"Hello."

"Hi, where are you," she asked?

"At the hotel, and you?"

"Not far away!"

"Good, I can't wait to see you. I'm in room 232."

"Okay, I'll be there in a bit."

"K, see you soon!"

Hanging up I set about making the final preparations. The bubbly I bought was an exquisite brand that tasted fantastic. It was well chilled from having sat in my vehicle all morning. I opened the bottle and poured two glasses, setting them on the table, along with the fruit tray I had purchased. Yes they weren't real champagne glasses, but they would do. Turning my attention to the bed I turned down the covers and then lit the 5 candles I purchased. Sniffing I was rewarded with the scent of warm vanilla as the candles began to work their magic. In addition to the smell they would also provide just the right amount of ambient lighting once I closed the window shades. I placed two on the table by the champagne and fruit and three more around the whirlpool. Next, I lit the fireplace and checking the thermostat, I turned it up a notch to ensure we would be comfortable once our clothes were removed. Finally I placed the toys in the bedside table drawer. This would make them readily available for use when the time came.

Closing the shades I took a quick look around the room and then I glanced at my watch just as the long anticipated knock at the door came. Perfect timing I thought to myself as I rushed to the door. Looking through the peephole to confirm it was Allie, I quickly opened it and ushered her in, then closed and locked it. Turning to face her we both just smiled and laughed and I gave her a big bear hug, lifting her feet off the ground and twirling her as I held her close.

"Oh you feel so good," I said, "it's so great to be with you again. Do you like," I asked, as I set her down and swept my hand about the room.

"Oh my, candles, champagne, a fireplace, and a whirlpool!!! And just what did you have in mind?"

"I'm sure something exciting will cum up," I said with a laugh and a wink.

"Cum up," she giggled, obviously enjoying the double entendre. "Oh whatsoever might cum up?"

Grabbing her hand I pulled her close for a kiss and slowly moved her hand to my waist and then below, "I think we'll find something," I said as I pushed her hand against my already stiffening cock..

"I see," she said with a little laugh, "or should I say feel."

"Whichever you prefer," I said as I broke our embrace. Still holding her hand I led her to the loveseat and handed her a glass of champagne. "Either way I'll show you in a little bit," I said with a wink, "but first let's enjoy a little champagne and some fruit."

"Fruit, well how thoughtful of you."

"Yes I thought it would be nice to have something light and energetic to eat, after all we'll need our energy."

"Will we?"

"I certainly hope so," I said with a smile as I walked over to the bathroom alcove. "But first close your eyes."

She looked at me with a look of uncertainty. "It's okay, you trust me don't you?"

"Yes!"

"Okay then close your eyes, it's not like I'm going to hand cuff you or anything, well, that could be fun, but maybe another time."

"She smiled and then closed her eyes."

Returning I sat next to her, "okay you can open them."

As she opened them I brought my hand from behind my back to present her with a single rose.

"For me," she asked with that smile I so loved?

"Most certainly for you. A beautiful flower for a beautiful woman.”

We hugged again for a long moment and I buried my nose in her neck and took in a deep breath of her intoxicating scent. "Hmmm you smell great too, good enough to eat.”

“Is that all you can think of,” she asked coyly.

"Not really. After all you do have perfect tits, but I really do like to nuzzle and lick your neck. Something I didn't really get to do last time."

"And why not?"

"Truth?"

"Truth."

"Well if you remember I was so nervous that you decided we needed to just strip and get into bed."

"I decided?"

"I seem to recall you taking the lead."

"And are you are complaining?"

"Oh no, it was great and probably the best thing to have done. But there was so much I had wanted to do that I simply wound up not doing because I was so nervous and of course so anxious to savor you."

"Like what," she asked?

"Like a little more foreplay," I replied.

"Explain."

"You just want me to talk dirty to you."

"Yeah, on spill it!"

"Well I would have liked to have been able to hold you from behind, and to kiss and nuzzle your neck while my hands caressed your breasts."

"MMMMMmmmmmm!"

"Yes, and then I would have liked to have turned you around and kissed a little as we maybe slow danced a little while my hands roamed about your body and I whispered into your ear what I was going to do to you once I got you naked."

"Nicccceeee."

We both just looked at each for a few moments and smiled until I noticed her champagne glass was empty. Reaching for the bottle I refilled her glass.

"My, my, my, hoping to get a girl drunk and take advantage of her are we," she exclaimed with that laugh and twinkle in her eye that I so loved, and which could always make me instantly hard.

"You betcha, that way I can have my way with you!"

I stopped to admire how lovely she looked in the soft glow of the candle light. The reflection of the flames shimmered off the highlights in her hair and her eyes glowed like the deepest of blue sapphires. As I sat there admiring her beauty, I thanked my lucky stars to be so blessed as to be able to enjoy the immense pleasure of not only the company of this fantastic woman, but also the intimate carnal knowledge and pleasure which I hoped her body would soon afford me. And then my reverie was broken when she spoke, "Soooo, tell me more about what you think you might be doing to me."

Looking deeply into those beautiful eyes, I took a sip of champagne. "Well, the answer is quite simple, I'm out to maximize your pleasure, as it is through that, that I receive my greatest pleasure."

"Sweet talker, that'll get you everywhere, maybe.....but, you'll have to be more specific."

"Mmm, well I hope you know that I won't ever do anything you don't want to do. I know how you feel about, shall we say certain things acts."

"Hmmm, you mean like anal?"

"Yes"

"Well you know I’m curious about it, I've told you that. It's just that I’m a little hesitant still."

"I know, and I just want you to know that while I do like to fantasize about it, if it happens it happens, if not it doesn't But you will have to want it and will have to ask for it."

"You'd like that wouldn't you?"

"What?"

Being ever the tease she scooted over, and brushing her tits against me as she leaned over she whispered in my ear, "If I asked you to please fuck my tight little ass."

As she moved back to her seat I replied, "If you could see my cock right now you'd know the answer to that question."

"Ah Huh, I knew it!"

"Yea, well who wouldn't, but getting to do everything and anything else is also satisfying."

"Anything huh, for example?"

"Name it, what wouldn't you be willing to try, outside of some of those crazy fetishes we've talked about. Take one of our favorites, a fantasy threesome with either a woman or a man?"

"You're right," she relented with another sip of champagne.

Feeling that it was about time, especially since I was hard as a rock, I put down my glass and I offered her my hand. Pulling her up I twirled her around and grabbed her by the waist.

"Back to our first topic, let me show you," I whispered into her ear as my hands cupped her breasts and began massaging them. Even through the material of her bra I could feel those perfect nipples straining at the fabric, begging for attention. I began kissing her neck as my left hand continued it's assault on her breasts, which I had now worked underneath her shirt, and my right hand stole down to her crotch. I pressed into the vee of her legs, and could feel the warmth of her pussy beneath her jeans. Twirling her around to face me I looked into her eyes and cradling her cheeks in my hands I brought her lips to mine and kissed her.

"Give me your tongue," I demanded.

She opened her mouth to give me access and our tongues intertwined as my hands circled her waist and dropped to her ass. Pulling her to me I began a slow rocking motion as I broke our kiss and nuzzled into her neck. My hands were now roaming freely underneath her shirt, moving from her breasts to her ass and back again. I undid her bra and my hands moved underneath to cup her breasts and tweak her nipples. Stepping back I looked her in the eyes and began undoing her buttons.

"I'm not going to be the only one naked her am I," she asked?

"Certainly not."

"Well then?"

"Well what, you can undo some buttons?"

With that Allie began undoing the buttons on my shirt as I finished removing hers and her bra. Next we moved to each others pants and in another minute stood naked before each other. We both laughed, but it was the laugh of two close friends, not the nervous laughter of two strangers naked before each other for the first time.

"I have another surprise for you!"

"Oh oh."

"I promise you'll like it," I said as I led her to the bed. "Lay down on your stomach," I said as I reached into the nightstand drawer and withdrew a tube of warming massage oil. Putting some on my fingers I straddled Allie’s ass and began working the oil into her shoulders and back.

"HHHHmmmm, this is heavenly," she mewled.

"I'm glad you like," I said as my hands continued to knead her flesh. I grazed the underside of each breast and slowly began working my way further down her back, until I reached her ass. Moving further back I put more oil on my hands and began kneading her ass and then down her legs. Bringing my hands between her legs I pushed and she spread them to give me access. My fingers soon found their way to her pussy, which was extremely wet.

"Mmmm, I guess you do like this," I said as I dipped one finger into her warm, wet pussy.

"Yes I do," she groaned.

I slipped another finger into her pussy and then pressing inward slowly dragged both up between her cheeks. When I passed over her rosebud she jumped.

"Don't worry, I'm not doing anything there," I said.

"I'm not, I just wasn't quite expecting the sensation."

"So I can continue," I asked?

"Yes!"

With that I poured more oil onto my hands and continued to knead her ass, then made a couple of more trips between her legs to dip into her pussy and slowly drag them back up between her cheeks again. Each time I slowly pressed into her rosebud just a little, and each time I did was rewarded with a small groan of satisfaction. After a few minutes I laid down next to her.

"Time to roll over," I said.

With that Allie rolled over and I put my arm across her chest. Bending my head I took first one and then her other nipple into my mouth and sucked. As I did this I began to trace ever widening circles out from her breasts, towards her pelvic mound.

Trailing my tongue from her nipple, up her neck to her ear, while at the same running my finger through her hot, wet slit and slowly inserting it in her pussy. At the same time I felt her hand close around my cock and begin to pump.

"I feel your hard cock," she whispered.

"Mmmmhmmmm, that's the way you made it, and I love the way your pussy feels," I replied, "how about another finger," I said as I added another finger to the one already slowly moving in and out of her pussy. As I slowly pulled my fingers up I caught her clit between the two and gently squeezed as I continued to drag them to the top of her slit. Once there I immediately plunged them back down to penetrate deep inside her.

"You like," I asked as I felt her fingers squeeze my cock ever tighter.

"Yesssss!"

"Then how about another finger," I said as I suddenly thrust a third in with the other two. Allie moaned as my fingers continued their assault on her pussy. I began kissing her neck and nibbling at her ear lobe as I added another finger to her pussy.

"That's four fingers in your pussy," I whispered.

She groaned, "I need your cock now, please fuck me."

"Please what?"

"Fuck me!"

"Mmmm I like when you talk dirty to me." Pulling my fingers from her pussy I put one in my mouth. "Mmmm you taste good," I said, "care to taste," I asked as I offered her one of my other fingers. Looking me in the eye she took my finger into her mouth and closed around it with her lips, sucking it as if it were my cock.

"Now fuck me," she demanded as she removed my finger. I leaned over and kissed her as I rose into position, tasting her pussy on her lips as I did so. She pulled her legs back as I aimed my cockhead at her entrance and pushed forward, until I was buried deep inside her.

"Your cock feels so good," she groaned as I began to pound in and out of her, my balls slapping against her ass. After a few minutes I could feel my orgasm beginning to well up and I pulled out.

"I don't want to cum just yet," I said.

Before she could react I grabbed both her legs in my hands and moved quickly down between her legs to lick the length of her lips. She squealed from my sudden and unexpected assault on her pussy with my tongue.

"Oh you do that so well," she groaned.

I continued licking, moving my tongue further and further down her slit with each long lick, burying my tongue deeper into her pussy on each up stroke,

She groaned, "Yes," and I continued while reaching to the nightstand drawer to bring out the new vibrator.

"Maybe it's time for this," I said as I turned it on and held the vibrating tip against her clit.

She jumped at the initial contact, but then began gyrating back at it as I worked it up and down her slit and around her clit. Her breathing was coming faster now, and she was clawing the sheets with her hands as I pushed the vibrating head into her pussy and up, aiming the natural bend of the toy and all its power on her g-spot.

"Ohhhhhhh, you found the spot," she groaned.

Taking my free hand I began gently tweaking her left nipple as I focused the motion of the vibrator's head on her g-spot.

"Harder, pinch my nipple harder," she whispered.

I complied with her request and she grabbed the vibrator from my hand and thrust it tightly against her as I watched her begin to convulse in her first orgasm. As she began to come down I immediately removed the vibrator and replaced it with my hard cock and began thrusting wildly inside her. Allie began moaning with delight as I continued pounding into her.

"I'm going to cum soon," I said.

"Fuck me," she cried, "I'm almost there again."

Those words put me over the edge and with three more thrusts I buried myself deep inside her and began cumming.

"Can you feel me filling you full of cum," I asked?

"Ohhhh yesss," she said as she pulled tightly against me, gyrating her pussy for several more seconds before beginning another orgasm.

"AAArrrggghhhhhhhh I'm coming again," she cried.

Exhausted, we laid for a few minutes in silence just savoring the after glow of our sex. We talked for a few minutes and then I got up. "Time to try the tub," I said as I turned on the water and started filling it. While the tub was filling I got the fruit and refilled our champagne glasses. I offered Allie some fruit and then I set the bottle and our glasses on the rim of the tub. I finished my work by rearranging all the candles around the rim of the tub.

Going back to Allie I offered my hand. Pulling her up I led her to the tub where I helped her get in. Then I lowered myself gingerly, grimacing when my balls made contact with the hot water.

Allie giggled, "What's a matter, a little too hot?"

"You might say that, certainly something of a downer," I said referring to my once hard cock which was rapidly softening.

"Mmm, I might be able to help with that."

"Of that I'm sure," I replied as I pulled her between my legs. Grabbing a cloth I began to wash Allie’s back and shoulders, very slowly making my way around to her beautiful breasts.

"Maybe we should have saved the bath till later. I kind of like the idea of cumming on your tits."

"Maybe we'll just have to take another," she replied.

As I washed her breasts I turned my attention to her perky nipples, caressing each one, gently rolling and pinching them lightly between my thumb and forefingers. I loved the way her neck looked, so delicate and smooth, and I moved my mouth down and kissed it. My hands soon began to move down the length of her stomach, finally reaching that glorious spot between her legs.

Allie arched her back and pushed her hips forward to give me better access. I spread her lips wide with my fingers and found her hardening clit. Stroking it with ever increasing pressure I rubbed it gently in circles, feeling her body respond. Inserting a finger into her wet pussy I began to stroke in and out against her clit.

"Mmmm, that feels nice. I love how sexy you make me feel."

"You make it easy because you are so sexy and desirable."

"Yea right!"

Reaching for the champagne glasses I handed one to her and then took a sip. I was fascinated about how out going and uninhibited she was in so many ways, but when it came to her body and some aspects of sex she could be genuinely down right shy. This contradiction in her nature just didn't seem to fit and I found it to be both very sexy and appealing at the same time.

"So come on," I chided, "let's hear it. Or would you rather experience a couple, so that you could enjoy both a woman and another man at the same time," I said with a wink.

"OOOhhh, now that's something I hadn't really thought of, 2 at once!"

"Three actually, don't forget about me!"

"You're right, how could I EVER forget about you. MMMmmm, that is an exciting visual."

"Am I making you wet and horny?"

"Wetter and hornier, don't you know I've been wet and horny since before I got here, thinking about our afternoon."

"Why thank you, I'll take that as a compliment. But I'll continue only on one condition."

"And that is?"

"After we get out of the tub I'd like to watch you masturbate."

"You'd like to watch me play with myself?"

"Very much so, I've always wanted to watch a woman pleasure herself close up."

"I don't know."

"Oh c'mon, quit teasing me. It'd be such a great turn on for me."

"Maybe, but only on one condition."

'Hey, I'm making the conditions!"

"Well, I'm adding to them!"

"I don't know that this is fair, but what's the condition," I asked?

"You do the same."

"Hmm, I don't know."

"Oh c'mon. It'd be such a great turn on for me," she said in a daring tone as she repeated my earlier words. "After all if you get to see me do it, then I should get to see you. Just like you'd like to see a woman close up I'd like to see a man stroke his cock."

"Well I suppose that's only fair. Okay," I said. "Hmmm, let's see, where was I?"

Allie's eyes remained closed and her head was laid back against my chest as I watched her absentmindedly tug and tweak the nipples of both her breasts.

"Well, there's a lot more I'd like to do right now,” I added.

"Maybe it's time we got out of the tub and began round 2," she said.

"Sounds like a great idea," I replied as we got up and quickly dried off.

Allie led me to the bed where she turned around suddenly and pushed me down.

"Lay on the bed. I want to suck you," she commanded.

Her lips wrapped around my thick rod like a glove as she expertly went to work.

“Oh my god you are so good at this,” I moaned as she took all of me deep in her throat.

"I'm glad you like it," she said in a garbled way with my dick still in her mouth..

"And I love watching you to, but if you keep that up I'm going to cum soon and I want to wait a little longer. I think it's my turn to taste you now," I said.

Getting up I pulled Allie to the edge of the bed, and pushing her legs back I began kissing up and down her thighs, nipping them as I went.

"As I recall you like a little biting."

"Yes I do," she moaned.

Continuing I moved closer to her pussy and then slowly, dragged my tongue the full length of her slit. I continued up and down, moving my tongue around her clit, and back all the way down to her ass where I licked that little brown hole, only to move all the way back up to her clit. Circling her clit with my lips I sucked hard, and she pushed my head back a little as I heard a sharp intake of breath.

"Hmmm, so good, but go easy," she whispered.

"Letting go of her clit, I moved my tongue back down again and licked lightly against her asshole"

"You know that other toy was made for this hole too, I could get it"

"You could huh?"

"Yeah."

"And what would you do with it?"

"Why I'd continue to lick you while I slowly inserted it"

"Hmmm, I don't know yet."

"Well you can think about it. It has other uses as well," I said.

"I mean think about how you'd like having it put in your ass," she replied.

Taking another long lick of her pussy I replied, "I might like it."

"I'm not sure yet." Allie moaned.

"That's okay, but while you are making up your mind I want to try something else," getting up I retrieved the now almost empty champagne bottle.

"There's this little drink I've always wanted to try," I said with a wink, as I rubbed the neck of the bottle up and down her pussy lips. Tipping it slightly I poured a very little bit on her clit, and watched the bubbles well up as I licked them away.

"Ohhhh, that tickles," she said.

"And now I want to use your pussy as a cup," I said as I pushed the tip of the bottle inside her lips and lifted it to fill her pussy with champagne. Quickly removing the bottle I clamped my mouth over her pussy and sucked until I drank all the champagne.

"An interesting way to drink," she said with a giggle.

"How's that feel," I asked.

"Funny weird," she replied, "it's cold and bubbly, it's actually quite nice."

I repeated it again and then standing thrust my hot, hard cock, into her now wet, cold pussy. "OOOOHHHH," we both gasped, me from the feeling of the cold on my cock and her from the warmth of my cock that was now penetrating her cooled pussy.

After a few strokes to warm her back up I pulled out and moved back up the bed. "Isn't it," I said as I poured some more, this time on her chest, and onto her nipples. They responded to the cold champagne by becoming even more erect than they already were and Allie jumped from the contact.

"Mmmm, you like teasing me with cold stuff today don't you?"

"You bet, are you saying you don't like?"

"No, I like, it's different, and feels kind of nice, especially the way the champagne bubbles."

"Well I like this part the best," I said as I bent and nibbled and sucked each one of her nipples to its fullest point of erection. Making my way between the mounds of her breasts I held onto each, gently kneading with my fingers as I licked them like I would an ice cream cone.

"Aaaarrrrggggghhhhh," she groaned.

She jumped slightly at the contact when I poured a little more champagne, and I continued to lick my way down her stomach, pausing at her belly button where a pool of bubbly had settled. Lapping that up I began to tease the inside of each of her soft thighs, nipping them gently with my tongue. I inhaled deeply her intoxicating scent, and couldn't wait anymore. Gently blowing on her clit I took my tongue and slid it slowly up the entire length of her now once again very hot and wet pussy.

"OOhhhh, yessss!"

I poured a little more champagne directly on her pussy and laughed as she yelped, but then immediately dove in licking and sucking her clit with abandon. Pushing her legs back I spread her sweet flower wide and buried my tongue as far as it would go. I inserted first one, and then quickly thereafter two more fingers into her hot, tight hole while continuing to suck on her clit.

"Oh how I love to look at, smell, and taste your pussy," I moaned. Moving one hand I traced a line up the inside of her thigh with my fingers and stopped just short of her pussy lips. I repeated this action several times, teasing her as I stopped just short of my goal. Then I bent down and buried my face in her pussy once again, inhaling deeply to savor the heady scent of her womanhood. As I buried my tongue in her lower folds, I slowly and deliberately, pushed my tongue in as far as I could and dragged it up through her lips and across her clit. I repeated this as I heard Allie moan, and then continued straight up to her tits, where I sucked one of her nipples into my mouth. I reached over to the fruit tray and grabbed a strawberry, which I then lowered and stuck just inside her pussy lips.

"Just the way I like my strawberries," I laughed.

Lowering my mouth to her pussy I started sucking her clit. She moaned more loudly and fucked up at my mouth. Encouraged by her response I sucked hard and began flicking the tip of my tongue rapidly across her clit. Then licking the full length of her slit a couple of times I stopped and focused on her dripping wet hole, turning my attention to the strawberry.

Driving my tongue as far inside as I could I used my thumb to strum her clit. I crushed the berry between my teeth and began sucking wildly. The juice from the berry mixed with the flavor of her pussy to create an intoxicating nectar. I licked and sucked hard while Allie began moaning and grinding her hips up towards me. I felt her hands pull the back of my head closer, forcing my tongue deeper inside her.

"Oh fuck, that feels so good," she cried. The strawberry juice ran down her ass and I redoubled my efforts, licking her pussy and ass clean. Allie was now moaning loudly and I rammed two fingers into her pussy, and began sawing them in out.

"Harder," she said as she clenched her thighs tightly together and began to convulse in orgasm. I continued lapping and moving my fingers in and out until she pushed me away. I then laid down on the bed. As I did she got up and grabbed the champagne bottle.

"My turn for some fun now," she laughed.

Bending down she took my cock into her mouth and slowly, teasingly, sank her mouth all the way down to my pubic bone. After a few bobs of her head she withdrew and poured some of the cold liquid on to my hard, hot cock. The cold liquid caused me to jump,

"Ohh, that's cold!"

"Now you know how it feels."

With that she poured some more on my hot cock and balls and bent over to lap it up. The mixture of her warm tongue and the cold champagne sent indescribable shivers up my spine. She did this repeatedly, each time taking her time to slowly lick my cock clean, paying specific attention to my now, very sensitive head. Swirling her tongue over the head of my cock she grabbed my shaft and began to pump up and down.

"MMMmmmm, you do that so well."

Looking at me she said, "Fuck my mouth."

With that I started thrusting into her mouth, slowly at first and then faster and faster. She kept a firm grip on my shaft and pumped me in time with my thrusts, all the while continuing to suck me with her mouth and twirling her tongue around my cock. After a few more minutes I could feel my impending orgasm.

"I'm going to cum soon!"

"I know, I can TASTE you!"

I groaned when she said that and it put me over the edge. I gave one last thrust and stiffened as my cock started to spurt. Allie pulled off with that first hot spurt and began pumping me with her hand as I unloaded on her.

"Hmm, that's it cum for me," see said.

I continued to spurt three more times as she stroked my shaft and then settled my hips back down as I finished. She maintained her grip on my cock, and then bent to take me in her mouth once again. The head of my cock was so sensitive that while I enjoyed what she was doing, it tickled tremendously. Finally I couldn't stand it any longer.

"Stop, I can't take it any more," I exclaimed as I giggled and pushed her away.

She got up and got a warm cloth to clean me with. Returning she laid down next to me and we talked a little while our hands roamed freely over each others bodies.

"So," I asked?

"So what?"

"So, there was a promise of masturbation.”

With that Allie pulled herself up on the bed and told me to move to the foot end. She leaned against the pillows, spread her legs wide and began to finger herself with one hand as the other pinched her nipple.

I felt my cock begin to grow once more and took it lightly in my hand. Allie was staring straight at me with a wanton look of “I want to fuck you all day.”

She picked up the toy again and pressed it to her clit. Her eyes never left mine as my stroke accelerated on my swollen cock.

“Do you like watching me fuck my pussy?” she said sexily.

“You wish your fat cock was in me right now don’t you?”

“That’s it. Rub that cock til it’s ready to explode.”

Her fingers were working in and out her soaked pussy as the toy buzzed on her clit.

I could feel the heat in my loins begin to boil as I watched her.

“Bring the cock closer, Mike.” She commanded.

“I want you to cum on my tits when I cum.”

I nearly exploded right then as I moved on my knees toward her.

Allie threw her head back and fucked herself faster and harder.

“Come on baby….now! Cum on me now! Oh my god, I’m cumming!”

Her body stiffened with her pleas and my cock erupted as several long, heavy creamy shots propelled onto her chest and chin.

Allie quickly used one hand to scoop my cum from her tits. She licked it from her fingers as if it were the sweetest chocolate ever.

As her orgasm subsided, Allie and I lay facing one another with huge smiles. She was giggling about how great that was. I couldn’t help but think the same and wonder what was next.