teeth gritted together. From this distance, I could clearly read a dark tattoo on his gums, the one that read ‘PAIN’.
Faltering in my touch, I went to withdraw my hands, when Flame’s hands tightened in my hair. “Keep going,” he ordered. “Maddie… keep going…”
Swallowing at the guttural tone of his broken voice, I continued in my task. Hooking my hands into the waistband, I slowly pulled the leather material down, the pants falling to pool at his feet.
We both stilled. We breathed as we both now stood bare, completely bare for one another. Flame’s head fell forward. His lips were trembling under the shadow of his beard, but I could see the desperation in his eyes.
Leaning forward, I whispered nervously, “We can do this.”
Choking on a moan, Flame nodded his head, and stepped out of his leather pants. Fear held me captive, standing flush against Flame. But I forced myself to step back, and when I did, my heart and my hope soared.
Flame stood before me, all thick muscles and tattoos, with his manhood erect and flushed. But what took away my breath was the fact that his looming presence did not fill me with dread and fear. Because this man before me, the one my soul loved, was my safety. The man with whom I could only ever be this free and trusting.
The man who was mending my fractured soul.
Backing away further, my legs hit the soft mattress of the bed. Pressing my hand down onto the cool linen, I climbed on the bed, and lay down. Flame stood in the center of the room, looking as nervous as I felt. I held out my hand, and meeting his eyes, whispered, “Come to me, Flame… please…”
With a tensed body, Flame shuffled forward until he sat on the mattress. We lay down in our usual positions. Only there was nothing 'usual' about this time. About this moment right now.
Laying my head against the pillow, I inched my hand forward, my palm flat to the mattress beside Flame’s head. Flame, watching every move I made with flared eyes, mirrored my movement. A smile pulled on my lips, and crawling my fingers forward, I lay my hand over his and sighed at the connection.
Flame’s eyes closed, and when they opened, he shuffled further forward and slid his calloused hand around my waist, pulling me against his chest. I gasped as my bare breasts met the hard muscles of his wide chest.
Our stares held, until Flame leaned in and stole a kiss. His lips crushed to mine, and in seconds his tongue pushed into my mouth. I met his tongue with my own, groaning at the too heady sensation of my bare skin flush against Flame’s and our hot mouths fused.
On a low groan, Flame’s hands pushed me flat to the mattress, and he rolled his large body over mine. A cry ripped from my mouth as I broke our lips apart. Panic was coursing through my body, the feel of Flame’s too strong body bringing back painful memories, until my frantic eyes focused on his handsome face, and I immediately calmed.
A tear slipped from the corner of my eye. Flame leaned down to capture it on his lips. My heart raced at such a sweet act coming from such a powerfully-built man. Then I made myself calm; this was Flame. This was my Flame.
Relaxing into the mattress, my unsteady arms lifted to lie on Flame’s shoulders. At my touch Flame relaxed too, and I could feel his hard length pressing against my thigh. But this time I felt no fear, just a simple need to be joined, in every conceivable way.
Flame’s eyes were repeatedly squeezing shut, and his head had begun to twitch. I knew this meant he was just as nervous as I. Only, he did not know how to express it.
Running my hands up his neck, I threaded my fingers through his hair. Flame exhaled, and when he met my eyes, I asked in a quiet voice, “Are you ready?”
Flame’s eyelids pulled down, lines marring his forehead and he confessed, “I’ve never done this before. I’ve never been with anyone this way. Only with, forced by…” he trailed off as his huge arms began to shake. My heart lurched when I knew what he was telling me.
“Shh…” I soothed and stroked his hair. “I am the same. Because I too have never done this before. Not like this. Only with you. Only ever with you.” I swallowed back threatening tears