let the plump weight rest on the top of my fingers. When she moaned, I took this as permission and covered her breast, kneading it slightly with my palm and rubbing my thumb across the nipple I could feel even through the sheer shirt, the tank, and the bra she wore underneath.
I wanted to put my mouth on that tip and suck it like the juicy piece of fruit it reminded me of.
My hindbrain was telling me to keep going, to rip the shirt off, and pull her shorts down. I pulled my hand off her breast and tore my mouth from hers.
She made a small sound of frustration. Me too, sweetheart. Me too. Instead of taking her again, I pulled her in for a hug and held her close, trying to will myself to calm down. “Can we go home or are you committed to a night out?” I asked, pushing strands of her hair out of her face and down behind her ear.
“I can’t,” she whispered to my shirt. “Lana, she’s had a rough week.” I took a deep breath and exhaled. I had waited this long, another few hours wouldn’t kill me.
“Later, then, tonight?” I hoped she knew what I was asking. Maybe it seemed like we had only been dating for a short while, but our courtship had extended nearly six years. Surely that was long enough.
“Yes, tonight,” she promised.
Grace
Noah’s response to my agreement was a blinding smile. Shaking my head, I asked, “Why doesn’t just being with me generate that kind of happy response?”
“It does. It’s just on the inside.” He gave me another hug and a kiss on the top of my head. “So let’s go find this Jack dude.”
“Wait,” I said and looked down. Lana had told me I should let Noah know he was my first, so he could be gentle with me. I was embarrassed and wasn’t sure how he would take it.
“What is it?” Noah asked, tipping my face up. I must have looked pained because he stroked my face and kissed my temple. “What’s wrong?” he asked again.
“I’m, ah,” I stumbled around for the words. “I’m not very experienced.” I felt his body tense up against me. Was he upset by this? I should’ve never told him.
“Oh baby, really?” he said, sounding a little winded. I nodded and looked down, a little afraid of seeing the expression on his face. He laughed a little and hugged me closer.
“God, this is going to make me a jackass if I say this, because it truly wouldn’t have mattered to me if you weren’t a virgin, but goddamn Grace, this is amazing.”
“So you aren’t upset?” I asked him, finally looking up. When I saw his eyes, my breath caught. His lips were curved upward in a smile, but his eyes were blazing.
“No fucking way. I’m glad you told me, but now I’m so hard I’m not going to be able to walk for a good minute,” he admitted. “I’m going to make it so good for you, Grace, I promise.” He said it so seriously that it was like he was vowing it on his mother’s grave.
I gave him a small smile in return. “I believe you.” I ran my hands up and down his chest, molding my fingers against the ridges and valleys. I shivered with delight at the idea of Noah teaching me all of the things other, more experienced girls hinted knowingly about.
He pressed me closer and took long, deep breaths that I felt in his chest when he inhaled and against my hair when he exhaled. After at least a minute, Noah stepped back, reached down to adjust himself with a pained grimace and said, “I think we can go back now.”
“What time is it?” I pulled up his wrist to look. It was past ten. Surely whatever party the Forest house was holding was in full swing by now. “Do you think the guys will mind if we leave?”
We both looked toward our table. It was nearly empty, as were almost all the tables around the stage. Adam sat in one chair, his legs outstretched and arms folded. Mal sat next to him texting someone. The rest of the occupants were either by the pool tables in the rear of the room or over by the bar.
“You round up your girls, and I’ll see who else is coming with us.” Noah instructed. I nodded. Lana and Amy were by the bar with Finn and a couple of