”Come on Deanna, how can you sit here, with him, over there, looking like that, and feel...nothing!?•

Beverly Crusher looked at her best friend with an amazed, but stupefied look upon her delicate face. Deanna shrugged nonchalantly as she turned her gaze back upon the man in question, who at this moment was deep in conversation with one of the new recruits that had been assigned to the laboratory.

The soft lights of the lounge emphasised his profile. The strong jaw line. The way his hair kissed the collar of his uniform. The long, lush, sooty eyelashes. The muscles, taut underneath his tunic. And the only thing that went through Deanna's mind as they sat casually watching Will Riker at work.

With her chin propped upon her fist, unconsciously echoing his same stance, she confidently told herself, *He was mine once and with the click of my fingers, he could be mine again.*

Deanna watched as Will devoured not only the words that fell animatedly from the woman‘s lips, but the whole essence of the pretty young thing that sat barely a breath away from his face, that rested on his clenched but relaxed fist.

Deanna remembered a time when he'd hung onto every word that she had spoken. Had devoured her features with those same crystal blue eyes.

Beverly‘s voice broke her musing once more and she brought herself back to the present, ”I don‘t believe you Dee, I know if I had a chance to get near that body, I would jump at it.•

Deanna turned and stared at her closest friend as her words filtered through. Certain that she had heard her wrong, she asked stunned. ”Excuse me...?•

Beverly grinned secretively, but the sheer devilment lit up her face. ”Aw, come on Deanna, you have simply got to agree. That is one hell of a body he‘s got. Six feet four inches of pure, unadulterated sex. The brightest blue eyes that I have ever seen, and enough charm to seduce an entire convent of nuns. The man smacks eroticism.”

Not quite believing what she was hearing, Deanna whispered amusingly, ”Beverly, have you got a crush on Will Riker?•

The doctor laughed out loud, blushing when the topic of their discussion looked across at their table. She hastily murmured, ”Of course not, but I think I must be about the only person Will hasn‘t balled...•

Deanna was gob-smacked. ”Beverly!•

Once more the two women caught Will‘s curious glance. They giggled as they thought about his reaction to what they were discussing. Beverly leaned towards her even closer still, ”Come on Deanna , I‘ve just got to know. What‘s he like... y‘know... in bed?• Deanna and Beverly had soon become firm friends, best friends as soon as they had come on board some two months ago now. Both were still learning about each other, both still had the girly devilment that came with being still young enough to get away with murder, and were single.

Deanna continued to stare at her buddy, deciding if she was being serious or just trying to get a reaction. A quick glance at Will told her that he had resumed his seduction of the ensign, and shuffling a little closer to Beverly, making sure that they would not be over heard, she animatedly relayed her memories of Will Riker. ”Well, He certainly knows how to please a lady Bev, he takes simply ages arousing you.•

Beverly nodded excitedly, urging her to carry on. ”He has the most amazing body, I mean, the size of him is a good indication, but to see him naked...well, he certainly made me smile.•

Beverly nodded again, her mind working overtime as she envisaged him naked. It was an interesting thought. Shaking herself she urged Deanna to go on. ”And then?•

Deanna smiled and hunkered nearer still, ”Well, the first time we...y‘know...did it, it was amazing. He didn‘t realise I was a virgin, so he wasn‘t particularly gentle, but gods, he was SO big!•

Beverly jumped in. ”How big?•

Deanna thought for a moment, her mind wandering back to their last union on Betazed. Sitting up a little straighter, Beverly watched Deanna‘s hands as she tried to indicate his size. Her tiny hands started off at about 6 inches apart, then moved to around 8 inches. ”Um, I guess that‘s about right.•

Beverly stared wide eyed and open mouthed at her, amazed. Then both women turning simultaneously to look at Will. Beverly‘s eyes lit up with a new light. Deanna‘s lit up with pride.

Drawn by the force of the two women's stare, Will looked across to them once more, a frown creasing his forehead. He‘d noticed Deanna‘s fresh air measurement and wondered what they were talking about, but when they both looked across at him, and saw the looks upon their faces, he instantly knew.

Will looked into Deanna eyes questionly. Deanna boldly stared him out, and quietly murmured. ”I remember I had the most fantastic orgasm.•

The atmosphere crackled with sexual tension as the two minds remembered the union that happened so long ago, but so fresh in their memories that it seemed like only yesterday.

Once more Beverly asked her friend as she watched Will‘s date stand and leave, clearly annoyed at the attention he was giving them...her. ”How can you sit here and still feel nothing?•

Deanna barely whispered. ”Actually with some difficulty Beverly. As good as the sex was, and as much as I love him, it would not work between us.•

Beverly turned to face her, puzzlement etched upon her face. ”I can‘t believe your passing up the chance to have the most fascinating, sexually magnificent affair just because you don‘t know what will happen... god know‘s how long along the line!•

Deanna smiled indulgently at her. ”Beverly, it‘s not that simple, we have our own lives, our careers, our fu...•

”Bull! Your both too scared to take the chance, and besides who‘s talking about the future, I‘m talking about sex Deanna, Pure, unadulterated sex, between two people who are nuts about each other.•

Deanna silently listened to her as Beverly forged on. ”When a couple become intimate, it‘s that intimacy that keeps a relationship alive. Depending on the individuals, you'd either make an exquisitely, happy ever after couple, or, you could stay close friends but without the intimacy, happily ever after. Or, you'd hate each other...Which do you think would happen to you two Deanna?•

Still Deanna stayed silent as she thought about the possibilities. Looking across to Will, she saw that he was now sitting alone. The ensign had gone, and he was quietly...expectantly, watching her.

His eyes, now smoky blue as they smouldered with the intensity of his gaze. Swallowing nervously she quietly spoke. ”We could never hate each other Beverly, he's my Imzadi, as I am his. We will always love each other forever, no matter what.•

Beverly grinned, ”So, the way I see it Deanna is at the very worst, you would still be close friends, and the very best, exceptionally happy!•

As they both watched Will from across the room, Beverly let her words sink in before asking her final question. ”What have you got to lose?•

The two women watched as Will silently stood and made his way over towards their table. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Beverly noticed that Will and Deanna‘s eyes had locked, the sheer magnetism between the two was pulling them together. If Beverly hadn‘t been quite so nosy she would have quietly moved away, but she was curious as to what they were going to say to each other.

Deanna stood to meet Will as he came to a stand in front of her. Beverly held her breath for the first words. None came.

She watched as Will‘s large hand reached across to take Deanna‘s tiny one, his eyes never leaving her face. Moments later, they silently turned and walked out of the lounge. Then Beverly realised that they had said everything that they were going to say telepathically. She stamped her foot exasperated. ”Damn!• and slumped back into her chair and sulked.

~~~~~~~~

The next morning Beverly caught up with Deanna in the lounge once more. Once Guinan had served her a large coffee and left them, Beverly could no longer contain herself. ”Well?...•

Deanna shifted slightly in her chair, a secretive smile played across her face. ”Well what Beverly, surely you don‘t want all the nitty gritty details do you?•

Beverly exploded, unable to hold onto her curiosity any longer, ”Yes, YES!, tell me, are you together again?•

Deanna laughed at her friends over exuberance. ”O.k. o.k!...we have decided to give it another go.•

Beverly clapped her hands and whooped with glee, ”YES! I knew it, I knew you still fancied him something rotten• She leaned towards her and whispered, ”Did you make out Dee?•

Deanna blushed as she giggled nervously. ”Well, yes...eventually.•

Beverly looked at her puzzled. ”Eventually...why what happened?•

Deanna sat up straight and said seriously, ”Well, you know I said Will was this big?• Deanna‘s hands made the familiar measurement that would take some time for Beverly to forget. She nodded. Deanna continued, ”Well, he‘s now...this big• Beverly watched the hands open another two inches.

Beverly was amazed. ”Your kidding me right?•

Both heads turned to the doors as they hissed open. Will‘s smiling face looked their way, he immediately noticed Deanna‘s hands were still in measurement mode. He grinned at Beverly and waggled his eyebrows. Beverly didn‘t know what to do with herself. Turning beetroot, she hastily exited Ten Forward as Will and Deanna‘s laughter followed her out. She would never be able to look at him again without imagining Deanna‘s hands showing her just what Will Riker was hiding in his pants.