Let Me Go (Owned 2)

Eli thumbed the fabric of my shirt with his other hand, slowly raising it until I was almost exposed. We’d never been naked with each other before. I’d taken off his shirt in heated moments, but his jeans always remained on. He’d felt under my shirt before, but my clothes always stayed put. Now, as my shirt rose higher and higher and he pressed the heel of his palm deeper into me, I knew we were headed into uncharted territory.

“Can I take this off?” Eli asked, his lips kissing trails along my neck. I nodded, delirious with sensation. Eli lifted his lips off my skin and looked into my eyes. “Say it, Bug, say yes. I want to hear you say I can take it off.”

I did him one better. Even though it killed me to separate myself from his magical hand between my thighs, I stood up and lifted my shirt off myself. I threw it to the side. Eli was on me within seconds, kissing and sucking and cupping everything he could get his hands on.

“You’re gorgeous, Bug,” Eli said against my collarbone. I wrapped my arms around him, desperate to get as close as possible. I still had my bra on but as Eli put both his thumbs beneath the straps on my shoulders, I knew that wouldn’t be true for long.

Eli played with my bra straps, stretching them out and lowering them as he kissed the tops of my breasts. He didn’t take off my bra, just played with it, teasing me.

“Take it off,” I demanded. I never demanded things, ever. At that moment, I couldn’t help it. I needed my bra off like I needed water. Eli remained silent, but he did lift me up to unhook my bra. The sound of it unsnapping was almost as rewarding as the breeze against my bare skin when the bra was removed.

“Gracie…” Eli said, awe tingeing his voice. I didn’t give him much time to look at me, though, because I was on him like moss on a tree. I grabbed at his white t-shirt, slick with sweat.

“Now you!” Eli did as I had, and with one hand pulled the shirt up over his back. Each time I saw Eli shirtless was even more marvelous than the last. He’d started doing work for a factory and had gained some muscles because of it. There was a hard V that led below his pants line and, for some reason, I felt real compelled to run my hands over it.

“What are you doing, Gracie?” Eli asked, voice rough, when I traced my hands over the V.

I smiled up at him. “I don’t know,” I answered truthfully. “I just wanted to touch you here. Should I stop?” I started to pull my hands away, afraid he didn’t like it, but Eli grabbed my hands and put them back.

“No.” Eli’s voice kept getting more and more distorted, like he had swallowed a couple of rocks or something. “Don’t stop.”

So I didn’t stop. Not only did I feel his muscles,

I felt where his jeans were expanding. I knew what that was, and I was very, very intrigued…but I just couldn’t bring myself to say what it was, so I thought of it as, it. I rubbed my hand around it. Eli hissed when I did that and I looked up to make sure he wasn’t hurt.

It was hard. I didn’t know why, but I liked that. I started fumbling with his button and zipper.

Eli stopped me. “Hold on, Gracie.”

I shimmied out of my jeans so I was just in my cotton bikini. I was so nervous. I was nervous that Eli would reject me, nervous that he wouldn’t like what he saw. It’s easy to kiss while clothed. The clothes hide everything you want hidden. I wasn’t hidden anymore. I only had on my bikini, and even that felt exposing.

“Grace…” Eli expelled a breath. “Are you sure?” I had never been so sure of anything before. I wanted this with Eli.

Eli unzipped his jeans and stepped out of them. Now it was just us: he in underwear that acted like a mold around it and me in my bikini. I scooted forward on my knees, eager to touch it again, but Eli stopped me.

“Let me just look at you, Gracie.”

“Why?” I asked, feeling more than self-conscious. I felt exposed.

“Because you’re gorgeous. I’ve been waitin’ for this, but I never thought it’d happen, never thought I’d be so lucky…” Eli trailed off, his gaze fixed on my body. I felt like a meal he was devouring. His gaze traveled the length of my body: first my face, then down my neck, across my collarbone, settling on my breasts for a long while, then farther down my stomach, pausing where he rested between my thighs.

“Lie down,” Eli said quietly.

“What?” I hesitated.

“I’m not done seein’ you.”

I know I could say no. Eli had made that perfectly clear our entire relationship. Whenever I felt uncomfortable, all I had to do was say no. Sometimes Eli sensed my discomfort even before I did. Now, Eli wasn’t asking. He was telling. He needed me to lie down, and that was okay, because I needed it just as much as he did.

Flat on my back, my gaze was directly on the darkening sky. I felt Eli more than I saw him. I felt the tug in the blanket as he crawled toward me, and then I felt his hands on my thighs.

“I’m gonna take these off now, okay?” Fingers wrapped around my cotton bikinis, Eli asked the question that would change everything. My gaze was still firmly set on the sky, but I nodded.

“Not a chance, Bug. You’re gonna look me in the eye and you’re gonna tell me to take these off.” Eli tugged at the fabric, but didn’t pull them down. My chest rose and fell in an unsteady rhythm. Any nerves I’d had before couldn’t compare to these.

Deliberately, I raised my head to meet Eli. He had his grip tight around the fabric at my hips, but his eyes were on mine. “Take them off.”

Eli grinned. “I’m gonna be lookin’ at this sweet sight, but I’ll know if you stop watchin’.” I nodded, saliva filling up my mouth. Eli’s gaze redirected to the apex between my thighs. With deliberate care, Eli peeled the cotton off my thighs.