow replied emphatically. "I never told anyone this before, not even Buffy, but…he was a way better kisser than Oz. And…he was very good with his hands, too," she said, shivering a little as she remembered the couple of times his hands had found their way under her shirt during their makeout sessions.

"God, I wanted him so badly back then," Willow murmured. "And…" she took a deep breath, steeling herself for this last admission, "I kinda do now, too."

Tara stared into her eyes with an intensity that Willow rarely saw outside of when they were making love. "I do too," she said at length, her voice barely above a whisper. Her words hung in the air between them, and several seconds of silence followed them.

"I'm still not quite sure what to think about it," Tara said, her voice breaking the stillness that had settled over the room. "Like I said, I've never been attracted to any other guys. And, you know, I'm still not."

Willow nodded. "I know what you mean," she replied. "I mean, like, Spike?" She shuddered in revulsion. "A world of ick."

Tara scowled at her words. "Ew, not an image I wanted," she said forcefully. She shook her head once. "But…" she mused, her expression relaxing somewhat, "you know, I see guys all the time at school, too, and I don't find any of them attractive either. But Xander's…special.

"And it's not just physical, either," she continued. "I mean, I…I like Xander. A lot. He's nice, and he's brave…and he makes me laugh. And he stood up to my family with the rest of you when they were here last month." Tara frowned slightly as she spoke; she clearly still didn't like talking about her family. Not that Willow blamed her for that.

"And he has one of the most beautiful auras I've ever seen," she continued, her demeanor brightening again. "So, yeah, there are a lot of things I like about him."

"So…" Willow suddenly felt very nervous, but managed to keep her voice steady as she spoke. "The question is, what do we do about it?"

"Do about it?" Tara echoed cautiously. She looked a little anxious again, but she clearly wasn't surprised that the conversation had taken this turn.

"Tara, honey, I love you," Willow said sincerely. "I'm totally in love with you." She rested her hands on her girlfriend's arms and looked her in the eye. "I would never, ever choose to be with anyone else over you. Not even Xander."

"But when you told me about your dream…when I saw that you might be interested in Xander…it got me to thinking. What if…we could all be together?" Willow fell silent, watching Tara's face for any sign of her reaction to the idea. She bit her lower lip nervously as she waited.

Tara's uncomfortable look from earlier had returned, but she actually seemed to be considering what Willow had said, rather than rejecting it out of hand. That was definitely a good sign. When she didn't say anything in response, Willow continued.

"You know that we're practically in a relationship with Xander already," she offered. "He comes over just about every day. He's even been spending the weekends with us lately. And we all like being together. The only difference is, he goes home at night.

"But what if…" She caught Tara's gaze and held it seriously. "What if he didn't have to go home? What if he could stay…with us?"

"Well…" Tara replied slowly, "I'd tell you I need some time to think about it, but the truth is, I've been thinking about it a lot these past few days. I mean…" she trailed off briefly, seemingly struggling a bit with what to say next. "I like the idea," she finally admitted. She blushed a bit, but didn't look away as she continued. "But…could things really work…between us?"

"Well, we…we wouldn't be the only ones out there in an unconventional relationship, you know." Willow inwardly winced at how lame that response sounded. She really should have prepared for this conversation better. She should have taken some time and laid out her arguments carefully. And made up note cards, with color-coded bullet points…

But it was too late for that now. So she decided to make things as simple as she could. "Tara, how do you feel about me?"

Tara was much slower to respond to that. She remained silent for several moments, her face scrunched up in that adorable way she had when she was really thinking about something. Willow waited for her answer with bated breath.

"I think I love him too," she finally declared. Her voice was initially uncertain, but she seemed to grow more sure of herself as she spoke. "I mean, it's different from the way I feel about you. But I like it when he's with us, and I miss him when he's gone, and I really do care about him. A lot."

Willow clasped her girlfriend's hands. "Does it bother you that I love Xander too?"

"And, does it bother you that I want him to join us…when we make love?" Willow asked softly.

Even as the words left her mouth, Willow could still scarcely believe she'd said them. But it was true – she wanted this. She wanted this like she'd wanted very few other things in her life. Even just thinking about it almost made her shiver with desire.

"No," Tara replied slowly. "It doesn't. Like I said, I've been thinking about this quite a bit…and I like the idea. A lot." She fell silent, staring off into the distance speculatively.

Then she frowned suddenly. "But what about Xander?" she asked. "We've been talking about how we feel about this, but…how's he going to react?"

Willow chuckled. "Well, as far as the sex stuff goes…" she trailed off, blushing a little, suddenly feeling a bit self-conscious about talking about this. But she forced herself to press on.

"Believe me when I tell you he's not gonna have any problem with that," she said forcefully. "But he likes just being around us, too. And I know he really cares about us. I can tell. Tara, honey, I would never want to do this if I thought it'd just be about sex. But it would never be just sex for him. He's not like that."

Tara nodded. "I know. I mean, he never struck me as that type either." She took a deep breath. "Okay. I can't believe I'm saying this, but…okay. I want this too. But…" a worried look crossed her face, "how do we do this, exactly?"

Willow thought for a moment. "Well, like I said, we're practically already in a relationship," she mused. "The only thing we haven't done is have sex."

She met Tara's eyes, trying to make sure she was really okay with this. "So when he comes over tomorrow…"

"Yes?" Tara replied. Her tone was a little anxious, but she didn't seem to be having any doubts.

"Just a second!" Tara called out in response to Willow's question. Willow busied herself straightening up their living room, and her girlfriend emerged from the bedroom a moment later.

Willow inhaled sharply when she saw her. They'd both decided to dress casually tonight – Willow had learned from her disastrous attempt at seducing Oz on Christmas Eve a couple of years ago. Tara's clothes weren't anything fancy, but she still looked amazing in them.

She was wearing a light blue tank top that emphasized all her curves while showing off her lovely shoulders and arms. It was low enough to show just a bit of cleavage, though the view improved considerably when she leaned over. She had chosen a pair of white shorts to go with it, and Willow allowed her gaze to linger on her girlfriend's legs briefly before meeting her eyes.

"So do you," Tara replied, a smoky look in her eyes as they wandered over her body.

Willow had on a simple white blouse with the top two buttons undone. She had the bottom of it tied off just above her waist, leaving a small bit of skin bare at her midriff, and in an especially daring moment earlier, she had decided not to wear a bra. The red skirt she'd picked out wasn't scandalously short, but it still showed off quite a bit of leg.

"Thanks," Willow said with a grin. She approached her girlfriend and stopped just in front of her. She laid her hands on Tara's arms and looked at her intently.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" she asked seriously. "It's not too late to back out. I promise I won't be upset if you want to call this off."

Tara shook her head. "No. I'm sure. I've thought about it all day…and I want to do this." She smiled, and Willow could tell that even though she was a little nervous, she'd meant what she said.

God, I love her so much, she thought. It seems like every time I think I can't possibly love her any more, something happens to prove me wrong.

Beaming, Willow leaned in and gave her girlfriend a quick kiss. "I love you," she said sincerely.

Tara's smile broadened, and the sheer beauty of it almost took Willow's breath away. "I love you too," she replied happily.

Willow's expression turned serious again. "Are you nervous?" she asked, taking her girlfriend's hands in her own.

Willow nodded. "This…what we're about to do, I mean…it's a big deal. If we weren't nervous, I'd be worried."

"You're right," Tara replied, and she seemed to be a bit reassured. "I'd better get things started in the kitchen," she said, glancing at the clock. "Xander should be here any minute." She gave her a quick smooch and then headed for the kitchen.

Willow walked over to their large bay window and stood in front of it, her hands clasped behind her. Their apartment had a very nice view of a nearby park, and she looked down over it. The trees cast long shadows in the light of the setting sun, and she stood there for a moment, taking in the peaceful setting, using it to help calm herself a bit.

She pushed the doubt out of her mind as soon as it formed. As nervous as she was, this felt right.

She thought about Tara, and Xander, and she smiled brightly at the thought of what lay ahead for all of them tonight.

Xander maneuvered his car into the parking space and killed the engine. He sat there for a moment, not moving, just looking out through his windshield at the building in front of him.

Willow and Tara's apartment complex was a modern, multi-story affair. The building was actually very nice; ever since he'd started working in construction, he'd learned to appreciate good architecture. And this was definitely one of the nicer apartment complexes in Sunnydale.

Their apartment was on top floor, four stories up. It was on the southern side of the building, so in addition to offering a nice view, they got quite a bit of sun. Being so close to the UC Sunnydale campus, it was a great location for them, and they were really lucky to have found it when they'd moved out of the dorms. Truthfully, they probably wouldn't have been able to afford it anywhere but here, but rent in Sunnydale was notoriously cheap.

He removed the keys from the ignition and picked up the bouquet of flowers sitting on the passenger seat. Willow had called him at lunchtime and asked him to come over around six-thirty, instead of right after work as he usually did, so after he'd gone home and showered and changed his clothes, he'd decided to stop by a florist.

He'd been wanting a way to say thank you for how nice Willow and Tara had been lately. 'Say it with flowers' was a cliche, sure, but it was a nice gesture nevertheless. And the red carnations he'd picked out with the florist's help were pretty, even to his not-so-discerning eye.

He stepped out of his car and closed and locked the door behind him, taking a moment to smooth out the wrinkles in his slacks before heading for the building. As he made his way inside and started climbing the stairs, he thought back to how this routine had begun.

He had to admit that he'd been surprised when Willow had called him shortly after Anya had left and suggested that they spend some time together. They hadn't exactly been very close over the past year – which was something he'd greatly regretted but, at the time, hadn't felt like he could do anything about.

So when he'd accepted Willow's invitation, he'd really been hoping that this would be a chance to rekindle his friendship with her. And although things had been a little awkward at first, within just a few days he could tell that they were getting back on track. Soon after, they had settled back into the easy, familiar interaction of the past, and it was as if last year had never happened.

They hadn't discussed the way they'd drifted apart after high school, but it was as if they'd both reached an unspoken agreement to move past it. And Xander was glad for that – he wasn't very good at conversations like that. He was just glad that he and Willow were friends again. He'd really missed her.

What he hadn't expected, though, and what had come as a very pleasant surprise to him was how well he'd gotten along with Tara. In the beginning, she'd been shy and a little awkward around him. But she'd quickly grown more comfortable with having him around, and she'd opened up more, and before too long, Xander had found that when he thought about spending time with both of them, he was looking forward to being with Tara just as much as with Willow.

All in all, he was happy about how things had gone. And he was very glad about how well he was getting along with both of them.

At first, he hadn't given much thought to it. He found a lot of girls appealing. Why would they be any different?

But lately, he'd come to realize something. His attraction to them wasn't just physical.

Okay, sure, that was a big part of it – Willow and Tara were both gorgeous. And as they'd grown more comfortable being with him, they'd also grown more comfortable with displaying their affection for each other around him. And that never failed to put all kinds of thoughts in his head, much as he tried not to think about them.

Xander had always been very supportive of Willow's relationship with Tara. Yes, it had hurt a little that she hadn't told him about it and he'd had to find out in the middle of a big argument with her and Buffy. But after that, when they'd finally sat down and talked about it, he'd let her know in no uncertain terms that he had no problem with her being in love with another woman and it hadn't changed his opinion of her at all.

First and foremost, he wanted to be a supportive friend. So he always felt a little guilty over his reaction when he saw them kissing, or snuggling – not that he could help it, of course.

But there was a lot more to his attraction than just the physical. Willow was caring, and fun, and bubbly. Tara was kind, and cute, and just about the sweetest person he'd ever met. He loved just being with them.

God, he was far gone. At this rate, he'd end up on the Jerry Springer show sometime soon. Hi, I'm Alexander Harris and I'm falling for my best friend and her lesbian girlfriend. Maybe he could get in a fight with a cross-dressing white supremacist and get dragged offstage by security.

Xander shook his head. Thinking about this was just a waste of time and energy anyway. All he could do was try to be a good friend, keep his feelings to himself, and do his best not to stare when they kissed when he was around.

He'd reached his destination, so he ceased his musings and knocked on Willow and Tara's door. A few seconds went by before it was answered. Xander started to voice a cheerful greeting, but the words died on his lips.

Willow stood in the doorway, smiling happily at him. "Xander, hi!" she chirped. "You're right on time!"

Xander still couldn't reply, however; he was unable to take his eyes off Willow. She looked…'beautiful' didn't even begin to cover it. She had on a white blouse, unbuttoned at the top, and his gaze was drawn to the enticing display of skin just below her neck. The blouse was tied just above her waist, and as his eyes moved downward he noted the creamy flesh on display there as well. As she turned and moved back into the apartment, he saw that the red skirt she was wearing clung to her body, showing off her perfect ass to his still mildly shocked view.

Willow turned back and looked at him expectantly. She pursed her lips slightly, her tongue just barely visible between her teeth, and Xander couldn't suppress a slight shiver. He still remembered the press of those lips against his own, the feel of her tongue sliding against his…

"Xander," Willow said, her eyes twinkling with amusement, "you know there's a reason I'm not inviting you in."

Her words momentarily broke him out of his reverie. "Oh, right!" He hurriedly stepped inside and closed the door behind him. He busied himself taking off his jacket, passing the flowers from hand to hand as he did so, grateful for a momentary distraction. He hung it up on the rack next to the door and turned back to Willow.

"These are for you," he said, stepping toward her and holding out the carnations. Nice recovery, he thought bitterly. Still, it would have to do.

"Xander, they're beautiful!" she exclaimed. She took the offered bouquet and turned it in her hands. "Tara, honey, come see what Xander brought us!" she called out.

Tara emerged from the kitchen, throwing her apron over the back of one of the chairs at the nearby dining table. As she approached, Xander found his gaze immediately drawn to her.

Tara was wearing a beautiful blue tank top that almost matched the color of her eyes. It hugged her curvy body tightly, and Xander couldn't help staring at her briefly. Her dark blonde hair cascaded down around her shoulders, framing her face in a golden halo. The shorts she had on ended about midway down her thighs, showing off her long, smooth, supple legs…

Xander blinked and quickly lifted his eyes to meet hers. "Thank you! Xander, this was so nice of you," she said. Her deep blue eyes shone with the light of the lovely smile she gave him.

Tara leaned over to smell the flowers, and Xander couldn't help noticing that, from where he was standing, he could see a generous amount of her cleavage. His eyes traced the soft swell of her breasts as she inhaled deeply.

"Thank you so much, Xander," Willow said, and he turned to face her as she spoke.

He was about to reply when he realized with a shock that she wasn't wearing a bra. He could see the faint outline of her nipples showing through the thin material of her blouse. His gaze lingered there, probably longer than it should have, and when he finally looked up again, he found himself staring directly into her eyes. She'd obviously noticed.

She didn't say anything about it, however. Instead, she gave him a slow, alluring smile and held his gaze briefly. Xander was still trying to make sense of what that meant when she turned away.

Tara nodded. "I'll go get one. Just a second." She disappeared into the kitchen and returned shortly with an elegant crystal vase with a small amount of water in the bottom. Willow handed her the flowers and she placed them inside.

She scanned the living room briefly, looking for a place to put them. Finally, she walked over to their television set and placed them on the shelf next to it.

"There," Tara said happily. "That's a good place for them, don't you think? They kinda catch the eye there." At Willow's answering nod, she smiled.

Tara turned her head as the beeping of a timer sounded from the kitchen. "I have to get that," she said. "Dinner's almost ready." She turned and hurried out of the room, grabbing her apron as she passed it.

Willow took Xander by the arm and led him to the table, where the places were already set. "Go ahead, sit down," she said, gesturing toward one of the chairs.

"Oh, water's fine," he replied, and Willow flashed him a quick smile as she headed for the kitchen. He couldn't help sneaking a brief glance at her retreating figure, though he mentally scolded himself for it afterward.

Xander had mostly recovered his composure, but he still didn't quite know what to make of what was going on. The way Willow and Tara were dressed had been shocking enough, but that smile Willow had given him just a minute ago…Could she have been…? No, he had to be reading it wrong.

Willow and Tara had continued acting strangely all throughout the meal. It wasn't anything major – it was a lot of little things. When he looked at them, they held his gaze just a little longer than normal, and their eyes held an intensity that he couldn't quite decipher. They favored him with light touches on his arm when they laughed at one of his jokes. At several different times during dinner, one or both of them would lean over just a little farther than they needed to, catching his eyes with a tantalizing flash of skin.

Xander managed to keep up his end of the conversation and not make a fool out of himself, but it was…distracting, to say the least. He ended up confused, frustrated, and extremely turned on, and that didn't make for a good combination.

Finally, when they'd adjourned to the living room after dinner, he couldn't take it anymore. When Willow rested her hand on his thigh after scooting a little closer to him, he practically leapt off the couch where he had been sitting between her and Tara and whirled around to face them.

"You know what I mean," he replied. "I'm talking about everything you've both been doing since I got here," he continued, looking at Willow and Tara in turn. "What's going on?"

And then Xander knew he was right – something was up. Anyone else would probably have missed it, but he could tell by the way Willow hesitated for just a split second before answering him. "Nothing."

Xander shook his head. "Come on, Will, I know you better than anyone. And Tara, I like to think I know you pretty well too, and this…You've never acted like this before."

She took a deep breath and Xander could tell that she was gathering her thoughts. He didn't want to be standing over her when she was trying to talk, but he didn't trust himself to sit back down on the couch either. So he took a seat on the coffee table across from them and waited.

"Xander…" Willow began, speaking slowly, in that cute way of hers that she fell into when she was nervous, "Tara and I…We like you. A lot."

Xander had never considered himself to be particularly smart, but he liked to think that he wasn't stupid either. After everything that had already happened tonight, there was only one place Willow could be going with this, and his brain practically shut down from the shock as he realized where that was.

"As…as a friend, right?" he stammered, desperately trying to get his bearings.

"Yes, but…" Willow trailed off momentarily, glancing over at Tara. Her girlfriend gave her a supportive nod, and she turned back to Xander before continuing. "We were wondering if you'd be interested in something…more," she finished, blushing fiercely.

"We're attracted to you, Xander," Tara said softly. "We both are." She, too, was blushing, but she didn't look away when Xander met her eyes.

"And, we're sorry about everything before," Willow said sincerely. "I mean, I realize now that that wasn't much fun for you. I guess I'm just not very good at the whole seduction thing," she finished with a chuckle.

"Oh, I don't know about that," Tara said with a grin. Then her expression turned serious again. "But we are sorry, Xander. We should have just been honest about what we wanted."

"You…with us," Willow replied, her voice low and not a little sexy. "All three of us. Together." At her side, Tara nodded her agreement.

Xander swallowed hard. His shock was fading now, replaced by a torrent of emotions. The two biggest ones seemed to be fear and excitement, and they struggled for supremacy as he thought about what he'd just heard.

"No!" The word was out of his mouth before Xander had even thought. "No, not at all," he continued more slowly. "I just…" He trailed off, unsure of what to say next.

"Xander, what's wrong?" Willow asked. She laid a hand on his knee, her expression fading to one of concern.

Well, they'd been honest with him. He owed it to them to be honest in return. "I want this," he confessed. "But…I'm afraid it's gonna screw things up between us. You're my friends, and I love you, and I don't want to lose that."

Tara nodded. "Xander, after Anya left, and Willow suggested we start having you over, I was worried at first. I thought that I'd get tired of having you around, or that I'd…start to feel crowded." She smiled at him brightly. "But I really like having you in my life. We both do."

"Xander," Willow said, "we both love just being with you. If we do this, we won't be losing anything."

"And we're not just talking about sex here. I mean, sure, okay, that's part of it, but it's not all. We want…" Willow's initial nervousness had faded as the conversation progressed, and she spoke these last words calmly and confidently, "a relationship. With you. And us. Together."

"Well, I…" Xander didn't know what to say. Could they really do this? Could it really work?

As he was wrestling with his decision, Willow leaned back suddenly. "Tara, honey," she said, a wicked smile slowly making its way onto her face, "he looks like he's still having some trouble with this. Why don't we help him make up his mind?"

Tara hesitated briefly, but then answered Willow's smile with one of her own and shifted closer to her on the couch. They leaned in toward each other, their lips meeting in a long, slow, passion-filled kiss. Tara cupped Willow's chin with one hand, using the other to lightly stroke her girlfriend's hair. Willow traced her fingers down Tara's neck, then over her tank top to caress her breast. She squeezed gently, and Tara moaned softly into her mouth as she deepened the kiss.

Xander sat, motionless, his eyes fixed on the sight before him. He'd seen them kiss before, but never like this. A wave of arousal surged through him – until now, this had just been the stuff of the occasional late-night fantasy.

Later – it could have been a minute or an hour, Xander couldn't tell – Willow and Tara broke their kiss, turning towards him together. "So, Xander…" Willow said, smiling again and slowly running her hand back and forth over Tara's bare thigh, "what do you say?"

Xander wasn't sure if he could even speak. He had just barely remembered to breathe.

The thought that this might all be a dream and he was going to wake up any second now floated through his head. But he discarded that idea almost immediately. Somehow, deep down, he knew this was real. This was him and Willow and Tara and it was real.

Maybe he was making a huge mistake. But he didn't think so; the more he thought about it, the more this just felt right. Like something they all should have thought of a lot sooner. And it wasn't just the idea of having sex with them – though that was definitely the foremost thing on his mind right now – it was everything else they'd talked about too. He liked the idea of just being with them. Being close.

But thinking about those things could wait for now. And the rush of blood to certain parts of his body pretty much guaranteed that anyway.

At his answer, Willow bounced on the couch excitedly. Tara's reaction was more subdued, but she smiled at him broadly, looking at him through slightly lowered eyes, and Xander knew her well enough to know that she was genuinely happy with his reply.

They glanced at each other and scooted apart. "Come here, Xander," Willow said, patting the space they'd made between them.

Xander quickly crossed over and sat on the couch. Willow leaned in toward him, but he stopped her with an upraised hand. As turned on as he was, before things went any further, there was one thing he had to know.

"Are you sure you're both okay with this?" he asked, looking at each of them in turn.

Tara nodded. "We talked about this." She laid her hand on his knee and smiled at him. "It's sweet of you to ask, though."

"Yeah," Willow agreed. "Thank you, Xander." As he turned back toward her, the smile on her face faded, replaced by a look of smoldering intensity. Xander had never seen its like on her before, not even during any of their brief trysts back in high school, and his heart pounded in his chest as she leaned in toward him again. He waited, entranced by her lovely green eyes as she approached.

This time, he didn't stop her, instead leaning forward slightly as she reached him, their lips brushing against each other. Willow closed her eyes as they kissed again, deeper this time, and he did the same as he felt the softness of her lips pressing against his. He could taste the slightly spicy flavor of the spaghetti sauce Tara had made earlier mixed in with the familiar trace of strawberries he remembered from kissing her back in high school.

This was even better than he remembered from back then. Not only was Willow better at kissing than she had been in high school, but there were no pangs of guilt this time to distract him.

Of course, that wasn't to say there were no distractions at all. He felt Tara's hand slowly move up his leg, squeezing his thigh gently through his slacks, and he opened his eyes again and glanced at her. She was staring at them with a look that was speculative and, he noted with another surge of arousal, not a little excited as well.

Xander looked back at Willow as she pulled away from him, blinking a few times as she met his eyes. "That was…wow," she said, smiling at him brightly, a little breathless. "You've gotten better."

"Well, Anya did teach me a few things," he replied. 'A few things' was an understatement, actually, but there was no need to go into that right now.

He turned toward Tara and saw her watching him in anticipation. There was a smoky look of desire in her eyes, but also a touch of nervousness, so Xander smiled at her reassuringly.

Tara nodded, smiling happily. As she moved closer to him, he met her halfway, laying one hand on her shoulder as their lips met. He caressed the soft, silken flesh of her shoulder as they kissed, tasting the same spiciness he had on Willow's lips earlier, but something else also, something sweet and delicious and new.

They kissed again, longer, wetter, hotter. Xander probed the entry to Tara's mouth with his tongue, and she opened it slightly, allowing him access. His tongue swirled around hers, reaching for every corner of her mouth, insatiable, wanting to taste all of her. He cupped the back of her head, his fingers stroking her honey-blonde hair, luxuriating in its softness.

As they kissed, he felt Willow's lips on his cheek, then his earlobe. She nibbled on it gently, her tongue darting out to tickle him here and there, sending shivers through his body. He moaned into Tara's mouth, her and Willow's combined attentions driving him to new heights of arousal. His cock strained against the confines of his pants, but he remained still, focusing all his concentration on the women on either side of him.

Finally, Tara pulled away, and Xander barely had time to catch his breath before Willow took his face in her hands and turned him toward her. She kissed him hard, sucking his tongue into her mouth, sharing her rising passion with him. Xander was momentarily stunned by her ferocity, but soon he was returning her kiss with equal intensity, resting his hands on her hips.

Tara rained kisses upon his neck, suckling and nuzzling him as he continued to kiss Willow. She laid her hands on his chest, her touch electric even through his shirt. Xander wrapped his arms around Willow, pulling her towards him, running his hands up and down her back, her blouse bunching up underneath them.

When they broke apart, all of them were breathing heavily. Willow and Tara glanced at each other briefly, then stood up off the couch together. They each extended a hand to Xander, and he took them, rising to stand with them.

Without another word, they walked around behind the couch, to the hallway. Xander followed as they led him into their bedroom. His heart raced as they entered the room – this was really happening. They were really going to do this.

Willow and Tara turned around to face him. Their expressions faded to ones of puzzlement, then concern as they noticed the look on his face.

"I just realized," he said gravely. "I don't have any protection." He hadn't bothered to carry condoms for some time now – he hadn't even been on a date since Anya had left. And he certainly hadn't been expecting this to happen tonight.

But Willow and Tara didn't seem worried. No sooner had he voiced his concern than both of them were smiling at him again.

"It's all right, Xander," Willow said as they approached him. "We cast a contraception spell this morning."

"Oh, well, in that case…" Xander began, relieved. Then he did a double take. "They have spells for that?" he asked incredulously.

Tara nodded. "Yes. They were very popular, in the days before birth control. They still are, with a lot of witches."

"Yep," Willow said brightly. "One hundred percent effective and no nasty side effects." She stepped toward him, circling him with her arms. "So you don't have to worry about anything."

Willow kissed him again, passionately, standing on tiptoes. Her hands reached behind him to grab his ass, and she pulled him against her, grinding herself against his cock, sending shivers throughout his body.

After just a few seconds, she released him into Tara's arms, and Xander kissed her with equal intensity. Willow moved around behind him, her arms reaching around between them to unhook his belt. She pulled it through the loops in his pants, tossing it aside and walking around in front of him as he and Tara broke apart.

Willow and Tara embraced each other then, their lips crashing together. If their earlier kiss had been hot, this one was scorching; their tongues wrestled and their hands roamed all over each other. Xander stepped closer to them, drawn in by their rising passion, and he couldn't suppress a moan when Willow reached out with one hand, finding his cock and squeezing it lightly through his pants.

They turned toward him, their faces flushed with desire. Willow began unbuttoning his shirt from the top, and Tara grasped the bottom and pulled it out from where it was tucked under his pants. Between the two of them, they divested him of the garment very quickly.

Willow ran her hands down his muscular chest, giving a soft sigh as she caressed him. Beside her, Tara raised one hand tentatively, then let it drop, her eyes betraying the nervousness she felt. Seeing this, Willow turned slightly, taking her girlfriend's hand in hers and leading it toward Xander's chest. Tara lightly ran her fingers over his bare skin, Willow guiding her hand.

Tara seems so anxious, Xander thought. Is this…? Xander glanced down at them, the unspoken question in his eyes.

Willow nodded slowly. The grin that appeared on her face was sexy and mischievous all at once. "Tara's never been with a man before," she murmured. She leaned in toward his ear, speaking into it conspiratorially, yet still loud enough that Tara could hear her. "You'll be her first." She kissed his earlobe gently, then stepped back to stand beside Tara again.

Xander felt practically lightheaded from arousal. He hadn't thought it was possible to be this excited, but tonight had proven him very, very wrong. Tara's caresses were growing more bold, and she raked her trimmed fingernails down his chest, which definitely didn't do anything to calm him down.

Xander stumbled backward and sat down on the end of Willow and Tara's bed. He didn't trust his legs to support him anymore. He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself a little. One of the things Anya had taught him was control, and he was going to need every ounce of it tonight if he didn't want this to be over for him before it even really started.

Willow and Tara approached and sat down on either side of him. Tara leaned in and gave him a soft kiss on his shoulder, and Willow flashed her a quick smile.

"Tara, honey," she said, turning to look Xander straight in the eye, "help me with my blouse?"

Xander's heart leapt to his throat as they stood again. Willow moved in front of him and Tara joined her. She ran her fingers down Willow's chest, standing to the side so Xander could see, past the two buttons that were already open, unhooking the third one slowly. She pulled at the top of the garment, placing a soft kiss on the alabaster skin that was exposed as she did so.

Tara repeated the process with the rest of the buttons, each time revealing a little bit more of Willow's body, until the blouse hung open loosely. Tara slipped her hands under it, easing it off her shoulders, and the garment fell to the floor with a soft rustle.

Xander's eyes traced Willow's firm, flat stomach before moving up to her breasts. They were…perfect, was the only word he could think of. They weren't large, but they weren't too small either, and her light pink nipples stood out in exquisite contrast to the creamy flesh underneath.

Xander stared intently as Tara reached out for Willow's breast with one hand. She ran her palm over it slowly before stroking the nipple gently with her fingertips. Willow turned toward him and gave him a sexy smile as Tara kissed her shoulder lightly, tracing her lips down Willow's chest. They turned slightly so Xander could see, and Tara took Willow's nipple in her mouth, sucking on it gently. Willow moaned quietly, leaning toward her girlfriend and running one hand through her hair, stroking it softly.

Xander's eyes remained riveted on the sight before him. Beyond his obvious physical reaction to it, there was something more, also. This was obviously something that was very special and personal and intimate between Willow and Tara, and the fact that they were sharing this with him…Well, it was more than a little overwhelming.

Willow beckoned to him, and he put his thoughts aside for the time being, rising from the bed to join them. Tara pulled away from Willow as he approached, stepping toward him and kissing him hotly.

She broke away after just a few seconds, and he turned toward Willow. He reached for her, cupping her breasts, relishing the way they felt in his palms. He ran his thumbs gently over her nipples, hard from her arousal, one of them still wet from Tara's earlier attentions. He took the soft sigh he heard as encouragement, and he did it again, feeling a little thrill at her reaction.

"Yes…" Willow breathed as Xander leaned down and kissed one nipple softly. He circled his tongue around it, alternately licking and suckling as she wound her fingers into his hair. He wrapped one arm around her, stroking her lower back as he gave her breast a final kiss before moving over and paying equal attention to the other. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Tara watching him, her gaze intense, and between that and the low moans from Willow and the tightening of her fingers in his hair, he was soon shifting around uncomfortably again.

He pulled away from her, and Willow blinked several times, focusing her eyes on him. She must have noticed the slightly pained expression on his face, because she immediately gave him a concerned look. She looked him over for a moment before understanding dawned in her eyes.

"Oh," she murmured. "Let's take care of that…" She reached for the front of his pants, unzipping them and guiding them down over his hips, then doing the same with his boxers.

Xander nearly sighed with relief as he was freed from the confines of his clothing. Willow and Tara both stared at his cock – Willow had an appreciative look on her face, while Tara's expression was more curious. Willow reached out and took him in her hand, her fingers closing lightly around his shaft. He surged forward as she stroked him once, and she stopped him with a hand on his chest, giggling.

She looked over her shoulder, her question to her girlfriend unspoken. Tara hesitated for a moment, but then stepped forward to stand next to her. Willow released him and took Tara's hand, guiding it toward his cock, whispering soft words of encouragement in her ear.

Willow released her hand when it was almost to its destination, letting Tara move the last few inches herself. "Be careful, baby," she warned her. "Be gentle."

Xander felt himself jerk as Tara grasped him softly. She wrapped her fingers around him, running her hand over his length. She stroked him once, gently, Xander sighing softly at the sensation. Encouraged, she did it again, and he had to lay his hand on her arm to stop her. He knew he could hold off for a while yet, but it was better to be safe then sorry.

Concern flashed in Tara's eyes, but at Xander's reassuring smile, she relaxed. She let go of him and stepped back a little.

A slightly tense expression crossed Tara's face, and Xander could tell that she was gathering her resolve. She reached for the bottom of her tank top and slowly pulled it up over her head, holding it to one side and dropping it. Willow stepped behind her and unhooked her white lace bra, smiling at Xander knowingly before guiding the straps down and off her shoulders, letting it fall to the floor between them.

Tara was larger than Willow, but she was by no means overweight – and she carried her weight in all the right places. Where Willow was slim, Tara was…voluptuous. Her ample breasts were wonderfully rounded, and Xander stepped forward, running his hands over the soft skin, smiling at her delightful shiver as his fingers traced her nipples.

He kissed her neck, then down her chest, silken flesh under his lips and tongue. His mouth found one perfect nipple, and Tara arched into him as he sucked on her gently. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Willow step around from behind Tara to join him.

Tara cried out softly as Willow lowered her mouth to her other breast. Xander reached around behind her back, using one hand to support her as she squirmed under their attentions. Willow pulled back and swiped her tongue over her nipple before reclaiming it with her mouth and sucking on her harder, and Xander followed her lead, figuring that she knew best what Tara liked.

Finally, they pulled away, together, and Tara whimpered at the loss. Xander stepped back, and Willow knelt in front of her, unbuttoning her shorts and sliding them down her legs. After Tara stepped out of them, Willow repeated the process with her lace panties, taking her time and caressing her girlfriend's ass, her thighs, her calves. Willow stood up as Tara stepped out of them, slowly running her fingers through the trimmed thatch of blonde hair between her legs as she stepped back slightly.

Tara then knelt in front of Willow and helped her out of her skirt. She hooked her fingers in the waistband of the pink satin panties she had on, drawing them down and off. She didn't stand up, however; instead, she leaned forward and slowly ran her tongue over Willow's sex. Willow moaned loudly and laid her hands on Tara's shoulders, using them to brace her as her knees trembled a bit. Tara laughed, the soft sound coming from deep in her throat, and took Willow's hands in hers as she stood up.

Xander was sure that his excitement was obvious in his expression, because when they turned toward him, they both smiled at the look on his face. They motioned for him to join them as they stepped toward the bed.

Willow and Tara kissed again, embracing and falling back on the mattress together. Willow rolled over on top of Tara, her hair mingling with her girlfriend's, fire-red mixed with gold. Tara's hands slid down to her ass, gripping it tightly, pulling Willow to her. They ground against each other slowly, soft, smooth skin against soft, smooth skin as their kisses grew more passionate.

Xander stood, transfixed, as he watched them. God, it was the hottest thing he'd ever seen. He'd seen women fooling around together before, in various magazines and the occasional video, but none of it even came close to what was happening right now before his eyes. This wasn't two total strangers being paid to put on a show for an anonymous crowd of viewers; this was two people who he cared very deeply about and who were very much in love with each other, and somehow, that made a world of difference.

He eased himself down on the bed next to them, laying a hand on Willow's shoulder, caressing the soft skin under his palm. Willow turned toward him and smiled at his touch.

Xander shifted around on the bed. His cock ached for release; if he didn't find it soon, he felt like he'd go mad. He was prepared to do whatever it would take, up to and including begging.

Fortunately, that didn't turn out to be necessary. Willow rolled off of Tara, pushing herself up onto her knees. She threw one leg over him, straddling him, and stared at him keenly. The look in her eyes was an odd combination of mischief that he knew from when they were kids, and burning desire that there was nothing at all childlike about.

Tara propped herself up on one arm next to them and watched intently as Willow kissed him. Her tongue invaded his mouth and Xander welcomed it, sucking it in, tasting her. Willow scooted forward, and Xander moaned into her mouth as she slid the lips of her sex up and over the underside of his cock.

Willow broke the contact between their lips, leaning her head back slightly and closing her eyes as she lowered herself onto him. Xander couldn't stop himself from thrusting upward, wanting to be buried within her as deeply as he could be. Her muscles were tight around him, but she was so wet inside that he slid into her easily, her opening accepting him without trouble.

"Oh, Xander…" Willow breathed, her eyes fluttering open again as she settled onto him. She shifted around a little, getting used to the feel of him inside her, and he shivered at the wonderful sensations her movements produced.

After a moment, Willow stopped, motionless, and turned toward Tara. She reached out with one hand, taking her girlfriend's hand in her own, and brought it to her lips, kissing her fingers softly. She pulled at her arm gently, and Tara, too, rose to her knees beside them.

Xander placed his hands on Willow's hips, slowly running them up her sides. Tara caressed Willow's shoulders, and she moaned under their touches. She started to move on him, slowly, but Xander remained still underneath her, letting her set the pace.

Willow turned and gave Tara a long, slow kiss as the blonde's hands found their way down her arms. Xander's hands reached Willow's chest, and he slid them over her breasts, loving the feel of her nipples under his fingers. She moaned softly and leaned forward into his touch, picking up her pace a little.

It was Xander's turn to moan as Willow broke her kiss with Tara and clenched tightly around his cock. "God…" he breathed when he could speak again. "You feel so good."

Willow smiled impishly at him and leaned forward, giving him a quick peck on the lips. Xander placed his hands on her thighs, stroking them softly, feeling the play of muscle under her skin as she rode him. Tara's hand slid over her stomach, her fingers tracing their way downward, through the trimmed patch of red hair between her legs, reaching for the place where they were joined.

Willow gasped loudly as Tara's fingers found her clit, and her whole body tensed, her hands gripping Xander's shoulders even as her insides gripped his cock. Xander leaned forward and took one of her nipples in his mouth, sucking hard on her as she continued driving herself onto him. Her head rolled back and her body trembled slightly as she rode out her orgasm.

Xander released her breast and moved back slightly as Willow relaxed. She didn't stop moving altogether, but she slowed down considerably, and Xander tensed in frustration. He wanted – no, he needed – more.

Sensing his distress, Willow met his gaze, her green eyes shining. She nodded once in answer to his unspoken question, and Xander smiled at her in gratitude.

Gripping her hips tightly, he began thrusting up into her. Willow leaned in toward him, kissing him hotly. She pulled back after just a few seconds, allowing Tara to claim his mouth with hers, and quickly matched his rhythm, grinding her hips against his.

Willow gently placed one hand on the back of Tara's head, running her fingers through her hair and pressing softly, encouraging them to deepen their kiss. Xander kissed Tara fiercely, sharing his rising passion with her, and she moaned quietly into his mouth. After a moment, she broke away, running her hands down his chest, kissing and nuzzling his neck.

Xander's breath was coming in short gasps, overwhelmed as he was by the incredible sensations that were running through his body like wildfire. Willow was moaning loudly, and Tara turned her attention back to her as Xander picked up his momentum. Her cry of pleasure was cut short as Tara captured Willow's lips with her own, and the redhead's body shuddered with the force of her climax.

That was all it took to send Xander over the edge. He drove into Willow deeply and let go with a loud moan as he exploded inside her, in what was undoubtedly the most powerful orgasm he'd ever had. Her muscles rippled around his cock, squeezing him tightly, milking him of everything he had.

Finally, he collapsed back on the bed. He breathed deeply as his heartbeat slowed back to some semblance of normality, and after a few seconds he opened his eyes to see Willow and Tara exchange a soft kiss before turning towards him.

"That was…" Xander trailed off, at a loss. Words couldn't even begin to cover it.

"Yeah," Willow agreed with a grin. "My thoughts exactly." She laid a hand on Tara's shoulder, looking at her with affection. Her girlfriend's expression was excited and a little nervous at the same time.

"Now it's your turn, honey," Willow whispered. She pulled away from Xander, his softening cock slipping out of her, and knelt in front of Tara, who reclined back on the bed. Xander turned, propping himself up on one arm as Willow laid on top of her girlfriend, taking her face in her hands and kissing her deeply.

Willow moved her hands along Tara's arms, then over to her sides as she kissed her face, her neck, her shoulders. Tara moaned as her caresses reached her breasts, and Willow circled her tongue around one nipple, causing her girlfriend to arch upward. After a moment, she moved again, slowly kissing her way down her stomach, her fingers tickling the space between her breasts.

Xander found himself quickly growing hard again at the sight, and he scooted closer to them, laying a hand on Tara's shoulder. She turned her head and looked at him, her gaze intense, and Xander leaned down and kissed her deeply, running his fingers through her soft hair. He could feel her passion as his tongue slid over hers, and when he pulled away again, he had to take a moment to catch his breath.

He looked on as Willow kissed Tara's wet folds, parting them slightly and brushing her lips over her clit. Tara moaned loudly at her girlfriend's touch, her whole body tensing as Willow's tongue darted out to lick her. Willow swirled her tongue around the hard nub, slowly, lazily, her hands stroking the inside of her thighs.

Xander kissed Tara again, then kissed her throat and her collarbone before moving to her breast. He took her nipple between his fingers and pinched softly before covering it with his mouth. Tara wrapped one arm around him, reaching down with her other hand to tangle her fingers in Willow's hair.

Out of the corner of his eye, Xander saw that Willow was moving faster now, her tongue gliding over Tara's clit. She was writhing around underneath them, gasping loudly, and Xander took her nipple between his lips again, sucking on her hard as her orgasm took her. He lifted his eyes, watching her face as her head rolled back, blonde hair pillowed beneath her, the tension fading from her face, replaced by an expression that was…blissful.

When she started to relax, Xander lifted his head from Tara's breast and turned his head to look at Willow. She was staring at him intently, and when their eyes met, she beckoned to him. He moved down the bed to join her.

"Want to taste her?" Willow murmured. Xander nodded, and Willow smiled brightly, giving him a quick smooch before scooting up to lay beside her girlfriend, rolling onto her side and kissing her deeply.

Xander placed kisses on Tara's inner thighs, working his way toward her center. He ran his tongue along the outside of her lips, then opened them slightly with his fingers, probing inside her with the tip of his tongue. She tasted sweet.

Xander went slowly at first. Anya had taught him how to do this when they'd been together, but it had been a few months since she'd left, so it took him a little time to get used to it again.

He traced the inside of Tara's folds with his tongue, circling around a few times before moving up to her clit. He flicked the tip of his tongue against it and was rewarded with a soft moan. Smiling, he followed Willow's earlier lead, teasing her with long, slow licks.

He felt Tara's hand in his hair, pulling gently, holding him to her. He looked up and saw her staring down at him, eyes wide with desire. Willow smiled down at him and kissed Tara again before moving to her breast as he had done earlier, nuzzling and licking her nipple.

Between the two of them, it only took a few minutes before Tara was nearing another climax. Xander felt her tense beneath him and he knew she was close. He flicked his tongue over her clit one last time before wrapping his lips around it and sucking softly, his tongue running over the end.

Tara cried out with the force of her climax, her fingers tightening in Xander's hair, shuddering underneath him.

Afterward, Xander pulled away slightly and looked up again. Willow was staring down at him, a now-familiar look of desire in her eyes, and she kissed Tara's cheek as the blonde's eyes fluttered open again.

"I want to watch him fuck you now, baby," Willow whispered, loud enough for Xander to hear. "Are you ready?"

Xander felt a fresh surge of arousal as Tara nodded, his cock twitching a little against the sheets underneath him. He moved up her body, kissing her abdomen, her stomach, her nipples. She shivered slightly as he ran his tongue over the hollow between her breasts.

Willow reached down and took his cock in her hand, guiding him toward Tara, releasing him when his head was nestled against her opening. Xander smiled briefly at Willow before turning toward Tara, looking down at her and meeting her eyes.

At Tara's answering nod, Xander moved forward slowly. Her nervousness tightened her against his entry, but she was wet enough that he was able to go on without hurting her. He moaned softly as he pushed into the warm, tight embrace of her body.

Xander stopped once he was all the way in, not moving, letting Tara adjust to the feel of him. "Are you okay?" he asked, staring into her eyes with concern.

Tara nodded again. "Yes," she breathed. "It feels…You feel good," she finished, blushing slightly and wriggling underneath him a little.

Willow leaned forward and kissed Tara passionately, drawing her tongue out so Xander could see. After a moment, she pulled away and took a breath, then kissed him as well. She scooted up against them, Xander enjoying the intimate feel, as though she was part of their connection as well.

Xander kissed Tara deeply as he began to move inside her, taking things slowly. Willow kissed and sucked on her earlobe, one hand moving between them to play with Tara's breast. Glancing to the side, Xander saw that Willow's other hand was busy between her legs, her fingers slowly stroking her clit as she watched them.

Soon enough, Tara relaxed underneath him, and Xander picked up his pace a bit. Her inner muscles gripped him tightly, her smooth wetness welcoming each of his thrusts into her. He broke the contact of their lips, kissing and nibbling Tara's neck, and she wrapped her legs around him, using them to coax him deeper into her.

Willow kissed Tara again, and Xander laid one hand on the back of her head, running his fingers through her silky red hair. Her hand pinched and pulled at Tara's nipple a little more roughly, and the blonde moaned into her mouth. Xander ran his hand down the smooth skin of Willow's back, gripping her ass and squeezing, pulling her closer to them.

Xander pulled back slightly, looking down at Tara. She broke her kiss with Willow, her head rolling to the side, eyes closed tightly. "Oh yes…" she breathed. "So good…"

Pleasure spread through Xander's body, and he leaned down to kiss Tara again, harder this time. She clenched tightly around his cock and he couldn't suppress a moan at the sensation. Willow ran her tongue over his neck, reaching down to grasp his balls, lightly stroking them with her fingers. Xander pulled away from Tara's mouth, gasping loudly at her touch.

Tara moaned again, her breath hot against his neck, and Xander could tell she was close to the edge. He pushed himself up slightly and began thrusting into her harder, the bed shaking beneath them. Just as his own release was upon him, Tara convulsed underneath him, her insides gripping his cock tightly. He could feel the tremors of her climax, and he drove into her a final time, spending himself inside her in an orgasm that was every bit as intense as his first. Beside them, Willow gasped with her own release, coming along with them.

They collapsed together, Xander resting his head on Tara's shoulder as she stroked the small of his back lightly. Willow smiled lazily at him, threading her fingers through his. He gave each of them a soft kiss, then pulled away slightly as they kissed each other.

Xander lifted his head slightly, looking at each of them in turn. "Wow. That was…" He chuckled softly. "Again I have no words."

"I know what you mean," Tara agreed. She yawned and stretched her arms over her head.

Xander pulled away from Tara, disentangling himself from her embrace, and rolled onto his back, moving up and resting his head on the pillows at the head of the bed. Willow and Tara draped themselves over him, Willow on his right, Tara on his left, and they pulled the blankets over them as they snuggled together.

They mumbled their goodnights and drifted off to sleep, and in spite of everything they'd just done, each of them was just a little surprised by how comfortable they felt entwined together.

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Soul Mates: New Beginnings

by Ravenhawk

Copyright © 2005

ravenhawk450@gmail.com