standing there, peering at me lying underneath the covers.
I stare at him, and he stares back at me.
“You’re waiting up for me; what a dutiful wife,” he remarks with a grin on his face and then shuts the bedroom door behind him.
Without another word, he pulls his shirt off and throws it on the floor. Can he see how wide my eyes are right now? I’m afraid they’re going to pop out of my head!
“I…I thought we could talk,” I say, scooting down even further under the covers as he walks over to the bed. I’m trying not to stare at his perfectly chiseled torso. The way he moves is stealthy. There’s a hunger in his eyes.
“I’ve been waiting to come up here, not so we can talk,” he says.
Now he’s standing over me, and my lips are parted. I’ve already loosened my grip on the covers. My heart is pounding. I can feel tingles in my toes and fingertips. He reaches for the edge of the cover and yanks it off, throwing it to the ground in one swift motion.
Reed’s blue eyes roam all over the sight he sees. Me in that black lace negligee, lying on the bed on full display for him. He makes a grunting sound like he’s pleased. Then he looks up to meet my eyes.
“I knew you would be worth the wait,” he continues and moves towards me.
This feels like a dream. One minute we were both fully clothed, downstairs, having dinner with his newly discovered family. Now we’re up here, half-naked and thirsty for each other’s bodies. Somehow, this feels normal. It feels exactly like what would happen if we were really married. I have the ring on my finger. I’m imagining this is true. That this is all real. That he is just going to take what is his.
Reed leans over the edge of the bed, taking my face in his hand. I have a few fleeting moments to look into his eyes, and then he kisses me. This kiss is very different from all the other ones we’ve shared. It is urgent and determined. Fierce almost. His tongue moves inside my mouth, seeking something, tasting everything.
I feel the zing of desire course through me and my hips thrust upward. My back arches. I am not in control of my body anymore. I grab on to his shoulders, pulling him in. Our mouths are fused but our bodies are still apart, and I want to be closer. Even closer to him. As close as I can get.
For the first time, I don’t feel panic. I feel calm. I feel like I am exactly where I want to be. But I have to tell him first; I don’t want him to think I’m hiding anything from him.
I pull away gently, and our lips part with a smack.
“Reed…I…I have never done this before,” I say in a hushed, breathless voice. He has his forehead pressed to mine, and then his eyes look deeply into me. My soul.
I feel like he’s hesitating for a second, but then his blue eyes turn warm again.
“I want you to tell me what you want, Ella,” he replies.
My hand is shaking, but I’m still holding on to him.
“I want you to take my virginity, please,” I say, and I’m trying not to beg.
Reed’s hands are on me, gentle but firm. He pulls me into a sitting position on the bed. I’m on my knees with my legs tucked underneath me. He stands back as if to admire me. When he watches me like that, I can’t help but blush. No man has looked at me like this before—lust, admiration, respect. Even though I know I am putty in his hands now, I also know I can put a stop to this any time. He will step away from me. He won’t push me any further than I want to go.
I’m beginning to realize I have never trusted a man like this before.
His fingers reach for the straps of my negligee and he slowly pulls them down my arms. I can feel the warmth of him, radiating towards me like the hot sun. I can smell beer on his breath; his cologne turns me on.
There’s a juicy wetness between my legs and I don’t want to hide it from him anymore.
He pulls the negligee down…down to my hips, and my breasts spill out in his view. My nipples are tight with desire. I know I should be shy. I’m surprising