Hold the Forevers

“Might get awkward.”

“I wouldn’t mind having you right down the hall.”

“Yeah?” he asked as if suddenly realizing that I was lying back on a bed. His hands slid up my bare legs to the skintight acro shorts and up the torso of my leotard. “You have me here, right now.”

“I do. But you haven’t figured out what you’re going to do about your parents.”

He moved his body next to mine, pressing kisses across my collarbone and down across my ribs. “We’re still going to prom, Lila. Whether they want me to go or not.”

“You’re sure?”

“Positive.”

His finger hooked the leotard strap, dragging it down my arm and exposing my breast. I shivered despite the warm, humid air in the cabin. He cupped my breast in his hand, rubbing the nipple between his fingers. I arched against him, my breathing uneven at the contact. Then, his mouth replaced his fingers, and I moaned into the empty space.

“Ash,” I murmured.

He pulled down the other side of my leotard, dragging the material to my waist and baring me completely before him.

“I love your body, Lila,” he said as he settled his mouth on the other nipple. “I love making you feel good.”

He sucked the nipple into his mouth, grazing it with his teeth until I squirmed under him.

“I love you.”

“I love you too,” I gasped.

His free hand moved to my legs, spreading them slightly. I shifted self-consciously, but he didn’t seem to notice. He drew his hand up, up, up my inner thigh, dragging his large, rough hand along my smooth, creamy skin until he reached the apex of my thighs. I trembled at the first touch as he pressed his palm against my core.

That friction alone made my entire body shudder. We’d gotten here before. We’d done a lot more than this. But we never had a bed and uninterrupted time on our hands. There was always a rush and sense of urgency. I never felt ready to take the next step. Which was why we’d both thought prom would be our moment. Finally our moment.

But now that I was lying back on the bed with him massaging me through the thin layer of my shorts, I knew that we’d waited long enough. He’d told his parents. He was serious about us. We both wanted it. Why wait any longer?

“Ash,” I said breathlessly.

He trailed a finger down my center. “Yes?”

“I think … I think I’m ready.”

His eyes snapped up to mine. Blue meeting blue. Desire roaring through both of us.

“Are you sure? You wanted to wait until prom.”

“I’m sure. I don’t want to wait.”

He nodded. Clearly, he wasn’t going to ask me twice. He’d done this before, and I hadn’t. He already wanted this, and I was filled with anticipation. Nerves built in me, but Ash was just Ash. This felt like the right time.

I wiggled out of my shorts and leotard, leaving me naked in the dim lighting. Ash shucked off his polo and khakis. I sat up to my elbow and then reached for his boxers. He stood still, letting me take the lead, letting me test the limits.

I pulled his boxers down, letting them drop to the ground, and then I took him in my hand. Not that I had any frame of reference, but he was huge. Like I had no idea how he was going to fit inside of me. I stroked him a few times, and his head dipped back. A growl escaped his throat, and I thought about doing more, but he gently pushed me backward on the bed.

He retrieved a condom out of a side drawer, and I tried not to think about what they were doing there as he tore the foil. I watched, slightly embarrassed as he pushed the condom down all the way around himself and then crawled on top of me. At the first touch of the tip of him against my opening, I jumped in shock.

“Ash,” I said, suddenly wide-eyed with worry.

“Hey.” He brushed my hair back and pressed a kiss to my lips. “It’s okay. We can stop if you’re not ready.”

I swallowed hard. “I’m ready.”

“I’ll go slow,” he assured me.

It felt good. So fucking good. Just him against me, the inch he pushed inside. I gasped in shock. I’d never experienced anything like this. Nothing compared.

He moved in and out slowly, just as he’d promised, warming me up and opening me to fit him. I was wrong about him not fitting because, he eased all the way in. The pressure was tight and almost uncomfortable. But nothing like Josie had said it would be. She deeply regretted her first time, and I couldn’t imagine regretting this with Ash.

“Are you okay?” he asked once he was fully seated inside of me.

“Yes,” I whispered.

He dropped a kiss onto my lips as he pulled out again, nearly as slow. A breath escaped me.