Firsts (11 page)

“I love you,” he whispered ardently. “Since the beginning, I've loved you.”

She shrugged a shoulder. “You've been with me from Barbies to boys, and that's something I want forever.”

“Forever's a long time, love.”

“Well, I'll settle for a lifetime, then.”

The next thing she knew, Thorn lay between her legs and pressed her to the mattress, mauling her with hungry, desperate kisses. God, he poured all of himself into his kisses. Every taste sang 100 percentThorn , flecked with just enough of the reverent Wesley to make him whole. She loved it, loved every whisper, every nudge, everything that made him what he was.

“A lifetime?” he demanded again when their lips broke apart. His hard cock rested against her drenched flesh, jarring her nerves back to life. “You mean it, love?”

“I mean it.”

“Gonna hold you to it, you know.”

She grinned. “Counting on it.”

“We're gonna drive each other loony.”

“No change there, huh?”

Thorn smiled and nudged her nose with his. “No,” he replied, his voice goofily elated. “No change at all.”

“And yes.”

“Yes?”

“Birth control. You asked.” Savannah let out a quick breath, the tingles coursing through her body making it impossible to lie still. “I…uhhh… Random change back to… Yeah, but I am on the Pill. Mom made me go on it after Cordelia's pregnancy scare freshman year.”

He arched a brow. “That long, eh?”

“I-it wasn't like a license to slut or anything. Just precautionary and realistic.” She sucked her lower lip between her teeth. “Did you use…ummm…protection? I mean, with—”

“Christ, yes.”

She exhaled harshly. “So you've never…without a…thing.”

“Condom?”

“Yeah.”

“I've never had sex without a condom, no.” Thorn licked his lips. “I mean what I said, love.

We're not on anyone's timetable. You tell me you want to wait, and we'll wait. I'll have myself a nice wank—”

Her eyes narrowed. “A wank? When I'm here and have a mouth?”

A second ticked by—a fraction of a second—but the look that stole into his gaze could have held her captive for hours. “Do you have the slightest idea”—he all but growled, thrusting hard against her, his steely flesh sliding against her sex and hitting her in all the right places—“what you do to me?”

“Mahhh…”

“You liked doing that for me?” He paused. “You liked sucking me off?”

She nodded wildly, rolling her hips frantically. “A lot.”

“Oh, Savannah…” Thorn sighed, suckling her earlobe between his teeth. “Well, trust me, love… You'll get your chance. Again and again.”

“You're very generous.”

“I try.”

“Well, it'll have to wait…becauseI don't want to wait for the big thing.” A giggle tickled her lips at the wave of relief that washed over his face. “I'm all kinds of ready.”

“Thank Christ,” he professed, diving for her throat.

Savannah giggled again. “Didn't know you were religious.”

“'m not. Just think it's polite.”

His mouth feasted on hers again before she could form another word, his wandering hands cupping her breasts and trapping her nipples between his fingers. It amazed her how quickly the simple sensation of his lips against hers caused her brain to short-circuit. Daniel's kisses had never turned her into jelly. On the contrary, they had done little more than make her very aware she served as nothing more to him than a commodity. Someone he could conquer rather than value, use instead of appreciate. She'd been a pledge, a challenge, and when she hadn't given him what he wanted, he'd tossed her aside.

Thorn's kisses made her aware of herself in ways she never recognized before. She didn't feel like justSavannah anymore; she'd become a woman. She felt desirable, yes, but above anything, cherished. When he touched her, kissed her, ran his hands over her skin, it thrived beyond the physical. He trembled when his skin met hers.

Savannah had something in her hands she'd wanted since she discovered fairy tales. She hadn't realized she believed in love at all until now.

“Mmm,” Thorn purred, smiling shyly when their lips parted. “Give us a sec, love.”

He reached for the nightstand, giving her mouth access to one of his succulent nipples.

“Mmm.” He aimed a grin at her. “Stop that.”

“No,” she replied, licking him again.

“That's right distracting.”

“Not my fault. You were moving away, and I want you to stay here.” She eyed the nightstand. “What are you doing, anyway?”

“Well, if you'd hold on a second…I grabbed some things for us.” His hand began rummaging blindly through the open drawer. “After I caved to your bloody brilliant plan—”

“Which got us here. Don't you forget it.”

Thorn snickered appreciatively. “Right. I got us some supplies.”

“Supplies?”

“Well, for you actually.” His grin turned sheepish. “And me. Condoms and the like. But mostly for you, love. I wanted to do right by you. Thought I could, I dunno…win you over with charm.”

Savannah giggled. “Charm?”

“Oi! I have loads of charm.”

“Uh-huh…”

“Well, if I'm gonna be honest, I was aiming more for shagging you until you fell in love with me.” Thorn winked as his fingers snatched whatever he'd been looking for. “But I also figured I couldn't be careful enough. Got us some lube.”

“L-lube?” That word inspired a slew of other ideas, most of which involved an area on her body she'd determined would remainvirgin . “That…ummm…”

“Just to ease the hurt.” He rolled off her, uncapping the small bottle he'd retrieved. “Not for anything you're thinking, you naughty girl.”

Okay, blushing now. “I'm thinking nothing!”

“Somehow I doubt that.” Crystal liquid squeezed from the bottle's opening, pooling into his waiting palm. Then he took his cock into that hand and soaked his hardened flesh, and God, watching him stroke himself made her insides tingle. And before she could blink, she crawled over him, thought detached from action. Every second since that first fateful discussion had led to this moment, but she felt so damn nervous, she could barely keep her mind on track with decisions her body had already made.

“Can I be on top?” she asked softly, blinking hard and looking everywhere but at him.

“I…uhh…I've been thinking…and reading, and what I've read has… I think it could…be better.

For me.”

Thorn smiled softly. “That's perfect, love.”

“It is?”

He nodded. “This is for you, and if you're steering, that means you're in charge.”

“That's what I was thinking.”

“And that's the way it should be.”

Savannah inhaled sharply and braced her hands on his shoulders. She still might as well have lived in someone else's body for as at home as she felt in hers, but with Thorn's hands steadying her hips and his eyes keeping her grounded, she managed to calm her raging nerves and merge herself with reality. The silky head of his cock brushed against her wet folds, slipping up against her clit once before aligning perfectly with her opening. And it felt real. They were really together, really here, and really about to cross a hurdle she only got to cross once.

“I love you,” Thorn whispered.

Every muscle in her body relaxed, a warm smile spreading across her face. “I love you too.”

She'd heard losing her virginity ideally compared to pulling off a Band-Aid: quick pain that rapidly receded rather than something long and drawn-out. And perhaps it should embody that metaphor for most women…but as she slowly sank onto his cock, as her vaginal walls parted, as a sweet ache split her in half, she would have traded nothing in the world for the look on her Thorn's face. The pain didn't matter;nothing save the wonderment of sensation mattered. He consumed her with awe and warmth, with light and love beyond anything she'd ever thought could exist. He swallowed her whole, numbed the hurt with adoration and wonder, and when he groaned against her, she knew she'd come home.

“Oh, Savannah…”

Her nails dug into his shoulders. “Ahhh…”

“So good. So fucking good…” He panted hard, hands tightening their grip on her hips. “You all right, baby?”

Her breaths were coming so hard, she wondered if her lungs would survive. Was she all right? God, her world had just been unmade.

“Any pain?” he prompted.

Savannah nodded harshly. “A little,” she replied. “It's…ahh…feel so…full.”

Thorn's eyes shone. “Yeah?” he prompted, swirling his hips almost involuntarily. “Take all the time you need. We've got all night.”

Her teeth scraped along her lower lip, the tiny pinpricks dancing across her skin overpowering the shy virgin once and for all. The barrier no longer existed, and now she needed more. More of what, she didn't know, but from the way Thorn's eyes drank every move she made, every flicker of every emotion that crossed her features, hesitation had no room in the face ofneed.

“Just tell me,” Savannah said softly, “if I do something wrong.”

Thorn laughed nervously. “Sav—”

She lifted herself off his erection, reveling in the way her flesh pulled at his, her body protesting and rejoicing all at once. Movement felt good. Oh yes, very good. Her muscles remained undecided whether to clamp or unwind, but even still, that felt natural. After all, she'd never before asked them to perform for her; she didn't change pace or break away to spare herself the discomfort of newness. Her body wanted to do either at the moment: slow to allow time to adjust or speed to race past the pain, but those sensations appeared secondary to the wonder of being joined.

“Is this all right?” she asked, sinking down again. “It feels…”

“Wonderful.” Thorn sighed. His hands abandoned her hips in favor of her breasts. “Feel so hot. So tight. Gonna squeeze me till I pop, you are.” A pause, then he lifted himself off the bed to suck one of her nipples into his mouth, driving his cock deeper within her. “So wonderful…Savannah…”

“Ohh, that's good.” Savannah's eyes fell shut for a second before flying open with conviction.

She didn't want to miss a second. Every flash that seized his face, every time his mouth fell open, every shade of everything that clouded his gaze remained hers to treasure, and she didn't want to miss any of it. “Thorn…”

His teeth scraped along her nipple. “So lovely. That's it, kitten…” Without warning, his mouth released her breast, and he fell back to the mattress, hands bracing her back and taking her with him, so her breasts pressed against his chest. Then his fingers gripped her ass, subtly guiding her strokes until a steady rhythm developed between them. “Ride me just like that,” he encouraged softly, stealing a kiss off her lips. “So good. God, you feel so good.”

“Really?”

She hadn't intended to let the word escape, but it did somehow. Pain lived as a thing of the past; she felt nothing now but the steady drives of his cock into her body. He felt so slick and hard, large and consuming; she became blissfully unaware of anything that existed outside ofthis . The all-encompassing warmth burning from within, greedy, hungry formore more more of whatever he had to give.

“Never,” Thorn swore. “I swear it; I'venever felt anything like this. You're…God yes…”

Courage fueled her strokes, making them harder, more desperate. Savannah didn't push her boundaries; when something began to hurt, she drew herself back, retreating to a place where only pleasure lived. The muscles in her thighs might have been protesting, but she ignored them, ignored the familiar tingle of embarrassment at the warm flood between her legs, ignored everything but Thorn and focused on sensation. And yes, she felt the intangible as well; felt love in his fingers every time they brushed her flesh, every time his lips caressed hers, every time he moaned into her skin.

“Fuck.” Thorn's head snapped back, his eyes wide. “Not gonna last.”

“What?”

“Inside you. First time. So hot and tight, and I can't… Not gonna last.” Without ceremony, he used his grip on her ass to lift her off his cock entirely.

“What?”

“Can't last. Need to feel you come.” He pressed his lips hard against hers and broke away just as quickly; the next thing she knew, he'd flipped her onto her back and slid down her body, planting kisses as he went.

Savannah felt too startled to register the inner outcry—the need burning within that screamed its frustration at being left alone—and therefore didn't know how to vocalize her discomfort.

How could she begin to convey what she needed when she didn't know it herself? Thankfully Thorn's arms slipped under her hips and lifted her pussy to his eager mouth before her confusing jumble of thoughts had her brain misfiring on overload.